The Loss

Chapter 9

Days passed at the Parisian court where a new brooch given to the Baroness de Maronne quickly pushed the notion of an escaped assassin from the minds of the noble faction. The memories of the musketeers in the garrison who were still mourning the loss of Adam were not as short as the occupants of the court.

Christine greeted Les Inseperables at the palace steps. Aramis smiled at her but she could immediately read the seriousness in the depths of his dark eyes. She went to him quickly and supportively wrapped her arms around him.

"What is the matter?" she asked Athos as the subtle squeeze from Aramis showed his appreciation of her presence and support.

"Treville may have a lead on that assassin–"

"Murderer!" D'Artagnan interrupted, his emotions getting the better of him. He and Adam had been very close and the loss was still too raw for him. Porthos placed a consoling and understanding hand on his brother's shoulder.

Athos frowned, but not in displeasure at D'Artagnan's outburst.

"What is it?" Christine asked, reading the blue eyes she knew well.

"Not here," said Athos as he glanced around the palace courtyard marked by the various courtiers and servants that swarmed the palace grounds.

"Treville will be with the King for a few hours yet. Why don't you all join me for dinner?" Christine suggested.

Athos nodded. "I need to assign evening duties in Treville's absence. Porthos, D'Artagnan and I shall join you in a few hour's time."

"Excellent," she said, releasing Aramis as he took Bella's reins from Porthos. "Be safe," she said reaching forward to give D'Artagnan's hand a quick squeeze before he mounted. Her soft grey eyes caught his bright brown ones and he offered her a small squeeze back and a sad but appreciative smile at her sisterly affection.

Athos, Porthos and D'Artagnan mounted their horses and rode across the courtyard towards the garrison.

Christine and Aramis walked in silence. He absentmindedly stroked her hand with his thumb as his other hand led Bella by her reins behind them.

"You're either trying to win a bet with Porthos that you can keep quiet, or this time I've truly left you speechless," she teased as they crossed the finely paved streets towards the stately neighbourhoods near the rue St. Germain.

Aramis stopped and smiled more broadly at her.

"Perhaps it's a bit of both," he teased back as he pulled her towards him and kissed her.

She stepped back from him, breathless. "And here a girl was starting to think you might be losing interest," she laughed.

"In you?" he said, suddenly serious as he pulled her close to kiss her once again. "Never," he said releasing her slightly and placing another kiss on her wrist where her heartbeat thrummed madly for him. She blushed deeply as she looked into his eyes and for a second, the world disappeared again.

A snort and a slight nudge from Bella had the lovers draw apart.

"Jealous," Christine muttered laughingly as she stroked the horse's nose and they completed the rest of their journey towards her Paris home.

oOo

A few hours later and the musketeers reunited at Christine's dining table. Athos poured himself another glass of wine as Porthos and D'Artagnan helped themselves to seconds.

Christine watched Athos grow quieter as the meal progressed - a feat in itself for Athos. His thoughts seemed to be consuming most of his appetite, though not slaking his thirst. She raised an eyebrow at Aramis who simply shrugged his shoulders. He too was distracted; he pushed his food around his plate where normally he'd be relishing in one of his favourite meals prepared by Christine's staff.

"Athos, you've hardly eaten. Please, tell us about this lead. What's troubling you?" asked Christine, unable to keep patient for any longer. Porthos lowered the fork halfway to his mouth and lay it to rest on his plate. Aramis and D'Artagnan fixed their gazes on Athos. Athos smirked slightly and raised his eyebrows at Christine and her own plate of hardly touched food. She blushed slightly but stared back at him defiantly and determinedly. He sighed.

"It's not much to go on," he began bringing his hand up to console the bridge of his nose once again. "As we know, Ramero escaped from the Chatelet six days ago. We agreed that it was likely that he fled Paris, but I cannot shake this feeling that we're being watched. Aramis has felt the same."

Aramis frowned slightly and nodded. "I have had the staff here greet any deliveries out on the street and examine the underside of any carts and wagons before permitting them onto the property. I've asked Serge to do the same at the Garrison. We know Ramero has a penchant for explosives…"

Christine nodded her understanding and Athos continued.

"We know Ramero is an assassin for hire and though he said he was not yet assigned our card, I fear this may have turned into a personal vendetta."

"We cut into his business," said Porthos. "An explosion at your place of business, an arrest and a price on your head set by the King tends to decrease your value in his kinda work."

"I thought we agreed that it was likely that the man had left the city…" D'Artagnan said with a frown.

Athos took a deep sip from his glass and frowned. "Treville summoned me from duty while at the palace today," he said, and the others all leant nearer for this new information. "Three days ago, the Red Guard discovered the body of the man who was suspected of helping that villain escape."

"Three days!" exclaimed D'Artagnan. "Why weren't we informed?"

"That's exactly what Treville is trying to discover at the palace. It's unclear whether the Red Guard and their new captain have been involved in Ramero's schemes, if they're intentionally trying to deter this investigation, or if they're simply proving their ineptitude as usual," Athos said coldly.

"My money's on the latter," Aramis muttered causing Porthos to grin wickedly at him.

"Regardless, with the discovery of this body, it seems more than likely that Ramero is hiding out somewhere in the city," said Athos. "The dead man, I believe, was to be his chaperone; meant to escort him from Paris. He was an employee of the Duke d'Alfonse."

"The Duke was found dead three days ago as well," said Christine. "They said he had died in his sleep."

"It looks as though Ramero is cutting his bonds. He must have worked for the Duke before. The Duke probably had him freed for fear of what he might confess. Once free from jail, it seems as though Ramero disliked being in someone's debt. He has no loyalty. He's only loyal to his coin. He told us so himself," Aramis said.

Christine frowned as she processed this information. "The discovery of this body does change things…but it's not really a lead, is it?"

Athos smiled grimly. "No, and the one Treville offered isn't much better. It's not a lead so much as an opportunity…The King will be entertaining some Persian traders in a few days' time. There's to be a celebration complete with a fireworks demonstration. We will be assigned to guard duty – "

"No," said Christine, interrupting him, her temper rising. "Athos, you cannot be serious."

Athos smiled slightly again; a sadness and a hint of pride flashed through his eyes at how quickly she had picked up on his plan. He took a sip of wine as her eyes flickered to each of the musketeers' faces before returning to Aramis'. Aramis, for his part, just stared straight at the table.

"No," Christine repeated. "No! I won't hear of it!"

"Christine –" Aramis began, pulling his eyes from the table to focus on hers. He took her hand in his and she pulled it away.

"No!" she repeated firmly. "There must be another way. You cannot use yourselves as bait for this madman!"

"It would be an opportunity he couldn't pass up," Athos said.

"High profile," Porthos agreed. "If he could assassinate four musketeers in the midst of a celebration at the palace…an assassin like that would be worth his weight in gold."

"No," Christine insisted. "I won't let you – any of you – put yourselves in danger like that."

"If we control the situation, use ourselves as bait, we can lower the risk of anyone else getting hurt," Aramis said taking her hand once more.

Christine shook her head, her hand coming to cradle his face. "No, he doesn't care about who he hurts. He didn't care last time when he killed those people…when he killed Adam," she pleaded. She had tears in her eyes now, which she was desperately trying to prevent from falling. Aramis stared back into her eyes and lifted her hand to his lips.

"By taking control of the situation, we'd be able to ensure no one else was at risk. He wouldn't want to risk injuring the nobility. They're his clientele after all," Athos said.

"Christine," said D'Artagnan softly. She turned her head to look at the youngest member of their family, her hands still clutching Aramis'. "This may be the only opportunity we have at capturing this madman. The only way to ensure he doesn't kill others with the same disregard he showed when he killed Adam…"

She looked from his bright eyes, to Porthos' to Athos' sitting next to him before looking once more at Aramis. His eyes were soft and sad, but determined, smouldering with a protective fire.

Knowing she was defeated this time, she swallowed her threat of tears.

"Ok," she said, breathing deeply. "How can I help?"

oOo