I'm back to update, yes twice in a day- again. Im at least 6 chapters ahead you see and would really like you to be on the same page as me (both physically and mentally) so I shan't wait any longer, its time to get this party started!
Thank you all for the heart warming reviews and continued support from my viewers/followers/guests as usual! You guys seriously make my day! 3 I hope this longer chapter helps to clarify things ;)
"Athos, Aramis, D'artagnan!?"
Athos offered his apologies to a stunned looking Queen Anne and Captain Treville, backing away slightly, hands raised outwards as if to say, 'just stay here' before dashing back out of the bed chambers to stop Porthos from calling out their names -and help him escort the king back to his queen, with whom they had left the musketeer to protect.
Returning to the room, Athos, Porthos and King Louis all looked just as mentally exhausted as those who waited inside, the general atmosphere remaining tense until a damn good explanation could be offered. Treville stood up to the plate as per usual.
"I can explain, your majesty-" he began, arms outstretched in apology, lines of concern crinkling his eyes, his brows knitted together in all seriousness.
The king moved forwards suddenly as if to act, but was disarmed by the following weight of the words Treville uttered.
"Your highness has gone into labour, I thought it wise to escort her from the ballroom as quickly as possible without endangering her well being or the baby's…"
"I realize this lack of communication was stupendously inconsiderate of me and I beg of your forgiveness, my liege, but it was with my best intentions that I lead Queen Anne here -and dress her in soothing attire" he finished with a nervous swallow and a bow.
Treville realized what this dark scene may conjure in ones mind if given enough opportunity to wander and assume and so he hoped he had done a good job of convincing the king otherwise, lest his head become separated from his neck with a sharpened utensil.
Everyone stood frozen in the room, the only sounds now coming from Queen Anne herself as she propped back on her elbows, her face clearly taught with pain, gasping quietly as her gaze roamed from one stunned man to another.
Her patience ran out when no man could overcome his surprise at her situation and offer a humorous sentiment that would seek to conclude the tense atmosphere of "almost-disastrous situation" with "it's all fine now" and so took matters into her own clenched fists.
"If you are all quite finished trading looks of horror, would one of you be kind enough as to fetch the surgeon whom may aid me in my current predicament?" she finished frostily as pain spiked once again throughout her abdomen.
She was no longer in the mood for pleasantries, and so long as she could talk, they should prepare to share her misery unless they retrieved aid immediately.
Snapping out of his trance first, Treville took his kings' silence as acceptance for 'stealing his queen' and once again assumed control of the situation, "D'artagnan, would you please seek out the nearest surgeon for you royal majesty, Queen Anne, with utmost haste."
His tone held unquestioning authority and demanded utmost obedience- though of course always held a soft edge towards close friends- even if they were under his command.
D'artagnan blushed at his intrusion on the queen in her current state and attire, apologizing with a deep bow and promising a hasty return with a surgeon, before dashing off once more.
Porthos thought to make a joke at how D'artagnan would have earned a great living at being a delivery boy- what with his speed- but thought the better of it given the seriousness of the moment and so bit his lip instead.
Treville misread Porthos' actions as guilt and clapped him on the shoulder, "Cheer up man, all is well-" he began while turning Porthos around towards the door, beckoning with his other hand to Athos and Aramis.
"Let us leave your majesties a moment alone in this intimate moment and see if we can help our friend, D'artagnan, in his task, shall we?" Treville suggested.
And with that the four men left the king and his queen alone in the room, walking a short way down the hall before coming to a stop and throwing all polite mannerisms out of the window now that they could not be judged.
Each man held the look of guilt for failing their duties to guard the queen; even though it had turned out her life was not at risk by outlaws, she had been taken from their protection none the less.
Treville seemed to have expected this of course, knowing by now the complexities of his men in and out, as should any captain, and had collected the three remaining men here to help extinguish what had gone unsaid.
"I don't want to hear about how you failed at your duties, nor do I want to see any of you drinking yourself senseless over your worth-" he eyed Athos at this, "I understand what I put you all through and I apologize for that, but these were not normal circumstances-" Treville continued, turning to look at Porthos.
"-I highly doubt many criminals would have established such a successful 'get away' as I- for it was my close proximity to the queen and my expertise knowledge of how to swiftly evacuate areas, that left me unnoticed-" he stated, looking at Aramis.
"-I am confident that each of you would have seen and caught any culprit who would have even attempted the same, so you need not worry. I have complete faith in you and your abilities. And that should be enough." Treville finished, staring at each man individually to ensure the meaning of his words had sunk in and were accepted.
Only brief seconds had passed thus far between the men, but the importance of having a conversation that gave such closure was still just as important.
Treville had learned the hard way that men who were broken up inside were no more useful than injured men and with the ball now compromised as its hosts had bluntly vanished, he would need his men to help regain order.
With this newly instilled sense of purpose, solidarity and confidence boost, he was sure his men would be more mentally alert; though as an aside it made him feel better as their friend that they remained light spirited in their often dark work.
A muffled groan of pain coming from the chambers interrupted the intimate moment and returned the men to the emergency still at hand.
There was little they could do now besides restore order among guests and bid them adieu- a somewhat 'silver lining' to the exhausted musketeer regiment no doubt.
And so Treville gave Athos, Aramis and Porthos the instructions they needed to carry out what they were meant to do and take their mind off of any guilt ridden thoughts they may have had while each counted the minutes it took for D'artagnan's arrival.
As Athos headed for the main doors through which he could prepare each guests' departure he mulled over what the night may hold.
He supposed in the best of scenarios, D'artagnan would appear soon, with surgeon in hand, ready to relieve the queen of her pain and deliver a healthy baby.
In the worst of scenarios, no such aid would show- in which case, it would be a very long night for everyone, indeed.
Athos frowned at the thought as he handed a mink coat to a particularly rude woman with the most hideous combination of a yellow and green frilled dress he had ever seen.
As she toddled outside on her stiff fat legs, a particular large gust of wind almost knocked her off her feet and into the mud that stood between the door and her carriage.
Athos would have smiled at the sight if not for what these conditions could mean for the hasty retrieval of the surgeon.
Peering upwards under the brim of his hat, Athos saw the sky to be menacingly black; thunderous booms echoing across the open gardens as the high winds whipped grit and dead leaves into the eyes of onlookers.
Despite the heavy pelting of rain that only seemed to fall harder, the air was humid and forebode of further bad tidings.
Athos' expression took on that of worry, though he was confident D'artagnan would not let his surgeon rest until he was at the queens' bedside, this weather may not permit as hasty a journey as they may need.
Stepping inside once more, Athos tried to remain optimistic. Surely D'artagnan would get here before the storm hit full force, he had to. Or else.
I hope you guys liked it! My brain sort of turned off a third of the way through writing this chapter due to leaving the story for an hour and losing my 'vibes,' so I hope its not too rocky to read…
Please leave a review! Thanks!
