Wanted to get this up before Sunday morning errands take over my day. Thank you again for the kind reviews, follows and favourites!

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They were more than midway through their second bottle of wine, when Athos placed a third bottle on the table and looking at Aramis said, "Would you like to talk about what transpired this afternoon?"

Porthos slowly lowered his glass. Aramis swirled his cup's remaining content, drained the glass and poured himself another.

"What exactly would you like to talk about?" he responded, the wine affording a slightly aggressive and defensive tone he didn't normally use with his brothers.

"Why don't we start with the incident with Charles. I need to know if your presence will bring anything that may cause conflict with the completion of our mission," Athos responded, ignoring Aramis' challenge and efficiently opening the third bottle and refilling his and Porthos' glasses.

"To that I have no answer," said Aramis solemnly. "Charles has been my father's valet for more than 30 years. He practically raised him. He always looked at and treated me cruelly. My very existence, the bastard proof of his master's brief dalliance with a Spaniard, served as a permanent blemish on his master's reputation. I think he took my being as a symbol of his personal failure."

Porthos growled, "How dare he say what 'e did abou' you! I wanted 'ta kill him!"

"That hardly would have helped foster a positive outcome for our mission," said Athos wryly, recalling the pale and panicked face of the man after he had responded to the slight on his brother.

Aramis chuckled lowly. "Thank you mon ami, but I believe Charles used the term "mongrel" only as he was in polite company. He has said and done much worse. For a while, I had thought my name to actually be "Bastard", Charles' favourite pet name for me," said Aramis, his joke falling flat.

Porthos roared again suddenly, startling the patrons at the table next to them. Aramis and Athos grinned into their wine glasses as Porthos apologized profusely to the frightened bar maid who had smashed a pitcher at Porthos' outburst.

"Seriously though Aramis," said Athos taking another sip of his wine, "Is there anything you need to share with us in advance of meeting with your father tomorrow?"

Aramis stared into the depths of his glass in contemplation. "To be honest mon ami, I don't know what to expect." He took a slow drink as Porthos re-settled himself.

"I left here at a very tumultuous time in my life. I was brought here as a child and spent years in this house feeling…like less than nothing and fouler than an embarrassment. I was hated by those like Charles, pitied by the few kind servants, but always made to feel alone. The final straw came when I was sixteen. I fell in love with a girl from the village and we were determined to marry. Annabella had already been ripped out of my life and married off. My father could not conceive of his son, bastard though I was, to marry a commoner. My father cruelly took pleasure in separating us and ordered her father to refuse to tell me her location or where they had hidden her. My father was determined to punish me, to finally break me of my disobedience once and for all, but I escaped. I gathered what few precious items I had from my mother and left. I searched for the girl for months and had given up hope when I stumbled upon the army. Perhaps it was thanks to my father's teachings, but I was a natural soldier. My medical knowledge and swordsmanship kept me alive, but my shooting made me valuable and brought me to Treville and the musketeers." Aramis paused again, taking another sip from his glass. "My father believes above all that all things can be overcome through discipline. Pain, pleasure, stubbornness, mercy…My father was merciless in educating me in these principles, but I believe in some way, this has made me the man I am today."

There was a silence following this as each man considered the mystery of these last words.

"Your sister…," Porthos began slowly. "Why didn't you ever tell us…"

"- she was so beautiful?" Aramis asked with a knowing grin and a raised eyebrow.

"No, I mean, well ya…but I mean…"Porthos stammered, flushed and embarrassed. Aramis chuckled good-naturedly.

"As I said, Annabella and I were together for less than two years before my father took her from my life as well. She was married to a man from the North of France and that was the last I'd known of her until today. Annabella was one of the only bright spots in my life in Herblay. She was the only one who made me feel like family and I fell in love with her instantly. She was like my mother, sister, my defender….my friend in a world that was otherwise hostile and cold. When she was to be married she had promised to write, but…When I cut the ties to my father, I intended it to be forever. That included any connection to her as well."

Porthos growled lowly once more. "Don't you go thinking like that 'Mis." Aramis looked up at Porthos, an inquisitive eyebrow raised.

"I know the way that brain of yours works. She loves you Aramis. You should have seen the relief on her face when you met. You may have cut ties to your family, but it's plain as day that she hasn't cut ties to you."

"She doesn't even know me Porthos. I was not even twelve when she left. I doubt she has thought of me once since then."

"Agh, she knows you. She knows the goodness that is in you. She knows you are her brother, and if you ask me, she'd still do anything to defend you given the opportunity."

Athos nodded. "As would we," he said raising his glass in a toast.

"All for one…" Aramis said raising his glass to meet Athos'.

"And one for all," said Porthos, raising his glass to close the circle of their toast.

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