The Three Musketeers (IN EDITS)

Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24

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Arms around each other, Arianne and Emma refused to let go, emotional that after so much uncertainty and hardship, they were together.

"I..." Arianne had no words as they eventually pulled away and Emma wiped her tears as they sat together before the fireplace. Arianne's lantern was placed on the table between them to light up the room and give some warmth. "How are you?"

"As fine as I can be...all things considering..." Emma sighed. "I didn't know you would be in that tavern. I was trying to think of a way to get a message to you so thank goodness you were but why?"

Arianne shook her head. "I am not important right now..." She reached across and touched Emma's hand. "What are you doing here? Where are your parents? Last I heard, you were all imprisoned in Burgundy by Gaston but then missing? What happened?"

Emma exhaled a shaky breath as Arianne squeezed her hand in comfort. "We were...imprisoned but we managed to escape. Gaston underestimated how many allies my father had..."

"So where are they now?"

"My father headed west, tracking Gaston because he believes he is up to something and my mother and I travelled south to Gascony..." Emma sensed Arianne tense. "We said nothing to your family..." She assured her and Arianne nodded. "My father is now missing again. I don't know where he is. We last heard from him about a week ago and he sent us letters every day to make sure we knew he was safe but then they stopped..." Emma shook her head. "I knew there was nothing I could in Gascony so I smuggled myself into Paris to get help and here I am..." She replied. "I needed to get word to the King..."

"Well...he believes you are missing along with your parents. Joachim has been relaying messages and they've been trying to track you but if you've been in Gascony this whole time, how could we have not known?"

"Because it was easier for people to not know where we were. It's the only way my father would've been able to track Gaston without suspicion..." Emma explained. "One of the last things my father wrote before the letters stopped was Gaston was expecting a ship from England."

"He's still meeting the English..." Arianne worried. "The King warned him against it and if he still is..." Arianne nodded. "I'll find a way to tell Joachim without revealing too much."

"Why not just tell the King?" Emma questioned. "He listens to you, all things considering..."

Arianne sighed, leaning back in her chair. "You've missed quite a lot..."

She told her everything - from Christophe learning who she was to the switch she pulled with the assistance of Violette and Joachim to Christophe and her falling out. Emma listened intently, her facial expressions changing from concern to relief. "I have missed a lot..."

"I have it all under control. When my parents come to Paris to present their papers, I will hide out here or go somewhere north for a while..." Arianne explained as Emma pouted.

"Arianne...you should tell your parents..." Arianne looked at her, frowning. "You have power here, Arianne. This isn't England. Take back your life and there would be no need for any of this sneaking around, lying and hiding..."

Arianne groaned. "Not you too, Emma..." She stood up, turning her back to the light as she crossed her arms across her chest to think. "I already have Christophe on my case about something he doesn't understand. I don't need you to. You're supposed to be on my side..."