Evening My Lovelies
So I have news! For those of you who watch Musketeer's in the UK on BBC1 I was reading today that it has a season 3 release date! And it's REALLY soon! According to RadioTimes we're due season 3 on Sat 28th May! And we've got a new baddie who's apparently a junkie with a degenerative spine disorder... should be fun :D
Anyways back to my story! Several of you seemed to have an idea as to what I've done to D'Art and it totally made my day to read them and go ... Nope not done that :D
Notes On Reviews:
Deana: Thanks for the review - Yay I'm glad you enjoyed the D'Art/Aramis scene, I had a lot of fun writing that :) I figured Aramis needed someone to take care of him... Even if it was just for a little while. Enjoy the new chapter! x
criminally charmed: Thanks for the review - Mwhahaha I know I was soooo evil :D I can't help it when D'Art's involved. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Yeah poor Henri's going to be regretting letting D'Art go off on his own but it needed to be done. Glad you liked seeing D'Art taking care of them all, I had a lot of fun writing that scene, the image of it was too adorable not to write :) Our boy's definitely aren't going to be happy with what I have planned for their pup :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
Katie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Haha Glad you liked my attempt at inserting a bit of humor... See this is why I can no longer kill of Henri, it just wouldnt work with any of the other characters... well maybe in a bit of banter between Aramis and Porthos but still... Hmmm intriguing that you think he was going to get kidnapped... I suppose that would make sense but nope, I've decided to do something different. Hopefully it works. Enjoy the new chapter! x
watlocked: Thanks for the review - OMG I'm dying! Your review totally made my day, best thing to wake up to read! I was reading the "thoughts before bit" going "hmmm this is quite subdued for this reviewer"... Then i scrolled down to the after bit XD Oh gods you could have just left it at that first all caps lock line and I would have loved it XD We get to see a tiny bit of papa-bear Treville today although he's mainly in Captain-mode. I will allow you to hug D'Art (just mind the ribs... and hand... and stab wound) I will even let you give him a blanket (he's currently shirtless he needs it) but you're not allowed to hide him from me I have evil things in mind for him (though most will probably be saved for the next story) Enjoy the new chapter! x
Issai: Thanks for the review - Henri's definitely regretting not following the pup though I will say, no one's stolen him... I have something a bit different in mind :) which hopefully works. Yay glad you liked Aramis's comfort moment. I figured the poor guy needed some TLC, even if it was just a little bit. Yeah Durand's right in that aspect, which is something Treville's going to address, but at this point Porthos only saw the guy as being the reason why his brother was shot so in his defense he really wasn't thinking clearly. Enjoy the new chapter! x
f1gymnast: Thanks for the review - Gotta love mother-hen moments :D ... Plus Aramis kinda deserved it after how hard he's worked. Yeah they're all regretting leaving him alone now. I think Porthos may have made Durand pee his pants lol :D As for who the man is you'll have to wait and see. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Maryg (Guest): Thanks for the review - Hehe Glad you liked it :D I was tempted to write more for Durand and Porthos but the pull of D'Art whump was too strong to resist lol. When I originally started this chapter I was a bit worried with what I had planned for D'Art as he still hasn't quite recovered from his previous infection and fever which would make dealing with what I have planned all the more dangerous and difficult... Then my evil mind took over, latching onto the words "dangerous" and "difficult" and then I had to go through with it lol, hopefully it's evil enough for you. Enjoy the new chapter! x
MicheeO: Thanks for the review - I don't have anything against him... he's just too adorable not to whump! I can't help it :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - I'm glad they're visible now too otherwise I would have to guess what the latter part of your review said as it's another lovely long truncated one :D I'm am SOOO happy (almost wrote hoppy then... it's been a long day lol) that you liked the D'Art part. It was, quite possibly, my favourite thing to write so far this story and I was so nervous people would hate it so to get all the kind words from everyone really made my day. I felt that although D'Art's close to Athos and the others, at this point they've only really known each other several months so for him to go so closed off it didn't really make sense. But then I remembered how his father died and that it would have only happened a few months ago so the wound would still be raw. The two instances were similar enough that I could mesh them, although I did get a bit worried I might have gone overboard by including Porthos and Aramis into his panic attack but lovely readers such as yourself seemed to like it so I guess it all worked out :D I'm not sure when Henri (and others i think) started referring to D'Art as "your pup" when talking to one of the inseparables but I love it too! Poor Aramis has been working WAY too hard so I felt he needed a TLC moment, even if it was a short one considering what's coming up. Even unconscious Athos is still protective over our little pup XD Enjoy the new chapter! x
As always much love and many thanks you fantastic people who follow/favourite/review/read (we've reached over 25k views!)
Enjoy!
xxx
Chapter Thirty-Eight: Gascon In Peril
"You alright there Doc?" asked Alain as he and Doctor Moreau neared the musketeer camp.
The pair had raced ahead of the supplies, eager to bring medical aid to the injured men as fast as possible and as such had ridden near non-stop since leaving the garrison, something Alain knew the doctor was not used to.
"I'm in no rush to do that again but I am well," reassured Moreau, nodding in greeting to Issac who had stepped away from Favier to help the tired pair, as everyone else was busy.
"Monsieur Issac correct?" Inquired Moreau, "You were part of the group who originally found Monsieur's Aramis and D'Artagnan were you not?"
Issac blinked, quite surprised the Doctor remembered him, as there had been much to do upon returning with the two injured men.
"I heard your friend's in bad shape, why don't you lead the way and I'll take a look." Said Moreau once Issac had remembered to answer his question.
"Do you not need to check on the others first?" asked Issac, not quite managing to hide the hope in his voice as he spoke. Favier had been showing signs of improvement over the last several hours but Issac still worried about his friend.
Moreau ignored the question, choosing instead to simply start walking in the direction Issac had come at them from, assuming that Favier was the man lying on the ground not too far from them. His assumptions were found to be correct when Issac ran to catch up with him before explaining everything about Favier's injury and condition that he could remember.
Assured that his friend and their injured were in good hands Alain began work unsaddling and brushing down their horses.
"Henri… Captain?" queried Porthos hesitantly as he made his way over to where the pair was watching over the still sleeping forms of Athos and Aramis. Eyeing their surroundings nervously Porthos didn't like that he couldn't see D'Artagnan anywhere.
"He went to wash up," said Treville, biting back a yawn as he answered the larger man's unasked question.
"Speaking of," said Henri with a tired grin as he rose to his feet, "I should check on him, he's been gone a little while now."
"… I trust Durand still has his life?" asked Treville after a few moments of silence between the pair. The pain of his injury may have muddled his mind but he was not so unobservant as to miss the blood staining Porthos's damaged knuckles.
Porthos snorted, knowing his Captain knew him well enough to know for a fact that Durand still lived but was still had to ask. "Not that 'e deserves it but yeah," grumbled Porthos, a small smirk gracing his face as he added, "Might have trouble breathing through 'is nose for a little while though."
"You know I don't tolerate violence among my men," sighed Treville, though he continued before Porthos could interrupt. "I understand what he did and he will be punished accordingly but you are done with him Porthos. Durand didn't fire the shot and nor is Athos dead. He may have dishonored the musketeer name but that puts him under my jurisdiction to deal with not yours am I understood?"
Rubbing his bruised knuckles Porthos sighed before nodding his agreement. He knew the Captain was right though it didn't make it much easier to deal with.
Before either man could comment further a pained groan from one of their charges caught their attention.
"'Thos?" breathed Porthos hopefully, his hand coming to rest gently on the swordsman's cheek as a beaming grin grew on his face at the sight of Athos's eyes opening.
"…W-Wha?" rasped Athos, his unfocused eyes locking on to Porthos's face. A brief ghost of a smile gracing the injured man's tired face as he saw his friend alive and well.
Without being asked Treville passed Porthos a water skin before returning to check on Aramis as Porthos helped Athos lift his head enough to drink a few sips of water without choking.
"You nearly died 'Thos," explained Porthos quietly, his voice betraying the pain he had felt at seeing his brother in such a way. "You're going to have to take it easy for a while."
Athos scowled at that thought and it only grew when he weakly brought his less injured hand to his face in an effort to wipe away some of the sleep from his eyes and caught the smell emanating from his wrist.
Laughing loudly at the look on his friend's face Porthos felt the weight of worry he had been carrying since the attack start to lift. "Looks like the whelp took good care of you while I was gone," he remarked, his smile growing as he noticed the swordsman's attempt to seek out the young Gascon.
"Whelp went to clean up while I was… have a chat with our shooter."
Athos nodded tiredly, a hard look entering his eyes "…V-Vivienne," whispered Athos coldly though his expression softened slightly when Aramis shifted closer into his side in his sleep.
Porthos blinked, surprised Athos remembered but he nodded the confirmation before explaining what had been told to him by everyone else with regards to both Vivienne and Durand.
"…'Mis?"
Porthos sighed, knowing what Athos was asking him, "Passed out exhausted after saving you. Hasn't woken up long enough to find out yet."
"…'e's … okay?"
Smiling softly at the swordsman Porthos nodded, not missing the relieved sigh that escaped his friend at the news. "Ripped some stitches but that's been sorted now thanks to the whelp. Other than that he's just exhausted, gave me and the pup a right scare when he collapsed after treating you… Though the snores quickly calmed that." Porthos grin grew as he heard Athos's quiet huff of laughter. "Probably a good thing he's asleep too, can't imagine you're eager to hear whatever lecture he has planned for you about jumping in the way of bullets."
Athos groaned, more in annoyance than pain causing another round of laughter from his brother, which helped negate some of the agonizing pain he was feeling.
Turning serious Athos looked at Porthos and asked, "W-What else 'ave I missed?"
Porthos had just finished explaining the situation to a clearly exhausted Athos and was about to instruct the man to get some more rest when a panicked shout caught the immediate attention of the entire camp.
"HELP! I NEED HELP HERE!"
Porthos felt his blood turn to ice as he realized the voice belonged to Henri, the very man who had, only minutes earlier, left to go check on D'Artagnan.
Athos seemed to realize this too as he ignored the protests of both his body and his friends and forced himself onto his feet, swaying dangerously as he did so.
"D'Artagnan!" Porthos yelled as he rushed to Henri's side when the musketeer stumbled into camp, barely able to stay on his feet as he cradled an unconscious and alarmingly pale D'Artagnan in his arms.
Without wasting a second Porthos grabbed his young friend from Henri's arms, his panic rising when he noticed both how shallow the boy's breaths were as well as the slight red stain on the corners of D'Artagnan's mouth.
"Out of the way!" demanded Moreau as he pushed through the concerned group of musketeers to get to the unconscious Gascon. Taking one look at the boy Moreau knew he needed to act. "Over here, lay him down."
Porthos did as he was asked though he refused to move from the boy's side, stepping only a couple of steps away so he could help a barely upright Athos stay standing.
"When did he lose consciousness?" asked Moreau, his eyes never leaving the shirtless youth as he tried to figure out what had happened.
"Just before we got into camp," answered Henri, the man was pale and breathing heavily though judging by the worry in his eyes he had no plans to leave the youth yet. "I found him coughing violently by the side of the river, he was really pale, shaking and I could tell he was having trouble breathing. I tried to help him to his feet to get him back here but his legs couldn't support him so I picked him up and raced here. We were a few minutes out from camp when his coughing finally stopped, I looked down at him and saw the blood on his hand and that he had passed out and then I called for help."
"Was there anything there he could have consumed? Water? Food?"
"Er… A water skin I think why?"
"Get it I need it."
The sharpness and urgency of the order was not lost on any of the musketeers and without wasting a second Porthos let go of Athos, grabbed Henri's arm and dragged him off towards the river.
"What is it?" Athos asked quietly as he sank to the ground by D'Artagnan's head, his less injured hand coming up to run itself through the boys damp hair, a subconscious action that seemed to soothe them both.
Moreau noticed the action but did not comment, choosing instead to focus on the fever draught he was making. "I'll know more when they return," he stated dismissively
Athos's eyes narrow, "but you have an idea?" When Moreau did little more than nod Athos felt his concern-driven annoyance rise, "Which is?"
Ignoring the question Moreau pushed Athos's hand from the boy's hair as he lifted D'Artagnan's head, forcing the fresh draught down his throat.
"Moreau," stated Treville's authoritative voice, "what is your initial prognosis?"
Moreau sighed; placing the now empty vial on the ground he looked up at he waiting eyes of the musketeer and Captain. "Poison Captain. My best guess is this young man has been poisoned."
"I never should have let him go off alone," sighed Henri, guilt filling him as he led Porthos to where he had found the boy.
"Why did you?" asked Porthos, there was no accusation or anger in his voice, just curiosity. Henri had been the one who had given the order that no one was to go anywhere alone, Porthos found it strange that he had not protested the boy's departure.
"He needed to be alone," sighed Henri as he tried to work out the best way to explain. "He was bottling everything up inside himself, forcing himself to be detached and almost cold whilst dealing with Athos's injury. I'm pretty sure there was more too it then just Athos's injury but the boy needed a moment to process and deal without the eyes of an entire musketeer camp, or worse you and the others, on him."
Porthos looked offended, "What do you mean 'or worse you and the others?'"
"You know how desperate he is Porthos. You, Aramis and Athos… your good opinions mean everything to him. The very last thing he was going to want was for any of you three to see him as weak."
"We wouldn't," protested Porthos though in his heart he knew it made sense and he knew it to be true.
"Well we know that," huffed Henri like it should have been obvious, "but apparently your little pup doesn't so let's just get this done so the doc can make him better and then you and the rest of them can lecture him about it until he knows it too."
By the time the pair returned to the camp Athos was still stubbornly refusing to move from his spot by D'Artagnan's head, his hand once again running through the Gascon's hair. A worried looking Aramis had joined Moreau, both men trying to keep D'Artagnan cool.
"Athos you need rest!" snapped Aramis as he glared at his stubborn friend. "If you pass out…"
"I'm not going to pass out," came the reply and Porthos couldn't help the smirk that pulled at his lips at Athos's clearly annoyed reply.
"No one plans to pass out Athos," snipped the medic though he stopped that train of thought when he noticed they had returned to camp.
"About time," snapped Aramis, "Hand it over."
Well used to his friend's behavior when one of them was hurt or in trouble Porthos said nothing about the tone of his voice and merely handed the water skin over to Aramis's waiting hands.
Aramis opened the cap, taking a sniff of the water, his face instantly furrowing in concern as he passed the canteen over to Moreau who copied the medic's actions before place the cap back on and sighing sadly.
"What?" Porthos asked worriedly, his gaze flicking between Athos to D'Artagnan to Moreau and Aramis before going back to D'Artagnan.
"Your assumption was right wasn't it?" Athos asked quietly, the hope that he was wrong ringing clear in his voice.
"Unfortunately," sighed Moreau as he nodded, "D'Artagnan has been poisoned."