Happy Anniversary to you all! It has been officially one year since this story has been published here on and I'm actually shocked that this has lasted for as long as it has.

Ha ha… Very Funny! It's a story. It will be around for a long time after we have written it. Also, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY D'Artagnan!!!

Thanks Athos. *annoyed look* I thought we weren't going to use nicknames in the Author's Notes but never mind…

It's the anniversary of the book. I think I have the right to DO SO!!! Now you get off my back. LOL!

This chapter will be much more exciting than the last. But I'm glad that the sock scene provided some humour for you. Hope you enjoy this latest installment.

"Easy now Shawnee! You do not want her hurt do you?!" Shawnee rolled her eyes at Athos's shout and continued to press against Brenna's defenses with all her might. They were outside, testing their skills with the blade and Shawnee was starting to get a little fed up with their suspicion of her. She backed off from Brenna for a moment to allow both of them to catch their breath and glared at Athos.

"For me to go easy on her would not prove a damn thing! If she ever has to fight, they will certainly not go easy on her. If she can't fight with her wound, then that's it. But she can so now it's just getting her skills sharp again!" Athos looked at her sternly, not appreciating her input in the slightest, and looked to Brenna.

"How is it that you are able to fight so well with such a wound?" Brenna shrugged and smiled, leaning against a nearby wall and crossing her arms.

"I get used to pain quickly and I heal fast. And she's right you know. Going easy on me won't teach me anything or help me adapt better." He frowned and nodded. The two girls faced off again and clashed, their swords sending off small sparks from the force.

"He might be right Brenna. Maybe I should go a little easier…" Shawnee whispered to her when they had clashed. Brenna jumped back before rushing forward again with only the slightest limp.

"Not a chance." She smiled as they met again. Shawnee nodded and pressed down hard, putting Brenna at an awkward angle before sliding her sword underneath her own and sending Brenna's sword flying when she jerked hers into the air. It landed a few feet away but Shawnee pressed the flat side of the blade against the side of Brenna's throat.

"You're dead." She said with a smirk and offered a hand. Brenna stared at her for a moment before laughing.

"Next time, I'll get you!" She took the offered hand and shook it warmly, both of them having enjoyed the practice.

"That's enough for today." Athos called and came up alongside Brenna, his expression slightly edgy. Shawnee felt the smile melt from her face and she nodded blankly, still a little hurt that he didn't trust her anymore. Shawnee held out the sword, hilt first, to the musketeer and he jerked it sharply from her hand then walked over and picked up the other one in the grass. The girls watched him leave and then Shawnee sighed in disappointment.

"Maybe I should've let you win… Maybe he wouldn't be so pissed with me if I had…" Brenna gave her a gentle slap upside the head and chuckled.

"He wouldn't be any less bitter if you had let me win so don't take it out on yourself." Shawnee rubbed the back of her head and nodded at her friend with a smile. The two of them headed inside, talking quietly about nothing in particular until they found themselves stopped by Aramis. They gave him a pair of twin curious looks and waited for him to move. He simply smiled at them and handed Shawnee a folded swatch of cloth. She took it and unfolded it to reveal her dress and paled.

"You still need to wear it one more time. That was the deal, remember?" Aramis said with a smirk. Shawnee gave a hearty frown, threw the dress over her shoulder, and headed for the staircase with the air of someone heading for the gallows.

"Aw come on Shawnee! It's not that bad!" Brenna called. Shawnee just gave her an obscene gesture and went up the stairs. Brenna shook her head with a smile.

"Could you tell her I went back outside? I feel like taking a walk." Aramis nodded and watched as she headed back out into the courtyard.

Brenna pulled her hat off and set it on the steps, fluffing the feathers for a couple seconds. She then pulled at the hair tie and chose to leave her hair down for a bit to breathe. She slipped the tie over her wrist and put the hat gently on her head before standing and brushing herself off.

She took a slow walk, observing the gardens and sometimes stopping to smell a flower here and there. She heard a sound and looked back over her shoulder but saw nothing but a guard at his post. She shrugged and went back to walking. She didn't notice someone approach her from behind until they were upon her.

"Hey! Get off of me! Let go!" She struggled and squirmed against the tight hold the person had on her as another two came closer, one with a cloth sack clutched in his hand. She froze for a moment until they were in front of her before screaming out as loud as she could.

"Somebody help!"

Shawnee had the dress pulled over her head and was waiting for the return of the servant that had been outside her door, waiting to be called in to help her with the ties on the dress.

'I hate this thing so much… But a promise is a promise and so, it must be honoured…' She walked over to the window and pushed it open to get some air when she heard shouting. She looked down into the gardens and saw three guards surrounding another. The shape of the person was very familiar to her but she couldn't quite place it until they cried out. Her eyes widened in shock and fear as she almost completely leaned out of the window.

"Brenna! You let her go you pathetic jerks! Leave her alone!" She stood there for a few seconds before dashing out of the room, holding up the front of the dress. She took the stairs two at a time and stumbled multiple times on the dress's hem before she made it into the main area of the palace where she found the boys and the musketeers staring at her in shock.

"Will you stop staring at me and get outside?! Brenna's being attacked out there! I saw her from my window!" The musketeers leapt from their chairs and headed for the door, the boys close behind. The servant she had been waiting for came over and tied the dress's strings as quickly as she could, Shawnee tapping her foot the whole time in a display of her impatience.

When she had finished, she hiked up the edge of the dress and ran for the door, catching it and ripping the fabric slightly in her haste. When she got outside, she found the musketeers and boys returning, their faces grim. Shawnee felt herself pale and she met the group halfway. Chris came forward and handed her Brenna's hat.

"She wasn't there. This was all that was left." Shawnee trembled and held the hat against her chest, trying to hold back tears for her now missing friend. She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder and looked up to see D'Artagnan watching her silently. He gave her shoulder a small squeeze before passing her and heading into the palace. The others all followed him in and she sat down on the steps, staring out at nothing, lost in her thoughts.

She watched as the corps of musketeers was assembled and sent out into the city streets to search but didn't react to it. It wasn't until the sun was half set before she even noticed the world around her and headed back in, shivering at the sudden slight chill to the night air. She walked into the main hall and stopped when everyone looked up at her entrance.

"Did… Did they find anything?" She asked; her voice full of hope. When no one could answer, her hopes died and she gave a quiet sigh.

"I guess the musketeers aren't as good as I thought." She muttered into the silence of the room before heading towards the stairs.

"I suggest you bite your tongue young lady should you wish to have it to use again." Porthos said coldly. Shawnee sent him a contemptuous glare over her shoulder and sniffed.

"Well if they cannot track three kidnappers with a struggling person with them, then they probably would not be able to find a horse in a damn stable. And as for your comment Monsieur Porthos…" She spat viciously, her temper flaring.

"I will speak whenever I choose and nobody will tell me otherwise!" D'Artagnan frowned at her behavior.

"For to be speaking in such a manner is rather inappropriate for a young woman such as yourself." He said; his voice rather condescending.

"Oh why don't you just can it oh great and wonderful captain!" She said in a harsh, mocking tone.

"I don't live in this time period therefore, I do not have to speak nor behave like those of this time. So why don't you take your 'suggestions' and pathetic orders to someone who actually gives a damn!" It seemed she had finally hit a nerve. D'Artagnan's eyes had narrowed and he was gripping at his sword hilt, trying to maintain control despite the circumstances.

"What's the matter? Can you not draw your sword against a woman or are you too afraid to?!" She mocked, putting Brenna's hat on her head and practically prancing around in a silent impression.

"You know Porthos. I do not think that the loss of her tongue would be such a bad thing after all." Aramis said; his voice hard.

"Oh no! The scary priest is threatening me! All beware his heavy Bible and holy water!" She cackled.

"You are certainly asking for punishment." Athos said.

"And I suppose you will be the one to enforce said punishment, whatever that may be?" Shawnee smirked.

"Like I actually believe that." Having thrown her barbs at them, she sauntered up the steps, reveling in her revenge for their previous treatment and her victory. She reached the top of the staircase and shouted back down to all those she had angered below.

"Good night gentlemen! I wish you precious luck in finding Brenna but I seriously doubt you will considering how horrible that went the first time!" She walked off to her room, chuckling to herself along the way at her own wit.

Sometimes, the only way to get through to men was to fight back. Now was the time to make a proper plan of action since the musketeer's searching had been a waste. She smirked as her plan began to form in her mind.

'We may be only children to them… But we'll show them just what we can do.'

And that is the end of that! I hope you all enjoyed it and again, happy first anniversary to all those who are still reading this story after so long.

Happy 1st Anniversary to everyone.

Special thanks goes out to IgnotusAngelus and Kimyco (as usual) for their reviews. Bye for now!