Porthos walked toward the queen's quarters. He stood to the side as several house servants rushed by him with buckets of steaming water. A woman followed with a long sleeping gown draped over her arms. Several guards stood outside the queen's quarters. Dr. Lemay stood speaking with the king while he paced in quick strides along the wall with his hands on his hips. Richelieu and Treville both stood with their arms crossed over their chests. Richelieu, with narrowed eyes, observed the king while gently stroking his goatee.
Treville looked at Aramis, who looked out the window. His hands on his hips, his jaw flexing, and he glanced back and forth from the window to the door.
"Captain," Porthos said, bringing himself to a stop. "Any news?"
Treville exhaled and said, "The queen has kicked everyone out of her quarters and demanded a hot bath, hot soup, and clean clothes."
Porthos smiled and chuckled. "Sounds like she's fine."
Treville nodded. "Dr. Lemay is concerned, but I believe he's overly cautious." He tilted his head in the direction Porthos had come. "Athos?"
"Your Majesty," Dr. Lemay said as Louis walked away from him, causing everyone's attention to focus in his direction.
"Two days, Captain!" Louis shouted. "Two days is what my queen spent in the cold and on horseback! She could suffer the winter fever," he stood before Treville and said, "if she looses our child." He clenched his jaw, glared at Treville, and he looked like a king ready for war. "Your man will face the firing squad and this time there will not be an acquittal!"
Aramis turned suddenly and looked at them. He caught Treville's look of warning and paused.
Porthos swallowed, caught Aramis' eyes, and tightened his grip around the hilt of his sword.
Treville cleared his throat to speak, but was surprised when Richelieu cleared his throat.
"Would you have rather she had stayed at the monastery, Sire?" Richelieu asked. He raised his eyebrows in question and looked at Louis knowingly.
Louis took a step back. "I would rather they had rejoined the regiment after their escape, Cardinal." He clenched his jaw and looked at those who looked at him. "Where is he? Hiding, I suppose?"
Porthos pursed his lips and flared his nostrils. He squared his shoulders and held his breath.
"Sire," Doctor Lemay said, "from what her Majesty shared with me," he looked at the king and then to Treville, "Musketeer Athos spent the last two days walking —"
"So where is he?"
Porthos cleared his throat and said, "He's in one of the apartments restin'—"
"Resting?" Louis raised his eyebrows. "Resting? Perhaps he needs a nap before he shares with his king what happened to the queen?"
"Your Majesty," Richelieu said.
"I want him here." Louis tightened his fist and pointed a finger toward the floor. "I want to know exactly what happened!"
"He's in no shape to —"
"To what?" Louis looked at Porthos. "He's in no shape to what?"
"Perhaps, Your Majesty," Richelieu said, "we should take a moment to consider the lengths that Athos has gone to get the queen back to you, alive."
"We won't know what happened until —" Treville said, but was quickly interrupted.
"Given the position of the monastery and the sightline of Souder and his men, Athos — while traveling with the queen — may very well have been discovered. And had they been, Your Majesty," Richelieu said in a tone familiar with the ravages of war, "I would wager neither would have survived. I have disagreed with Captain Treville on many occasions regarding his musketeers and their unusual strategies, but in this situation…" he paused and lowered his hand from his chin to the curve of his elbow, "Musketeer Athos was correct in his decision on the best way to get her majesty to safety."
Porthos looked again at Aramis who raised his eyebrows in surprise at the statement.
"Athos is very familiar with the disciplines of battle, Sire," Treville said. "If there was a threat of being discovered by Souder or his men, he would have avoided it at all costs. The queen was his priority."
Louis took a deep, cleansing breath and exhaled slowly.
He wasn't angry.
He was terrified.
It was easier to thrash out at those closest to him than to succumb to the fears of losing his queen, his child, and his legacy. Weak kings were mocked, disgraced, and tossed aside. Louis was a man who would be forever compared to his father, a man of defiance, grace, power, and honor, while Louis struggled to stand in the face of opposition.
He stood in the room surrounded by people, but he felt more alone than he ever had before. Not that he wanted someone to agree with him, he knew his anger was misplaced. He knew it because his bride was alive; she was safe, and she was unharmed. But he wanted someone to feel the pain he was feeling, the hurt, the confusion, and the overwhelming helplessness.
Louis swallowed and said, "Perhaps you're correct, Cardinal." He looked at Richelieu and then at Treville. "I should be grateful." He looked toward the floor and then stepped back. "Perhaps when all danger has passed, we can evaluate the situation."
"How is he?" Treville asked as he looked at Porthos. "Athos?"
"Exhausted — like I said, an' 'is feet look like 'e walked barefoot over hot coals." A subtle smile curled the edges of Porthos' lips. "He wants a drink."
Cardinal Richelieu chuckled. "This is a situation where one is well earned."
"Go," Treville said. "Take Aramis with you." He glanced toward Aramis and then looked at Porthos, who quickly bowed toward the king and turned toward the kitchens. Aramis moved to follow when Treville pulled him to a stop. "Make sure it's just his feet that need attention."
Aramis nodded, bowed, and then walked toward the quarters.
Treville looked at King Louis, who had walked closer to the queen's door hoping to hear some news; hoping to see her.
"I will say," Richelieu said and adjusted the cloak over his arm, "your men always seem to amaze me, Captain." He looked at the king and watched him clench and flex his hands as he waited for news from the queen. "They have a gift for evading death — even in the most dire of situations."
Treville nodded, crossed his arms over his chest and said, "They're flesh and blood like the rest of us, Cardinal. But when you have brothers who will fight to the death for you," he looked at him, "they fight all the harder for what they believe in."