Evening My Lovelies

Well, this chapter was originally causing me a lot of trouble, pretty sure I ended up staring at the screen for ages yesterday trying to figure out what to write but then it hit me! :D I'm seriously in love with the plans I have for this, and the next few chapters and I absolutely can't wait to read what you all think of them all!

Notes on reviews:

pallysAramisRios: Thanks for the review - Oh I loved writing that scene. I didn't initially plan for it all to be a test on Treville's part, that idea came while I was actually writing but I love it so I'm very glad it came when it did :D Treville's plan with Marin is going to remain a secret for a little bit but I will get to it, promise! Enjoy the new chapter! x

Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - I did genuinely debate having Marin be a baddie but he's grown on me a lot more than I expected and I have a new story brewing in my head that I'd like to include him in (providing my evil side doesn't decide to kill him off at some point lol :D) Enjoy the new chapter! x

beeblegirl: Thanks for the review - That was going to be the plan originally, I only changed it when I got the idea for it all being a test while I was actually writing it, and I'm so glad I did as I like this version a lot more :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

As always much love and many thanks for following/favouriting/reviewing/reading

Love you all!

Enjoy!

xxx

Chapter Sixty-Three: To Catch A Rat III

With the threat of their mysterious author still ringing loudly in his head, Treville was more than eager to get his men back to the safety of the garrison. He knew it was likely only because of their now larger numbers that they had managed to go unaccosted by bandits and the like but he doubted their numbers would be a deterrent for much longer if their traitor had any say in the matter, so staying in one, barely defensible location, for too long was not in the cards.

On his order the musketeers had made quick work on preparing to make the journey back to the garrison, most of the day went by in a blur of planning but when night fell once more the Captain was feeling infinitely more settled now they had a plan in motion to get his men home so he could begin earnestly searching for the traitor in his regiment.

It had not escaped his notice that Athos and his brothers, minus D'Artagnan who was still unconscious for most of the time, had already begun their own investigations. Investigations that continued well into the next day even while travelling.

Out of the trio, Aramis and Porthos were definitely the more approachable members of the inseparables and so it wasn't out of the ordinary to see the pair happily chatting to whatever member of the regiment they happened to be near.

The duo were also well-known fans of a bit of gossip so it surprised none of the men when the duo began asking about what they had missed during their absence from the garrison, even if they had their own preferred ways of getting that information.

"So Pruitt," grinned Porthos as he settled down amongst a small group of men later that day during one of the many breaks they were forced to take given the injured members in their travelling party. "You manage to learn how to bluff while I was gone?" teased the larger man as he held up a well-worn pack of cards in his hands.

The aforementioned musketeer laughed good-naturedly at the tease as he put down the book he had been sketching in, to gesture at the open space between them, "Let's see shall we."

For the next hour Porthos and his groups of musketeers played several hands of cards whilst chatting away, the men all too happy to fill Porthos in on what he had missed if it meant they could tease their friends about said gossip, none appearing to notice that the interest in Porthos's amusement-filled eyes wasn't solely due to the antics they were discussing.

"And then there's Vernier," grinned Pruitt sometime later, quickly glance over his shoulder at the musketeer to make sure he was not about to be overheard.

The name piqued Porthos's interest as he too subtly glanced at the musketeer, the man, a couple of years younger than him was completely focused on the book he appeared to be writing in. Looking back at Pruitt he raised an eyebrow at the man, "Vernier?"

From his spot by D'Artagnan's side, Athos watched both of his brother's work with a mixture of amusement, fondness and pride as the pair were handling possibly talking to a traitor with impressive ease, none of the anger or betrayal he knew they were both feeling showed on either of their faces nor had it that morning when they had been able to speak to D'Artagnan in one of the boy's rare bouts of wakefulness.

The night previously they had decided to keep the situation from their youngest, although not because they didn't trust him to keep it to himself. The Gascon might be terrible at keeping secrets from them but he knew both when and how to keep things to himself when he truly needed to. Instead, they remained silent because they feared what the information might do to the recovering boy and what he might do in light of it.

D'Artagnan had grown up idolizing the regiment and that didn't change or diminish when he was allowed to join. He had made an effort to get to know every single one of their brothers-in-arms, even if a few of the gruffer members rebuffed his attempts. To learn that one of the very people he had trusted, befriended and even, in a way, idolized, was the reason they as a whole had endured such pain lately would be an incredible blow to bear and the older inseparables were worried what effect such a blow would have on the boy's recovery along with his mental state, especially given the still quite dire condition the Gascon was in.

The trio also knew, better than anyone, how rash and hot-headed their youngest could be at times and they wouldn't put it passed the boy to act out in light of the news, pushing his already weakened body well passed it limits and possibly outing their knowledge of the traitor being a musketeer at the same time.

So the decision was made to keep the news from D'Artagnan until such a time as there was no other choice or the boy's health was no longer so dire.

However, this decision also meant that D'Artagnan would be completely trusting of whatever musketeer approached him, regardless of their intentions so it had also been decided that Athos would continue to stay by the younger man's side, not that the swordsman needed any convincing to do so.

His role as guardian allowed Athos to simply sit and observe the men whenever they stopped for breaks, his strategic mind logging anything and everything of note he saw the men doing, meaning he did not miss how one of his brothers-in-arms seemed completely engrossed in whatever he was writing.

Elsewhere in their makeshift camp however Aramis couldn't help the grin on his face. While he and Porthos were both known to enjoy a bit of gossip, it was he who truly loved hearing a juicy bit of it so he didn't bother to hide his prying under a guise like Porthos, he simply cornered one of his long-time friends and demanded to know all the gossip he had missed.

Thankfully this was well within character so his friend did little more than laugh boisterously at him before leaning in, a growing smile on his face.

"He's got a new girl you know," grinned the musketeer sometime later, thoroughly enjoying the surprised expression on the medic's face, an expression that quickly turned hungry as he all but demanded more details.

"Vernier?" gaped Aramis, glancing over his friend's shoulder to stare at the oblivious musketeer for a moment before looking back at his friend, "Vernier?"

Chuckling the musketeer nodded, "He must do, he's been so secretive lately."

Thankfully for Aramis his friend didn't seem to notice how the marksman's eyes narrowed for a fraction of a second at the news of a secretive acting musketeer, the man all too happy to elaborate when asked.

"He's been staying out late, sometimes not even returning to the garrison until well past dawn," explained the musketeer, "He's been getting a lot of mail the last few months too and he's always quick to shoot down any questions of who they're from… What else could it be but a new girl?" he explained with a shrug.

"I thought he'd sworn off women after that last ordeal?" pressed Aramis as he silently cursed himself for being so checked out after his own ordeal at the hands of their mysterious author. Had he not pushed away nearly everyone in the regiment then it was likely that this information would have reached his ears sooner and while he wasn't sure he would have noted the importance of it, it might have helped them.

The memory of a very drunk Vernier, quite loudly swearing off of women after having his heart publicly broken brought a faint chuckle from the marksman's friend who simply shrugged again.

"Hmm," mused Aramis as he glanced over to the still engrossed musketeer once more before forcing a mischievous look on his face as he looked back to his friend, "I guess I'll have to get her name out of him then… Need to make sure she's good enough for our friend."

The musketeer at his side laughed loudly in agreement, waving the medic away when he made the excuse of needing to check on D'Artagnan, the man completely missing the troubled look that appeared on the marksman's face as soon as he was out of the man's eyesight.