A Powerful Little Love

Chapter 64

"What's brought this all on?" Constance asked darkly as Amorette splashed cold water on her face on the edge of the bed but she couldn't find her voice.  "I can't believe you two didn't hear the commotion, I think the Queen woke the whole Palace with her screams."

Amorette shook her head gently and opened her mouth to speak, fighting back another wave of sickness that threatened to wash over her.  "I.... Had another dream," Amorette mumbled.  "I was screaming too.  Perhaps that is why."

Constance came closer and observed Amorette's still shaking hands and sweaty brow.  "Why do I get the feeling that this dream was much worse than normal Amorette?"

Amorette smiled grimly.  "You'd be right.  It was a different kind of dream altogether Constance.  I suppose D'artagnan will have told you the new revelations regarding my mother's death; even if you pretend to be ignorant.  That's what the dream was about."

Constance nodded her understanding as she sat down beside Amorette and soothingly began to rub her friend's back.  They sat in silence for a while, both women straining their ears to try and hear what was going on beyond the walls of Amorette's rooms, but they didn't have long to wait before the target of the trouble itself marched in.  Athos' knock resounded loudly on the outer door and Amorette nodded to Constance, getting up to follow her friend as she rushed into the parlour to unlock the door for him.  Athos was not alone.  The Queen was ushered into the room by Constance and Athos followed to lock the door behind him.

Amorette glanced at the large pregnant stomach of her friend, and her pale face that reflected the moonlight outside the windows.  The fire was dying out entirely, but Amorette realised when Athos didn't even think to stoke it back to life that there was something seriously wrong; that Constance and she would not simply be tasked with taking care of the Queen for a time.  The nauseous sensation returned and she dropped into the chair behind her wearily, earning a concerned frown from Athos.  When he spoke though, it was to the Queen.

"Your Majesty, perhaps you would be so good as to tell them what you have just told me?"

Amorette threw the musketeer a quizzical glance but his eyes were trained on the Queen who was still dressed in her night things and a thick robe.  Anne of Austria nodded meekly and fumbled with the robe around her until she produced a tightly packed wad of letters from within a pocket.  She held them out to Amorette who stared back fearfully, a feeling of absolute dread beginning to settle in her stomach.

Were these letters from Aramis?  Had someone seen them?  Were the letters from someone who had seen the Queen and Aramis together?  Amorette reached out shaking fingers and grasped the letters.  Taking them into her own hands, the room was silent as Amorette turned them over in her hands and sucked in a breath as she recognised Henry Fitzgerald's handwriting.

"What is it?" Constance asked when Amorette didn't speak.

Amorette shook her head, at a loss for words and looked to the Queen, who blanched as she read understanding in Amorette's eyes.  "It is leverage," the Queen supplied so quietly that both women instinctively leaned in a little to hear her.  "Leverage that was almost discovered by that man in my rooms."  The Queen let out a wail then as she clutched her stomach, and she began to cry in earnest.

Amorette looked to Athos as he stepped closer and although he still appeared like a tightly coiled spring ready to unleash anger, when he spoke it was clear he was trying to keep his rage at bay.  "The man had been hiding there for God knows how long.  I don't think his intention was to attack, merely to cause fright and perhaps send us another warning.  The Queen's guard made quick work of him so I doubt he will be up for talking for a while yet."

The Queen was still crying loudly, her face hidden by long pale fingers and Amorette rolled her eyes swiftly before getting to her feet and approaching the woman.  She stopped before the Queen and pulled her hands away from her face.  "Anne I need you to calm down before you harm the child!  You need to take deep breaths and try to stop fretting.  Sit."