Chapter 10

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The sun filtered through her curtains. The rays of sunshine warming up her legs on their way in. The face of the man she loved was buried in her stomach as her nails lazily scratched his scalp, her fingers tangling in his hair. Emmanuelle was certain that was what peace felt like. Laying in a bed, her fingers threading through Athos' hair while his head pillowed against her abdomen.

Athos stirred awake. He rested his chin onto her stomach, as Emma's hand left his hair and rested on his jaw. His hand slid up her leg to rest on her hip bone.

"Good morning." Emma smiled at him.

Athos smiled lazily, and kissed her stomach. "Good morning." He crawled up the bed, kissing his way up to her lips.

Nestled between her legs, supporting himself on his elbows as he kept kissing her. Her hands had found their way behind his neck.

"Athos?" Emma placed a finger on Athos' lips. "Do you still wish to marry me?"

He softly kissed the finger on his lips before he answered. "I do."

"What are we waiting for?" She continued. "We don't need a big wedding. All we need is you and me, our friends and family. Nothing else."

"Nothing else." Athos smiled his crooked smile and rested his lips on hers.

They had spoken of marriage before the war. And since his return, there were no talks of marriage. France and mainly Paris had been too unstable upon their return. Many things had happened; Montoya—Grimaud—Feron. There was no room for talks of their future.

Emmanuelle had always known that life was short. Madeline had been a tragic example of this. Almost losing Athos had frightened her, more than she was willing to admit. She loved Athos, she was in love with him. There was no reason to wait any longer. She wanted to become his wife. She wished for their future children to carry the name of their father. She wished for them to be legitimate. Because although, Madeline was Athos' child, she had been born a bastard. There was a legitimacy that only marriage could give her.

"Where's Aramis?" Tréville asked walking up to them.

"He left the garrison at dusk. No one has seen him since." Athos answered. "I will deal with him in due course."

"The King's missing." Tréville informed them.

"He isn't in the palace?" Athos inquired.

"No, he isn't. Search the gardens." He ordered them. "And do it quickly, his majesty is already unwell. This cold could finish him off."

Porthos, D'Artagnan and Emma left immediately to search the gardens. There was a sense of urgency as they searched the gardens. The King was dying. His heath was declining as the days went by. Only those closest to him knew of his health. With his declining health came the question of his succession. Who would reign France after the King's death? The Dauphin was still too young. Not quite prepared to be King. France would need a regent until the Dauphin came to age. The question was who would it be?

"Here!" She heard D'Artagnan called.

Emma ran up to where his voice was coming from. All of them had found their way to the King. He was sitting on the ground, his back against the fountain. His eyes half closed; he did not look as though he knew where he was.

"Your Majesty? Your Majesty?" D'Artagnan called.

"She's angry with me." Louis said drowsily.

"Your Majesty?" D'Artagnan repeated.

"She's still the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." Louis continued.

"Who, Majesty?" Tréville asked him.

"Milady De Winter." He answered annoyed.

Emma stood next to Porthos while Athos and Tréville quietly discussed Louis' condition. The King's health was worse than Emma had thought. He was now delirious, speaking of Milady. A woman he had not seen in years. And today, he remembered her. Porthos helped D'Artagnan to hiss the King up.

"Let's get him back into the warm." Athos said and he and D'Artagnan carrying the King inside.

"What happens when he starts seeing the Cardinal?" Porthos asked Tréville. The Minister remained quiet as they made to follow.

The future of France was uncertain. The King would soon be dead, the country was still at war with Spain. It was with this in mind that Queen Anne reached out to appeal to her brother of the King of Spain. She had been negotiating terms with her brother for quite a while and without anyone's knowledge. Unbeknownst to the Captain and the First Minister, Aramis had been enrolled by the Queen in this quest for peace.

"Releasing the Spaniards would deliver a devastating blow to your Majesty's reputation." Tréville stated as they stood before the Queen.

"They are due to hang tomorrow." D'Artagnan told her.

"You'd abandoned Aramis?" The Queen retorted.

"He'd expect us to." Porthos answered calmly.

Tréville sighed. "Either that or have the people turn against you."

"Aramis had made two journeys before without incident. There was no reason to suspect…" The Queen explained before being cut off by Porthos.

"The Spanish are our enemy." He sneered. The Queen turned her eyes on him. "I'm sorry, Majesty."

"I have been a French Queen longer than I was ever a Spanish princess." She dismissed his apology. "Philip is testing my resolve for peace. If I show him, I'm willing to make such a bold gesture however damaging to my own interest. He'll see my sincerity and we can end the war."

"Maybe his work will already be done." D'Artagnan said.

"Are you suggesting my own brother intends to harm me?"

"Possibly."

"Unless there's someone else?" Athos asked her. "So…"

"Your Majesty," Porthos interrupted him. "Is such dishonorable behavior in your brother's character?"

"Be careful, Porthos." The Queen's tone held a warning.

"His suspicions are well placed, Majesty." Athos kept on. "To begin talks then turn in such a way."

"The letter bears the seal of Madrid."

"A seal can be stolen." Emma said. "Forged even."

"Tréville?" The Queen turned to the Minister.

"The Spaniards' release must not be given royal assent." Tréville told the Musketeers as soon as they closed the door behind them. "I'll issue the order myself."

"We'll get them from the Chatelet." Porthos said.

"Quietly."

"We'll escort them to the rendezvous." D'Artagnan reassured him. "No one will know."

"And if the Spanish King is not the one behind this?" Tréville voiced his concerns.

"We still rescue Aramis and we bring his captors before you." Athos promised.

Once at the Chatelet, it was obvious that releasing the Spaniards soldiers quietly was no longer an option. Marcheaux had lined up all the prisoners, ready to execute them in front of an angry crowd of people.

"So much for keeping it quiet!" Porthos groaned as he jumped down his horse.

"He's brought the execution forward." Athos remarked.

The musketeers dismounted their ride and pushed through the crowd, marching to the scaffold to put a stop to the impending execution of the Spaniards soldiers.

"STOP!" D'Artagnan shouted as he climbed up the scaffold.

"NOW, WHAT'S THE MEANING OF THIS?" Marcheaux yelled back.

"We have orders to stay these executions and take charge of the prisoners." Athos replied as he followed D'Artagnan.

"Take charge and let them live." Marcheaux continued to rile the crowd up. "They want to release the murderous Spanish scum."

"That's enough, Marcheaux." Emma's tone held a warning.

"What are you doing, Marcheaux?" Porthos laid a hand on his arm.

"Let's see who the orders are from?" Marcheaux read the orders. "No royal assent." He said somehow disappointed.

"Minister Tréville needs no royal assent." Porthos said to the crowd.

"Then the Spanish Queen must've leaned on him!" Marcheaux yelled again.

"This has nothing to do with the Queen!" Athos assured the crowd as he took away the prisoners. Porthos and Emma followed him as they pulled a prisoner behind them.

The Musketeers dragged the prisoners through the angry crowd. The angry mob tried to reach out for the prisoners. Athos and some cadets pushed them back and tried to contain them as Emma and Porthos pulled them toward the horses.

"D'Artagnan!" Porthos called as his fellow musketeer had stayed on the scaffold. He was talking to the only prisoner that wasn't Spanish.

The crowd kept on trying to reach for the prisoners, to put them to death themselves. Marcheaux had been successful. It was not such a hard task. France was at war with Spain. The people were suffering from the consequences of this war that had been going on for far too long.

A shot was fired. The crowd slightly dispersed as the prisoners were quickly led away.

"D'Artagnan!" Porthos called again.

"ESPOIR!" Emma heard D'Artagnan as he jumped down from the scaffold and into the crowd.

"Marcheaux was quick to bring the Queen into this," Porthos said to their Captain once the prisoners were dealt with.

"You think he's involved?" Athos asked him.

"Don't you?" Porthos asked him back.

"Why else would he have brought the execution forward?" Emma pulled off her gloves.

"Bring him to my quarters," D'Artagnan ordered the cadets as they dragged an unconscious man to his quarters.

D'Artagnan looked up at them. "Long story."

"It will have to wait," Athos replied, climbing the stairs to his office.

"If Marcheaux is in league with Gaston and Grimaud then we need to warn the Queen," Constance suggested.

"We have no evidence," D'Artagnan said.

"He had the crowd calling for the Queen's head." Porthos reminded him. "After we get Aramis back, we need to recover the Spaniards. In the wrong hands they could be used against Her Majesty."

"He's right." D'Artagnan agreed.

"They're not going to just hand them back to us," Athos replied.

"All this because the Queen wanted peace." Constance sighed.

"There will be no peace if the people have turned against her," Emma said.

It was true the Queen's desire to bring peace, to put an end to the war might be her downfall. It was not peace that was at stake. It was also the Queen's regency. It was already in jeopardy before it started. The Kingdom would be unstable.

"Are you alright?" Athos asked Emmanuelle as she was undressing for the night.

"Yes, why?" Emma answered without looking at him.

"You've been quiet all day." Athos moved closer to her, his fingers resting gently on the side of her neck. "Is something the matter?"

"No, everything's alright, love." Emma stood from her chair. His fingers traveled down her neck, gently tracing down her arm, ending their course on her hip. She turned around to face him. "I might have feared, for a moment, that Montoya may have been involved in this scheme."

His arms went around her waist and pulled her into his chest. "We have eyes on Montoya. And he has not set foot in Paris. Or anywhere near it."

"But he is still in France, Athos." Emma countered. "He is as much of a threat as Grimaud."

Athos cupped her face. "I know." He laid a gentle kiss on her lips. "And we will deal with him in due course."

"They'll execute him." D'Artagnan finished his speech.

The Unconscious man, who they knew now was called Espoir, was D'Artagnan's cousin. He had been arrested and put on the scaffold for stealing. And now, he wanted them to take Espoir on their mission to rescue Aramis.

"And protect three Spaniards." D'Artagnan countered when Porhos reminded him of their mission. "Espoir's a Frenchman."

"He's still a thief," Athos said.

"A victim of this war."

"Who do you want to save?" Porthos stood up. "Him or Aramis?"

"All I'm asking is that he comes with us." D'Artagnan continued, ignoring Porthos' question. "We'll let him loose in the countryside."

"We don't need distractions." Porthos turned to the captain. Emma was standing behind him.

"He'll be my responsibility."

"Your loyalty to your cousin is clouding your judgment," Athos told him.

"And if I let him die my conscious will never be clear." D'Artagnan snapped. "Surely, you of all people can understand that?"

Emma's gaze snapped up to her comrade. The tension in the room between Athos and D'Artagnan had grown thick. Emma followed Porthos out of the room to get the weapons. Following Porthos, Emma slightly lost her footing and balance. Porthos quickly caught her before she could fall down the stairs.

"Are you alright?" He asked her worriedly.

"Yes." She shook her head quickly, trying to shake off the sudden dizziness that washed over her. "I'm fine. Just felt lightheaded for a second."

"Are you sure everything's all right?" Porthos looked down at her, his hand still gripping Emma's arm.

"I'm fine, Porthos." She smiled up at him. She clasped his shoulder. "Let's get the weapons." Emma did not wait for an answer and walked away from him.

Emma was convinced it was nothing important. This sudden dizziness caught her by surprise but it was nothing important. Or at least, she tried to convince herself.

"The rendezvous is half a day's ride from Paris," Athos said. "After that—"

"He'll be gone. I swear it." D'Artagnan promised.

"I will not have this mission compromised."

Emma walked away to climb on her horse. Porthos was to ride with her. He joined her side. He was still worried about her.

"You should stay here and take care of yourself." He told her.

"And let you have all the fun," Emma smirked at him. "Not a chance." Porthos was not amused by her comment. "Porthos, don't worry. I'm alright."

It was stress. This was why she had felt dizzy at that moment. Aramis was her friend and she was worried about him. As were her friends. And although Athos had reassured her that Montoya was not involved in this, she couldn't help but feel as though he might be.

"It was an honor meeting you all," Espoir said to them as D'Artagnan led him into the woods.

"Espoir!" D'Artagnan urged him.

The cadets had set camp. The prisoners were sat around the fire. Emma had put away her hat and cape. All they had to do now was to wait patiently for the exchange to take place.

"It's Grimaud!" D'Artagnan came back to camp. "He's here. He's got Aramis."

"How many men?" Porthos asked him.

"I counted six," D'Artagnan said, breathless.

"There'll be more," Porthos stated.

"Did you see Aramis?" Athos asked D'Artagnan.

"No." He shook his head.

"This is our chance."

"We need to think this through—"Emma started.

"We need to act," Athos replied. "Make sure the prisoners are secure. Can he shoot?" He turned to D'Artagnan and Espoir. D'Artagnan nodded quickly. "Good."

"Window on the left," Porthos told them as they were surveying Grimaud's hideout.

"There's too many guards," Athos said. "We'll draw out as many as we can." He turned to Porthos and Emma. "You go on and rescue Aramis."

"And Grimaud?" Porthos asked him.

"As soon as any of us gets a chance—"

"We have a warrant for his arrest." D'Artagnan reminded him.

"He will not leave this place alive, not as long as I am Captain," Athos said.

Porthos, Emma, and Espoir left to take up their position. The three of them, as quietly as possible, untied their horses. And as soon as they slapped their rears, the horses took flight. While Porthos, Emma, and Espoir hid from the guards. The first shot was fired.

A loud whistle came from inside the hideout. "In here." It was Aramis, giving away his position to his comrades.

Espoir remained behind and shot at the guards. Porthos and Emma moved further into the ruins.

"Ten men! Ten muskets!" Aramis kept on. "Sixty pistols! You're a dead man, Grimaud!"

Emma and Porthos got closer to Aramis' position. As soon as they made their presence known, they were attacked by Grimaud's men. Emma was pushed against a wall. She lost sight of Porthos and Aramis. Shots were fired around her. It was complete chaos. But they had one goal, to free Aramis and maybe, rid themselves of Grimaud, once and for all.

"Porthos!" Emma called breathless, picking up her pistol from the ground. There was blood dripping down his face as he got up and followed her.

Grimaud had taken Aramis with him, fleeing from the scene. "STOP!" Porthos shouted before Grimaud could take Aramis further into the woods.

"LOWER YOUR WEAPON!" Grimaud ordered them.

"No!" Aramis told them.

"Lower it!" Grimaud kept on. "I'm leaving!"

"Kill us both!" Aramis urged them. "Do it! SHOOT! NOW!"

"SHUT UP!" Porthos snapped at him.

Grimaud was shot by Athos but did not go down. He used Aramis as a shield before firing at Emma and Porthos. Porthos pushed Emma to the ground. D'Artagnan chased after Grimaud as the man took flight through the woods. But it was too late. Once again, Grimaud had escaped.

"You should've all fired! Killed us both!" Aramis was furious.

"You shouldn't keep secrets!" Porthos countered.

"I wanted peace!" Aramis roared. "We've all seen what war does to the world! It makes refugees! Men like Grimaud, places like Eparcy."

"There can be no peace as long as Grimaud lives," Athos said calmly.

"No. Not for you, my friend."

"Are we returning to Paris? Or are we going after Grimaud?" Aramis asked the Captain.

"Grimaud is gone," Athos said. "And I'm tired. Let's go back to Paris."

Catherine De Sauvignon had made the trip from Bordeaux to Paris as soon as she received words from her granddaughter. Catherine had been waiting for Emmanuelle to give her news of her future union with the Captain of the Musketeers. Hopefully, the wedding would be followed by Emma's retirement from the Musketeers. Her granddaughter was a great Musketeer. Emmanuelle had shown, times and times again, what she was capable of. But a musketeer's life was a dangerous one and she wished nothing more for Emma than to be safe and happy.

"What is this?" Emma scoffed as Catherine showed her the wedding gown, she brought with her.

"Your wedding dress." She smiled at Emma.

"It's beautiful." Emmanuelle grinned. "You did not have to bring me a dress."

"This is my gift to you." Catherine rested her hands on Emma's shoulders and gently squeezed. "I wasn't there for your mother's wedding. She eloped with your father. I am just glad I get to see you marry the man you love."

"Me too."

"Emma!" Charles burst into her room. The boy was wearing a panicked look on his face.

"Charles! What's the matter?" Emma asked him.

"The Red Guards—they arrested Sylvie." He informed her.

"What for?"

"This!" Charles handed her a pamphlet. It was an inappropriate drawing of a woman and a man in a lover's embrace. There was a sentence under the picture that read The Spanish Queen's latest lover.

The Musketeers had rushed to the Queen's aid before the crowd could attack her. The Queen had tried to help the people, once again. And once again, it had turned against her. Those filthy pamphlets had made their rounds around Paris. The people, who hated the Spaniards, clung to this. The Queen was not French but Spanish and that was enough to ignite their hatred towards her.

"It seems we've been holding peace talks with the Spanish that I know nothing about." The King yelled. "And now—now these!" He held up the pamphlets. "The Spanish Queen's latest lover! The servants have been finding them all over the palace! How many more are out on the streets?"

"It is difficult to say, Majesty," Athos informed him.

"How many?"

"There may be hundreds, Sire," Porthos said.

"Who suggested that the Queen give this Sylvie woman money in the first place?" The King demanded.

"Well, that was intended to show the people that the Crown cares, Sire." D'Artagnan explained.

"It was ill-conceived."

"Majesty, there is a design at work here." Minister Tréville said. "Your enemies mean to discredit the Queen."

"But Sylvie Bodin is not part of it," Emma said in an attempt to protect her friend.

"Really?" The King turned to her. "Well, I'm told she has preached rebellion in the past."

"Your Majesty, if I may?" Porthos intervened. "Sylvie has proved herself to be a woman of honor."

"Show me the honor in this, Porthos." The King held up the pamphlets. "Show it to me." Porthos remained silent. "Now, the Red Guard have their instructions. Be grateful I have not had her executed."

Emma did not wait to be dismissed. Sylvie was not to be executed but lashes were crueler than death. Especially for a black woman.

The crowd was cheering as Sylvie was whipped. Emma pushed through the crowd trying to reach the whipping post.

"STOP HER!" Marcheaux ordered to his men. Emma punched the Red Guard that stood in her way. She was stopped by more Red Guards before she could reach Sylvie. "To defy the law of the King is treason."

"TO HELL WITH THE LAW!" Emma roared in his face.

Emma did not care about the law. If it was treason to stop someone from being unfairly punished, in the cruelest way possible. Then so be it.

Milady put a dagger under Marcheaux's throat as she pushed him away from Sylvie. "Put it down!"

The Red Guard that was holding Emma, released her. She immediately jumped to Sylvie's rescue releasing her from her bounds. Her hands were shaking as she worked on the bounds. Tears fell down her face. Marcheaux and Grimaud's smear campaign against the Queen had gone too far. They truly needed to put a stop to it.

"I have you," Emma whispered soothingly to Sylvie as she held the young woman. "I have you."

"Let's take her to my home," Milady said as they both helped Sylvie back on her feet.

"She will be safe here," Milady told Emma as the Musketeer observed Kitty tending to Sylvie's wounds.

"I know." Emma sighed. "But it doesn't feel right to leave her like this."

"It's alright, Lady Emma." Kitty looked up to her. "I know how to take care of this sort of wound."

"You shouldn't."

"Come with me." Milady led her back to her office. Her comrades were already sitting there, with Planchet, Catherine, and Constance.

"It's my fault, Emma," Constance said as soon as Emma stepped in.

"You have nothing to do with this, Constance," Emma reassured her. "It was all Grimaud."

"And Montoya," Milady added.

"What?" Emma's gaze snapped up to Milady.

"He was seen within the borders of Paris, a few days ago."

"This is the first I've heard of this," Athos remarked as he took the papers Milady handed to him. "Why?"

"Not even the Minister knows," Milady answered. "As to why? I needed to be sure before divulging this information to anyone."

"What are you saying exactly?" Porthos asked her.

"I'm saying that Grimaud is turning to anyone who wishes to see someone other than the Queen on the throne," Milady said.

"Montoya doesn't care about the Crown," D'Artagnan remarked.

"True. But he does want revenge." Milady looked at Emma. "You were right. He's taking the fight to us."

"And we'll be ready."