[Queen Kane] The Trivantians have no queen or king.
I cannot negotiate with common politicians.
Of course not.
But I can go as your emissary.
I need to be able to defend my family.
I'm sure the princess can appoint you a proper trainer.
I'll ask her to appoint you.
I'm Harlan, Lord of Pennsa,
and this is awkward, but I'm married to your wife.
[chair slides]
[Wren] The Triangle offer the Payans an overture for peace.
[Edo Voss] The peace talks will fail, and we will make sure they do.
If something goes wrong, they will lay the blame at your feet.
Which is why you will go in my place.
[Maghra] Maybe having God on your side means
you win the war without having to fight the battle.
As long as your sister is on the throne, there will be no peace.
[Kofun] She's protecting her people. Isn't that what queens do?
Why are you defending someone who hunted us our whole lives?
[Queen Kane] It's a secret, Kofun.
It must stay between us.
This satchel hung on the saddle with a message for you.
[screaming]
[people shouting, screaming]
[weapons clashing]
[horse whinnying]
[Paris whimpering]
[screaming continues]
[whimpering]
-Paris. -[man] Help! We've been betrayed!
-Paris. -[Baba Voss] Intruders! Wake up!
-Paris! -[whimpers]
Haniwa. Haniwa. [panting]
Your mother, Baba. They must not leave.
They've already left. What's wrong?
I dreamt betrayal.
[breathes shakily]
Blood. Blood and betrayal, Haniwa.
Okay. You stay.
[Paris whimpering]
[sighs]
Can't you just send someone else?
Who should I send? Do you want me to trust a Witchfinder?
Can you even ride a horse?
Kofun does it. How hard can it be?
-That's it. I'm coming with you. -You'll just slow me down.
-Just grab me a horse! -Charlotte!
There's no time.
[grunts]
-[Charlotte] Swear to me you'll be safe. -I'll do my best.
I promise.
[grunts]
[Edo Voss] Keep to yourself.
Pay attention to all that is said.
I don't see how an agreement will be reached, but…
if you feel our delegates weakening, you will make them see reason.
Yes, sir.
You're troubled.
I understand the queen wants war,
but an attempt at peace costs us nothing.
Every day we wait to strike is another day she grows her forces.
I've buried enough soldiers this year.
[sighs] You represent me at the conference.
The other delegates will be wary of you, but they will also listen to you.
No one will listen to a lieutenant.
That is why I am making you a captain.
The Payans have killed our people.
And instead of avenging their deaths,
the Triangle would prefer that we appease the enemy.
Wren.
Sometimes in order to best serve the republic,
you must work around its government.
The talks must fail. Do you understand?
Yes, sir.
The delegation is leaving. Here.
In case you get hungry.
[sniffs]
Are you okay?
Kerrigan was always gonna get himself killed one way or another.
I'm pleased he did it in the service of the princess, my wife…
not crossing the border with a bag of thornflowers stuck up his ass.
I need another drink.
We can drink later when we toast the Trivantian delegation.
You can toast those bastards. I'm drinking to my brother.
-Harlan. We-- -Sorry.
You have nothing to be sorry for.
But there's a lot at stake here, and if you're unable to participate…
-I know what's at stake. It's my city. -…you have to let me know.
I'm fine.
If we fail, Sibeth will have her war, and the Trivantians will destroy us.
I just got my family back. I will not let any harm come to them now.
Nor will I.
[sighs]
Actually, you're the only family I've got now.
That's pretty sad, huh?
[both grunting]
That's 12 heads you've lost today.
-I blocked you twice that time. -Oh.
We'll tie a knot by your grave to remember that stunning achievement.
[panting] How do you do it?
It's like you know where I'm gonna be before I do.
Movement is a language. Hmm?
Dance, combat, fucking.
It's all just bodies talking to each other.
Now, I'm trying to teach you to listen,
but you just keep swatting at my sword.
Cover your eyes.
[pants]
Don't think I'm ready for this.
Oh, believe me, you're not.
But sight clearly isn't helping you.
So either it's hurting you, or you're simply hopeless.
I just wanna find out which it is.
Let's go.
[Kofun] Okay.
-[blades clink] -[grunting]
Dropped my sword--
Stop!
-What-- -[yells]
[grunting]
[panting]
Good news.
You may not be hopeless.
-But we're done training for today. -No, I wanna go again.
Well, then you better find someone else to fight.
[exhales]
That is the Payan banner.
[snaps fingers]
[horse whinnies]
[woman] Commander Watts
of the Trivantian Empire.
Captain Gosset of the Payan kingdom.
As has been the custom between our two nations,
soldiers shall maintain their company outside the camp.
All others who enter will be unarmed.
Agreed.
Our soldiers will check your delegates, and yours will check ours.
[Gosset] Agreed.
[Watts] Then let's begin.
[soldier] Clear.
-[Trivantian soldier] Clear. -[Payan soldier] Next.
[soldier 2] Clear.
[soldier 1] Clear.
Clear.
[breathing heavily]
[soldier 3] Clear.
[sighs]
[soldier 1] Clear.
[soldier 2] You're fine.
-[soldier 4] Arms up. Arms higher, huh? -[soldier 5] Arms up.
[soldiers, delegates chattering]
-[soldier 5] What is this? -[soldier 4] Move on.
[chattering continues]
-[horse nickers] -[Haniwa] Chet-chet.
[horse whinnies]
[Baba Voss] Haniwa? What are you doing here?
-I have a message from Paris. -[Maghra] Shh. Come down here.
-When did you learn to ride? -[grunts] I didn't.
-[groans] It hurts a lot actually. -What does Paris say?
She says you will be betrayed. We should go now.
If we leave the talks, we are assured of war.
She dreamt it, Mama.
She seemed very sure.
Paris's premonitions might come true,
but if we walk away, thousands of people will die.
That is a certainty.
Papa.
Your mother will handle our business.
We will stay close in case this betrayal does come to pass.
Thank you.
She has been wrong before.
Paris or Mom?
Both.
It's good you came.
Find a perch. Keep watch.
Okay.
[rooster crowing]
[horse whinnying]
[Queen Kane] My guards told me you'd taken to riding.
I was so pleased to hear it.
With your sight…
you must be able to ride so quickly.
How exhilarating.
I wonder,
would you take me on a ride?
[horses whinnying]
It would mean so much to me.
[Queen Kane squeals]
[Kofun] You okay?
[Queen Kane laughing]
-Great. [laughs] -[chuckles]
[squealing, laughing]
[squealing, laughing continues]
[breathing heavily]
[sighs]
I haven't felt freedom like that in such a long time.
[panting, chuckles]
Really? You're the queen. [chuckles]
Don't mistake power for freedom.
My position binds me to my people,
but it also keeps me forever at a distance.
That sounds lonely.
[sighs] Everyone does as I command, but…
no one laughs with me…
wishes to know how I feel.
Am I happy? Sad?
I'm… I'm the queen.
It's been a very long time since someone treated me with simple, honest affection.
[kisses]
[breathes shakily]
Thank you.
Should we go again?
[chuckles]
[horse nickers]
[man] For years there was bloody conflict between our nations.
But for a long while, the peace has held.
And now we hear your queen has assembled a war council.
Know this now,
it will be a sorry day for all Payans if we answer this call to arms.
But we have no particular desire to go to war.
Perhaps once you explain your queen's behavior,
we can reach a less bloody solution.
The queen has responded to Trivantian aggression.
Your soldiers have been encroaching on our land,
occupying border towns and taking our people as slaves.
[Watts] If your accusations were true,
we could talk about settling them.
But Trivantian law prohibits any slaving company from crossing the eastern border.
And we have occupied no Payan towns
except in retaliation to military incursions
and smuggling across our borders.
It's hard to talk about borders
when your government has repeatedly re-knotted the surveyors' maps,
claiming Payan territory as your own.
To be clear, is that a formal accusation?
It's a fact.
I know that voice.
That's Wren.
The woman who saved us in Trivantes.
Sounds like you're happy to see her.
I am.
It's always the hard way with you.
[chuckles]
[man] If this was a simple border dispute,
perhaps you'd just review the maps and agree on our respective territories.
Yes, but…
any peace must come with an official apology
for the attack on Kanzua.
[Watts] An apology? You can't be serious.
We will not apologize for something we did not do.
You destroyed the dam and tried to murder our queen.
[Watts] We did no such thing!
Come on. We're talking a simple apology.
We are the strongest military power on the continent.
If we wanted your queen dead, she'd be dead.
It's that strength that makes you the only nation
capable of pulling off an attack on Kanzua.
Your queen is despised by many of her own.
[scoffs] I would not be surprised if this so-called attack
came from within her own camp.
Regardless, we will not take the blame for something we did not do,
just as we will stand by any actions we did take in defense of our nation.
For instance, Lord Harlan,
we made no secret of beheading your brother
after he was caught spying in our city.
As a matter of fact,
we sent his head back to you as a courtesy.
We tried to make it quick, but he refused to cooperate.
-Captain Gosset! -[Harlan] I'll kill you!
Come on!
[Watts grunting, gasps]
All right. That's enough.
Have you lost your mind?
-Fuck you! -I want him arrested at once!
This is a peace summit on neutral grounds. There will be no arrests!
-[Harlan] Shove a poker up your ass! -I apologize.
Don't apologize to them.
This conference was a waste of time. We're done here.
[Harlan] Are you leaving? Oh, no.
Bye-bye. Good night.
Sweet dreams, assholes.
Whoo.
-[Kofun grunting] -[sword clanging]
[woman vocalizes]
[panting]
-Paris. -Most people chop firewood outside.
I'm doing sword drills.
And… you just do the same motion over and over until it becomes thoughtless.
In battle, there's no time to think.
Mmm. Did Toad teach you that?
No, it's a fundamental rule of combat.
Huh.
[clicking tongue]
Remember…
there are weapons more powerful than swords. Hmm?
Compassion, love--
Love didn't save our people.
I sense you're different, Kofun.
So much anger.
Of course I'm angry.
I've been lied to my entire life.
[sniffs]
[inhales deeply]
[sniffs] You've spent time with the queen.
Be careful. Be very careful, my dear.
This queen…
serves only one interest.
[Kofun sighs]
Her own.
Or maybe she's just careful about who she trusts.
[Paris] Mmm.
Well, at least she doesn't pretend to be someone she's not.
I'm busy, Paris.
[Harlan] You both need to calm down.
No harm was done.
No harm?
You almost started the war right there.
I may have had a bad moment, granted--
Your bad moment has ended any chance of a negotiated peace.
Well, if that's true, why haven't the Trivantians ridden off yet?
Ha!
Maghra, you're new to this.
And, Boo-Boo,
you don't strike me as the kind of guy to negotiate his way out of a fight.
So you'll both have to trust me when I tell you
we've gained invaluable knowledge.
And what is that?
The Trivantians might actually be serious about peace.
They will never return to the table.
Yeah, well, they will.
But the table doesn't matter.
What matters is the deal you make before you get to the table.
What are you talking about?
What have you done without my authority?
I acted in your name
and with your best interests at heart, Princess.
We have a meeting tonight with Ambassador Scopus.
It's a private meeting,
away from the bluster and the threats and Torrance's spying.
We negotiate the peace tonight,
and then we pretend to do it again at the table in the morning.
You will not go to this meeting.
[Harlan] Excuse me?
You mean my meeting that I set up for me?
Yeah, I think I will.
No. You have another one of your bad moments,
you and Maghra will be dead right there.
I will go with her.
Oh, yeah.
A Trivantian traitor wanted for murder. What could possibly go wrong?
Just-- Just stop it, both of you.
[sighs, sniffs]
Lord Harlan, that is the last time
you will negotiate anything on my behalf without my express permission.
Is that understood?
[sighs]
-Is that understood? -Yes.
Now. [sniffs]
This is how we move forward.
Harlan, you will attend the meeting with me, but so will Baba Voss.
And if you speak one word out of line,
he will render you speechless with a method of his choice.
Now, where is this meeting you've arranged?
[sighs] You forgot to mention you were Payan royalty.
[chuckles]
I would have… if I had known.
You didn't know?
It's a long story.
[Wren] Hmm.
Well, you'll have to tell me sometime.
Every day since I escaped, I've dreamed of seeing you again.
I know this is difficult.
[chuckles]
Our nations are about to go to war.
Not if this conference is successful.
It won't be.
You can't know that.
Can you?
And if our people go to war…
[sighs]
…you will fight for yours, and I will fight for mine.
We just can't let that happen, Wren.
I know my mother doesn't want war.
I'm not sure there can be peace…
between our people.
And I don't wanna fight you.
Wren.
[Wren sobs]
I will never fight you.
[breathes shakily]
[sighs]
[Harlan clicking tongue]
Scopus?
You here?
[Scopus] Where else would I be?
[staff tapping]
[snapping fingers]
Harlan. And who is with you?
As promised, brought the princess.
-[Scopus] Princess. -[Maghra] Ambassador.
Please let me offer my most sincere apologies
for Lord Harlan's inexcusable outburst.
You did make a fool of yourself, Harlan, acting out like a temperamental child.
Imagine if you'd actually harmed Watts.
Come on. It's not a summit till someone gets hit.
So… we gonna do this?
[Scopus] Where do we begin?
We know you didn't attack Kanzua.
Princess, I appreciate your candor.
A refreshing change from earlier today,
but I didn't need to crawl down here to hear what I already know.
Then I'll tell you something you don't know.
Within a very short time, my sister will no longer be queen.
[Scopus] I'm listening.
[Maghra] The queen has not been herself since the fall of Kanzua.
She has suffered greatly, and her judgment has become questionable.
And your judgment is more sound?
There'll be no victor in a war between our countries.
I'm quite confident there would be.
You're asking my government to apologize for an attack we did not commit.
When I am queen, I will disavow the apology
and make the truth known.
Why would I agree to this?
[Maghra] For the same reason you're here at all.
We all know the Triangle does not want a second war.
You turn your back on the Ganites,
and they'll be through your walls in a matter of weeks.
The Ganites are cockroaches
and crushed under our boots on a daily basis.
And all those boots are mobilized in the west.
It would be a grave error to underestimate our capabilities.
[Harlan] Yeah, I know.
But you know our queen is capable of such errors.
So, do we have a deal?
So, Harlan, you've married yourself a future queen.
-[Harlan] Hmm. -A bold gamble, even for you.
Well, we're all slaves to the vagaries of true love.
[Queen Kane] Thank you for dining with me.
Gets so quiet when everyone's away.
Thank you for the ride this morning.
It was nothing.
It was not nothing.
I'd like to return the favor.
-Harmony? -Your Highness?
Do you have it?
Yes, a portion for each of you.
[bells jingling]
Your service is a blessing.
Thank you, my Queen.
[Queen Kane] Have you had thornflower before?
The journeyer?
It's forbidden.
-I won't tell if you don't. -[Kofun chuckles]
I've never taken journeyers before.
I'm honored to take your first journey with you.
[chuckles]
What are its effects?
I cannot explain it to you any more than you can explain sight to me.
I'll give you the same amount I take.
Surely a man your size can handle that.
[breathes deeply]
Now me.
[moans]
[gasps, sighs] Mmm.
[sighs] Mmm.
And now we wait.
[jingling, clanging]
[echoing]
[exhales deeply]
I don't feel anything. [exhales sharply]
[moans]
[echoing] To feel, you have to touch. [sighs]
Touch?
-Mmm. -Oh.
[inhales deeply]
-Yeah, I feel, uh… -[sighs deeply]
I-- I feel…
[echoing] Not like that, Kofun.
[gasps, moans]
[breathing heavily]
[echoing] Do you feel that?
Yes.
[moaning]
Mmm. [exhales]
Oh, I feel that.
[sucks]
[moaning]
[breathes deeply]
-Sibeth. -Mmm?
[echoing] Sibeth.
[echoing] Should I stop?
No.
[chuckles]
[grunts]
[laughs] Oh!
[panting]
[grunts]
[Queen Kane moans]
[both panting]
[Maghra] So, what do you think?
[Harlan] Scopus will make the deal. Trust me.
-[Baba Voss] I don't trust you or him. -[Maghra] Hey, Baba.
Ask your husband how it is he has the ear of a high-ranking Trivantian ambassador.
He does make a good point, Harlan. It is suspicious.
I'm no spy.
So, what then?
The queen's tax. It's fucking high and stupid.
So, in order to keep the city fortified and keep my citizens fed in leaner times,
I occasionally have to make the odd deal beyond the reach of Kanzua.
It's thornflower. Coal.
So, you broke the law?
Cute. Yeah, I broke the law for my people.
Mmm. No doubt taking a good percentage for your efforts.
A fair one. The risk was all mine.
Look, we all have our questionable pasts, don't we?
And you should be grateful for mine,
because otherwise we'd all be skipping off to war right now.
So, Baba Voss, unless you got any more pretty little threats for me,
I'm gonna go to sleep.
We have a peace to pretend to negotiate in the morning.
It's been a long day. We should all go to bed.
We can argue more tomorrow.
[Harlan] Uh, excuse me.
Get out of my way.
No.
How we sleep in private is one thing,
but Scopus just made a deal
with queen-to-be Maghra and her king-to-be Harlan.
Can't let anything confuse that, can we?
If you touch her…
[growls] One of these days, I'm gonna make you finish that sentence.
I'll sleep out here with you.
-Oh. [sighs] -What?
Oh. [sighs]
He's a jackass, but he's right.
I don't want to be the reason for your failure.
It's too cold for you out here anyways.
Go in.
You sure?
Yes. [sighs]
[groans]
[sighing]
We all know Trivantes did not attack Kanzua.
But we also know your queen is deranged enough to go to war anyway.
So, we will deal with her the way you deal with a child having a tantrum.
In the interests of peace,
we will grant her the apology she craves.
Thank you, Ambassador.
[Scopus] And in exchange for this lie,
you will accept the borders as they are knotted on our maps.
Agreed?
We accept your proposal and thank you on behalf of the Payan people.
Excellent.
Our clerks will have the day to redraw the maps,
and we'll review them tomorrow before we depart.
Uh, one more thing before we adjourn.
This, uh, business of your queen embracing sight,
that must end.
If the sighted are allowed to grow and prosper there,
no amount of border concessions will save you from destruction.
[staff tapping]
[breathes heavily]
Hello, Paris.
Hello.
[grunts]
I don't recall inviting you to join me.
I didn't want you to dine alone.
Maybe I like dining alone.
No one likes dining alone.
When I asked you to stay close to Kofun, I did not mean turn him into a soldier.
[chuckles]
Believe me, there's no risk of that.
I'm serious. He is under your care.
It is your responsibility to-- to guide him.
I'm teaching a boy how to protect himself,
-nothing more. -Toad.
My whole life, I was taught to kill witches.
Now you tell me I must protect them.
Hmm?
So, why should I trust you?
You must trust yourself.
You, and you alone, are responsible for every choice you make, man.
What if I choose wrong?
You won't.
How do you know?
Because…
I can tell you are a good man…
with a very stupid name.
Good man.
Good morning.
Hi.
Are you regretting last night?
I-- I've just never done that before.
What is new is always frightening…
but also exciting.
I wouldn't wanna do anything that makes you uncomfortable.
These days that seems to be everything.
You've had a hard time.
You don't know who to trust.
Let's make a pact, right now.
I will never lie to you.
You will never lie to me.
Even when the things we tell each other might be painful to hear.
Agreed?
Agreed.
[Wren] This peace…
it's built on so many lies.
And it won't stand.
Maybe there's a greater truth beyond all the lies.
[Wren chuckles]
And what truth is that?
That no one wants war.
I wish I was as hopeful as you are.
Well…
if you stay close, maybe it will rub off.
[chuckles]
[snoring]
[wind whistling]
[clicks tongue]
[grunting, gasping]
[wind whistling]
[snoring]
-[clicks tongue] -[chokes]
[thuds]
[grunts]
-[banging] -Intruders! Wake up!
What's happening?
[Watts snoring]
-[muffled screaming] -[slashes]
Commander Watts?
Who's there?
[both grunting]
Who's-- [screams]
[groaning]
[grunts]
Help! Help! Guards!
We've been betrayed!
[shouts]
[groans]
[gurgles]
Scopus.
I'm sorry.
-No. [breathing heavily] -Wren.
[grunting]
Papa, stay back! [panting]
You. You did this.
Wren. No.
This was your plan all along.
No, it wasn't us.
You knew I was the only one who could stop this.
-Wren. -You kept me up there.
You used me. [cries]
No. No.
[cries]
Wren, wait!
[crying]
[crying continues]
This assassin has Payan markings.
Sibeth.
Shit.
She was never gonna allow a treaty.
This whole summit was just a way for her to wage a war we couldn't stop.
[sighs]
I almost admire her,
if it weren't for the fact she's gonna get us all killed.
[Baba Voss] We need to move.
The Trivantians will be here before the God Flame rises.
Kofun?
[bells jingling]
Kofun?
Sibeth.
[grunts]
I'm so sorry to wake you.
No, what's wrong?
Something's happening. I'm not safe here.
What-- What's-- What is it? What's happening?
Well, nothing yet, but something will. I'm sure of it.
You are the only one I trust.
[bells jingle]
Y-You can stay with me.
Thank you.
[chuckles softly]
[bells jingling]
[sighs, inhales deeply]
[sighs]
[chuckles]
[door opens]
How was your trip?
[door slams]
[man shouting]
[Wren] You don't seem surprised.
[Edo Voss] That Queen Kane wanted war? No. I'm not surprised.
I tried to warn the Triangle.
Those soldiers didn't have to die.
[Wren] There's something else you should know.
The attack…
I believe it was led by Baba Voss.
So Baba and his children fight for the queen now.
It was I who drew him here and let him escape.
If this gets out, the Triangle will call for my head.
They will not hear it from me.
You're the only survivor. The Triangle will have questions.
The first of those questions will be:
How is it that the lone survivor of the attack was my own captain?
You think I'm a traitor?
No. Of course not.
I've known you since you were a child.
Still, the ground does continue to shift under our feet.
So I need to know the answer to this question, Captain.
How is it that you alone survived?
-I would have thought you would be glad-- -Answer me.
Because I can see.