Returning to my task, I moved more slowly this time, wanting to be as quiet as possible. I listened to the click the lock made, wincing each time until I had finally released the lock. Gesturing to the queen and Marguerite, I had them stand in the furthest corner possible with the prince before slowly, ever so slowly, I opened the door. At first just a crack, pulling one towards me as they swung inwards to look at what lay beyond. From what I could see in the first room, there was nothing, but I saw the dark robe of a guard sitting through the open frame on the other side of the wall.
Turning back to Anne and Marguerite, I once again motioned for them to stay, pressing a finger to my lips before creeping outside. I stepped lightly, glancing to the floorboards as I attempted to avoid making them creak. Thankfully, I was light enough that they did not betray my presence, and in my hand I gripped my knife readily. Moving to the side, I lingered by the open doorway, holding my breath all the while as I listened to the man's deep breaths. Having no choice, I girded my resolve then swung my arm around the corner of the frame. With a long, clean movement, I cut the man's throat.
The blade severed deeply through the flesh and the man immediately jerked and quivered, hands clutching towards his neck as blood spurted intensely between his fingers. He dropped to the ground and convulsed, gurgling and choking upon his own blood as I stood over him, bloodied knife in hand. I felt no emotion. No pity. No remorse. His judgment was in the hands of God now, as too will mine one day. In a matter of moments, the guard fell still and breathed no more, deep crimson pools beginning to bloom under him as the last of his blood seeped free from the slash.
Thinking of the queen and Margeurite, I quickly pulled at the man's outer robes, hefting them up his body to cover his face so that they would not see either the wound or the blood, or the sightless eyes staring into the void. Now feeling a little nauseous, I choked back the feeling and returned to the queen and Margeurite who both rushed towards me as I nodded to signal it was clear. Suddenly footfalls sounded once again, and immediately I whirled around with my knife raised defensively. The footfalls increased in pace, all but running with ascending rhythm and urgency until the doors to our room were flung open.
Aramis burst inside, staggering to a halt as the alarm and panic he bore rapidly gave way to profound relief. I whispered his name, choking upon emotion as my dagger fell to my side as Anne naturally moved towards him. Falling to his knees, Aramis grasped her hands in his to gaze upon her as he murmured softly, all of us sharing in gladness to see him alive, just as I had known. "We thought you were dead!" Anne gasped, barely containing her joy as Aramis continued to look at her intently.
"Are you all unharmed?" His eyes flickered then, to myself and Marguerite as I held a hand over my mouth to keep a sob from tearing free. Salt and water stung my eyes, hot like boiled water as I blinked and tears fell. Anne assured him that we were well, looking to me with a smile to say that I had been their courage and in the process of orchestrating their escape. Aramis looked to me gratefully, and my smile widened simply to gaze upon him. Alive. I thanked God for his grace and mercy. "And the King?"
"Alive when we left him." Sighing audibly, Aramis allowed himself to kiss Anne's hands devotedly, expressing his relief in the only manner he was permitted.
"If I hadn't found you in time…"
"Once again, you are my saviour." Speaking before Aramis could say something that might betray them, Anne then took note of the pendant he wore around his neck, the very same one she had gifted to him as a reward for protecting her all that time ago amidst a prison riot. "You still wear it."
"Always." Rising to his feet, Aramis made for the door to ensure that no one else had come, but Marguerite followed him and quickly flung his arms around his neck, thanking God that he was alive. Although she could not see it, Anne and I caught the uneasy expression Aramis wore as he hesitantly returned the embrace. Lifting little Louis into her arms, Anne waited until Marguerite released Aramis, bashfully looking to us with a rosy blush.
"Forgive me, your majesty. I'm forgetting myself."
"Your joy is understandable," Anne allowed as Aramis deftly stepped away from Marguerite to approach, looking upon his son with an expression only a father could bear. "I share it." Stepping in his way, the movement naturally pulled his attention away from the dauphin as I remained aware that Marguerite was still present and watching.
"Are you hurt, Aramis?" Worrying for him, I naturally stroked at his hair to reveal several cuts to his face, touching them lightly to see how deep they were, but he did not flinch so I allowed myself to think they were superficial. "Do not think I did not notice your limp just now."
"Nothing escapes your keen eye, sweet Madeleine." He charmed me with his smile as my hand found his and clutched at it tightly. Breathing back the desire to shudder and descend into fits of weeping, I allowed myself instead to lean against him for a moment.
"You know not the fear I felt to see you fall, Aramis. Do not ever let me experience such dread terror again." Feeling his fingers lightly press under my chin, I lifted my head to look upon him, where his expression had gentled and an arm had placed itself around me to hold me in a tender embrace.
"As the comtesse commands," scowling, I flicked my hand against him in a scolding manner before stepping away. He went immediately to his son, and there was nothing I could do to quell that desire in him. The queen spoke to him, assuring Aramis that little Louis was unharmed and now better for his presence and protection. The moment was intimate, the closeness they expressed was palpable in the air as I noticed Marguerite frown slightly. I cleared my throat, a warning to Anne to remind her of our predicament and our lack of privacy. She straightened herself, drawing away from Aramis.
"One day he will come to know the loyalty and bravery of his musketeers as I do." She ended, and Aramis also returned to his senses.
"We have to get you out of here." Taking one of his pistols, he handed it to Marguerite who continued to frown deeply, unnoticed by Aramis or Anne as he took little Louis into his arms. Anne protested, insisting that she could not leave the king, but Aramis gave her a firm look as I did the same, coming to Aramis's side as I drew my knife once more and also pulled out the small single handed crossbow, fitted with a bolt. "His first concern will be the safety of the dauphin. Make sure you stay close to me."
"I will go first, my weapons are relatively silent and will draw less attention if I must use them," unable to deny this, Aramis nodded and waited for me to lead the way. There halls were eerily quiet, almost as if to compensate for expressing the dying screams of those unfortunate souls. I asked Aramis if he had seen who those death screams had belonged to, and he assured me it was not Constance, or d'Artagnan. Only three unfortunate courtiers. I made a silent prayer for their souls, then pressed onwards. Stepping ahead of the others, they lingered at corners and doorways where it was safe, only moving when I signalled for them.
If I saw a robed figure, an unfamiliar face guarding our exit, then I raised my crossbow and squeezed the trigger. The cord snapped forwards to send the bolt flying. It was less powerful than my usual bow and arrows, but over short distances it served well enough. I aimed to kill them quickly, aiming for their vulnerable spots as they wore no armour from what I could tell. A bolt to the heart was a certain death sentence, and with every use I became more accurate with the weapon. I was glad to have purchased it.
Arriving at the stairs, Aramis remained back once more with Anne, Margeurite and the dauphin, allowing me to go first once more when I insisted. I caught sight of someone at the base of the steps, guarding the door. There was no way for me to move forwards without being noticed, so I took a breath before moving quickly but quietly. I was spotted instantly, Aramis and the others following closely now but pausing by the wall where they were shielded from view. I made to rush forwards, preparing to shoot the moment the man came into sight, but suddenly the open stairway carried the sound of a sharp grunt.
The sound of something soft hitting something hard followed, and I frowned at the unexpected turn. I rounded the corner, crossbow raised to find the guard dead upon the ground with a knife in his back. A figure shifted from the bottom of the stairs, stepping into view with a pistol raised, however when I recognised the sight of my brother, I almost cried out and collapsed with relief. "Athos!" Removing the bolt from the crossbow and letting the cord tension slacken, I sprinted forwards and jumped the final steps to fall directly into his awaiting arms.
"Thank God…thank God you're safe…" the words whispered into my hair as Athos held me close to him, arms enveloping me completely as his kisses peppered themselves against my head. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"
"I am well, brother. Only glad to see you." An incomparable ease fell over me, all tension and worry loosening its grip upon me until I could breathe calmly without the sickening knots in my stomach ever tightening. Exhaling deeply, Athos took my face into my hands and kissed my forehead, holding me there for several long moments as the others descended after me. Seeing Aramis, I felt Athos initially tense in shock before quickly correcting himself. Arms still encircled around me, he watched as Aramis approached.
"I heard you broke a window."
"Better that than my neck," Aramis returned almost jokingly, so I scathingly ordered him not to jest about such things. Delivering one final kiss to my brow, Athos moved to retrieve his knife as Anne sighed his name with gladness to see him, looking far more at ease to see the musketeers had arrived in force. When Treville appeared from the stairs, he too exhaled with relief to see her and the dauphin.
"Oh, your majesty. Thank God you're safe."
"It's good to see you, Captain." I made forwards, intending to stay beside Anne but stopped short when Milady appeared. She too halted upon looking at me, both of us caught in a deadlock as our eyes met and neither one of us could bring ourselves to move. I feared if I so much as twitched, my fingers would jump to close around her throat. Rochefort breezed between us, seemingly cutting through the cord of tension which allowed me to take a breath as Athos knowingly placed a firm grip upon my arm.
"God was watching over you, your majesty," I dimly heard Rochefort say, only for Anne to correct him that both God and the musketeers were watching over her. My gaze fixated once more upon Milady, who now looked away and started up the stairs.
"We would not have known you were in danger had she not come for us," Athos murmured to me, resting his head against mine as every muscle I possessed screamed from the tension I held upon them. "I would not have known you were in danger."
"She cannot be trusted, Athos," seething quietly, my thumb rubbed against the trigger of my crossbow, wishing I had not disarmed it so that I could at least shoot at her and cause her some form of injury, a small exaction of pain which she had inflicted upon my family because of her actions. "I do not care if she brought the archangels of heaven. I will never trust her…and I will never forgive her." Hushing me softly, Athos brushed at my hair and turned me aside to soothe me, reminding me that the danger was not yet over.
"Go with the queen and the dauphin, keep them safe. That is all you should focus upon, Madeleine, as well as keeping yourself safe." Knowing he was right, I nodded acceptingly before moving towards Anne, looking over little Louis who, despite the terror and commotion around him, was sound asleep. It was then I saw Porthos, and blearily in the back of my mind I chastised myself that I should have realised sooner that he was here. He was with Aramis, looking just as glad as I had felt upon seeing him alive after his fall.
"Next time try using the door, alright?" Allowing himself a smile, Rochefort interrupted any further words we might have shared, even as I opened my mouth to call to Porthos and say something. Anything. I did not care what.
"This is all very moving, but can we get on with the business of saving the king?" Closing my mouth, a thousand words danced on the tip of my tongue as I looked at Porthos. For a moment he glanced to me, and I saw his shoulders sink with an exhale of air as he glanced me over. Something lingered in his expression, his dark, soulful eyes resting upon me. He too looked as if he wanted to say something, his mouth opening, but then my dolt of a brother interrupted by speaking first.
"Get the queen to safety," he ordered Aramis and I, giving Aramis a particularly firm look as Anne moved forwards. He lowered his voice to Aramis, continuing that same stern expression. "And come straight back." Turning aside, my brother's hand brushed naturally against mine as I moved after Anne and Marguerite, no longer daring to look at Porthos. Again I received the sense that he wished to say something, but could not firm the words, so I simply left. Aramis and I brought the queen and the dauphin back to the carriage which still awaited where we left it.
"Will we be safe here, do you think?" I asked once we were away from the fort, but still I did not feel at ease. "Should I take them back to the palace immediately?"
"No, wait for us here. If we are not back in half an hour or you feel you are in danger, get her majesty and the dauphin as far away from here as fast as you can." Aramis instructed so I nodded, promising I would do so. "I leave that which is precious to me in your care, sweet Madeleine." Understanding his worry, I smiled softly as I brushed at his hair, touching lightly at the graze upon his handsome face.
"They are safe with me, dear Aramis. Just bring Constance and d'Artagnan back safely, and ensure that Marmion is brought to justice." Bowing quickly, Aramis sprinted back down the hill, leaving me as the only protection for Anne and little Louis, but it was all they needed. Marguerite sobbed quietly, releasing her woe and fright until it was all spent from her body. I paced back and forth, constantly alert for any sign of movement, gripping my small weapons whilst practically counting down the seconds.
It was the sweetest relief of all when finally before the half hour was over we saw figures arising up the path, and all of them familiar in shape and stature. The musketeers had proven themselves once again, for the king was with them, safe and unharmed. More importantly in my mind, Constance was also present. She hurried up the hill as Anne finally began to succumb to her emotion, gasping tearfully until she welcomed Constance into her embrace and I rushed to join them. We stood together, we three, and I felt nothing but the purest delight to be able to hold them in safety and warmth.
We each embraced those who were precious to us, and I even kissed Treville upon his cheek as I held his hands, thanking God that he had come. It put my mind at ease knowing that Treville had been here to take command, for the musketeers always followed him wherever he led without fear or hesitation. I embraced Athos and Aramis, and then I turned to Porthos, who was holding his right shoulder a little tenderly. It drew my attention, but when I reached to see if he was wounded, he jerked himself away. Hurt stung me, sharp and cold. Curling my fingers back, I returned my hand to my side. "Are you…hurt?" I asked instead, moving a step back to give him the distance he so clearly wished for.
"I'm fine, just dislocated it but it's back in now." Blinking slowly, I waited to see if Porthos would say anything further. He did not. I managed a shaky smile, bearing myself up as best as I was able and forced a brightness to my tone.
"Well, I am glad you are alright in any case. For an eclipse, it was quite an eventful spectacle, wouldn't you say?" Forcing a chuckle, I turned aside and walked away, feeling a hollow sensation within me. It only lessened when I happened to look up and see Constance fly down the hill to fling herself into d'Artagnan's arms, speaking earnestly before they were locked in one another's embrace, lips pressed against lips and seemingly oblivious to all the world and everyone who observed them. I smiled to myself. A gentle glow of happiness for my friend filled the emptiness within myself, and despite my own aching loneliness, I was glad that at the very least, Constance had resolved herself to love openly and freely with a man who deserved her, and she too deserved him. Perhaps now we might have a little more happiness to content ourselves with, a little more joy to overcome the horrific nightmares we had just endured. I prayed it would be so, because I expected some of us would be haunted by these memories for a long, long time.