The Female Musketeer

Chapter 30 | Ainsi Commence L'Histoire

I was eye to eye with the enemy, I had never felt stronger. I was letting myself lose for a few minutes but it was time to go for the kill. With one final push of energy, I was victorious.

"Damn!" Aramis hits the table defeated.

"Four times in a row, Aramis you are loosing your touch." Porthos holds back a laugh.

"So I'm a little out of shape. I will reclaim my arm wrestling title one day, just you wait!"

I reach over and pat his arm. He pouts and we begin to saddle the horses. Treville had been kind enough to let Shakespeare stay at the Garrison stables for the time being, but she loved being surrounded by other horses. 

"Are you ready?" Porthos Asks as He and Aramis mount their horses.

Aramis scoffs at him "Of course she is, look at her she's glowing."

"Yeah from the sweat of beating you at arm wrestling."

Aramis scowls at him and turns back to me.
"You're gonna be amazing."

I climb onto Shakespeare and hold my head up.
"Thank you, both of you."

Aramis moves a lock of his long hair from his face. "It's what I do."

"It's what we do." Porthos corrects him.

"That's what I meant, of course."

I laugh and we begin to steer the horses out of the yard.

When we arrived in the palace grounds, I could hear a crowd of people buzzing about in the garden. When I walked into view of them, they all fell nearly silent. They just watched me, every step I took up to the King.

"Your Majesty." I bow.

He smiles gleefully at me "Miss La Vielle, do you feel the excitement in the air." He motions to his Courtiers in the audience but they all just whisper to each other now, glancing my way just to sneer or ogle.

Richelieu sat beside the king, a small smile playing on his face. "Yes, i wish you much luck."

"How kind of you Cardinal" the King commends his, oblivious.

I take my leave and make my way to one end of the field. I tie my hair up tightly and start to stretch a bit.

I catch Athos's eye as he stands near the King, he tilts his head at me, acknowledging me.

Aramis and Porthos stand on my side of the field, looking nervous. I wasn't nervous, atleast that's what I tell myself as a group of red guards come through to the Garden. As they parted their respective ways, a red guard in full uniform steps onto the field opposite of me. His helmet covers most of his face. He seemed much larger than the rest of the Guard, like scarily big.

The king stands and holds up his glass. Servers walk around and hand out drinks. One is sent especially for our drinks. When we all have our glasses in hand, the King begins his speech.

"Ladies & Gentlemen, welcome to this fine day. Today's entertainment is a March between Miss Daria La Vielle & this here man who goes by Labarge!"

The man removes his helmet and the crowd goes completely silent. I try to keep my breakfast down. I look to Athos, Aramis and Porthos, whose eyes were on the verge of falling out of their heads. They all turn to me in unison.

Aramis and Porthos walk over to me as the King goes on about the rules.

"Yield." Porthos demands.

"What?"

"That man has killed multiple people in just the past week. Two of them being Musketeers. You have to yield." Aramis explains. Treville appears beside them.

"You two, go stand at the sides." He instructs them. They give me one last worried glance before heading back to their spots.

He stands in front of me, to block Labarge from my view.

"What do you want to do? Try or walk away. No one would think less of you if you yield".

I close my eyes and calm my nerves. I just set my jaw firmly and square my shoulder.

"I'm not backing down."

He knits his eyebrow but nods "If that's your choice, good luck good woman." He pats my back and go back tot he Kings side. The king finishes talking and cheers. We all take a drink and then our glasses are taken away. The liquor brined my throat but gave me a boost of energy.

I had to think logistically. He was bigger than me, and very likely stronger than me. He was sturdily built which meant for every hit he game me, I'd have to give him 10 more. I'm smaller but that means I can move quicker than him. My Father was a larger man, and he didn't pull his swings when it came to sparring with us. Worst comes to worst, I yield and live with the shame. My stomach sours, assumingely from the fear of death that stands just 20 feet away from me. I push through the feeling and unsheath my father's sword. My Sword.

Labarge looks to me, or rather through me. As if I'm just a piece of dust that floated into his vision and in a second will be long gone.

We take our starting positions.

The gunshot goes off, and Labarge comes hurdling right for me. I manage to slip of of the way before he can grab me. He starts grunting some more, like a bear fighting off a predator.

The next 5 minutes were me taking hits and give them back harder. He tried to go for my throat but I swung my leg around and kicked my foot into the back of his knee. He went momentarily fell to the ground, and I had my sword at his neck.

The crowd was cheering at this point, thorough entertained.

My vision blurred for a moment but I steadied myself. My stomach burned and bile piled into my throat. My grip on the sword weakens, Labarge is able to grab the sword from my hand. He tosses it to the side and swings his arm, landing a punch into my jaw. His picks my body up and throws me across the yard. My body felt almost numb, I couldn't imagine getting up. I went limp for a moment. The crowd cheers.

I lay there for another minute before heaving a heavy breath and with a final boost of energy I manage to conjure, I'm able to lift myself up from the ground. Slowly but surely, Im on my two feet. Labarge turns and see me, mad that I'm standing up, comes running full speed at me. He tries to go for my throat but I maneuver  around him, and slice him in the side. He clutches it, but grabs my neck with his free hand. My vision goes dark as it gets harder to breathe, my arms are sore but I grip the hilt of the sword as hard as I can and swing up. At first nothing changes and he's still squeezing the life out of me. But after a few seconds his grip loosed and I was dropped to the ground. He fell after me, hitting the ground with a large Thump!

The crowd erupted into a celebratory cheer. I try to get up but am too weak. Athos, Aramis, Porthos and Treville are so at my side. Athos helps me up but I have to hold onto his arm to steady myself.

"I knew you could do it! Never doubted you!" Aramis says enthusiastically.

I try to smile but I have to clutch my abdomen as it feel like it was spot on fire.

I start to sway again. Treville takes a worried step towards me.

"She's pale, are you alright Daria?"

I shake my head "Something's wrong. Very wrong." Blackness takes over my vision once more and I fall back into Athos arms.

The last thing I hear before I go unconscious is Porthos yelling.

"We need a doctor over here!"