Constant Companion (A 2011 The Three Musketeers Fanfiction)

Chapter Four

I waited until morning to talk to Anne about what I’d learned. We were walking out in the gardens, just us two. The rest of the ladies were at the gazebo gossiping about anything and everything that came to their minds. After I finished my new tale, I waited for Anne to respond.

She kept walking for several steps, frowning. “Buckingham is coming,” she repeated slowly.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” I said, keeping pace beside her. It was times like this when I felt awkward; she was much shorter than me. “Your Majesty, if you don’t mind me asking, what happened between you and the Duke of Buckingham that you hold him in such dislike?”

She was quiet so long, I was afraid I had gone too far. “I was still Infanta of Spain when I first met Buckingham,” Anne finally told me. “He can be quite charming, but he expects women to be…obedient fashion plates. I did not appreciate his manipulative ways and we quarreled.” She smiled. “Well, I quarreled at him and he stood there smirking at me.”

“He sounds unpleasant,” I remarked.

“At times, but as I said he can be charming,” Anne said. She looked over and smiled. “Much like your D’Artagnan.”

I felt myself blush. “He’s not my D’Artagnan,” I protested. “We met once, and he is a cocky boy from the country!”

“Any ‘boy’ who is brave enough to take on the Cardinal’s guards alone, and then with the help of only three men deafet the guards, will not always be a cocky boy from the country,” Anne told me. “With that kind of courage and determination, he will find some way of distinguishing himself. If the musketeer corps were still in existence, I’d say he’d be a fine candidate for that.”

That had been my thought as well. “But there are no more musketeers,” I objected. “And he’s aligned himself against the Cardinal.”

“All the more reason to like him,” Anne answered, looking serene and wise again. “I have the feeling things will turn up.”

Now, we were just too far off topic, and I did not want to talk about D’Artagnan any more! My heart whispered that I wasn’t even fooling myself as I said, “Besides your first meeting, is there any other reason you don’t want the Duke of Buckingham here in Paris?”

“Between Buckingham and the Cardinal, I fear Louis will look like a fool,” Anne admitted softly, lowering her voice. “He so wants to distinguish himself, and until he learns that he will not do so with a suit of clothes, I fear all other royals will look down on him.”

The king had been seen in some very outlandish outfits as of late. “The king has shown some inclination to look into matters,” I offered tentatively.

“Perhaps,” Anne said, shaking her head. She shot a sharp look at me. “This goes no further than you and I. I do not want to hear anymore rumors about Louis being incompetent.”

“Of course not!” I exclaimed. “I would never betray your trust, Your Majesty.”

Anne smiled again. “I knew I could rely on you,” she said. ‘Now, I want you to keep an eye on the situation for me. I don’t trust this Milady de Winter. Anyone who works for Buckingham will be trouble.”

“That was my thought, Your Majesty,” I admitted.

“Your Majesty!” Benita called out. And our private conversation was over.

Smiling, Anne turned and walked over to join the others. After a moment, I followed.

~*~

I was a little disappointed when, as I watched Milady de Winter, I didn't see her cause a single problem! A few times, she would catch my eye and smile. She knew what I was trying to do and she wasn't about to let me win. I will admit she was charming at times.