D'Artagnan and Her Musketeers

#### Chapter 15: Women Equality

As she and her friends are escorting the King and Queen in their parade through Paris, Cosette reflects back on women equality, recounting on times when her father taught her how to fight. She is well aware that Constance knows it, and Ninon de Larroque as well. During the parade, she spots Constance and two other women: Cosette recognizes one as Fleur Baudin (whose relation to Constance's that Cosette honestly forgot) and Therese Dubois. The only thing Cosette remembers of Fleur's relation to Constance was that she was a cousin of Constance's husband (this is due to the fact Cosette forgot how they were related. Cosette and Constance told Fleur no one knew she was a girl and Fleur promised to keep it that way.

When Therese, who has a note she plans on giving to the Queen, is suddenly killed when being ran over by the royal carriage, Cosette is immediately scared when she sees this happening and rushes to the poor girl with Porthos and Treville as Athos and Aramis deal with an assassin. Meanwhile Constance attempts to get to Therese but the Red Guards refuse to let her pass. Seeing Constance, Treville orders for her to be allowed after Constance claims to know the girl. Cosette, in alarm asks Constance if she knew what Therese was doing but the elder woman denies it. She sees a note coming from Therese's pocket and sees the message Therese intended to hand to the Queen. Constance turns to ask Fleur what it means, but when they turn, they see that Fleur has disappeared.

Porthos and Cosette later join Cosntance at her home and learn from her that Therese and Fleur attended some of Ninon de Laroque's lessons.She and Porthos retrieve Athos and Aramis, leading them into Larocque Manor.  When they enter, Cosette sees a woman hiding as soon as they enter the room but is unablet o see who it is (revealed to be Milady de Winter) Athos addresses the young women but none of them respond, except for a tall blond woman that Cosette assumes is Ninon, and is further confirmed when Ninon tells Athos to address questions to her. During the conversation with Ninon, Cosette sees the noblewoman constantly looking at her and notcing how Ninon and Athos interact.

Cosette is only relieved when Ninon turns from her and interacts with Aramis, who sympathizes with women equality.  Though Ninon calls Aramis a romantic, she tells him his charm will not work here. It further results in Cosette thinking Ninon is mocking her brothers. Athos annoyed, snaps that they are looking for Fleur and asks Ninon to search her home. it takes a while but Ninon allows Athos to searchher home with her accompanying him. During their search, Cosette thinks in horror as why Ninon was looking at her and worries if she will reveal her identity to Athos. After no success, Athos and his friends leave. However, as Cosette is departing, she believes she hears some of the women talking about her behind her back.Returning to the Garrison, Cosette worries about Constance and wishes to help her best friend through suffering. She goes to Treville for a leave of duty for a couple of days. Before he grants her leave, Treville asks Cosette if there is anything wrong. However, she denies any problems. Despite Treville indicating she is doing it out of duty as a Musketeer trainee, he secretly awknowledges that he means as a friend.

### Chapter 16: Women Privelege

Ninon comes to visit Cosette at the garrison, where she reveals she knew Cosette was a woman the whole time because she did not look masculine enough. Athos, Aramis and Porthos watch from a small distance. As they talk in low voices, Ninon asks Cosette if they know who she is but the young woman denies it and expresses her concerns of being discovered. Despite this, Ninon tells Cosette she is special girl and that the time will come for her to reveal her identity to them. Out of all three of them, Cosette fears how Athos will react harshly the most: that he will be furious with her and never forgive her. However, Ninon tells Cosette that if Athos is really her friend, he will forgive her. Before she leaves, Ninon wishes her luck.

After Ninon leaves, Aramis teases Cosette about being in the good graces of both Ninon and Constance. Despite that, Cosette says they are just her friends. Aramis further explains they have feelings for each other (unaware that Cosette is a girl) Cosette denies it and says Constance is just a married woman and that she is going to sit on guard with Constance if Fleur returns.Aramis attempts another jab at teasing her, but Athos tells him to knock it off and tells Cosette to do her duty. She oblijes but not before glaring at Aramis.  Annoyed, Cosette leaves. Porthos tells Aramis that they went to far, with Aramis agreeing that he did.He goes to apologize but Athos stops him and has Aramis and Porthos find Fleur Baudin.

Meanwhile, back at Bonacieux's house, Constance is worried sick about Fleur and cannot get her cousin off her mind. Cosette, however, reveals there was a time when she and her sisters visited their grandparents after her mother's death and recounts on how she got lost in their city and revealed her sisters' fears are akin to that of Constance's thankful for the answer, she accepts her friend's comforts. Into the night, Fleur is found by the Red Guards and returned home, where Constance is relieved to see her safe. Cosette also learns from Fleur she was the one who told Ninon about her. Betrayed, Cosette leaves, and though she is glad Fleur is alright, she is upset that Fleur told her secret to someone else.

The next morning, Cosette learns from Treville that Ninon is being tried for the supposed abduction of Fleur Baudin and others. However, the young woman finds it hard to believe and tells Treville that Ninon is innocent and that she wouldn' tgive up on her . Moved by this, Treville tells Cosette that she reminds him of her mother, Francoise, being high-spirited, stubborn, and how she resembles her.  It touches Cosette as she leaves, recounting that no one but her father compared her to her mother before but rather her sisters. The chapter ends with COsette joining Athos and Aramis and Porthos to where Ninon is going to be tried.