Adventures with Friends
Time Travellers: The Eight Musketeers?
Four friends are sent back to correct history- they just might have to rewrite it.
Chapter 7
Erica sat hitting her head on the bars of her jail cell. Rochefort had taken the three to the prison and split them up. Erica was put clear to one side of the prison, while Jacob and Krista were taken... actually Erica didn't know where they were taken to. All she did know was that she was pretty much by herself save for some prisoner who was unconscious at the end of the hallway, and seemed to be dead. She had tried calling out to see if Krista or Jacob could hear her, but Rochefort put a stop to that. And after about fifteen minutes of yelling, it had gotten boring. So now she sat hitting her head against the iron bars to entertain herself. Rochefort had told her to remain quiet or else, but Erica had to annoy someone.
"I'm so bored," she mouthed to herself. She leaned her head against the bars. Her head was pounding and she could feel a bump forming across her forehead. But she didn't care. She had been entertained for a while. Finally, she took the bars in her hands and rattled them.
"Rochefort! I'm bored!" she hollered into the darkness of the prison. "I'm bored" echoed through the hallways. Erica smiled. "Helllooooooooooooooooooooooo. This is the aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaavooooooooooooon laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaadyyyyyyyy!" she called in a high voice. It echoed for at least two minutes. Erica couldn't help but let out a little laugh. For her first time being in a prison, it actually wasn't that bad. One just had to know how to entertain yourself.
But soon, she ran out of things to yell down the hallway. So she stood up and began walking in circles in her cell. Maybe if she walked long enough, she'd be able to find a way out of the cell. Although she could entertain herself in a cell, that didn't change the fact that she was in prison. Maybe there was a way to talk herself and the others out of the prison sentence. But she didn't have the first clue about trials in medieval France. She sighed. And that left the question of what was Rochefort going to do with them. Was he going to have them executed? Or maybe they'd just rot in prison and die of boredom. Either way, this was not cool.
Erica continued her pace. She didn't know how long she walked, but what seemed like ages later, Rochefort stepped up to her cell. He studied the pacing teen with his gleaming eye. Erica, however, was oblivious to the captain prescence. She began muttering to herself and using hand gestures as if she were having a conversation with someone. Rochefort watched Erica's strange behavior in confusion.
"Enjoying yourself?" Rochefort finally said in his deep, menacing voice. He slid open the cell gate and stepped inside with the teen.
Erica jumped and whirled around. She already knew who it was, for there was no mistaking that voice. She stood at the back of her cell, hand on her heart.
"Rochefort! Goddamn! You scared the b'jesus out of me!" Rochefort smirked. Erica recovered herself. "Hey, Rochefort, since you're here... I don't suppose you could tell me what the hell we're doing here!"
His eyes flashed dangerously. "I would of thought it'd be obvious."
"You're still not stuck on that spy crap, are you?"
"Even if you are not spies, you and your friends have killed the Cardinal's men."
"Oh come on! Do you really think we're capable of that? Those Musketeers did all the killing. Jacob, Krista, and I just beat the crap out of a few. They're still alive, in case you forgot to check."
"Musketeers? Well, then, you'd also be charged with association with outlaws. You were caught dueling, which is illegal in Paris. And resisting arrest."
Erica took a deep breath to calm herself. "Anything else you want to charge me with?"
"Would you like me to?"
"Well, you were doing such a good job without my consent."
Rochefort smiled and stepped to one side. He pulled out Erica's sword. It glimmered in the dim dungeon light. Erica gaped at it.
"Heeeey, that's my sword," Erica whined.
"It's a magnificant sword. Where did you steal it?"
"Oh no. Stop right there. I did not steal it. You're not charging me for stealing things. It was a gift to me."
"By whom?"
"I don't know. Some random person came up to me in the street and said, "Here you go.""
"Really."
"I kid you not."
The two stared the other down. Rochefort broke the gaze first to sheath the sword.
"Well, I guess you won't mind if I hang on to it, then."
"Come on! It's my sword!"
"Unless you want to be buried with it, I think you have no further use for it," Rochefort said, starting to circle Erica.
Erica hesitated. "...But...That's my sword." She shook herself. "Wait what? Who's being buried?"
Rochefort grinned as he came around again. "We have found you and your three other friends guilty of being spies and associating with traitors. You're sentence is death by decapitation."
Erice gulped. "When do we get to do that?"
"Tomorrow morning. At nine. You have about fourteen hours to live."
Erica's stomach dropped through the floor. "Uh oh," was all she could think. Then a cold dread settled around her shoulders. Rochefort had stopped to her left to watch the horror spread across the young girl's face. She threw him a dangerous glower.
"I hope you choke on a Keebler cookie and die."
Rochefort snickered and stepped behind her. Erica heard him draw her sword. But before she could defend herself, something hard crashed against the back of her head. Erica couldn't even cry out. She dropped to the floor, dazed. She was barely aware of Rochefort sheathing the sword and stepping out of the cell. He turned to the cell keeper that had suddenly appeared to let the captain out of the cell.
"Take her below."
Rochefort stalked away, leaving Erica halfway unconscious on the floor. Erica opened one eye to take a look at the cell keeper. He was a large man. If they would of been in modern times, the cell keeper would have been a defense player for a professional football team. He opened the gate and stepped inside. He bent over to pick up Erica's motionless body. But before he could reach her, she flipped over and kicked him in the face. He stumbled backwards against the wall. Erica ran out the cell door and slammed it shut behind her. She looked back at the keeper. He was dazed, but still conscious. Erica began to halfheartedly run down the dark hallway, trying to keep from passing out. It was only a matter of time until Rochefort noticed that his cell keeper was missing.
Erica dodged down one hallway after another. Twice she ran into a dead end. But soon, she found a hallway packed with prisoners. She started carefully down the hallway. But she was met by whispering prisoners that amounted to a dull roar.
"C'mere girl!"
"Let us out!"
"Hey!"
Erica rolled her eyes. "Shut up!" she snapped sharply throughout the hallway. "Unless you want to get us all killed, please shut up!" The hallway fell silent. "Thank you!"
Erica continued down the now silent hallway. She reached the end of it a few minutes later. A few shadows passed across the wall. Erica shrunk into the shadows. She waited, holding her breath for a long minute. When no one came, she let out a slow breath and let her head drop in relief.
"Erica! Goddamn!"
"Chase?" Erica asked, turning around.
Sure enough, Chase had his face pressed against the bars. He wore a huge grin.
"Man, am I glad to see you," he said.
"No kidding."
"How did you get out?"
"Patchy came in and talked to me, then his cell keeper dude came in to take me somewhere, but I dodged around him."
"Great. Let me out then!"
Erica froze.
"What's wrong?"
"I'd love to, but I- ah- don't have the keys."
Chase looked at her as if he couldn't quite comprehend what Erica just said. "You- Wha- ah-" he stuttered. "Way to go."
"I was in a hurry!"
"Great job, dumbass."
"Shut up. We can pick the lock."
"Got anything to pick it with?"
Erica thought for a moment. There was really nothing she had but the clothes on her back. She stopped.
"That's it!"
"What?"
Erica unfastened her belt and took it off. She showed Chase. "We can use the little wire thing on the buckle."
"Give me that!" Chase exclaimed as he swiped it from Erica and began picking the lock. Erica stood watching while holding up her pants. Several exscruciating minutes later the old lock gave a small click. Chase pulled off the lock and swung the gate forward. He stepped out and handed Erica her belt. She began putting it back on.
"All right! So where is Jacob and Krista?" he asked.
"Pshh. Like I know. Rochefort locked me up clear in the boondocks. I've been wandering around now for God knows how long."
"Well, I guess we continue on."
Chase then began walked down the hallway. Erica, still putting on her belt, followed. The two wandered down mostly deserted hallways. But after having no luck with finding Krista and Jacob, they stopped.
"Where could they be?" Erica asked.
"The last place we look."
"Well I should hope so. Why would we keep looking after we find them?"
Chase gave Erica a double take. "What-ever."
"Hey, look there's light down at the end of this hallway!"
"Oh! Let's go!"
The two crept down the corridor. About halfway through, they seen a party of guards walked past the hallway. Chase and Erica automatically jumped into the shadows of the hallway. Once the entrie party was past, they picked up their pace to see where the party was headed. Once they reached the entrance to the hallway, they peered around the corner. Another hallway opened up into a large room. And beyond the room was a door that was slightly ajar. That was where the majority of the light was coming from. Chase and Erica nodded to each other and ran into the large room. Other hallways branched from the room. Chase and Erica scurried to the door and looked inside.
Erica recognized the room to be the Cardinal's room that her, Jacob, and Krista had been in earlier that day. Cardinal Richlieu sat in his chair, his back to the door. And there was another man that sat across the desk from the Cardinal who Erica nor Chase recognized. He was fairly tall with long black hair combed. His grey eyes reflected the firelight, giving him a demented look. He was dressed in what seemed to be a black trenchcoat. Erica and Chase leaned in closer to try and hear the conversation.
"You realize that this is very dangerous, Armand?" Richlieu was saying.
"It is a trivial fact, Your Emminence," the black haired man returned.
"Excellent. I have disbanded the Musketeers. You will not recieve any trouble from them."
"What about the Musketeers that have refused to give up their rank?"
"They are being arrested. Your path to Callais will be cleared."
"I trust then, that the Musketeers should not concern me. But my secured way to England, however, does concern me."
"Yes. Your path has been secured. There is a ship called the Alexandria waiting to take you to England with the treaty."
"What about the other loose end?"
"Yes, yes. I know. It taken care of. My men shall collect the foreign end."
"And you will still hold up your end of the deal?"
"Yes. You will recieve your share when the treaty is delivered."
"How long do we have?"
"You have one week to get to Buckingham. Deliver the message and send word back to me. By that time, everything will be set into motion."
"Is there any further message you wish to send to the Duke?"
Richlieu seemed to not hear the question. "With the war with England, France will be torn apart on the outside while I tear France apart from within. Once the Duke of Buckingham puts his signature next to mine, our alliance will be complete. And when England takes France, Buckingham will place me on the throne."
"Unless the French throne still has a king.".
"Leave that trivial fact to me." He handed Armand an envelope. Armand took it with a respectful bow. "Stop for no one," Richlieu warned.
"It will be done."
"And once you have achieved this, you will recieve your just reward."
Armand nodded and began walking away. Erica and Chase scrambled from the door and ducked into the shadows of the nearest hallway. Seconds later, Armand walked out of the room and down a far hallway. Chase and Erica looked at each other and let out a sigh of relief. They peeked back around the corner to see if the Cardinal was also coming out of his chambers.
"Looking for me?"
Erica and Chase whirled around. Erica found the tip of Rochefort's sword against her throat. Chase looked to Erica, then gulped. Erica stared down the long blade and met Rochefort's gaze.
"Haha... Hi Rochefort."
"Move."
"Where?"
"To the Cardinal."
"Oh shit!" Chase muttered. He turned around and began walking. Rochefort pratically steered Erica with his sword. Chase opened the door and walked in, followed by Rochefort and Erica. The door seemed to close by itself. Rochefort walked Chase and Erica to the middle of the room.
"On your knees."
Chase didn't move at first. Rocefort kicked the back of his knees, forcing him to the ground. Chase went down with a "Dude! What the hell?". Rochefort then took Erica by the shoulders and forced her to her knees. Cardinal Richlieu, by this time, was watching with mild interest. Rochefort stepped back and sheathed his sword. Richlieu looked at his captain.
"What calls for this interruption?"
"Two spies with wandering ears."
Richlieu gave the two teens a dangerous look. "How much did you hear?"
No one spoke for a moment.
"Well, not much. The voices were too low and with all the racket the prisoners were making..." Erica offered.
"What did you say you were doing in France again?"
"Travelling."
"Travelling. Well for simple travellers you seem to get in a lot of trouble."
"Well most of it was not my fault," Erica said darkly, looking at Chase.
"What?" he said.
"Rochefort tells me that you were found in the company of Musketeers."
"Well, we seen them, yeah. I guess."
"Did you know that they were outlaws?"
"Not until after."
"Well, we are trying to capture these traitors. Do you know where they are?"
Erica looked straight at the Cardinal. "No."
The Cardinal's face darkened. Then he turned to Rochefort. "Give my regards to the headsman."
"Headsman?" Chase repeated.
"What?" Erica burst.
"You object to losing your head?"
"Ch'yeah!" Erica returned.
"We kinda need our heads, there, buddy," Chase put in.
"Then tell me what I want to know!" Richlieu shouted.
"We don't know where the friggin' squares are!" Erica returned heatedly.
Richlieu calmed himself down. He looked at Erica slyly. "And if you did?"
Chase snorted. Erica looked at him. "We wouldn't tell you. You just threatened us. So we ain't gonna tell you nothin', bitch."
Richlieu simmered, but he kept himself under control. He looked to Rochefort and nodded. Rochefort seized the two by their necks and marched them out of the room and back to their cells. Erica was thrown into the darkness of a cell first. The gate crashed shut behind her, then Rochefort continued on with Chase. The last she heard of Chase was, "Ow! What where you're pointin' that thing, nigga!" Erica stood at the gate, with the bars in her hands. She put her head against two bars. Tears welled up in her eyes. She had been so close to escaping, only to be caught at the door. And now, she was on death row. She wanted to think about her home, but no memories formed in her head. It was so far away from here. She didn't sign up for this stupid "save-the-world" crap. Heck. The closest she had ever come to saving a world was when she played Risk and Rampage, and even then she either took over the world or destroyed it. And now it seemed her world was going to be destroyed.
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