Evening My Lovelies
Okay so I'm loving our boys in this chapter, their protective natures are coming out so I'm hoping you like it. I am looking forward more for tomorrows chapter but this is a good lead into it :D
Notes On Reviews:
pallysdeeks: Thanks for the review - You can still hug him, though things are getting a bit more dramatic today so you may want to hold on a bit to hug him. *hands a strong drink* you may need it ;) Enjoy the new chapter! x
Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Yeah I would have been as well... Plus the image of it was cute and I couldn't not have him staying up to watch over our pup :) Our boys needed to head to Lupiac so Athos's suspicions on what's going on can continue to grow, plus I didn't like the idea of leaving poor Mathis, as loved by our pup as he is, left to rot. Things will start to become clear in the next few chapters so I hope you're looking forward to it. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Tidia: Thanks for the review - As odd as it probably seems I have a plan regarding the watch. It'll be a bit until we get there but I will explain it. Enjoy the new chapter! x
watlocked: Thanks for the review - Hmmm I don't think its paranoia when you look at what I've done in previous stories lol :D Glad you're liking the mystery, we start clearing some of it up soon. Enjoy the new chapter! x
criminally charmed: Thanks for the review - We get a bit more protective Athos today so I hope you enjoy that... We're kinda seeing protective inseparables really as all of them have their moments today. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Katie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Thank you :) Glad you liked the cute moment I've got some more planned for later chapters so stay tuned for that :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
pheonixriv: Thanks for the review - It'll be a couple of chapters until the "Rat" is properly identified as I'm enjoying keeping you all in suspense :D I'm glad you're enjoying the daily updates :D We'll definitely be seeing some Papa-Treville moments though it would be a while before we get to the point where Treville rejoins the story. As for snuggly musky moments... I LOVE them far too much to not include them so yes we will definitely be seeing some of them :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
Helensg: Thanks for the review - Enjoy the new chapter! x
Maryg (Guest): Thanks for the review - :D Yay I'm so glad you liked it. After I had Athos handle the nightmare I figured he'd be too worried to even try to sleep and so would stay up to watch over the pup... plus the mental picture was too cute for me not to include XD Our pup and boys are definitely in trouble now :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
f1gymnast: Thanks for the review - I know the watch seems a bit random but I do have a plan regarding it so please stay with me on that point :) Hmmm Yes you're quite right to be worried, you'd think they'd have learnt by now not to leave them alone ... oh well *cackles evilly* :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
Issai: Thanks for the review - D'Art really shouldn't be moved but things are going to happen which are going to make that inevitable unfortunately. Hmm an interesting thought on the uncle... you'll have to wait to find out if you're correct :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
MicheeO: Thanks for the review - I'm not entirely sure if you wrote that intending to be sarcastic but I actually quite like the idea... Imagine the guilty D'Art moments I could have fun writing if that happened! Ooooh now I'm trying to mentally go through my plan for this story to see if I can include it anywhere :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
WelshEssex (Guest): Thanks for the review - I'm glad you liked it, I figured that after dealing with the nightmare that Athos would be too worried to fall asleep. Kinda have another cliffhanger today hope you're prepared. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the reviews - Yay reviews are showing again! It's good they're back as I was worried I was missing replying to some people as some reviews (bizarrely) don't come through to my emails. Luckily I don't think I ended up missing anyone but I am glad it all seems to be working again now... though knowing me I've probably gone and jinxed it lol. Considering the random things I can end up writing back to people I can imagine how hard it would be to try and work out what someone wrote to me :D Glad you liked the Athos moment, the mental image was too cute for me to pass up, it had to be included :D Angry vengeful Aramis is going to come out to play again tomorrow... although its probably more protective then vengeful thinking about it...either way I think you'll like it. We'll be finding out about D'Art's uncle relatively soon I think :) Our boys are definitely in trouble (its me, of course they are lol) hope you're ready! Enjoy the new chapter! x
As always much love and many thanks for following/favouriting/reviewing/reading
Love you all!
Enjoy!
xxx
Chapter Thirteen: Protective Instincts I
At the sound of gunfire both Athos and Porthos felt their hearts stop and all blood drain from their faces. The two men shared a panicked, yet fiercely determined look before ordering the two women to stick close to them as they raced towards the cave currently housing their two brothers, all while praying they weren't too late.
"You're going to pay for that, musketeer scum!" snarled a man as he glared at Aramis, the medic standing protectively in front of D'Artagnan's shaking form, his pistol still smoking in his hand as a dead bandit laid near his feet.
"If you think I'm letting you take a single step closer to him…" growled Aramis, his eyes dark with anger as he lowered his now spent pistol to swap it for the other loaded one on his belt.
"Aint your choice," spat the man as he edged closer to the two musketeers, his eyes drifting from the armed medic briefly to land on D'Artagnan.
Seeing this Aramis let out a low growl, shifting position so he better covered his brother from the man's view.
The man smirked at the medic's reaction before anger returned to his face. "The boy belongs to the boss," announced the man, his dark smirk returning at the look of equal parts confusion and anger on the musketeer's face. "He wont be happy he's injured but the brat still has value… Now hand him over."
An almost feral look passed across Aramis's face as he primed his pistol for firing before aiming it right at the man's heart. "Come and claim him," growled the sharpshooter, barely resisting the urge to simply kill the man right then and there.
"You can kill me if you wish musketeer," shrugged the man as he raised his sword-arm, the blade in his grasp glistening in the sun. "But then my men here will simply kill you and take the boy. There's one of you against five of us. The odds are not in your favour here musketeer, now hand over the boy."
Aramis refused to let it show just how much the bandit's words affected him. They were true after all, even with his training, fighting four armed men alone in a tight space, all whilst trying to watch over and protect D'Artagnan was near impossible. His only hope now was to stall and hope that Athos and the other were on their way back.
Deciding to risk trying to stall them Aramis's grip tightened on his pistol, something the apparently leader of the group didn't miss.
"Really musketeer," smirked the man, amusement clear in his eyes, "just how many of us do you think you can kill with that before we end you and simply take the brat."
"What do you want with him anyway?" snarled the medic, his body shifting once again to cover more of his brother when some of bandits inched closer. The marksman's protective instincts were going haywire and they were only made worse by the haggard breathing sounds he could hear coming from his sick and injured brother. It was killing him not to abandon everything to check on the younger man, but he knew that doing that would be resigning both of them to their deaths. Instead he sent out a prayer for Athos and the others to arrive soon.
The man sighed, sending his men a significant look. "Our boss wants a musketeer, I very much doubt he'd complain about an extra one." Aramis tensed his grip on his weapons tightening as he prepared to fight. The bandit smirked, "Take them both!"
Just as the men were about to move a faint, barely audible call of Aramis's name echoed through the air making musketeer and bandits alike freeze.
"So you aren't alone," snarled the bandit before turning to two of his men, "Handle them, we'll get these two to the boss."
Panic rushed through the medic as he shifted his firearm to the back of one of the now retreating men, missing him by mere millimeters as the man mounted his horse and rode off after his brothers.
"What a wasted shot," mused the bandit before he and his remaining men launched themselves at the medic.
Athos saw them first and for one moment he thought the two riders to be his brothers, only for the brutal memory of his youngest brother's dire condition to push that idea away.
Reacting more on instinct and training then any conscious thought, Athos passed the reigns of his horse over into one hand, leaving his dominant hand free to pull his pistol free of it's holster. Out of the corner of his eyes he noticed Porthos doing the same thing, although the larger man seemed more focused on protecting their two unarmed companions then assessing the threat. Not that he needed to, years of working together had given the men the ability to predict what the other needed when conflict arose. This meant that while Porthos focused on protecting the women and acting back up should Athos need it, the swordsman was free to use all of his tactical knowledge to assess and handle the threat approaching them.
"I say ride, you ride as hard and fast as you can, no questions asked," ordered Porthos in a no-nonsense voice to the two nervous looking women, who both nodded sharply, understanding the seriousness of the situation.
"Turn around musketeers," called one of the two men as they approached and both musketeers had trouble containing their anger when they say the new arrivals were clothed in the same attire as the dead bandits in the D'Artagnan's village.
"We take orders from our Captain and our King, not bandits who slaughter an entire village of innocent villagers," snarled Porthos as his grip on his pistol tightened.
The two men let out a bark of laughter at the musketeer's words, confusing Athos's group immensely, though they didn't let it show.
"I fail to see the funny side of a massacre," deadpanned Athos as he moved his horse a few steps closer to the two bandits and further in front of his brother and their companions.
"You fail to see a lot of things musketeer," sneered the bandit, his companion smirking knowingly at the group and making the urge to punch him grow within Porthos.
Athos's eyes narrowed, sensing there was more to their words then first appeared. "Explain."
"I think not," chuckled one of the men before his amused expression morphed into one of cruelty and dark promise. "You have two choices musketeers. You can either ride away back to the safety of your city walls and garrison gates…"
"Or," smirked the second bandit, taking over for his friend. "You can fight us."
Without even thinking Athos dismounted his horse, taking a few careful steps forward, knowing that Porthos's pistol was trained at the bandits without even having to glance back at him.
"I was hoping you would chose that option," grinned one of the bandits as he too, dismounted his horse, unsheathing his blade the second his feet touched the ground.
Without warning the bandit launched himself at Athos and within moments the sound of clashing blades filled the air.
Porthos was tense as he sat on his horse watching his brother, he had no doubt his friend could handle himself, he was, after all, the best swordsman the regiment had seen in a long time. No it wasn't Athos he was worried about but the second, still mounted, bandit that was watching the fight with a smug smirk on his face.
The musketeer knew it was highly unlikely that the two bandits were alone in the forest, especially after hearing the gunfire earlier and the lack of anybody else sent the larger man's worry for his two absent brothers to all new heights.
He, like Athos, suspected the men were trying to distract them and delay them from reaching their brothers' side, for what they were not sure but Porthos did know they couldn't run the risk of bringing the enemy to them by pushing their luck and making a break for it.
Aramis, he knew, was exhausted and completely focused on watching over D'Artagnan, who struggled to stay conscious for more than a minute or two at a time. Even if they could get around their current attackers there was no way to successfully hide their tracks if/when they come looking for them.
D'Artagnan was also in no condition to be moved, as Aramis had stressed to them several times. The stab wound was in an awkward place where any movement the Gascon made risked pulling and/or ripping the stitches keeping it closed.
With a soft growl Porthos settled for glaring at the remaining bandit, whilst also keeping an eye out for any surprise attackers. The very last thing either himself or Athos were going to do was to lead their attackers right to the cave their brothers were currently in. They had no way of knowing if the two men had already been found but it wasn't a risk either man was willing to make.
Porthos couldn't help himself though when the smirk faltered slightly on the face of the second bandit. Athos, who had largely been on the defensive since the fight began, had, with ease, knocked the man's sword out of his hand and sent it and the man skidding across the ground. The smirk on the swordsman's lips proving what Porthos had known from the beginning, the man was no match for his brother.
Apparently the still mounted bandit didn't approve of the way his friend appeared to be losing as Porthos caught the gleam of a dagger slowly being pulled out of the man's jacket.
"Try it," dared Porthos, his voice a growl as he primed his pistol for firing and aimed it at the bandit, "I dare you."
For a moment it looked liked the man was going to risk it but after a few moments he sighed and dropped the dagger back into the hidden pocket it had come from.
"Good boy," mocked Porthos as he smirked at the man, his smirk only growing when the man all but snarled at him.
"You know he's dying right?" taunted a voice, instantly pulling both Porthos and the bandit's attention back to the fight, though Porthos did notice the glare the bandit was sending his now talkative companion.
When Athos failed to respond to the man's taunts, despite the slight tensing of his frame that followed his words, the man he was fighting spoke again.
"I mean he didn't look too good, all shaky and haggard breathi-"
The bandit was cut off before he could finish as a dagger pierced his back of his chest, killing him instantly.
Porthos instantly raised his pistol once more, furious at himself for getting so caught up in what was being said that he didn't notice the mounted bandit reacting to his friend's apparent loose lips.
"You want answers?" smirked the man as he tightened his grip on his horse's reigns. "Catch me if you can musketeer," he yelled before charging off.
Without wasting a beat Athos turned to Porthos, the two sharing a silent conversation that finished with them each nodding sharply before Athos rapidly mounted his own horse, quickly charging after the fleeing bandit.
"Let's go," ordered Porthos as he turned to the two shaken women behind him. "We need to get to 'Mis and the whelp."