As Aramis and Porthos were both occupied with their lovely new patronesses, only Athos and d'Artagnan remained at the courtyard to train. I watched them from the captain's balcony, keenly observing their blades as they clashed, the sound of sparring pairs striking blow after blow, but I took particular interest in the combat between my brother and friend. Athos was goading d'Artagnan, testing him with knowledge that Labarge was seated in comfort despite all his wrongdoings at the Bastille. It was enough to topple d'Artagnan's focus. As my brother had often noted, the young Gascon allowed his emotions to rule his head far too often.
And yet d'Artagnan was the one who showed the most promise, despite his recklessness upon occasion. Upon his defeat, d'Artagnan strode away in anger, fuming readily in a rage. Watching him go, Treville ordered my brother to watch over him. Knowing d'Artagnan as we all did, we could surmise what he might do. Athos would watch over d'Artagnan, but I fretted for my brother. Who would watch over him? If he was distracted by keeping d'Artagnan from acting foolishly, then he would be far too distracted to watch his own back.
I decided to follow them myself, still ill at ease knowing that the treacherous Anne was still at large. I did not leave the barracks without first arming myself. A thick belt found its way into my possession, allowing me to holster a pistol and a dagger which I hid underneath the folds of my cloak. There was a taste of rain upon the air, so I put on a pair of gloves and a thick scarf to keep myself warm at night. As we anticipated, it did not take long for d'Artagnan to make his way to the Bastille in search of the man responsible for destroying his father's farm.
He only waited for the cover of darkness before infiltrating the prison. Reckless. D'Artagnan was not thinking logically, merely acting upon impulse. It was to be expected of one still so young, but at least my brother was there to drag him from the danger. I watched Athos go in after our foolhardy friend just as the rain began to make itself known. I stood under the cover of a doorway, listening to the light patter of rain whilst watching. My hand rested itself upon the pistol, ready to draw at a moment's notice.
Thankfully both men emerged seemingly unharmed from the Bastille. No alarm was raised and they were not pursued, so I allowed myself to breathe as I continued to stand within the darkness of the shadows. Athos led d'Artagnan away, halting to conceal themselves at the wall of a residence to wait for the way to clear. "What did I tell you about thinking before you act?" My brother scolded, sounding a little out of breath.
"I couldn't help it, I'm not like you," listening to their voices under the sound of the gentle rain, I heard my brother soften towards d'Artagnan, a hint of his fondness making itself known.
"You are. More than you know." I chuckled to myself. My brother did not readily show his emotions to anyone other than myself, but that did not mean they were absent. He had long since taken d'Artagnan under his wing, tutoring him personally to help him become a fine musketeer. Even if d'Artagnan did not realise it until now, Athos had seen a younger version of himself in the boy and could not help but feel a connection to him. "Get some rest. We'll train tomorrow," taking off into the rain, I waited until Athos and d'Artagnan had separated before following.
I walked leisurely behind my brother, not always keeping him in sight for a I knew he was now taking the path home, of which I knew the way well. My hood kept most of the rain away from my face but it was now steadily becoming sodden. I should very much like to get out of my wet things, lest I take a chill. Pausing to adjust my scarf, I was grateful when the rain finally abated. I hurried forwards, thinking I would simply join Athos's side to walk home. When I heard her voice, however, my entire body froze.
All warmth and sense of goodness vanished into nothingness as Anne spoke directly to my brother. I heard not the beginning of their conversation, nearing them in time to hear her suggest that they call the ground they stood upon neutral. In turn, my brother's cold, unfeeling voice responded. "If you wish. I won't attack a defenceless woman." Shivering from the coldness which now seeped into my bones, I staggered towards a building to press my hand upon it, requiring something solid to lean upon so that I did not fall or lose my balance from the shock. My body clammed up, refusing to function as my mind screamed at it to move.
"Your face is full of questions," Anne mused lightly, which only further increased my rage. She could laugh and joke so easily when the blood of my brother stained her hands. I should wring her pathetic neck! But still my legs would not move. "Ask me anything you want." I resigned myself to listen, wanting to know what my brother would ask and how Anne would answer. He asked her connection with the Cardinal, something I too greatly desired to understand. "I have to make a living somehow. What better patron could I have?" My brother's voice darkened.
"What exactly do you do for him?"
"I'm a soldier, just like you." I had to physically stop myself from laughing incredulously. A solider? A devil's whore, more like. "Well, perhaps we're not quite the same." She amended as I began to ease myself closer towards them, halting at the corner of the building so I could hear their softened voices better. "But we all have to exploit our natural talents." This was the last I was able to hear, their voices too quiet to carry towards me from the distance between us, but I could readily see them together. Athos was standing far too close to her, as if unwittingly drawn towards Anne who held an unnatural power over him. She was too dangerous to be so close to. I watched her lift the chain which bore her locket from around Athos's neck, a fixture he had worn everyday for five years to remind himself of the pain she had caused, and to never forget all she had done to us.
They whispered to one another, their faces moving closer and closer until Anne captured my brother's lips into a kiss. A violent alarm flared through me, fearing for my brother's safety and sanity. Not again. No, she will not take another brother from me! My hand found the pistol holstered at my hip and yanked it free, arming it with a firm click before stepping into full view of the street as I dropped my hood. "Unhand him, wretched creature." Hearing my voice, Anne gasped softly and broke her kiss with my brother, looking to me in surprise to find a pistol aimed at her black, rotten heart. If she possessed one at all.
"Madeleine," Athos did not sound surprised to see me at all. Whilst maintaining my full attention upon Anne, I noted his mouth curl into a loving smile.
"Step away from him," seeing as she had no choice, Anne did as I asked. Athos in turn moved towards me, murmuring softly to tell me that everything was alright but I flung him an incensed glare which hastily silenced him. I looked back at Anne. A torrent of unnamed feelings tore through me, memories of our past together burning in my mind as they were corrupted by the hatred I now felt. We had been happy, once. Anne had been kind to me. Treated me like her own sister. Dressed me in pretty things and tied ribbons in my hair. Such things now left a foul taste in my mouth. "Why?" My voice broke as tears made their presence known, my body trembling violently but the gun held steady and firm.
My question could have had any number of meanings. There were hundreds of questions I want to ask which began with why, but most of all, I wanted to know why she had killed Thomas. Anne regarded me quietly, neither angered nor fearful. Truth be told, her expression denoted one of sorrow, or perhaps pity. "Dearest Madeleine, your brother has not been taking proper care of you. How thin you look," she murmured as she looked me up and down, and I felt a heavy shame to be so judged by her of all people. "I used to care for you much better than this."
"You are the cause of this! You are the one who is at fault!" I shook the gun at her, which caused her eyes to widen in alarm. Athos pressed his hand to my stomach, holding me back with a quiet word for me to calm down. He even put his hand upon the pistol, having me lower it so that it no longer threatened Anne. I stared at him accusingly, but his expression remained soft and tender.
"She is not worth you dirtying your hand, sweet sister," he told me, and my heart melted a little towards him. "It should not be this way, do not become like her." This gave me something to consider, recognising Athos was right. Mutely, I nodded my head then stepped closer to him. I continued to hold the gun in my hand, but I no longer aimed it at Anne. I saw her brow crease, looking at me almost mournfully before her expression clouded, hiding any such emotions to draw herself up with a cold, calculated look.
"I give you fair warning, Athos. Leave me alone, or you'll regret it." Emphasising her point, Anne looked coldly at me. My brother naturally stood to shield me, moving me behind him but Anne was already leaving, turning away and not sparing a single glance over her shoulder. Only when the sound of her receding footsteps faded completely did I allow myself to exhale.
"Why were you following me, Madeleine? That was dangerous, you could have been…"
"I knew that she was still here," cutting him off, I moved away from Athos to catch my breath, putting away the gun and removing my wet cloak since it was doing me little use now. "I was afraid she would do something exactly like this, try and win you back with her seductions and temptations." Glowering at him, I placed a hand on my hip to try and make myself seem imposing. "And look! I was right. What were you kissing her for? Need I remind you that she is our enemy?"
"No, you need not." Athos assured me, not allowing me to move too far away from him as he followed and drew my hands towards him. "I simply needed to know." I frowned at him. "I needed to know…how I felt. That question has been answered, and I can assure you my sweet sister, all such affections and wistfulness are now completely eradicated. There is nothing left of what was once in the past." Hearing his explanation, I allowed myself to forgive my brother for behaving so insensibly. Athos noted my shivering. "Come, let's go home." I was glad for the suggestion, for I was cold and weary.
Seeing Anne once more unsettled me deeply, but I no longer felt so afraid as I had before. She was not some immortal demon or monstrous nightmare to forever be afraid of. Anne was a woman. Flesh and blood such as I, and I knew that one day she would be judged for her crimes, in this world or in the next. I only hoped that I might be part of that judgement, for I could never forgive her for poisoning my happiness by raising it to such peaks only to decimate its existence with her betrayal. For tonight, I would let it rest. Tomorrow? Well, who knows?