I had gone just like Treville had said. I had been inside almost an hour and now I stood outside his office, a little lost in thought. I was stunned, amazed even- I, a woman, had been offered a place amongst the Musketeers, as a trainee only, but with a chance to become a full fledged King's Musketeer. The only thing I did not fully care for was the fact that for all concerned I had to appear to be a man. At least in matters concerning the Musketeers. In my own free time I could be me, but I was not the most feminine of women so in a way this arrangement suited me well.
Whilst checking that my new, musketeer issued rapier was safely attached, I neglected to see the two men rushing up the stairs until they were almost upon me.
One of them grabbed me roughly while I immediately went for my sword and then the other called "Assassin! What have you done to the Captain?!" Confused, I let my hand slip from the sword and found myself dragged back inside Treville's office.
"Treville, are you alive?!" The other shouted, his grip on me tightening.
"What in blazes is going on out here?!" Treville demanded as he stepped from a small back room. The other musketeer, the taller of the two grabbed for the scarf around my face as I struggled to stop him. "Aramis, NO!" But it was too late, my identity was revealed, hazel locks falling out of place without the scarf to keep them tamed. It was clear for all to see that I was indeed a female.
"A woman?" The one named Aramis stuttered in shock while I pulled from the other man, now with ease, soon turning to see the surprise on his face as well.
"Yes I am a woman, Remy Laverne if you must know, not that it is any business of yours." I glared at them, this could ruin everything. I looked to Treville to see that he seemed far too calm compared to how I felt.
"This could prove an advantage, Remy, just hear me out." Treville stopped me before I could protest. "You can just about pass as a man, but what about when you need to take someone into custody? You may be able to look like a man, but you do not sound like one." He had a point, but this Aramis and the man beside him surely would not allow a woman to work with them.
"Let me get this straight- please stop me if I am wrong, but this woman- Remy is to be a Musketeer? And you are suggesting that Marsac and I work with her?" Aramis asked, astounded by what he himself was saying as the other man- who was called Marsac moved around me checking me over.
"Yes I am. You've heard of Miguel De' Poufon?" Marsac and Aramis nodded as I moved away, leaning against the wall and near the door, ready for a hasty retreat if necessary. "Remy here, single handedly took him and his men down - saving, I might add, the Duke of Savoy in the process. The Duke suggested that she could be of service to me. Of course he was under the impression that she was actually a man, but the point still stands." He smiled lightly and nodded towards me.
"So," Marsac turned back to me, evaluating me. "You think you are capable of becoming a Musketeer?"
I knew of only one way to deal with those that doubted me, so with a practised ease and swiftness about it, I latched onto my sword, pulled it free and had it pressed against his throat in mere seconds while my hand closed around the dagger hidden within my clothes and then, I pointed towards Aramis.
"I do not think, I know- I could cut down all three of you without you raising the alarm to those outside, I think I can handle being a Musketeer." Aramis smiled at me, holding his hands up defensively.
"I like her Marsac, I think she'll fit in just nicely."
"Agreed, she's very feisty- she can do the threatening, we can do the talking. It works wonderfully." Stepping back from him, I replaced my sword and watched him pull off his hat in a easy sweep as he bowed slightly. "Marsac at your service and this is Aramis."
