Chapter 10 - Alerts
"I'm bored," Porthos announced loudly from beside D'Artagnan.
They and the other Musketeers were strolling along through the relatively uncrowded streets of Paris, performing their standard Musketeers' task - patrolling. That is, looking for any assembled Cardinal's guards and fighting them if need be; but since their last skirmish the Cardinal's guards had been strangely absent from the city. (Then again, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis were three of the most formidable fighters D'Artagnan had ever seen ... too bad he'd missed the fight.)
"That's always a dangerous sign," remarked D'Artagnan, who was, in fact, taken with the same affliction, but in a good mood nevertheless. He nudged Aramis and Athos and spoke in a stage-whisper. "Hurry, before Porthos decides to alleviate his boredom by using us as punching bags."
"I heard that!" shouted Porthos, without turning his head. "How dare you insult my strength, you little weakling!"
"What!? I'm strong!" protested D'Artagnan in mock seriousness, though it was hard not to smile at Porthos's indignant glare.
"How about we test that in a battle of ... tree-uprooting?" At that even Athos laughed.
"Anytime, that is, whenever His Majesty the King won't be out to get us for destroying public property," said D'Artagnan cheerfully. Porthos didn't answer; he was too busy trying (and failing) to catch the attention of several well-dressed ladies across the street, with Aramis struggling not to laugh in his face. D'Artagnan watched the whole proceeding with interest until the ladies passed out of their sight, leaving a devastated Porthos and his amused friends.
"Is it my doublet?" Porthos moaned, sounding as though he was in the depths of despair. "But I just got this new yesterday!"
Aramis began reciting a prayer.
"Aramis, please stop reciting ... whatever it is you're reciting," bellowed Porthos.
"You'd best listen, Aramis. It's not every day Porthos is polite like this," Athos advised, a smile on his face.
D'Artagnan would've laughed, but his thoughts were already elsewhere. Porthos and the ladies had just reminded him of one rather pretty, but very troubled-looking young lady from just a few days ago ...
He pulled distractedly at the collar of his Musketeer's uniform, which was now becoming extremely uncomfortable in the heat of the noontime sun.
She'd seemed as distressed as any damsel in distress could possibly get. And that look on her face when he'd saved her - it was as though no one had ever done anything of the sort for her before. His heart had gone out to her in that moment, and he'd desperately wanted to help her ... but how? He didn't know who she was, he hadn't seen her again - and Athos had forbidden him to see her anyway.
"D'Artagnan," a stern voice sounded very near him. He looked up just in time to catch Athos's severe glance. "How many times have I warned you?"
"What?" D'Artagnan asked innocently, although he was sure Athos could see right through him. "I'm not distracted. Really, I'm not. See, I'm perfectly awake and alert."
He'd intended to wipe the stern expression off Athos's face somewhat, but it didn't change at all. If anything, his look of disapproval had only deepened. "I thought I told you to stop thinking about that girl."
Aramis's and Porthos's heads immediately whipped around to look at them - obviously, they'd been too busy arguing to listen to D'Artagnan's conversation with Athos the day of the duel. D'Artagnan suddenly felt very awkward with the extra attention, and decided not to reply to Athos's statement. (The answer to which was rather obvious.)
"Really?" asked Aramis with interest. "Who is she? Is she beautiful? What family does she come from? What -"
He was cut off by Porthos, whose eyes were nearly bugging out in disbelief. "But I thought all the women would fall for me!" he whined, his face the picture of abject misery. At that even Athos managed a smirk before turning and giving D'Artagnan a significant, perfectly clear look.
All right, all right ...
"Look, Porthos, Aramis," he began. "Please don't be hurt, offended, or incredibly curious. First, I don't know her, I'm not romantically involved with her" - now why did he feel so disappointed at that? - "andI'm forbidden to see her."
The other two looked as though they didn't believe a word of it, and soon returned to their raging battle of wits, while Athos just walked along, observing them and everything else. Typical.
D'Artagnan also decided to follow suit, taking stock of his surroundings and pushing the mysterious girl out of his mind. During their extremely interesting conversation (insert sarcasm here) they'd veered off the main streets of Paris, and ended up near a small grassy park. Scanning the area, D'Artagnan suddenly caught sight of a very familiar-looking figure sitting alone on a bench, not far from where they stood.
André?
He'd barely seen the young Musketeer since they'd saved each other's lives during that fight with the Cardinal's guards, and D'Artagnan wasn't sure that was a good thing. After all, weren't people supposed to be friends, at least, after something like this?
D'Artagnan couldn't shake off the sense that André was somehow trying to avoid him and the other Musketeers. That was to be expected, since Athos, Porthos, and Aramis weren't exactly the most welcoming of people. (D'Artagnan was all too aware of that, from the first time he'd met them.) Still, they could have been a bit friendlier to the new Musketeer ...
Aramis and Porthos were still arguing over something from philosophy or other, so only Athos saw D'Artagnan make a beeline for André's bench. But he said nothing, only stayed where he was, watching calmly.
"André!" D'Artagnan called amiably when he drew closer. Might as well be the first of André's friends, right? The poor guy didn't seem to know anyone here - it must be a bit lonely. Actually, very lonely - judging by the fact that he was sitting alone on the bench, looking as though he hadn't moved for the past hour or more. Well, he moved now, to jump at the sound of D'Artagnan's voice and look up, smiling nervously.
"Why're you here by yourself?" asked D'Artagnan, going around to sit down next to the new Musketeer. "You could have patrolled with us, you know; it gets awfully quiet sometimes." Now that sounded as if he'd like to talk to André more - but that was true.
To his surprise, the young Musketeer colored. He must have understood, but he was reacting rather oddly ...
"Oh - that would be great!" André exclaimed, looking so happy that D'Artagnan's spirits lifted too. There was still a faint troubled look in his eyes, though, that didn't go away ...
"What's bothering you, André?" D'Artagnan asked. "Don't hesitate to tell us - we're all one big, happy Musketeer family, you know? Everyone's nice and welcoming - except Athos, maybe, and Porthos because he loves fights too much, and Aramis ... wait, that's everyone, isn't it?"
André laughed at the look on his face. "Thank you for being welcoming, D'Artagnan."
"Anytime." But then, all too suddenly, André's face resumed its former worried expression.
"It's just that ... I don't have anyplace to go," he said quietly.
"What?!" D'Artagnan was appalled. Why would anyone refuse a Musketeer room and board? They were the King's guards, for heaven's sake ... "Well, you could always stay over at my place; the landlord actually has a few spare rooms," he offered.
André still looked reluctant, as though afraid to impose upon D'Artagnan. Well, that could be taken care of quickly. "I insist," he added with a smile. It was the least he could do to help André, right?
"Oh, how can I ever thank you, D'Artagnan?" The grateful expression on André's face brought a warm feeling to D'Artagnan's heart. Then the young Musketeer threw his arms around D'Artagnan's neck ... increasing the awkwardness factor by 100.
"Uhh ... no problem." André finally loosened his hold on D'Artagnan - but now they were WAY too close to each other for D'Artagnan's liking. Mostly it was the fear of a heart attack. But he found himself looking into a pair of very familiar grey eyes - and he suddenly remembered something he'd been pondering over for a while now.
"Wait, André - can you tell me about that girl? You know, the one with the handkerchief she gave you?" It all began to click in his mind as he talked, though André was looking downright panicked. "Keep your hat on, but I think ... I just might like her."
He'd never have expected a blush to form on André's face. That guy really blushed a lot - almost as much as a girl would. But D'Artagnan could think of one reason why, this time.
"She's your sister, isn't she?"
"...Yes."
"I knew it! You have the same eyes, you know. It's not that hard to figure out ... but why didn't you tell me before?" D'Artagnan asked.
"Well ... well, just because - ah... she was leaving."
D'Artagnan was aghast once more. "She left? Went home?"
"You really do like her, don't you?" André said teasingly, a twinkle in his eye.
"Maybe ... but she looked so troubled that time I saw her," D'Artagnan mused aloud. "I sort of wish I could have been there for her ... but I guess I won't be seeing her around anymore."
"Well, if your feelings are real ..." André's voice was quieter now. "Fate isn't always cruel. Who knows, you may just see her again ..."
D'Artagnan's pleasant daydreams were rudely interrupted by someone calling them: Aramis.
"D'Artagnan! André!" he called. "Over here!"
André looked reluctant to approach the other Musketeers, but he followed anyway. As they joined the group, D'Artagnan did not miss Athos's expression as he looked at André. So Athos was still suspicious of the new Musketeer, huh ...
There was another man with them - a man he recognized as one of Monsieur de Treville's messengers. He seemed to convey a feeling of foreboding that soon enveloped all the Musketeers present. Evidently something of importance had come up - and it was not good, by the looks of it.
But all the messenger said was, "Monsieur de Treville requests the Musketeers' presence at his villa, immediately."
Annette couldn't help but note Monsieur de Treville's worried expression as she entered his office along with the other Musketeers. At least he might not be commenting on appearances today - she was still tired from her sleepless night yesterday, and her shirt had been ruined by her own hand (thanks be for her Musketeer's coat, though).
She tried to keep her face expressionless and oblivious, fully aware that Athos's eyes were fixed on her. It took her another moment to become aware of D'Artagnan's attention - which was probably due to entirely different reasons. He probably had a million questions about her female self (which he'd believed was her sister) - or he was still suffering from awkwardness complex. She really had to stop hugging him for everything he did - she could practically sense the awkwardness radiating from him in waves when she did that. The conversation had been nice, though - the longest they'd ever had. No wonder why all the other Musketeers were so nice to him - he really was a great person.
And handsome, too ...
She hurriedly cut off that train of thought before she could blush.
On the other hand, she was perfectly (actually only faintly) cognizant of why Athos was staring at her - had he known she was thinking of D'Artagnan? Or perhaps, as it was, she already had more than a nagging suspicion of what this meeting was all about ...
Then Monsieur de Treville sighed, stood up ... and took out a small, letter-sized piece of parchment that looked all too familiar to Annette's eye.
"Musketeers," he said, getting straight to the point. "Things have just taken a turn for the worse." D'Artagnan, Aramis, and Porthos were the only ones who looked relatively clueless. (D'Artagnan looked so adorable when he was confused, by the way.) "I've just received word that the Duke of Buckingham, along with his accomplice - a certain Milady de Winter - may be plotting something against the King and Queen of France." He then proceeded to the nighttime exchange Annette had witnessed just three days ago.
Well, at least everyone believed her. That was a real first.
Then she'd achieved her purpose in writing the anonymous letter to Treville in the first place.