“D’Artagnan knows his duty.” Athos straightens as Porthos stands, and watches him go with questioning eyes. He does not dare speak his confusion aloud - perhaps he is afraid of the answer - but he lifts a brow at Aramis, making no secret of his wondering. Is there a lover? Something more? Athos still cannot believe that Porthos would give up all, no matter what he says now. He has always trusted the man to do what is right, and cannot imagine that so much could have changed to alter even that. Porthos knows his duty, too, and will be convinced, no matter what holds him here now.

He watches as Aramis fingers that strange scar, which does not seem to have been made by any weapon wielded by man. “But if there is work to be done in the meantime, we may as well keep ourselves occupied. What happened there?"