The city of Paris was lively once again.
The French flags were fluttering,
and show windows were decorated with portraits of the Louis XVI couple.
People walked with a light step.
Delighted voices cheering the new age were passing by in the florid streets.
The citizens had great expectations for the reign of the new King.
Your Majesty,
this man here is a baron.
He's requesting the post of secretary of the Court.
I humbly would like to ask for a recommendation from Your Majesty...
I see. Don't worry.
His Majesty will listen to any request from me.
Lady Antoinette!
Without even examining his character or past accomplishments, accepting it so easily is... uh...
Count Mercy, you're still a worrywart.
Don't worry.
I'm no longer a child but humbly the Queen of France.
I won't be instructed by anyone!
Grand Chamberlain, now I'd like to end the audience for today.
Well, let's continue that play, Countess Noailles!
Lady Antoinette!
Wonderful! How wonderful!
I can assign whomever I want as the minister!
I'm no longer lectured!
Yes, I'm the Queen of France!
From now, to dance all night at the masquerade, watch operas, buy jewels
I'm free to do them all! Free... I'm free!
The Rose of Versailles
Kusamurani namo shirezu
The flowers blooming in the wilderness
Saiteiru hana naraba
they are without names
Tada kaze wo ukenagara
A gentle breeze
Soyoide ireba iikeredo
makes them sway
Watashi wa bara no sadame ni umareta
My destiny is of a rose
Hanayakani hageshiku ikiro to umareta
Born to live in glory and passion
Bara wa bara wa, Kedakaku saite
Roses, oh roses, blooming with dignity
Bara wa bara wa, Utsukushiku chiru
Roses, oh roses, withering with regret
Bara wa bara wa, Kedakaku saite
Roses, oh roses, blooming with dignity
Bara wa bara wa, Utsukushiku chiru
Roses, oh roses, withering with regret
Episode 11
"Fersen Departs for the Northland"
You've improved quite a bit, André!
It's becoming scary to use the real swords.
I'm still no match for you.
I can never be as light and fast as you are.
Oscar!
What is it, Father?
Rejoice, Oscar!
You've been promoted to the Royal Guard High Commander!
And was promoted all the way up to Colonel!
High Commander?
Lady Antoinette's first request to the King after becoming the Queen was to promote you.
Lady Antoinette...
As the Royal Guard Head Commander,
please be my side even more from now on, Oscar.
Yes, Your Majesty.
I've arranged for your salary and pension to be doubled.
Thank you very much.
The honor is more than I deserve.
However, Your Majesty,
Right now, our France is not financially affluent.
The salary should stay the same as now.
Otherwise, I cannot accept the promotion this time!
Oscar...
Very well, Oscar.
Ah, but ask me for whatever you wish,
anything like higher rank, horses, or castles!
Now I can make any wish come true!
Lady Antoinette!
My only wish is that Lady Antoinette becomes a fine Queen.
Isn't Mademoiselle ready yet?
Don't rush. It takes a woman time to change clothes.
What are you saying? YOU, too, want to see it as soon as possible!
Ah, you look even more dashing!
The uniform of the Head Commander fits you really well!
Even a woman like me would fall in love with you!
That only bothers Oscar all the more.
You're making fun of me again.
Sorry, sorry. I only told the truth.
That's even worse!
Lady Oscar,
there are many gifts from the Court congratulating you.
Please decline them politely saying that I'm sorry but I cannot accept them.
As you say.
Lady Oscar, how wasteful!
You declined the gifts from Lady Antoinette!
Nanny, this is better for Lady Antoinette.
She's too candid with her own emotions,
and expresses her kindness for the persons she favors.
But... but the all the money she uses comes from the people's taxes.
I'm afraid of her candor.
I'm worried about how the people who are taxed will regard Lady Antoinette.
Nonsense! You're worrying unnecessarily.
The People are all in love with Lady Antoinette
I hope that's the case.
I see. Oscar declined my gifts...
Yes, I'm sorry.
Why wasn't Oscar pleased with my gifts?
Fersen hasn't come since I became the Queen...
Mme. Noailles?
That Swedish Count Fersen hasn't come to Versailles recently.
He might be busy with some other things.
I see. That's true.
Lady Antoinette, the audience is about to start in the Hall of Mirrors.
Please attend.
Grand Chamberlain, I'm not feeling well today.
Please cancel the audience.
Wh, what are you saying, Lady Antoinette?!
That's right, Your Highness.
You're not a Crown Princess anymore but a Queen of France.
You're not allowed to be capricious or selfish!
The audience is a duty for the Queen.
Furthermore, those are the people who came to celebrate the new King and Queen!
All right.
Then I'll see 10 people only.
Only 10!
But there are hundreds of people who came to celebrate.
Your Majesty, there's a request for a special audience.
No. I don't want to see anyone today.
Please refuse.
As you say. I'll tell Lord Fersen so.
Fersen?!
It's Fersen?!
I'll see him forjust a little while then.
Escort him to my salon.
Yes, Your Majesty.
What happened to the Queen?
That's right. I've been waiting for four hours!
The gifts will rot if I have to wait this long.
Let me see the Queen now!
Me, too!
Queen will appear as soon as she feels better.
Please wait for a while.
Duke deGuemenee
Ah, Grand Chamberlain,
I brought a foreign guest of honor for Queen Antoinette.
Please tell her immediately!
Ah, well, I wasjust explaining
now that the Queen suddenly fell ill and the audience is delayed.
Enough of the silly excuse.
Tell her now. Now!
You understand?
But Queen is now...
Are you saying that you won't tell her knowing that it's a request from Duke deGuemenee?
Oh, no. I'm not implying anything as such.
Ah, that's enough.
Please tell the Queen.
This is Marquise Brahe It would be Queen Marie-Antoinette's responsibility if a diplomatic conflict evolves...
by the refusal of the audience today.
It will be Queen Marie Antoinette's responsibility!
Ah, well, that's uh...
Everyone! Please remember this.
It seems like the new Queen would see a poor Swedish noble,
but wouldn't see us legitimate nobles!
Marquise Brahe, let's leave!
Oscar!
Step aside.
STEP ASIDE!
Please.
There's enough room for you to pass.
Don't get puffed up just because you were promoted to the Royal Head Commander!
The Swedish noble that deGuemenee mentioned is...
Then, Lady Antoinette is neglecting the audience to see Fersen?
How could she!
Ah, what a nice breeze.
Fersen, even winds are welcoming you.
Lady Antoinette,
I think I should leave now.
I won't be able to visit frequently, since I feel bad about taking so much time for me.
What are you saying, Fersen?
My feelings calm down just by talking to you.
You don't have to be reserved. Please relax.
Lady Antoinette, it's time for the concert.
Please cancel the concert.
Lady Antoinette!
Say, Fersen, let's walk outside. Shall we?
She can't cancel the concert.
But how pitiful!
Just standing by Lady Antoinette,
I'm so enchanted by her beauty, I can't say anything.
What is it, Fersen?
Let's go, shall we?
Today is the day of the Big Fountain. It's wonderful!
If you let her do anything, something terrible will happen to Lady Antoinette!
She has ignored relations with the families of the Dukes who have strong alliances with the Royal family.
She has spoiled several concerts before, too.
Well, she's gathering young and open hearted people without rank by her side.
See, look.
Especially for that Fersen, she's showing a friendship that looks unnatural even to me.
You're thinking too much, Countess Noailles.
Oh, no, Count Mercy!
The matter is serious!
Even if some things were permitted as a Crown Princess,
it's a different story if she's a Queen!
Oh, you are?
Oscar!
Fersen, I came here to warn you.
I see. I can pretty much guess what that is.
Please sit down.
If you can guess, then it's easy for me to tell you.
Fersen, you better leave Franceas soon as possible, and go back to Sweden.
It's about Lady Marie-Antoinette, isn't it?
Is someone spreading nasty rumors?
Not yet.
There might be, but I haven't heard.
But there are a few who have noticed.
I was vaguely aware of it.
Lady Antoinette was a little...
too interested in me, and too kind to me.
It was permitted up until now, since she was allowed more freedom as a Crown Princess by comparison.
But it's different now!
She is Her Majesty the Queen of France.
Fersen, you should stay in your own country for a while.
As for things up until now, you don't know what danger you might be in from now on.
I understand, Oscar.
I was going to do it eventually.
I'll do so until the Court forgets about me.
But... but Lady Antoinette is too beautiful.
She's too beautiful.
That's all.
I thank you for listening.
Farewell, Fersen.
Wait, Oscar.
Don't you feel lonely?
As a woman, you're dressed up like that
and spending your youth without knowing the happiness of a woman?
I was raised as a man in order to inherit from my father, General Jarjeyes.
I never felt lonely,
and I feel happy now as it is.
Oscar, we'll meet again. Won't we?
All for the sake of Lady Antoinette.
And eventually, for our France.
Please forgive me, Fersen.
What happened?
Some kid stole money from a Duke.
A kid?
Duke deGuemenee!
Please, Your Highness Duke!
This is only a child who didn't know any better!
Please forgive him!
Oscar, that girl is...
Yeah, that girl Rosalie, who tried to sell her body to me the other day.
Do you know that child?
Yes, he's my small neighbor, Pierre.
He hasn't been eating for 2 days so...
Please forgive him.
I beg you, merciful Duke.
Please!
All right then.
Get out of here.
Duke!
Thank you very much!
Pierre, promise me that you'll never steal again.
Go home now.
OK!
Pierre!
You won't get away with that, deGuemenee!
Wait!
Oscar!
Wait, Oscar!
You have no chance.
Let me go! Let me go, André!
He's a Duke that even the King can't touch!
He's not someone you can handle!
Let me go!
Get out of my way! Move, André!
Calm down!
Calm down, Oscar!
Go!
Leave now!
How... how can such a cruel thing can be allowed to happen?!
To hell with aristocrats!
To hell with the Duke!
That night,
Hans Axel von Fersen left France to go back to Sweden.
It would be 4 long years before he stepped onto French soil again.
I see.
It's quite sudden...
What's wrong with me?
As if there's a hole in my heart.
Is this the feeling of loneliness?
Fersen, why didn't you tell me...
Fersen, Fersen!
From now on, I'm alone again.
What should I do, Fersen?
Fersen!
Ai ga kurushimi nara
lf to love is to suffer
Ikurademo kurushi mou
I will take any suffering
Sore ga kimino kokoro ni
Until my love reaches
Itsuka todoku made
To your heart someday
Kimi wa hikari, Boku wa kage
You are the light while I am the shadow
Hanre rarenai futari no kizuna
We share a bond that can never be broken
Kurushimeba kurushimu hodo
The more pain I suffer
Ai wa, ai wafukamaru
the deeper is my love
Not reciprocated is the love I have for you
my eyes, they can no longer see you
Ah, Oscar?
Oscar!