"Since Mary, Queen of Scotland, was a child, the English have wanted her country and her crown." "She is sent to France to wed its next king, to save herself and her people, a bond that should protect her." "But there are forces that conspire... forces of darkness, forces of the heart." "Long may she reign." "Previously on Reign..." "If Mary weds my son, and it causes his death, as you predicted, this castle will see violence within its walls like none before." "What if you were legitimized?" "You're talking about changing the line of succession, and that's the sort of talk that gets bastards and mistresses beheaded." "Whatever has been between us, believe me now, that I love my son." "I would go into hell for him." "How far will you go?" "It seems that we will go into hell together then." "Why did you come back?" "You didn't know the gold was poisoned." "It was one man against ten." "They would have killed you!" " Why would you do something so stupid?" " Because I love you." "What?" "Because it's pretty obvious now that for us to stay sane, we need to be together." " It's morning." " I know." "Oh." "If the servants are gossiping about your unmade bed, it is too late to rectify the situation." "Do you think we're being too reckless?" "I'm yours." "You're mine." "I hope you're pregnant." "Francis!" "It would force the wedding sooner." "How could my father argue it?" "You don't think what we're doing is wrong?" "As we are not wed yet?" "After we rule for a great long while, and we leave France and Scotland to our children, and our grandchildren and our great grandchildren, and we meet our maker," "you can ask him yourself." "Forgive me, but there's word for you..." " from the Holy See." " The Pope?" "The cardinal from the Vatican is in the throne room." "Or you could ask him now." "As the word of God is back at court." "You can be honest." "I'd gladly trade pain for respect." "Aren't you in enough pain?" "Aren't I, seeing you like this?" "You've barely been by my side." "You need to rest." "'Cause you've been with her." " Kenna, please." " I hear the rumors." "I ask the servants." "Diane's been seen in your room." "She gives me counsel." "She's my friend." "Can we please forget about Diane?" "Can you?" "Henry." "Henry, please look at me." "Tell me the truth." "Tell me that you love me." "I can't let her go." "I'm sorry." "You wanted honesty." "I came back to the horrors of this attack." "A stranger with an old vendetta who came to destroy my line." "They came for your sons, but they attacked me because of my association to you." "Because you made me your mistress." "I nearly died because of you, and you choose this moment to tell me that you want her?" "I don't know if she's a habit, or a crutch, but I need her." "I've given you everything." "My virtue." "I'm..." "I'm destroyed." "Oh, that's simply not true." "Kenna, when we started this, you knew I had a wife and a mistress." "Perhaps it was overreaching on both our parts to assume that I was capable of... exclusivity." "So, this is it?" "You're through with me?" "That's not what I'm saying at all." "We can continue." "But if you ask me again to choose between you and Diane," "I'll choose Diane." "Does the cardinal's visit have anything to do with you?" " With your plans for me?" " No." "I would know in advance, and the communications have taken place in the utmost secrecy." "Legitimization takes time." "I don't want my brother's job." "Even if the job gets you the woman you want?" "Your Majesty." "Your Majesty." "She may care for Francis, but Mary will wed the next king of France." "That's no way to win a woman." "It worked for him." "Why not you?" "God bless us all." "There is news sent to us by Cardinal Tesson, the papal emissary." "In England, the Tudor queen is dying." "While she has not named her successor..." "Many suspect, and believe, the rightful heir to the English throne is you, Mary Stuart." "The second England's queen dies, you will make your claim." "Your marriage to my son will strengthen that claim, as it will show the world that you have the might of France at your side." "France fulfills its promise to Scotland and to you." "It's time you and Francis are wed." "No, you can't do that." "We must celebrate." "It's God's will." "Do you hear me?" "It's God's will." "Am I understanding this right?" "That a new condition of the alliance, of our marriage, is that I deliver England to you?" "My father wants it." "The Vatican's support makes him think he can get it." "Elizabeth has support, as well." "Armies she's been gathering for years." "You realize what laying claim to England could cost me?" "Yes, I do." "It could cost you your head." "When the English Queen dies, so does Henry the VIII's line." "You are his next relation by blood." "Elizabeth is Henry the VIII's daughter." "By Anne Boleyn." "Her parents' marriage was never recognized by the Catholic Church." "She's... illegitimate." "Her claim is weak, at best." "In God's eyes, she doesn't even exist." "How convenient God has this opinion, as Elizabeth happens to be Protestant." "The Pope doesn't want to lose a nation to Protestantism." "Can you blame him?" "A Scottish queen on the English throne?" "A daughter born of one of Henry's wives, dismissed?" "There will be uprisings." "Wars." "Catholics against Protestants, neighbor against neighbor." "England against Scotland." "And Elizabeth against Mary." "Have you thought about that?" "They say she's very cunning, and that she has many followers." "And she's always perceived Mary as a threat." "She will come after you, whether you've reached for the crown or not." "As for strife, civil wars," "England will never be weaker." "What better time to strike?" "If they push back, if there are wars, we will win." "You hate them." "England tore into my country for half a century." "They spilled French blood on French soil." "Yes..." "I hate them." "You can make them ours." "Together, you will some day rule half of Europe." "England, Scotland and France." "Don't let fear keep you from greatness." "This is your destiny." "I want my son married to England's next queen, because I want England." "Cost me England, and I will kill you." "Are we clear?" "I know." "It's over." "Did the Vatican tell you?" "They don't need to." "There's no way the Church can support a bastard's claim to the throne in France when it's crushing a bastard's claim in England." " I'm sorry." " I'm not." "It was wrong of me to dangle her in front of you," " to play with your feelings." " Don't." "You can't want her... even in secret, even in your heart." "Francis will see your desire for her." "You told me yourself, he already has." "He forbade me from her." "And what effect did that have?" "You and Francis... you talk as if Mary's a cool glass of water, and I'm a man dying of thirst." "And it's only our talk that makes you thirsty?" "Do you know why I warn you, why Francis has?" "Because there's a thirst inside her, as well, for you." "Keep your distance from her." "No one is worth dying for." "You there, are these Diane's chambers?" "Yes, my lady, but she's not in at the moment." "Well, tell her that the king's mistress would very much like a meeting." "My lady," " I'm glad to have found you alone." " Do I know you?" "I'm Father Ronissi, and you, as I just heard, are the king's mistress." "How do you do, Madame de Poitiers?" "You're younger than I imagined." "I'm the priest who has been answering your letters." "To the Vatican?" "About your son, Sebastian." "Sebastian?" "Of course you would want him recognized, but... you must realize, with the Pope's blessing of Mary and Francie's wedding, his desire to service the faithful of England... that your efforts must stop." "Mine... and the king's?" "The king is completely unaware, as you'd requested." "I hope you understand." "I'm beginning to." "I mean... of course." "Thank you." "Are you breathing easier now?" "I still don't want to go back to the castle." "They'll want answers." "My father didn't pose our marriage as a question, but I will." "Do you want this?" "I want you, but I'm afraid." "I don't want to start a war." "And what if my efforts fail?" "What if no one supports my claim in England?" "Every Catholic will." "I know you want time to sort this out, to assess what France and the Vatican can offer." "And maybe we have time before the" "English queen dies, before you have to stake your claim." "But we are a separate issue." "And this is our chance, right now, to be together, without anyone or anything standing in our way." "What are you saying?" "Marry me." "And we'll figure out what you should do with England later." "You mean trick your father, the King of France, into believing that I agree with him?" "Yes." "We should deceive him." "It's for a very good cause." "And you won't pressure me later about England?" "I'll pressure you, and listen to you, and argue with you, and love you until the day I die." "Together, we'll decide what is right, as husband and wife." "Marry me." "Say yes." "Yes." "Yes!" "I am sorry, Your..." "Your Majesty." "Lady Kenna said you would be expecting her?" "I need a moment alone." "It would be in both of our interests for you to hear me out." "Oh, God, you look terrible." "I feel for you, but if this is about Henry, you can't imagine how little he interests me at the moment." "It's also about your son." "I can save him immeasurable pain." "Go." "Is this about the wedding?" "The wedding?" "No, it's about Diane." "Oh." "Get out." "Why do you allow her to live here?" "Why do you agree to coexist?" "She means nothing to me, not anymore." "Why, when she took what's yours, what's now mine?" "What does she have over him?" "And why shouldn't we use information that I have over her?" "Go on." "I think Diane plans to have Bash legitimized." "Behind your back, behind Henry's." "It could cost France everything." "How do you know this?" "I was on my way to her room to confront her." "To say what?" "I don't know." "Beg her to give me a chance, I suppose." "Oh, dear lord, you really are a child." "I was mistaken for her." "That's when I learned of her efforts to have him recognized by the Church." "What else could that mean?" "Her plans have come to naught." "That's what the emissary told me." "He adores Bash, and obviously, he loves Diane." "But he won't like this news, not now." "Now with England in play." "She's rattling the line of succession, just when France needs to look very secure." "And undermining existing rulers?" "Well, some might call that treason." "She could be executed for this." "Would that take care of your Diane problem?" "No, that's not what I want." "And yet, you could live with it." "Ah." "Go." "I'll see what I can do with this information, and how it might benefit me." "Hmm." "Very good." "We're so happy for you." "Lola, what about you?" "I'm pleased." "I..." "I just..." "I want you to be safe." "I want you to be sure." "England's an enormous risk." "Are you taking that risk for us, your people, or for the man you love?" "My duty is to Scotland, and soon, to France." "I will make the decision that my conscience dictates." "Francis knows that." "But the king's orders..." "What the king doesn't know won't hurt him." "He'd defy his father for you?" "For us, for his people." "He's a good man." "I'm going to marry him tomorrow night." "Tomorrow?" "!" "Wh..." "But what... what will you wear?" "Well... well, what about your mother?" "She won't be here." "Well, I have all of you." "You're my real family." "Mary, come." "Let's try different things with your hair." "Up or down?" "What do you think?" "Depends on the veil." "My son doesn't believe that the future can be seen." "He thinks it's his and Mary's to control." "I've tried to drive her away." "I've tried to destroy her reputation, his love for her." "I've terrorized her." "Don't do this." "She is an innocent." "No, she's his equal in every way." "He loves her, she loves him." "What more could I want for my son except his survival?" "There is another way." "There is no other way, except to remove the very source of the problem." "Francis will know, no matter how you hide your treachery." "He will never forgive you." "He can hate me for the rest of his life." "God willing, it's a long life." "If Francis won't listen, tell her." "Tell Mary the truth." "Tell her everything." "What, so she can tell others?" "The court, the king?" "So we can burn for your dark magic, as heretics?" "And for what, Nostradamus?" "The chance of changing her own fate." "Of saving the man she loves." "And if I can't convince her?" "Then there is no saving her, is there?" "From the content... of the bottle in your bag." "But if you kill Mary, we will burn anyway." "In the fires of Hell for all eternity." "What do you want?" "You and I have been through a great deal together." "I've come to respect you." "Do you think I'm a stupid woman?" "Easily fooled?" "No." "And what about Nostradamus?" "I know that he's told you about your future." "Do you believe him?" "I believe his words have weight, that he has certain insights." "What does any of this matter?" "Nostradamus believes that some day you will be the cause of Francie's death." "That your marriage seals this fate." "He's seen the future." "If you wed my son, it is very dark." "This is madness." "Everything you've done to drive me away has been based on... on some glimpse of... of a future?" "A future that no one can know." "No one except him." "What Nostradamus sees comes to pass," "I can assure you over the years." "Brutal storms, newborns dying." "Love and war, treachery." "This is mere superstition." "Henry would call it worse." "If you tell the king what I've done, and why I've done it, he'd have grounds for my beheading." "He'd have Nostradamus killed without a second thought." "I give you a very powerful weapon against me, because I trust you won't use it." "Instead, you'll do what needs to be done." "And what is that?" "Walk away from this marriage, from Francis." "A man I love, an alliance that my country needs." "He will die if you marry him." "I know that I'm asking you to sacrifice," " but if you believe, at all..." " I don't." "I don't believe any of it." "Be very sure of that." "Think about anything Nostradamus has ever told you, anything he's ever predicted." "Has it come to pass?" "Have you told Francis about this?" "He won't believe me." "He deserves at the very least to know what you believe." "Oh." "Is that really why you would share the prophecy with him?" "Or is it so he could talk you out of your fears?" "Because he will." "Is it so he can choose his own fate?" "Because you know he'd risk his life for you." "He loves you, and you love him, but that love must make you strong, not weak." "Please don't let it kill him, I beg of you." "What did you see?" "Of Francis?" "What would make you believe?" "And you must believe a little, or you'd have run straight to Francis, or to the king." "You told me once that the lion would fight the dragon in a field of poppies." " There was truth in that." " Yes, I did." "But that's not your real question." "Ask it." "Can the future I see for you and Francis be changed?" "Yes, it can." " By any other means than letting him go?" " No." "All images of Francie's death are tied to your union." "You will be blamed for the death of the queen's firstborn." "You will blame yourself, most of all." "I see Francis, barely older than he is now, cold to your touch." "You are wed but childless." "Alone at this court." " Without a friend to comfort you." " Stop." "You're cruel." "Do you think I want to see these things?" "Do you think I want to tell a mother her son will die?" "So much sacrifice, so much slaughter." "One among you, a girl, dead in a day's time." "Do you think..." "What do you mean one among us?" "Kenna." "Don't listen." "This is meant to scare me, not you." "You said one among us." "A girl." "Yes." "A girl." "I see your ladies, circled around." "I don't know who." "But one among you will die before the next frost melts." "You said that some fates could be changed." "Not this one." "None of us will die." "It's nonsense." "Nostradamus said I'd fall in love with a man with a white mark on his face." "That never happened." "Have you fallen in love at all?" "You disappear for hours." "Where do you go?" "He said I'd never go home again." "It haunts me still." "That was his intention." "Nostradamus likes to scare people." "He's the queen's watchdog." "Well, we can't trust her." "Maybe this is her last attempt to keep you from Francis." "Or she was trying to keep me from Francis to save his life." "I don't know if there's any truth to this prophecy, but... the queen and Nostradamus seem to believe what he's saying." "What do you believe?" "You said you couldn't sleep for days after you saw Tomas' banner unfurl." "And it was a dragon, as Nostradamus predicted." "The lion and the dragon will fight on a field of poppies." "The lion being the English that Tomas' soldiers sailed off to confront." "Sailors." "On the sea." "So where was his field of poppies?" "You're right." "But Tomas fought his real battle, the one he fought himself, in the forest." "There were poppies everywhere at that time, all through the woods." "Where Tomas was slain." "By Francis." "And Bash." "You know how Tomas died." "And, yes, there were poppies there." "In full bloom." "That's an odd thing to remember." "The mind focuses on small things when faced with the larger horror of taking a life." "I'm sorry." "I shouldn't have brought it up." "To tell the truth, I..." "I'm probably just looking for connections that aren't there." "To what end?" "Did Nostradamus tell you something you hope is true?" "No." "I've known him many years." "He's right more than he's wrong." "And when he's wrong, I often wonder if we... misinterpreted what he said, and he's too cautious to argue otherwise." "Tomas' symbol was, in fact, the dragon." "Self-important but self-chosen." "And the lion was the English, of course." "As I said, Tomas chose his own symbol." "That's what we bastard-born do, as technically we belong to no one." "Allowing me... to choose the lion for myself." "Is this the sword you fought Tomas with?" "A fight to the death." "In a field of poppies." "Well done." "I love that." "That's beautiful with the berries." "Let's see." "Oh, that's very sweet." "That's lovely." "Dear Diane." "Henry will be back shortly with your glass of port, your apples and salted biscuits." "It's such a lovely routine the way he insists on taking care of you himself." "What is it you want?" "I didn't think I wanted anything from you." "I didn't think it was possible." "As you have become such a certainty." "And here's another:" "Henry strays from you to a young girl and then gets bored and returns to you." "I don't know how you do it." "Because I love him for who he is, not what he can give me." "No, I meant I don't know how you can put up with it." "I put up with you, the public humiliation, because at least, in private," "I don't have him grinding on top of me." "Perhaps I'm saving us both some discomfort." "Get dressed." "And go." "I know about the legitimization." "Don't bother trying to deny it." "I have ties with the Vatican who can confirm it, but... do you know how I learned?" "Kenna." "She was mistaken for you." "In your younger years." "She was very badly beaten and she looked terrible." "You won't look so good yourself if word of this leaks out." "You love your son, too." " You would do anything for him." " Yes." "I would." "But this I'm doing for myself." "Because I'm anxious of late." "You could say that my son's wedding has me unnerved." "Because you can't control his future wife." "A queen." "I've given her some counsel." "I am eager to see if she takes it." "Look at us." "We're talking like old friends." "We've known each other for a long time." "This acquaintance is about to be terminated." "Disappear." "Make up any excuse, but do not come back." "If you do, I'll tell Henry what you've done." "He'd understand." "He adores Bash." "He might have understood if your timing had been better." "Henry's fondness for anyone is eclipsed by his love of power." "He wants England, and he's getting it when Francis marries Mary." "Well... you could say, suddenly," "Francis may be his favorite son." "And you may be executed for treason." "Bash never wanted this." "If Sebastian died because of your words," "Henry would never forgive you." "He would find a way to kill you." "Which is why I'm letting you leave his bed, our castle, with your life." "But, there is something" "I want to share with you first." "Something you can share with Kenna." "You want me to poison her." "Why?" "There are two things I can't abide, betrayal and stupidity, and Kenna's guilty of both." "One can be tempered, the other can never be remedied." "Oh, she wants what she wants, and she will go and get it at any cost." "Her desire for the king may yet cost you your life." "And there's one other person who stands in her way." "Who is that?" "Oh." "Wait, I know." "His wife." "Me." "And when she crosses me... and she will... she will be dead anyway." "All I'm asking is that you take this one thing off of my plate." "Why must I always be the one with blood on my hands?" "Mmm." "Oh, it's sage." "It's very nice." "These are my terms." "Good morning." "Morning." "Hello." "Aylee, would you pass me that, please?" "Mmm." "It smells nice." "What is it?" "It's a brew of lemon and honey." "And a herb." "It smells floral, to me." "It's supposed to soothe and heal." "You can have it if you'd like." "It's quite good." "Uh, would you hold this?" "My family sent me these." "As gifts to be worn on the day Mary would be wed." "Oh..." "You're so modest." "Sometimes I forget your family owns half of Scotland." "Only the lower half." "They're yours to keep." "Aylee, thank you." "Do you think the wedding will still happen though?" "I know Mary talked to Bash." "Nostradamus' prediction about Tomas' death was true." "I think that's open to interpretation." "My head is pounding with the stress." "Of whether there'll be a wedding or what you should wear?" "The only magic I believe in is love." "She should marry him." "To the power of love." "I want you to know... whatever happens, that I love you." "What's going to happen?" "We're getting married tonight." "I know you're scared." " Talk to me." "If it's about England..." " It's not politics." "It's us." "We already have so much." "To ask for more..." "Do you think we're testing fate?" "Testing fate how?" "By believing we can have everything we ever wanted." "Perhaps that privilege is reserved for gods, not queens and kings." "Perhaps there is a terrible price to pay." "We've devoted our lives to our nations." "We're still taking an enormous risk for our countries, whether we lay a claim to England or... defy my father and the Vatican, for what we think is right for our people." "I like that word, "we."" "And "our."" "You've been alone in your struggles your entire life." "That's over now." "I would die for you." "Guards!" "Your Majesty, come this way." "They found her like this." "They came to us, looking for you." "Aylee." "He said I'd never go home again." "Aylee, no..." "Too much blood... shed for you." "You... we... we must  go home now." "Yes." "To the power of love." "And friendship." "But one among you will die." "You are sent from Hell." "You are the Devil!" "No." "Oh, no." "Please." "The queen knows of my plan to legitimize you." "Catherine has sworn to keep our secret, in trade, but she can't be trusted." "In trade for what?" "Nothing I can't live with." "She can't control me or you if she can't catch us." "I will find Henry again, outside the castle walls." "Even if she tells him what I've done," "I will make him understand." "When he travels, I will come to him." "I will win him over." "I always do." "Mary will be wed to Francis, England will be in his grip and none of this will matter." "We will be back in his good graces, protected." "Forgive me if I don't choose to run away with my mother and stay in the shadows while you seduce my father into giving a damn about us." "Then go on your own." "Just swear you will leave today." "You are my son." "Go." "Save yourself." "She was poisoned." "Am I supposed to suspect the queen?" "When I know the effects of this poison." "The blackening, the smell of violets." "This is new poison." "Mine, not Catherine's." "Have you been watching me?" "Do you know where I keep the key?" "One never knows when you're close, do they?" "Why did you kill her?" "Mary had to believe your prophecy." "Or she would have wed Francis." "And the queen would have killed her." "You see Mary as a victim." "You think you have a bond because you see yourself as fate's victim, too." "But she is a beautiful queen, and you..." " No!" "No!" "No!" "... you are a monster." "No!" "No!" "She is a victim!" "This girl is your victim!" "Look." "Look at what you've done to a child of God!" "You, who are nothing!" "You brought this on yourself." "No!" "No!" "No!" "No." "No." "No." "No..." "What about your duty to Scotland?" "What about the alliance?" "I'll find a new one." "This one has cost us too much already." " You have to tell Francis why." " I can't." "The queen is right." "He'll just... talk me out of it." "But maybe there's some explanation..." "For Nostradamus' gift?" "I believe in it." "For Aylee's death?" "Maybe." "Whatever it is, she's still dead." "I can't risk it." "I can't risk losing anyone else I love." "Come with me." "We can't." "She stands a better chance of getting away on her own." "And you're right." "If Francis knows, he will stop you." "I'll send for you when I can." "We'll go home." "To Scotland." "As Queen of Scotland, I have made a decision." "I lay no claim to the English throne." "There are too many lives at stake, and I have a duty to those who would die for me, who believe that I would die for them, regardless of my personal happiness." "I know your terms." "I know this will cost me the man I love." " Mary, no..." " You're risking everything." "Everything you've spent your life waiting for." "I know." "You're walking away from England, from more power than you could ever imagine." "I'm walking away from France." "Mary..." "You're frightened." "Now is the time for courage!" "I don't understand." " Please don't." "I've made up my mind." " Without telling me?" "I told you I was afraid." "I told you I wasn't sure if this was the right choice for my country." "What does that have to do with marrying me?" "I told you, I have no terms." "I only want you." "I can't trust that." "I don't believe you." "Your loyalty is to France." "You have always told me so." "Have you not heard a word that I've said?" "I love you." "Love is irrelevant to people like us, a privilege we do not share." "You told me that." "I remember it all." "Every word, every moment, for the rest of my life..." "I love you." "But I won't let other people die for me." "That is your fate." "As a ruler." "Not if I can help it." "You're not thinking clearly." "You're upset, about Aylee." "You can't make decisions now, but I can, and I'm never going to let you go." "All I ever wanted was you." "Then we will work this out." "Wait for me while I talk to my father before he goes screaming to the Vatican and this... this gets out of hand." "Wait for me." "I'll wait for you." "Your Grace." "May I be of service?" "I was going riding." "I'm fine." " I'll alert the guards." " Please, uh, don't." "But it's not safe for you alone." "If the king knew I let you go unattended..." "You would be punished." "We're fine here." "I'll be glad to accompany the queen." "I have horses ready for us." "Horses ready?" "But... you just offered..." "Of course." "Where are you going?" "What's wrong?" "I'm leaving." "I'm going away, and if you love your brother, you will not stand in my way." "Away where?" "Far." "That's my destination as well." "Mary!" "Stop!" "Mary, please!" "Wait!" "Mary!" "Mary!"