It had taken but a few hours since I woke up after my gender was revealed to the Musketeers for them to start treating me differently. No longer was I allowed to go with them on their missions, which upset me, D'Artagnan being the sounding board for most of my complaints. Also, they stopped giving me as many lessons about swordplay and pistol training, though they couldn't completely stop as that would look suspicious to the other Musketeers at the Garrison.
Whenever they went on a mission or like when they went to the palace in order to protect the King, Queen, and the Duke of Savoy, I was made to stay behind. I was sent to Athos' flat, when they brought Marsac back to D'Artagnan's and my room, I only got a glimpse of him.
Everything else that I heard about Marsac was Athos' own opinion of him, which wasn't very pleasant. He would apologize profusely for swearing in front of me. When I assured him it was fine, he went back to pacing and swearing. I would sit quietly and continue my embroidery and reading, while fending off chuckles at his ill temper.
I had it, when I went with the four on their daily patrol of Paris. Aramis teased me and asked if I would like a side-saddle brought out, after we had left the Garrison. I snapped a comment back to Aramis, before ignoring him completely. My brother simply shook his head, as he knew that I wasn't pleased with my treatment, ever since I had been found out.
So I came up with a good idea to prank all of them, including my brother and Captain Treville. He wasn't necessarily telling me that I couldn't do anything that his Musketeers were doing, but he wasn't sticking up for me either! And he knew my skills, knew that I had been training with my brother long before I ended up in Paris, and before I was married to LeBarge.
I decided to plan my attack directly after Aramis ended up killing his friend, in order to get Aramis out of his funk. He had been simply quiet a little too long, with none of us able to get him to break out of it. So I snuck into his flat, and poured some dye into his shampoo and soap. It was bright blue; Constance helped me in making it from Forget-Me-Nots. She didn't particularly care for Aramis either, so to her it was a win-win situation.
I snuck into Athos' tack and swapped his bridle with a purple one with feathers, and little glittery bits on it. I giggled the whole time, before stopping at each stall, handing them all a carrot. The Musketeers still got mad at me for doing that, telling me their horses were going to end up fat, but with all the running and walking they did, there was no way their horses were going to get fat off of a carrot.
For Porthos, I slashed a huge hole in the backs of his overtunics, after ensuring that I could sew them back together. Once I ensured that they would be safe, I took D'Artagnan's knife and slashed a hole. In each and every single one of them, before the last of them I embroidered a large red heart on the back, instead of cutting a hole in it. That way, Porthos would have to wear the embroidered one or one with a hole. I snickered the entire time.
And last but definitely not least for my brother, I dyed his horse. His horse was a beautiful black Friesian, and I made little white spots all over his outercoat (from the book and the previous movies!). It would wash out after a little while, but my brother would be furious that Buttercup looked like that. I thought it was funny, so did Buttercup who neighed and snickered the entire time I added the dots to him.
The next morning was chaos. I guess I should mention that I left a little bit of each person at the scene of the crime. At Aramis' house I left a piece of his leather jacket, at Athos' house I left a little bit of blue fabric, at Porthos' house I left my brother's knife behind and at the stable I left a glove of Athos' behind. This way I couldn't be incriminated.
Aramis came out to the garrison, blue headed and Porthos came out wearing his embroidered shirt much to the amusement of their fellow Musketeers and friends. But the real trick occurred when the other two, D'Artagnan and Athos' realized that they had been pranked too. I was sitting in the courtyard, reading a book while they ran around fuming mad. It was hilarious, when they began to accuse one another. My brother stood there looking thoughtful before he turned on his heel, gathering the attention of the three, and stood before me.
"Leo, was this you're doing?" My brother used my name as we were in the middle of the Garrison, and mornings were particularly busy. I nodded, laughing hard. The other Three scowled before kneeling down to face me.
"Will this wash out?" Aramis motioned to his hair angrily. I shrugged, still sporting a grin. To Porthos, I mimed sewing, and he rolled his eyes good-naturedly.
"Where is my saddle?" Athos growled. I looked up at him and pointed to the corner of the lot where the barrels full of liquor were kept. He growled and stalked off to grab it.
"And my horse?" I motioned towards Aramis, and the both of them understood.
"I'll be at Bonacieux's," I breathed, before getting to my feet. I knew that they would come sooner or later, and after a few hours of intensive training, they showed up. I could hear their feet thundering against the stairs.
"So?" Aramis demanded as they shut the door behind them.
"So, what? Buttons?" I retorted, tearing my eyes away from Shakespeare's works. Aramis rolled his eyes.
"No, why did you prank us?" Porthos asked. I looked away.
"Because I'm tire of you all treating me like a child!" I snapped. "And like a woman!"
"But you are a woman!" Athos said a little startled and unsure of where the conversation would be going.
"Yes, but I have been following you all around for months before my gender was discovered!" I said, turning away from the battle hardened warriors.
"Fine," my brother caved.
"Fine?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You can accompany us." Athos raised an eyebrow as did Aramis and Porthos.
"Why is that boy?" Athos asked.
"Because if we don't allow her, she will just follow us and chances are get herself hurt or killed." My brother explained.
"Fine, Lene," Athos said. "But you have to do exactly as we tell you alright?" I nodded eagerly.
"Then let's go!" Porthos said, giving me a grin. "We have training to do!" With that I followed the four men down the stairs, excited that I was going to get a real chance to prove myself to both Aramis and Athos.