The Female Musketeer

Chapter 23 | L'avis Des Rois

For a moment everyone is silent, as if waiting for more arrows to fly through. But nothing.

I wait another beat before getting off the Queen.

"Are you alright?" I ask her.

Visibly shaken she nods. I sneak a peak out the window, the man is loading another arrow.

"Stay down you majesty!" Guards surround her. I run down the hall, to the direction of the man. I find a window and climb out. I jump and thrown ahold of the edge of the room, pulling myself up as quietly as possible. When I'm on top of the roof, the man hasn't seen me, so I creep up behind him as he tries to find another shot. I'm a mere two feet away when he seems to sense me. He turns, his bow still readied. He goes to realese it but I'm quicker. I grab it from his hands and toss it from the roof. Angered, he pushes me back.

"Tu perra!" His Spanish Accent was thick, but the words were simple enough.

Instead of trying to hit me, he begins running away. I run after him, the roof ended but he kept going. He slips down the molding and I mimicked him. I could hear more screams and the sounds of soldiers running below us. He just skillfully made his way down the building through various but carefully movements. I tried to follow him but he was faster. soldiers hurried footsteps were close. Before I hit the ground, I turned and he was long gone. I didn't make it another step before a sword was pointed at my throat.

"Stay still!" A Red Guard demanded.

I put my hands into the air. Each of my arms was seized.

"The assassin ran that way." I motion ahead with my head. More guards join the group but go off in that direction in search.

My arms are still restrained and I'm dragged back through the castle. I'm taken down into a small cell. Thrown onto the cold dirt ground.

"I didn't do anything wrong!" I shout at the solider who's locking my cell door.

"That's not for you to decide." Is all he replies.

A warm stinging takes over my leg. I lift my dress up. My leg had a thick piece of glass stuck in it, it was gushing out blood.

How had I not noticed that?

I wonder to myself, but then my legs were burning from the running still. I pull the glass from the wound and use it to help cut a strip from the bottom of my dress. I use the fabric to put pressure on the injury and make a make do wrap. The stinging continues slightly but the blood subsides.  Bleeding to death from a small wound in a filthy cell wasn't how I wanted to go out.

I crawled onto the thin mattress on the ground and stared at the ceiling. I stared at it for what felt like days but the evening light had just sunk in when the door was opened. Instead of a Red Guard, it was a Musketeer that retrieved me. He was one I recognized from my scarce time at the Garrison.

"Please follow me Madame."

I got up from the ground, following the Musketeer through the same dark halls that I was led down earlier. We stop in front of a gold and white double door. The soldiers guarding it each open a side, revealing the Throne room.

We walk through and I silently gasp as the gathering of people. The king sits in his throne, Musketeers surround him. Athos, Aramis, Porthos and Treville amount them. I wouldn't be suprised if the entire regiment was in this very room at the moment. The king looks pale and tired but his eyes carry a childish humor. He dark black hair curled into a slight bob. Charles, Constance and Mr Bonacieux are standing on the left side of the room, guarded by Red Guards. The Queen is no where I can see. The cardinal stands at his Majesty's side. Like a parrot on its owners shoulder.

I'm brought before the king, I kneel in front him. My eyes directed at the ground.

The Cardinal addresses me.

"Who sent you?"

"Nobody, I was in the castle to assist my friend."

"Your friend the Assassin?"

"Of course not. I was here to help the Queen pick out fabrics for a new dress."

"So you claim to have no prior knowledge to the attack of the Queen?"

"Yes. I knew nothing of it, but it was I who step in and got her to safety and went after the assailant while the guards took their time." My temper simmers in my voice. I try to relax but my tone is not unnoticed by the room.

"I agree. Your guards have let me down twice today." The King speaks.

The Cardinals cold approach turn into a bashful look.

"They will be heavily reprimanded. This shall never happen again my lord." His voice is much lighter than before

"You may address me now miss. Let us start with your name?" The Kings voice is much softer to the Cardinals scratchy one.

"La Vielle. Daria La Vielle."

"Well Miss La Vielle. What did this man look like?"

"He wore a black cloth over his face. He spoke to me I Spanish. His blue Bow was dropped from the roof." I begin to list off.

"Is that all you can remember?"

I nod.

"We found no bow on the ground. But we did have sighting of a man running from the castle."

"And the Queen? Is she alright?"

The king seems amused at my worry "Yes, she is quite well. Just a bit overexcited by the event. The blood on her gown was concerning at first but I see now, it's true source" he refers to my bandage, which is very noticeable under my shredded dress.

"I owe you a great debt Madame. Within reason of course" He nods in gratitude.

A thought pops into my head, though it slips through my lips just as quick.

"I want to be a Musketeer."