The garrison was unusually quiet. Normally, there would be cadets training and older musketeers running about on errands.
Not today, though.
"It is cold."
Ellie sighed, turning to look at her husband. "Brujon, the war doesn't stop because it's cold." She looked to the gates, biting her lip. "Something's happened."
Suddenly, the bells of Notre Dame began ringing.
Ellie's eyes widened. She stood up off the bench and walked out of the garrison, into the street as people began murmuring and looking around in concern.
"The King is dead! Long live the King!"
"Holy hell," Ellie muttered, stepping back inside the garrison. She stared at Brujon, both of them with mirroring expressions of horror.
Brujon stood up and walked over to her. "Go find Constance," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder.
Ellie nodded and took off up the stairs towards Constance's room.
The few cadets who were still in the garrison had all heard the bells and were all murmuring to one another, some praying for Louis' soul.
"Constance!" Ellie yelled, bursting into her friends room.
Constance looked up. "I know," she said, coming around from behind her desk. "I'll send the cadets up to the palace with Aramis and Porthos."
"D'Artagnan's up there right now," Ellie replied. "I'm assuming he's with Treville."
Constance nodded. "Go around and make sure everyone knows."
Ellie followed Constance out the room and the two split off. Constance went off to find Aramis and Porthos whilst Ellie went around, telling the cadets who were blissfully unaware of the news.
Ten minutes later, the garrison was even emptier than before.
"When you get to the palace can you ask the queen if I can see her?" Constance asked as she walked past Aramis and Porthos.
"I don't think we'll be going anywhere near the Queen," Porthos replied solemnly.
"This is insane," Ellie muttered as she followed Constance. "I can't believe this is happening."
"Constance, Ellie."
The two women turned to look at the voice. Athos was standing in the doorway at the back of the garrison, nodding at them to come over.
"Athos, what are you – "
Ellie stopped talking as Athos opened the door wider, showing them the King.
"I've been ordered to hide him in Paris," Athos replied, looking at them.
"Come inside," Constance replied, eyes widening. "Quickly!"
Constance lead Athos and the King inside through the back rooms, Ellie taking up the back and keeping an eye out for anyone who was snooping. They weaved their way through the back staircases to Athos' office.
Ellie shut the door behind her as Constance walked the King into the office. Sylvie looked up, frowning as she recognised the royal clothes he was wearing.
Athos sat down on a chair with a sigh and Ellie plopped herself down on the floor next to him.
"Why has the Queen given you her son?" Constance asked, taking the King's cloak off and looking at Athos.
"Not the Queen – Treville," Athos replied. "Gaston's army has reached the outskirts of Paris."
"Well, this is the first place they'll look for him!" Constance exclaimed.
"Then where?" Athos asked.
"Did you even think this through?" Ellie asked, looking up at him.
"I didn't exactly have much time!" Athos replied.
"The settlement," Sylvie said, looking between them.
"No, too many people would betray him," Constance replied, sighing.
Ellie paused. "What about my house?"
Athos looked at her. "Will it be safe?"
"Everyone's either here, off to the border, or at the palace," Ellie replied. "The moment it becomes unsafe, we can move him."
Athos nodded once. "Alright, you're in charge."
"Oh, I really don't want to be," Ellie told him, shaking her head.
"I'll go get him some different clothes," Constance said, standing up and leaving the room.
Athos looked down at Ellie, reaching over and putting a hand on her shoulder. "Are you sure?"
Ellie nodded. "Yeah. It's the safest place for him, worse comes to worse we'll find somewhere else."
~ 0 ~
Ellie tried hide the feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach as she walked ahead of Sylvie and Constance, leading them both the back way to her house.
She'd walked the roads thousands of times before but never had she felt so scared and wary.
"This is insane," Ellie muttered, glancing behind her for the fourth time that minute. "This is madness."
"In a few years' time, he'll be ordering his Council to double the price of wheat and throwing anyone who protests in jail," Sylvie said, looking at Constance.
"Don't give him any ideas," Ellie replied, pulling her hat down further.
"Do you two have a problem with this?" Constance asked, looking at them both.
"Nope, I just don't like children, Constance," Ellie reminded her. "I'm good."
Constance turned to face Sylvie. "Sylvie?"
Sylvie sighed. "No, I don't. But it's true, though. But you're still young, aren't you? There's always time for improvement."
"Sylvie, I don't think he even knows what you're on about," Ellie replied, chuckling.
"Are you just trying to get me to shut up?" Sylvie asked, smirking.
Ellie shook her head as they neared her house. "No, you're good."
Ellie slipped off to the right of the street, Constance and Sylvie following behind. She pulled out her keys and unlocked the side door, kicking it open with her foot.
Constance walked in with the King, Sylvie behind her, as Ellie shut the door.
"There's no sign of life," Constance said as they walked up the stairs.
"I told you," Ellie replied, lifting her hat off her head and scooping her hair back. "No one's here."
Ellie walked into the main room and sighed. "I don't come back for two nights and they wreck the joint," she muttered, stepping over the toppled tables and chairs. "My room's probably the safest just…. Ignore the clothes on the floor," she added.
Constance gave Ellie a knowing look and the woman just winked at her as she led them up to her room.
"How did you afford this?" Sylvie asked, looking around as Ellie unlocked her room and let Constance and the King inside.
"Commission money," Ellie replied.
"I know how much you get for commission, Ellie, and this is worth more than that," Sylvie told her.
Constance looked around at Ellie. "Ellie?"
Ellie sighed, picking up a bottle of wine and taking a drink from it. "Turns out that one of my many, many sisters didn't actually die in that fire. She escaped and married a lord – a very wealthy one. He went to war four years ago and got killed in the first assault. His will gave the Crown some of his money and land and when I got commissioned, the Queen told me and gave it to me."
"So, the story about the owner's son – "
"Not a complete lie," Ellie replied, sitting down. "This was where they lived when they were in Paris – which wasn't often. I haven't seen my sister or spoken to her – I don't want to you – but, I needed somewhere to stay…"
"So, you took the house?" Sylvie asked, sitting down next to her.
Ellie shrugged. "Didn't want the Crown to have it and not use it. I got it, said I bought it and opened it up to the garrison." She sighed. "And here we are, hiding in my house with the future King of France."
Sylvie and Constance both sighed, looking at each other.
"Umm, Constance," Ellie said suddenly, looking to her room and seeing her window open. "Where is the King?"
Constance shot up and turned to look in the room. "Oh, god no."
The three of them burst out into the street, frantically looking around.
Sylvie ran off one way and Constance the other, Ellie taking the middle road.
When Sylvie saw nothing her way and Constance saw no sign, they both followed Ellie as she walked down the road.
"Oh, of course," Ellie muttered, running towards where the King was helping himself to some fruit and being yelled at by the very angry stall holder.
"Ah, sorry," Ellie said, grabbing the King and putting him behind her.
"He's a little thief!" The stall holder yelled.
"He's hungry," Ellie replied, glaring at her. "Look, I'll pay, that make it better?"
"You're all thieves," she yelled as Constance and Sylvie joined her. "Oi, over here."
Ellie groaned as she spotted the Red Guard the stallholder was waving at. "Right, we need to go, now."
Constance grabbed the King's hand and they three of them quickly ran off as the Red Guards approached, the stallholder pointing at where they were running too.
"We need to hide," Constance muttered as they quickly weaved through the crowd.
"I'll think of something," Ellie replied, looking behind her for any sign of the guard. Ellie suddenly remembered a place and changed direction, turning down past the canal. "You're going to hate me," Ellie said over her shoulder.
Constance looked at her and sighed when she realised where Ellie was heading. "Yeah, I am."
~ 0 ~
Constance's old house had been vacant since she'd married D'Artagnan and moved in with him at the Garrison.
No one had bought it off Bonacieux before he died and he hadn't given it to anyone in his will, so it had just sat there, in a quiet corner, vacant and empty.
Ellie had taken numerous back lanes and side roads to avoid being seen by the Red Guard and was, for once, glad for her years of dodging the law.
"How long's it been empty?" Sylvie asked as Constance opened the door.
"A long time," Constance replied, unlocking it with the key she still had. "It's where I lived with my late husband."
"The jerk," Ellie muttered as Sylvie and Constance disappeared inside. She turned around, giving the area one last glance, before she shut the door.
Constance took the King to one of the spare rooms that wasn't falling apart and helped him onto the bed, draping a blanket over him.
"I never imagined the King sleeping here," Constance said quietly, smiling. She stood up and turned to face Sylvie. "This is how I met D'Artagnan. He rented this room. That was his bed."
"Feels like a lifetime ago," Ellie muttered, looking around the dusty, cobweb covered room fondly.
"Sylvie, Ellie, I need to tell Athos we've moved him," Constance said quietly.
"Is that code for, stay here and protect him?" Ellie asked, giving her friend a smile.
Constance shook her head. "I won't be long."
~ 0 ~
Constance came back twenty minutes later.
Ellie looked up as the door unlocked, hand straying to her pistol in case it wasn't Constance. She relaxed, however, when her friend walked in, looking slightly stressed.
"What's wrong?" Ellie asked, frowning.
"I have to take him to Saint – Sulpice," Constance said.
"You want to do what now?" Ellie exclaimed, standing up. "Constance, we can't just go on a tour of the city!"
Sylvie shook her head. "It's too dangerous."
"The Queen has commanded me," Constance replied. "She was at the garrison.
Ellie groaned, lowering her head. "Of course, she has," Ellie muttered. "Constance, you know how dangerous this is, right?"
Constance paused. "I have no choice," she replied quietly. "I'll be quick."
Ellie stood up. "I'm coming with you."
"No, you need – "
"Constance, I know I don't tend to parade this statement around, but I am a soldier of the Crown," Ellie said, looking her friend in the eye. "The Crown that happens to be right there." She pointed at the sleeping King. "I'm coming."
Constance sighed but nodded. "Lucky we're seen together all the time, then."
Ellie forced a smile to her face. "I guess so."
~ 0 ~
Ellie struggled not to keep looking behind her as she followed Constance and the King inside Saint – Sulpice.
The church itself was all but empty but with so many hidden areas and corners, Ellie had no idea if anyone was hiding, waiting to attack.
Constance lifted the King onto a pew and sat down next to him, Ellie sitting the other side of him.
"I hate this," Ellie muttered, hand on her pistol as she looked around.
"I know," Constance replied. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be," Ellie told her, giving her a small smile.
"Remember your prayers?" Constance asked the King quietly as she looked around again.
Ellie looked behind her and caught sight of the Queen, watching from above them. She turned back to the front, giving Constance a small nod as she did so.
The doors behind them opened and Ellie turned around again, immediately standing up.
Marcheaux and one other guard marched towards them and before Ellie could even draw her sword, Marcheaux punched her in the face, shoving her to the floor. Marcheaux then punched Constance, the woman hitting the pew behind her.
With both women down, Marcheaux picked up the King and walked off with him.
Ellie forced herself to her feet as Sylvie burst in, running towards them.
"Constance, Ellie!" Sylvie exclaimed.
"They've got the King!" Constance yelled, pointing to where Marcheaux was walking.
Ellie grunted as she forced herself into a run, chasing after Marcheaux.
Marcheaux was suddenly tackled to the ground by Aramis and Ellie threw herself at the other guard behind him, throwing him to the floor.
Ellie drew her dagger and stabbed the other guard in the knee as Marcheaux managed to rid himself of Aramis and flee the church.
With one man dead and the other gone, Ellie stood up, panting heavily. She turned to look at Constance and Sylvie, sighing in relief when she saw the King sitting between them.
"More men will be coming," Aramis said, walking towards them. "You should never have brought him here. Especially you, Ellie, you should've known better."
"I commanded her to," the Queen said, emerging from behind a wall.
"Do you realise how close we were to losing him?" Aramis asked, walking towards her.
"You alright?" Ellie asked, nudging Constance's arm gently.
Constance nodded. "I'm fine," she said, giving Ellie a small smile.
"Is your hiding place nearby?" Aramis asked re-joining them.
Constance shook her head. "No."
"I'd say back to mine but since Marcheaux knows I'm hiding him, that'll be the first place they look," Ellie muttered.
"He'll have his men swarming all over this area," Aramis added.
"When he was ill as a baby, I brought him to a laundry," Constance said. "I know a back way. We shouldn't be seen. They're good women there, but we'll need your protection. You find the others."
Aramis shook his head. "I can't leave you."
"You have to, Aramis," Ellie said. "I'm not going anywhere. We'll look after him, I promise."
Aramis sighed but relented. "Keep safe," Aramis told Ellie.
Ellie nodded. "I know."
~ 0 ~
"For once, my years of sneaking around Paris are finally paying off," Ellie muttered as they weaved through the buildings, heading towards the laundry.
"And I thought I knew a back way," Constance muttered as they pressed themselves against a wall as someone passed.
Ellie chuckled. "You never truly know a back way until you can escape from a certain musketeer captain without issue."
"You ran away from Athos?" Sylvie exclaimed, staring at her.
"And Aramis. Twice," Ellie replied, smiling. "They don't know, though, so don't tell them." Ellie poked her head out of the street and nodded to a door. "That the one?"
Constance leaned around her and nodded once. "Yes."
Ellie looked around before ushering Constance, Sylvie and the King over to the door. "Are you sure?"
Constance shrugged. "I don't know where else to go."
Ellie sighed and opened the door, allowing Sylvie, Constance and the King to run inside before she walked in.
"Constance?" An older woman frowned as she caught sight of the three of them.
"Anna," Constance replied, sighing. "I'm so sorry about this but we need somewhere to hide."
Anna looked at the three of them and sighed. "Of course. We've got some food if you want some."
Constance nodded. "Please."
They sat down on some old, turned over crates and Anna quickly handed the four of them bowls of fresh broth.
"You all look exhausted," she said as she folded up a clean sheet. "Who's the boy?"
Constance looked at Ellie. Ellie sighed, shrugging her shoulders.
"There's more if you can keep him safe," Constance said, holding out a purse of coins to Anna.
Anna shook her head. "Well, he must be important if you've brought two Musketeer's with you."
Ellie frowned. "What?" She looked behind her and relaxed when she D'Artagnan walking towards them. "Oh, he's her husband and I'm his sister."
"Times are hard. Just bring us more work from the garrison," Anna said, smiling.
Constance nodded. "You have my word."
D'Artagnan crouched down next to Constance and kissed her gently. "All right?" He glanced at Ellie. "You sure?"
Ellie nodded, leaning over and kissing his cheek. "Sure."
Constance sighed, smoothing back her husband's hair. "Sorry. I would've told you sooner, but Athos made me promise."
"And he was right to," D'Artagnan replied. "I would have done the same. There are Red Guards everywhere." He turned to look at Anna. "Now, can you find us a hiding place?
Anna nodded, turning around and leading them up onto a small wooden platform. "There's doors leading under it," she said as D'Artagnan swung them open.
"Yes," D'Artagnan said, jumping inside. "This will work." He turned to Sylvie and Constance. "You need to leave immediately. If they come here, you'll both be recognised." D'Artagnan looked at Ellie.
"I'm staying," she said firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument.
D'Artagnan nodded. "Alright." He held out a hand for the King and lifted him down into the hole as Ellie clambered down. "Keep very quiet, ok?" He whispered, tucking the King down.
Ellie reached over and pulled one of the doors shut, lying down underneath the floorboards next to D'Artagnan.
"Why is it always us two in these situations?" She asked quietly, scooting closer to him as they wriggled about.
"Tell me about it," D'Artagnan replied. He had one arm around the King, keeping him close to his side, and he reached over with his other hand, grabbing Ellie's hand. "We'll be alright."
"I doubt it but thank you," Ellie replied, forcing a smile on.
"Hey? What's all this?"
Ellie's hand unconsciously gripped D'Artagnan's tighter as Anna's voice reached them. They could hear the footsteps of the guards walking around, searching through everything, getting closer.
"Looking for a boy."
"Grimaud," D'Artagnan mouthed, turning his head to look at Ellie.
Silently, Ellie pulled her dagger out her belt, holding it tightly in her right hand as she turned on her side in case, she needed to attack whoever opened the door.
The Red Guard walked directly over where they were hiding, the floorboards groaning as they passed by.
"Go."
Ellie relaxed slightly as Grimaud ordered his men to leave and shifted so that she could easily open the door.
"Wait."
Ellie shared a terrified look with D'Artagnan as Grimaud spoke again. They could hear him walking around the laundry and Ellie's gut instinct was telling her that something bad was about to happen.
"Paris starves yet the people still grovel at the King's feet. What is it? Superstition? Or stupidity? I've got a little test of loyalty which is –"Ellie heard Grimaud unsheathe is sword and looked up, trying to see what was going on, "- infallible."
Grimaud stabbed his sword through the gap in the floorboards and Ellie could see the metal glinting from where she was lying.
"But what is loyalty? Is it…staying quiet?"
His sword came through the floorboards again, a few feet away from where Ellie was lying.
"Or speaking out?"
Grimaud's footsteps caused the floorboards to creak as he stood directly above where Ellie and D'Artagnan where hiding. Grimaud stabbed his sword through the gap again.
Ellie let out a cry of pain as his sword stabbed her in the arm – a noise she quickly tried to hide but she knew Grimaud had found them.
Grimaud chuckled. "Did I get a rat?"
Fury overtaking her, and knowing Grimaud was about to find them anyway, Ellie burst out of the floor, D'Artagnan not far behind, and launched herself at Grimaud with her dagger. The man dodged every attack, but she managed to catch his legs, tripping him up and flipping him onto his back.
She didn't get much more of an attack in as the Red Guard ran up to her and pulled her back, D'Artagnan trying to get a shot only to be held back too.
Ellie caught a glimpse of the end of a pistol before everything went completely black.
~ 0 ~
Treville looked up in surprise as Grimaud and several Red Guards marched into the room. They threw Ellie and D'Artagnan onto the floor, both tied up, and quickly pointed their weapons at the guards in the room as well as Porthos.
"I wouldn't sign that," Grimaud said as he strolled into the room holding the King, kicking Ellie's leg as he passed her.
"This is your ally?" Treville exclaimed, pointing at him. "A man who kidnaps a child?"
"You owe me," Grimaud said, walking forward and pointing at Lorraine.
"I owe you nothing," Lorraine replied. "You have no morals or conscience. To hell with you and Gaston." Lorraine bent down and quickly scribbled his signature onto the treaty, finishing with a flourish. "There. It is signed."
Grimaud nodded, staring at Lorraine. "That was a mistake. You shouldn't have moved your troops. Who's going to protect you now?"
Grimaud grabbed a dagger off the soldier he was standing next to, turned around and stabbed the Duke of Lorraine in the stomach.
Seeing an opportunity, Treville turned around and snatched the pistol being held against his head, off the Red Guard behind him. Porthos followed suit and snatched his own pistol, twisting the guard away and punching him in the stomach.
No longer being held down, Ellie and D'Artagnan jumped up and began fighting the guards surrounding them. Ellie, noticing the King next to her, grabbed his hand and quickly guided him through the chaos of the fighting to Treville.
Treville picked him up and pushed Ellie out the room. "Get the horses!" He yelled at Porthos as he slammed the door shut behind him.
"What now?" Ellie asked, running to keep up with Treville as he ran the King out of harm's way.
"We protect the King," Treville replied glancing at her briefly.
They burst out the back door and into the garden turned war camp. Treville and Ellie ran along the grass, Treville still holding the King in his arms. Porthos rode around the corner, leading another horse, as they ran up to him.
Behind them the Red Guard emerged from the house and started firing at Ellie and Treville, one shot hitting Treville in the shoulder.
Porthos fired back as Ellie grabbed her own pistol, hitting one of the men successfully. She turned back to Treville as he handed the King up to Porthos.
"Go!" Treville yelled as more guards filed out the building, firing at them.
Porthos, looking behind Ellie and Treville at the odds against them, handed Treville a pistol. He looked down at them both and nodded once.
"Go, Porthos," Ellie said, returning his nod.
Armed with two pistols each, Ellie and Treville turned back around to face the attacking Red Guard.
Ellie knew they were outnumbered. She also knew how many shots she had left without having to re-load and it wasn't going to be enough.
Four shots between them, ten men and counting – not including Grimaud – and no sign of D'Artagnan.
Not allowing herself a chance to think, Ellie quickly fired off one pistol, hitting a guard who'd been taking aim at Treville. The pistol now useless, Ellie chucked it to the side, holding the last remaining one in her right hand.
Next to her, Treville had fired off one of his pistols, hitting a guard hiding behind a stack of crates. He quickly fired his second pistol at a guard running out the house, his body causing a pile up of guards.
Ellie fired their last remaining shot at another guard who'd taken a knee, aiming his pistol at Treville. Their pistols now empty, Ellie threw hers to the side and withdrew her dagger. She threw it at another guard, the dagger hitting its mark perfectly.
Both of them were now weapon less as they turned to face the guards. Ellie still had her sword on her, but it was useless against the numerous pistols facing them. Somewhere behind her, Ellie could hear horses galloping towards them but knew deep down it wasn't going to by any help.
Treville cried out in pain as he was shot in the side. He fell to his knees and Ellie could do nothing as she stood there, weapon less, facing an army of pistols. A guard raised his pistol, taking deadly aim at Ellie as she tried to think of a way out.
A gun shot came from behind and the man fell, pistol falling out of his hands.
A quick glance behind her and Ellie saw Aramis and Athos, both with their pistols fully loaded.
Ellie turned to the front again, her eyes widening.
Grimaud was standing in front of her and Treville, pistol aimed at an already injured Treville.
She didn't think.
Ellie turned and ran towards Treville as Grimaud fired.
"No!" Athos yelled, drawing his sword and charging towards Grimaud and the remaining soldiers as Ellie and Treville both fell onto the dirt.
D'Artagnan suddenly appeared from the side of the building, finishing off the remaining soldiers quickly. Athos had run after Grimaud, but realising he'd fled again, turned on his heel and ran over to Treville and Ellie, D'Artagnan hot on his heel.
Aramis reached them first.
"No, no, no," he muttered, gently rolling Ellie off of Treville.
D'Artagnan skidded to his knees next to the two of them, the horror in his eyes clear as day. His hand grabbed Ellie's as she was nearest to him. "Ellie? Treville?"
Aramis looked down as Treville moved slightly, grunting in pain. Ellie was still silent, and her doublet was stained with blood, but he didn't know if it was Treville's or her own.
Slowly, Ellie opened her eyes.
"Ellie!" Aramis exclaimed, shaking her shoulder gently.
Ellie blinked, looking up at the sky and then around. She turned her head to look at Treville and quickly scrambled to her knees. "Treville?" She called, turning him to face her. "Treville?!"
Aramis gently lifted Treville into his lap as he looked down at his captain in horror.
"The King?" Treville asked weakly, his skin growing paler with every passing second.
"He's safe, Porthos has him," Aramis replied.
Treville's eyes began to close and his head fell to the side.
"No, Treville!" Ellie cried, watching as his life slipped away.
Aramis reached up and took his hat off as Treville died in his arms. Ellie fell to the side, staring at Treville's dead body. She didn't blink. She could barely breathe as she just stared.
Treville was dead.