Reign: Tasting Revenge Recap

Synopsis: The clock runs out on Bash and Kenna’ s relationship due to the King of Navarre’s meddling, and Francis has a fling with Narcisse’s niece. In the meantime, Mary and Louis finally have their affair, but Louis decides to court Queen Elizabeth on the side.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

This week’s episode was purely relationship-centric: none of the French politics in sight. We’ll go couple-by-couple for the action.

Kenna and Antoine/Bash

After Antoine proposed to Kenna last week, she’s started rebuffing Bash’s attempts to repair their marriage. She’s been busy planning Francis’ wine tasting event, but not too busy to sneak off to see Antoine for a kiss before she remembers her marriage vows.

Kenna takes the most sensible approach to love affairs on this show ever since she broke it off with Henry: she trusts, but verifies. Or more accurately, she trusts no bitch, especially one promising her a crown, and invites Antoine’s wife to court to see for herself if she’s really sick and dying.

Surprise! Turns out Antoine’s wife isn’t sick, but very, very pregnant. After Kenna figures out she’s been played against her husband, she tries to return to Bash and accept his apology, only to find that it’s too late. The King of Navarre sent the invitation his wife received to Bash, and Kenna comes clean about the marriage proposal.

Looks like it’s over between these two (for now).

Greer/Laith

In news which no one cares about, Laith and Greer finally happen. Laith tells Greer that her husband has been imprisoned for treason (ta ta, Castleroy!), but then proceeds to judge the hell out of her for being a madam.

Not cool, Laith.

Anyway, after Greer defends one of her call girls against an abusive john, Laith finally sees the light and the two hook up.

Mary/Lola/Narcisse’s Niece and Conde/Francis

It’s open season at the castle now that news of Mary and Francis’ estrangement has spread across the kingdom. What does this mean for the royal couple? Well, it means that there are tons of eligible daughters trying to catch the King’s eye and earn their spot as his mistress.

The only one among them that has any luck is Narcisse’s niece, Lady Amberley. The doe-eyed blond has angst-sex with Francis before he rushes off to talk to Lola and Mary. Somehow, I doubt we’ve seen the last of her.

After Francis rushes off, he encounters Lola. Lola confronts him about his affair and tells him that he needs to let Mary do whatever she needs to do to be happy so that she may one day come back to him. Francis takes her advice and allows Mary to have her affair with Louis under his protection. Francis then makes a move on Lola, who rebuffs him, saying that he and Mary are still meant to be together.

All in all, it’s a pretty sweet scene that doesn’t feel like an excuse or romantic cop-out between the two. It stays true to both characters, but it doesn’t deny their chemistry.

In the meantime, Mary and Louis have been rushing around in secret trying to figure out their plans to return to Scotland. They finally get to make out for a bit before they’re seen and blackmailed by the King of Navarre. Mary ends the affair, but tries to start it back again after Francis gives her his blessing.

At that point, it looks like Antoine finally got to Louis, because Louis doesn’t mention Elizabeth’s proposed courtship to Mary and at the end of the episode, he meets up with Elizabeth’s envoy to begin negotiations.