The Masked Musketeer ( Closed )

[Questor]

The clothes were dry, even if they did not fit properly. Boots were put by the fire to dry out and the clothes were put outside to dry as it was warm still. The information that he had given the others seemed to interest them. "Again he is making his bid for the throne, and if he succeeds then France will suffer greatly." Porthos said.


"But we have no idea of who this woman is, or what she looks like."Arthos put in. "How can we tell who or where she is, so we can find out what she is up to and what the Cardinal's plan is?"


"Well I know her voice and her perfume." Dante added. "I know it is not much, but if I can get into the palace and listen to the ladies there talking I am sure I can pick her out."


Porthos grinned. "Purfume, you got that close my boy and didn't get to see her face?" he raised a brow.


"I was tied up at the time. But the smell of the perfume lingered in the room when the Cardinal had me drugged in."


Aremis had been silent all this time. "Another woman. It seems the Cardinal likes to use them as his favorite spies and assassians." he finally spoke. He looked over at Arthos and sighed. The last time it had been the mans former wife that had been a thief at one time and had been cast out of his home. She married the Count DeWinter and had become the Cardinal's spy and other things with the Duke of Wellington. A man of high station in England. She had tried to implicate him and the Queen in some sort of romance but it failed, due to the three men in the room and one other. It had hit Arthos hard when he learned of who it was and even harder when he handed her over to the executioner. He still loved her even after all the time that had past, and all she had done.


"Any suggestions on how to get into the palace and see if we can find this woman?" Dante asked.

 

[Dark_Psycho]

Anne sat listening to them. She didn't care much. When her clothes were dry she was out of here. She didn't see the point in helping them they had it under control. She leaned back I her seat. Her arms crossed and her eye's closed. She still listened to there plan, but stayed quiet. She was just happy to be warm and resting. Her eye's stayed closed even when they asked for a route in. She had one, but what was the use in telling them.


Anne heard a noise and a creak of the floor. Porthos stood infront of her." Hey doing okay over here?" He had asked her.She sighed "all is swell."She said and watched him." So quiet any Ideas? "He asked. she shook her head. "Nope sorry" was all she said. She went back to leaning on the wall her eye's closed. Porthos hadn't moved."what?"She asked."you know something dont you? You have that look like yoyr going to run."He said. Anne rolled her eye's. He picked her up and threw her iver his shoulder. "Porthos you arrogant ass."She said kicking. " put me down now." She snapped. He stuck her and locked her in the pantry. " sorry can't have you running and messing anything up."Anne slammed her hands on the door.She slumped to the ground and sighed. She rolled her eye's and curled up in the corner to sleep.


Death to all betrayers

 

[Questor]

Porthos had picked up Anne and threw her over his shoulder. He gave her a good smack on the rear and put her into the pantry closet and locked the door. Dante had to laugh at it. Evidently Porthos thought that she was about to do something stupid and was preventing her from doing it. He came back to the group and drummed his fingers on the table. "Well now I can't remember where it is. If Dartanan was here he would have remembered. He had a way in to see Constence that eluded the guard and such. Some where in the garden I think."


Arthos looked up and at Porthos. "Well that is a start." he said and began pacing. "The garden. The garden he kept repeating then he stopped and returned to the table. "Yes now I remember. There is a gate that leads out into a courtyard of a building close to the wall. That is our way in and for Dante here to move about the palace as if he belonged there. Of course we are going to have to find some rich garments for him so he can blend in. We are to well known there to even show our faces." he turned to Dante, "All you have to do is watch out for the Cardinal and Rochfort. They will be the only ones that will know what you look like.


"What of Anne? I think She could be usefule there as well. Of course it will take alot of work to get her looking like one of the ladies there but, I think the two of us would arouse less suspision.." Dante said and motioned to the Pantry door.

 

[Dark_Psycho]

Anne had fallen asleep in a sack of something. She got her rs st finally even if Porthos had locked her in a pantry. She kick his ass when she got out. She woke on and off. She had heard bits and pieces of the conversation before sleep over took her.


Porthos looked at the pantry. "Well we really can't let her out of our sights, but if you could convince her in some way to not double cross us I am sure she be of use.however good luck with her."he said and leaned back in his chair. "But it isn't just up to me. My friends here have to agree as well."he said.


Death to all betrayers

 

[Questor]

"She won't be out of sight." Dante said. "I'll have my eye on her the whole time. Besides if she wants to help the King and France then what better way then to find the one that might bring both down." She had been berating the other three for not doing anything. Now was her chance to see that they could do something, but without being so public. He felt that she would agree to it all. "Might as well ask her and see what she has to say." he continued.


Areamis shugged his shoulders. "He does have a point there. Besides she now owes us. She was the one that came running for us to help Dante here." He gave Dante a grin. "So I would say she owes us and it is time for us to collect."


"Here, here." Porthos chimed in a broad smile on his face. "I forgot all about that. You are right Areamis." He went over to the door to the pantry and listened. He slowly opened it and peered in and saw her sleeping . "Should we wake her now or later."


"I would not stand so close." Dante said

 

[Dark_Psycho]

Anne was fast asleep curled up.


She was stuck in a never ending night mare.


Anne walked down the halls of the dungeon. She couldn't find a way out a light however showed up in the halls and moved towards her. Someone had set a fire and she couldn't breath. She started coughing and ran for the river. She stopped looking behind her she stopped get burned or drown. She jumped into the river and tryed to swim.


Anne sat up coughing and breathing. She held her throat for a minute. She lost her barrings as to where she was.She turned seeing a figure standing infront of her. She grabbed her hair dagger and threw it in his direction. It hit into the wood by his head."get me out of here." She snapped remembering she was still in the pantry m she kill porthos for sticking her in there.


Death to all betrayers

 

[Questor]

Porthos' eyes went wide as the hair dagger stuck in the wooden door frame. His eyes traveled to it and he swallowed hard. It had missed his head by a mere couple of inches. Dante chuckled and said, "Told you that you should not be standing so close." Arthos and even Aremis chuckled. Dante moved past the stunned Porthos and helped her to her feet and pulled her out of the pantry. "How would you like to dress up all nice and pretty and fancy, like one of the ladies of the palace?" he asked her. He had a feeling she would rather die then to dress up in all of that type of clothing. "Remember it is for King and country." he smiled.


Aremis moved up and walked around her. "I know someone that might just be able to help make her look the part. Thought that is only a part of making her fit in. If she opens her mouth she will give herself away. Would take to long to teach her the proper way to speak around the courtly women and men. But otherwise once cleaned up and a proper dress and her hair done up right......." he put a hand to his chin and nodded. He could see Arthos grinning from ear to ear. He was enjoying this and what she was going to have to go through.


"Remember for King and Country." Arthos repeated what Dante had said.

 

[Dark_Psycho]

Anne smacked Dante."I am not a child and I rather not be in a dress to constraining. And thank you very much I know how to dress as a lady of the court and talk as such. I just choose not to. It just give you lot one more thing to talk about. "She sighed. "Bring on the dress it is for the king."She said.


They get her a dress. She made a face at it. It was black and embroidered so it was okay. She went about fixing her hair to look curled. She pinned her eye's and then lips.She walked out and spun around. She nods to Dante and kneels kissing his hand."My Lord."She said. She stood and smirks. She turned to Aremis. "I was a lady of the court before this. Now stop circling me like a damn hawk."She said."I sir am not a piece of meat you can win." She said


Death to all betrayers

 

[Questor]

It took awhile but Aremis went and returned with a dress for her and an outfit fit for court for Dante. He was not unuse to court life. He had his fill of it as the son of an Earl. The I am better then anyone here attitude of most of the men and women at court made him sick. They were all pompas asses that thought to highly of themselves. He had hated going to court with his father. He was more of a man of action and not one to be putting his nose in the air. He changed his clothes and looked over at Anne. He smiled, yes she would look good at court and turn a few heads. Porthos had left when Aremis had and he returned with a carriage and horses. "Well they have to have some means of transport through the city." he shugged his shoulders.


He sighed and then nodded. "Well how do we look?"


Arthos was the first to speak. "You look as if you belong in the Court." he said with amazment. "I think this will work!" he grinned. Aremis nodded and agreed. Porthos went up to Anne and made a sweeping bow. "My Lady." he said with a snicker.

 

[Dark_Psycho]

She flicked him."very nice."She said. She shook her head. She got in the carriage and sat back. Anne placed a stray hair behind her ear and sighed. Dresses definitely slowed her movement's she watched as the carriage mived she new the other 3 were with the carriage. She played with her hair as she looked at the carriage window.


Anne sighed and placed her hands in her lap her cloak up covering her face. She really didn't wish for Dante or any one see her as such.She hadn't told any of them her past also none of them had asked. She slipped one arm around her torso tightening it to keep her from crying m she felt like she couldn't breath. One tear had wiggled its way free and landed on her hand. She wiped it away and pulled her cloak around her face more. She wished to not to talk about it. She wore the pirate looking clothes for a reason. For almost her whole life she had worn a dress and been proper. She had always done the right thing. She no longer wished to be that proper girl due to events in her life.


Death to all betrayers

 

[Questor]

Arthos and Aremis put on cloaks and rode on the back of the carriage and Porthos put on a cloak and a hat to drive the carriage. He noticed Anne placed her hands in her lap and covered her face with the hood of her cloak. "I hate these stiff clothes. One can't move properly in them and I hate being in court. Bunch of inconsiderate, self centered, nose in the air bafoons." he mumbled. How he preferred being with his father's soldiers and in the taverns and such. Now there is where a man should be, not being some dandy trying to impress the current person in the graces of the king. In England he wanted to run his sword through so many of them.


"You look quite well in that dress. It is as if you were made for it." he told her. "You know something of my life, but I don't know anything about you. What did you do before you became the avenging swordswoman? He had told here who he was and where he had come from, well had told the three musketeers and her. To be frank he didn't know much about them as well, except they were former musketeers, now hunted by the Cardinal and his guard. He didn't even know if she knew how to act at court.

 

[Dark_Psycho]

Anne sighed and caught her breath and sighed. " yes court going back is hard enough. They are all of those things you said and much more." Anne said and turned her head. She wiped her eye's and sighed.


When he complimented her.She nods at him."Thank you. Mostly was made for court."She said. She sighed and pulled her hood down."I never told you because, I gave up who I was long ago. I am Lady Anne Constance Duchess of Djion."She said. She sighed. "I been to court many times, but I didn't like it so I made my father teach me the Musketeers ways."She said


Death to all betrayers

 

[Questor]

Well now that was something that shocked him. They had much in common and both were of royal blood. He chuckled and said. "Well my Lady, your father may have taught you how to fight like a musketeer but definately not their ways as apparent from how our three friends act and how you don't like it much." He now had more confidence in the two of them pulling it off. Both were use to court life even if they both hated it. He wondered if their three friends actually knew who she really was. They probably would be as shocked as he had been. "Well then we will both do fine then. Hopefully we will not have to be there long. Find the woman I heard talking and then go from there I guess.


The ride to the building that had the adjoining courtyard and gate took about an hour. But finally they arrived and Dante exited the carriage first and offered his hand to help Anne from it. Soon they would be in the palace and had to be on the best behavior. Porthos, Arthos, and Aremis would wait for them in the garden by the gate for their get away.

 

[Dark_Psycho]

She sighed. "That was what I was afraid of. This is why I hide who I am. And yeah I still hold court values and don't think woman should be degraded, but I am better then any man with a sword."She said with fire in her eye's. She was trying to hide the tears. She sighed "look let's just get this done then I will be out of your hair okay."She said. Anne sighed and glared as the carriage stopped."don't tell them. They will treat me as you do now you know who I am."She said.


Anne took a deep breath as he got out. She put her hood up and stepped out taking his hand. She sighed, here she went again. Anne held herself being back at court had it's sting. She sighed and looked back at them. She was not happy about this, but she do it.


Death to all betrayers

 

[Questor]

The building was empty so it was empty so it was no trouble going through it and into the courtyard beyond. They were through the gate and into the garden of the palace and with a quick walk were up to the palace. Dante made a quick look around the garden. It was strangely the same as the garden of the English King's garden. Probably copied for some reason. Entry into the palace was not hard from there and in the part of the palace where they were was not heavily guarded. Soon enough they came upon the large room where all of the French royalty, and such were milling about, talking, laughing and sipping wine and eating delicacies. Dante straightened himself notibly and took a deep breath. "Here we go." he said and entered the room from a side door. He had her hand on his lower left arm as they walked about the room He listened to the women's voices and tried to sepeerate the various perfumes.


But none of the women there sounded like the one he had heard nor did the perfume smell the same. Then the Major Domo entered the room and tapped his staff on the floor, "His Royal Magisty the King of France and the Lady Buckingham." Everyone fell silent and bowed, or curtised as the King entered the room. Dante did the same. He kept his eye on the king and noticed he was not with the Queen, but another woman. They were laughing and when the woman spoke....... it was her. "Damn." he muttered. The Lady Buckingham, sister to the Duke of Buckingham. She surely would recgonize him.

 

[Dark_Psycho]

(Reply soon)


Death to all betrayers

 

[Questor]

bump

 

[Dark_Psycho]

(Ahhh writer's block)


Death to all betrayers

 

[Dark_Psycho]

Anne sighed as she walked with him. She remembered the halls like the back of her hand. Her mind started to flash back.


"Anne such a lovely girl you are. Your father has suitered a husband for you. That is why I am here." A older gentleman says. Anne stared at him with disgust. I rather be hung then be your wife."She said spitting at him.He wiped at it."that can be arranged."He snapped his fingers at the guards and they dragged her away.


Anne shook her head she saw the other's. She watched them with a nod and small smile. When the king came walking threw she bowed. She felt Dante next to her he was like a child praying the queen would notice you.


Death to all betrayers

 

[Questor]

"That is her. The one with the King. She is the Lady Buckingham. Sister of Lord Buckingham. She knows me." He told Anne. Once the bowing and such was all over with he moved to where he might not be seen by the Lady Buckingham. "What the devil is she doing here in France. If she is working for the Cardinal and is with the King, then his life is in danger." She had told the Cardinal she would not fail. She had something planned but what. He looked around as he tried to keep out of sight of the Lady Buckingham, taking Anne with him. The king was surrounded by the couriers, Lords and Ladies of France. But he had a bad feeling about the night.


Then he saw them, or a glimpse of them. Two men, hiding and waiting for the King to pass with in their reach. His hand slid on a table and found a large black cloth napkin. He quickly moved to hide what he did next. Taking out his dagger he made to eye holes in it and sighed. "Return to the Garden. I will meet you there. He gave her hand a squeeze and smiled at her as he tied the cloth about his upper head so it covered his features except his eyes. It all happened quickly after that. As the king reached the spot the two men were waiting for, they lunged forward and so did Dante. Instead of their blades meeting with soft flesh and the Kings heart, they met his steel. Panic, and mayham enthued. as the King was moved out of the way by a couple of nobles and women screamed and other nobles ran. Dante engaged the two men, the ringing of steel filling the room. The shouts for the guards was heard but before they got there the two assassins were dead and Dante was sprinting for the way he had come in. At the door he gave the shocked king a salute with his sword and ran for his life.

 

[Dark_Psycho]

Anne rolled her eyes."I know who she is."she snapped. She had been in court long enough." Kings life is almost always in danger with the Cardinal alive." She said. She watched Lady Buckingham with a small glare. She went with Dante as he lead her to the dinning hall. She felt uneasey but still stayed silent


Anne nods he told her to go back to the garden. She smirked she didn't take orders to well. She left the dinning hall and made her way to the garden. She sighed and took the long way. She walked past a dark area and a hand shot out and grabbed her. One hand over her mouth to stop her from screaming. She struggled and screamed into the hand. She however was no match for whom ever was holding her. She was knocked out and dragged off. Anne woke in a room hands tied. She shook her hands and looked around. She went to scream,but was gagged.


DeathToAllBetrayers