A/N: Thank you SnidgetHex and pallysd'Artagnan for reviewing! Aramis is a better man than the Cardinal. (And Athos is going to tell him so.)

Chapter 5

Athos waited in the dark, the profiles of Porthos and Ninon vaguely discernible in the faint moonlight refracted through an overcast night. Savron's eyes gleamed when he turned his head at a twig snapping, but he didn't react so it must have been an animal.

"You're putting yourselves at great risk," Ninon spoke up quietly. "I can never repay you."

"I regret that it came to this," Athos replied. "You know you can never return to Paris."

He couldn't see her expression in the dark but her head dipped lower.

"I know. I suppose you would say I brought this on myself. If it weren't for Therese's accident because of the ideals I taught her, we wouldn't be here."

"I would not say that," Athos found himself countering, even though, yes, that had been the catalyst that drew attention to Ninon's work in her home. "It was probably only a matter of time with the Cardinal anyway."

They fell into silence once more, waiting for the others to join them. Athos tried not to fidget the longer time wore on; the longer they lingered here the greater chance Ninon's escape would be discovered before she and Fleur were safely away.

Finally a flicker of torchlight illuminated the tunnel they were gathered outside of. Athos tensed, hand going to the hilt of his sword in preparation. He relaxed when d'Artagnan appeared, ushering Fleur out ahead of him, only to stiffen again when no one else followed.

"Where's Aramis?"

"Fleur poisoned the Cardinal," d'Artagnan said grimly.

Ninon gasped. "Fleur!"

"I'm sorry," the girl sobbed, throwing herself into Ninon's arms. "I just couldn't bear to let him get away with this. He's a horrible man! He was going to burn you!"

Athos couldn't believe this turn of events. "Is the Cardinal dead?" he asked stiffly.

D'Artagnan shook his head. "Not when I left. Aramis stayed to help him."

"Why?" Porthos growled.

D'Artagnan just gave him a look.

Athos exhaled sharply. As much as they all hated the Cardinal, of course none of them could just stand by and do nothing if he was threatened. He was First Minister of France, after all, and as such they were duty bound to protect him as much as the King. Though a small part of Athos did wonder how hard Aramis would try to save him…

"You need to go, now," he said to the women.

Fleur pulled away from Ninon's comforting embrace and sniffed. "You're not going to arrest me?"

"You were distraught and not thinking clearly," he replied. "Many people have put themselves at risk to help you so let's not let it go to waste. However…you should pray the Cardinal does survive."

If he didn't, well, that would be a whole new complicated mess to deal with.

"Where will we go?" Ninon asked. "I have no money, no means to support us."

"There is a woman we know, a friend," Athos replied. "And she's a witch. She might be able to help Fleur learn to control her…powers."

Ninon looked surprised, then nodded. "Thank you."

"I'm sorry," Fleur said again, turning to Ninon. "I've ruined everything."

Ninon put her hands on the girl's shoulders. "This wasn't your fault. Besides, this could be a good thing. Athos's friend may be able to help you far more than I ever could."

"But what about you? You've lost your home, everything."

A flash of sadness crossed her face, but she gave Fleur a wan smile. "Those are just material things. And perhaps I have some things to learn as well."

"Come on," Athos urged, impatient to see them on their way. He led Fleur over to Savron and gave her a boost up into the saddle. "Don't be afraid. He's very gentle."

He then grabbed a spare belt from the saddlebag to secure around her waist and hooked the anchor line to it. Once Fleur was set, he turned to help Ninon up next.

She didn't climb into the saddle immediately, but regarded him with a rueful expression. "I could have loved a man like you," she said softly.

Athos was taken aback, but he found himself oddly touched by the sentiment. "It's a pity neither of us is the marrying kind," he replied with shared regret.

Ninon hesitated. "I promised not to kiss you if you didn't desire it…"

He stepped closer and lowered his mouth to hers. Since there was no hope for them, he could allow himself this one moment of weakness.

It ended all too soon, and Athos wordlessly helped Ninon up into the saddle behind Fleur and attached the other anchor line to a second belt for her. Then he reluctantly stepped back to give Savron space to launch into the skies. With the cloud cover, the silverback glided like a shadow into the surrounding darkness, bearing them toward Agnes's cabin in the woods. Athos trusted she would help them.

The three musketeers turned to head back through the tunnels into the monastery. D'Artagnan extinguished the torch right before they reached the passage out from the underground network and they paused at the door to listen. The immediate corridor was clear but they could hear the echo of chaos ringing out through the monastery. Exchanging grim looks, they ventured out and made their way to the Cardinal's chambers.

Aramis was standing outside them, leaning against the wall with his gloves in his hands, gaze fixed on the floor. Athos felt both a thrill of dread and hope.

Aramis looked up at the sound of their approach. "He'll live," he said dully, and again Athos felt the contradicting emotions of relief and disappointment.

Porthos grumbled something unflattering under his breath.

"Everything else all right?" Aramis asked quietly.

Athos nodded.

The chamber doors opened then and the abbot came out. Aramis straightened.

"This girl must be found!" the abbot said sternly.

"She has been," d'Artagnan immediately answered. "When Aramis and I found her in the Cardinal's chambers. I put her in the dungeon with the other prisoner."

The abbot blinked. "Oh. Very good, then."

A muffled voice sounded from within the chamber but Athos had no trouble identifying the harsh bark of command from the Cardinal, no matter how frail his voice sounded. The musketeers dutifully followed the abbot inside. Athos was struck by how vulnerable the Cardinal looked—lying in his sickbed, pallor ashen, lips chafed. It had been close.

"This girl will hang for the attempt on my life," Richelieu croaked, hardly able to lift his head off the mound of pillows.

"Of course," Athos replied tonelessly. "Before or after the Comtesse's burning at the stake?" he found himself adding.

The Cardinal's eyes narrowed. "Burn them together!"

A commotion at the doors interrupted them and a red guard hurried inside. "Your Eminence, the Comtesse…she's escaped."

"What?" Richelieu tried to sit up but failed, collapsing back and squeezing his eyes shut.

"You're sure?" Athos demanded.

"Her cell is empty."

He rolled his eyes as though irritated by incompetence. "She couldn't have gone far. Search the entire monastery."

"What about the girl?" Richelieu gasped.

The red guard faltered. "Girl?"

"The one I put down there less than an hour ago," d'Artagnan snapped. "For poisoning the Cardinal."

The red guard flicked a nervous look between Richelieu and the musketeers. "I didn't…"

"For God's sake," Athos muttered, canting his head briefly at the abbot. "Apologies." He nodded to the others. "We'll split up, help lead the search. Aramis, are your other skills still required here?"

Aramis glanced at the Cardinal quickly. "No."

"Then you're with us."

With that, they strode out of the room to begin the search for the escaped prisoners. It wasn't hard to devote themselves wholeheartedly to it, knowing Ninon and Fleur weren't even on the monastery grounds to be found. Each of them made sure to be paired with some red guards so there would be no question as to their earnestness.

By the following morning, they had searched every inch of the monastery from top to bottom. They had even questioned the other three girls, with some nuns present to make sure the red guards didn't berate them. They knew nothing, of course, and after one of the Cardinal's men started to become belligerent, the head Sister kicked them out.

"There is no sign of them anywhere," Athos reported that morning to the Cardinal and abbot.

"How is that possible?" Richelieu hissed, propped up with various pillows but still looking like death barely warmed over.

Athos shrugged, looking at a loss. "Well…she was a witch."

The Cardinal scowled.

"Thank you," the abbot said, maintaining his manners.

Athos inclined his head. "My men and I will be returning to Paris to report this to the King."

"Of course."

Athos left the room, joining his brothers outside in the hallway.

"He livid?" Porthos asked.

Athos arched a brow in response.

"At least he didn't win," d'Artagnan said. "Ninon's alive and far out of his reach."

"But he still gets to seize all her wealth," Porthos groused.

"There's nothing to be done about that," Athos said.

They returned to their guest chambers and packed their few belongings before heading out to meet their dragons. Savron wasn't back yet so they hung about, waiting for his return. He was supposed to stop to hunt some game on his way back to explain his absence if anyone noted it.

Athos glanced at Aramis, who was adjusting Rhaego's saddle for the fourth time. He walked over. "You regret saving the Cardinal's life," Athos guessed.

Aramis didn't respond for a long moment but gave the saddle strap a firm yank. Rhaego grumbled at him and he finally dropped his hands, shooting his dragon an apologetic look.

"He deserved to die," Aramis said angrily.

"You could have let him," Athos pointed out mildly.

Aramis snorted, then hung his head. "I almost did."

Athos was silent for a moment, then placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're a better man than him, Aramis."

Aramis let out a long breath and nodded solemnly.

"Savron's back," d'Artagnan announced, and they turned their gazes to the sky where the blue silverback was swooping down, a deer dangling in his talons.

The dragon dropped his catch on the ground to share with his den mates, and the musketeers had to continue waiting around while their rides hungrily dug into the carcass. Anyone watching from a monastery window would think nothing out of the ordinary.

"They arrived safely?" Athos asked his dragon.

Savron dipped his head affirmatively.

"And Agnes is well?" Aramis asked, and again Savron nodded.

Athos's shoulders lost some of their tension. Good. It may not have been a sweeping victory, but they'd protected the innocent. And that was the heart of a musketeer's duty.

.o.0.o.

D'Artagnan grinned as he watched Ayelet playing in the yard with Vrita, the green dragon knocking a ball of woven twigs around for Ayelet to go scampering after. He was glad to see them getting on so well.

"Hey," Porthos said, "you in or out?"

D'Artagnan wrenched his attention back to the card game he, Porthos, and Aramis were enjoying while the two dragons frolicked about. A glance at his hand and he sighed and set his cards face down. "Out."

"Come on," Porthos wheedled.

"Constance will have me sleeping with the dragons if I lose anymore to you today."

Porthos just grinned and turned his eager grin toward Aramis.

A shadow glided overhead as Savron and Athos came in for a landing.

"Hey," d'Artagnan greeted. "Where have you been?"

"At the palace. The Cardinal was finally well enough to return from the monastery."

"Oh joy," Porthos muttered.

Athos came over to join them while Savron stretched out to watch Vrita and Ayelet. "Where's Rhaego?"

"Pouting at the garrison," Aramis replied and tossed a coin into the middle of the barrel top they were using for a makeshift table.

Porthos's eyes gleamed as he laid out his hand. Aramis pursed his mouth in feigned appreciation before revealing his flush. D'Artagnan smirked at the flabbergasted look on Porthos's face.

"Deal you in?" d'Artagnan asked Athos, who nodded.

"So," Aramis said, gathering up the cards. "Is the Cardinal on the warpath?"

"No. He's still looking rather frail. Plus the Treasury is now flush with Ninon's riches, so he has nothing to complain about."

"It's a shame about her school," Aramis commented, dealing out the cards. "She truly was providing something good for the women of Paris."

"Maybe one of her students will continue where she left off," d'Artagnan suggested.

"Or the Queen," Athos put in casually.

Aramis paused in dispersing the cards. "Really?"

"She's expressed an interest. The Cardinal may have seized Ninon's wealth, but the Queen has laid claim to the library and its contents. It seems she wants to keep it open for any woman interested in an education."

Aramis leaned back with a grin.

"The Cardinal ain't fightin' her?" Porthos asked, gesturing for Aramis to get on with the hand.

"At the moment, he is too infirm," Athos said, not without some measure of obvious pleasure.

"To his poor health," Aramis said cheekily.

A high-pitched squeak drew their attention to where Vrita and Savron were bouncing the twig ball between them and Ayelet couldn't leap high enough to catch it. She let out another plaintive squawk at them and Vrita finally bopped the ball back down so she could pounce on it.

D'Artagnan chuckled to himself, his friends exchanging amused grins as well. Life was a work in progress.

NEXT TIME

A trip to the great astronomer Marmion's observatory turns into a twisted game where the stakes are life and death.