Evening My Lovelies
Holy hell we're at over 300 reviews already! We're not even at chapter 30 yet so that's more than 10 reviews per chapter! Love you guys for that!
Hmm... It's probably a bad thing that I'm really eager to see what sort of reviews I get for what happens in this chapter!
Notes On Reviews:
Katie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Haha glad you liked it :D Henri's a lot of fun to write because I can make him really blunt and honest. Aramis is quite hurt but the banter between him and Remy today makes up for it I think :D I loved writing it! Enjoy the new chapter! x
criminally charmed: Thanks for the review - It was tempting to have it be a baddie just to throw you guys off but figured we needed our good guys to have some back up :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
pallysdeeks: Thanks for the review - Hmm Athos might not handle the cuddle well... especially after a coming chapter where things get a little worse for him. Aramis isn't doing too well but he'll get better sooner than D'Art will. Bwhaha Don't blame you for wanting to cuddle them :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
Tidia: Thanks for the review - Aramis is going to get a bit worse before he gets better. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Deana: Thanks for the review - Our medic isn't in for the best time that's for sure. Glad you liked it. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Glad to see you were happy to see Henri's group's arrival. Our boys need the back up for tomorrows chapter. Alain's cute moment was fun to write so I'm glad you liked it. I hadn't thought of Remy maybe being younger... he's definitely younger than Quentin and I quite like your reasoning. It's quite an odd feeling for me to have no idea what I'm doing with a character. I usually at least know if they're good or bad but Remy's kind just grey its odd. Enjoy the new chapter! x
GoGirl212: Thanks for the review - Glad you liked the arrival of the other muskies... Bad things are in store for our medic and pup but might not be right away if Athos's group can reach them in time. Enjoy the new chapter! x
f1gymnast: Thanks for the review - You were my 300th reviewer so whoop whoop go you! :D Thanks for sticking with me through all of this :D Henri's loads of fun to write with him being as blunt as he is... I think he and Remy would get along well if I ever decided to have them meet. Quentin's a lot of things and an idiot, at least in this instance, is definitely one of them :) Enjoy the new chapter! x
WelshEssex (Guest): Thanks for the review - It was tempting to have them as more baddies but I need our boys to have back up for tomorrow's chapter so it had to be our other muskies :D D'Art's a little more aware in today and the coming chapters but I can't promise he wont get worse again soon :) Remy's really interesting to write and I love reading everyone's comments about him :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
Issai: Thanks for the review - Glad you enjoyed their reunion, we get another reunion very very soon so stay tuned for that :D Aramis is going to be kicking himself for letting his wound get as bad as it did that's for sure. Enjoy the new chapter! x
MicheeO: Thanks for the review - Yeah you may not like this one's ending... Enjoy the new chapter! x
Maryg (Guest): Thanks for the review - Good to know you're not mad about the delay. The reunion is going to be split across 2 chapters so we have the drama in 24 and then more fluffy stuff in 25. I just finished writing 24 earlier on and I think you're gonna like it :D Having to plead with the guys who destroyed his home was definitely hard for D'Art to do and something Aramis will be thanking him for later on when he's with it enough to realize his brother had done that for him. Remy's great I LOVE writing him. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Miisakee: Thanks for the review - Oooh a 22 chapter binge read :) Hope you had fun :D I always love getting your reviews as you always give good advice or point out things I'm not aware I'm doing so thank you for taking the time to do that :D I was absolutely ecstatic to read that you think I'm improving. Dialogue is still a bit of a struggle with trying to keep it from sounding modern but I'm really pleased to hear that when I slip up on it that it's not too distracting. Remy being a 'grey' character is really interesting for me as it's a slightly odd feeling not quite knowing whether my character is a good guy or a bad guy but it's also fun having the freedom to explore both of those options with him too :D I hadn't really considered addressing Porthos and the whole slavery thing. I know I mentioned it briefly in one of the earlier chapters but I hadn't really thought more of it since (got a little distracted with the whump lol) I like the idea of it though so I'll definitely be looking into working it in to the story so thanks for that! Enjoy the new chapter! x
Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - I loved the small protective moment and then letting them relax when they realized who it was :D Our boy's protective sides are coming out again in today's chapter although their anger is beginning to overpower it. Alain's a lot of fun to write when I get him to act his younger age. I kinda realized last minute that I had no way of explaining how Henri's group knew where to find Athos and the others, hence Alain knowing the code (i'm quite glad i mentioned the whole ranting thing in an earlier chapter now) I hated having to make D'Art plead with the people who destroyed his home for help but Aramis needed it. I liked having Remy briefly attempting to stand up to his boss but I LOVED writing the banter we get to see come from him today and I'm hoping you'll like it too. Thanks for the congrats and for sticking with me so far :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
As always much love and many thanks for following/favouriting/reviewing/reading
Love you all!
Enjoy!
xxx
Chapter Twenty-Three: From Bad To Worse
Aramis's reaction to the burning blade on his skin had been instantaneous and excruciating. The second it hit his skin the medic's eyes shot open, wide with agony and no small amount of fear and the moment the pain registered in his mind the man began to thrash, desperately trying to get away from the source of the pain. His screams were loud and filled with such pain that they even had some of Quentin's men flinching in sympathy.
"S-Stop!" rasped Aramis his breaths coming in short sharp bursts, as he pleaded with his tormentor, desperate for the agony to end. "P-Please!"
"Just a bit longer Aramis," reassured a voice, though it sounded distant over the pounding in the musketeer's ears. "We're almost done."
True to his word the owner of the voice removed the source of Aramis's pain a few moments later making the musketeer gasp with relief as his body shook from the pain.
"You still with us musketeer?" called the voice and it was quickly followed by cool hands tapping lightly on his cheek, helping to chase away the pain-induced fog that had been obscuring his vision.
"R-Remy?"
"The one and only," smirked the bandit as he helped bind the musketeer's arm in place so he couldn't accidently jar his wound. "You think you're steady enough to stand?"
Aramis blinked, grateful that the agony in his shoulder was beginning to dull; at least to the point where he didn't think he was going to pass out or throw up at any moment. "…I just had a wound cauterized and you want me to move?" Aramis was surprised by the request, knowing that nearly everyone who endured such treatment were forced to rest not move about.
Remy shrugged, "its either that or you get carried to the wagon like a maiden… So what's it gonna be princess?"
Aramis glared at the man, his musketeer stubbornness raising its head as he forced his weak, shaking limbs to move, unashamedly digging his nails into Remy's skin as he gripped the man for support. When he was upright Aramis felt the world spin and honestly thought he was about to either fall over or pass out, neither preferable given current company.
"Come on princess," smirked Remy as he ignored the pinpricks of pain from the musketeer's nails and helped support him to the wagon. A small bubble of laughter bursting out of him at the glare the marksman sent his way at the nickname.
"What?" Remy asked innocently as he helped the quickly fading musketeer into the wagon.
"I hate you," glared Aramis though he was far too drained to infuse it with any real emotion, plus he realized he now owed Remy for quite a bit and that made it harder to hate the man, even if he had been the one to put the blade to his skin.
"Yeah, yeah," nodded Remy with a grin as he passed a water skin to the man, "Pain draught," he explained, nodding at the canteen. "Drink and sleep, from what the boss seems to be thinking you'll need it."
A grim look settled on Aramis's face but he could see the wisdom in Remy's words. If Marshall was truly at the compound waiting then the sharpshooter would need every little bit of energy he could muster just to survive the initial meeting, let alone to protect D'Artagnan from him.
The thought of his little brother being in Marshall's clutches sent a wave of worry and anger through the musketeer and he had to force his fading body to calm down as he drank the draught, his eyelids closing quickly after that as he awkwardly settled himself down by his brother's side, his unbound hand moving to weakly grasp the Gascon's as he drifted off.
As Porthos watched his brother it was taking everything in him not to laugh. His brother was glaring at his horse as he tried to work out the best way to mount that would not aggravate his damaged knee, all whilst also refusing to make it simpler for himself by simply asking one of them for help.
"You alright there 'Thos?" asked Porthos, the teasing tone in his voice letting his brother know that he had spotted the annoyed expression on his brother's face.
Turning his scowl over to his brother Athos nodded sharply before bracing himself for the pain as he swung himself up on his horse, his hand instantly coming to cup his injured knee as he fought back a grimace of pain.
At the sight of his brother in pain all sense of mirth vanished from Porthos's expression and the man moved over to his brother's side. Knowing his friend would not want his moment of weakness advertised to the rest of their party, who were currently making final checks over their weapons, Porthos subtly placed his hand on Athos's foot, which was currently shaking and only lightly resting in the stirrup.
"In or out?" he asked quietly.
"In," breathed Athos, smiling gratefully as Porthos helped gently ease his foot further into the stirrup. He knew having his foot in it might aggravate his knee more than it would if he left it out but he also knew that he'd have move control over his horse's movements and more stability in the saddle by doing so and right now that took precedence over his own comfort.
Once Athos was settled Porthos merely walked back to his own horse, mounting and nodding at his brother before twisting his head so he could yell at the others.
"Mount up!"
The sudden sound of Porthos's voice startled the other men who had been so engrossed in what they were doing but they each moved quickly to follow the order and within minutes they were once again racing through the forest.
It was several hours later when they found another one of Aramis's signs and both inseparable members couldn't help the frowns that marred their faces at the sight of it.
"What is it?" asked Corbett worriedly as he dismounted and moved to stand beside Porthos's side.
With a growl Porthos spun on his heel and stormed back to his horse.
The rest of the company looked confused by the larger man's anger and all eyes turned to Athos who was clearly battling his own anger. "We need to hurry, Aramis is getting worse," and with that he too turned his back on the symbol and headed for his horse, all his thoughts now focused on Aramis so he mounted with little trouble.
Corbett was the last to mount, sparring the symbol one last look and instantly knowing what had worried them so. Each of the other symbols they had found had been confidently drawn, even if slightly rushed they were still clear and defined but this… this one barely resembled the fleur-de-lis it was supposed to be, clear evidence of the artists worsening condition. A dark promise settled in Corbett's gut then, he swore he would offer no mercy to those who had harmed his friends and with that thought in his mind he too moved to mount his horse, the group moving out again mere moments later.
When D'Artagnan woke next he was both surprised and relieved to see his brother beside him. When Aramis had collapsed earlier that day D'Artagnan had feared the worst, something that was not help by the fact he had no idea how his brother had come to be injured nor how long he had suffered the injury for.
The Gascon knew that his brother had only made his own injury worse by pushing himself so hard to look after him instead of the wound and despite not being able to move the younger man vowed to do something to repay his brother for the great debt he now felt he owed him.
His first opportunity to do so came mere minutes later when Aramis, who had been lightly shaking in his sleep, began to show signs of suffering a nightmare. Knowing from previous experience how bad the medic's dreams could end up being D'Artagnan knew he had to do something.
"'Mis," he called quietly as he bit back a hiss of pain while he tightened his grip on the medic's hand, hoping his mind would still be set in his 'medic-mode' so he would react to even the slightest of movement from one he considered a patient, in this case D'Artagnan.
Thankfully it seemed that was the case as mere moments after D'Artagnan had tightened his grip Aramis's eyes shot open, his heart hammering hard in his chest as he wrestled with his mind to convince it that what he had seen had only been a dream.
"…'Mis?"
The sound of his brother's voice was the last thing Aramis needed to anchor himself back in reality and he turned his head to face the younger man, wincing slightly as he shoulder decided to throb at that exact moment.
"I'll be alright D'Art," reassured Aramis weakly, exhaustion from both lack of sleep and pain from his wound clear in his voice. Though even exhaustion couldn't stop him from adding, "Remy is a surprisingly attentive nursemaid when he wants to be."
D'Artagnan smiled softly at his brother's attempts to lighten the situation though he could not help the mixed feeling that settled in his gut about the bandit known as Remy. He knew the man had helped Aramis greatly since their capture and that, that had earned the man a slight reprieve from Aramis's anger but for D'Artagnan he couldn't help be see his home burning whenever he saw that man's face. Recent actions not withstanding, Remy had been part of the attack that had destroyed his home and the Gascon didn't think he could ever forgive the man for that.
"You should get some more rest," suggested the younger man moments later when he saw the exhausted expression on his brother's face. "You need to sleep, you've lost too much of it on me lately."
Too tired to offer a more reassuring speech Aramis simply squeezed D'Artagnan's hand and whispered, "completely worth it," before his eyelids fluttered shut once again.
Over the next few hours D'Artagnan watched worriedly over his brother as the medic slipped in and out of violent, realistic nightmares that were becoming increasingly difficult to wake him from.
Aramis's opened to the sight of a barely conscious D'Artagnan being dragged out of the wagon, a scream of pain bursting out of the boy's lips as one of the bandit's tightly gripped his badly burnt arm.
"W-What are you doing!?" exclaimed Aramis, pure panic in his voice as he tried to move and get to his brother, only to find that his wrists had once again been tied and he was now restrained against the wagon.
"We are not far from the compound now," spoke Quentin, his voice dark and full of malice as he moved to stand between Aramis and D'Artagnan, the boy doing his best to glare at the man despite the overwhelming urge within him to throw up and pass out… not necessarily in that order.
"I have no use for two injured musketeers and Marshall will not want nor pay for one that can't fight in his arena."
Aramis's eyes widened in panic and his skin blanched as his mind registered what the man was saying.
"DON'T YOU DARE!" he yelled, furiously pulling at his restraints in a desperate effort to get to his brother, his efforts doubling when he saw Quentin unsheathe the blade on his hip.
"I told you this would happen," smirked Quentin maliciously as he raised his blade, aiming it at the Gascon's heart.
"NO!" screamed Aramis, tears rushing down his cheeks as he was forced to watch Quentin thrusted his blade forward.