Evening My Lovelies!

We're in for some drama today, Hope you're all ready!

Notes On Reviews:

criminally charmed: Thanks for the review - Hahaha I think it needs to happen now :) I'm not quite sure how it'll come about but I really want it to happen now you've mentioned it and you'd be correct in your thinking that it's not a good thing. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Tidia: Thanks for the review - Now that would give him an interesting story to tell lol. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Katie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Ermmm you may not like me today then. Sorry in advance! Enjoy the new chapter! x

Guest: Thanks for the review - You're no worse than me lol We're getting some more of it tonight as well. Enjoy the new chapter! x

FierGascon: Thanks for the review - Sorrry! There's a cliffy today as well I'm afraid. Glad you liked the banter. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Haha very true though it could be said that there are no musketeers like them lol :D The plan will come to light in a couple of chapters time, though there's a hint for it tonight. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Deana: Thanks for the review - Then you're in luck as we'll be finding out today. Enjoy the new chapter! x

watlocked: Thanks for the review - Like mentor like student :) That's a very good point, poor Treville's just waiting for answers at the garrison... I'll bring him in in couple of chapters time. I've missed writing him. D'Art and Aramis are definitely about to find trouble which is not going to be good considering their current state. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Helensg: Thanks for the review - Gotta have a bit of randomness every now and then :) ... Plus Athos needed the levity considering what's happening to him :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

Zoe (Guest): Thanks for the review - The spy definitely doesnt mean anything good for our boys but as to why he's there will come out in a few chapters time. I think D'Arts definition of fine greatly contradicts everyone elses lol We're going to get some more protective moments today so hope you like them :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

authorwannabe101: Thanks for the review - Haha Glad you liked it, as i said I have no idea where it came from but I went with it lol :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

Issai: Thanks for the reviews - Marcel's reasons for acting strange will come to light fairly soon... couple of chapters time probably. I dont think Porthos is going to forgive himself for quite a while... he and Athos will need to have a chat once they're free. As to who the spy is... We find out what they're doing today but as to who sent them you'll have to wait a bit. Tensions are running quite high between the boys but given what's happening today they'll be putting that to one side for a bit i should imagine. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - It's only going to get worse for our boys today I'm afraid... Aramis being in two minds is only going to add to his guilt and give him more to apologize for (at least in his mind anyway) I think the only reason his mother-hen tendencies didnt come out in full force is because of how long they've known D'Art. The situation is forcing him to worry about either his dearest friends who he's known and fought beside for years or his newest friend he's only known a couple of months. Either way it'll lead to an emotional chat later on for us :D The other boys definitely needed the distraction, especially poor Athos. Enjoy the new chapter! x

As always many thanks and much love for following/favouriting/reviewing/reading

Enjoy!

xxx

Chapter Thirteen: Downhill

The attack came out of nowhere. One minute Aramis had been stroking the muzzle of his horse; they had stopped at a small river to give the horses a chance to drink while the men stretched out the muscles that had become tight and painful from hours hard riding. Aramis had once again brought up the idea of creating some pain medication for the pale Gascon and once again the boy had steadfastly refused it, insisting that they wouldn't be stopping long enough for the medic to make anything anyway.

Then, the next thing the Spaniard knew, his horse was flinging him into the water as the beast reared up once an all too familiar sound pierced the air.

"ARAMIS!" screamed D'Artagnan as he scrambled back to his feet, eyes widening in horror as they flickered between the incoming figures and the sight of his brother trying to disentangle himself from the reeds and other vegetation in the riverbed.

"D'ART!" cried Aramis breathlessly; cursing in Spanish as he tugged viciously at the root his foot had become tangled in while trying to keep his head above the water. Honestly he wasn't even sure how that happened but he had more important things to worry about then trying to work it out.

From his spot in the river Aramis couldn't see what was happening but the faint sound of a blade emerging from it's sheath spurred the Spaniard on.

"We have nothing you want!" shouted D'Artagnan, hoping he could stall the attackers long enough for Aramis to free himself. "Unless you want to face musketeers I suggest you leave now!"

At his words a man emerged from the shadows, the smoking pistol in his hand telling the Gascon he was the one who had fired the shot.

"Musketeers?" grinned the man showing his yellow teeth as he did so. "All I see is you boy and you're hardly a musketeer."

"No but I am!" roared a dripping wet Aramis, the Spaniard followed up his words by throwing a large rock, barely resisting the urge to boast when the projectile smacked into the man's hand hard enough to cause him to swear and lose his grip on his pistol.

"That's mighty fine aim you've got there musketeer," sneered the bandit as he bent down to pick up his pistol, his eyes never leaving Aramis as he did so. "Your skills could earn you a decent amount of coin with me and my boys if you ever get sick of dealing with pompous nobles."

Aramis blinked, was this bandit really trying to recruit him in the midst of an ambush?

"It'll be hard to join a dead man," snarled the medic, settling into a battle ready stance. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed D'Artagnan edging his way towards his mare and the Spaniard fought a smirk as he remembered D'Artagnan placing the throwing knives he had been practicing with lately into his saddlebags before they left for the meeting place.

The bandit shrugged, "Have it your way musketeer, I get paid so long as you don't reach Paris."

The bandit's words took on a hard edge as he spoke and within moments of him speaking a small group of armed men emerged from the trees.

"Enough!" roared Porthos, blood trickling down his wrists from where the cuff dug into his skin but the musketeer paid it no attention, all his attention focused on the screaming form of his dearest friend. "Leave him alone!"

"He knew the arrangement before volunteering," said Marcel, his face strangely tight and uncomfortable as he stood in front of a now panting Athos.

"Let me take his place!" pleaded Porthos, desperation filling his voice as his eyes never left the barely conscious form of Athos.

"N…No" groaned the swordsman; conscious enough to know he needed to protect his brother.

Porthos ignore him and forced his gaze to move to Marcel, "Please."

"D-Don't…y-you… dare," hissed Athos weakly with as much authority as he could muster, which, given his present state, was not much.

Marcel seemed to be considering it for a moment and Porthos felt hope growing within him. Both he and Athos had noted how uncomfortable the man appeared to be with this torture method and now Porthos was praying that the man's unease would save his brother from more pain.

Even from where he was sitting Porthos could already see the bruises beginning to form around the edges of each of the cuffs and he could only imagine the damage that had been done to the bones.

At the moment the most attention seemed to be focused on the ankle cuffs, no doubt devised to ensure escape was impossible and judging by the agonized scream that had just torn it's way out of Athos's throat the bones in the swordsman's left ankle were cracked, if not broken.

"He made his choice," Marcel said quietly after a few moments, those four words shattering Porthos's hope.

"And I'm making the same one, let me take his place!"

"I can't," whispered Marcel, his eyes instantly widening when he realized what he had let slip.

Porthos's eyes narrowed, his worry over his brothers now being channeled into anger at the man before him.

"Why not!" he screamed, thrashing against the chains keeping him from protecting his friend.

"Because," stated a voice, causing Marcel to tense and Porthos to startle slightly, "that's not how this works monsieur musketeer. We have other plans for you."

"D'ART!" cried Aramis as he expertly ducked what would have been a fatal blow; his eyes rapidly seeking out the young Gascon whose cries had caught his attention. He had barely a moment to watch D'Artagnan fall to one knee, his unbroken arm clutching his injured one tightly, the boys eyes scrunched in pain before the medic's attacker recovered from his failed attack and returned for another attempt.

With his attention redirected the Spaniard missed how close the Gascon came to getting a sword through the chest, only the boy's quick thinking allowed him to escape the worst of the blow, his leg shooting out at the last moment, hitting the bandit's shin hard causing his balance to falter and forcing him to step back to regain it. D'Artagnan still took a fairly serious gash to his chest that would most definitely be in need of stitching soon but considering the alternative the boy took the win.

Pushing through the pain in his arm, which had only intensified when the bandit had hit it with the side of his blade, D'Artagnan scrambled for the last of his throwing knives, which had fallen from his hand after the attack to his arm. Without even thinking D'Artagnan launched himself at the recovering bandit, driving the small blade deep into the man's throat. Unfortunately the Gascon hadn't considered that the momentum of his attack would send both men to the ground and as such the young man found himself unable to see for several moments as a blinding white light overtook his vision when his broken arm hit the ground, caught between the bandit's chest and his own.

What finally forced the Gascon's pain down was the all too familiar boom of a pistol followed immediately by a scream of pain and a slew of, what he could only assume to be, Spanish curses.

"A-Aramis!" D'Artagnan rasped, ignoring the dizzy spell that threatened to knock him back on his behind he sharply turned just in time to see Aramis crumple to his knees, the smug bandit leader smirking at him, smoking pistol still in hand.

"ARAMIS!" he cried again, his fear skyrocketing when the medic fell forward, just barely managing to get his hand out to brace himself.

Without thinking D'Artagnan yanked his throwing dagger from the dead bandit's throat and launched it through the air towards the unsuspecting bandit leader.

D'Artagnan watched with an expressionless mask as the blade found purchase in the man's skin. The wound wasn't immediately fatal but would require attention straight away if the man wanted to keep living.

Rising on shaking legs, alarm growing within him when he noticed the tremors affecting his frame. With a deep breath the Gascon forced his focus to return to the fact that his friend… brother? Had been shot.

In the distance D'Artagnan could just make out the sounds of people approaching and could only assume it was more of the bandit group. Not willing to risk waiting around to see if he was correct he grabbed the dead bandit's sword, sliding the blade in between his belt before he ran as fast as his legs could carry him to his horse.

Musketeer horses are trained to handle battlefield situations and the only reasons Aramis's had reared at the start of the attack was because the shot had landed mere centimeters from it… D'Artagnan's mare on the other hand was not as well trained, making her slightly skittish around gunfire. Thankfully what the animal lacked with training it made up with in loyalty, as she had not strayed far from her rider.

Grimacing in pain D'Artagnan swung himself up into the saddle, not for the first time grateful for the hours and hours he had spent during his childhood mastering his riding skills.

"ARAMIS!" Bellowed the Gascon as he lightly held the reigns in his broken hand, gritting his teeth against the pain as he did so. When the Spaniard finally managed to lift his head D'Artagnan flung his good arm out to him, gripping the man's wrist tightly as he galloped past and by using most of his remaining strength he managed to use the momentum to pull his friend up onto his horse.

"H-How bad 'Mis?" he panted, using his good arm to keep the medic's arm around his waist.

"Al diablo con eso duele" (Fuck that hurts) swore Aramis, his grip on D'Artagnan's shirt tightening as a sharp wave of pain shot through him

"'Mis?" D'Artagnan asked again, worry lacing his voice as he tilted his head slightly so he could risk a fleeting look at his friend, alarm growing at the paleness of the man's skin.

"S-Shoulder," answered Aramis through gritted teeth. "It's going to need some sort of tending soon." He admitted guiltily, hating to be the reason his brothers were in Marcel's hands for a longer span of time.

"Got it," nodded the Gascon, his eyes turning hard as they searched out anywhere that might be a safe place for them to rest. He could feel Aramis's blood seeping into his shirt from where the musketeer was resting against him and he could feel his own soaking the front of his tunic courtesy of the bandit's blade.

"Just stay awake," he commanded, a slight pleading tone entering his voice. "I'll find us somewhere but stay with me okay."