Home Is Where The heart Is

Later that evening D’artagnan, Trevare and Angelique sat in D’artagnan’s office in the castle. He had ordered a doubling of the guard at the King’s Estates but he didn’t think another attack would happen for a while. He had poured them a tall brandy and he drank heavily from his own. His eyes scanned over them as he took off his hat, set it on his desk and sat back in his chair.

“The Ambassador is dead and this...Lord Ogden is dead however a vial with a poison residue was found on his person as well as a dagger,” he said as he set them down in front of them. I’ve spoken to many there and they seem to think you, Angelique, were just a woman who tried to help the princess, nothing more. For now I would ask you to remain in that capacity,” he said as he reached up and squeezed the crown of his nose and shook his head.

“I am...troubled by what has happened tonight. I do not understand how or why the Musketeers...how they could be involved in doing something like kidnapping the princess. For what purpose? Ogden was a murderer and they killed him outright. It is unclear if he was going to kill the princess as well as the Ambassador though he had papers on him to suggest that he would have taken over for the Ambassador...now that he was dead,” he shook his head. “Were the Musketeers working for someone or were these...two...have they gone rogue? I do not know,” he said as he tapped a finger on Ogden’s documents that were also on the table along with the sword.

More and more it was now clear to Lorelei that they didn’t know it was Armand that was there but he had seen her and was surprised. Her cover wasn’t blown though, not to everyone else but him and she knew he wouldn’t expose her...would he? She could remain but she knew Armand was due to return home in two days. But he was already here? There was so much she didn’t know or understand. She hadn’t spoken with him, he’s been away. What would he do?

“Take two days...go home, I need to think on this and make inquiries about what the Musketeers are doing. I will not believe they are traitors...not without more proof and knowledge about what they are doing and why. Something just smells wrong here and you two are the only ones I trust right now,” he said as he downed his drink. Trevare never touched his, he just stared off though he did nod once.

Lorelei just sat there staring ahead as D’Artagnan spoke. She didn’t touch the drink he set before her. It was clear now that Lord Ogden had been the one who had killed the Ambassador and probably had been intending to kill the princess as well. He must have drunk the poison when he realized he was going to get caught. However, what still didn’t make sense was that Armand would disguise himself with another Musketeer and come in and try to kidnap her. That just didn’t sound like Armand at all. Thankfully, her cover at the palace hadn’t been blown. Everyone, including Trevare still believed her to be Angelique, but there had been no denying the surprised look in Armand’s eyes when he saw her. She could only hope he wouldn’t reveal who she truly was to anyone.

She was grateful to D’Artagnan for the two days off. She needed to speak to Armand. She knew that he would probably come seek her out if she didn’t seek him out. They had both been lying to each other and they had both found out. It was going to make for a very interesting conversation. She thanked D’Artagnan and downed her drink before standing up and leaving. She changed into a clean dress and gathered what items she would need before heading back to their apartment. She walked up the stairs and paused at the door. She put her hand on the door knob and took a deep breath. She then opened the door and walked in….

Seeing Lorelei at the state dinner like that had unsettled Armand. Wasn’t she supposed to be traveling? He had been a fool...again! To believe she’d tell him truth. How long had she been lying to him? He didn’t know but the anger he felt toward her had long since faded. His disappointment hadn’t though. She had wounded him but not badly and partly due to the fact that he had not wanted to hurt her. She was good though he thought. He was thankful she didn’t have a rapier or that entire exchange could have been much more difficult. He had returned home early and ofcourse he did not expect Lorelei to be there. Would she come back? He didn’t know. His love for her made his chest hurt and his body wanted hers. Now it seemed, more than it ever had. Why was that? She has been lying to him...again! He should be furious with her. He should be! But his heart did not seem to want to feel that for her. Not when the thought of losing her had entered into it all.

The key in the door made him hop up from the couch. He leaped over its back then sat down upon the back of it and crossed his arms as he faced the door. When the door swung open she would see him there, up against the back of their couch. His arms were folded across his chest and his face had a dangerous, stern look upon it. He said nothing as she brought in her things. He waited for her to speak first as she closed the door behind her.

Lorelei walked in and immediately the dogs ran over to greet her. She looked up and saw Armand sitting there on the floor staring at her as she walked in. She said nothing as she shut the door behind her and locked it and then put down her bags. She took off her cloak and hung it up and then slowly turned and looked at him. The tension in the room was incredibly thick and an awkward silence filled the space between them. Lorelei looked at him. She could see his anger. It was all over his face and in his eyes. But could he really be that angry with her when he too had been lying?

She slowly stepped towards him, but stopped when she was still a few feet away. She looked at him for a long moment before finally speaking.

“Looks like I’m not the only one who has some explaining to do.”

Armand stood quickly before her, his expression unchanged as he looked at her. His eyes traveled about her person as if searching for something but they quickly returned back to her face. “No, I never lied...to you, I go where I am ordered to go and do what I am ordered to do and you have no idea what is going on,” he said in that soft, dangerous tone he always had when he was upset with her. She said nothing for a long moment but when she began as if to speak he was on her in the next instant.

His hands went to her face and his lips pressed down hard upon hers. His urgency for her was obvious and his hands began to go at her clothes almost immediately. His mouth and tongue worked on hers while his hands worked furiously to expose her flesh to him so he could get at her the way he needed to right then.

Lorelei listened to Armand and she shook her head. His self-righteousness made her blood boil. He had no right to be so angry with her! She was so angry that she hadn't noticed that the feeling between them had begun to shift from pure anger to anger mixed with passion. She opened her mouth to yell at him, but before she could he attacked her. She was surprised, but only for a few seconds. She then began to kiss him back just as passionately. They were both desperately tearing at each other's clothes. They knocked into a side table and knocked over a vase of flowers that crashed to the floor and shattered. The bedroom was too far away and so before she realized it she was on her back on the kitchen table. Her arm was wrapped and still hurt, but she ignored the pain she felt in exchange for the pleasure she knew was coming.

Armand moaned when he pushed into her. It was a surprise to feel how wet she had become and so quickly. The table groaned, creaked and jerked at the vehemence of his thrusts. He felt her mouth on his neck and her tongue on his collarbone and chest. Her hands were on his buttocks, her nails digging into him as the suddenness of his desire and forcing his way into her had made each thrust tote the fine line between pleasure and pain. Again and again he thrusted until the table had been pushed up against the wall. He didn’t stop though and she scored his back as she felt him swelling up which only added to everything. Added to the sensations he brought to her. He heard her orgasm and felt her body tense then he released what he had held back though he doubted he could have held it much longer anyway. He flooded her with his cum there was alot and he moaned and shook as he thrusted into her a few more times.

He looked down at her, into her beautiful green eyes and found that they had softened toward him as much as his had toward her. His anger had been spent in the way he made love to her right then and he kissed her several times. Sometimes hard and sometimes soft and sweetly. She touched his face with her hand and he took it into his and kissed her palm. The sensation made her smile and he lifted her with him when he backed off the table.

They had moved to the bedroom, he did not remember if she led him or he her but they availed themselves of one another’s bodies until he was ready again and they made love to one another long into the evening.

Significantly later she lay there, her head on his chest and he combed his fingers through her long, dark hair. Her hair was a mass of dark locks fringed with dampness from all of their recent activities. He was pleased to see that she panted for breath as much as he did. The entire world could be breaking apart outside their door and they would be inside, setting it all to right again in how much they loved one another. He certainly loved her. Her lies had lost their sting in all of that but he wanted to understand and he felt that if he could control his anger that understanding might actually come.

Lorelei lay in Armand's arms with her head on his chest. How much time had passed she couldn't be certain, but the dark sky outside was starting to soften. Neither of them had said anything. The anger they had felt towards one another was gone. It had been spent during their rather physical love making. What a existed between them now was a raw, deep love. Nothing could ever come between them, she knew that now. However, how were they to proceed?

After a moment she sat up and looked at him.

"I didn't want to lie to you Armand. I want you to know that. I've been sick with guilt over it, but I felt strongly that I had to do this. I swear that I haven't slept with anyone, nor do I intend to." She was quiet again before looking at him. "What exactly were you trying to do tonight?"

For a long time after she had spoken he just looked at her. Even with her hair in disarray she was beautiful in her nakedness, her flesh reddened in places where their skin had rubbed up against one another. He traced a finger down her side onto her thigh then down to her knee. The dark hair between her legs was still wet he could see. Likely from them both. he wanted to touch it but he stopped himself. Now it came to it though, trust. “You are working for D'artagnan then?” he asked and the question should explain his reluctance to answer to a degree but he shook his head as if that mattered now. Getting her to tell him what he already knew was only going to start an argument and he did not want that. He had no will left for it. He pulled her close, by how the neighbor had pounded on the wall he knew that she could hear them fairly easily and he spoke softly into her ear.

“The King is an impostor,” he told her in a whisper. He felt her stiffen and want to pull away but he held to her and went on. “A few months ago Jonal,” she had met him a few times, he was one of the younger Musketeers that the others always played pranks on. “He had gone down into the dungeons to look for a man we had arrested recently. He does not know them well and so Porthos had told him where to go to find the man but he had given him the wrong information so that he would get lost. Well, he did get lost down there and ended up in a seldom used part. A man was there, in an iron mask chained to the wall. The man told him that he was the King and the man who has taken his place was his twin brother.

"Now Jonal is young but he described the man in detail and relayed to us what he had told him. He did not seem to know what his ‘brother’s plans were or why he had done this to him but he...knew things that I highly doubt anyone could possibly know. Jonal had the piece of mind to ask him why no one had ever heard of this twin of his and he had said it had been his parent’s doing. The name of his brother is Gaston...or so he has said. I was sent to retrieve the princess. She is in considerable danger if this is true, Gaston has his own daughter...somewhere. Under our protection we planned to hold her until we could mount a rescue. The King’s parents had kept him hidden due to his less than savory nature. Now the Musketeers have been removed from his service and I know it is a matter of time before we are disbanded altogether,” he told her as he released her and laid back to see her reactions. It was a lot to take in he knew, especially when she had foiled their plan to take the princess into custody. Not only had she done that, in doing so the musketeers were now in danger by the King himself. Which meant that Armand was in danger now, if the King was who and what this man has said. However he wasn’t sure she would even believe any of this. But she knew Jonal though and he looked up to D’artagnan, Athos, Porthos and Armand.

Lorelei couldn't believe what Armand was telling her. The king had a twin brother who had locked up the real king and taken his place? And Armand and the other Musketeer had been trying to kidnap the princess to protect her? Her head was spinning and she felt overwhelmed and unsure of what to say. How did this happen? When did this happen? How long has the real king been in prison?

"Why didn't you just tell D'Artagnan all of this? He needs to know. He believes he is protecting the real king."

Armand gave Lorelei a wry look. “Lorelei, do you think D’artagnan would believe such a tale? The Bishop’s dying was not an accident, we believe he was poisoned by an agent of the Cardinal who is under this false King’s thumb,” he said with a hint of irritation in his voice. Irritation and disgust she thought. “That event had us removed from the King’s service for our…’failure’ there. Then he promotes probably the most skilled man in all of France to protect him. I myself followed Counselor Videl and saw him meet with a man. I did not hear what was said but I think he is accepting bribes. I do not know what for but alot is happening Lorelei. To much to be just coincidence,” and that is where he could not leave his disappointment toward her out of it. His voice broke,

“Oh Lorelei...why did you get involved in this, why did you lie to me?” He asked and she heard how hurt he was in his voice. “I trusted you, my love, god how I wish I could trust you,” he said almost mournfully. And yet he had told her so much.

Ooc: Ok, at this point she could take this one of two ways. Either she believes he is going to try and detain her to protect this knowledge, or suspicion if she refuses to believe it or maybe even if she does or she will feel guilt for lying to him yet again. I guess it is about how much she trusts him.

Lorelei listened to Armand and sighed a little as that content feeling between them vanished. She was quiet as she sat there. She knew that no matter what she said he wouldn't be happy. However a thought suddenly struck her and she looked over at him.

"But my love don't you see, this is perfect for us. We can work together. With me being on the inside I am hearing and seeing things that you aren't. I can pass along important information to you. And once we have enough information we can confront D'Artagnan. He will listen to me."

D’artagnan leaving the Musketeers was still a raw emotion that had not yet healed. He was happy for him yet hurt when he left them. Now...his wife is working for him? And he had just told her everything. Enough to get him and the rest of his friends arrested, tortured and hung for treason. Before he knew what he was doing he shifted as if to kiss her and put his hand up against her face. Then, quick like a snake he shifted and put her in a headlock, his arm going around her beautiful, thin neck. She fought him and begged him to stop. But he squeezed even harder.

“You’re working with him, aren’t you?!” He asked her as he held her. He didn’t squeeze, he didn’t want to really hurt her but he couldn’t let her go back. Not with what she knew. It could be ll their heads if she said anything to anyone and he could not trust her. Not with this. Her struggling made him have to squeeze to some degree though and her elbow, perfectly placed struck him in the stomach and air left his lungs in a rush. He let go of her and she lurched forward out of his reach onto the floor. Though he groaned and gasped for air he lurched forward to and caught her leg with his outstretched hand. With her other foot she kicked him, hard in the chest and he winced and lost his grip.

OOC: Please keep this going, I want it to end with her holding him at dagger point then giving it to him to either kill her or trust her unless you have other ideals like killing him instead. Since Lorelei is the main character she can make that choice as she has other love interests at this point. But this decision is up to you.

At first Lorelei thought he was going to kiss her. She relaxed and felt some relief, but that relief quickly turned to surprise, horror and panic when he slipped his arm around her neck and began to choke her. She couldn't believe what was happening. Her husband...the love of her life who still brought her cases of Gardenias was going to kill her! She struggled against him, but he held tightly into her. She gasped and wheezed and clawed at his arms. Finally, she was able to get into a position where she shoved her elbow into his stomach. As his grip on her loosened she slipped away and fell onto the floor. Her face was red and there was a deep, red mark on her neck with bruising already starting. Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at him.

"Armand I would never betray you! I want to help you!"

She saw him start to come towards her and she grabbed the dagger that was hidden under the mattress. He lunged at her to try and grab it, but she fought him off. In a surprising turn of events she managed to get the dagger to his throat. However as she held it there she felt herself begin to tremble. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she realized she could never hurt him.

"Armand, I love you so much it hurts sometimes. I was fooling myself when I married you and told myself I could make you happy. It seems all I've ever done is cause you pain. You will never trust me. I don't even think you want to try anymore. I would say I could just leave, but I know things that could get you killed and I never want that to happen."

She then handed the dagger to him and knelt in front of him. "I would rather you do it than you having some stranger do it. Please know that I love you and for what it's worth I'm truly sorry."

When he righted himself he saw a glint of steel and felt the coldness of a dagger’s edge up against his neck. Tears had drawn down his cheeks, he loved her still and yet now he was going to die for that love. Her words twisted his insides and he felt his heart going out to her once more. Had he made a mistake? What had he just done? What was he going to do now? He wondered and he could not keep the surprise out of his face when she presented his own hand with the dagger and knelt before him. He felt her trembling and tears ran freely down her pale cheeks. She was his wife. She was the love of his life, his everything. But she had lied...again. He could not imagine a life without her. He wanted her in his life and he had given his oaths to her. Killing her now would break those oaths in the worst possible way he knew.

He knelt down in front of her and pressed the blade up against her neck now. She looked up at him, her eyes leaking tears that made two small pools upon the floor. “No,” he said and also decided. “You are my wife!” he said in a hard tone and then he threw the dagger. It made a loud, ‘ka-chunk’ as it stuck deep into the wall and then he kissed her. He kissed her passionately and murmured, “I love you Lorelei, I will always love you,” he said in between the moist kisses he rained down upon her lips. He felt her kissing him back and he took her up into his arms once more.

Lorelei felt the tip of the dagger against her neck and she did her best to steady herself. However she couldn't stop the tears that streamed down her cheeks. She looked at Armand and then closed her eyes and waited...but nothing happened. Instead she heard him say no and then heard the dagger slide across the floor as he then began to kiss her. She was upset and confused but felt herself starting to kiss him back. However, memories of only minutes before when he had tried to strangle her came back. She pulled back from him and stepped back and turned her back as she began to cry harder.

OOC-she's just incredibly emotional right now after everything's that happened..not that I blame her

He moved up behind her but did not touch her. He felt terrible for what he had tried to do but she had his entire world upside down. She still did for that matter. He would not have strangled her but it was obvious that she felt he would have.

“I’m...I’m sorry Lorelei, I can’t expect you to forgive me,” he said softly. But slowly, softly he did put his hand on her shoulder. And then the other and then he put his arms around her and held her until her tears subsided. He eventually picked her up and carried her back to bed when she let him.

The next morning was awkward to say the least. He made her tea and an egg on bread. She sat down at the table but she had a permanent frown upon her face and just looked at the food before her until he sat down next to her. There was silence between them for a while then Armand spoke up.

“Do you still wish us to work together?” he asked plainly and he turned to face her. He could understand if she no longer wanted to but that would mean she’d not be able to go back then. However, what would he do if she wanted to? No...he was not going to think like that.

Lorelei barely slept. Her mind was a torrent of thoughts and feelings. She loved Armand deeply and passionately, but would he ever trust her? Yes, she had lied but he hadn't exactly been truthful either. She knew that she couldn't live without him, but she wanted to continue her work. If the king truly had been kidnapped then she wanted to help and she knew she could.

The following morning she rose and dressed. There was a bruise on her neck and she did little to hide it from Armand. She didn't know why but she wanted him to see it and to see what he had done to her. Not a word was spoken as he served her breakfast. She looked at it, but had little appetite. When he finally spoke she looked up at him. She was quiet a moment as she considered his question.

"Yes, but I want to be trusted."

Her request made him almost drop his tea. She lied to him several times because she wanted what she wanted. He was her husband but that didn’t seem to matter when she wanted to do what he did not want her to do.

“Lorelei…” he said and shook his head. “I love you my wife but I do not trust you. I believe you do love me, I am still alive, but I do not trust that you will do as I say when you disagree with what I say. My word does not hold you to keep your word. What am I supposed to do with that? By me not telling you all that I know, I kept you out of it. I did not ‘lie’ to you no matter if you think so or not. You however did exactly as I asked you not to then lied about you having a completely different occupation. Trust you?...Trust you?” He said feeling angry now. “Do you wish me to play the fool for you? Is that what you want me to be?”

Lorelei sighed and looked down slightly. His response didn't really surprise her. She wanted to be trusted, but had she ever given him the opportunity to? Lying and deceit came so naturally to her. It was what she knew.

She was quiet a moment before speaking softly. "How can you love someone you don't trust? I want you to test me, but I know that I have to earn it. But what I need to know is if that is even possible. But if it isn't then maybe...maybe we shouldn't be married anymore."

He eyed her sharply upon hearing what she said. “Oh I see, you do not think you would pass such a test so us seperating would be easier for you,” he said dryly and nodded. “Well, you do not consider that love is not always easy or convenient. Your lies are not at all convenient for me but my heart still longs for yours when we are apart. When we see each other again I am nervous and flushed. I am excited to see you, to know you are near me. I can dislike the things you do and still love you Lorelei. If you want to be trusted, than be worthy of it, period. Change it, it is as simple as that. Then, all by itself, trust is gained. However it does not magically appear because you wish it to be!” he said more angrily then he wanted and he threw his cup of tea across the room. It smashed against the kitchen wall and tea dripped down the wall. She always could throw his emotions into a tornado. That’s what loving her got him. But he could hardly turn that part of him off he knew. She was apart of him whether he liked it or not. His face was red now, the veins of his neck pulsing. He got down onto the floor at her side and looked up to her.

“Don’t you understand? Lorelei...I am yours! And I love you regardless of what you do to us!” he said and he took her hand and pressed it onto his heart. It was beating very fast on her palm. “You can be anything you want to be if you try,” he said forcefully. “You can, I know you can,” he added and then let her hand go. She had upset him greatly with this, with everything and he rested his head in her lap. Even as angry and upset as he was he still could make love to her in an instant. Just the smell of her made his body want her again. She could either destroy what they had or build it up stronger. Before he knew what he was doing he moved his face closer between her legs. He shifted and moved his hands up to move her night gown aside to give his mouth access to her. If she let him he would pleasure her with his mouth and tongue right there as she sat at the table.

Lorelei was shocked at Armand's passionate response. He made her want to scream and hit him over and over...but he also made her want to make love to him...to throw him on the floor and mount him like the wild stallion he was. She was angry...just as angry as he was, but she didn't know who she was angry with. Armand? Her mother? Severin? Herself? Her insides were a whirlwind of emotions so powerful she feared it would destroy her. She wanted Armand...no she needed him in her life. Without him she was nothing.

She looked at him as he knelt beside her and took her hand into his. She could feel his heart and it was beating as fast as her own. She looked down at him with tears rolling down her cheeks. Suddenly, he moved between her legs. She was surprised but didn't stop him. She found she was wet and trembling with desire. She moaned and closed her eyes. She said ran her fingers through his hair and pressed his face harder into him.

He assaulted her pussy with his mouth and tongue until he got the response he wanted. She pulled at his hair but he did not care. When she was still moaning he came to his feet, lifted her up then sat in her chair. He pulled down his pants then planted her on top of his cock that had gotten hard when he tasted her cum on his lips. She moved atop him as he licked, kissed and sucked on her breasts. Her pink nipples standing erect for him, beckoning him to go at them again and again. She felt the warm of his orgasm deep inside her and she clutched his head to her breast as his sticky, warm wetness filled her. “Can’t...can’t you see what you do to me my love?” he said in gasps as he looked up to her. She saw nothing but avarice and love in his eyes. For her, only for her...always for her.

That afternoon it was her that sat him down to talk to him about how there were to proceed in this joint operation to find out the truth. Either it was all true or it was not. But they needed to find out one way or another or act as if it were true. He listened as she laid out her plan.

OOC-Did you have a specific plan in mind?

ooc-Lol, I had a feeling you'd ask. I do not at this point, any ideas?