Sometimes Salvation is Found in Agony
Chapter Thirteen
By the time captain Treville and his musketeers, as well as Claudette, arrived back at the garrison, Aramis had reawakened. Although he was still very weak, he refused to allow Porthos to carry him inside the barracks, despite the soldier's attempts to do so. Instead, the larger man helped him down from the horse and helped him to walk on his own, despite the agony that flared within him.
As Porthos was doing so, Aramis noticed blood trickling from a gash in Porthos' right arm, then spoke up saying, "You've been… wounded. Is it...?"
Even though it was a lie, as the gash was deep and large, Porthos quickly interrupted, "It's nothing, but a scratch. For once, you need to worry about yourself and leave everything else to the rest of us."
"I am not helpless," Aramis responded firmly. "I wish to… stop being… treated… as such. I will rest… once I have a look at… your so called scratch."
"We never said you were helpless, Aramis," Athos answered. "We just want you to take care of yourself for once and allow us to worry about the rest."
As Porthos gently set his friend down on his bed, Aramis maneuvered himself to sit as straight as he could while he looked more closely at the gash and replied, "I've never been… very good at that."
D'Artagnan smiled as he responded, "Yes, so we've noticed."
"I suppose we should go and report what we know to the King," the boy continued, then looked to Athos and their captain. "Although it would be better if we could report more than just what happened in the camp. He will want to know what we plan to do when the rest of the people from Marseille choose to attack."
"The remainder of my friends are down there, waiting for word that the Cardinal is dead," Claudette spoke up finally, after refusing to speak during their ride home. "They are waiting for word that will never come. In time, they will come to finish what we couldn't and they won't do so, so openly. It will be an attack you won't see coming."
Captain Treville asked, "If that's so, why not attack the Cardinal as such from the beginning?"
She looked between the men as she answered, "Because, we were hoping to kill as many of you musketeers and the Cardinal's Red Guards as possible. You fight to protect Cardinal Richelieu, even though he is a man of the devil, despite the robes and the cross that he hides behind. Now, what about what I want to know?"
"We may protect the Cardinal, but it isn't because we support him," Treville replied as he looked over at the young woman sternly, ignoring her inquiry about what Aramis knew. "We do so because it is our duty to our King and to France. You spent time with Aramis. Surely he explained to you where we stand?"
"I tried to," Aramis responded sadly as he too looked at Claudette, then went to work stitching the gash in Porthos' arm, despite wanting to just lie down and sleep. "Just as I tried to… to explain to Renee. I appear to be losing… my charm."
Porthos ignored the pain flaring in his arm when his friend inserted the needle again and again as he looked down at his friend and answered mockingly, "Nonsense. It's just that not everyone is as receptive to your charm as we all thought, though the fact that she's a woman... you may be losing it a little."
Aramis smiled as he replied, "Thank you, Porthos."
"Renee, who is she?" Athos asked in confusion.
"The young girl, who we… believed was on… our side once," Aramis responded. "If she survived…"
Athos finished for him as he said, "She'll be trouble for us. We'll deal with her and any of the rest of her friends when the time comes."
Treville nodded and then stated, "We should go. King Louis will be expecting us. Aramis, now that you've finished stitching up Porthos' arm, I am ordering you to rest. Worry about getting well again, while we deal with the rest. You've done well."
"Thank you, Sir," Aramis answered as Porthos laid his hand down on his friend's good shoulder, then helped him lay back against his bed.
"You better do as the Captain says," Porthos replied smugly. "Or I will knock you out for a change and make you sleep. We'll see how you like it."
Once they walked outside of the barracks, Claudette glared at the musketeers as she asked, "And what about me? I've told you everything I know. Yet you still haven't answered my questions."
Athos looked at her as he responded coldly, "You will find out what you want to know, but you need to be patient. Aramis needs time to recover. In the meantime, remain here with us and help us to find the rest of your people in Marseille when the time comes."
"You want me to help you find my friends, just so that you can kill them?" she asked angrily.
"We want to stop them, before they can attack us," d'Artagnan answered quickly. "We won't hurt them if they stand down and allow us to help them, as we've helped you. You can show them that there is a better way."
Claudette shook her head and then replied, "I owe you nothing. You said I was free if I told you what I know."
Captain Treville motioned for her to leave, then responded, "If that's what you really want. But I suggest that you leave Paris and don't come back. At least if you're not willing to abide by the laws. You're always free to change your mind."
"Don't worry, I won't be here any longer than I have to be," she answered coldly. "As soon as I get what I've come here for, I'm gone. Just as I said before."
"Fine, but until Aramis is ready to talk, you better leave him alone," Porthos replied angrily. "In fact, I think it's a good idea if you come with us to the palace to talk with our King. That way, I can keep my eyes on you."
She shook her head and stated, "No thank you. King Louis may not be as much of a problem as your Cardinal, but I don't hold much respect for him either. He doesn't care for his people anymore than those that fight for him."
Athos grabbed her by her arm and shoved her ahead of him, then motioned for her to walk as he spoke up firmly saying, "That wasn't a suggestion. You're coming with us. Ladies first."