A small chapter today and the final two by the end of the week. Thank you all so very much for your kind words and guidance. I'm glad that you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it, your words of encouragement helped this story come to be! xTx
oOo
Predictably there were no rewards for the Musketeers. When the dust had settled they found themselves once more in the King's poor graces, Jussac's attack having shaken their regent terribly. The fact that he had been a Red Guard before a Musketeer had made no difference, and it was only thanks to a deal of persuasion from François d'Melliuor that the regiment was not disbanded immediately for the disgrace of it all. It was from another unlikely source that salvation came: the Count Richelieu pleading their case and reminding the king as to exactly who had saved his life that day; for which, they were certain, the man would later demand some price.
For denying their king the satisfaction of seeing the main conspirators soundly maimed to death, Porthos and d'Artagnan were each fined fifty livre. At that news Aramis had promptly doffed his hat, striding about the garrison and collecting a shower of coin from their kind-hearted but not-entirely-willing brothers. What was left over once their dues had been paid was spent on an extravagance of wine and fine food for the whole regiment.
From the not-soon-to-be living traitors Gurrero and his bodyguard the Count Richelieu was provided with a host of names, soon to grace the gallows with the two conspirators. Of the Bissets nothing more was heard, save for the dismayed cries of their spurned patrons. Jussac's head was mounted upon the wall of the Bastille, d'Melliuor spared this final disgrace in deference to his noble status. François retired from court life, accepting the shame of his son's dishonour with dignity and a none-too small donation to the King's estate. As for Antionne, he remained with the Musketeers, but not without some upheaval of his own.
Treville himself was reinstated with neither thanks nor apology, and promptly awarded the four Inseparables a holiday. Matters settled back swiftly into their old routines of intrigue and courtly drama, as if nothing noteworthy had ever occurred. But for the Inseparables, at least for two of them, the story had one final part left to play out.