Versailles

MUFFLED SCREAMS

EXHALES DEEPLY

You will make the necessary preparations.

I have my proof.

God has shown me the way.

We will see the prisoner together.

And set him free.

I knew you'd see sense. The carriage is waiting.

I'll see him safely onto the ship myself.

He must remain in France.

So how in the name of God do we grant his freedom?

There is only one way to finish this.

You've lost your mind.

We're talking about our own flesh and blood.

And every breath he takes is another curse upon it.

So say it, then.

Call it what it is...

..murder.

We have to protect what we've created.

While he lives, the Church can destroy us.

How can this be justice? He's already sacrificed his life for us.

And having done so, he now wants release.

God has delivered our father to us. His fate is in our hands.

But we must shoulder this cross together.

# I'm the king of my own land

# Facing tempests of dust

# I'll fight to the end

# Creatures of my dreams raise up and dance with me

# Now and forever

# I'm your king. #

You are more alike than you realise.

We wanted to share a moment. As one family.

I'm glad to see you together.

We share our duty.

Then...

I drink to my sons.

I thought I would never see daylight again.

The mask was a curse on every waking hour.

But at night I could only pray for sleep.

But now, at last...

..it comes to free me.

And I thank you.

I thank you, my sons.

There is a time for love and a time for hate.

And this is a time to move forward, unencumbered by the past.

Our country is divided, our people driven asunder.

The moment has come to unite them once and for all.

A royal wedding will galvanise the people,

to show France as one family, complete.

For now, my priority is the safety of my people.

I must put France first.

So His Majesty will wish to secure our borders.

Emperor Leopold has repelled the Ottomans, as we feared.

He will surely turn his attention back to Luxembourg.

Then we will take it before Leopold gets there.

With full force.

And what of the Protestant forger in our midst?

There is no concrete evidence yet, Sire.

Then look harder.

In the meantime I wish to revoke the Edict of Nantes.

But...

..that was decreed to protect the rights of all faiths.

We have tolerated the Huguenot traitors long enough.

I must warn His Majesty against such draconian measures,

in the strongest possible terms.

France is a Catholic country.

How can we be one family if we do not share the same faith?

It is religion that divides us.

And it is through religion that we shall be united,

under one faith, one law, one king.

What the hell's going on?

I'm teaching my brother a lesson.

I doubt we'll ever see him round here again. Good.

Look, all right, all right.

Hey, look, I'm serious, I'm ready for fireworks.

If you want to burn some buildings, help me to start a riot...

And have us all end up like poor Monsieur Golovine?

That wasn't your fault. Yes, it was.

I have to live with that. No, hang on a second. We need you.

You're the one who said we should get people on our side

and do something. Well, I was wrong, wasn't I?

Welcome to the inner circle, Monsieur de Pins.

Now you are a noble, I trust you'll make yourself at home.

You could be quite a success around here, my dear Guillaume.

I have to pinch myself, to be honest.

It doesn't feel real. Be warned, Versailles is a lot more

accommodating when you leave your soul at the door.

We all made a lot of sacrifices to be part of it.

Yeah.

I just hope they're worth it.

Well, that depends on your viewpoint.

You had to recant your faith, did you not?

I was a soldier and a tradesman before.

But look where I am now.

No regrets?

You do what you have to do to survive.

Any further news of the commotion in Paris?

The dissident printer has been dealt with.

Permanently.

Good. Keep a watching brief on the streets.

Look, I know you were there last night.

The prisoner must have been very close to the king.

The unfortunate soul took his own life, and with his life his story.

He must never be spoken of again.

Is that clear?

Jeanne!

I think you should read this.

He can't do this. What?

"All Protestants must recant or face the consequences."

Does the king really believe he can defy history?

You have me at a loss, madame.

The Edict of Nantes was a declaration of humanity.

Does he wish to return to the Dark Ages?

The king is uniting France as a Catholic state.

One cannot make an omelette without cracking eggshells.

So he wishes to control our minds as well as our bodies?

He will do whatever is necessary.

And the people will be grateful. Then I pity the people.

For the good of the palace,

henceforth, all Protestants will be confined to their rooms.

By order of the king.

Is it entirely necessary to creep up on people like that?

Yes, when stalking a rat.

Very droll. Stick to hurting people, Marchal,

leave the wit to those who can wield it.

You are very close to one or two of the Protestant nobles.

Perhaps. But I am a loyal Catholic.

Albeit with a reputation for bending the rules.

Perhaps even with a skill in forgery?

That's preposterous. Has your wit deserted you now?

Has your conscience deserted you?

See that you remain in the palace.

Princess Isabella, you are most welcome, dear cousin.

Good. Now, I have all the relevant paperwork from my father, but I'll

need a full list of my duties, and advice on the appropriate wardrobe.

You are the one who's on my side, aren't you?

I think you and I will get along like a house on fire.

I do have some butterflies, to be honest, about meeting the king.

I have no doubt he will find you a delightful surprise.

She's the Infanta of Portugal, Sire.

She has been considered a potential match.

A new wife has been thrust upon me without my permission?

I believe the Princess Palatine has planned it.

She may be meddlesome, but she's no political animal.

No, someone else is behind this particular plot...

I had the bresaola brought in from Valtellina, in the Alps of Lombardy.

You should try it.

One could surmise you do not trust our French food.

It's too rich for me. My stomach favours the plainer things.

Your grapes are sweet.

But Roman wine is too tart for my tastes.

And what of our proposal?

I trust it has whet your appetite afresh.

If I am to strike a deal with the Vatican,

I'd like to negotiate terms.

You're not in a negotiating position.

Now my niece is Queen of Spain, as you anticipate,

I would indeed like to expand my empire to include Portugal.

And this would please the Vatican.

But I will not marry the Infanta.

The Church wishes to facilitate an alliance built on blood,

not risk the spilling of it.

I will take Portugal my own way.

This marriage is essential for consummating our new arrangement.

Unless you want the world to know who you really are.

I am the son of Louis XIII and Anne of Austria.

And no man alive can prove otherwise.

In that case I should leave immediately.

The Pope will wish to confirm your excommunication

as a matter of priority.

Well, that will be hard to achieve when I invite you to stay

a while longer.

You would dare treat a servant of Rome as your hostage?

No. Certainly not.

As my guest.

Corpus Christi. Amen.

Corpus Christi.

Corpus Christi.

Corpus Christi.

Congratulations, Sire. They're recanting in their droves.

They are wise and loyal.

And what happens to those who refuse?

Draw up a list so we might assess the scale of the challenge.

And you don't wish to discuss this with the council?

I don't think that's necessary. Do you?

I am sick at the thought of who we have become.

You're making a grave mistake.

You are treating your people with cruelty. All of us.

I am doing my duty to my country as best I can,

after much prayer and consideration.

You're behaving like a god, but you're not even a real king.

I know exactly who I've become, a man chosen by God as his ruler.

So why do you feel the need to throw your weight about?

Why do you have to prove you're not just another lackey from Rome?

I don't have to prove anything, I'm following God's will.

Bullshit!

You're making it up as you go along.

God didn't choose you any more than he chose me.

We're just another pair of squabbling brothers,

and I need obey you no longer. You will do as you are bid!