TEXT: FRANCE 1557: Mary, Queen of Scots, has been hidden away at a convent for her safety since age 9. Engaged since childhood to the future king of France, she awaits her return to the french court AT A CONVENT: (Mary and her fellow countrymen are seen playing an early version of football. Until they all gather around a table to eat together. Everyone is sitting, passing food around and chatting amongst themselves. For some reason, Mary focuses her attention on a nun sitting on the opposite end of the table. Suddenly, blood and a frothy substance start to drip from her mouth and ears, until she falls face-first into her plate, causing a young girl to scream and everyone else to panic. One of the nuns grabs Mary by the arm and leads her away from the table) NUN: You must leave immediately. This was an assassination attempt. You were nearly poisoned. MARY: By who? NUN: Someone with ties to the Protestant throne of England, no doubt. They'll be found and dealt with. (Meanwhile, a group is heading toward the convent on horseback) MARY: Poor Sister Helen; I didn't know. NUN: That she was your taster? Every meal you've eaten has been tasted for poison since you left your mother's breast, Mary, you are the Queen of Scotland. (After gathering her things and preparing to leave, Mary is greeted one final time by the women who have been protecting her) GIRL (whispering): Look at her. She is beautiful. (As she makes her way through the crowd, they part for her) MARY (to the nun): I don't know if I'm ready. NUN (trying to sooth her nerves): To leave here, or marry the future King of France? MARY: Both. I hoped I would get to go back to Scotland one last time. NUN: Your friends from Scotland will be there. Girls you've known your whole life. You're safer in French Court. You're nearly a woman, and Francis is nearly a man. It's time. (Qu
SUMMARY:
In 1557, fifteen-year-old Queen Mary Stuart of Scotland has been living in a convent in France since the age of nine in anticipation of her marriage to Prince Francis, heir to the throne of France. After a failed attempt to poison her, Mary is brought to French court for safety, where she is reunited with her Scottish handmaidens and childhood companions Greer, Kenna, Lola and Aylee. Queen Mary discovers that her marriage isn't assured, due to ever-changing politics and Francis's doubts over the wisdom of a Scottish alliance. Queen Mary also catches the eye of Prince Francis's younger half-brother Bash, illegitimate son of King Henry with his mistress, Duchess Diane de Poitiers . When Queen Catherine's adviser, Nostradamus ( Rossif Sutherland ), has a vision that Francis's impending marriage will cost him his life, she arranges for Queen Mary to be drugged and raped by Colin (Ashley Charles), a Scot betrothed to Lola. Queen Mary is warned ahead of time by an unknown figure to not drink the drugged wine, and so manages to stop Colin. Before she can question him, Colin is executed by order of the King and Queen.