{personality.

Though once, Athos had been a happy young man in the throes of passion, that devotion, loyalty and joy died the same day as his wife (though she is far from dead). It is most generous to say, then, that Athos' personality took a great about-turn on that day. Beforehand, Athos held family as his highest duty. He loved dearly and openly, showing his affection with ease. There were many occasions to laugh and be joyful, especially with Thomas (his brother) at his side and Anne (his wife) in his arms. After the dreadful day, Athos' personality shifts to accommodate the tear in his heart. He no longer laughs, but can be brought to a smile by the misadventures of his friends. Still, emotions are difficult for Athos, who exists behind a sturdy wall of heartbreak that he's unwilling to push through. Some seek closure. Athos is not one of them.

While the experience with Anne shaped his personality, Athos has begun to improve from it. His tendency to dive into a bottle still remains and he is by and large as functioning an alcoholic as a King's Musketeer can be, but he also has retained that loyalty and duty to his family. He's merely chosen his family this time by electing Porthos and Aramis as his brothers, and Tréville a sort of father figure. Athos is devoted to serving his cause, but has learned how to put his emotions aside and barricade them up so they cannot affect him in the thick of battle.

Perhaps one day, he will even laugh again. Still, with Milady's treachery so close in his heart (despite five year's of removal), Athos functions on a day to day basis with the help of his friends and heavy wine. He holds regret deep in his heart and though he knows Anne to be a murderess, he will never stop regretting the order to put her to death.

{abilities+skills.

Athos is the finest swordsman in the Musketeer regiment. Even while drunk, he can shoot adequately and holds quite a talent for fighting.

{history.

Born into nobility, Athos only knew one life. It was a life of riches and sumptuous things and everyone seemed happy to live to such excess. He was raised alongside his brother, Thomas, in the type of home that hung portraits of their ancestors and staffed twenty servants. They always made Athos uncomfortable, however, and he began to learn that being noble hardly meant that one had to be removed. He spent time in the village and eventually, met Anne. Unaware of her past, he fell deeply in love with her and they were wed. Their happiness was not to last forever. Thomas discovered Anne's history as a thief and, threatened that he would expose her lies, she killed him. Upon discovering this, Athos obeyed the law and had her put to death by way of the noose.

He could not watch.

He should have.

Heartbroken and aimless, Athos went on a drunken and violent bender in the empty house, tearing Anne's picture from the wall and beginning his long descent into the bottle. Eventually, he made his way to Paris to escape the small village that bore his ghosts and though his title offered him many options, Athos opted for work that would occupy his hands and mind. He joined the King's Musketeers under Tréville's guidance and was introduced to two of the most irredeemable men he would ever met. Porthos, a consummate gambler unpopular in society, and Aramis, a woman's man with poor judgment, decided to befriend him. For five years, Athos carried the guilt, regret, and heartbreak of putting his wife to death and though he remained deep in that grief and relied heavily upon wine, he also had built himself a small family. With d'Artagnan's arrival, Athos saw the opportunity to teach someone else burdened with grief. It was as if he could correct his own past through someone else. It was promising and it was necessary, for Athos also found that the ghost which haunted him was not a ghost at all. Anne had never been dead. He had merely been naive to think that she would go easily. With her presence now back in his life, Athos struggles to find a place for himself in Paris with the knowledge that the last five years of guilt have been a lie.

{notes.

Athos is a functioning alcoholic with access to a number of weapons. He has fought drunk before, both with sword and gun, and there's little chance of him drying out. However, he is incredibly controlled and restrained and is not dangerous unless provoked while deep in drink.