The Three Musketeers (IN EDITS)

Chapter 19

CHAPTER 19

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The doors to the maid's chambers flew open and the maids sat up. Half-asleep and muttering, they rubbed their eyes as their visions adjusted to the darkness.

"What's happening?" A maid muttered as Violette, closest to the empty bed saw Emilie gathering her things from the trunk, packing everything up.

"Emilie...what are you doing?" She asked, but her words were ignored. She quickly lit a candle and held it up, the fire lighting up the room to reveal Emilie was emptying her belongings. She grabbed what belonged to her, anything that had been given to her since arriving at the palace was left behind.

Her belongings fit into a single bag as she pulled on a cloak, the maids angry and annoyed. "If she leaves without permission, we're all in trouble!" One cried as Violette pulled on her robe and slippers as she followed Emilie.

"Let her go! She has been a problem since she first came here!" A maid cried, turning over and lying down as Violette turned to them.

"Let's not forget that all of you were tormenting only hours ago. And now she's leaving...I wonder why? If she does leave, the blame will fall on all of you and you can say goodbye to not only Christmas but hopefully, your jobs here too!" Violette ran after Emilie as the other maids sat in silence, neither one refusing to acknowledge the damage caused by their actions.

***

Arriving in the stables in the dark of the night, Arianne was lucky her mare had been bought here when the Trevilles left Paris.

Stroking her nose, Arianne leaned against her, seeing comfort. "I am so sorry we need to do this, but I have no choice..." As she unlocked the door, Violette appeared.

"What do you think you are doing?" Violette cried her voice low to avoid attention.

"I don't have to explain anything..." She reached for the lock but Violette stopped her

"You are going to get all of us into trouble!"

"You don't understand!" She tried to step her away around her but Violette blocked her path.

"If this is what the maids did to you earlier, Nina doesn't tolerate bullying of any kind."

"This isn't about those women!" Arianne shook her head as the sounds of someone approaching the stables made the ladies turn.

"Ethan!" Violette froze, her hands raised as she gestured for him to step away.

"What is going on? It is the middle of the night!" He was in guard mode, glancing at Arianne in a cloak and reaching over the stable doors to free her mare. "Where are you going?"

"Ethan..." Violette put her hands on his chest, pushing him slightly as they walked away. "She is upset. Something happened with the maids before. They were very cruel to Emilie and she is just very emotional and not thinking straight."

"Running away is not the answer. Nina does not tolerate these things!"

Violette nodded, both of them glancing over at the stables. "I know and I am talking to her. But you have to walk away and pretend you have not seen anything, please."

Ethan raised his eyebrows. "Are you sure she's running away from the bullying and not because of...other reasons?"

Violette swallowed the lump in her throat and glanced back at Emilie who was getting her mare ready to leave. "Whatever it is...I'll find out."