Back at the palace Aramis stood outside the Queen's apartments. He was pacing up and down the grand corridor, looking vaguely like he was on duty. But there were those who knew, however, that he was not on duty this night. The door opened and Marguerite extracted herself from the room, leaving the door slightly ajar.

"Aramis, I'm so glad you're here," she said quietly as she moved toward him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and put her face to his chest. He looked over her head to see the Queen standing near the opening. He gave a slight inclination of his head to which Anne responded by raising her hand to say that she would wait.

Aramis pushed back from Marguerite to look at her "You're safe now. No one will harm you in the palace."

"I know...I know but I thought when you were pushed out the window that you were dead."

"I know but I'm here. Everything is alright now."

Marguerite stood on her tip toes to press a soft kiss to his lips. "I must go. The Queen wants me to go and check on the Dauphin. Then pack a bag for Constance, I don't know why, when she's coming back tonight and then she has ordered me to bed" she looked meaningfully at Aramis "after such a harrowing day."

Aramis gave her a smile "Alas I am here on duty. I just came to check on you. The Dauphin is fine, I have just came from his nursery. And the Queen is right, you need to rest. Go to bed."

Marguerite pouted a little and then kissed him once more. "I'll go then and pack the bag. And go to bed...alone!" Aramis smiled at her once more looking like he was sorry. Marguerite moved away and headed towards Constance's room.

"How did I ever think it would be a good idea to be bed her so I could be close to Anne and my son." ran through Aramis' head for about the millionth time.

The door creaked open a little further catching his attention. He turned to see his only love coming towards him, looking like the angel he knew her to be. He bowed to her, "Your Majesty." His eyes lifting to hers.

"Aramis." Anne said in her most royal voice with a trace of a smile. "I've told everyone that I'm not to be disturbed until morning as I want to rest."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"But I find I can't. My head is still too full of what happened today. I need a distraction, something to take my mind off of it."

"Your Majesty?"

"Come and talk to me Aramis." He gave Anne a questioning look, trying to read what was really going on with her. She pulled at his arm, just as she had in Emilie's tent and stepped closer to him. "Talk to me Aramis, like you did at the Convent."

"We promised each other..." Aramis started to say, shaking his head.

"I am the Queen, I told you once before, I am allowed to break my promises." Anne smiled, reminding them both of another time and place. Anne stepped back into her rooms, drawing Aramis to the edge of the doorway.

"Anne, if we are caught it is treason..."

"We won't be. The only ones that would come to my rooms would be Constance..."

"Who we have made sure will not return, having paid for her and D'Artagnan to stay overnight in a roadside inn."

"And Margarethe."

"Whom you have sent to bed to rest." Anne giggled, looking at Aramis, her eyes alight with fun. "You did that on purpose didn't you? Sending her off to bed. Knowing that I would come here to check on you, to make sure you were safe."

Anne nodded. "It's safe for us tonight. No one will know, no one will find out. The King has taken a sleeping draught, his nerves were frayed after the incidents today."

Aramis stepped across the threshold into Anne's room and closed the door behind him with a soft click. Anne floated towards him, placing her hands on his chest. "I thought I had lost you today." she whispered, "When the window shattered, I thought...I thought.."

Aramis put his arms around her and held her close as he had before. "Shh! Shh! I'm not going anywhere. I'm fine besides a few scratches and bruises." He looked down into her beautiful eyes and smiled at her.

"How can you smile? A piece of me died today. I thought I'd never see you again." Anne said.

"Musketeers don't die easy." Aramis replied "Remember that for next time."

"I pray there is not a next time Aramis, I couldn't bear it." Anne said weakly.

Aramis traced a finger down Anne's face "But it is my job Anne, there will always be a next time. I am there to protect you and the Dauphin."

"Are you not a King's musketeer? I thought your job was to protect the King." Anne said arching her eyebrow at him.

"Not any more Anne. I told you that I would guard our son and I would give my life for you. You will always be under my protection."

"I wish...I wish..."

"What do you wish, my love?"

"I wish that I was just an ordinary woman, free from duty, to openly love whom I choose. To be like Constance and D'Artagnan, to be with the one I love. I just can't imagine how wonderful that would be."

Aramis laughed gently "Constance and D'Artagnan haven't had an easy time of it. Constance is married too, remember. Bonacieux is a relatively young man, it may be years before they can marry. And if something happens to D'Artagnan in the meantime, Constance will have nothing."

"Constance will always have a place with me but would she not be looked after by the Musketeers?" Anne asked, fiddling with a buckle on Aramis' jacket.

"We would," implying that Athos, Porthos and himself would care for her "but not the garrison. And if you were not who you are, we would never have meet my Queen."

Anne looked at him, "Don't call me that, not here, not now. Tonight I just want to be Anne and I want you to be Aramis, not a musketeer. I just want to be with you, Aramis and forget about everything. I love you."

Aramis gathered her to him once more "I love you too, my Queen." His hand drifted up to cup her face and drew her soft lips to his.