voicetesting - canon is BBC's Musketeers

[mmeconstance]

One bad decision deserves another, I suppose, but why would you choose me? I've got--

[she goes right back to her cooking. She thinks she has nothing now. Forced to live out her life as Madame Bonacieux]

I'm not--you ought to look elsewhere, there was only one series so far.

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[all_for_me]

One series perhaps. And yet I cannot help but to think that the fandom is so much more than one simple show on BBC.

Come Madame, there is so much more to you than to simply ply about a kitchen.

[mmeconstance]

And who are you to make such claims?

[mousquetaire]

Sometimes once is enough.

[ He looks up at her, almost smiling and trying not to. He can't help it; she never did think enough of herself for his liking. ]

No one who had known you would find you easy to forget, Madame.

[mmeconstance]

[he is both the last and first person she wanted to see anywhere. She could say the same of him but that fear of her husbands blood on her hands stills her tongue]

[mousquetaire]

[ It's not...the best response. Maybe he shouldn't have come.

It's hard to stay away, too hard. Even though he knows that he should. ]

I'm sorry.

Do you want me to leave? I didn't mean -

[ A pause. He's not good at this. ]

I wasn't trying to make it harder.

[mmeconstance]

Stay.

[she didn't mean to say that. Monsieur Bonacieux may be around; worse, he could hear her and see them]

[mousquetaire]

[ He could care less where Bonacieux is. He's not good enough, not for her. He never was, and never will be. ]

Look at me, then.

[ He comes closer. Not by much, just a few steps. But it feels like more. ]

I missed you. I still miss you.

[mmeconstance]

[she misses him too. Misses feeling alive and wanted and loved like how d'Artagnan had loved her]

My husband--

[but it dies on her lips]

[mousquetaire]

Will what?

[ He's not afraid of Bonacieux. He never was, and doesn't truly believe the man's threat, either. He was bluffing. ]

Let him throw me out, if he wants. I don't care. I can't walk past and not see you, I can't just pretend I don't -

[ He halts, stopping himself before he can say love. Changes it instead, softens it. ]

- know you.

Is that what you'd want?

[mmeconstance]

How can he throw you out if you don't live with us anymore?

[she missed his presence in the house]

[mousquetaire]

And how can he stop me if all I do is talk?

He can't. [ He folds his arms, leaning back. Reassuring himself as much as her. ] And he's not here, anyway.

He can't keep me from seeing you.

[ Not when that's all that's left to them, anyway. ]

[mmeconstance]

[he could pop up at any time, couldn't he?]

It feels empty without you there. The house, I mean.

[mousquetaire]

[ He pauses, at that, looking at her. That ends up feeling indulgent, so he drops his gaze away. There's a little smile, though. ]

You once said it used to be quiet, before I was around. At least I can't keep causing you trouble, now. You put up with too much from me.

[mmeconstance]

I do.

[but she felt so ALIVE when he was there and bringing danger to her.]

You--I--

[go on, Constance! Bonacieux isn't around]

I wish things were different.

[mousquetaire]

[ She'd been able to handle it, that was the thing. For all he'd worried about her. For all he'd panicked when she was in danger, she'd held her own. And she'd never cried, not even when Milady held a gun to her head.

She's the bravest woman he's ever known. Kindest, best, bravest. The list goes on. Even now he keeps adding to it. ]

I want them to be.

[ He doesn't lack for honesty. He's never been able to hide how he feels about her anyway; what would be the point? She knows. So does Bonacieux, come to that. So does everyone. ]

I want to make you happy. I know I could. When you called it a dream...

It was my dream. Is my dream.

[ That crucial point being that it can't be real, even if he dreams it every night. ]

[desequilibre]

It would seem that they're not exactly driven by logic, Madame. Nevertheless, there could be worse outcomes. [ Constance is a good woman. Her Mundane has chosen well. ]

[mmeconstance]

Just because you want doesn't mean that's how the world works. You heard him. I can't leave him, not now.

[mmeconstance]

[athos had always been practically a brother to her]

He said I would have his blood on my hands if I ever left him so yes, there's worse things.

[mousquetaire]

I know that.

[ He says it softly, and looks away from her again. ]

I understand, you know I do. It just doesn't change anything. Not for me.

[desequilibre]

It will not always be that way. I doubt any of us would allow it for long. [ Say the word, Madame Bonacieux. ]

[mmeconstance]

It never did for me either.

[she looks at him. Everything about it was wrong in every way. Her husband would make good on his threats]

[mmeconstance]

[she gives a small laugh]

And how would you ensure that, Athos?

[mousquetaire]

[ He won't.

He's bluffing. He has to be.

God, maybe he isn't. D'Artagnan couldn't live with that any more than Constance. He doesn't look back at her. ]

I know. I know that.

[ His eyes close briefly, and then he looks at her at last. ]

Don't you think he does, too? There's no one who knew us that couldn't see it.

[mmeconstance]

But he won't let go, d'Artagnan. Even if he sees it.

[Bonacieux saw women as property, herself included, and to be bending to the will of their husbands]

[mousquetaire]

[ She doesn't deserve that. She never has. ]

And what does that mean? That I can't even talk to you, that I can't see you again? We were friends before.

[ Weren't they? Maybe not. Maybe he was always fooling himself about that, and they were always leading to this. ]