Читать книгу Alias Aramis - Greg Pius - Страница 1

The secrets we carry haunt us throughout our lives. So it was for a Frenchman known to his parents simply as Henri. He was a short man of small body frame but was strikingly handsome. Only when you looked into his eyes did you see dangerous passion. Those who have killed their first man can never hide the sadness this adds to their aura. Such a secret will also haunt them at night with nightmares. It will haunt their walk and the way they talk. Only the lucky few can still truly love with their heart and mind.

Henri was instantly recognised by his extended family as being an highly intelligent, somewhat serious individual. But when aroused into a temper, they knew he could resemble the devil on earth. Then his constant companion stopped being his books. He learnt how to use a sword blade. In a duel of honor his sword was quickly drawn. It was never sheathed before it drank human blood. Of course, in the France of the seventeenth century, this did not make him unique. In fact it probably saved his very life.

He was born with the name of Rene d'Herbley, but his mother had wanted to call him Henri. So she kept calling him by this pet name all his life. Maybe that is why the child developed two distinct personalities. As a grown man this probably kept him sane. His father insisted that he become a priest. Of noble ancestry, his early home was in Bearn which is a province of France. It was located in the Pyrenees, geographically in the southwest corner of France.

His parents lived in Paris for some time. Then after the death of the family patriarch, Rene's father became the heredity Abbe of Pieire d' Aramitz. His mother was a devout Catholic.

After Rene killed a man in a duel, he went back to Paris. His uncle was Monsieur de Treville, the Captain of the King's Musketeers. Using his influence with the young King, the Comte de Traisville got Henri a commission. Mainly to save his life he was given the false identity of a man of war named Aramis. This was chosen to hide his true identity from the vengeful family of the man he had killed. Aramis now served closely with two other Musketeers. They were called the inseparables.

Athos was older, wiser but sadder in his heart than young Aramis. He true identity was as noble as Aramis. He was born Armand de Sillegue d'Athos d'Autevielle. Later he assumed his family title of the Count de la Fere. Just what, or who, he was hiding from was a forbidden topic among even his closest friends. Then there was the third axes of this powerful trio of soldiers. He was called Porthos. At birth his name was Isaac de Portau. Later he was given the title of the Vicomte of Bragelonne.

So began most men in their career as a Musketeer in the seventeenth century. Men of noble families who needed a time out from their lives of family duty and obligations. Some had no choice but to flee to Paris and hide under a false identity. Others did it for the glamour and for the protection of the king. Our three soldiers were no exception. Aramis had no real choice in the matter. His two comrades knew all about the fatal outcome of his recent disastrous duel. They knew that after killing a man in cold blood Aramis was lost to the church. Inside his overactive mind, Aramis thought that he could not continue to study for the priesthood because of this mortal sin staining his soul.

Constantly ambitious, but unsatisfied with the slow nature of the official promotion paths, Aramis suffered from his dual personality. Aramis often became politically ambitious. His scheming mind had to have intrigue in his daily life. Yet in Paris he could not help but come across the path of some of the most beautiful women of the royal court. So Aramis let his Rene personality lose on political intrigues and his Henri personality lose on intrigues of a softer nature. Both got him constantly in hot water. Other violent men in Paris sought ways to kill him.

His unfortunate fatal duel 'freed' him of priestly studies. Now Aramis could openly follow his heart. Many romances were to follow, even in the short time he was in Paris. One such romance would almost end his friendship with Athos. Only their blood ties stopped Aramis from calling Athos out for a duel. His violent temper, once more, almost got Aramis to kill with his sword. Not even his best friends could match his ability with the long blade. Yet as our story opens Aramis is feeling sickened by all the blood he has shed.

To avoid being arrested by the Cardinal's guards he had to hide his activities. He had killed one of the cardinal's guards. This man had many friends. They were looking for him everywhere. If the King was a powerful protector then the Cardinal was a dangerous enemy. Cardinal Richelieu was the King's chief minister and a political schemer. He had spies all over Paris and inside the King's court. The Cardinal had been able to persuade the King to forbid dueling in Paris. If Aramis was caught dueling he would face imprisonment in the Bastille. But the King had a hidden secret even from his chief minister. He was too fond of his Musketeers to ever let them languish in prison.

Aramis also had to hide from his father's wrath. His father had expected Rene to be an obedient son. Without his father's permission he had abandoned his priestly studies. So he did what his comrades had done. He took an alias. His uncle was his mother's brother. He was also the Captain of the King's Musketeers. So he wrote it down as Aramis as his nephew's official listed name as a Musketeer in the King's service. To hide his family connections he chose the clever alias of Aramis. His father was Abbe in the town of Aramitz. Such a close match would cover any slips of the tongue from both his uncle and his own lips.