have they all been accounted for?
three?
i want those musketeers, not excuses. bring them in at once. cut to:
how was your ride?
forgive me.
but your welfare is more than a matter of personal interest. it is a matter of state. but rest assured, your secret is safe with me.
you're homesick.
sometimes. richelieu brings his eyes back to anne, continues:
austria's loss is france's gain.
nonsense. he's young, not blind.
arranged marriages can be difficult. your father and i thought yours would bring austria and france closer together.
may i advise you?
louis was only nine years old when his father was assassinated. he lost his childhood forever that day. i have watched him grow toward manhood, seen the toll his life demands. a boy who is not allowed to be a boy sometimes has difficulty becoming a man. he is shy, yet boastful. giving, yet stubborn. but most of all, he is not yet sure exactly who he is. the boy who lost his father. or the king of france.
flatter him. make the boy feel like a king. so that the king may be your husband.
your majesty.
perhaps if i knew the question.
you approved the decision.
your majesty, france is on the brink of war. we dare not hesitate.
they are the bravest fighters in france.
we'll need them in the field if we're to win this war with england. buckingham plans to invade la rochelle within the month. i thought it best to act quickly --
of course. forgive me. a tense beat. anne, feeling out of place, steps toward the door.
extremely.
very.
may i advise you?
she scares me too. as do all women who join beauty to intelligence. what's a man to do?
the course of love is full of frightful turns. but, no matter how you feel, no matter how hopelessly afraid.  never let her know that you are anything other than the bravest and most confident man in france. make that your starting point, and everything else will fall.  into place.
good advice for a shopkeeper. let alone a king.
i know. but don't worry.
from now on, i'll take complete responsibility for your welfare. indeed he will.
that foolish boy is about to become a man. which is all the more reason for us to act.  quickly.
she will receive me in ways she never thought possible. privately. hold on the cardinal and rochefort, watching the king and queen below. cut to:
i have an errand that requires your singular talents.
forget you? impossible. richelieu and milady share a look of intimacy, two vipers from the same pit.
carry this to the duke of buckingham.
the king left me no choice. now that he's come of age, the boy believes he should rule france. instead of me.
yes. everything. you're to leave for calais at once. a ship called the persephone will carry you to england. it sails tuesday, midnight. i want buckingham's signature next to mine before the king's birthday. friday.
and doing so, shall earn you the gratitude of.  a king.
rochefort. violence solves nothing. leave him to me. d'artagnan reacts to the cardinal's reasonable tone. rochefort makes a sullen exit. the cardinal smiles.
please. sit down. d'artagnan reacts with perceptible awe, as if seeing his first movie star. he sits in a finely brocaded chair, looks at the cardinal, an apparition in red. the cardinal speaks, his manner casual, friendly.
how much did you hear?
you may have many talents, my young friend. but guile is not one of them. do you have a name?
i've heard that name before. are you a gascon?
tell me. what brought you to paris. and don't say 'a horse.'
bad timing.
d'artagnan, i like you. i could use a capable young man like you in my guards.
i suppose not. your heart is set on being a musketeer. when i was your age, i too had dreams of joining the musketeers.
why not? becoming a musketeer is the fantasy of every young frenchman. or should i say it was.  like the knights of the round table, the musketeers have outlived their usefulness. they are a thing of the past. and so have your three friends. tell me where they are, d'artagnan, and i will spare your life.
in that case, give my regards to the headsman.
you've just had it.
why? do you object to losing your head?
then tell me what i want to know, and perhaps you will keep it there a few years longer. where are the three musketeers?
and if you did?
i admire your courage, young man. you might have made a fine musketeer after all.
but we'll never know, will we? rochefort steps into the room, grabs d'artagnan roughly by the arm, hurls him from the chair to the floor. this time richelieu does not utter protest. instead, he turns to the captain, commands:
find the three musketeers and kill them.
a comforting thought. good night, d'artagnan. enjoy it. morning comes quickly.
a remarkable woman. the most beautiful i've ever known. and the deadliest. which would explain my attraction. how is our young daredevil holding up?
my carriage.
one thousand pistoles on each of their heads, dead or alive. the boy knows our plans.
don't worry. thanks to our winged friends, every mercenary and bounty hunter in france will be waiting for them. isn't modern communication a wonderful thing?
your majesty, forgive me.
i need your help. and could not in good conscience wait another minute.
yes.
your.  husband.
i am worried about the king's.  happiness.
the huguenot rebellion, occupation in the antilles and cayenne. the coming war with france. these are not the usual hobbies of youth.
and now he wishes to postpone his birthday celebration.
he feels it is not.  appropriate.
which is exactly why we must celebrate. to show the world that the king of france is strong enough to face any enemy on any field. to show france.  that he is king. he will listen to you. if you will speak. richelieu makes his case with forceful eloquence, seeming loyalty. anne considers, replies, noncommittal:
of course. anne nods, turns back toward the chambers. richelieu calls after.
your majesty? please understand that i do not underestimate the value of your assistance.
and that i wish for you to consider -- in fact, to know -- all that you and i might accomplish. together. for france. richelieu steps away, his red cape swirling behind him. anne feels a chill, pulls her robe more tightly about her body. cut to:
i'm sorry to be late, your majesty, but i was wrestling with an important matter of state.
i'm afraid.  that's impossible.
they have become outlaws. they are terrorizing the countryside, robbing and killing innocent people.
no mistake. i have reports from the local constables involved.
they are better off disbanded. louis turns back to the balcony, the soldiers marching below. his mood glum and lonely. he sighs, moves on to another matter of business.
there are so many to choose from. is it the one about my alleged alliance with buckingham? let's see if i remember it correctly. while the english attack from without, i'll undermine the throne from within -- depose you -- and become sovereign of france myself. that rumor, your majesty?
if there are any doubts of my loyalty, they'll be put to rest when we appear together at your birthday celebration.
your subjects are eager to celebrate the birth of their king at a time like this.
i have an idea. why don't you discuss the matter with your queen? louis looks up, wonders. as richelieu draws him deeper into his spider's strategems.
the wonderful thing about an imaginary opponent is that he is always greatly skilled, and always easily defeated. the pride of victory, without the risk of loss. if only life were like that.
milady has reached calais.
buckingham's signature will be on the treaty by morning.
will proceed as planned. thanks to the kind intercession of queen anne. rochefort steps closer, speaks quietly.
will proceed as well. richelieu pours two glasses of port, offers one to rochefort. they turn, raise their glasses to the king's portrait. and drink. cut to:
impressive.
and he has no qualms about.
a man of faith. how delightful. whatever you're paying him, double it. i want the king's birthday to be a memorable event. and rehang this painting in my chamber. just as it is. hold on richelieu for a beat. framed by a sky filled with stars. his evil intent. cut to:
i'm not sure which is sadder.  to die so young. or to die a king. richelieu turns from the procession. speaks to rochefort who pauses in the shadowy alcove behind him.
france will not go wanting. a new king will sit on the throne. the true king after all.
is everything ready?
are you sure?
rest assured, captain. you have.
your majesty.
kill him. kill her, too.
your majesty, that document is an obvious forgery. i am clearly the victim of a conspiracy designed and perpetuated by these three musketeers.
you can't do this to me. i'm the cardinal of france.
congratulations, monsieur d'artagnan. i'll be keeping an eye on you.