The Three Musketeers (IN EDITS)

Chapter 23

CHAPTER 23

*********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

*Outskirts of Cherbourg, Normandy*

A ship pulled into the harbour, its sails and flags white to indicate a peace envoy. Gaston waited on the cliff tops on the back of his horse with his men around him as the ship anchored and docked.

A plank of wood slid from the ship to the deck as a man stepped off. He was dressed in simple colours and the most simple of clothes as he looked up, noticing Gaston. A simple bow of his head as he continued to the mainland Gaston clicked his tongue, leading his horse to the Chateau de Nacqueville.

There they waited for the envoy who arrived on horseback and carriage, entering the castle as Gaston stood up.

"Gaston..." The guest spoke as the Duke of Orleans smiled at his guest. A guest who had arrived in the cover of night. A guest no one would know was ever here but those present.

A guest that would get Gaston into serious trouble.

But risks were being taken for the sake of France.

"Cromwell."

***

*Paris*

It had been a few days since Arianne learnt about the Trevilles and she couldn't help but want all the information that the men had. Ethan and Joachim used their connections to locate them to no avail.

But when Arianne asked for any information, there was silence. The only answer she got was once they had something, they would tell her but it never seemed that way and her suggestions were constantly shut down as being too dangerous or intrusive.

Gaston was out of the city and while Mazarin held the fort, Arianne knew that a sweep of Gaston's chambers and desk would reveal something but Christophe didn't believe Gaston would be that careless.

"But a simple sweep over won't cause anything! He might have left something, anything!" Arianne had pleaded but Christophe was convinced.

"Gaston is careful. He covers his tracks. We can go into his chambers and ransack the place, looking for answers and if we don't find any? He will want to know why we were there, looking through his things and I will have to tell him and we don't want to do that!"

"But Gaston is responsible for this! He was the one that imprisoned them. The Trevilles are missing because of him..." Arianne's pleas fell on flat ears and she suddenly lost all hope in expecting any of these men she trusted to help her.

In the kitchen, she mindlessly kneaded dough as Violette approached her, nudging her slightly.

"You've been kneading that dough for quite some time now..." She gave her a warm smile as Arianne looked down and sighed, moving the dough to a bowl and placing it near the fires to prove. "They'll find her." Violette placed a hand on her shoulder and Arianne looked at her.

"I just wish they would stop treating me as if I have no idea what I am talking about..." She washed her hands, waving them as she tried to find the words. "Like I am a..."

"Woman?" Violette remarked as Arianne looked at her and groaned. "Men have a protective nature about them..." She dropped her voice as a maid walked past them. "Especially when it comes to a woman they love."

"But I don't need protecting..." Arianne leaned on the barrel of water, looking at her reflection. "I survived a war where they executed people like me. I smuggled myself across counties and borders, from towns to villages without detection and was able to return to my homeland without a wink from anyone. I don't need protection."