Original subtitles

Just quickly, please.

You're going to him?

I have no choice.

Elizabeth.

Take this.

For luck.

It may help you and it cannot harm.

Nothing will help me with a man like him, mother.

Where are we going, mother?

Why must we go so early? We're going to go and meet the king.

King Henry?

Is he back?

No, the new king.

Edward. Edward of York is not the king.

He killed our father!

He is king now, and we must show our loyalty to him.

Come on, Donald.

Thomas! Halt!

Halt!

Edward.

Now? Really?

All right, rest a while.

Is he really the king?

I'm Lady Elizabeth Grey, Your Grace.

Rosa.

You've come to see me.

I...

I cannot obtain my son's inheritance, my husband's lands, which were taken from

me when he died.

My boys and I have nothing to live on.

My husband was Sir John Grey.

He died in battle. He was the leader of the Lancastrian cavalry.

They killed 700 of our men. He nearly ran you through, Edward. He did his duty

as he believed it to be, Your Grace.

He was loyal to the man he thought king.

My boys are innocent of anything.

And these are his sons?

My only fortune. This is Richard and Thomas Gray. Edward, you don't have time

for her. Your home is near here.

It's just off the fields and very near.

Warwick, lead the men on.

I'll catch up with you.

The men may go on. I'll escort you.

You are very welcome to Grafton Manor, Your Grace.

Jaquetta Woodville.

Is the page boy at home as well?

Baron Rivers is away, unfortunately.

I forgot. Baron Rivers.

A hastily made-up title to cover red faces when a high-born Lancastrian lady

bedded a grubby commoner, as I recall. He was a squire and always twice the man

that you are, Lord Warwick. Uh-huh.

Will you take a glass of small ale, Your Grace?

Or we have some fine wine from my cousins in Burgundy.

Edward?

Surely, you and I... I'll take the wine.

With thanks, Lady Rivers.

Boys, I have an important job for you.

Guard Fury for me.

There is not a man on earth...

who could ride past my daughter, Your Grace.

Not one with his sight, anyway.

Good health, Your Grace.

Excuse me.

Sit.

Aren't you happy here with your father and mother?

I love my parents.

I'm used to running my own lands and household.

My sons will have nothing if I can't reclaim them.

Too many have suffered during these wars.

If I can keep my throne, I will see the law of England run from one coast to the

other.

And we will all be Englishmen again. I wish for nothing more than that my sons

will never fight.

Do you think it possible?

There must be one more battle.

Henry has regained his wits, for now at least.

But I will try and keep it from your door, my lady.

You are confident of winning.

I'm quick.

I'm brave and I am lucky.

I'm as lucky in battle.

As I am in love, I will win.

Thank you for the wine.

You're leaving?

Yes. We have not yet... Write down the details of your claim, the land you say

is yours, and the details of your ownership. Yes, of course. And I shall

collect the paper from you tomorrow.

On my own.

Well? He is coming back tomorrow.

Of course he is.

Mother, where are you taking me?

You'll see.

choose a thread magic do you want to be drowned in a dark king's tomb it's

forbidden and you promise no one knows but you and i we are descended from the

river goddess melusine magic is in our blood elizabeth now choose a thread

What were they?

Things that you will never know.

Children who will not be born.

Chances you will not take.

They are lost here.

And what will I catch at the end of this fishing line of yours, Mother?

The future.

Reel it in.

The foot every day.

Lizzie! Lizzie!

I know who it is.

Lady Elizabeth.

Baron Rivers.

Your Grace.

And these are my sons.

Antony.

John. We've met.

At the Battle of Towton.

When you slaughtered half of England in one day. And in Calais.

When your father insulted my mother over her marriage and called my father a

nobody. Antony. Because you backed a king whose court was poison, whose taxes

were unpayable, and who murdered men he had smiled on and pardoned, and yet you

called him pious?

Well, now your pious Henry is defeated.

And I am king.

Lady Elizabeth tells me she has lost her marriage land.

She didn't lose them. They were taken. And all she asks for is justice.

Justice from the Yorks. Your Lancastrian queen murdered my father and brother and

stuck their heads on spikes. So do not talk to me of justice!

Have you written down your claim for me?

Then they'll be returned to you by your king.

Thank you, Elizabeth.

Lady Elizabeth, would you show me around the gardens before I leave?

The air in here is stale.

I cannot stay for long.

Henry's queen is bringing the French to join his northern army.

I must be ready for them.

You don't fear you may lose?

Isn't that what you would wish?

That you're not on the side of Lancaster?

I wish there were no sides.

I sent a pageboy to bring you to me tonight.

I have a longing for you, Lady Elizabeth, more than I have felt for any

woman. Your Grace, I cannot be your mistress.

I may die in battle, and this could be my last request. You would deny your

king that?

You will not.

Die.

You are quick and brave and lucky.

Then I must go and this be the end of it.

Tomorrow.

Sunset.

Meet me by the big oak tree where I first saw you.

Even if only to say goodbye.

She shouldn't have gone with him alone.

He's a legend.

They're looking at the garden, Richard.

And what comes next?

He will not return her lands for charity. We are Lancastrians who stood

against him. We will want payment.

If he has not taken it already, he's bedded every woman in his court. Why

would he not take Elizabeth?

He could be forcing her this moment while we argue. He will not take her in

a rosebush, John. How can you possibly know that? He will summon her to court

when she is obligated, when he has returned her lands.

Is that not so, Elizabeth?

I only ask for what is mine to be returned to me.

I ask for justice, and the king has promised it, as he should.

A hard man to deny, though, Elizabeth.

And if he summons you to court, how will you answer?

However you advise me at the time, father.

Will anyone play chess?

Well, I shall certainly advise against it.

It is not you we question.

That man has been through half the wives of London.

And the Yorkist army rape our women as they go.

As does King Henry's.

And at least this new king has his wits.

We were once friends with that witless king.

And his queen. Or have you forgotten, Jaquetta? I don't forget.

But the wheel of fortune rises and it falls.

And the queen, my friend, became too vicious. And now this man is king and

Elizabeth needs her lands returned to her.

Just not at any price.

It's not just the lands you want, though, is it?

You want him, too.

He is the king of England.

I must show loyalty if I am to have my land.

How else can a poor widow make her way in the world?

You'd be a fool to sell yourself too cheaply, Elizabeth.

I don't intend to sell myself at all.

I knew you'd come.

Can't stay for long.

Let down your hair so I may see it.

I'm mad for you.

I've been thinking about you all day long.

Shouldn't you be thinking about your father?

Sit with me.

No. No. I can't.

No.

I told you no. I meant it. You came to meet me. Say goodbye and I shall say no.

Don't run away!

No. No.

I said no.

No.

No.

Draw a knife on me.

Upon your king.

It is treason. I draw the blade upon myself.

If you come one step closer, I will cut my throat and die right here. Play

acting. I'm sorry if I've misled you in my coming here, but I will not be your

mistress. I could take that from you in a single second. Not before I slice my

throat! Stop it!

Don't doubt my courage, Grace.

I match for any man.

So I see.

You may keep my dagger as a souvenir.

You're crazy. You have made a fool of me.

You may congratulate yourself on that.

You'll never see me again.

You've had no word from him? No token?

He said I would never see him again.

Well, they say the battle will be any day now.

And if King Henry wins, then it will not matter what Edward thinks or does, for

he will be dead and you will have your lands back either way.

You know that there's more to it than that, Mother.

He asked me to lie with him and I refused.

And if he dies, I'll regret that forever.

I regret it now.

You are a girl from the House of Lancaster, and you live in a country

that is divided.

You may not fall in love with a York King unless there is some profit in it

for you. Your life will not be easy because you wish it to be so.

You will have to wade through blood, and you will know loss. You must be

stronger. And this is your fortune for me.

What do you foresee for yourself?

I know what you think.

Mother, but I don't share your gifts.

I'm the daughter of a humble squire. I have no seeings or foresight. You are of

my line.

And you will come to know that in time.

But what I foresee is that you may have whatever you want.

If you will take the consequences.

What is it, father?

Muster. We are to go to war again.

No, why?

Why you, Antony, or my brothers? Not again.

The king has commanded me to provide a dozen men, fitted and kitted, to march

under his command against the Lancaster king.

We are to change sides.

Did he say anything else?

It's a muster, not an invitation to a May Day breakfast.

What do you expect him to say?

They will be through the day after tomorrow. The men will fall in then.

Perhaps we should go out and wave them off.

I'm sure the girls would like to see the army on their way.

John. Have you not had your fill of seeing men go off to war?

We should show our support, Richard.

If he wins, it will be better for us. And if he loses, no one will remember

that we wished him well.

And we can soon deny it.

I'm paying them, aren't I?

Arming them from what I have.

And we should find a purse of gold from the treasure room for his grace.

A purse of gold to wage war against King Henry?

Have you lost your wits?

Are we yokists now?

Yes, if he wins.

And he is likely to, for then he will control all our fortunes.

And all the marriages.

And there are many girls in this family, Richard.

Sometimes, woman, you even scare me.

Very well.

We'll do it your way.

And we'll wear white roses, too, if you wish.

If we can find some of this early.

Great, we're still young.

You should see.

My men, Your Grace, all sworn to your service.

I won't forget your support.

Oh, how dizzingly quick it was conjured out of nowhere. Tell me, if I scratch

that rose, will I find its true red color underneath? Leave it. Warwick.

Your Grace.

We offer you this to help your cause.

You've never accepted your defeat of Towton?

Not given up hope of mad old Henry back on the throne.

It seems no matter what we do, we lose in your eyes, Warwick. I cannot sleep.

I haven't slept since I last saw you.

Nor I.

Nor can I eat.

Because of me.

So is this love, then?

Is this what it feels like?

I thought you were well-versed in love.

Love?

Love's the other.

I cannot ride the battle like this.

I have to have you. And if you will not be my mistress, then you must marry me.

Don't marry me.

It is the only way.

Will you marry me?

Yes.

Tomorrow, at sunrise, meet me at your chapel. Bring your mother as a witness.

I will be on my chaplain.

I'll have to keep it secret for a while.

If I am so far beneath you, may we offer you refreshment?

No, but I will take supper with you tomorrow, if I may.

A few hours hunting while the last of the men are recruited and we'll be close

by.

I was early.

I couldn't wait.

I'm a fool.

I forgot the ring.

Lady Ruthless, do you have a ring that I could borrow? I have one.

Grace.

Thank you.

Lady Rivers, where can I take my bride?

There's a hunting lodge by the lake.

I've had it made ready for you.

I'm never nervous.

I'm starving to death, you wanton woman.

If you'd let me out of bed, I can get you some bread and cheese. Yes, but then

you'd be gone too long.

You have no appetite, Your Grace.

I thought you would be hungry after hunting.

I thought the same myself.

But I'm exhausted.

She led me quite a merry dance.

To battle, men are ready.

It's time.

But you must come now, today.

At this moment, I'm afraid, or else I risk my crown.

And how should you love me then? I would love you, even if you were a common

pauper, and right now I'd be glad for it. Elizabeth, we must discuss. Should

luck go against me and I am killed, you must say nothing of this marriage.

You would gain nothing by revealing it.

You will remember me in your prayers, I hope, and I would like you to marry

again. If you find yourself with child, then you must leave England. Henry and

his son may die young, and if you have a boy, you will be the only heir to the

throne. Go to my brothers, to Warwick. They will help you raise our York boy.

Just come back to me, Edward.

Elizabeth, you are not going to lose me on the battlefield.

I will die in bed beside the most beautiful queen that England has ever

known.

You whore.

You shamed our house and our name and your dead husband who gave his life

fighting that usurper.

No, Anthony.

Don't touch me. It isn't what you think.

What, my eyes deceive me? And this is an honourable coupling? This is honourable.

We are married.

Oh, dear God, Elizabeth.

He's fooled you.

My poor dear sister.

Let me guess.

Secret wedding in our chapel.

None of his family attended.

Lord Warwick, must not be told. For now.

Elizabeth, think.

This is a man who is king of England. He will marry a princess.

Not some commoner from the camp of his enemy he found begging by the roadside.

He is married to me now. You are not married, Elizabeth.

You've been tricked.

It was a pretend service.

There were witnesses.

Who?

Mother.

And a priest.

Which priest?

I... I don't know.

He's tricked you with a pretend priest to get you into bed.

He's done it before, and he has a bastard son.

He's Warwick's puppet, Elizabeth. Without him, Edward could never have

claimed the throne.

Warwick is the kingmaker.

You can be very sure he will make the queen as well. You are wrong.

Edward is king. He does not have to do what Warwick tells him.

You are wrong.

Elizabeth, a messenger.

Father,

is there news?

It's another bloody battle.

Who's won?

The Lancaster forces were routed.

Henry is defeated.

Edward has won. Henry has fled to the Moors with a price on his head, like a

border rebel.

He's lost his wits again.

Oh, the poor man and Queen Margaret.

She's taken her son to Scotland.

She won't give up there.

She'll never give up until her son's on the throne.

And so this war will never be over.

No one may doubt now that Edward of York is king.

And all our fortunes rest with him.

Please.

I have to go, my father will miss me at dinner.

No, stay.

You are not helping us. I'm not trying to help.

Unless we've got another marriage in there. Not yet.

If he had his way, Lord Warwick would have me marry the Princess Bonnet of

France.

And you will need some time to see it as not to be.

A few days?

Weeks.

Elizabeth, he is like an older brother to me.

He gave me my first sword. He stood beside me my whole life.

I must take the time to explain it to him. I own that much.

But you will tell him, and I will come to court as your wife. Yes, when the

time is right.

Well, may I at least tell father so we can meet openly?

You may as well tell the town crier. If we met openly, the whole town would

know, and the rest of England soon after.

We must keep our secret a little while longer.

I'm rather enjoying it, though.

Aren't you?

Our humble hunting lodge?

I have to go.

So, he didn't take you with him?

Well, he has to tell Lord Warwick first. He must explain to him. Perhaps Lord

Warwick will explain to Edward that he must marry the Princess Bonner of France

and throw off his little commoner. I will not hear it, Antony.

In any case, I love Edward so much, I would have him any way I had to. Then

I'm sorry.

Because I think you've seen the last of him.

He writes me Lady Elizabeth Grey.

He does not say wife, he writes my love.

There's nothing here that speaks of a marriage mother, not a word to prove it

ever happened.

Read the rest.

He writes that he's busy, but he will see me soon.

The court is in London, the council is sitting.

Henry has still not been captured, and Queen Margaret has sailed home to France

with her son demanding help.

He says he loves me.

He burns for me. That's love as words, nothing more. Does he say whether he's

spoken to Lord Warwick?

Does not say.

It means he has not. What should I do?

Should I trust him?

The messenger who brought your letter also brought a summons for your father.

It's gone out to all the nobles requesting they attend the court.

It will be to announce his marriage.

That's what your father believes.

To me?

Or to another.

It seems the French Princess Bonheur is at court.

Your Grace.

My Lords,

we welcome you to court.

The King has some important news he wishes to share with you about Princess

Bonheur of France.

Lord Warwick?

Whatever can be the problem now?

Father, I think the king may announce that he's married to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth who?

Our Elizabeth.

Are you out of your mind?

Although he married another before her, and the first lady has his son, so he

might equally announce his marriage to the first one.

Dear God.

I should have guessed that whore would get hoaxed into you when she's lured you

into her hovel. You may not call her that. She is the queen. She is a

roadside strumpet, and this can easily be undone. It must be. She is my queen

of choice. Of choice!

Have you gone mad?

We've got a peace treaty to conclude with France.

Without it, that whore of Anjou will bring the whole French army against us,

and this time they will win! I cannot help it! Well, you will have to help it!

I've not spent the last year of my life scrambling to that fat French pig for

the British bonnet's hand, but you didn't just throw it all away!

Now get in there and make the announcement!

Thank you for your patience.

We are proud and happy to announce...

I am married to Lady

Elizabeth Grey.

Your Grace.

Sorry.

It's beautiful.

I have written to my family in Burgundy, inviting them to London for the

coronation. They will confer on us the royal position. We shall need to see

this through, and if we fail, they will be there for refuge and support.

You're making it sound more like a battle, Mother, than a marriage.

Oh, it is a battle. Make no mistake, Elizabeth.

The king has done what he should not.

He has married from another house and a commoner at that.

There are many who will be cursing our luck and wishing us to fall.

But you, Elizabeth, you may have it all.

You love your husband and he will give you prestige too. You are blessed.

Oh,

and after the coronation, we must send your boys to live with their kinsmen.

No, my boys stay with me.

Girls, out.

Elizabeth.

You're as cold as ice.

Elizabeth.

Elizabeth. This is a seeing.

You have been warned of danger to your boys now. Do you see more?

They must not be with strangers.

So be it.

We have had a warning.

And now we will keep them close with us.

And they will be safe.

You're of my line, Elizabeth.

I knew you had the sight.

Good to see you.

Do you give me your blessing, father?

Of course I do.

And you will always be my daughter, no matter what.

My little Elizabeth.

Anthony,

you can stay down there. The things you said to me.

I beg your forgiveness, sister.

I hope you know that it was out of love.

I'm happy for your joy.

Get up, then.

Come and talk!

Anthony. Anthony.

We had a secret wedding. We must expect some jibes

My wife.

Taketa Rivers.

So you've turned your coat to York.

Margaret Beaufort.

Lady Tudor. Lady Stafford, now.

Oh, you're remarried. As women must, it seems.

Though some of us are still loyal to our own house.

These are different times, Lady Margaret.

Lancaster brought us only war. King Edward will bring us peace.

He is a pretender.

He has taken the throne by force.

He is the king, and those who speak against him are guilty of treason.

He's all well.

A common Lancastrian girl is queen.

It's an insult to the lords who fought for him.

To take a bride who's finally killed for Henry.

The worst part is, he kept it from you.

The boy is fogged by lust.

I shall bring him back.

Sacrifice too much to lose him now.

The river's hoar. Wish he'd never come here.

My brothers, George and Richard.

My sister, Margaret.

My cousin Lord Warwick, his countess, and daughters Isabel and Anne.

My royal court, I give you the Queen of England.

Lord Warwick looks as though he swallowed poison.

All his plans for Edward smothered in their stone.

He'll make Edward pay for it though, you can be sure of that.

And now we have the joy that is his mother.

Dr. Cecily, it is an honor to meet you.

I am not happy about this marriage.

That's a shame. We're all delighted.

I would remind the Lady Rivers that the wedding was a secret one. Private?

It was private, not secret. I was there, as were other witnesses.

But if your son, the king, did not invite you, then I'm afraid you must

take that up with him.

Your daughter is a widow.

And years older than my son. I know.

That's such an advantage, isn't it? As my daughter has already proved herself

fertile with two handsome and legitimate boys. So we may feel confident that God

will bless this new royal couple with issue. Your daughter could never be

royal.

She's not my choice.

Nor that of my nephew, Lord Warwick.

Her father was a commoner.

And while I might overlook that, if Edward were not the king... He is the

king.

And he has chosen me.

Unless I should unseat him.

And how would you do that, Duchess Cecily?

I could disown him.

I could put his brother George upon the throne in his place.

How would you like that as the outcome of your private wedding, Lady Rivers?

Yes, I did hear some talk when Edward was born.

It was an archer, wasn't it? By the name of Blaybourne. That's it.

Yes, people said...

that you had made a cuckold of your husband.

But, in fact, I was one of the few who swore that a lady of your standing would

never stoop so low, and yet it seems you did, if that is what you're saying,

Duchess Cecily, that you admit yourself a common whore and declare your son, the

king, a bastard, for I cannot see how else you would unseat him. Enough.

Enough.

So then your words against the king will go no further.

And now that we all are friends, I believe you do know the proper custom

when presented to the Queen of England is to curtsy.

It is an honor to meet you, Duchess Cecily.

I'm surprised you won a robo.

Must have really worked some charm.

I confess, I'd expected quite a battle.

She is your mother, Edward.

How much trouble could she be?

Edward, does the Earl of Warwick like me?

He makes me nervous.

You made me what I am, Elizabeth.

You must love him for my sake.

He's my closest kinsman.

Then I shall try.

Loving you is very much easier.

Now let us make a son to Scotch.

More magic.

I could have been anyone, Mother.

Who else would come in here at this time of night?

Trying to see our futures.

I said we'd keep them close.

So tell me then, who are my enemies?

I do not need to scry to tell you that.

Lord Warwick and Duchess Cecily. Well, then tell me something we do not know.

How many children shall I give Edward?

How many sons and daughters?

What is it?

Elizabeth, what do you see?

A woman.

With blood on her hands.

A woman wearing red. I do not know.

Whose blood was it?