Evening My Lovelies

We're getting some drama today and an evil cliff-hanger MWHAHAH *Evil smirk* I'm Baaaaaccckkk!

Be aware that anything in italics are thoughts :)

Notes On Reviews:

Deana: Thanks for the review - Glad you liked it. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Yeah Porthos was very much looking forward to seeing Flea again... though 'hooking up' probably wont happen as he's gone there with Thierry... maybe later. We'll see Aramis's bit tomorrow. I was going to include it today but ran out of time to include it and I wanted to end on my lovely cliff-hanger, but he's very much looking forward to seeing some women again. D'Artagnan's struggling quite badly but he's trying for his brothers sake at least. Enjoy the new chapter! x

A reader (Guest): Thanks for the review - Don't worry about it I'm just glad you're enjoying it :D I had such fun writing the last chapter and showing their brotherhood in a way that wasnt constant worrying so I'm super happy you loved it :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

watlocked: Thanks for the review - Glad you liked it. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Tidia: Thanks for the review - :D I'm glad you thought so I didnt want him seem like suddenly he was better but I think he realizes that his brothers are really worried about him so he's trying for their sakes. Enjoy the new chapter! x

ploiuiu: Thanks for the review - :D I'm really glad you've enjoyed it so far, hopefully you'll keep enjoying it. D'Art will remember where he knows the names from tomorrow most likely. Enjoy the new chapter! x

pain in the mikta: Thanks for the review - *meets in a dark alley and discretely hands over the new chapter* Glad you liked the lighter moment between our boys. This is probably the longest time Aramis has gone without a woman lol Enjoy the new chapter! x

fariedragon: Thanks for the review - Hmmm maybe because he is :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - Figured our boys needed a light moment so I'm glad you liked it. D'Art is very much the epitome of a kicked puppy at the moment, though he is trying to hide it. I figured the physicians would try to limit alcohol consumption whilst their all recovering ... something Athos would struggle with :D Not entirely sure where the grape thing came from but I loved it so I'm glad you liked it :D We have the lead up to some drama now and a cliff hanger (something i'm very happy about) D'Art will remember where he knows those names from most likely tomorrow. Aramis is definitely missing the ladies :) Got to love Aramis in mother-hen mode :) The urge to whump the boys again has been building since i stopped when they were rescued :D I'm just evil that way. Enjoy the new chapter! x

As always much love and thanks for everyone who follows/favourites/reviews/reads this!

Enjoy!

xxx

Chapter Thirty-Three: Here Comes Trouble

Careful…

That's what I must be now. Our plan has only just started and already we are down two members.

Ortiz, the man who gathered us all together, who made us see the truth in his words and what must be done… what we must do. He was captured and now sits in prison waiting for a pompous man, whose orders are only followed because of the line he hails from, to decide his fate.

Captured because of the musketeers, the dogs of the King, because of the curiosity of one naïve farm boy who likes to play solider and doesn't how to stay out of matters that do not concern him… It matters not though… After all… Curiosity killed the cat.

Dubois, he is of little concern to me. He is little more than a cowardly hyena, content to receive the benefits of others hard word but never willing to do the job himself.

In the days since Ortiz's capture I have found myself continually questioning the Spaniard's decision to include him. The noble is a loose-lipped as they come when the motivation is put in front of him. Truthfully I think Ortiz would've had him killed years ago if it wasn't for the fact that Dubois's contacts refused outright to meet anyone except him.

No doubt they have already made him talk and my time, along with my window of opportunity shrinks… I must move quickly, there is much to be done.

"What's got you so quiet this morning?" asked Thierry as he and Porthos continued to make their way through the city. He had noticed the larger man's lackluster attitude within minutes of leaving the garrison and had reframed from saying anything sooner, thinking it might resolve itself, but he could handle the awkward silence no longer. "Thought you'd be excited to see your beautiful lady love?"

"She aint my lady anything," grumbled Porthos, already regretting Aramis's conditions to letting him out.

"But you do think she's beautiful?" smirked Thierry, the smirk growing as he noticed a faint, almost indiscernible blush on the musketeer's cheeks.

Porthos said nothing in response, only looking over his shoulder for the tenth time since they had left this morning.

"They'll be fine you know," smiled Thierry, his eyes knowing as he nodded over his shoulder where the watchtowers of the garrison could still be seen.

"I know," grumbled Porthos, not liking how Thierry seemed intent on drawing him into awkward conversations today. "It's just…"

"Understandable," nodded the musketeer, allowing the man beside him to keep his thoughts private… Well as private as they could be considering his body language and facial expressions were practically shouting it to the heavens.

He understood though, he and Etienne had joined the musketeer ranks at the same time and had bonded as brothers since then, frequently pairing off together for missions and becoming close enough that Etienne had asked him to ensure his young son had honor and grew up to be a good man should anything happen to him whilst on the job.

During a mission over half a year ago, Etienne had been wounded in a skirmish and kidnapped by a small group of the bandits that had ambushed them. Thierry had been consumed with worry and guilt and despite the fact that he was able to rescue his friend relatively quickly, it took quite a while before the fear for his brother's safety faded enough to get them back to where they were before the incident.

That day Etienne had only been missing a few hours… In Porthos's case D'Artagnan had been missing around a week before they found him and even then they couldn't rescue him as they had found themselves captured as well. Thierry knew that every single man who had seen Porthos leave the garrison with him today was shocked, knowing full well the devotion and love the 'inseparables' shared, they were all surprised to see one of the group leave the others so soon, though they all understood the need to do so given present circumstances.

Porthos

That was the man's name, the man who had been born to a freed slave woman and had no father to claim him. The man who had fought tooth and nail to rise above the gutter he had been born into. Normally such a man would have his respect… But when that man is one of the obstacles in his way, all respect was lost.

Part of him wanted to act now, to remove a potential threat and definite obstacle while the man was unaware of his presence… But he could not. As much as he might want to, there was a plan and his job was to follow it.

It was not his blood his blade would taste tonight.

"So where are we to meet your lovely lady Porthos?" Teased Thierry, relieved when they had been able to push the awkwardness to one side and focus on the mission at hand.

He did not get a reply as at that exact moment a blur of blonde hair barreled into his friend, making the man wince in pain.

"PORTHOS!" the woman exclaimed, overjoyed to see her friend again, though that joy quickly turned to worry when the musketeer grunted and winced in pain at her touch.

"Porthos?" she repeated worriedly.

"…s'nothing Marie," smiled Porthos kindly as he took in the woman before him… She had not changed much in the months since he had last seen her, skinnier yes but that is the life of a Court occupant. Her bright blonde hair flowed freely down her back, though was now looking slightly windswept after her rush to his side.

"Marie? I thought we were looking for a woman named Flea?" Thierry interrupted, his curiosity getting the better of him as he regarded the woman before them.

Marie flinched at the sudden reminder that she and Porthos were not alone and would have berated the man for bringing more musketeers to her neck of the woods had the newcomer's words not intrigued her.

"You seek Flea?" she asked, her voice low as she crossed her arms defensively in front of her chest.

"Aye," nodded Porthos and Marie couldn't help but smile at the look in Porthos's eyes when her dearest friend's name was mentioned.

Turning to Thierry he added, "Thierry this is Marie, she's pretty much the Queen's confidant, no-one gets a private audience with her without going through her first."

Thierry looked thoroughly confused but the man managed to work out that this 'Flea' they had come to see was seen by the occupants of the Court as the Queen of the Court of Miracles.

"All except you Porthos," Marie nodded, her head tilting to one side in confusion, "You know this so why come to me now?"

"Sensitive matter," Porthos explained, "Need a favor from Flea without risking being spotted in the Court, reckon you can arrange somewhere for us to talk away from prying eyes and get her there?"

"She wont appreciate the secrecy," Marie warned, but nodded nevertheless and gave the men directions for an abandoned house with instructions to wait for her there while she went to get Flea.

Alone

Just one moment, that's all he needed. Just a single moment where his target wasn't surrounded by a mass of men with swords and guns, but it seemed as though learning his name had made the target all the more paranoid.

Well, he liked a challenge.

"I thought I told you to watch where you laid your eye," called a voice, startling Thierry as he had been beginning to doze off. At the woman's words the musketeer turned to his companion and noted that he was indeed checking out the woman walking towards them in a tatty, yet somehow still giving off an air of importance, dress.

"Flea," Porthos breathed, smirking flirtatiously at the woman who held his heart.

"You better have a good reason for dragging me all the way out here Porthos," snapped Flea, though there was little true malice in her words and Thierry even noticed the small coy smirk she offered his friend in response.

"Couldn't risk someone in the Court mistaking me for a gentleman and slitting my throat," retorted Porthos, using the words she had said to him on their last meeting back at her.

Whilst the borderline flirting, which was what Thierry was almost certain was going on between the two, was greatly amusing for the man he knew he had to move things on a bit, they had already been out later than expected due to having to wait for Flea's arrival. "How about you save the flirting for later Porthos?"

"Who's this?" Flea asked, looking the new musketeer up and down, the man squirming slightly under her gaze.

"Thierry, he's a friend." Porthos introduced, smacking himself internally for getting caught up with the woman before him and forgetting the sole reason as to why they were here. "Look Flea I need a favor."

"What sort of favor?" she replied, not taking her eyes completely off of the newcomer but giving more of her focus back to Porthos.

"Need to find Jacques Dupond."

Flea bristled at the name, something the musketeers didn't miss. "What business do you have with him that you couldn't seek him out on your own?"

"He's involved in something big… something that could have worse repercussions than what Charon planned and if he goes through with it all of the Court will be seen as responsible… if they even survive."

Flea's eyes narrowed at the threat to her home and her people. They had only just recovered from Charon's betrayal and now more trouble was coming their way.

"He's rarely in the Court any longer," Flea replied, not willing to risk the lives of her people for one man, especially a man like Dupond. "When he is he's always stirring up trouble."

"Think you can put out feelers? Try and find him?" Thierry asked, relaxing slightly as it seemed they might actually have a lead.

"It'll cost ya," Flea remarked dryly looking to Porthos, "I know of several places in the city where he likes to hang out, I can have my people watch them and report back but we aint doing it for free."

Nodding Porthos pushed forward a large pouch of gold that Treville had given him that morning, "There'll be more once he's in our custody, dead or alive. The Captain's also gotten the King to agree to pardon the Court for Dupond's actions IF they assist in bringing him down."

Flea eyed the pouch carefully, knowing that its contents could easily feed the children of the court for a month. "Done." She nodded briskly, "We'll be in touch." Before walking out she turned to Porthos and added, "Do try not to get that pretty neck slit any time soon, I rather like the head it's attached to."

"How long do you think it'll be before we learn anything?" Thierry asked as the two men made their way back to the garrison.

"Flea's nothin' but dedicated to the people of the Court." Porthos explained, a small proud smile lining his face as he recalled the woman who would do anything to protect and provide for her people. "Gold buys food and provisions they desperately need while the King's word is motivation enough for her to act. She will not want to risk the whole Court being blamed, she'll find us our man before too long."

"So…" Thierry said hesitantly, knowing his next question might be met with stony silence. "How did the two of you meet?"

Lightened by the chance to get out of the garrison and the chance of seeing Flea again had Porthos recalling small stories from his youth relating to his friendship with the young woman.

So wrapped up in their conversation they were that the two men failed to notice in time that they were being followed until mere seconds before they were ambushed by a group of thugs.

"PORTHOS!"

There!

This was his chance! He had been following around his target all day and this was the first time the man had dismissed the men following him, leaving him alone and defenseless… The perfect opportunity to strike…

And strike he did.

Swinging open the door with such force that he practically fell in with it the musketeer wasted no time in shouting "CAPTAIN!"