Behind minister Treville's back, Aramis accepts to attempt concluding a peace treaty with the Spanish king on behalf of his sister, French queen Anne, now king Louis is on his death bed. In league with Gaston and the duke of Lorraine, Grimaud captures Aramis and demands for his exchange with Spanish officers condemned to hanging for cruelties on the battle field, as this would turns the starving Paris mob against the queen, who aspires the regency. Reluctantly obeying the queen, the other musketeers save the Spaniards from the gallows, and D'Artagnan's peasant cousin Espoir, who only stole bread after troops burnt down his farm. They free Aramis, who nearly escaped, but fail to capture Grimaud, who further discredits the queen and Marchaux has Sylvie publicly flogged for sponsoring viz. running a scheme devised by Constance to sponsor literacy among the poor, leading to Athos openly preventing royal justice.
—KGF Vissers