Thank you to all who have been reading and following the story so far. Still early days though.
36 days earlier
ATHOS
"You three, with me."
The order is curt and familiar, the Captain not even breaking his stride as he passes the table where we are sitting and mounts the stairs leading to his office. Porthos reluctantly drops a chunk of bread onto his platter and grabs a last mouthful of stew before he is willing to follow Aramis and me.
I am confident that we are not facing any discipline as we have managed to avoid trouble for several days now and by that, I mean that we have not had any unfortunate encounters with the Cardinal's Red Guard. It can only mean that there is a task for us and, given the Captain's short temper in the days since the King's mother arrived at the palace, I am anticipating that whatever we are being asked to do will be related to her in some way.
"Close the door."
Porthos, the last in, does as bidden and takes up his place next to Aramis as we await further instruction, but the Captain suddenly seems disinterested in our presence and turns his back on us, one arm on the window frame to brace himself as he looks out beyond the room.
The three of us exchange perplexed glances for we can see from the set of the taut shoulders and the sharp intakes of breath that the Captain is attempting to control his temper. We continue to stand there in a respectful silence until Aramis nudges me and nods his head towards Tréville's rigid back. It is incumbent upon me to speak first.
"What is the matter? What has happened at the palace? Is it the Dowager Queen?"
The Captain wheels round to fix us with a hard stare and then, just as suddenly, his shoulders sag and he lowers himself into the chair behind his desk.
"It is indeed that woman."
And he proceeds to tell us that Marie de Medici is embroiled in yet another plot against her son and has the audacity to spearhead it from within the confines of the palace with a noble named Bircann. He informs us of the rest of the conversation with the King and the Cardinal at the palace, about the gathering forces and the threat they pose to the city, the crown and France should their nefarious plans succeed.
"We know they do not yet have the numbers that their last attempt involved and as long as it remains that way, then it all works to the good for us. It also helps us that they have no idea we are aware of what they are doing," Tréville explains and rubs a hand over his tired face."
Porthos frowns. "Who else is involved?"
Tréville names a comte and a baron. I have never heard of the latter but have a little knowledge of the comte, although it has been some time since he last showed his face at court. There could have been many reasons for that, of course, but now we have an idea of something more pressing. Disgruntled for some reason, he has decided upon his own course of action. I picture him in my mind and the pervading image is that of a short, unpleasant, ill-tempered and angular man; of someone who is comprised of bony limbs out of proportion with the rest of his body and a long, thin face with a jutting chin made even more prominent by the cut of his beard.
But he is of a lesser concern.
It is when the Captain mentions Charles Bircann that I detect the slightest reaction from him. The muscles tighten around the mouth as though he is clenching his teeth and the lines around his eyes are etched deep. I try to dredge from memory what I know of Bircann but there is nothing more than what the Captain has just said to us.
"It is decided that we will apprehend Marie de Medici and Bircann at the same time and as soon as possible. The Musketeers are responsible for capturing Bircann whilst the Cardinal's Red Guard will arrest the Dowager Queen. Athos, you and I will decide how we will affect this plan and then we will go back to the palace to meet Richelieu. Aramis and Porthos, I need you to be discreet; no-one is to know what we are about, not yet."
They both nod, affirming their understanding.
"Porthos, I want you in the armoury checking weapons and ammunition; I have no idea as yet how many men I will be taking, but prepare for at least thirty. Aramis, I need you to check supplies in the infirmary in case all this escalates, and then join Porthos."
"You said 'as soon as possible'," Aramis begins. "Can you be any more specific?"
There is no hesitation. "Early tomorrow morning."
Porthos exhales noisily.
"That's why," Tréville continues, "there is to be no word to anyone outside of this room as to what we are about. Secrecy is paramount. There is to be no chance of Bircann learning that I am coming for him."
His choice of words is interesting, but I keep my face impassive as Aramis and Porthos leave to carry out their respective tasks.
"Pull up a chair," and the Captain indicates the space at the end of his desk. I do as bidden, placing the chair so that I am sitting to his left at right angles. He deliberately busies himself, clearing the surface of papers. The usual piles are not in evidence and there is room enough for us to work, but I recognise that he is stalling for some reason and I make no attempt to assist him. The signs are bad. He gathers fresh paper, re-arranges several writing implements, retrieves the duty roster for today and tomorrow from a drawer and pulls a map of Paris from the shelf behind him. In the meantime, I remove my doublet, hang it over the back of my chair and resume my scrutiny of him.
'I am coming for him?'" I use his own words, but the quiet emphasis is all mine. "What makes me think that you and this Charles Bircann have history?"