Duty Calls

Chapter 18

D’Artagnan’s POV

My shoulder has been wrapped up tightly and it’s feeling way better now. In fact, the pain is nearly gone and also my headache isn’t there anymore. Well, I guess that’s what some hours of good sleep do. But now enough of sleeping. I need to see the others and ask them whether they’ve found something.
I get out of the tent and search for them. After walking around and asking for them for some minutes, I find them sitting at a campfire.

“Hey guys. Have you found something?”

Porthos is the one to answer me firs.

“D’Artagnan! It’s good to have you back, kid!”

“We did find out something. It’s been the Cardinal who gave orders to attack Buckingham’s ship before meeting up with us.” Aramis tells me.

“And it’s been Jussac, who gave the orders to shoot.” Athos adds.

Great, the usual villains.

“Then what are we waiting for? We have to do something!” I tell them.

“We are currently waiting for Julien. He’s gonna find out whether Buckingham might still be alive.”

Just as Porthos has finished his sentence, the young man who had also been with them on the cliffs, burst in.

“Guys, we have a problem!” He pants.

“Well, we do have many problems. Could you be more specific? How bad is it?” Athos asks him.

“A gigantic, apocalyptic, HUGE problem!” Julien states.

What the hell is this boy talking about? I’ll just find out.

“So what exactly is this problem? What happened?”

“Okay, I went to the Cardinal’s tent, but the guards in front of it were both dead. So I hid and overheard what was going on inside. Well and the Cardinal has been threatened… by two women and one of them was definitely Constance! I didn’t hear everything, but they are currently lead by Jussac to the place where Buckingham is!”

“Wait what?! Constance?! What the hell are you talking about? And by the way who do you actually think you are?”

“Um… yeah… Constance. I am officially one of the Cardinal’s men, but believe me, I’m on your side. I helped Constance to get here on the airship. She was looking for you. Then she found out you’re dead and she was devastated. I haven’t seen her since then, but as far as I got it, this is all about revenge.”

I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Constance threatening someone? Constance wanting revenge? Even the mere thought of it is absurd.

“Whatever, we need to find Buckingham and take him and the treaty to the King. We have to save peace. It’s our duty!” Athos says.

I know he’s right, but I’m still shocked that Constance – my Constance might now be on the wrong side. What on earth drove her down that path?

“Come on, we need to hurry, I know where Buckingham is and I know a shortcut to get there. But we have to leave now!”

We all grab out weapons immediately and hurry to follow Julien.

“Hey, Julien, how come you know a shortcut?”

“I grew up in Calais. I went to Paris to become a Musketeer, but since there are not as many of them nowadays, I was offered a job by the Cardinal. I needed a job, so I agreed. What did I have to lose?” He smiles.

Wow, he went to Paris out of the same reason as I did. But he ended up being one of the Cardinal’s men, while my dream of becoming a Musketeer came true. Julien only seems to be a little younger than I am myself. I kind of feel connected to him. He reminds me of myself back when I came to Paris.
We are now running through the streets of Calais.

“Wait, Buckingham is in Calais? Really?” Porthos asks.

“Yes, exactly. They are in a hall where the ships are built.” Julien answers.