Chapter Seventeen - Drugged
D'Artagnan
It had been the most stupid thing he had ever done. Why had he let it happen? How had he been taken in by them? The men had been friendly, they had talked amiably. They had asked about the war. He had been happy to talk to them about it. They had bought another bottle of wine. One of the men had refilled his cup. They had toasted him. He had taken a good swig of the wine.
And now he was sat in a cellar, his arms tied behind him as a thumping headache assailed his senses. He was sure the headache was not down to the wine. He had only had one and a half cups. He was sure he had been drugged and that the men who had been drinking with him were responsible.
He did not know why.
D'Artagnan had awoken in the dank cellar a short while ago. He had pushed himself up to sit but could not manage anything else. The room span. He wondered if he would have been better lying back down again. The way he felt he knew he would not be able to push himself up to stand. He felt weak. He tried to move, but the horrible disorientating spinning crashed over him again.
The cellar was quite big, he guessed he was in a large house. Stone steps opposite him led up to a large, heavy looking door. Several torches lit the room. He could not see any wine being stored. The only furniture was a large wooden table with sturdy chairs around it. He could see his doublet and weapons belt lying on the table. Tantalisingly close, but he knew he could not reach them.
D'Artagnan leaned back against the cold stone wall. He wondered how long he had been down in the dank cellar. The only window was small and dirty not letting in any light, he had no idea how long he had been unconscious for. Had he been missed yet? Was anyone looking for him yet? Would they find him?
The tavern he had stopped in was not one that they usually frequented. He remembered going into that tavern with Porthos a couple of times, but not recently. Would his brothers think to ask after him there? Even if he had been seen in the tavern his kidnapping might not have been noticed. He remembered the tavern was busy.
He looked up as the cellar door was pushed open. Several men entered, walking down the stone steps towards him.
D'Artagnan guessed he was about to find out why he had been drugged and taken hostage.
Authors note: The next chapter (sort of) follows on…