Lost in the pages

You did what!!

I woke with a start at the sound of knocking on the door. I rubbed my hands over my face, I had no idea how long that I had been asleep but it seemed like it was getting light outside. I opened the door to find Constance's husband

"Charles!" I looked around and saw just a couple of stable boys in the courtyard getting ready for their day

"Where is my wife?" he demanded

"Well not here" I snapped I rubbed the back of my neck, sleeping in a chair hadn't been the best idea "How early is it?"

"It is dawn and she was supposed to be home last night from the convent" his voice was getting louder, "I bet she is with that Musketeer" he looked around

"For a start you need to lower your voice because you don't talk to me like that" I poked him hard in his chest.

 His hand raised and slapped me hard across my face as the door from Aramis's room opened and the four of them stepped out. I reeled for a moment as I heard the sound of swords being unsheathed.

"Estelle" Athos's voice was hard as they hurried toward us. Charles looked at them

"WHERE IS MY WIFE?" He demanded looking directly at D'artaganan

"Your tone Monsieur is not acceptable" Athos snapped "Estelle?"

"I'm fine" I nodded

"You're wife is at the Palace with the Queen" D'artaganan said sheathing his sword

"I know you and she..." he pointed at me "lied to me" he was wide eyed and wild

"We didn't lie" I said shaking my head and walking toward D'artaganan and putting my arm around his waist and he drew me against him. Porthos and Aramis looked a little taken aback

"Constance and the Queen were in danger at the Convent" Porthos explained "so needless to say the Queen would rather Constance is by her side"

"You also owe an apology to Estelle, but you need to know that she is under our protection" Athos's voice was hard and full of menace "You even breath in Estelle's direction again I will kill you" the color drained from Bonacieux's face.

"I think you should leave Monsieur" I said he turned and hurried down the stairs stopping at the bottom to look back, he turned again and left the Garrison

"Alright is there something that you two want to tell us?" Porthos asked sheathing his sword and looking at me and D'artaganan

"I told Constance's husband a while ago that it was me that had a thing for D'artaganan and not Constance; it throws the suspicion from them" I stepped back from D'artaganan "Athos knew... and why have the four of you been talking until dawn?"

"I'm sorry I kept Athos from you" Aramis said looking down

"That doesn't bother me, as the looks on all of your faces and the fact that I know that you haven't slept means tired and grumpy Musketeers" I shivered against the cold

"Estelle should know" Porthos said leaning on the rail, "she is one of us; and we really need a female opinion rather than that of four soldiers" they all looked at each other and then looked at me. 

Aramis sighed and then stepped back and gestured to his room, I looked at Athos and he nodded.

I walked through them and into Aramis's room as Porthos asked for the groom to bring tea for all of us. There was an empty bottle of Brandy on the table and four cups. I walked to the fire and warmed myself

"Estelle" Athos put his hand on my shoulder. I turned around to face him, he turned my face to the light and frowned

"I'm fine, I'm kind of getting used to getting a slap" I sighed he pulled me to him and kissed the top of my head

"I should have been there"

"And that wouldn't have been good; to have been naked with you and then trying to convince Charles that it was D'artaganan I liked" I smiled at him "but I did miss you last night"

"Tea" Porthos's voice brought us both back to the room

"Alright, so what's wrong" I wrapped my hands around the cup that Aramis passed to me

"It's bad" Porthos said offering me a chair, I sat

"It's really bad" D'artaganan agreed

"It could be fatal" Athos lent on the table

"Oh for God sake will one of you just...."

"I made love to the Queen" Aramis blurted out. I choked on my drink and Porthos slapped my on the back "They did warn you" He sat opposite me and pushed his hand through his hair

"Why?... I mean why would you even?" I frowned

"It was the moment we were in; and I am in love with her and she is in love with me" he looked up and looked at me with such a look of pain on his face before he looked down and put his head in his hands

"He's committed treason" Athos said pushing off the table and scrubbing his hand over his beard.

"I think he realizes that" I snapped a little "Aramis; I mean I understand your reputation as the Lothario of the Paris, quite the man whore actually" D'artaganan snorted his drink down his nose

"Estelle" Athos sounded a little shocked

"I'm not wrong, but the Queen of France that's quite the... well cherry on the top of the pie" I rubbed the back of my neck "I take it that we are the only ones that know about this?" I looked around the room

"Constance knows" Aramis said looking at his hands and then at me "I do not know what to do"

"Well you can't exactly come out and tell people and you can't run from it or it will look suspicious" I got up and crouched down next to him and held his hands "You know it's not going to be easy seeing her especially when it's;  well so fresh for want of better words. But you have to make sure that you hold your head high and you stay in the mindset of the Musketeer that you are. You have to hold in any anger or frustration in public. I am fully confident that between all of us that know about this we will help you vent any of that frustration" he looked at me and then at the others "You're loved by all of us; I know you think of these three as your brothers but I hope that you see me as a sister and this family will stick together"

"Thank you" he managed a small smile. I got to my feet and dropped a kiss on the top of his head "I think you all need to get some sleep"

"You sound like a mother" Porthos grumbled

"Well someone had to be the adult" I smiled "Aramis" he looked at me "We are all there for you" Athos took my hand and walked with me to his rooms

"Thank you" he said closing the door behind us "For talking to him in a way that we couldn't" he reached for my hands and held them as he faced me "You are a special woman Estelle, and I am seeing it more and more" he pulled me too him

"You need to get some sleep" I pointed to the bed, "it's been a long few days and the amount of Brandy you all drank"

"Will you come with me?" he asked

"Until you fall asleep" I nodded. I helped him strip out of his things and lay down with him on the bed. I touched my necklace that I had given him before I had gone with Aramis to meet the Spanish envoy. "I forgot that I gave this too you" I smiled "I didn't think you'd be wearing it"

"It keeps you close to me" he smiled "I don't think I'm going to give It back to you"

"I don't mind, Are you ever going to tell them about your previous life?" 

"I don't know" he shrugged and rolled on to his back "It was hard just telling you"

"And I'm still here" I propped myself up on his chest "The same as they will be"

"I will think about it; I promise you" he took my hand and kissed my fingers

"Thank you" I kissed him and then lay my head on his chest

"Estelle?"

"Hmmm"

"I... I...I think I can..." I looked up at him and his breathing became deeper as sleep took him. I eased off the bed and pulled the covers over him.