Evening My Lovelies
Sorry if this seems a bit rushed but I only had just over an hour to write it.
Notes On Reviews:
Deana: Thanks for the review - I want to give him a hug too! Enjoy the new chapter! x
criminally charmed: Thanks for the review - Both the cliff and pigsty idea were tempting but hopefully you don't hate what I decided to do. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Haha glad you liked Porthos attempting to persuade Athos, that whole banter scene was a lot of fun to write :D Marshall is definitely about to make his move and I hope you like what I decided to do with him. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Tidia: Thanks for the review - I'm glad to hear you liked it :) Enjoy the new chapter! x
pallysdeeks: Thanks for the review - Haha don't worry Porthos will be okay. Enjoy the new chapter! x
pheonixriv: Thanks for the review - Glad to have you back :) How was your trip home? Don't worry Marshall's plan wont seriously injure anyone. The whole Porthos/Athos scene was a lot of fun to write so I'm glad you liked it. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Guest: Thanks for the review - I was tempted to have him hurt more today but decided against it so you don't have to worry about our pup today. Marshall's plans will definitely change as Porthos could easily overpower him if he tried. Enjoy the new chapter! x
f1gymnast: Thanks for the review - Haha Treville's like a stern father at times :D Figure he's got enough paperwork to do without intentionally adding to it by pushing matters like that. Enjoy the new chapter! x
MicheeO: Thanks for the review - Nope no punching for Porthos. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - Glad you liked the Marshall scenes, I wanted to create a bit of drama before we get into today's chapter. Writing Porthos's playful side, particularly was a lot of fun to write so I'm glad to hear you enjoyed reading it. I felt a bit bad for hurting D'Art more but that went away fairly quickly lol :D The Porthos/D'Art moment produced such a cute mental image that I couldn't resist adding it in. Hope you like what I've decided on for Marshall. Enjoy the new chapter! x
WelshEssex (Guest): Thanks for the review - I loved writing the banter between Porthos and Athos so I'm really happy you liked reading it :) Porthos's moment with D'Art gave me such a cute mental image that I couldn't resist :) Enjoy the new chapter! x
As always much love and many thanks for following/favouriting/reviewing/reading
Love you all!
Enjoy!
xxx
Chapter Sixty-Two: Marshall
Marshall knew that, with his hands free, he only had a short matter of time before someone noticed.
Scanning the groups for the best target, he couldn't help but smirk when one of the men ended up walking quite close to him. Knowing he wouldn't get another chance like he had at that second, he made a small noise that was just enough to get the musketeer's attention.
"ALAIN!" screamed one of the men, having noticed the unsuspecting musketeer get caught in an unrelenting chokehold.
His shout brought everyone else's attention over to the pair and, had the situation not be so important and serious Marshall was sure he would have burst out laughing at the deadly look Blaise was sending him.
Alain on the other hand was finding nothing funny about the whole situation as he desperately tried to get free, or at the very least get the grip on him loosen enough so he could get more than a small mouthful of air.
"Let him go Marshal," demanded Treville as he rode through the middle of the group to stand near his captured man. Tensions were high and the Captain knew that many of his men were just waiting on his signal to do something, but he feared what might happen to Alain if he was freed so violently as they had no way of knowing if Marshall had somehow gotten ahold of a weapon.
Out of the corner of his eyes he could see D'Artagnan weakly fighting the hold Porthos had on the Gascon's shoulder.
Alain and D'Artagnan had been fast friends ever since the latter joined the regiment and it was killing the Gascon to see one of his beloved friend in such a dangerous and volatile situation.
Treville had noticed the looks Marshall had been sending Porthos's way and was, despite how horrid it sounded, grateful it hadn't been him who had been taken, though he reasoned it was likely the larger musketeer's strength that had Marshall moving onto a different target.
"Now why would I do that?" sneered Marshall, tightening his hold on the still struggling Alain just enough to make the boy whimper in pain and panic.
"Because if you don't I will end you," snarled a voice full of deadly promise.
Despite his rapidly diminishing oxygen Alain's ears twitched at the sound of the familiar voice.
"….B-Blaise" he rasped out, regretting it instantly as he felt both his lung and throat burn.
Blaise's eyes narrowed at the sound of his voice coming from his protégé and brother and he took a step forward, raising the arm holding his rifle and aiming it right at Marshall's head, for once thankful of his baby brother's short stature as it gave him something to aim at without risking injury to the captured musketeer.
"I wont ask again Marshall," he growled, his voice taking on a dark and deadly tone that sent shivers down the backs of several other musketeers such as Treville and Favier. "Let. Him. Go."
"Hmmm," mused Marshall as he pretended to think about it for a moment before he smirked and once again tightened his hold on the boy in his arms, knowing full well he was very close to passing out. Not wanting that to happen he held the newly tightened hold for a moment or two more before loosening it a fraction, allowing the boy to get more than a gasp of air into his lungs.
"I think not," he smirked, "Not when this brat is my ticket out of here. You've got another thing coming if you think I'm going to let you take me to Paris."
"Think about what you're doing Marshall," implored Treville as he noticed Blaise's grip on his rifle tighten as well as D'Artagnan's own struggles increase.
"I have Captain," spat Marshall, his eyes narrowing into a glare at the work Captain. "And I've decided that I don't wish to visit our country's great capitol."
"But instead you'd like the entire musketeer regiment hunting you down?" asked Treville with no small amount of sarcasm in his voice. "That's if you even managed to outrun the men here, who are only holding back from killing you right now because of my words… There's no end here that works in your favour Marshall, you either die here or we leave you to the judgment of His Majesty, King Louis."
Marshall snarled at this, his eyes rapidly scanning the area and noticing that the man was telling the truth as several members of the regiment, including those injured and confined to a wagon, had weapons trained on him and he knew there would be no getting out of this now.
Deciding he had one last card to play, Marshall removed a dagger from Alain's belt, making the musketeer and those watching tense with anticipation.
Resting the blade against Alain's throat Marshall lifted his gaze to smirk dangerously at Treville, his smirk growing when he heard the small, almost inaudible whimper that escaped his hostage the second the blade touched his skin.
Treville opened his mouth to say something else, most likely another attempt to talk the man down, when a shot rang through the air.
Most of the men remained frozen in surprise at the sound but Blaise was dropping his now smoking rifle and striding towards the pair as Marshall crumpled to the ground, his weight bringing Alain down with him, a small shout of pain leaving the younger man's lips as he was pulled to the floor.
"Alain!" exclaimed Blaise as he reached his little brother's side. He quickly shoved the now dead form of Marshall of the younger man before twisting Alain's head to the side to see if the blood staining one side of his throat was his… To his horror it was, although the wound causing it wasn't very deep. It was likely that as the pair had fallen, the dagger that had previously been at the boy's throat lightly dug into the younger musketeer's skin, drawing enough blood to be worrying but not enough to require stitch work.
Alain was gasping for breath as he weakly reached out for his brother, his hands latching onto the man's shirt and tightening with all the strength he had left as he fought his body's urge to pass out.
"Look at me," demanded Blaise softly as he cupped the boy's face in his hands, his worried eyes scanning the younger man's face for any other sign of distress. When he was sure his protégé was back with them he helped the younger man to his feet and over to the wagon containing D'Artagnan, knowing the Gascon had been just as scared as he had been for the younger man's safety.
"Are you okay?" asked D'Artagnan, his voice full of both relief and worry as Blaise helped settle Alain on the edge of the wagon before leaving to get supplies to clean the wound on Alain's neck.
Alain opened his mouth to respond but was met by the familiar burning in his throat, causing him to whimper in pain.
"You're going to be sore for a while Alain," soothed Treville who had come over with Blaise as the musketeer returned to his brother's side. The Captain took one look at the boy before passing over his canteen, letting the man take a long drink of the cooling liquid before he turned his focus to Blaise.
"I don't recall giving you permission to shoot," he said, raising an eyebrow at the man. "There was a chance we could talk him down and take him to Paris for judgment."
Blaise, despite knowing full well whom he was talking to, snorted. "There was no way he was going to let us take him to Paris alive Captain and you know it. The only thing I regret about my shot is that I aimed at his head. Bastard should have been made to suffer for what he put our brothers through; instead I gave him a quick death."
Treville raised an eyebrow at the tone Blaise was speaking to him in and though he would never admit it he was slightly proud of how Blaise handled the whole situation. The musketeer was right, Marshall would never have surrendered back to them and had they drawn it out longer more of his men could have been injured and Alain could have lost his life.
"Next time, wait," he grunted before turning to the rest of his men and ordering them to take a ten minute break while Alain was tended to.
"We only have a few more hours ride to get back to the city but I don't like how hard you fell to the floor," said Treville softly as his attention returned to the two men before him, the younger one now watching him with curious eyes. "We don't have room in the wagon's for you so I want you to ride with Blaise for the rest of the journey just to be on the safe side. After everything you've been through today the last thing you need is to be falling off of your horse because you've got a mild concussion."
For a moment it looked like the younger man would protest but to Treville's surprise he instead, just sighed and nodded, not yet able to speak as his throat rested from the damage done to it not even an hour earlier.
When the ten minutes were up the men were back on their horses and back on the path, each eager to return home and be done with this whole ordeal.
Reaching the city gates the whole group let out a collective sigh of relief and many couldn't contain their smiles at being home once again. Only for that relief to fade minutes later as a couple members of the city guard blocked their paths.
"Gentlemen," said Treville with only a hint of annoyance in his voice. "What can we do for you?"
"King's orders I'm afraid Treville," explained one of the guards, an apologetic look in his eyes. "His Majesty ordered us to ensure you went to the palace as soon as you returned to the city."
Barely managing to hold back his sigh Treville nodded. "Let me see my men off and I'll head over."
The guards shook their heads, confusing the musketeers'.
"He wanted all the men returning to head to the palace not just you Captain Treville."
This time Treville was unable to hide his frustration and annoyance. "I have several men in need of medical attention. Are you telling me I have to withhold as the King wishes to see all of us?"
The guard nodded.
Not bothering to hide his sigh now Treville turned back to his men. "Let's head to the palace then. I have no idea what His Majesty may want but the sooner we find out the sooner we can get our injured to the infirmary.