Chapter Four

A quiet morning

Selene

Drip….drip….drip…drip

What is that sound?

Drip….drip….drip…drip

It'll stop, surely it will stop soon.

Drip….drip….drip…drip

Or it will just keep going.

Drip….drip….drip…drip

Argh what is it?!

Drip….drip….drip…drip

And where the hell am I?

I lifted my hat off my head and groaned, maybe moving wasn't the best idea…and potentially those last few bottles of wine last night might not have been a good idea either. The question still remained though, where was I?

I sat up, realising that I had been sleeping on a chair and good god my neck hurt. I looked around the room for a clue to where I was. It was a basic room, a table and the chair that I currently sat on and what looked like a rather comfortable bed, which was at present occupied by a happily sleeping musketeer.

I stood up stiffly and stretched, my muscles sore after the nights efforts and sleeping in my makeshift 'bed'. As I checked to see that I had made it through the night with all my belongings – which I had – I thought back to how I had ended up in Athos' room.

Athos and I had been drinking for more than a few hours, getting through my lovely bottles of Spanish wine before moving back to the cheap French drop. After more than a few, er loud arguments the tavern owner 'politely' asked that we leave.

That's right! After we stumbled into the street I realised that in my haste to get back into the city I hadn't organised a house yet and suggested that Athos should be a gentleman and let me have his bed for the night. We argued back and forth for a while, mostly his argument was that he only has to be a gentleman in the presence of a lady. I punched him in the face for that comment. We finally settled on a space in his room, but he only gave me his chair and took the bed himself.

After I slipped my boots on I walked quietly over to where Athos was still asleep. He looked so peaceful, his thoughts not troubled with war or the King, just calmly lost in his dreams. It was strange, to see him so quiet and still, he really was quite handsome. He was an enigma, lost in his demons, led by honour and duty, an educated gentleman softly spoken now a soldier. Yes, an enigma.

I hated to admit it but last night had been so much fun, I couldn't help but tease Athos, he just gave the best reactions. But…he still made me sleep in chair and that simply could not pass without some type of ramification.

I looked around the room for some inspiration, something that could help me get my revenge. What to do, what to do…I walked around to see what I could use. There! The drip-dripping from this morning was from a bucket just outside the window collecting the rain.

A small smile crept onto my face, perfect. I picked the bucket up, careful not to drop any water on myself and crept carefully back to Athos' bed. Not too close, he'll lash out, keep myself close to the door for a quick retreat, quick hands.

I took another look at him, sleeping peacefully, so unaware of what was about to happen and merciless to do anything about it. Oh, I was going to enjoy this.

With a final cheeky grin to myself, I said a prayer, held my breath and threw the water.

"AHHHHGGHH!" Athos threw himself forward, hair dripping down his face, breathing heavily. He held a knife in his hand lucky I wasn't standing so close. The shocked look on his face was enough to break me out of my silence, the laughter bubbled over and I couldn't stop it.

Selene leant against the wall, doubled over with laughter as Athos slowly turned to look at her, eyes slowing going from her face to her hand which still held the now empty bucket. His eyes narrowed as he realised what she had done. Selene was slowly reigning in her laughter, wiping the tears from her eyes when she looked at Athos with a grin on her face.

"Good morning sunshine, you looked a little dirty so I thought I would help," I said.

Athos' eyes narrowed even more, his face glowering with anger. "You always have been most helpful Selene, how ever can I repay the favour?" he growled.

Selene felt her stomach clench in alarm, no wonder he held such command over the other musketeers, his voice was so powerful and threatening when he was mad. And oohhh he is mad.

"No need to, it's just in my nature I suspect." It was time for a speedy exit I think, my foot inching closer to the door.

"Oh no," Athos paused, "I insist."

Before she could bolt, Athos leapt of the bed reaching for Selene and with a squeak she went to run past him, just one more step and she would be in the hallway and on her way to freedom, so close! Suddenly she felt a hand on her arm pull her roughly and she stumbled back into a hard body, as two strong arms slid around her slim waste pulling her against Athos and effectively trapping her. She could feel his breath on the back of her neck and she shivered involuntarily.

"Well well, what have we here?" his whispered to me, his mouth against my ear. I felt my stomach clench again but not in fear…no it was something else…anticipation.

"It appears that I am your prisoner," I say.

"And what will I do with you?" The question seems to hang in the air between us. What could he be planning, I mean it was just water how angry can one man be.

"I think I might give you a bath."

"Wha…"

Selene doesn't get the sentence out before Athos threw her over his shoulder, her face to his back and her legs tucked firmly in his arm.

"ATHOS! What are you doing?! Put me down! I'm serious put me down right now! ATHOS!"

D'ARTAGNON

Unknown to the events transpiring above them, D'Artagnon, Aramis and Porthos were at that moment in the courtyard of the garrison enjoying a quiet breakfast. Aramis was currently regaling them with stories of his latest conquest, a countess from Switzerland apparently.

"I tell you both, they simply do not make women that way in Paris," said Aramis.

"Yea alright, I've heard this before," Porthos interrupted with a quick look at the young Gascon who smiled and joined in the game.

"I have to agree with Porthos," D'Artagnon said while he leant forward over his drink, looking at Aramis across the table with raised eyebrows.

"And besides," continued Porthos, "nothing compares to the lady I took home last night, she would put Switzerland to shame, doing her country proud she was."

Aramis huffed at him while D'Artagnan laughed.

"And you my young friend, did you meet any fine women last night in your adventures through Paris, perhaps a married woman?" asked Aramis. D'Artagnan sighed, it was common knowledge among the men that D'Artagnan was in love with Constance.

"No news to share I'm afraid," D'Artagnan wanted the attention off himself, he hated talking about Constant with the men, they didn't understand the depth of his feelings. "Perhaps Athos found someone last night?"

Both men threw their heads back and laughed. "D'Artagnan in all the years I've know Athos, I've never seen him take a woman home," revealed Aramis.

"Have you seen the way the man drinks? Even a whore can recoginse that there's no money to be made from a man who's passed out" laughed Porths.

As fate would have it, at that exact moment the men all heard a loud scream from above and looked up to see the man in question walking down the stairs…with a blonde woman over his shoulder. And she was not happy about the situation.

They all looked at each other in shock, "Did we all just see that?" Aramis asked the group.

Athos reached the bottom of the stairs and gave them all a curt nod while he continued on his way, walking determinedly towards to stables taking no heed to the woman screaming at him to put her down.

"Are we hallucinating or does Athos have a woman over his shoulder?" D'Artagnan asked the group.

"I don't believe what I am seeing," breathed Porthos.

"I mean it Athos!" the mystery blonde screamed. "Put me down, put me down right now or you will regret it!"

Athos reached the edge of the stables and stopped. "Put you down?" he asked.

"Yes, for the love of god put me down!" she wailed at him.

He paused for a moment before saying "Your wish is my command." And he promptly dropped her into the horses drinking trough.

The men could not believe what they had just seen. Not only had Athos appeared from his room with a woman, he had now carried her against her will and dropped her in freezing water.

What the hell was going on?

Athos

There was a strange satisfaction that came from the sound of Selene hitting the water, there was an even greater satisfaction at the noise she made when she did.

"AAGGHH! Oh my god, so so so cold," she yelled. "Athos you are such a bastard!"

I leant over her and looked her in the eyes, "Enjoying your bath?" I asked.

She was soaked from head to toe, her blonde hair pooling around her and sticking to her face. Her eye narrowed at me.

"Why yes monsieur, it's delightful, perhaps you could join me?" She asked.

"Oh no I've already had my bath this morning, courtesy of you," I smiled back sweetly at her.

Selene glared again and splashed some water in my direction. As I was laughing at her I noticed her lips were turning slightly blue and as much as I loved payback, I didn't want her getting sick. I sighed.

"Come on, time to get out I think," I offered her my hand to her for help.

She glared at it, but took it nonetheless. As she stood up I noticed that her shirt was soaked…er…her white shirt was soaked through. I could feel a blush creeping at my face. She took my hand and for a second I thought she was going to try to pull me in with her.

"Don't even think about it" I snarled at her. She just rolled her eyes and stepped out of the bath. She was ringing her hair out, about to start another yelling match with me I think when she looked past me and paused. I turned to see what had caught her attention and realised that we had a captivated audience.

"Would someone like to explain just what the hell is going on here?!" Aramis yelled in our direction.

Oh yes, it was such a joy to have Selene back in my life.

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