Constant Companion (A 2011 The Three Musketeers Fanfiction)

Chapter Seven

And it seemed that Anne finding out what had happened to cause the musketeer corps to be disbanded meant that I would be the one doing the searching. Knowing that the Cardinal would be distracted by Lord Buckingham and, hopefully, Milady de Winter would also be occupied, I set off immediately to learn what I could.

As I walked through the palace, I wondered who I should speak to first. There were only a few people who I would trust to get information from, and they had all come to the palace the same time I had. While they may have heard something, I didn't think it likely. The whole affair seemed to have been hushed up quickly and quietly. Probably the Cardinal's doing.

Where was I going to get my information?

“Pardon me, mademoiselle.”

Startled, I turned to find Monsieur de Treville standing only a few feet away. I'd been so caught up in my thoughts I hadn't even seen him there! “Yes, monsieur?” I asked.

“You were with the queen when Buckingham arrived, weren't you?” the man asked in return.

Wait. Was he trying to get information from me? I hesitated as I looked at him. Who better to get my information from? “Perhaps we could come to a deal, Monsieur,” I suggested. He raised his eyebrows. I was a little surprised myself at my boldness. “There is something I wish to know myself.”

“About the disbanding of the Musketeers.”

“Yes,” I said in surprise. “How did you guess?”

“Her Majesty, the Queen, has not yet approached the subject,” Monsieur de Treville explained. “As she is interested in everything else that goes on in the palace, I knew it would only be a matter of time before she would wish to know the details. With what has happened as of late, it seemed the time.”

I nodded. “Very true,” I answered. I heard muffled giggles, and looked over to see some ladies of the court passing by. “Shall we walk in the gardens, monsieur?”

Gesturing for me to lead the way, M. de Treville fell into step beside me. “How did the meeting go?” he asked after only a few steps.

“Interesting,” I answered. “Buckingham's mode of travel is astonishing. Without any effort at all, he seems to show the king to be a silly boy.” And there goes my mouth running away from me. “I shouldn't have said that.”

“Then, Buckingham hasn't changed in the least bit,” M. de Treville said, not heeding my last words. “How was the meeting between him and the Cardinal?”

I frowned as I thought back. “Buckingham was overly charming,” I informed him. Since I didn't seem to need to watch my words, I wouldn't. “And the Cardinal didn't give much away. No one wanted to be there.”

He hesitated. “And Athos, Porthos, and Aramis? They had been ordered to attend as well, correct?”

“Yes,” I said. “Whoever ordered them to their places was a fool. They were placed directly across from the Cardinal's guards. Both sides showed remarkable forbearance in not killing each other. ” I remembered Buckingham's attitude toward the former musketeers he'd faced. “There was a moment, monsieur, when I thought Monsieur Athos would attack Lord Buckingham.”

“He's up to something.”

When he didn't expound on that statement, I glanced over. He looked to be deep in thought. “Who do you mean?” I asked. “The Cardinal or Buckingham?”

“Either. Both,” he answered. “Buckingham wants to show off his new war machine, and rub it in Athos' face while he's at it, but to come all this way just for that...there must be another reason. And the Cardinal is always plotting something.”