Upon a beautifully warm, bright day, we of the king's court found ourselves upon the lawn of the palace to observe a demonstration of the king. I stood behind Anne, dressed in a gown of forget-me-knot blue with a gold thread trim and my hair neatly arranged upon my head with a long, twisted curl resting over my left shoulder. In anticipation of an upcoming celestial event, the king was eager to visit his knowledge of the bodies of the heavens, from the stars to the planets, all while carrying little Louis in his arms. "Signore Galileo has proven the moon circles the Earth, as the Earth circles the sun." Raising a handheld mirror, he shone its reflection upon several faces, including Anne's. "As the new moon orbits the Earth, it moves in front of the sun, like so. Milady de Winter, would you do us the honour of playing the moon?"
"But I am Venus, sire." Immediately distaste embittered my mouth as I looked upon Milady, dressed vainly in fine silks and wearing a costume crown upon her head. It was outrageous that she should be so attired in the presence of the queen, but I held my tongue despite the broiling sickness churning in my stomach. Instead I looked towards the trees, having heard horses approaching and there saw my four of my most favoured men in all existence. Athos, Porthos, Aramis and d'Artagnan. Seeing them returned a semblance of peace to my mind.
"Well, for the purposes of the experiment, you shall be the moon and the Queen will be the Earth." My gaze turned upon Anne as Milady dutifully complied with the king's request. I moved forwards discreetly and brushed my hand against Anne's back, reminding her that Constance and I were there with her. Her head turned towards me, and through the high collar of grey she wore, I saw her mouth tilt up in a grateful relief. "See how the moon blocks the light of the sun from the Earth?" The king questioned as he shone the light's reflection upon Milady, who held her arms aloft as she stood in front of the queen. "For a moment, only darkness prevails, but then as the moon moves on…" curtseying lightly, Milady moved aside so that the light shone once more upon Anne's face. "The light slowly returns to the Earth." We all applauded politely.
"A brilliant explanation," Rochefort praised succinctly, "the great astronomer Marmion could not equal it. They say he has transformed the old fort at Chatillon into a mysterious new world." We had all heard the rumours. When the invitation had arrived to invite the king and court to witness the great eclipse through the wondrous marvel Marmion, a renowned astronomer of our age, had created, the king had all but foamed at the mouth in anticipation. He had a great interest in such things. We were to go with an escort of both the Red Guard and the Musketeers, and I was glad to see that they had sent only their best. My brother did not linger long, I noted, for when I approached the men Athos had vanished from sight. I understood the desire to leave upon the presence of Milady. Part of me was glad that he had gone. I did not much like the idea of the two of them being near to one another.
"Sweet Madeleine, you look utterly ravishing in this shade of blue, it suits you well," Aramis complimented once I was before them whereby he promptly swept up my hand to bow over it and press a kiss there. "It is you who eclipses the sun with your brilliance, and not the moon."
"Brilliance of mind, perhaps, and that is all I shall claim for myself," chuckling with pleasured amusement, I smiled to him before looking to Porthos, my gaze naturally drifting towards him. "Are you all eager to witness this eclipse? I am told we shall not likely witness such an event again for some time." My question was posed to them all, but I had been looking upon Porthos with the hope of an answer.
My gentle giant shifted himself uncomfortably, seemingly unable to settle himself as he looked in every direction other than where I stood. After a pregnant pause of silence, however, he realised that everyone was waiting for his response, so he forced a smile and nodded. "Should be interesting, love." The short, brusque answer was a disappointing one, and my spirits withered a little as Porthos hastily looked away once more. It had been like this ever since Pinon. I could not help but feel I had destroyed a precious and lovely treasure and now, I had lost it forever. D'Artagnan and Aramis shared a look, before promptly stepping forwards to break the awkwardness in the air.
"You must tell me more of this astronomer, Madeleine. I'll admit, I do not really know anything about him," d'Artagnan gallantly stepped towards me and offered me his arm as he lead his horse, so I gratefully accepted the offer and walked with him, distracting myself with my own knowledge of the stars and the movements of planets. It was quite the wonderful age of enlightenment we lived in.
Soon it was time to leave, and so I rode with the queen, Constance, the king and the rest of the courtiers who were attending the spectacle today, all of us comfortable situated within the carriage. Marguerite accompanied us, she and I given primary care of the little prince, but otherwise invited to attend the queen. When we arrived, a comely looking man with light hair welcomed us, bowing as the king stepped from the carriage first with assistance. "Welcome, sire," the man greeted as I helped the queen prepare to descend next. "The great Marmion is busy with his final preparations. I am his servant, Robert." Distracted by the fort which we could see from our position on the road, the king marvelled at it quietly as we all disembarked.
I went first to turn and offer my hand to Anne, however Aramis had promptly appeared, having leaped from his horse. I looked upon him warily, but obligingly stepped aside so that he may give his hand to Anne and help her down. They shared a look, swift and silent, before she passed by him without another glance to move to the king's side. One would never have known that they shared deep feelings for one another. Giving Aramis a scolding glance, I reached up my hands to take the basket from Marguerite, where little Louis was nestled within.
Aramis assisted Marguerite next and lingered with her for a moment simply to make it seem that his entire intention had been to see her, and d'Artagnan offered his own hand to Constance. Never saying a word, I smiled to myself as I lifted the dauphin out of his basket for he was fussing, allowing him to see the world by resting him upon my hip. Marguerite kindly took the basket and we walked together, listening as Robert, the servant of the mysterious Marmion, directed the king's attention to a large, rotating mirror upon the roof. Behind me Constance walked with her arm linked through d'Artagnan's, taking this opportunity to be close to one another whilst outside of the palace where not so many eyes were watching.
The recognisable tone of Porthos caught my ear, but they were too distant for me to hear distinctly what was being said. My chest ached suddenly, a pang of misery driving through me as I found myself missing his presence. I should not have said anything to him. I should have kept my silence, for no matter how many times I had attempted to approach him, Porthos had found an excuse to leave or avoid me. There was no opportunity to ask him questions or resolve this discord between us, and I knew the others were aware of it. I always seemed to make such an utter mess of things.
At least little Louis always brightened my mood. I jostled him lightly, whispering to him with delighted smiles as he giggled and beamed, pointing at everything which interested him as we entered the restored fortress. Upon entry, we were offered wine and strange, circular glasses which were stained black to protect our eyes from the image of the sun. I declined the wine for I wished to keep a clear head whilst caring for the prince, but the glasses I accepted, though I thought them strange. Perhaps I would keep them as a memento of this day. Should I ever have children, it would be a peculiar object for them to marvel over and a fine story for me to tell.
The further we entered the darker it became, where no natural light touched the walls and stone as we were brought to the innermost chamber of the fort where the viewing platform had been arranged. It was large and round, invoking the thought of King Arthur and his Round Table, an English legend which was often the inspiration for many a dramatized play. It was covered in a heavy cloth, but what really took my breath away was the incredible contraption which hung over it.
Pulled by ropes and rotating in the perfect imitation of the circulating planets, I stared in awe at the great contraption which depicted the movements of the heavens. "Welcome, your majesty." The voice seemed to fill the entire chamber, drawing our eyes to a robed figure who stood before his viewing platform with a pleasant greeting. "I am Marmion." As everyone shared in their wonder and admiration, I looked to little Louis and pointed as he too stared in amazement, his gaze transfixed upon the rotating circles and rings.
Chuckling, I kissed his head softly before carrying him to his basket which Marguerite held for me, allowing me to settle him inside before she carried him forwards. I followed after her, brushing at Aramis's hand discreetly as I passed him. He remained upon the balcony, Porthos and d'Artagnan lingering with him. I cast a last wistful look behind me before I too descended, focusing upon my duty. "The great astronomer!" The king greeted as he went first, approaching Marmion with barely contained eagerness. "All Paris is talking of the eclipse."
"May I present the camera obscura?" Bowing to Louis, Marmion then invited the king to admire his contraption whilst explaining its capability. "My wonderful device will allow Your Majesties to witness every detail. The king and queen took their seats first, and once they were settled the other courtiers allowed themselves to sit also. Margeurite set the little prince down beside the queen on the long pew which had been arranged for us, then allowed me to sit beside him. She then took the seat to my right, placing herself between Constance and I as we settled in anticipation of the event. "Our forefathers regarded a solar eclipse as a sign the world was ending."
"Luckily, we are all modern men now," Louis murmured dryly, loudly enough for all to hear but Marmion did not consider this an interruption, merely continued to preach before us.
"And yet, we must still allow God a place in the universe. When the darkness comes," spreading his hand across his viewing table, the window which allowed the only beam of natural light in the room shuddered closed, deepening the reach of the shadows as several ladies gasped at the unexpected display. "Will we all feel His dread hand upon us?"
"Curb your taste for showmanship, Marmion." Unaffected by the marvellous show, Rochefort was as utterly stoic as ever. "The king has no time for nonsense." Marmion bowed in acknowledgement.
"At this fateful moment, we must consider our own place in the universe. Do we control our fate, or are we merely the playthings of a power beyond understanding?" Posing the question to us all, I would have liked nothing more than to debate the philosophy such a query entertained. There could be quite a great deal to be said about such a notion, however the king soured the intrigue with his poor wit.
"If I wanted a sermon, Marmion, I would have gone to church." The other courtiers laughed. I did not. Instead I failed to withhold the desire to roll my eyes, so I hid the expression by looking once more to the contraption above and swiftly found Aramis and Porthos. My gaze drew towards the latter, and when Porthos eventually glanced to me, I offered him a friendly expression and inviting smile. He looked away. Hurt clouded my features and I quickly averted my gaze, now feeling so despondent that I utterly lost interest in anything before me. I did not even jump when Marmion ripped away the cloth with a flamboyant flourish to reveal the reflection of the sun.
Everyone rushed to their feet, but I remained with the dauphin who was dozing peacefully, his hand wrapped around my finger as I allowed my mind to drift slightly. I was the only one to remain seated as the others quickly wore their protective glasses to gaze upon the sun which cast its light within the room around us. For several minutes they watched until gradually the light began to dim and the shift in light brought me back from my thoughts. The eclipse was occurring.
Thinking that I may as well go to observe, for otherwise I might regret it later, I moved to lift the prince from his basket so that I could carry him with me to the observing table. No sooner had I leaned forwards however, several shouts and gasps of alarm snapped my attention to the courtiers to discover a blade at the king's neck and Rochefort's pistol in Marmion's hand. Cloaked figures with haunting crow masks as white as bone descended upon the courtiers, grasping everyone within their reach and restraining them as several women cried out, voices echoing throughout the chamber.
Immediately I gathered little Louis towards me and held him protectively in my arms, taking a deep breath as my gaze darted towards Anne and Constance as they too were taken underhand. Above, I thought of Aramis and Porthos, their backs unprotected and unwatched, and the cold creeping panic began to crawl through me. Everyone was forced back into their seats and I swiftly took hold of Anne's hand, pulling her away from the masked men to bring her back to her seat and silently urging for Constance to do the same. I passed little Louis into Marguerite's arms, hearing her gasping in fear.
I held my nerve despite the rush of alarm I felt. I could not buckle now, my duty was to protect Anne and little Louis, and Constance as well. Remaining near to them, I was forced to sit and I did not offer any resistance, electing to follow their directives without posing a threat, but my eyes moved to d'Artagnan who had already drawn his sword to attack.
In the lining of my skirts to my right, I felt the comforting weight of my stiletto knife concealed there. On my left, I also felt the weight of my latest weapon acquisition. A small, handheld crossbow with a pouch of crossbow bolts. I had noticed them in the market one day, imported from Spain and had taken a liking to it. It was easily hid, discreet, and easy for me to use. Although the bolts would not do a great deal of damage unless they struck a vital area, it would be more than enough to hinder an attacker.
Remaining calm and silently confident that I could protect those under my care, I followed the movements of our newfound enemy, whilst also watching the battles above. I could see little from my seat, other than Porthos and Aramis occasionally flickering into view, but I dared not try and rush to their aid. I was surrounded, and would likely only be thrown back or killed as a nuisance. I did not want to draw danger to Anne, nor could I give myself up so quickly when it was my duty to protect her and the dauphin. I stayed seated, one hand gripping Anne's and the other stretched over Marguerite to grasp Constance's.
When Marmion fired upon one of Rochefort's men, the sound burst like a clap of thunder in the echoing chamber. There were screams, little Louis wailed, and above us, all was silent. "One more step, and the king dies." Marmion announced plainly, giving us no choice but to remain completely still. Beside me a man had appeared and I caught the flash of a large, dull knife which was pressed against Anne's stomach. I could hear her trembling breaths, and I watched them like a hawk as my hand slipped into my skirt's lining.
Above Aramis shouted to Porthos, and I fought the urge to look up to them, focused only upon Anne. I could not see them, but from the lack of noise and disturbance, I guessed they had surrendered themselves. "There is no escape." Intending to douse all our hopes, Marmion continued to hold Rochefort at gunpoint whilst I remained half risen from my seat, staring at the blade against Anne's stomach. If there was so much as a twitch, then I was ready to cut that man's throat.
"End this now and the king might yet grant you clemency," making a play to negotiate for reason, Rochefort remained calm as he studied Marmion, who only arched a brow disbelievingly.
"Will you, sire? If I say sorry, will all my sins be forgiven?"
"Yes," King Louis answered, his voice remarkably stable considering a knife was still pointed towards him. "I will consider it." Marmion smirked coldly, a malicious gleam lurking in the depths of his harrowing gaze.
"We both know you would hang me from the nearest tree." I should hope so, it was no less than what he deserved for this. Not only the king, but placing Anne and the dauphin under threat…I could not accept this. "The die is cast. There is no turning back." Above, the voice of Aramis swelled to fill the room, calling down to Marmion to plead for his mercy.
"Show some compassion and at least let the women and the dauphin go." At that moment, the masked men removed their disguises and revealed their faces. At last I allowed myself to breathe, for the one holding a blade to Anne finally stepped away from her, but he exchanged his weapon for a pistol and stood like a haunting shadow behind her shoulder. Looking above, Marmion looked upon Aramis with an unreadable expression, and finally I tore my eyes away from Anne to watch Aramis. Slowly, Marmion turned aside and moved towards the stairs. No one spoke, other than infrequent whimpers of the courtiers, very little sound was made so I could hear with perfect clarity the sound of each step Marmion take to the balcony. My pulse boomed throughout my body, a constant and steady thrumming as I looked to where Aramis stood.
Marmion faced him, speaking quietly so I could only hear the indistinct murmur of their voices. A moment of silence. Then, a rising yell before all at once I heard the shattering of glass and splintering of wood as Marmion had dove upon Aramis and my dear friend vanished from my sight. Porthos bellowed furiously and a strangled cry arose from my throat, tangling itself within my emotions of shock and disbelief. An overwhelming fear took hold, and for a moment I could not breathe. Aramis…Aramis! Please God, please let him be alright, let him be alive…I could not bear to think of him otherwise.
Beside me, Anne and Marguerite both wore expressions of horror, but I could do nothing but try to console them even through my own sensation of dread. D'Artagnan began to fight once again, as did Porthos overhead, but d'Artagnan was swiftly beaten down and struck merciless by unrestrained blows. "Leave him alone!" Lunging to her feet, Constance shrieked as she attempted to drag one of the men away from d'Artagnan, only to be held back by another. All around me there were bursts of resistance, shouts and furious bellows consuming the weeping and cries of the women.
I made to try and pull Constance back to safety but I too was thrust down, a hand slamming against my cheek with so much force that my vision burst with bright speckles of light and my legs crumbled from shock, felling me to the floor. Anne cried out my name but I forced myself to push against the cold, unyielding floor. It was a welcome solidness as my head swam, blinking back the vision until the sound of another gunshot ripped through the chaos, silencing everyone once more.
My thoughts immediately turned to Porthos, a pang of fear for his life stabbing through me until I heard the distinct, rumbling growl of his voice carry across the open chamber. "I'm going to kill you." It was enough to tell me that he was alright. If he was making threats, then the bullet had not been meant for him. I exhaled softly and pushed myself to fall back into my seat once more, flexing my jaw which immediately throbbed with hurt. Another blow to the face, another bruise. The last had only just faded away, only to be replaced with another. I was quite irked, but I withheld my ire as Marmion addressed us once more. "I too, have lost friends. I too, know the anguish of bereavement. The powerlessness, the injustice."
"You talk too much." Silently I willed Porthos to be silent, but it was already too late. With a hand pressed to my aching face, I saw Marmion's expression droop into a hard grimace.
"Take him to the cellar." Above, I heard Porthos struggle, fighting every step of the way. I prayed they wouldn't hurt him, that we could all just survive this and walk away unscathed to find Aramis alive and well. Yet from that height…no. I would not allow myself to believe the worst. Somehow, Aramis would have survived. He would have made it possible in some manner, I simply…I simply have to hold onto hope. Marmion returned to us, now quiet and contemplative.
"You won't get away with this," Louis assured him, still restrained in his seat with a knife to his neck.
"You know the King's absence will be noted," d'Artagnan reasoned sensibly. "You don't think someone will come looking?"
"We have hours yet to entertain ourselves." Looking upon Marmion with a seething rage, Rochefort vowed to have his head for this treachery. Marmion gestured with a jerk of his chin. "Take him with the other." I thought Porthos would be none too pleased to have such company, but I could not dwell upon that matter for now. "That one can stay," looking to d'Artagnan, who bore the wounds of his beating with blood and bruises, Marmion had d'Artagnan forcibly restrained. "The game must be witnessed." Then he approached, and I tensed every muscle in my body as Marmion looked upon Constance. "You cared enough to defend him. Why?" She stared at him incredulously, yet responded with bravery.
"Because I care about him, and because he's my friend." Looking almost disappointed in her answer, Marmion had Constance tied together with d'Artagnan, stating that they could comfort one another since they were friends. I allowed myself to relax. So long as Constance was near d'Artagnan, no harm would come to her. I could appease myself of her safety and focus primarily upon the lives of the queen and the little prince, who were the sole purpose of my duty, and I swore I would not disappoint them. Not now, not ever.