A Powerful Little Love

Chapter 72

She didn't think she had ever been held tighter in her life.  Athos' arms encircled her so strongly that Amorette struggled to breathe but she didn't want him to let go.  At long length, he did try to pull away a little and Amorette clung to him harder, desperate for there not to be any distance between them at all.  Athos continued to push though and she was left with no choice but to relent.  A few inches between them again, Athos was able to reach for her chin and pull her face from side to side as he ran his thumb gently along her jawline.  She could see the carefully controlled expression that left her entirely clueless as to what he was thinking, but as his eyes moved further down her body and caught sight of her skirts, he appeared shocked.

Grabbing a fistful of them, he growled, "Where is the Queen?"

"She's safe!" Amorette cried.  "At least she was yesterday morning.  She's with Aramis.  I left them just outside Versailles so I think I can be pretty sure that they made it there safely."

"And why are you not at Versailles with them?  Why are you back here; wearing the Queen's skirts?"

Amorette ran a hand over her tired eyes, weariness overcoming her now that she finally felt safe again for the first time in over a day.  "I had the Queen swap dresses with me in case we needed a distraction.  I thought if we had our hoods up, they would only have the colours of our skirts to rely upon.  It appears my fears were well founded because we were followed at one point.  That's why I parted with them; to lead whoever that was away from the Queen.  It worked rather well on the whole of it."

"Worked rather well?" he roared incredulously.  "Amorette look at the state of you! Who did this to you?"

Amorette released a heavy sigh and looked around at all three of them.  "I'll tell you it all, but can we find somewhere to sit.  I fear this ankle of mine won't hold out for a long period of time."

"Here," Athos murmured gently as his features softened somewhat and he slipped an arm around her waist.  "Lean on me."

They walked the trees that surrounded the Louvre for a time until they came across what appeared to be a small camp.  There were other musketeers there, with trunks full of weapons and ammunition and kegs of liquid that Amorette hoped was water for she suddenly realised she was sorely thirsty. 

"Do you remember that gap in the fence you once used to escape these gardens Madame?" Porthos asked Amorette as Athos led her to a tree stump and helped her lower herself onto it.

"That's how I got here," Amorette replied with a nod.

"Same as us," said Porthos.  "Their patrols don't run the perimeter of that fence but I dare say we won't have long here before they venture this way."

"I've been in that tree since before dawn this morning, and you are the first people I've seen in all that time." Amorette shrugged.  "From what I've seen of these men, I can't see them being foolish enough to overlook such a hidden spot.  It seems odd to me."

She told them what she knew, both what she had been directly told and what she had overheard or surmised herself over the course of the last few days, trying her hardest to leave no details out even though she knew that her story was sketchy and all over the place.  Athos pressed a tankard into her hands at one point and she brought it to her lips automatically, grimacing as the unexpected warmth of brandy hit the back of her throat.

"I'm sorry," said D'artagnan when she had finally finished.  "But I don't understand how these Medici's think they have a stronger claim to the throne than the crowned King.  He himself has a Medici mother."

Amorette nodded her agreement.  "I had given that some thought, but the thing is that they are Valois.  There is no Bourbon blood even though they are still in fact distant cousins."