"Did you two empty the garrison of all provisions?" Sylvie exclaimed as the cadets brought more stuff into Sylvie's house.

"I heard you've been teaching the poor to read and write?" Constance said, weaving her way through the boxes.

Sylvie smiled. "Word has spread, and people keep coming. But we're running low on materials."

"Well, we can help with those, too," Constance replied.

"You've already done more than enough to help us," Sylvie replied. "Both of you." Ellie smiled at her as she grabbed her hand. "We'll never be able to repay your kindness."

Constance gave Ellie a knowing look, smirking slightly. "Come with me."

Sylvie followed after the two women as they walked her down to the print shop off the street from the tavern.

Constance opened the door and Sylvie looked around in amazement, slowly walking inside.

Ellie chuckled at her friends shock and followed behind her.

"With all this, you could spread your message far and wide, reach everybody in every part of Paris," Constance told her, following her inside.

"Maybe even further," Ellie suggested, crossing her arms.

"We cannot afford –"

"The Queen can," Constance finished.

Sylvie blinked in shock. "In four years, the Crown has done nothing to appease our suffering."

"Th education of the poor has always been a cause close to Her Majesty's heart," Constance replied. "I know you don't trust her." Constance sighed. "Sylvie…you want to change things for the better. This is how."

Sylvie nodded, looking around, still in awe.

"If you won't trust the Queen," Ellie said, stepping forward and grabbing Sylvie's hand. "Trust me."

Sylvie paused for a moment, still taking it all in. She slowly nodded, a big smile adorning her face.

Constance chuckled. "I'll tell the Queen you accept."

Ellie winked at Sylvie as she followed Constance out the print shop.

"Oh, Constance, Ellie?"

Both women turned back to look at Sylvie.

"The Captain?" Sylvie asked quietly.

Constance smiled to herself. "Athos is well. I'll say you asked after him?"

Sylvie shook her head. "No."

"Alright," Ellie said. "Have fun, Sylvie!"

Ellie stepped out the door, shutting it behind her as she looked at Constance.

"She's smitten with him," Ellie said, laughing.

"And him with her," Constance replied. "I just wish he'd accept it."

"Now you know how we all felt with you and D'Artagnan," Ellie replied smirking.

Constance gaped at her. "We weren't that bad! Were we?"

Ellie smirked. "Worse."

"Elizabeth Beckett, you take that back!"

~ 0 ~

"Did you know that Athos has a wife?" Brujon asked.

Ellie looked up at him, drinking halfway to her mouth. "I'm sorry, what?"

Brujon nodded. "There's a woman upstairs, she said she was his wife."

Ellie frowned. "He…he doesn't…what?!"

"The woman in his office…"

Ellie's eyes widened. "Milady." She stood up. "She's in his office?"

Brujon nodded. "You going to tell me who she is?"

Ellie paused. "Umm –"

"Ellie!"

Ellie turned towards the garrison entrance, staring at Eddie who'd yelled at her. "What?" She yelled.

"Sylvie wants you," Eddie replied, still yelling.

"Where is she?"

"Print shop!"

Eddie, happy he'd delivered the message, turned around and walked off before Ellie could ask him anymore.

Ellie groaned, looking between Athos' office and the garrison gates. "Do not let that woman leave this building, understood?" She yelled as she began walking towards the gates.

"What do I tell Athos?" Brujon yelled, frowning.

"That you're sorry!"

~ 0 ~

"Sylvie, I all but ran here," Ellie said as she walked into the shop. "This better be worth it."

Sylvie turned around with a smile, holding out a large piece of parchment. Ellie stepped forward, staring at it, smiling.

"No way," she whispered, eyes gleaming with excitement as she took it off Sylvie and read it.

"You like it?" Sylvie asked, struggling to hide her glee.

"Sylvie, I love it!" Ellie exclaimed, hugging her friend. "I wish I had had someone like you when I was growing up here."

"Hopefully the future children of France get a new chance at life," Sylvie replied, hugging her back tightly.

"Want me to help hand them out?" Ellie asked, nodding the giant pile of papers on the table.

"Oh, please!" Sylvie exclaimed.

Ellie chuckled, picking up a pile of leaflets and following Sylvie out the shop.

The two slowly walked down to the settlement, handing out the leaflets as they went and talking with the people.

Ellie couldn't hide her smile as she saw the grateful looks on people's faces, even hugging some of them.

"You're doing a good thing, Sylvie," Ellie said quietly as they walked down the street to the settlement.

Sylvie smiled, grabbing Ellie's hand. "You helped me, Ellie."

"Those two, there!"

Sylvie and Ellie turned to stare at the Red Guards marching towards them, Marcheaux standing behind watching on smugly.

Ellie stepped forward, shielding Sylvie with her body. "What now, Marcheaux?"

"Sylvie Bodaire and Elizabeth Beckett, you are under arrest for publishing malice and debauchery towards the Queen. Your sentence is public flogging," Marcheaux said, smirking as the Red Guard grabbed Ellie and Sylvie.

"Show me this 'debauchery', Marcheaux," Ellie said, fighting off the guards trying to hold her.

Marcheaux triumphantly pulled out a folded piece of parchment, clearly bearing the Queen's seal. He unfolded it, turning it to show the two women what was clearly printed on it.

Ellie stared. "We didn't do that, Marcheaux and you know it," she growled.

Marcheaux shrugged. "Who else has suddenly gotten access to print with the Queen's money?"

Ellie glanced around, registering the people reading a copy of the parchment and staring at her and Sylvie. Ellie stared at Marcheaux. "Grimaud…"

"Take them away!" Marcheaux yelled, smirking as Ellie and Sylvie struggled against the men forcing them down the street.

~ 0 ~

"Sylvie?!" Athos yelled as he ran up the stairs to her house. "Sylvie!"

"The Red Guard took her," Rochelle said, looking up at him. "And Ellie."

Athos walked down the stairs, staring at Rochelle. "Why?"

"They say that they're both responsible for this."

Athos took the parchment off Rochelle, staring at it. It depictured the Queen dancing with devil with the words 'The Spanish Queen's latest lover' underneath it.

"They're everywhere," Rochelle told him.

Athos looked up from the parchment glancing around at everyone who was reading it. He turned around and quickly ran off.

~ 0 ~

"It seems we've been holding peace talks with the Spanish that I know nothing about!" Louis exclaimed, throwing his hands up. "And now…now these!" He unfolded one of the many leaflets and held it up. "'The Spanish Queen's latest lover'! Servants have been finding them all over the palace! How many more are out on the streets?"

"It's difficult to say, Majesty," Athos replied.

"How many?!" Louis exclaimed.

"There may be hundreds…sire," Porthos said quietly.

"Who suggested that the Queen gives this Sylvie woman money in the first place?"

"Well, that was intended to show the people that the Crown cares, Sire," D'Artagnan replied.

"It was ill-conceived!" Louis exclaimed, throwing his hand up.

"Majesty, there is a design at work here," Treville said. "Your enemies mean to discredit the Queen."

"But Sylvie Bodaire are not part of it," Athos added.

"Really? Well, I'm told she has preached rebellion in the past," Louis snapped back. "As has Elizabeth Beckett, who, I've been told, is also a part of this."

The four men standing before Louis frowned but kept quiet.

"Your Majesty, if I may? Sylvie has proved herself to be a woman of honour," Porthos replied. "And Elizabeth has always been a loyal soldier to the throne."

"Show me the honour in this, Porthos. Show me the loyalty? Show it to me," Louis demanded, showing the paper again. "Now, the Red Guard have their instructions. Be grateful that I have not had them executed."

D'Artagnan glanced at Athos, a feeling of unease overtaking him. Athos suddenly bowed down, standing up and quickly leaving the room.

"Er, you are not dismissed, Captain!" Louis yelled at his retreating form. "You are not dismissed!"

Treville sighed, turning to look at D'Artagnan and Porthos. "After him."

D'Artagnan and Porthos bowed down before quickly following after Athos.

"If they've hurt Ellie or Sylvie, I'm gonna kill them," D'Artagnan muttered as they ran after Athos.

"Get in line," Porthos growled.

~ 0 ~

Ellie struggled to contain her nerves as a Red Guard chained her wrists to the wooden pole in front of her. She could see the whip in the hand of another guard and felt as if she would pass out from the memories it was bringing back.

The Red Guard and Marcheaux had stripped her off her doublet, weapons belt and sword and she was standing there, chained to the post, hair loose, just in her shirt and trousers. She felt physically sick.

But one look at how terrified Sylvie was forced Ellie back to reality. Her hands grabbed Sylvie's and she looked around the post and looked the woman in the eye.

"Sylvie, I swear, on my life, we'll get out of this," Ellie said, trying to tune out the jeering crowd beneath her.

Sylvie nodded shakily as the guard stepped away. "I know."

Marcheaux stepped forward onto the platform, eyeing the crowd excitedly. "The King commands…these unholy women to be punished! They are charged with publishing malice and debauchery against the Queen! His Majesty and God's grace sentence them both to 20 lashes!"

Ellie exhaled slowly, trying to calm herself down as Marcheaux turned around to face them both.

"There is no God in this travesty and no grace in any part of what you do today," Sylvie told Marcheaux, glaring at him.

"I didn't think you could sink much lower, Marcheaux," Ellie said, trying her hardest not to make her voice shake. "Evidently I was wrong."

Marcheaux turned back to the crowd. "30 lashes, each!" He turned back to the two women, walking closer to them. "Madame D'Artagnan helped you. Name her…and we will keep the strokes light."

Ellie scoffed. "Unlike you, Marcheaux, I'd never betray a friend. Whatever you to do to me today – to us – we will still be innocent. For you, however, there will be no going back."

Marcheaux shook his head, smiling sinisterly. "The Beckett woman first!"

Ellie tilted her head up to the sky as a guard marched forward and ripped open her shirt – Brujon's shirt – exposing her already scarred back to the jeering crowd below.

"Sylvie, I'm sorry," Ellie said quietly as the guard holding the whip walked over to her. "I told you to trust me."

Sylvie squeezed Ellie's hand tightly. "This is not your fault, Ellie, you hear me?"

Ellie tried to nod but could see the man lift his arm up, ready to swing the whip. The crowd began cheering louder and Ellie knew it was coming.

The first strike sent her falling back into the past, the haunting memories of her past she'd tried to forget flashing by. Her grip on Sylvie's hand tightened as another lash landed and the pain began to overwhelm her.

But she did not make a sound.

Another three lashes landed. Then another four.

Ellie still did not make a single sound.

Marcheaux held up a hand, stopping the guard. He stepped forward, staring at Ellie. "Do the other one, she's boring me,"

"No, Marcheaux, don't," Ellie begged as the guard moved around to Sylvie. "Please."

Marcheaux ignored her, nodding at the guard once.

Sylvie cried out as the first lash hit her. Ellie grabbed her hand, trying to distract Sylvie whilst also trying to ground herself too.

As the third lash hit Sylvie, Ellie spotted Athos pushing his way through the crowd, eyes wide, panic evident on his face.

Marcheaux spotted Athos and pointed at him. "Stop him!"

A red guard stepped forward to stop him, but Athos shoved him out the way, punching him in the face. He clambered up onto the platform only to be held back by another guard.

Marcheaux stepped forward, lowering his gaze. "To defy the law of the King is treason!'

"To hell with the law!" Athos all but screamed.

Ellie could feel her energy and resolve fading, but she forced herself to focus as she spotted D'Artagnan and Porthos running towards them.

Marcheaux took a step back as D'Artagnan stormed onto the platform, pushing him away from Athos.

"Put it down," D'Artagnan said coldly.

The two men holding Athos let go, intimidated by the arrival of two more Musketeers. Athos moved to the pole and began unchaining Sylvie and Ellie from it.

"Put it down," D'Artagnan repeated.

"Now, I heard that, so I'm certain you did," Porthos replied, staring down Marcheaux.

"Animals!" Athos yelled as he unchained Ellie's hand, turning around to do the other one. "You should all hang your heads in shame!"

Ellie felt the cold metal fall away from her hand and she stumbled back from the post, trying to keep standing as Athos untied Sylvie, catching her as she sank to the floor.

Spotting her doublet on the floor, Ellie grabbed it and put it on, trying to hide her lashes from her brothers, wanting them to worry about Sylvie – not her.

D'Artagnan walked over to Ellie, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?" He asked, tilting her head up to look at him.

Ellie nodded. "He didn't get to me," she said quietly, her hand gripping D'Artagnan's doublet tightly as he hugged her. She flinched slightly when his hand touched her back but managed to disguise it enough so he wouldn't worry.

~ 0 ~

"Constance," Ellie called as she caught her friend walking past. "Constance."

Constance turned to look at Ellie, frowning. "What's wrong?"

Ellie glanced over and saw D'Artagnan and Porthos watching them, concern evident in their eyes. "Just, come here, please."

Constance walked inside Ellie's room, turning to face Ellie as she shut the door. "Ellie, what's wrong?"

Ellie sighed, wringing her hands in front of her as she kept her back to the door. "I lied, earlier, to D'Artagnan," Ellie said slowly, trying to get her words out without bursting into tears. "Marcheaux did hit me…he got bored because I didn't make any noise."

Constance sighed sadly. "Oh, Ellie."

"And I can't have any of them look at it because…well, my brain is overwhelmed with all my past and having any man, even my husband, touching my back makes me panic and..."

Ellie cut herself off with a sob as she sunk to the floor, holding onto the edge of her bed.

Constance rushed forward and knelt down in front of Ellie, careful not to touch her. "Can I touch you?"

Ellie nodded and Constance carefully gather her in her arms, holding Ellie's head against her chest as the woman cried.

"It's alright, Ellie," Constance whispered, rocking her gently. "You're safe. I'm here."

~ 0 ~

Ellie gently knocked on the door to Athos' office, opening it carefully as she carried a bowl of clean water in the other.

She hadn't let anyone other than Constance touch her back and had hidden herself away from everyone.

Brujon had been incredibly understanding, leaving her a bottle of wine outside the room with a note reminding her how much he loved her.

Athos looked up as Ellie walked in, giving her a small smile.

"Hi," Ellie whispered, walking over to him. "How is she?"

"She's asleep," Athos replied, watching as Ellie set down the clean water and picked up the old water. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," Ellie replied, brushing his comment off as she turned around.

Athos reached out and gently grabbed her wrist. Ellie flinched but kept her cool, turning to look at him.

"Why is your back bleeding?" Athos asked quietly.

Ellie paused, opening and closing her mouth as she struggled to answer him.

Athos stood up, looking at Ellie with concern. "Marcheaux hit your first, didn't he?"

Ellie, not trusting herself to speak, nodded once, gripping the bowl tightly. Athos gently took the bowl out of her hands, setting it down on the table. He pulled out a chair as quietly as he could and sat Ellie down in it, careful not to touch her back.

"I'm sorry, Athos," Ellie whispered, feeling her eyes burning with tears. "It's my fault."

Athos quietly shushed her, kneeling down in front of her and placing a hand on the side of her face. "Ellie, this is not your fault. Marcheaux did this, not you."

Ellie nodded, the tears beginning to fall at Athos' display of kindness. She placed her hand over his, holding it tightly.

"Have they been cleaned?" Athos asked quietly, his eyes glancing at Ellie's shoulder where a speck of blood was seeping through.

"Constance," she said quietly. "I couldn't have any men touching it…"

Athos nodded once, his thumb gently wiping away the tear from her cheek. "Do you feel ok with me touching it?"

"I trust you," Ellie whispered softly, her hair falling in front of her as she nodded.

Athos stood up. "Ok, are you alright with me taking your shirt off?" Ellie nodded again and Athos reached down and began gently peeling the shirt off her back.

The bandages Constance had gently wrapped around the lashes were stained red, as was Ellie's shirt. Athos gently set the shirt aside and began unwrapping the bandages, slowly so as not to hurt Ellie any more than she already was.

Ellie wasn't fazed by the fact she had no shirt on in front of Athos. She'd known him for long enough to know he didn't care. He'd taken care of her when she was injured enough times for it to not faze him either. Ellie still made sure her hair hid most of her flesh as she leant forward, allowing Athos a better look at her back.

"Is Aramis aright?" Ellie asked quietly as Athos gently cleaned the blood away.

"He's fine. Exhausted but fine," Athos replied. "He's downstairs along with the others if you need to see him after."

"I just need to make sure he's alive," Ellie mumbled. "It sounds ridiculous – "

"Ellie," Athos said, putting a hand on her cheek and turning her to look at him. "It's not ridiculous, alright?"

Ellie nodded again, falling back into silence as Athos methodically cleaned her back, replacing the bandages once he was done.

"Thank you," Ellie whispered as Athos stood up and walked back around.

Athos sat down in front of Ellie and gave her a sad smile. "You don't need to thank me, Ellie," he said quietly, grabbing her hand. "It's my job to look after you."

Ellie felt the tears begin to fall again and was grateful when Athos gently wrapped his arms around her, hugging her as tightly as he could without hurting her.

He pressed a kiss to her head. "You're safe, Ellie," he mumbled, stroking her hair. "You're safe."