Evening My Lovelies :)

D'Art's FINALLY back today :D (Though considering what i have planned he's probably not too happy about that) so we'll get to see a snippet of what's happened to him during the time we've been with our other boys :)

I really love the second half of this chapter when D'Art reappears so I would love to hear what you guys thought about it as well.

Notes On Reviews:

Deana: Thanks for the review - I'm glad you liked it :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

CaroH: Thanks for the review - Ortiz really doesnt like D'Art thats for sure. You're very right to be worried. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Tidia: Thanks for the review - I'm glad you liked the back story bit. I love the image of a little child D'Artagnan trying to train with little wooden swords... It's just too cute an image to not include :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - I'm glad you liked the backstory... I'm tempted to have a Porthos/D'Art moment later on and have the two talk about their similar pasts... Maybe having Porthos asking why D'Art didnt open up to them especially after he learnt about his own childhood... What do you think? Is it something you'd be interested in reading? I think had D'Art gone back to Lupiac then he wouldnt have lasted too long. We'll get to see a bit of D'Art's condition today... but all I'll say is that its going to get worse before our boys find him :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

Hugs & Cookies to you lovely people who continue to support by following/favouriting/reviewing/reading

Enjoy!

xxx

Chapter Six: Onwards To Lupiac!

Unfortunately for the three musketeers, by the time Camille had finished her explanation night had fallen and it was then too dark to attempt any form of travel. Despite wanting nothing more then to go searching for their brother, each man reluctantly admitted to themselves that they were somewhat glad for the break from the harsh pace they had spent the last couple of days riding at.

Being friends of D'Artagnan's granted the men free rooms at the young family's tavern and when they had finished eating the three musketeers retired to their rooms, intent on getting as early a start as possible the following morning.

"Monsieur's?" called Camille the following morning as she stood by the door, holding a now awake child in her arms.

"Apologies my lady" Aramis said with a small bow, "we did not mean to wake you but we have several hours hard ride ahead of us so we need to be on our way" he stated, feeling a bit guilty at having woken the woman who had treated them with kindness

"Nonsense" she dismissed with a smile, "this little one always wakes at the crack of dawn anyways" she added with a smile as she looked lovingly at the grinning toddler in her arms. "I need to apologize myself I'm afraid… I had completely forgotten all about this until after the three of you had retired for the night."

"Forgotten what?" Athos asked curiously as he walked his horse to stand next to Aramis's mare.

"Charles left this here" she explained, holding out a small piece of parchment for the man to take, "he asked me to only pass it on should anyone come looking for him and only to you three"

"Many thanks for your hospitality and kindness my lady" Aramis smiled, hiding the concern he was feeling for the contents of the letter Athos was now reading with a growing frown on his face. Bestowing a small kiss on the woman's hand he mounted his horse before urging it to follow his brothers, both himself and Porthos in the silent agreement to wait until they were away from prying ears and eyes to learn the context of D'Artagnan's letter.

"Here" Athos grunted as he passed the letter over to his brothers once they were alone on the road. Both Aramis and Porthos pulled the horses next to each other so they could read simultaneously, both frowning as each line was read.

To my dear brothers

I am praying that you never have to read this as if you are then it means I failed in the task given to me and have not been able to leave Lupiac.

I know by this point I must have been missing a few days for you to be made aware of the situation and by receiving this you have no doubt heard most of the story from Camille.

Agents of the crown, especially armed ones, will not be received well in my hometown so I implore you brothers, do not accept any food or drink from anyone. Ortiz has exerted his control over the people for so long they will most likely not question any order given by him or his men.

Though even saying that I ask that you try not to hurt any of them. They may not have been the most accepting of my family and I in the past but they were decent people once and do not deserve to suffer for Ortiz's crimes.

Please stay safe I do not wish to see any of you hurt for my failure. Hopefully I will get myself out of whatever has befallen me and can return to Paris soon.

Charles D'Artagnan

"If the whelp thinks the people will target us just for being there" Porthos said hesitantly, his eyes never leaving the road before him, "I cant imagine it would end well for him being there"

"No it would not mon ami" sighed Aramis forlornly, "I think it might be wise if we hid our connection to D'Artagnan for as long as possible"

Athos nodded, if the village knew they were there for the young man it would only paint a larger target on their backs

"Then 'ow do we explain being there?" Porthos questioned, not liking having to deny D'Artagnan as his brother.

The small group quickly quieted when a small carriage drew close enough to them as it passed.

"We were sent to check on the state of the route to the village as to whether it has had any trouble with brigands." Athos decided after a few thoughtful moments. It wasn't too much of a stretch as he remembered Treville getting annoyed at the increasing number of reports regarding carriages and merchants being targeted on the main road that encompassed both Gascony and Paris.

"We cannot completely deny knowledge of the boy though" the swordsman added after a moment, "with us all being from the same regiment it would seem suspicious if we refuted any claims to know him."

Once a plan and story had been decided silence reigned over the group as they picked up the pace and raced towards Lupiac and their missing brother.

MEANWHILE IN LUPIAC

Wincing and biting his cheek to prevent any further sounds of pain from escaping him D'Artagnan hesitantly rolled up the leg of his breeches so he could assess the damage done.

The sight that met him was almost enough to make him gag… though that might have also been partly because of the concussion he was sure he was sporting.

It had been too dark in his cell earlier to properly see the extent of the injury and so he had tried to forget about the pain in his leg and instead used his remaining energy to try to keep himself awake, Aramis's strict lessons on the dangers of falling asleep while concussed replaying over in his head as he fought off the exhaustion.

It had been strangely comforting, if a little disconcerting, for the injured young man, to hear the voice of one of his brother's in his mind. For the last several days the only voices he ever heard were not friendly and only brought with them pain.

Shaking his head in an effort to force himself to focus on the issue before him D'Artagnan sucked in a breath as he gently touched the injured area of his leg.

Pain was instantaneous and excruciating. It took every ounce of his Gascon pride not to scream out in pain as he wrenched his hand away from the wound, tears prickling in the corners of his eyes.

Dread filled him as he realized he would need to clean the wound if he was to have any hope of preventing the inevitable infection. His body reacted to the thought of how much pain he would be in should he try to clean it and D'Artagnan could both see and feel his hands beginning to shake… though that could have also have been due to the injury itself or the fact he had barely eaten since being caught in Ortiz's office on his second day in Lupiac.

After a few minutes had passed D'Artagnan had managed to get his hands to stop shaking and was now staring longingly at the small pitcher of water that sat in the corner of the room near the door.

It wouldn't be as effective as alcohol would have been to clean the wound but in his situation D'Artagnan couldn't really afford to be picky. The problem lay with the fact that he would have to both stand and walk to get the water and he wasn't entirely sure he could move his leg without passing out at this point. Also he hadn't received anything to drink in over a day and his body was crying out for the refreshing liquid.

A part of him wanted nothing more than to chug the drink down and ease the burning sensation in this parched throat… but then Aramis's voice appeared once again in his aching head reminding him of what had caused the injury to his leg and how he was also guaranteed to get an infection from it if he didn't clean it and then being thirsty would be the least of his problems.

Gathering up what remained of his Gascon stubbornness D'Artagnan eased himself to his feet, putting all of his weight on his uninjured leg. Despite this the movement jarred his leg and sent a shockwave of pain through him that caused black spots to dance across his vision and drew a pained whimper from the back of his throat. Grimacing and leaning heavily on the wall D'Artagnan limped over to where the pitcher sat.

Before he could talk himself out of it D'Artagnan quickly allowed himself two gulps of the lukewarm liquid before pouring what remained over his injury, unable this time to stop the cry of pain that escaped him. He then used what little strength remained within him to tear off a strip from the bottom of his tunic to be used as a makeshift bandage in a desperate effort to keep the wound from becoming infected as well as to stop the bleeding that was slowly stealing his energy.

The whole ordeal had drained the boy significantly and it wasn't long before his eyes closed and gave into his body's fervent demands for rest.

Only to then be jolted awake what seemed like minutes, but was actually a couple of hours, later by a sneering Ortiz. Seeing the man sauntering into the room D'Artagnan straightened himself as much as he could and bit back hiss of pain as he glared daggers at the Spanish man before him.

"Looks like I won our little bet musketeer" sneered the man, earning him a slightly confused look from the young man. "I was just informed that three musketeers; one with dark skin, one all broody and one with hints Spanish blood in him, have been seen entering our humble little home"

D'Artagnan paled at this news, he knew it would only be a matter of time before his brothers came looking for him and so had tried to keep Ortiz from keeping an eye out for them by insisting that they would not come for him, making up a story that they had had a massive argument that resulted in him seeing refuge in his old home to be away from them when Ortiz had previously asked, with alarming knowledge, after the three men, even going as far as to state their names for further rattle his young prisoner.

"Well" sneered the Spaniard, "It would be rude of me not to extend such great friends of yours a fitting welcome wouldn't it?"

"LEAVE THEM ALONE!" roared D'Artagnan as he tried valiantly to reach the now departing man despite the pain he was in, "DON'T YOU TOUCH THEM!"