The Missing Musketeer

Chapter 6

Katiana's POV

We were only hours in,and Cranchet had already fallen asleep on his horse,and to stop me from waking him up because of my giggling,I had to put my fist to my mouth and bite on it,while the other Three Giants copied the same thing,just to stop themselves from letting out a breath.

Even my horse huffed with amusement and laughter!

My horse,Verity,was a beautiful mare and she was really fast,I picked her out of all of the horses there,the inn keeper had said that Verity was the hardest one to control,but when I got to her,she seemed to love me,and the feeling was mutual!

First I had gotten on my horse backwards,thanks to Cranchet distracting me by getting in on backwards then falling off the other side of the horse he had started with. Of course,once again I had burst out with laughter and a grumbling and grumpy Cranchet.

Luckily, no one was there to witness that moment,so I got off Verity, and re-adjusted myself before properly sitting on my saddle. I hugged Verity's neck as a sign of thanks because she was patient in waiting for me to actually getting on the horse.
She huffed and stomped as a 'your welcome' reply in our 'Horse - to - Human' language.

When Cranchet had finally steadied himself,he showed my how to ride Verity before we both headed out the barn. Then we began our journey,which leads me back to now. Paris was just a few hours away,but,the Three Giants decided that because it was now dark,it was time to rest,which,is something that did not come to me easily.
I tossed and turned several times,and when I drifted off,I would become alarmed by even just the rustling of leaves so I would suddenly get jerked by my body to stay awake.

Finally,hours after we had stopped to sleep,did I finally sleep,only to wake up,to what seemed a good ten minutes after I had shut my eyes,by Horthos,who kindly handed my things for me to freshen up. The whole trip,which resulted as nearly 2 days,I hadn't need the toilet,which is something that wasn't rare,because of how many times I would get scared of going out my room,because I was afraid my father would hurt me.

I tied my now curly and bushy hair back,thanks to my 'brilliant' decision of braiding the night before,and tied it up neatly out of my face. I went to the river we had stopped by and dipped in my quilt and washed my face of any sort that had gathered from the night before.

As I finished off,I mentally checked I had everything,and then set back to the now put-out fire and ashes to see the men fixing their own things,as poor Cranchet tried to fix the rest of his masters' things that had not fit into their bags,so I kindly offered to take some of the weigh of,which he politely declined,but I insisted and took a few of the things of the load to make it lighter for Cranchet. He sent a warm-hearted smile as he settled on his horse while I settled on Verity,and patted her neck lovingly.
Carlos had seen I had formed an attachment to the horse,and so he got me other things for her that I had declined politely too,but he was as persistent as me so,I ended up taking them anyway.

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Finally,we had set off,Paris was now in full view,as we turned the corner,and as we did,my jaw dropped and I was rendered utterly speechless. My eyes where dazzled at the sight that was Paris.

I could feel the life

The joy

The hum of a city

A new home

I couldn't help the two tears that slipped out from each of my eyes.I wiped them away,even though I knew I should cherish it. They were tears of happiness,and I had never felt them - ever. I could feel the four men behind me swell with proud in their heart ,towards my reaction to their beloved home,that they cherished along with their loved ones. I was soon going to call this home,no matter where I ended up.

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As we trotted in,I could hear the crowds around us go mad,cheering for their Musketeers,which made me look back at them. I could clearly see pride in their eyes,and I loved it. I wanted to be a Musketeer,I wanted to feel like I was worth something,I wanted to know I was needed. So as we continued trotting on,and the crowds of cheering people simmered down to warm faces and kind smiles,we headed to the castle.

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This is what I didn't know was to happen,I didn't know I was to bow to the king,and be introduced to his son,Prince Louis,who was quite kind and friendly,may I add,he small,and very demanding,but I knew,that if he ever became King,he wouldn't make rash choices.

We soon headed down,past the market,the tailors and the stables,before I came across two parallel rows of houses,leading to a bridge, we neared the end of the rows,and became face to face to two women doing chores with each other and laughing warmly,and three little boys sword fighting.

They looked slightly older than me,but each at least 5 - 6 inches taller than me.
I was entranced at how they fought at each other,I wouldn't expect this from three normal boys,but from the sons of Musketeers,that was a different story.

When Carlos had finally gotten all their attention by whistling,they all came charging towards their designated husband or father,which of course,led my to hide behind Cranchet,who laughed quietly but heartily.

I peeked out from Crachet's shoulder and looked at the three different yet similar scenes in front of me,Carlos was greeted by a beautiful woman,with raven black hair and a sun-kissed face with warm brown eyes,and a boy with the same warm brown eyes,but the evolving good looks of his father. The last bit I had thought about the boy made me blush in embarrassment at my brain's thoughts.

Horthos was greeted also,by a beautiful woman,with slightly tanned skin and striking blue eyes,and long blonde hair,and also a boy,with a dark blonde shade of short hair,he had his fathers humorous eyes,which also had the same twinkle in them,and the close to protruding, muscles of Horthos. It then occurred to me that each child had at least one characteristic of his father.

Which lead me to Hadren,he was only greeted by a boy,with the same raven hair as his father and a sharp jaw,he had piercing blue eyes that held a happiness and sadness equally. I did not want to jump to conclusions but,I had a pity for Hadren and his son,and I hope I will become a sister to all three of the Musketeers families,as a thank you and a new start for me,I hoped I would be sister to Hadren's son especially,and prove my thanks to Hadren,for healing and caring for me in more ways that just one,although she was also grateful for the other two of the Musketeers help.

After several minutes of heart warming,kisses and hugs to sons,Carlos said," We have someone we want you all to meet,Katiana? Will you come out from behind Cranchet?"
I meekly stepped forward and looked immediately looked down at the ground,my cheeks flushing red. However,my cheeks subsided in their redness when my chin was lifted up by Carlos' wife,and she looked at me with kind yet concerned eyes. "Are you faring well? I would like to know how these three have been with my nephew Cranchet,are they treating him right,or are they slaving him around? Just because he wanted to work for them,doesn't mean that they can treat him like that." I looked a absolutely gobsmacked into the eyes of Carlos' wife,and began to stutter,

"W..w...well they have been shouting at him to do several things at a time,so I helped him with some of them,and carried a few of their things and prepared a few things for them when we set off from the inn outside the borders of Paris."

That is when I heard Horthos' wife gasp.

"This whole time,you have done their own chores for them Katiana? I would think you would have left them,because believe me,we have done so many things for these oafs and they won't do it themselves,me and Sylvia think that the only thing they know is to fight and nothing else!"

They stood next to each other,before giggling before all three of the Musketeers protested,each with their different,but useless excuse against,what I saw to be my new family. I giggled with them,as all three began to send me glares that weren't meant to be taken seriously.

I looked at the three boys who had now grouped together,and where now whispering to each other,so I slipped away as the adults began to converse in their own world.

"Hello,um,my name is Katiana,what are yours?" I asked the three boys in front of me.

They stare at me before nodding at each other before each addressing themselves and said,

"I'm Athos,"

"I'm Porthos,"

"And I am Aramis,"