Constant Companion (A 2011 The Three Musketeers Fanfiction)

Chapter Sixteen

Jussac escorted me onto the ship. The cardinal's men, all dressed in red and black, stared at me in open curiosity. I was thankful I wasn't in sight of them for long as I was pushed towards the lower levels.

The more I saw of the ship, the more I wondered exactly how long Richeleiu had been planning and building it. It was well supplied. And, now that I thought back to the first time I had seen a ship such as this, I realized that the cardinal hadn't shown any surprise at the method of Buckingham's arrival.

And it was all because Milady had learned Buckingham's plans and passed them on? Exactly who's side was she on?

I was left in a cell far from anything that would have been useful to watch. I paced the tiny enclosure, looking for any way to get out. If I could get off this ship, I could get to the queen and give her hope that the diamonds were as good as back in her possession.

But the cells had been built to withstand hardened soldiers. A lady in waiting had no chance in getting out.

Just as I sat with a huff, the ship jolted ever so slightly. It was enough to catch me off balance, and I clutched at the side of the bed I was on. The strangest feeling filled me as the ship slowly, and easily, began to go up.

“Wow,” I breathed out loud. “No wonder Buckingham enjoyed it so.”

I wondered what was happening in England, whether or not D'artagnan had found the diamonds. As D'Artagnan had said himself, the Tower of London was heavily fortified and highly impregnable. I hoped D'Artagnan, and the others, were not hurt getting in and out.

Were they on their way back? Had they been successful?

And what about the queen? How was she holding up under all of this suspense? I dearly hoped that Nicolette was not causing any more trouble.

It was agony not knowing what was happening. It was infuriating to trapped in a tiny cell, with no way to even look out and see what was going on around me. Time seemed to crawl by as I alternated between pacing and sitting. I knew I should get some rest, but could not close my eyes for a moment.

Still, I was startled when I hard a door slam open. Jussac appeared at the door moments later. “Your prescence is required on deck, Mademoiselle,” he said, his tone oddly polite. He unlocked the door and gestured for me to come out.

“Manners, Jussac?” I queried, annoyed into a taunt as I rose to my feet. “I am surprised by you. Do you show such courtesy to all the prisoners you lock into a cell?”

Jussac's jaw twitched, but he made no response. Sighing, I stepped out of the cell and he took my arm. Though I could not figure out why, as we were not on the ground and there was no where for me to go. Walking very quickly, Jussac escorted me up to the deck. I gasped as I stepped out into the fresh air. Blue sky surrounded me, marred only by gray clouds gathering.

“I do hope you're not afraid of heights,” Rochefort said from where he was standing by the wheel.

Choosing not to dignify that with an answer, I took a step towards the side. My breath caught in my throat as I saw just how far we were from the ground. I swallowed hard, feeling slightly dizzy as I saw just how small everything looked from up here. The edge of Paris seemed very far off.

“I was informed that my presence was required here,” I said, turning around. No one had moved to stop me, presumably because they knew there was no place for me to go. Rochfort was watching me closely, though, making me uncomfortable. “I fail to see how I can be of any possible assistance to you, Captain Rochefort.”

“Any moment now, I expect to encounter the musketeers,” the man responded, with a smirk that made me even more uneasy. “I want them to see immediately that they are outnumbered and outgunned, and that they will lose much more by attacking than I will. To do that, I will need you, Mademoiselle.”

“You need me?” I echoed, frowning. How could I possible help? Surely, he knew that I would never give him any information or assistance! “I don't understand.”

Rochefort motioned with his hand and two guards moved towards me. “You will,” the man said as I pressed back against the railing. “Tie her to the figurehead.”

“What?” I exclaimed in horror. “No!”

Even the two guards hesitated at that. “Sir, its not safe,” one protested. “We cannot-.”
“You have your orders,” Rochefort snapped, his hand going to his pistol.

My arms were grabbed by the two guards. “No!” I cried out, struggling as I was pulled towards the front of the ship. “You can't do this!”

“The more you struggle, the more likely it is that you will fall, Mademoiselle,” Rochefort called after me.

I hated how right he was. The guards bound my wrists with rope, and I flinched in pain at their over zealous work. Fear froze my limbs as I was pulled over the railing. The hideous figurehead loomed above me. Ropes were wrapped around me and the wood, holding me in place.

The guards were quick to retreat to safety, and I was left to stare down at the expanse below me. Clouds obscured my gaze from seeing the ground, but that did little to lessen my fear. It was only a matter of seconds before the cold left me without any feeling in any part of my body.

Since being taken captive in Calais, my sense of time had been completely turned around. I wasn't sure how long I was left hanging there. A few times, I tried to look around, to see something else besides the grey clouds. Each time, though, my head would spin and I would squeeze me eyes closed. I was cold. I was afraid. And I had no idea what was going to happen to me.

All of the sudden, Rochefort's men must have seen something because cannons roared. I flinched at the loud sound. I could see nothing through the clouds and I prayed that there would be no return fire. Out in open as I was, I would be killed instantly. Another round was fired, making my ears ring.

And then, as the clouds shifted, I saw it: the elegant ship that belonged to Buckingham. “D'Artagnan!” I breathed. I had no doubt of it. I shouldn't have felt any relief. Not yet. But I did. If anyone could rescue me from this, I knew it would be my gascon and his friends.

No more cannons were fired as the two ships drew closer to each other. Finally, I could make out five figures standing on the deck of Buckingham's ship. I could have cried. All of them, even the funny servant, had made it back. I soon could make out D'Artagnan standing closest to the railing.

“Ah, Gascon!” Rochefort called out as soon as the two ships were side by side. We seemed to hang in the air, waiting tensely for the next move. “So you traded up when it comes to transport! Once again, you are outmatched! You can thank Milady for that. She passed on Buckingham's plans a long time ago! As you can see, we've made some improvements.” He laughed. “Isn't she a beauty?”

“What do you want?” D'Artagnan demanded angrily.

Rochefort paused. “The diamonds,” he said as if it should have been obvious.

“Come and take them!” D'Artagnan challanged.

“Gladly,” Rochefort responded. “You see I can blast you out of the sky with total impunity. If you fire on me, on the other hand, you'll be killing Miss-Oh-So-Young-And-Pretty.”

Even terrified as I was, not only for myself but for the others as well, I inwardly seethed at being called 'pretty' by him.

“You have sixty seconds,” Rochefort announced.

Half of me wanted to beg D'Artagnan to save me, whatever it took. And the other half wanted to shout for him to get the diamonds to the queen. The future and security of France was in the balance.

From the smaller ship, I could hear angry voices being raised. What they were saying was impossible to make out, but I assumed they were discussing the best option.

“Times up!” Rochefort called out.

I held my breath as I waited. “An exchange,” D'Artagnan answered. My heart leapt with happiness and my head wailed in despair. He was sacrificing all of France for me. “I go aboard your ship with the diamonds. The girl comes aboard ours. Once I know she is safe, I give them to you.”

“Fine,” Rochefort said, a note of victory in his voice. “But I want to see the diamonds first.”

And then I heard the words I had been longing and dreading to hear. “Cut her loose.”