Evening My Lovelies :)
We're getting a little emotional again today (sorry)
Also apologies in advance if Athos is a bit out of character at the end of this chapter but I really like what I have him doing/saying so just roll with it :D
Notes On Reviews:
Deana: Thanks for the review - Haha I'm sure he'd have no complaints about that :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
romirola: Thanks for the review - Thanks for the heads up, hope you enjoy having a mini binge when you get to catch up :) Enjoy the new chapter! x
Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Yeah but having our boys all full of worry is fun (at least for me to write anyway) Poor Moreau's in for fun times now that he's the only one able to treat all the injured men. Enjoy the new chapter! x
watlocked: Thanks for the review - True :) That's pretty much what I'm doing now. I had a vague plan for the story but I think that's well and truly done with now... It's a surprise for everyone now, myself included lol. Oooh yeah, Treville's fighting the urge to punch/shoot something right now. He's definitely wishing he had shot him but the honorable side of him wouldn't have let him unfortunately... plus then we'd be nearer the end of the story. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Maryg (Guest): Thanks for the review - Thank you :) We're seeing a bit more of Aramis's grief today but we're also getting a cute brotherly moment so that's fun too :D Haha I agree, D'Art's been injury free (well new injury free) for a while now... Lets see what my evil mind can come up with :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
criminally charmed: Thanks for the review - Haha Saying how could it get worse is just creating a challenge for my evil mind lol :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
Guest: Thanks for the review - Oooh if you like moments like that you'll enjoy the story I'm planning to write after this one's done :D As for this story... We'll have to see what my evil mind can concoct :) Enjoy the new chapter! x
Issai: Thanks for the review - Aramis isn't going to have the easiest of recoveries though that's mainly down to his grief coming into play. He's waking up today and is seemingly better (physically anyway) but I think we all know by now that that's not going to last long :D I think Marcel's sanity left him years ago but that means more lovely whumpage for our boys :D Haha glad you liked it, couldn't resist adding it in. Enjoy the new chapter! x
f1gymnast: Thanks for the review - Haha Yeah I think this story is the most evil I've been to our boys but worry not Aramis will recover... eventually. In all fairness with everything that had been going on I think it's okay to have forgotten about Marcel. Enjoy the new chapter! x
MicheeO: Thanks for the review - Haha :D But if it ended you'd have nothing to read while I'm working on the next story. There are a few uninjured musketeers left... admittedly most of them haven't been named (I'm really hoping I can get away without introducing any new musketeers I always struggle deciding on names). Haha Oooh now I want to write the king doing just that :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - Treville's pretty pissed that's for sure... i think he needs to hit something to let out some of his pent up emotions. Marcel's always eager to get to hurt some muskys. Aramis's grief is coming back into play a bit today but it leads to a cute brotherly moment that I hope you'll enjoy :D Hmmm Athos is glaring today... At both Treville and the rest of the people in the infirmary (because I'm spoiling you all lol) Enjoy the new chapter! x
Again much love and many thanks for following/favouriting/reviewing/reading. Love you all!
Enjoy!
xxx
Chapter Sixty-Nine: Guilt & Blame
"He what?" growled Treville, consciously trying to keep his voice low so that no one else would hear what they were talking about. He really didn't need all his men knowing this right now, especially not Athos, Porthos and D'Artagnan. Those three men had enough to worry about with Aramis; they didn't need the added worry about this as well.
"He's gone Captain," repeated Reynard, scowling internally at Corbett. Somehow during their walk back to the infirmary the man had managed to convince him to be the one to break the news to the Captain, meaning he was the one now bearing the most of the Captain's ire.
"He was tied up and unconscious!"
"The bindings were covered in blood," explained Reynard, struggling to see how this was his fault, he had been captured and tied up himself when this was going on. "Our best guess is that he came to and practically ripped his hands out of them."
"The door was locked."
Reynard nodded, his internal scowling at Corbett now growing in strength as he could almost feel the holes Treville's glare was trying to burn into him. "It was cracked open when we arrived."
This made Treville pause, his grip tightening on the back of the chair he was holding onto as he took a deep breath to try and calm down. "Any chance he had help?"
Deciding to step in and save his friend from any more of the Captain's anger Corbett said, "doubtful, the door showed signs of being forced open."
"What do you want us to do now Captain?" Reynard asked, silently wishing for orders to hunt the man down. Everything he and his brothers had suffered was because of Marcel. Without him none of this would have happened, Henri wouldn't be battling a severe infection, Jacques wouldn't be fighting for his life, Favier wouldn't have almost lost his life from a stab wound, Aramis wouldn't be grieving the loss of a dear friend, Athos wouldn't have been tortured and shot, D'Artagnan wouldn't have been poisoned nor temporarily down an arm and Porthos wouldn't look like he had gone rounds with ever solider in the regiment.
Treville was silent for a few moments as he came up with a plan. "I want him found," he growled out moments later. "That man has caused us enough pain. Grab a few of the men we have left here and start searching. I want his description given out to the city guards as well; they can keep an eye out on the streets while we wait for the rest of the regiment to return. In the meantime check every room in the garrison. He has already proven he can get in without being noticed and his anger and us is the only thing motivating him right now, it's doubtful he'll just disappear."
"We can inform the city guards," spoke a voice, startling the men slightly.
"D'Artagnan?" Treville said questioningly, surprised both that he was away from Aramis and that he was offering to leave his side and go into the city.
"Porthos and I wanted to go and get Aramis some clean clothes, his current ones are covered in blood and that the last thing he's going to need when he wakes. Athos said we could grab some stuff from his lodgings in the city, we can speak to the guards while we're out that way they can start the garrison search now."
"Doesn't Aramis have anything in his rooms here?" Corbett asked, not liking the idea of any of the regiment leaving the garrison right now, not until the rest of them came back from the King's hunt at the very least.
D'Artagnan shifted uncomfortably, "A lot of Aramis's stuff was covered in alcohol or ripped the last time I saw them."
Normally something like this would have drawn all sorts of questions from the men but nearly the entire regiment had heard snippets of the drunken rages coming from the medic's room in the days following Marsac's death, they'd be surprised if the man's room didn't smell like a brewery at the moment so it wasn't odd that his clothes would be unusable.
Treville sighed not liking the idea but it would allow the search group to get started straight away and not in a few hours time. "Athos's rooms and the guards office. No where else and no deviations am I clear?"
"Absolutely Captain," nodded D'Artagnan gratefully before moving to inform Porthos they had received permission to leave.
"Sir," said Corbett, catching the Captain's attention and pulling it away from his thoughts. "I'd like to go with them." Treville said nothing at this, merely raised a questioning eyebrow. "While we're confident Marcel isn't escaping the city, it's not a confirmed fact. If he spots them there's nothing stopping him from attacking them and neither of them are in any shape to be engaging in long fights."
"We can handle the search without him Captain," added Reynard quickly, also not liking the idea of D'Artagnan and Porthos going out without any additional back up.
Treville nodded, "Go, stay alert. First sign of trouble the three of you get back here."
Grinning brightly at his Captain, Corbett slipped his jacket on and jogged lightly to catch up with the two men who had left moments earlier.
"No one goes anywhere alone," Treville instructed as he turned back to Reynard, who nodded in agreement. "Splitting up to cover more ground is fine but no one searches alone."
"Porthos! D'Artagnan!"
The pair turned, curiosity burning brightly in their eyes as they waited for the musketeer to reach them.
"Corbett?"
"Captain said I can go with you, better to be safe with Marcel on the loose again."
D'Artagnan nodded his thanks to the man while Porthos's hands tightened into fists. He had absolutely no problem with Corbett joining them, if anything he was grateful. The man was a great soldier and loyal to his comrades, if Marcel was to find them out in the city Porthos would be glad to have the additional help, knowing that D'Artagnan's arm put them at a bit of a disadvantage in a fight. But that knowledge did nothing to stop the burning anger he felt at the mere mention of Marcel's name, he understood why Treville hadn't killed him when the opportunity had presented itself and the rational part of his mind knew he would have done the exact same thing, but the rest of him wanted nothing more than to tear the man apart for what he had put them through.
"Let's go," he growled, his anger clear in his voice, though neither of his companions commented on it, much to his relief.
Athos, who had taken the seat recently occupied by Porthos, was running his hand softly through Aramis's hair when he heard it. A small, almost inaudible whimper, his heart breaking at the pain within it.
"Shh," he whispered, the hand not in the medic's hair coming to grip the marksman's own. "You're okay. I'm here. You're not alone."
He continued this chant until he noticed his brother's eyes flicker open, tears beginning to stream down his face.
"…A…'Thos," whispered Aramis brokenly, his breath hitching in his throat as a sob tore its way out of him.
Without even thinking about it Athos began to move.
"W-What?" Aramis questioned, instinctively moving as well as Athos settled himself on the small bed next to him.
Ignoring the medic's question Athos threw his arm around the still crying man's shoulders and pulled him tight against his chest, letting his warmth and the sound of his heart beating chase away whatever remnants of the nightmare that remained.
With the warmth of his brother surrounding him Aramis felt the extremely fragile walls he was trying to build completely crack and fall down. His hands found their way to the swordsman's shirt, clutching it tightly in a fist as he nestled his head in the crook of his brother's neck, neither man commenting on the tears now soaking Athos's shirt.
Athos said nothing as he let Aramis cry, knowing that there were no words he could offer that would help him at this moment. Instead he settled for simply holding him and silently warning off any of their other comrades that got too close.
"I… I k-killed her," sobbed Aramis after several long minutes of nothing but quiet tears.
Athos's eyes narrowed at this and his arms tightened their grip on his friend. "You did no such thing," he growled, unable to hide his anger at that thought from his voice.
Before Aramis could find the words to say anything else Athos continued. "D'Artagnan and Porthos filled me in on what happened. You tried to save her, you were not the one to stab her. You did not kill her."
"…Might as well have done," whispered the medic, his eyes filling with fresh tears as he tightened his own grip on Athos's shirt. "I… I'm the reason she was taken in the first place… I'm the reason she… she almost killed you… I'm the reason she was at the garrison… how is this not my fault!"
The last part of the tearful rant was practically screamed by the marksman, meaning that everyone in the infirmary heard it and were now looking at their brother-in-arms with varying looks of pity.
Knowing the last thing his brother needed and wanted was pity spurred Athos into sending them a vicious glare that had them all turning away before his attention returned to his brother.
"That's true," stated the swordsman stoically, his words shocking Aramis into reeling back and staring at him, but before he could say anything Athos continued, his voice calm and even as he spoke, his eyes never leaving Aramis's own, allowing his brother to see the truth in his words.
"You are also the reason she didn't die, alone and in pain, in whatever filthy cell they had her stashed in in that compound. You are the reason she didn't succeed in killing me. You are the reason she wasn't locked up somewhere like the Bastille with people ten times worse then her who would have no issues with doing whatever they wanted to her." Aramis flinched at this but Athos continued. "You did everything you could to save her and keep her safe, even when others would have said she didn't deserve it." With a gentleness reserved for only his brothers Athos wiped away the tears from Aramis's cheeks. "If you're going to blame yourself for what happened then at least don't dismiss the part you played in trying to fix it."