02x07 - Episode 7

[bunniefuu]

We are interested in a book in the possession of Edward Kelley.

I’ve sent the ambassadors to Bohemia to retrieve Kelley.

The emperor rebuffed them.

Perhaps he will be more receptive to me.

You can be very persuasive.

My father has commanded me to return to Sept-Tours.

-Matthew! -Stay back!

This is what we call blood rage.

It is an affliction, sickness of the vampire blood.

The body was… torn apart.

I haven’t seen anything like that in centuries

and we do all know the rumors

about the De Clermonts’ infected bloodline.

You’re reborn and forever a member of our family.

I’m Matthew, give my body to you, Diana, in faithful matrimony.

And I receive it.

My dearest Isabeau,

I am able to find words to straddle the centuries that separated.

Our son mated to a woman who walks in the footsteps of the goddess.

They journey now to Bohemia in search of the Book of Life.

Halt.

Wie geht dahin?

I’m Matthew Roydon,

I’m here on business for Queen Elizabeth of England.

His Imperial Majesty Rudolf II tires of Elizabeth’s ambassadors…

I am no mere ambassador,

and I will have the Emperor’s answer from his own lips. Not yours.

Find Gallowglass and my man Pierre, would you?

Wait here.

This is just the Emperor’s hunting lodge?

Yes. Kelley chose his benefactor very well.

The might of the Holy Roman Empire

dwarves that of England in every respect.

He certainly has an eye for beauty.

Hmm.

His Imperial Majesty grants you a brief audience.

Even when I retreat into the mountains,

I cannot escape a pestering by England’s diplomatic hordes.

Matthew Roydon, Your Majesty.

I know exactly who you are, Matthaus de Clermont.

Since you introduce yourself as Roydon,

I then assume you are here in your capacity as Elizabeth’s spy?

I come representing my Queen, but not as a spy.

I would speak with her subject, Edward Kelley.

Then you are in the wrong place. Herr Kelley resides in Prague.

I have heard that he travels with your court.

Do you question me?

I know what you are, vampire.

Remember, you are only permitted on Bohemian soil by my grace.

I apologize, Your Majesty… Matthew is only pressing my case.

I had hoped I would be given an opportunity for discourse

with one of England’s most esteemed alchemists.

You have an interest in alchemy?

It has been my life’s work.

Might an Emperor ask your name?

Diana, Your Majesty.

La diosa del casa!

The goddess… of the hunt.

May I introduce my wife, Your Majesty?

My spies would have informed me had Elizabeth’s Shadow taken a wife…

particularly one so intriguing.

Perhaps you should consider hiring more thorough spies,

Your Majesty.

Enjoy your time in Bohemia, Mistress Roydon.

Use it to teach your husband manners befitting my court.

I don’t like the way he looks at you.

Like a jewel he wanted to add to his collection.

Oh, I can handle a little clumsy flirting

if it gets us closer to the Book.

Gallowglass!

Oh!

You’ve mated?

Well… I should call you Auntie now?

-Where is Pierre? -At the lodgings.

We have an unexpected guest.

This way.

-Mistress Roydon! -Jack!

We was on an enormous ship and there was a storm

and lots of people were sick, but I wasn’t.

Come now, Jack,

bedtime.

I know. But once you left…

nightmares every time he slept, weeping through the day.

And you brought him to Bohemia?

He tried to come on his own.

I couldn’t take my eye off him. It wasn’t safe.

It’s not safe here!

I’m sorry.

But what would you have me do? Keep him prisoner?

Rudolf might be telling the truth.

No one I have spoken to has seen Kelley.

I doubt that the Emperor would leave behind

the man who’s offered him eternal life.

-He’ll be here somewhere. -What about the Book?

As long as we reach Kelley… he’ll lead us to it.

Or he’ll bring it to us.

Rudolf thinks the Book is key to creating the Philosopher’s Stone,

he’s won’t let Kelley take it.

Ah, you’re right there.

You see, once the Emperor sets his heart on something,



he’ll stop at nothing to get it. And once he has it…

For the goddess.

A goddess…

I assume that’s not you, Matthew.

It’s an automaton.

The goddess of the hunt.

What is the matter?

What’s the matter? I take it you saw how hostile the Emperor was.

I saw how hostile he was towards you.

He lit up when I mentioned alchemy.

You saw the gift he sent me.

He’s practically inviting me back to the castle.

I can bring him Dee’s book,

convince him it’s something that he wants…

No. Kelley is the key.

And the less we arouse the attention of the Emperor,

the more likely we’ll be able to get Kelley back to England safely.

We don’t even know if he’s here.

At least, let me try while you look for him.

I’ll take Gallowglass with me.

Diana Roydon. I have a gift for His Imperial Majesty.

So does everyone, Frau Roydon.

So does everyone.

Madame will be all right.

Mm.

Kelley must have a laboratory here,

somewhere he can continue his work undisturbed.

Let’s take a look at the apothecary, Pierre.

I’m surprised Matthew let you approach the Emperor alone.

Well, my husband’s changed a lot in the 400 years since you knew him.

But now you’re mated.

And it’s different.

Blood rage is harder to control, it’s primal.

Physical.

If provoked…

he will struggle to contain himself.

Oh… we’re gonna be here till midnight at this rate.

-Wait here. -What are you doing?

Accelerating proceedings.

Madame De Clermont?

Apologies.

Such a recent blood vow is positively deafening.

I am Benjamin Fuchs.

I work as a collector for the Emperor.

Are you a friend of the de Clermonts?

I fear I am beneath their interest.

I was cast out of my own clan.

I have always found myself more comfortable around

other kinds of creature.

Even for the Emperor’s alchemist?



You are not the Imperial alchemist.

Ah, so, you have met him?

It seems strange to be closed during the middle of the day, Herr Steiner.

But then, perhaps, you’re expecting more customers

after the sun has fallen?

I open only by appointment, sir.

My exclusive list of clients command the utmost discretion.

If you wish to browse, might I suggest you visit the market?

The audience with His Imperial Majesty is over for today.

Come out. Keep moving.

Keep moving.

Auntie. Auntie?

What did you do?

I may have intimated to the Chamberlain

that we have a very desirable painting for sale.

La Diosa!

You are a woman of many surprises.

I hear that you are the owner of a curious work by Hieronymous Bosch?

You did?

Your Majesty, I… In my haste to be admitted to your presence, I…

I fear there has been some miscommunication.

-A miscommunication? -Yes.

I so desperately wanted to thank you for the wonderful gift you sent me.

The work of Joachim Fries, if I’m not mistaken.

It is indeed! You have quite an eye, mistress.

I do not have the painting that you wanted.

However, I do have another gift.

I’ve seen this before. It offers no answers, no meaning.

So…

You lie about something I want, in order to present me with something I do not.

Even books that do not provide the answers we seek

can still help us to ask better questions.

Nothing is worthless to an enquiring mind.

The deepest truths always come

from the most unexpected sources.

Send for the rabbi.

Tell me, La Diosa…

are you interested in the rare and uncanny arts?

Steiner was rattled. He’s hiding something.

He clearly had met Kelley.

He recognized that I wasn’t him.

There’s no appointments for Kelley in his ledger.

But there is a Talbot. That’s an English name.

It’s tenuous, I know,

but there are no appointments listed with him until a week ago.

Shortly after Rudolf arrived here.

And every appointment with Talbot is at an odd hour.

-It’s always after dark. -Someone keen to avoid being seen.

But how can we be sure Talbot is Kelley?

I suppose we see for ourselves.



Talbot has an appointment booked for tonight.

Thank you, Pierre.

Allow me to introduce the Rabbi Loew, known as The Maharal.

A learned scholar and my honored guest.

The honor is mine, Your Majesty.

Another tome for you to decipher.

Come!

The Rabbi has a gift for ancient languages.

The Hebrew of his people’s book

is perhaps closer to the primitive tongues long lost to Christian ears.

I have no knowledge that cannot be learned

by anyone with sufficient reading, Jew or Gentile.

I cannot believe that!

Please.

Of course the bulk of my Kunstkammer, I had to leave behind, in Prague.

But the quest for knowledge must not be abandoned.

I hope the goddess of the hunt

is not disappointed with my traveling collection.

This drinking vessel…

…is fashioned from the horn of a unicorn.

Incredible.

Entirely incredible.

In Prague, men speak of a man of clay, animated by Jewish magics…

the name of God written inside its skull.

Rumors, Your Highness. Designed to inspire fear of our people,

who are nothing but loyal subjects.

But words have power, do they not?

I have heard that Jews know the secret names of angels.

Is that so, Your Highness?

As the true meaning of an artwork… is disguised by symbols…

so might the hidden meaning of words be revealed

through the mathematics of their letters.

You have so many miraculous items,

things I would hardly have believed existed.

I half expect to find that you’ve acquired the Philosopher’s Stone.

Alas. The means to create the Philosopher’s Stone

is yet to be discovered, La Diosa.

Ah, the Root of Eppendorf?

It has the miraculous form of Jesus Christ.

Trifle late to be shopping, isn’t it, Edward?

Oh, and Queen Elizabeth sends her regards.

-What do you want from me? -To talk. Just to talk.

-You can stand your men down. -They don’t answer to me.

So, you are a prisoner?

Has the Emperor has lost patience with your empty promises?

You know nothing of my work!

I know you stole the Book from Dee.

No! The Book is mine.

It speaks to me.

It screams!

You… You have no claim!

It begins with absence and desire.

Blood and fear.

It begins with a discovery of witches.

I must work. My work!

It’s very gallant of you to escort me all the way from our lodgings.

I wanted to speak to the Maharal myself.

Rabbi Loew is one of history’s most esteemed scholars.

Rudolf brought him here specifically to decipher books.

Diana… Kelly was raving.

Rudolf has him as his prisoner. Just…

Be careful what you say.

Whatever rumors Gallowglass has heard,

Rudolf has been nothing but kind to me.

We can trust Loew. I’m sure of it.

Matthew, son of Philippe.

Please.

Thank you.

A witch, a vampire and a Jew, meeting in secret.

It would set Christian tongues wagging for miles around.

Oh…

I noticed a yellow circle.

Men fear what they do not see more than what they do.

The Emperor is convinced my people hoard secret magics.

Rudolf brought you here to study a book, didn’t he?

Your husband believes that is a dangerous question to ask.

One should find wholeness in a marriage, Matthew.

But it should never become a prison.

Let us be honest with each other, Maharal.

We are looking for a very particular alchemical book.

I knew as soon as I saw it,

I was not the one God has chosen to read it.

Perhaps you are, Frau Roydon?

Rabbi, how did you convince Rudolf to let you see it?

He convinced himself,

imagining I would succeed where others had failed.

He will be furious when I cannot.

Why not just tell him?

Frau Roydon, to disappoint the Emperor is dangerous.

But to refuse him could be deadly.

No, I’m done.

Jack, you cheaters won again.

A letter came.

-Oh, yes. -For Mistress Roydon.

Oh…

It’s a summons to a pheasant hunt.

-With the Emperor. -Can I come?

Give them a moment to talk, Jack. Come on.

This has gone too far.

Kelley won’t bring us the Book. We need to go through Rudolf.

-He let Rabbi Loew read it. -And when the Rabbi fails…

Rudolf will imprison you like Kelley, or worse.

But I can read it.

All I have to do is convince Rudolf to let me try.

And what then? He won’t give up the Book.

He will lock you away with it. His new curiosity.

You just don’t like the way he’s around me.

-You have to trust me. -This is not a matter of trust.

Then let me try! What other plan do you have?

I’ve got one.

Both of you join the Emperor’s hunt.

I think I can get into the kunstkammer annex.

The Book must be in there somewhere.

If I can steal it, we can all get out of here

before Rudolf even knows it’s gone.

And what are the Queen’s interests? We need Kelley.

Without the Book,

Rudolf won’t have any use for poor Edward.

Strange.

I only required Frau Roydon’s presence. Not yours.

My apologies.

I simply cannot resist falconry.

Then I suppose we must find you an appropriate bird.

Artemis, as the Greeks called Diana.

I cannot say which of you I should rather hunt with.

Artemis will be mine, Matthaus.

Sarka will be your bird.

-So, she’s a warrior then. -Yes.

During the Maiden’s w*r, Sarka destroyed an entire battalion

by herself.

You flatter me, Your Majesty.

Success in the hunt relies on the skill of the falconer,

not the wiles of his bird, Matthaus.

Play nice.

Well done, Your Majesty.

Has Rabbi Loew looked at the book I gave you yet?

The rabbi has been busy.

With other books?

I fear the Rabbi’s learning has been somewhat exaggerated.

Ask no more about him or his books.

You have been slow to loose Sarka, Matthaus.

Afraid to let your bird fly free,

lest she find a more comfortable place to roost?

I have some experience with alchemical texts myself.

Yes, you are an intriguing case, Frau Roydon.

An alchemist and a witch, and supposedly married to a vampire.

Don’t you find his touch a little cold?

You jest, Your Majesty.

Do you not sometimes wish for something warmer in your bed?

Release!

You broke my bird!

-Your Majesty, my husband… -Begone!

You have abused my kindness monstrously.

Agents! Spies! I want you gone from my lands!

The Book wasn’t there, but I found something else.

Rudolf’s secret collection.

That hand belonged to a witch.

It was in a box with a necklace of wearh teeth.

The preserved brain of some poor demon… Bits of creatures.

That’s it. We leave tonight.

-What about the Book? -Enough of the Book!

I’ll…

If you’re angry at me, just say it.

-You are never to see him again. -Don’t fake, Matthew!

Why don’t you trust me?

You don’t understand. I don’t trust myself.

Then let me speak to Rudolf alone.

I cannot!

I cannot…

I can smell him on you.

This is why I lied to you. This is what mating is.

An unspeakable urge to possess you, body and soul.

The rage that feeds on it.

It’s all right, Matthew.

You have never seen what it makes me do.

You won’t hurt me.

No! Not you.

For you.

I would wade through the blood of kings,

queens and emperors. I would stop at nothing

to prevent that from happening to you.

Matthew…

We’re still talking.

Let me go…

You are not defined by the worst things you have done.

You are my husband.

And the most brilliant man I know.

You are kind.

And gentle.

Come back to me.

You are Matthew de Clermont.

And stronger than this.

The Emperor sends his apologies

and summons you both to view the kunstkammer.

We have to go.

Tell Pierre to bring Francoise and Jack,

and enough horses for all of us to the main gates by nightfall.

It’s very likely we’ll be leaving in a hurry.

Your Majesty, may I apologize…

Nonsense, nonsense.

It was all just sport! Please…

A medicinal.

The horn renders it twice as efficacious.

-Exquisite, is it not? -Hmm.

It represents the serpent in the Garden,

reminding us to be watchful

for the poison tongue of flatterers and deceivers.

Is there part of your collection you keep from the public eye?

Is there something in particular you wish to see?

I hear you possess a book,

one that contains the secrets of

life itself.

Lately, La Diosa,

my trust and generosity has been much abused

by dissemblers and liars.

Many of you expressed surprise

when I invited a Jewish mystic into my court.

But you need not have worried.

This Jew has no arcane talent beyond the typical low cunning

of his people.

Is that not so, Rabbi?

As you say, Your Majesty.

Get this deceiver out of my sight.

If I did have this book you speak of,

why would I give it to you?

A prying English spy and charlatan?

I am no charlatan.

You…

You are magnificent.

Anything you want, anything, anything, name it.

Show me the Book.

This is an outrage.

Kelley is an Englishman under the Queen’s protection.

You had your chance. Edward.

-Let La Diosa see the book. -No.

It is screaming.

It won’t stop screaming

in my head!

It is screaming.

You may have Kelley, Shadow. I no longer need him.

I have found something much more precious.

The Book!

It won’t stop screaming.

No!

Give me the book.

Lock it! This way!

Stop them!

Go! Let’s go!

-Where is Jack? -Francoise is waiting with him,

two miles north.

Pierre.

This book is made from the skin of creatures.

-Matthew… -Witches’, daemons, vampires…

The ink is made from our blood. The pages are bound together with our hair.

I’m sorry, Diana, but this is more like a book of death.

Matthew, we have to go.

Absence and desire.

Blood and fear…

I can still hear the book screaming.

Quiet! No one cares about your book.

I care about your book,

Edward.

Most of the items from Rudolf II’s kunstkammer

now reside in different collections across the world.

But here we have some of the writings made by the English alchemist

Edward Kelley while he was imprisoned.

Most are illegible however.

And the mysterious “Screaming Book” he mentions

has never been conclusively identified.

Edward Kelly claims to have bequeathed a single page

to each of the three species.

If we could fine one.

Becca, what are you trying to tell us?

This is the property of Knights of Lazarus.

I am Grandmaster of the Knights.

And I’m Princess Leia.

…where you will find the questions.

Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.

I trust you’re here with solid information.

I’ve established a connection I think will interest you.

A baby, a witch born to daemons.

If this is true, the witches are with the child.

I’d hate to assume you a part

of some de Clermont conspiracy involving blood rage.

Whatever you know, you should tell me. Now.