Cosette stood silently as the men interrogated Dujon, the Man who Porthos bested in the card game earlier. Cosette smiled at least twice when Aramis pretended to fire at the traitor and Porthos muttered "Bang" in the person's ear, when finally the second shot made Dujon talk.
"It was Captain Gaudet. Of the Red Guards. He told us to do it. He said he wanted a few men for a special mission. Something unofficial. An ambush to steal the King's letters. But Gaudet went mad. He killed them all. None of us knew it would be murder."
"You took this from Cornet," Porthos said, showing him the gold coin. "His saddle bags were full of Spanish gold."
"Gaudet said we could share it between us. I just.."
Cosette had enough so she grabbed him by the throat.
"Who murdered my father? Who?!" Cosette shouted.
"Gaudet. It was Gaudet!" The guard shouted. Porthos would be more than willing to let D'Artagnan go through with his revenge. However, they needed him alive. He pulled Cosette by the shoulder to push her away, but Cosette wouldn't move, so Porthos wrapped his arm around her mid-section and literally lifted her off the ground. Aramis put a hand on her shoulder to prevent Cosette from doing any more harm to the guard, and more importantly, herself.
The guard continued.
"He did it to blacken Athos's name. I'm not like him. I'm not a killer. I'm a soldier, like you.
Where is Gaudet now?"
"He's camped in the old ruins, outside the city gates. I'll show you where... Just don't kill me. "
"There, that wasn't so hard, now, was it?" Porthos said.
Hours later at night...
"Oh no, I'm not going up there," said Cosette.
"Well, it was your idea," Aramis pointed out.
The group had found where Gaudet and his men would be at. And now, the boys were making Cosette go up there to seduce the man who liked well men. This was strange, considering that Cosette was NOT a dude. She muttered, "of all the incompetent things..." The guard looked up at the young woman.
"What do you want?"
"50 sous and I'll take you to heaven."
"Are you one of those religious nutcases?" Cosette looked at the idiot.
"It was a metaphor. Never mind. You...can do whatever you like. I'm all yours. Clear enough?"
"Yeah... Five sous?"
"Five?!"
"All right, ten. But that's it."
"Fine!" Cosette sneered. Luckily, she took her chance and hit the man in the groin as he fell on top of her. She was wondering what was taking those two idiots so long.
They came running up towards her with smiles
"Ten sous?" Aramis said. "Shame on you.
"Took you bozos long enough," Cosette sneered. "Now can we get this over with!"
Cosette stormed into the fortress followed by Aramis and Porthos, who spotted Gaudet. Cosette's anger was finally catching up to her. There he was, the man who killed her father, going out unpunished. Framing an innocent man who didn't do anything wrong. Though Aramis talked about the element of surprise, Cosette couldn't take it any longer. She quickly rushed to the man who killed her father.
"Gaudet!" she yelled. The captain of the Red Guard looked at her.
What's your problem, boy?!" Gaudet shouted.
"You will pay for murdering my father," Cosette sneered. She entered the fight with her new brothers-in-arms. Aramis and Porthos fought, for Athos, for the lost Musketeers who were undeservingly murdered and for Alexandre. The boys were impressed with Cosette's fighting skills. When Cosette had him at her mercy, Aramis yelled at her.
"D'Artagnan! We need him alive!" Aramis shouted. Cosette looked up at Aramis and Porthos. and nodded. They were right, plus, he deserved to die another way.
"Death in combat is too honourable for you. I'd rather see you hanged," Cosette sneered. She turned to walk away when Gaudet got up with a dagger.
"D'Artagnan!' Aramis shouted. Cosette looked up. She plunged the sword into the man who she tried to kill. He saw an inch of her corset.
"Woman..." he said, pointing at her but Gaudet died right there. In that case, they were screwed. Their witness was dead... but Porthos looked into the cart and nodded and he whistled, showing, Aramis and d'Artagnan their proof.
"The stolen uniforms. They're all here," Porthos said. Aramis nodded and placed a hand on Cosette's shoulder.
"With Dujon's confession, that's all the proof we need."
Meanwhile back at the prison, Athos stood there, in the court yard. He was ready to die, unaware that Anne, Milady de Winter, was watching with satisfaction. However, the firing squad stopped.
"Come on, shoot, damn you!" Athos yelled.
"Hold your fire!" the captain yelled. Aramis and Porthos were there.
"If I were you, I wouldn't be in such a hurry to die. Your release. Signed by the King," Aramis said, the two men going down to their friends.
"Get these chains off him," said the Captain. Athos smiled at his two friends.
"I thought I'd finally shaken you two off."
"Believe me, there are easier ways," said Aramis, causing Athos to smile.
Cosette stood there, watching Athos make his way up the stairs. He stopped to look at the girl who nearly killed him, as she flashed a small smile in a form of an apology. Athos silently thanked her by giving her a slight shake of his head "yes" before going up to get his chains taken off of him. They had taken her to Treville, who was more than willing to allow Cosette to train to be a musketeer. However, he made her Athos, Aramis and Porthos' responsibility. To celebrate their victory, the Inseperables and Cosette
Cosette sat at the Wren with the rest of her friends (if that's what they could be called now.) Athos was sitting far from them.
"You come to Paris to kill Athos and end up saving his life. After a few drinks, I'm sure he'll appreciate the irony' Aramis assured her.
Cosette was looking at Athos, growing concerned.
"What's wrong with him, anyway?" Cosette asked.
"Oh, woman trouble. There was someone special once. She died. That's all he ever said. I'd better stay behind. He'll need someone to carry him home."
"Do you need somewhere to stay?" Aramis said, now that they were responsible to look after Cosette to train to be a musketeer.
"No, I have a place."
"In the arms of Madame Bonacieux?"
"She's a married woman," Cosette said. "Besides, she's older than me."
"How old are you?" Aramis asked.
"Eighteen," Costte answered.
"You really are from Gascony, aren't you?" Aramis chuckled.
"Besides, there's someone else. A woman I've only met once. The most beautiful I've ever seen. We have unfinished business."
"She sounds lively."
"You have no idea."
Cosette was going to find Anne again and be more suspicious of her if she ever found that woman again. Aramis got up to leave.
"Athos..."
"Game of cards? First king wins." Porthos said. Cosette looked at Athos, who was still drowning himself in ale. She decided to sit down and play the game.
Athos came and joined them.
"Oh, no, Porthos," said Athos, "I'm not about to let you con our new recruit."
"Oh come on, Athos, I wasn't going to con the boy, just play a game with him."
Cosette nodded, but Athos still wasn't persuaded. He leaned in closer to Cosette. "Careful, Porthos keeps a card up his sleeve."
Athos grabbed Porthos to make sure he wasn't hiding one, while Porthos gave him an "I told you so." look on his face. Cosette laughed. She looked at Athos.
"So, um, are we alright now?" Cosette asked. Athos spared a glance at her.
"Yeah, we are, d'Artagnan," Athos said with a nod. "I'll join you guys in this card game." He discarded the beer and joined Cosette and Porthos in their game.
Maybe having friends would be helpful for her.