Chapter 45
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The warm of the sunlight gently woke me up. I stirred, stretched my sore limbs. I turned on my back, pushing Athos slightly. He rolled on his back and I laid my head on his chest.
"Good Morning, love." I greeted him smiling.
"Good Morning, love." Athos greeted back.
"I am getting used to it." I said sitting up and tightening the sheet around me. "Waking up like this, every morning."
"You could." Athos pulled me to him. "You and me, together, forever."
"Not forever." I retorted sadly. "Not before God."
"Emma…"
"Forget it." I shook my head. "I love you and I am content with this life. With us." I leaned into him and rested my lips on his. He pulled me into him, and pulled away the sheet that protected my nudity, and deepened the kiss.
My hair was braided on the top of my head and the rest of it fell down my shoulders. My skirt was rolled up and tucked in my belt as I walked down the stairs. Aramis and Porthos were already gone, God knows where. D'Artagnan was with Constance. Bonacieux was to be buried today. As for Athos, he left earlier for a walk. I left the garrison and went into town.
As usual I walked through the market. Going from one seller to another, taking an apple here and some bread there.
"You are a very difficult woman to find." I heard the recognizable voice of Milady whispered in my ear.
"Not very much since you found me." I replied without turning around to look at her.
"Did you and Athos reconcile? Are you back together now?" Milady asked standing in front of me.
"You didn't come here, find me to make small talk, did you?" I retorted as I started to walk. "What do you want?"
She walked by my side. "Suppose I have information about Rochefort? Information that might ensure his downfall?" Milady said picking my interest. "What will you give me in return?"
"If it is money that you are expecting. I don't have it." I retorted.
"Then speak to Tréville. Believe me my information is worth paying for."
"If you have a vital information, I suggest you speak. If only for the sake of France." I told her, stopping and facing her.
"I want a hundred livres." She continued.
"Do I look like one of your victims?" I crossed my arms over my chest.
"Give me what I want and you won't regret it." Milady insisted.
"You can't promise that."
"I can promise that Athos will be yours." Milady stepped closer. "That I won't be back in his life."
"He's your husband before God." I retorted. "But I am the one he loves." I stepped closer to her. "Criminal to criminal. If you have something in your hands that can save France. Use it. Do not expect anything in exchange. People will remember it and you will gain something more than just a hundred livres. True friends."
"I have no use for friends."
"Then I have no use for you." And I left.
Once I was back at the garrison, Aramis was in a deep conversation with Athos, D'Artagnan and Tréville.
"What is going on?" I asked them. "And where's Porthos?"
"With his father." Aramis told me.
"His father?" I frowned confused.
"Yes, his father, Belgard." The Captain walked to the mess and we followed him.
"So, that's where you and Porthos went?" I asked Aramis.
"Yes but there's more." Aramis continued. "We came across two girls that were accused of stealing. One of them is dead and the other was taken into another house by Levesque. Porthos' Brother in law."
"What a happy family reunion?" I said sarcastically.
"The girl, was she being forced?" Athos asked Aramis.
"She could have gone willingly but she seemed scare to me." Aramis replied.
"This house Levesque took her too, what it's like?" Tréville asked him.
"Private, unassuming, respectable enough." He sighed.
"He could have found her a new position?" D'Artagnan suggested.
"I don't believe it." Aramis shook his head. "What about the dead girl?"
"Could it have been an accident?" Athos asked cautiously.
"Trust me. She was murdered." Aramis said assuredly.
"Belgard." The Captain breathed out. "If I never hear that man's name again, it would be too soon."
"There's nothing connecting him to the girls." Aramis countered. "That seems to be Eleanor and her husband's game."
"Porthos should know about this." Athos suggested to tell the truth to our fellow musketeer.
"He'd think we were trying to poison him against his father." Tréville replied.
"That's ridiculous." I scoffed. "Whatever happened between you and Belgard concerns you. Those girls, on the other hand, are in danger. We can at least tell him that."
"Emma…"
"We won't say anything about his father or his sister." I cut him off. "Just about the dead girl and Levesque."
"I will go back to the house and ask to see the girl." Aramis said. "I will be able to know more about what Levesque and his sweet Eleanor are doing."
I didn't have to go the Belgard estate to find Porthos. He stormed into the garrison, going directly to see the Captain. He didn't even spare me a glance when I called his name. The way he looked, how enraged and angry he was, discouraged me from following him. He looked like a man on a mission. So, I waited near the table. Pacing back and forth, until Porthos came out. And he came out and if it was possible, he came out angrier than when he went in.
"I know you met your father, today." I started stopping in front of him. "I also know that you and Aramis came across two girls, earlier."
"So?" Porthos shrugged.
"One of the girls were found dead by Aramis." I continued. "Aramis said she was murdered."
"What are you implying, Emma?" Porthos questioned. "You think my father did it?"
"No!" I said immediately. "I'm not accusing your father but his son-in-law."
"Levesque?"
"Yes, he took the other girl to another house." I explained. "I'm not accusing anyone. I just thought that you should know about this."
"Why?"
"Because when I first met my grandmother, I trusted the wrong person and I almost died." I told him. "I don't want the same to happen to you."
"Thank you, Emma." Porthos nodded.
"That's what friends do." I smiled at him and punched his shoulder slightly. But my smiled dropped as soon as I realized that the emblem of the musketeers, the one we all wore was not on him. "Porthos, where is it?"
He looked down at his shoulder and took a deep breath. "I have no reason to wear it. I am no longer a musketeer."
"What?" I exclaimed. "Porthos!" I called as he started to walk away. "Porthos!" I called again as he left the garrison but he didn't answer.
"She didn't tell you what these entertainments are?" Athos asked Aramis as we walked through the streets to the Levesque's little business.
I didn't tell them what transpired earlier between Porthos and the Captain. I didn't know what happened either.
"We're not talking about a pleasant night at the theatre." Aramis replied.
"But still didn't want to leave?" Athos asked again.
"She's too scared of what Levesque and his absolutely charming wife might do." Aramis retorted.
"We could take it to the Magistrates. There's enough evidence against Levesque and Camille was a witness." D'Artagnan suggested and reasoned.
"Even if she was willing to speak up, she'd probably disappear before it came to court."
"So, what do you suggest?" I asked gripping the bars of the gate. "We put him out of business whatever that business might be."
"I don't like that." I said to Aramis as we waited outside. Athos and D'Artagnan were inside investigating the business.
"They'll be fine." Aramis reassured me.
"Still, we don't know what's happening in there." I stood by his side and we waited.
Two men came out running, a few minutes later. Aramis and I exchanged a quick look and ran toward the house. When we stepped in, several girls in white were running down the stairs. "Hey!" Aramis called out to the two guards that were standing in front of the door. He punched one of them, I kicked the other in the stomach, unsheathing his sword at the same time. I threw the sword at D'Artagnan. I fought the other guards that came in while the girls ran out of the door.
All the guards were down or almost. Athos was holding his sword at a man's throat when a woman in red hit him in the back with a silver plate. I rushed to him as he was on the ground and the man was about to strike him. I blocked his blow and cut his hand. I helped Athos up and we rushed out of the place, followed by Aramis and D'Artagnan.
"Is anyone missing?" Athos asked the girls and they shook their heads no. "Come on." We stopped in front of the iron gates. "Wait here." I sheathed my sword as he called D'Artagnan.
In the warm comfort of the garrison, we gave them a warm drink and supper. Covers over their shoulders, they started to fall asleep. Camille was telling us how she met the Levesques prior to her arrival to Paris. It appeared that Eleanor Levesque and her husband for young and innocent girls all around the country. Under a false motive, they will recruit them and paid the parents good money. This way they won't ask questions. And once in Paris, they were sold to men who will pay good money for a young girl's virginity.
When morning came the girls seemed to be happier. Away from Eleanor and her husband, out of those men's grasp. They laughed and talked happily while eating their breakfast.
"I see they're all escorted home to their parents." The Captain announced.
"There's enough evidence against Levesque to press charges." Athos started after the Captain. We followed. "Kidnapping, false imprisonment."
"No one would believe Belgard was involved." The Captain countered.
"We have no evidence he is. Camille only ever saw Eleanor and Levesque." D'Artagnan reminded him.
"Perhaps Levesque is running the show right under Belgard's nose?" Aramis suggested.
"If you knew Belgard like I do, you might not be so charitable." The Captain said.
"Why don't you tell us how he's like?" I asked stepping closer his desk. "Is keeping the secret worth losing Porthos to Belgard?"
"What do you mean?" Aramis asked me.
"Porthos is no longer a musketeer." I finally revealed.
"That's impossible." D'Artagnan exclaimed.
"It's what Belgard does. He fed Porthos with lies and half-truths." The Captain snapped.
"And you keeping the secrets over everything didn't help." I snapped back. "You don't want to tell us, I understand. But it's finally time you come out with the truth. You owe it to Porthos."
Without wasting anymore time we rode to the Belgard estate. Levesque and his wife were probably after Porthos and we still didn't know what sort of man Belgard was. The Captain didn't trust him though, that was enough for us.
We tied our horses to the nearest tree, grabbed our weapons, pistols, swords and ran to the gates of the estate. We hid behind the walls, I stood behind Athos and we waited for the right moment. A gunshot ringing behind the gates startled me.
"Aramis." Athos nodded at him.
Aramis positioned himself near the gates, his musket would directly aim at the threat behind those doors. He fired and we sprang into action. D'Artagnan was the first to rush in, then Aramis followed and after him I ran into the heart of danger. I shot back at Belgard's or Levesque's men. Porthos ran to our side with a young girl. I loaded my pistol again and passed it to D'Artagnan as he gave me his emptied one. I loaded the pistol while Porthos left the girl by our side and followed Belgard up the stairs.
The gunfires lasted for a few minutes. Some men were mounded, others dead. Levesque and Eleanor were still alive but now they were our prisoners. As for the girl, she was going back to her family.
"So, what are you going to do now?" D'Artagnan asked Porthos came to us with his horse.
"What I've always done." Porthos replied.
"What about your inheritance?" Athos asked him.
"This place? Not interested." Porthos said. "Still…it is bigger than yours."
"Mine's bigger than yours." I smirked at Porthos.
"The Captain thought you might be needing this." Aramis gave him back the blazon of the musketeers. "All for one?"
"Yeah, I know."
"Don't take it off this time." I punched his shoulder.
When we arrived at the garrison, Constance was standing at its entrance. Waiting. She was wearing blue, definitely not the attire of a woman in mourning. "Greetings, Constance." I smiled at her. "You look beautiful."
"Thank you, Emma." She smiled back.
I dismounted my horse and the stable boys took him away. I stood by Aramis and Porthos. Athos came back with pitcher and goblets. He poured us some wine while we watched them from afar.
"You know what?" I started. "I feel that there's a wedding coming soon."
"I would not be surprised." Aramis retorted throwing his arm over my shoulders. "It was a long time coming for these two."
Yes, a long time coming.
Season 2 is coming to an end.
