CHAPTER 50
Athos' wounds kept him incapacitated for a few days so Aramis and Porthos took turns keeping watch over him. It was an interesting and tough assignment, but one they did with love and without regret. It wasn't the first and it wouldn't be the last time they were there for each other.
The Captain went about tying up some loose ends about the garrison. He sent a detail to retrieve what was left of Simeon's remains. When the body fragments were returned to the garrison, he conducted a funeral, with full honors, for Simeon and Stephen, burying both men in the cemetery beside their fallen musketeer brethren. He made sure that all those who supported Roudon's views were off duty and attended the ceremony.
After eulogizing the two men, Treville raised his eyes and swept them across the rank and file of musketeers standing amongst the crosses. "Our Lord and Savior sacrificed his life for mankind. His teachings command that the lowest amongst us is still fit for a place in Heaven. Jesus Christ accepted all for who they were, rich, poor, priest or prostitute. Let us take a page from the Bible and do the same. It is time to put aside our differences and become as one."
There was some shuffling of feet in the grass, but overall Treville felt he had the attention of all.
"We would not have to be here today, burying these two men, musketeers, our brethren, if we had fought as a team. But sadly, and disgracefully, we did not and here we stand."
Aramis softly sighed for the two dead musketeers.
"I know there are those amongst us today that played a hand in what happened, maybe of your own accord or maybe you were following another misguided soul. I could, and probably should, punish those of you who took part in the events that ultimately led to these deaths."
Treville stopped and scanned he crowd once more, watching the expressions on his men's faces. Some looked hopeful that justice would finally be done, while others seemed worried and fearful at the prospect.
"I am, however, going to take no further action at this time, because if I did, I would have to punish myself too, for I, as your leader, did nothing to stop this from occurring. My inaction allowed the conditions to develop that led to these men's deaths."
A murmuring ran through the crowd and Treville paused until it died off.
"But let me make myself perfectly clear here today. I expect each and every one of you to treat each other as equals and with respect. And, if you do not, I will be swift and harsh in correcting the situation. Do I make myself clear?"
He got agreement, but it was nowhere near strong enough.
"I can't hear you. Have I made myself clear!" he shouted.
This time he got a strong affirmative from the crowd.
"Remember this day, always, gentlemen, for we shall not stand here again under these circumstances, so help me God."
"So help me God," the musketeers echoed back.
"Off to your assignments. Aramis, Porthos, a word please," Treville commanded as the crowd dispersed.
The two musketeers moved through the crowd to where their Captain stood.
"Athos has collapsed in the far corner, behind that stand of trees. Would you be so kind as to help your charge back to his sick bed and chain him there until he is fit for duty," the Captain requested in a martyred tone. "You three will be the death of me," he grumbled under his breath as he turned to walk away.
"Did you know he was there?" Porthos asked Aramis as he turned to look where Treville had indicated.
"Of course not. Do you think I would have sanctioned this activity? Or at least if he had said something, I would have found a way that didn't end with him fainting in the dirt," Aramis grumpily answered as they began to walk towards the trees.
"How do you know he has fainted? I can't see him."
"Exactly, if he was standing, you'd see him. He'd be slinking away so he didn't get caught. But he has been caught and he shall now feel my wrath for it."
"You can't blame him for wanting to be here, Aramis."
"And I don't," the medic said as they entered the tree stand and saw Athos sprawled on the ground. "But as I said, there was a better way this could have gone down with Athos asking for assistance, instead of doing it alone."
Porthos bent down and scooped the musketeer off the ground. "So, what are you going to do? Tie him to the bed?"
"Don't tempt me," Aramis chuckled evilly as they headed back to the barracks. "But I shall make sure all the potions I give him are as vile tasting as I can make them."
"You won't have to try too hard to achieve that," Porthos mumbled under his breath.
-TMTMTMTM-
Two days later, Athos was propped up in bed grimacing as he attempted to swallow the cup of medicine handed to him by Aramis.
"This is vile," Athos proclaimed.
"Well, it's medicine. It's supposed to taste bad, to remind us not to do stupid things that make us ill," Aramis said breezily as he pushed the cup in Athos' hand back towards his lips.
The staring contest started.
"You do know that Captain Treville gave me complete authority to say when you are ready to go back to duty. If you ever want that to happen, you'd better cooperate and drink."
"As your Lieutenant, I can order you."
"On many things, yes. But not this. And, by the way, I am not all that good at following orders on my best days," Aramis informed him.
"As if I don't already know that," Athos muttered. Raising the cup to his lips he took a sip and immediately lowered it again. "Aramis," he whined. "This is really awful. Could we at least pour it in a glass of wine?" he begged. "Please?"
"Alcohol and medicine don't mix."
"Since when?"
"Since now," Aramis said firmly. "Now drink."
Porthos, who was sitting at the table nearby offered up advice. "Drink it all at once and hold your nose. It helps."
Even though he rolled his eyes at the suggestion, Athos tried it and it did help get the nasty potion down. When he handed the empty cup back to a smiling Aramis, the marksman reached into his pocket and withdrew a small wrapped object about the size of a large marble.
"Peppermint. It will take the taste out of your mouth," he said as he unwrapped the candy and gave it to Athos, who eagerly popped it into his mouth.
"Hey, do I get one? Porthos whined.
"Only if you want to drink a cup of my restorative potion," Aramis answered.
Never mind," Porthos grumbled before turning his attention back on Athos, who was happily sucking on his candy. "You know what I don't get? Why didn't Captain Treville take harsh measures for what they did to you, and Stephen and Simeon? I think they got off too lightly."
Athos slowly finished sucking on his treat before answering. "Did you expect Treville to drum them out of the musketeers?"
"Yes!" Porthos answered empathetically.
"And what purpose would that serve?"
Porthos looked at Athos as if he were daft. "They and their stupid attitudes would be gone."
"True, but would that solve the real issue of their prejudice?"
Aramis, who had been quiet up to this point joined in. "So, you are saying by Treville letting them remain musketeers, he is trying to change them into better people?"
Athos shrugged. "Not really, but if he dismissed them, they would return to their homes and say how they had been dismissed unjustly. You can be sure the story they told their parents, siblings, and friends would not be accurate nor start out with 'I was responsible for killing a man'. They would give their one-sided view and spread the poison. At least here, under Treville's watchful eye and guiding presence, there is a possibility they could change their minds."
"Not bloody likely," Porthos declared. "And we'll be the ones to suffer."
"So be it. At least I will be suffering for a cause I believe in, and not because Aramis is trying to teach me to be a good patient by making me drink his vile creations," Athos glared at the marksman.
Aramis smiled slyly at his friend. "And is it working?"
"No," Athos stated stubbornly before letting loose a giant yawn. "And I shall be getting out of this bed and leaving, right after I take a quick nap." And as quick as a candle being blown out, Athos closed his eyes and was asleep.
Porthos chuckled. "You drugged him didn't you."
Aramis rose from the table to straighten the blanket over Athos' prone form. "Of course. One of the good things about bitter draughts is it is easy to disguise the narcotic. And this seemed more humane than tying him to the bed."
"That's true." Porthos pulled out a deck of cards. "Play?"
"Why not," Aramis said as he joined his friend at the table.
"Do you feel justice was done, to those men?" Porthos asked as he dealt the cards.
"I have to admit, I'm not sure. I hear what Athos said, but…"
"Yeah, but…"
"But, I also feel certain we have not seen the end of this story yet. Nor Roudon. He is a dangerous enemy and we'd best watch our backs."
"Like always."
"Like always," Aramis agreed. "Now, take off your jacket and roll up your sleeves. I won't have you cheating."
THE END
AUTHOR'S NOTE
And so we have come to the end of this tale. As you can see, there is room for a sequel. I know many were hoping that our villain would get his just desserts, however, that will need to wait for the future. I'm a slow writer who is often short on free time, and this tale took almost a year to write. It was dragging on for so long, I was getting bored with it. You can ask my beta, I even forgot what some of the character's names were in the tale. Thank goodness she catches all that stuff. So, I decided to end this here and start a fresh in a bit. I have another tale in the works that I would like to finish first. Until then, feel free to leave a last review, be open to those not like yourself, and enjoy life.