Reign (2013–2017): Season 3, Episode 8 - Our Undoing - full transcript

Previously on "Reign"...

"One rat down, two to go."

Please stop the threats.

The dead rat you left in my bath.

But not at my command.

I know you're hungry, too.

You want more?

So take it.

All those in favor of holding a vote

to confirm the queen mother as regent.

In this urn is proof our late
King Francis was murdered.



The king's liver.

Blackness demonstrates he was poisoned.

You think that I killed
my son to take power?

France needs a leader.

I will offer myself.

And all those in favor.

I hope I will rule my country well.

If you don't marry
Charles, what will you do?

Intelligence from Spain.

Prince Don Carlos is their next king,

and he has begun looking for a wife.

Some people call it a sex horse.

The device is for me.

Mary! I trusted you!



What do we do now?

I can still see the
shard of wood sticking out

the back of his skull
and the blood everywhere.

We should have stayed
with Don Carlos, not fled.

- Keep moving.
- It's not too late to go back.

We could tell everyone what happened.

- What if he dies?
- Oh, you just pray

that's exactly what happens to him.

His father is the most powerful,
most pious monarch in the world.

The prince could easily
convince King Philip

that that masochism machine was something

that you and Francis used to use.

That you introduced it to the prince,

and then you invited
me in as a participant.

Nothing would save us
from the wrath of Spain.

Until we know Don Carlos' fate,

we need to come up with a story to cover

our whereabouts this evening just in case.

Okay, okay, we were here.

We were playing a game
of chess, which I won.

Can your servants refute that?

Did anyone know that you were visiting

- Don Carlos' chambers this evening?
- Uh, no.

He likes to keep his sexual tastes

and everything surrounding them

a well-guarded secret.

You've dragged your hem through his blood.

That has to go, too.

Now think.

Did you leave any of your
other belongings behind?

Oh, no.

The blindfold I used on
Don Carlos was my sash.

But I didn't add it to my gown

until after my attendants had gone.

No one can link it back to me.

What are you doing?

I'm trying to manage
any additional jeopardy

that I might face.

I'm accused of poisoning my son.

A stockpile of toxins

and my expertise in their use
is not gonna help my cause.

Your son died a hero, not a victim.

How can I help you fight these accusations?

Throw those into the fire.

Don't inhale the smoke.

I can't have another
dead monarch on my hands.

Open up!

In the name of the regent!

Yes?

May I enter?

Do I have a choice?

You're regent.

Which is why I'm here.

In service of my new position.

One you stole from my grasp

when you refused to defend me
against allegations of regicide.

Cardinal Morel leveled the allegations.

I have the unhappy task
of heading up an inquest

to determine whether there is enough

proof for you to stand trial.

Well, then look no further
than my son, King Charles.

He will testify I would
never do harm to Francis.

The privy council has sent
Charles away to a safe location.

Without Charles, she's
as good as convicted.

It is neither my job nor
the king's to try her.

That task belongs to the...

The Parlement de Paris,
the high court of France.

I have no motive to murder my son.

And I have not said that you did.

Unfortunately, others think differently.

When Francis fell ill, he
had you locked in a dungeon.

You were out of favor, out of power.

Your only hope of regaining that power

was if the king were dead.

How could I poison my son from behind bars?

I hadn't the means.

What did you say?

Oh, good God, no.

Stephan.

I know that things have been
bad between us as of late,

but we were once friends.

Lovers.

Your incarceration would
suggest a lack of means...

were it not for the rat
and the threatening note

you ordered placed in my wife's
bath while you were imprisoned.

I didn't. You know that.

- You're trying to put her away forever.
- I'm trying to protect France.

You're trying to protect
your role as regent of France.

Please, I beg of you, do not do this.

I'm sorry, but I cannot ignore
what happened to Lady Lola.

She must be called before the inquest.

If she testifies

that I orchestrated that from behind bars,

it would show that I was
capable of poisoning Francis

by the same means, when the truth is,

you planted that rat,

and then you blamed me

so you could scare that
silly girl into your arms.

Guards.

That is where she keeps her poisons.

Uh, for the integrity
of this investigation,

please leave.

I was not responsible for
that threat against Lola.

I know.

I recognize the glint in
Narcisse's eye when he lies.

Although he did seem oddly conflicted

at the charges against you.

It's possible he didn't
frame me for Francis' death,

but he'd certainly be happy to see me hang

by the tale of a rat.

But if he's not behind
the poisoning conspiracy,

what do I make of this?

I slipped it out of my apothecary

before Narcisse arrived.

It's oil of vitriol.

It's a toxin, it darkens a victim's liver,

and it is not mine.

It's not.

Given that Francis' liver was blackened.

Do you think Narcisse planted it?

I don't know.

It would be difficult.

There are guards outside
your doors at all times.

It's not like he's
welcome in your chambers.

He has been welcome of late.

We rekindled our affair.

A liaison that's clearly over now.

What do you expect me to
do with this information?

Lola is like a sister to me.

Well, I understand if
you are no longer my ally.

Leave me.

Soon the castle will quake

with the news of Don Carlos' accident.

His delegation of nobles
will look to blame someone,

and it cannot be us.

You must control this situation.

Whatever Narcisse is guilty
of, his intentions are clear...

he wants to keep you from the regency.

That's not what Francis
wanted or what France needs.

I will talk to Lola,

see if I can convince her that
the rat was not your doing.

It won't be easy.

She's under Narcisse's thrall.

Oh, unless you mention his infidelity.

I would be inflicting unnecessary pain.

I'll do it my way.

You ask me to accept that
Stephan is responsible

for Catherine's threat
because Catherine says so?

If you testify that
Catherine put a hostile note

and a dead rat in your bath

while she was locked in the dungeon,

it will prove she had the
ability to poison her son.

Well, who can say that she didn't?

You know Catherine
would never harm Francis.

I don't fault you for taking her side.

Since you lost Francis,

she has been a great
support in your hour of need.

But Catherine has it in for my husband.

He broke her heart, and she seethes

because he will never touch her again.

Lola, think about it.

Who would have the most
to gain from scaring you?

Catherine. She wanted me to stay
away from Stephan, and I did.

Until you married him.

Is it any coincidence that after the rat,

you sought protection in his arms?

Enough of this.

I know that I didn't wed a perfect man,

but if he did this, it would
make a mockery of our marriage.

And I can't believe that
of my husband, I just can't.

Your Majesty, if I may introduce myself.

Lord Cunningham.

I know who you are. My apologies.

It's usually my custom

to greet my newly
arrived Scottish advisors,

but I've been somewhat busy tonight.

I have pressing news from home.

As you know, blight
destroyed the barley crop

in the southern region.

Has my brother James reallocated

the country's grain
reserves, as I suggested?

Yes, but retreating English
soldiers plundered the crops

and took them just over the border.

Where Elizabeth has amassed her troops.

The Scots are starting to panic.

Last week some men crossed into England

and raided the soldiers'
camps to get the barley back.

They did not succeed, and eight
of our people were captured.

I will resolve the food shortage
and the hostage situation,

but right now I must check
on Don Carlos' condition.

I heard of his injury
and pray for his survival.

In the face of English aggression,

Scotland needs the strength an
alliance with Spain can provide.

Spain is no longer an option.

How is he?

The shard was removed from
his skull, Your Majesty,

and staunch weed poultices
stopped the bleeding,

but I don't hold out hope.

Queen Mary.

I am Federico de Toledo, Duke of Alba,

head of Don Carlos' marriage delegation.

May we speak privately?

Once the prince passes,

his father, King Philip,
will want to know every detail

surrounding the death of his son.

- Were you with him this evening?
- Briefly.

But when the accident occurred
and the servants found him,

I was with the queen mother.

Piety prevents me from going
into detail with a woman;

however, we found a strange...
device in Don Carlos' chambers.

- One that could only be used for...
- I was made aware.

French court is infamous
for its debauchery.

Fornication seems to
be the order of the day.

- And what are you getting at?
- The son of King Philip,

defender of the faith, would
not sink to such depravity

unless someone in this
castle corrupted him.

I hear there is a fallen lady-in-waiting

who oversees the courtesans here.

Would you be kind enough to bring her to me

for interrogation?

His brain is swelling.

I must relieve the pressure.

You must remain by your prince's side.

I will make inquiries and report back.

Leave the castle with
my girls within the hour?

I'd have better luck getting
geese to dance the galliard.

Besides, I've spoken to my ladies.

None of them entertained
Don Carlos this evening.

It doesn't matter.

The duke of Alba is so intimidating,

I believe he could wring
a confession from someone

whether they were guilty or not.

And I won't have an
innocent punished for this.

We shall pack immediately.

Greer?

What's different about you?

Nothing.

No.

Something has changed.

Uh, well, I am wearing a new gown.

Oh, that must be it.

Mary, I know the discovery
about Don Carlos is painful,

but it is better to have learned
the truth about his interests

before you were bound by marriage.

- I don't judge him for that.
- Neither do I.

But...

a servant said she heard
two women pleasuring him

before he collapsed in the hall.

Two women?

To think he was capable of
that whilst courting you.

- Has anyone identified the voices?
- No.

But it's only a matter of time.

Secrets don't stay secrets.

And Spain is Spain.

If they can colonize half the globe,

they can certainly find

the two women who destroyed their heir.

I've come to say good night.

Resume your post.

That's not your usual guard.

My mother is accused of poisoning

and suddenly I have night guards,

day guards, guards for every hour.

I was just summoned to
the inquest tomorrow.

Do you think it will occur
to them to ask point-blank

if you poisoned any of your other children?

You know I wasn't in my
right mind when that happened.

I was being poisoned myself.

Which comforts me little.

Claude, you must realize

I didn't lift a finger against Francis...

Of course you didn't.

You would never hurt Francis.

He was your favorite, but me...

Oh, Claude...

From the moment you were born,

our relationship has been complicated.

We live in a world

that undervalues women.

I may be guilty

of favoring my sons over my daughters...

You may be guilty?

I am nothing to you but an annoyance,

a problem to be managed,

a thing to be given away in marriage.

Oh, you are a handful,

but I love you, I swear.

And when you're wed
and you leave this home,

you'll break my heart.

I will beg for word from you...

for a letter, for a visit...

just as I am begging
for your forgiveness now.

Fine.

I won't tell them of how you poisoned me...

- Thank you.
- If...

you convince Charles to allow me

to choose my own husband.

Since when did you want to get married?

I am only saying, if I were to get married,

I want to choose the man.

Will you speak to the king?

I will. Do you have someone in mind?

Good night, Mother.

The prince's seizures continue.

He will soon meet his maker.

I am so sorry.

Were you able to learn anything more

from the castle's madam?

Yes.

Don Carlos brought the sexual device

with him to court.

There was a crate, perfectly sized

to house the apparatus,
found with his luggage.

It's made from the wood
of the pinsapo fir...

a tree native to your homeland.

Oh.

You know

about Don Carlos'... proclivities.

Though the prince himself is unaware,

my colleagues and I have spent years

keeping the truth of his
bedroom hobbies suppressed.

We have hidden the prince's
predilections from King Philip

for fear that he would disown his son...

our only heir to the throne.

We must protect the
Spanish line of succession.

And yourselves.

The king would have you burned for heresy

for enabling his son's impulses.

What will you do with this information?

Nothing.

I'm in the market for a
husband and want to remain

as far removed from scandal as possible.

You are very kind.

What will you tell King Philip

of the circumstances surrounding
his son's tragic fate?

While out on a stroll,

the prince saw a patch of wildflowers

and wanted to pick some for you.

He climbed a wall,

slipped, and cracked his skull.

All for the love of his loyal Queen Mary.

So be it.

Well, next time, you'll have to join me.

It's much better with two faces.

- Good day, lads.
- Hello, boys.

Why don't you come over here?

My friend and I have a wager.

She said you stand up all night...

You are an accused murderer.

You're not to leave this castle.

I was doing no such thing.

Members of your flying squad.

You used them as a diversion.

Unhand me!

Mary came to me, suggested
I offer my assistance.

I am on your side, Catherine.

Now, act the part of a woman detained.

Someone engineers your ruin.

We must stop it.

How can I help?

Well, I have a theory, but it
requires travel from the castle,

something I clearly cannot do.

Where? I will go in your stead.

Ride to the cathedral at Saint-Denis

where Francis is interred.

Find the embalmer who
removed the king's organs.

Ask him if the liver

was already black when he removed it.

If it wasn't...

That means the liver was tampered with

after Francis' death,

which proves he wasn't poisoned

and that you are innocent.

You are offering me a
kindness and consideration

I have rarely shown you
through the years. Why?

Someone recently came into my life.

She taught me to trust
where my feelings lead me.

I feel love toward my dead brother

and anger that people
think you could harm him.

Those feelings lead me
to stand here with you.

Thank you, Sebastian.

Queen Mother, you said if there was

any change in the prince
of Spain's condition,

I should tell you first.

Don Carlos is going to survive.

I mean, he's still unconscious,

but the physician said
that the worst is past.

It's a miracle.

And our downfall.

When he wakes and discovers

that his sexual practices

are no longer secret,

he is going to do everything he can

to ensure that his father
doesn't brand him a deviant

and disown him.

He's gonna tell a different story.

One where all of this was our doing.

And the duke of Alba is going to
want to save his skin, as well.

He will say anything the
prince of Spain tells him to.

There's but one solution.

We kill Don Carlos ourselves.

Catherine, no.

He was kind and honest to me

and he doesn't deserve to die.

I will be there when he wakes up.

I will tell him that I felt nervous

about our first try at intimacy

and I brought you as moral support.

I will make it clear to him

that I never wanted him

to feel betrayed or humiliated.

That is not a strategy.

No, it's the truth.

And it's the only way we
might gain his forgiveness.

The note you found,

that accompanied the dead creature,

read "One rat down,

two to go"?

How did you take that?

As evidence

that even from inside her locked cell,

Catherine de Medici's reach was long.

Thank you.

That will be all for today.

Reliving such trauma can't be easy.

I admire you, Lady Lola.

Thank you, Cardinal Morel.

Cedric, would you make sure that the panel

receives a copy of that interview?

Are you all right?

I thought it would feel good,

driving a nail into her coffin.

But as I was telling my story,

I suddenly realized

I have no solid proof against Catherine.

A sign of her genius.

Lola, what are your doubts?

Mary mentioned something last night

and I can't get it out of my head.

She said

that it was you, not Catherine,

who planted the rat in my tub,

as a way of scaring me into marrying you.

And what was your response?

That I was standing by you.

Then why don't you seem convinced?

It's true, I have done many

unscrupulous things

in the pursuit of what I want,

but let me be clear...

I did not terrorize you
into becoming my bride.

We wed

because we love each other.

It's from my mother.

We haven't spoken since I was disowned

for having John out of wedlock.

It must be urgent.

It is.

A group of Scots raided
an English troop encampment

to take back some stolen
grain and were captured.

Stephan, my father and
brothers are among the hostages.

My mother fears Queen Elizabeth
will make an example of them.

She wants me to appeal
to Mary on their behalf.

Your family will be returned safely.

This I swear,

as your husband

and as ruler of France.

What are you doing?

Well, if your plan doesn't work

I want to shove this cloth down his throat.

Catherine, unhand that rag.

He's waking up.

Don Carlos?

What happened?

You suffered an accident.

Do you remember

how you got here

or how you hurt yourself?

I remember...

Mary.

What about her, Don Carlos?

Mary...

Pretty.

Pretty Mary.

If he's paying you a compliment,

he can't possibly remember
what happened last night.

Don Carlos?

Do you remember Mary coming
to your chambers last night?

What you asked her to do?

You are so...

pretty,

Mary.

He's been rendered an idiot.

He can't follow the conversation.

The fall... the damage to his brain

is too much. He's been impaired.

For our sake, let's hope it's permanent.

Those Scots crossed the border
and attacked English soldiers.

To retrieve barley that
was stolen from them.

They are facing famine.
They had every right.

I want them released.

Queen Elizabeth will release the captives

under one condition.

Lady Lola is to visit English court.

Lola?

What does Elizabeth

want with one of my ladies?

Were you hoping we weren't aware

Lady Lola's father and three brothers

were among those captured?

We will not send my wife to England

in what amounts to a hostage swap.

Well, I see it as an olive branch.

Through Lady Lola, the queen of Scotland

will get to know her royal
English cousin better.

We reject your offer, Ambassador.

It's the only one Elizabeth
is willing to make.

You have one week to get

Lady Lola to England; if not,

the prisoners will be hanged.

As soon as the captives are located,

I will send in a small military unit.

Fast, aggressive, clean.

The Elite Gendarmerie would be ideal,

but they are currently subduing
a revolt in the mountains.

That leaves the Scots
Guard as our only option.

Don't let Elizabeth bait
us into a belligerent move

that could destroy the tenuous peace

in Scotland.

We must find a diplomatic strategy.

I am regent.

I will handle this situation as I see fit.

This situation involves
my Scottish subjects.

It involves my wife's family.

And I will not have you interfere

in my political or
personal matters any longer.

"Personal matters"?

You told my wife that I planted
the dead rat in her bath.

That gross untruth has
caused her tremendous pain.

That was not my intent.

I love Lola, which is why

I didn't tell her one other thing.

That you and Catherine

have rekindled your affair.

That's ludicrous.

It explains your reckless
plan to save Lola's family.

You're trying to ease your guilt.

Your accusations are based on the lies

of Catherine de Medici,

a jilted,

desperate, poisonous woman

who wants me to be as miserable

and unloved as she is.

Now, as the Scots Guard
are a joint military unit

in service of France, I am
sending those soldiers in

to rescue the hostages.

Those particular Scots may serve France,

but they obey me, their queen.

And I will order them to stand down

until all diplomatic
paths have been exhausted.

It's been days.

Has he improved?

While he grapples for common words,

his language does seem to be returning.

However, he has lost much
of the use of his right side.

We've been told not to expect
much more for his recovery.

He remembers nothing of his accident.

The only thing he recalls
from his time at French court

is his fondness for music and you.

"Pretty Queen Mary"

is all he can speak of.

The physician said that some
fresh air might be therapeutic.

May I take Don Carlos out to the gardens?

No.

He is to be seen by no one

until his father King Philip
decides what to do with his son.

You hide your prince out of shame?

Spain is the mightiest country on Earth.

Our royals must present an
image of strength and vigor.

Here you go. It's all right.

I want to go with Mary.

Won't you reconsider, Duke?

I have my orders.

Why am I summoned a second time?

I've answered your questions.

You did, Princess.

But after your last session,

we noted that some of
your responses seemed, uh,

unsure.

So, to determine why you may have felt

uncomfortable with your testimony,

I spoke with your ladies in waiting,

one of whom told me that you
keep a very detailed diary.

Is this it?

You searched my chambers!

Please answer the question.

Yes, that is my diary.

Very well, then.

Before I go further, I would
like to offer you the chance

to amend your previous statement

that your mother, Catherine de Medici,

would not, under any circumstances,

poison one of her children.

If you're asking again if
my mother poisoned Francis,

she did not.

For the sake of expediency,

I will now read aloud from the journal.

"I confronted Mother
about her poisonous soup.

Asked her why she felt
that I deserved to die."

Those are my personal thoughts
and feelings! You have no right!

"I grabbed the poison she
used on me, put it to my lips,

"hoping that she would finally
see the excruciating pain

that she had caused me my whole life."

- Stop!
- Claude, are these words true?

And remember that lying in front

of this inquest will have you

sent to the high court, as well.

So, I will ask again.

Is it true?

Did your mother try to take your life?

Oh.

What did you do to her?

We have her diary, Catherine.

Forgive me, Mother.

You did nothing wrong.

Catherine de Medici,

in light of this revelation

that you poisoned your own daughter,

we find that there is
enough evidence to conclude

that you could have poisoned your son.

You are hereby commanded

to face the Parlement de Paris,

to be tried for the murder of King Francis.

There, there, now.

- Put those on.
- You're joking.

How many fleas live in that pile?

That sock just moved.

I can't get you out of the castle

- unless you are disguised.
- Bandages?

Well. What, I'm injured now as well?

It's for your breasts.

Oh.

Pick up the pace, boy.

This is my standard bearer's son.

His grandmother is on

her deathbed just outside the village.

I know we shouldn't be leaving.

To run is an admission of guilt.

To stay is an acceptance of death.

Here. There's enough gold for three months.

That's more like one.

You won't be destitute forever.

You just need to give me
enough time to clear your name.

I don't know if we'll meet again.

I want to leave you with
one last piece of advice.

And heed it or live a
life of unending peril.

With Narcisse as regent, you no
longer have France behind you.

And across the sea, Elizabeth, well,

she may have her troops behind the border,

but she will strike again
at any sign of weakness.

Half of Scotland

is Protestant, and more
and more convert every day.

Your weakness only grows.

I am well aware of my own troubles.

There's but one solution.

You must marry Don Carlos.

No. I couldn't possibly.

He's a decent man. And a docile one now.

There will be no more
sexual... contraptions.

Well, there will probably be no sex at all.

That is a small sacrifice
for a colossal victory.

Marriage to Spain makes you unassailable.

And mercenary. Are you suggesting

that I use his condition for my own gain?

For Scotland's.

The heir to the Spanish throne,

he's like a nice potted plant.

Just take him back to
your country and water him.

He is not a plant. He is an injured man.

And who would be kinder to him than you?

Certainly not the prideful King Phillip.

What do you think he will
do with his broken son?

Lock him out of sight forever.

In his state, Don Carlos
has no marriage prospects.

Spain will see your acceptance

of his condition as a win.

It's still wrong.

Let him out here.

His grandmother's house
is just beyond that glade.

This is as far as I can take
you, but it's a good head start.

The Jouberts are a family
loyal to the Valois.

They have offered you
asylum near Mont Blanc.

Mary, please,

don't waste this golden opportunity.

God be with you, Catherine.

Dearest Mother,

I received your letter
about Father and my brothers.

I'm doing everything I
can to secure their release

and am heartsick...

Is there an error?

I'll start over.

Cedric, did you write this?

"One rat down, two to go"?

No.

I've never seen...

The penmanship is the same.

You are my husband's secretary.

Did you write this at his command?

No, my lady.

We court scribes are all

schooled in the same calligraphy.

Any one of us could have written that.

I suppose reliving Catherine's
threat at the inquest

has made me a bit paranoid.

Let's continue.

Sebastian. How did you find me?

Returning from Saint-Denis,
I came across Mary's carriage.

She told me of your
planned route of escape.

- Did you find Francis' embalmer?
- He's vanished.

Neighbors say he came into a sum of money

and fled the day after Francis' funeral.

He was bribed.

He handed off Francis' liver

to be tampered with

by those who would frame me.

I've been thinking about it,

and I've come up with a different view,

that the blackened liver
didn't belong to Francis.

This is the certificate of immortalization

signed by the embalmer.

In it is the date that he received

Francis' body and the date that Francis'

prepared corpse was sealed

in his coffin at Saint-Denis,
a time span of just two days.

- A royal embalming takes a week.
- Exactly.

I believe these dates
were carelessly scribbled

by a man so eager to
take his bribe and flee,

he didn't bother embalming Francis at all.

If Francis' liver is still in his body,

it proves he wasn't poisoned.

There's only

one way to confirm that.

Let us visit my son.

She recognized your handwriting?

Yes, my lord.

But I denied it.

Did Lady Lola believe you?

Wouldn't it be simpler

to just tell your wife the truth?

Nothing is simple anymore.

What started as an innocent scheme to catch

a woman who didn't want
to be caught has blossomed

into Lola giving false testimony
and a possible death sentence

for the queen mother.

But Catherine has fled.

If she escapes punishment,

is this false testimony such a crime?

If the privy council discovered

that I have misrepresented evidence,

then I will lose the regency!

And I have fought far too hard

to have that power taken from me.

What is power without love?

Without Lola?

If she finds out the truth,

that I deceived her, then
she will never forgive me,

and I will lose her.

What are you going to do?

Talk to her,

spin one final lie to cover my tracks,

and then I will honor her forever

as an honest man.

As for you, no one else must ever be able

to tie that miserable rat back to me.

Please, God, let it end here.

Stephan? I wanted to write
my mother another letter.

Have you seen Cedric?
I've been looking for him.

I let him go.

He's often late, due to
his over-fondness for wine.

Really? I've seen no sign of that.

It's been since his father died.

He's been quite dispirited.

Then we should show him compassion.

- I want him rehired.
- Well, that's not possible.

Why not?

I have an idea...

an appalling one I hope isn't true,

but I must put it before you.

Cedric told you of my suspicions

that you instructed him to
draft the note and plant the rat.

His sudden disappearance is
your way of tying up loose ends.

Did you bribe him to go away?

You killed him.

- No.
- Please, let there be

one honest thing between us.

You want to hear something honest?

I love you,

and I would do anything to keep you.

Oh, my God.

You did it.

And I'm leaving you.

Lola, don't. You don't end this!

I am going to England at
Queen Elizabeth's request,

in exchange for the release

of my family and the other hostages.

You can't. It's not safe.

Well, I don't feel safe here, either.

At least by doing this, I can help

my queen, my country, my family.

People who mean something to me.

- You mean nothing.
- I am your husband!

And that can't be undone.

But my love for you... it's gone.

You murdered that, too.

Your Majesty, lords
from the Southern Uplands

have arrived unexpectedly.

They claim to have something
to show you, but won't say what.

Scottish lords in French court?

Your Majesty, Lord Rutherford.

And what has brought you all this way?

We have been loyal to your rule

even after you withdrew the
troops protecting our borders.

But your brother James can
only command so much power.

What we need now is you,
our queen. Your power.

- They are starving.
- Dear Lord.

These children are victims of
the crop blight in Scotland.

Hunger affords even the innocent no mercy.

Neither do you, forcing them
to make the arduous journey

across the channel.

We brought them to prove our point.

They are children!

Not points to be made. Guards!

Have the royal physician attend to them!

- If I sell my lands, my jewels?
- It will provide

Scotland with a few weeks of grain at most.

That's a start. I need
you to make a new list

of potential marriage
alliances... only wealthy royals.

Reaching out to Europe's
eligible suitors will take time.

Time we don't have.

What is that?

The ones who did not make the journey.

I must find a way to save
my people, and quickly.

Who goes there?

It's Catherine de Medici.

Take the queen mother

into custody.

You didn't seriously think

you could return here
and retain your freedom.

I've returned to earn my freedom.

Unload the king.

The king?

I have endured many trials,

but nothing as painful as
being forced to look upon

the decaying corpse of my firstborn son.

- Dear God, Catherine.
- That is an image

that I can't get out of my mind, Stephan.

And it was you who put it there.

You gave me no choice.

I'm innocent, and my son's

body will prove it.

Open the coffin.

Mary, avert your eyes.

Mary, don't look.

- Please don't look.
- Oh!

The body has not been cut open.

His organs were never removed.

The liver used in this witch hunt

did not belong to my brother.

Francis wasn't poisoned by me or anyone.

I was framed.

And you

are responsible for
every bit of my suffering.

I will reverse the decision of the inquest.

The Vatican also apologizes

for our role in this travesty of justice.

Catherine.

Catherine!

Close it.

What lies in that coffin
is only Francis' body.

His soul and his memory... they live on.

For Catherine to go to such lengths...

I can only hope this means

we can put the whole
agonizing mess behind us.

I would also like to leave our disagreement

behind us, as well.

Mary, you were right about Narcisse.

He manipulated me, tricked
me into marrying him.

I've decided to accept
Queen Elizabeth's invitation.

Lola, no. It's too dangerous.

You would be a hostage.

I'm doing this for my family...
to ensure their release.

A family that disowned you.

Without Narcisse, John and my people

in Scotland are all I have left.

I know Charles will allow
my son to accompany me

to the border town of
Selkirk, where my mother is.

I'll leave the baby there with her

and appeal to Queen Elizabeth's decency.

Beg her to allow visits with my son.

Lola, this is all very
noble, and I know you feel

like you must get away
from Narcisse, but...

I feel like I have to.

Did you see him in the courtyard?

The look he gave Catherine?

Something remains between them,

and even knowing that, I...

I worry he will win me back.

Mary, please let me go.

Elizabeth will do all she can to mine you

for information about me.

And I will mine for my own on your behalf.

You're my dearest friend,

and as of today, the bravest person I know.

Only that I had some of your courage

in these times of uncertainty.

Honestly, I'm terrified.

But sometimes, one does things

one wouldn't normally do
for the people they love.

To the crown prince of Spain and his

future bride, Her Majesty Mary Stuart.

- Salud.
- Salud.

Salud.

Thank you, Duke, for embracing

- our engagement so quickly.
- The impending union

of our nations is joyful news.

King Philip sees you as an ideal alliance.

Pretty Mary.

It must be difficult for you to see

my head still resting so
comfortably on my shoulders.

I didn't frame you.

You lied about the rat.

'Cause I didn't want to lose my wife.

I lost her anyway.

Oh.

Despite everything we've done
to each other, I don't hate you.

If I find out that you were responsible

for the conspiracy
against me, you will pay.

Pretty Mary.

Your Royal Highness, as
you know, it is customary

to present your intended
with an engagement gift

symbolizing Spain's intention
to honor our new alliance.

A gift for Mary.

Send... Scotland... grain.

Grain is what you wanted?

It's what I needed.

Good grain. Hmm.

Thank you. Now if you'll
please excuse me for a moment.

Hmm.

You failed us, Cardinal.

I did everything I could.

Catherine must have
located the oil of vitriol

that I planted in her chambers.

And Lord Narcisse had no
choice but to open the inquest

after I presented him
with the poisoned liver.

Once we learned of the
princess' diary, I...

I thought the queen
mother was surely doomed.

And yet, she walks free.

None could foresee that

she would dare to exhume
the king's body. Please.

I can find another way to
help you bring down the Valois.

I'll see that the group
considers your offer.

In the meantime...

Dump him in the river.