Evening My Lovelies
I'm rather proud of the second half of this chapter so I'm really hoping you all like it.
We've reached over 200 reviews! That's amazing as we're not even chapter 20 yet XD
Notes On Reviews:
Deana: Thanks for the review - Getting back to Paris is going to be very painful for everyone unfortunately :) Enjoy the new chapter! x
Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - I just seem to be in a bantering mood lately so I'm glad you're enjoying it. D'Art and Aramis arent really in the best health to take on our baddies but it would be an interesting thing to see happen. Enjoy the new chapter! x
criminally charmed: Thanks for the review - haha yeah our boys are ALWAYS in trouble. Enjoy the new chapter! x
FierGascon: Thanks for the review - *waves back* :D We wont be seeing Treville until tomorrow but he's not going to be pleased when the truth comes to light. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Tidia: Thanks for the review - Gotta love brotherly moments, we get some more today and tomorrow :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
Issai: Thanks for the reviews - In all fairness I think any man would be a better man than Daviau. Aramis's and D'Art's trouble is far from over unfortunately. I'm quite liking Jacques so far, he's popping up again tomorrow. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Helensg: Thanks for the review - Unfortunately the fate of him in my stories lol :) Got a little bit more Athos whump for you today :) Enjoy the new chapter! x
Zoe (Guest): Thanks for the review - Gotta love ranty Aramis :D Athos is going to be having stern words with the pair of them when they're all better. We'll be getting to Paris tomorrowish and we'll be seeing Viv today :) I'm really hoping you like Porthos's moment. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Guest: Thanks for the review - Yeah, I must stop introducing new characters as I take so long to decide on names for them. The key part of that bit was ... For Now Mwhahahahaha :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - I hadn't even thought of that but I completely get what you mean. Let's just say that that's what I used for inspiration lol. I think we may end up seeing Marcel help our boys we'll have to wait to see. I'm really glad you liked the rant, I have such fun writing them so it's nice to know people like them. We're getting a Porthos rant tomorrow which I'm looking forward to seeing the reactions to. We'll be getting back to Paris (kinda) tomorrow :) Thanks for the congrats and lots of thanks for the consistent reviews they always make my day :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
As always much love and many thanks for following/favouriting/reviewing/reading
Enjoy!
xxx
Chapter Seventeen: Taking A Chance
After their ordeal at Daviau and Marcel's hands Porthos and Athos were left largely alone.
The larger musketeer felt like utter crap and knew, judging by the anger that ignited in Athos's pain-dulled eyes whenever the man looked at him, that he must look seriously bad as well. Thankfully the blood from his broken nose had long since stopped, it now only causing an annoyance by making it difficult to breathe.
Porthos's ribs had sustained heavy damage and the man knew that if it came down to a proper full on fight, the sort of one Athos had volunteered to sit in the chair for, then he would be of little use. The damage was making it painful to even breathe so he doubted he would last long once his opponent noticed his obvious weakness.
The musketeer was also pretty sure one of his shoulders was dislocated but his entire body was in so much pain that he couldn't be completely sure. He did know that several of his fingers had been dislocated as he could remember Daviau's smirk as he pulled them from their sockets.
Overall the musketeer was a mess of injuries and bruises and judging by the pain he could feel shooting through him there were most likely more injuries than he was aware of.
"…'Thos?" croaked Porthos, his throat dry and his voice hoarse. None of that really mattered to him though; nothing mattered, not since Daviau had broken one of his best friend's bones. Since then the swordsman had been largely unresponsive, alternating between bouts of consciousness and unconsciousness. In fact the only time Porthos had seen any emotion or life in him during the last couple of hours was whenever he had strength enough to look at him. The look on Athos's face was one Porthos had seen many times before, most recently when D'Artagnan had lain unconscious in his bed recovering from the wound Vadim had inflicted on him. It was a look that promised deadly pain to the causer of whatever injury the person he was staring at had.
"Athos…" he called again having noticed the man beginning to stir.
"…P-P'thos?" came a raspy reply, the hoarseness of the man's voice making Porthos flinch and his anger rise as he knew that unlike his own voice, which was hoarse from lack of fluids, Athos's was hoarse as the man had screamed himself raw.
"How are you doing my friend?" Porthos asked gently, his voice full of worry as he gazed at his friend.
Athos shot the larger man a look that said it should be pretty obvious how he was doing before calming himself with a deep breath and stating "I've… been better."
Porthos snorted, "You and me both."
Athos looked ready to retort to that when the sound of approaching footsteps caught their attention and had the swordsman tensing.
Porthos could only watch with sympathy as his friend's body reacted to the sound. He knew that if the musketeer had more strength than what currently remained within in then he would be fighting against his body's reaction but as things were he was unable to stop the way his body, that was coming to associate that sound with near unbearable pain, reacted.
It was safe to say however that neither man was expecting what happened when the door opened.
Both had assumed that Daviau or Marcel would stroll in and continue the questioning they had abandoned several hours earlier, so needless to say both were surprised when the door opened and a young woman was pushed into the room with such force that it sent her flying to the ground.
Despite not knowing anything about the new woman both musketeers could tell she was a prisoner like them. The marks around the young woman's wrists told of fighting against restraints and the way the back of her dress was torn and stained with blood spoke of a whipping. Clearly whoever the woman was she was definitely in the same position as them.
"Gentlemen," remarked Daviau as he and Marcel entered the room after the woman who had risen shakily to her hands and knees. "Meet the lovely Lady Vivienne."
Porthos stared at the woman; from the parts of her he was able to see he could see the resemblance to Marsac. She had dark brown wavy hair similar to her brother's and they shared the same bone structure.
"W-What are you playing at now?" growled Athos, somehow still managing to come across as quite intimidating despite his current appearance.
"I thought you might need some more motivation to answer my questions," shrugged Daviau as he gestured to Marcel to restrain Vivienne. "You may not care about your own fates but what of an innocents?"
Vivienne finally reacted to this, her head shooting up to stare at Daviau, her eyes were wide with fear and tear marks stained her cheeks.
"Aramis practically gave himself up to try and save her, how would he react if she came to further harm because of the two of you?"
At Daviau's words Vivienne seemed to pale further as she watched both musketeers grit their teeth.
"You were trying to convince us he and the whelp were dead not even half a day ago," reminded Porthos as he gave the two men as deadly a glare as he could considering one of his eyes were still swollen shut.
Daviau shrugged and acted like Porthos hadn't spoken, "Something to ponder at any rate," and with one last smirk the pair exited the room.
"I-I'm sorry," sobbed Vivienne as soon as the three of them were alone. "I didn't mean… I'd never… I just wanted it to stop!"
Porthos and Athos shared a pitying look at the crying woman.
"We know," said Athos softly bringing the woman's attention to him. "This is no fault of yours and nor will Aramis blame you." Vivienne breathed deeply trying to curtail her sobs, "How badly are you hurt?"
"Is it just your back?" Porthos asked when the woman seemed too shook up to answer, both men sighed in relief when she nodded, thankful that the young woman hadn't suffered further at their captors hands.
For the next hour or so the trio tried to keep each other's spirits up by talking. Vivienne would share stories about the pranks she and Aramis used to play on her brother while Porthos would tell her about some of their more crazier missions with Athos adding in small details here and there or reigning Porthos in when he began wildly exaggerating.
Before too long though the door to their cell opened again. This time however the smells of food caught their attention before they even noticed the man bringing it in.
Porthos barely bit back his smirk in time. He had been mulling over a plan since the last time they were fed and he knew the time to put it into action was soon. His only worry now was whether his current state would be enough to pull it off.
As Vivienne's chains left her enough room to eat they were left on, as a bowl of what they could only guess was stew was thrusted into her hand.
Porthos was next; he had been moved when the attack on him had happened Marcel, who was dishing out the food, was forced to release one of his hands so he could eat. Once Porthos had been given his share the same thing was done to Athos before Marcel declared they'd be back in a little while for the bowls as he left the room.
"Eat," instructed Porthos as he saw Athos just poking his food with the spoon. He could only imagine what the pain in his body was doing to his brother's appetite but the man's health would only decline further if he refused to eat.
Athos glared lightly at his friend before bringing the first spoonful of food to his lips. In truth just the smell of the food made him want to gag but he knew he couldn't let himself wither away and leave his brother alone just because of a bit of nausea.
True to their word not an hour later saw the door to their cell opening again, although to Porthos's glee this time it was Daviau who entered.
"Alright hand them over," instructed the man with a sneer, moving from Athos to Vivienne, though not with turning one of the cuffs a little more.
"You're not going to defeat me with a bowl so hand it over," sneered Daviau as he stood in front of Porthos.
Porthos smirked, "Oh I don't need a bowl to end you." Then, faster than any of the room's occupants would have thought possible considering the musketeer's current injuries, Porthos used all of his strength to jam the handle end of his spoon directly into Daviau's eye. The man dropped the bowls he had been carrying as his hands shot up to his eye, screams tearing from his throat the entire time.
Without wasting a second Porthos used his free hand to grip tightly around Daviau's throat and slam him against the wall. Daviau crumpled pretty quickly then and despite not knowing if the man was actually dead or not Porthos then began to stretch so he could search his pockets, letting out a small whoop when his fingers curled around a key.
"Are you mad!" hissed Vivienne, her eyes never leaving the crumpled form of Daviau. "When his friend comes looking for him what are we going to do then?"
Lifting up the key for her to see, Porthos grinned, "We'll be long gone."
As soon as he was free Porthos scrambled over to Athos, ignoring all of the swordsman's insistent protests that he free Vivienne first.
"Told ya I could do it with a spoon," smirked the larger man, ginning brightly when Athos let out a breathy chuckle.
"Get her," instructed the swordsman nodding to the still slightly shocked woman.
"I can get her while you're getting feeling back 'Thos," explained Porthos as he began untightening the cuffs, fury growing within him as he saw the damage they had inflicted. Athos let out a few small cries of relief as the pressure was removed from his bones and was immensely grateful that his brother didn't comment on it.
With Athos free from the crushing grips of the chair Porthos made to free Vivienne, her scared yet determined demeanor bringing a soft grin to the musketeer's face.
"Can you walk 'Thos?" Porthos asked as he helped Vivienne to her feet. The pair of them were quite shaky but he was confident their legs would hold for now.
"We'll see," Athos mused, sending a silent request for help to Porthos who moved without question to the man's side to help him stand. Almost immediately it became clear that the musketeer would not be able to walk. The second any weight was put on his legs a scream of pain tore out of his throat and sent him sagging against his friend.
"L-Leave me," panted Athos once the pain had subsided enough for him to do so. "Get her out of here, find Aramis and the boy."
Porthos growled, "Not happened," and he flung one of Athos's arms around his shoulder, being as mindful of both of their injuries as he could. "All for one right? I aint leaving ya behind."
Vivienne steeled herself, "Nor would I allow you to suffer for my freedom," she declared before throwing Athos's other arm over her shoulders, barely biting back her own cry of pain as the movement pulled at her healing wounds.
"Shut up 'Thos," said Porthos fondly when he noticed the man about to protest their actions. "Lets get out of here."