Episode 6 The Musketeers

FERON: 'The day you die is just like every other day.

'You wake and dress...

'and eat and drink...

'..just like every other day.

'You don't see death coming...

'..or hear its approach...

'..because you are too busy living.

'Too busy enjoying your life.

'Sating your appetites.'

BOTTLES RATTLE

BOTTLE RATTLES

GUNSHOT

CROWD EXCLAIMS

BOTTLE RATTLES

GUNSHOT

CROWD EXCLAIMS

APPLAUSE

Thank you!

FERON: 'Rich man or beggar...

'it does not discriminate.'

BELL TOLLS

'Death doesn't care about fleeing your demons...

'..or making amends for them.'

'It doesn't care about any of that.

'It cares only that this is your time.

'Your day...

'to die.'

HE CHUCKLES

And this...

is the Musketeers' day.

FERON CHUCKLES

No mistakes this time.

HE GRUNTS FORCEFULLY

Of course not.

By dusk, Athos and his friends...

..will be dead.

Next time, try not to wait until the bottle's kissing the ground

-before shooting.

-Huh!

It's not good for the nerves.

Next time, don't choose such a small pebble.

I could barely hear it.

HE LAUGHS

-That's your share.

-Thank you.

Thank you! You boys are expensive to feed.

-HE LAUGHS

-Especially you.

Come on, give.

HE MUTTERS

Half of that.

D'Artagnan...this came earlier.

Porthos.

It's a letter from Treville.

We are to meet General Verdet's aide in Bourgogne and escort him back

-to Paris. He has news from the front.

-What, now?

No, not now(!) Go to sleep, the war'll wait(!)

The three of us are to leave immediately.

And by "immediately", I do presume you mean after breakfast?

Since I've paid for it.

Think we should wait for Athos? Let him know where we're going?

Wait how long exactly?

DOOR OPENS

I'm going to have to start charging you lodgings, you're here so often.

Is that a complaint?

Do I look dissatisfied?

No, no!

I will not be responsible for distracting the Captain of the Musketeers

from his duties.

After all, the King and Paris depend on you.

I'll...I'll get breakfast.

Oh!

CHILDREN GIGGLE

HEARTBEAT THUDS

I saw you...on the battlefield.

HE GROANS

Defend yourself, Captain.

Or where is the honour in killing you?

HE ROARS

GUNSHOT

SYLVIE GASPS

Athos!

Let me help you!

Where is Grimaud?

Dead. I shot him.

Show me.

But he was there.

I shot him.

He fell right there!

The others are in grave danger.

-The Governor is here to see you.

-I'm not receiving visitors.

You have not heard what I have come to say.

When this is over, Philippe, and justice has been served,

you'll pay for how I have been treated!

I am a Son of France, a Prince of the Blood,

and yet you lock me up here like an animal!

FERON PANTS DEEPLY

It doesn't get any easier, this killing.

FERON GROANS

You'd better swap clothes with him.

Oh!

Hurry.

We don't have much time.

I take it the King doesn't know about this?

No.

You really think it's necessary to go after them?

If there's the slightest chance they're walking into a trap, yes.

DOOR OPENS

TREVILLE: What's so urgent, it couldn't...?

Did you write that?

No.

I'll get the cadets ready to leave.

That message is a forgery,

designed to lure Aramis, Porthos and d'Artagnan into an ambush.

Who did this?

Grimaud.

You saw him with Feron? Were they in deep conversation?

It certainly looked like it.

An alliance with Feron puts the Red Guard at Grimaud's disposal.

-Sir?

-Saddle up.

HE GROANS

HE COUGHS

My clothes. Bring me my clothes.

LOUIS SIGHS

When I said ordinary, I didn't mean ugly.

We can alter them again, Your Majesty.

No, it's too late now. These will have to do.

Louis, why don't I accompany you?

I know how difficult today must be for you.

The anniversary of your father's death.

I have already arranged an escort, thank you.

Now, where's my money?

Hold, hold, hold!

FAINT THUDDING OF HOOVES

Do you hear that?

-How many?

-Five riders.

Maybe more.

Shh, shh.

THUDDING HOOVES INTENSIFY

HORSE WHINNIES

Red Guards.

Aramis, you are to return with us to the Palace,

the King commands it.

We have business on behalf of Minister Treville.

Are you questioning a royal order?

Oh, believe me, if we were,

we wouldn't be taking it up with the messenger boy.

If you come now, you won't be arrested.

Very well.

I'll see you back at the Garrison.

Get him some food.

You will stay here until nightfall

and then we'll take you out of Paris under cover of darkness.

And please don't draw attention to yourself. Hm?

Where are you going?

I must make sure my absence has not been noted,

but I will be back.

Oh, and remember, if any of Grimaud's men ask your name, it is...?

Victor. I know.

Yes, quite right.

Victor!

Suits you.

HE CHUCKLES

And to Victor the spoils.

DOOR OPENS

HE GROANS

HE PANTS HEAVILY

UNSHEATHES SWORD

HE GROANS

SQUELCHING

HE BREATHES HEAVILY

HE CRIES OUT IN PAIN

So, you're my benefactor.

You're the man behind all this.

Don't worry.

There'll be time to discuss how you can...repay the debt.

CROWD LAUGHS

Do I make a good pilgrim?

Well, Feron...

am I transformed?

No garment, no matter how dreary,

could disguise Your Majesty's regal bearing.

What do you think?

I think it would be safer if you were accompanied by a royal guard.

Why must you question my every decision? Why? I'm angry now.

I was happy before and you have made me...

HE COUGHS

The Musketeer Aramis, as requested.

You are to accompany me on a pilgrimage.

A pilgrimage, Your Majesty?

Well, you are a man of God, Aramis, or so you say.

I was once,

but now I'm just a soldier and your loyal servant.

Well, perhaps it's time we reacquainted you with your God.

Yes, Your Majesty.

We leave within the hour.

Why would a general's aide choose to meet somewhere like this?

That's a good question.

-Let's go see what's inside.

-I'll wait here.

HE GROANS

-GRIMAUD:

-Aramis is back in Paris.

What's going on?

He has been summoned back by the King.

They are going on a pilgrimage...

..to the royal mausoleum.

What about Porthos and d'Artagnan?

Marcheaux assures me they continued with their journey.

Hm.

Perhaps it would be better to reconsider our plans.

No! It's too late for that!

How many guards are with the King?

Oh, Aramis, alone.

Then, wait for them outside the mausoleum...

and kill them both there.

HE CHUCKLES

You... You-you mean the King as well?

We cannot kill the King.

We have to. Athos saw me. There's no going back now!

My dear fellow, that would be treason and foolhardy.

Louis is already dying.

I hope you're not having doubts, Feron.

You are asking me to kill my own brother!

If you don't, then he will discover your betrayal and hang you.

And if he doesn't, I will hang you!

Thank you.

You will kill Aramis AND the King.

Very well!

HE LAUGHS

Now we've found a nice spot in the shade, we can wait...

properly.

Come on, come on. That's it. Good girl.

Please be good, please be good, please be good.

Oh, this could turn out to be a good day after all.

Yeah, I imagine the General's aide will be a little while longer yet.

PORTHOS CHUCKLES

How many battles did we fight, eh?

Too many.

Hm, yeah.

We've served our country, often and well.

So if we're rewarded with the odd mission like this,

I won't complain.

In that case, I'd like to propose a toast.

To easy missions well-earned.

To easy missions well-earned.

HORSES NEIGH

-What's wrong?

-Wait.

HORSE NEIGHS

Look at the horses.

I don't see anything.

Me neither.

Did you see that?

-No.

-Opposite roof.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Not the wine, not the wine!

Well, that answers that!

How many do you reckon we got?

I'm not sure, but I think we can assume it's more than two.

Yeah.

-My ammunition's out there.

-Yeah, mine too.

-How much have you got?

-Not enough.

Stupid!

When you were, er, searching before, you didn't happen to see...?

No. No other entrances or exits and there's no way we're getting through these windows.

Of course not, because that would be to our advantage.

OK.

You had to throw it out, didn't you?

Of all the junk in here,

you had to throw out the one cask of wine to be shot to pieces?

-Well done.

-Easy missions well-earned, Porthos.

HORSES NEIGH

Cadets, time to go!

Grimaud certainly left his mark on you.

Getting caught unarmed and unawares - doesn't sound like you.

A mistake I will not make again.

We ride hard.

SHOUTING

It's eight hours until dark and what is it? Four shot balls left.

Eight hours, four shot balls - not the most encouraging numbers.

Besides, they're not going to let us live until dark.

GUNSHOT

That'd just be stupid.

GUNSHOTS

D'Artagnan!

GUNSHOT

Argh!

GUNSHOTS

The last thing they're expecting is for one of us to go out that door.

GUNSHOTS

Because that would be suicide.

Cover me.

GUNSHOTS

Good, good, good!

Yes, yes, yes.

Good, good. What we got? What we got? What we got?

Oh, you beauty!

HE LAUGHS

Lovely work.

GUNSHOTS

Flush them out. Use the gunpowder.

You two, with me!

You, round the side! Bring the powder.

-ANNE:

-Why else would Louis choose Aramis particularly

to be his personal guard?

He knows.

You don't know that for sure.

The King has hated me for five years!

I know things have been difficult between you, but...

Our marriage has been for public show.

In private, he has ignored or slighted me at every turn.

You need to stay strong. You're still the Queen of France.

Perhaps not for long.

Do you think that the King would want a scandal that could endanger the throne?

The Dauphin is his son. The King would never admit to anything else.

I'd hoped that everything with Aramis was over, forgotten.

Is it?

I mean...

..has it ever really been over, for you?

Monsieur, your generosity will not be overlooked or forgotten.

The Bible says that it is easier for a camel

to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven.

That is true, if the rich man does not repent of his sins.

But all who renounce Satan and are contrite

are welcome in the house of God.

I will pray for your soul.

Word's spread that a man is visiting churches, handing out money,

and a crowd is gathering outside.

I suggest we return to the Palace immediately.

Do you believe in heaven and hell?

Yes, I believe I do.

That a man will be punished for his wrongdoing...

for his sins?

Yes, Your Majesty.

So do I.

I wish to visit the tomb of my father in Saint-Denis...

..before we return to the Palace.

PORTHOS CHUCKLES

Ah, after all the battles I've been in,

I cannot believe that this is how I'm going to die...

WINE TRICKLING

..watching the last barrel of wine spill into the dirt.

-I'm sorry about that, by the way.

-I know.

Yeah. Death is mocking me.

You know, we're not going to die today.

-You might want to tell them that.

-I'm not ready,

not here, not like this, not now.

PORTHOS CHUCKLES

I've too much left to do...

..and I can't die without seeing Constance's face one last time, can I?

FLINT STRIKES

Or laying eyes on the children we'll have together...

..seeing them play...

..holding them in my arms...

..and teaching them how to ride and shoot...

..and love.

No, this is not my day.

I have none of that.

No wife, no children, no-one.

You have friends.

Yeah.

-Great friends.

-Mm.

I have no doubt that one day you will have a wife and child of your own.

Yeah.

Yeah, one day.

And I won't let anyone take that away from me.

They won't kill us today.

BOTH: We refuse to die!

EXPLOSIONS IN DISTANCE

Hyah! Hyah!

DEBRIS CLATTERS

CLATTERING

HOOVES THUD

Porthos!

Aramis!

D'Artagnan!

HORSE NEIGHS

Come on, quickly! Dismount!

Help him!

FAINT FOOTSTEPS

Wait here.

I should go with you.

You should do as I say.

DOOR CREAKS

Philippe, you remembered, too.

25 years to the day since our dear father's death.

Do you remember the funeral?

The streets of Paris lined, 20-deep.

I... I could not attend.

Bastards can be embarrassing.

You are blood.

You are my blood.

LOUIS SIGHS

Philippe...

..you are the only one I can trust.

The only one who has not betrayed me.

FERON SOBS

Oh...

Oh...come!

I have something to show you. Come on.

SOBBING CONTINUES

-For me?

-Of course.

Who'd have thought it, Philippe?

Of all my family...

-I have a great favour to ask you.

-Anything.

-After my death...

-Many, many years from now.

..I want you to be the Dauphin's familial guardian...

..to protect him and educate him.

Provide him with wise counsel, so that when the time comes,

he will be equipped to reign.

I will treat him, the Dauphin, as my own son.

I know you will.

HE GRUNTS

HE PANTS HEAVILY

D'Artagnan!

PORTHOS GROANS

PORTHOS BREATHES SHAKILY

Please, please...

PORTHOS GROANS

Please, d'Artagnan.

It's not our day.

HE GRUNTS

We refuse to die.

We refuse to die!

You took your time.

D'Artagnan!

MESSENGER: It's urgent.

D'Artagnan!

-Aramis! Aramis!

-He's not here.

-Huh?

-He's not here. He's with the King.

From the Palace.

Gaston has escaped the Bastille,

and the King and Aramis have not returned from the mausoleum.

This is not a coincidence.

We ride for Saint-Denis.

FOOTSTEPS

Well, I would apologise for the surroundings,

but I imagine, as a soldier and a priest,

you are well-acquainted with death.

More than I'd have wished.

Yes, I, too, am acquainted with death more than I'd have wished.

Death has a grip on me...

one I cannot break.

I am so sorry.

I don't want your sympathy - that's not why you're here.

But there is something that I need from you, Aramis...

..and, without it, I will not find peace.

A truth I need to hear from your mouth...and don't lie.

You and my wife may think I'm a fool, but I am not a fool.

I know.

Say it.

It will serve...

..no purpose.

You are a Musketeer! You only exist to serve my purpose!

I am ordering you!

Why dredge up the past?

Admit! Admit you slept with the Queen!

I slept with the loneliest woman in Paris.

Don't you dare make excuses!

This woman suffered years of neglect and betrayal from your part.

She endured you parading Milady de Winter through the Palace,

shaming your own wife, humiliating her.

You swore to protect me!

I am protecting you!

I am protecting you.

No longer.

No, what you have done is treason and for that you will hang.

Get out.

FOOTSTEPS RETREAT

I fear we are making a very grave mistake.

Gaston is not a man we can rely on...

..but the King, Louis, I have his ear.

He has entrusted me with guardianship of the Dauphin.

You haven't killed him?

No.

I have enjoyed our partnership, Lucien.

But if there is a choice...

..who I must betray between you and the King...

..well...

..I choose you.

-You realise what you're saying?

-Oh, yes.

Today...

is my day.

SWORD SLASHES

HE GRUNTS

SWORD SLASHES

FERON GASPS

HE GROANS

Don't worry about your beloved brother.

I suspect you'll be seeing him very soon indeed.

HE GROANS

GUNSHOT ECHOES

SHOUTING

GUNSHOTS

-Give me a pistol.

-Get back inside and lock the door.

What, are you afraid I'll shoot you?

I have lived my whole life in fear of death.

I'm dying anyway. What do I have to lose?

They're spreading out.

They want to come from all sides.

Then we'd better start shooting.

Wait.

Hold.

Now!

Ha!

GUNSHOTS

HORSE NEIGHS

Aramis!

Let's move!

Take the King back to the Palace. We'll cover you.

GUNSHOTS AND SHOUTING

On me!

Stop!

Philippe!

Majesty.

We need to move.

Why?

Your Majesty.

HE SOBS

-ATHOS:

-Grimaud!

HE GROANS

It was Philippe who fired the shot to warn us.

He is a hero and a patriot...

..and a true Son of France.

You will have no contact with the Queen or the Dauphin.

He is my son, not yours.

When he's frightened or he falls, it is me he seeks.

When he hears "Papa", it is my face he sees, not yours.

And I will see to it that you play no part in his life.

Even when I'm dead, you will not see him.

I will make sure of that.

Those not killed have fled, Your Majesty,

including their leader, Lucien Grimaud.

I want him hunted down.

Governor Feron?

He died saving my life.

He will have a full state funeral, nothing spared.

Cover him, please.

I will not have him be a spectacle.

We're leaving. Saddle up.

HE GROANS

Feron is dead.

Feron...

..was a liability.

It was you?

I... I took no pleasure in it.

GUN CLICKS

But you did it...all the same.

He would have got us all caught and hung - you, too.

He said he would betray us before the King.

If you're unhappy...

..then go...

..but nothing has changed.

In a few months, Louis will be dead

and I'll return to Paris with Gaston at the head of an army.

He will be the next King of France.

I will have my men clear this area so that you can leave unnoticed.

No, Gaston couldn't have escaped the Bastille, not without help.

Grimaud.

What does Grimaud want with Gaston?

The King...

..is dying.

What?

He told me today he's dying.

He has...

..months to live.

You knew?

When were you going to tell me?

When you needed to know.

I would have put Gaston under heavier guard.

Now he's in the hands of Grimaud,

primed to seize power the moment Louis dies.

DOOR OPENS

FOOTSTEPS RETREAT

Why does it have to be a choice? Me or France?

Aren't you entitled to be happy, like every other man?

I'm a Musketeer. My duty is to the King and to France.

I'm not asking you to betray your country.

Well, that's exactly what I would be doing.

Forces are gathering that pose a grave threat.

They must be defeated - I cannot compromise that.

FOOTSTEPS

ANNE GASPS

I was afraid you hadn't got my message.

He knows.

He wanted me to admit that I had slept with you.

The King will banish me. He'll take my son away from me!

I don't believe he intends to punish you.

You don't know how things have been between us.

No. But I do know how men behave when they are facing death.

He...? He is dying?

He hadn't told you?

You cannot afford weakness now.

You are a Spanish queen in a French court.

Your enemies will plot against you.

Prepare for it.

You must be equal to their challenge,

for the sake of your son, for France.

You're not alone.