Later, D'artagnan and Evangeline sat with the Musketeers in their dining room drinking wine. "What should we drink to?" Porthos asked.
"How about the King?" Evangeline offered.
Athos responded from his chair against the wall, "He's a child. Cardinal rules in all but name, might as well drink to him."
D'artagnan grabbed his glass, "To France."
"We served it, fought for it and bled for it. Look where it got us."
"Friendship? Love?"
Athos sighed, "Word of advice, boy. Trust no one."
Evangeline stared at the legendary warrior perplexed, "Must be something you still believe in."
Athos held up a gold coin, "This." He tossed it up and then threw a dagger up as well, spearing the coin to the ceiling, "This. And this." He then took a drink of his wine. "Anyone else who tells you otherwise is either a fool or trying to sell you something." With that the man in black left the room.
Aramis looked up from his reading, "I know Athos may seem cold and unfriendly, but don't let it fool you. Deep down…"
"He really is cold and unfriendly," Porthos finished.
"What happened to him?" Evangeline asked curiously. She'd never met someone so depressed and angry at the world.
"What happens to any man, a woman," Aramis answered as he turned a page. Evangeline wondered if that was why Athos had glared at her earlier, because she was female.
D'artagnan shifted in his chair, "You know, I don't want to offend anybody, but I thought you'd all be a little bit more… heroic." Porthos busted up laughing at D'artagnan's statement.
"What my esteemed colleague was trying to say, in his own way," Aramis said as he put his book down, "is that we are obsolete. We're warriors, but there's no war for us to fight. And so we drink and brawl and quarrel with the Cardinal's guards and then we drink some more. What we need is a great cause. But there are no great causes left."
Porthos took another swig of his wine, "Which is why I keep telling you it's not too late to do that priest thing again. Beats working for the city. Free booze at wakes and weddings. And then there's the nuns."
Evangeline raised her eyebrows at Aramis, "You were a priest?"
Aramis nodded, "Until I realized that being a man of God and a man of the cloth aren't always the same thing." (A/N My favorite line of the whole movie!)
"And yet, he still says prayers for those he kills," Porthos added. "Old habit."
"On the contrary," Athos said as he got to his feet and leaned against the mantle. "The men I kill deserve to die. But they also deserve peace. After all, they must have believed in something. We all do. Even the worst of us."
"I'll drink to that!" Porthos reached for the wine jug and found it empty. "Planchet! More Wine! Planchet!
A stout man with dirty blonde curly matted hair carrying firewood came down the stairs, "Sorry, sirs. I'm afraid there's none left. You've drunk the lot." The man, Planchet, then set down the firewood.
"What sort of answer is that?" Porthos demanded. "Well, go get some more, man!"
"Very good, sir. It's just, I can't, sir," Planchet answered and smiled when he noticed D'artagnan and Evangeline. "We've run out of money."
"Planchet, what are you?"
Planchet sighed, "Complete and utter waste of space, sir?"
"And?"
"As much use as a fart in a bottle, sir?"
"Right."
"In short, sir, a total tit, sir. But I can't work bleeding miracles!"
Evangeline had had enough, "Planchet?" She held out a coin to him so he could buy some more wine.
He took it with a smile, "Oh! Thank you very much, miss! That's incredibly generous from such a lovely, young lady. Thank you very, very much. Will you two be staying here tonight?"
Aramis answered instead, "They will be taking your bed, Planchet."
"Right, and so I'll be sleeping…"
"You may take the balcony."
"Outside? The balcony outside in the cold? With birds sh**ing on my head all night? Great, can I just say you…"
However, he was cut off by Porthos slamming his cup on the table repeatedly, "Wine! Wine! Wine! Wine! Wine! Wine!"
"Yes! Of course! Wine it is, sirs!" With that Planchet left.
That night Evangeline laud in hers and D'artagnan's bed. "Well, we made it to Paris," she whispered to her friend. "Now what?"
"We'll figure it out in the morning," D'artagnan said from his mat on the floor. "Good night, Angel."
"Good night."
Try as she might Evangeline could not fall asleep right away. She lied awake for hours thinking about everything. She smiled fondly when she glanced over at the sleeping D'artagnan. He reminded her of the boy he used to be when they were children. Though, he hadn't changed much. He was still reckless and impulsive but he was still her best friend.
Evangeline thought back to the first day they met. Well, that she could remember. D'artagnan's father had told her many times that they'd been introduced as infants but she couldn't remember. The first memory she had of D'artagnan took place in the rolling hills of Gascony. Their parents were eating lunch while the two of them chased each other and climbed trees. Evangeline nearly laughed remembering how D'artagnan had hit his head on a branch and caused Evangeline to nearly fall out of the tree laughing.
Evangeline remembered the day she moved in with D'artagnan. Everyone had been so welcoming but so cautious, as if she might break at one wrong word. A few days later, she'd seen D'artagnan and his father practicing their sword fighting and asked if she could learn too. D'artagnan's father had been hesitant at first, but seeing a new light in her eyes he agreed and she learned quickly.
Smiling to herself from the memory's swirling around in her head, Evangeline turned over on her side and fell into a wistful dream.
The following morning a summons from the palace came for not only Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, but for D'artagnan and Evangeline as well. The five quickly took off to the palace. The inside was just as grand as the outside.
"His Majesty, the King!" the herald announced as the young King Louis the thirteenth entered with the Cardinal. The four men knelt on the floor as Evangeline curtsied and bowed her head.
"Well, well, well," the King said as he stood before them. "Brawling with the Cardinal's guards. That's very bad. What have you got to say for yourselves?"
"We…" D'artagnan began but Aramis cut him off.
"Humbly beg your pardon, Your Majesty."
"Yes. Yes, I should hope so, too. So, tell me, how many were involved in the altercation?" Louis asked.
"There were five of us against fifty of them, Your Majesty," Porthos answered.
"Five against fifty? And you beat them like a drum?" The Cardinal coughed and startled the King. "And, yes, you shall have to be reprimanded, of course, most harshly, I'm afraid. You do understand that, don't you?"
Athos nodded, "We do, Your Majesty."
"Her Majesty, the Queen," the herald announced as the Queen and her ladies-in-waiting entered. Evangeline noticed Constance amongst them and smiled at her.
"Anne," Louis said stunned. "What a… What a pleasant surprise!"
"My ladies and I wanted to see the valiant Musketeers who stood against the Cardinal's guards," Queen Anne said with a smile. "Five against fifty? Or was it five hundred?"
"Just fifty, Your Majesty," Athos spoke up. "It was an off day."
Louis chuckled, "That's my Musketeers for you. By the time they write songs about them, it'll be five thousand."
"I hope you won't be too harsh with them. After all, boys will be boys," Anne continued as she approached Evangeline. "You must be Evangeline. My lady-in-waiting has told me about how brave and talented you were yesterday. But you must try not to be so reckless."
"I cannot help myself, Your Majesty," Evangeline replied quietly, but honestly. Fighting was a part of who she was. The Queen smiled at her.
"Your Majesty, the culprits," the Cardinal reminded.
"Ah! Yes, yes," Louis said as Anne rejoined her ladies. "Well, stand up, then." The Musketeers did as they were told as Louis approached them. "Athos. Porthos. Aramis. Forgive me for saying this, D'artagnan, but you look a little underdressed."
"My father is a poor man, Your Majesty," D'artagnan replied. "A former Musketeer as well. These are the only clothes I have."
"Oh, Lord. We shall have to rectify that. Can't have my Musketeers, or the son of one, looking like tramps. New suits all around, I think. Yes, you'll see to that, Cardinal? And a new dress for Evangeline, Anne if you wouldn't mind?" Anne smiled to show that she didn't. "And, yes, I think a purse of gold for each as a reward for your courage. You'll see to that as well, Cardinal. And, yes, before I forget, no more fighting with His Eminences guards. Hmm? Or they'll be none of them left." Anne and Louis chuckled as the Cardinal frowned.
"Your Majesty, might I suggest a more…"
Anne interrupted him, "Forgive my impudence, Cardinal, but I doubt the King requires your advice in this matter. After all, they are his Musketeers. Good day, Gentlemen. Oh, and Evangeline, I would love for you to join us for tea tomorrow."
"I would be honored, Your Majesty," Evangeline replied. With that the Queen and her ladies left.
"Well, now, off with you rascals," Louis said. "But be there for the parade tomorrow. New clothes and all."