Hi, Everbody! I am so excited for this story! A big shout out to KeelyKelly (speaking of which, does anyone know what happened to her? It's like she dropped off the face of the earth...says the person who dropped off the face of the earth herself...) and Turquisea, they have been a big help to me and all the people that have been very excited and supportive of me. I am undergoing a huge reno of this story and I am planning on continuing it until it's finished! I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1: The Party

"To the girl musketeers!" King Louis toasted, as he stood on the balcony overlooking the vast, elegant ballroom.

The room was decorated in the girls' signature colors: hot pink, deep purple, luscious green, and royal blue. The beautiful stained windows were draped with pink and purple silk curtains. The sweeping marble staircases that came off of both wings of the balcony had dark green fabric looping off the railings. Blue tablecloths covered the refreshment tables set up around the dance floor.

The spacious ballroom held finely dressed royals and commoners alike. An invitation had been sent out to countless royal families and everyone in Paris inviting them to come celebrate the one-year anniversary of the first and only girl musketeers joining the force. Despite what everyone had said, the foursome had turned out to be the best on the force and was loved by all of France. The many guests milling about with flutes of wine in hand, chatting about the wonderful things they had gotten accomplished in the past year proved that statement to be true.

The handsome young King made his way down the steps saying hello to those he passed. Craning his neck, he looked over the crowds looking for Corrine. He saw her talking to a group of older ladies, her blue eyes sparkling as she threw her head back, laughing at something one of them said. Louis smiled slightly as he watched her, thinking of the past year. The two had grown close and with each passing day, they found themselves falling further in love.

Louis smiled, even more, when he thought about her unfailing loyalty and her fierce temper that matched her stubbornness. Her determination to protect him and his people, always ready to lend a helping hand. Her willingness to jump in front of an arrow for him or one of her friends. Her secrets, her recklessness which worried him to no end but he wouldn't change anything about her, he loved it all. It's what made her a good musketeer. It's what made her, her.

Corrine looked up and smiled when she saw him watching her. She beckoned him over.

"Having fun?" Louis asked through the chatter of the ballroom and came to stand by her side.

"Yes, actually, more than I thought I would anyway" she gestured to the group of elegantly dressed women, "Mrs. Peterson told me that her son stumbled across an underground cave on the way back from Rouen, it's about twenty miles outside of Paris".

The King chuckled at the blond's excitement, "Oh wonderful," he groaned good-naturedly when he caught the curious gleam in her eye, "Mrs. Peterson why did you have to tell her that? Now she and her friends are going to go explore it and get into who knows what kind of trouble."

"Hey!" Corrine punched his shoulder causing the older ladies to laugh merrily.

"Now Your Majesty, that certainly was not my intention!" Mrs. Peterson reassured Louis, but the knowing look in her eye and slight smile that tugged at her lips told him she knew exactly how Corrine would react to her information. It was no secret that Corrine's curiousness got her in trouble more often than not.

Shaking his crowned head, Louis held out his arm to Corrine who took lightly.

"Well, if you would excuse us, ladies."

"Of course," Mrs. Peterson watched as the young King led the beautiful musketeer to the large double doors that opened out into the enchanting garden that glowed in the moonlight.

"They make a lovely couple, I wonder if he's ever going to ask the question, " She mused to her friend who nodded in agreement.

Louis pulled Corrine out into the refreshing night air, silently thanking the stars and moon for their soft glow, setting the perfect romantic atmosphere.

"It's a lovely night out," Corrine sighed, glad to be out of the stuffy ballroom. Louis hummed in agreement.

He started walking with her around to the back of the castle.

"Where are we going?"

They rounded the corner where Corrine saw the balloon blown up and ready to go. Louis grinned, "I thought we could go for a ride."

"Louis, people will be wondering where you are. The girls will be looking for me."

"They won't miss us. Everyone is busy talking, dancing and drinking wine."

Corrine looked skeptical, "If you insist."

"I do," The King sent her a dashing smile.

Louis climbed up, then helped Corrine into the basket. She helped him loosen the ropes and add oxygen to the fire and within minutes they were flying over Paris. In the distance, the castle was lit up and inviting, you could see shadowy figures dancing gaily through the tall windows. The light reflecting off of the fountains that were in the garden gave the scene a magical feel to it.

Louis stopped the balloon, secured it and came over to stand by the blue-eyed girl.

"The castle is really beautiful tonight," Corrine sighed, leaning against the side of the wicker basket, her elbows resting on the edge.

"Yes, it is," he agreed, his dark eyes looking at her intently. Corrine felt heat enter her cheeks as she got the feeling he wasn't talking about the castle.

"Corrine" Louis started, placing his hand on her's. She turned towards him, cocking her head, "Yes?"

"I wanted you to know that I'm proud of you. You, Renee, Aramina, and Vivica have accomplished some things in a year that Treville hasn't managed to get done in ten years. I would like to believe that over the course of the year we have grown to be more than just king and musketeer."

Corrine stopped him, turning to face him fully, "Louis, I think we were more than musketeer and king before I was even deemed a musketeer."

He softly smiled at her, "I think so too. Corrine this has been the best year of my life. You've made me a better king. A better person. I always knew I would be king one day and it was knowledge I took with pride and seriousness. I've been groomed and prepared for this position ever since I left my mother's womb but before I met you I always thought of being king as a task, a burden. You taught me that it was a privilege and not something to take for granted and I would like to think that I'm a better king by embracing it all. The triumphs and the troubles."

The musketeer gently smiled and hesitantly put her hand on his cheek, "Louis, you are wonderful king, one if the greatest. You're kind and humble and you put the people's needs before your own. You have always been that man, you just needed a little boost of confidence and if I hadn't come along you would have found it eventually."

His breath caught in his throat, eyes darkening, he stepped closer to her. Catching her hand, he placed it on his rapidly pounding chest which was clothed in a rich red fabric.

"You have no idea how much that means to me, but you really are the best part of my life. I've seen you fit in the role of musketeer beautifully and-," Louis swallowed the lump in his throat, "and I think it's time to give you another role that I, and I alone can give you."

Now it was Corrine's turn to have her breath catch in her throat. Could it be? Did she dare to hope? Was he saying what she thought he was? Tears had started to gather in her eyes. She had fallen in love with the King a long time ago but she was too stubborn to even admit it to herself, let alone to Louis' face. Her friends had relentlessly tried to convince her to share all of her feelings to the handsome king, but she was a farm girl turned musketeer. Louis didn't need or want her by his side as his queen. Did he?

She watched him slowly kneel on one knee before her as he produced a small black box from his pocket and lifted the lid to reveal a heart-shaped diamond centered in the midst of other precious gems.

"Corrine Emily D'agarton, would you do me the honor of being your husband and become my queen?"

"Viveca, Aramina, what are you looking at?" Renne asked as she came up to her two friends standing at one of the dessert tables. She followed their gaze across the room to where Corrine and Louis were talking.

"How long is too long to let them keep being stubborn and not admitting they love each other before I do it for them?"

Aramina shot an incredulous look, "Renee, they have to do it. Besides, it wouldn't be very romantic."

The dark headed girl rolled her eyes while Vivica shook her head sadly, "If they don't admit their feelings soon, I think I am going to do it for them."

Aramina huffed and stuck a chocolate truffle in her mouth.

Vivica gasped and started poking the other two rapidly, interrupting their survey of the desserts.

"Look! He's taking her somewhere!"

"How do you know? They could just be getting some air, which doesn't sound like a bad idea. It's hot in here."

"I just have a feeling, is all."

Renee furrowed her brow, "The last time you had 'a feeling' we ended up stuck in a dark cave."

"Girls, I think we should follow them." Aramina took off abruptly, leaving the other two behind. Vivica followed her through the crowds of people and so did Renee but not before grabbing some truffles.

The other two caught up with her and watched the unknowing couple disappear around the corner of the stone castle. They started to follow them at a discreet distance.

"He's going to propose! I can feel it!" Aramina squealed softly with excitement.

Renne's eyebrows shot up, "You wanna bet? They haven't even told the other they loved them yet!"

"I think they know that the other one loves them even though they haven't said it out loud." Vivica pointed out, gingerly stepping over a fallen tree.

"Vivica's right, besides this is the perfect night for someone to propose. So, I think I'm going to take you up on that bet."

"Alright, fine, 20 silver coins for me if he doesn't propose and 20 for you if he does," Renne bargained.

"Deal!" Aramina nodded.

"Hurry up or we're going to lose them!" Viveca ordered picking up speed as the balloon picked up speed.

"Ugh, I wish Louis would slow down a little bit," Aramina panted as they ran through the rolling fields of grass under the balloon, trying to stay unseen.

Renne looked at her like she had lost her mind, "Mina, we do this all day every day. You should be used to it by now."

"Yeah, but not right after I've eaten my weight in chocolate."

"I know what you mean," Vivica agreed, breathlessly.

Renee sent them disapproving glances before stopping abruptly causing the other two to run headlong into her back.

"Be quiet, they're stopping!" She looked around for a place to hide, "How convenient," she ushered the grumbling fashionista and romantic behind a grove of trees that just happened to be right where they needed it.

"I can't hear them very well," Aramina whispered as soft murmurings floated down from up above.

"How about we climb up that tree so we'll be closer?" Renne suggested, starting to pull herself up onto the lowest branch.

Aramina nodded not seeing any other option but, Viveca looked horrified.

"Climb? In a tree!? You have got to be kidding me!" She whispered frantically "Not happening!"

"Oh, come on! It's just a tree for Heaven's sake," Renee whispered, standing on a branch. Vivica didn't look convinced, "I tear my dress in the same spot almost every day. I would like to go at least one day without having to sew it up."

"Vivi, you're going to miss everything. Including watching the king propose to our best friend with a Ring." Aramina huffed as she began to climb the same large oak Renee had.

"Oh, alright."

The tree turned out to be quite comfy, with enough room for them to eavesdrop without a problem.

They listened to Louis describe the past year, making quiet remarks on the more romantic parts. When Corrine described what a good King he was, they agreed wholeheartedly. When it sounded like he was leading up to a proposal, they stayed as still as possible and strained their ears.

"I wish I could see them," Aramina muttered. They were sitting on branches towards the top of the tree but they still weren't high enough to see anything. She started climbing higher onto the branches that didn't look as stable. Renee and Vivica shared a worried glance and quickly followed. The trio managed to make it up high enough to see in the basket without alerting Louis and Corrine, which was a major feat.

They all started smiling like the Cheshire Cat as they watched Louis kneel and offer up a black box with a sparkling ring inside.

And at the words, "Corrine Emily D'artagon will you do me the honor of being your husband and become my queen?" Aramina looked like she was going to start foaming at the mouth or faint or both.

Aramina started to give a high-pitched squeal but was quickly cut off by Renee's hand which was firmly clamped over her mouth. At the same time, Vivica, who was trying to get a closer look at the ring, ungracefully fell back on the other two causing all three of them to fall from their perch and making quite possibly the loudest racket in the history of loud noises or at least that was what Renee thought as she desperately tried to break her fall before she broke her neck. So much for not giving themselves away.

Corrine couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips and the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes. She looked down at the only boy she'd ever loved, his hazelnut eyes shone with love, adoration, and hope.

"Oh Louis," she sighed softly, she was about to give him her answer when an ear-piercing scream cut through the soft chirping of crickets. Followed immediately by a crashing sound along with several grunts and groans breaking the peaceful, romantic silence.

Her head snapped towards the sound, her musketeer senses coming to life. Running to the other side of the balloon, she left the king kneeling, dismayed at his interrupted proposal and at the most important part.

"What in tarnation was that?" Corrine muttered, looking over the side of the balloon, trying to spot what had disrupted the most important moment of her life. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously as she caught a flash of purple down on the ground but before she could investigate further, Louis hurried to stand in front of her. Swiftly kneeling, he hoped to get an answer to the question he had been trying to work up enough courage to ask for the past several months.

"I don't know, probably an animal. Frankly, I don't care! I just care about what your answer will be!"

Looking at his worried face, Corrine decided to let the noise go and not keep him in agony, besides she had a sneaking suspicion that it was three two-legged animals that made that ruckus. Turning to face him once again, she held out her left hand, "Louis, my answer is yes, but are you sure you want me by your side your queen? I mean I know that there are certain things a queen must do but I'm not going to give up being a musketeer. I mean I love you-"

She was cut off by Louis rising to his feet, grabbing her hand and pulling her tightly against his broad chest, his hand on the small of her back holding her there. He looked deeply into her eyes before crashing his lips on hers for the first time. Corrine didn't know someone's lips could make her feel so complete. Sure, she had been kissed before which normally resulted in a black eye for the boy stupid enough to try it, but they had never made her feel like this. This passionate kiss felt right...perfect.

Louis didn't know kissing could be this wonderful. Honestly, he had wanted to do that since the first moment he laid his eyes on her. A desire he didn't know he had risen up within him. The way her lips fit perfectly on his. He held her tighter relishing that his lips would be the only lips to touch hers for the rest of their lives.

He pulled back, breathing heavily, "Corrine, I would never ask or want you to give up what you love to do. Now, more than ever, I know I will never love another woman like I love you. We can work out your queenly duties later. Right now, all I want to know is if I can spend the rest of my life loving you, holding you...kissing you.

Leaning her forehead on his, she nodded, chest heaving, "Yes, besides if I said no, Aramina, Vivica, and Renee would kill me then find some way to bring me back and make me marry you."

He chuckled and kissed her again.

"Wow," Corrine breathed, as they pulled back. Louis nodded in agreement, "I wish I had kissed you sooner."

He took her left hand and slid the engagement ring onto her ring finger. Smiling at how perfect it looked on her hand, officially claiming her as his.

"As much as I wish we could stay out here all night, I think we probably would be missed."

The King reluctantly released his bride-to-be. Corrine smiled, her eyes sparkling she reached up on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss, "Come on, we best get our infamous capsized landing over with."

Meanwhile, down on the ground, Renee was trying to get her friends to hide under the foliage before they were completely discovered. Aramina crawled one-handedly under the safety of the tree, rubbing her head where she hit it on a branch while making her decent. Vivica, lamenting over her torn skirt stared at it with resignation, took a little more prodding to get her moved out of the open. Renee winced as she plopped down against the tree trunk.

"I think I hit every single branch coming down."

Aramina and Vivica nodded stiffly in agreement as their sore bodies indicated the statement to be accurate. They watched silently as Louis wound up the anchor, he beamed with happiness so the girls assumed Corrine had said yes. Breathing a sigh of relief that they wouldn't have to find a way to get her to change her mind, they felt a sense of accomplishment that true love had been confessed that night.

"We'd better go, maybe if we get back to the castle before them, then maybe Corrine won't know we were watching," Aramina said hopefully, pushing herself up.

Vivica and Renee looked at her incredulously. As if after all that noise, Corrine would still be totally oblivious that her best friends were watching. Nevertheless, they hightailed it back to the castle where the party was still in full swing.

"Whoo, that was like record time! And it looks like we got here just in time!" Renee watched from her place at the refreshment table as Corrine and Louis walked back into the ballroom. The three musketeers ignored the curious looks they were getting as they inconspicuously tried to pull sticks and leaves from their person.

"I just love a happy beginning! And it's even sweeter to know I'm getting 20 coins out of the deal." Aramina glanced at Renee smugly, "It's a good thing I knew!"

Renne grumbled although she wasn't that upset. After all her best friend just got engaged to the king.

"We know, we know. You guessed right, congrats!"

"I didn't guess. I knew."

"Yeah, I know. I saw Louis propose and though I loathe to admit it, you won the bet."

The red-head shook her head, "No, I knew!"

Renee and Vivica looked at her, confused, "Whatever you say."

Aramina laughed softly, then smoothed out her musketeer skirt, "Act natural, here comes Corrine!"

Corrine weaved her way through the crowds of people towards where she saw her best friends trying to be nonchalant as they pulled twigs from their hair. She rolled her eyes at their attempt to keep their little 'mission' a secret. It was a good thing that they were more natural at being secretive during real missions or they would have been in major trouble a long time ago. They were very good at being inconspicuous to keep bad guys off their tail but when it came to keeping things from each other they might as well just come out with whatever it was they were trying to keep secret.

"Hey, Corrine!" Renne, Viveca, and Aramina greeted in unison as she approached them.

"We haven't done anything but stay here all night. What have you been doing?" Vivica blurted. Renee fought the urge to facepalm, Aramina looked at her with alarm and Corrine bit her lip in an effort not to snicker. Oh yeah, they had totally been spying.

"Mmm-hmm," she raised an eyebrow, reached out and pulled a stick from Renee's hair, "That's why you have sticks in your hair and are covered in leaves. "

The other three looked at each other, "We couldn't help it! You two are so cute together!"

Corrine put her hands on her hips and pursed her lips, "Did you fall out of a tree?"

Renee nodded, "Yeah, we climbed one so we could hear you better and then Vivica decided to climb higher than advisable and well...you heard the rest."

"Yup, it's painful, isn't it?" Corrine stated with a knowing grin as the other three groaned in agreement. She had fallen out of more than her fair share of trees in the country and she had the balloon here in the city.

"You have to tell us everything! I want to know everything that happened!" Aramina squealed. Renee looked at her, "You were there. You know what happened."

"But I don't know it from her point of view."

"Let me see the ring!" Vivica yanked Corrine's left hand up to her face, "Oh, it's absolutely breathtaking!"

Renee even agreed that it was exquisite even though she didn't much care for jewels.

"I can't believe you're getting married!" Renne chuckled as the other two girls already started to discuss wedding plans. Corrine planned on letting them take over as long as they didn't go overboard and got her stamp of approval.

"Trust me, neither can I," Corrine laughed.

"Corrine D'artagnon? Is that you?" She froze at the very familiar voice which spoke behind her. She turned around slowly, gasping at the tall, sandy blond, handsome guy who was standing in front of her. Someone she knew but hadn't seen in a long time.

"Andrew?"

Hey, Hey, Hey, I'm back! So, I am planning on going back and revising the chapters that are already posted and then continuing the story! Yay! I am not going to make any promises of posting soon because with my crazy schedule it's very unpredictable. But please tell me what you think of the new and improved chapter! Thanks a million!