All for One
-Interlude-
The Coming Storm
Six of the Cardinal’s red clad guards were down on the floor, bleeding. In the center of them, a Spaniard stood tall, his magnificent blade wet with blood. The Spaniard turned and looked at the Cardinal Richelieu, who had been sitting and watching the fight. Next to him, Lady de Winter sat. The Cardinal started clapping his hands together. “Wonderfully done, Inigo! I’m impressed, and that’s not something that happens daily.”
Inigo Montoya bowed his head. “Thank you, sir.”
“Perfect,” Milady said with a smile, “So now, you’re convinced that he’s right for the job, Richelieu?”
“Absolutely,” the Cardinal said, nodding his head, “I don’t think there’s a musketeer that could do half as well.”
“Well then, let’s explain the situation to you, Inigo,” Milady insisted. “Now, first off-”
The woman stopped in mid-sentence. Yu-Jin dropped from the ceiling, keeling down. “Mistress.”
“Ah, Yu-Jin,” de Winter cried, moving over to him, “Perfect timing. Hand over the paper, I need it.”
The servant remained silent.
“Oh no,” the lady sighed. “Don’t tell me you didn’t get it?”
Again, silence.
“And you have the gall to craw back to me!?” Milady slapped her manservant across the face, storming away. “You idiot! That’s twice you’ve failed me!”
Richelieu rounded over to de Winter. “I thought I could count on you, Milady. The contents of that paper are invaluable to my plans; and your miserable servant just lost it to a single man!”
“Wrong.” Yu-Jin rose from his knees, standing tall. “Boy was not thief, like we thought. Thief was working with him. And my men didn’t fight against one,” he glared at the Cardinal, “Thief, D’artangnan, and a musketeer all joined together.”
“I see,” Milady hissed acidly, “You, your men, and the assassins I hired are defeated by a over glorified bodyguard, a thief dumb enough to leave a calling card and a boy, you return empty-handed, and that’s a good thing?”
“Ladyship, I not come empty-handed” Yu-Jin explained.
“Really?”
“I’ve taken brother of Constance woman and told them all to go to Sea Skull Keep with paper, and not bring anyone else” the manservant continued, “When they come, I take Constance and kill everyone. All problems solved.”
“No, our problems are far from over!” Cardinal Richelieu roared. “Do you know much you’re risking on this plan of yours?”
“Richelieu,” Lady de Winter interjected, “Enough. This is the best we can do.”
“How can you put faith in him,” the Cardinal demanded, “After this blunder?”
“I’m not,” Milady said. She looked over at Inigo, who had been sitting out of the conversation. “It looks like we have a job for you ahead of schedule.”
Meanwhile…
“So that’s the situation, you two,” Athos concluded, looking at his comrades. Porthos was scratching his chin while Aramis simply looked down at the floor.
Everyone was in the Bonacieux Inn’s kitchen. D’artangnan was sitting next to Athos, who had been allowed to stay the night and heal. In the morning, the musketeer left and came back with two others.
Constance came in, looking drained and weary, a tray of drinks in hand. After everyone took a refreshment, she too sat. “Monsieur Athos,” she said weakly, “What are we going to do?”
“I’ll tell ya’ what we’re going to do, little Missy,” Porthos answered automatically, “We’re going to raid Sea Skull Keep, take your brother back, and then celebrate with a few drinks. Yeay or nay?”
“Nay,” Aramis sighed. Everyone looked at him. “We need to be careful. If we don’t do as they say, Jean could be killed. We have to comply for now.”
“And how can we do that, Aramis?” Porthos shot back. “We don’t even know who this thief in black is, or what they mean by ‘paper that was stolen.’ Besides, it’s probably a trap.”
“Uh,” D’artangnan interrupted, pulling something out from his pocket, “I think this is what they want.”
“What is it?” Athos asked, taking the paper and looking it over. It read a date and place. “And how did you get it?”
The boy explained the event atop the roof.
“So this Zorro,” Athos asked no one in particular, “Is he a friend or foe?”
Porthos spoke up. “I don’t have a clue, but then again, I don’t care. We need to save that kid!”
“Here, here” Aramis piped in. “A musketeer’s duty is to protect the king, but we’re men of honor too!”
Athos raised his hand to signal for silence. “Even if what you two say may be true, we still need a plan. And this is all I know: We can’t call in reinforcements, we can’t all go, we don’t know were this Zorro is, and it’s obviously a trap. What’s more, Sea Skull keep is a pirate’s loft, so things could get dangerous.”
After some thinking, Porthos spook. “Why don’t I dress as Zorro and go with you, the boy and Ms. Bonacieux to the keep. Then, Aramis can follow behind; he is the sneakiest of us. What do ya’ think, Athos?”
Athos scratched his chin. “That could work…”
Aramis cleared his throat. “I might have a better idea. One second.” He got up and left the room, grabbing a towel as he did so. A few seconds later, Aramis returned. However, his chest looked bulged, like a woman’s.
“BWAHAHAHA!” Porthos doubled over, laughing his head off. “Are you saying you wana’ cross-dress? I never knew you were into that kinda’ thing.” He stopped when he noted that the tip of Aramis’s sword was right between his eyes.
“Shut it, Porthos,” Aramis commanded. “I’m just doing what is necessary to keep everyone safe.” He turned to D’artangnan. “You wouldn’t want to put Ms. Constance in danger, would you?”
“Absolutely not!” D’artangnan near shouted, jumping up.
Athos sighed. Weak willed fool.
“Besides,” Aramis went on, looking at Constance, “You said you’re a maid for the Queen, right?” The young woman nodded. “So you can ask her about that paper. I’ve got a feeling that it has something to do with palace life.”
“Yes, Monsieur,” Constance said, stowing the paper in her pocket.
“So, everyone’s in agreement?” Athos asked. All present nodded. “Very well. After the disguises are complete, we leave immediately!”
Later...
Yu-Jin, Inigo Montoya, and a giant of a man were in the center of Sea Skull Keep, surrounded on all sides by pirates. Across from them stood a man with a magnificent, plumbed hat, exquisite red suit and a hook in place of a right hand. “So,” the man said, fingering his hook, “For what reason should I not run you scallywags through?”
“We’re here with a proposition,” Yu-Jin said, smiling. He threw a bag to the Captain’s feet; gold coins scattered everywhere.
“Ah,” James Hook smiled. “I’m listening.”
