Time to meet the family! Well, my version of it. :)


Chapter Two

Queen Anne was tired now and she wanted to stop as soon as they found a suitable place. They had already stopped in one town to send a message about their delay but the local inn hadn't looked very welcoming and the people had looked wary of strangers. The lack of sleep from the night of the storm was catching up with her as well as the bumps of the carriage ride.

'Captain,' she called out of the carriage which was currently being steered by D'Artagnan.

'Yes, Your Majesty,' Tréville pulled his horse, Blaze, alongside the carriage window.

'Can we stop soon, please?' she asked sounding slightly exasperated.

'There's a town up ahead so we'll see if they have room,' he smiled. Aramis had been listening in and his heart dropped as he realised which town they were heading for. Brossac.

'Do we have to stop there?' Aramis sidled up next to Tréville with a meaningful look.

'I thought you'd be happy to be home?' Tréville. 'You haven't been back for so long.'

'You don't know my family,' Aramis grumbled.

'Who says we'll see them anyway? They live on the outskirts of the town, don't they?' Tréville was struggling to understand Aramis' demeanour but concluded he was merely afraid of going back because he hadn't seen them in so long.

They soon arrived in the small town of Brossac and immediately started searching for an inn. Aramis quickly told Tréville that it was at the other end of the small town and the convoy continued to travel. They arrived outside of the inn and Queen Anne finally managed to stretch her legs after a tiring day. She looked around at the small, peaceful town as Tréville mumbled about booking rooms at the inn.

'Well, well. If you think you can hide that pert backside underneath that long coat René you are surely mistaken,' a voice rang out as everyone but Aramis turned to look at the owner. A short elderly woman was smiling widely and she only had eyes for Aramis' back. The looks turned from the woman back to Aramis who hadn't moved and had his eyes closed. He also appeared to be blushing. They saw Aramis forcibly exhale as he opened his eyes and turned slowly towards the woman who was still grinning widely.

'Grandmaman,' he said with a smile at the woman.

'Oh, so you do recognise me,' she started walking towards him. 'Surprised, as it's been so long,' she scolded playfully.

'It's good to see you,' he embraced her and kissed her cheeks.

'Oooh, charming as ever,' she smiled and the others smiled between them. 'Oh, is this them?' she moved quickly for her age and headed towards the musketeers as she spotted them and stopped in front of Porthos.

She looked at the three musketeers before her and smiled at Aramis who was now looking even more embarrassed.

'You have to be Porthos,' she said looking at the big musketeer who was grinning broadly. 'Look at those muscles,' she said with a grin. 'That makes you D'Artagnan,' she stood in front of the youngest musketeer.

'Madame,' D'Artagnan bowed slightly.

'Oooh, he's adorable,' she said grinning. 'Not started shaving though,' she reached up and brushed his chin.

'Hey!' D'Artagnan said with mock offence while Porthos roared with laughter next to him.

'Now this must be the grumpy Comte,' she said as she stood in front of Athos who merely raised an eyebrow at Aramis who was now grimacing while everyone else couldn't stop there laughter at the rather accurate description. 'Silent type this one,' she looked back at Aramis who was becoming more uncomfortable by the second. 'Give me a few minutes alone with him and he'll find his voice,' she said as she turned back to Athos.

'Grandmaman!' Aramis exclaimed as everyone burst out laughing again. Athos tried to keep his expression neutral but he couldn't do it and gave a very rare full smile and chuckle along with it.

'See!' she said clearly happy with herself. 'Now...who is this gorgeous specimen?' she asked as she sidled up to Tréville.

'Jean Tréville, Madame,' Tréville raised his hat politely as he smiled at Aramis' grandmother.

'My Captain,' Aramis said through gritted teeth and, if it was possible, he had gone redder than before.

'Oh, if I was ten years younger,' she said flirtatiously.

'Try twenty,' Aramis growled back as he kept his distance.

'You underestimate me boy,' the woman's eyes were twinkling with the familiar mischief often seen in Aramis' eyes. 'You may call me Nicole,' she said as she turned her attention back to Tréville who brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

'Now it all makes sense,' D'Artagnan whispered to Athos and Porthos who both smiled while Aramis scowled.

Aramis' grandmother spent a little longer staring at Tréville who couldn't hide his amusement at the attention he was receiving before moving on.

'So who are you young lady?' she stopped in front of Constance who was giving Aramis a knowing smirk.

'My name is Constance Bonacieux,' she replied with a smile.

'Hope that husband treats you right,' the older woman said as Constance looked confused. Nicole nodded down to Constance's wedding ring. Constance had a feeling that the woman could see right through her.

'He does,' she answered but Nicole was clearly not convinced.

'And what about you?' she said to the Queen.

'Grandmaman, this is Her Majesty Queen Anne,' Aramis interrupted looking seriously worried at his grandmother's behaviour but the Queen was smiling.

'Oh! Well forgive me Your Majesty but I don't get out much,' Nicole smiled broadly. 'I would curtsey but my knees don't work.'

'That is quite alright,' Anne smiled and laughed having never met a woman like this before.

'I thought you had Spanish blood when I saw you,' Nicole said matter-of-factly. 'I say it makes you more beautiful,' Nicole winked while Anne blushed slightly. 'Besides I've still got my looks and look at our René. Such a gorgeous young man,' Nicole grinned as Aramis rolled his eyes and went even redder so he looked like he had seriously caught the sun. The musketeers and Constance couldn't hold back their laughter anymore and were rather enjoying Aramis looking so uncomfortable, for once.

'Grandmaman, have you thoroughly finished embarrassing me?' Aramis looked over at a grinning Nicole and knew his grandmother would make him squirm even more given the chance.

'Well look at this. Squiggles returns,' another female voice rang out and Aramis closed his eyes again before taking a deep breath to turn and see a dark-haired woman of about his age with her hands on her hips smiling broadly.

'Hello, Claudette,' he copied her pose and put his hands on his hips as everyone else watched on with curiosity.

'Mon petit frère,' she said as she sauntered towards him.

'Ma grande soeur,' he shot back as Claudette launched herself at him.

'Don't you grande me, you annoying baby brother!' she squealed as she wrapped herself around Aramis' back as he laughed. He quickly managed to dislodge her and held her close to stop her fighting. She wouldn't give up and tried to swipe his feet out from underneath him but Aramis was too quick and regained his balance. Soon he had her in the 'swooning maiden pose' and was holding her hands in one hand and balancing her weight with his hand on her back. She was stuck and they both knew it.

'Are you done?' he smiled mischievously. She growled as he then let her up and she pushed his shoulder playfully.

'Gone are the days when I could beat you at wrestling,' she smiled while Aramis raised his eyebrows. Aramis saw the looks on his brother's faces and sighed.

'She's five years older than me!' he said dramatically. 'Until I started growing at thirteen she had the advantage!'

'Excuses, excuses,' Claudette shook her head. 'Squiggles,' she added.

'Squiggles?' Constance couldn't help herself as Aramis became uncomfortable again.

'He was such a squiggly baby,' Claudette grinned. 'You could always make him squeal by tickling his tummy and then he would wave his arms and legs about.' Laughter erupted and Aramis wanted the ground to swallow him at this point.

'We'll have to try that,' Athos said dryly as Aramis glared at his friend.

'Charles, Sophie,' Claudette called as a boy about ten years old and a girl about seven appeared. 'Jump on your Uncle René!'

Aramis suddenly found his arms full of the children but he was clearly relishing it. The children were giggling as Aramis tried to keep track of them both. Charles was on his back while Sophie was clutching his leg.

'My you two have gotten heavy!' he exclaimed dramatically as the children giggled.

'Where you been Uncle René? Sophie asked.

'I've been working,' he said back.

'Maman says too much work makes you dull!' Charles said laughing.

'I think she's right,' Aramis said through gritted teeth.

'Right, you horrible pair, home,' Claudette smiled.

'Ohhhh,' came the twin disappointed replies as the children let go and waved as they left.

Aramis turned back to see his grandmother explaining that they were in the presence of royalty as his sister did curtsey to the Queen who Aramis noted seemed to be thoroughly enjoying herself. She looked radiant even though she was clearly tired from the journey.

'I never actually thought my baby brother would get anywhere near royalty,' Claudette teased.

'I did tell you that was my job!' Aramis shook his head at his sister.

'Yeah, but I thought he was exaggerating,' Claudette was in her stride now but something had stopped her and he had an idea who. Aramis followed his sister's eye line and everyone else turned to see the newcomer. The family resemblance was obvious to all.

'Hello, Maman,' Aramis said confirming that this woman was in fact his mother.

'So my son that never comes home has finally made an appearance,' she had a stern look on her face and was sporting an identical hands on hips pose that Claudette had used minutes earlier. Aramis stared his mother down with a small smile and Sophie could hold it no longer as she beamed and flung herself at her younger son.

When they finally broke apart she swatted playfully at him, 'What took you so long?'

'I've been busy,' he replied as he fiddled with the hair that was sticking out from underneath his hat. A sure sign that he was nervous.

'Oh, look at that hair,' she reached up to his hair. 'It could do with a trim!'

'Maman,' he whined and swatted her hand away and pursed his lips.

'Oh, this has to be them,' she said delighted as she spotted the musketeers as Aramis sighed. 'What? I want to know who the men are that have kept you away from me!'

'Hands off that one!' Nicole watched her daughter as she headed for Tréville. 'The Captain's mine,' she smiled and Tréville returned it.

Sophie surveyed the three musketeers before her who were all slightly nonplussed at the attention they were receiving. She finally stopped in front of Porthos and was smiling.

'You never said they were this gorgeous,' she turned to look at her son.

'I suppose that's a matter of opinion,' Aramis smirked.

'I like the strong type,' she said playfully to Porthos while Aramis huffed and turned away.

'Where's Papa?' he asked sounding exasperated.

'Furthermost field,' she turned back. 'It is lambing season,' she said as if he should have realised.

'Oh, have you met the Queen?' Nicole asked as this time it was Sophie who looked slightly aghast.

'Sorry, Your Majesty,' Sophie curtsied. 'What must you think of us?' she was wringing her hands in a nervous gesture as Aramis placed his arms around his mother's shoulders in reassurance.

Anne moved forward smiling doing her best to show that she wasn't offended. 'Honestly, this is the longest I've laughed in quite a while and I'm sure you have wonderful tales to tell.' At this point Anne looked at Aramis who now seemed resigned that he would be cringing for much longer but he did feel his mother relax in his grip. 'Your family are wonderful Aramis,' she added smiling.

'My family are crazy you mean,' Aramis rolled his eyes and Sophie elbowed him slightly in the ribs making him buckle. 'Ow.'

'Well they do say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!' D'Artagnan looked smug causing Aramis to glare and D'Artagnan clearly read the look that he would pay for his comment, later.

'Where are you staying?' Sophie looked around.

'The inn, I guess,' Tréville answered.

'Well, we have more than enough room,' Sophie smiled. Aramis did his best not to react but he knew anymore time together and everyone would hear his adventures as child whether he liked it or not.

'We don't want to intrude,' Anne smiled sweetly and Aramis hoped that would be enough but he also knew his mother.

'Oh it's no trouble,' Sophie smiled brightly waving away Anne's comment. 'I assume you're wanting your visit to be quieter,' Sophie looked around and the town was rather deserted as the sun was lowering in the sky. 'Less chance of being recognised if you come with us.' Anne looked to Tréville.

'We do not want to cause you any trouble but it may be better to stay away from large crowds,' he said diplomatically.

'That's sorted then,' Sophie smiled brightly. 'We're just at the end of the town.'


A/N: I hope you enjoyed my version of Aramis' family but there are a couple of members we haven't met yet and one of them won't be happy to see our marksman. :)

Mon petit frère - my little brother

Ma grande soeur - my big sister