It was a bright Friday afternoon and Corinne was sitting in a wooden chair, under a pavilion stationed outside the palace. Her elbow was on a table and her head resting in her hand while her other hand was subconsciously sketching on a piece of paper.

Her blue hat was pushed back on her head and her fingers were drumming absently on the side of her face.

Louis was walking around his hot air balloon making some adjustments "What else could I do to prevent the tip-landing?"

Corinne glanced in his direction "Um..." she resituated her head on her hand and shrugged "Make a cage for it to land in?"

"A cage?" He chuckled then walked over to where she was "You're bored, aren't you?"

"Who? Me?" she straightened up and crossed her arms on top of the table "No. Who wouldn't want to take a nice relaxing break from town chaos to guard the prince and listen to something you don't understand?" she laughed slightly "But, no. I'm not bored. Just a little tired."

Louis smiled and sat down in the chair across from her "Are things that crazy?"

"Not really." She shook her head "I know I'm confusing the daylights out of you."

"I think I'm used to it by now." He grinned "Like Treville said, don't try to understand a woman. It's just a waste of time."

Her eyes widened "Hey!"

Then they both started laughing.

He looked down at the piece of paper under her hand "Well, I know what you're thinking about?"

She quirked an eyebrow "Oh really?"

"Yep. Your first mission."

"And why do you think that?"

He picked up the paper and turned it to face her "Because, that's the only time you and I have danced."

She blinked a couple of times as she stared at the sketch of her and the young King dancing and fought furiously to keep her face from turning red "Oh... yeah." Actually. She hadn't been thinking of that first mission that had led to her and her friends being musketeers. She'd been thinking about 'Them'. Her and Louis. Wondering what exactly was going to come out of this 'relationship' they had acquired. Whether he felt the same way she did or not. Or would she always just be his bodyguard and flying buddy?

Louis turned the picture and looked at it "You're actually really good at this. The people look... real."

She pushed a piece of hair out of her face "Just something I dabble in."

He nodded slightly "Mind... if I keep it?"

Her eyebrows lurched "Sure." then she smiled "Why?"

"I like it." he shrugged then looked up at her "Can... I tell you something? And you not laugh?"

She cocked her head "Go ahead."

"You know, all these missions you and your friends have been on. All the times you all have saved my life... especially you." He looked at the picture then back at her "I believe it's safe to say that... you're the best friend I've ever had." he reached across the table and put his hand over hers "I'm glad you came to Paris, Corinne." he smiled as his hand tightened around hers

She laughed softly and looked straight into his deep brown eyes "So am I."

Everything became so quiet for a moment. Even the wind stopped blowing.

"Why don't you just tell her the truth?" Louis thought "Because... what if she doesn't like you the same way? What if..." right at that moment, a bird flew into the pavilion and chirped loudly, causing them both to jump and Corinne to automatically reach for her sword.

A moment later she glanced at the king then back at the bird, which was hopping around on the ground then burst out laughing.

Some things in life would never change, like the constant interruptions of a breathtaking moment. It was always either a person or a thing. Even Louis' balloon could be accused of doing such, but I suppose it was allowed. After all it was the thing that had brought them together to begin with.

She pulled her hand away from his and sat in her lap, trying to bite back her smile.

Louis raised an eyebrow "What are you thinking?"

She glanced at him and shook her head "Nothing. Just how... I wouldn't change this life for anything."

Louis nodded and grinned "I agree." then he thought "As long as you're in it. It's perfect."

Philippe walked into the dimly lit room and looked around "Are you here?"

"Are you?" A woman's voice answered mildly sarcastic.

"Yes."

"Obviously." She walked over to a table that was in the room and sat down. Her light red hair was piled up in a bun on the top of her head. One long curl hung down her neck and draped over her shoulder. She glanced around "Oh for crying out loud." then she snapped her fingers and several more candles in the room lit "That's better. Now... SIT!"

Philippe quickly obeyed "You know what I want?"

"Were you the one that wanted to take over the world or the one that wanted revenge?" She asked "I got my appointments mixed up and I can't remember."

"Revenge."
"Right. Alright, what is it you want me to do? And who is the victim?"

"There's actually five of them."

"Someone's been busy." She put her elbows on the table "Speak."

"Four of them are girls."

This time her eyebrows lurched "You're treading on dangerous ground, Dude." she shook her head "I had a feeling I should leave this one, but the word 'revenge' always seems to call me. What is it you want me to do?"

Philippe sneered as he said "Change the course of fate. Reverse time, change what is to what was."

"Hold on!" the woman said "I don't speak riddleish. Now, go."

"I want to change fate. Make it as thought the girls were never musketeers. Louis was never king. I was never arrested. Delete the female musketeers."

She nodded slightly "When you say 'delete', do you mean select-delete? Or, nobody-knew-about-them-delete?"

"Nobody knows about them." Philippe stood up from his seat "I want to ruin their lives when I'm king."

"Okay. Any suggestions?"

"Give Viveca that dress emporium she would never leave. Renee an Inn that provides entertainment. Aramina a posh theater." He grinned wickedly "They would never leave their 'dream' shops to ruin my plans. Then when I'm king I can yank it all from beneath them and watch them suffer!"

"Aren't there four musketeers?" She counted on her fingers "I've only got Ren, Viv, Ara."

"Yes." His voice lowered to a growl "That... Corinne."

"Ooh. Sore spot."

"The only thing she ever wanted to be was a musketeer. If you send her back to her home she'll just come back and destroy everything!" He slammed his hands down on the table.

"Watch it. This table was imported from Italy." She crossed her arms and leaned the chair back on two legs "How about I just let... fate, decide."

"Fine." His eyes narrowed to tiny slits "But whatever you do, leave Louis alive. I want to destroy him myself."

"Prideful." She stood up and looked out a window towards the castle "You know, this is a whole lot to do for just one kingdom." she glanced back at him "Don't ya think?"

Philippe considered the thought for a moment then that evil smirk reappeared across his face "Make Louis be... engaged. To a princess. Then I will take both kingdoms!"

She blinked "Two kingdoms? That's all? Fine. It's not world conquest but it is revenge." then her face shifted to a dark sneer, that made Philippe step away from her "Let all be forgotten and lost. Time be shifted and memories changed. No one will remember their current state. As we enter this Game of Twisted Fate!" then her hands clapped together everything went black.

(I hope this story turns out as good as I'm invisioning it and as good as you all are expecting it to be! Laterz!)