D'Artagnan was led, his wrists shackled, into Buckingham's office and shoved into a chair. Buckingham grinned. "Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in." He boasted. "So, how's the old Athos, eh? Still his surly, insufferable self, I'm sure. I mean, imagine! Sending a boy, to do a man's job. I should feel insulted." Buckingham tsked, shaking his head. "Of course, the depressing brute has never fully had his head in the game."
"Really, my lord! I believe you have the man of your ill-intended words mixed up with someone else." D'Artagnan guffawed facetiously. "I do not know such a fellow as you describe."
"Really?" Buckingham replied, bemused. "I see we do not travel in the same circles after all. So…" He leaned over D'Artagnan, "tell me, boy, what were you after anyway, eh? Secrets? Spies?"
"My good man, you underestimate me." D'Artagnan said.
"Indeed? And may I ask why?"
"You are fond of Queen Anne of Austria, no?" D'Artagnan asked softly. Buckingham smiled warmly.
"Ahh." He breathed. "I do not deny it. I am, scandalously!"
"My lord, do you care for her deeply?"
"You are so young, lad. I do care for the fair lady." Buckingham said wistfully.
Good to know, D'Artagnan thought.
"Come, I wish to show you something." Buckingham beckoned. D'Artagnan's eyebrows rose.
"Uhh...my lord?" He blinked.
"Come." Buckingham said. D'Artagnan rose to his feet and followed obediently, intrigued.
Felice slightly grimaced when Athos's large fingers pressed against her throat as he bandaged the small cut on her neck. "Sorry, lass." He said dismally.
"It's alright." Felice said timidly.
"Did Buckingham do that to you?" Athos demanded.
"No. He didn't do that part." Felice shook her head.
"Don't lie to me, girl." Athos said coldly.
"I'm not! That's not his way. It was a woman. She calls herself Countess de Winter." Felice explained. Athos's angry frown deepened, into a forlorn grimace. He gazed out into the horizon. He looked as if he was going to be sick. "Athos?" Felice spoke worriedly. Even as depressed as Athos usually was, she had never seen him so...so...sad. "Athos." She lightly touched his arm.
Athos blinked, bringing him back to reality. He looked down at her and weakly smiled. "You're safe now, lass." He patted her shoulder, then joined Porthos and Aramis.
"So, it is her." Felice muttered.
"Who, Miss?" Kitty asked in a small voice.
"Nothing." Felice scowled.
"Gorgeous, is she not?" Buckingham bragged. He'd led D'Artagnan to a small chapel, to reveal a life-sized portrait of Queen Anne, the features so lifelike, that D'Artagnan nearly bowed before in respect until he remembered it was only a painting!
"Wi. She is." D'Artagnan agreed. So, he worships the queen, but still feels entitled to take liberties with my little sister? Ahh, the definition of a cavalier, in every sense of the word.
"I am quite fond of the king of England. We are insurmountably close. But...when it comes to Lady Anne, ahhh, I would denounce even the king if she wished it of me!" Buckingham drawled passionately. D'Artagnan was still astounded at the man's audacious nature.
"If she were in peril, would you come to her aid?" He asked.
"You are a curious one, lad." Buckingham said, clasping his hands behind his back. "Certainly I would! While I hold no love for that imp of a husband she has who sits on the throne, I would never wish her harm."
"My lord, Queen Anne's honor is at stake." D'Artagnan explained.
"You jest, lad. You are trying to trick me." Buckingham laughed.
"My good lord Buckingham, if you truly care for the lady as you claim, I implore you to listen to me!" D'Artagnan corrected him seriously. "Her honor is at stake. Her very life. If you would be so good as to return the diamond studs to me, and lend me your airship as a swift journey back to France with all possible speed, I just may be able to arrive and prove her innocence before it is too late!"
"Diamond studs?" Buckingham creased his dashing eyebrows.
"The queen's jewels are believed to be in your possession. That being said, you will be accused of dishonoring her. In which both of you may lose your heads!"
Buckingham stared at him, considering. Then he laughed. "Lovely tale, boy. But I know that sly old Athos put you up to this." He chuckled. "You are trying to gain my favor, only to make a great fool of me in the end."
D'Artagnan glared at him. "D- it! Can you not see?" He growled, impatiently. "This is no trick! I am trying to save my queen, and spare your life, my lord!"
"And why should someone wish to place me in such a predicament? Oh, I see. Athos wants revenge for Venice, is that it?"
"Lord Buckingham, listen to reason! This is not about Athos. Someone more conniving than himself wishes to blacken your name for all of England and France to see."
"And I suppose you have an inkling of who this shady villain could be, eh?" Buckingham taunted wryly.
"I do. An agent of the Cardinal. A lady of great beauty, and a poisonous heart." D'Artagnan explained. "She is using you, sir. She wants to disgrace you and see the queen destroyed! Please! You must listen to me!"
"Does Athos know you are telling me this?"
"No, my lord. He'd be furious if he knew. He told me not to, because he knew you would consider us tricksters, and would not believe a word of it! But we are musketeers, sir, men of honor. Sworn so. It was my choice to warn you, even if my friends advised against it. And it appears to me that they were right. This was a waste. We could've spared both of you the scandal, if you had permitted us to do so." D'Artagnan sighed defeatedly. "Please, you must hand over the diamonds."
"I know of no diamonds." Buckingham confessed.
"This is no time for denial, my good sir. If you have them in your possession, I implore you to hand them over, for your own sake as well as Queen Anne's."
Now Buckingham was growing flustered. The Gascony yokel was most persistent. Had it been Athos, the two of them would have argued until Athos gave up on trying to come out ahead and left, whether this course was true or not. But this boy, he shot down every taunt, and without retorting back insults. He stuck to his story that he was looking to spare life, even if he didn't approve of who he was protecting. Buckingham had high doubts, but what if he was wrong? What if the lad was telling the truth? Milady was extremely calculated, and as wily as a vixen. Buckingham knew it very well. Even he had suspected her of having ulterior motives when she'd been with him all this time. Could it be?
"I give you my word as a gentleman, as a lord of England, as a knight, that I do not have Queen Anne's diamonds either in my castle or elsewhere." Buckingham said firmly. D'Artagnan bit his lip. He believed the man, but that didn't put the poor, distressed queen in the clear. "If what you say is true, it will come out clearly sooner or later. I'm afraid I have no information that will lead you to them."
"No." D'Artagnan hung his head.
"However, I will grant you the lending of my airship, if you believe it will aid you in your quest." Buckingham sighed. "If it will give you the stamina necessary to save my old love, it is yours."
"That is most generous of you, my lord!" D'Artagnan gasped. "Even I didn't expect that. I thank you."
"But, you must swear to me, to return it at the most opportune time!" Buckingham warned him. "If not, if you damage it, I will not be so accommodating the next time we meet, I assure you! That would be most unpleasant for both of us."
"I understand, sir."
"Well, I wish you luck in your venture."
"Thank you, my lord. Now, only one thing more we request of you."
"Name it, young Gascon, and it is yours." Buckingham beamed.
"I would like to have my sister back." D'Artagnan cleared his throat.
Buckingham shook his head. "Ohh. I am afraid that is going to be impossible."
"My lord?"
"She was granted to me, as a token. I apologize, but I am not willing to part with her." Buckingham said haughtily.
"You're going to regret that." D'Artagnan warned him.
"Rest assured, she shall be comfortably provided for. No harm shall befall her. I am not so calloused as that. I fancy her, I would never allow her to be treated without discretion."
If that is true, why did her grace Queen Anne greet you with such disdain? "That is marvelously gracious of you, my lord, but I cannot bide by your wishes. If you do not give me my sister, it will not end well for you."
"Oh? Do you dare press me so after what I have done for you?"
"Yes, I do." D'Artagnan said confidently.
"Bold. Very bold little barterer, aren't you?"
"I try." D'Artagnan shrugged.
"I was hoping we could come to a friendly agreement about all this."
"Afraid it is not negotiable, my lord duke."
"You truly intend to deprive me of my pretty little pet, after having to give up my gorgeous Anne of Austria? Come, come now! You are a man, are you not? No. The girl will remain with me."
"That is your final answer?" D'Artagnan narrowed his eyes. Buckingham chuckled. "Your choice."
"Well then, if we cannot base this on friendly terms, I am strongly tempted to withdraw my offer of assistance." Buckingham said stubbornly. "Best learn not to tangle with a man of the world such as myself, boy." D'Artagnan wa disappointed, but not surprised. Buckingham had retreated back to his sophisticated, preening self, with all the expectations of entitlement that swooned with it.
"Pity." Buckingham said. "It's all a game really. Although the price of loss as you will come to discover is, a little bit high." D'Artagnan was silent. "What? No last words? No insults? Pleas for mercy-"
"What time is it?"
"About two o'clock, I'd day. Why? Are you in a hurry?"
"Yes. I am afraid I must be going." D'Artagnan replied.
"Good. As much as your conversation amuses me, it is rather dull. Off with you then. Though I would love to see you attempt an escape with those chains on your hands." Buckingham mocked him.
D'Artagnan gazed closely out of the window. A large silhouette filled the outline of the window. "And what do you expect to find gazing at the wall?" Buckingham asked. And then he saw it. D'Artagnan ducked.
A jarring explosion blasted through the window. D'Artagnan glanced up, trying to see clearly through the smoke. He forced himself on his feet, and keeping his head low, he darted forward, leaping over tables and chairs until he reached the window sill. He ran and jumped forward across a giant chasm, aiming to reach the airship. But in midair, he began to fall back! His heart thudded, the wind I his ears. There was nothing to catch him, nothing to brace him from falling to his death and breaking his body!
Then a strong hand grabbed his chain, and pulled him forward, preventing him from plunging to his untimely demise. Athos! Thank God! He helped D'Artagnan upright. "Permission to come aboard?" He panted in relief.
"Granted." Athos smiled proudly, as the boy landed on the solid deck of the ship.
"Thanks."
They steered the ship southeast, to France. They all peered over the side of the ship, meeting the glower of Buckingham. The normally frivolous, dashing duke had staggered to the window, frazzled, dirty, disheveled, and looking absolutely shabby. Porthos could not stop a triumphant grin from filling his jolly face.
Buckingham seethed, especially when he saw a slip of a girl with auburn hair up there on that blasted deck with his opponents! He screeched in rage.
"ATHOS!"