Athos unlocked D'Artagnan's cuffs. He rubbed his wrists, relieved to finally have them free.
"So what about the diamonds? Doesn't Buckingham still have them?" He asked.
"Nope. Milady likes hedging her bets." Athos said.
"So, where are they now?"
"With the only person she trusts."
D'Artagnan's face fell. "Which means we've lost her and all this has been for nothing." He said solemnly.
"Oh, I wouldn't say that." Athos shook his head, his eyes gleaming. "You were the decoy. We were the distraction. But the real lynch pin of the plan-well, that was someone else entirely. Someone even Milady would never suspect." He explained.
"Who-it's Planchet, isn't it?" D'Artagnan grinned widely.
"Where else would he be at a time like this, if not in the kitchen?" Athos said with amusement.
"Oh, Charles!" Felice called. She sprang forward and jumped into his arms.
D'Artagnan squeezed her tightly. "It's alright. It's okay." He told her, then set her back.
"How...how did you know where to find me?" Felice asked.
"Constance." D'Artagnan grinned goofily. Felice laughed sadly. "You alright?" He noticed the bandage on her neck, and that she looked pale.
"Yeah." She smiled with tears and embraced him again. "What took you so darn long?" She scolded everyone.
"Really, lass!" Porthos guffawed. "It ain't easy to form strategies when the Cardinal's guards are on your tail from dawn to dusk!"
Felice sighed. So, they were not out of danger after all. Kitty slowly crept out of her hiding spot fro under the map table.
"Who is this?" Athos asked gruffly. "Stowaway, eh?" Kitty hid behind Felice.
"She's a friend of mine, Athos. And I'm not sending her back!" Felice replied curtly. "I don't care what you say, she's not going back there."
"And may I ask why not?" Athos crossed his arms.
"Easy, Athos." Aramis reminded his friend. "The child is rather shaken."
"Please, sir! I'll earn my keep, sir!" Kitty pleaded, dropping to her knees down in front of Athos. "I can cook, I can clean, I can do most anything you require. But Milady said she'd sell me to her henchman Monsieur Rochefort. Please, my lord! Have mercy! I beg of you, do not send me back to her! I'll do anything you wish, and you can whip me if I misbehave! But don't send me back! I beg you!"
"Not if the Cardinal himself offered me his own vocation!" Athos growled. "Calm yourself, little one. You are quite safe with us."
"You...you are not going to send me back?" Kitty stammered, her dark eyes grew, astonished.
"To that perverted wolf in sheep's clothing?" Athos rolled his eyes. "Not on your life, child!"
"Thank you." Kitty wept with relief. "You are most kind, my lord!"
"Porthos! Find our little guest something to fill her belly. And, I trust you can find a suitable place for her to sleep, lass?" Athos asked Felice.
"Of course. But I need someone to show me the way."
"I'll show you." Aramis said.
"So, what is this all about?" Felice asked them. "I take it you didn't cross the continents just to save me from the frilly ogre?"
"The queen's diamonds have been stolen." Porthos explained. "We believe Millady is plotting with the Cardinal to overthrow King Louis and ruin the queen."
"Diamonds?!" Felice gasped. "Kitty, those must have been the necklace you saw in the countess's room!"
"They was gorgeous." Kitty nodded.
"You saw them, Kitty?" Aramis asked.
"I sure did, sir!" Kitty replied. "Was layin' out Milady's dress, and 'dis beautiful necklace fell out."
"The woman struck and threatened her, accused her of stealing." Felice hissed. D'Artagnan noticed Kitty's bruised lip, and felt sorry for the poor little girl.
"Did you touch them?" D'Artagnan asked.
"No, sir!" Kitty cried, shivering. "I wouldn't steal!"
"Easy, child. We're only trying to put the pieces together." Aramis smiled.
"You see why I can't let Milady have her back?" Felice looked to her brother.
"Indeed! You'll stay with us for now, Kitty. You have nothing to be afraid of." D'Artagnan smiled encouragingly. "Now then," he turned to his sister, "suppose you explain to us how you ended up in Buckingham's fortress." He crossed his arms.
Felice cringed, and explained everything to them, about how Milady had fooled and drugged her, and her plans for leaving her with Buckingham. D'Artagnan was thoroughly ticked. How dare those two cavaliers kidnap and harass his baby sister!
Aramis rubbed his face guiltily. He wished she hadn't have had to been put through any of that. And Buckingham wanting to be too friendly with her, after what Rochefort and his men had put her through...No wonder she'd nearly clopped Aramis across the head when he climbed up the tower to her rescue! She must have been scared out of her wits, unsure of who to turn to for help! He could easily forgive her now for the small bruise she'd laid on his skull. That was a small price to pay for getting her out.
He reached out and touched her shoulder. "Well, you're back where you belong now, darling. With us!" He smiled encouragingly. She lightly nodded.
"How did you come to steal Buckingham's ship?" She asked.
"Ha! That was the easy part!" Porthos laughed. They all told about their journey, including Constance sacrificing herself as red herring on their behalf.
"I hope and pray she evaded them safely!" Felice shuddered.
"I know." D'Artagnan bit his lip. "If only there was some way to reach her, so I would at least know she's alright!"
"She's a smart girl, D'Artagnan." Athos stated reassuringly. But he had the same look of worry in his eyes. Then they went on to tell about storming the fortress.
"We almost hit you there a couple times. It would've been helpful if you had dodged more." Porthos said to D'Artagnan.
"Wait! Wait! Wait!" Felice blurted out. "Hold it a moment! You mean to tell me that the three of you, brothers in arms, blew up Buckingham's apartment, with cannons, with my brother right in the line of fire?!"
"It was a risk. One he agreed to." Athos said guiltily.
"Felice-" D'Artagnan tried to smooth things over.
"You could've killed him!" Felice scolded.
"I escaped."
"You had to run through fire and falling debris, and...and jump from a tower window, across a chasm onto a ship flying away by the minute! Handcuffed! With no way to maintain your balance!"
"I'm fine. Besides, Athos caught me."
"Barely! You were almost killed, Charles! And this time not by your own inspiration. I almost lost you! And these heroes let you do it, knowing you might not survive, you might be slaughtered in the thick of things?!"
"Look, it was my choice."
"Felice, darling-" Aramis spoke patiently.
"You're all reckless. Reckless and hell-raising, the whole lot of you!" Felice hollered. She brushed roughly between Porthos and Aramis, and marched down below deck. The three older men all looked like guilty schoolboys. No one knew what to say.
"I's never seen her that kind of angry!" Kitty gulped. "And she was plenty flustered when I told her 'bout Milady!"
D'Artagnan blew out a breath."She'll calm down." He calmly promised them. "For now, I'd just leave her be."
"Gladly!" Porthos exclaimed. "And I thought my mum could rattle windows when she was vexed with me!"
"Why do I easily believe that she is still doing it?" D'Artagnan grinned.
"Enough already." Athos rolled his eyes. "Sit, Kitty. We'll get you some food."
Felice was leaning against a beam holding the upper deck, her arms crossed. She exhaled deeply, exasperated. Aramis quietly approached her. "Felice?" He spoke timidly.
"What is it, Aramis?" Felice sighed.
"I know what we did wasn't the wisest move, sending in D'Artagnan as our sitting duck." He tried to explain gently. "But I'm afraid we didn't have much choice, not if we expected our plan to go through. I'm only sorry that we couldn't have found a better way without putting your brother in danger."
"I know." Felice nodded quietly, meeting his eyes. "I'm sorry that I...lost patience with all of you. I know you did what you felt was right. And, even if you'd tried to, once the plan was in motion, you wouldn't be able to talk Charles out of it." She giggled fondly.
"That is too true." Aramis chuckled warmly.
"I suppose all the urgency of our escapade, on top of everything else, hadn't completely left me, when you told me that. But I do understand, really."
"Athos will be relieved to hear that."
"What? Was he going to throw me overboard if I didn't come to my senses?" She asked, with her hands on her hips. Aramis cleared his throat, wishing she hadn't mentioned that.
"Well...he probably considered the idea." He said sheepishly.
"Uh huh."
"But he wouldn't dare! Trust me."
"Well, I suppose we should join them up on deck." Felice said.
"I think that's a wise idea. After you." Aramis smiled.
"Sorry for riling you up, lass." Porthos said when Felice returned.
"It's nothing." She shook her head.
"Who cut you?" D'Artagnan asked.
"What? Oh." Felice's hand went to her throat.
"It was Buckingham, wasn't it?!" D'Artagnan growled, his hands on his hips.
"No, Charles. He wouldn't do that to me. It was the Countess. She said I was getting in her way, spoiling her plans."
"Well, that figures. Should've known." Then D'Artagnan leaned in closely. "Did he hurt you?" He whispered angrily. "Did he...did he seduce you?" Felice looked stricken, and started breathing raggedly. She could hardly meet her brother's eyes. "He did, didn't he?" D'Artagnan seethed. Felice was shaking.
"Felice?" Aramis watched, concerned. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but he'd heard the question from nearby, and had immediately turned back to listen. He clenched his fists, seeing Felice so distressed from the one question.
"He...he…" Felice tried to find her voice. "He n-n-nearly d-d-did." She nodded.
"I knew it! We should've killed him!" D'Artagnan growled. "To think I ever cared to exchange pleasantries with that-"
"But he stopped!" Felice told him.
"What?!" Aramis and D'Artagnan sputtered.
"He fully intended to." Felice gulped. "But, just when...when I thought he would, he...he withdrew, and...and left me alone. I don't know why! He seemed...quite intent. He...he did take leave and kiss my lips without my permission, but…"
"D-!" D'Artagnan barked. "He'll answer for that!"
"Charles, please!" Felice winced, shivering. "I just don't want to talk of it!"
"Sorry." D'Artagnan apologized.
Just then, a loud gagging sound spread from the table, and they all turned. Kitty was doubled over, clutching her stomach, and she fell to her knees, vomiting on the floor. "Kitty?" Felice spoke gently, dropping at her side. Kitty couldn't answer, but threw up again. Felice rubbed her back.
"I think her small tummy is sensitive to this altitude." Porthos said sympathetically.
"Oh. Right." D'Artagnan said. Felice stroked Kitty's black hair out of her face as she panted.
"It's alright, Kitty." She said soothingly. "We'll help you feel better." Kitty clenched the floorboards.
"So dizzy, Miss." She grimaced.
"Come, dear." Aramis stooped and helped her to her feet. "You should lie down." He led her away, Felice following.
"Poor little thing." Porthos said.
"Where is Planchet?" D'Artagnan asked.
"Oh, we should be coming up on him soon enough." Athos said, with a rare edge of satisfaction.
"Hope so. We need those diamonds!"
"She'll have them." Athos groaned.
"How is our little guest?" Porthos asked when Felice trudged back up the stairs.
"Poorly." Felice sighed. "She has been very nauseous most of this voyage. Honestly, I am not feeling so well myself."
"Well, then I say, just enjoy the view." Porthos pointed out. "Just look at it all. We are above all of France. Even Notre Dame, and…"
"Ugh. Please!" Felice cringed. "You are not helping!"
"Try this." Porthos offered her some whiskey. Felice chugged it down, making the large man laugh.
"Easy! Easy, lass! That is a bit much for someone as small as yourself!"
"As long as-ohhh…" Felice swayed then collapsed into his arms, out cold.