Evening My Lovelies :)

I'll admit, I'm a little worried about today's chapter as I'm finally letting you know what I've done to poor little D'Art and I'm worried that I've made it much bigger and worse in my head and it'll come across a bit anticlimactic after how long I left you all waiting for :(

This chapter also has a fair amount of dialogue, which always worries me as to whether I keep the boys in character or not :(

... Basically I'm just worrying about this in general lol

On a happier note though, we've reached over 950 reviews!

Notes On Reviews:

Deana: Thanks for the review - Aramis will be okay, we're putting his pain to one side kinda today as we've got other people to worry about :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

watlocked: Thanks for the review - Bwhaha I know I'm so evil :D On the plus note though I am addressing the cliff hanger straight away so hopefully that'll redeem me a bit? Yeah our boys really need to learn that... they wont, but they definitely should :) Glad you loved the chapter! Enjoy the new chapter! x

pallysdeeks: Thanks for the review - You'll be finding out what's going on with D'Art today and we get another tiny glimpse of protective Porthos (which I adore writing). By the way... Love the name for Marcel lol XD Enjoy the new chapter! x

criminally charmed: Thanks for the review - Yeah, really liked the idea so it had to come into play at some point. I was going to have wolves/wild dogs instead of the bear that Porthos and Henri fought ages ago but a bear was just more badass lol XD Bwaha I know, If I had stuck to the whumpage I had originally planned instead of letting my sadistic little mind off its leash then this story probably wouldn't have reached this length... Oh well :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

Issai: Thanks for the review - :D I'm glad you liked the Porthos/Corbett bit and bringing Henri into it as I really like hinting at, or actually writing about, the other relationships going on at the garrison... I fear there's no may about it... He's definitely going to be needed :D I'm looking forward to Marcel showing up as well, should be a lot of fun... Though will it happen today? read and see :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

Maryg (Guest): Thanks for the review - I have a sneaking suspicion (and growing hope) that you'll really like this chapter as we're FINALLY finding out what I've done to poor little D'Art :D Athos's group were pretty close to the basement so it could be them but it could also be Marcel... Reynard's group is on the other side of the house so I can promise it's not them. Glad you're loving the anxiety :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

Guest: Thanks for the review - I really liked your idea, we get a tiny bit of it here but I have a plan to include it a bit later on in more detail... Like a PTSD sort of thing maybe once they're free. Enjoy the new chapter! x

f1gymnast: Thanks for the review - Glad you liked the banter, we needed a brief break from all the seriousness. You're right to be worried about Treville and Aramis but I can also say that Marcel will be meeting his end soon. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - :) I'm glad you liked the banter. Considering what's happened and what's about to happen I figured we needed a brief break from all the seriousness. I wont tell you who's coming through but I am addressing the cliff hanger straight away so you wont be waiting long :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - Yay! Glad I've got you on the edge, I seriously loved that cliffhanger so I'm really happy it had the desired effect of both getting you all anxious for the next chapter whilst also (probably) annoying you :D We've got a bit of an emotional one today, not as bad as it could or will be but still... Porthos is pretty indestructible right now it seems, nothing can keep him down for too long. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Cookies, Cream Cakes & other yummy goodies for following/favouriting/reviewing/reading. Love you all. You're the best!

Enjoy!

xxx

Chapter Eighty-One: The Rescue IV

Without even thinking Porthos lashed out with his good arm as soon as he saw a figure begin to enter the room. Part of him knew he should have waited for a better opportunity but it was overruled by the protective part of him that wanted nothing more than to protect his two friends.

He realized his mistake the second the heavy chain smashed into the door, mere millimeters from the figure's head. The cry of surprise that escaped the figure as splinters of wood showered down on him was enough to have Porthos freezing in surprise.

"…C-Captain?" breathed the larger musketeer, his body swaying dangerously as he fought to remain both upright and conscious.

"PORTHOS!" exclaimed two figures at either side of the still slightly surprised Captain. The joy and relief in their voices instantly gained them the focus of the barely conscious man as they pushed passed their superior to reach their friend, who stumbled forward a few steps to meet them partway.

"PORTHOS!" they cried again, though this time it was more from concern then relief as the larger man stumbled and collapsed into their arms. Both men bit back their own cries of pain as they staggered back a few steps under their friend's weight.

While Aramis and Athos gently eased their friend to the ground Treville, released from his surprised stupor, moved to check on Corbett who was watching the newly fallen musketeer with great concern.

"Corbett," called Treville tentatively as he gently tapped his hand against the musketeers cheek, cursing internally at the warmth he felt emanating from his skin. "Corbett," he called again, waiting for the man to look at him, "How badly are you hurt?"

Out of the corner of his eye Treville noticed that Aramis had stilled slightly in his examination of Porthos, not wanting to deny the other man his medical skills should he be in a worse condition then his unconscious brother, no matter how much it would hurt him to leave his brother in pain to treat another.

To the group's collective surprise Corbett's response was to vehemently shake his head, no doubt giving himself a dizzy spell doing so. While it was clear the man was in rough shape he seemed determined not to receive the medical treatment he so badly needed.

Before any of the newly arrived musketeers could respond however Corbett spoke up, his voice was raspy and hoarse as if he hadn't had anything to drink in a while, or, the more anger-inducing alternative of him having screamed himself hoarse. Aramis had noted the man's breathing troubles the second he had been able to pull his focus away from Porthos for a single moment so he was not surprised by the breathlessness of the man's voice, only being frozen, much like his companions, by the single word that was said.

"…D-D'Artagnan."

Athos's eyes went wide as he cursed under his breath. He had been so consumed with worry at the sight of Porthos, covered in blood, collapsing right into their arms that he had completely forgotten anything that wasn't related to helping his friend.

Putting his weight on his good leg the swordsman raised slightly, noting absently that Aramis was doing the same thing, both men turning as quickly as they could to the direction Corbett was staring hopelessly in, their breath catching in their throats at the sight of the blood stained young man.

"D'ARTAGNAN!" they screamed in unison as both men raced to the young Gascon's side.

"…H-He angered them," wheezed Corbett weakly as he stood with the help of Treville, though he was leaning more on the Captain then he was standing. Once he was standing the two inseparables could see the atrocious condition their musketeer brother was in and if he was in that state and still remained adamant that D'Artagnan was worse… well that really didn't bode well for their young friend.

"…T-They were… coming at me," he rasped, pain clear in his face as he spoke, though he ignored all whispers from Treville to save his strength. He had sat by and been unable to do nothing for what seemed like a lifetime now, he would not deny the men the knowledge of how brave and selfless their friend had been.

"…T-They would… would have killed me no doubt… D'A…D'Artagnan saw that and… he insulted them… got their attention off of me and…" At this it became clear to all the men in the room that it was excruciatingly painful for the musketeer to speak but he continued anyway, his pain-filled eyes never leaving the Gascon's unconscious form.

"I…I tried," he implored tiredly, his voice begging the men to believe his words even as he still refused to look at them. "…I tried to get him to stop… to get their attention… back on me but… but they weren't listening and… I… I passed out… before I could… help more."

Aramis swore loudly in Spanish before turning away from Corbett, who was now just barely clinging to consciousness while slumped against Treville, and focusing his attention back on the bloodstained form of their young friend.

The medic, with the assistance of Athos, had managed to roll the unconscious boy onto his back, both doing their best to ignore the small heart-breaking whimper of pain the action drew from their friend. What they were met with set their teeth on edge.

D'Artagnan's clothes were practically shredded and were so completely stained with blood that it was impossible to see not only what wounds had caused the bleeding but also how much blood had come from what wounds and thus Aramis had no idea what needed immediate attention. There was also a dried pool of blood on the floor that had Aramis's worry skyrocketing

"We need to get this shirt off of him," muttered the medic as his shaking hands fumbled with the buttons on the Gascon's shirt.

Athos however appeared to have a different idea as he simply grabbed his dagger from his belt and sliced the shirt open, just barely missing Aramis's fingers as he did so.

The sight that greeted them had both men wanting a few minutes alone with Marcel and his last remaining man when they apprehended them.

Without his shirt the damage done to D'Artagnan was clear for all to see, he had several small, but deep, stab wounds in his shoulders and torso, much like the ones Aramis had guessed laid underneath both Porthos's and Corbett's bloodstained clothing if the way they held themselves was any indication.

Those wounds alone, when coupled with the deep bruises scattered around his skin, would have been enough to send the musketeers' anger raging but it was the other wounds they noted that pushed the anger well over the edge.

There was barely any part of D'Artagnan's skin that hadn't been marred by the touch of a blade. Several deep, oozing gashes stemmed the entire length of both of his arms, from shoulder to wrist. The same treatment had also been applied to the boy's torso and, from what they could tell, his back. Most of the wounds were deep enough to require stitches but some were already showing signs of infection.

"Damn," cursed Aramis as he and Athos worked to try and clear as much dried blood off of their friend as they could so Aramis could get a better look at the wounds.

"What?" asked Athos, his voice barely hiding the concern and panic he was feeling.

"Infections already set in to some of these," Aramis explained sadly as he gently examined one of the long cuts on the back of D'Artagnan's arm.

"How bad?" Treville called, not having seen what the inseparables as he was working on treating Corbett the best he could. He could practically feel the anger radiating off of his men though and that was enough to tell him the Gascon was in really rough shape.

"He'll do better out of this place," growled Athos as he glared at the cell, the room would do nothing but encourage infections and if they were to have any chance of saving D'Artagnan and the others they needed to get them out of here soon.

Treville nodded, turning his gaze away from his patient, who was still stubbornly clinging to consciousness, much to his relief, and turned it to the two remaining men who had been standing guard at the door, ensuring that neither Marcel, nor his remaining guard, could even get close to their injured companions.

"Go find Reynard's group," instructed the Captain, doing his best to ignore the small groan of pain coming from Corbett as he pushed harder on the bleeding wound the man had on his shoulder. "With Aramis's leg injury there's no way we'll be able to get the three of them out safely in one trip and I'm not about to risk one of them by leaving them behind. Keep on your guard and move fast, the sooner we get them out of here the better their chances."

The two musketeers nodded, determination burning brightly in their eyes as they drew their blades from the sheaths and left the men alone.

"…Sure that's wise Cap?" wheezed Corbett, his eyes screwed shut in pain. "We…we're kinda Marcel's… favourite play…thing right now…"

Treville pushed back the growl that wanted to escape him at the word playthings as he focused on treating as many of the man's wounds as he could while Aramis was busy.

"…Corbett," called Aramis hesitantly, though whether out of anger for what he had seen on the Gascon or out of trepidation for what he was about to ask he didn't know.

Corbett raised his head weakly, staring at the musketeer with pain-filled, slightly swollen shut eyes. "…Yeah?"

"How long has D'Artagnan been unconscious?"

Corbett sighed and the sound did little to comfort the men. "I… I don't know how long we've… been here but… a while."

"Has he woken at all during that time?"

"Briefly," nodded Corbett, feeling his head swimming dangerously as he did so. "Only for a few minutes… He didn't … say much but was lucid and coherent enough."

Aramis nodded, logging that information into his mind as he turned back to his patient, trying to ignore the part of him that was imagining just how painful it must have been for the boy to sustain the wounds he now bore.

"…Aramis?" Athos asked quietly, his voice loud enough so only the medic beside him could hear. He could understand the man's anger for what had happened, he was furious too, especially when they found similar wounds on the young man's legs as well, but Athos had a feeling there was something more going on.

Aramis let out a shaky breath, one hand tangling itself in D'Artagnan's dark locks while the other gripped tightly to the boy's shoulder as the medic lifted his gaze to meet the concerned eyes of his brother.

"These weren't quick wounds Athos," explained Aramis, his voice just as quiet as his eyes roved over the young Gascon's mutilated body. "The cuts are straight and deliberate… this took time."

Athos was unable to swallow the growl that bubbled up within him at that, though he had suspected.

"A…Aramis," called Corbett weakly and the medic was honestly surprised the man was still conscious with how much pain he seemed to be in.

While his head lifted to look inquisitively at the battered musketeer, Aramis's hands never stopped working as they continued to wipe the dried blood and grime off of the Gascon's skin.

"H…His wrist," breathed Corbett, nodding weakly to the broken limb. "T-They grabbed it pretty hard at one point… might want to check it."

Aramis nodded his thanks and moved to check the limb, sighing in relief when he noticed that apart from being significantly more swollen then before, the bones themselves remained in the correct place.

"Do you have him?" asked Athos worriedly, his eyes moving from the unconscious Gascon to the now stirring form of Porthos.

Understanding quickly flooded Aramis's features as he nodded hurriedly. "I'll call if I need help, see to Porthos."

Once Athos have moved to Porthos's side Aramis let his hand once again find its way into the Gascon's hair. His eyes flooding with worry as he dabbed the sweat away from the boy's forehead.

"Quite a mess you've gotten yourself into my friend," sighed the medic shakily. He felt his tenuous hold on his emotions weaken as D'Artagnan cried softly in pain as the medic worked to try and clean out one of the more infected wounds.

Letting out another shaky sigh Aramis let his forehead fall to rest of D'Artagnan's own, both seeking out comfort and to hide his tears from his Captain and brother.

"We have you D'Art," he whispered softly, his breath catching slightly near the end but otherwise remaining strong and determined. "We have you so you need to fight. Don't let this beat you… Don't let him beat you."