Together Again 3

Aramis felt his stomach fall, but oddly enough, his voice remained calm. "Cardinal Mazarin objected to de Monet allowing his eldest to inherit despite the son converting to Protestantism, there are, correspondences, de Monet has from him, urging that his son return to Catholicism or be cut from his will. De Monet refuses, and the letters … become threatening after that." Aramis can't see their faces, but he is sure there is distrust. "I was unaware of the plot against the princes, de Monet appealed to the monastery I was in to send a man to plead to the Cardinal and present the case in person. I was chosen." A hand on his shoulder steered him to a couch, and Aramis was dimly aware of D'Artagnan and Porthos sitting on either side. "I was told the musketeers answered to the Cardinal, and that they had fallen far from the way they were in my time. The caravan was supposed to have others who wished to present their arguments to the Cardinal, I did not know …"

"It's okay." D'Artagnan leaned slightly against him, and Porthos' hand was still on his shoulder.

"Mazarin is a traditional Catholic, but I will speak to him about allowing the inheritance of de Monet's eldest to stand." Queen Anne said, considering. "I suppose they believe the rumors as my son has yet to become king, but only the red guard follow the Cardinal, The Musketeers guard my family and those nobles loyal to us, but do so because my husband left them the order on his death bed."

"So, we just have to question de Monet's ally." D'Artagnan noted. "de Monet would not have sent a priest if he was planning on a battle, he's complicit now, but he seems to have been only accidentally brought in to the plot."

"You can't be sure of that," Athos pointed out, frowning. "The priest he sent was once a soldier, if you'll recall."

Aramis felt a little sick at the way Athos referred to him as if he was not there.

"Aramis wasn't chosen by de Monet, but the monastery, correct?" D'Artagnan corrected, and Aramis nodded. "Then my point still stands, de Monet would not have sent a priest, even one in training, as a messenger unless he was serious about peacefully resolving the issue. More than likely, this was just as much a trap for de Monet as the princes, he'd be told the caravan he sent his peaceful messenger in was attacked without warning by the musketeers, and urged to put his full support behind Gaston and join the rebellion. Maybe even told that the Cardinal would listen if he kept the princes in his care, never mind that such an act is treason, he might be desperate enough to do so to also protect the princes from his own ally, and still be neatly caught where destruction is the only choice, maybe even told that the Cardinal will lie the caravan attacked first just so he'll think the Cardinal won't listen." D'Artangnan looked annoyed. "No matter what, Gaston has set up de Monet to fall instead of him."

Aramis was a little surprised, before a voice reminded him that of course D'Artangan had learned what they had taught him, and had years to practice without them to guide him.

"Then you must stop _ and help de Monet escape the trap he's been set in." Queen Anne sighed. "Cardinal Mazarin, however, is planning to leave Paris. We'd hoped some distance would make them settle down, but it appears we were wrong … I will send a messenger and request his immediate return." Queen Anne stood. "I'd suggest you stay the night, reassure your children, and that way you will also be here when the Cardinal arrives. I'm sure they would like to meet the men you've told them about." She added with a smile. "I'll have rooms prepared."

"Thank you, your majesty."

"I am glad to have the Inseparables on this." The Queen left, and Athos shook his head.

"All I wanted was to make sure you two had not gotten killed. Not come out of retirement."

"Well, I for one would like to tell Eloise about how her mother slapped Aramis for flirting with her." Porthos grinned.

"Which time?"

"I'm thinking all of them." Porthos pulled Aramis and D'Artangan up. "Oh, and the time we had to drag our whelp through the mud so he'd get his pauldron dirty. Maybe the time their mother took out an opponent while Aramis held a baby … oh, and the story of Athos and Aramis getting stuck on a barn roof because of a farmer's dogs, and it took a very annoyed former Gascon farm-boy promising our help in harvesting to get the man to call them off."

"Because you were too busy laughing to do anything." Athos pointed out, annoyed.

"We could also tell them how we met their father- how'd it go? 'I'm here to challenge Athos of the Musketeers'?" Aramis said with a grin. "Brilliant entrance, only damaged by your suicidal tendencies that you've thankfully grown out of."

"Coming from the man who asked me to keep a deserter secret?" D'Artagnan asked. "Or who tried not telling us what he planned and still ended up needing our help to save a mother and her child?"

"… I miss the days you didn't have ammunition of your own." Aramis lamented, realizing just how many instances D'Artangan could mention (but probably wouldn't) that were just as foolish as some of what their youngest had done.

"True, D'Artangan has the excuse of youth, you don't." Porthos grinned, and Athos just shook his head.

Why God had given him these men as brothers, he wasn't sure- it was either the greatest blessing, or the greatest curse.

There was a plot to kidnap Louis XIV, and during the Fronde, the royal family was actually taken prisoner at one point, and Cardinal Mazarin had to escape Paris, returning in time to put an end to the Fronde. Exact details I don't know.

I do know that the historical D'Artagnan (whom Dumas wrote the stories based on) was one of Louis XIV's best soldiers and a good spy, was favored by the king and Cardinal Mazarin as someone who would get things done … he also had to follow the Cardinal into exile. Eventually, he became the grand Marshall of France, and died a few weeks after in a siege.

He was also married, not to Constance, but a lady of the court … but more on her in the next installment :}