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The Church and the Crown (audio story): Difference between revisions
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The Church and the Crown (audio story) (edit)
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Marie de Chevreuse, lady-in-waiting to Queen Anne, is having an affair with the Duke of Buckingham. She meets with him, and he gives her a letter to pass on. She is not thrilled with the plot they are enacting, but he reassures her; and she is unaware that he is only using her. Meanwhile, Richelieu is preparing to leave, when Morand arrives with Rouffet and Delmarre. He accuses them of murder, but they claim they were defending the queen’s honour; Louis dismisses the charges. Richelieu and Morand storm out of the palace; the king gives a sovereign to each Musketeer, then sends them on the way. He sets about preparing for a state ball, to be conducted later—although his queen is curiously not present. In the city, the Doctor explains that Richelieu is not the villain that Alexandre Dumas famously portrayed him to be, but plans to unite France. Meanwhile, Peri feels she is being watched, and Erimem is taken with the city. The Doctor takes Erimem to see the Louvre—which in this century is still the palace, not a museum—while Peri, against the Doctor’s better judgement, strikes out on her own. | Marie de Chevreuse, lady-in-waiting to Queen Anne, is having an affair with the Duke of Buckingham. She meets with him, and he gives her a letter to pass on. She is not thrilled with the plot they are enacting, but he reassures her; and she is unaware that he is only using her. Meanwhile, Richelieu is preparing to leave, when Morand arrives with Rouffet and Delmarre. He accuses them of murder, but they claim they were defending the queen’s honour; Louis dismisses the charges. Richelieu and Morand storm out of the palace; the king gives a sovereign to each Musketeer, then sends them on the way. He sets about preparing for a state ball, to be conducted later—although his queen is curiously not present. In the city, the Doctor explains that Richelieu is not the villain that Alexandre Dumas famously portrayed him to be, but plans to unite France. Meanwhile, Peri feels she is being watched, and Erimem is taken with the city. The Doctor takes Erimem to see the Louvre—which in this century is still the palace, not a museum—while Peri, against the Doctor’s better judgement, strikes out on her own. | ||
In his carriage, the angry Richelieu is distracted when he sees a woman walking in the street; he orders Morand to follow the woman and report back. Rouffet and Delmarre go to an alehouse, passing Madame de Chevreuse as she enters the palace. De Chevreuse finds the King instead of the Queen; when he | In his carriage, the angry Richelieu is distracted when he sees a woman walking in the street; he orders Morand to follow the woman and report back. Rouffet and Delmarre go to an alehouse, passing Madame de Chevreuse as she enters the palace. De Chevreuse finds the King instead of the Queen; when he realises that she has a letter from one of the Queen’s suitors, he demands it, informing her that the Queen has not yet returned from Lyon. He is distracted by a footman, and de Chevreuse leaves him—but can’t deliver the letter, either. | ||
On the street, Peri is accosted by the Duke of Buckingham, who acts as though he knows her—intimately, it seems. While she tries to get away from him, men dressed in the uniforms of Richelieu’s guards kidnap her, wounding Buckingham in the process. Morand and his men—the real guards—try to rescue her, but are driven off by the attackers, who escape with Peri. The Doctor and Erimem hear the commotion, and rush to help, but only catch a glimpse of the kidnappers. The Doctor accidentally bumps into Delmarre, knocking him down; Delmarre takes it as an insult, and challenges him to a duel. However, they are interrupted by fanfare and a passing carriage—with Peri inside! Or so it appears—and the Doctor | On the street, Peri is accosted by the Duke of Buckingham, who acts as though he knows her—intimately, it seems. While she tries to get away from him, men dressed in the uniforms of Richelieu’s guards kidnap her, wounding Buckingham in the process. Morand and his men—the real guards—try to rescue her, but are driven off by the attackers, who escape with Peri. The Doctor and Erimem hear the commotion, and rush to help, but only catch a glimpse of the kidnappers. The Doctor accidentally bumps into Delmarre, knocking him down; Delmarre takes it as an insult, and challenges him to a duel. However, they are interrupted by fanfare and a passing carriage—with Peri inside! Or so it appears—and the Doctor realises with dismay that Peri is an exact double of Queen Anne. | ||
=== Part two === | === Part two === | ||
The Doctor and Erimem try to slip away. The Doctor recognises the uniforms, but can’t imagine why the Cardinal would kidnap the Queen—although he | The Doctor and Erimem try to slip away. The Doctor recognises the uniforms, but can’t imagine why the Cardinal would kidnap the Queen—although he realises they captured Peri by mistake. Delmarre chases him down to continue the duel, but Erimem changes his course by challenging him, on his honour as a Musketeer, to get them an audience with the King. The Musketeers agree, happy to prove themselves to a lady. Meanwhile Peri’s captors take her to an empty château outside Paris. She tries to escape, but is caught by Buckingham, who reveals that the men are his, and his wound was faked. He refers to her as “your Majesty”, and has his men lock her up before disposing of their uniforms; he implies that they have had a relationship in the past, and treats her accent as a joke. They lock her in a cell in the dungeon. Meanwhile, the real Anne arrives at the palace, and argues with Louis over the upcoming ball, as well as over the true power in France. She claims that Richelieu retains power; Louis counters by claiming that Anne is still having an affair with the Duke of Buckingham. In the midst of this, Delmarre and Rouffet arrive with the Doctor and Erimem. Erimem again buys them entrance by announcing herself as the Princess Erimem of Karnak, and the Doctor as her vizier. The Doctor explains their situation; in the middle of his conversation, Richelieu arrives, having heard Morand’s report of the kidnapping. Richelieu is surprised to find Anne unharmed, but reveals that he saw her—Peri, actually—in the company of the Duke, sparking another argument with Louis. The Doctor hastily explains to Erimem about the rumours of a past affair between the Queen and the Duke, who is also the Prime Minister of England. More worrisome is the ball tonight; the timing of the kidnapping attempt could not be a coincidence. | ||
Richelieu claims that the Musketeers are after his guards, having quickly heard of the kidnapping. The King, already bored with the situation, authorizes the Doctor to investigate. At his word, Rouffet and Delmarre take the Doctor and Erimem to meet an informant, “Blind Maurice”, a beggar who is not truly blind—he’s simply cornered a market on sympathy. The Doctor pays him in gold dust, and he reveals the location of the château, which has harboured some suspicious doings of late. The Doctor sends Erimem back to the palace, in part to manage appearances, but also to keep an eye on Louis, and he goes with the Musketeers to the château. Meanwhile Buckingham receives a message from Marie, stating that his captive is not the Queen. He goes to confront Peri, but finds she has smashed a window and escaped. At the same time, the Doctor and the Musketeers arrive, but the Doctor makes a mistake and is captured; the grounds are swarming with armed men. He is taken for questioning; meanwhile the Musketeers hide and look for an opportunity to rescue both the Doctor and Peri. At the Palace, Marie suggests to the Queen that she should eliminate Louis and then deal directly with Richelieu. Anne sends Marie out, then asks Erimem’s opinion. During the conversation, Erimem shocks Anne by admitting she genuinely trusts the Doctor; Anne trusts no one, not even Marie. Indeed, she keeps Marie close so as to watch her, and to obtain gossip she would not otherwise hear. And yet, she trusts Richelieu even less; and Erimem, remembering corrupt priests in her homeland, begins to suspect Richelieu might actually be involved with the kidnapping. | Richelieu claims that the Musketeers are after his guards, having quickly heard of the kidnapping. The King, already bored with the situation, authorizes the Doctor to investigate. At his word, Rouffet and Delmarre take the Doctor and Erimem to meet an informant, “Blind Maurice”, a beggar who is not truly blind—he’s simply cornered a market on sympathy. The Doctor pays him in gold dust, and he reveals the location of the château, which has harboured some suspicious doings of late. The Doctor sends Erimem back to the palace, in part to manage appearances, but also to keep an eye on Louis, and he goes with the Musketeers to the château. Meanwhile Buckingham receives a message from Marie, stating that his captive is not the Queen. He goes to confront Peri, but finds she has smashed a window and escaped. At the same time, the Doctor and the Musketeers arrive, but the Doctor makes a mistake and is captured; the grounds are swarming with armed men. He is taken for questioning; meanwhile the Musketeers hide and look for an opportunity to rescue both the Doctor and Peri. At the Palace, Marie suggests to the Queen that she should eliminate Louis and then deal directly with Richelieu. Anne sends Marie out, then asks Erimem’s opinion. During the conversation, Erimem shocks Anne by admitting she genuinely trusts the Doctor; Anne trusts no one, not even Marie. Indeed, she keeps Marie close so as to watch her, and to obtain gossip she would not otherwise hear. And yet, she trusts Richelieu even less; and Erimem, remembering corrupt priests in her homeland, begins to suspect Richelieu might actually be involved with the kidnapping. | ||
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Louis forces his way into Anne’s rooms to order her to attend the ball with him. She loses her temper and sends him out. Their childish behaviour is a shock to Erimem, who confronts them about it; Anne accepts her words, but Louis declares that after the ball, Erimem will be escorted out, and exiled from France. He then tells Anne that if she does not attend, she will join the Cardinal in a cell. Reluctantly, Anne agrees; and Erimem goes to find the Doctor. The Doctor and his friends, at that time, are arriving in Paris, where bodies lie in the streets. Buckingham’s plan—to set the factions at war by kidnapping the Queen—is working despite Anne’s continued freedom; the English army will face little opposition. Erimem finds him, and exchanges stories with him. He then sends her with Delmarre and Rouffet to rouse the French soldiers, while he and Peri go to warn Louis and Richelieu. | Louis forces his way into Anne’s rooms to order her to attend the ball with him. She loses her temper and sends him out. Their childish behaviour is a shock to Erimem, who confronts them about it; Anne accepts her words, but Louis declares that after the ball, Erimem will be escorted out, and exiled from France. He then tells Anne that if she does not attend, she will join the Cardinal in a cell. Reluctantly, Anne agrees; and Erimem goes to find the Doctor. The Doctor and his friends, at that time, are arriving in Paris, where bodies lie in the streets. Buckingham’s plan—to set the factions at war by kidnapping the Queen—is working despite Anne’s continued freedom; the English army will face little opposition. Erimem finds him, and exchanges stories with him. He then sends her with Delmarre and Rouffet to rouse the French soldiers, while he and Peri go to warn Louis and Richelieu. | ||
The ball is underway, and Anne is telling the guests that the Cardinal is ill. Louis’s plan for unity seems to be working, and he gloats about it to Anne, who | The ball is underway, and Anne is telling the guests that the Cardinal is ill. Louis’s plan for unity seems to be working, and he gloats about it to Anne, who realises that all along he has been trying to impress her with strength. However, they remain unaware of the approaching army. The Doctor could tell them, but without Erimem, he can’t convince the guards to admit him; and so he and Peri sneak in through the storm drains. Peri questions their work, insisting that history shows that Buckingham fails; but the Doctor explains that they must play their part in order to guarantee that outcome. Arriving in the dungeons, they free Richelieu, who wants revenge; they then go to confront the King. | ||
Erimem and the Musketeers can’t do much by themselves, but Erimem recalls the explosion. Delmarre and Rouffet retrieve explosives from the armoury, and set them off, not to harm anyone, but to draw attention. Erimem then addresses the crowd, chastising both sides for falling for this distraction; chastened, they vow to fight for their city along with her, in the name of both the Church and the Crown. They manage to assemble a defence in time to surround Buckingham’s army as it reaches the gates; and Buckingham, with too much invested to surrender, joins battle. Inside, the Doctor, Peri, and the Cardinal confront the King in the midst of the ball. He can no longer ignore their warnings; and with the entire nobility gathered here, the entire leadership of France could fall at once. Louis tries to focus on the smaller situation, believing that Buckingham has come for Anne, but the Doctor refuses to allow his jealousy to trump his judgement. If Buckingham wins here, England may rule the entire continent soon enough. At last, the King orders the ball cancelled and the palace sealed off. | Erimem and the Musketeers can’t do much by themselves, but Erimem recalls the explosion. Delmarre and Rouffet retrieve explosives from the armoury, and set them off, not to harm anyone, but to draw attention. Erimem then addresses the crowd, chastising both sides for falling for this distraction; chastened, they vow to fight for their city along with her, in the name of both the Church and the Crown. They manage to assemble a defence in time to surround Buckingham’s army as it reaches the gates; and Buckingham, with too much invested to surrender, joins battle. Inside, the Doctor, Peri, and the Cardinal confront the King in the midst of the ball. He can no longer ignore their warnings; and with the entire nobility gathered here, the entire leadership of France could fall at once. Louis tries to focus on the smaller situation, believing that Buckingham has come for Anne, but the Doctor refuses to allow his jealousy to trump his judgement. If Buckingham wins here, England may rule the entire continent soon enough. At last, the King orders the ball cancelled and the palace sealed off. | ||
