"You should have," Aramis agrees, his smile as sad as it is fond. This land keeps finding new ways to divide them, but all Aramis can see are the ways they come together despite it. It is faith, he knows, which he has in spades. Porthos does not, but Aramis hopes he will learn to believe in him anyway.

"I didn't give you that ring to abandon you here, Porthos," he says. "My first promise is to you."