d'Artagnan And Her Musketeers (The Cosette D'Artagnan Romances, book 1)

Chapter 22: Knight Takes Queen

Athos, Porthos, and Cosette were practicing at their sword fighting again. Today, it had been two weeks since Cosette officially joined the Musketeers and she was excelling in it. However, in all honesty, she didn't see why Porthos and Athos continued sparring with her. Maybe it was because they liked watching her complain or how they kept scratching their blades against her new pauldron or that they liked teasing her every time it happened.

"For the last time, mind the uniform!" Cosette shouted.

In honesty, Athos and Porthos just could not believe how protective she was of her pauldron.

"It doesn't look right on you. Too shiny, too new."

"It's like your mum's dressed you," said Porthos.

"Exactly," said Athos.

"Nah, my mother never stressed how I dressed, so I didn't need her helping," Cosette said.

"Aramis, what do you think?" Cosette asked. Aramis, meanwhile, was too busy admiring the birds to defend her. when Athos' blade scrapped her pauldron again, she hissed.

It took a while but Aramis finally responded.

"I think we've landed in paradise, brothers," said Aramis. He heard the birds chirping as he looked at Cosette and their other brothers. " Listen to that."

"What?" all three of Aramis' siblings asked. Aramis smiled as they listened to the birds singing in the background. Porthos whistled to gain Cosette's attention, and she, Porthos and Athos continued fighting with each other.

Two days later, Aramis' demeanor changed for the worst. He was pacing back and forth while Athos and Porthos relaxing on a tree trunk and Cossette was near the campfire with a stick in her hand. Honestly, why couldn't Aramis calm down? To Cosette, she saw that Aramis missed Paris and the action. The only action he ever got out of these past few days was seeing his comrades practicing with the swords. They saw him reach out for his pistol.

Aramis, Leave the birds alone," said Athos

"I hate these birds and their... Agh!"

"I thought this was paradise," said Athos.

"That was two days ago. Now...I'm bored. I miss Paris, the excitement, the noise."

Athos and Cosette looked at each other with smiles and a shake of the head at their brother's rant. "The danger."

He cocked his gun. however, a fire shot.

"Aramis!" Athos shouted, annoyed. however, what alarmed Cosette was Aramis' look of alarm, horror written all across his face.

"That wasn't me," Aramis promised. Athos, Cosette and Porthos got up from their seats and grabbed their pistols and rapiers. The inseparables looked down to see the Queen. Dead on the floor.

"Oh, Mary, mother of God," Cosette cried. Athos, Porthos and Aramis understood her agony. When Aramis flipped over the body, Cosette was slightly relieved that it was not the Queen but her handmaiden, Caroline.