Evening My Lovelies
Well here it is :) The chapter I bigged up yesterday... Hopefully you all enjoy it as much as I do. I'm really happy with how this one turned out and it's one of my favourite ones I've written so far for this story so I have my fingers crossed you all like it too.
Notes On Reviews:
Deana: Thanks for the review - I was going to have Athos and then have them have a nice little heart to heart moment but I think this chapter works out quite well with Aramis instead. Plus I have explained later on a bit in today's one why Athos was not chosen. Enjoy the new chapter! x
romirola: Thanks for the review - If you think that was bad wait till chapters 11 and 13 :D I've been quite evil with the endings for those just fair warning. Glad you're enjoying Ortiz's evilness. Enjoy the new chapter! x
CaroH: Thanks for the review - Poor D'Art's not having a good time of late. It'll be a couple of chapters till we learn what it is that he's taken and why he's so determined not to give it back but absolutely Duty outweighs family at this point... despite how much pain it causes him. Enjoy the new chapter! x
ploiuiu: Thanks for the reviews - Glad you've been enjoying it so far. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Tidia: Thanks for the review - I just couldnt help but add the Thomas comparison so I'm glad you liked it :) D'Art's in some desperate need of brotherly love at the moment that's for sure. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - He wanted to ask for Athos but hopefully the explanation I've given will explain why he picked Aramis... Or at least Aramis's reasoning as to why he was picked. I think after everything he's endured (which will be explained in more detail very soon) he just needs his brothers. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - I'm really hoping that I haven't raised expectations too high for this chapter by saying how much I love it but if I have... sorry... I couldn't resist the Thomas comparison so I'm happy you liked it... I might bring it back again at certain points, I can already think of a couple of chapters where it might work just to add to the cuteness factor lol. Hopefully my explanation as to why Aramis was picked will make sense as to why he didnt pick Athos as he really wanted to. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Guest: Thanks for the review - Great minds think alike my friend ;) Enjoy the new chapter! x
As always many thanks to you lovely people for following/favouriting/reviewing/reading this story.
Enjoy!
xxx
Chapter Nine: Brothers Reunion
"How nice of you to join us Aramis" commented Ortiz as he exited the room, though it was the blood on his hands that he was wiping away on an already soiled rag grabbed Aramis's attention.
"Where is he?" growled the medic, having recognized just who the blood belonged to, though once he had done so it became incredibly difficult for the him not to try and murder the man where he stood.
"I'll admit" shrugged Ortiz as he dumped the bloody rag on the floor, completely ignoring the sharpshooter's question. "I'm surprised he picked you"
This froze Aramis, D'Artagnan had requested him… not Athos who he knew the boy would desperately want to see, but him. Even if he hadn't had heard his brother's screams earlier, this alone would have told him just what sort of condition D'Artagnan was most likely in.
" – But" continued Ortiz, not having realized that Aramis had temporarily zoned out, "A deals a deal" he said, stepping aside to allow Aramis into the room.
Without needing to be told twice, Aramis rushed into the room as quickly as his sore, chained legs would carry him.
The first thing that hit him was the stench of blood that lingered in the cold, stale air. However he had little time to worry or think about that when his eyes caught sight of the trembling, bloody form of his beloved little brother off to the side of the room.
"D'ARTAGNAN!" he cried, limping quickly to the young man's side and dropping to his knees once he reached him, instantly beginning to scan the boy for injuries, thought he darkness of the room coupled with the blood that stained the young Gascon's clothing made it difficult to tell just how badly he was injured.
"…'Mis" D'Artagnan whimpered weakly, using what remained of his strength to lift his head to look at his brother. That one word held a plea for safety and strength; it broke the sharpshooter's heart to hear his brother speak with such a tone and could only imagine what had befallen the young man during their time apart to bring him to such a state.
"Oh mon petit frère" cooed the medic as he ran his hand gently over the young man's bruised cheek
"Didn't… think…he …was… actually… gonna… … let you… come for a …bit there" D'Artagnan wheezed, screwing his eyes shut in pain as he forced his battered body to sit up, though this was completed with a fair amount of help from Aramis
"Are… you okay?" he asked weakly having noted the dark bruising that marred his friend's skin and the slight flinches of pain his brother couldn't hide. "…P'thos? …'Thos?"
D'Artagnan's mind told him it was himself that he should concern himself with at this point in time but the icy fear that had taken ahold of his heart when Ortiz had confirmed that the three of the few people he treasured were locked within his cells. He had endured Ortiz and knew that the man would be less than merciful with his brothers and so he needed to know that his carelessness in getting caught hadn't ended with those he loved in pain.
Shaking his head fondly at the injured Gascon, Aramis began mentally logging all of the boy's visible injuries as he answered, "More bruised then anything, few cuts but nothing requiring immediate attention" Grimacing slightly he added, "Our host seems more focused on you for now"
"From… the explosion?" D'Artagnan wheezed, hoping Aramis wouldn't notice how he had ignored the slight push for information in the last of the medic's words.
"Guards mostly" Aramis shrugged, though regretted it when it pulled on a shoulder that had sustained quite a brutal kick to it earlier that day. "We… Especially Porthos got quite vocal when we heard you screaming… something our guards did not appreciate" he added when D'Artagnan looked upon him with confusion.
Aramis took a quick moment to look at the room where D'Artagnan was being held and grimaced when he noticed that the cold, damp space would do little to help ward off infection. It was during this observation he noticed that some basic supplies had been left in the corner of the room on a table.
He made a move to go and grab them when he felt D'Artagnan's fingers grip his wrist weakly.
"D'Art I need to get them so I can help you" the medic implored softly though his heart shattered at his little brother's next words
"…Just a minute… please" the Gascon begged, desperately needing his brother, not the medic, even just for a moment.
Aramis said nothing in response and simply gripped D'Artagnan's hand in his own and pressed the foreheads together gently, allowing his brother to take whatever comfort he needed from him.
It was then that Aramis realized another reason why D'Artagnan had requested him over Athos or even Porthos. The Gascon revered and idolized Athos and to allow him to see him vulnerable or weak was something the boy's Gascon pride refused to allow… No matter how much he wanted his mentor's presence. D'Artagnan also knew the pains Porthos had suffered whilst growing up in the Court and so hated to burden his friend with his own pain as well.
Aramis however, had always been the one he had gone to in moments of weakness. It had not been intentional to start off with, the young man originally intended to battle through his grief and pain alone with his brothers none the wiser. Then Aramis had entered the stables late at night, having decided to ride through the night to get to Paris quicker whilst on a solo mission. When he had entered the stables he had inadvertently walked in on D'Artagnan running his shaking hands through the mane of father's horse as tears streamed down his face.
Aramis had seen the way D'Artagnan had flinched when he noticed him, how his head hung low, as if ashamed of his tears. Refusing to allow the boy he had come to love as a brother wallow in his pain, the marksman had moved to stand shoulder to shoulder with the young man as he recited a prayer for the boy's deceased father. He knew there was little he could do to ease his brother's pain and that any words he offered would be hollow to the boy's deep seated grief but he had always found comfort in prayer and knew that whilst he didn't advertise it, D'Artagnan was also religious and so he hoped he could share some of the peace and calm he always found with the young man.
The incident was never spoken of again but on really bad nights Aramis would find D'Artagnan outside his door, each time looking ashamed for needing to be there as he sought comfort from his brother.
But now… Now he wasn't dealing with bad dreams or painful memories, he was dealing with an excruciating amount of physical pain. The marksman could only imagine what his brother had suffered before they arrived and despite knowing he needed to treat his wounds the man was loathed to let the boy go if he had cracked enough to vocalize his need for brotherly comfort.
Reluctantly Aramis pushed D'Artagnan off from were he had been resting with his head on his shoulder a few minutes later so the Gascon was resting against the stone wall of his cell whilst he limped over to the table to gather the supplies, they weren't much but hopefully they would help until they could get D'Artagnan out of here
"Stay with me D'Art" Ordered Aramis as he sat back down before the boy, "I need to know where you're hurt worst okay… I don't know how long they'll let me stay so you'll have to help me out here okay?" he said, his voice practically pleading with the exhausted young man who was struggling to stay awake and focus on him.
"…Leg" D'Artagnan breathed out after a few moments, his voice raspy and hoarse as his right hand weakly came up to his head in an effort to stop the lightheadedness he felt. "…Tried to… Clean it b…but… didn't have… much"
"D'Artagnan" Aramis said, his voice suddenly very serious, though his eyes were alight with pain at what his brother had suffered, "When was the last time you ate or drank something?"
D'Artagnan shrugged, though due to his closed eyes he missed the flash of anger and fear that went across Aramis's face.
Knowing his anger would help D'Artagnan little right now Aramis focused on trying to treat D'Artagnan's leg. He could see where his brother had attempted to treat it himself and felt a small burst of pride for the boy.
Undoing the makeshift bandage however, brought a slew of curses from Aramis's mouth as he inspected the wound.
"D'Artagnan" he breathed, unable to tear his eyes away from the deep puncture wounds that pierced his brother's skin, "What did this?"
"Dog?" D'Artagnan wheezed, though it came out as more of a question than a statement and that worried the medic, "… Might 'ave been… a wolf" he added with a weak attempt at his trademark cheeky grin, "thing… was big as one"
D'Artagnan's voice drifted near the end as he was sucked into the painful memory of getting attacked by the beast.
He had managed to knock one of the guards' unconscious and steal his keys when the man had entered to drop off some food. He had only been locked up a day or so at that point so had yet to really experience Ortiz's cruelty. He had wasted no time unlocking his cuffs and made a break for it. He had made it to the woods and thought he was safe, highly doubting they had ever bothered to explore the vast forest like he had in his youth. What he didn't count on however was the behemoth of a dog Ortiz owned, so he was vastly unprepared when the beast began tracking him. It didn't take long for the experienced hunting dog to do find him, nor did it waste anytime in clamping its powerful jaws down on his leg, pulling an excruciating scream from his mouth, which then alerted Ortiz and his men to his location and so it wasn't long before he found himself back in chains.
Aramis cursed at this information, who knew what the dog had had in his mouth and then had transferred into D'Artagnan's wound when he was bitten, he could already tell infection had set in and worked quickly with the minimal supplies available to him to try and combat it.
Alarmingly D'Artagnan remained fairly silent throughout, only letting out a small whimper when Aramis pressed too hard on the wound.
"… I …Really messed… Up this… Time 'Mis" breathed D'Artagnan, exhaustion and pain heavy in his voice as he looked to his brother with his eyes pleading the man to forgive him for something he knew nothing about.
Pausing in his ministrations Aramis looked straight into his brother's pain-filled eyes; "Whatever's going on" he said softly, running a hand gently through his brother's hair and smiling softly as he noticed D'Artagnan lean into his touch, "I doubt it was your doing. Your brothers are with you D'Art," he said imploringly as he cupped D'Artagnan's face to force his brother to look at him, "Let us help you"
Silence surrounded the pair as D'Artagnan debated sharing whether to share what he knew with his brother. It wasn't that he didn't trust the man but his brothers having knowledge of what was going on would put them at even further risk from Ortiz and his men.
"You took something from our host?" Aramis asked lightly, seeing the indecision on D'Artagnan's face. "Something other than the documents the King sent you to retrieve?" he added once D'Artagnan had nodded weakly to his previous question
"And its return would do more harm than good I presume?" the Spaniard enquired as he worked to clean as much of D'Artagnan's leg wound as he could given the poor light. He knew that even if D'Artagnan returned whatever he had taken that he would most likely be killed but he was worried about whatever it was given the lengths his brother had gone to protect it.
"…It" D'Artagnan whispered hesitantly, his tired eyes shifting over to the door warily, making Aramis tense with anticipation, "It must… go to… Treville" he stated with more fire in his eyes then Aramis had expected given the appalling condition the boy was in. Gripping Aramis's arm with as much strength as he could muster D'Artagnan looked at him sternly, his words spoken in a labored whisper but holding a strength that enforced their seriousness, "Hundreds of people are… at risk if it doesn't"
Aramis paused his work in shock, knowing that D'Artagnan would not make such a claim unless he was certain of its accuracy, cupping the less injured side of the boy's face he met his firm gaze with one of his own, "Then we shall see that it does"
D'Artagnan smiled weakly at his beloved brother and opened his mouth to speak but at that exact moment the door to the cell swung open and Ortiz and the guard from earlier sauntered in. Aramis tried not to launch himself at the man when he felt D'Artagnan's hand, which had instantly grabbed his own when the door opened, begin to shake violently.
"Time's up musketeer" sneered Ortiz as he nodded to the guard, who then stepped forward and pulled Aramis away from a now trembling D'Artagnan.
Seeing his little brother so scared Aramis fought with everything he had to escape from his guards hold, not with any plan past that in mind besides attempting to shield his brother from further pain. He thought he might be succeeding for a while as the guard's hold on his lessened ever so slightly but before he could act upon it something hard and heavy smacked down on his head and all he heard before everything went dark was D'Artagnan calling his name.