- Previously on Reign... - I need you, Nicholas.
- France? - I've appointed you the new English ambassador.
How often do the queen of France
and the king of Navarre get to meet?
I am dying.
Charles will inherit my throne.
A young king needs a regent.
You want me to marry Charles.
I would be honored if you would agree
- to be my wife. - The honor is mine.
Clearly we should have taken your head
when you last betrayed your son.
Now you've betrayed your nation
- by consorting with an enemy. - Take her.
Don't think of crossing us again.
I want the king!
I hope you recognize, Charles,
how vital our commitment will be to each other in the future.
- When we are married... - You don't have to worry about that, Mary.
I know I'm young, and you may assume I'm inexperienced,
but I promise I'll give you an heir.
Actually, I was talking
about the future of the alliance
between France and Scotland.
Oh. Well, um...
I only meant that an heir will be important for the alliance.
Of course.
I love my brother.
He's protected me all my life,
and he loves you and...
and who knows, he may live for a long while yet.
Charles, I don't quite think you understand.
Is... is that Constance?
I invited her,
but I can't believe she came all the way from Toulouse.
Constance!
You'll have to excuse me, Mary. We'll talk later.
Seems he's rather enamored
with the Duke of Toulouse's daughter.
Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear.
- Constance... - At least somebody else sees
I've got my work cut out for me.
Yes, he's very...
young.
Well, there is some good news.
Our military in Scotland
is close to claiming a victory over the Protestants.
And what about Francis?
Is he feeling any better?
He hasn't left his room in days.
He doesn't want anyone to know he's ill.
He's desperate to handle his affairs
before word gets out.
The English Ambassador.
Sir Nicholas.
And how are you enjoying France?
I'm still waiting to be granted an audience with the king.
King Francis has traveled to the Cathedral in Reims
for a period of seclusion and prayer.
When he returns, you will be the first received.
He's already sniffing around.
Oh... !
I thought Catherine was in the infirmary because she fell.
That's what the servants thought
when they found her a few days ago,
but it turns out she's recovering
from self-inflicted wounds.
Self-inflicted how?
Catherine threw herself against a door, repeatedly,
and then bit out a piece of her own cheek.
A servant found it this morning whilst cleaning the dungeon.
Good God, even the rats wouldn't eat it.
She's demanding to see Francis, and she's threatening
to do further harm to herself if refused.
Let me see my son, you bloodsucker!
Francis doesn't want to see you ever again.
So don't waste any more flesh.
You would keep me from my firstborn
in his final days?
What kind of a monster are you?
Monster?
Catherine, take a look in the mirror.
You brought this on yourself.
Have you ever once considered
you are the cause of all of this tragedy?
You can't deny that your union with Francis has been ill-fated.
His alliance with you has cost us everything.
The war in Scotland will be over soon.
French troops will be returning home.
Don't be naive.
I've been to English court. Their resources are vast.
Elizabeth's grudge is personal.
She can escalate this war indefinitely.
France cannot.
I am just as strong and as stubborn as Elizabeth.
I will not live in fear of her.
I will marry Charles.
- Our union is our best hope... - I am the best hope of a stable France,
of protecting my family.
As regent.
That's what you've always wanted.
Not just to sit on a throne, but to rule.
All I have ever wanted was to protect my children.
Let me protect them while I still can.
Let me help him.
Francis doesn't want your help.
None of your children want your help.
You vampire bitch!
- Let me out of these restraints! - Nurse?
Nurse!
Drag her back to her cell.
If she tries to bite anything else,
shove a bit in her mouth.
You actually went to see my mother?
What did she say?
Oh, the usual.
She should be regent, I'm sucking France dry.
Prettiest vampire I've ever seen.
There are so many things I wish we'd done together:
eating oranges freshly plucked from the trees in Nice,
dancing under the stars at the Louvre.
Well, we were married there.
Ah. So many ceremonies,
so many nobles, and we barely got to dance.
We will do all those things.
We will.
- Brother. - Francis.
You look like hell.
What are you still doing here?
Shouldn't you be looking for that killer...
Delphine? I hear that
her last two victims had their hearts cut out.
I'm not certain Delphine is guilty
of those atrocities.
But she is a suspect.
My men are searching for her day and night.
In the meantime, I'm not leaving your side.
What is it then?
I know that look. It's the one that you get before a fight.
King Antoine of Navarre
has requested permission to enter court.
- Antoine? - Is he alone?
He's not here with an army,
and he's not here with his brother,
if that's what you're asking.
Condé's whereabouts are still unknown.
What is he doing here now?
Perhaps he's learned of my illness.
As a Bourbon, Antoine has the best claim
to the throne after Charles.
If he rallies his Protestant supporters,
he could replace Charles as king.
We don't know that's why he's here.
Francis.
Let me handle him.
Bash, I know that you blame him
for what happened with Kenna,
but you will not "handle" the king of Navarre.
In fact, you'll stay well away from him.
Francis, please don't.
Antoine can't see you like this.
I'll find out why he's here.
I will talk to him.
Grant him entrance.
I can't accept this. It's too extravagant.
Not for me; I'm a princess.
Try it on.
- What, here? - Don't be modest.
I want to see how it looks on you.
Oh, it's perfect!
I really do have an abundance of good taste.
It feels good to share it with a commoner.
- I'm glad I entertain you. - I mean it.
You lift my spirits.
It's been so difficult
- watching my brother get worse. - Princess,
the king of Navarre.
Ugh, my work never ends.
Leith, I expect you to be wearing that when we play cards tonight.
Greetings, Your Majesty.
I've been sent to welcome you by the king and queen.
A meager royal reception,
but a lovely one.
Please, take me to them.
Are you going to just stand there?
There's royal luggage to unload.
Queen Mary.
- Where is the king? - He does not wish to see you, Antoine.
He associates you with your brother's treason.
I was never involved in Louis' plans to seize the throne.
I come in peace.
Why?
To trade for my brother's life.
Louis has been captured by mercenaries
in the mountain village of Chamonix.
I'm willing to pay the ransom, but his only path home
is a remote mountain pass controlled
by your king's forces.
I'm here to negotiate for Louis' safe passage.
I will not let my brother die in those mountains.
Condé is a traitor
and deserves to die in France.
You are asking that he live his life in luxury in Navarre.
Why on earth should we grant him this?
Because I have something to offer you in return.
I will convert to Catholicism,
and I will credit my conversion to you.
In doing so, any alliance I have with England
will be destroyed.
If you want Condé to live,
it will cost you much more than that.
You will renounce your family's claim to the French throne.
You can't be serious.
If you really love your brother,
and your intentions are sincere, what's the issue?
Giving up my claim means giving up my supporters,
the men who keep me in power.
France will keep you in power, and Condé will live.
I will not even consider this until I've spoken with Francis.
- As queen I can negotiate on his behalf. - Have I been too subtle?
I have no interest in negotiating with you.
You are a dangerous and duplicitous woman,
and you destroyed my brother.
Why are you trying to blame a woman for a man's choices?
It was Condé's decision alone to start a revolution.
It was his love for you that fueled his ambition.
You swore that you loved him,
that you'd spend your lives together,
and then you stabbed him in the gut
and threw him in a dungeon.
I think you've done enough, Mary.
I will only speak with the king.
How do I look?
Well, you look well enough.
Are you sure you're able to negotiate in person?
If it means putting an end to the Bourbon threat
and keeping you and Charles safe after I'm gone,
I'll do anything.
Though I do hope Antoine is serious
about signing away his claim.
He is.
I know how much he cares about Condé.
And I've seen Antoine choose to protect him time and time again.
What is it?
This feels like it did in the beginning:
like we can do anything together.
I'm ready.
Francis? Francis!
No, no, no, no, no.
Guards!
- Francis... - Francis, come on.
Take him upstairs before anyone sees him.
Quickly! Quickly!
He's gone.
And now you have nothing to fear...
except me.
If only that were true.
I'm still having nightmares about that rat
Catherine planted in my bath.
Catherine is locked away.
And even if she escaped,
- I'd protect you. - Mmm.
Mmm...
So from now on,
you are only allowed to dream about me.
As you wish, Lord Narcisse.
Lola. Hmm?
I want something.
Well, whatever it is, the answer is yes.
I want to know what your plans are
when we can be together,
since Francis has forbidden our union.
Now I really want to know.
You just need to trust me and be patient.
Are you sure?
I have had years of experience scheming and plotting.
Please, stop.
Ah... all right.
But I shall need...
something in return...
a sign of your good intentions.
Right here...
on this...
delicate little finger.
Lola...
when the time is right...
will you marry me?
To marry you is to defy my king,
to risk Catherine's wrath and the judgment of my friends,
and yet...
you make me feel stronger than I've ever felt before.
I can't believe I'm saying this, but...
yes... yes, I will marry you.
Someday...
I will. But for now,
we must keep it a secret.
For now.
Constance,
we had quite a time in Milan last summer.
It was brilliant.
Remember the party at Lord Francesco's castle?
You and I drank so much wine.
If only it had just been you and I.
Sadly, your friends never seemed to let you out of their sight.
Well...
my friends aren't here now.
What's happening at court tonight?
- Anything exciting? - Tonight?
We'll have after-dinner festivities.
The King of Navarre will be attending.
- Dreadfully boring. - I know.
It'll be terrible.
But I can find something exciting.
Hmm. I'll leave it up to you then.
The drug's powers are miraculous, Your Majesty.
Opium will relieve your pain for hours and even bring euphoria.
Thank you. But I've heard the drug can be unpredictable
and dangerously abused.
Hm.
I only have one chance with Antoine.
I need my mind to be sharp.
I can do this.
I just need rest. Well,
in case you reconsider.
Francis,
do I have to attend the festivities tonight?
It would be good to have you there.
It's... it's just I have already promised the Duke of Toulouse
I'd play cards with him tonight.
It would be rude of me to cancel.
He's a very important man.
Well, if you finish in time, come and join us.
I'll do my best.
Though I expect our game to run rather late.
Are you sure you can do this, Francis?
Mary told me about what happened on the stairs.
You must be in so much pain.
I appreciate your concern,
though I do wonder if it's genuine.
- What? - Since my mother lost her power,
I have inherited her network of spies.
One of them saw you leaving
Narcisse's chambers this morning.
So it's true.
After I forbade Narcisse from courting you.
- Francis, I'm in love with him. - For what,
his honesty? His loyalty to his king and crown?
I'm not a fool.
I know he's done awful things.
But there are other sides to him that you don't see. There is...
goodness in him, kindness.
He makes me happy.
So you're going to marry him after I'm dead.
That's what you're trying to tell me, in so many words.
Lola, you're not the first person to tell me
that I can't control things after I'm gone.
So I am asking you,
not as your king but as John's father...
please don't marry him.
When I'm gone, John won't remember me.
He'll never feel my love.
He needs a man in his life
to protect him, to guide him, to show him right from wrong.
Narcisse is not that man.
I understand. And...
I will consider your wishes, I promise.
Francis, it's time.
You're quite enchanting, aren't you?
Tell me, have you seen the king?
Oh, I don't think he's arrived yet.
Here's our chance.
The seat beside him is empty.
Musicians!
Dancing music for the king and queen!
Francis, we don't have to. I'll make an excuse.
No. I want to dance with you.
Can you do this?
If we're here to put on a show,
what better way than this?
You're leading.
Just keep your eyes on me.
Stay with me. Stay with me.
What is it?
You'll have to excuse me.
Let's slip away from here.
I want to feel your skin against mine.
Francis knows.
That is a problem.
We'll find a solution.
Stephan, I can't do this.
What do you mean?
It's strange.
So long I've resented that my life belonged to a king.
But now I realize my life really belongs to my son.
I have to think about what's best for him.
I'm not sure that's you.
I have raised children of my own, you know.
Some of them turned out quite well.
I swear that
I will help you and Francis raise your son with honor.
Do you doubt me?
As long as Francis has doubts, so will I.
I had them clear out this room just for us.
Do you like it?
It's just like the wine cellar in Tuscany.
We had quite a night, didn't we?
Until you went off with Lorenzo.
So, what do you want to do?
Um...
Is that what I think it is?
Charles!
I've never actually tried it before.
Shall we smoke it?
No need, darling.
To us.
That's all?
Mmm.
Have some of me then.
Constance, are you all right?
Constance! Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
Constance, please, you have to wake up!
- What do you mean she might be dead? - How am I to know?
- Haven't you smoked it before? - That's why you came to me?
What do you expect me to do?
Constance's father's a duke.
If she dies here in the castle...
God, I wish Mother were here.
She manages tragedy with ruthless clarity.
Actually, there...
there is someone who shares mother's talents...
- I will not help you with this. - Why not?
- You have to. - The king mistrusts me enough as it is.
I can't get involved in hiding the death of a noble girl.
She is actually dead, isn't she?
Her eyes rolled back in her head.
- What is it? - She's still breathing.
Barely, but she's alive.
How long has she been like this?
I'm not sure. Ten minutes?
Charles, fetch me a bucket of water.
You want me, the Dauphin, to get you a bucket of water?
You want to save her life,
then we need to flush the drug
from her body before her heart stops.
Now fetch me that bucket!
- And some kind of tube. - A tube?
Your Majesty, you received my invitation.
What was so urgent?
I've learned of your negotiations with the Valois.
So disappointing after
the wrongs they've done to your noble family.
You have a counteroffer?
Don't sign away your claim to the French throne
and England will make it worth your while
with gold and military support.
And if France retaliates against my country?
They won't. They can't afford it.
I came here to save my brother's life.
With the roads under French control,
he can't get back into Navarre.
If I don't sign away my claim,
he will die.
Condé is an anchor around your neck.
Let him go.
You are a king.
Of a small nation, to be sure.
Which is why you, more than your brother,
want the French throne.
And you can have it,
with England behind you to make good on your claim
when the opportunity presents itself.
France could one day be yours.
We'll need a decision before dawn.
Where the hell is Antoine?
He asked to negotiate with me in person
and then, suddenly, he just disappears?
Apparently he received a message and then he rushed off.
- A message from who? - I don't know.
Greer had one of her girls watching him,
but unfortunately the poor thing can't read.
Antoine was willing to negotiate with me, so...
something in that message changed his mind.
I'll find out what happened.
Talk to the rest of your ladies who were on duty tonight.
Find out if anyone knows what Antoine has been up to
since he left the festivities.
You needn't bother.
Sebastian.
I know you ordered me to stay away from Antoine.
You've been following him.
Yes. And I saw him take a private meeting with Nicholas.
The English ambassador.
I was too far away to hear their conversation,
but I think we can assume that England
made an offer that Antoine couldn't refuse.
Then we have to force England to rescind that offer.
And how will you manage that?
You said that you could still help your children.
Now it's time for you to prove it.
You must be Nicholas.
How did you get in here?
I'm Catherine de Medici, Queen Mother of France.
Maybe you've heard of me.
I heard you were locked away
in the dungeons by your own son.
And I heard that you made an offer to the king of Navarre.
You will withdraw it immediately.
I know Elizabeth likes having a friend in Navarre
with a claim to our throne.
A king who could one day take over France.
I will never let that happen.
And Elizabeth will never give up Navarre.
Yes, she will.
Because I have something to trade:
my silence.
I was at English court when Elizabeth
sanctioned a conspiracy against Mary.
And I can tell the whole world
how your Virgin Queen and I conspired together,
with her lover Dudley panting in the wings.
That would be disastrous for her.
She's gone to a great deal of trouble to cover it all up.
By accusing her, you'd implicate yourself as a traitor to France.
Your own son would be forced to execute you for treason.
You don't know me, Englishman.
I don't have much to live for these days.
But I can still die for my children.
Withdraw your offer,
or I will burn Elizabeth's name to the ground.
Open her mouth, hold the tube in place.
Not you.
- Charles. - Why me?
Because you are responsible for this.
She took something you gave her because she trusted you,
so now you're gonna make this right.
Now put the tube in her mouth!
I need a funnel.
Are you sure you know what you're doing?
It's been years since I found myself in an opium den, but...
- But you've done this before? - Never.
Claude, the funnel. Hold it steady.
Keep the tube all the way down until I give word.
Narcisse.
Not yet.
Is this supposed to happen?
- I think she's dying! - Hold it.
Now. Pull it out now.
Constance.
Are you all right?
Good.
There, there.
You're fine.
Here, Charles. Come on.
Get her cleaned up and back to her chambers.
You may not be king,
but your actions reflect on Francis,
and he has the weight of thousands of lives, just like this one,
on his shoulders.
Be wiser next time.
That girl is alive because of your quick thinking.
Well done.
Leith, you'll never believe...
Claude! Uh, w... what are you doing here?
- Alexandra? - Dear Lord!
Claude!
Claude, wait!
- Wait! - What?
Uh...
- I'm sorry that you had to see that. - Don't apologize.
I should have knocked.
I don't understand this.
I thought you were heartbroken over Greer.
When did you decide to take up with one of my ladies?
- Recently. - How recently?
And why her?
It's very confusing being your friend,
so instead of doing something foolish, I did this.
What do you mean, something foolish?
Something with me?
I fell in love with a woman above my station before.
It was torture. I'll never make that mistake again.
You thought you might fall in love with me?
- No, I thought that this cannot happen. - Fine, fine, fine.
Could you just
repeat the part about realizing you had feelings for me?
You wanted to see me, Your Majesty?
You don't look well.
- Are you feeling all right? - I've been fasting.
I was just in Reims for seclusion and prayer.
I know what happened with Charles.
- King Francis, if I may... - You may not.
Not a word.
Charles came to me because he made a mistake
and felt terrible about it.
That is quite a change.
I've been trying to get through to him
for weeks and somehow you reached him.
You challenged him to take responsibility, and he listened.
I'm confused about the nature of this conversation.
Lola tried to convince me that there was more to you
than treachery and greed.
I didn't want to hear it.
But the measure of a man is what he does when no one is looking.
Perhaps you still have some honor to impart.
Are you offering me your gratitude?
I'm offering you my blessing with Lola.
- To court her? - To marry her.
As long as you do so quickly.
In the interest of Lola's reputation.
Gossip is already spreading about the two of you,
and I will not have Lola mistaken
- for another one of your conquests. - No. Uh...
I will attend, of course. To publicly sanction this union.
Francis. Mary needs you. She's found Antoine.
Antoine.
Thought you'd retired for the evening.
My apologies, cousin.
We know you're here to meet Nicholas. He's not coming.
You no longer have an alliance with England.
Only one path remains.
Sign away your claim to my throne, right now,
and I will make sure that your brother comes home alive.
I give you my assurance as king,
France will protect you.
- King Francis... - Francis?
I'm all right.
No you're not, you're sick.
That's why you've barely been at court. They've been hiding you away.
Sign it.
You're in such a rush for me to sign tonight.
It's not because you're ill. Are you dying?
- Francis is recovering. - Enough!
I can't be expected to sign away my claim
- to a dying king. - It's true.
I'm dying.
But a dying king is capable of anything.
Antoine, I could kill you...
right here... I could march on Navarre and crush it.
Are you threatening me with war?
Now, your father was a tyrant and a brute,
but you're not that kind of king.
It's not in your nature.
I'm going back to Navarre.
My God.
When I die,
Mary and Charles will rule
and you will not rise against them.
Have you gone mad?
You misjudged me, Antoine.
I'm my father's son.
Sign away your claim
or I will gather my forces at your borders,
ransack your cities, pillage your gold... I don't care
if I have to run France into the ground,
I will take your country.
Mary, convince your husband to see sense.
Remember why you came here...
to save your brother, to protect your family.
Sign, please, before you lose everything.
I will abdicate my claim.
Charles will rule.
- Another attack? - A young peasant woman in the narrows.
Stabbed in the chest.
The woman's heart...
was it removed like the others?
No, my lord. She survived.
Neighbors heard her scream and rushed outside.
The killer had already fled.
But we have a surviving witness.
She's in a peasant house in the village, unconscious.
Shall I stand guard until she wakes?
I need to know what this woman saw. I'll go myself.
I know Charles's behavior concerns you.
Let me think.
He's lied to our faces,
stolen opium, and endangered the life of a young girl.
Yes.
Let's talk about it after the wedding.
Ambassador.
Surprised to see you here after your dealings with Navarre.
I was only doing my job...
protecting Elizabeth's interests.
No, I would call it spying.
All diplomats are spies.
We trade in information. Your health, for example.
My condolences, King Francis.
What do you want?
Is Elizabeth also sending her condolences?
No, she's sending 6,000 peacekeepers into Scotland.
"Peacekeepers"?
Is that what she's calling her soldiers now?
It has a pleasant, nonaggressive ring to it,
but they will crush your supporters
and your French forces nonetheless.
This is an act of war.
We will not bow to the English, not in France or in Scotland.
Tell your queen
that I will fight for Scotland
until my last breath.
I will not abandon your country, Mary, I promise.
We can't afford to keep on fighting.
We don't have the soldiers, we don't have the gold.
Catherine was right about Elizabeth.
She'll never retreat.
I...
You haven't lost me yet.
I'm still here,
at your side.
Mary, what are you doing up here?
Come back to the celebration.
I can't marry Charles.
I... I know that you're worried about him,
worried that France can't sustain a prolonged war, but...
- the alliance... - The alliance is not
what has protected Scotland all these years.
It's you.
It's your love for me.
When you threatened Antoine with war,
I could see it in your eyes, you meant it.
There is nothing you wouldn't do for me.
How can I expect the same of Charles?
We don't know what kind of king he'll be,
what kind of man.
He won't be you, Francis.
He won't have your heart...
he won't have to take care of his own country.
And France is weakening with its king.
And when you die...
The alliance will die with me.
If you don't marry Charles, what will you do?
Intelligence from Spain.
Prince Don Carlos is their next king, and according
to this message, he has begun secretly looking for a wife.
Ah.
Spain has the strongest navy in the world.
It could protect Scotland.
I hate talking like this, thinking like this.
It's all right.
I just need to make sure that the ones that I love are safe after I'm gone.
If you leave France, someone else will have to watch over Charles.
Yes.
Someone devoted to the Valois line.
Someone who will protect your family and your country,
no matter the cost to themselves.
No.
How could you even consider her?
She just blackmailed Elizabeth,
and offered up her life
to be sure the Bourbons never threaten her children again.
If England had called her bluff, she would have died.
She's been a danger to you one too many times.
She saw me as a threat to her sons.
But when I lose you
and leave France, I won't be anymore.
She will protect your family.
She'll keep them safe.
It's all right.
You're safe now.
- Who did this to you? - Was it the witch? Was it Delphine?
I... I... don't know who it was.
I couldn't see his face in the dark.
- His face? - He tried to cut me open.
He tried to take my heart.
I'll call off the search for Delphine.
No. Keep looking for her.
Knock on every door in every village.
- I don't understand. - Delphine predicted that evil
would strike the castle, then the village.
The young people I found in the boat both worked in the castle.
This woman works here in the village.
If we find Delphine, we might be able
to stop the killer before he strikes again.
Thank you, Francis, for granting my release.
You have Mary to thank for that.
She called off the engagement with Charles
for the sake of both our countries.
She suggested I reconsider you.
She does have her moments, doesn't she?
Promise me.
I'll look after her.
I will look after everyone.
I promise you.
I know I've done terrible things.
I'm sorry I wasn't the mother that you wanted me to be.
I did my best.
I know.
In your own way.
I must rest now.
I appreciate all that you've done for me.
Catherine...
Don Carlos of Spain.
It was your spies that got that information to me, wasn't it,
so I could make a new alliance?
I knew you couldn't leave France empty-handed.
Is there anything I can bring you?
I've sent for oranges from the trees in Nice.
They'll be arriving tomorrow morning.
I don't care about any of that anymore.
I just want more time with you.
Did my wife enjoy her wedding day?
Mm.
Congratulations to you both.
Catherine.
How was the ceremony?
I wouldn't know, as you seem to have forgotten my invitation.
What are you doing here?
Well, this might seem a bit awkward,
but my son has asked me back into his life.
So here I am.
Back in your lives, too.
May they be long and healthy.
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