‘The Serpent Queen,’ Episode 2 Recap: “To War Rather Than To Bed”

At the beginning of this week's episode, The Serpent Queen reveals Rahima has been appointed personal maid to Catherine de Medici, a significant rise in status and salary, new clothes, and more opportunities to learn deadly secrets. It appears the Queen tolerates her company, despite knowing she stole an orange at the end of last week. But when Catherine lifts the cover from one of her breakfast dishes, there's a pile of excrement. Horrified, Rahima declares her innocence, and Catherine believes her; does Rahima know who was responsible, and what will she do?

Catherine de Medici: When you find life conspiring against you you must find a way to change it to your favor. You must be willing to make sacrifices, cross lines that you never thought possible. If you don’t treat your enemies a lesson they’ll never learn.

As they stroll in the gardens, Catherine continues the story of her rise to power. The teenage Catherine is in trouble at the hostile, corrupt French court, betrayed by her husband Francis and her cousin Diane de Poitiers. Her uncle, the Pope, has not yet come through with the rest of her dowry. Catherine sees a vision of her uncle hanging from a tree; she has visions sometimes, she informs us. When she returns to the stables, a groom propositions her, and she smacks him with her whip. But then her servants discover Catherine is menstruating*, and now everyone worries.