The Musketeers S1E9 - "Knight Takes Queen" Recap

The Queen visits a forest pool with a reputation of having magical fertility powers while the Musketeers stand close by acting as her security. Meanwhile, the King is getting cozy with Charlotte Mellendorf, finding her to be more interesting and charming. The Queen is having difficulty conceiving an air (because in this barbaric time, only a woman is to be blamed for fertility problems). The King tells the Cardinal that if the Queen were dead, he could be with Charlotte, who would be a more understanding wife and be able to produce an heir. However, he goes on to say that it is nothing more than a hopeless dream.

Milady de Winter recruits a man named Gallagher to work for her and "the most powerful man in Paris." It's a safe bet that she's cryptically referring to the Cardinal. He makes an attempt on the Queen's life, and one of her servants, Caroline, ends up dead after borrowing the Queen's robe. The Musketeers take off after the assailant but finds that he is not alone. Gallagher rides off with some other men in similar attire.

The Musketeers bring the Queen to a convent while D'Artagnan and Porthos are to try to determine who is funding the assassination attempt. The nuns only help after learning that the Queen is with them. Athos comes out to speak with Gallagher and is able to determine from his mannerisms that he used to be a soldier. Neither of the men will stand down from their goals. Meanwhile, D'Artagnan and Porthos kill one of Gallagher's men and find some papers that send them back to Paris to follow the trail. They also notice a distinct tattoo of a hand on the man. The nuns have little ammunition but are nonetheless determined to help protect the queen.

Aramis recognises one of the nuns, Isabelle, having known her before she joined the convent. He later reveals to the Queen that they were engaged to be married after she fell pregnant, an arrangement Aramis was happy with. When she lost the baby, her father took her away and put her in the convent. The assassins begin shooting at the convent again. D'Artagnan and Porthos return to the palace and inform the Cardinal about the attempt on the Queen's life and the convent. He tells them to hurry and find who is responsible, but after they leave, he angrily scolds Milady, who is hiding in the room, and threatens her if she does not make sure that Gallagher carries out his mission.

The nuns are praying, while Aramis and Athos are shooting back and the convent is getting old-fashion-rained on by bullets. The head nun gets angry and has the nuns come outside with her and they begin preparing molotov cocktails. One man begins to climb the wall but a nun cuts his line with an axe. That same nun throws a molotov cocktails and sets a man aflame. She also throws a hornet's nest down towards the men. This combined with Aramis and Athos' shooting forces the men to retreat for the time being.

D'Artagnan, Porthos, and Captain Treville track down the money lender but upon arriving at his office, they find him dead and stuck to his door. D'Artagnan follows the smell of Jasmine and nearly comes across Milady, who is still on the scene in hiding. The captain finds a document showing that the money is from Captain Mellendorf, Charlotte's father, but the beneficiary of the note only signed with the same mark as the tattoo seen on Gallagher and his men. Treville tells them that the mark is that of a Hugh O'Neal, a Catholic chief till he was exiled from Ireland. Men bearing this brand were O'Neal's private guard, similar to Musketeers. D'Artagnan tells the others he's sure a woman was there but there's no time to search for her.

Treville brings the page to the Cardinal and also informs him that the moneylender was a woman before riding off. If you though the Cardinal was angry before, he's even more furious now. Two of the men get into the convent and in the ensuing scuffle, Isabelle ends up dead. Aramis is emotional, having just been speaking with her about the past. D'Artagnan, Porthos, and Captain Treville are heading back to the convent, disguised in the same uniforms that the enemy wears. The Queen reveals to Aramis that she had a miscarriage shortly after she got married, and they have an intimate moment, before she makes her move and they get their sex on. I'll bet you 20 quid she's just gotten pregnant with his child.

The following morning, Athos scolds him for sleeping with her, saying that Aramis will be hanged for his actions, and Athos will be hanged for letting it happen. The enemy has tunneled underground and the Musketeers have to head down to keep them at bay. There's a good ol' shoot-out. The King is frantic after returning from his hunt and asks the Cardinal for news about the Queen. The Cardinal orders Count Mellendorf's possessions to be searched and a letter is found, framing him for involvement in the crime. The poor man and his daughter are thrown into the bastille and the King tearfully asks the Cardinal, "What would I do without her?"

Reinforcements arrive at the convent and the men are all taken down. Athos corners Gallagher and gives him one last chance to tell him who hired him. Gallagher won't give up the name, and goads Athos into shooting him. The Musketeers and Captain Treville are still trying to piece together what has caused all of this. The head nun who blesses Gallagher as he is dying, comes over and tells them that there is money in his saddle to help repair the convent. When they find a small chest, there is little money inside but there is a flower, which Athos recognises. He informs the others that it belongs to a woman who works for the Cardinal.

The Cardinal visits Count Mellendorf, telling him that someone must answer for the attempt on the Queen's life. He pleads for his life, but the Cardinal only offers him a deal - if he signs a confession, his daughter's life will be spared. The Queen is returned to the palace, and it's actually cute to see the King have to stop himself from running over and hugging her while everyone must go through the formality of bowing. The Musketeers consider confronting the Cardinal, but Treville tells him they must wait till they get more evidence. The King is pleased by the Cardinal's apprehension of the perpetrator, and the Queen and Aramis exchange looks before parting ways. Athos tells the Cardinal that he will not rest until he catches the woman involved, which the Cardinal says he is pleased about, but then Athos adds that he will also find whomever it is she works for, and the Cardinal becomes uneasy.

The Musketeers airs on Sundays on BBC One at 9PM.