Disclaimer: I do not own Albert the Fifth Musketeer or the characters

Chapter Five

"Monsieur de Treville, Captain of the King's Musketeers!" a footman called as the Captain entered the room quickly yet calmly.

King Louis XIII looked to his old friend. "Captain de Treville, this is quite the surprise! You don't normally come unless summoned!"

"I know, and I apologise for the suddenness of my visit, but there are dire circumstances which resulted in my having to come unannounced."

"Do not apologise, Captain. But, what is it that's so important you had to come?"

Queen Anne of Austria sat in her throne beside her husband, while Cardinal Richelieu stood nearby. "Has something happened to the Musketeers?" the beautiful woman enquired.

The Captain nodded. "Yesterday, four of my Musketeers were attacked. They are currently out of commission."

"How serious is it?" Louis XIII enquired, concern in his tone.

"Very serious, Your Majesty. I would've come last night to inform you, but it wasn't known if they would live through the night."

The Cardinal let out a snort. "Now we can clearly see just how incompetant the Musketeers truly are! Some attackers have left them incapacitated. And I thought nobody could match the Musketeers."

Captain de Treville turned to the Cardinal. "I already know who attacked them, and had the odds been in our favour, my Musketeers wouldn't be lying in the infirmary as we speak!"

"Who attacked them, Captain? Do tell me!" Louis XIII ordered.

"Of course, Your Majesty. They were ambushed by twenty of the Cardinal's Guards."

The King turned to Richelieu, a very stormy expression on his face. "This isn't the first time you've done something like this, Cardinal. I want you to get out right now before I do something I regret! And even though your Guards are the only ones able to, be certain I will hold off any missions I organise until my Musketeers are in fighting shape again! There is no way that I am allowing your Guards the chance, not after this!"

The Captain couldn't help but feel a little smug as he watched the Cardinal leave the room hurriedly before the King lost his benevolent ways and ordered him executed.

"Captain, you said four of your Musketeers had been attacked. What of the Fifth Musketeer?" Anne queried.

"Unfortunately, though he did not sustain any physical injuries, he's no better off than the other four. The doctor expressed concern that following the attack, he will be prone to breakdowns, may decide to miss meals and sleep unless someone insists he partakes of them and it will be too difficult if he is away from the other Musketeers for long periods of time. His wounds are just as painful as the cuts and slices the others had received. The doctor informed me at lunchtime that if he keeps going in the same direction he is now, filled with self-blame and intense fear, then he may have to stay in the infirmary as well."

Poor Albert...

Louis XIII nodded. "This is quite dire indeed if all of your Musketeers are out of action. I will allow all of them to take as much time to recover as necessary, even the Fifth Musketeer. If I forced them to hurry, there is no way they would be able to recover enough to successfully complete a mission."

"You have my eternal gratitude for your benevolence, Your Majesty," de Treville commented, voice filled with emotion at just how kind his old friend truly is. He removed his hat and swished it through the air in front of him gracefully as he bowed.

Back in the infirmary, most of the males were asleep. Only Albert was still awake, even though he'd been told he must make sure to get some rest. But, it was difficult to even consider sleeping when his four closest friends were lying in the beds near him, all with serious injuries that had been inflicted. All because I wasn't there... He slid off his cot and stepped over to D'Artagnan's bedside. He was glad his friend was sleeping at least a little more peacefully than the night before. He shook his head. I'm sorry, gentlemen, but I can't rest as peacefully as you can right now. I can't eat because I feel sick, and I can't sleep because of the guilt that's filling my thoughts. He folded his arms on the bed and rested his head on them. I'll just rest my head here for a little while...