Ten Years Later Chapter 48 - Fontainebleau at Two o'Clock in the Morning

Louise de la Vallière Chapter 20 - Showing the Advantage of Having Two Strings to One's Bow

In which the ever-watchful Manicamp is drawn into a delicate web of courtly intrigue involving a grievously wounded friend whose honour and loyalty are fiercely contested amid whispered scandals and a burning passion. The princess seeks to unravel the tangled truths with a mixture of impatience and veiled emotion, as alliances and affections intertwine in the shadow of the king’s jealous gaze.

Louise de la Vallière Chapter 21 - M. Malicorne the Keeper of the Records of France

In which the sombre chamber of a grievously wounded young nobleman becomes the scene of a secretive and tender visitation by a masked lady, whose presence stirs faint life in the fading embers of consciousness. Meanwhile, a prudent attendant secures a bloodstained token of the encounter, resolving to entrust it to the curious and watchful M. Malicorne, the dedicated custodian of royal secrets.

Louise de la Vallière Chapter 19 - Wherein D'Artagnan Perceives that It Was He Who Was Mistaken, and Manicamp Who Was Right

In which the king, seeking an honest account of an incident affecting the honour of a lady of his court, graciously receives Manicamp’s frank explanation regarding a quarrel sparked by disrespectful remarks, and perceives the valour and loyalty of those involved. Amidst the exchange, D’Artagnan’s imagination is gently corrected by royal insight, revealing the true nature of a wild boar hunt and its aftermath, whilst the king quietly contemplates the delicate matters of honour and forgiveness.

Louise de la Vallière Chapter 18 - The Physician

In which the king, presiding over a tense assembly, learns from his physician that the grievous wounds of Monsieur de Guiche are the result not of a hunting accident but of a secret duel, much to the chagrin and shifting allegiances of those present. This revelation stirs a delicate negotiation of honour, friendship, and discretion, wherein loyalty to both a lady and the king's commands shapes the fate of those caught in the shadow of forbidden combat.

Louise de la Vallière Chapter 17 - The Encounter

In which King Louis commands silence as he eagerly questions Manicamp about the bewildering accident that befell the Comte de Guiche during a reckless boar hunt, uncovering the peculiar circumstances with measured curiosity and a touch of royal reproach. Amidst a delicate dance of words and restrained expressions, the arrival of the king’s physician promises an authoritative account, leaving the onlookers suspended between concern and intrigue.