Athos knew they had to get as far away as quickly as possible. They had no way of knowing how long the gang would be gone. They also knew they couldn't head back to Paris yet, as that would be exactly what they would be expected to do, making catching up to them easier and quicker. So they had ridden for several hours away from Paris.
Their horses would soon be winded, too, having been at a full gallop for some time now.
They had ridden past several farms, but he didn't want to expose one of the farming families to possible danger. But when he heard Aramis begin to wheeze and cough and Porthos trying to comfort him and still guide his horse, Athos revised his thoughts.
His brother had already been having a hard time breathing, the frigid air of his underground prison resulting in an increasingly bad cold, and the effects of it could wreck havoc on him, and the injuries they had thus far been unable to take care of.
Making the decision, he was just about to call a halt to decide which farm would do, when d'Artagnan moved up to ride alongside him. Glancing over at him and the expression on his face, Athos said, "You wished to speak to me?"
D'Artagnan said, "I didn't want to disturb you, but there's something you need to know," he hesitated, and Athos prompted him, "Yes?"curious now.
While we were down in the oubliette, I saw something. Waterskins, rope that had been sliced, and small burlap bags with what looked like bread crumbs around them. I think they lowered food and water down so they didn't need to come down themselves."
"Yes, it would have saved them time and trouble to…."
D'Artagnan interrupted him, something he rarely did, "Athos. There were only nine bags and waterskins! Considering how long they had him, they must only have been giving him anything every three days. They knew a man can only go three days without water before he would die, and whoever is behind this wanted him to suffer longer. He has to be severely starved and dehydrated."
Athos looked over at his unconscious brother, sick at what he had gone through. Thinking for a moment, he told d'Artagnan, "Ride ahead and seek out a secluded farm where we can find shelter and keep out of the eyes of the men who may already be pursuing us. It is better that we do not meet up with them, not with Aramis so vulnerable."
D'Artagnan, nodding,galloped off. Athos, Porthos and Laurent sought a short rest under some sheltering trees.
Athos and Laurent carefully lifted an utterly limp and unresponsive Aramis from Porthos' arms, and laid him down on some blankets that had been pulled from their saddlebags. Athos could feel how thin Aramis seemed, remembering d'Artagnan's suspicions, and vowed to try to get some food and water into him as soon as they had a secluded place to take are of him.
Aramis lay just as they put him down, not even curling up now. But they all noticed how badly he was shivering, even after they piled more blankets over him. They were all thinking silently, 'find somewhere quickly, d'Artagnan'. Less than half an hour later, he came racing towards them, leaping from the saddle before he had even halted.
"I found a couple who insisted that we bring our friend to their home after I told them we were Musketeers. It's just the two of them, no children. They have a double cellar, one under the other. Even if the men who will be searching for us find the house, find the cellar even, there is nothing evident that gives away that another one lies beneath it."
Athos praised him, telling him, "You've done well, d'Artagnan."
The praise from his mentor caused d'Artagnan to flush with pride, but then he hurried on. "The best part of it all is that the woman of the house is a nurse who currently, because of where they are now located, does not practice her skills. It will be perfect for Aramis," glancing worriedly down at their brother.
After once more moving Aramis up in front of a mounted Porthos, they followed d'Artagnan, who led them to the house they would be staying at.
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When they finally arrived, they found the house's occupants already waiting for them at their door.
Taking Aramis from Porthos' arms, d'Artagnan and Athos headed with him towards the waiting man and woman. She took one look at him, and said, "Poor man!" laying her hand against his cheek. "What has happened to you?"
In a swift change of manner, she briskly turned and spoke to the others, saying, "I will show you where you will be staying. Come!"
Leading the way through the house and down the stairs, she slowed her pace when she noticed Athos and Porthos, who were now carrying Aramis, were moving with care down the steps.
They reached the first cellar, and watched as she moved aside a bookcase to reveal a lever. Pulling it down, a part of the wall moved, revealing another set of stairs. Athos wondered what this house had once been used for that this hidden room existed
They maneuvered their way down to a rather large single room, with two beds, two chairs and a table. Laying Aramis down on one of the beds, Athos and Porthos almost immediately began removing his dirty breaches and shirt, now exposing his decreased body weight and injuries to their eyes.
He was obviously suffering from malnutrition, his weight loss telling them that. His skin was extremely dry to the touch from dehydration.
His torso was littered with large bruises and welts, some obviously caused by a boot. Porthos almost growled in his anger at what he was looking at, looking up to meet his brothers' almost identical expressions. His wrists were swollen and rubbed raw and red by the shackles he had been wearing when they had found him.
But the often-reopened wound in his side concerned them the most. They saw that the stitches which had at one time held the wound closed had been torn open more than once. It was a wonder that they detected no infection yet, considering the dirt covering his body from the floor he had been forced to lie upon for so long.
They heard their hostess clearing her throat delicately behind them, and Athos turned an inquiring gaze upon her.
"I'm so sorry to disturb you right now, but I believe I may be of some help?" she said.
Remembering d'Artagnan's description that she was a nurse, they gratefully moved to make room for her at the bedside. Experienced eyes surveyed all the damage, and her hands poked and prodded gently to check for anything that might be broken.
She gave a sad little sigh when she saw the wound they had been checking out.
"This will need a thorough cleaning, and then I must remove the broken stitches and put new ones in," she said softly. "I sincerely hope your friend does not regain consciousness while I am treating it."
She set to work, experienced hands swiftly, yet delicately cleaning, removing and sewing the wound, then wrapping fresh clothes as tightly as she dared around his torso with Porthos' help. Aramis never moved, never made a sound the entire time.
Next, she meticulously cleaned Aramis' body, her eyes taking in the amount of damage that had been inflicted upon him.
She told them the cloths wound around his torso would also hold in place several broken ribs.
Taking a jar she had brought down with her in a bag, she proceeded to putting salves on his torn wrists, then on the myriads of bruises littering his body.
Stopping to rest a moment, she turned to Athos, having correctly surmised already that he was the de facto leader of the small group she was helping to hide, she commented, "He has a very powerful enemy, Monsieur, to have had this done to your friend. And it is not a light matter to attack a member of the King's personal guard with impugnity. He may hold a very high rank to have so little concern for his life to do this."
Athos was startled to hear the degree of accuracy in the woman's observations. Nevertheless, not wanting to discuss his brother or their investigation with someone he had only just met, he only responded, "The culprits will be found and dealt with, Madame, rest assured." Seeing that she had figured out that he didn't welcome conversation about the situation, but grateful for her nursing of their brother, "Athos added, "You have our profound gratitude for your care, Madame. And we also thank you for your generosity in allowing us to stay in your home until our brother can bed safely moved. May I ask if you might have some broth or porridge we could try feeding him, and some water, please?"
She simply inclined her head and made to leave, saying, "You have only to ask, and we attempt to obtain anything you need. My husband is out in the fields hard at work all day. But he or I will be happy to supply you with food and water. Meals will be brought down to you, unless you wanted to send someone up to fetch them?" unsure whether she might be invading their privacy to come down several times a day.
"We would welcome simple food, and either water or wine. We will, of course, reimburse you for whatever we receive."
She nodded and turned again, and hesitated. "Your friend is very badly malnourished and dehydrated. I will bring some porridge and water down. It will be the easiest on him to start off with."
Ascending the stairs, she closed the door softly behind her.
Porthos leaned over Aramis and said softly, "You have a chance now, mon ami. No one knows where we are, so you can have a chance to heal, and not being jolted on a horse all…." not finishing as he heard, "P..P'thos?" In a disbelieving voice at the same time that he saw his brother's eyelashes attempting to open.
"Aramis!" Porthos joyfully cried. "Come on, mon ami, open those eyes for us."
But Aramis' eyelashes ceased their movements. His brothers' faces fell as they saw this. They wanted so badly for him to wake up.
After a moment, Athos said, We will still need to keep watch, even if we are down here. Just in case. I will take first watch, Porthos second ….."
His words died away as they saw Aramis' eyes trying again to open. Finally, his lids lifted, only to rapidly shut from all the light in the room, a moan escaping his lips. D'Artagnan, recognizing what was wrong, rapidly moved around the room, extinguishing all but one of the lanterns, putting the now-solitary one in the far corner of the room
"Aramis," Porthos said, "it's ok. You can open your eyes. We darkened the room for you."
Chocolate brown eyes slowly opened, wearily gazing back at them, slowly moving from one face to another. Then, his brows drew together in confusion.
"You're…really…here?" His voicy was raspy and they all had to lean down to be able to hear him. "I'm n…not dr…dreaming?"
Panicking that he was once more just dreamig, and would wake up in the pit that he had begun to fear was his tomb, his eyes darted to one of them's eyes, then another's, as if he was begging for reassurance that what he was experiencing was indeed real. His breathing accelerated in response to his panic.
"Yes, you're here, mon ami," Porthos reassured him, lifting a hand to gently thread through his brother's hair in a soothing motion. Those brutes will never come near you again."
"I…I'm not in the …ou…oubliette still?" Aramis couldn't yet grasp the change. His eyes looked over their shoulders around the room, as if to confirm for himself that he was no longer deep underground, alone, or chained.
In response, Athos and d'Artagnan each took one of his hands in their own to let him feel that they were indeed with him, and that he wasn't alone and just dreaming.
When it finally impressed itself upon him, a tear escaped the corner of his eye, finding its way slowly down his cheek,as he shakily drew a deep breath.
"It's r…real. Y…you are …here."