(Set just after episode seven of season one- A Rebellious Woman.)
Chapter 1
All recruits' eyes were on D'Artagnan- again- as he eagerly regaled his comrades about his latest adventure with the Inseparables, mainly with his role in assisting them with securing the safety of Ninon de Larroque.
Another constant topic of conversation amongst the recruits was their persistent questions about D'Artagnan's direct involvement, a few weeks ago, in capturing Mathis Beaumont, who, along with his equally wicked brother Michel, still at large, had been responsible for multiple murders in Paris. The two large brutes- each one over six feet, and almost three hundred pounds each of evil- had their reign of terror frighten many a Parisian for months.
The recruits were still delighting in hearing how D'Artagnan managed to shoot Mathis in the leg, thereby rendering him immobile, and assuring his capture. D'Artagnan had mentioned the colorful language that Mathis had for him as Athos, Aramis, and Porthos assisted in hauling him off to jail. His execution was expected imminently.
Porthos, Aramis, and Athos were watching, amused at the sight of an animated D'Artagnan recounting his time together with them. Also pleasing were the delighted faces of some of the recruits that he had become fast friends with- Raul, Talbot, and Jasper, among them. Most hung on every word D'Artagnan was saying, less due to D'Artagnan, and more due to the recruits' awe of the legends that were the Inseparables.
Durant, however, was another matter. His body language betrayed an outright dislike of D'Artagnan, and his feelings were becoming more and more apparent as time went on.
Porthos in particular was eyeing Durant closely, and with suspicion; only the other week he had seen D'Artagnan emerge from a fight training session between D'Artagnan and Durant where D'Artagnan was sporting a bruise around his eye that, hours later, blossomed into a full-fledged black eye. When Porthos inquired as to how he managed to get it, D'Artagnan merely laughed it off and said that the training had simply gotten a little intense. Judging from the satisfied smirk on Durant's face immediately after the bout, and the grins both Cade and Garen were sporting, he wasn't so sure.
What hadn't helped Porthos' opinion had to do with the time Durant was found shirking his duties in running some errands he was assigned, and Porthos called him out on it in front of the other recruits, D'Artagnan included. The recruit's humiliation might be fueling his resentment towards D'Artagnan, although D'Artagnan did not take the opportunity to be anything but supportive. Afterwards, when D'Artagnan offered to split up the chores to help, Durant mistook it for condescension, and told D'Artagnan to get lost.
As far as Cade and Garen were concerned, they were, in Porthos' mind, two weak-willed recruits who tended to gravitate towards stronger personality types than them, and unfortunately, those two seemed to be aligning themselves towards a bad egg like Durant. And since, despite Aramis' protests to the contrary, Porthos thought of himself as an excellent judge of character, he decided to keep an eye out for those three.
Two Weeks Earlier:
"Where are your babysitters, D'Artagnan?" Durant asked, in the Garrison surrounded by the other recruits.
"They are at the Palace on the King's business," D'Artagnan replied, instantly recognizing his mistake.
Durant bellowed out a huge laugh, prompting Cade and Garen to do the same. Even the others gave in a good-natured snort at D'Artagnan's inadvertent admission of how the Inseparables had seemed to have adopted D'Artagnan as some sort of ad-hoc baby brother.
"What do you say we practice some hand-to-hand combat? There are some tricks I can teach you, I'm sure," Durant goaded D'Artagnan.
"Or me, you," D'Artagnan grinned, the intent of his words much more benign than Durant's, although he did not yet know that.
Durant immediately charged D'Artagnan, who barely had time to side-step him before he would have gotten pummeled.
Durant almost fell blazing past D'Artagnan, who was there one moment and gone the next, and Durant recovered, embarrassed.
"So that's what Porthos, Athos and Aramis teach you, huh? To run way?!"
"Hardly running away," D'Artagnan coolly replied.
Now the entire Garrison was at rapt attention at the bout between the two recruits, one of which- D'Artagnan- every recruit had begun to make their mind up about. He was either a recruit worthy of the attentions of the Inseparables, or a no-good pretender.
D'Artagnan was then running directly at Durant, and, feigning an attack at his upper body, at the last minute went low, grabbed Durant by the waist, picked him up, and slammed him down into the Garrison dirt, hard.
No one could have missed the loud 'oooomph!' that escaped the astonished Durant's lips as he hit the ground, and the wind was robbed from his lungs.
Most of the assembled crowd of recruits could not help but emit a laugh at the sight; some applause even broke out, prompting a hot glare from Durant.
Then D'Artagnan made the mistake of smiling as he extended his hand for Durant to get back up. With no malice or gloating behind it, nevertheless Durant saw red.
Duran took D'Artagnan's hand, but as soon as he was back on his feet, holding D'Artagnan close, he cold-cocked him right in the face with his fist. D'Artagnan fell back and barely kept his balance at the force of the unexpected blow.
After a collective gasp was heard by everyone, Durant spat: "I'm surprised Porthos didn't teach you that one- never letting your guard down," he sneered.
"But actually, I'm surprised they bother to take the time to teach you anything- after all, the other day I overheard Athos tell Aramis how tired of you they all are, and were trying to figure out a graceful way of telling you to stay away from them."
"They would never," D'Artagnan replied, unconsciously rubbing the cheek where Durant's blow had hit.
"I suppose since Athos is a noble sort, he is trying to find a polite way to tell you to back off."
Durant then simply marched off.
"It- isn't true," D'Artagnan said aloud, to himself.
But who was he trying to convince?