Good morning from Colorado Springs. The morning mist is burning off and I can once more see the mountains so I am happy!
Thank you to the readers and reviewers of the last chapter.
Chapter 9 already. Athos has gone and the time fast approaches when Treville is going to have to face the Inseparables - but not this chapter. He has to deal first with a much put-upon Louis who just can't understand why not every one loves him!
CHAPTER 9
Tréville avoided leaving the sanctuary of his office until muster and, as he descended the stairs for the second time in less than two hours, he saw the three remaining Inseparables at their usual table in the yard. They shuffled into a line with other Musketeers and he saw the moment when they started looking around for their fourth, questions whispered between them.
He determined not to look at them as he assigned the day's duties, sending them along with others to the Palace for several hours of being on guard. There was nothing unusual in that, but he sensed their curiosity in his failing to mention Athos by name. At least it signalled to them that he was not oblivious to the Musketeer's absence from the muster and might allay their fears for a few hours.
As the men were dismissed, he quickly went up to his office, pretending that he did not hear Aramis call after him and deliberately slamming his door in the hope that it would deter them from following to bombard him with questions. They were already on duty at the Palace when he arrived but, given the sensitive nature of Athos' assignment, his meeting with the King and First Minister to report upon what had been arranged was held aside in the library, no-one else in attendance.
Louis was only marginally calmer in the cold light of day and the knowledge that the Musketeer had already left on his ride south to infiltrate the plotters to learn what he could of the plot against the King. As Tréville and Richelieu discussed combining manpower to increase Palace security with immediate effect, Louis sat slumped in a chair, bemoaning the situation.
"How can someone hate me so much? What have I done that my nobles would conspire against me?"
Tréville and Richelieu exchanged a glance, eyebrows raised. Where did they begin to remind him of the grievances aired with alarming regularity by the aristocracy and the peasant class?
"Am I to die like my father, stabbed by a religious fanatic?" Louis looked up at them through tear-filled eyes. He had not long celebrated his ninth birthday when the lucky blade of a Catholic malcontent finally succeeded where many previous assassination attempts had failed.
"There is nothing at present to suggest that this stems from religious extremism, Sire," Richelieu said gently with Tréville nodding his agreement. They both knew that Louis would require careful handling through this troubling time, and they would be stronger working together for the greater good of the monarch and country.
"Those wretched Huguenots! If they dare to raise their heads again, I will have them hunted down and executed," Louis declared, his fist banging down on the carved arm of his chair.
"That would not be practical, Sire," Richelieu advised. He was sure Louis was not really advocating mass extermination of a religious group; enough had died because of it in the past and he delicately sought to remind the King of that. "We have no reason to believe that they are behind this. It would be a foolish notion on their part after your victory at La Rochelle."
"All the more likely for them to do this," Louis insisted, his voice cracking with emotion. "Nearly two years have passed; I would not put it past them to have bided their time, plotting secretly amongst themselves."
"But our information speaks of nobles; there are not many of them who openly follow Protestantism, your Majesty." Tréville joined in the reasoned debate.
"You think they are Catholics?" Louis' expression was a mixture of indignation and mounting terror. "But why would they do it? I have been a strong advocate of Rome's Church; they cannot find fault with me."
It was another veiled reference to his father who had been baptised a Catholic yet raised a Protestant by his mother. As a Huguenot himself, Henri had been heavily involved in the French wars of religion, leading Protestant forces against the royal army. As "first prince of the blood" and Head of the House of Bourbon, he succeeded his distant cousin and brother-in-law, Henri III.
Henri's desire to rule France as a Protestant ended after four years when he decided that it was more prudent to resign his Calvanist faith and convert to Catholicism, but it undoubtedly influenced his religious tolerance towards Protestants that culminated in the Edict of Nantes and the end of conflict. That same leniency would lead to his downfall though for some Catholics would not accept him and other Protestants denounced him as a traitor, acting against the man who was their King and who had sought to maintain peace between the warring factions.
Louis had faced his own problems with the Huguenots, not least over three of the past five years and he viewed them with a deep-seated suspicion; it would not take much for him to convince himself that they were behind the possible insurrection.
"Your man," Louis began, rounding on Tréville.
"Athos, Sire," the Captain reminded him. If his Musketeer were taking all these risks, then the least Tréville could do was ensure that both King and Cardinal referred to him by name.
"This Athos. What is his faith? I will not have just anyone in my service. If he is a Huguenot, he will side with the plotters. How can we trust the information that he brings back to us? It will be lies, all lies."
It was not unknown for Louis, when extremely upset, to clutch onto one small idea and make fantastic leaps of association.
"Athos is definitely not a Protestant, of that I can assure Your Majesty," Tréville insisted, "and I know he was raised a Catholic." The Captain sent a rapid, silent plea Heavenward that Louis would not press him further for he did not know how to give an honest answer regarding Athos' current spiritual state.
Richelieu arched an eyebrow; the soldier's evasion had not gone unnoticed but at least Louis seemed satisfied.
"Thank goodness I have loyal men surrounding me," he sniffed. "My heroic Musketeer will infiltrate the enemy and return with everything we need to know. He is a true son of France."
Tréville released the breath he had not realised that he was holding. How quickly the King's mood changed! Mere seconds before, Louis was ready to brand Athos a heretic and now he looked upon Athos as the saviour of all ills, irrespective of the danger the man would face. Whilst every Musketeer swore an oath of loyalty to serve and protect the King and France, knowing that they would lay down their lives without question, Tréville did not support the idea of reckless sacrifice and he swiftly prayed again, not just for Athos' success but that the man would come home to the garrison and his friends without harm.