Breathing

One Step Forward

Life's not the breath you take,
the breathing in and out,
that gets you through the day,
ain't what it's all about.
You just might miss the point,
trying to win the race.
Life's not the breaths you take,
but the moments that take your breath away.

The Breath You Take
George Strait

Breathing is a sequel continuing where Double Trouble ended.

Prologue:

Never has there been such a formidable array in the courtyard of the Château de Chamarande. A wagon containing Aramis and Athos, under the protection of a dozen highly armed King's Musketeers as escorts, prepares to depart on the journey home to Paris. Any bandit or raider foolish enough to attempt attack will be killed on sight.

Porthos and d'Artagnan ride together behind the wagon where they can keep an eye on their brothers riding inside. Taking up the rear of the escort is Captain Tréville.

While waiting, Porthos turns in his saddle to take one final look at the château. Memories are still vivid and raw in Porthos's mind of his first arrival here with the desperately wounded d'Artagnan and Aramis.

Porthos remembers the indescribable fear he felt for his bleeding and unconscious friends, whether they would even survive, when he pulled them from the horses. The raw memories send cold shivers down his spine.

He experienced that same gripping fear a second time riding up to the château with the severely wounded Athos held tightly in his arms after spending a stormy night in the forest of Torfou.

During their stay at the château, Porthos watched helplessly as his brothers suffered from their near-fatal wounds. He sat with his brothers, comforting them and holding their hands when they hurt, as the lone brother who managed to escape serious injury.

Porthos has never felt so afraid his brothers might die, leaving him all alone to pick up the pieces. How would he survive on his own?
Never has Porthos felt such fear; and never has he prayed so hard for healing.

As Musketeers, they have had their fair share of close calls. They have flirted with danger and courted death; yet little compares to how closely Athos courted death at the château.

Facing death has brought the four Musketeers—the four brothers—closer than ever before. It has made their bond stronger.

One simply cannot go through the experience of helplessly watching a brother struggling to live just one minute—one hour longer—and not be forever changed.

It is an experience the Musketeers will carry with them the rest of their lives.

*****

CHAPTER ONE: ONE STEP FORWARD. . .

"I never want to see this place again." Porthos muttered. His hands shook as he held onto the reins with a tight grip.

"Porthos?" d'Artagnan asked with concern. "Are you okay?" The young Gascon's brow creased with worry as he watched the trembling Musketeer next to him. Porthos's face was pale, sweat beading on his brow as he stared into the distance.

The mansion disappeared as images of the last few weeks flashed through Porthos's mind. He stared through the mansion, as though staring into an open portal. In his mind's eye he was seeing Aramis's bloody head; d'Artagnan's bloody back; Athos's infected shoulder. . .

"Porthos!" Aramis called from the wagon. Like d'Artagnan, he was watching his brother Musketeer, taking notice of the anxious behavior and the shivers trembling through his large frame. He worried for Porthos as he stared at the château, his eyes wide yet distant.