As promised, my brother returned sometime after noon. I heard the sound of horses clattering towards the barracks from the streets and immediately abandoned my current chore to rush into the yard. There, as promised, three fine looking young men healthy and whole. I could not help but allow myself a rush of relief. The edge of tension I had carried around with me finally vanished, and with a smile I went to my brother's horse to take his reins, holding it steady for him to dismount. "Feed the horses. See they are rested," he directed towards the other stableboys, already striding towards Treville's office.
He paused beside me, however, lifting one hand away from the horse's bridle to produce a bright yellow flower with a rounded head and sprouting green leaves. Athos curled my fingers around the stem, lifting my hand to kiss it as he did so. "I am impressed you found something in this weather…aconite, I believe." Recognising the flower, I could not hold back my smile as I tilted the flower towards my nose. "Thank you for coming back safely."
"I always shall." With his gentle hands he moved himself around me as I continued to hold onto his horse, smiling to myself dreamily as I held the flower and admired its simple beauty. My brother never disappointed me in this, at the very least. Satisfied, I pushed the stem into my hair so that it settled over my ear before turning, intending to lead the horse into the stables but a voice rose above the noise of the yard, and it immediately brought me to a halt.
"I'm looking for Athos!" My brother? Holding the horse steady, I stepped around it's front to catch sight of a stranger. He looked to be a young man with travel worn clothing, lank dark hair and a grim expression hardened by the tightness of his jaw. Worst of all, however, was the pistol gripped in his hand. My brother turned and identified himself before he had even looked at the young man, Aramis and Porthos also halting in their tracks. The man raised his pistol, and immediately my heart began to thunder against my chest. Another stable hand took the horse from me, but I hardly noticed the reins slipping through my fingers. "My name is d'Artagnan, of Lupiac in Gascony. Prepare to fight. One of us dies here." With all the resolve of a man willing to lay down his life, the stranger set aside his pistol and prepared to duel.
"Now, that's the way to make an entrance." Standing upon the stairs, Aramis showed no hint of appreciation for the severity of the situation as my brother drew his own blade. At the sound of metal scratching against its own scabbard, I lurched into movement and rushed across the yard.
"Can I ask why?" My brother questioned as I reached him, my hands making to try and stay his sword before things could grow out of control. Without a word, Athos pushed me aside and directly into Porthos's grasp, who knowingly gripped onto my arm tightly to keep me from getting in Athos's way despite my voiced protests.
"You murdered my father."
"You're mistaken. I'm not the man you're looking for." Murder? My brother? No, I refused to believe it. However before I could even begin to argue in defence of my brother's honour, the stranger, d'Artagnan bellowed and rushed directly at Athos with a burst of power and speed. The clash of metal made me flinch and whimper. I hated it when they fought.
"Do you deny you shot Alexandre d'Artagnan two days ago in cold blood?" Two days ago? I could make no sense of this stranger and his outlandish accusations.
"I usually remember the men I kill. That name means nothing to me,"
"Then you're a liar as well!" The two clashed once more, sword against sword as Athos parried his opponent's onslaught of attacks. All the while, Porthos continued to hold onto me with a tight grip, one arm wrapped completely around my front and practically lifting me off the ground to keep me from diving directly in between them.
"Please, monsieur!" Attempting to reason with the stranger, I shouted over the noise of their senseless duel. "You are mistaken, my brother would never conspire to commit murder. There must be a misunderstanding! Stay your blade!" But my pleas went unanswered, and the two fought on. Despite my misgivings for this ridiculous display of male obstinacy, I could not deny that the stranger had skill with the blade. He was keeping apace with my brother after all, which was no mean feat in itself, noted also by Aramis.
"Remarkable. He's keeping up with Athos."
"Rubbish," Porthos, however disagreed. "He just doesn't want to hurt the lunatic."
"Lunatic or not, someone needs to stop them!" Hissing heatedly as I struggled against Porthos's irritatingly strong grasp, I attempted to twist away from him but to no avail. "Why are you both just standing here?!"
"Because this is the most entertaining thing I have seen all day," Aramis gave his tart reply and thankfully, my fury overshadowed any affection I had for him in that moment, allowing me a powerful glower without the humiliating flush which usually appeared. Hearing a rather adamant clash, I looked in time to see my brother press the newcomer against one of the wooden beams near the stables, sword flush against his chest before powering his dagger into the wood next to the stranger's head.
"That's enough!" Clearly, my brother was at the end of his patience. "That could have been your throat. Don't make me kill you over a mistake." Finally I allowed myself to breathe. It was over. I was glad that my brother, outside of his drink, had such a collected and even temper. At least he didn't kill the misinformed soul, as that would have been a dire misfortune indeed. "I didn't kill your father and I don't want to kill you." My brother turned, making to stride away from his defeated opponent as Porthos began to relax his arm around me.
Only, the stranger did not so readily accept defeat. Driving his own sword into the soft ground, he wrenched the dagger free from where it had been planted. The realisation caused both Porthos and I to shout in warning, though my voice twisted into a garbled scream of terror and pleading. Neither of us had the time to leap to my brother's defence, but thankfully the stranger's aim was either poor or he never intended to strike my brother whilst his back was turned. Either way, I felt sick to my stomach as I gripped onto Porthos in fear, the dagger having flown across the yard and embedded itself deeply into another wooden beam.
"And that could have been your back!" The young man pulled his sword free and ran the blade through his gloved fingers, removing the dirt from it before pointing it once more at Athos. "Now, fight me or die on your knees! I don't care which." I held my breath, praying rapidly in my head for this farce to end. "No?" This time my brother did not rise to the challenge, calmly watching as the stranger charged forwards once more. This time Aramis intercepted, striking down the sword aimed at my brother to halt the attack mid-stride.
"He said, enough." For a moment, I thought that perhaps the stranger might concede.
"Very well," I exhaled. "I'll fight both of you." With admirable endurance despite the exertion, the stranger, d'Artagnan if I recall, swung his blade to meet both Aramis and Athos together, but my brother quickly diverted the sword onto the table where Aramis quickly placed his own atop, holding down d'Artagnan's sword. Porthos quickly pushed me aside to join the fray, his own sword already drawn as he joined his blade to the cluster.
"Three of us?" He challenged as I quickly moved myself around the table, veering around the edge as I watched with wide eyed alarm. "Now, for God's sake, put up your sword."
"Please monsieur," I begged him as well, wanting nothing more than to end the conflict. "Allow us to help you. Whatever misinformation has brought you here, we will surely set it right." D'Artagnan glanced in my direction, but refused to acknowledge my plea. His eyes almost immediately returned to Porthos, disregarding my words in favour of seeking his own vengeance.
"You'll have to kill me for it." All at once he utilised all the strength he possessed in his arm to raise his own sword free of the others and immediately swept the blade around to clash against the other's.
"Lively little bugger, aren't ya?!" I had had enough of it all at this point. Gritting my teeth, I pushed myself out from behind the table and strode directly into the flurry of swords as they flashed in the light. I jerked my body away from Porthos's sword before it could cut into my flesh, moving directly into his path so that I blocked his way and forced him to step back to avoid causing my harm. "Madeleine! Get out of the way!" I refused to acknowledge him, or heed his shout. It assisted in drawing the attention of Athos and Aramis, however, as their gazes shifted from their opponent to myself.
"Madeleine!" My brother thundered my name in genuine anger and fear for my safety as I stepped closer still to the dangerous clash of their swords. Athos dragged his free immediately, attempting to move to catch hold of my arm but d'Artagnan slashed at the opening my brother gave him, forcing him to retreat quickly with a leap. Aramis also attempted to rise to my protection, but I heeded none of them. Instead, I reached out my hand and curled my fingers into the cuff of the stranger's sleeve, holding his sword steady so that once it was still, I could place my other hand around the blade itself.
"Please," once more I begged, speaking softly yet firmly with a small tug upon the sleeve to force the stranger's dark eyes to meet mine. He froze in place. "I beg of you, do not harm my brother. He is all I have left." This seemed to have an effect on the young man, his gaze wavering slightly as he glanced between myself and Athos. I moved further to stand in the way, still holding both his arm and the blade. Not deep enough to cut into my skin, but the slightest movement risked drawing blood. "I swear upon the immortal soul of my mother that my brother has done no harm to you or your father. It is not in his nature. Please. Calm yourself." Under my hand, I could feel him trembling.
Trembling in rage and grief. I could recognise the feelings in his tortured gaze. Gradually, however, he allowed me to lower his sword to the ground. At that moment, a familiar voice rose up with a shout, announcing the arrival of a friend, particularly of mine. Constance Bonacieux. "Stop fighting! All of you!" Exhaling softly, I squeezed d'Artagnan's arm once more before my brother hauled me away from him, his own grip strong and unrelenting to drag me away from the potential danger. I caught a glimpse of his expression before I looked away. Pure rage. "Is three against one fair?"
"We weren't going to kill him." Despite the fury in his expression, there was a calmness in his voice. I did not want to know just how much control Athos had to exert just to maintain his temper in that moment. He looked just about ready to put me over his knee.
"Weren't we?" Oblivious to my brother's anger, Porthos even sounded a little disappointed as he and Aramis sheathed their swords.
"Next time, let us know." Ignoring Aramis, Athos released his grasp upon me as Constance continued to stride intently into the yard, aiming directly for the newcomer.
"Madame Bonacieux, what are you doing here?"
"I followed him because I knew he was going to do something stupid." Constance halted in front of d'Artagnan who rather irately proclaimed that he did not need a woman to protect him, as if her interference affected his masculine pride. I refrained from rolling my eyes. "Don't say another word," she cut him off sharply, her temperate tone silencing him in an instant. "If only men would think instead of fight, there might be more good ones left."
"Him, I'm not sure about. Her, I like." Smirking with amusement, Aramis had already settled himself down to relax once more as I drifted towards Constance. Her eyes were drawn to me at the motion and her face softened, our hands reaching out to entwine with one another. Before I could ask the circumstances of how she had come to know this brazen countryman, Captain Treville alongside several musketeers returned. His presence put me at ease. At least he would not allow such foolishness as I had witnessed.
"What's going on?" He glanced at my brother and the others suspiciously, having returned from his errand to find two newcomers to the barracks with a strong sense of tension in the air. When no one answered, he dismissed the question as unimportant. "Never mind. Did you find Cornet?"
"He never made it to the monastery. Give us twenty men and we'll search the road to Chartres." Cornet was missing? The news came as a shock to me. I knew Cornet well, as I did practically everyone in the musketeers. I had seen him only a few days ago, enjoying the pie I had baked, one of his favourites. Twitching nervously at the news of Cornet's disappearance, I expected Treville to agree to my brother's request. What came next, was entirely unexpected and all the more shocking.
"Athos, I'm sorry. These men have come to arrest you." What? "You're to appear before the King immediately, charged with robbery and murder." My chest tightened uncomfortably as Constance gasped beside me, her hands jumping to clutch at my arm in concern should I swoon. "I promised them there'd be no trouble." After a brief pause, I watched in silent disbelief as my brother handed over his sword to the captain before looking back to where d'Artagnan stood.
"I'm not the man you're looking for." It was simply stated, but a solemn truth. My brother was led away by soldiers of the Red Guard, even as I attempted to rush forwards to stop them.
"No you can't!" The shrill panic in my voice went unanswered and unheeded. Treville stepped in my way to block my path and seized hold of my arms, having handed over Athos's sword to another of his men. I fought against him, struggling to pass him so that I might reach my brother, and during our struggle, the yellow flower fell from my hair and fell to the ground. Amid our scuffle, one of us must have stepped upon it, for when I looked down, the bloom was crushed and covered in mud. As Athos was escorted away, I heard d'Artagnan call after them, demanding to know why my brother had been named by his father before he had passed, but to this my brother had no answer. I continued to struggle against Treville's grasp. "You cannot let them take him, these accusations are false!"
"I know, little one, but we cannot ignore a summons from the king," Treville reasoned as he maintained a hold of me firmly to keep me from charging after my brother and tearing him free from his captors. His reason stayed my initial reaction, forcing me to stay in place so that he could temper me gently. "We shall contest these claims in court before the king. I know better than anyone that Athos is not capable of such crimes." Bringing his hand to my cheek, Treville calmed me with his steady voice. "It will be alright, Madeleine." It took several long, extended breaths, but eventually I managed to calm myself enough to think clearly.
With a nod of my head, I followed Treville to the king's court. When he had released me, Aramis and Porthos had promptly appeared at my side, flanking me closely as if to guard me fiercely against any possible danger. My heart was entirely aflutter, fearful for my brother's safety and utterly bewildered at these outlandish claims against his honour. I would not stand for it. I knew my brother. Even when drunker beyond the ability to recognise his own sister, he would not do such things. I had faith in him, and I could attest to his whereabouts. Surely this was simply a dire misunderstanding. I pray, God, let this be over soon.