Young Blades/Recap/S01/E04 The Exile

Written by Gillian Horvath

Jacqueline goes home, dressed as Jacques, to visit her father's grave. She runs into a neighbor, M. Arnaud, and lets him know what has happened. As she rides back to the barracks, she sees the Cardinal's Guards dragging off an English prisoner, who claims he has done no wrong. She "disguises" herself in female clothes, fights the guards, and rescues the prisoner.

King Louis worries about an impending visit from Oliver Cromwell. Queen Anne is going on vacation, but Louis' grandmother will be there to take care of him.

Duval and D'Artagnan discuss Cromwell's visit; even though they disagree with his politics they must protect him as the King orders. Ramon and Siroc are apparently on furlough, but Jacques will be returning soon.

Jacqueline talks with the prisoner, who introduces himself as Stuart. Jacqueline says that she believed he was innocent because he seems like a gentleman. Stuart says that the guards were taking him to Cromwell, because Cromwell killed his father and thinks he wants to get revenge. Jacqueline hurries back to the Musketeer Garrison and tells Stuart to contact her "brother," Jacques Leponte.

Louis practices greeting Cromwell, worrying his grandmother, who is also terrified of Cromwell. Louis has had nightmares about Cromwell and his brutality, and considers not admitting him, but Mazarin says that France needs the alliance with England. Cromwell arrives. He refuses Louis' offer of a nice place to stay, preferring the harshness of the Musketeer barracks. Cromwell and Mazarin consult in private. Cromwell demands to see "the Exile," but Mazarin no longer has him. Cromwell asks why Mazarin hasn't gotten rid of the King and taken power; Mazarin says that he is in power, and prefers to rule indirectly and let the King provide a distraction.

Jacqueline returns to the Garrison, and D'Artagnan catches her up on the situation. Stuart delivers a message for her "sister"; she gives him her name. D'Artagnan overhears.

Jacqueline (as a woman) visits Stuart at night. He asks her to come away with him, but she says her life is here. He reveals her wanted poster. She says that she dispensed justice for her father, and is sticking around to get justice for France.

The next day, someone disguised as a monk tries to assassinate Cromwell outside the Musketeer Garrison. Jacqueline chases down the assassin and discovers that it is Stuart. She lets him go. D'Artagnan catches up in time to see her. Duval and Cromwell see the assassin escape and think it was D'Artagnan's fault. He takes the blame despite Jacqueline's protests.

Cromwell demands to Louis that D'Artagnan be arrested.

Jacqueline tells D'Artagnan that Stuart is a friend. Duval arrests D'Artagnan, despite Jacqueline trying to take the blame again. He is taken to the dungeons, where Mazarin questions him about the assassin. When D'Artagnan provides no answers, Mazarin orders him tortured.

Jacqueline (as Jacques) attempts to arrest Stuart. They fight, and Stuarts valet helps subdue Jacqueline. Stuart reveals himself as Charles II, the rightful King of England. He attempts to take Jacqueline's uniform as a disguise, but Jacqueline distracts him by asking about his relationship with her "sister." Charles says that he'd marry Jacqueline and make her his queen.

Jacqueline agrees to take the message to Jacqueline if Charles helps her get D'Artagnan out of prison. They break D'Artagnan out of jail by pretending to deliver Charles as a prisoner and then knocking out the torturer. The torturer revives and tries to attack them on the way out, but D'Artagnan defeats him (with a little help from Jacqueline).

D'Artagnan hides in a cabin with Charles and his valet. Jacqueline arrives, dressed as a woman. Charles reveals that he has proposed to Jacqueline, but she does not accept yet. Left alone, Jacqueline expresses her conflicted feelings of being an outlaw and yet wanting to fight for France and protect the King. She says she will consider Charles' proposal, but makes him promise not to assassinate Cromwell.

Louis dreams of Cromwell disguised as his grandmother. As he stabs Cromwell with a fork, Mazarin wakes him up, reports the Jacqueline broke D'Artagnan out of prison, and asks Louis to disband the Musketeers. Louis says he'll talk to Captain Duval about it and asks to go back to sleep.

At night, Jacqueline asks D'Artagnan if he'd go with her to England. When she scoffs at his warning that royal marriages are about land and alliances, he says that she should go. In the morning, Jacqueline goes to the ship Charles said he'd be taking, only to learn that Charles is on an "errand" and wants her to wait for him. She leaves.

Charles steals D'Artagnan's uniform and leaves him with the valet. D'Artagnan bluffs the valet and takes his pistol.

Mazarin asks Louis to disband the Musketeers as a show of good faith for Cromwell, saying that France cannot stand up to Cromwell's army. Louis sends for Duval, who says that there must be a reason for D'Artagnan's actions, since the Musketeers are loyal.

Cromwell enters. Charles, hiding, attempts to get a clear shot at him. Cromwell demands death warrants for Charles, Jacques, and D'Artagnan. Jacqueline enters and shoots the gun out of Charles' hand before he can kill Cromwell. D'Artagnan enters, dressed in the valet's clothes.

Jacqueline introduces Charles to Louis as the rightful King of England, and says that he cannot be a traitor because a king cannot be a traitor to himself. Louis is immediately friendly with Charles and sends Cromwell away.

Charles meets with Jacqueline (as a woman) again. She says she cannot go with him because he broke his promise, and she would rather have his word than England. He calls her a fool and leaves.

D'Artagnan tells Jacqueline (as Jacques) that he's glad she's back. She says her "sister" will get over Charles. They swordfight together.