Gabriel, as well as Treville and the Cardinal, stared at the king in disbelief. The young Fontin sure that everyone else behind her must be looking at the monarch with equal shock. It was not that she was scared of facing the king; but he was the king. And even though she had heard that Louis wasn't as gifted with the blade as he believed, and others assured him that he was, he was still the king; and even if he was absolutely useless with a sword, it would still be expected that she should lose. Gabriel not wanting to think what would happen to her if she were to actually beat the monarch, and even worse, hurt him in the process; yet what was she to do, it was a lose lose situation for her. Either she fought Louis and won, and got to call herself a Musketeer for as long as it took for the king to have her dragged away to the dungeons and clapped in irons; or, she fought him and lost, Gabriel disliking this notion as much as the first; it feeling as though she would not only be letting down Aramis and Captain Treville who had vouched for her, but her father and grandfather, too; for losing, even if it were to the King of France, was not how she wanted to prove herself, was not how she wanted to show everyone, that she had the blood of Musketeers, flowing through her veins.

"Sire..........." The crucifix wearing raven, shaking her from her thoughts, as he came out from the large wooden chair from which the king continued to smile at her. She and the king turning their attention to the cardinal; Treville giving the devious and cunning so called 'man of god' a skewed look, it obvious that the captain believed that the First Minister of France was up to something; yet what that was..........

"Sire........the old man said again, as he moved to stand closer to Gabriel. The daughter of Remy feeling a shudder go down her spine, as he gave her a thin smile; a smile she could tell was not real.

Since being in Paris and being seen with the likes of Athos, Aramis, Porthos and d'Artagnan; since her name had been spoken about, she had noticed strange faces coming into Monsieur Lefebre's little tavern when the others were not there; the strange faces watching her, as she would assist the older man. She had of course mentioned this to the Aramis and Porthos; the pair having looked at one another before telling her that she seemed to have attracted the attention of Richelieu and his men, and that she must be careful, and they had been right; Gabriel not having told her friends about a run in she had had with one of the Cardinal's men. A carriage, when she had been making her way to the barracks one morning, pulling up in front of her, before a man had climbed out and informed her that the said Cardinal wished to speak to her, a request that she had refused. The rather odd envoy telling her that she would regret her decision, before climbing back into the carriage and shouting for the driver to move on. And now, as she stood near the old man, she couldn't help but wonder whether she would come to regret her decision, now.

"All of France knows that you are its finest swordsman. That no man could hope to match your skills, and despite the glowing praise of Captain Treville and his Musketeers for this young man, I believe that it would be unfair to ask him to face you.........." The Cardinal continued. Gabriel looking over to Treville, who seemed as nervous about this, as she felt.

"If you wish to judge this.......this young Fontin, may I suggest that he face one of my men? Surely there is no better way for him to prove that he is worthy to call himself one of your Musketeers, than to be matched against a Red Guard." The First Minister added, his smile getting a little broader, as the king sat up a little straighter in his chair.

"A wonderful idea........I think that it will be quite amusing watching him beat one of your men. After all, my Musketeers do seem to make a habit of it, don't they?" The king agreed with a chuckle. The Cardinal's smile falling slightly, before he bowed.

"Indeed, Sire.........."

"Then what say you, Fontin. Happy to take on one of the Cardinal's Guards, instead of your king...........?"

"If that is what my king wishes." Gabriel replied with a slight sense of relief, as she herself bowed. Louis clapping his hands together, cheerily.

"Well then, let's have it. And make sure not to disappointment me, Fontin; you have the reputation of my Musketeers in your hands.........." The king added, before informing everyone else to move out of the way. Gabriel seeing an unpleasant look in the Cardinal's eye, before he called one of his men towards him, and she made her way over to Captain Treville. The others quickly joining her, as she took off the jacket that Aramis had loaned her, and handed it back to him, before rolling up the sleeves of her shirt.

"You don't have to do this........" Athos said, as he and the others saw the man that had been called over; a man that was equal in size to Porthos. Gabriel shaking her head, as she readied herself for what was to come.

"Yes, I do, and you know it. If I were to back out now, not only would I be called a coward, but so would the Musketeers; it will give his guards a reason to laugh at you all. And if I do not fight this man, I may as well leave Paris now, for there would be little chance of me becoming a Musketeer, if I suddenly change my mind." Gabriel replied. Athos and all the others knowing that he was right. That no matter what, he had to do this.

"Never let your guard down, Gabriel. The Red Guards do not fight like we do. The Cardinal's man will do all he can to hurt you, and I believe that that was Richelieu's motivation for suggesting this. Remember who and what you are, and fight with honour." Treville told her. Aramis, Porthos and d'Artagnan smiling at her, before she pulled her father's sword and a dagger from their sheaths and turned to face her opponent.