Duty Calls

Chapter 23

D’Artagnan’s POV

I’m sitting on some sort of a bench inside the ship, hanging my head. I don’t know what to do. Constance has been avoiding me, she disappeared in a room, telling everyone she needed to sleep and didn’t wanna be disturbed. So I am sitting here, alone, not knowing how to figure things out. I look up as somebody sits down beside me. It’s Julien. He is glaring at me. After some moments of silence I groan.

“What is it, Julien?” I ask him.

“You know, I could ask you the same thing. You haven’t been eating or talking. You’ve only been sitting down here alone, always deep in your thoughts. So just tell me: What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing, I don’t wanna talk about it.” I state, hoping he’d just leave it alone, but of course he didn’t.

“You know, you saved my life in that hall. I owe you. And I wanna help you. So just tell me. It is about Constance, isn’t it?”

Wow, is it that obvious? I was hoping that nobody would realize that we’re avoiding each other. I don’t even know if she still wants to marry me.

“I don’t know what’s going on with us… She has changed since our wedding was interrupted. I am not sure whether we’ll ever get married now. I’ve been so sure, but now… We are not what we once were anymore.” I admit everything.

“And now, you’re not sure, whether to marry her or not?”

I nod at him, he got it.

“Well, do you love her and want to be with her, forever?”

“I do, I will always love her. I will never love anyone but her.”

“Then what are you waiting for?!” he asks bewildered.

“I don’t know about her. I don’t know whether she still loves me. I’m not sure whether she still wants to marry me. And I’m scared as hell that she doesn’t.”

I wouldn’t have thought that it would be such a relief to talk to someone about it. But it is, it’s like a weight being lifted from me. Julien pats my shoulder and smiles at me.

“I suggest you talk to her. When I first met her, I found out how much she loves you and I just know that nothing on earth could ever change that! Now go and find her. Talk about it and sort things out. We’ve nearly reached Paris and I want the two of you be a happy couple again by the time we get there.”

With these words he leaves. Well, I guess, I know what to do now. I jump up, heading for Constance’s room.
I knock at the door before entering. As I’d expected, she’s not sleeping, but siting on the bed. I close the door behind me and sit beside her. At first she refuses to look at me, so I cup her face my hands, making her look right into my eyes.

“We need to talk.”

She closes her eyes for a moment and I’m scared immediately that she’s just going to ignore me. But then she opens her beautiful eyes again. She sighs.

“Yes, seems like we do.”