Authors note: I know it's been a while but thank you to everyone who keeps up with the story. Please review so I can continue to write the story and improve it going forward. As always, the characters aren't mine and there are references to other works that I follow in this so nothing is really mine.

Please enjoy

Their tour ended with the return to Athos' rooms.

'This is where our friend would normally stay.' Aramis explained as they entered 'I'm sure he would not mind if we borrowed it'

The room itself was sparsely decorated. It had a bed, chest, a few chairs by a table and a smaller table by the bed. There was some cabinetry with some wines in it as well as glasses. It also had a shelf that displayed a few books and a sword that hung on the same wall as that bed. This was the most undecorated room by musketeer standards. It was not uncommon for musketeers who lived with their families or who were often on long missions to basically leave their rooms untouched, however for musketeers who actually lived at the garrison this was very unusual. The other musketeers had trinkets and various items they had accumulated on their adventures as well as personal items. In Aramis' room, there was an area dedicated to the books that he had accumulated on medicine and theology as well as a table for his experiments in making new herbal remedies. He also kept special muskets that he had been modifying. In porthos' room there was a shelf of trinkets that he had collected from his time in the court of miracles and on his adventures as a soldier and then a musketeer. D'artagnan's room was a lot less decorated than his brothers, but he had already added some personal touches of his own. Namely a small drawing of his family and his late father's sword, which, thanks to his brothers, had been repaired and mounted on his wall.

Athos, unlike the others, did not feel a need to collect or keep things. He had more than enough money and income from various sources to fund whatever he wanted, and he did not really have a pastime like the others. All Athos' time was spent on missions, training, helping Treville with paperwork or some task or another or performing his duties as a musketeer. They had learnt very quickly that Athos does not like to have free time. They never really knew why other than the fact that he really didn't know what to do with himself other than get drunk. Hence Treville often gave them leave at the same time.

'Who's room is this? What is their name?' Athos asked

'Well, it belongs to one of our friends, ' D'artagnan quickly answered 'He's also a musketeer and he's on a mission at the moment.'

'Tell me about this friend of yours' Athos asked as he inspected the room

'Well, um ' D'artagon looked toward Aramis and Porthos who, to his surprise, had already thought of things to say.

'Our friend is the best swordsman in the regiment. He is also the lieutenant and the second in command' Aramis told the young athos

'Not like he needed the title though, the regiment already respects him. If 'e asked the men to go to hell and back, they'd follow him without any question. ' Porthos chimed in

'He has an interesting way of showing affection but when he does you always know it's genuine. He.. he.. The regiment would not be the same and probably disbanded without him.' D'artagnan admitted

'He sounds like the kind of son my father would want' Athos said to the wall

'Well, the thing is, His father was a count and he's convinced that he would never love' 'm- hey!' porthos grunted as he was shoved in the side by d'artagon

'I'm sure your father wants and loves you Athos' Aramis said as he tried to comfort Athos when he didn't reply.

'They say a trouble shared is a trouble halved' Porthos offered

Athos didn't reply. He looked at them with the look that the other musketeers knew too well as the 'If you want to keep your head, leave me alone' look.

'Well when your ready, we are ready to listen' D'artagnan responded

This seemed to appease Athos for now.

—-

The next day, Athos met D'artagnan in the courtyard. Athos seemed to light up as he recognised what d'artagon was doing.

'Did you train under M. Tibulte too!' Athos asked with genuine curiosity

'No, I have not heard of him. Do you know him?' D'artagon asked

Athos nodded enthusiastically 'Yes. My father hired him so that he could teach me swordsmanship. ' Athos replied

D'artagan was honestly not that surprised. If Athos was the best swordsmen in the regiment, he must have had an even greater teacher or a teacher he surpassed.

'Well, Aramis and Porthos would probably skin me alive if we spared with actual swords and you got hurt so if we find some long sticks we could probably do it' D'artagon suggested sensing that Athos wanted in on the training.

Athos ran to get the long sticks with D'artagon somewhere behind him. As athos enthusiasically ran out of the garrison to find appropiate 'weapons', Aramis and porthos came to D'artagon.

'You'd better not be planning on sparing with actual swords now would ya?' Porthos asked

'Of course not! We will be using sticks. I know better than to mess with you two.' D'artagon repiled.

Aramis and porthos grinned at each other

'We are quite menicing aren't we' Porthos commented

'More you my friend, you are the brute force of our team,' Aramis commented 'I am more of a romantic hero type'

Athos returned with the sticks and as he was running up Aramis turned to D'artagon

'Just remember he's a lot smaller than you. Well, he's a smaller frame than most muskerteers, but esspecially now. Do not break him' Aramis warned

'Dont worry, if anything he will probabaly break me!' D'aratgon replied

Athos passed D'artagon a stick as porthos and aramis walked over to their bench.

'Ready in starting position' D'artagon asked

Athos nodded in return. It began with d'artagon on the offensive and Athos on the defence. The sticks clattered against eachother and a small crowd was atarting to form. It was always quite a show when Athos sparred with anyone, esspeacially because he was almost impossable to beat. With a cheaky swipe of the stick to the lower leg D'artagon was suddenly on the floor. D'artagon knew this was a move that athos could only pull off since he was now shorter and smaller, and this cheaky move ment that for one, even at a young age Athos was still the greatest swordsman he knew of and two, Athos was not playing around.

Hurrying off the floor, D'artagon returned to the offencive battering athos' stick out of his hands but Athos had somehow maaged to hide a second, shorter stick in a notch in his belt and was now using this with his nondominant hand. He was quite skillful with it too. Clealy whoever taught him had prepared him for this senario in his training. Now Athos was just mocking him by holding one hand behind his back as he fought the offensive, with his stick now creating some damage on D'artagon's. Athos retrieved his longer stick from the ground and was quickly able to gain the upper hand and before d'artagon was able to fully realise it himself, he was on his back with Athos' stick in for the 'kill' on him.

'Does this mean I win?' Athos asked innocently with beads of sweat rolling down his face.

Aramis and porthos had defenitly enjoyed the show, as they walked over they were giggling at each other, D'artagon knew that he was going to be teased mercilessly about this for at least a month.

'Yes you win Athos' Treville announced from the balcony outside his office, then Treville looked toward the other musketeers 'Back to work with you!'

As the musketeers disbursed, Treville gestured for Athos to come to his office, Athos complied and this left Aramis and Porthos alone with D'artagnan.

'Yeah, i know, I lost to a child' D'artagnan sighed with a smile

'Probably a better idea to let him win,' Porthos replied 'though he was really good'

'That's the thing though, I was trying to beat him,' D'artagnan muttered

'He's not called the best swordsman in the regiment for nothin'' Porthos replied as he patted D'artagon's shoulder. 'Don't worry, we won't tell anyone' Aramis assured him 'And I'm sure Athos won't ethier, you know he's not the type.'

'He said he trained under M. Titube, Do you know who that is?' D'artagon asked

Aramis and porthos turned to each other with shock written on their faces.

'M. Titube is one of the greatest swordsmen in all of europe. If Athos trained directly under him, it would be more concerning if he didn't become a great swordsman.' Aramis summarised

'Clearly Athos had more swordsmanship training than all of us if he is this good already' Porthos commented