Updated: Monday 11th/9/2023
Chapter 3: Death and Athos
Musketeers: Season 1: Episode 1: Friends and Enemies
Charles couldn't believe he had lost everyone he ever loved. First Oliver his second Big Brother. Then when he was 12 his Pack, Grandfather, Big Brother, Mother and Younger Brother and Sister were slaughtered by Mongrels. And Charles and his Father couldn't save them. As they had been away hunting and when they felt a feeling of dread they ran back. But they were too late.
Charles had to live with the sight of the blood-soaked ground with wolf bodies and wolf human forms laying around and live with the knowledge he couldn't save them. Like Oliver did him.
All that death and the knowledge of all his family but his second eldest son were dead nearly sent Alexandre Senior insane. But Charles stepped up and helped his Father not lose his mind. And it helped him not lose his too.
They were on their way to Paris to negotiate taxes, when it happened.
It was pouring down and lightning flashes and thunder was rumbling.
Charles had a felt a sense of foreboding. His instincts were screaming at him something was wrong.
Since it was pouring Charles urged his Father to stop and rest. Charles could tell their horses wanted to stop too.
Their horses were well trained to be around wolves and to take orders. They could also find their Masters wherever they were.
Charles takes the horses into the barn as his Father goes into the inn.
"Come on Buttercup, Vinnie time to rest", Charles murmurs to the horses guiding them into the barn.
Suddenly he frowns as his ears pick up the sound of galloping horses coming to an abrupt stop outside.
Charles would never forgive himself for not going to investigate.
But he did have his own problems as he heard two people out of the group outside were coming up behind him and he hears a click of a gun cocking.
He slowly puts his hands up.
"Come over here!" One of them orders.
They stripped him of his sword and daggers.
But then he hears the gunshots and he launches himself at the men kicking them hard earning pain grunts. And grabs the first man's arm twists it around and shoots the second guy. He takes his sword back pushing the first man into a wall.
He twirls his sword as they hear the main group galloping away. The man runs out seeming to be scared of him.
Charles follows but the man jumps on the moving horse. Charles decides not to go after them as his felt his Father needing him.
"Ahhh!" Charles shouts in frustration and pain as his mind started to spin.
He sees his Father come out looking shocked.
"I couldn't stop them as a human", Charles tells this Father.
But then he smells the blood and his Father collapses on the muddy ground.
"Father?!" Charles exclaims getting on his knees and turning him around.
Charles could smell the bullet and he knew it was made to kill werewolves.
"Father!" he yells cradling his Fathers head, "Father…"
"Athos…please…", his Father gasps, "Athos…"
He Father then breaths his last.
Charles screamed out feeling his Father pass on. His grief and agonising pain in his mind nearly had him turn into his wolf and run after the group as revenge filled Werewolf or even a crazed Mongrel.
But his Fathers…body needed to be buried with their Pack.
"Athos?" Charles mutters his eyes having turned amber.
That name was VERY familiar but it couldn't possibly be the Athos he knew. As Oliver was dead and wound never have done this.
He moves his Fathers body inside and the innkeeper was standing in shock. Charles barely manages to get the innkeeper's account.
He smells the blood and death of another person in the room.
Charles sniffs the air good and picks up many fresh scents. One of them must be this 'Athos'. As the scent in the room wasn't Oliver even if he was alive.
Committing all the scents to memory he moved to take his Fathers body home and quickly bury the man he killed. Not taking much care in that body's disposal.
Now to return his Father home and then kill this Athos of the Kings Musketeers who besides from killing his Father was taking his Brothers good name through the mud…
(Line Break)
Athos had been steadily declining in mental health for 5 years. But he might even call it longer since losing his adored Charles.
But after his wife killed his blood brother Thomas and he sentenced her to hang. He was losing control and didn't want to go on.
Why did someone have to kill Charles? Why couldn't they kill HIM instead? His life was worthless and could be sacrificed. Charles didn't need to die and neither did his parents and Thomas.
He didn't know why he came to Paris. But he did where he meets Aramis and Porthos who after seeing him drunk and beating two Red Guards in a sword fight recruited him.
That's when Athos meet Treville again. They shared their grief of the D'Artagnan family before Treville recruited him and it was pretty quick he became the Captain's Lieutenant.
Having Treville, Aramis and Porthos helped ground him. So, he didn't become a Mongrel. But he always thought something or someone was missing from his life.
He filled it with drinking his own brew for werewolves and fighting alongside Aramis and Porthos. Who had become his Pack. Even as humans. Which to all other Werewolves made him an outcast.
But he could never bring himself to tell them his secret.
Treville was good to him letting him have the odd day off to change into his wolf. But every time he changed; he felt the pain of being an alone Werewolf.
He groans at the feeling of a hangover he staggered upright and grabbed a bottle and drank from it.
Athos now goes through his normal morning rituals before dressing and donning on his weapons and walking out into the rash light.
He winces and puts his hat further down to cover his eyes as he makes his way to the to a tavern and saw Porthos cheating at cards again.
"What is going on?" He asks lowly like he didn't already know.
"Ah, Dujon and I were having a discussion about personal integrity", Porthos says.
"Your friend had the King up his sleeve", the man says.
Athos already knew that and leans on a bench.
"Oh, that's slander", Porthos tells him, "Tell him Athos"
"Don't involve me in this", Athos replies turning away.
He hears the man stand up roughly and the gun was moved to point between Porthos eyes.
"Oh", Porthos says looking amused.
Athos quietly groans it was too early in the morning for this.
"Shoot him and it's murder", Athos says only turning around slightly.
Porthos taps his chest mockingly.
"One less Musketeer, who cares?" The man asks.
"Fine words from a Red Guard", Athos starts having seen the uniform and smelt his scent before today.
Athos turns around.
"There's only one way to resolve this", Athos states, "A duel between gentlemen supervised according to the strict code of honour", he says casually.
Walking behind Porthos.
"Fine. In a fair fight, I'm a match for anyone!" The man declares.
Athos hides a roll of his eyes. So predictable. Red Guards have huge egos.
"Confidence", Porthos says coming forward.
He chuckles getting up.
"I like that in a man", Porthos tells him.
Athos even other all the other smells in this tavern could smell the adrenaline and just a tad of fear coming off the Red Guard.
'Well, he isn't totally stupid', Athos thinks, 'But I know Red Guards have no honour and the amount of adrenaline going through him he was about to do something stupid'
"Still, why fight fair when you might lose?" The man says and kicks Porthos weapons in the chair away.
"My sword", Porthos says.
Athos causally leans back watching the show.
"Your problem?" The man sneers.
Porthos flicks the man's sword.
"Eh?"
Then the man begins to slash at Porthos with his sword. Athos just watches knowing Porthos could handle it and anyway him jumping in would be overkill.
"Attacking an unarmed opponent defies every principle of chivalry", Athos calls out as they fight.
Porthos smirks and puts up a fork and chuckles.
"Close enough", Athos replies shrugging unconcerned.
Athos smelt the man's fear spike at Porthos look and Athos casual words when Porthos picked up the fork.
"Uh?" the man says confused.
'All Red Guards are sooo intelligent', Athos thinks, 'Charles could probably kill a man with a fork too…'
He winced thinking of Charles. Charles had been on his mind a lot lately.
"En garde", Porthos says.
They start to fight again. Sword versus…fork. It was entertaining to say the least. The grunt and when Porthos lunges Athos smelt blood of the Red Guard from where the fork hit its mark.
Athos finishes his drink and puts back on his hat as Porthos kicks the man away towards him and Athos decides to end this and knock him down so he was groaning on the floor.
"What happened to the code?" Porthos asks him.
"Oh!" Athos says tiredly, "Who has time?" He asks rhetorically and walks away, "Treville wants to see us"
Porthos smirks as he collects his winnings and Athos grabs his arm revealing the cards up his sleeve.
"Porthos", he scolds not showing any emotion.
"Yeah, I need to work on that", Porthos replies.
"Where's Aramis?" Athos asks, but he basically already knew.
Porthos gives him a look.
"Tell me he's not that stupid!" Athos states annoyed.
He didn't know if Aramis knew that he knew that Aramis was sleeping with the Cardinals mistress. Just by scent alone he figured that one out the first time Aramis came near him smelling like her.
They find Aramis hanging from the Cardinal's Mistresses window and Porthos chuckles.
Athos internally groans, 'Why does it seem all my Brothers from Thomas to Charles to Porthos and Aramis seem to find trouble?'
(Line Break)
The arrive at the Garrison to find Treville waiting for them.
"You three!" He calls from the balcony, "My office now"
"He looks happy", Aramis states.
The reach his office and Treville was bending over the front his desk.
"I've had complaints", he tells them, "An allegation you've been duelling with the Cardinal's Red Guards. Is it true?"
"Let me think…No, because that would be illegal", Athos says.
Treville straightens.
"I can't protect you from the Cardinal if you keep fighting his men", Treville tells them.
Treville walks to behind his desk.
"Captain Cornet and his troops are missing", Treville informs them changing the subject, "I need you to find out where they are"
"I thought you sent him to Chartres", Athos states.
"I did", he replies, "He should have been back yesterday. There's been no word"
"Well, what was he doing there?" Porthos asks.
Treville sighs heavily, "He was carrying a number of confidential items to an important meeting at the monastery. Don't bother asking me any more questions, because I can't answer them. He was engaged in the King's work, that's all I can say. Just get yourselves to Chartres and find out what's happened"
They nod and turn to leave.
"Athos a word", Treville says.
Aramis and Porthos exchange looks. This wasn't the first time this had happened. Those two always seemed to be having private discussions.
"Yes, Sir?" Athos asks as the door closes.
"Are you up to this?" Treville asks him.
"Of course. Why?" Athos asks.
"Because I know that time of year is coming close. And I want to know if you would want to travel to Gascony with me. I believe it is time we paid our respects to our dearly departed friends", Treville explains, but he already knew the answer.
Treville knew that Athos had never been able to face it. Charles had been beloved to both of them. And neither had gone to see him and his families' graves.
"No Sir, I don't need to go", Athos replies stiffly and with slightly pained eyes.
"Someday you'll have to face it Oliver, we BOTH do", Treville advises him.
"I believe I have a mission", Athos says abruptly.
"Athos, if you can sniff out our missing men", Treville tells him.
Athos nods and puts on his hat and walks away.
Trying not to think on what Treville had to remind him off. The anniversary of his Pups death…
~^*^*~Author's Note: What Do You think? Please Review:)!~*^*^~