New chapter for you. XD
Thank MusketeerAdventure and TheseWordsAreUnspoken for reviews. Grace and whole Cousin would be nothing without you.
Disclaimer: Still not own The Musketeers.
Aramis was fighting of all the forces, but his opponent was a very experienced swordsman. He did not know how Grace handles that, but at least got his dagger. Then came the shot. Regardless of his opponent turned around. Grace. He bent down to her and over the noise of the swirling thoughts heard a quarrel of two men.
"Are you crazy?! We need her alive!" one of them upbraided another.
"She jumped before that stupid musketeer! We'd better run away!"
Aramis meanwhile, tried to assess her injuries. She was unconscious. The bullet hit her in a left clavicle. He needed to stop the bleeding. Then sound of running feet came on a quiet street. Aramis, still kneeling on the ground, picked up his sword and pointed it towards the stranger.
"Aramis, it's me." Athos' familiar voice spoke up.
"I've never you seen before so like, my friend." Aramis' voice trembled. "I need help. We have to take her to the garrison." Athos burned with desire to know what happened, but he knew that now is not the right time and took Gracelyn into his arms.
She never seemed so fragile to him before. Bleeded in his arms and he ran as fast as he could. Although he tried to focus on the path, his eyes still were running to her face. So pale. He looked again in front of himself and saw the familiar façade. Didn't wait and went to the infirmary.
"Put her on the table." Aramis' said with his doctor voice, tried to convince himself that this is the same as the other times, when he was fixing bodies of his brothers. But it wasn't. That was Athos' cousin. That was the woman that he was interested in at first glance. This was Lady Gracelyn Haley and he will not let her die. Athos laid her on the table carefully.
"What do you need?"
"Hot water, towels, and my medical kit." Aramis announced quickly.
Athos called out to the young lad, who was helping there, told him what they need and added to get d'Artagnan with Porthos. They could not be only two on this.
"Athos!" Aramis' voice called from the room. Athos ran back.
"I need to get her up." Aramis asked him. "Need see if a bullet passed through."
"What the..." Grace had not output hole after a shot on a back, but scars. And a lot of them.
"What is it?" Athos who could not see anything from his position did not understand what Aramis is talking about.
"Nothing." Aramis decided that for now will be better to tell him nothing, old scars are not important for now.
"Bullet stuck in a bone, I have to pull it. Where is the kid with those things?" But before he could finish the sentence d'Artagnan ran inside with arms full of towels and right behind him, Porthos with a bowl of water.
"What happen'?" Porthos was horrified looking at lying Grace in the unconscious.
"She has been shot." Aramis was stingy on the word. "Hold her. I have to pull a bullet, now is in the unconscious, but pain can wake her up."
The others stand around table and hold her. Aramis prayed quickly and came to her. Hoping she is not going to wake up,he experienced the pain himself and did not wish it anyone else. Especially not her. He started picking out the bullet. It was not easy. In that moment, she screamed.
"Damn!" Aramis swore, when she started to twitch.
"Hold her!" he said, her scream was ripping his soul.
"Easy Grace." Athos leaned to her face "Look at me. Look. At. Me." he repeated.
Finally she opened her eyes. So much pain was in them. Athos felt as if it was his own and regret, that he was not with her.
"Right, right. Good girl." he comforted her with a soft voice.
"I am here. Everything will be fine. Just hold on, yes?"
She looked at him and nodded jerkily. Then whispered something.
"Please?" Athos leaned closer.
"The book. Under the cover." and with this word Gracelyn fainted again.
"I've got it." Aramis unto them, and began to blow.
"Will she be alright?" d'Artagnan asked, before it caught the other.
"Lost a lot of blood. We have to wait to see if the infection does not appear." Aramis sighed, "But yes. She should be alright."
XXX
Athos and Aramis sat on the infirmary the rest of the night. Aramis told him what happened and then both of the two, lost in their thoughts, did not say not a word. It was already almost morning, when Porthos and d'Artagnan came back.
"We scour the whole neighborhood, but didn't find anything." Porthos announced.
"Thank you." Athos nodded. Did not expect they could find something.
"You should get some rest." Treville came into the room. "All of you. I can stay here and it is an order." Usually not remain with the injured, but this time, Treville was willing to make an exception. "Tired, you are going to be useless for her." He added more softly when saw the rejection on their faces.
D'artagnan with Porthos took last look at the woman lying on a bed and left. Athos hesitated for a moment, and then came to Gracelyn and gave her a light kiss on the forehead.
"You are going to be fine, you have to be." He turned to the exit and left.
"If something happens." Aramis said the captain "Send for me immediately."
Treville nodded and wondered what is between Aramis and Grace, because he looked at her in a way... No, it can't be. Damn, she is Athos' cousin after all.
Aramis came out and saw the high figure of his friend as waiting for him. Just looked at him and went away.
"Wait!" Athos stopped him, came to him and said "I don't blame you Aramis, it wasn't your fault." Athos was angry. A lot. But not at Aramis. He was annoyed at those attackers. He was angry at Addington, who probably sent them. And last but not least was angry at himself.
"It was my fault, my friend. It was." Aramis said quietly.
"No." Athos looked straight into his eyes. "You could not do anything."
"You don't understand!" Aramis was desperate. "The bullet was intended for me!" could not stand longer next to Athos and left.
XXX
Athos came into his room at the garrison and sat down on a bed. He let her down. Again. No. He has to get himself together. Captain was right. Tired he will be useless for her. Same thing when he will be mired himself in regret. Glass of wine sounds good, he thought and stood up. When he was going to the cabinet, his eyes fell on a book that was laying on the table. Forget a wine and took the book into hands.
What did she said? Under the cover? Carefully inspected it and for second research he felt that under the leather binding is hiding something. He took the knife to a cut it, but then stopped. No. Grace was afraid that she is going to die and that were her only words. Athos was feeling as if the opening of that book, he admitted he will never talk to her again. But she will be fine. She will tell him herself what is hiding there. He lay down on the bed and fell asleep.
XXX
Aramis was already half an hour staring at the ceiling. Tried to sleep, but images of Grace how is bleeding on the table was still returning. And her scream. He could not get it out of his head. Someone knocked on the door.
"Come in."
Young man, who helped them when they brought Gracelyn.
"Captain is calling you. You have to immediately come to the infirmary."
Aramis ran out before he finished speaking.
"She has a fever." Treville said as soon as Aramis arrived.
"Damn!" Aramis put his hand on Grace's burning forehead.
"I need towels and cold water for compresses."
"I'll get it." Captain left the room.
Aramis was alone with Gracelyn. Looking at her, gently pulled hair from her face. She was beautiful. Even when she was lying in the infirmary, shot and with a fever. Suddenly she groaned.
"Grace?" he asked carefully.
"No! Please!" she begged the person who was only in her mind and tears was trickling from her eyes.
"Easy, it's me, Aramis." He tried to get through a fog of hallucination induced by a fever. "You're safe." But Gracelyn did not heard him. She was back in England.
FLASHBACK
Great. Just great. Grace thought, when she sat strapped in Addington's cellar. At least I hid the evidence.
"What do we have here?" Lord came into the room and smiling. "Isn't that Lady Haley? I have thought you like England?"
"Yes. I lied." Gracelyn looked into his eyes and did not move. "You didn't mention that you are crazy."
"I'm not crazy!"Addington thundered "I just want justice for what that French would-be king has performed to my father!"
"This French would-be king is dead." she reminded him. Although did not give anything to know, he was terrifying her.
"His son is not. Louis is enough for me." Lord was smiling again. "And now, you tell me, very quickly, where you gave those contracts."
"I don't think so." Tried to act bravely, but when he pulled out the whip, which had been hidden behind his back, Grace froze.
She tried to not screaming. And at first it went well, but after a couple of hours, Grace let her tears flow and she begged him to stop.
"I will stop." he said sweetly and; caught her by the jaw. "When you tell me what I want to hear."
From last forces she broke away, his hands make her sick.
"Never!"
And so she screamed.
END OF FLASHBACK
XXX
Athos woke up and found that it is already evening. For a second he did not understand why he slept through the day, than he remembered. Quickly got up and ran to the infirmary.
"How is she?"Athos blurted to Aramis.
"Good morning to you."
Athos look could freeze even hell.
"She is better." Aramis had compassion. "Fever is gone."
"Fever?" Athos frowned. "You had call me."
"You needed to sleep."
Than Athos had a chance to protest, Grace moved.
"Hi." she whispered, as soon as she opened her eyes.
"Hi." Aramis smiled. "Good you woke up, Athos wanted to slap me with his speech, 'You-had-wake-me-up-even-it-was-not-necessary.'. "
Athos scowled at him. Then he walked over to Grace.
"How are you feeling?"
"Well" Grace pretended thinking over the answer, "Like when you get shot." she smiled at them tiredly.
"It could be expected." Athos devoted her one of his special smiles.
"I am actually hungry." she added thoughtfully.
"Really? This is a good sign. I'll get some soup." Aramis stood up.
"No." Athos' hands made him again sit down on the chair. "I will go myself. You look as if you faint after one step."
"You know," Aramis began, after Athos left. "I've been thinking about what you said before."
Gracelyn gave him a puzzled look.
"I think when you asked me if I can love someone who lived five years in a lie." Aramis explained.
"Ah. This." Grace was looking intently at the duvet.
"I already know the answer." Took her chin and looked into her eyes. "I'm sure I can."
Here is it. What do you think?
Note: I think there will be three more chapters to the end.