Chapter 46

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An hour or so after Constance left the garrison, a young boy came to get us. His only words were that the Queen needed us. Constance was waiting for us at the palace.

She took us to the Queen on the way she explained the situation to us. "Rochefort attacked the Queen. He tried to force himself on her. She fought him off. Wounded him." She opened the door to the Queen's chambers.

The Queen seemed quite shock, distressed still. "He dared to lay hands on you?" Aramis asked her.

"I trusted him." The Queen replied. "I thought he was my friend."

"The King has been informed?" D'Artagnan asked her.

"My loyal musketeers will escort me." Athos and I stepped out of her way and she walked out of the room.


I walked next to D'Artagnan, Porthos before us. "Get out of the way."

"The King is not accepting visitors." The red guards stood in front of the council chambers.

"This is not a visitor, it's the Queen." Porthos reminded them. "Open the door."

"Do as he says." The Queen ordered them. The red guards didn't move. "How dare you defy me." The Queen snapped.

We unsheathed our swords. "Open the doors or we'll kill you and open them ourselves." D'Artagnan threatened them.

The red guards moved out of the way and we, musketeers, continued further. "You dare bring an armed guard into my presence." The King shouted as soon as we entered.

"I must speak with you, Sire." The Queen answered.

"You must indeed, Madame." The King countered.

"Whatever Rochefort's told you is all lies!" Aramis intervened.

"Am I to be shouted at now?" The King asked rhetorically. Rochefort glared at Aramis. "Do you deny that you wrote this letter? Is this your hand? Your royal seal?"

The Queen took the letter from the King's hand. "The Queen wrote to her brother, the King of Spain, even though Your Majesty expressly forbade her to do so."

"It was months ago." The Queen started to explain herself and I cast a quick glance at Athos. I was liking this less and less. "When you were captured my slavers."

The King ripped the letter from Anne's hands. "You invited foreign troops onto the sovereign soil of France?"

"You might have been dead. My only thought was to protect your son, the Dauphin."

"In any other of our subjects this might be called treason!"

"It was Rochefort who advised the Queen to write to Spain." Constance revealed to the King.

"This girl is either a fantasist or a liar." Rochefort said to the King. I have to admit, he played his hand pretty well.

"Your Majesty, she was there, she witnessed every word." D'Artagnan defended Constance.

"Your Majesty should listen to the Queen. You can't trust this man." Athos told the King.

But the King was having none of it. "He's the only one I can trust." He'll come to regret these words.

"But…sire…" the Queen tried.

"I can hardly bear to look at you." The King told her. "You, musketeers, return to your garrison." He ordered as he left.

So, did the Queen. We followed her, as I lingered, I smirked at Rochefort and bowed slightly to the man. As I said before, he dealt his hand well but I wasn't too bad at playing card games either.


We escorted the Queen back to her chambers, only to be welcomed by the Red Guards. "Am I to be a prisoner, then?" The Queen asked shakily. Hurt and scared for her own life.

Constance and I made to follow her but the red guards blocked our way, by grabbing Constance's shoulders. "Oi! You all need to learn some respect." Porthos yelled at them.

He punched one of the red guard in the guts while I pushed another away from Constance and of course after that, it was chaos. Musketeers and Red Guards fighting, nothing new there. But Red Guards and Musketeers fighting in the hallways of the palace, that was a first. It was bound to happen one day, with people like Rochefort and The Cardinal at the Head of the Red Guards.

"You were ordered to return to your garrison." Rochefort yelled behind us. "Will you deny your king's direct command?"

"There must be no suggestion that our faithful Musketeers are disloyal." The Queen defended us.

"Too late for that, Madame." Rochefort countered.

"You will address me as Your Majesty." She snapped.

"You will die for this." Aramis threatened.

"I know you, Musketeer, what you are and what you have done." Rochefort told him.

"If the Queen comes to any harm, you will pay for it with your blood." Athos warned him.

"Musketeers!" Red Guards called. One by one, we left, glaring at Rochefort on our way out.

"I'll confess, Rochefort." I said stopping at his side without looking at him. "I knew how dangerous you were but I underestimated you still. I won't make that mistake twice."

"I will not either." He retorted.


"Rochefort knows." I heard Aramis said in front of me.

"If Rochefort's advances to the Queen were treason, what does that make yours?" Athos asked him as I stopped next to them.

"Love." Aramis replied.

"I'm sure the King will appreciate the difference." Athos countered.

"He'll appreciate it, as soon as your head will fall into a basket." I added.

"What's going on?" Porthos asked us.

"You created this mess, tell them." Athos told Aramis.

Aramis looked at D'Artagnan and Porthos and exhaled deeply. "Not here."


"Aramis slept with the Queen." Athos announced to our fellow musketeers and to the Captain.

"Smooth." I commented looking up at Athos for the bluntness with which he announced it.

"You're not serious?" The Captain said.

"Would he joke about such a thing?" Aramis said back.

"How? When?" Porthos asked flabbergasted.

"At the convent when her life was threatened." Aramis told him.

"You didn't try to stop it?" Tréville asked Athos.

"If I'd known what he was going to do, I would have shot him there and then." Athos defended himself.

"It was already over when we found out about it." I added and recoiled at the glare the Captain sent my way.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Porthos asked him.

"I had to protect the Queen's reputation."

"You could've done that by not sleeping with her." D'Artagnan pointed out.

"There's more." Athos said.

"You're on a roll today." I commented again.

"The Dauphin might be my son." Aramis confessed after several seconds of hesitation. "Is my son."

Porthos lunged at Aramis. "Are you…?" I winced thinking that he was going to punch Aramis, only for him to embrace his best friend.

Tréville broke the moment by pulling them away from each other. "You are speaking of the next King of France!" He shouted in Aramis' face.

"You can't be certain that he is your son." D'Artgnan tried to reason.

"I know he is." Aramis assured him.

"Aramis…"

"And still more." Athos said again. "Rochefort knows."

Needless to say, that the tension in the room could be cut through with a knife. The Captain sat down defeated, we all were somehow because Rochefort knew how to bring us to our knees.

"Then there is nothing any of us can do about it." Tréville declared.

"You're right." I told him. "But I know someone who might."


Milady De Winter dressed elegantly as ever, walked in the inn. She sat down at my table. "You changed your mind, it seems."

"I want whatever information you have on Rochefort." I told her leaning on the table.

"Straight to the point." Milady smirked. "Is that something you learned from my husband?"

"Maybe." D'Artagnan and Tréville came to stand behind her.

"Am I so fearsome you need reinforcements?"

"Can you really blame me for being careful?" I stood up and walked up to a more private area.

"Look, whatever your price is, we will pay it." Tréville assured to Milady. I was sitting on the table, my feet on the chair.

"The Queen's life may depend on what you know." D'Artagnan told her.

"My God!" Milady exclaimed, not surprised at all. "This isn't about the Spanish letters. It's about Aramis and the Queen. So, it is true. Just think what information like this might be worth."

"What are you still doing here then? Why don't you run off to Rochefort and give him that precious information?" I asked her before D'Artagnan could say anything.

She glared at me. "I have no loyalty to Rochefort; the man is insane." She sighed. "I'll give you what you want."

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." I simply said. "Here's the deal." I stood up. "Tell us everything you know. By doing so, you'll make Rochefort pay for throwing you out of the palace and you'll get enough money to start anew."

Milady raised up her eyebrows in surprise. "Are you sure you can make such promises?"

"Never broken one so far."

Milady seemed to ponder my words before she started to speak. "Rochefort is a Spanish agent. He has been in the pay of the Madrid spy-master Vargas ever since his return."

I exhaled deeply. "It couldn't get any better than this."

"Dear God!" Tréville breathed out.

"What was his mission?" I asked Milady.

"To gain a position of trust. Especially, at the King's side." Milady replied. "And he's doing well so far."

"Yeah, he's quite successful in his mission."

"But why would the Spanish attack a Spanish Queen? What do they gain?" D'Artagnan asked confused.

"Ambassador Perales never believed in Vargas's scheme." Milady continued. "That's why Rochefort ordered his death."

"Milady." I sighed.

"How can you know that?" Tréville asked her.

"Because it was me who killed him." She revealed.

"You know the Captain lost his position because of you." D'Artagnan sneered at her.

"D'Artagnan, let me worry about that." The Captain told him.

"What's done is done." I tried to calm things down. "Our problem now is to prove that Rochefort is guilty of treason and of spying for Spain. Without that we can't stop him or protect the Queen."

"I can show you where he keeps his most important documents. There might be something incriminating amongst them." Milady suggested.

"Alright." The Captain agreed. "But our immediate priority is the Queen's safety. We have to get her away from him."

"I suppose you know another way into the Palace?" I asked Milady.


Milady led us through the Palace through a secret passageway, we avoided the Red Guards that were patrolling. We climbed a few flights of stairs before we encountered a group of red guards that were posted in front of the Queen's chambers.

"We need a distraction." D'Artagnan blew out the lantern he was carrying.

"Let me handle this." Milady said. "If I was going to betray you, I'd have done it by now." Milady said looking at Athos.

Milady climbed another flight of stairs and we climbed through another staircase. We split into two groups. Porthos and Aramis, Athos, D'Artagnan and I.

"It's refreshments for the Queen." I heard Milady said. "Take a look."

We sprang into action at her words. I pulled the one of the guards away from Milady. I kneed him in the groin while Milady put a cloth over his mouth and he fainted. The men pulled the red guards in the antechamber. "Is it wrong of me to think you and I work well together?" I asked Milady.

"Don't get used to it." Milady just answered.

I scoffed before following my comrades through the hallway that led to the Queen's chambers.

"We must get you away from here to a place of safety." Aramis said as soon as we stepped through the doors.

"I need to be with the King." The Queen retorted.

"Rochefort is a Spanish spy. He will destroy you." Athos informed her.

"No." She scoffed in disbelief. "My brother would not…He could not forsake me like this."

"I beg you." Aramis stepped forward. "The palace is no longer safe. Rochefort knows now, the danger's too great."

"Are we talking or leaving?" Milady asked stepping in.

"She's helping us now?" Constance exclaimed.

"I can't abandon the Dauphin." The Queen interjected.

"I'll stay with him." Constance offered.

"Constance, Rochefort knows you're the Queen's ally, should anything happen to you…" D'Artagnan started to protest.

"Her Majesty can't stay here." Constance cut him off. "And she can't see her son. But I can."

"We need to go. They might check on these guards at any moment." Porthos urged us.

"Here, this way." Constance started to a door. "It leads to the servant's landing."

"Well, what about them?" Porthos asked.

"I'll deal with it. Just go." Milady assured him. "Go!"

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" I asked her.

"I appreciate the concern. No one's looking for me." Milady answered. "Just get the Queen to safety."

I made to walk through the door but stopped and hugged Constance. "Be safe." I whispered in her ear. "We'll come back for you." I promised her as I left.


We had to be quick, so, without wasting time we led the Queen out of the palace back to where we left our horses.

"Emma, are you sure you can trust her?" Athos asked me one last time.

"I trust her. For now." I told him. "Listen, Milady and I are tied by a promise I made her. She helps me do this and she'll start anew."

"I should stay with you." Athos insisted.

"No. They need you, especially D'Artagnan. More than I do." I assured him. "Go!" He climbed on his horse reluctantly as the others were waiting for him. I watched them leave, thinking of my meeting with Milady.


I hurried up to be on time for our meeting. I was to meet her near the blacksmith's workshop. When I reached our meeting place, Milady didn't seem to be alone. I could hear voices coming out of the room. Both females, one was Milady and the other…well, I didn't think I would hear it in Paris. Catherine de Garouville.

I walked as quietly as possible as they were speaking. "Athos had nothing to do with my survival." I heard Milady said to Catherine. "I saved myself with no help from him." I peeked through the door that was slightly ajar. "He was determined to see me die." Milady had a rope around her neck, apparently Catherine was also determined to see her die. "Every word I spoke of Thomas is the truth. If ever a man deserved to die, it was him."

At those words, Catherine pushed Milady but I rushed in, cut the rope and caught Milady before she could meet her death. Catherine, on the ground, wailed before trying to grab her pistol but I pushed it away with my foot.

"Enough!" I told her. "Is this really how you want to do it?"

"You were supposed to be here earlier." Milady reminded me.

"I was there earlier." I shrugged. "I was just curious about what she had to say."

"How can you save her life? This woman is a criminal, you know it." Catherine said. "How can you be her protector?"

"Because I need her." I replied. "She is working for the service of France."

"Her only service is to herself." Catherine scoffed. "She's a murdering whore."

"That she may be. Nevertheless, I can't let you take her life." I retorted. "Like I said, I need her. So, don't interfere with our affair."

"She will only stand in your way." Catherine suddenly said. "Athos still desires her. Athos and I were to be married but he brought her home. He chose her over me."

"I understand you are bitter over the fact that she stole Athos from you or even the fact that she killed Thomas." I crouched down in front of her. "You hate her. However, I have more important matters to deal with than your hatred for her." I glanced up at Milady. "Let's be on our way."

"He is still in love with her." Catherine called back.

"Yet, he chose her over me." Milady said. And we both walked away from Catherine.

"I'm growing tired of people trying to hang me." Milady said as we walked side by side.

"I wonder why so many people are trying. I mean you are all charms." I retorted my tone dripping with sarcasm.


"Why did you save me?" Milady asked as we walked through the undergrounds of the palace. "Had you waited a moment longer and you would have been rid of me forever."

"Probably." I shrugged. "But I like you better than I like her." I grabbed her elbow and turned her around. "Just one thing. Tell me what happened that day? Why did you kill Thomas?"

"What is it to you?" Milady scoffed.

"I want to hear your side of the story."

"I could be lying."

"Let me be the judge of that." I retorted. "Just tell me."

Milady turned her head to the side slightly before answering. "Thomas tried to force himself on me. I had no choice but to defend myself." Milady looked at me.

"Judging by what happened, I guess he didn't believe you." I sighed.

"No, he didn't. He promised that nothing would come between us and he broke that promise."

"He was hurt because the woman he loved killed his brother." I leaned against the wall. "And years later you became the Cardinal's agent."

"I only became the woman he believed me to be." Milady countered. "I see that you don't believe me either."

I shook my head. "I don't think any woman would lie about such a thing. Especially not you." I glanced up at her. Milady seemed stunned by what I just said. I did believe her, Milady was many things and did many things. But I don't think she would be lying about this. "We have a work to do."

I pushed away from the wall and walked past her and further down the tunnels.


As soon as we stepped in Rochefort's study, I've started my research. There were many scattered letters on his desks, but none seemed of any importance.

"You're wasting your time." Milady said walking up to the shelves behind me. She took a small chest. "He keeps everything of value in here." She put it on the desk, took a pin out of her hair and picked the lock. She smiled when the chest opened.

"You enjoyed this." I commented going through the chest.

"Can't say I didn't." She replied.

We went through every piece that were kept in the chest but… "It's useless." I seethed. "There's nothing here." Milady closed the chest and placed it back on the shelves. We heard the doors opened and I pulled out my pistol.

"Wait." Milady said going to another shelf. "It's the Cardinal's secret cabinet. Just pray Rochefort doesn't know about it."

I snuffed out the light of the candle and followed Milady in the secret cabinet. "That will be all Captain." I heard Rochefort said.

From where I stood in the cabinet I could barely see him, but I saw enough to know that he was walking towards his desk. He paused there for a few seconds. He looked around his study and stopped moving. He turned his eyes towards the cabinet, and my heart leapt in my throat. He walked towards us and he stared at us, at the cabinet. He didn't know we were there but he'll find out eventually.

"Help!" Someone yelled somewhere in the Palace. "HELP!" And Rochefort left.

I breathed out a sigh of relief that he was gone but I was wondering who screamed and why. We got out of the Cabinet and Milady went directly to the door. I stopped by the desk, I took Rochefort's seal and a random letter written by his hand and I followed Milady out of the room.

As we walked through the Hallways, guards and nobles were running up and down. Something has happened to the King. They were yelling and screaming that he has been poisoned, that he was dying. I made to turn around, make sure that the King would be alright.

"You know it's part of his plan." Milady stopped me. "Whatever his plan is, he's well advanced on it. Let him show his hand and then we'll strike." She pushed me forward.

"Doesn't make it any easier." I retorted knowing that she was right. Knowing that going back won't help the Queen, won't help France. I must leave. We must prove that Rochefort is the enemy of France.


I left Paris and rode to the convent through the night till morning. I was worried, still, about many things. About what happened to the King? What about Constance? What is Rochefort up to? All those questions won't be answered for the time being. All was left to do was to hope and wait.


Porthos, D'Artagnan, Tréville and Athos came to meet me outside of the walls. "Did you find the letters?" Porthos asked me immediately.

"No." I answered climbing down my ride, with Athos' hands around my waist. "Much better, I hope."

"You don't seem too confident about it." Tréville remarked.

I sighed. "Something happened before I left."

"It's Constance, isn't it?" D'Artagnan questioned worriedly.

"Constance is fine, as far as I know." I replied. "It's the King."


"You must escort me back to Paris immediately." The Queen said after I told them about the King. I sat between the Queen and Athos, Porthos was next to him. And to his left, was Aramis. Tréville and D'Artagnan sat across us.

"Returning now would be unwise." Tréville pointed out.

"I will decide what is unwise." The Queen snapped. "The King has been poisoned. I don't if he is alive or dead. I must be ready to protect my son. No one will dare challenge my right to rule in his name."

"Rochefort is capable of anything." Porthos said slowly.

"Even poisoning the King?" D'Artagnan retorted.

"Enough to weaken him, not to kill him." I said thoughtful.

"How can you be so sure?" Tréville asked me.

"Since he came to court, all he's done so far was to isolate the King." I continued. "The Musketeers, suddenly became incompetent, you've been discharged while Rochefort just kept on climbing in the King's esteem." I glanced up looking around me. "He's going to use this to his advantage."

Aramis looked at the Queen. "He will blame Your Majesty for poisoning the King."

"He wouldn't dare." The Queen breathed out.

"He has accused you of treason." Athos reminded her. "Why not murder as well?"

"With the Queen gone and a weakened King, he'd be in position to make terms with Spain." Aramis continued.

"You must wait for more news before you act." Tréville suggested. "Stay here, gather support, raise an army if you have to."

"Raising an army would be an act of Rebellion. It could mean civil war." D'Artagnan said. "The Queen's right. She must go back."

"Is it the Queen or Constance you're really worried about?" Porthos asked him.

D'Artagnan banged on the table with both of his fists and yelled. "At least she had the guts to stay when none of us would!"

"Control yourselves." Tréville scolded them.

"I will decide my own fate. And I must return, whatever the risk." The Queen has made her decision.

"With respect, that's madness. You can't be sure of your safety." Aramis pointed out.

"I know that." She retorted. "But if the King is alive, as Emma said, he will need me by him. But if he dies…my duty is clear." The Queen paused. "I owe it to my son. To France."

I glanced up at the Queen, realizing just now, how really dutiful and brave she was. The sacrifices she was willing to make for her Kingdom.

"Vargas is the only men alive who can identify Rochefort for who he really is." Aramis continued.

"What use is that? He won't just hand himself in." D'Artagnan replied.

"Unless Rochefort asks him to come." I said taking from my jerkin, the letter and the seal. I rested both items on the table. "Rochefort's seal. We write in his hand, asking for Vargas's help."

"Vargas must know his hand." Porthos remarked.

"Seal or no seal, he'll see the letter's a forgery." Aramis added.

"We can copy his style." Tréville suggested.

"I'm no forger." D'Artagnan said.

"No, nor me." Porthos shook his head.

"I am." A nun said stepping into the room. "I have been copying the ancient texts of the Holy Fathers for many years. I have developed some skill at duplicating the original hand." I glanced at Athos amused by her words. "Though it is a sin to boast."

"Vargas has never trusted anyone in his life." Tréville started. "He'll be expecting an ambush."

"Not if there's only one man waiting for him." Porthos said and I looked at him.


The mission was clear bring the Queen back to Paris while Porthos was meeting with Vargas. All in all, it was supposed to be simple. But when has anything been simple with us? It never has. We are Musketeers and we're fighting for the sake of France, the King and the Queen. Much more was at stake this time, it was not only the Queen and the King we wanted to protect. We wanted to avoid the potential threat of war between France and Spain.


I hugged Porthos before he could climb on his horse. "…I know the danger, Captain, but I must go." I heard the Queen said while I stood next to Aramis who rested his arm around my shoulders. The Queen walked up to Porthos and gave him her hand. Porthos held it and bowed his head slightly. "Godspeed, Porthos."

"Your Majesty." Porthos simply said and left. And then he stopped. "D'Artagnan." He said. "Constance is a brave girl. She'll be fine."

D'Artagnan walked up to him and shook his hand. "Look after yourself."

"I always do. It's you lot I worry about." Porthos retorted.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of them." I promised him.

"Just…stay alive." Athos asked him.

"I'll do my best." He put on his hat and left.

We all turned to the Queen. She took a deep breath. "I cannot delay any longer, Captain."

And we were on our way back to Paris.


When we were back at the palace, we asked a maid to reach Marguerite for us with a message wrote by the Queen's hand. Should we trust her? Could we trust her? I don't know. It was hard to know who to trust anymore.

Several minutes later, the maid came back and handed D'Artagnan a note. "Marguerite's reply to our note." He gave it to the Captain.

"What news of the King?" The Queen asked anxiously.

"She doesn't say exactly. But he must be recovering." The Captain replied. "She's arranged a private audience and will lead you to him."

"We should wait for confirmation that the King is safe." Athos suggested.

"My husband is alive. Marguerite would not lie about that." The Queen countered. "We must do as she says. This might be our only chance."

We entered the palace, Marguerite was waiting for us at the top of the stairs. She seemed tensed, anxious. "Marguerite." The Queen greeted and she bowed. "Tell me, how is the Dauphin?"

"Majesty, come this way." She dodged the question and I knew something wasn't right. We followed Marguerite up the stairs.

"Are you sure this is safe?" Aramis asked her.

"Please, we only have a few moments." Marguerite avoided to answer once again.

I glanced at Athos and at the Captain, I saw on their face that they, too, felt as though something was wrong. We kept on following her, because we didn't have any other choice. Marguerite stopped at the door and we followed the Queen inside.

It was all a trap. Red Guards were expecting us, we drew out our swords as the Red Guards threatened us with their pistols.

"Put down your weapons!" Rochefort ordered us. We sheathed our swords.

"Where is the King?" The Queen asked him. "Take me to him."

"First, you must answer to the charge of his attempted assassination." Rochefort answered.

"It's absurd! The Queen wasn't even in the palace." Aramis yelled.

"Her household has proved a den of assassins." Rochefort continued. "Her key accomplice, Dr. Lemay, lost his head. The Bonacieux woman will be executed for her part in the conspiracy tomorrow."

"It's a lie. Constance is innocent." D'Artagnan shouted and I held him back.

"Confine the Queen to her quarters. Securely this time." Rochefort ordered to the Red Guards.

"You will not succeed in this, Rochefort." The Queen promised him. "The King will see what you are."

"A murderous plot against him, planned by his unfaithful, deceitful wife. He has no choice but to condemn you."

"You have no evidence. It will be my word against yours."

"Oh.." Rochefort breathed out walking up to the Queen. "It will be a little more than that. You did know your son's governess was sleeping with your musketeer too?"

Silence dropped on the room. Rochefort wasn't hiding this information anymore, he was clearly saying it, at least to his Red Guards. "Let me see my son." The Queen asked quietly.

"Hardly appropriate." Rochefort retorted as quietly as she. "The King will very soon know the depths of your disgrace." We watched on as they, Red Guards, led the Queen to her chambers. But it wasn't over. Rochefort was determined to see the Queen fell and with her, Aramis too. "Arrest the Musketeer Aramis, on a charge of high treason."

"You can't do this?" I protested.

"These are the King's orders. Will you deft them?" Rochefort challenged us.

The Red Guards stopped us from reaching to our friend. We couldn't do anything but to watch him being led away.

The future has never been as uncertain as it was now.