Constant Companion (A 2011 The Three Musketeers Fanfiction)

Chapter Thirteen

Exasperated, I swung my chair leg, feeling no remorse as it cracked against his head. He fell to the ground, and I stepped over him. I reached the bar just as the last lantern went out. I waited with my breath held.

The fighting lasted several more seconds, but began to slow. A couple of complaints rang out. “Enough is enough!” the tavern keeper’s wife called out. “All of you get out!”

Grumbling increased. In the moonlight, I saw several men stagger out the door, a couple supporting each other. A single lantern was lit at the bar. “And take your friends with you!” the innkeeper’s wife shouted, gesturing at the unconscious men on the floor.

Crossing my arms, I glared at the three former musketeers and D’Artagnan who stood in the middle of the chaos. Only Athos met my gaze, and I couldn’t read his expression. I turned my back on the whole lot of them.

“Did my companions make a arrangements for lodging?” I asked. Warily, the woman nodded. Well, at least they had done that much. I found my money pouch. “I have no doubt they helped cause this. I hope this will be sufficient compensation. We will be leaving first thing in the morning.”

I put several gold coins in the woman’s hand. “Y-yes, my lady,” the woman said in astonishment, bobbing a curtsey. “Marie will show you to your room.”

“Thank you,” I said gratefully. I glanced over my shoulder. “We will be leaving at dawn, I should imagine. I’m sorry, Madame, for the trouble caused.”

As I followed Marie out of the tavern, a tiny part of me wondered if any of the men had been harmed in the brawl. I ruthlessly squashed the feeling. It had been their own fault! Tomorrow, we would reach Calais. They all needed to be at their best for the journey to England. I sincerely hoped they would be ready.

~*~

Dawn and the maid waking me came much to early for my taste. Yawning, I washed my face with the cold water that was on hand. The tavern was very quiet as I made my way downstairs. The innkeeper man's wife was bustling around, setting a simple meal out.

There was no sign of the men. Thanking the woman, I took a seat at the only table still together. “Are they up?” I asked. There was no need to elaborate, and the woman nodded, almost smiling. I smiled in return and ate the meal. No doubt it would be the only meal I ate for the day.

I had just finished when I heard a voice. “If you are ready, Mademoiselle,” Aramis said from the doorway.

“Certainly,” I responded, rising from my seat. I offered one last smile of farewell to the innkeeper's wife. She nodded again.

Outside, all the horses were saddled, and someone had even gone to the trouble of getting me my own mount. I felt a twinge of disappointment that I would not be riding with D'Artagnan. But I supposed it would be too much to ask of any horse, to carry two riders for such a long journey.

The manservant, Planchet, had arrived, looked tired, and, astonishingly enough, had a great many supplies tied to his saddle. All of the men stood at their mounts, as though all that was keeping them was me. I narrowed my eyes in annoyance and marched to my horse. I glared at D'Artagnan when he stepped forward to help me. From habit, I checked the saddle and then mounted on my own.

“Shall we continue?” I asked, my tone cool.

“Are you angry with us?” Porthos asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

“Why would you think that?” I responded. “I'm sure you started the fight last night in defense of a 'great cause.'”

He didn't flinch, but he also said no more. He rode from the inn, and I had little doubt that the owners were glad to see us move on. I maneuvered my way to the front, and guided my horse to fall into pace beside Athos. The dark haired man didn't even glance at me.

“Have I in any way wronged you, Monsieur Athos?” I asked, breaking the silence.

“Why would you think that?” Athos responded, repeating my words back at me.

I looked over at him. “I can think of no other reason why you would give D'Artagnan warning against me,” I told him, being very, very honest. I couldn't read his expression.

“No, Mademoiselle, you have not wronged me personally.”

From the corner of my eye, I could see the others exchanging looks. I had no issue with them listening in; after all, I had been living in the palace where everyone eventually found everything out, and you could never be sure if the conversations you were having were not being eavesdropped on.

“Then, why?”

For a moment, I wondered whether he was going to answer me or not. “Let's just say that I've learned from experience that women are not to be trusted.”

Ah. I had not wronged him, but a woman had. I wondered, thinking back to the previous night and the cold words he'd uttered about Milady, if she was behind this way of thinking. I had a deep feeling -an intuition, if you would- that this was the case.

“Some women, perhaps,” I said. I couldn't help thinking, not only of Milady, but of Nicolette and countless other heartless ladies of court. “But do not think for one second that we all are the same.”

Looking over, Athos gazed at me for a minute. Without a word, he kicked his horse and hurried on. I didn't know if I'd done or said anything for him to trust me, but I'd done all I could. I could only hope that he would not impede what I felt was going to be a very important relationship between D'Artagnan and I.