Evening My Lovelies
So I know some of you have been wondering why Quentin hasn't just killed D'Art now he has a musketeer in Aramis as well as to why he was so desperate for a musketeer in the first place... AND the identity of our mystery man/rat...Well those questions will be answered today and I'm really hoping they make it worth the wait.
We're also seeing a few people we haven't seen in a while today so I hope you enjoy it :D
Over 250 reviews! Whoop whoop!
Notes On Reviews:
criminally charmed: Thanks for the review - Nightmares are going to become fairly common for our pup unfortunately :( Enjoy the new chapter! x
Deana: Thanks for the review - Aramis is glad too :) Enjoy the new chapter! x
Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Haha glad you liked it :D Those codes are definitely a godsend for our boys that's for sure. Remy's helping a lot lately... I think I'm just using it as an excuse to include him, he's really growing on me. D'Art and Aramis are soo adorable so I'm really really glad you're enjoying reading the two but I will admit I'm missing my Athos/D'Art moments. Enjoy the new chapter! x
GoGirl212: Thanks for the review - I'm really glad you liked the cute moment between them, I just couldn't resist it! Our boys are on it worry not! :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
pallysdeeks: Thanks for the review - Haha I'm loving these name :D D'Art's going to begin to improve a bit in tomorrows chapter but I can't promise how permanent an improvement it'll be. Unfortunately he's in no real condition to fight and Aramis isn't as healthy as he's trying to convince himself either... Luckily our other boys are on the way to rescue them! Enjoy the new chapter! x
Katie (Guest): Thanks for the review - I'm glad you're happy to see them :D I've missed them so they had to make a return at some point :D Remy's really growing on me but I just can't decide if he'll be good or not... either way he'd still have to pay for his crimes i.e. the attack on D'Art's village. Enjoy the new chapter! x
f1gymnast: Thanks for the review - Hmm Remy as an undercover operative is an interesting thought... it would give me a way to keep him alive later on... Though I doubt he'd be a Red Guard, they hate our muskies so he'd probably be more than happy to see our boys suffer. Aramis will be telling D'Art the truth tomorrow... though there are a few things he's not going to mention just yet. Nightmares are going to become fairly common for our pup unfortunately but his brothers will help him through it. Enjoy the new chapter! x
GingietheSnap: Thanks for the review - I know this was for the first chapter but I'm hoping you continued to read the story and so will read this here... Glad to know you liked it. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Maryg (Guest): Thanks for the review - Aramis will definitely be glad he demanded they have a code that's for sure. Issac and Favier aren't happy their hunt for Quentin has brought them to Athos and the others. Unlike Athos and Porthos who have only seen what Quentin's men did to D'Art's village both Favier and Issac have seen multiple instances of Quentin's "work" so they know what the man is truly capable... which is not a comforting thought for them. Glad you're loving it all so far. Enjoy the new chapter! x
MicheeO: Thanks for the review - I'm afraid there was no way in hell Aramis was doing a cross stitch lol... not even for you :D Yes unfortunately I do know what you're like so go and enjoy you're virtual cookie... crazy lady ;D Enjoy the new chapter! x
Issai: Thanks for the review - Glad you liked the code idea. I wanted a way for them to communicate that was easier to keep hidden if I decided to have anyone notice what he was doing. I don't think even Remy knows the answer to that... we shall have to see. Enjoy the new chapter! x
WelshEssex (Guest): Thanks for the review - Gotta love Issac and Favier :D I'm glad to have them back in the story now. Glad you liked the code idea. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - Glad you're happy to see them return to the story, I was missing them and this seemed the perfect opportunity to bring them back in. I absolutely adored writing Athos's bit in that chapter so I'm really happy you loved it and I was able to communicate what I wanted to in a way that got an even better reaction than I had hoped :D Hahaha yeah they should put that on their recruitment flyers :D Aramis is definitely not as well off as he's trying to convince himself he is and it's really going to show in a few chapters time. The walking definitely did not help matters and nor did the fake fall... but it got him to D'Art which is the main thing. I adored writing the nightmare and having Aramis's voice calling out to him amidst the horrors in the boy's mind. The cute cuddly moment when he woke was something I really couldn't resist adding, though I did have a feeling you would enjoy it :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
As always much love and many thanks for following/favouriting/reviewing/reading
Love you all!
Enjoy!
xxx
Chapter Nineteen: Revelations
SEVERAL DAYS EARLIER
With a sigh Treville resigned himself to another day without information on his missing men. When he had sent Athos and the others out after D'Artagnan he hoped to receive word fairly soon, knowing just how hard his men would push themselves to reach their missing brother. But then the rain hit and his heart clenched, just thinking about how much of a delay that would cause and now several long anxious days later the musketeer Captain was reaching the end of his patience.
He was just about to get started on the mountain of paperwork sitting on his desk when a knock on his office door caught his attention.
"Enter," he called aimlessly, his attention diverted by the missive from the Queen on his desk requesting his presence in the palace as soon as possible as the King's actions in the wake of the Cardinal's death were getting alarmingly worse.
"…Sir," said a voice, causing Treville to look up from the note to the man standing, somewhat nervously, in front of his desk.
"Henri?" nodded Treville, confused as to why the man was standing in his office. A frown tugged at his lips as he saw the almost faded bruise on the man's jaw, evidence of when Porthos had sent the musketeer to the infirmary during the week-long lock-down.
"We would like permission to ride out Captain," stated the musketeer, his determined eyes never leaving his superior.
"We?" asked Treville, confusing filling his voice.
"Myself, Corbett, Alain and Blaise," clarified Henri, his hope growing the longer Treville allowed him to continue with shooting him down. "Something's going on Captain, they're going to need us, we can feel it."
"You are supposed to be heading out tomorrow on your own mission, surely you haven't forgotten that?"
Henri shook his head, "Reynard has offered to go in my place. My last patrol outside the city took me close to the Gascon borders, I know the terrain and routes best out of our group."
Treville fought to keep the amused half smile off of his face, his solider had clearly thought this through quite thoroughly.
"Please Captain," begged Henri and for the first time since D'Artagnan disappeared the musketeer let it show how truly worried he was.
Sighing Treville rose from his desk, walking around so he was standing in front of the musketeer.
"I want frequent word being sent back to me of your progress. First I lost contact with D'Artagnan and now Athos and his group. If something truly sinister is going on then I need to know."
Henri's face lit up with a beaming smile as he nodded enthusiastically. "Absolutely sir. We'll send word as often as we can."
This time Treville allowed himself a small grin. "Then get going, I want the four of you riding out within the hour, take what you need from the armory and watch each others backs out there."
With one more nod of thanks Henri all but darted out of the room, leaving Treville to crack a larger grin when he heard the man yelling out for his companions that they were good to go.
Right, sighed Treville as he turned back to his desk, his eyes falling back to the Queen's message, Time to sort out another mess.
PRESENT DAY
"We're gonna need to stop soon," murmured Remy to Quentin as he looked skyward, "Another hour or so and we'll start losing the light."
Quentin nodded, "Ride ahead, find somewhere suitable and come back."
With a nod Remy rode off, not noticing the curious stare of the musketeer in the wagon.
"Surprised 'e aint dead yet," mused Quentin as he strode up to where Aramis was working on D'Artagnan. They had found a small clearing to stop in for the night and the men had been less than gentle with the injured young man leaving Aramis to instantly start working on him as soon as they were left alone.
With a growl Aramis raised his head, glaring daggers at the bandit leader. "Don't you dare touch him."
"I'd watch that tongue of yours musketeer. I'd be more than happy to leave the boy out here alone when we leave in the morning if you continue to push me."
Aramis snorted, filling his words with more confidence then he actually felt. "You went through all this trouble to get him, what makes you think I'd believe you'd just leave him alone?"
"Simple," smirked Quentin and the smirk sent cold shivers of dread down the senior musketeer's spine. "I no longer need him I have you."
"You'll get nothing from me!" spat Aramis, his hands clenching as he forced himself not attack the man in front of him. Despite how much he might really have wanted to the medic still had enough sense in his head to realize how poorly that endeavor would end, especially given his wrists were still tied and his shoulder was still painfully throbbing, causing the occasional dark spot to dance across his vision.
Quentin laughed, a dark smirk settling on his face. "You ever heard of a man called Marshall musketeer?"
The instant flash of anger in Aramis's eyes answered that question for him.
"Oh," grinned Quentin, "You're one of them aren't you?" he asked curiously, his grin never faltering as he let his eyes roam over the musketeer, observing him in a whole new light.
"One of what?" snapped Aramis as he tried to play ignorant. He knew, as soon as the words left his mouth, that he had not been believed but he refused to show how much hearing Marshall's name truly shook him.
"One of the musketeers who almost shut down his entire operation for good," stated Quentin. "From what I heard he only just managed to get away, it's taken him this long just to set up shop again."
"Should've killed the pig when I had the chance," muttered Aramis angrily, instantly loosing himself in the memory of his one and only meeting with the man.
It was one of their last missions before D'Artagnan arrived in Paris. They had heard reports of young men and even occasionally women being stolen from their homes, only for some of them to be found dead in the weeks that followed, clear evidence of struggle and torture on their skin.
The King had ordered the best musketeers to hunt down the man responsible and put an end to it before he reached Paris, all evidence showing he was moving closer and closer to the city.
The mission was long and tedious but eventually they were able to gain access to one of Marshall's events, only to become horrified when they realized the man was taking innocent people and forcing them to fight to the death for the amusement of a masked, betting crowd.
The musketeers were forced to act when one of Marshall's bodyguards became suspicious and this ended up throwing off their entire plan. Having been forced to choose between pursuing a fleeing Marshall or helping the forty or so people he had captive they ended up losing Marshall in the bustle of the fleeing crowd, despite Aramis being able to hit him with a bullet.
"Oh this is fantastic," exclaimed Quentin joyfully, his voice pulling Aramis out of the memory and making him scowl at the scarred man.
"Marshall's got a bone to pick with your regiment," he explained. "The man's offering quite the reward for every musketeer brought to him… Imagine how much I'll get when he recognized you!"
Aramis paled, Marshall was ruthless and vindictive, and he would not show mercy should either he or D'Artagnan end up in the man's clutches.
"Why keep D'Artagnan?" asked Aramis, hating that he was doing this but if there was any chance of keeping his baby brother free of Marshall's clutches the marksman would do just about anything. "As you said, you have me now. Why not simply leave him here when we move on?"
Quentin chuckled, his lips curving into a dark smirk. "I commend you for trying monsieur but the brat stays for the same reason. I have you" when Aramis's face scrunched up in confusion he continued. "With him around you are far more compliant and less likely to even attempt to escape. Marshall may not be willing to buy him given his condition but that just means we can kill the brat then."
"We are not commodities to be bought and sold!" roared Aramis, his control on his emotions slipping as Quentin began to walk away. "YOU CAN'T DO THIS!"
Quentin smirked, amusement lighting up his eyes as he looked over his shoulder at the two injured musketeers, "Tell that to Antoine D'Artagnan!"
"I don't like this," grumbled Porthos as he threw more wood on the campfire, his eyes narrowing into a glare as if the wood was personally responsible for the trouble their brothers were in.
"Like we said before, Quentin doesn't really make any attempts to hide, he has the numbers to intimidate away people who would stand up to him. With Aramis leaving the signs he is we stand a good chance of catching up with them real soon," reassured Issac as he stirred the stew they had cooking over the fire.
"Before or after the whelp gets worse?"
Silence fell on the group then as each of their thoughts drifted to the two missing men. Athos and Porthos had explained the extent of D'Artagnan's injuries to the other two men and now each of them were equally worried about the boy, especially as the majority of Aramis's medical supplies were now strapped to Athos's horse.
"Aramis wont let that happen," said Favier softly, hating the look in both inseparables eyes. "You said you thought this whole thing was about D'Artagnan. " When both musketeers nodded he continued. "That gives D'Artagnan value, as horrible as it sounds. They're going to want him alive and Aramis is a damn good medic, he's not going to let things deteriorate if he can help it."
"This is my fault," sighed Athos despondently, his eyes focusing on the flames so he wouldn't have to look into the eyes of his friends.
"How'd ya figure that?" snorted Porthos as he shook his head sadly at his friend.
"I should have mentioned my suspicions as soon as I had them, if I had we would have been better prepared –"
"Enough of that," chastised the larger musketeer, "You did the right thing. Did it hurt you didn't tell us? Yes. Do I blame you for it? No. That was the very last thing the whelp needed to hear in his condition, you did the right thing."
Seeing that Athos was about to protest Issac started dishing up their food. "We should eat, if we want to catch up to them we're going to need to leave at first light so I say we eat and then get some rest."
"You really should get some sleep," spoke a voice, startling Aramis from his pain-induced haze. The medic had been avidly watching over his brother as the younger man slept when the pain in his shoulder had started to worsen. The pain coupled with his own exhaustion had caused him to drift somewhat meaning he did not hear the return of his own personal watcher.
"What do you want Remy," sighed Aramis tiredly, too exhausted to sass the man back right now.
"You to sleep for starters."
"Not a chance," snorted Aramis weakly before a large yawn escaped him, making him wince in pain as he instinctively raised his arm to cover his mouth.
"Shoulder still playing up?" asked Remy and Aramis was surprised to hear honest concern underlying his words, though he was a bit too tired to focus on that right now.
"Getting stabbed will do that to you."
"Want me to have a look at it?"
Aramis blinked in surprise, all tiredness gone as he stared, stunned, at the bandit who was now smirking at him.
"What? Do you honestly think we can do what we do without getting hurt? Hold still I'll have a look."
Aramis wanted to smack him away, to deny the man's help but there was a part of him that was honestly worried about the wound and he was cursing himself for not taking care of it when he had first received it, especially now with how dizzy it was making him and how much pain it was causing him.
Biting back a protest Aramis slowly put his arm out, giving Remy better access to remove the bloodstained bandage from his shoulder, letting out the occasional hiss of pain as he worked whenever the bandage got stuck to the sensitive skin around the wound.
For several moments Remy was silent and that did little to ease the worry nagging at the musketeer's heart.
"Remy?" he called quietly, his mind whirling with worst-case scenarios as to what could be going on.
"Its –"
"REMY!" yelled the angry voice of Quentin from the other side of their temporary camp. "Stop chatting with the merchandise and get over here!"
Knowing better than to disobey or keep the man waiting Remy sent the musketeer an apologetic look before rushing off to meet with his boss.
"Well," mused Aramis quietly with a small grimace, "That was odd."