dear_mun | in which a mountain is unsatisfied

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in which a mountain is unsatisfied

As amusing as it is to see you struggle with my, ah...how did you put it? Branching out?

I'd prefer you leave me well enough alone, unless your efforts happen to dredge up any of my comrades. One can hardly lead the musketeers when there are no musketeers to lead.

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Command others then. A chance to expand your influence, a rare one at that. Why pine when you could seize such chance?

[ Maybe wearing all black is rubbing off on his mood, but today His Grace sounds more earnest than Athos might remember. ]

[...an unusual suggestion coming from Lord Buckingham. Athos does not bother hiding his surprise at the eager tone of voice.]

And do what, exactly? Build an army?

[Did you order one Derisive Laugh?]

Influence does not start with an army. Making your name known as a competent leader on the other hand...

[ The surprise escapes His Mirrorship. The laugh does not. ]

Or is that thought absurd to you as well?

You, of all people, should be aware of how difficult it is to get attention in Wonderland.

[Isn't that right, you poor, neglected courtier?]

[ Have we met, My Lord? Perhaps it's Buckingham's turn to look surprised. ]

I'm not sure I follow.

[ Him of all people? In Wonderland no less? Oh, that's a genuine lack of understanding here, none of that Whatever do you mean~? simpering. ]

...Although I should hope that it is something more substantial than attention that you crave. Any fool can get attention. A donkey can bray loudly and be noticed, but that hardly speaks for its skill.

[Now, Athos has a rough grasp on time shenanigans thanks to Wonderland and its general clusterfuck nature. He doubts, however, that Buckingham could ever turn into something like this, and it's nowhere near the mirror duke he recalls (with disdain).

This is...someone else entirely.]

What I crave is no business of yours, Buckingham.

[Does he even answer to that? He seems too different.]

[ Lord Buckingham is preferred, but he is willing to let it slide under the peculiar circumstances. ]

You were the one who made his business public. If you do not wish your thoughts examined, keep them to yourself. That is where my advice ends.

[ Let the man do what he thinks is best, it's hardly his concern after all. ]

Now, will you tell me why you speak my name with such familiarity when I don't even know yours?

You-

[Forgive him if he frowns in confusion, but...]

You don't know me? You are Lord Buckingham, are you not?

[You know, the fellow who screwed his wife and helped to poison him. That guy.]

[ If it's any consolation, the duke does not look especially happy about it either. Then again he hasn't looked especially happy about anything in this conversation so far. ]

I am the same. Am I to assume then that you are a victim of my own weakness? I have been told that I do not remember faces well, but the extent of it sometimes escapes me. Will you give me another chance to memorise yours?

[Um.

What?]

Given what you did to me, I would think you would remember. In excruciating detail.

[That part is mumbled to himself, but the look on Athos' face should speak volumes.]

Do you often forget those you have slighted?

[And that part was out-loud.]

[ Granted, the duke sometimes slights people by forgetting them, but he just offered to make amends for that eventuality and was shot down... rather impolitely at that. ]

Do you intend to explain yourself? Issue a challenge? Or continue mumbling vague accusations?

[Have another simmering glare. Make him spell it out, why don't you.

As per usual, Athos does not address the questions posed to him, instead choosing to make one of his own.]

Does the name Milady de Winter mean anything to you?

[ Fortunately Lord Buckingham is a very patient man, especially since this question might actually be going somewhere, especially since yes, indeed, after a moment he is able to place the familiar name. ]

She was a French spy, presumably for Cardinal Richelieu himself rather than the crown, although that much is mere conjecture on my part. I had her hanged about a year ago.

[ The unspoken question being, Why do you ask? ]

[French spy, yes. Working for Cardinal Richelieu, yes. But the last bi- WAIT WHAT.]

You hanged her?!

[Not...quite what Athos remembers, really.]

[ Buckingham arches his eyebrow, expression otherwise unchanged. ]

You were unaware.

[ It's not a question. Not after Athos' reaction. ]

When you asked I thought you would turn out to be one of the... the many, unfortunately, who opposed my decision.

[ Opposed because they believed her fate to be for France to decide. Opposed because they said Buckingham was destroying a valuable resource. ]

But you are not. [ At least he wasn't, not back then... not until now. ] Why did you ask?

[No.

No. That is not how it happened, and this is some...some sick game that Buckingham is attempting to play on him, to taunt him. He never would have killed Anne, he needed her for the plans, to get past the musketeers' defenses, to build the war machine.

Can he give Buckingham that much credit, though? The man likes to gloat, but never play dumb. Not like this.]

She was my wife.

[It isn't a statement tinted with sympathy or sadness, but it has a certain bite to it that says he would have rather been the one to dole out the final punishment.]

[ The other Buckingham would never taunt Athos with such lies, not when the truth does such a good job all by itself. No, this Buckingham simply took issue with the proposed alliance.

A spy in the French ranks and a plan to gain the duke an immense military advantage. But the plan was an underhanded scheme and the French spy not an ally whose loyalty Buckingham expected to last. ]

Then I did you a favour. You are free to find a more suitable woman.

[ The world is better off without the likes of her, but it wouldn't surprise Buckingham if her husband disagreed. ]

And who are you to make that call?

[Because regardless of the fact that this Buckingham apparently had Anne hanged, regardless of the sudden pang of hurt Athos didn't expect to surface, he is more livid than upset.]

As a citizen of France, she should have been sent to await trial by judge and jury under Parisian jurisdiction. You overstepped your bounds.

If a viper crawls into your garden you dispose of it. You do not throw it over the fence and wait for your neighbour to do so.

[ And you certainly don't carry it into your home, thinking it could make a fine pet. ]

It was not your place!

[he snaps, because...because Jesus Christ, this does hurt, almost as much as when she turned her back to him and walked away.]

[ The duke himself remains passive with an expression that might as well have been carved out of stone. ]

France took no issue with my decision. I'm not surprised you disagree.

[ Supposedly because he believes he deserves to be his wife's own judge. Or because he refuses to see her guilt. Buckingham doesn't care to presume which. ]

Regardless, I made my choice and suffer no regret from it. But if you wish to demand satisfaction then shall I accept the challenge.

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