Previously on Reign: Bash was healed by the Lady in White. Greer turned down Pastry Boy (not over it). Francis freaked out over Conde potentially marrying Queen Elizabeth. Conde found some backers for his claim to the throne.
Everything is leading up to a battle that never happened! I can’t wait to see who loses. (Besides history.)
The Intrigue
- Renaude is still scouring the countryside, looking for Louis. Francis is still harping on Mary for helping Louis escape. Mary doesn’t believe Louis is a threat. Francis isn’t that naive and is anticipating a coup. But he’s decided not to recall his troops from Scotland, for fear that would make him look weak. Francis continues to rake Mary over the coals for her infidelity, and yet doesn’t want to hear her apologies.
- Kenna is indiscreetly making out with Renaude in castle corridors. He’s beginning to care for her and is bummed she’s married. She told him to leave it to her, as if it’s so easy to remedy. Well, I suppose she could kill Bash. Don’t do that, Kenna.
- Greer runs into Leith in the village and thought he was avoiding her. He was. Ouch. Her business is doing well, so she doesn’t have any regrets yet. She kisses him on the cheek and goes on her way. Claude is desperately curious about Leith and Greer’s love life, but he’s unwilling to admit to her that they’re broken up.
- Bash and Delphine collect bark in the woods, while she tells him why she lives a solitary life. It’s mainly to avoid being tried as a witch. He tells her that she’s a gifted seer and that there could be a place for her at court, but she scoffs at the idea. They make out up against a tree.
- Louis and his followers encounter Renaude in the woods, and he demands that Renaude and his army join the coup, and he’ll live, and get his kidnapped son back. Queen Elizabeth has donated the captured son to be used as leverage. Louis frees a guard and sends him with a message to Francis. “Prince Conde is coming.” OOOH, scary.
- Bash brings Delphine to the castle and is showing her around. She’s far more interested in seeing his bedchamber, and I’m suddenly worried that he failed to mention he was married. Of course, Kenna comes along at that moment. And no, Delphine realizes who Kenna is, and is transfixed by Kenna’s radiant energy. Kenna is suitably wigged out by her. Bash excuses himself, and Kenna immediately lets him know she’s after an annulment, which he’s not too disagreeable about. Delphine tells Bash that she isn’t threatened by Kenna, since she’s already had a vision of her future with Bash and their children. Oh, DUDE. No wonder this chick is still single.
- Once Conde’s “message” arrives, they all spring into action, to track down his base. They’re unable to determine why Conde is telegraphing his move, but Francis thinks it’s time to have Prince Philip send troops from Spain.
- Catherine surprises her boy toy, Narcisse, with his stallion, that was seized along with his lands. He tells her that he doesn’t need incentives to remain loyal to her. A soldier arrives to escort Catherine back to the castle immediately, upon Francis’ orders. He’s summoned them all to the castle, so that they can be evacuated to secret locations to wait out the coup. Francis sends Lola and baby John off with his baby blanket and a fond farewell, in case he doesn’t survive. Catherine insists that she’s not leaving Francis’ side. Mary doesn’t want to leave either, but Francis doesn’t want to fail to protect her a second time, so she agrees to do as he wishes.
- The next morning, as Mary is escaping by carriage, Renaude and his men waylay her under the guise of providing an escort. Apparently, they didn’t get the memo about Renaude, yet. Oops. Mary starts to get suspicious while talking to the troops about their route. She’s far less directionally challenged than I am. A fight breaks out among Mary’s guards and Renaude’s troops, and she makes a getaway on horseback.
- Hi, Shirtless Bash! Delphine tries to reassure him that she didn’t received a definite vision of their future, just a possible one. Bash is just relieved that she sees a future where he’s alive at all.
- Narcisse arrives in Lola’s chambers, to tell her goodbye. Lola is on to his relationship with Catherine, and knows that’s why he humiliated her with the drawing She tells him he’s better than this, he doesn’t have to be Catherine’s lap dog. She wonders why he’s even there to say goodbye, and risk Catherine’s ire. In case something happens to either of them, he wants her to remember him as the man who would have cherished her, if he’d had the chance. The maid sees their farewell kiss. That shouldn’t come back to bite anyone in the ass.
- Mary makes it back to the castle, to warn them that Renaude has switched sides. Kenna can’t believe it, but Francis and Bash catch on that Mary was to be a hostage or a gift for Elizabeth. They didn’t get the word to the gate in time, and Renaude and his troops ride into the courtyard. Bash comes down and orders the gate closed before the rest of Renaude’s men make it in. There’s a sword fight in the courtyard, with Bash and Francis in the middle of it, while the archers shoot at each other on both sides, and Renaude’s men start climbing the walls. Mary and Kenna watch from the balcony. Bash and Renaude end up facing off, and Bash stabs Renaude. Once the general has been taken, his men fall back from the castle walls.
- Leith orders Claude to run and hide during the battle, and she suggests using Clarissa’s creepy old secret passages. While hiding in there, she’s freaked out and on edge. She’s grateful that Leith saved her, and she apologizes for being difficult and prying into his personal life. He feels bad, and admits that Greer called off their wedding. Claude admires Greer’s fierce independent streak, but says she wouldn’t turn down having someone like him at her side always. Smart girl. And then she sees something creepy and screams, and brave Pastry Boy goes to investigate. He finds nothing, but she’s convinced she saw a demon. It was probably just another illegitimate royal.
- Kenna confronts Renaude in the dungeon, believing he used her to gain access to the castle. But he tells her that he had no choice, once he found out Queen Elizabeth was holding his son hostage, and Conde blackmailed him into service. As his potential last act, he offers information about Conde’s armies to Kenna, to give to Francis.
- They estimate Conde’s forces at 1000 men. Bash urges Francis to evacuate, but he wants to stand his ground. They plan to hold the army off at the castle, since it’s their only choice with Prince Philip’s troops days away. A soldier arrives with a message from Conde, requesting a meeting with Francis.
- Narcisse joins Catherine in her chambers for a fancy dinner. Catherine says that if it’s her last night, she prefers to go out in style. He wants to be of some use to the men preparing for a fight, and is cranky at dancing attendance upon her instead. But she calls him out on possibly missing Lola, since of course her spies have reported on that kiss. Then she hints that their special dinner is his beloved stallion. This is all because she loves him and won’t lose him to a child. DAMN, Catherine. “Loving me means loyalty and sacrifice.” She lets him know that if she feels betrayed again, God help him next time.
- Mary and Catherine watch from the balcony as Francis goes to meet Louis. Conde demands Francis surrender the castle and Mary will live. Francis doesn’t think Mary would live long anyway, since she’s Elizabeth’s rival. Louis says Mary will be safe if she marries Conde and converts to Protestantism. Francis turns down the offer, so Louis informs him they’ve killed or captured every messenger that was sent to obtain help from Prince Philip. He doesn’t have any choices left.
- Delphine is sharing wine with a cute servant boy, and preparing for some kind of binding ritual that requires Bash’s bloody shirt, writhing, pagan tongue, and some seriously witchy looking stuff. Bash was right, she fits right in at court.
- Francis tells Mary that Louis still loves her and still thinks there’s a future for them, but Francis tells her there’s no way Conde can save her from Elizabeth and that barring a miracle, they’ll both be dead by morning. She sneaks out through one of the secret passages and goes to Louis’ encampment, to let him know that she wants to be with him. He’s shocked and doesn’t believe her. She tells him that she believes if Francis wins this fight and keeps his crown, her death is sealed, because she’s pregnant with Conde’s child. She begs him to save her. WHOA.
History According to Reign
- Per historical record, Mary Queen of Scots didn’t have any children until 6 years after Francis died, and she’d been remarried in Scotland. But then, per historical record, Catherine de’ Medici didn’t have a disfigured daughter who lived in the castle walls. Who needs history when you have The CW?
Final Thoughts
- It’s the triumphant return of Mary’s sparkly ice skater dresses!
- “No one ends a relationship with Catherine de’ Medici.” Fair enough.
- Everyone was calling Narcisse by his first name this week, and it’s super confusing. Did you forget he had one, too?
- On a scale of 1 to boiled bunny, how freaking scary is Catherine?
- Do we believe Mary is telling the truth or trying to lure Conde into a trap?
Got a finale prediction? Let’s hear it in the comments!
Next week: Catherine confronts Francis with the fact that his own men saw Mary riding out to Conde and that she’s betrayed him again. Catherine tells Mary that the moment she began an affair with Conde, she sealed his fate. Catherine goes to Queen Elizabeth with an offer. My guess is that it’s a brunette’s head on a platter.
