The Spanish Lady (A Three Musketeers Fanfiction)

Explanations

After a moment, Aramis chuckled. "I was taken by surprise," he admitted. "If it had been under other circumstances though-."

"¡Ni lo menciones!We do not need to think about that road, amigo Aramis," Maria interrupted firmly. They reached the edge of the garden. "I must return to the queen now. Thank you for coming to my rescue. That is the second time since we met."

"A pleasure, Maria," Aramis assured her. He lifted her hand to his lips. "Good night."

"Buenas noches," Maria responded. She pulled her hand free and hurried for the door.

~*~

The next morning, the queen sent word that she wanted an early ride. The Comte's guards, of which there seemed to be fewer and fewer, looked weary. The musketeers, however, stood with pride at their posts. The Comte de Carti did not look pleased.

After only a few rounds around the meadow, the queen proclaimed she wanted a ride across the countryside to see the fall colors. When the group set out, Athos took the lead, while D'Artagnan and Aramis were at the back. Porthos maneuvered into a place next to Maria at the edge.

"You could have just asked," Maria said without looking at him.

"What?" Porthos asked in surprise.

The woman looked over. "You could have asked me what I was doing," she said. "In the forest. You were there, but you didn't say anything. All you did was follow me, hoping you could figure out what I was doing."

"It was obvious you didn't want to be seen," Porthos answered defensively.

"Why would you say that?" Maria demanded. "I was delivering a message for the queen! I had nothing to hide!"

"And that's why you were meeting the messenger in the middle of a forest practically at dawn," Porthos pointed out.

Maria glared at him. "As I said to Aramis last night, I did not chose the time or place," she said sharply. "Margarita handed me the note and gave me the queen's instructions. I did as I was told. Ni más, ni menos. Nothing more, nothing less."

"You have to admit it looked strange."

After a moment, Maria shrugged. "Supongo.I suppose, yes, it must have," she answered. "I do not appreciate being looked at like I am a traitor, Porthos. I have had enough of that in my life."

"Señora, please accept my humble apologies," Porthos said. "It won't happen again."

"It better not," Maria told him sharply. She smiled. "Thank you, Porthos. This entire stay has been one misunderstanding after another."

Porthos grinned at her. "So…Aramis caught you bathing?"

"Porthos, I do not want to speak of that!"

"One thing I don't understand," Porthos told her, becoming serious. "If you're such good friends with the queen, why didn't you get your instructions from her personally? Why was señorita Marquez even involved?"

Frowning, Maria looked thoughtful. Before she could say anything, there was the sound of a musket firing. The queen's horse reared back in fright as dirt flew up in front of it. "Anne!" Maria exclaimed, kicking her horse's sides to catch up to the queen.

"The ridge!" Athos shouted, wheeling his horse around and pointing at the row of trees that was some ways from the road they'd been following. "Porthos! Get the queen to the mansion! Half of you go with Porthos. The rest of you with me to the ridge!"