A new chapter! Not exactly my favorite, probably because there isn't enough angst in my opinion, but I am pretty sure that it will get better in the next chapter.

For now, enjoy! Make sure to review your thoughts. Thank you for all the support you have already given me; I really appreciate it.

-M

"Are you sure about this?" Constance asked, her eyes traveling up and down the big, dark building that was the Bastille.

Anne sighed. "Yes," she replied, slowly bracing herself for what she was going to see. "D'Artagnan was right when he said that we should see what is being done to him." She took a deep breath. "I have to do this."

Constance nodded, taking the other woman's hand.

Together, they walked into the prison, beginning to search for Aramis. They finally found a guard, who quickly bowed.

"Where is the prisoner, Aramis, being held?" Anne asked, squeezing Constance's hand gently.

"I am sorry, Your Majesty, but I have orders not to give away that man's position," the guards replied.

"And I am your Queen!" Anne raised her voice. "I want you to take me-"

"Paul, it's alright," a sudden voice said. A man came into the room, a smile on his face. "Your Majesty," he said, bowing. "I will take you to Aramis. My name is Charles de Lansac, by the way. It is a pleasure to finally lay eyes on Your Grace."

Anne watched the man with suspicion; something was definitely wrong. And she realized she was right when she saw Aramis.

The poor man was lying on the ground, trembling. Anne could see that his shoulder had been dislocated, but couldn't recognize any other injuries. He was muttering quietly, but Anne couldn't make out what he was trying to say.

"What did you do to him?" she asked Lansac, her tone turning cold.

"Only what the King wanted," Lansac replied, his voice equally as cold. "Now, do you want to see him or not?"

"Yes," Constance was quick to reply. "We do."

Lansac opened the cell door and walked over to Aramis' still, unmoving form. He pulled him up forcefully, eliciting a chocked yell from the younger man's mouth. It took Anne a lot of control not to gasp in shock. She watched as Aramis was dragged towards her, feeling her eyes fill with tears.

"Say something to your Queen, Minister," Lansac ordered, waiting for Aramis to respond.

When he did not answer, Lansac reached for his injured shoulder and squeezed, hard. Aramis screamed, scrunching his eyes closed. "Talk to your Queen, bastard!" he yelled.

"'Ey!" Constance exclaimed, taking a step forward. "Leave him be, he has already suffered enough."
Lansac smirked. "Apologies, Madam, I just do not appreciate it when someone doesn't properly act in front of France's Queen."

"I'm alright, Constance," Aramis suddenly said, sounding weak and tired … and afraid. "I'll survive."

Anne looked back at the jailor. "I want him out of the Bastille this instant," she said.

The man only shook his head. "I cannot. The King gave me an order, and I will fulfill it," he responded.

"Then I will find a way to get him out, even if I have to send an army to get to him, and kill you," Anne spat out. She kneeled down beside Aramis, and took his face in her hands. "I promise, I will free you," she whispered. "Just give me some time."

Aramis broke into a small laugh. "Take as … much time as you n-need," he mumbled. "I'm not going … anywhere anyway."

Anne smiled and stood up. "Mark my words, Lansac, I will succeed," she said. "It is up to you whether or not you want to give in freely … or you will pay the price."

XxXxX

"They were torturing him?!" Porthos yelled, turning around and punching a wall.

The minute he got d'Artagnan's letter, he rushed to travel back to Paris. He had just arrived when the Queen came back from the Bastille, and was keen to listen to what Anne had to say. The minute he heard that Aramis had been hurt while in prison, he could not help but express his anger.

Now, as he looked up, he noticed that d'Artagnan, Constance, and Her Majesty were just as angry and upset as he was. "I'm sorry, Your Highness, my anger got the best of me," he said, quieter this time.

Anne shook her head and said, "You have no need to apologize. Your emotions are understandable. But our main focus is to figure out how to help Aramis get out."

Porthos nodded. "I don't think that this Lansac is just going to let him go … so maybe we will have to break in and take him to a safe place where he can heal and stay hidden.

D'Artagnan nodded. "I think that is the only way, Your Majesty," he told Anne. "Porthos and I can do it in a matter of days, if you wish."

"I think that would be best," Anne finally said. "What do you think, Constance?"

Constance looked up. "If we want to get Aramis back, we have to do it this way," she answered.

"So then it's settled," Anne finally said. "I will get you the maps to the Bastille; you can do as you wish with them, as long as you get Aramis."

XxXxX

"I will make you pay for not answering your Queen!" Lansac screamed, pushing Aramis to the ground.

Aramis moaned, about to try to stand back up…

… when he felt a familiar sensation of a whip on his back.

He cried out, curling into a tight ball as he tried to protect himself from the brutal hits.

"How dare you disobey me?!" Lansac continued, using all his strength to try and hurt Aramis further. "I will make you beg for mercy!"

Another hit.

Another strangled groan.

"BEG! Beg, damn you!"

Finally, Aramis gave in. "Stop! Please, I beg of you!" he yelled, his voice cracking.

Lansac stopped, stepping over Aramis while trailing the bloody end of the whip over his body. Aramis shivered. "Say it again," he said.

"May God forgive me for asking for mercy from a sadist," Aramis whispered.

And that's when Lansac roared in fury, bring the whip down over Aramis one more time. The poor prisoner screamed in agony, and then fell unconscious, feeling absolutely nothing.