Sorry, it's not a very long chapter today. Too much happening this past week. Thanks for reading!
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D'Artagnan was moving towards Aramis before he even paused to think about what to do, moving solely on instinct. The hewn-down branch gripped tightly in his hands, his eyes were solely on his brother and the reptile currently threatening his life.
The snake, brown with a dark zigzag stripe pattern running the length of its body above a line of oval spots, was still poised to strike. The Gascon was familiar with this type of snake, having encountered them on his family's farm a time or two. An adder, it was easily irritated, and often struck without warning if it was startled or upset.
When he got within strking distance, his eyes shifted to Aramis' own for a brief second, then he swung the branch in a swift, sweeping motion directly at the snake. Hoping he could avoid any contact with Aramis, he violently flinched when he felt his makeshift weapon briefly come into contact with his brother's prone body, even as his makeshift weapon lifted the snake high into the air and propelled it to slam against the back wall of the cave.
Not daring to hesitate first and see to his brother, he followed the snake's path, finding it still moving after it had dropped to the ground, although sluggishly. He quickly used the pointed edge of the branch to put an end to its life, cutting off its head just to make sure.
Not wasting a moment, he raced back to Aramis, who was now curled up on his side, his arms wrapped around his middle, and his breathing still accelerated from the deadly encounter.
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"Now, which one of you wants to volunteer to go first?" the hooded leader smirked, obviously immensely enjoying having two Musketeers at his mercy. Complete silence and two deadly glares were his reply.
"Come, come, I thought all you Musketeers were brave and fearless, ready for anything," he said, "Hmmm?"
The hoods were so all-encompassing that all Athos could see of the man were the two glittering eyes, with a hint of amusement in them. What kind of man finds something like this enjoyable, he wondered.
The man's voice was beginning to nag at Athos' mind. He was starting to think he had heard the voice before. Where? he asked himself. Are these men hooded because we have had dealings with them in the past? Someone, perhaps, with a lingering grudge? Or are they hooded to protect the person paying them to do this?
The man walked closer to Athos, leaning down and getting in his face as he continued. "Not feeling arrogant today, Athos?" smiling when Athos' head shot up when his name was used. "Oh, yes, we know all about you four. The Inseparables. Not so close now, are you? Didn't take much to separate the Inseparables, did it?" laughing at his own joke.
The man's knowledge of his name told Athos he had been right in thinking he might know them, or at least the leader. And whoever this man was, he obviously harbored a deep resentment against the Musketeers, feeling this was his chance to pay them back for whatever slight he had received in the past.
The man was talking again. "To show you how fair I can be, I will give you a second chance to tell me where your 'brothers' are, saying the word 'brothers' in a tone of disgust.
When silence continued to answer him, he grew impatient, snarling, "I've never got my hands on a nobleman before. This should be interesting to see how long you hold out under my persuasion," nodding to his men.
Grabbing Athos under his arms to pull him to his feet, the men found dead weight, as Athos wasn't about to make it easy for them, dragging heels in the dirt.
The leader spoke up yet again, nodding as he did so to one of his men. "You will find out very quickly that I do not tolerate resistance." Athos heard a pistol being cocked, and knew he would find it aimed at his brother. Glancing back, he saw that it was pressed against Porthos' forehead.
Athos relaxed his body, allowing the two men to lift and drag him over to one of the trees ringing the clearing they were in.
A rope was thrown over a branch above his head, and he was turned to face the tree trunk. Cutting the rope tying his wrists behind his back, his arms were brought forward and tied instead in front of him. Then, they were stretched above his head and knotted to the rope hanging down.
"Nice to know cocking a pistol garners your attention. My Lord."
Again, the reference to his former way of life. Not that many people knew about the life he had given up. Who was this man?
The man, moving so quietly that Athos had not heard him coming, was in his face again. "I will be generous again. The flat or the point?"
Athos, refusing to play the man'sw game, uneasily thought he really didn't want to know.
"Cat got your tongue? Or can't decide between the two?" the man almost purred. "Let me decide for you."
That was all the warning Athos had before a white-hot pain invaded his back. It took all his willpower to keep from giving his tormenter the satisfaction of drawing any reaction from him.
And again, the voice taunted him, "Have you an answer to my question yet? Or we can try the point next."
At Athos' silence, he learned what 'the point' meant, unable this time to hold back the scream that tore out of him.
Distantly, he heard an angry roar, and a voice shouting, "Leave him alone, you animals!"
Then, everything faded to black.
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D'Artagnan knelt down close beside his Aramis, speaking softly to him, anguish coloring each word. "I'm so sorry, Aramis. I tried to avoid hitting you. I didn't..."
Aramis, voice full of pain, interrupted him gently, "D'Artagnan..."
D'Artagnan continued as if he hadn't heard him, still wrapped in his perceived guilt. "I just didn't have time to gauge the swing, and I..."
Aramis' voice cut in again, trying to stem his apology once more.
"You saved my life, mon ami. If you...hadn't come in...time..." his own vivid remembrance of waking up to the horror of the reptile, fangs openand ready to strike, making catch his breath at his close escape. "Thank you from...the bottom of...my heart," taking one of the arms wrapped around his torso away to place it on d'Artagnan's.
D'Artagnan' head came up then. Looking into the sincerity of his brother's brown eyes, and seeing Aramis' concern for him written in them, he slowly turned the hand Aramis had covered with his own, squeezing gently.
They stayed that way a short while, each winding down from the experience they had been through. Then, d'Artagnan asked Aramis, "Will you let me check you out-where my stick hit?"
In reply, Aramis slowly rolled again onto his back, and laid his arms at his sides out of d'Artagnan's way, freely giving his brother access.
As d'Artagnan slowly lifted linen shirt, Aramis said, "I don't believe there is anything broken."
His torso exposed, d'Artagnan saw a large area over Aramis' ribcage with deep, dark bruising, thinking 'that has to be painful even if nothing's broken'. Using the tips of his fingers, he gently began exploring to see if their were any broken bones. Aramis couldn't stifle a groan even at the careful touch. D'Artagnan didn't feel anything out of place, even though the whole area was painful when touched.
Next, he decided to check out the wound in his brother's side while Aramis was being so unusually compliant. He finally was able to let out the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding until then.
Aramis heard it and smiled, teasing him and saying, "I've live then?"
"When Athos and Porthos tease you next time about having nine lives, I will have vivid memories of this coming back through my mind. You really were lucky, Aramis."
"Someone watches over me," Aramis replied, sending his eyes heavenward in silent thanks, his deep faith knowing why he was still alive, and knowing d'Artagnan had been given the skills to save his life not once, but twice.
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I found this information when I googled for poisonous snakes found in France. The common adder lives in most European countries, including France and part of Asia. It can come in a variety of colors. Males are light brown to gray, and females can be yellow to brown or even brick red. Some are all black, and most of them have a dark zigzag stripe pattern running down their bodies above a line of oval spots. It also has a distinctive "x" or "v" black mark on its head. It has a reputation for being irritable and sometimes will strike without warning when startled or handled. Its venom is haemotoxic, which destroys blood cells and causes tissue damage.