Apologies for this being a bit late but things have been a bit busy recently. As promised we meet the rest of Aramis' family. :)
I should point out there are a couple of instances of swearing but it is mild.
Chapter – Three
'Right,' Sophie was suddenly very business-like. 'René take these,' she dumped a few blankets in his arms, 'and take them to your father. He's in the furthermost field.' Aramis looked stunned but didn't argue as he took the blankets towards his horse mumbling under his breath. 'We can get the carriage close so that's no problem. Claudette, go and see to your family darling.' Sophie gave her daughter a kiss as Claudette waved as she left. 'Maman, on the wagon with me,' she directed her mother to the wagon just behind the carriage.
'Surprised you're not arguin'? Porthos chuckled as he passed Aramis.
'You don't argue with my mother Porthos,' Aramis sighed.
'René, why are you still here?' Sophie called as Aramis placed his head on his saddle in despair.
'It could be worse Aramis,' Tréville couldn't hide his amusement as Aramis groaned.
'Permission to ride back to Paris at top speed Captain?' Aramis looked hopefully at Tréville.
'Permission denied,' Tréville smirked. 'I suggest you get going. Your mother looks like she could be quite scary when she wants to be.'
'You have no idea,' Aramis mounted his horse and took off while scowling at the amused faces around him.
The procession proceeded to the end of the town and just a bit further on when Sophie led her wagon down farm track. It was narrow but the carriage fitted well enough and soon they were at the gate. Sophie led the wagon to the area to unload and D'Artagnan stopped the carriage nearby.
Having never seen a farm, except at a distance and in a carriage, Anne was suddenly overwhelmed by the sight. She could see sheep and cows and hear the noises they made. D'Artagnan eyed the stables nearby which were surprisingly large.
'Shall we untack the horses and put them in the stables?' he called out as Sophie was unhitching the horse that pulled her cart.
'Yes, please,' she answered as Tréville moved to help her unhitch the horse. 'We should have enough room. We learnt from the last time we had several deliveries that all came on the same day that we needed bigger stables.'
All the horses were untacked as quickly as possible and Tréville muttered something about paying for the hay for the horses. Sophie acted as though she hadn't heard him and ploughed on.
Soon the horses were housed with fresh hay and some water to drink. Anne felt rather helpless as she watched them all work. She had never fully appreciated the work needed in caring for horses. She wished she could have helped but she was sure she would have just been in the way. Constance stayed by her side and Anne did notice her watching D'Artagnan more than the others.
The ground around the stables wasn't very muddy but the path to the house was as it was slightly low-lying in comparison.
'Oh, it's been a bit wet recently,' Sophie said as she saw the path. 'Gentleman, please leave your boots outside as I will not have mud in my kitchen. If your socks are filthy then they come off as well.' The musketeers nodded as Sophie frowned looking at Anne and Constance. 'I have an idea,' she said as she scurried off and they saw her pick up two pairs of boots that were by the door. 'These will stop your shoes getting dirty,' she smiled.
Anne and Constance smiled as she approached. They quickly managed to put them on and held their dresses off the floor. It certainly wasn't lady-like but Anne was rather enjoying herself. She gripped Porthos' arm as he led her across the muddy path and carrying her shoes while Constance was holding on to D'Artagnan. Once across they removed their boots and Anne placed her shoes at the inside of the door as she stepped in in her stockings.
'Your Majesty, you may wear your shoes if you wish,' Sophie said looking uncertain.
'No-one else is so I won't,' Anne smiled back. She entered the kitchen which smelled of baked bread and there was a pot over the fire.
'Gentlemen,' Sophie called, 'you can put your weapons in the cupboard,' she pointed at the large cupboard under the stairs. The musketeers quickly stashed their weapons away for safe-keeping.
Constance and the musketeers joined Anne and Sophie made gestures to follow her through to the sitting room where there were sofas next to the fire.
Anne was looking around at the decor and it surely wasn't a palace but there was a lived in warmth about the place. Sophie put more wood on the fire which crackled and lit up the room.
The door opened and Aramis walked in.
'Boots,' Sophie said to her younger son who appeared through the doorway his feet hidden by the far sofa. He walked around the sofa clearly wearing only his socks and an exasperated look.
'That's been the rule since before I could walk!' he rolled his eyes. 'I know that no outdoor boots are allowed in the house.' Sophie smiled and moved over and planted a kiss on his cheek.
'Doesn't hurt to remind you,' she said teasingly and ruffling his hair now that he had removed his hat before moving into the kitchen.
A blonde woman who looked a bit pale and drawn entered the room and looked rather astonished at the amount of people in front of her.
'Alice,' Aramis smiled warmly.
'René,' something faltered in her smile but she hugged him quickly.
A tall and largely built man appeared through the same door Aramis had used and this was clearly Aramis' father. The man looked around smiling and laughing heartily before bowing slightly towards the Queen, who smiled in return.
'Well, they all look like how you described them,' he chuckled and ruffled Aramis' hair who looked annoyed but also rather fondly at his father. 'You must be Captain Tréville,' the man held his hand out and Tréville, who was at on one of the sofas, took it. 'Been keeping my son away from home. Tell me, is he a nightmare?'
'Papa,' Aramis said closing his eyes. 'Captain, everyone, this is my father Patrice.'
'Well, he has his moments,' Tréville smirked at the marksman. 'Of course, these three don't help,' he indicated Athos, Porthos and D'Artagnan with a nod of the head.
'Hey!' three voices said in unison well Patrice laughed loudly.
'Oooh, tell us more...' Nicole was sat close to Tréville and shifted closer. Quite honestly it looked as though she would be in his lap soon enough.
'At this point, I would like to point out she is not my mother,' Patrice grinned as Nicole rolled her eyes.
'Your Majesty, Madame Bonacieux,' Sophie entered carrying some clothes.
'Constance is fine,' Constance smiled.
'I have some clothes here that might be better around the farm,' Sophie said uncertainly. 'I wouldn't want your expensive dresses to be spoiled.'
'Oh, thank you,' Anne stood and walked over. 'That is so thoughtful,' she smiled making Sophie blush.
'I'll show you where you can change,' Sophie led the women out of the room. 'Alice would you check on the stew please?' Alice shuffled off to the kitchen.
'How long has it been since you came back?' D'Artagnan asked Aramis.
'Must be nearly six years since we last saw him,' Patrice smiled but Aramis didn't respond as he was looking at the newcomer and neither expression was particularly warm. In fact, the looks were frosty beyond compare.
There was an awkward silence as the two men weighed each other up. The other man had the same hair colour and eyes as Aramis but the eyes did not show the warmth of the musketeer's. This was clearly Aramis' older brother and there was obviously a rift between them.
'I had hoped this had blown over,' Patrice muttered but the brothers reacted as though they hadn't heard him.
'Pierre,' Aramis said tersely.
'René,' Pierre spat back as silence ensued again. The room felt icy, even with the warm fire and no-one dared speak or take their eyes off the feuding brothers.
'I hope those dresses are comfortable,' Sophie's voice broke the stalemate as Anne and Constance appeared alongside her. Sophie paused for a moment as she took in the scene of her son's glaring at each other. She looked back and forth between them and it was clear that her anger was growing.
'What the hell is wrong with you two?!' Sophie had finally had enough and both son's looked slightly guilty as she looked harshly at them. 'What's wrong?'
'Ask him,' Pierre growled as Sophie turned her attention to her younger son.
'I have no idea,' Aramis sounded exasperated. 'Apparently, I did something...but he won't tell me what,' Aramis pointed forcefully at his brother.
'You should know!' Pierre roared.
'I don't, so tell me what I did that has pissed you off so much!' Aramis' anger was radiating off him and Anne watched as she felt the anger pouring off him. She had never seen him like this. Not many of the group had.
'Little brother,' Pierre shook his head looking astonished that Aramis had no idea what he had done.
'I'll knock your heads together in a minute!' Sophie was upset at seeing them like this and was getting frustrated as she was truly glad to see her younger son. Seeing them fighting hurt badly.
'Good,' Aramis said loudly. 'It might knock some sense into him!'
Pierre took a final look at his brother and marched from the room as Aramis moved to slump into an empty chair and bent over running his fingers through his hair.
Patrice placed a hand on his son's shoulder and gently squeezed.
'So Pierre's the reason you haven't been back,' he said quietly.
'Yeah,' Aramis sighed. 'I honestly don't know what I've done,' he looked pleadingly up into his father's eyes. 'He told me never to come back.'
'I knew something was wrong for you to stay away,' Sophie moved so that she was kneeling in front of Aramis. 'He wouldn't tell me either.'
'Nor me,' Patrice added.
'All he said was that you destroyed everything,' Alice said quietly making everyone look up.
'Why?' Aramis pleaded.
'He didn't say,' she said sadly. 'We'll eat away from you all,' she said as she disappeared into the kitchen again.
'Well, you can't say your return wasn't eventful,' D'Artagnan quipped with a smile and after a moment of silence laughter ensued and Aramis' smile was brought back, although it was rather half-hearted.
Dinner was a slightly squashed affair and it was perhaps a good thing that Pierre and Alice weren't joining them. Anne brushed away the suggestion that she should take the head of the table and insisted that Patrice do so as head of the household. Anne managed to find herself next to Aramis, whose demeanour was still slightly subdued, and Constance who looked perfectly happy.
They ate a meal of chicken stew with some freshly baked bread and although it wasn't plated as beautifully as palace food Anne found that this tasted better than some of the stew she normally received. Maybe she should ask for the recipe to give to the palace cooks?
'Now I'm very interested in what he was like as a child?' Porthos phrased it as a question as he smirked at Aramis.
'No you're not!' Aramis replied forcibly but with an air of resignation.
'Yes, we are,' Athos drawled with an amused glint in his eye.
'Definitely,' D'Artagnan grinned while Tréville shrugged.
'Anybody want to hear how he got stuck up a tree?' Patrice ventured with a grin.
'Papa!' Aramis exclaimed as he bowed his head and ran his fingers through his hair.
'Oh, yes!' Constance giggled and Aramis gave her a playful glare with no heat behind it. Aramis was starting to think his blush would become permanent.
'Well, it starts with him thinking that he could get a better look at the farm if he climbed the tree,' Patrice started with everyone's attention as Aramis sat back in his chair with a sigh. 'I told him 'No' and so did his mother,' Patrice smiled at Sophie. 'But even at seven years old he was a stubborn thing. One morning he decided he would climb the tree and he succeeded. The problem was that getting down wasn't as easy as going up,' Patrice smirked.
'I did get a wonderful view though,' Aramis interrupted. 'And quite a hiding when I eventually got down.'
'You deserved it my son!' Patrice stated but the man's eyes were warm. 'He was stuck up there for most of the day because we couldn't find him. Claudette found him and we had to move the hay wagon over for him to jump down. Took some courage but he managed.'
'Well he's never been short on courage,' Athos smirked.
'My backside was bruised for days!' Aramis said with amusement as he leant back in his chair and laughter filled the room.
'Of course, a week later he climbs the same tree again just so that he can climb down,' Patrice looking very amused.
'Never one to shake-off a challenge,' Sophie smiled.
'Too true,' Patrice agreed.
'Not much has changed then,' Porthos chuckled while Aramis seemed to shrink in his chair even more.
'Reminds me of the time that he had just begun to crawl and fell down the stairs,' Sophie shook her head in fond amusement. 'I turned my back for a couple of seconds and he fell down the three steps he'd managed!'
'Yes, but I was determined to get to the top,' Aramis said proudly.
'Three days later he tries again and makes it!' Sophie laughed. 'He was going to make the top of those stairs no matter what!'
'He was always the one who knew how to find a way,' Nicole grinned. 'I was outside on the farm and I had him with me. He was in a sort of wooden pen to stop him being hurt but he could still be in the field with the sheep while I tended them. Little bugger climbs out and trots over to the nearest lamb and starts to pet it! Thought the mother was going to send you flyin' but in the end she didn't. Mind you, you were a little charmer even then!' she winked at her grandson.
'Never had any problem with the others,' Sophie looked fondly at her son.
'Just that one,' Patrice pointed at Aramis, 'was a little monster.'
'I was too cute to be a monster,' Aramis grinned back.
Anne sat there watching the exchange. Was this normal life? These happy memories and jestful teasing. She had been sent away at fourteen to marry Louis and had always been raised as a young lady. There was not much time for family as protocol took precedence. Aramis was cherished by his parents. That was clear. He looked even more handsome as he smiled with an embarrassed blush. Anne found herself yearning for the same memories. The ability to smile about the stupid things that she had done. The problem was that she had been watched all her life and had never had the opportunity to anything doing stupid. The atmosphere was warm and comfortable but she had been subjected to coldness and indifference throughout her life. She was cherishing this time more than she would ever let on.
A/N: As I said at the top, things have been busy recently so I will try and get the next update done when I can. I hope you are still enjoying it. :)
