Thanks for reading and leaving comments. At least, I hope you got to read chapter 61 as it kept disappearing over the past four days, along with chapters 59 and 60.

Slightly shorter chapter which has been proof read several times and heavily edited so apologies if some little errors have still manage to slip through. Several words and expressions I wanted to use but when I looked into the etymology, they were later e.g. 'kidding' (as in joking) which was 1677. I wanted to mention the garrison TOM cat but that was in the late 1700s. I even checked on 'hell breaking loose' - at least that was 1600! Even the French were not using the term 'billet doux' for a lovenote in the 1620s, despite its origins being Medieval French. It was used from the end of the 17th century.

Here, Porthos reacts to Treville's plan but there is time for some light hearted banter at long last.

CHAPTER 62

PORTHOS

"He said what?" I exclaim, abruptly straightening up an' forgettin' that Athos 'as at last fallen asleep against me, so my shout an' movement disturb 'im an' 'e starts stirrin'. I stopped thinkin' clearly as soon as Aramis started tellin' me about the conversation 'e's had with the Captain.

"Ssssh," Aramis orders an' lays a hand on Athos' chest in an attempt to quieten 'im again. "You'll wake him up."

We wait until 'e settles once more.

"Sorry," I say in a whisper, although in the silence of the infirmary, it still sounds rather loud. "What the hell is 'e doin' usin' Athos as bait?"

Aramis flaps 'is free 'and at me, a signal demandin' that I be even quieter, but I don't feel like bein' quiet right now. I just want to confront the Captain for 'is idiotic plan.

"That's exactly how I reacted at first," Aramis whispers, although it's more like an urgent hiss, the sort of noise a lidded pot makes as it's just about to boil over, "but he explained it to me. He's really thought about this, and it won't put Athos in any danger."

"How can you be so sure about that?" I demand through clenched teeth.

Aramis shrugs an' raises his eyebrows. "Well, it shouldn't put him in danger, not in theory anyway."

"An' just 'ow does this theory work then?"

"I was about to tell you," Aramis scolds, "but you need to be quiet long enough to give me the chance."

"Sorry," I mutter and frown as Athos shifts position again. 'E's restless an' that's not a good sign.

"We are a garrison so we can defend it. Tréville says he'll increase the guards when the message is delivered. Men will also specifically be posted outside the infirmary, back and front and, naturally, we'll be in here with Athos. There's no way that anyone would dare attempt to breach our security to get in here to harm him."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," I mutter, not convinced by any of it.

"Besides," Aramis continues, warmin' to 'is subject and soundin' more an' more enthusiastic, "he says it won't even come to that because the plan is for Ferel to hand over the message - "

"The one supposedly from Bircann but written by Tréville sayin' that he wants Athos dead," I interrupt, wantin' to get things clear once an' for all.

"That's the one," Aramis says, a hint of frustration creepin' into his voice now.

"An' why is that?" I ask.

Aramis takes a deep breath an' I'm thinkin' that it's lucky I'm holdin' Athos right now as Aramis looks as though he might like to hit me.

"Just listen, will you?" He's frownin' at me. "When Ferel hands over the message, a lot of hidden Musketeers will leap out and arrest both of them."

"But I thought you said Ferel was goin' to be freed and given money as a reward?"

"He is eventually but he'll be arrested at the same time so that the messenger and, ultimately, his master don' t think that he betrayed them deliberately. We don't want any remaining people loyal to Bircann or the traitor coming after Ferel and his family. He'll be able to live freely and without fear with his wife and child."

"And that's the plan?" There must be more to it than this.

"That's the plan," Aramis says smugly. "You see, there is no danger to Athos at all, but the Captain refuses to take any chances. Besides, if Athos were to know about it, he'd probably agree to being used like this."

"That's a big assumption you an' the Captain are makin' here." To me, the idea's not gettin' any better with clarification.

"I suppose it is, but you know Athos would be – Hello," he breaks off, much to my surprise, until I realise he's lookin' at an' talkin' to Athos.

"I didn't realise that you were awake," Aramis rushes on. "Sorry we disturbed you. Did you hear any of our conversation?"

I'm not sure whether he wants Athos to 'ave missed it so 'e has no notion of what's bein' planned for 'im, or whether Aramis is willin' 'im to agree to it. I feel an' see Athos 'head move in one of 'is curt, no-nonsense nods. One nod, that's it. The thing that I can safely say hasn't changed is the way Athos is economical in everythin' 'e does. He's even started to make a limited range of signs and facial expressions that we're learnin' to interpret so he can communicate with us.

"How much did you hear?" Aramis watches 'im intently, but I can't see any response until he moves a hand languidly in a circular motion. Aramis frowns again as he tries to work out the meanin'. "Do you mean all of it?" Athos nods again an' Aramis takes a deep breath. "What do you think of the plan?"

'E's worded it badly so it's difficult for Athos to respond an' he must've pulled a face because Aramis hurries to rephrase it.

"Do you agree with the plan?"

There's an infinitesimal pause an' then Athos nods.

"You 'aven't had the time to think this through properly," I insist gruffly but Athos leans to the left an' turns 'is head so 'e can look up at me.

That's when I see it: the look of grim determination; the one that says 'e won't change 'is mind so we'd better give up trying to make 'im see things another way. Athos the Musketeer is comin' back to us, one falterin' step at a time.

Except, of course, he actually isn't in any fit state to take any steps, nor can 'e defend 'imself if necessary."

"It is a message, nothing more," Aramis insists but I'm not sure just who e's tryin' to convince. "It's merely something for the messenger to read should he open it."

My jaw drops an' I'm about to make a comment concernin' the messenger breaking the seal, readin' things not destined for 'is eyes an' thus alertin' the traitor an' makin''him distrust everythin' and everyone, but I think better of it and my mouth snaps shut.

Aramis must be readin' my mind though.

"Perhaps his master has given him permission to read the messages when he collects them," Aramis says lamely. "What!" he exclaims, an' I know that Athos has pulled a face at 'im.

I wish I'd seen it. Athos 'as a way about him. The single raised eyebrow that says so much: surprise, disbelief, the 'who do you think you're talkin to?' look or the 'are you tryin' to jest?' look. Then he does that fixed glare with 'is green eyes, or else he rolls 'em in disgust or even despair, but 'e usually keeps that for Aramis. I've seen 'im cow many a man with just a look, no words needed, an' all before 'e draws 'is sword. Get to that part an' I know all hell is goin' to break loose!

A cold shiver runs down my back an' I wonder if I'll ever see that skill with a sword again an' I reprimand myself for thinkin' the worst. He may 'ave his setbacks but we're seein' the progress too an' I repeat, it's still very early days.

This is turnin' into the longest period he's been awake an' as Aramis helps him to drink an' feeds him again, we talk about all sorts of nonsense an' I realise that Aramis is beginnin' to relax more too; he's losin' that haunted look of the past few weeks.

We've been so preoccupied with searchin' for an' then lookin' after Athos that Aramis' usual activities with the ladies have been non-existent, but he regales us with yarns about lovelorn females sendin' little messages to the garrison, protestin' their love and wantin' to know when they can expect to see him again. Whether 'e has received such sweet notes or it's more wishful thinkin' on his part, I really don't know, but he's entertainin' an' keeps us amused.

Me? All I have to tell from today is 'ow the garrison cat sneaked into the kitchen and was about to drink a bowl of fresh milk when Serge caught sight of 'im, went to see 'im off with a broom handle and caught the kitchen boy with the back swing. Knocked the boy senseless, he did, for a minute or two, but the lad's recovered an' spinnin' his own exaggerated story to anyone' who'll listen as to how he's sportin' an impressive black eye.

An' then there's Delacroix who thought he'd defy the Captain's orders about exercisin' out the back because he's a pest. I heard it from Loriet when I went outside for some air. He was askin' after Athos an' then told me. The Captain was leavin' for the palace when he caught sight of Delacroix skulkin' in a corner, fully intendin' to come out an' be noisy in the yard once Tréville had gone. He sent 'im to the trainin' grounds an' stood, arms folded, watchin' him go. Only the stable boy had brought out the Captain's horse an' it'd stood an' dropped a huge pile of dung. The animal must've been holdin' it in all night to let loose that lot! Anyway, the horse moved, Delacroix wasn't lookin' where he was goin', stood in it, slipped, his legs goin' up higher than 'is head, an' he came down hard on 'is back an' lay there in it. Caused a lot of laughter, it did, an' even the Captain couldn't hide a smirk.

Eventually, exhausted by our stories, Athos falls asleep an' Aramis an' I carry on talkin' in low voices. At one point, he stops, looks at me an' smiles.

"You can set him down once he's asleep," he says softly.

I look at my brother in my arms an' choke up.

"I know," I manage at last, "but it's not easy. We came so close to losin' him this time an' it's not as if everythin' is right now we've got 'im. He's hurtin' so bad. It's madness but sometimes, I'm so frightened that if I let 'im go, he'll just disappear again an' for good this time. There'll come a time soon when 'e won't let me do this but until then …" I let the sentence tail off as my voice starts to betray me.

Durin' all of our talkin', Aramis has been sitting with a hand on Athos' arm. He looks at me an' I see his dark eyes brimmin' with unshed tears even as he smiles. We've both been unmanned like this far too often in recent weeks.

"I understand what you mean," he gently admits. "I touch him to make sure he is really here and not some figment of my imagination. Ridiculous, isn't it?" he asks.

"Yes," I answer gruffly, "but understandable." The bond between the three of us is very strong, although it came so close to bein' broken. "Help me get 'im settled then."

Together, we work to make Athos comfortable, his head supported by pillows and the blanket pulled up to his shoulders. I pour two goblets of wine and pass one to Aramis as we sink onto the chairs by the bed and prepare ourselves for another precious vigil, taking it in turns to sleep through the night hours.

But even as we talk quietly about the days ahead, Athos rolls onto his side, drawin' up his knees as he attempts to make himself as small as possible an' again we cannot help but wonder just how long worrying traits like this are going to last.