Lost in the pages

Heated

Captain Treville and I walked down to the stables where his horse was saddled and waiting for him He got on and I was helped into place in front of him

"I know that the queen has asked you to do something for her" I looked round at him "I am not going to ask you what it is, because it is better that I do not know;  but what is it you need?"

"I need to borrow a Musketeer and a horse" I had a sudden feeling of dread I was going to have to ride myself

"Bad timing with the English Envoy due here tomorrow. I cannot allow Athos to go, I need him at my side" I felt a little disappointed. I will talk to the others and one of them will be available to you"

"Thank you" I nodded the rest of the trip back to the garrison was quiet apart from the sound of the horses hooves in the fresh snow.

We came under the archway and into the courtyard as Porthos and Aramis were coming from the stables. They both looked surprised to see me with Treville. Porthos came over and reached up and put his hands on my waist and lifted me down, Treville dismounted behind me

"Where's D'artaganan?"

"Putting his horse away" Aramis said looking toward the stables as D'artaganan walked across the courtyard he stalled a little when he saw me in the middle of the others.

"Estelle, Is Constance alright?" he asked quickly

"She's fine she's with the Queen" I smiled

"Aramis would you show Estelle to Athos's room and then I want to see the three of you in my office" he looked at me and tipped his head before taking the stairs two at a time.

"Well he's not too happy" Porthos said putting his hands on his hips

"It may have something to do with me" I chewed my lip

"I suppose we're going to find out" D'artaganan sighed

"Estelle" I looked at Aramis as he gestured to the stairs. I walked up them with him and the others following behind. I stopped at the top. Aramis put his hand in the small of my back and guide me to the left of the stairs and stopped outside of a door. "I'll leave you here and let you talk with Athos"

"Thank you" I touched his arm and squeezed it he nodded and stepped away.

I put my hand on the latch and took a deep breath before I opened the door. It was a simple room with a bed in the far corner and a table and chair. I closed the door behind me quietly the only light in the room came from the cracking burning logs in the fireplace.

 In front of it was a large wooden tub and I could make out the shape of Athos's head facing the fire; his right hand was out of the water resting on the edge of the tub a cup in it and a bottle of wine on the floor next to the tub.

"I said I didn't need any more water" He said with an easy tone. I unclipped the cloak and put it on the chair

"It's a good job that I don't have water then" He jumped and looked around spilling wine on his hand

"Estelle" Athos was wide eyed

"Warming up?" I asked moving closer to the tub my heart was literally in my throat

"Yes" he watched me moved around the room "I thought you were with the Queen and Constance"

"The Queen has asked me to do something for her" I bent and added a log to the fire "and she also said to spend time with you" I looked at him.

"Did she?" he smiled

"Well apparently people seem to think that I have made you human and they like it" I stood up and came over to the tub. He reached his hand up and toyed with my fingers and smiled up at me I knelt down "and I know you were going to come to the palace but..."

"You came to me instead" I nodded "You know that people may talk"

"So" I took the cup from him and took a drink

"You're reputation would be in disarray"

"The only person that has to be concerned about that is me" I took a deep breath "I don't have anything or anyone other than all of you that I have met here, I don't feel like you judge me" he moved in the water leveling his face with mine

"I do not judge you" he touched my cheek and I lent in to his hand "Estelle" he kissed me sending water spilling over the side of the tub and onto the floor

There was an urgency to the kiss and a need coming from both of us. I moved back and stood up and reached for the ties on the bottom of my corset at the back pulling it undone. Athos stood up the water cascading from his body giving me the perfect view of him against the firelight.

His body was well defined and muscled without being overly large, well somethings were of generous proportions, I felt my mouth become dry. He stepped out and pulled me to him his mouth on mine his hands working on the corset strings until I felt his damp fingers trailing up and down my spine making me shudder.

The bodice of my dress was tossed aside and my skirt and the petticoats following it to the corner of the room my arms were up and around Athos's neck, his hands slipped under me lifting me from the floor and he carried me to the bed and laid me down. Athos backed off for a moment before moving himself over me his mouth reclaiming mine.

Athos had a power about him that no other man I'd been with had ever had. His mouth was on my neck as he pushed himself into me my fingers moved over his back feeling the shift of the muscle and a scar just below his shoulder blade, My legs wrapped around his waist pulling him deeper into me everything in him tensed and he groaned his release pushing me into my own. Athos slumped a little before pulling out of me and laying to the side.

"I think I just ruined your reputation" Athos chuckled pressing his lips to my shoulder

"I don't care" I smiled at him. "but I'm not sure I can walk for a while" he laughed and shook his head and moved off the bed and picked up the wine bottle and the cup and came over and handed them to me he picked up the blanket and fur cover that had been pushed to the floor and climbed back into bed alongside of me covering us both up.

I filled the cup and held it out to him he took a drink and handed it back to me

"I doubt that the Queen was condoning this" he said laying on his back and looking at me

"She may not have been but I was hoping" I lay my head on his chest and let him stroke my hair

"It feels right you here... I never thought that..." he stopped talking "You said that the Queen asked you to do something for her?" I nodded "What is it?"