Gabriel shook her head, as she made his way into her little room and locked the door behind her. Struggling to get her boots off, as she flopped down onto the bed. She had not had as much to drink as Aramis, Porthos and d'Artagnan, and certainly not as much as Athos, who had been as sullen as ever, all night; but she had still enjoyed being celebrated by her friends, and her head was spinning just a little. The whole evening had been filled with laughter as stories of previous escapades were exchanged. Gabriel laughing so much at one point, as Porthos recalled the most amusing of tales, that wine had shot out of her nose, which had earned her yet another hearty slap on the back from the big man.

Again, as she pulled off her jacket and then her shirt, Gabriel couldn't help but think about the day again. When she had awoken that morning, she could never have guessed that it would turn out the way it had. That not only would she achieve her dream; but she would become the Queen's Musketeer too. The role a secret that was to be kept by the four women that had been in that room: the queen, Gabrielle, Isabella, and another lady by the name of Mari. Anne promising that since she was now not only representing the king, but also herself, she would ensure that Gabrielle received better clothes. Clothes that would fit her far better than the ones she had been wearing; that were more fitting for a Musketeer. The daughter of Remy told that when she was needed, either Isabella or Mari would come and find her with a note that would give her, her instructions. Gabrielle promising the queen that she would serve her, just as she would the king. But one thing that the young Fontin hadn't understood about her conversation with Queen Anne, was when she asked what her relationship was like with the others......especially Athos. Gabrielle answering that she already felt that Aramis, Porthos and d'Artagnan were like her brothers. That she cared for them a great deal and was not just proud to call them her mentors, but also her friends. But as for Athos, well, he, for some unknown reason, seemed to hate her. And that no matter what she did or said, nothing seemed to please the older Musketeer; to which the queen had just smiled, as if she knew something that Gabrielle didn't know about Athos............

Athos.......Gabriel groaning before dropping herself back onto the thin, straw filled mattress. Why was he as he was? Why did he scold her like she was a disobedient and unruly child that he was trying his best not to spank; and why did he look at her the way that he did? The young Fontin pulling her hand down her face in frustration, as those questions and others, raced through her mind.

Despite telling herself all evening that she no longer cared about what Athos thought about her; no longer cared if he liked her or not, that it was none of her concern; the truth was very different. The truth was that for some reason, she did; she cared about all of it. She wanted him to like her, wanted him to be her mentor; not that she didn't appreciate everything that Aramis and Porthos were doing. It just that, well........It was just that.........Gabriel sitting back up and allowing her head to drop into her hands. The awful truth.......the foolish, ridiculous truth was that she liked him; she more than liked him, even though he was as he was with her. He was brave and loyal; everything that a Musketeer should be. And on top of that, he was handsome, and when she saw him smile at one of the others, she would find her heart beating just that little quicker. Often finding herself wondering, when she was alone in her room, what it would be like to find herself in his arms; the smell of him filling her senses as he kissed her. It was of course, an absurd notion; firstly, she was disguised as a man. Here she was Gabriel Fontin, son of Remy, not Gabrielle Fontin, daughter of a great Musketeer. The life she had chosen, the path that she wanted to follow, more important to her than some foolish female notion of a handsome older man that would probably never even look at her sideways if he saw her as her true self. And second.......well, second, Aramis had once said something about a woman from Athos' past; a woman that had hurt him, and hurt him badly. Yet despite this, he still cared for her. Gabriel knowing that she could not compete with such a thing; only able to imagine what kind of woman could cause a man to still care, even though they had wounded them. Sure, that it was a more beautiful woman than she could ever be. The daughter of Remy pushing her fingers through her shorter hair, wishing it was as long as it had been when she was back at home. Looking down at her bound breasts; suddenly laughing as she imagined the look on Athos face if she were to just step up to him one day and kiss him full on the lips. Admittedly, she would no longer be a Musketeer; but at that moment, the thought of the shock that would be etched onto his features, seemed like the funniest thing in the world. Gabriel stopping laughing as the room began to spin; the young woman promising herself that the next time that she and the others celebrated anything, she would not allow Aramis to keep ordering more drinks; nor would she allow Porthos to keep encouraging her to drink them. Gabriel reaching out for the candle and blowing out the tiny dancing flame, before she lay back on her bed; hoping that she would dream of Athos, and his handsome but shocked face.