Many thanks to all who have read and left comments so far. It is always so encouraging when people like what has been written.

So, now we go back to the beginning of events to begin to unravel what has happened that has caused such tension within the regiment.

RICHELIEU 36 days earlier

"No! No! She cannot do this to me; would not do it. Not again!" the King wails, his legs giving way beneath him so that, rather than sitting, he collapses in an undignified heap onto the chair that is fortuitously set behind him. He pulls out a fine linen kerchief and begins to weep copiously.

I glance at Tréville who stands there like an immovable rock, feet slightly apart, weight evenly distributed and arms folded across his body. I can almost see the tension radiating off him and it has been thus ever since I gave him the news in advance of informing the King. The decision to tell him first was not taken lightly; it certainly would have saved me time and effort to tell the two men simultaneously, but careful reflection and bitter past experience convinced me that I would require the Captain's assistance in dealing with the King, who would undoubtedly take my news badly.

It seems that I am right and, contrary to what people believe of me, I do not always delight in being correct and this is definitely one such occasion. Louis Bourbon is my King and I am his closest – no, his chief advisor. I am First Minister of France and it is my responsibility and duty to advise and to protect. Part of that protection is to maintain a highly efficient network of spies and it is as a result of the intense work of some of them that I am now in possession of some alarming details.

"She is under my roof! Here within the palace! Surely she cannot be plotting more treachery!"

Louis dabs at his eyes and lifts his head, his expression one of naked pain and my breath catches. He had set such store by this visit: his mother's appeal to spend valuable and restorative time with him; to make amends for her past misdeeds. Apparently, all lies. There is little I can do to soften the blow; in such matters, honesty is the best and only policy.

"My people have been watching her and Bircann for some time," I begin.

"And you never saw fit to tell me this before?" Tréville interrupts and everything about the man screams his suppressed anger. Louis looks rapidly from him to me and then speaks, his voice cracking.

"You have been watching my mother? Why?"

I sigh and refrain from the caustic comment that is on my lips about it being obvious and turn to Louis, who sits wide-eyed. "Sire, I believed it necessary, and I have maintained a vigilance over her activities since her last attempt to wrest power from you. Her messengers were followed to identify her contacts. When it became clear that she had resumed her communications with Bircann – and given his involvement on that last attempt – he was also placed under close scrutiny. My actions were justified when he responded and exchanged a number of missives with her."

Louis' turmoil now turned to undisguised anger.

"And knowing this, you encouraged me to give in to her entreaty and allow her to come to Paris and stay within the palace? What were you thinking? Why have you allowed this? And knowing what you do, how is it that he has been permitted to take a house within the city walls?"

Tréville studies me with that infuriating manner he has and raises an eyebrow questioningly.

"You know the adage, Sire. 'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.' Besides, until they both came to Paris, there was no evidence. My people intercepted the earlier messages, but there was nothing incriminating in them; they were very carefully couched. I had a code breaker spend time on them but to no avail."

"Then what prompted your suspicions?" Tréville asks.

I glance at the soldier, expecting an element of sarcasm but, surprisingly, discover none. He is serious in his inquiry and I know his mind is already exploring how to proceed in the face of this renewed danger to our monarch.

"There have been reports that he is increasing his militia at a time when we have not requested him to supply arms and men. He has also made repeated contact with at least two other nobles whose loyalty to you, Sire, has been questionable for a while. Similar activity is happening on their estates."

I see Louis processing my latest pronouncement, his face ashen.

"He is forming an army," Tréville declares, "but to what end? He surely cannot hope to gather enough men to attack Paris?"

Both the Captain and I know that such intent has happened before.

"I suspect that he will wait until he has sufficient numbers before he makes a move. The last intelligence I received was that no body of men had departed from his estate although," and here I hesitate, "I have learned this morning that one of the other nobles is on the march, with a sizeable body of men.

"Are they coming to Paris?" Tréville frowns at the implication.

"Not yet. They are maintaining a distance heading eastwards at least three days south of the city."

"Who dares to go against me?" the King hisses, his eyes fixed upon me.

"The Comte d'Aubrey, Sire. The other is the Baron Deauville."

"With Bircann in the north-east, d'Aubrey to the south and Deauville in the west, they are preparing to move into position surrounding Paris," Treville states. I am begrudgingly impressed by his knowledge as to their location without recourse to documents.

I see the conflicting emotions on the King's face. "Tell me they cannot amass enough men." His voice quivers as he looks to Tréville in desperate hope.

"As it stands, they possibly have an advantage, Sire, but it would be prudent for us to plan. If they were to attack on the three fronts, it would divide and weaken the Musketeers and Red Guard to defend those points. We must consider reaching out to the nearest nobles to request reinforcements."

Louis grips the arms of his chair. "Civil war on the streets of Paris!"

"It will not come to that, Your Majesty," I reassure him. "Bircann does not know that we are aware of any threat. That can only work in our favour. He will be apprehended before that; the others will consequently be deterred, and we will seize them at our convenience."

"You sound very sure of yourself, Armand."

I take a deep breath. "Your mother has sent messages to him from within this palace and she has not been so circumspect in her comments. It seems that being here and in close proximity to yourself have combined to imbue her with a reckless confidence." I pause for greater effect.

"I have read her letters, made copies and now believe that we have all the proof we need."