Author's Notes: My apologies for the delay on this … we've been in the middle of a heat wave during the last few weeks which completely sapped my creativity. Add to that some stressful weeks at work (late registration and beginning of a new semester) and an original story which seeded in my brain, and well ... three weeks later, I have something ready to be posted. So, this chapter is all about expectations: Anne answers a question she wasn't expecting; Nick Boyle has his theory blown to hell; while a slightly more recent ancestor makes Derek's acquaintance.
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Athena1008: So glad you're enjoying it! That's fine, feel free to review when you have the opportunity!
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Chapter Five
Great Expectations
Basement of Gennesaret
San Antonio, TX
April 2015
Anne's announcement had the immediate effect of silencing everyone gathered. But in that moment, she only had eyes for Athos … whose normally pale face was now egg-shell white. According to the legend passed down from Raoul's son, there was a part of his grandfather which always wondered if John Francis de Winter was his own son. Anne fervently hoped that wasn't the case. Not just because that first Athos was forced to kill young de Winter (after he convinced his brothers to help him save the ungrateful little prick), but because that meant her ancestress and Athos copulated sometime after the disastrous end to that marriage. And that just didn't bear thinking about.
While she forgave John Francis de Winter for carrying on in his mother's footsteps … a man willing to protect his many-times granddaughter from that same mother had that effect … she wasn't nearly as willing to forgive her ancestress. It was hard enough to forgive her own mother for abandoning her … forgiving her distant ancestress for the people she hurt (especially Kat) was damn near impossible. And in the end, it wasn't her husband who asked the inevitable question, but his father in all but name, who was returning from the store room with his arms full of supplies and … no Justinian. Anne raised her eyebrows at him questioningly.
"I left Justinian in the storage room to pick out more supplies. So, why was something belonging to John Francis de Winter found among Raoul de Bragelonne's belongings?" Treville asked quite logically. Anne allowed a hint of a smile to cross her face, because of course it would be Treville. It was his job to look at the larger picture, to see the forest rather than just the trees. The Musketeer 'captain' went on thoughtfully, "Unless it happened while our antecedents were pulling him into the boat at their brother's urging and they didn't realize it until much, much later."
"I don't know exactly how it came to be in Raoul's possession, although your theory makes the most sense out of everything I've heard so far. What I do know is that Raoul gave it to the woman he slept with that began the de la Fere line, with the idea that if she ever needed anything, she could take that to Athos and know that Raoul sent her. Of course, Raoul didn't foresee dying in battle … nor did he foresee his father's decline and eventual death," Anne replied, thinking of her conversation with her own antecedent once Kat was safe and his mother could no longer hurt anyone.
"What, exactly, was this item … and why was it so important?" Audelais asked. Anne glanced at her sister-in-law, who wore a puzzled frown. As the weeks passed, it was becoming easier and easier to think of her as Audelais, rather than Josie … if only because Josie was the woman who was married to Rob Maddox. Audelais, on the other hand, was the older sister of Athos de la Fere. Also, as the weeks passed, more of Athos' older sister, the girl he grew up with, emerged. What wasn't so easy to tell was which she liked better, who she loved more … Audelais or Josie. She supposed in the end, it didn't really matter. She was her sister, the first friend she had after the crucible that was San Francisco.
"Ahh, that's a story in and of itself. And, if you wouldn't mind checking on Justinian, who is being entirely too quiet, I'll start that part of the story in just a few minutes," Anne replied. Audelais studied her for a few minutes, before offering a mischievous smile of her own. Uh-oh. That was somewhat worrisome. But, she would trust Audelais. While her sister-in-law headed to the store room to check on Justinian, Anne turned her attention to Tristan, who was chewing her lower lip thoughtfully … which meant she was trying to figure something out. With that in mind, Anne asked quietly, "What's on your mind, Tris?" Her niece exhaled slowly, before raising her eyes to the remaining adults.
"I just … I was thinking about history repeating itself. You and Uncle Athos … the first Milady and Athos. I just …" Tristan began, and then shook her head, obviously frustrated with her inability to find the words. Anne, however, was already starting to see what was troubling the girl. What wasn't as obvious to her, on the other hand, was what she should do about it. However, Tristan took that out of her hands, asking almost plaintively, "We won't let it end like that this time … will we? I mean, they didn't have me or Mom or Sabine or Justinian."
"They didn't have any of you … and the world is much different now," Athos said quietly, those words doing more to reassure his niece than anything else that anyone else could have said. The world is much different now. Yes, it was. And the story would end far differently this time. Key changes were already made … by her, by Athos, and by others. As Audelais returned, flashing Anne a thumb's up sign, Athos asked, "So, what exactly did they find?" Anne allowed herself a small smile, before returning to the story.
14AA41
San Francisco Legacy House
May 2013
"And why, exactly, did you think this would interest me?"
Her tone was curious, rather than arch, and Nick Boyle offered his companion a half-smile as he gestured for her to join him at the table. He had the distinct pleasure of seeing her green eyes widen as she looked at the array of weapons sent in the most recent shipment. And now that he knew she was Derek's daughter, he couldn't help looking for his friend in her features … and in her enthusiasms. He found one of those enthusiasms as she breathed, "That … that's a main gauche. Where on earth did you get it?"
"It was sent by a sister organization in the most recent shipment. We … we're the depository of many such items. Several of our sister organizations were destroyed in the late nineties, and while those branches are being rebuilt, they don't have the personnel or the storage space to deal with these items. Much of this shipment was dated to the seventeenth century. Here, take a look," Boyle answered. He caught himself several times before he could refer to Houses. She wasn't ready to know about the Legacy, and he wasn't sure if she ever would be, even if it was in her blood. Right now, she didn't need to know about the falls of Montreal, Paris, Cairo or Boston Houses … or how close San Francisco House came to being destroyed. Anne de Brueil stepped closer to the table, looking first at the main gauche that first caught her attention. He added lightly, "And since you are so thoroughly opposed to taking charity in any form, I thought maybe you'd like to earn your keep?"
He was rewarded with an exasperated eye-roll, and while the gesture wasn't Derek's, the expression was. Biting back a grin, Nick went on, "And here's something else that caught my eye." For more reason than one. However, he wasn't about to tell her about the sepulchers that caused so much trouble for them when Kat and Rachel first came to them so many years ago, and on more than one occasion since that time. Derek's daughter or not, that was a story she would have to earn.
The brunette murmured, "A key … it's much too small to be a house key. Maybe to a chest or drawers?" She continued talking to herself, turning the key this way and that. Nick left her to it. He was far more interested in the main gauche. Like many young boys (and quite a few young girls), he'd loved the stories of The Three Musketeers, and to hold a weapon one of the musketeers might have used in a fight … Alex would probably call him a fanboy, and she'd be right. When it came to Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, he was a fanboy, and had been ever since he found Grimaud's journal (more to the point, ever since Philip found Grimaud's journal and translated it from the original French for him). Part of it was the derring-do and the swashbuckling, of course. But the young Nick Boyle was thoroughly impressed with Athos' behavior toward his son. Whether it was because of his own troubled relationship with his father, or because Athos was a single father raising a child on his own, that resonated with the former SEAL.
Old memories reached forward and swamped over him, memories of the first time he read about the Inseparables, as they were called … memories of Philip's smile when he presented him with the translation of Grimaud's journal for Nick's birthday (before he took his final vows, before Ellen took her own life, before guilt drove Philip away from them). And so lost was he in his memories, that it took Anne several minutes to get his attention. She was glowering at him impatiently, and asked once again, "Do you have any idea who this belongs to?"
Much later, he would realize he hadn't listened to her question … or to the way she asked it. Instead, he told her, "My theory is that it belonged to Raoul de Bragelonne. According to the notes that came with the shipment, it was found in his coat pocket. I'm thinking that it was a key to a chest, maybe where he kept special letters." He was preparing to expound on his theory, telling Anne a little about his own research into the tragic young Vicomte, but she was shaking her head, her expression almost pitying.
"No, Mr. Boyle … it didn't belong to Raoul de Bragelonne. And in truth, I'm surprised that he kept this," Anne replied. Nick stared at the young woman in shock. How in the hell did she know it didn't belong to Raoul … and what qualified her to make a statement like that? He should have remembered that he was dealing with Derek Rayne's daughter. Anne wasn't a forensic anthropologist like Derek, but she had a skillset all her own. She was also more observant than he was in some cases.
That was when the second part of her statement hit him … 'I'm surprised that he kept this.' Nick asked, "What do you mean … why are you surprised by Raoul having this?" He didn't realize at first that he'd referred to the heir of Olivier d'Athos by his given name, rather than by his title. Anne smirked a little (an expression that was quickly coming to annoy him). Remembering how he'd found the two female hooligans, Nick waggled his fingers threateningly and asked, "Anne? Why are you surprised?"
Much to his astonishment, Anne actually squeaked and backed away, eyeing his fingers warily as she said, "I'll show you if you put those away!" Nick eyed her with a smirk of his own, and Anne repeated, "I'll show you, but no tickling!" The ex-SEAL wondered if this was something she inherited from Derek (not that he was going to experiment to find out), and obediently tucked his hands behind his back. Anne watched warily, before explaining, "First, you need to understand that I married into Raoul's family. I wasn't going to tell you that, because quite frankly, it's none of your business, but I married Raoul's many times great-grandson."
The first thing that occurred to Nick was 'holy repeating history, Batman.' Of course, he knew from Derek that his mother's side of the family was descended from the infamous Milady de Winter (also according to Derek, the real Milady de Winter was far worse than anyone knew). So the descendent of Milady de Winter married the descendent of her husband, Athos. The second thing that occurred to him was, 'damn, Derek knew about this!' Because of course he did. Nick became accustomed to Derek knowing pretty much everything years earlier.
But Anne wasn't finished. She went on, "I'm not proud of who I was before I married my husband, or who I became after our marriage fell apart. But one of my jobs involved work at a museum, and I actually learned things there. Don't look so surprised, part of what made me so good at my job was my ability to learn and improvise. In any event, I became aware of a particular design on certain items donated by an English family, some of which were from the seventeenth century. The family was the de Winter family."
Nick stared at her uncomprehendingly for several seconds, before he understood. Anne nodded slowly and explained, "This key did not belong to Raoul de Bragelonne. It belonged to the man whom some believe was his half-brother, John Francis de Winter. One other thing I learned from the de Winter collection was that John had his own variation on that design … and that variation can be found on this key. I can't show you, because it's too small … but as soon as my thumb brushed against it, I knew what it was."
"If we put it under a magnifier, could you show me then?" Nick asked slowly. The key belonged not to Raoul de Bragelonne, but to John de Winter … also known as Mordaunt. Well, hell! And if there was one thing he had learned painfully well, it was that every key went to a corresponding lock. Anne frowned a bit at the question, but nodded. Nick hesitated as he ran scenarios through his mind, and then made a decision. She was Derek's daughter, yes, but she was also Angelique's. If he was wrong … if he was wrong, this choice could send San Francisco down the same path as Montreal House. But if he was right … then this could tip Anne toward the light, without actually helping her. His decision made, Nick said softly, "There's something you should see … and bring the key."
14AA41
"They tell stories of you, you know. Derek Rayne, the Anointed One. There's a mixture of respect, admiration, and extreme frustration when they speak of you. And you're my great-grandson. It must annoy Mother to no end that her descendent is such a champion for the Light," the young man said. In the years since he sacrificed himself to save the world and the people loved most, Derek Rayne found himself visited more and more often by shades and spirits … although with the recent shipment from Boston House, those shades and spirits now belonged to his own family. It was one thing when it was his father, coming to make amends for his crimes against the world, against Derek and Ingrid.
It was another entirely when it was the de Winter mother and son. Mordaunt, son of Milady. According to legend, Milady was breathtakingly beautiful … while her son was quite unattractive. And yet, here and now, John de Winter wasn't truly an ugly young man … more like sad. That didn't make him any more welcome in Derek's secret rooms. John went on, "You're very much like my father, you know. Even when he had no reason in the world to try to save me … he risked his life to do just that. And I tried to kill him because it was what my dear mother wanted."
On the other hand, while Derek wanted to be alone with his thoughts, at least John wasn't like his mother. Again, the spite seemed to have drained from the young man, leaving only sadness. At a wasted life? Perhaps? John certainly seemed to believe that Olivier d'Athos was his father. He asked in spite of himself, "You bear him no ill will for killing you?" Much to his astonishment, John actually laughed, and the merriment transformed his face. Gone was the spectacularly unattractive boy, and in his place was a young man who was almost handsome.
"Ill will? I tried to kill him! Oh, I was angry with him at the time … by God, I was so angry with him. Yes, how dare he defend himself against my attacks … of course, he was supposed to simply roll over and die and leave his brothers and son bereft! Yes, I thought that way at the time. I've grown up since then. Sometimes, people have to die and … what is the common vernacular now? Oh, yes … 'get over themselves.' No … no, I bear my father no ill will. He tried to save me. He had no reason in the world to do so, but he tried to save me. I suppose I could be angry with him for having my mother killed, but you've met her," was the very surprising response. Derek bit back a smile at that.
However, because he was Derek Rayne, he pointed out, "There are some who say that your father made her into the person she became." John's smile died, leaving only that sadness and a ghost of the handsome youngster he'd become for a few minutes. Derek had his own thoughts about that, but he wanted to hear what the child of Athos and Milady had to say. He wanted to know what to expect for his grandson Justinian, for good or for ill. If John de Winter could truly forgive his father for his part in what his mother became …
"My mother made her own choices, something I never allowed myself to accept when I was a child. Did my father's choices impact some of hers? Yes. But this is something I had to learn once I died. My mother may have been a victim, but she chose to become a predator. My father may have cast my mother out when he realized that she was a convict, but he chose to become a protector in the wake of that decision. Do you see? They made their own choices, choices that were impacted by the behavior of others, yes, but they made their own choices. And my father … he took responsibility for what he did and what he didn't do. Mother never did. She still hasn't. Derek, you must understand … I am not yet strong enough to confront our mother. Anne is. You are," John said earnestly.
He took a deep breath and released it, murmuring, "Did you really think that it was mere happenstance that led Armand Richelieu to send Anne to Pinon Deux to 'prove' that Athos de la Fere murdered his parents? Of course it wasn't. Oh, Richelieu didn't realize who Anne was, but my mother had a wider reach than most realize. And she wanted to punish Richelieu, just as much as she wanted to punish my father's descendents. You must understand, Derek. My mother is truly evil. She hurts people not because she lashes out, as Anne sometimes does, but because she enjoys it. She likes hurting people. She always has."
Derek had nothing to say for several moments, before finally asking softly, "What is it that you want me to do?" John told him all of this for a reason … and now they were coming to the heart of what that reason was. John merely stared at him, a tiny smile quirking at the corners of his mouth. Derek merely lifted an eyebrow questioningly. Again, John laughed and Derek asked (because he was curious), "Did you laugh for my ancestress? Did she see you laugh and think that you were the most handsome man she'd ever seen?"
Again, that sadness returned as John answered quietly, "No. Nothing so kind." Derek wanted to ask for more details, but had the sense that the memory was painful for John. And so, he kept silent. After a moment, John went on, "What do I want you to do? Nothing that you're not already doing. Love your Anne. Have faith in her. Even when all seems darkest. Believe in her, because that is the key. Do I fault her Athos for not believing in her? Curiously, no. She entered his life under false pretenses, after all." That was Derek's feeling as well. He wanted to hate Athos de la Fere for hurting his only child, but if he was to be a good father to Anne (even now), he had to acknowledge her accountability in this mess as well. John went on, "She still loves him, you know. Even now, she loves him … even when she thinks that he chose his brother Musketeers over her, she loves him."
"But he didn't … did he," Derek stated and John offered a very small shrug. Derek nodded. He was well aware of traffic in Montreal, and unlike his daughter, he'd heard about the devastating explosion that destroyed the Musketeer Headquarters. In his secret room, he had far much time to read newspapers and the internet. He knew. He wasn't sure why his daughter didn't, but he did … and it was for that reason as well that he couldn't hate Athos de la Fere. He had only to remember the aftermath of the explosion of his House, hearing about how traumatized and shocked his House, his family, was in the wake of that explosion.
"I'm sure someone who is determined to find fault with him will see it as abandonment. But I do know that while he tried to meet her, he was unavoidably delayed … and by the time he arrived, she was gone. She isn't ready to hear that, or to forgive him. And that's what I ask of you, Derek Rayne, son of Barbara … when she is ready to forgive him, when she is ready to take responsibility for her part in all that happened between them … that is when she'll need you most," John told him.
His eyes widened and he muttered a French curse under his breath, exhaling slowly, "She's here. Mother doesn't like it when I try to thwart her. Just … be ready, Derek. The time is coming sooner than any of us think." With those words, he vanished, leaving his descendent staring at the spot he'd occupied. Be ready. He'd spent so many years of his life, being ready for whatever came for the Legacy, whatever came for him. Now, he would do the same, but this time, he would be waiting for whatever came for his daughter, for his Anne.
Oh, yes … he would be ready. For the child he'd never had a chance to be a father to, he would be ready and make sure whatever came for her had no idea he was ready. He murmured as Milady manifested herself in front of him, "If you meant what you said, Father … your granddaughter needs you now." And then, the battle of wits was on once more, only now, Derek was aware of the consequences if he lost.
TBC
