Prince of a Thousand Enemies

"All the world will be your enemy, Prince of a Thousand Enemies. And when they catch you, they will kill you... But first they must catch you."

~ Richard Adams, "Watership Down"

Chapter One

Welcome to your life
There's no turning back
Even while we sleep
We will find you

"They know."

And with those two words the world came crashing down.

Aramis had been roused from sleep by a frantic knocking at his door. The young musketeer blearily threw it open and Athos pushed his way in, those terrible words on his lips. Everything seemed to slow down while Athos rushed about him. Aramis was at the eye of a storm. All thought, all breath, came slowly. They knew… they were coming… Anne? What of Anne?

In contrast Athos rushed about the room, talking without pause, shoving things into bags and throwing clothes at Aramis. Finally he picked up Aramis' weapons and thrust them into the young musketeer's hands. That seemed to snap him back into the world.

"... the Red Guard are coming to arrest you. We have to leave now, I've got your horse ready…" Athos went to the door.

Aramis followed him without thought, and then suddenly he darted back inside.

"Aramis!" Athos hissed. "We have no time!"

But he didn't need time. He dashed to his bedside table and grabbed a small golden cross.

They hurriedly made their way through the streets trying not to draw attention. A contingent of red guards ran past and the two of them ducked into a shadowed doorway. When it was clear, they resumed their flight. Suddenly shouts rose from down the street... the musketeers increased their pace.

Aramis was being led blindly by Athos, he trusted his friend entirely. His own thoughts were running around in circles, the ground had suddenly been pulled out from beneath the young musketeer. He struggled to take it all in… They knew… they would kill him… would they kill Anne? Had to run… had to get away… At least Athos seemed to be in control, at least he seemed to have a plan, as harried as it was…

They mounted their horses and rode to the outskirts of Paris. Aramis' heart fell as they approached two familiar men upon their own horses standing beneath a tree.

"They were safe! Why did you involve them?!" Aramis shouted.

"To save your neck you fool!" Athos sounded exhausted and exasperated.

Porthos and d'Artagnan's faces were grim. There was no friendly greeting, just anxious and accusing expressions. Tension ran between them as a wire that Aramis wished he could cut... Still frantic Athos searched through the bags he packed and pulled out Aramis' hat and blue sash. Instead of giving them to Aramis he handed them to d'Artagnan, much to their owner's confusion. The young lad dismounted and put them on.

"Get off your horse Aramis." Athos all but ordered.

"Why? What are you…" Aramis trailed off as a distant alarm bell started to ring.

"It may not be enough, but d'Artagnan will try to draw them away. He might pass for you in the dark of night."

Aramis got down from his horse and trailed a hand down her neck. He would miss her. But there was no time to linger on a goodbye.

d'Artagnan stepped forwards and offered the reins of his horse to Aramis. "Don't worry, I'll look after her." He clapped a hand to Aramis' shoulder.

With their horses swapped over the two men mounted. A moment of silence passed between them all. This felt like the end of an era and the beginning of something terrible… Nothing would be the same again.

"Athos…" d'Artagnan gasped and drew their attention to a gathering of torches in the distance.

"Good luck, stay safe." Athos said, there was no time to say anything more.

Aramis would have apologised, he would have tried to explain, there was so much that needed to be said… but there was no time. d'Artagnan looked at them each in turn and nodded from beneath Aramis' hat. Then he turned the black mare about and dashed off into the night. Aramis' heart turned cold… he had the feeling he would not be seeing either of them again.

"We need to go." Athos urged his horse in the opposite direction.

Porthos had not said a word. He just gave Aramis a dark look before following.

~oOo~

They rode as fast as they could through the countryside. Even though it was night the three musketeers kept away from the outlying villages. They couldn't risk being seen flying from Paris. Aramis didn't know where they were going, nobody had said anything, he just went with it, swept along in a current beyond his control. When morning light began to creep along the horizon they headed into a nearby wood and sought sanctuary within the trees. Athos finally deemed it safe enough to stop, both men and horses were exhausted and in need of rest.

Aramis saw to the horses while Porthos and Athos lit a fire and set about making something to eat. The silence between them seemed a chasm, one that Aramis was eager to breach… he just didn't know how. He went about un-tacking slowly, hoping the snowstorm of his thoughts would settle into something that made sense. They didn't. Finally he set down his saddle and went to join the others.

The morning birdsong gave the scene a strange sense of peace it didn't deserve. Aramis could detect anger brimming just beneath the surface… Athos wordlessly thrust a plate into his hands. The young musketeer picked at it, he couldn't face eating though he knew he needed to. Instead he reached inside his pocket and took out the little golden cross, looking down at it on his palm thoughtfully. If he had been forced to run, what would they do to Anne? Surely they couldn't put the queen to death. What of his child? There were only a few months to go…

"Don't you dare put that on." Porthos' angry voice broke into his thoughts.

Aramis looked up in confusion.

"And don't you give me that look either. I curse the day she gave you that thing."

"Porthos…" Aramis tried to interrupt, but like a dam that had burst Porthos' words kept flowing.

"Look at yourself Aramis! Look at us here! This is all your doing! Because you couldn't control yourself we are all going to suffer."

"I didn't ask you to get involved!" The young musketeer shouted.

"No. I did." Athos finally spoke up. "We couldn't see you hang, we had to do something…"

"The queen Aramis! For God's sake! What were you thinking?!" Porthos shot to his feet and walked away a few paces before turning back. "I would give my life for you, and the bond that holds us all as brothers is the reason I am here, but I cannot believe the stupidity… the thoughtlessness… I could strike you Aramis."

Aramis got to his feet and threw his arms out. "By all means do if it would help."

The blow came from nowhere. Aramis hadn't really expected Porthos to take up on the offer, and he thought Athos would have stepped in if he did. But Aramis found himself laid out in the grass, his vision sparking and jaw aching, before another word could be said.

As the world coalesced around him Aramis could perceive Athos and Porthos standing over him.

Athos knelt down. "We are on the run now, we are hunted men... especially you. It was a choice between this or death. Surely you must have realised it could come to this when you first put your hands on her? This is your life now… there is no turning back."

Porthos extended a hand and spoke grimly. "Welcome to your new life, Aramis."

~oOo~

Note: Quote is from "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (Lorde's version, heh).