Chapter 22. Wanted
Night fell over Paris. Corinne sat with Madame Hélène in her sitting room sipping tea. Louis was still on bed rest on fear of tearing his stitches and Aramina had left for the market several hours ago, so the house was quiet. The fireplace roared to life under the Madame's careful hands. She returned to her tea, smiling at Corinne.
"What?" the younger girl asked.
"Nothing," Madame Hélène said. "I am simply happy."
"At least someone is."
Madame Hélène chuckled. "He's still in a foul mood then?"
"Oh, yes." Corinne laughed as well. "He said that he'd rather spend quality time with Philippe than waste another second in that bed."
"So dramatic. I don't know where he and my daughter get it."
Corinne snorted into her tea. She had a fairly decent idea, but she didn't dare say so.
A crash came from the back of the house. Madame Hélène set her teacup down.
"I swear, if he's out of that bed-"
She didn't get to finish her threat. The window shattered and the door flew open. Four musketeers forced their way inside. Louis stumbled into the sitting room, two more musketeers at his heels.
"You're under arrest," one said, "for plotting against the crown. It would be in your best interests to come quietly."
Madame Hélène reached for her teacup and calmly took a sip. Seconds later, it flew through the air, hitting the head of the musketeer who had spoken. He clutched his bleeding forehead.
"Get them!"
Corinne watched fascinated as Madame Hélène sprung backwards. She reached for the sabre above the fireplace and tossed it to Corinne. The blonde smiled. She could take them down in her sleep. Madame Hélène pulled out another blade and joined her in battle. Louis rose to help, but Madame Hélène glared so fiercely at him that he shrunk back down, arms folded across his chest and grumbling.
"Simply knock them out, dear," she said to Corinne between blows. "Blood is hard to remove from most fabrics and furniture."
Corinne nodded obediently, still shocked by the older woman's skill with a blade. She moved like a rabbit and struck like a cobra. Corinne vowed then to never get on the Madame's bad side.
The fight ended almost as soon as it had begun. The musketeers were no match for the women and were soon bound and gagged on the sitting room carpet.
Madame Hélène laughed at Corinne's bemused look. "Try not to be too surprised, my dear. Who do you think trained him?" She gestured towards Louis.
"It's true." He confirmed.
"All right." Even after everything that had happened, she was still shocked. Although, she knew she shouldn't be. She held up her hands in defeat. A lifetime of surprises was in store for her. She took another look at the musketeers. "They must have been sent by the Count."
Louis snorted. "Of course he did. Who else would have sent them?"
"You're right, I just-" the words died on her lips.
"What's wrong, Corinne?" Madame Hélène asked her.
"How long ago did Aramina leave for the market?"
"Mon dieu. Ma petit fille." Madame Hélène shook her head. "No, no. Aramina knows how to defend herself. I am sure she's all right."
The next couple of minutes dragged on in silent agony. All breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of red hair outside the broken window. She rushed through the door.
"We have to leave," she told them. "We have to leave now. There are posters all over the city with our faces on them. We're wanted for crimes against the crown."
"We know, Aramina." Corinne said, gesturing towards the felled musketeers.
"All right. But did you know that Viveca and Renée have also been arrested and are in the dungeon?"
"What? Why?"
"For hiding us."
"But they have no part in any of this!"
"I know!" Aramina cried desperately. "And there's more musketeers on their way here. So we have to go! Or else we'll be thrown in the dungeon too!"
"Where can we go if the whole city's looking for us?" Corinne asked.
"The manor," Louis spoke up. "I didn't have the chance to tell you, Corinne. I own a manor in the country outside the city. It's secluded in a nice grove of trees. Not too far from where the balloon was launched. No one would find us there."
Corinne tried to remind herself not to be too surprised by this news. After all, it would only become tiring. "So, we'll go there." She and Aramina helped Louis to his feet while Madame Hélène packed what would be necessary for their journey.
Under the shadow of a moonless sky, they fled the city of Paris.
...
Looks like they can't be happy for too long. I'm really glad that Madame Hélène and Corinne got to kick some musketeer ass though. What happens when they tell Treville and Philippe they were beat by two girls? My guess is it won't be pretty. What do you think our friends will do now that Aramina has informed them about their fellow maids? That probably won't be pretty as well. Find out next week!