Soundtrack:
Walter Frye - Ave Regina
*exterior* *Milan* *we see Manuele Palaiologos riding into the city in great state* *Giuliano de Medici riding a small ways behind him* *both men look bored to tears by the display*
*cut to Manuele and Giuliano both seated at the duke's banquet table* *with them in the presence of the duke is a third, older, man with a high forehead, a hooked nose and a narrow chest* *although his clothes easily match the richness of both Giuliano and Manuele's* *but his general expression is as though he is attempting to avoid a bad odour*
Giuliano: and how long will you be remaining in Milan, Signore Francesco?
"Signore Francesco": *simply retains his "aloof" expression as he continues eating*
Manuele: your grace's guest is hardly the sociable type.
Duke of Milan: *about to respond*
Signore Francesco: I wasn't aware that anyone had anything to say, your Imperial Highness. All I heard was the bleating of a Florentine sheep [1]
Giuliano: and all I see is a Ferrarese lynx who is disappointed that he returned from the Burgundian vineyards to find that he will never be an eagle [2].
Duke of Milan: gentlemen, there is no need for rancour.
Signore Francesco: as soon as Medici is sent out to graze with the livestock, your Grace, there shall
be no rancour.
Giuliano: *pushes plate away* forgive me, your Grace, all Signore Francesco's talk of livestock has put me off my dinner. *slyly* still...one can expect no better from the son and grandsons of whores [3]. *smiles as he retains the duke's attention* but at least we Medici can be sure of who our
father's were.
Signore Francesco: *to Milan* you would let him insult me so?
Manuele: firstly, Signore Francesco, you insulted Signore de Medici. Secondly, I struggle to see where his insult is, unless you are saying that your mother was
not a whore and your father was not a bastard. In which case
I will happily insult your intelligence for doing so *bites into apple*
Signore Francesco: *fumes silently as the conversation resumes as though the argument never happened*
*exterior* *London* *Westminster Abbey*
Elizabeth Wydeville: Warwick is to be pardoned?
Jacquetta of Luxembourg, Duchess of Bedford: provided he returns to Edward's side.
Elizabeth: and what he did to you? To father? To John? That is to be forgotten?
Jacquetta: Elizabeth, the king is hardly interested in Warwick's return any more than what I am or what you wish it. And as insulting as it would be to your father's memory, Edward has his reasons.
Elizabeth: how soon will it be before Warwick is back in favour? You, of all people mother, know how...how...
Jacquetta: ruthless he is? *pats her hand* I do. But do not mistake his return for that Edward has either forgiven or forgotten what was done to him either. Your husband is
just as ruthless as Warwick.
Elizabeth: how long will that take then?
Jacquetta: it is not indefinite. Warwick is playing a dangerous game here. With not one, but
two Edward's. He is technically traitor to them both. Regardless of which one wins, *slightly satanic smile* I do not need to be a witch to predict that he
will fall.
Elizabeth: but Edward's promise of a dukedom for him? I've never heard of a man falling
upwards.
Jacquetta: again...a promise that has no legs. Prince Edward- now a man- will not honour it should he win. And
King Edward has only promised it
should the duchess of Clarence have a son.
Elizabeth: *surprised* she is with child?
Jacquetta: I've heard no tell of it. Although if she were...it would be very difficult to maintain the illusion that either George or Isabel are under arrest as the official line goes.
Elizabeth: *looks at her son toddling around under the eye of his governess, Lady St. John* and what of
my Edward? He is walking already. Will he be talking before his father creates him prince of Wales?
Jacquetta: you could leave this place, Elizabeth. Return to court.
Elizabeth: and if Edward loses? What then? Am I to give birth in sanctuary again?
Jacquetta: perhaps, perhaps not. All I know is that since the duchess of Exeter married, the duchess of Clarence's behaviour at court grows more intolerable.
Elizabeth: she has been cruel towards you, mother?
Jacquetta: no more than the duchess of York. However...in the absence of a queen, and without his sister to function as the head of his household, the duchesses of York and Clarence swan around as though
they were the crowned queen and the princess of Wales.
Elizabeth: *face darkening*
*cut to Shene Palace* *the courtiers, servants, see a carriage arriving in the courtyard* *nobody bats an eyelid when they see Jacquetta stepping down* *again, nobody looks up at Lady St. John's emergence* *however, when Lady St. John turns to help a little boy down from the carriage people
do look up* *the little boy is followed by Elizabeth Wydeville* *a hush falls over the courtyard* *we hear the sound of a wooden barrel or box dropping on the cobbles as the servants and courtiers, in a mixture of astonishment and surprise, bow and curtsey*
Elizabeth: *walks through the spreading wine from the barrel, it soaking the hem of her grey dress* *she looks at the barrel as she picks up her son* what a waste of Malmesy
*cut to interior* *we see Elizabeth blowing down the palace corridors, with her mother and son's governess trailing behind her* *as she rounds the corner of a courtyard, she is brought face to face with the duchess of York and Clarence* *the two women are laughing together at something*
*both Cicely and Isabel Neville look practically stunned to see her*
Elizabeth: *warmly* Lady Cicely, I was unaware that you were in residence.
Cicely: my son needed someone to run the home in your Majesty's absence.
Elizabeth: of course. Then I need not remind you of what is the proper protocol on encountering the
queen of England.
Cicely: *looks at Elizabeth for a long beat* *then slowly sinks into a curtsey*
Elizabeth: *to Isabel* most beloved, most loyal sister.
Isabel: *coolly stares Elizabeth down* your Majesty
Elizabeth: it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to
my home [4]. I trust that...in time...you will be kind enough to invite me to your home at L'Erber.
Isabel: it is not in such state as fit to receive a queen, your Majesty
Elizabeth: that was not a request, sister.
Isabel: *looks at the still unrisen Cicely* *then back at Elizabeth* *attempts to bob a brief curtsey*
Elizabeth: *sternly*
lower, madame. Lest my son should believe that you are as traitorous as your father.
Isabel: *grudgingly* *sinks into a full cutsey*
Elizabeth: *presents her hand*
Isabel: *looks at her as though to ask "are you serious?"*
Cicely: *jabs her daughter-in-law with her elbow*
Isabel: *hastily kisses it*
Elizabeth: *hands Edward to his grandmother* *then raises Isabel to her feet* *leaving Cicely on her haunches* *kisses both her sister's cheeks* then come, sister...let us talk no more of the unhappy past.
*fade to black as Edward IV takes his son from Jacquetta* *while Elizabeth and Isabel are arm-in-arm, as though best friends* *Isabel's smile is like a hostage going "yes they are treating me well" in a ransom video*
[1] reference to the Medici bank originally making their money off the guild of wool-carders
[2] several puns in Giuliano's answer. "I see" and "lynx" are both references to Signore Francesco's father, Leonello d'Este, whose motto was "Quade Vides ne Vide" (shut your eyes to what you see) and whose heraldic charge was a lynx (a pun on his name). The eagle is both a reference to the imperial eagle as well as that on the coat of arms of the d'Este family
[3] referring to the fact that Francesco is illegitimate, and the son of Leonello, who himself was illegitimate
[4] Shene belonged to Elizabeth Wydeville and was earmarked to serve as her dower home OTL
