Evening (or very very early morning) My Lovelies

Ergh! I officially hate how difficult this chapter was to write! I think I've rewritten it about 4 times this evening (hence the slightly later than usual upload) It has given me nothing but trouble and I'm hoping my frustration hasn't ruined it.

I think I may have rushed a certain point of the chapter (you'll probably know when you get to it) if you agree then I am sorry but it (meaning the entire chapter) was giving me no end of trouble so you'll have to let me off this once.

Notes On Reviews:

Deana: Thanks for the review - Yeah our boys definitely don't have it easy... On the plus side though things will start looking up for them after today :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Well it was going to be either himself or Marcel... I suppose I could have introduced a new baddie but I think that would be taking things a bit too far there. Worry not Treville will be giving his men a stern talking to... just once they're awake enough to actually register what he's saying. Unfortunately Athos is a bit preoccupied at the moment so it's not him. Enjoy the new chapter! x

AllForOne (Guest): Thanks for the review - Yay I'm glad you liked it :) I'm really happy that you're enjoying the story as a whole so far. As I said above I'm really not sure about this chapter so I'm apologizing if it isnt any good. Enjoy the new chapter! x

criminally charmed: Thanks for the review - Haha yeah I dont think the kid's got it in him at the moment to be that guy :D Though that would be interesting to write, purely for everyone else's reactions. If you're hating Daviau today might make you happy. Enjoy the new chapter! x

watlocked: Thanks for the review - Can't resist some lovely papa-bear moments from our lovely Captain so I'm glad you liked them. I think if his men were awake enough he'd be giving the lecture by the end of this chapter but with everyone working themselves ragged he's going to have to wait until they can actually retain what he's lecturing them about. I wont tell you who but one of your guesses is correct ;) Hopefully you get a bit more sleep tonight, not that I mind slap happy you :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

Helensg: Thanks for the review - Yeah our boys aren't exactly having the best of times at the moment. Thing will start looking up after today though. I was sooooo tempted for it to be Athos but he's a bit preoccupied with out pup and being his protective self at the moment so it isn't him. Enjoy the new chapter! x

f1gymnast: Thanks for the review - Don't think I've done a Treville point of view so far this story, or at least not one so intensive as that, it was really fun to do and I'm really happy you liked it. Hmmm Marcel would be an interesting person to have but you'll have to read on and see if you're correct or not. Enjoy the new chapter! x

MicheeO: Thanks for the reviews - Hope you enjoyed your mini binge :) Considering the pain the poison caused I'd say it can be counted as a form of torture. You'll have to read on and see who it is but I do think our boys are all due a fair amount of healing/comfort time now. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - Thank you I'm glad you liked it :) Treville was pretty good at keeping himself together but Daviau was looking for any weakness to exploit and made the most of it whenever Treville slipped up. I wanted to show how D'Art's poisoning was affecting everyone, not just our lovable trio, I wasnt sure how well my description worked but it seemed to be well received so yay :) I'm going to have to start making notes as to who's lecturing who and on what we've accumulated so many lol. Well done for getting it right *gives cookie* Hmmm you're not the only one who mentioned the voice might belong to Marcel, I'm not going to confirm or deny though, you'll have to read on :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

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

Enjoy!

xxx

Chapter Forty-One: Poisoned III

Silence befell the camp at the order, even D'Artagnan's screams of pain had subdued into quiet whimpers, though it was likely that that was more down to the boy's lack of energy to keep screaming as well as the state of his throat.

Daviau bit back a snarl at the order and was quick to grab Treville by the arm and pull him close, the blade once again pressing against the skin of the Captain's throat.

"You must really want that boy to suffer," hissed Daviau, his voice quiet enough that only Treville could hear.

At his words Treville's eyes narrowed into a sharp glare that would have even the strongest men trembling. "Leave him alone!" he spat, his voice equally as quiet, "I didn't alert them! It's hardly my fault if you can't handle stealth."

Daviau pressed the knife harder against the Captain's skin, his mouth opening to retort when the voice spoke again.

"You're surrounded," he spoke stepping into view, a large musket pointed directly at Daviau and a calm yet determined look on his face, "and you're outnumbered."

This had Daviau scowling, though it was quickly replaced with a smug smirk as he released his hold on Treville, the blade still hold him in place as it pressed against his skin as he raised his newly empty hand to his lips, letting out a shrill whistle that surprised nearly everyone in the camp.

For every moment that followed where nothing happened Daviau's smirk began to slip into a confused frown, whilst the new arrival's smirk only seemed to grow.

"Oh was that the signal for your men hiding in the trees?" asked the new arrival innocently, though the smug smirk he wore negated the innocent expression he was trying to plaster on his face. When Daviau's eyes widened at his words the man couldn't help but taunt the man further, "I wouldn't wait for them… they're a bit indisposed, being dead and all."

"Corbett," sighed Treville, barely hiding a groan of pain as his wound throbbed excruciatingly. This really wasn't the time for the man's sarcastic nature to come into play and he hoped that his tone of voice relayed that information.

Despite his attempts to hide his pain Corbett noticed and his eyes narrowed into a firm glare, all earlier traces of mirth now long gone.

"I wont repeat myself again," stated the musketeer as he took a step forward, the eyes of everyone else in camp on them and though they made no move to come closer both Treville and Corbett knew they would be on Daviau in a heartbeat should they be needed. "Release him!"

"Now why would I do that?" spat Daviau, lightly drawing the blade across Treville's throat, drawing a little blood but not deep enough to be serious.

It had the desired effect however as Corbett and the other musketeers all tensed up at the hiss of pain Treville couldn't contain.

"He took everything from me you know," stated Daviau, no longer caring about the man pointing a gun at him, the very likelihood of imminent death was enough for him to throw caution to the wind. "You musketeers are supposed to be all about bringing justice. Well where's my justice! You willing let him be massacred and yet you have the nerve to tell me to 'release him?'"

As Daviau ranted Treville was having a silent conversation with Corbett. As much as the Captain would very much like to be the one who ended Daviau's life he knew his injury would hinder him too much to be effective in any sort of lengthy physical confrontation.

Just as Daviau reached the end of his rant Corbett sent his Captain a nod so subtle that you would only notice it if you were actively looking for it like Treville was.

Upon noticing it Treville mustered what remained of his strength and put it all into his arm as he viciously elbowed his captor right in the stomach causing him to drop the blade out of reflex as he doubled over in an attempt to catch his breath. The second the blade was away from his throat Treville was stumbling as far away from the man as he could, instinctively heading towards where the antidote vial was left, not trusting Daviau to not try something once he had gathered himself.

"You'll pay for that Captain!" spat Daviau as he glared at the retreating man. The second he tried to take a step towards him however a musket ball impacted the ground right by his feet.

"The next one goes through your skull," promised Corbett as he reloaded his musket, his eyes never leaving Daviau's slightly paler form.

Daviau felt another growl growing at the back of his throat when he noticed two of the musketeers' stand in front of Treville, effectively guarding him from anything he could try.

"You have two options," stated Corbett, sounding slightly bored as he eyed the man before him, his eyes almost daring him to try something so he could shoot him. "You can either accept the loss, at which point you'll be placed into musketeer custody until we arrive back in Paris where you will be charged and punished for your crimes…. Or, and personally I'm hoping you pick this option, you can be stupid enough to try something, in which case we will kill you."

For a moment it looked like Daviau was seriously considering surrender, though just as it looked like he was the man let out a war cry as he threw in Treville's direction, hoping to at least hurt one of his determined yet foolish guards.

Unfortunately for Daviau his haste had affected his aim and whilst it did hit one of the guards it did little more than graze across his cheek. Daviau however didn't get to see this as the second the blade left his hand Corbett fired, the musket ball hitting him right in his stomach.

"ARGH!" cried Daviau in agony as he crumpled to the ground.

"You should have picked option one monsieur," stated Corbett coldly as he knelt by the man's side, "That wound is going to kill you, but it'll be slow and painful and from the looks of things here, no less than you deserve." Then without sparing the gasping man a second look Corbett rose to his feet and walked over to Treville.

"Apologies for being late Captain the wagon slowed us down," he explained, nodding over to where the newly arrived musketeers were unloading supplies for the exhausted men.

"If anything your arrival was most timely Corbett and I am grateful for your assistance." Treville said with a thankful nod.

At Treville's words all semblance of the cold musketeer from before vanished as a cocky grin lit up Corbett's face and a light blush dusted his cheeks at the praise.

"Captain, are you injured?" Issac asked as his hand came up to wipe away the blood now trickling down his face thanks to Daviau's last assassination attempt.

"No more than before," acknowledge Treville, cringing slightly as a wave of pain shot through him as he moved, in response to the pain Treville's hands clenched into fists and he was suddenly reminded of the small vial he was gripping within one.

"D'Artagnan," he whispered, his eyes wide with guilt for forgetting why he had agreed to Daviau's arrangement in the first place. Without bothering to answering the questioning looks he was receiving from the men around him Treville spun on his heels before charging, as quickly as his injured body would allow, to D'Artagnan's side.

"Aramis," Treville breathed as he practically flung himself down next to the exhausted medic.

"I… I don't know what else to do," whispered the medic brokenly and before Treville could interrupt he continued, "All we're doing now is trying to take some of the pain away… I… I can tell he's fighting b-but… D'Art's beyond stubborn, we know this … but this?"

"Aramis," said Treville, his voice soft yet commanding as he laid his hand on the rambling medic's shoulder. Thankfully the marksman had been talking in a quiet voice and the only person close enough to hear was Athos who was thinking the same thoughts as him.

When Aramis looked at him Treville felt his heart break for the man, the look of absolute hopelessness and defeat in his eyes was almost too much to bear.

"Here," he said, passing the small vial over to the musketeer who look at it curiously before raising an eyebrow at the Captain.

"Daviau," explained Treville, doing his best to ignore the anger he felt brewing within him at the mere mention of the man's name. "Claimed it was an antidote."

Hope shone in Aramis's eyes then as he stared at the bottle with new reverence.

"Do… Do we trust him?" Aramis asked quietly, "He tortured Athos and Porthos… He's probably the reason why D'Art was poisoned in the first place!"

Treville understood the medic's reluctance, he felt it too, but they were out of options. Without an antidote D'Artagnan was going to die, that was no longer in doubt and judging by the way things were going he would die in agony. "What do we have to lose?" Treville sighed sadly, watching as Aramis looked to Athos for guidance, the swordsman nodding once before returning to his attempts at comforting his charge.

Now he was closer to them Treville was able to see the atrocious condition his men were actually in, his mind was positively reeling from the fact that Athos was actually conscious let alone lucid and mobile.

He was pulled from his brief assessment of his men when Aramis sighed, whispered a prayer and poured the vial down a still quietly whimpering D'Artagnan's throat.

"…Now what?" Porthos asked, his voice hoarse and tired as he stood behind Athos, his worried eyes never leaving the boy.

"Now we get some sleep," ordered Treville, his voice brokering no arguments though it did look like they were tempted to try for a while. "It's going to take time for the antidote to take effect and D'Artagnan's going to need you at your best while he recovers. Corbett and the men who accompanied him can set up a watch rotation, which you will be exempt from, but for now you need rest."

"I'm not leaving," Athos, stated, the first words he had said to anyone other than D'Artagnan since the boy was poisoned.

"Nor would I expect you to," nodded Treville as he pinched the bridge of his nose, already feeling a stress migraine settling in. "Sleep where you're sitting for all I care just so long as you actually rest."

Taking Treville's order and words to heart the three musketeers quickly settled themselves around the boy, effectively creating a cocoon around him.

Aramis lay on one side, his hand coming to rest lightly on the boy's chest so he would wake should there be any changes to his breathing or should he stir.

Porthos settled down on the other side, shuffling as close to the trembling boy as he could, hoping his body heat would help both comfort and warm the boy.

Athos looked reluctant to settle but one firm glare from a stressed, pained and exhausted Treville had him complying with the order, lying horizontally by the Gascon's head, his hand never leaving his young protégé's hair as he tried to get comfortable.

Fortunately now the adrenaline of the day had begun to fade so had Athos's strength reserves allowing the beyond exhausted musketeer to fall deep into slumber the second his head hit the ground.