She's Back (Sequel)

Chapter 8

"You should be in bed!!" Constance exclaimed as she saw the female musketeer  step out of the room and towards the main area; the teen was still in her night wear, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Kayley still looked tired and wore out, but she gave a weak smile "I feel better" she reassured "besides, I was bored and thought I'd keep you company" the older woman smiled at how the eighteen year old could look so ill, and yet think of others; she helped her sit down in the corner of the room on a pillowed seat. It wasn't very busy so the two could speak whilst Constance swept the floor. After an hour, Treville entered the B&B and approached the working woman "Constance!! Have you seen Kayley??" he asked, a hint of concern in his voice "no one in the Garrison has seen her since yesterday, and the other musketeers have had to go on a mission without her" he explained, beginning to ramble on with worry "it's not like her to just wonder off and not do her job, all of the cadets volunteered to go out searching for her, but have yet to find her!!". The woman chuckled as she placed a hand on his arm "Treville!! Calm yourself" she managed to get him to slow down and stop talking "she's right over there" the man spun around to where the B&B owner pointed; his gaze softened with worry at the sight in front of him. Kayley was curled up on a chair in the corner of the room, a blanket wrapped around her small frame; she had fallen asleep about twenty minutes ago. "The poor thing took a bad turn during the night and had a high fever this morning...a friend of hers was visiting and cared for her till leaving about...5 hours ago" Constance informed "she's been resting most of the day, hopes to be back to normal by tomorrow morning" Treville knelt down next to the eighteen year old and moved a strand of hair from her face. He stood back up and gently picked Kayley up - he didn't like how light and bony she was - and turned towards the hall "I'm putting her to bed, she's have neck ache if she stays curled up in the chair" he informed before doing just that. Constance helped open the door and watched as the Captain carefully placed the still sound asleep teen on the bed and sorted the blanket so that it was over her body; the two left the room quietly and returned to the main area. Something came to the mans mind "you mentioned a friend had come to visit Kayley, who was it??" he asked; the woman thought "well...I don't know exactly, a woman with long brown curly hair, she wore an expensive looking dress and coat" Constance recalled "she didn't give me a name, just said that she was looking for Kayley, knew she lived here and that she hadn't left, I let her go through to the room, but I thought it was locked and that Kayley was gone...turns out I was wrong". Treville nodded, listening to the information "she found Kayley ill??" he asked earning a nod "yes, she stayed for a few hours before telling me that Kayley had a high fever, that it was better and to make some soup, after that she left". Treville thanked the kind woman before stating he needed to call off the search parties; Constance smiled, knowing that the teen was well cared and loved by her fellow Captain, cadets and musketeers.

Treville had summand all of the cadets back to the Garrison, which they did immediately, wanting to know the news. "Is it Kayley sir?? Has she been found??" one of them asked as they gathered around the staircase; the older man nodded. "It seems our dear Kayley has fallen ill through the night, she had a high fever when she was found still asleep in her room this morning" he informed, earning looks of sympathy "the fever has eased, but she'll be off for the rest of the day...or should be at least, and will be back to her normal duties by tomorrow" he reassured before telling them to do some training. They had been searching for the female musketeer most of the day as - for some stupid reason - no one had decided to check on the place where Kayley stayed. Treville had some paper work to do so he retreated to his office. Half way through doing his work, Treville was greeted by a massager who handed him a letter; the older man quickly tipped the massager before dismissing him. Opening and reading the letter, Treville jumped up and stormed out, down the stairs and hopped onto his horse; he yelled at the cadets to stay away from the Red Guards before galloping off. All of the musketeer cadets shared looks of confusion and worry, knowing that when their Captain yelled like that, then shit had or was about to go down. Treville raced through the town until he reached the Palace, giving his horse to the stable boy before marching through the hallways before storming into the office of the new Cardinal. "Rochefort!!" he yelled, holding up the letter grasped in his tight fist; the man raised a brow before seeing the parchment  "ahh, you received my letter then". Treville was furious "what is the meaning of this?!" the Cardinal folded his arms over his chest "mere facts Treville, you are technically breaking the law" he stated "I'm surprised that you got away with it for so long to be honest" the Musketeer slammed the letter down upon the desk "the King and Queen are well aware of Kayley's age Rochefort!! It was never a secret!!" his anger was rising by the second "maybe so, but at the time of when he named her a musketeer, the King's mind was fazed by the attack". It was clear Rochefort was going to do everything he possibly could to get Kayley's title as a musketeer taken away, all due to when she was declared one, she was under the age of the legal allowance to become a musketeer. You could be a cadet at he age of thirteen, but to be an actual musketeer, you have to be nineteen; so Kayley was still technically under age. "Kayley was named a musketeer a week after the attack Rochefort, his royal majesty knows of her age, and yet he still allows her to be a musketeer!!" Treville exclaimed when all of a sudden, the doors opened to reveal the royal couple themselves. "What's with the shouting?? I could hear you from down the hall" Louis stated as they entered the room; the two men bowed before Treville explained the situation "Rochefort sent me a letter stating that Kayley's title as a musketeer must be removed at once due to her age". Anne was taken aback by the statement, whilst her husband understood where his Cardinal was coming from "we are both very much aware of Kayley's age, from when she was names a musketeer to now" the Queen stated; the Spanish man nodded but still tried to press for the teen to be de-musketeered. "Kayley is still not of age, it is illegal your majesty" Rochefort said "as soon as she turns nineteen, then she can be known as a musketeer again" he even sounded....desperate. Louis seemed to think for a moment, horrifying his wife even more "Kayley is a musketeer!! She proved herself more times then most, not to mention she commanded your army, which no dubitably helped win the war!!" he exclaimed. Louis thought for a short moment longer before declaring "Kayley will stay as a musketeer, she has proven herself enough and it would be a waste and idiotic to remove that title from her". They all parted, Treville leaving as he didn't want to hear another word out of Rochefort's mouth.

With the other musketeers, they had soon arrived at the Palace around 8 O clock; the King and Queen greeted their guests with hugs and hand shakes. The four men excused themselves before returning to the Garrison; they were still really worried about Kayley and wanted to see if she was okay. "Treville!!" they hurried over to the man who was saying good night to the cadets that were leaving for the day "how did the mission go??" the older man asked; they explained that it was easy and smooth before asking the more important question "has Kayley shown up??" Athos asked. Treville explained everything "turns out Kayley had taken ill over the night, had a fever, but don't worry, she's much better now and should be back to her usual self by tomorrow" he reassured "but leave her be tonight, last I knew she was still fast asleep". The four musketeers did as told and decided to go to the Tavern for a few drinks, not many as they were tired as it was. After four drinks each, they called it a night and returned to B&B, said goodnight to Constance who told them that the teen girl was fast asleep in her room which was now locked.