"Previously on Reign..." "I wanted a different life, things you could never give me." "Then there is no reason for me to be here." "I have a feeling I've just begun to learn the extent of your skills." "General Renaude." "General... is it?" "Catherine, I care about you." "2,000 French soldiers to Scotland means fewer soldiers facing England, less on our borders with Navarre, the Italian and German territories." "And those are just our foreign threats." "How can I betray my husband's wishes, endanger his country?" "I have ordered 2,000 French troops to sail to Scotland." "France can withstand a temporary absence of troops." " I can't leave now, Louis." " What do you see now?" "An affair under your husband's roof and nothing more?" "That's all I can offer you." "Louis, you're back." "I was starting to worry you'd given up on us." "I went home to my region." "I needed time and distance from you to think." "I know I promised you so much more when we were going to Scotland, but I can't leave." "Not when Francis has sent so many troops to defend my country, my throne." "Oh, you had to protect your crown, Mary." "You did the right thing." "And what about you?" "Did I do right by you?" "You offered me an affair in the home of your husband." "I'm offering you me... my love." "These last few weeks without you..." "I felt as though I was dying." "Louis... did you come here to say good-bye?" "Or did you hope that I would?" "Because that's not what I want." "I love you." "And I want us to be together." "Riding again?" "So soon after your injury?" "I've healed quickly." "It brings me peace, being out in the woods." "You mean, being alone." "I know that this has been hard on you, too, our separation, but to see you flee an entire castle just to avoid being around me..." " You needn't worry." " But I do." "I don't want to see you suffer on my account." "I'm fine, really." "Recovering in all ways." "Well, then, why are you spending all of your days in the woods?" "There's a friend that I've been passing time with... fishing, hunting." "But you don't have any friends." "You have people you're bound to... your brother, me..." "Who is this friend?" "It's no one you know." "Well, does this friend have a name?" " Breasts?" "A vagina?" " Stop!" "Yes." "Yes, to both." "None of your business, as your doings are none of mine." "My lord, we need you immediately." "Protestant rebels have seized the Benedictine monastery outside Angers." "There are at least a dozen of them, heavily armed." "They've rounded up the children, killed all the guards and the monks." "Oh, my God." "Save two who managed to escape." "I just heard." "How many are dead?" "At least 40. 19 hostages." "If the boys are still alive." "Children." "What are these radicals doing?" "Ransoming them, or do they plan to slaughter them, as well?" "It's further retaliation for sending our troops into Scotland." "For supporting me, a Catholic queen." "I knew that there would be consequences." "France had to honor its alliance." "Francis, the parents, some of the local nobles are beginning to gather to meet with us." "Has General Savoy and his men returned?" "He's still in Scotland doing another advance sweep, in the Borderlands." "We need those troops." "We'll put together a team from the castle, as many soldiers as we can spare." "These men aren't trained for that type of mission." "Extracting children from an armed assault." "The boys could die in the melee." "Prepare them anyway, as a last resort." "What are you doing to save our sons?" "We are sending envoys to negotiate their release, and if that fails, we will secure the safest possible route to rescue them." "This scum would never have dared to take our sons hostage, or kill men of God, if our army were here." "Count, watch your tongue." "I know that you fear for the life of your son, but you are addressing your sovereign king." "These rebels will be captured and hanged, and I will do everything in this nation's power to return your sons to you safely." "We know there is nothing more precious to you than your children, and we will defend them as if they were our own." "Come, let us leave the king to attend to your sons." "What's wrong?" "Those poor boys must be terrified, trapped by violent men, not knowing if they're going to die." "You can't even imagine, Francis." "We will save them." "And you are safe... here with me." "Welcome back, my lord!" " Follow me." " I..." "To your chambers, my lord?" "I was coming to tell you that" "Condé had returned to court." "He was gone for weeks." "I'm sorry if you thought it was over." "Well... you were planning to abandon our marriage, flee France and run off with my cousin, so  I no longer care what you do." "Francis... he's under so much pressure." "Those poor boys at the monastery, shortage of troops, and now Condé has returned." "How that Bourbon continues to keep his head, I don't know." "It sickens me, the way that he has taken advantage of Mary at such a vulnerable time." "Vulnerable?" "How?" "It doesn't matter." "Every time I see him" "I want to tear him to pieces," "I want to crush him in my fist." "You... are so frustrated." "Oh..." "Well, not the least of which because I have to endure a freezing carriage every time I crave your touch." "Well... it won't be long before I am slipping into your warm, royal bed." "I have a few ideas about my return to court already." "Do you never stop calculating?" " No." " Hmm?" " Never." " Mm." "General Renaude can help us with one plan." "And the other... could dispatch the Prince of Condé permanently." "How?" "Are you just teasing me?" "It does come with a caveat." "A few men would have to die." "Men die every day in France." "I'm listening." "I'll tell you after." "I don't want you satisfied that quickly." "I can't believe Bash has already moved on." "He could fall in love with a mushroom if he had to." "In love?" "She sounds more like a hunting chum." "She's not." "You were ready to leave Bash for Antoine." " Do you want him back?" " No." "We'd still have the same problems between us." "You know, he wouldn't spend a moment at home with me, yet he would happily die for a stranger, if it were for a noble cause." "At least you no longer have to feel guilty for leaving him." "There is that." "And besides, I really shouldn't complain." "Look at us... we have all the luxuries imaginable, and yet poor Greer is living God knows where." "Oh, I know." "The money we're taking her should help a little bit." "Whatever her new place looks like, don't say a word." "It's bound to be ghastly." "Right this way." "Greer, how can you afford this?" "And who are your new housemates?" "They're not my housemates, though, uh, they do... live here with me." "They are my workers." "Working girls." "I am a madam." " A what?" " Uh..." "I suppose you could say I fell into it." "And as it turns out," "I'm quite good at it." "I think you're being modest." "It's not the ideal vocation, I'll admit." "But it pays well, and I'm in charge of my life for the very first time." "I hope you won't judge me too harshly for it." "Greer, we love you." "We want you to be happy and taken care of." "I am happy, most days." "Though, just this morning," "I tried to buy damask for some drapes and the proprietor nearly threw me out." "It turns out her husband is a frequent visitor." "Oh, no." " That's horrible." " On the other hand, my new profession does require that I have champagne at the ready at all times." "You know what I just realized?" "We're all basically fallen women... an unwed mother, a divorcée... eventually, and now a madam." "So I say to hell with what people think." "Do it." "You should be able to place them without being seen." "Complete with Condé's seal." "No one watches the dead." "The scouts have reported back." "The hostages are scattered throughout the monastery, making it impossible for us to rescue all the boys at once." "And there are still no demands?" "The radicals refuse to make contact." "That's not the worst of it." "These men have gunpowder... at least 30 barrels of it, from what our scouts could see." "No, they can't..." "They're going to kill themselves and the boys." "If they have no demands, what are they waiting for?" "They're waiting for word to spread." "The longer we fear for those boys, the stronger and more powerful that fear becomes." "Once they feel the terror's taken hold, they'll ignite the gunpowder." "Making a name for themselves, and their cause, that we will never forget." "All this because I sent troops to Scotland for you." "I honored our alliance and our marriage after what you planned to do... abandon me and France to run away with your lover." "I was leaving to reclaim my country and my throne." "You would've done the same." "We can't predict when their madness will decide to end this." "Those boys could die at any minute." "Well, we can't wait any longer." "Take your men, and free them now." "I will carry out your word." "And if need be, I will gladly lay down my life for those children." "But you should know... the men we have are not right for this mission." "May God be with us." "Archers ready?" "It'll be any moment now." "All clear." "Let's go." "Something's wrong." "Stop!" "Fall back now!" "Fall back!" "I cannot begin to fathom the hatred of someone willing to hurt children." "And their hatred only incites more." "Not just against the radicals, but against all Protestants." "And Louis; the timing for his return couldn't be worse." "What about the timing for you and Francis?" "Francis and I?" "Condé left so abruptly." "And you said yourself you weren't sure where you stood with him, now that you're not going to Scotland." "You're here." "In France." "With Francis." "Francis tolerates me in my duty as queen." "But there is nothing left of our marriage to salvage." "Do you honestly believe there's still hope for you and Condé?" "We knew that being together wasn't going to be easy." "But Louis has risked so much for me." "Mary, I understand what he has done for you." "He has helped you through a terrible, painful time." "Is it possible you might be confusing gratitude with love?" "I'm not going to abandon him." "The scouts reported there were only two rebels in the eastern grounds." "But after the raid, they admitted they hadn't been sure." "Those boys' lives are still at risk because your men weren't sure?" "These men trained for conflicts so large that a few men would never turn the tides of battle." "These are good soldiers, but they were the wrong soldiers, and now three of them are dead because of it." " We knew this was a risk." " The rebels have now been alerted." "They'll be quick to light that gunpowder if we try again." "Yes." "No one in that monastery will survive our next mistake." "Francis, General Renaude has men at the ready." "They are trained for this type of warfare." "And loyal to Narcisse." "I wish that I could trust Narcisse." "But everything that he touches just spills more blood." "I only know Renaude by reputation." "He's mercenary and ambitious, but he's good, very good." "Take the offer." "Bash is right." "No matter what Narcisse's motives, if Renaude can get those boys out safe... he's our only option." "Do it." "And bring them back." "Ready my horse." "And send word to General Renaude." "Be careful." "I don't trust Narcisse, and least of all, when he's doing the right thing." "I will." "I saw something at the monastery you need to know about." "Bodies of some of the radicals that died in the initial assault were laying on the ground just outside the gate." "Some of them bore Condé's crest." "Word that Condé's a traitor would spread like wildfire, but... why align himself with these fanatics?" "He's accepted at court, he has Mary's protection, he has everything that he wants." "I don't know." "But while Condé was away, he met with Protestant leaders who were furious with you for sending troops to Scotland." "And our spies tell us that even once moderate Protestants speak of rebellion behind closed doors." " You think Condé is with them?" " And it's possible that, in rebellion, Condé sees a path to power." "If Condé had anything to do with this, nothing will keep him safe." "What do we know, Joubert?" "General Renaude, we disabled the water pumps, forcing the radicals to use the stream." "We captured two of them, and through interrogation, we confirmed their numbers... 24 armed men." "What of the boys?" "The gunpowder and most of the boys are being held at the chapel." "Other hostages are being held in the dormitories." "Good work, Lieutenant." "Bash and I will take the chapel." "Joubert, the dormitories." "Move out." "Yes, sir!" "Move out!" "They're here!" "Stop him!" "The gunpowder!" "Take up defensive positions." "Others may be on their way." "I'm going to check on the dormitories." "Go." "We'll take it from here." "It's all right." "You're safe." " Any news of the raid?" " No, Your Grace." "Lord Condé for you." "Thank you for meeting with me, Lord Condé." "Please inform me when you receive news from Angers." "Why did you come to me so openly?" "Is something wrong?" "One of my footmen just informed me that some of my men were found dead amongst the radicals who overtook the monastery." "Louis, I'm sorry to ask this but..." "I had no part in this attack, Mary." "I'm not a traitor." "Those bodies were planted there to blame me." "Francis can't accuse me of treason without also condemning you." "He'll find another way to be rid of me." "Despite his personal feelings," "Francis would never fabricate evidence against you." "You know I don't share your trust in him." "But even if you are right, it doesn't change anything." "My enemies in court multiply by the day." "Francis and Catherine hate me for being with you." "The rest hate me for being Protestant." "They want my head, Mary!" "Francis will protect you." "He will see through these false accusations." "If I were Francis, I'd want me dead." "But even if he's too good a man to see it through, then there's Catherine and her new lapdog Narcisse." "They'll find a way." "If not this time, the next." "I have to leave court." "Maybe even France." "Come with me to Scotland." "It's our last chance, the only way we can be together, Mary." "I love you." "But you know I can't go." "Then that's it, then." "I'm so sorry!" "I thought that our love would..." "Would be enough?" "No, you didn't." "You warned me and warned me... that you are queen." "Louis, whatever you do, you can't run." "Stay until we have reclaimed the monastery." "And I will talk to Francis." "You gave me back my life." "Now, let me save yours." "All right." "We cleared out the rest of the monastery." "16 men, including the chapel." "Eight in the dormitories." "So all the radicals are accounted for." "They killed two of the boys in the commoners' dormitory before we could stop them." "Where's your Lieutenant Joubert?" "Dead." "Knife to the chest." "You heard the rumors about Condé." "He had no part of the attack." "The nobles are already calling for his head." "Now that the children are safe, I'll summon him for questioning." "Those men were planted there to implicate him." "I know you are angry with me, and you have every right to be." "But don't let that cloud your judgment." "Condé is innocent!" "You cannot know that." "Two boys were killed in the monastery." "Now, I swore that I would protect you being with Condé, but I will not turn a blind eye to evidence of his involvement." "I understand why you no longer trust me, but trust what you know of him." "What I know of him?" "He took advantage of you when you were at your most vulnerable." "He knew the horrors that you had endured and saw an opportunity." "He stole my wife." "The affair isn't Condé's fault." "It's mine." "I turned to him so many times." "I turned to him because I couldn't turn to you." "Because the thought of coming back to this room again, where those men assaulted me, I..." "Because the love in your eyes made it feel like I was drowning in those memories, and I couldn't..." "I couldn't do that, I had to survive." "I cannot abandon him because I led him down this path." "Condé is still the man you thought he was." "He deserves your trust, even if I do not." "I'll speak to the nobles." "Contempt alone is not enough to condemn a man." "Even the contempt of a king." "Thank you, Francis." "Thank you." "Lord Condé." "I don't believe we're acquainted." "We have mutual friends." "I'm Lord Akers." " Elizabeth's envoy." " You've received my messages." "I nearly believed that you cared more for your status at the French court than a marriage to Elizabeth." "No, I...." "I'm still interested, but as a prince of the blood, marrying without the consent of my king is treason." "With the discovery of your men among the monastery radicals, your life is already at risk." "My men were left there to stir Catholic prejudice against me." "Prejudice may fan the flames, but I believe your relationship with Queen Mary is the spark." "Or are you innocent of that, as well?" "If you think there's truth to it, then why entertain my marriage offer?" "Because it doesn't matter." "Elizabeth will not hold this dalliance against you." "Regardless, my queen's interest is firm, so the decision is yours..." "face your fate in France, or seek Elizabeth's hand in marriage." "In France, the only fate left for me is a noose." "I can leave for England immediately so that Elizabeth may make her decision." "Elizabeth's decision is already made." "She faces fierce and immediate threats from those who want a man on the throne." "To stem these threats," "Elizabeth intends to marry as soon as possible." "She desires a foothold in France." "Queen Elizabeth accepts your offer of marriage, Prince Condé." "You will be king consort of England." "You must be the new girls." "You're just in time..." "it's a full house tonight." "You better change your clothes." "No john will open his purse if he can't see the goods." "No, um, we're not..." " What term is your preference?" " Term?" "For your profession." "Harlot." "Whore." "Courtesan has a nice ring to it, fancy-like." "Well, then we are not courtesans." "We're actually here to see your mistress, Greer." "I'll fetch her." "I'm sure Greer will love this damask we've bought her." "Perhaps we should leave it here, and go." "He's here." "Who?" "That general I met, Renaude." "You go ahead, and I'll give Greer the fabric." "And leave you eyeing a man in a whorehouse?" "Does that sound like a good idea?" "I'm not gonna do anything." "Go ahead, I..." "I'll just be with you in a moment." "Lady Lola." "I thought I recognized you, but I assumed I was mistaken." "What reason could a court lady have for visiting a known whorehouse?" "The mind vibrates with the possibilities." "I don't have to explain my comings and goings to you, but if you must know," "I was delivering some cloth to a friend." "Your fallen friend, Lady Greer." "I hear that she is the proprietor of this establishment... industrious girl." "Women often have to be, in order to survive." "They also need to be careful." "Even making friendly deliveries." "Tongues less discreet than my own will wag." "Even for the mother of the king's only child." "You mean especially for a woman known as the king's mistress." "Word of your loyalty to Mary has spread." "You have risen above any negative speculation there was about you." "Your son is esteemed." "Do not let anything diminish this position that you have earned." "Why do you care?" "I don't know." "But I do." "I would escort you back if I were still welcome at court, but, sadly, I'm not." "Good night, Lola." "Thank you for the beautiful fabric." "Of course." " Did that man just put on..." " A collar, yes." "He likes to be led around." "Death and perversion are the two great equalizers." "Men from all walks of life have their own desires and predilections." "And as long as they don't cause harm, I cater to all of them." "And, uh, what about him?" "What's his pleasure?" "General Renaude?" "It's the first time he's come in." "He and his men overtook the rebels at the monastery." "Now he's treating them to the best champagne and women money can buy." "Generous." "It's the least he could do." "My girls overheard his men grumbling." "His right-hand man was killed, some say unnecessarily." " They blame him." " Why?" "There were two groups of boys that needed saving." "He chose the riskier path to save the son of a very rich noble." "His man died as a result." "If I were you, I'd keep my distance from him." "You seem troubled." "Not at all." "I'm only surprised at how fast things are progressing." "There'll be time for a celebration later." "As I said, Queen Elizabeth desires an expeditious union." "Look alive." "It's not every day a man gets to marry a queen." "_" "Take this to Lord Condé's apartments in the village." "Do not make any stops on your way." "And deliver it directly to his hands." "We are gathered here to marry Prince Louis of Condé to Her Royal Majesty, Queen Elizabeth of England as represented by her appointed proxy." "Despite the great distance between the groom and the bride, these rites and vows will be as binding as if you were standing side-by-side." "I do." "Long live His Majesty, King Louis of England." "God save the King." "Must be hard to sleep on one's first night as a king." "Lying next to a sharp broadsword doesn't help either." "It's tradition." "We must sleep in the same bed to consummate the marriage, but the sword is there to guard the proxy from becoming an actual wife." "Does the proxy have a name?" "Annabelle Breton." "You're Lord Breton's daughter?" "Your father's a loyal French lord." "How does his daughter come to be the proxy of an English queen?" "My family is Protestant." "I was raised in English court, but my heart has always been with France." "It must have been hard, having to forsake your home, your heart." "It was." "Will you be a good king?" "Will you bring England and France," "Catholic and Protestant, closer together?" "So that my family, and families like mine, can feel safe again in the land that they were born to and love?" "I will do all I can... to be the king your family," "England and France deserve." "Are you eager to meet her?" "Your wife." "Elizabeth." "Would you like me to tell you about her?" "No." "Not now." "Tonight, my head and my heart are on the life, the people" "I leave behind." "Will you miss France very much?" "I will miss her with all my heart." "Dawn's first light offers us an advantage... the road to the port should be largely unoccupied." "I won't feel safe until we're aboard that ship" " and bound for England." " Understandably." "Queen Elizabeth's new king consort would be a prize captive for any Frenchman." "Whoa." "Whoa." "A fire." "It's coming from the village." "The girl, Annabelle..." "she was still sleeping." "Your Majesty, let me go." "If it's the house, this may be an attempt on your life." "Wait for me here." "General, your bravery will not soon be forgotten." "We owe you a great debt of gratitude." " Cheers!" " Hear, hear!" "Lady Kenna." "I trust you enjoyed your evening in the village?" "I'm sorry?" "A queen's lady... in a brothel." "So you saw me." "I did." "I heard you were enjoying your victory." "That's quite the feat, rescuing all those boys." "Not all of them, I'm afraid." "One of my own men was lost, as well." "In the efforts to save a very rich boy." "I hope it was worth it." "There was a choice to be made, between saving the nobles' sons and the common boys." "Either way, someone would have died." " And you chose..." " The money." "And the gratitude of a very powerful man." "I lost my son two years ago." "He was taken captive by enemy forces, and now..." "I wonder, every day: is he alive or dead?" "I'm sorry." "Don't be." "These things, they provide a level of protection and I won't apologize for assuring my spot above the fray." "You're disappointed." "A lady likes to think the protectors of the realm are all willing" " to sacrifice themselves for..." " A lofty cause which has nothing to do with them or the people they care about." "No." "I understand the need for protection." "More so than most." "Your husband showed great valor in the raid." "I invited him to join us at the... celebration of my exploits." "But he mentioned a woman, someone waiting for him." "On the road back," "I watched him peel away into the woods." "I was pleased the woman wasn't you." "Why?" "I may look out for myself, Lady Kenna... but I don't take things that don't belong to me." "And it sounds like you don't belong to anyone." "Annabelle is dead." "The priest that performed your wedding has been murdered." "And every last document signifying your union has been destroyed." "It seems that someone is out to erase all evidence of your wedding, Prince Condé." "They've undone the wedding." "We can marry again." "Find another proxy." "I'm afraid that's not a decision I can make without first consulting my queen." "Who would do this?" "Why?" "An alliance between England and Protestant France threatens many." "I would look first to the French Crown and then to any of Elizabeth's foes abroad." "This was a careful choice... killing the marriage while saving me." "Well, only one of you needed to die to sever the contract." "Annabelle is a woman, while you are brother to the King of Navarre." "A Protestant king with ties to England." "Maybe it wasn't a foe at all, but Elizabeth herself." "Perhaps she simply changed her mind about marrying me, and didn't want to kill me and risk her alliance with Navarre." "If I'm wrong, take me to England." "I will wed Elizabeth, standing by her side." "I can't do that." "Even if the Valois didn't set the fire, they will find out what I did soon." "Marrying Elizabeth is treason." "You said yourself it was a great risk." "I turned my back on Mary!" "Betrayed my allies in France!" "All for Elizabeth!" "Certainly she owes me something!" "I don't think Her Majesty would see it that way." "Word of Condé's involvement with the radicals has spread nicely." "But it appears that I underestimated the sway that Mary still holds over your son." " I hear Francis is unconvinced of his guilt." " That doesn't matter anymore." "You won't believe what Condé's done." "Married the Queen of England." "By proxy." "A girl known to be a member of Elizabeth's inner circle." "A broadsword was found in the bed that they shared." "My God." " How do you know this?" " There was a fire." "She died." "Someone was trying to erase all legal proof, but there were witnesses." "Condé was identified as one of the newlyweds at a borrowed noble's house." "Were they successful?" "Or is Condé now the King of England?" "I don't know." "He fled." "If Condé and Elizabeth are married, then she has essentially laid claim to France." "She'll rally the Protestants here, a French king at her side." "I am well aware." "Did you do this, Catherine?" "Learn of the wedding and then have it undone?" "No!" "Did you, in some way?" "Oh, when tying Condé to the assault on the monastery wasn't enough?" "Maybe you're asking me to throw suspicion off yourself." "No." "But this has a breadth and a scope that our plan did not." "This will ruin Condé in France forever." "Is this how it's going to be from now on?" "Both of us constantly wondering what the other is up to?" "Yes." "You have met your match." "This is terrible news  but there is something marvelous in that, wouldn't you say?" "Yeah." "What do you have to report?" " Lord Narcisse was seen in the village last night." " Hmm." "Outside a brothel." "Well, did he go inside?" "He never entered the establishment." " Hmm." " He was merely detained by a conversation with Lady Lola." "Lady Lola?" "His servants said they spent some time together in the past." "And their exchange this night?" "Mere words." "A matter of minutes and they moved on." "Did they meet again?" "No." "And the tenor of their exchange?" "Edmond?" "Tell me this:" "if Lady Lola were your wife and you spied her in an identical encounter with Lord Narcisse, how would you feel?" "If it were my wife  I'd want him dead." "Thank you for your candor." "Married?" "To Elizabeth?" " It's not true." " It is." "Or was, for however long their marriage may have lasted." "No one knows if the arson and murders undid their union, or if Condé fled France king consort of England." "Louis was approached by Elizabeth's envoy some weeks ago." "He told me so himself." "You knew about this?" "That Condé was courting England?" "Our greatest enemy... your greatest enemy?" "He swore to me that he would reject her proposal." "And you believed him." "If he did this, it's only because he felt he had no other choice." "I abandoned him." "I sent troops to Scotland for you... to honor your needs, your nation's needs." "And still, you choose to lie to me." "There were things I could not share with you." "Or that Condé couldn't share with me." "But he has done this, Francis, because I ended things." "It's over between us." "I honored my loyalty to France." "I chose to stand by my husband." "As your queen, if not your wife." "An important distinction." "I came back to do the right thing." "Just as I am trying to do now, by telling you the truth about Condé." "Am I supposed to thank you for this?" "Yes, you did do the right thing, Mary, politically." "Staying in France, staying with me, secures the alliance and your throne in Scotland." "That's not the only reason..." "Which makes you no different from Condé." "He chose Elizabeth for the same reason:" "to secure a political future." "And now we will suffer the consequences." "If Elizabeth has a stronghold in France and Condé's claim to the throne... this may mean the end of our reign."