After last week’s cliffhanger that Queen Elizabeth arrived in France, The Snake Queen Season 2, Episode 6 welcomes the Queen to the French court. And it seems that Catherine’s plan to charm King Charles and marry her is going to be a little thwarted due to the constant rivalry between the two brothers. What happened in “Courting the Valois”? Read on for the full recap below!

As we viewers have probably all guessed, Queen Elizabeth is just playing a game at the moment. And if she marries Charles, it’s only to have power and control over France. And she knows she can make him do what she wants too. After all, that’s the whole point of all this. While she’s there, she also tells Louis to keep Edith on her side and sends weapons to the Protestant leader.

Elizabeth is as clever and cunning as the Serpent Queen herself, and tricks Charles and Anjou into fighting for her hand. The two decide to fence, and the winner of the contest is the one the Queen of England agrees to marry. Catherine warns Anjou to let the King win, and he tries to do so. In the final moments, however, we are stunned to find Charles coughing up blood. And now another royal child is sick. What will be his fate? We’ll find out next week!

Elsewhere in the episode, Cardinal Charles’ faith in Edith continues to grow, the Catholic League of France is aware of his possible change of faith, and it emerges that both Rahema and Catherine’s brother Alessandro are stealing money for themselves. Montmorency also wants Charles to meet with Edith to prove that he tolerates and accepts Protestants.

And while Catherine wins back Angelica – who actually gave Aabis a fake poison – Catherine and Cosimo clash when she refuses to accept what she’s seen in her visions. She’s got her hands full, and something tells me there’s a lot more to come in the penultimate episode next week. Stay tuned to Show Snob as we’ll bring you Starz series recaps and reviews until this season comes to a close. We’ve only got two episodes left!

The Snake Queen Season 2 will be broadcast/streamed on Fridays on Starz.