Versailles

Louis' palace is expanding and his troops are preparing to invade Holland and crush William of Orange. Poisonings are rife and murders are on the increase in Versailles, but the assassins remain untraceable. Louis' paranoia grows, whilst his brother, Philippe, refuses to return to Versailles.

The Church rises up against the King, commanding him to end his adultery with Montespan. Philippe must wed the bride that Louis has chosen for him: the Princess Palatine. Fabien continues to investigate the poisonings.

Poisonings continue to spread, and Fabien's investigations have reached a dead end. The marriage of Philippe and Palatine is celebrated, but Philippe is unable to fulfill his conjugal duty.

Madeleine de Foix is imprisoned for murder by poisoning. At the Palace, Louis and Montespan's child has become gravely ill. Louis is suffocating, the pressure from the Church is becoming intolerable.

Louis is afflicted by terrible insomnia, which feeds his paranoia. He dismisses Fabien from his duties and distances himself more and more from his entourage - with the exception of Montespan. He decides to assign commandment of the Dutch War to Philippe, much to everyone's surprise.

The King's army wins several victories on the Dutch front, but it isn't enough for Louis who wants to bring William of Orange to his knees. In Court, Marie-Thérèse oversees a pious, austere rule. Philippe takes on the role of King-for-a-Day during the visit of the Sultan of Bijapur.

Louis and William of Orange engage in a merciless face-off. Complicity between Philippe and Palatine grows, leaving the Chevalier bitter and desperate.

Louis is determined to regain control over his palace and his life. Palatine falls gravely ill, leading to fears she has been poisoned. Fabien agrees to return into the King's service, determined to finally put an end to the Affair of the Poisons.

Montespan seals a pact with the Devil by taking part in a black mass. In Court, Philippe diligently enforces Louis' commands and grows closer to Thomas, who seems to have fallen under his charm.

Agathe's arrest shocks the Palace: Montespan and Gaston keep a low profile as the royal guards arrest all the nobles implicated in the poisoning scandal. Humiliated by her fall from grace, a desperate Montespan prepares for revenge.