Constant Companion (A 2011 The Three Musketeers Fanfiction)

Chapter Seventeen

I am ashamed to say that I was trembling when I was pulled up to safety. A couple of the guards were calling for the gangway to be deployed. Rochefort was waiting, a smirk on his face. I gathered all of my anger and glared at him. “You won't get away with this,” I hissed at him.

“I believe I already have, mademoiselle,” he answered, taking my arm. “Your gascon is waiting.”

Choosing not to dignify that with a response, I resisted the impulse to jerk away from him. He escorted me down to a lower deck and then left me beside Jussac. Rochefort opened a door, and past him, I could see the gangway that now connected the two airships.

D'Artagnan, with Athos on his right and Aramis on his left, stood on the other side. He held the queen's necklace up in his hand. “Satisfied?” he called out.

Rochefort said nothing as he stepped aside. Jussac pushed me forward. As I went passed Rochefort, I made sure to glare one more time at him, just so he could see the disdain and hatred I had for him. Then, I was in the doorway, once more looking down at the ground.

Fear nearly paralyzed me and I swallowed hard. I forced myself to look up and I met D'Artagnan's eyes. Even over the distance between us, I could read the concern in his expression. Putting one foot in front of the other, I stepped out onto the wooden walkway, clinging tightly to the railing.

Lowering his hand, D'Artagnan began to come towards me. The wind whipped my hair across my face, but I didn't let my gaze fall from D'Artagnan. When we met in the middle, it felt like it had been an eternity since I had first stepped out into the open.

For a brief second, D'Artagnan's eyes scanned me, making sure I was fine. I wanted to say something, anything, to reassure him, but I couldn't find the words. He gave a slight nod and moved past me. I had to keep moving too, but I couldn't resist glancing over my shoulder to follow his progress. He was striding purposefully to where Rochefort waited.

Turning my attention back what was in front of me, I stumbled towards the end. It was Athos, surprisingly enough, who reached out a hand for me to take as I stepped onto the smaller ship. Gratefully, I clutched the support he offered and turned to make sure that D'Artagnan had made it safely.

I was horrified to see D'Artagnan step inside the other ship and face Rochefort. His back was to Jussac! I wanted to scream out a warning, but Jussac was already reacting. He struck the back of D'Artagnan's head with a pistol, and then the door was slammed closed, blocking my view.

“No!” I exclaimed. “D'Artagnan!”

“Damn!” Athos swore as Aramis bolted for the wheel.

I saw the wooden panels over the cannons coming up and the black weapons coming into view. I wasn't the only one to spot this threat. “Hard right!” Athos snapped out. He turned towards the cabins. “Fire!”

Porthos must have been below at the cannons because seconds later they are firing at the cardinal's ship. I am dismayed to see the cannonballs merely bouncing off the other ship's side. The other ship fired in immediate response, and Buckingham's ship does not have the improvements that the cardinal had made.

Their cannonballs tore through the ship easily. I cried out as I was knocked off my feet. I saw Aramis and Athos also get flung down from the impact. I covered my head with my hands as wood flew through the air around me. I decided that it would be better to stay where I was than to try to get to my feet. A cry came from below, and I prayed neither men down there were harmed.

After a few minutes, there was a lull when they had to reload. Aramis scrambled up first, retaking his position at the helm. Athos was next, scrambling around. He helped me to my feet as I struggled to get upright.

“We can't outrun them and we can't outgun them!” Athos growled.

We were trapped and it would take a miracle to get us out of this. “We could try asking them to surrender, but somehow I don't that will work,” Aramis responded.

My eyes went to the clouds that had darkened into a threatening storm. “We hide,” I exclaimed. All we needed was a little time to work out a plan. I gestured to the storm as lightening flashed through the sky. “In there.”

“It'll have to work,” Aramis said, already spinning the wheel. Creaking the ship responded to his direction, heading towards the storm. Cannon fire followed us, and all the sudden the ship rocked from an explosion that came from within. We all fought to stay on our feet.

“What was that?” Aramis demanded.

“Never mind that,” Athos answered, with a scowl. Several more cannonballs struck their mark just as we entered the edge of the storm.

When I looked back, I could see the cardinal's ship following us. “He's persistent, I'll give him that,” Aramis stated.

I looked out at the storm, flinching as several streaks of lightening lit up the sky in front of me. It was a risky move to hide in such a volatile area, but it was the only way for us to be some time. “Try not to get us killed while I think of what we're going to do next,” Athos instructed, striding towards the cabin.

Glancing back, I was pleased to see that the clouds now obscured us from Rochefort. The winds picked up drastically and Aramis fought to keep the ship steady. But for the moment, we are safe from being blown out of the sky. For that I was very grateful.

Turning, I made my way into the cabin where Athos was staring down at a smashed table. He swore and kicked at some debris near his feet. “That's not going to help anyone,” Porthos remarked, entering opposite of me. He nodded at me. “We took a lot of damage, Athos. Its going to take a miracle to keep us in the air long enough to reach Paris, let alone fight another battle. Do you have a plan?”

“The cardinal's ship is as strong as iron,” Athos snapped. “None of our shots caused even a dent!”

“Then, we'll have to take out the balloon,” Porthos responded. “We'll be on more even footing if we can get her to the ground.”

Athos considered that. “But if the ship crashes, won't D'Artagnan be harmed?” I asked in alarm. I couldn’t bear the thought that we had both come this far only to have him killed.

“If we don't, it will be us who ends up on the ground,” Porthos pointed out.

“If we can get around behind and above Rochefort, we can attack the balloon before they know what's happened,” Athos said slowly. He glanced over at me. “It won't be enough to drop them out of the sky completely, but it will force them down.”

“I'll get Planchet up here.”

It amazed me how once they'd latched onto the idea they were running with it. Nodding as if it were completely decided, Athos turned and strode past me. From the safety of the cabin, I watched him relay the plan to Aramis, who nodded his agreement.

“What can I do?” I called out, anxious to help in anyway that I could.

“Just stay out of the way,” Athos said sharply.

Sighing, I accepted that and stayed where I was. Skillfully, Aramis coaxed the ship to rise higher in the sky and banked it so that we were going in a circle. The winds calmed slightly and I ventured out into the air. “This was a good idea, hiding in the storm,” Aramis commented.

Blushing, I smiled and nodded. I searched the sky below and around. After several moments, I saw it. “There,” I pointed ahead, to our right.

“Porthos,” Aramis called out. “Your turn to take the wheel.”

The large former musketeer came out and switched places. Aramis scrambled nimbly up to take his place at some kind of small cannons. I retreated back to the cabin to watch as our ship quietly glided towards the larger one.

“Round two,” Athos said.