CHAPTER 25
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Violette and Arianne looked at Joachim in horror.
Their secret was out but Joachim didn't seem as surprised as they expected.
And Joachim was the first to speak. "This..." He gestured to the two of them, each holding weapons. "...doesn't surprise me."
Arianne frowned, tossing her sword to the side. "What?"
"You're the daughter of the most skilled and famous musketeer across the continent..." Joachim explained, putting the bow and arrow back. "You knowing how to fight doesn't surprise me. I know Emma was skilled with the sword too. Her father trained her..." He turned to Violette. "You, however, that does confuse me..."
"Just because I didn't grow up with a father who was a musketeer, you're surprised I know how to fight?" Violette asked as Joachim put his hands up in defence.
"I'm not arguing. I am very impressed..." He said as Arianne smiled. "But can I ask why are you so frustrated with each other that you are fighting with each other?"
Violette dropped her sword and turned to Arianne. "This has nothing to do with what happened in the maid's chambers. You are upset about something and we want to help you so just tell us otherwise, I will fight you again."
Arianne sighed and tilted her head. "I met Emma..." She admitted as they all looked at each other with shock.
"Wait, what?" Joachim questioned. "When?"
"Earlier..." Arianne looked at them. "I went for a walk and came to a tavern and the barmaid slipped me a note. Someone wanted to meet me at Treville's home so I went and it was Emma."
"What did she say?" Joachim asked.
Arianne sighed, turning to the training room, her eyes falling on her father's portrait hanging on the wall before telling them everything Emma had confided in her, including Gaston being seen welcoming a boat from England. "I'm not safe here and I was foolish to think that I could keep up this charade any longer. I'm leaving for Gascony as soon as possible."
"What about Emma and her parents?" Joachim asked, worried for the woman he loved as Arianne turned to him.
"Maeva is safe in Gascony and Emma remains in Paris but you cannot see her, just in case you are followed..." Arianne reached for his hand and squeezed it. "She is safe for now, and once we get to Gascony, she will be safer."
"What happens to me?" Violette asked, fear filling her that she had begun playing a dangerous game with powerful people.
"I can assure your safety when I get to Gascony. You will be under my protection so if anyone lays a hand on you, it will be seen as an act of war. No one will risk it..." Arianne explained. "And with the King by your side, Gaston wouldn't dare try anything..." She sighed. "However, I will settle things in Gascony and once they have, I will call for you to join Emma and me, but only if you want to."
"When do you leave?" Joachim questioned as Arianne shrugged her shoulders.
"As soon as I can but I have to sort things out here first..." She admitted. "Christophe...needs to know but he cannot hear it from me..."
Joachim nodded, vowing to relay the message with as little information on sources as possible.
As Violette hugged Arianne, apologising for the maids and that their time together was cut short, Joachim looked at Arianne.
He saw fear in her eyes.
Fear of the unknown.
***
Christophe looked at the table of empty chairs around him.
Fifteen empty chairs, one for each council member to advise him on his reign.
Yet, all of them were loyal to Gaston.
Which explained the path many of the council sessions had gone. Christophe was vetoed - made to feel like he was immature, unworthy and had no idea what he was doing. A tax increase on the poor, remaining neutral on the English front, creating unnecessary tensions with the Spanish - all of which were making Christophe very unpopular amongst his allies.
Spies were reporting back to him over the faith the people had for the young King and it wasn't looking good. Most people were loyal but how long could he hope for them to stay by his side when those around him continued to make decisions in his name.
And to add to the pile, a letter intercepted from the Prince of Conde, exiled to Spain for a few years. He had shown interest in his cousin, Anne Marie, and she had been infatuated with him too. During the Fronde de Nobles only a few years back, he had rebelled against Christophe's reign and was arrested along with his brothers. Anne Marie had helped them escape to Spain and Christophe had lost all faith and trust in his cousin who also went into voluntary exile.
She returned when Gaston pleaded for her return, convincing Christophe she had simply been manipulated by the Prince of Conde and her loyalties lay with the throne.
But the letter in Christophe's hands made him doubt everything. Conde wrote about Christophe's suspected insanity - the letter addressed to none other than Gaston himself and mentioned Anne Marie as well as the other council members rebelling against the King too.
There was no one Christophe could trust.
Two people entered the room from behind him and he knew who they were before even turning around. "I need...your loyalty."
"We are loyal to you..." Joachim assured him, approaching the King at the table. He and Ethan faced him as Christophe nodded.
"What do you need?"
"I need...information..." Christophe stated, showing the letter. "It turns out my council are determined to prove my insanity and I need evidence and proof from each of them that they are rebelling against me which would be seen as an act of treason."
Ethan handed the letter to Joachim. "Maybe we need to question your cousin, the Duchess of Montpensier? Seems like she knows more than she leads on..."
Christophe shifted in his chair, his elbows leaning on the armrests. "I don't want to believe Anne Marie is responsible as she has proven her loyalty to me plenty of times since the Fronde incident. But...I'm taking no risks..." He stood up and looked at both of them in turn. "Everyone, even my own family, is a suspect and I want names and evidence. I can trust you both with this?"
Ethan and Joachim nodded, their hands coming to their chests as they bowed their heads in respect. "Of course."
"Good...now...let's overthrow my council."
***
"He genuinely believes that?" Violette asked Ethan as they met in the shadows of the courtyard after hours between storehouses. Ethan had repeated everything to Violette and she wasn't as surprised as he had expected. "Well...how are you going to get the information?"
"I have my ways..." He replied, a smirk on his lips as she rolled her eyes. "How have you been? I heard on the grapevine that Nina had to discipline the maids?"
"Not me...more like the others..." Violette said as Ethan faced her. She was leaning on a wall, the only light from a small lantern she had out down by her feet as Ethan faced her, stroking her face gently. "The maids hate Emilie...or rather, Arianne. They think she gets special treatment and is favoured by the King, which isn't incorrect but..." Violette remarked. "They did the same to me before she came. And the respite does not feel good knowing someone else has to experience that pain now..."
"Hey..." Ethan touched her face. "You're better than them, in every way."
"I keep telling myself that..." Violette tilted her head, holding back the tears in her eyes. "They're going to be sorry for doing this to her..."
"You think she will get her revenge?"
Violette sighed, touching his hand. "She's leaving, going home to Gascony..."
Ethan frowned. "What? Why?"
Violette explained, her voice dropping as guards walked past but no one stopped to question them. "Once she is safely there with Emma, she's going to call for me to join her as she can protect me there."
"The King can protect you probably a bit better than her..." Ethan pointed out as Violette sighed. "Will you go?"
"I don't know...I'll think about it when that time comes..." Violette looked up to the sky. "She doesn't want to leave me behind to face the brunt of all of this scheming and sneaking around."
"Sneaking around can be good sometimes..." Ethan teased as Violette smiled, biting her lip and looking at him.
"You don't hear me complaining..."
He leaned down and kissed her lips gently but a hunger for more raged through Violette as her hands came to the fastening of his armour. "We can't..." He said against her lips. "We're outside."
"That's never stopped you before..." She replied playfully, recalling the many times they had a rendezvous outdoors as it was sometimes the only time they could be alone without anyone catching them. "Don't be a prude..."
A low growl escaped him as their faces caressed. "Come..." He stepped away, grabbing her hand and leading her further down the gap between the storehouses so they were in relative darkness.
No one would see them unless they walked through.
As they made love in the darkness, Violette moaned passionately, her voice low as she held Ethan, his face buried in her neck with her eyes closed, biting her lip. Their breathing was heavy but the sounds of the night masked any sign of what was happening.
Her eyes slowly flickered open as their bodies exploded and she saw a shadow hurry past the storehouses.
Panic filled her. "Someone saw us..." She breathed heavily, pulling away from Ethan. "I saw a shadow run past..." She fixed herself as Ethan fixed his own clothes as he stepped out towards the courtyard, examining the area.
"There's no one here..." Ethan assured her as she came to him, taking his hands. "No one would've seen us. We were too far back and in the shadows for anyone to notice us..."
"But what if someone did?" She asked, fear raking through her as Ethan kissed her forehead quickly out of comfort.
"Come...let's go inside..." He gestured for her to follow him and she said nothing as he led her through the shadows, towards the maids' quarters.
As Violette lay in bed, she felt her blood run cold as scenarios played in her head. Someone had seen them, had reported it to Nina or Mazarin or even Gaston and she would be sent away to protect Ethan - a nobleman. She was nothing compared to him.
Or, even worse - they forced them to marry so no scandal fell upon the King's valet.
But then her secret would be out and she would be dishonoured and shamed beyond words.
A silent prayer had Violette quietly sobbing as she prayed and hoped the happiness in her life that she found with Ethan was not brutally taken away from her.
***
Walking through the palace on an errand the following day, Ethan turned a corner to be stopped by Rochefort and two Red Guards.
"May I help you?" Ethan questioned.
"His Eminence has requested your audience..." Rochefort stated, cracking his knuckles. It was a threat - Ethan couldn't say no.
They led him to the Cardinal's offices, Ethan remaining alert in case anything happened. Cardinal Mazarin was sat at his desk and reading some papers. As Ethan stood opposite him, he smiled but not one that made Ethan feel welcomed.
"Lord Rey..." He said simply, greeting the young man as Mazarin stood up. "I take it you have had a good morning?"
"It was going well until I was dragged into here..." Ethan looked to Rochefort and his two guards blocking the door. "What do you want? I have an errand to run for the King."
"Straight to the point, I like it..." Mazarin laughed, a sinister smile remaining on his lips. "I...need you to do something for me..."
Ethan frowned. "Is that what Captain Le Fou is here for?" He gestured to Rochefort who scowled at him. Mazarin shook his head as Ethan crossed his arms. "I'm not your messenger boy. I work for the King, so if you require my assistance for anything, you must ask him first."
"Would the King want to know the sort of scandalous things his precious valet gets up to?" Mazarin remarked as Ethan tilted his head.
"What are you talking about?"
Mazarin smirked. "Let's just say I know about a certain...association with a certain maid..."
Fear struck Ethan but he remained calm, shaking his head. "I have no idea what you are insinuating, so if we are done..." He turned to leave but Mazarin was not done just yet.
"Does the name Violette Leblanc ring a bell?"
Ethan froze, his blood running cold as he tilted his head, clenching his fists and turning to face Mazarin. "You have my attention..."
Mazarin nodded slowly. "The king...he is losing his mind..."
Ethan stumbled on his words. "That is...treasonous talk."
"Only if it is not true..." Mazarin replied, walking around the desk.
"I see the King daily. I'm by his side at all times and I can assure you, he is as sane as you and me..." Ethan pouted. "Well...me at least."
Mazarin scowled. "The King is going mad...and I need your help to prove it."
Ethan shook his head, stepping away. "This is...insanity. You are the one who is losing his mind. He is the King and more importantly, he is my friend."
Mazarin stood before Ethan. "You will do as I say..."
"Or what? Your threats do not frighten me..." Ethan turned to walk away, refusing to listen to this treasonous talk anymore.
"You will never see Violette Leblanc ever again..." Mazarin warned and the words were heavy on Ethan who stopped walking. Mazarin had his attention. "She is a no-one and a nothing. No one will care about her and if you think your father, the Marquis de Liancourt will protect her, you are sorely mistaken."
"Keep her out of this..."
"And what power do you have to stop me?" Mazarin warned. "You tell the King about any of this and your beloved Violette will never be seen again. You know fully well that I am capable of...would you risk her life like that?"
Ethan froze, realising he was in deep trouble. Saying no threatened Violette. Telling Christophe threatened her and he would never betray the King.
"So, what will it be?"
***
The palace was still as Arianne made her move.
This was her final night before she set off with Emma the following night for Gascony. After the maids had practically destroyed her things, she didn't have much to pack but she saw it as a positive.
When on the run, always travel light.
One bag was enough, for now. Once she was in Gascony, anything she had left behind she would ask for it to be bought, possibly by Violette and Chloe when she got them safe passage to join her.
The last thing she wanted to do was uproot their lives but she had involved them in something that was too dangerous to let their guard down. In Gascony, she could protect them but in order to do so, she needed to return to her family and let them know she was alive.
That was easier said than done.
Arianne had slept the previous night in the training room, wishing to avoid the maids at all costs and had refused to go to work, not wanting to face Nina or the glares of the women.
Tonight, she would spend the night at the Treville home with Emma having left letters for Violette and Joachim.
And...Christophe.
That would be the hardest goodbye - only just reconciling with him, to leave again so suddenly.
He would never understand so a letter would suffice. He would be mad and upset for a while but eventually, forgive her and wait for her return.
Her heart twinged but she focused on getting to the Treville home.
Once sneaking out of the palace, the streets of Paris were a breeze. Emma would be inside the house, waiting for her and they'd discuss the plan to get them out of Paris to Gascony without detection before resting as the following night would be a long one.
Arriving at the courtyard, she headed for the Treville home and everything was still around. Everyone was asleep so no one would suspect anything.
She unlocked the door quietly not to draw attention and after silently letting it close shut behind her, something instantly felt off.
Removing her hood, Arianne scanned the room without lighting a lantern, hoping from being outside in the dark, her eyes would adjust.
They did...it was too still and silent for her liking.
Emma - she was supposed to be waiting here for her.
But not even the stirring of a mouse could be heard.
A foreboding feeling consumed Arianne and she reached for the door handle.
A hand was soon on her shoulder and she froze.
A deep, husky voice spoke with a strong English accent sending cold shivers through Arianne's very existence.
"We've been looking for you, Comtesse d'Artagnan..."
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