Epilogue
Athos sneaked into the early dawn haze that shrouded his son in an ethereal light. Soft snores made him smile. The child slept peacefully. At this moment he had not a care in the world. He was safe and protected. And Athos made a solemn vow to his sleeping son that he always would feel that way.
Raoul’s future now lay in his hands.
A future Athos feared just a little. He had never before been a father. He embraced the opportunity, but wondered if he could do it. How did one care for such a small child? Could Raoul dress himself? Did he need to be fed? What of nappies? No, he was too old for those. Maybe?
Kneeling on the floor before the bed, Athos rested his chin on the edge of the mattress, inches from his son’s face. The boy’s bow lips were lax. Dark hair sprouted this way and that. The same color as his own, Athos thought with a proud smile.
“You are my son,” he whispered. “Raoul de Sillègue d’Athos. Quite a mouthful, I know.But Vicomte de Bragelonne shall serve well enough.”
He touched the tip of the boy’s finger, marveling at how small he was. Perfect in every way. A miniature version of himself.
Would the boy fight for the king some day? Or would he look to the sea, as Athos once had for his father’s sake? Perhaps he would become a country nobleman, living on a quiet estate with a large family and a pretty wife.
Whatever he chose, Athos would stand beside him. Raoul would have everything. He would learn right from wrong.
And to know when wrongs could be right. And right could be wrong.
“I will do my best, mon fils,” Athos said. “I’ll try…”
He pressed his forehead to the mattress and closed his eyes. Emmanuelle’s words came back to him.
Do it for your son.
Her advice was sound.
“I must. I did what I thought was right then. Now that I am wiser, I will do better. Your father has made mistakes, Raoul. But I believe they were made for a reason.”
He kissed Raoul’s head and walked to the window. Outside, the horizon wore a brilliant orange stripe. A new day full of promise.
“I forgive,” he murmured. And a genuine smile curled his mouth.
Behind him the door creaked softly. Emmanuelle popped her head into the room. “Here you are,” she whispered.
Athos joined her in the hallway. “Everything all right?”
“Yes. What of you and your son?”
He hugged her. “It is all good.”
She gently pushed him from their clasp and pulled him toward his bedroom. “I made a decision.”
“That is?”
“I want to go to Blois with you and Raoul.”
Happiness flowed through his soul, and he halted to give her a kiss. “I love you for that.”
She tugged him on. “Yes, well, there is love. But someone had best keep an eye on your handsome ass.”
He grinned. “You think my ass handsome?”
She winked, and slipped into the bedroom, tossing out her doublet for Athos to catch. The trill of her unabashed laughter twinkled in his heart. “Let’s take a look, lover. Now that you’ve seduced me to trust you—“
“I seduced you?” Athos chuckled and slipped off his shirt. “I think it was the other way around, mademoiselle.”
“I’ve no powers of seduction.” She slid out of her breeches and turned her bright tabby satin eyes on him. A tilt of her head spilled lush, dark hair over her bare breasts and the minx even winked. “Maybe?”
Athos fell to his knees before her and kissed her stomach and then looked up at her. “I am yours, forever.”
“Just give me this day,” she said, stroking her fingers through his hair. “And then the next day. And perhaps even the next day.”
“I promise to lose count of the days.”
And the twosome spilled onto the bed and welcomed the morn with sighs and moans, and, fingers entwined within one another’s, they would together ride through the days. The musketeer and la Belle Dame.
The End
Author’s Note
Alexandre Dumas envisioned the heroes of the popular adventure classic, The Three Musketeers, based on the lives of four real men. The most historical evidence can be found on D’Artagnan. The count de la Fère did indeed exist, though it is suspected he and the real Charles d’Artagnan may have been mere acquaintances. Possibly Arnaud d’Sillègue and Aramis—or Henri d’Aramitz—were first cousins. As well, Porthos could have been related to the two men.
Dumas allowed that Athos did not bring Raoul into his life until the boy was much older. John de Winter fascinates me, and I so wanted to use him in Athos’s story, though Dumas does not introduce Milady’s son until he was well into his twenties. If you are wondering how John de Winter fits into the picture, read Twenty Years After to see Milady’s son—using the moniker Mordaunt—seek revenge against her executioners. I think I squeezed him in nicely on the timeline Dumas had created with his stories.
Though all four musketeers were lauded as heroes and great lovers, to study the characters created by Dumas makes one understand they are very flawed men who were never granted true love by their creator.
Athos was a hopeless drunk whose choice in women contributed to his dismal view of the world. He took his nobility seriously, treating Grimaud with the occasional slap to keep the valet in line. But through it all he was always the voice of wisdom to the four Inseparables. A man like that either needed a quiet, beautiful woman to ease him into the familial bliss he craved, or…someone like himself to slap his conscious upside the head and make him stop feeling sorry for himself. Naturally, Emmanuelle played the latter.
I hope you enjoyed my vision of granting Athos ‘true love’.
Books by Michele Hauf
PARANORMAL ROMANCE
Taming The Hunter
The Venetian Vampire
The Vampire's Protector
Her Werewolf Hero
Captivating The Witch
Enchanted By The Wolf
The Vampire's Fall
Moonlight & Diamonds
Ghost Wolf
Beyond The Moon
The Vampire Hunter
Beautiful Danger
This Wicked Magic
Forever Werewolf
The Werewolf's Wife
Ashes of Angels
Fallen
Angel Slayer
Moon Kissed
The Highwayman
The Devil To Pay
His Forgotten Forever
Kiss Me Deadly
Familiar Stranger
From The Dark
Forever Vampire
Seducing The Vampire
Her Vampire Husband
Follow The Night
Wicked Angels
Dark Rapture
PARANORMAL NOVELLAS
Hark The Herald Angel Falls
The Boss's Moonlight Secret
The Dark's Mistress
This Soul Magic
Malakai
Claiming The Wolf
The Reaper's Heart
Stay
Moonspun
Night of the Living Wed
Monsters Don't Do Christmas
The Sin Eater's Promise
Playing With Fire
This Glamorous Evil
Cruel Enchantment
The Ninja Vampire's Girl
Halo Hunter
Vampire's Tango
After The Kiss
Racing The Moon
Dust Me, Baby, One More Time
A Kiss of Frost
FANTASY
Seraphim
Gossamyr
Rhiana
CONTEMPORARY
The Chameleon
The Forger
The Thief
Once A Thief
Flawless
Getaway Girl
In The Event of My Death
Maxwell's Smile
The Geek Gets The Girl
HISTORICAL ROMANCE
The Unforgiven: Athos
My Lady Madness
Here Is My Heart
Tame Me Not
Betray Me Not
Enchant Me Not
ROGUE ANGEL series (Alex Archer pseudonym)
Swordsman's Legacy
The Bone Conjurer
The Other Crowd
The Matador's Crown
Blood Cursed
The Devil's Chord
Wicked Seduction (Written in Tina Folsom's world of Venice Vampyres)
EROTICA written as Michele Renae
The Paris Secrets Trilogy, which includes:
Window
Screen
Skin
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