Evening My Lovelies

Lots of you seemed intrigued as to why D'Art doesn't talk much about his time in Lupiac, we'll find that out today and we'll be introducing our baddie... I'm hoping you all hate him like you have with those in my last few stories :)

Also be warned there are bits in this chapter that hint slightly at slightly darker themes... I dont think they really need trigger warnings or anything as they're not discussed in details but just be aware. :)

Notes On Reviews:

Deana: Thanks for the review - With what I have planned Aramis is quite right to be worried :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

Tidia: Thanks for the reviews - It both makes sense and highlight how stupid the King is for sending him alone with no backup... I do like my mysteries :) Worry not the Lupiac mystery will be solved (more or less) today. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Glad you liked it. I felt like Aramis was the one out of the three of them that was most likely to have a bit of a rant and clearly show his worry for the others to see. Lupiac mystery will be covered today, hopefully it'll answer all your questions. Enjoy the new chapter! x

CaroH: Thanks for the review - I'm glad you liked it :) They are so very very right to be worried :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

romirola: Thanks for the review - But of course :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

Issai: Thanks for the review - Well the King's a doofus thats for sure lol :) I'm sure the Cardinal will be having a word with him about it while this is all going on lol. We'll be learning of D'Artagnan's past today so our boys wont be going in completely in the dark but theres still a lot of trouble ahead. Glad you liked Aramis's rant, it was fun to write :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

A reader (Guest): Thanks for the review - Glad to hear you're loving it so far :D As for concocting scenarios I'm doing it too lol :D When i started i knew exactly who was in what condition but the further i get writing wise i keep changing my mind... I'll probably keep it as it originally was but who knows it might end up completely different. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - Aramis and D'Art will be having a moment later on (it was really fun and cute to write :D ) so I wanted to show his fears and worries for the Gascon early... not that we'd doubt he would be worried given their relationship but still. Plus Aramis seemed the more likely one to go off on a rant. Haha Glad you liked the rainstorm bit it produced some amusing mental imagery for me so i couldnt not write it. Ohh the trip to Gascony is going to be FULL of trouble for ALL of our boys :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

Violet Eternity (Guest): Thanks for the review - Enjoy the new chapter! x

For any of you missing D'Art worry not he'll be making an appearance in tomorrow's chapter... We'll get to see a bit of what he's been up to while we've been with the rest of our boys. I'm looking forward to hearing what you guys think :D

As always many many thanks to everyone who follows/favourites/reviews/reads this... you guys are the best!

Enjoy!

xxx

Chapter Five: Hidden Past Uncovered

"Aramis? Why have you stopped?" inquired Porthos, confused as to why his brother would pause when their youngest was in trouble

"There's a small town not an hour away" the sharpshooter informed, remembering the settlement from a past trip he took in the area a few months ago

"So?" snapped the larger musketeer

"So, D'Artagnan would have passed through it. I think we should enquire as to when he was last seen. It'd be better than racing all the way to Lupiac to find he was delayed on the return journey" the medic explained, forcing his voice to remain calm and not to snap back at Porthos. He understood that tensions were running high between the three of them and that it was only fear for their Gascon that had Porthos snapping at him.

"The horses could do with a rest," agreed Athos, hating that they were stopping but hopeful of the information they may receive from doing so. "We'll investigate for two hours before continuing on to Lupiac unless we find anything out that deems such a trip unnecessary"

Aramis and Porthos nodded their agreement to this plan and spurred their horses back into a canter, heading to the town.

It hadn't taken the musketeers long to find the local tavern, having decided that this would be their best place to start their investigation. Although they were slightly disappointed to find the place fairly empty when they entered.

"One moment monsieur's!" called a female voice jovially before her attention returned to the mischievous young toddler that was playing about, the sight of which brought a soft smile to the three road weary men.

Finally managing to catch the hyperactive toddler the woman gave a quick shout for, who the musketeers assumed to be, her husband before giving the men an apologetic smile as she left to return her son to his room.

"Sorry about that gents what can I get you?" the man asked as he entered the room, his eyes focused on the apron he was tying around his waist.

"Some food would be most welcome as we have been riding for many hours" stated Athos politely as he and his brothers made themselves comfy at one of the empty tables.

"Coming right up" smiled the man, though it faltered slightly when he noticed the regiment's insignia on the musketeers' pauldrons. "Excuse me for prying but should we be worried?"

"I'm sorry?" Aramis asked, tilting his head slightly to one side in confusion as he eyed the man curiously.

"It's just that we don't see many musketeers out this way and now we have two visits by them in a matter of weeks" the man explained, not noticing how the men instantly straightened at his words, "I don't want my family around anything dangerous so do I need to get them out of here?"

"The otha visit you had" enquired Porthos, brushing aside the man's question in favour of the possibility of getting news about his brother. "Wouldn't 'ave been a single rider, bout yey big" he asked gesturing to D'Artagnan's rough height with his hand, "Young with dark hair and tanned skin would it?"

"You're familiar with Charles then?" smiled the barkeep as he realized the man had described the young man who had paid his humble tavern a visit not too long ago.

"He is our brother," confirmed Aramis, hope building within him as they had managed to find a lead quicker than any of them had anticipated. "If you don't mind me asking monsieur, how do you know him? He would introduce himself as D'Artagnan to anyone he didn't already know."

"My wife" the man, who had quickly introduced himself as Tristan, explained, "She grew up in Lupiac and was quite close to the young man" smiling he added, "Saved her once to he did. I owe him a debt for that so the boy dined and drank for free the night he spent here"

The three musketeers were curious about how their little Gascon had saved the young woman they saw earlier but they were not surprised that he had. Their brother had a strong sense of justice and there was no way he wouldn't try to help if he saw someone in trouble, especially if that someone was a woman. As much as they wanted to ask about details they knew that all that could come after they learnt more about D'Artagnan's visit to the tavern.

"How long ago did he visit?" Athos asked. Concern was warring with hope within him and he needed answers to settle the turmoil he and his brothers were suffering.

The man was quiet as he thought about the answer but quickly replied that it had been many days ago now that D'Artagnan had shown up out of the blue, exhausted and strangely nervous – a fact that put the three men on edge. Apparently their Gascon had been extremely relieved to find the family still residing in the town and had asked to speak to his wife as he ate before retiring for the night and leaving at the crack of dawn the next day.

"He hasn't passed through on his way back to Paris then?" sighed Porthos, fear now building in his gut as Tristan shook his head. This confirmed what they had all feared, that D'Artagnan had never left Lupiac.

"Monsieur?" Aramis said after the men had gone silent for several moments after hearing the news. "Would it be possible to speak to your wife? D'Artagnan is well passed the time he was expected back and we are concerned for his wellbeing. As one of the last people to have spoken to him she might be able to shed some light on the matter" the medic stated, though the pleading tone was clear in his voice for all to hear.

Tristan had paled slightly after hearing that D'Artagnan might be in trouble and so quickly gave his consent and went to fetch his wife.

"Monsieur's?" queried a quiet voice that instantly grabbed the attention of the anxious men at the table. Standing before them was the woman from before only now she wore a deeply concerned expression that told the musketeers that her husband had filled her in one why they wanted to talk to her, as well as a sleeping toddler in her arms, the child's own arms wrapped tightly around his mother's neck as he slept peacefully. "You needed to speak to me? About Charles?"

"Aye Madame" Porthos nodded, only to be quickly interrupted by the woman stating for them to call her Camille.

Sighing the woman slowly sat down on one of the empty chairs as her husband took the seat next to her. "When he came in asking questions about Lupiac and Ortiz I knew something going on."

"Ortiz?" Aramis asked, sending his brothers a look as they all recognized the fact that the name was distinctly Spanish.

"He pretty much commands and controls the whole of the village," Camille informed them, although they did not miss the look of disgust that flashed on her face at the man's name.

Taking a large gulp of the wine her husband had put before her Camille then went on to explain to the musketeers how Ortiz had passed through the village several years before she left and how the populace had been wary at first due to his Spanish heritage, but welcomed him and his money nevertheless. The man had stayed in the village for several days before departing; apparently to conclude some business he had in Paris. However during the time the man was gone the crops in the village all began to die, as Lupiac is a farming village nearly the entire village relied on the health of the crops for both sustenance and payment and as the crops died off the villagers became fearful for how they would survive and angry with each other as their hunger increased.

Camille then stated sadly that more often than not it was D'Artagnan and his family who suffered the brunt of the villager's anger.

"Why?" Athos asked, though it came out as more of a growl at the mere thought of his beloved younger brother, who would have been barely in his teens at the time, being at the receiving end of an entire village's anger. The thought of the young man they had all come to love slowly starving as food became increasingly scarce didn't sit well with the men either, though it did go some way to explain why to this day their little brother was so skinny and always took the time to thank Serge for his food.

"Lupiac is very focused on its traditions and ideals" Camille explained, though her heart warmed at the concern she saw in the three men's eyes. She had been worried about her young friend when she left the village as it meant he would only have his father but to see these men so angry and concerned over something that happened years ago made her see that he, at least now, had people to call family. "Charles repeatedly broke those traditions and ideals by spending all of his spare time working on his sword skills and by making his dream of becoming a musketeer clear for everyone to know. He wanted more than a farming life and because of this most of the village ignore or belittled him. There was the occasional incident where one of the village boys would try to bully him but all it did was give Charles the chance to practice his skills against something other than the air or the post in his family's barn. Alexandre, Charles's father, openly encouraged Charles's dream and ambitions, having nothing to say against it providing he finished his work on the farm before running off to practice. Alexandre was also quite vocal about the village's need to petition the King regarding the harsh taxes imposed upon them. While the village was suffering, they had just enough to get by and didn't understand Alexandre need to stir up unnecessary trouble with the crown. They eventually settled for calling him selfish, having decided that he was so adamant about it because he wanted more money for himself." Scoffing and shaking her head she added, "Alexandre D'Artagnan was anything but selfish… All he wanted was to stop seeing the friends he grew up with growing dangerously thin during harsh winters when their meager supplies were given to their children."

"I assume Ortiz returned to Gascony if D'Artagnan came asking about him?" Porthos asked, wanting to move passed the talk of his brother's painful childhood. He knew how it felt to go hungry as a child, to be looked down on and ignored. It was something he would never have wanted for someone he loved so dearly as a brother.

Camille nodded grimly, shuffling the still sleeping child in her arms for a moment before continuing her tale.

She explained how just when things were beginning to get dire for the village Ortiz had returned and that he had returned with a wagonload of food, having stated that the village was the first and only one on his trip that had shown him kindness instead of refusing to serve or talk to him because of his Spanish heritage and so he wanted to do something to show his appreciation.

The villages instantly threw themselves in with Ortiz, being so grateful for the food that they had no complaints with him staying in the best house in the village, only the D'Artagnan family didn't take any of the offered food, Alexandre having a bad feeling about their new guest.

She went on to explain how over the next few months Ortiz continued to give the villagers anything they wanted, food, money etc. and in return they would do odd favours for him or look the other way when he or the men that had arrived with him did anything to cause trouble.

Both Alexandre and Charles had quickly worked out that Ortiz was not the blessing or saint the rest of the village made him out to be and so did everything in their power to both avoid the man and to convince the remaining villager's of the man's ill intentions. Although this only served to further pit the villager's against them.

After several years Ortiz had managed to dig his claws deep into everyone in the village besides the D'Artagnan's. No-one could say anything about him without facing serious repercussions and many were in his debt in some form or another. Camille went on to explain that her father had been one such man, having accepted expensive medicine from the man when his wife, her mother, had fallen seriously ill. Her father had expected to have to pay it back in money or services but unfortunately for her, Ortiz had decided to take her and her virtue as payment for it instead.

At this all three of the musketeers growled, a deep hatred of this Ortiz man growing within them, not only for the way his actions had impacted their brother but also his actions towards the young woman before them, who was now shaking as the memory assaulted her, though she seemed to take comfort in the grip her husband had on her hand and so it didn't take long for her to continue her tale.

She spoke of being forced out of her house and from her pleading father's grip by one of Ortiz's men and being dragged down the street to the house where Ortiz had taken up residence. Several of the villagers spotting her but doing nothing to stop what they knew was about to happen. Only D'Artagnan had stood up for her, barely sixteen at the time he had seen his only friend screaming for help with tears streaming down her face while everyone else simply looked on with guilt and pity in their eyes.

He had walked in front of the man, the old sword his father had owned during his service in the Kings guard years ago gripped tightly in his hand as he demanded the brute let her go.

The man had simply laughed at him before ordering him to get out of their way, but D'Artagnan was having none of that and told the man that if he didn't release the woman then he would have no choice but to force him to do so. Unfortunately living without the 'handouts' from Ortiz meant that D'Artagnan was quite skinny, especially when compared to the thug holding her.

She explained how the man had underestimated D'Artagnan's skill and how that allowed the boy to knock him unconscious, much to the surprise and alarm of the villagers who then feared the repercussions that might fall on them for his actions.

Not even sparing anyone else a glance he had gathered her into his arms and guided her back to her panicked father before advising them it would be wise to leave before Ortiz himself came looking.

"We did as he suggested and came here" she explained, her voice slightly shaky as she remembered the fear she had felt on that day. "I have no idea what befell Charles after that but Ortiz is not a man to be trifled with. It's why I was so surprised why he had asked about him. Charles is, to my knowledge, the only person still alive who ever defied him and that's not something he should take lightly.

"So he wanted to know if this Ortiz man still resided in Lupiac?" Athos asked, understanding his protégé's mindset in asking such a question. A servant who hailed from Lupiac takes important documents relating to operatives in Spain and there just so happens to be a Spaniard residing in that very town, who was clearly from a high station if the ease of his 'handouts' were anything to go by. It was clear his little brother thought Ortiz to be involved, which if what they had learnt about the man was any indication, wouldn't be that much of a stretch.

"Aye" Camille nodded, "I've not been back since I left but we're the closest town to them so we hear rumors from time to time so I know Ortiz is still there.

The three musketeers all shared a look before Aramis stated the obvious, "Looks like we're riding to Lupiac after all"