Phillipe

The queen mother was in the chapel weeping and praying for her youngest son as she did each night. Louis had told her that the boy in the iron mask would not last much longer as the guards told him he was very sick, and not eating. He refused to let her visit him, even after she begged on her knees.

D'Artagnan entered the chapel, and was surprised when Ann flung herself in to his arms shaking, and weeping. He held her close to him and rubbed her back, after a while she looked at him with sorrowful eyes, and told him, "D'Artagnan I hope you will forgive me, but I cannot keep this from you any longer." They both kneeled, and she said, "The day that Louis was born, a second baby was born a twin. The King told me that he had died, and I believed that for many years. Three years ago on his dead bead, he confessed he was still alive, and living with a family. I wanted to bring him to the palace, but Louis ordered him imprisoned, and his face covered with an iron mask. Today Louis finally told me that Phillipe is in La Bastille, dying of illness, and hunger. Please help me." The face of D'Artagnan reflected how shocked he was, he took the hand of Ann, and said with mild reproach, "Ann you should have told me as soon as you found out, but it does not matter now. I will do my best to get our son out of that horrid place."

Later that night D'Artagan was in La Bastille talking to the governor of the prison. After much negotiation, the governor agreed to help him for a generous amount of money, and some of Ann's jewels. He followed the jailer through a narrow hallway that had cells at each side, with men dressed in rags some moaning or screaming from sickness, and madness. The stench was almost unbearable. The guard guided him down a narrow stairway, and started opening heavy doors. The basement was cold, humid, and the air stagnant. Finally, he opened a heavy door, and both entered the dark cell. The jailer had a torch, and raised it so they could find the boy.

D'Artagnan let his eyes adjust, the room smelled of human waste, illness, sweat, mold, and other terrible scents. He stared looking around the room, and he called softly, "Phillipe". Phillipe emitted a grunt more like that of an animal, and D'Artagnan walked towards him. Tears started forming in his eyes when he saw the emaciated, naked body of his son, lying in fetal position on the cold stone floor. Seeing the iron mask on him, made him gasp in horror. Then he noticed the boy was trembling, and trying to get a rat of his grimy body with his dirty bony arms.

D'Artagnan kicked the rat of his son's body, and kneeled by the child. He softly put a hand on the boys bonny soiled shoulder, and told him, "I am taking you home Phillipe, please hang in there son". The boy emitted a whimper, and shook in fear trying to protect his head with his wasted arms. The knight, took his cape off, and wrapped the filthy, stinky, and gauntly body of his son with it. He tried to comfort him by holding him close. The jailer came with a hammer and a chisel. While D'Artagnan held the trembling boy firmly, the governor started chiseling the lock off. Phillipe squirmed and screamed, sounding like a wounded beast, the loud banging sound magnified by the metal mask, was an almost unbearable torment. Finally, the coursed contraption lock broke, and with great care, his father took it off Philip's head and face. D'Artagnan, was pleased to see the face of his son appeared unharmed, he gently moved the greasy strands of tangled hair, off Philllipe's face, and then picked the child in his arms. He kissed his dirty head, and his grimy forehead, as he said, "Shh… Phillipe you are safe now." He could not explain it, but the love he felt for Phillipe was as strong as the love he felt for Louis, even if he had just met him. He could not believe his fifteen-year-old son, had spent 3 years in that sordid place. The lad was extremely undernourished and way too small for his age. He asked the jailer, "Why was the boy naked?" The man answer with indifference, "orders from the king."

D'Artagnan followed the jailer until he was out of La Bastille, and mounted his horse holding his feverish child close to him, ignoring the stench of his son's body. The governor went back to put the mask on a dead body that he locked in Phillips cell. With the money, and jewels received from D'Artagnan he would be able to have an early retirement.

The musketeer galloped in the cover of the night to Athos cottage in the country. When he arrived there, he found his friend waiting for him. Athos asked, "How is the kid doing?" D'Artagnan answered with a worried voice, "My son is little more than skin and bones, he also has a fever, and a few rat bites on his body." He did not continue as he heard a soft whimper from his son followed by the word "water". Athos went and filled a cup with water, and helped Philip to drink while D'Artagnan held the child on his lap as if he was a baby. Philllipe drank eagerly, grunting in between drinks.

Athos said, "I have hot water ready, let me fill the tub so we can bathe the boy". A few minutes later Phillipe was lying in a tub of hot water, at first, he screamed in fear, but then started to relax as his father, and Athos scrubbed away the filth of three years from his body and hair.

D'Artagan wrapped the emaciated body of Philleip in linen towels, and dried him. He felt rage when he realized his son was full of bruises in different stages of healing. No wonder the boy could barely move. The skin of his son was very dry and rough; his head a mated mess of dull, brown hair. The face of the boy was haggard, his eyes sunken in the sockets, and surrounded by dark circles from lack of sleep, prominent cheekbones, hollow cheeks, and cracked lips. He could see all the bones in the boy's body, and it was painful to watch him take shallow labored breaths. He quickly dressed him in a nightshirt, a hand me down from Louis that Ann had given him. Then he examined the bites on the child's body, there was one on his right leg, one on the front of the ankle; another on his left buttock, and one more on his left forearm. He put honey on the sores, and wrapped them with pieces of linen. Then he covered Philip up with a blanket.

Athos came in with a bowl of broth for the lad. D'Artagan propped his son up on pillows. Phillipe opened his eyes, and looked at him with eyes full of fear, and despair. He told him, "I bet you are hungry my son, I am going to give you some broth." The lad opened his mouth eagerly, and within minutes had devoured the bowl of broth. He timidly venture to say, "Thank you". D'Artagan said, "You're welcome", and kissed his forehead, he thought he saw a hint of a smile on his son's face.

D'Artagnan noticed Athos was already a sleep, and after helping himself to a bowl of soup, he laid on a cot that his friend had put near Phillipe's bed. He did not get much sleep however, as the fever of his son came back with a vengeance. He spend the night cooling Phillipe off with water compresses, and giving him sips of water and broth. He spoke to him softly to try to calm him down, as the boy grunted, and whimper frequently, while holding his head with both hands. He ended up holding him in his arms, and singing to him in a low voice. That worked best to calm Philip down.

Finally, Philip went in to a more rest full sleep in the early hours of the morning, and his father laid him on the bed. D'Artagnan woke up to the smell of fried ham and eggs. He joined his friend at the table. Athos said, "How are you doing my friend?" D'Artagnan put his head between his hands trying to think of a proper answer. He said, "Angry because my son has spent 3 years in a prison, without committing any crime. He is just a child, and he has gone through more misery that what I can comprehend. Worried for his well being, it seems like prison broke him. Disappointed that Louis would do something like this to his own brother. I go from being angry with Ann for not telling me as soon as she found out, to wanting her with me so she can see that Philip is finally safe, but I'm afraid that seeing him in this state would devastate her". Athos put a hand on his shoulders friend, and said "one day at the time D'Artagnan, concentrate on Philip he really needs you. I took the liberty of calling a healer from the Jesuits, I did not give him any details, and he promised to keep everything in secret".

As soon as D'Artagnan was taking his last bite he heard a terrorized whale coming from Philip, he ran to him, and found him sitting in bed with his back against the wall holding his legs with his arms and his head was reclined on his knees. He approached him, and said in a suiting voice, "Good morning Phillipe". Phillipe was scared to look at him, but he vaguely remembered this stranger taking care of him at night. He said in a barely audible voice scared of getting a beating, "Where am I?" His father responded with tenderness in his eyes, and his voice, "You are safe, my son, we are staying with a friend of mine, until I can take you away from all of this".

Phillipe looked at him remembering there had been a man in his life that took care of him, and called him son even if he wasn't. That gave him courage to ask, "Why do you call me son?" D'Artagnan was pleased to see that there was still a flame burning in his son. He smiled at him, and answered, "Because I am your father Phillpe, they'll be time to explain everything later, for now just know that, I love you with all my heart, and I am not going to let anyone hurt you again. I did not know about you until yesterday Phillipe, I swear if I had known, I would have fought for you."

Phillipe thought that maybe this man was telling the truth, he desperately needed to believe that this man would take care of him, and protect him. He looked at D'Artagnan, and smiled, he was so weak that he fell to the side, almost immediately the arms of his father were around him lifting him in to a more comfortable position, and covering him with a blanket. At that moment, Athos came in with a bowl of porridge. Phillipe looked at him with frighten eyes, and reached for the hand of his father with his bony hand for reassurance. D'Artagnan took the frail hand in his, and patted the head of his son reassuringly, realizing the lad had decided to trust him; he would not disappoint him. He looked at his boy, and said "Phillipe this is Athos my best friend more like a brother." Athos looked at the scared lad and said, "High Phillipe, I've known your father for a long time, you are like a nephew to me". Then he handed the bowl to his friend and left.

D'Artagan asked, "Phillipe, do you think you are up to eating porridge?" Phillipe said eagerly but softly, "yes". When his father gave him the first spoonful of porridge, the realization that he was free from the mask, hit him in its fullness, he could eat without problems now. He touched his face, turned to his father, and said with tears in his eyes, "Thank you for getting that cage of me, it was so hard to eat with it." D'Artagnan felt tears swelling up, he told the lad, "You welcome Phillipe, I would have gladly worn it for you, to save you all of that suffering." Phillipe said nothing but his features noticeably relaxed, he felt safe for the first time in years, he knew his father really meat it. He truly would have worn that mask for him. He knew that finally after all this years he had some one that loved him.

D'Artagnan had to coax Phillipe to eat all of the porridge and drink the tea, his stomach had shrunken so much that he could only eat a few bites at a time, it took him almost 2 hours to eat the porridge, and D'Artagnan was right there by his side feeding him, encouraging him with gentle words, and looking at him lovingly, in a way that no one had looked at him before, not even his former caregivers. When he finished eating he fell asleep exhausted from the effort.

D'Artagnan decided to take a nap with his son, as he was sure there would still be many sleepless nights ahead. He woke up when he heard Athos, and Raul's voice as they were eating their lunch; he joined them, and said, "Hi Raul, how are those fencing lessons coming along?" Athos answered on his son's behalf looking at the young man proudly, "He is going to be a better fencer than me someday". Raul said embarrassed, "He is exaggerating uncle, I'll be lucky if someday I'm half as good as he is." D'Artagnan had to smile, the love between Athos, and his son, warming his heart, he hoped Phillipe, and he would develop the same kind of relationship someday. Too bad, he would never know that type of relationship with Louis.

That evening D'Artagnan was feeding Phillipe soup with small pieces of pork, onions and carrots. Phillipe said, "This is the best food I've had in years, in prison they only gave me stale bread and water" His father patted his head and said, "I'm glad you like it, you need to eat well to recover your strength". At that time, Raul came in and announced the healer was there. The healer came and examined Philip. D'Artagnan felt bad for his son, when the healer lifted his nightshirt, as the boy was not wearing breeches. He needed to get proper clothing for Phillipe, who after all was not a prisoner or an abandoned child anymore. Phillipe was just happy to have the nightshirt to cover his body; he had been naked for the past six months, and felt much demined by the experience. It was hard to feel human when he was completely naked, filthy, his head and face encased in an iron mask, and the guards made fun of him, and called him gutter rat and freak, while beating him up. To him the nightshirt was a luxury.

D'Artagan accompanied the healer to the door, and paid him for his services, he came back to find Phillipe sleeping. After eating his dinner, and drinking a small measure of wine with Athos, he retired for the night. Again, he woke up when Philip started moaning and shivering with a fever.

A week later Phillipe's fever broke, and he had put a little weight on. He was now able to sit on his own, and feed himself most of the time. His gentle personality was starting to come out. D'Artagnan decided to carry him to the table so he could eat with them. The boy needed to start getting used to being around people as he was planning to leave to a more permanent destination soon.

Phillipe was feeling shy, and self-conscious. He had looked at his image in the mirror, and thought he looked like a starving pauper; he had to smile thinking it was a step up from a gutter rat. But his father, and his friends were well off people in his eyes, he did not feel worthy of sharing the table with them. But obeyed his father without complaining.

Raul welcomed him to the table, and sat near him, feeling compassion for the son of his uncle who had been through so much, and was 2 years younger than he was. He told him, "It's good to see you are getting stronger Phillipe, before long you'll be walking." Philip smiled and said, "I certainly hope so, I hate giving so much work to my father." Athos said, "Nonsense, a son never is too much work." Phillipe smiled at him, and nodded knowing that his uncle had good intentions. After Athos gave thanks to God almighty, the men, and their sons eat a dinner of bread, cheese, porridge, grapes and butter. D'Artagnan gave his son a very small serving of wine thinking it would help to warm him up. The boy was always cold to the touch.

After dinner, D'Artagnan decided to give Phillipe a bath to wash away the sweat from the fever, and get a clean gown on him. Philip said, "Thank you father in prison I never had a chance to clean up, it was hard living in such filth and stench."D'Artagnan said, "I'm sorry Phillipe, I really am. I'll try to make up for all of your suffering the best I can." Phillipe looked at his father and said "But it was not your fault, there is nothing you have to make up for. Knowing you are my father is enough to make up for everything." D'Artagnan said, "You have a noble heart Phillipe."

That night Phillipe started speaking in his sleep, in his dream the guards were beating him up, he mumbled, "No please stop, please I cannot take much more, I beg you stop hitting me." He sounded so frightened, and agitated that D'Artagnan decided to wake him up. He put and arm on his shoulder shaking him gently as he said, "Phillipe wake up, it is a nightmare you are safe." Phillipe woke up screaming, and his father hugged him. Unknown to them, Portho's had gone to one of the secrets exits of the palace to the exterior to take the Queen mother to see her son, and to say goodbye to D'Artagnan. Ann walked in to the cottage, but stop when she saw D'Artagnan hugging their son.

Phillipe started sobbing in his father's arms, between sobs he said, "The guards used to beat me up always father, they had fun watching my misery. If they were bored they beat me up, if I spoke they would beat me up, no matter what I got beaten by my guard, and his friends almost daily. I was always bruised and in pain. I had frequent headaches because of the pressure, and the weight of the mask. During the summer, the mask got so hot that I thought, my head and face would burn up, and the itch of the sweat on my scalp and face almost drove me mad. I could not even scratch myself. In the winter I was always freezing, especially this last winter when they decided to keep me naked. I shivered all the time, and try to warm up under the hay, but there was not enough. It was so hard to eat in the mask, and they never gave me enough food or water. I was always thirsty and hungry. Since they decided to keep me naked, the amount of food they gave me decreased, some days they did not even feed me. The bread was so hard, I had to bang it against the floor to try to break it in to little pieces that I could get in the mouth opening, chewing was almost impossible. Then they threw that rat in with me, and if it was hard to sleep before, it was almost impossible to get any rest, every time I closed my eyes, the rat would attack me. You came just in time; I was so weak, exhausted, and hopeless then. I did not know how much longer I could keep fighting that rat, I was sure it would eat me slowly, and I would die a very painful dead surrounded by laughing guards. Thank you for saving me, I owe you so much."

D'Artagnan had tears running down his cheeks, and was holding Phillipe tightly. The pain he felt hearing what his son had to go through was almost unbearable. He kissed his head, and was about to say something when he heard a muffled sob, he look at the door, and immediately recognized Ann. He was going to get up to hold her, and try to console her, but Ann put her hand up asking him to stop, and walked over to Phillipe. She sat on the bed of her son, tears running down her cheeks, her body trembling. Phillipe looked at her surprised that this strange woman looked so sad, and concerned about him. Ann saw the pain, and surprise in his eyes, and could not resist hugging him. She spoke to him softly while stroking his matted hair, "My son, my Phillipe, I am very sorry that you had to suffer so much. My boy I would have gladly suffer everything for you if given a chance. I love you my son" Phillipe could feel all the warmth and love coming from his mother. He put his cadaveric arms around her returning the hug, and asked softly, "Are you my mother?" Ann swallowed hard, and said, "I am Phillipe, and I apologize for not being there for you my son. But the king made me believe you were dead, and afterwards your brother would not tell me where he had you. I have prayed for you every day since your birth, especially since I found out you were a live, and suffering. I hope someday you can forgive me. As soon as I found out where you were I told your father, and he went to rescue you." Phillipe was silent for a minute, and then separated himself from his mother just enough to look at her eyes, he told her "I have nothing to forgive you for mother, it seems to me that you did all you could under the circumstances. I bet your prayers were the ones that kept my alive in prison." Ann Kissed his forehead amazed at the kindness, and love she saw in his eyes. Phillipe put his head on the pillow exhausted but smiling. With effort he reached for his parents hands with his bonny ones and said, "I am so lucky, to have both of my parents here with me, it's something I never dreamed off. The people that raised me told me I was an orphan. The Lord is so good to me."

Ann and D'Artagnan were surprised at Phillipe words. He had suffered so much, had been destitute all of his short life, and yet he thanked God for his good fortune. While Louis had everything, and was never satisfied or thankful. Ann cupped his cheek in her hand tenderly, and told him, "You truly have a pure heart my son." Phillipe smiled, looked at his parents, and asked, "How is it possible for a gutter rat like me to have such fine distinguished parents? And did I hear the King mentioned?"

Ann said, "Phillipe you are not a gutter rat, you are our beloved son. Yes, I did mention the King, the former king thought you were his son, and the current King is your twin brother." Phillipe was shocked; his twin brother was the king? How could that be? D'Artagnan noticed his confusion and said, "Son you and your brother were born out of love, but your mother is the Queen Mother, and I am a humble musketeer. Our love is forbidden, and we could not tell the King. Your brother Louis knows nothing about it."

Phillipe was still confused he said to his mother, "How can your majesty be my mother?" Ann kissed his gauntly cheek and said, "very simple because you are part of me, I carried you for 9 months, gave birth to you, and my blood runs in your veins the same as the blood of D'Artagnan. Please never call me your majesty, I am your mother and nothing else, otherwise I'll have to call you your highness, after all, you are second in line to the throne of France."

Phillipe had to laugh, he said, "It is all so strange to me, that it almost makes me think that maybe I am still in my cell, and finally went mad. But I know that is not the case, because I can feel your kisses, and hugs so clearly; and I cannot be dreaming as I never have good dreams."

For a few minutes, the three sat in silence, looking at each other and enjoying each other's company. Ann hid her alarm at seeing how thin and pale Philip was. His hand was holding hers, and it was nothing but skin and bones. His arms looked like sticks, and when he hugged him, she felt all of his bones. His face spoke of constant hunger and suffering, yet his eyes were so compassionate and gentle, so different from Louis eyes, even if the color and shape was identical.

Finally, Ann broke the silence she retrieved a packet from the floor, gave it to Phillipe and told him to open it. Phillipe exclaimed, "This are the nicest clothes, I've ever seen!" Having a hard time believing that they were for him, he asked shyly, "Are they for me?" Ann smiled at him and said, "Of course Phillipe, I wish I had more time to have new clothes made for you, but all I could get were hand me downs from Louis." Her son replied, "I don't need nothing new, this are the best clothes I've ever had. Thank you."

Afterwards Ann insisted on combing Phillipe's hair, D'Artagnan was thankful, he had been delaying brushing his son's hair because he did not want to hurt him, but he knew it was necessary. Ann was so gentle that Phillipe went in to a light sleep while she worked the knots out of her son's hair. It took her 2 hours but the results were impressive. Phillipe's hair now was neatly brushed, and tide in to a ponytail. Even in his emaciated state Ann could see how much her two sons resembled each other, it scared her for Philips safety.

A couple of hours before sunrise Ann and D'Artagnan left to the palace. The Captain of the musketeers was going to present his resignation. Before leaving, Ann gave Philip a gold crucifix that she took from her neck. She explained it had been in the family for many generations, and she wanted Phillipe to have it. She fastened it around her son's neck and he said, "Thank you mother, I promise I will take good care of it, and always keep it near to my heart."

That afternoon D'Artagnan, Phillipe, Athos, and Raul got ready to start the long journey. D'Artagnan discovered Ann had manage to leave a small purse with money, and jewelry in it. It had a note that asked him to use the money, and jewelry to take care of Philip and himself until they were settled down, and not to be upset at her. He smiled, how could he be upset at an act of love and kindness from her?

D'Artagnan mounted his horse and Athos gave him Phillipe which he put in front of him. The group departed riding on three horses, after thanking Phorto's for his help