Athos, Porthos, Aramis and D'artagnan walked through the halls of the palace towards the Throne room. They had been summoned by the king on urgent business. They walked through the old style halls with their main colour of red, gold and white. Athos and Porthos walked in front while, Aramis and D'artagnan walked behind them. They walked into the Throne room where the King, the Prince and a few guards along the the Kings adviser. 

"Your Majesties. Adviser." Athos greeted as the four bowed to their superiors. 

" Welcome, I wish I could summon you all here on better terms. But we have just received this letter." The King said to Athos as he picked up a piece of paper from the wooden table and handed it to Athos. "We do not know who sent it. But we are taking this seriously as a guard was just found murdered."

" Where was the guard found?" Porthos asked as he took the letter and looked over it.

" He was found by the south gate. The letter was found stapled to his chest." The King said.

" You Majesty. I may have a plan, but you need to give me control of your royal guards." Athos said.

" Consider it done." The King said.

" And we will need to send the Prince away. As the note specifically targets his life." He said. The King looked at him with uncertainty. "He will be with Aramis and D'artagnan at all times. Porthos and myself will stay here to watch over our King and the palace." 

"And where will you send my son?" The King asked him.

"It's best we not tell you. That way his location cannot be compromised." Aramis spoke and they fell into silence. 

"Okay. Aramis escort the Prince to collect clothing and anything else he will need." Athos said before turning to look at the Prince. "Make sure you pack for cold weather. Pack light but enough as you could be there for a while." Athos told the Prince.

" Do I not have a say in this? I should face this head on!" The Prince said as D'artagnan looked to him. " Running away is not in my nature!" 

" Running away is in everyone's nature, my Prince. But you are not running away in this case." She told him stepping over to his. "Your life is in danger. You are the only successor to the Throne. So in other words, by you going into hiding. You are protecting the country." She told him. There was silence in the room before the Prince grumbled something and walked out the room.

" Aramis go with him. Bring his to HQ when you are ready. Porthos, go and get the documents sorted for their departure. D'artagnan. I need you to go and see the body of the guard. You have the best memory of us all. Maybe you could put us closer to who is behind this." Athos ordered them and they all left their separate ways. 

D'artagnan left the throne room quickly and walked down the hall while adjusting her uniform. The gold epaulets on annoyed her sometimes as well as the gold aiguillettes across her chest. she unbuttoned the neck high collar and turned it down at the front slightly. Her decorative sword strapped to her waist as usual. She cursed the uniform and the Prince when he was younger. The Prince was the reason the King formed the MDM. He helped design the uniform and to say he was going to a Musketeers faze was an understatement. 

She made her way into the morgue of a separate building of the Palace. Where she was met and greeted by a doctor in a white coat. He explained that the other doctor had just finished the autopsy. She was then taken through to the autopsy room, where a body large on a metal table in a cold room. A white sheet was over the body, covering it completely. D'artagnan reached over and pulled the sheet back to show a white body. 

" He had four stab wounds. Once to his forearm, one to his lower left leg. Another to his stomach. But the killing blow was this one here." The doctor said pointing to the stab wound. "This one hit the main artery and he bleed out within seconds." 

" So it was quick but painful. Poor soul." D'artagnan said as she pulled on white gloves to begin to examine the body herself. She picked up the hands and looked closely at his fingernails and knuckles. 

" But their was something that I found strange." The doctor said. "Help me turn him to his side." They slowly and carefully turn him over to see his back. The doctor pointed to a symbol engraved into the guard's flesh. "This was done postmortem. I have no idea what it means?" 

" I do..." D'artagnan said as they placed the guard back down. She pulled off her gloves and threw the roughly into the bin. "Damn it!" She yelled in anger as she reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. She quickly dialed up Athos and waited with the ringing for him to pick up.

" D'artagnan?" Athos called over the phone. 

" This is bigger than we thought." She told him as she walked out of the morgue. "On guard's back was the symbol for the rebel group's assassin. My guess is they are now making their move. No doubt they will have at least five or more assassin set to hit the Prince." D'artagnan said as she walked across the courtyard in the dark. It was now getting late and it would soon be time for the Prince, Aramis and D'artagnan to leave.

" I see. You and Aramis should leave sooner if that is the case." Athos said to her.

"Agreed. I am just leaving the Palace grounds now. I will be back in a..." She was interrupted by a noise to her left. She looked at it and saw nothing in the dark.

" D'artagnan? Everything alright?" Athos asked down the line.

" I thought I heard something." She said before turning around again. But this time she sensed someone running up behind her. She turned around and dropped her phone before drawing her sword. It may be a decorative sword, but it can still be used. She blocked a hand knife that was set for her neck. She looked at the man in front of her. He was dressed in all black with a mask and hood. Leaving only his black coloured eyes. 

" Who are you?" She asked him as she pushed the man back. The man never said a word as he moved again to strike at her. D'artagnan continued to block his attacks, but he got lucky once where he managed to slice her right cheek deep enough that it will leave behind a scar. She hissed and stepped back before charging towards the man and slicing at him again and again, but never hitting flesh. 

" Who are you?" She yelled at the man as she blocked yet another attack to her neck. The man pushed her back, causing her to stumble and fall onto her back. The man kicked her sword from her hand and sat on her stomach. He brought the blade straight down towards her right eye. She caught his hand and stopped the blade inches from her. She pushed against the masked man as he pushed against her. D'artagnan knew that it was only a matter of time before the would lose. After all, the man had gravity on his side. There was a small compact knife in her pocket. But she knew if she reached for it the blade would fall. The blade was getting closer and closer to her eye.

"D'artagnan!" A voice yelled before there was a loud bang. Followed by two more. The mask man fell to the side of D'artagnan who was now staring up at the sky. Her breathing was heavy as she realised she just had a lucky escape from death. 

"D'artagnan." A voice called and set of feet rushed over to her. A set fell to their knees next to her. 

" Athos." D'artagnan breathed out to him. Athos, Porthos and a Cadet sighed with relief. 

" What the hell was that?" She asked.

" This is only the start. You, Aramis and the Prince need to leave now. It's clear they know that we are protecting the Prince and they want us eliminated, so it makes it easier to get to the Prince." Athos said and they all agreed.