Well, that took awhile! I apologize for the wait...I've been working on this chapter and have, in fact, rewritten it twice. Work has been nuts with my co-worker out for surgery so I've not had as much time as I had hoped to work on it. It is a long chapter so hopefully that makes up for it!

A huge thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed and commented on the first chapter. Not too shabby for only a thousand words :) Our poor Gascon is feeling a bit abandoned...silly silly boy! We all know how much the Inseparables adore him, but the poor pup doesn't quite see it yet. This chapter will hopefully begin to shed some light on why he is feeling this way. So, without any further babbling on my part, on with the story!

Cindy :)

Chapter 2 – The Beginning

It was a brisk morning in early Spring that found the three Inseparables gathered around their usual table in the garrison, fresh bread and assorted cheeses laid out before them. They smiled amicably when Serge brought out a plate of cured ham and placed it with the other food. Their stomachs grumbled collectively from the aroma that filled their nostrils, but they were hesitant to start without their newest member there. As if on cue, the young Gascon strolled slowly in through the garrison gates, his eyes looking down as if in deep thought. A deep, exuberant voice brought his attention up and he smiled at the three men who were watching him from the table they had claimed as their own.

"d'Artagnan!" Porthos called, "git yerself over 'ere so we can dig in to this feast!"

d'Artagnan quickened his step and sat down next to Aramis, who sat opposite Athos. Porthos reached across the table and patted the young man's arm. "'bout time you got yer butt 'ere…I'm starvin'!"

A sheepish smile greeted Porthos' words, but d'Artagnan made no move to take any of the food that the three musketeers were now piling in front of themselves. Porthos noted his reluctance and tilted his head. "Dig in, whelp! We got a long day of trainin' ahead of us," he stated.

The Gascon looked at his comrade and pursed his lips. "I…uh…I had a biscuit at the Bonacieux's. I…"

"Nonsense!" Aramis interrupted. "You must eat more than a biscuit, my young friend. You will need the energy."

d'Artagnan looked over at the marksman and shrugged. "I'm fine…really," he said in reply.

Athos, who had been listening, it seemed, without much interest, looked up from his meal and eyed his protégé critically. "Eat, d'Artagnan. This is not a request, but an order," he drawled, his icy blue eyes narrowing as d'Artagnan met his gaze. He returned his attention to his own food when the young man gave a quick nod and reached for the meat. The four ate in silence, then drank the watered down wine that Serge brought. Once their meal was finished, Porthos and Aramis began to discuss in great detail their escapades from the previous evening. Athos was content to just listen, adding a comment here or there when the stories strayed a little too far from the actual events.

"I'm not lyin', Athos…that guy 'ad to 'ave been close to 300 pounds!" Porthos argued when Athos corrected him about a particular fellow who had taken offense to losing three straight hands to the smug musketeer, resulting in a fight that had lasted but a few minutes before the fellow in question had been dumped in the street in front of the tavern.

"More like 125," Aramis stated under his breath, a wry grin upon his lips.

"125!? Are you outa your mind?" Porthos bellowed good naturedly. He turned to the youngest at the table and smacked his arm. "You shoulda been there, whelp! I coulda used your scrappiness!" he said.

"I would have been there had I been invited," d'Artagnan mumbled under his breath.

"Huh?" Porthos queried as he eyed his young friend curiously.

d'Artagnan responded with a small grin and a slight shake of his head, but inside, his heart ached as he silently wished he had been there in person. He hadn't been invited though, so he had spent another night alone in his room, having been left to his own devices after dinner when Constance had been whisked out the door by her haughty husband, apparently being needed to accompany him to meet with a potential customer. The Gascon sighed as he shook himself from his reverie. Maybe one day he could go along with his friends without an invitation, but it was clear to him that they were not at that point yet and he certainly didn't want to be seen as a tag along or a puppy following mindlessly after his masters. Most days, the three men would disappear with nary a goodbye right after training was over for the day and d'Artagnan wouldn't see them until the next morning. There were a few rare occasions when the Gascon had been invited out, and those days were cherished as the best days he'd had since arriving in Paris, other than the day he had been made a recruit.

d'Artagnan struggled to understand why he was not welcomed to go with the Inseparables on their nightly excursions. Of course, they had a long history with each other, and no other musketeers accompanied them either, but it seemed as though they had taken a personal interest in his training, something that they did not do with the other recruits, and they seemed pleased to have him join them for meals at their table in the garrison, so why would they be so aloof when the day was over? The young man kept coming back to one conclusion…their disappointment in him over the whole Vadim fiasco. They had told him that he had done a good job, even the captain had said so, but he had also been scolded by Athos for going off script with the prison break and forcing them all to scramble to figure out how to fix the mess that it had caused. d'Artagnan knew that he had messed up and that it was only luck that everything had turned out okay. Vadim had known all along what d'Artagnan was doing, a huge failure on his part for not being convincing enough. It was Vadim's greed in the end that had brought him down…it had nothing to do with d'Artagnan's skill, at least in the Gascon's eyes. His failure with Vadim had seriously damaged his self confidence and he found himself wondering at his worth. It was this that led him to believe that if there was anything that caused the three men to keep d'Artagnan at arms length outside of duty, it had to be his failure with Vadim.

d'Artagnan sighed as he wondered if he would ever truly gain their acceptance and trust. Maybe when he finally earned his commission he would be counted as one of them. Or maybe not. Maybe it was his youth that caused him to be so insecure around these three men, he thought, as he had never been insecure before. Pondering this newest thought, he became lost to all that was happening around him. It was only when he sensed the three men rising from the table that he was brought out of his depressing musings. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Captain Treville standing at the railing outside of his rooms and realized that his comrades had been summoned. Another mission most likely that would take them away for a day or two, or more even, and leave the Gascon to train with the other musketeers who weren't as accepting of the young farmboy as the Inseparables were. Settling on the fact that he would once again be left completely on his own, d'Artagnan nearly missed it when the captain called his name as well. He looked at his three friends, all of whom had stopped and shared a surprised look with each other before turning their gazes on him, then turned to glance up at the captain.

"Sir?" d'Artagnan called as he rose to his feet and turned around.

Captain Treville cocked his head as he met his young recruit's eyes. "I said you are to come as well," he called before turning his back and retreating into his rooms.

"Oh, I…uh…yes, sir," d'Artagnan sputtered as he hurried to catch up to his friends. The three shared another look then turned and headed toward the stairs, leaving the Gascon to follow behind, wondering all along what their shared looks meant.

Once all four men were standing before the captain's desk, Treville looked up and met his second in commands gaze. "I have a letter that I need to have delivered," he started. "It is of upmost importance that it be delivered safely into the hands of one Pierre Ribault, who will then deliver it to its final destination. You will leave immediately to Orleans and meet the courier outside the walls of the Ste Croix Cathedral the day after tomorrow…and you will take d'Artagnan with you," he finished as he stood and handed the letter to Athos. "I can't impress upon you enough how important this letter is. If it were to fall into the wrong hands it could be disastrous for France. This letter must get through."

d'Artagnan didn't miss the look that once again passed between the three men upon hearing that he would be accompanying them on this mission. It infuriated him that they didn't seem to feel that he should go along. Hadn't he trained hard every day? Done everything asked of him and more? Hadn't he proven that he was good enough? It all came back to Vadim, d'Artagnan was sure of it and it made him feel angry and hurt all at the same time. He was about to voice his feelings when Athos beat him to it.

"Sir, with all due respect, do you really think that with the urgency and importance of this mission that bringing d'Artagnan along would be for the best? The road between Paris and Orleans is wrought with danger and the lad has barely begun his training. Surely it would do him more good to stay here and continue with it," the man said, further infuriating the young Gascon.

"d'Artagnan is far ahead of any of the other recruits with his training and I feel this mission will go a long way in furthering what he has already learned," Captain Treville started. "As you said, the road is wrought with danger, making a fourth man quite necessary."

"But surely a more seasoned musketeer, rather than a recruit, would be better for the job, sir?"

Treville let out an irritated breath and came around the desk. He glanced at his young recruit and immediately saw the anger that boiled in his dark eyes. He turned to Athos and folded his arms over his chest. "How is our Gascon to learn if he is left at the garrison?" he asked.

Aramis cleared his throat and offered his own remark. "Perhaps something that is not quite so dangerous would be more appropriate for d'Artagnan's first real mission outside of Paris, is what I think Athos means…sir?" he supplied haltingly.

As Treville opened his mouth to answer, d'Artagnan stepped forward and looked angrily at his friends. "You know, I'm right here!" he blurted. "I am perfectly capable of handling myself in dangerous situations. It isn't like I've never faced danger before…and look, I'm still here!" he cried, his arms stretched out to his sides.

"Of course yer capable, whelp," Porthos said as he glanced over at his young friend. "Nobody is sayin' you aren't."

"Well, that's what it sounds like to me," d'Artagnan spat.

"Alright, alright," Treville said. "I've made my decision and that is that d'Artagnan will accompany you. Now, go prepare your horses for the trip. You will have to camp out as there is no money to spare for lodgings." With that, Treville moved back around his desk and dropped into his chair. He picked up the pile of papers before him and began to ruffle through them, thus making it clear that there would be no further discussions.

d'Artagnan wasted no time in rushing to the door and flinging it open. He was already half way down the stairs when the three musketeers exited the captain's office. He ignored the calls of his friends as he hurried across the garrison yard toward the stables and didn't look up when the three men entered the stables a few moments after him.

"d'Artagnan, look at me," Athos commanded as he stepped up to where the young man had begun to prepare his horse. When d'Artagnan gave no indication that he would follow the order, Athos grabbed his arm and pulled him around. d'Artagnan hissed in anger as he yanked his arm away.

"I know what you're going to say, Athos! I'm not ready for this mission…I'll only be burden!" the young man cried, his dark eyes flashing as he glared at his mentor. "Well, I am ready! I won't be a burden!"

Athos sighed as he took in the angry young man before him. "d'Artagnan…I wasn't going to say that you will be a burden. I…"

"But I'm not ready, right?"

"No, I do not believe that you are ready," Athos answered honestly. "If we are set upon by men who wish to take this letter away from us, you are ill prepared to handle the situation. It isn't that you aren't a good swordsman, or fighter…it is that you are not experienced if something should happen."

The young man studied his mentor for several moments before he responded. "And how will I become experienced if I am always left behind?"

"It's only because we worry about you, lad," Porthos offered as he stepped forward from where he and Aramis stood watching their two friends.

"Because you don't trust me!" d'Artagnan cried.

"We do trust you, d'Artagnan. We just…" Aramis began, only to be cut off when d'Artagnan turned his angry eyes on him.

"You don't trust me! You don't think I can handle myself in a fight…Athos just said as much!"

"That's enough!" Athos barked. "It matters not what we think, Treville has given his command and we must follow it. I only wished to convey to our young Gascon that it was nothing personal, but he has made it clear that he will hear none of our words. Now go, d'Artagnan! Get warm clothing and blankets. Once you have done that, get enough provisions for the four of us from Serge for a week. The three of us will prepare the horses."

d'Artagnan gave a quick nod then pushed through his friends and rushed from the stables. Athos sighed as he watched the young man go, then turned to his companions. "That one is still too hot headed. We must keep a close eye on him, but we also must remember…the mission comes first. This letter must be delivered at all costs," he said. The three men shared a look then Porthos and Aramis nodded in agreement. They went to work preparing the four horses while they waited for their youngest member to return, all with heavy hearts and troubled minds at how the day had turned.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMM

The four men rode in silence as they made their way toward Orleans. Athos and Aramis led the way, while Porthos and d'Artagnan brought up the rear of their small party. When d'Artagnan had returned with clothing and provisions, he had said not one word. He filled the saddle bags and waited for Athos' instructions, but kept silent the entire time. The three Inseparables each silently hoped that the young Gascon's mood would improve. It wasn't that long of a trip, a quick two and half day ride, but when one was in such a sour state of mind, it could make it seem a lot longer. It was unnatural that the lad was so quiet and it unnerved them all immensely. After several hours of riding, the three were becoming irritated, when before they were more concerned than anything. As the light of the day slowly began to turn to dusk, they began their search for a place to bed down for the night. Finally, they found a nice protected area within the trees not far off of the road. They dismounted their horses and tied them to a tree then began to make camp.

"d'Artagnan, go and gather kindling and firewood," Athos said as he pulled his bedroll from his saddle bag. "It looks as though there will be a chill tonight."

They young man nodded before hurrying into the trees in search of the requested wood. He took his time, wandering through the forest, grumbling under his breath as he picked up small pieces of branches to use as kindling and larger pieces to use to stoke the fire during the night. With a large armload he headed back to the camp. Once he broke through the trees, he dropped the wood and kindling in the center of the circle his companions had formed. He noticed that they had brought out the provisions and were starting to eat and he felt a pang of hurt that they hadn't waited for him. They talked amongst themselves, only briefly looking up to acknowledge him. He ignored their conversation as he once again headed out into the forest, stopping only when Porthos called to him.

"Where are you going, lad? This fire isn't going to light itself," the large musketeer queried.

d'Artagnan turned and tilted his head as he met his friend's gaze. "I need to gather more firewood if we are to keep the fire burning through the night," he answered. "Surely with what I have already collected one of you can get the fire going?"

"Come build the fire, then you can go for more firewood," Athos said, his eyes never lifting from where he was laying out his meal before him.

"But…"

"That's an order, d'Artagnan," Athos said, his blue eyes finally rising to meet the young man's glare.

"Yes, sir!" d'Artagnan quipped before he made his way back into the center of the camp and dropped down to prepare the campfire. In short order there was a roaring blaze and without another word, the Gascon stood and hurried back into the forest, unaware of the three sets of eyes that followed him until he was out of sight.

"Maybe we were too hard on the lad?" Porthos asked once he was sure d'Artagnan was out of ear shot.

Athos looked up and shook his head. "He needs to learn to follow orders, no matter what those orders are," he drawled. "Besides, all recruits are made to set up camp, including gathering wood and starting the fire before they are allowed to rest. Our hard headed young friend is no different."

"Yes, but with everything that has occurred today, maybe we could cut him some slack?" Aramis queried, his dark eyes moving to the tree line then returning to his brothers.

"It is because of what occurred today that we must stick to the norm. If d'Artagnan is so sure that he is ready to go on a mission such as this so early in his training, then he is quite ready to be broken in like everyone else is," Athos answered.

Porthos and Aramis nodded, but inside they felt the weight of guilt press upon them. It was obvious that the lad was hurting and neither one could fully blame him for that. The way the morning had gone they could understand why he would take what they had said as a slight to his abilities when that couldn't be further from the truth. They couldn't change what had happened, but they could hope that by the end of this mission, their young friend would see that they did trust him and his abilities. They hoped that he would eventually see things from their perspective that such a raw recruit was not ready for such a dangerous and important mission. They still wondered at Treville's insistence that the Gascon join them when normally he would scoff at the mere suggestion of such a thing, but could only speculate about his reasoning. Finally, they both shared a quick look then went back to their meal. It would all work out in the end, they were sure of it.

It was close to an hour later when a tired and hungry d'Artagnan walked back into camp, his arms burdened with enough firewood to last the night. He stopped just inside the trees when he saw that his companions had not only finished their meals, but had taken to their bedrolls, already presumably asleep. "They couldn't even wait for me to return," he whispered as he slowly made his way to the campsite. He stacked the wood he had gathered then placed a few more pieces into the dwindling flames. He jumped slightly when Athos' voice suddenly called out to him.

"You are on first watch. Wake Porthos in two hours, then you can rest."

d'Artagnan looked to where his mentor lay and sighed when he saw that the man hadn't even looked at him when giving his command. He looked around the circle and saw that his blankets had been taken out of his saddle bag, but not laid out. He gave a small smile as he actually hadn't expected even this small token. He searched out the bags that held their rations and quickly pulled out enough for a small meal. He ate his meal then settled in for first watch. Two hours later he woke Porthos and once the man was awake, he climbed beneath his blanket and quickly fell asleep. Morning came quickly and after a rushed breakfast, the four men broke camp and were on the road again.

"We ride until midday when we will stop and give the horses a rest and eat a meal," Athos said as they rode once again toward Orleans. "We will stop for the night at sundown and finish our trek by mid-morning tomorrow."

The others nodded their agreement as they fell in to their same formation from the previous day. At midday, they stopped for lunch then were back on the road within the hour. As the sky began to quickly darken, Athos called for them to stop.

"We are losing the light. We should start looking for a place to stop for the night," Athos said as he looked around at their surroundings. "Those trees over there should do the trick," he added. "It sounds as if the stream runs close so we can fill our water skins and get the horses to drink."

The men nodded and turned their horses off the road and toward the trees, but Athos slowed and turned toward the other three. "d'Artagnan, ride up the road a bit. I believe you will find more firewood there than where we plan to camp," he said.

The Gascon cocked his head and eyed his mentor questioningly. "If there is more firewood up ahead, why don't we just find a place to camp there?" he asked.

"Because, like I said, I can hear the stream and it sounds like it runs just on the other side of those trees. If I'm not mistaken, I believe it makes a turn away from the road just ahead. The horses need to drink and we are quickly losing daylight," Athos explained with just a hint of irritation in his voice.

D'Artagnan nodded then turned back toward the road. "Use your bedroll to wrap the wood in…that way you can get enough for the night in one trip," Athos called. With a wave of his hand as the only indication that d'Artagnan had heard, the Gascon was off down the road. When he was far enough away, Athos turned to Porthos. "Follow him…make sure he doesn't get into any trouble, but don't follow too closely," he said. Porthos nodded and made his way back up to the road. He followed his young friend, keeping a safe distance between them until he saw him disappear around a bend in the road. He kept up his slow pace, never expecting the scene that would greet him as he too came around the bend.

Uh oh...this sounds ominous. What does Porthos see? You'll find out in the next chapter :D, which I will post just as soon as I can! Thanks for reading!

Cindy