Milady waited. As spoken, Athos, Aramis, Porthos, and Cosette appeared in the town's square. With one wink by Cosette, she shot Athos, right aimed at his heart. Porthos took a Pig's bladder and let the blood fall on Athos' side. Though it was fake, Cosette could feel the anxiety. The anger, if she had any, would be satisfied.
Milady admitted she did not enjoy it as much as she thought.
"He's dead!" Aramis yelled. "You murderess!"
"Aramis..." said Cosette. She tried looking scarce.
"Get out!" Porthos shouted. He wasn't proud of how they were treating her, but it had to look real. Cosette ran. She knew something like this was never real, but it still felt that way.
She waited for Athos in the tavern. Before she would meet with milady, they agreed to talk with reach other.
"Convincing enough?" Athos asked.
"Yeah," said Cosette. "But make this quick, Athos. She wants me to show up soon."
Athos says, "Just, promise me you will be careful."
"I will," said Cosette.
"I hope you will be, Cosette, because, you need to focus, let nothing distract you."
"And remember, head over heart if the situation gets worse," Cosette added. Athos nodded. "I'll keep that lesson with me the whole time. I know what to do: give him information about Gallagher's letter that specifically mentions him." She looked and saw that spy. While Athos may not have noticed it, Cosette knew that man worked for the Cardinal. He was his manservant; nothing will go wrong."
She Stayed silent for a second, thinking else of what to say.
"Listen, Athos, I've got to tell you something," Cosette said.
"What?" Athos asked. Cosette wondered if she should tell him her secret.
"I'll tell you later, I've got to go," Cosette said.
Athos wondered what that was all about and began wondering about that man who had been watching them the whole time, for he left not long after Cosette had.
The Cardinal heard everything from his manservant.
So, Athos was not really dead. He and that D'Artagnan girl talked about how the ledger from Gallagher told them everything they needed to know. And that they had some sort of scheme going on. He had ordered the Red Guards to keep an eye on the D'Artagnan girl ever since the day Milady told him of his encounter with her.
And he doubted that Milady had any knowledge that Athos was still alive because she and Cosette were on their way right now.
And maybe, he could use her to his advantage. And how far would Aramis and Porthos go to protect her secret?
"I thought I would feel something more than this..."said Milady. Cosette so wanted to kill the woman for all the pain she caused Athos. She didn't like this one bit. She bit her tongue as Milady spoke. "This emptiness. I loved him once. Are you sorry you killed him?"
Cosette had no choice but to answer.
"Regrets are pointless. It's help I need now. Aramis and Porthos will never forgive this. They'll want revenge."
"I thought you were like me," said Milady.
"We are nothing alike," Cosette said.
"Of course we were, Cosette. We both pretend to be something we're not, and use lies to protect ourselves. You pretend to be some warrior But in reality, you are a little girl. And I pretended to be a woman of high society but I am really from a lowly background. We have both lied about who we are to Athos."
"You're wrong about me," Cosette said. "And unlike you, I killed Athos. I succeeded in Killing Athos!"
"Yes, but you are nothing like him. He had greatness in him. He would not be frightened."
"I'm not frightened. Just practical." She thought of a way to make this through. "There's only one man who can help me stay alive and I need to see him now."
"There's someone else, isn't there?"
"I have just killed a man. It tends to dampen the mood."
"Not in my experience. You're friends with that draper's wife."
"Constance means nothing to me," said Cosette. She meant it. Constance meant nothing to her any more. Cosette hated Constance. She hated her! Her former best friend who couldn't be friends with a "silly little girl."
Or did she really hate Constance? It just didn't make any sense. Constance was her best friend, who suddenly changed her mind about being friends with Cosette, who thought. It just didn't make any sense. But could she really bring herself to hate the woman who helped her?
"I see. Well, perhaps you're not Athos... but, with the Cardinal's help, I can still make something of you. He'll be expecting us by now."
Milady took Cosette to see Richelieu who was listening to the girl's proposal: trade her for Gallagher's letter. Protection? From who? The girl was the suspect who "murdered" Athos. She wasn't even aware that Richelieu knew who she was. He sent a message out to Aramis, having it written, demanding for the letter in exchange for d'Artagnan's secret to remain safe. To just see how far they would willingly protect her secret.
He sent Milady away, cruelly telling her that she had better leave. Milady did not see this coming, but she did glare at Cosette, who just looked at her casually as the woman walked away in frustration. Now, she was alone with the Cardinal.
"Well, it is hard to believe you've gotten this far, you've gotten this far, Mademoiselle d'Artagnan," Richelieu said. For a brief time, he thought this girl could be the next Milady de Winter. However, the times really were changing werent they?
Cosette began panicking and looked to Richelieu in a glare.
"How did you know?" Cosette asked.
"I have eyes and ears everywhere, Miss d'Artagnan. And I know that Treville,Aramis and Porthos know as well. Did you think I would never figure out your little secret?"
"But..the king..." Cosette began. "He'll know."
"He will, only if your friends don't have the letter. Pray that they do. Let's just see how far your musketeers will go to protect you."
Bonacieux came to the inn where Aramis, Athos and Porthos were at. Well, Athos was turning away because people thought he was dead. He just hoped that D'Artagnan was alright. Bonacieux went on to explain that Madame Bonacieux ran away with D'Artagnan. However, Aramis and Porthos assured that D'Artagnan had nothing to do with this. Bonacieux left in a huff. This information shocked them all. "If Constance has been missing all night, she might be in danger," says Aramis.
"D'Artagnan can't know about this, not now. It will only distract him."
"You know Constance loves d'Artagnan as a younger sibling and he sees her as an older sister," Aramis reminded Athos. He wasn't going to expose Cosette's secret. Though he didn't want to admit it, Athos was now more concerned with Cosette's safety rather than the mission.
"All the more reason to keep it from the boy," Athos said. "One lapse in concentration might cost him his life."
"But what about hers?" Aramis pointedly was referring to Constance.
Aramis wasn't one to worry about Cosette, but now that he knew who she was, he was starting to. It got even worse when Aramis saw the whole note that Cardinal's messanger sent, it was terrible:
Monsieur Aramis:
I have your Cosette.
If you, Captain Treville, and Porthos wish for d'Artagnan to remain safe, as well as her secret, you will bring Gallagher's letter to the old seminary at Le Place Mon Pere. Failure to comply, her secret will be revealed to the King himself.
- Cardinal Richelieu
Aramis now began worrying. At least he thought Athos was deceased when he was found "dead" in an alley. The thing Milady should have seen was D'Artagnan blaming them for Athos' death. Now, he did not know that her secret would be involved too.
"Aramis?" Porthos and Athos said.
"The Cardinal's got d'Artagnan. He will hand him over in exchange for Gallagher's letter," was all Aramis said. He and Porthos went to find Captain Treville.
"That wasn't what the note said, did it?" Porthos asked. Aramis looked to his friend. "I know you, Aramis You only have the look in your face if someone is in danger."
"I will tell you after we see Captain Treville," Aramis said.
"Gallagher's letter, in exchange for D'Artagnan's secret," Treville said. Porthos and Aramis were in the Captain's office, showing him the letter.
"Yes, the secret is that d'Artagnan is a woman, Captain," Aramis said. However, they saw Treville showed no reaction.
"You knew?" Porthos realized. "how long?" Treville still showed no reaction
"You knew this whole time?" Aramis asked.
"Of course I did," Treville answered. "You didn't think I wouldn't recognize my own goddaughter?"
"How come you didn't tell us?" asked Porthos.
"To protect her like her father did," Treville said.
"After all this time, you could have stopped her from putting herself in danger," Aramis shouted.
"Aramis, Porthos, I'm sorry we withheld it from you. But she told me she would tell you on her own time."
"Yes, and now, she is in danger," Porthos said. "The Cardinal knows who she is. He'll make an example of her. Reveal her to the King and have her executed. This was not part of the plan!"
"Yes, but we still will get a confession," "said Treville. "Now, let us go rescue Cosette and get that confession, shall we?"
Porthos and Aramis did not dare to argue with their Captain. They all went to the Le Mon Pere, where Red Guards were waiting. Queen Anne decided to learn and help them. She revealed that Cosette told her when they were on the run for her life. She'd help them save Cosette and the pain of her secret being revealed to her husband. It was wrong, but she owed it to the young woman.
Treville stayed behind with the Queen as Porthos and Aramis appeared to the Cardinal.
Meanwhile, Cosette knew this was not supposed to happen. They were supposed to go a whole different direction than this. When she saw her brothers, she smiled.
"Porthos! Aramis!" Cosette shouted. She tried going forward but the Red Guards halted.
"Cosette," said Aramis. "Are you alright?"
"Yes," she answered and begged, "Help me."
Porthos and Aramis gave her concerned looks.
"Entertaining as this is, perhaps we should get to business," said the Cardinal. "Did you really think I wouldn't discover who she is or the fact that Athos isn't really dead.
"Look, we don't care about that anymore," said Porthos.
"We have what you want, Your Eminence," said Aramis. He showed the parchment. "Now, please, let the girl go."
"Not until you give me the letter, then you can have Cosette, with her secret remaining in tact."said the Cardinal. Aramis held it out. However, Porthos was having none of that.
"You'd murder the Queen, just to see one of your favourites on the throne?" Porthos asked as he stopped Richelieu from grabbing for the piece of paper. "Hm? Haven't you got enough power already?"
"This was never about power," said the Cardinal. He went to take the letter from Porthos but Aramis snatched it before he could.
"Of course it was," said Aramis "You simply wanted your own puppet at the King's right hand."
"You understand nothing," said the Cardinal, irritated.
"Why don't you explain it to us, then?" Porthos asked.
"He can't speak because he's too ashamed," said Aramis.
"The Queen is barren," said the Cardinal. "If the King dies without an heir, France will be plunged back into civil war. Is one woman's life worth sacrificing to avoid such a catastrophe? I think it is. I ordered her death because I alone will face the truths that no-one else can stomach. Give me that letter." He snatched the letter then smiled when he saw it was blank. "How very cunning. You tricked me."
"Into making a full confession, yes," said Aramis.
"You foolishly did so," said the Cardinal. "And in doing so, you've doomed your companion. The King will know of her treachery."
Cosette was panicking. He was going to tell the king because he never really did get Gallagher's letter.
"And what use is your confession? The word of a lowly Musketeer against the First Minister of France? Who do you think the King will believe?"
"The King might not believe their word, Cardinal, but he will most certainly believe mine," said the Queen. All the guards and Musketeers bowed down to the Queen, as did the Cardinal. The Queen approached him coolly.
"Look into my face, Cardinal... the face of the woman you tried to kill," said the Queen. He did nothing but look and began begging.
"Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy. What I did, I did solely for the interests of France."
"It is only because I believe you are sincere in your devotion to the country... that I have decided to spare your life. France needs you and the King loves you. Your treachery would break his heart. If you ever fail in your duty again... I will not be so lenient. My influence with the King is stronger than you can possibly imagine. You have been warned... Cardinal."
She looked to Cosette then to Richelieu.
"And I trust you nor your guards will reveal this young woman's secret," Anne said. Cardinal acknowledged that he wouldn't nor would his red guards. He looked at them.
"Release her," Richelieu hissed. The red Guards complied, in which Cosette sighed in relieve and went to get brothers. They hugged her, both mindful of her wound.
"You are incomplete without Athos," said Richelieu.
"Well yes, but we could always make new friends," Porthos said.
"And to be honest, he was a little moody," Aramis said.
"And one more thing: we want Milady," said Cosette.
"She too has to account for her crimes," Treville said.
"She's yours. She's of no further use to me," Richelieu scoffed.