They had found Porthos and D'Artagnan, before the five of them had climbed back into the cart and made their way to where they had left their horses. The quintet following Athos directions to the out of the way town on the lesser used road, and the inn that offered rooms to travellers. Now, they were looking at the town in question from the woods, no one sure whether this priest or assassin, was even in there. Gabriel deciding that she had had enough of waiting for Athos' orders, grabbing the reins of her horse, before leading it out of cover.

"Gabriel......what..........?"

"I am done waiting, Athos. I am sick of sculking in the woods. If he isn't here, we have wasted far too much time as it is. So, I am going into that town, and I am going to see if our man is at the tavern. I saw him better than either you or Aramis, so it has to be me; and a lone man looks far better than if all five of us go in. You said yourself, this is a lesser used routine, one really only used by a few people, and one man is not as threatening as five. If he is in the tavern, I will come and get you; and if not, we can be on our way and get an hour or so ride in, before it gets too dark." Gabriel explained. Not giving any of the others a chance to counter her argument, before she jumped up onto the back of her horse and rode it across the field. Only able to imagine how angry Athos might be; not that she cared, it just that she hoped that he didn't take it out on any of the others; Aramis, Porthos and D'Artagnan not deserving to be on the end of one of Athos' moods. And if he did manage to keep in his anger at bay until she rejoined them, then she would just deal with it then. It not the first time since they had last spoken that day, that they had had a verbal stoush; and she doubted it would be the last.

As she made her way into the town, she was relieved to see that no one seemed to care as she and her horse made their way to the tavern. As a woman, she thought that she stood out; she was a stronger and better built than most other girls, given all the training she had undertaken with her father and grandfather. Yet as a man, she believed she looked like any other of her age; a young man that blended into the crowd. A man that was not big, like Porthos, had no regal baring, like Athos; no handsome face like Aramis and not as hot a temper as D'Artagnan........well, unless she was dealing with Athos that is. So, it all made sense that she be the one to do this. Gabriel dismounting her horse and leading it to the stable; paying a young boy a coin, before making her way to the tavern.

Slowly, her eyes adjusted to the slight gloom of the inn, as she closed the door behind her. The space was filled with the smoke from the pipes that were being smoked by its patrons, yet as soon as she could see properly, her eyes had fallen on him. The outer garb of the priest, gone, and now he sat at a table, dressed in a black shirt, breeches and boots; his hand wrapped around a tankard as he watched the young women that spoke to the patrons, in hopes of making some money from a lonely traveller.

"What can I get ya........." Gabriel looking over to the short, stocky, dark-haired man that was talking to her from the other side of the bar.

"Wine.........." She replied. Pulling money from her purse and placing it on the counter. The man nodding, before pouring her a glass.

"Ya lookin for a room...........?" Gabriel shaking her head in reply.

"Just passing through. The road has made me dry.........." She explained, before taking her wine and making her way over to a table.

She knew that she should probably just leave and go and find the others as she had promised; but she had had a thought. And even though it would undoubtedly make Athos even more angry at her, she had to do something so that the man didn't escape. Gabriel looking up, as a shadow loomed over her; the young Musketeer smiling at the girl that stood by the side of her table.

"Would you like some company........?" She asked. Gabriel moving over on the bench and letting her sit next to her. The young Fontin sure that she must be the same age as her, if not a little younger; Gabriel thanking God that this wasn't how her life had worked out. That she had been able to become a Musketeer and not find herself having to bed men, so that she didn't starve.

"I would like you to help me........" Gabriel began, as she turned to look at the other girl.

"Do you see that man over there........." The young Fontin discretely motioning in the direction of the suspected assassin.

"The man with the odd accent.........?" The girl enquired. Gabriel just smiling and nodding.

"Yes. That one. Well, when I leave, I want you to go and offer him your services for the rest of the night. And if he asks, I wish you to tell him that you are a gift from his benefactor. His messenger just having left word that he will be waiting to meet him in Paris........"

"For the rest of the night.......? But that will cost..........."

"Don't worry about your night, or the cost..........." Gabriel interrupted, as she reached back into her purse and brought out more coins. So thankful that the queen had been more than generous to her, since she had agreed to help her.

"This should pay for your time, and............." Gabriel producing something else from her bag and pushing it into the girl's hand.

She had forgotten until this strange plan had entered her head, that she still carried the sleeping draught that an old woman from the village had made for her father, when his sickness had made it hard for him to sleep, with her. The powder strong though to knock her father out until the next morning, so she had to imagine that it would do the same to the false priest.

"When you get a chance and he is preoccupied, I want you to slip this into his drink before taking him upstairs; it will make him sleep. When you are sure that he is unconscious, light a candle and leave it in the window of the room, then you can go and do whatever else you wish for the rest of the evening........." The Musketeer continued. The girl looking between the man on the other side of the tavern and the coins in the young man's hand. It enough coin that she could eat well for some time. The woman finally nodding before taking the coins and slipping them and the draught into the pocket in her dress.

"Are ya sure that that is the only thing I can do for ya? Ya a pretty thing and I would happily.........."

"That is very kind of you, but I am afraid I must decline........." Gabriel countered, removing the hand that the woman had just placed on her cheek, before drinking down the wine.

"I just need you to do as I have asked.........." She added. Getting to her feet and nodding respectfully to the other girl before heading back to the door. Not giving the possible assassin another look, as she made her way back out into the town.