Palais De Faux -2017The 9th ‘Bayko Baron’ Musketeer adventure

• Chancellor Fouquet welcomes Louis XIV to his new pleasure palace at Faux

• Fouquet it was who discovered the King’s hidden twin and had him thrown into dread Chateau D’If

• Fouquet too who has been conducting the nation-wide search since the youth’s miraculous escape six months ago (See ‘Chateau D’If)

• Among the attendant courtiers are the Four Musketeers, newly returned from the English island of Sark, beyond Fouquet’s reach – accompanied by a youth called ‘Auguste’ and Pathos’ niece, Louise De

La Valliere

• The musketeers’ plan kicks into action when a bucket boot sends Louise’s pooch ‘Wuffles’ sailing out in front of the King

• Naturally Louise rushes to retrieve the mutt and comes eye-to-eye with Louis –• the rest, as they say, is Geography, for Louise has the message for the troops and

Louis is instantly smitten like he has never been smited before

• Instantly obsessed Louis leads Louise towards the gardens – the one place in a 17thC. Mansion where you can find a little privacy

• Designed by La Notre the gardens are full of sylvan arbours where a gentleman can pen a love sonnet in peace or lovers can get on with some

serious hand-holding undisturbed

• Wuffles leads the way to the bower where Bathos, Chanel and the youth currently known as ‘Auguste’ lie in wait

• The lovers emerge looking a little dishevelled – serious hand-holding can do that – Queen Anne, the Queen Mother and accomplice of the musketeers,

rushes to endorse the new friendship while Fouquet finds the King strangely distant

The King returns to his carriage inviting Louise to join him. He will go on to fulfil all that Richelieu and Mazarin have dreamed of, becoming ‘Le Soliel Roi’ the wonder of his age, with Louise La Valliere at his

side as ‘maitresse en titre’ – Wuffles and Dribble salute the new union

• Fouquet meanwhile is taken under arrest by Captain D’Artagnan, destined for the fortress of Pinerola in French Savoy he will never see the light of day again

Shortly afterwards the missing prisoner is returned to Chateau D’If. This time he will never be left alone, this time he wears an iron mask

to prevent all communication – ever.

• Inspired by the wonder of Faux, King Louis will go on to build his own palace, at Versailles, using the same architect and gardener

• While Fouquet and the Man in the Iron mask at Chateau D’If will never be heard of again