Mounted on their horses ready for their return to Paris with the King's party, Athos, Aramis and Porthos came up to the young couple, Porthos leading D'Artagnan's horse. D'Artagnan mounted his horse with ease and put his hand out to Constance to lift her onto the horse.
"Take your time returning to the palace, D'Artagnan." Athos growled as he went past.
"Have a good time." Aramis smiled and Porthos just raised his eyebrows with a soft "Heh, heh, heh!"
"What was that all about?" Constance asked as she settled herself behind him.
"Nothing you need to worry about." D'Artagnan said, giving the others a look that told them all to shut up and keep their comments to themselves. Athos, Aramis and Porthos all smirked as they started the journey back.
Constance laid her head against D'Artagnan back and wrapped her arms around his waist. Constance drew in a deep breath. D'Artagnan smelled of the woods, leather and sweat. It was a familiar fragrance and one she loved. It so different to her husband, who smelled of lavender and rosewater. She always thought that D'Artagnan, even though he was the youngest of the group, could hold his own against almost anyone but most definitely against her husband.
Her arms tightened around his waist "I was so scared," she whispered "that I would lose you."
D'Artagnan rubbed her hands and turned his head towards her "I told you everything would be alright, that I would make sure you were safe."
"But you were ready to exchange your life for mine. If he hadn't stepped in front when Marmion fired, you would have died, I would have been left alone." Constance was becoming more upset as she spoke.
D'Artagnan reined his horse to a stop and turned in the saddle to face Constance. "Hey! Hey! It's ok, we're safe. I told you, I'd make sure nothing happened to you."
"But it nearly happened to you!"
"Constance, shut up and kiss me." D'Artagnan leaned over and captured her lips, stopping any further talk of their narrow escape from earlier in the day.
When they finally broke apart they discovered that they had fallen way behind the others. D'Artagnan shifted Constance so she sat in front of him, wrapped his cloak around her and drew her closer to him. "Rest Constance, close your eyes. You're exhausted after today."
Constance snuggled into him, enjoying his warmth. "What about you? You've faced the same day. Are you telling me that you're fine?" She didn't want to confess that the events had certainly affected her, both physically and emotionally.
D'Artagnan smirked at her "I'm a Musketeer, I deal with these sort of situations all the time."
"Right, of course." Constance sighed.
D'Artagnan hugged her "Well, not quite like this I suppose. Normally it's only me or the others in danger. And usually I protect the King not ignore him but when the woman I love is threatened with a pistol." He stopped for a moment. "I didn't think, I just knew that I had to do something."
Constance leaned back into him, feeling his solid body at her back. "I know you did, but you offering yourself in my place, that scared me D'Artagnan. What if he'd shot you? I would have been left alone." D'Artagnan could feel her starting to stiffen, her fear returning and then she shivered and not because she was cold.
Taking up the reins, D'Artagnan urged his mount forward. They continued on their journey at a slow pace so Constance could rest. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the images from the day, Marmion pointing the pistol at her, at D'Artagnan, Aramis being pushed out the window, the Queen and the Dauphin being taken from the room, the King having to choose who was going to live and who would die. Between the images and the jostling of the horse Constance wasn't getting much rest.
Darkness began to fall as they rode along the road back to Paris, D'Artagnan was concerned about getting to the palace and seeing Constance was safe. The rest of the Musketeers and the royal convoy were well out of sight.
Before long D'Artagnan could see some lights up ahead and remembered the inn they had passed on the way to the fort. "Constance...Constance wake up." he whispered in her ear as she stirred from her drowsy state "There's an inn up ahead. I think we should stop for the night."
Constance started to argue with him, wanting him to take her back to the palace before the Queen missed her but D'Artagnan wanted to get her off the horse and into a warm bed so she could get some proper rest. He shook his head against all her protests "I'll have you back early in the morning, the Queen won't even know you didn't get back tonight."
At the front door of the inn D'Artagnan dismounted and helped Constance down from the horse. A boy came rushing from the shadows to take the possession of the horse, leading the horse to the stable. D'Artagnan went to the door first, pulling Constance behind him to protect her from anything or any one inside that might intend them harm.
"Aah Monsieur you are here!" the innkeeper called out, wiping his hands on the dish cloth in his hands. "Your room is ready and the fire tended."
D'Artagnan looked at the man slightly confused "I think you have the wrong man..."