The Prize, Ch. 2

The Queen had felt drained following the arrival at the manor and opted to remain in her rooms to rest. The King, however, was insistent on his tour.

Aramis and Athos mounted their horses to accompany the King and Comtesse on his reconnaissance.

After touring the grounds and exiting the woods on their return to the home, the quartet passed the long stretch of grass that lay beyond the great house.

"What's that area, with the slight bandstand?" asked the King.

"My family had a tradition of hosting games of skill for local nobility and the men in town," she said, "A bit of a competition open to all worthy competitors."

"I love competition!" declared the King. "We should host a tournament! What do you say? And the prize shall be a single kiss from your lips, my dear!"

"Your Majesty, you must surely be jesting," said Christine blushing awkwardly. Aramis' tensed. "That's hardly a prize men would compete for."

"Nonsense," said the King. "It's short notice, but I believe if we send word to Paris of a competition for a kiss from the beautiful Comtesse des Etoiles, quite a few eligible bachelors would turn up to make some good competition for a chance at that prize. I believe that you truly are one of the most beautiful women in all of France, my dear. Wouldn't you agree, Athos? Aramis?" he asked as Christine blushed deeper.

Athos shifted his eyes to look at Aramis.

"Well?" demanded the King.

"The Comtesse des Etoiles is the most beautiful creature I have ever laid eyes on," said Aramis, seriously, his soft brown eyes locking onto Christine's grey ones.

"You are too kind," she muttered blushing even more deeply. The King raised an eyebrow at her reaction.

"Then it's settled. I'll send riders to Paris immediately. The competition will take place the day after tomorrow," he pronounced, a small smirk forming on his lips at the formation of his potential suspicion.

Christine smiled meekly at the King. "Your Majesty, shall we race back to the stables?" she asked, desperate for a distraction.

"An excellent idea!" he cried. "On my mark – MARK!" he shouted and his stallion leapt forward, quickly met by Christine on Pegasus, and flanked by Athos on Roger and Aramis on Bella.

oOo

Dinner that evening was an interesting affair. The King exulted in dining "quaintly" with the musketeers and told each person individually how he was nearly outpaced by the Comtesse and the musketeers, but won the day with his superior royal horsemanship.

"I tell you Treville," he said, holding his glass of wine precariously, "Perhaps I should step into the garrison to instruct your recruits on horsemanship."

Treville smiled. "I'm sure my men will be most…educated by your example, sire," he said. D'Artagnan snorted and coughed into his napkin.

"This tournament will be great fun as well!" exclaimed the King. "My messengers should have reached Paris by now!"

From behind her, Aramis poured Christine a glass of wine and handed it to her, their fingers touching and maintaining a lingering contact during the exchange. He gave her a consoling smile. The Queen happened to look over right at that instance. She sipped her glass of water to hide her surprise at the tender touch.

"Your majesty," said Christine imploringly as Aramis resumed his seat next to Porthos, "Please, let me not be the prize. I will put up 500 livres to the winner to be donated to a charity of their choosing instead."

"That's a very generous offer, your Majesty," said Athos, to which the others nodded their approval.

"No "your majesties" here," Louis pouted, "This home seems magical to me," he said smiling at his wife and the Comtesse. "For the first time, I am truly of the people. Here we are to be Louis and Anne only," he said, catching all their eyes and raising his glass to the musketeers. "But no, the prize remains. The invitations have already gone out."

"Well then" said Christine, "I insist that all men be invited to compete, noble or not. My family has always believed that the value of a man comes not from the status of his birth but by the measure of his heart. If a nobleman wins, the 500 livres purse will be donated, but if a common man wins, the purse will go to him and his family to do with as they please."

"What a wonderful idea!" the King declared. "I will match your prize!"

The party around the table clapped their approval and the King beamed.

oOo