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

Chapter 23: Treacherous

"Captain!" Cosette shouted as she and Porthos finally made it to the Garrison. However, they found it empty. Only for individuals were there.
"

Where is everybody?" Porthos asked the cook, Serge. Cosette couldn't see that teenager Henry, the bower or Philippe. Not even Edward
"The regiment's gone off hunting with the King," Serge explained.
"What?" Porthos asked.
"No-one else here but me, one-eyed Florian, and Jacques the stable boy."
The captain heard Porthos and Cosette's shouting. He saw only two of his four musketeers had returned.
"Where are the others?' Treville asked Cosette and Porthos looked at each other, not sure how he would take this. Treville asked another question that feared for others' lives.
"Where is the Queen?"
Cosette and Porthos shared grave looks. Treville could Tell by their faces they were there with bad news.
After their story was over, Treville led Cosette and Porthos to the Cardinal's private chambers. When they entered, Cosette could have sworns he saw a woman attempting to hide from them. Why they came to the enemy of the Musketeers, Cosette could not put her finger on it. Maybe it was because he was the Cardinal, or maybe because they needed to keep up appearances. Treville spoke up.
"There's been an attempt on the Queen's life," said Treville. "She's safe, at least for the time being."
The trio entered Rue Bannones, hoping that he would shed some light on the ledger that Porthos and Cosette had found when they had killed those mercenaries. After had approached Cardinal Richelieu about the situation with the Queen, Cosette was sure that he had something to do with the Queen's attempted assassination. She just knew that they had to get to the convent before their brothers would run out of air.
"Hello?" Treville asked. He pushed the unlocked door wide open. "Not like a moneylender to leave his room unattended.
"Perhaps he was the trusting type," Cosette said hopefully. She was praying deep down that the man was not dead.
"Too trusting," responded Porthos. And that was what Cosette dreaded when she saw that the poor moneylender was hanging from the hook.
"We need to find some record of the promissory note," Treville said. Cosette was not paying attention to either of the men. She could smell something, something that smelled familiar.
"Can either of you smell jasmine?" Cosette asked. Porthos gave her a strange look as if she grew a second head.
"Look for his accounts ledger," said Treville.
She knew she should have been looking for the ledger, but Cosette couldn't get that scent out of her head. She stood by the door, unaware of the danger she was putting herself in. Milady took out her dagger, just in case the girl walked around the corner. Cosette, meanwhile, had to put her finger on it.
"I've found it. D'Artagnan! Porthos!" shouted Treville. Cosette did not move a muscle.
"D'Artagnan!" Treville shouted again. Cosette looked away, ignoring the jasmine smell, and walked to where Treville and Porthos were at, where she looked at the moneylender's book.
"This is his ledger. The entry for the note says it was purchased in gold by the German Count Daniel Mellendorf," said Treville. Cosette shrugged her shoulders.
"Why would he..." Cosette began.
"Mellendorf and his daughter are hunting with the King," Treville explained to his goddaughter. "The beneficiary of the note didn't sign his name, but he left a mark."
Cosette's mouth dropped when she saw that symbol. The symbol of the hand that Cosette and Porthos had found on one of the outlaws' backs.
"We've seen that before," Said Porthos. Treville looked confused, so Porthos explained the tattoo of a hand on the hand of one of the assassins. "Tattooed on the hand of one of the assassins."
"It's the mark of Hugh O'Neill, a Catholic chieftain who was exiled from Ireland, had his land taken. Men bearing this brand were O'Neill's private guard."
"Soldiers?" asked Cosette.
"Much more than just soldiers. More like musketeers," answered Treville. "We need to get back to the convent as soon as possible. We can't wait for the regiment."
When Cosette looked away, she saw a woman walk by. The young woman quickly left the building, her dagger and gun drawn out. However, when she came out, Cosette saw the woman was nowhere to be found.
"Someone was there," she said when she saw Porthos. "I smelled her scent."
"Her?" Porthos asked.
"It was a woman. I'm sure of it."
"I didn't see anyone."
"She was there, Porthos," Cosette insisted.
"We don't have time to search for her now. The Queen's life's at stake!" shouted Treville.
And deep down, Cosette knew that Treville was right. So, she and her friends got on their horses and made their way to the garrison to gather reinforcements. They had to move now if they were to save their friends. With what they had; the group quickly mounted on the horses. Now, those only available were One-Eyed Florian, Serge, and Jacques. They dressed them like Musketeers, but they were not really ones. And neither was Cosette. She may have had the title but she still did not feel like she belonged.
What Cosette wouldn't give but to see her former best friend, Constance, if she could. Despite everything, Cosette still cared about Constance and hoped she would be alright. Maybe, if she had chosen a different path, then Cosette could be spending the rest of her days as being with her best friends. There was something more than what Constance was doing. Cosette deduced that Monsieur Bonacieux had something to do with ruining their friendship, like threatening to expose the d'Artagnan secret to the Cardinal and then to the King.
Just as the convent got into eyesight as they approached, Cosette did not hesitate to get off her horse or storm into that building.
"We have to go now!" Cosette shouted.
"No, D'Artagnan wait!" Porthos shouted. He held her back by her shoulder. "We do it slowly, and together, brother."
Cosette hesitated for a second before she nodded. Porthos pat her back and they rushed into the building. Without hesitation, Cosette took her gun and shot. Porthos followed. She could not believe it, she killed on her first real mission. Sure, there was that man from the Court of Miracles, but this was the first man on an official Musketeer mission rather than her training.
"ARAMIS! ATHOS!" Treville shouted. Cosette looked around, hoping to find her older brothers alright. "In here!" shouted Aramis. Cosette still held her breath.
"Aramis? You're alright!" Cosette sighed.
"And so are you," said Aramis. Cosette smiled and they grasped arms with each other, and then she saw something.
"The Queen? Is she safe?" Cosette asked.
"Rest assured, D'Artagnan, I am safe," Queen Anne's soft voice caused Cosette to look in relief.
"It's good to see you alright, My Lady," Cosette said.
Treville came around the corner.
"Your Majesty," said Treville. "Thank God."
The queen smiled in gratitude. Then, they noticed someone was missing.
"Where's Athos?" Treville asked.
The group found Athos in the abandoned hallway, where Gallagher, the man who attempted to kill the Queen, D'Artagnan and her friends, was demanding his last rites. As Mother Superior began speaking them to Gallagher, Treville and the group informed Athos and Aramis what they had found.
"it seems Count Mellendorf hired them to kill the Queen, so his daughter could marry the King," said Treville.
"You have evidence of this?" asked Athos.
"His name is on the ledger," answered Cosette.
"And he was openly seeking a husband for his daughter," added Treville.
"This Gallagher is exiled from his country for being Catholic," said Aramis. "His land stolen and given to followers of a rival faith. You'd think after that; he'd have a healthy dislike of all things Protestant. I know I would."
"Mm. Instead, he agrees to kill our Catholic Queen to allow a German Protestant to take her place on the throne," said Porthos. He shook his head. "It doesn't feel right."
"Well, he was a mercenary," Cosette added.
"One with principles...of a kind," answered Athos.
"Before he passed away, Monsieur Gallagher said there was money in his saddlebags to pay for the repair of the convent," said Mother Superior.
"That's all there is," said Aramis. Cosette was shocked. At Gallagher's horse, they found was a small box with a small amount of money. So much for repairing the church. "Nothing else?"
Athos was alarmed. He saw what was on the other side of the box: a bluebell smashed on the other side.
"Aramis is right," said Athos. They all looked at him. "This isn't the work of Mellendorf. It's something much bigger. That flower is the signature of a woman who works for the Cardinal."
"Yes, well right now, we must get back home," said Cosette. She looked at Queen Anne, who was helping the other Musketeers with preparations for their journey. Cosette noticed there was something strange between Athos and Aramis. She just couldn't put her finger on it.
"Did we miss something while we were away? Other than the fighting the bandits," she added.
"No, you missed nothing, d'Artagnan," said Aramis. Cosette raised an eyebrow, but she let it slide. The young woman went to help the Queen with everything. At first, things were awkward between them, but when they were alone, the Queen took the opportunity to talk to D'Artagnan.
"I meant what I said," said Queen Anne. "Your secret is safe with me, Cosette."
The young woman smiled. "I promise, your Majesty, one day, I will repay you." Anne smiled and put a hand on the young woman's shoulder."

Serve your country, Cosette, that is all I ask of you," said Queen Anne.

"Yes, but I owe you a favor, Your Majesty," said Cosette. "A personal, dangerous favor, perhaps."
Queen Anne smiled at Cosette, and just pat her back. Now they were ready for the long journey for them.

Cosette and her friends watched as Louis and Anne were reunited. She could not help but feel relief that the Queen was now safe, and that her secret would remain with the Queen.

"We should confront him now. Not here, and not until we are certain," said Treville. Cosette wished the captain was wrong, but he was never wrong. They couldn't confront the Cardinal without evidence. However, he would not get away with attempting to kill Queen Anne.

"This woman you suspect, who is she?" Cosette asked.
"She's the most dangerous person I've ever known," said Athos. "She won't be easy to find."
"Well that's cheerful," Cosette muttered. Athos shook his head at her statement.
"Your Majesty's safe return is a cause of great rejoicing, and I have excellent news," said the Cardinal. "The man behind the attack on your life is in custody, pending execution. Count Mellendorf signed a confession, accepting full responsibility for the attack."
That was when the Musketeers went uneasy. Mellendorf confessed to a crime he did not commit. Cosette was outraged. He was innocent. No, it should be the Cardinal to be condemned for causing this.
"Mellendorf... Who'd have thought it?" Louis' words interrupted her. "Well done, Cardinal."
Cosette glared at the Cardinal. She pretended to clap but was really feeling loathe and hatred for the Cardinal, the man who would continue ruining her and her friends' lives. Harmed the innocent Queen and nearly got her and her other friends killed in the process. However, Aramis was more outraged than Cosette was.
"That's it?" Aramis hissed. "We know he's behind this and we let him stand there, the hero of the hour?"
"This isn't over yet," said Athos. He approached the Cardinal. "Your Eminence, may I congratulate you on capturing the culprit? I don't believe Mellendorf acted alone. The assassins were hired by a woman, perhaps the woman who killed the moneylender. Be assured, I will not rest until she's brought to justice."

"Excellent. Forgive me, I'm late for Mass," said the Cardinal. Athos glared at the Cardinal.

"Her, and whoever she works for," Athos added quickly but by then, the Cardinal had shut the door. He looked at his friends.

"We've got to talk about what happened," Cosette said.

Everyone looked at her, and saw she was serious. Athos looked around.

"Fine, but," Athos said. "Not here..."