Thanks to Whatfuny for the review! I think this chapter is more of a filler before we come to the beginning of the end of the story!

Chapter Fifteen - 19th August 1632

Her neck had grown stiff against the arm of the arm of the couch, but Elizabeth did not have the energy to move. She was enjoying the warmth of the fire in front of her and was content to stay where she was. She could not justify lighting more than one fire when it was only for herself so she had made herself comfortable in the parlour. Her bed in her chamber was quite a distance from the fireplace and Elizabeth knew she would not be able to move such a large piece of furniture alone, so she had settled for the parlour couch which she had dragged across the room until she could feel the welcoming heat of the fire.

She spent days on the couch, dozing lightly every so often and trying to ignore the noises from the street outside. All of Paris life was carrying on around her, and for the time being she was content to let it. She felt that physically she had recovered a little from her experience of being locked within her bed chamber for five days but emotionally she was still struggling. In reality, she should have wanted nothing more than to spend her time in the fresh air again, walking around parks and markets but there was a part of her that felt foolish and ashamed. She had married Eric in good faith, but he had turned into a creature so prone to bouts of anger and frustration that he had treated her abysmally. Elizabeth was more than happy to shoulder some of the blame for it all. It was very clear to her now that they had never been compatible. It was not that she thought she'd have found a happy marriage with his brother Harry, but she was beginning to see now what she had not seen all of those years ago. Harry loved people and had a care for everyone. He might have been a bit of a rogue and a rake but he wasn't a bad person. He loved women; loved pleasing and admiring them. He might not have been faithful to Elizabeth if they had married, but she thought that he might have had more respect for her than Eric did. Harry would perhaps have treated her better.

The door to the street opened and closed downstairs, but Elizabeth did not flinch. She'd had the same visitor at the same time each day, and had grown to expect him at such a time. He strode into the parlour as he had done the past four days and set his basket of food on the table. Athos ran a gentle hand over her hair as he lifted her legs from the couch slightly to sit down beside her. Elizabeth moved to sit up and put her feet on the floor but Athos kept hold of her ankles, letting them rest on top of his lap.

"how are you feeling today?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "I do feel better today, which I must thank you for. You've been very kind to me. My chest feels a little clearer because I've been eating so well! Between you and Harry, you must have raided the best patisseries in Paris. I just feel a little more drained today. It's as if now that I'm feeling physically well I must now think of everything that happened in more detail. It's exhausting."

"Then don't think," Athos replied softly as he brushed a hand against her hair again. "The bread I've brought will keep for a few hours. Get some sleep."

Elizabeth chuckled lightly. "Athos you did not come here to watch me sleep. That would be rude of me!"

Athos was shaking his head at her. "I came to make sure you were alright. You're tired so I'd rather you slept. I'll stay until your asleep and then I'll go. I can come back later if you like."

There was something comforting about having him so near her as she let herself lie back against the arm rest. With a heavy sigh she closed her eyes, feeling herself begin to drift off almost immediately.

The soft dragging sound invaded Elizabeth's slumber as she tried to turn into a more comfortable position on the couch. She opened her eyes slowly as the scent of the bread Athos had left her wafted across the room. Then she heard the sound again. She sat up and looked around, sure that she was alone in the room. Athos had surely left her hours ago to return to his duties. The sound was coming from down the hallway towards her bedchamber. Elizabeth gingerly placed her feet on the cold floor and stood. She walked a little awkwardly, her mind still fuzzy with sleep. Eventually she was padding down the hallway towards her room, breathing a sigh of relief as she spotted Athos through the crack in the door. She pushed the door gently and it swung open quietly to show her the musketeer dragging her large bed across the room all by himself. She stood and watched, a little transfixed by the strength in his arms as he moved the bed with relative ease until it was only a few feet from the fireplace.

He did not notice her presence until he had confirmed the bed was in the right spot and turned towards the door again. He smiled gently at her as he approached and Elizabeth realised that he'd perhaps fallen asleep with her on the couch for a time. His hair was slightly ruffled and he'd disposed of his doublet.

"What are you doing Athos?" she asked as she walked towards him and rested her hand on his arm.

He stared down at her, his warm smile becoming almost wistful. "I thought I'd give you somewhere more comfortable to sleep. You can't sleep on that couch Elizabeth. It's not comfortable in the slightest. If you actually slept in a bed you might get a good night's sleep. You'll be back on your feet quicker." Elizabeth began to cough again as she found fault with Athos's statement. She reached for a vial of tonic on a side table and sipped it gently.

"I'm not going to get back on my feet Athos. I thought you would know that by now. This is the beginning of the end I think. I am only sorry I am not well enough to go into the country. I don't want to die here like some spectacle for everyone to gawk at!"

She saw frustration flare in Athos's eyes. "Elizabeth I just wish you'd have a little faith in yourself! You've stronger than you believe. If you would only take care of yourself then you might actually start to see a difference in how you feel. There are still doctors you might see-"

"Athos how am I to pay these doctors?" Elizabeth cried. "I have little money left with which to afford a fire! There would be absolutely no point in paying another doctor to tell me what countless already have!"

"I can help you," Athos offered. "I'm sure your brother in law would like to do something for you also, considering it was his brother that made your condition worse!"

Elizabeth opened her mouth to let out an angry retort but a wracking cough replaced it. She felt the room begin to spin then, the bed post to her left twisting and turning even as she reached out to grab if to support. She could hear Athos close to her but he was beginning to slip away as the light began to fade and she felt something forcing her to stay upright when all she wanted to do was fall. She clutched at her chest as if that might help her gulp in air even as everything faded to black.

Elizabeth's own coughing woke her. She flew into an upright position on the bed as she coughed blood into the palms of her hands. She could feel Athos clutching her to him, anchoring her to the room. The coughing was beginning to worry even her, for it had never been so bad. All of her energy was spent within minutes and she sagged against Athos, wondering vaguely how on earth she had envisioned going into the country to die without the support of a friend around her. He had been such a comfort to her, such a help that it was harder than ever before for Elizabeth to consider how anyone might want to hurt the man. The woman who had torn his heart in two must have been purely evil to do such a thing.

Elizabeth took a long while to catch her breath after her coughing fit, gesturing to Athos to fetch her one of her tonics from a nearby table rather than asking him. He did so quickly and Elizabeth did not sip the tonic but drank the whole vial. She had realised that perhaps she was going to have to increase her intake of it to find some ease. She lowered the empty vial and replaced the cork. When she glanced back up, Athos was staring at the vial curiously, as if he had only just realised something.

"Do they really help you?" he asked her as he sat back down beside her.

"I don't know about help," Elizabeth mused. "Not in the long run. "It eases the heaviness in my chest for a while and prevents the coughing for a time. It's easing my pain. I do not think it will really make any difference to my condition though. I think I may be beyond that kind of help now, Athos."

"You've not got much of it left," he replied.

Elizabeth glanced towards the table to see that Athos was right. There were only enough vials left to cater for a few more days, depending of course on her condition. "Well, as I've been feeling generally better, I think I'll venture out tomorrow to fetch something. The walk and the air will do me good, no doubt."

Athos shook his head incredulously. "Elizabeth you just collapsed! How can you be feeling better? I'll go and fetch them for you! Tell me what you need and where to find it and I'll go first thing in the morning!"

She batted away his words as he spoke. "I'm just tired and worried about money. I'm sure the stress is not helping me. I want to go myself, honestly. I might take a walk in the gardens whilst I am out! I'll take a book with me and if I tire easily I can rest somewhere for a while. You were right in what you said. I should be taking better care of myself and hiding in this apartment is not a good thing. I need to return to the world of the living."

"Well then I will consent to let you go Elizabeth, but take it easy. Don't rush yourself! I need to be back at the garrison rather early or I'd go with you."

Elizabeth placed her hand gently on his chest over his heart. "Athos, I'm not a porcelain doll. I can manage a walk to buy some herbs and for a gentle stroll in the park. You have to let me do things for myself."

She knew that he understood her want of independence by the haunted look that crossed his face. They were both a little two stubborn to accept help sometimes. That determination was what had kept them alive though, she knew as she let Athos pull her back down to lie in bed.