"No!" D'Artagnan shouted vehemently.
"You shouldn't have come, girl. Most unhealthy." Rochefort sighed. Felice leaned on her left side, reaching out across the floor, trying to grab her gun. D'Artagnan lunged and angrily tackled the large man to the ground, and snatching one of Rochefort's guns, he slammed it across the back of his head, and Rochefort went lax. D'Artagnan rose to his feet.
"Felice!" He cried and started toward her when the entire ship lurched from another explosion. He was ruthlessly thrown back against the wall he'd just tried to escape through. The wind knocked out of him, he lay there, seemingly unconscious.
Rochefort's airship was teetering in the air, like a canoe in choppy water. Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and Planchet were giving it all they had, while Constance and Kitty hid behind them. Planchet fired the flamethrower into the ship's balloon. Then, the vessel crashed into one of the large buildings in the Paris skyline. Jusaac and his men panicked, tossing their cannons overboard and any other heavy equipment.
"Everyone, hold on!" Porthos yelled, brace yourselves!" He hovered over Kitty and Constance as their own ship beached itself atop of the larger one. They all stumbled, but no one was hurt. "You alright, lassies?" Porthos asked.
"Yes." Constance said, trembling. Kitty lurched forward and vomited again on the floor. This turbulent battle was too much for her to take in at once. Constance rubbed her back.
"Is everyone alright?" Athos asked.
"I...think so." Aramis coughed.
"Good. Now let's finish this." Athos said.
"Shall we?" Aramis gave Porthos a knowing grin. Together, they lept off the edge of the ship, digging into the balloon of Rochefort's ship, slashing the cloth straight down the side.
Rochefort raised his head, trying to get his bearings. D- that little Gascon yokel! He'd whomped him a nice goose egg on the back of his head! Rochefort glanced around and to his pleasure, saw the fiery boy lying limp on the ground, obviously out cold. Something flashed brightly near his face. The diamonds! Gloating, he grabbed them. He stood up and marched down to the other end of the damaged room. Looking down, he saw Felice clutching her bleeding stomach, crouching. He smirked, and gave her a jarring kick in the ribs, forcing the breath out of her.
"Adieu, Gascon scum." He said to the both of them then climbed out.
Aramis and Porthos had made short work of the Cardinal's men. "Let's find D'Artagnan." Aramis puffed with satisfaction.
D'Artagnan blinked, trying to shake the fogginess from his brain. The back of his head was sore. "Wha-" He groaned. Then he remembered, they were being attacked. Rochefort...Felice...Felice! D'Artagnan clumsily raised himself on his hands and knees, and forced himself on his feet. He staggered, shuffling his way across the floor. He found his sister , lying listless, breathing heavily. "No...Felice…" D'Artagnan whimpered. He removed his coat, and pressed it against her side, then grabbed her hands and palpated them to keep pressure. "He's never gonna hurt you again!" D'Artagnan cried through clenched teeth. He drew his rapier, and scrambled up the stairs. Rochefort was going to pay for what he'd done!
Rochefort was strolling away, atop the roof of the citadel, leaving his scattering men, what remained of them, to fend for themselves. He had the diamonds. He could blackmail the Cardinal into giving him a promotion, maybe then the man would stop berating him. But, to his chagrin, a short figure on a rope from the mast swung across the air to meet him and landed on the eave, blocking his path. "Ahh. You just refuse to die, don't you? So. you have risen from the ashes yet again, eh? No matter. I shall not break a sweat when I kill you." Rochefort shrugged.
D'Artagnan fenced his sword, glowering. "You shot my sister!" He seethed tearfully.
"Afraid it was unavoidable." Rochefort sighed scornfully.
"You did her wrong once before. That was more than enough! The price you shall pay for that alone is long overdue." D'Artagnan shifted closer.
"We shall see." Rochefort sneered.
"D'Artagnan! Felice! D'Artagnan!" Porthos and Aramis called, while searching the underbelly of the splintered vessel. They heard ragged breathing. Aramis shuffled over to the shadows, checking.
"No! Felice!" He exclaimed. His heart dropped into this throat. Porthos whipped his head around. Aramis was stooping next to Felice who was lying on the ground, her hands bloodstained. She was barely conscious. "Oh, Lord! Felice, speak to me!" Aramis begged, cupping her face.
"A-Aramis…" Felice gritted her teeth. Aramis pulled her up, causing her to gasp in pain from the kick in the ribs, and he held her closely against his chest. Porthos jerked his large, very expensive, very handsome handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to the priest. Aramis took it gratefully and pressed it to her wound to staunch the bleeding. Felice clutched his arm, gasping.
"I've got you." Aramis told her gently. She was very pale, struggling to breathe.
"Rochefort?" Porthos growled.
"Ye-ye…" Felice nodded.
"Porthos, find the swine and make him pay!" Aramis yelled indignantly. "Get to him before he does away with D'Artagnan too! I've got to get her back on board." Porthos hesitated, worried about their first little charge. "Porthos! Go!" Aramis reminded him. Porthos briskly raced back out, furiously on the hunt for the cockroach who had been nothing but a bloody pain to them. Well, it was time for this roach to be squished!
Aramis slipped his arms under Felice, while she held her side tightly. He quickly stood on his feet. She yelped painfully as Aramis shifted her weight in his arms. "I'm sorry. Just hold on, Felice." He told her anxiously. "It'll be alright, darling. It'll be alright." He rushed up the stairs, and outside. "ATHOS!" He called out loudly. "A little help!"
Oh no! What about D'Artagnan?