Greetings from Colorado Springs. A much needed rest day today after our adventures over the past 16 days but it has enabled me to plan in a lot of detail up to chapter 34. Just got to write them as well as make some alterations in the ready-to-post chapters as my thoughts have gone down different paths. Thank you, as always, to my readers and reviewers.

I know some of you are anxious to know what Athos is up to. I am giving nothing away but we are seeing the events from the perspective of Treville and the other three and learning things as they do and in their world, he won't even have reached his destination yet. I promise things do speed up from here on in.

So, Louis has dropped a bombshell with his intention to go to Versailles as normal. What happens now?

CHAPTER 16

"Lots of his friends!" Tréville hissed in exasperation as he and Richelieu strode towards the Cardinal's office. Their grim expressions and the sight of three armed Musketeers following determinedly in their wake encouraged anyone who saw them to move out of their way.

"Friends who are nobles and who may well be complicit in this plot against His Majesty," Richelieu added, ignoring the Red Guard who threw open the door to his office as he approached and closed it after the five men had entered.

Richelieu moved to sit behind his desk, moving papers on its surface as though searching for something even as the Musketeers arrayed themselves before him.

"Were you aware that he was still harbouring an intention to go to Versailles?" Tréville demanded.

"Of course not!" Richelieu spat out. "Do you seriously not think I would have attempted to dissuade him before this?"

Tréville thought for a moment. "And the more we try to object, the more immovable he will be on the plan."

"Exactly. So we will have to consider carefully how we proceed in this. The Versailles hunting trip is an annual venture and the plotters would know that and what was usual in a security detail. At least we have the advantage of knowing that such a plot exists so that we can make arrangements as necessary if he persists in going through with this charade."

"But we are usually looking for external dangers, not one that would come from within his supposed hunting 'friends'. It will be hard to keep them all under surveillance, especially when they are in the forest. He would not welcome being encircled by Musketeers when in pursuit of the prey."

"We could put it to him that he either accepts that or we cannot guarantee his safety," Richelieu suggested.

Tréville frowned, "And have him shoot one of my men by mistake? I would prefer to avoid that happenstance."

"No doubt but they're already running the risk of taking a bullet for him from an assassin's gun," Richelieu pointed out.

"There are other ways to kill a King when away from the Court," said Tréville, his mind racing as to the possibilities. "With the proximity to His Majesty that a hunting party gives, they could use poison during a meal at Versailles."

"With respect, Captain, Cardinal," Aramis spoke up. "It would be even easier during a hunt when the King has a pavilion erected to take refreshments. All food preparation would need to be supervised at Versailles and whilst setting up in the field."

"You are right," Richelieu noted.

"An' a ridin' accident would be easier to arrange," Porthos said. When he had their attention, he continued. "We'd need to guard the King's horses, saddles and stuff. Stitchin' on the equipment'd be easy to weaken, a shoe loosened, anythin'."

"And depending upon where the King chose to ride, not all the terrain is flat. If several are involved, they could manoeuvre the hunt towards uneven ground so that a riding 'accident' might be arranged," Aramis added.

"Whilst some of the conspirators might make up the King's party, there could be many others who would be in the area to help in the carrying out of whatever it is they have arranged," d'Artagnan commented.

Tréville took a deep breath. "We could have plenty of soldiers to guard the royal family and monitor the guests and staff, but still find our increased measures woefully inadequate if there are more outsiders. If the collaborators within the hunting party and their accomplices are in sufficient number, they might feel they have nothing to lose and launch an all-out attack. We could be setting ourselves up for a massacre."

"Suddenly it becomes even more important that Athos gets that information," Aramis observed quietly.

"An' that he gets it back 'ere in one piece," Porthos concluded.

All the men fell silent, contemplating what had been said.

"I assume you keep a copy of all guest lists for anything relating to His Majesty?" Tréville commented, knowing full well that Richelieu kept copies of everything, even the seemingly unimportant in case it would have a future use.

"Of course," Richelieu replied. It was a ridiculous formality for he knew that Tréville expected him to keep such information and more.

"Then we need to look at those lists for every hunting party at Versailles. Who are the regular guests who would have formed a familiarity with the place? Who has attended upon His Majesty who may have recently fallen from favour? Has he compiled the list for this trip? Are there any surprises?"

"It will take time," Richelieu said, eying Tréville and his men with a grudging respect as they began to explore all eventualities.

"As will going through all recent petitions to the King that he may have denied. These men have a motive for their actions, and we need to determine what that might be. We could await Athos and his information but if we have identified possibilities here, we could be making our own plans in readiness and if he happened to be delayed for any reason…" He left his sentence unfinished.

"How far back do you want to look?"

"Perhaps a year in the first instance. Someone is going to have to be sufficiently upset by something to start sounding out like-minded individuals and arranging this meeting," Tréville said.

"A year? That also is going to take a lot of time," countered Richelieu.

Tréville smiled. "I know. But I am sure that you will agree with me when I say it is of vital importance that any conceivable patterns or links are identified. We can't have some disappointed nobles believing that all they have to do to get their own way is to murder their King! But don't worry, Cardinal. I do not expect you to do this research alone. I will put these three and myself at your disposal. With five of us working hard, we can significantly reduce the burden!"

The Captain watched Richeliue's hesitation and suppressed his satisfaction. The Cardinal was weighing up the importance of the King's safety with the worrying inconvenience of the Musketeers – especially Tréville - delving into his documents. He was quickly determining if it would reveal anything that he would rather they did not see.

He responded with his own smile that did not reach his eyes. "But of course. Give me some time to gather the documents and we will begin. Shall we say this afternoon?"

The Captain frowned. Would it give Richelieu time to destroy anything? It would certainly give him time to select what he was going to make available to them to search. With the King's safety at stake, he would have to hope that Richelieu would go through any sensitive papers himself rather than ignore them.

Tréville placed his hat on his head in readiness for his departure. "That would be perfect. If I am to be detained here with business, I need to make some arrangements first."

He nodded and turned on his heels. The three men behind him parted to let him pass between them and, with one last look at the Cardinal, they followed their Captain from the room.