Sometimes Salvation is Found in Agony

Chapter Twenty-Four

When Marque continued to refuse to tell the musketeers what they needed to know, Athos finally stood as he wiped off the blood smeared on the blade he was holding in his hands and then held it out to Porthos for him to take back. The larger man hesitated as soon as he saw that it was the same dagger he had given Aramis for protection over a week ago in Paris, but took it back and tucked it inside its scabbard without so much as a word about it. Instead he simply just looked to his friend as he waited for an explanation.

Athos waited until d'Artagnan joined them, then held up another parchment as he spoke up saying, "I found your dagger embedded into a beam up on the roof of the prison. I also found this. Aramis must have been keeping an eye on Valentin, then took off after him when he saw him run. He left us this message to make sure that we would know why we wouldn't be able to find him."

Porthos took the paper from their leader's hands, then read the writing scribbled on it out loud, the words reading, "Valentin has taken off. I couldn't let him disappear. While I was with them, they spoke of another leader involved in their revolution. Try to learn who the real master behind this war is and then come find me. Don't worry.' Aramis really does have a death wish. I'm amazed that fool's still standing."

"If we don't leave after him now, then he won't be standing for much longer," d'Artagnan replied as he pulled Marque to his feet, then pushed him forward in order to prepare him for their ride. "When is he going to finally understand that the four of us are in this together?"

"I fear we may never have Aramis back," Athos answered sadly as he checked his weapons to make sure he had everything in order. "I pray to God I'm wrong. If I'm not, Richelieu will have won and we musketeers will never be the same again, but I swear we will right this wrong, one way or another."

Porthos stood over Anjou, then suddenly punched him hard in his face to knock him unconscious, and turned to glare at his friends as he said coldly, "I needed someone to let my anger out on. One of you better be the ones to look after our prisoner while we chase after Aramis. If I do, he'll never make it back to Paris alive."

Athos walked outside after his comrades once the way was clear, followed by Claudette, then once he mounted his horse, he looked down at the young woman and asked, "So, will you be all right?"

"I've always been a survivor," she responded as the others mounted as well. "Tell Aramis when you find him, thank you. He gave me his word that he would help me find out the truth and he did. He is a good man, as are the rest of you. Thank you."

"You're welcome," d'Artagnan replied, then rode off behind Porthos, with Marque tied to his own horse riding alongside him.

Athos continued, "Take care, Claudette, and thank you."

Meanwhile…

Valentin finally slowed his horse down miles out of the city and stopped at a stream in order to rest the animal, as well as to get a drink himself and refill his flask. The man let his guard down as he sat down on the ground to rest himself, but it was interrupted when the hammer a pistol being cocked sounded behind him. When he turned, he saw the musketeer whom he had let into their war against the Cardinal, aiming his weapon directly at him.

Aramis was the first to speak saying, "You abandoned your men and left them to die for the cause you brought them all into; for shame."

"I certainly did underestimate you," Valentin stated as he stared up at the man now standing over him. "I didn't expect you to come after me. Are you going to kill me like you killed my enemy?"

"I should, as I came to you in search of someone to help me bring down my own enemy, only to be left behind to die once again," the musketeer answered coldly, still in character of the assassin he had made Valentin believe him to be. "Where exactly were you planning to run, back to find the real leader behind this war?"

The man's eyes grew cold as he slowly rose and then responded, "I didn't realize anyone was listening while I was speaking with my right hand last night."

Aramis replied smugly, "As you said, you underestimated me. Most of my enemies do. Make me your new right hand and bring me with you to see this mysterious friend of yours. Otherwise, I can put a musket ball through your black heart."

"I like you, or at least I would if I didn't know the truth about you, Aramis," Valentin answered with a sneer as he pulled out a letter from his coat pocket. "Marque received a letter from his sister, Renee this morning. She explained that you were the one who murdered their brother, Reynard and that you and your musketeer friends are on their way to find out the truth behind our assassination attempt on Cardinal Richelieu. You're not actually disgraced as you claimed."

"Sorry to disappoint you," Aramis responded when he was suddenly shoved backward against a tree with frightening speed as Valentin pulled his sword and lunged at him, despite the pistol that was once in Aramis' hand, now lying on the ground.

Aramis held the blade firmly to keep it from cutting into him as he struggled against the man's weight pushing him tightly against the tree until he swiftly released one hand and punched his opponent square across his jaw to force him back long enough to be able to pull his own sword, which he had taken from off of one of the criminals now lying dead in the blood smeared street of Marseille before taking off after Valentin. Despite how much he was hurting, Aramis pushed down his pain once again as he faced off against the only man who could help him discover who their real enemy was. Somehow, he knew that he needed to make sure neither one of them ended up dead, though the cold and angry look in Valentine's eyes told Aramis that doing so was going to be near impossible.