D'Artagnan wished they had been able to bring the torch with them. He also wished they had never been captured in the first place, but what he wanted and what he would be rewarded with were very different things. He would have to put up with crawling through the damp tunnel in the dark. It was not pleasant.

The slight downward angle of the tunnel meant it had become impossible to crawl forward conventionally. The slope was too pronounced. He had twisted around, grateful the tunnel was big enough to allow the manoeuvre and switched to moving feet first in an inelegant upside-down crab-like crawl forward, pausing occasionally to reach forward with his hands into the inky blackness.

The shuffled crawl continued for what felt like forever. He had to keep reminding himself that the tunnel had started above the level of the moat, their escape route had to curve under the water and, he guessed, would come out somewhere on the raised fortification on the other side.

At least that was the plan.

At that moment d'Artagnan wondered if they were descending into hell. Crawling through a tunnel in a downward direction was most disconcerting.

A muffled curse behind him caused d'Artagnan to pause and twist to look back at the nothingness.

'Will this ever end?'

The disembodied words from Athos sounded hollow and odd. They had not spoken much as they crawled. D'Artagnan wondered if Athos was still crawling face first or if his friend had switched to the crab walk that he had adopted. The thought of Athos crawling in such a manner was amusing, although at that moment there was no time to be amused.

D'Artagnan held out his hand, finding Athos' arm causing his friend to stop. They both paused, neither man spoke for several seconds. They listened intently. D'Artagnan smiled and nodded to himself when he heard the shuffling and conversation somewhere further up the tunnel.

Aramis and Porthos were still behind them somewhere. It was impossible to tell how far behind their friends were but the fact that they were still making progress was good. Aramis was injured and would be struggling to crawl using his bruised right arm. The strain of whatever method of movement he picked would leave him with further injuries, but that could not be helped.

Porthos was the one d'Artagnan was more worried about. Aramis would recover from a physical injury, provided he was given the chance to rest, but Porthos might struggle to even get through the tunnel. The fear that Porthos had of enclosed places had never been an issue before. He had been buried under rubble once and not panicked. But something about crawling through a tunnel had drawn out the fear. He knew about Porthos' vivid dream about dying whilst in a cave. Porthos had mentioned a fear of the dark when he was a child after his mother had died. The usually gregarious soldier was a different man when he was alone with his thoughts. D'Artagnan suspected that was why they could hear talking behind them. Aramis, despite the pain he must have been in, was keeping his friend talking, trying to distract him from his fears.

D'Artagnan hoped the ploy worked.

MMMM

Porthos was grateful for what Aramis was doing. The distraction was welcome, although it was coming at a cost to Aramis. His friend was keeping up a conversation, encouraging Porthos to talk. But it was not lost on Porthos how much Aramis was panting with the effort of moving awkwardly through the tunnel and talking at the same time.

'I wonder who is staying with the Paulet's?' mused Aramis.

Porthos could not work out how Aramis was moving but it sounded as though he was shuffling forward using his good arm to steady himself as he moved. Hisses of pain meant Aramis' bruised right arm was being employed as well on occasion. His friend was already exhausted. Porthos wondered if he would end up having to help Aramis through the tunnel, it would be awkward. The tunnel was not quite wide enough for the two of them to move side-by-side.

'I heard the first marquess entertained several Kings and Queens,' continued Aramis before he paused and gasped, breathing hard for a few seconds.

Porthos reached back blindly, finding Aramis' ankle. His friend was pushing himself down the tunnel feet first. Porthos had adopted a similar movement.

'I'm fine,' Aramis gasped. 'Just … Just forgot for a moment.'

Porthos chuckled, actually chuckled in the darkness. Their situation was dire, and he was laughing. At his friend's expense.

He stopped and looked around. Looked at nothing.

'Porthos?'

He reached his hand out slowly, fingers searching. Not knowing what he would find.

'Porthos. Don't go quiet on me.'

He found the wall of the tunnel. The brick wall.

Not a cave.

'Porthos, I'm sorry I abandoned you.'

'Why didn't you save me?'

With his hand still resting on the brickwork, Porthos twisted back to stare in the direction he thought his friend was.

'It's a dream, Porthos. I'm not going to leave you.'

Porthos looked down and shook his head. He slowed his breathing, annoyed that he had allowed his fear to creep in and cloud his thoughts. A fear conjured up by a memory of a vivid dream. A dream he knew would never come true. He was afraid because of a dream. He had managed to push it away until that moment.

A hand knocked into his shoulder before grabbing him firmly. Porthos suppressed a hiss of pain as Aramis squeezed a bruise that he did not know he had.

'But if you need to abandon me, you'll have to.'

'I'm not leaving you.'

'Good.'

Porthos sighed, 'sorry. The walls just got close for a moment there,' he said. 'I know where they are again now. I know they're not falling in.'

The hand on his shoulder patted him a couple of times, a gesture of reassurance. Porthos could tell Aramis was shaking with the effort of their escape. He was still breathing hard.

'Are you ready to carry on?' asked Porthos after a few seconds.

He was greeted with silence.

'Sorry,' said Aramis. 'I nodded.'

Porthos smiled, 'keep talking to me if you can. It's reassuring.'

Aramis chuckled, 'I'll not complain next time you give me an extra blanket when we have to camp outside in the cold.'

'We're only human,' said Porthos.

'Speak for yourself,' retorted Aramis with mirth in his words.

They continued their shuffled movements. Porthos realised they were moving slower than before; Aramis' injuries were affecting him more and more. Porthos just hoped his fear would not become an issue again.

MMMM

Athos was sure they had crawled further than the width of the moat several times over. He wondered how long the tunnel was. He started to wonder if one of them should have crawled through and found the end before all four of them had committed to the escape plan. But they had no other plan. They knew that although there were not many men guarding the area of the castle, they had been held there were still men on each exit. The tunnel was their only option.

'I think it's levelling out,' said d'Artagnan from ahead of him.

Athos agreed. He paused his uncomfortable upside-down crawl and switched to a more conventional position.

He listened out again. Porthos and Aramis sounded further away. He wondered if they were struggling. He knew Aramis would be uncomfortable, but what if Porthos had panicked in the darkness? There was no way Aramis would be able to physically help his friend. But as they were still talking, Athos hoped they were still on their way, just slower than before.

He turned his thoughts to the next part of their escape. They would need to find transport. They could not walk to the coast. He wondered if Aramis would be able to ride. Athos also wondered if he would be safe on a horse. The knock to the head he received was starting to make itself known again. The strain of the physical activity was not helping. What Athos needed, what they all needed, was rest. He concluded they would need a cart or carriage. They would steal one if necessary. They did not have any money, and what personal items they still had on them did not amount to much.

'Oh.'

Athos stopped. D'Artagnan muttered then went quiet. Athos waited.

'Bars. It must be the gate. I think we're at the end.'

'You think?'

Athos reached out and felt the back of d'Artagnan's doublet. His friend grabbed his arm and helped him to move alongside him. His hand was pushed forward. He found the bars that d'Artagnan meant.

But the inky blackness remained. Athos had hoped to see the sky at the other end of the tunnel. Perhaps they were not at the other end of the tunnel. Perhaps the bars were to stop anyone who had managed to infiltrate up to that point.

'Stars.'

Athos looked in d'Artagnan's direction. He blinked a couple of times.

Could he see an outline? Could he see his friend?

'I think this opens into another room, like at the other end. There's no roof.'

Athos looked up, he stared for several seconds before he realised he could feel a slight breeze on his face. Fresh air.

They had reached the other end of the tunnel.

They just had to get through the bars.

'Is it a gate?' asked Athos as he began to feel around the edges of the tunnel.

'Yes,' exclaimed d'Artagnan. 'Another padlock.'

'You know what to do.'

Athos could hear his friend shifting around. Hear the soft movements as he reached into his doublet for the lockpicking tool.

When d'Artagnan stopped moving Athos became concerned.

'What?'

'I can't find them.'

The rustle of fabric began again followed by a few frantic movements.

'They have fallen out of your pocket?'

More scrabbling around. Athos reached out and found his friend, stilling his movement.

'You will not find them. We have been crawling in the dark for a long time. They are gone.'

D'Artagnan sighed. Athos reached into his doublet; he pulled out his tools before stretching out to find his friend's hand. He pushed the tools into his hand.

'I will buy you a new set,' said Athos as d'Artagnan closed his fingers around the precious metal implements.

As d'Artagnan started to work on the lock Athos shuffled a few feet back up the tunnel and listened for Aramis and Porthos.

Athos could hear Aramis talking again, but Porthos' responses were monosyllabic. Aramis sounded pained. The stress and strain of being forced to crawl, no doubt using his bruised arm was slowing him down.

'Keep working on that lock, I am going to find the others.'

'They can only be in one place,' muttered d'Artagnan.

Athos crawled back along the tunnel a few yards and paused to listen again. Aramis' voice had a slight pleading edge to it. He could make out the odd word but not everything the pair were saying.

He glanced back towards the end of the tunnel. He was sure he could make out d'Artagnan sitting awkwardly working on the lock. It was getting light outside. They needed to be out of the tunnel and away as quickly as possible.

MMMM

The walls were closing in on him. The rocks were crushing him. There was nowhere else to go. He could not go back; he could not go forward. He pushed at the rocks. He was being crushed under their weight. He could not take a breath.

'Porthos!'

The echoed sound of his name made Porthos catch his breath.

'Porthos calm down.'

Something touched his shoulder. A hand, fingers grasping at him.

He was aware of Aramis shuffling closer, grabbing him around the shoulders, pulling him close. Holding on to him. His friend was breathing hard but trying to slow his breathing. Trying to slow his breathing in an attempt to get Porthos to slow his breathing.

'Sorry,' panted Porthos. 'I'm not alright. I don't know if I can keep going. Everything is too close.'

'The size of the tunnel has not changed,' said Aramis, his voice calmer, his breathing a little slower.

Porthos detected a pained shudder each time Aramis took a breath.

They both held their breaths when they heard a noise in front of them.

'Athos?' asked Aramis.

Porthos wondered what they would do if whatever was coming towards them was not one of their friends. Aramis was in no state to defend them and Porthos knew he was only a moment away from panicking again.

'It is not far now,' said Athos, his voice calm and level.

Porthos welcomed the news.

'Sorry,' said Porthos.

'None of us are judging you,' said Athos. 'Can you manage a little further?'

'Do I have a choice?'

'Not really,' replied Athos at the same time that Aramis sighed with relief behind him.

Porthos waited for Aramis to release him and steady himself before he started to move forward again.

'There is another gate with a padlock,' said Athos. 'I will assist Aramis. I think d'Artagnan could do with your help.'

Porthos reached out with his hand and found Athos who squeezed his arm reassuringly and guided him past. It was not too difficult to move past Athos who must have pushed himself flat against the wall. Porthos was able to crawl forward easily. The floor had levelled out making it easier to make progress along it to an end that Porthos now knew existed.

Somehow the prospect of their journey through the tunnel coming to an end spurred Porthos on. Even if there was a locked gate at the end.

As he moved, he began to make out the light, he realised why Athos had come back to help them, they needed to make progress. Porthos was annoyed that he was the one that was slowing them down, he vowed to make it up to his friends.

To be continued…

Whumpee: All four