It's amazing how someone so strong can so quickly fall apart. It's amazing how easily you can be torn in two. It's amazing how one minute you're so happy and the next is as painful as being thrown into a pit of fire.
But I can believe this. I can because every single piece of it because this has happened to me.
They arrested me two days ago. I was in my room with Viveca, Aramina, and Renee resting after a long day's work. Treville opened the door and his men immediately grabbed me and put me in shackles. My friends asked what was going on, but none of them would listen. They took me away.
I spent a day and a half in the dungeon. Men came and gave me food and water. I tried to tell them whatever I was accused of I didn't do. They wouldn't listen. Finally, Treville came and dragged me out of my cell. I tried to get him to listen to me. But he wouldn't.
Treville took me to the throne room and pushed me to the floor. I snarled at him. I probably looked like a mad man with my loose, tangled hair and dirty clothes.
I prayed he wasn't there. He was. Louis sat in his throne, staring down at me, his face expressionless, though I could see the disgust and betrayal behind his eyes.
"What's happened?" I whisper.
"Don't act like you don't know, D'Artagnan," Louis answers. I suck in a breath. He's never been that formal with me.
I clench my jaw and look up at him. "I don't know what has happened, Louis!?"
Louis doesn't blink at my outburst. "Do not talk to me like I am a lowly farmboy. I am a king and you will treat me like one."
I stand up and stare at him in the eye. "And don't treat me like I'm nothing more than a slave. I have worked on this musketeer force for five years. I deserve to at least know why this is happening!"
"You mean you don't know that you tried to kill me?" he says, voice full of sarcasm.
I blink in shock. "You think I tried to kill you?"
"Every piece of evidence points to you. Every witness, every testimony, ever single thing says it's you. I cannot ignore that."
"Why don't I know about this?"
"That's none of your concern. I will now give you your sentence."
"Kneel before your king," Treville says.
"No," I say.
And then he does something I never thought would happen. He slaps me across the face. I still do not kneel. He slaps me again, this time harder. I fall to the side, heaving.
"If you do not respect my wishes as a woman, then you will accept my punishment as a man." Louis's eyes are like cold stone.
"Kneel," Treville says.
I look at Louis, my body still on the floor. "Why are you doing this to me?" I whisper.
Treville lifts me up and punches me in the stomach. I gasp and fall to the ground again. I can't take this anymore, so I sit up and kneel as best I can.
And then he says those words to me. The words that break me.
(A/N: The people spoke and the people needed more so here! Just so you know, this fic may get a little dark with depression and angst. The chapters won't be longer than 1,000 words at the most, but I'll try to update every single day, so stay tuned and check back tomorrow.
Weatherbug02
P.S. This Life Ahead of Me's chapter will be finished somewhat soon. I hurt my wrist really badly, so I haven't had time to write.)