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Rochefort was called to the king.

"Your Majesty, what can I do for you," he asked innocently.

"I have heard a few rumours and although I think it is complete nonsense, I have to ask you just to make sure."

"Of course, anything you want."

"Is it true that you are in love with my queen and want to get me out of the way?"

Rochefort didn't react, he had been prepared for this question. "Your Highness, I would never dare. I respect the queen, but I think she is under a bad influence. With all due respect, the musketeers and the new nurse, Madame Bonacieux, are not good for her. I am afraid that Treville isn't loyal to you any longer, since you took away his position. The musketeers are trying to undermine my authority so that they can get theirs back."

King Louis contemplated Rochefort's words for a moment. "Thank you, Rochefort, I knew I can trust you. The queen is jealous of Milady de Winter and thinks that she is working with you."

Rochefort began to laugh and the king joined in.

"You should ban the musketeers from the palace," the king's false friend suggested.

"That is a good idea. And what about the nurse?"

"She should remain here, that would hit the youngest of the musketeers the hardest and they wouldn't dare to do anything about it."

"Rochefort, you're invaluable. Without your genius I wouldn't know what to do. Go to the musketeers immediately and ban them from the palace."

The captain of the Red Guard smiled evilly. "With pleasure, Your Majesty."

He left King Louis's rooms and called for more guards. In the corridor he encountered Milady de Winter.

"Rochefort, I hope you haven't angered the king too much."

"You should hold your tongue or you will find yourself in the gutters of Paris quicker than you like."

"I assume your offer isn't valid any longer," she said, smirking.

Before she could react, Rochefort pressed her against the wall, ordering the guards to go ahead to the queen's rooms.

"I don't need you any longer. By now I have the king eating out of my hand and as soon as I have gotten rid of the musketeers, you and Madame Bonacieux will be next. Then the king and the queen will be all alone and it won't be long until the king is dead and I have reached my goal. Maybe I will kill the king first and blame you for it. Who do you think the queen will believe more – me or the king's mistress who also happens to be a multiple murderess."

Milady could not answer. Rochefort's grip around her throat tightened, but just before she lost consciousness, he let go of her and followed the guards.

"Do you have everything you need?" Milady gasped, looking over at a corner where no one was visible. Athos stepped out and looked at her neck. It pained him to see the scar left by his rope.

"You have grown careless, Athos, I noticed your presence hours ago," Milady said, her eyes meeting his. She loved this man, but she knew there was no chance for the two of them. If only she hadn't resisted his brother but had just let it happen, maybe things would have turned out differently. His eyes were tired and sad, the gleam and the fire that she had seen in them in the past was gone. And it had been those things that had sent her into his arms. It hadn't been the money, like many people had said, it had been the restlessness and the unbridled desire he had radiated. She had lied about her past and about everything else to get him, but all she had gotten was hatred and disgust from the man she loved.

"I think you only help us because you don't have a chance against Rochefort. Your charm and your beauty cannot help you here," Athos answered.

"I can deal with more than you think, Athos," she replied, turning away from him to leave. His words had hurt her. More and more she realized that he still meant more to her than she admitted even to herself.

"I could see that," the leader of the musketeers murmured to himself, before he followed the Red Guards.

Porthos was standing in front of the queen's rooms, when the guards arrived and asked him to step aside.

"The queen is under our protection and does not want to be disturbed."

Rochefort came to the front. "Your services are no longer needed. Step aside."

Porthos did not move. "That's for the queen to decide, not for you. Aramis, D'Artagnan."

The two men opened the door and came out. "What's wrong?"

Athos worked his way through the guards and joined his friends.

"The king banishes you from court, because you tried to manipulate the queen and undermine my position," Rochefort declared, sure of his victory.

"That is nonsense," Aramis said. "All you want is the queen."

"And this coming from you, Aramis," Rochefort answered.

"We will not go, we are her under orders from the queen," Athos said.

"Her word no longer holds the power it should have."

Anne stepped out of her rooms, with Constance behind her, who had been woken by the heated discussion.

"Rochefort, what is going on here? What is this nonsense? The musketeers will stay, they are here to protect me and Constance from you," the queen of France demanded, her voice firm.

"Your Highness, why should you be afraid of me? I have not hurt either you or your nurse, these are all ploys instigated by Treville to get his position back. I bet D'Artagnan beat his little girlfriend himself and then forced her to tell this story."

D'Artagnan stormed forward. He had held back as long as possible, but this was too much for him. First this bastard had hurt the woman that he loved and now he claimed that D'Artagnan had done it himself. "I will kill you."

Everything happened in a flash. D'Artagnan drew his sword, the Red Guards and the other musketeers did the same. A fight broke out between the two groups.

Rochefort stood back, herded the queen and Constance back into the room and closed the door.

Aramis and D'Artagnan were the first to notice it and tried to get back to the women they loved, but without success.

"Constance!" D'Artagnan cried out.

Aramis didn't get the chance to say anything, before three of the guards knocked him unconscious and then grabbed D'Artagnan as well.

Athos and Porthos had already been disarmed and thrown to the floor outside the palace, now the unconscious bodies of their two friends were unceremoniously thrown at their feet.

"If you dare show up at the palace again, I will not hesitate to kill you," Rochefort said sharply and had the gates closed.

Athos looked at Porthos. "This doesn't look good."