The Mighty Fall

Chapter Eight

Chapter 8

The views were amazing from up here. The wind against my back was comforting as I sat at the front of the ship, looking out ahead at what was to come. It was something I never imagined seeing in my life. It took my breath away, truly. Everything was so much smaller from up here. It was definitely different from being towered over by everyone. I welcomed this new outlook.

Our plan had worked and it was working out well in our favor. I walked over to where Porthos was steering, resting an arm on his shoulder as Athos unlocked D'artagnan's chains. It looked ridiculous how I had to reach up a bit, almost on my tip toes just to rest it.

"I find it a bit sad how this steering wheel is almost as big as you. You are just barely taller than it by a few inches." Porthos joked with a chuckle. I gasped, offended before I playfully punched him in the side.

"So what about the diamonds? Doesn't Buckingham still have them?" D'artagnan asked.

"Nope." Athos and I answered.

I smirked, knowing all too well what was going on at the moment. "Milady likes hedging her bets. She'd never have taken the chance we'd actually succeed in breaking into the vault." Athos told him.

"So where are they now?"

"With the only person she trusts."

"Which means we've lost her and all this has been for nothing."

"Wouldn't exactly say that." I gleamed.

"You were the decoy, we were the extraction, but the real linchpin of the plan, well, that was someone else entirely. Someone even Milady would never suspect."

And at that moment, Planchet already had the carriage hooked and we were slowing hoisting them up.

"Woo hoo!"

I could faintly hear Planchet cheering as we road on. Athos left us to go down below the deck to meet the woman we all know and "love". Planchet came up and I couldn't help but give him a high five.

"That was amazing!"

"Wasn't it though?" He laughed.

Athos soon returned as well with the diamonds in hand and Milady in tow.

"Boys. Alexis. Been a while." She greeted with a small wicked smile.

"Oh yes, far too long." I said, shooting her daggers with a simple stare.

"This must be the young Gascon." She said looking over to D'artagnan.

"We've met before."

"Ah, yes. Small world. I didn't let Rochefort kill you. You do remember that, don't you?" She asked, trying to earn his pity. Porthos handed over a gun to Athos.

"Did you kill Buckingham?" She questioned.

"No." Athos replied.

"I would have loved to, but we're a bit short of time." I piped up as I stood, leant against the table.

"But you would kill me?"

"Yes." Athos answered.

"You would spare him, but kill me?"

"Yes. I don't hate Buckingham."

She reached between her breasts, causing all of us to cock and point our guns to her, prepared if she were to make a move. She pulled out a rolled up piece of paper. "Here. You may find use for this." She threw it down on the table, next to the diamonds.

"Move." Athos ordered, gun still aimed to her. She complied, walking calmly to the side of the boat. Athos and I followed. I stood to the side of her, making sure she was not going anywhere but down, my gun still raised and pointed at her head.

She held out her hand. Asking for Athos to help her. After all she had done to us, to him, why would we spare her mercy? I watched as he stood, gun raised and cocked, just waiting to use it. He wanted to. I knew he did. But as much as anyone would believe it, the heartless Athos did have a heart. I had come to see it firsthand. Even though she betrayed him and stomped on his heart, he still couldn't bring himself to shoot her.