She's coming.
(goats bleating) I've got it!
Sister, sister, sister, pass it down.
Pass it!
Pass it this way.
(indistinct conversation) ♪ to society
Save mary!
Take that plate away!
You must leave immediately.
This was an assassination attempt.
You were nearly poisoned. By who?
Someone with ties to the protestant throne
Of England, no doubt.
They'll be found and dealt with.
Hyah! Hyah!
Poor sister helen; I didn't know...
That she was your taster?
Every meal you've eaten
Has been tasted for poison
Since you left your mother's breast.
Mary, you are the queen of scotland.
(girls murmuring, whispering) look at her.
Girl (whispering): She is beautiful.
I don't know if I'm ready.
To leave here or marry the future king of France?
Both.
I hoped I would get to go back to scotland one last time.
Your friends from scotland will be there.
Girls you've known your whole life.
You're safer in french court.
You're nearly a woman,
And francis is nearly a man.
It's time.
You will wed young francis, someday soon,
For your faith,
For your people,
For scotland.
He will love you.
I'm not sure that matters.
It does to you.
Mary...
Rose.
Be careful.
There are ghosts there.
At the castle?
They say the halls are filled with them.
Tortured souls,
A girl whose face is a ruin.
She hides it.
I was at french court before, you know,
When I was your age.
I didn't see any ghosts.
But what if they saw you?
Your grace.
(sighs) sebastian.
Francis, they were looking for you everywhere.
Tough to find you.
I was riding.
Really? Who?
So, bash, how's the mood?
Father's or the mood in general?
Tense to both.
Planning for your sister's wedding.
Is your mother in there?
No, only royals and their attendants allowed.
But your mother
Is in fine form, god save you.
I'm off now that you're here.
Lucky bastard.
Mary should be protected.
Hidden. So you've claimed.
You also claimed she needed to be kept at convent
For her education, when we both know
She simply irritated you.
Mary's arrival now upstages
Our daughter's wedding.
It's the perfect occasion
To showcase the alliance with scotland.
Half the continent's royalty will be feeding at our trough.
There are those that say
Too many alliances make a king look weak.
Then why did we sell our daughter to Spain?
I'm told I was needed.
Or should I just come back on my wedding day?
You've chosen my wife; have you set the date, too?
Here's the date: When I say so.
Or England turns its sword
In our direction.
She's on her way.
Mary stuart, you mean.
I heard. You don't sound
Very enthusiastic.
You were playmates once.
She had skinny legs,
A missing front tooth and strong opinions.
I'm sure the adult tooth has come in.
The opinions you can ignore.
Isn't that right, catherine?
Her ladies-in-waiting are on their way as well.
Three titled, the other ridiculously rich.
Just your type.
At least your bride has a country
And an army, should you need it.
I may not have been born with a crown,
But this country relies on my money.
(scoffs) let him talk like a king.
(chuckles) your wedding won't happen
Until I say so.
I'm on your side.
Always.
I know.
That's disgusting.
Where she puts it, he won't smell it.
Unless he's a very good husband.
Imagine that.
You do want elisabeth to bear sons.
Oh, as soon as possible.
Or what is a wife's value?
But what about my son francis?
What do your visions say about his future?
Tell me, nostradamus, what have you seen?
I-I've had fleeting images,
But as yet, their meaning is unclear.
Perhaps if you were more specific
About your concerns.
Well, will he love her?
Will she love him?
How do I control a daughter-in-law
Who's a queen in her own right?
Is that what bothers you?
Her power?
Mm. Or the fact that she's young
And pretty?
I've just had a vision.
(gasps) I see you,
Beheaded, at my command.
Said with gratitude
For the secrets we share.
Be patient.
Answers will come.
There she comes.
There's mary.
(laughter) mary!
We missed you so much!
Oh, kenna,
Greer, lola,
I'm so happy to see you.
Aylee, we're all together again.
Oh, mary, your hair.
Didn't the nuns teach you anything?
Oh, greer, those can't all be clothes.
There's jewelry and silver, too.
I'm making up in volume for what I lack in station, I suppose.
Look, here they come.
His royal highness,
King henry ii. There's the king.
That's king henry,
But is that catherine?
No, they're still waiting on her.
That's diane de portiers, the king's mistress.
So the rumors are true.
Unlike her,
You'll have no trouble finding husbands here.
We'll certainly enjoy the hunt.
What about you?
Oh, don't tell me.
It's about that boy from aberdeen.
Colin said he'd wait for me.
Till when?
We might never be back on scottish soil,
Not if it all works out and mary reigns here.
What do you mean, "if"?
Make no mistake, we're here now
To get our young queen in the game.
Alliances can shift.
Before they do, mary needs to win the prince's heart.
Is that francis?
He's gorgeous.
No, that's not francis.
I know it isn't.
Then that must be sebastian,
The king's bastard, diane's son.
I hear the king favors him.
Her majesty, queen catherine!
I don't believe it.
Your grace.
No, call me mary, please.
Francis.
The castle seems bigger.
Is that possible?
And you, too, of course.
Is that such a surprise?
No. Especially since your legs
Were always longer than mine.
You know, I hated that when we were young—
I was always chasing after you— but now...
Uh...
Now it suits you.
What is it?
You've had a vision.
It's clear now.
I saw your son's future...
My lady... Welcome, your grace.
His union... With mary.
Well, say it.
She will cost francis his life.
You have returned to the court at your own queen's bidding.
As noble ladies, you must counsel her,
Prepare her, account for her.
For the princess elisabeth's wedding,
As with any event,
You must acquaint yourselves, and mary,
With all visiting royalty and dignitaries.
Who amongst you is fluent in italian?
I suppose I am.
You will sit next to the pope's cousin.
He has no teeth and speaks very quickly.
Are these dresses from paris?
Yes, every one. Oh...
If colin could see me,
He'd marry me in a second.
I look of age now; we all do.
You know what I'd like to do?
Explore.
We haven't been here since we were children.
Surely the castle's changed.
Who's with me?
I am! Go.
I'll find you later.
There's something I want to see.
(whispering): Francis is a girl's name.
Mary.
Francis. Um, I didn't know you...
What are you doing here?
I was exploring.
These were my old rooms. Don't you remember?
Not anymore. No one comes up here.
Except you.
What is that?
Is all of this yours?
I-I make knives,
And swords.
At least, I'm trying to learn.
To be a bladesmith?
Is that a requirement for future kings now?
When you say it like that,
It sounds ridiculous, yes.
No, no, I think it's fantastic.
But did you make all these?
Why?
I can't help thinking that
Every man, even a king,
Should have some kind of skill.
Well, you're going to be a great ruler someday.
Isn't that enough?
I hope I will be,
But I meant a real skill.
One that I didn't inherit,
Wasn't given to me
And-and can't be taken away.
My brother—
My half-brother, bash—
He has so many.
He wants to learn something, he does,
He wants to go somewhere, he goes.
With my father's blessing.
They don't worry about him dying so much
That they don't let him live.
Because he'll never be king.
I can milk a goat
And cut peat for the fire.
The nuns, you know.
Impressive.
I suppose if there was
Ever an uprising that sent my line into hiding,
I could always get by as a blacksmith.
But I'd save you.
And we could go to scotland and rule there.
That's a... (clears throat)
That's a very kind offer.
I hope I never have to take you up on it.
Natalia.
Did anyone see you come in here?
No.
They never do.
They never will.
Nothing's changed here.
Nothing has to.
Stirling, no!
Stirling!
Come on, boy!
Mary. What is it?
Um, I brought you something,
To decorate your swords with.
Now's not a good time.
Oh...
Next time, you should be announced.
My page is there for a reason.
I don't understand.
You shouldn't be here.
Why do you sound so...
Are you alone?
Are you with someone?
If you are ever going to be the queen of France,
You need to understand something.
Kings do not answer to their wives.
Stirling... No, come back! Stirling!
(barking continues) stirling?
Stirling, come back! Go on.
Stirling, come back! Mary?
Stirling! Mary.
Stirling, come back! (horse whinnies) mary!
Stirling! Stirling!
No, no, wait.
Mary.
Young girls— royals, queens—
Do not leave the castle alone.
But my-my dog...
Let him go.
Do not go into those woods.
Do you hear me?
Why not?
What's in those woods?
Besides my dog, who I might've caught
If you hadn't stopped me.
He'll find his way back.
There's food and warmth.
Who wouldn't want to be at the castle?
Except, perhaps, you.
Rather be at the convent, would you?
Eating porridge and trudging through mud?
I quite like the way mud feels underfoot.
Maybe you'll be sent back to the nuns.
For misbehaving.
You're cheeky.
And you're upset about more than your dog
Taking a little jaunt into the wild.
What is it?
You should ask your brother.
Ask him what?
Why he's such a moody, arrogant ass.
We're half-brothers, by the way.
Nothing in common but our father, really.
Oh.
But I'll mention your discontent to francis.
Don't bother.
And I'll find your dog.
Warm enough?
Colin!
(laughs) I don't believe it!
What are you doing here?
You can't...
I've been thinking of you
From the moment you got on that boat.
I borrowed money and left the next day.
I want you to stay,
But we'll be found out.
We need permission.
(laughing): Oh...
What a grand, romantic gesture.
And you say your queen, mary,
Knows your young man?
Uh, she hasn't met colin,
But she knows his people.
Oh...
Your father is a cousin of mary's father, james?
My father served him
Until the day king james died.
His grace was generous,
He granted my father large holdings,
But... We're no relation.
You come from former servants...
My, what a rise your people have made.
I do love a success story.
Stay and tell me all about it.
Oh, lola,
You should go find mary, keep her on task
So we can all enjoy the wedding.
So bash just happened upon you.
You don't believe that.
He has a terrible reputation with women,
He knows no bounds.
Maybe it runs in the family.
Did something happen with francis?
No, no, nothing.
Really, it's fine,
And we need to get ready for the wedding.
So go on...
I'll tell the servants
You're ready to be bathed and dressed.
Thank you.
Hello?
Is anyone here?
Female voice (raspy): Taste of love and sorrow,
But don't drink the wine.
Don't.
Who are you?
We're very happy to be back at court.
Your grace.
Beautiful evening, is it not?
Why aren't you with colin?
What's he doing with mary?
She's his queen.
He's just paying his respects.
Let's raise a glass.
To the happy couple.
Hear, hear.
Female voice (raspy): Don't drink the wine.
Oh, lola, no.
Aylee, I want to go dance.
You can't dance alone.
I won't be alone.
Lola, come dance with me.
Take off you shoes. Come on. Dance with me.
Take off you shoes.
We're overrun by scots.
Dance with me! Come dance!
Look... Elisabeth and philip are leaving.
It's time for the consummation;
The ritual, the ceremony, the mystery.
Aren't you curious?
Shh...
We can't actually watch them... You know.
It's a tradition for royals.
Well, we are not allowed.
Don't you want to know what you're in for someday?
With your francis?
Pax vobis. In nomini patri
Et fili et spiritus sancti. Amen.
We're the only ones that matter here.
Let's go.
Come on.
Go, before anyone sees us.
Colin?
Your grace!
May I?
Excuse me.
I've been wanting to talk to you.
There's something I need to say to you.
When you came to my room,
I-I shouldn't have said what I did.
There were other ways of handling this.
Handling what? Me?
You do realize that we're going
To be married someday, don't you?
Believe me, I know. I know you had a life
Before I got here. It's not about that.
Don't you think that we owe it
To each other, to our families,
To our countries, to give it a chance?
It's not that simple.
Not that simple? What's not simple?
We've been engaged since we were six!
It's all arranged.
How awful must you find me to do this?
It's not you. You're-you're beautiful
And clever and unpredictable, but it doesn't matter.
What matters is what's right for my country.
France is not as strong as you might think, or care,
Which maybe you don't, but I do.
I'm going to be king someday, responsible for my people.
And right now, an alliance with scotland could destroy France.
You don't want to marry me.
You don't want this at all.
Things could change.
Well, it isn't your decision, it's your father's.
You don't see him pushing a wedding either, do you?
All engagements really do is hold alliances.
He's betting we might need scotland,
I'm betting we'll find more support elsewhere.
I know it's not what you want to hear.
But you won't love me.
You won't let yourself.
Love is irrelevant to people like us.
We who are so privileged in so many ways with that.
All I'm asking you to do is wait,
See how things go.
See how things go for France.
I guess it is simple after all.
But you aren't not the only one with a country to think of.
Your grace, please! Your grace, please!
No! Guards!
Colin, no!
Forgive me! I...!
Come on, colin...
Please, your grace, forgive me!
Move! I couldn't...!
Your grace, please!
Come on!
How could this happen? Where were the guards?
Why didn't they stop him?
I hope mary did if they didn't.
They'll question her virtue.
If she's not a virgin, then she'll
Never be the queen of France,
And our chances at court will be over.
You don't know what happened, any of you.
Tell me.
I've spoken to him.
He's being held.
I bribed a guard.
Colin's a good man; a boy still.
What did he say?
What possible defense could he have given you?
He said he was forced.
He wouldn't say by whom.
He couldn't, he was so afraid.
But he said
There are people, powerful people,
Behind this, and he had no choice.
What people?
Here, in the castle.
He wouldn't risk saying more.
Do you believe him, mary?
He looked so surprised that I would fight back.
That I would even wake.
That you'd wake?
He attacked you.
The wine.
I was told not to drink the wine.
I was warned.
Warned by whom?
It doesn't matter now.
I believe you.
I believe colin.
Please help him.
I thank you for your protection last night,
But I need to speak with colin.
Speak to your assailant?
Why?
Because he is the love of my dear friend.
And if there was any misunderstanding,
If I sent the wrong message
In my joy at the wedding...
Take care, child.
If anyone knew you were even asking this...
Catherine, she needs to know.
Gossip poisons too.
It can poison a young queen's reputation,
Her heirs' right to the throne, an entire kingdom.
You may have behaved foolishly,
But you are not responsible for your countryman's actions.
Colin mcphail
Is my subject.
I am his queen, and I demand to speak with him.
Witnesses have come forward.
The boy played a role
In an english plot to destroy
Your engagement
And scotland's alliance with France.
An english plot, you're sure?
You must know if he'd been successful in his assault,
You'd be unfit to marry our son;
To marry any royal.
My dear, this was not an act of passion.
It was treason.
King henry: But it's all settled now.
Colin's been executed.
What?
He was beheaded this morning.
There was nothing I could do.
I was too late.
He wasn't a traitor.
He wasn't a rapist.
They said he was involved in an english plot.
I don't know who to believe or to trust.
I... I am so sorry, lola.
You're the reason he's dead.
Anyone who's close to you
Lives in constant danger.
We're disposable, all of us.
No, you're not.
I need you.
You're my friends.
Kenna's my friend.
Greer and aylee are my friends.
You are my queen, and we're your subjects.
We're here in service to you,
Whatever that means, whatever it costs us.
I will protect you.
You can't even protect yourself.
I'll do better.
I promise.
Stirling!
You found him.
Oh, stirling.
What did I do?
I'm sorry.
It's just been so hard.
I know.
So much harder than I thought it would be.
You're not alone here.
I have my friends.
I am not talking about your friends.
I meant...
I want you to be well, your grace.
Thank you, sebastian.
Truly.
Mother.
Where did you find the dog?
In the woods.
It was drawn to the blood.
How close did you get?
Take care, my brave son,
Or you will bleed
For a girl who will never be yours.
You defended a boy they found in your bed?
What was he doing there?
You can tell me.
I think I know already.
You think I was with him to get back at you?
I think you're impulsive and prideful.
He's dead.
Leave it be, I beg of you.
You can't behave like this.
Not at court.
Can't you see what's at stake here?
Because we're engaged.
But you have no intention of marrying me.
What if I told them that?
Then this would be over. You wouldn't do that
Because it's not true; I-I might marry you.
Someday, maybe, if.
You said that you had a country to think about.
Were you thinking about scotland during any of this?
I was thinking about myself,
My friends, my safety...
You could have ruined your reputation
So that I couldn't marry you,
Even if things go the way we want them to.
"the way we want them to"?
And how would "we" want things to go?
If you weren't the future king of France,
And I was just a girl,
Not the queen of anything,
Would you want this?
I can't do this.
I won't.
You said the potion would make her
Sleep like the dead.
One glass of wine,
And she'd wake with her virtue destroyed,
This engagement over.
There was nothing wrong with my potion.
It was the delivery of it that failed.
That stupid scottish boy.
A stupid, dead boy.
All to protect his family.
From you.
I had no choice.
The boy would've implicated me, and you.
Have your visions altered?
No.
Mary will bring
Your son's death.
You cannot relent.
You must continue to sacrifice.
I don't know who you are
Or why you hide,
But your warning saved me.
Danger surrounds me here,
And I am in your debt.
Are you in danger, too?
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