Porthos and the Last Cave

A story about Porthos · 3 chapters · Read the novel this is based on

This is fan fiction. An original, unofficial story written by a contributor to this site, not by Alexandre Dumas. It is not part of the actual novel and should not be mistaken for Dumas's own writing.

In the novel's final act, Porthos dies at Belle-Île bringing down a cave roof on himself and the pursuing royal soldiers alike, sacrificing himself so Aramis can escape. Dumas gives the moment real emotional weight but little interior access to Porthos's own thoughts. This three-chapter story imagines the days leading up to that collapse: what the least introspective of the four friends actually made, in the end, of a lifetime spent being underestimated for exactly the quality that would finally let him die a hero.

What Strength Was For

II.

The Barony

III.

The Weight of the Roof