Updated: Tuesday 26th/09/2023

Chapter 5: Darkly Reunited

Musketeers: Season 1: Episode 1: Friends and Enemies

D'Artagnan asked around and found directions to the Garrison. But as he walked closer, he smelt a scent he hadn't smelt in 8 years. But that scent was impossible. He was dead. But the scent had the smell of a wolf in it.

He had to be imagining it. He had Oliver on his mind so much today that he must be hallucinating or his mind was already gone then he thought.

He comes through the gates of the Garrison and calls out.

"I'm looking for Athos!" he nearly shouts hand on his sword. And the other on his pistol.

"You've found him", a familiar voice says from in front of him.

D'Artagnan basically goes white and he freezes for a second.

As he believes he was either hallucinating or seeing the ghost of his all but in blood Big Brother Oliver…

Or his mind had already completely snapped into insanity and into the mind of what he would imagine some of the minds Mongrel's might have…

This wouldn't be Oliver d'Athos de la Fère…

Could it?...

(Line Break)

Athos, Aramis and Porthos just arrived back at the Garrison after no luck in on their mission. Athos was distracted nearly the whole time with memories and thoughts of his surrogate Little Brother on his mind and it didn't help that he was somehow imagining said Brothers scent right now.

The Inseparables jump off their horses and hand them to a stable hand and go to their usual table.

"I'm starving…", Porthos complains.

Suddenly a voice behind them speaks.

"I'm looking for Athos!"

"You've found him", Athos says turning around to see…a ghost.

No…no it couldn't be. He must be hallucinating the sight before him and that wolf scent. As standing before him with those VERY familiar chocolate brown eyes, that had him loving the Pup and basically adopting him as a Little Brother immediately, was Charles D'Artagnan…

(Line Break)

D'Artagnan manages to pull his pistol and aim it at the man that couldn't possibly be his surrogate Big Brother.

Athos stared it down not believing what he was seeing. A quick look to Aramis and Porthos had he realise this was not a dream. As there WAS a person in front of him. But this couldn't be his brother.

"My name is D'Artagnan, of Lupiac in Gascony", D'Artagnan says cocking his pistol.

'Impossible', Athos thinks, 'This can't be my Pup. My Little Brother Charles'

Athos thought he saw amber flecks come into the man's eyes. But it must have been a trick of the light.

"Prepare to fight, one of us died here", D'Artagnan says pressing on.

Athos realises that if this was Charles then something horrible had gone wrong. And another fact he realised was that Charles either didn't recognise him or didn't believe it was him. So maybe this man was having the same problems believing this at the moment too.

Athos needed more confirmation before he called this man Charles. As the boy was 10 when last they saw each other. And the boy would be close to 18 now. Which he admitted this werewolf could possibly be.

Werewolves age slows after one's 16th Birthday. No one was sure why.

"Now, that's the way to make an entrance", Athos hears Aramis say from behind him on the stairs.

'Yes, this is exactly what MY Charles would have done', Athos thinks but this must be a trick.

Athos steals himself and makes his face blank as he draws his sword and watches 'Charles D'Artagnan' do the same. This couldn't be HIS Charles. Not possible he was telling himself over and over again.

"Can I ask why?" Athos asks him.

"You murdered my Father", D'Artagnan replies shutting himself down.

As this man couldn't be Oliver.

Athos keeps his mask in place even through that statement bought pain to his heart. Was this boy talking about Alexandre? The man who was basically his Uncle.

"You're mistaken. I'm not the man you're looking for", Athos states calming watching as D'Artagnan flicks the two swords around in his hand.

'Just like…no…no don't go there', Athos thinks quickly.

D'Artagnan sees the casualness and calm of the Athos in front of him.

'Just like…no…no Charles don't go there', Charles thinks, 'Also don't think about the other scent you seem to recognise here'

"Murder!" D'Artagnan roars charging at Athos.

Their swords clash with a little more force then a humans would. Proving to each other they were werewolves or at least supernatural beings. As their swords had to be made stronger to be able to withstand their strength.

They hit and then turn.

"Do you deny you shot Alexandre D'Artagnan four days ago in cold blood?" D'Artagnan asks angrily.

'Impossible! They were meant to be dead. It can't be Charles and his Father can't be the Alexandre he had known', Athos thinks in denial as their swords hit again, 'I need to know more. But this is probably not going to end well. As there would always be a way to tell if the person in front of me is really Charles. I must get him angry…'

"I usually remember the men I kill, that name means nothing to me", Athos lies.

D'Artagnan snarls and launches at him again and both of them could tell the wolf within D'Artagnan wanted out.

"Then you're a liar as well!" he yells.

They begin to really fight as Aramis and Porthos watch amused.

But to Athos even after just a few seconds of fighting he could see this WAS his Charles. The moves and footwork and even the temper and heart all spoke to him. Those were some of his moves and footwork from when he was younger and started to teach Charles how to defend himself.

He also caught the glint of the throwing daggers he gave Charles were in holsters on his body. One of the swords he recognised now as being Grandfather D'Artagnan's and the other again one of many gifts he had given his beloved Brother. He saw the glint of a wolf headed ring and recognises it was it was one he gave his Pup and its matching one was on his finger and a locket came out from under his top, a locket that had HIS family crest too.

He also saw the scar around the mans wrist. Jagged scar. A scar that Athos knew had been caused by a bear trap many years ago.

He shouldn't have been so blind! It was all there from the start! From the moment he arrived! If only he had believed what he seen, heard and smelt it all earlier!

Now Athos had the task of calming his Pup down to get answers…in private having remembered Aramis and Porthos watching and whose knows when the Captain will appear. Speaking of the Captain…

'Oh shit! Treville is going to go crazy', Athos thinks suddenly and quickly.

He decides to let the fight continue but downplaying his skills. As he wanted to test his Pup to see what had changed and he wanted to allow Charles to get the grief and anger out and realise who he was actually fighting.

"Remarkable, he's keeping up with Athos", Aramis says.

"Rubbish. He just doesn't want to hurt the lunatic", Porthos retorts.

They both chuckle at that.

Athos knew part of that statement was true. Charles had lots of potential when he was young so he had shown his Pup his moves and fighting style and it seemed Charles had retained that skill and potential even after 8 years. Which warmed his heart. That just now was starting to thaw out.

D'Artagnan started to see through his pain and grief as the fight went to see the fighting style of this 'Athos'. And he started to see the familiarity in the footwork and strikes. He should know those moves only one person had taught him those after a Werewolf Hunter nearly killed him.

'Impossible! This can't be my Oliver!' D'Artagnan thinks blinking.

Athos could see he was starting to get through to him.

So, he decides it's time to end this. He swipes one sword out of D'Artagnan's hands and then finally the other and had D'Artagnan pinned to the wood behind him and the sword slams into the wood next to D'Artagnan's head.

And when he has his arm up D'Artagnan sees a woven leather bracelet. That he himself gave Oliver when he was young. This was HIS Oliver and he did keep that promise not to take it off and he saw the wolf headed ring on Athos's finger and its mate was on HIS finger. Athos had gave them as a gift to symbolise they were Brothers.

"That's enough!" he barks.

Being this close to each other made them feel something that they had been missing for years. And D'Artagnan finally saw past his grief and pain to see HIS Oliver.

"Ollie?" he whispers so softly that only they could hear.

"Yes, Little One. My Pup. Now is not the time, later…play along", Athos whispers just as soft.

D'Artagnan nods slightly acknowledging Athos. Who had unknowingly stepped into an Alpha of a Pack mode and D'Artagnan unknowingly submitting to his Alpha.

"That could have been your throat", he tells him sharply looking D'Artagnan in the eyes.

Athos didn't like the haunted expression in them and unknown to him his eyes reflected the same back at D'Artagnan. But Athos's could see that some of the grief was fresh and Charles DID say his Father just died. So that would only explain some of the pain in his eyes.

"Don't make me kill you over a mistake", Athos continues.

D'Artagnan knew he had been mistaken now he was seeing clearer. As Oliver's scent didn't match from the inn and HIS Oliver/Athos would have never killed his Father and hurt him like that.

"I didn't kill your Father and I don't want to kill you", he continues pulling away and turning and walking away.

One of the hardest things he had to do was turn his back on his newly discovered Pup.

He already knew what D'Artagnan was going to do and in someways he thought he deserved it. Suddenly the sword flies past him as Porthos cries out a warning.

Athos turns as the sword hit a post next to him and raises an eyebrow clearly saying to the youngster… 'Really?'…

'And I thought he only throw daggers with deadly accuracy. Now swords. What else has changed?' Athos thinks, 'I believe he could have hit me with the sword if he really wanted to. He just wants to prove a point'

D'Artagnan glares back. He knew that shot was childish but Oliver did promise to never leave him and then he went and did it! So yes, he was pissed! And he was sure some specks of amber were coming into his eyes.

Athos gives him a warning look seeing the amber.

"And that could have been your back!" he retorts childishly and they both knew it.

That statement meant to Athos that his Pup could have defiantly hit his target, his (Athos) back, if D'Artagnan really wanted too. Like his sword could have slit D'Artagnan's throat if he wanted it too.

D'Artagnan levels his sword at his VERY much ALIVE Brother. Now he wasn't pissed about his Fathers death. He was pissed about the fact Oliver had abandoned him AND had been alive all this time!

He was so pissed and Athos could smell it pouring off him.

'Oh, this is going to go down so well', Athos thinks knowing he owed his Little Brother a BIG apology but in his defence he did until 10 minutes ago believe Charles to be dead.

'Let's hope our wolf forms are not needed! And anymore duels averted or Treville will kill us!'

#~Author's Note: What Do You Think? Please Review:)!~#