Evening My Lovelies

Sorry this is a bit later than usual, I kept re-writing the Athos/D'Art moment we see today as I wasnt sure if it took Athos out of character too much. Hopefully you'll like it :)

We're made it to 30 chapters :D Plus I still have lots more planned! Thanks for sticking with me so far x

Notes On Reviews:

Deana: Thanks for the review - Yeah their getting there :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

pain in the mikta: Thanks for the review - I don't think D'Artagnan would turn down a hug. Enjoy the new chapter! x

A reader (Guest): Thanks for the review - Hopefully you'll enjoy the chat between Athos & D'Art, I tried to make it as sweet/cute as possible. D'Arts having less delirious moments now but it was heartbreaking to write :( Enjoy the new chapter! x

Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Yeah our boys are quite worried about D'Artagnan at the moment. The hug after the nightmare bit wasnt originally going to happen but i thought it was too cute to ignore :) Athos and D'Art have a moment today, hopefully you'll like it :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

Tidia: Thanks for the review - A good interesting I hope :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

Ruth (Guest): Thanks for the review - Glad it wasn't bad and I'm surprised there were only a couple of typos given how tired i was. Gotta love Serge :) Hopefully you'll enjoy the moment between D'Art and Athos. Ahh i dont mind some rambling, feel free :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

watlocked: Thanks for the review - I really want to see the cake moment as well now that the idea has come to me lol I might just have to do it now. Hopefully you'll like our musky moment today :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

Helensg: Thanks for the reviews - (chapter 28) Glad you liked the speech :) Treville has been really fun to write lately so I'm glad you're enjoying it. (Chapter29) Athos has quite an emotional chat to have today, which hopefully you'll like :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - Our boys are just too cute when they get protective :) Serge is a bit of a mother hen when it comes to seeing skinny people in his garrison lol Hehe hopefully you've recovered from turning into a fangirl puddle... though you might do it again today with our D'Art/Athos chat, you'll have to let me know :) Glad your liking the emotional whumpage as I'm having just as much fun writing it :) Though we are getting closer to some physical whumpage now as well. I'm really hoping you like Athos/D'Artagnan's moment as I think it's quite sweet/cute. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Cookies & Cream Cakes to you lovely people who follow/favourite/review/read this story, love you all!

Enjoy!

xxx

Chapter Thirty: Honest Truths and Uncovered Plans

SEVERAL DAYS LATER

"I trust your men were successful Captain?" Louis asked, sounding both irritated and bored as he lounged on his throne in the palace.

Captain Treville fought the urge to scowl at the young King, his men had rode hard, through the night even on some occasions, just to locate D'Artagnan's hidden documents and return them to Paris as quickly as possible.

Only an hour ago had the small troupe of men, mainly consisting of those who had taken part in the rescue of the captured inseparables days before, practically flew into the palace courtyard. Horses and riders nearly collapsing from exhaustion, only pausing to hand Treville the documents before heading for their rooms back at the garrison, fully intending to sleep for at least the rest of the day.

Once the documents were in his hands Treville had marched directly to where he knew the King was… Only for the young monarch to then decide that having fun at the garden party, something both Treville and Richelieu had tried to get him to cancel, was more important than the threat on his life.

"They were Your Majesty," Treville nodded, bowing quickly before passing the King the bundle of documents.

Silence reigned in the hall for a few moments as King Louis's eyes skimmed the first page of the document, a frown forming on his face the longer he read.

"What is this Treville?" mocked the King, waving the documents in the air, "Some kind of joke?"

Biting back a retort on his men's behalf that would undoubtedly have him spending at least a couple of nights in jail Treville sighed, "It's coded My Lord, and written in the language spoken primarily in the Gascony region."

"You hail from their do you not Captain?" Asked Queen Anne softly, her eyes full of worry for those allegedly in danger. "Could you not read it?"

Before Treville could comment Louis jumped in, "Excellent idea," he exclaimed with a grin before turning to face Treville once more, "Well come on, what does it say?"

"The code itself is not terribly complex," Treville acknowledged, hating himself for what was likely to happen because of his next few words. "Though my understanding of the dialect has faded over time, it has, after all, been many years since I last spoke it let alone read it. The few words I was able to make up were 'death' and 'attack' so I'm inclined to believe D'Artagnan's fears over this document were genuine." He added, not that he had ever doubted the young man.

"What of your boy?" enquired Cardinal Richelieu, thoroughly enjoying the uncomfortable look that graced Treville's face at his words. "He is familiar with both the dialect and the code is he not?"

"… He is." Treville admitted through gritted teeth.

"Well why are we wasting time discussing this?" Louis asked, waving his hands about in the air for emphasis as he talked, "Bring him here," he added looking at Treville.

"Sire!" Treville exclaimed, the panic in his voice freezing the departing monarch in his spot. "D'Artagnan's is in no condition to be moved!"

"Nonsense," scoffed Louis, "They returned days ago, surely your men are healed by now?"

Treville honestly couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Your Majesty," he stated, his voice almost shaking with rage as he thought of the damage done to his best men. "D'Artagnan can't even stand yet, is still trying to fight off an infection which has nearly cost him his life through seizures once already and has barely been able to keep enough food down to keep himself alive so I reiterate. He. Is. In. No. Condition. To. Be. Moved!"

The hall had fallen silent as Treville spoke, all shocked both by his words and the fury in his voice as his all but growled at the King.

"Maybe we could visit him?" Queen Anne suggested helpfully, her heart breaking for the young man and his brothers' who were most likely in a similar condition.

"What?" Louis asked, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

"Your Majesty I must protest it isn't safe!" Richelieu objected at the same time.

"That way we can get the translation and the people get to see more of your kind and benevolent heart my King." Anne said sweetly as she looked at her husband, knowing just what to say to get him to agree.

Puffing his chest out in pride Louis acknowledged the brilliance of her plan and had both Treville and Richelieu organizing the guards that would be accompanying them when they left for the musketeer garrison within the hour.

MEANWHILE

Athos was nervous, something that was uncomfortably unfamiliar to the older man. Oh he could do speeches to inspire men on the eve of battle, he could match wits with the best of the best… but opening up and allowing himself to be vulnerable… That was something completely different, but he knew it needed to be done. D'Artagnan's continued silence was breaking them apart and he didn't have it in him to sit back and let his brother destroy himself.

Both Aramis and Porthos had drifted off several minutes ago, the pain of their injuries making them tire more quickly than usual… D'Artagnan however, he was awake… Currently staring at the ceiling as he had taken to doing whenever he was awake and lucid enough to understand what was going on around him.

"D'Artagnan?" Athos stated, his voice softer and full of more compassion then the wounded Gascon had ever heard. D'Artagnan's face instinctively turning towards him when he spoke, a questioning yet resigned sadness etched on his face.

"Do… Do you remember the incident with Bonaire?" the swordsman asked gently, keeping his voice quiet so as to not disturb the others. He watched as D'Artagnan's face scrunched up in confusion; clearly this was not the subject he had thought Athos had wanted to talk about, before nodding slowly at the man. Athos fought the urge to grin at that, it may not have been talking but he had, at the very least, managed to get the stubborn Gascon to respond.

"Do you remember what happened after? Once I sent you and the others off with Bonaire to head for Paris?"

At this D'Artagnan's eyes flashed with anger, though Athos knew the anger was not directed at him but rather his murderous wife who had burnt down his estate, almost killing him within it.

"I remember it well" Athos mused, watching as the boy's face fought to remain neutral as he spoke. "I remember opening up to a head-strong young man who I had barely know for a couple of moths, who had somehow pushed aside all reasoning to become someone we considered family" Athos heard D'Artagnan's short gasp at that and he felt sadness swell up within him. Did his little brother truly not know that they had long since considered him one of them and had considered him theirs… Their little brother for pretty much just as long.

Ignoring the surprised look that had found its way onto D'Artagnan's face Athos continued, finding it much easier to speak now that he knew D'Artagnan was listening. "I remember telling said young man all about my failing… how I had failed to protect my little brother from my murderous wife. How I had failed to see my duty of executing her through and how now every life she claims is on my conscience." D'Artagnan looked like he might retort at that but somehow still remained quiet.

"I remember thinking how good it was that someone outside Porthos and Aramis got to hear my sins… How it was time that someone finally looked upon me as the failure and weak coward that I was. I… I had resigned myself to it." Athos admitted quietly, a small smile gracing his face as he felt the light touch of D'Artagnan's hand on his own. Unfortunately it was his broken one so Athos couldn't squeeze it or hold it but the action and the intent behind it was clear and Athos took it for what it was.

"So imagine my surprise" Athos said, his voice light and full of the fondness he felt for the younger man. "When I awoke to find that the young man had not abandoned me in the night and still looked upon me with the same devotion and respect as he had the day before, if not more."

Getting up from his bed Athos knelt down by D'Artagnan's now tearful face, doing his best to keep the pain the movement caused from showing on his face as that was the last thing his brother needed to see now, especially as he seemed to be getting through to the stubborn man.

Raising his hands Athos cupped the boy's face with one whilst gripping the Gascon's unbroken hand with the other.

"Tell me D'Artagnan," he said, his voice soft and letting a small amount of the hurt he felt for the boy not coming to him earlier to bleed through. "When did you lose your faith in us?" D'Artagnan's face took on an expression of horror at his mentor's words, "When did your belief in our love for you falter so much that you thought we would see your actions in Lupiac as some sort of unforgivable weakness and abandon you?"

D'Artagnan opened his mouth to respond, to try to explain to Athos that he deserved for them to leave him after all he did, when the door to their room swung open, completely scaring the still jittery young man enough to make him clutch Athos's hand tightly in his own.

"Captain?" Athos asked inquisitively, unsure as to why the now apologetic man was standing in their room when he had been in to check on them only a few hours previous.

"His Majesty has requested an audience with D'Artagnan," Treville explained, the tenseness in his body showing how much he did not like this plan.

"He's in no condition to be moved," growled the sleep-filled tones of both Aramis and Porthos who had woken at the sound of the door and D'Artagnan small whimper of fright that followed.

"That's why I've come to you!" exclaimed the voice of the King, his voice causing the jaws of all four musketeers to drop in shock, the King rarely left the comfort of his palace and never made trips this far out of the way if he could help it.

The grin adorning Louis face fell when he saw the condition of the men before him. He had honestly thought Treville to be joking when he had described D'Artagnan's condition to him earlier that day but it seemed that, if anything, he had been underselling it.

Quickly covering his shock at their injuries Louis added, "I came to express my congratulations on a job well done D'Artagnan as my stolen documents were returned safely into my possession not too long ago."

D'Artagnan, who was honestly still too shocked over what Athos had said to him to even completely register that the King of France was by his bed, thanking him! As such all he could do was nod dumbly in response.

Frowning at the lack of response Louis added, "Though I am slightly disappointed in you."

His words shocked the three senior inseparables as well as their Captain – How could the King be disappointed in what D'Artagnan had achieved, largely on his own… D'Artagnan however felt almost liberated at the fact that someone was actually disappointed in him… or at least didn't care enough to hide the fact they were.

"Sire," Treville said, his voice a whisper as surprise stole its volume.

"What were you thinking when you accepted this mission?" Louis ranted, confusing the Gascon as he spoke, "If you knew what awaited you in your village, especially if you got caught then you should have told me" Louis glared, the seriousness of his voice making D'Artagnan feel like a scolded child, "I am not so heartless I would send you out alone in such a situation… You should have told me."

Treville and the three older inseparables looked shocked at Louis words as Queen Anne stood beside him looking proudly at her husband, for once not needing prompting or manipulating to do and say the right thing.

Sensing D'Artagnan's unease with the situation Treville stepped forward.

"Thierry's group recovered the documents you hid as well as found what appears to be more when they examined Ortiz's home in the village. Though they are largely unreadable to us."

"…T…They're c…coded" came a small reply, the Gascon's voice hoarse and raspy from lack of use and whilst his focus was on his Captain and his King he missed the looks of joy that appeared on his brother's face at finally hearing him talk after several long days of silence.

"We know," Treville nodded, "My understanding of the dialect is rusty at best and we do not have time to wait for a translator… Do you feel well enough to translate these for us D'Artagnan?"

The young man looked surprised that they had asked him but nodded regardless and requested a pencil and some paper so he could re-write out the message as he decoded it, not quite feeling up to using his voice to that extent.

As D'Artagnan worked Aramis and Porthos filled the royal couple in on the state of their recovery whilst also sharing stories of their past adventures.

Treville attempted to talk to Athos but stopped when he realized the swordsman's attention was on D'Artagnan's serious face as he worked.

"D…Done" called D'Artagnan weakly several hours later, his face ashen and his hands shaking – though whether from exertion or from what he found out they did not know.

Aramis was quick to see the shakiness in the young man's hands and quickly passed him something to eat in the hopes that getting some food into him would help stop the tremors, whilst Athos and Porthos took up their customary spots by the boy's bedside – Porthos's hand in his hair and Athos's hand on his wrist.

Passing the newly translated documents over to Treville who quickly scanned through them before passing them on to an anxious King Louis, D'Artagnan sagged against Athos's chest subconsciously as the man had moved to sit on the edge of D'Artagnan's bed when he had started shaking.

Louis face filled with rage as he read through the documents that described, in detail, exactly what Ortiz was planning and to what end, as well as those involved. Gripping the paper tight enough to make it crinkle under his hands Louis turned to D'Artagnan.

"My thanks musketeer for bringing this to our attention and my apologies for what you and your friends had to suffer to do so. When this whole mess is resolved I will see you properly rewards for you efforts but now I will leave you to rest as I fear we may be in need of you and yours help in the coming days."

Louis then turned to Treville, "We have much to discuss Treville, accompany me back to the palace."

With that the royal couple, followed quickly by Treville, left the four slightly stunned men to discuss their plan for the coming threat to their lives and country.