During the time that I was injured in Artena,
many of you considered me dead.
And in reality, that's what happened.
I died.
But I was reborn through a woman's hands.
And then I was given the chance of a new life.
A life that I owe to her.
A life that I learned to live by her side.
This became clearer when I returned to Montemor.
And I felt like a man without a soul.
Only my body...
has been sitting on this throne during all these days.
But I struggled to accept the facts.
And I tried to trick fate.
I went back to Artena and brought Amália with me to Montemor.
But fate can't be tricked.
It's relentless.
It doesn't bargain.
And that's why I made this decision, that I now announce to you.
The hardest one in my life, and at the same time, the clearest.
I will live each moment of my life by that woman's side.
And there is no other way to do this unless I leave for Artena to live with her.
And for that...
I will abdicate Montemor's throne.
Afonso, you can't be serious!
Get out! GET OUT!
You Highness, I ask you to please reconsider this.
A decision of this magnitude can't be made impulsively.
Impulsively?
It's exactly the opposite, Cássio.
If I were impulsive, I'd already be by her side.
I know how important it's to think cautiously.
And that's what I did all these days.
You're the Crown Prince! You must ascend to the throne!
- You can't simply-! - I can.
It took me awhile to understand this, brother.
But I actually can.
It's a high price to pay, yes, obviously, but...
To not live my life the way I desire,
this one, yes, is the highest price of all.
Afonso, our grandma didn't expect that from you.
Rodolfo...
Do you really think our grandma wouldn't support me in this moment?
It's exactly the memory I have of her,
the appreciation for the things she taught us,
that led me to this decision.
Your Highness mentioned leaving to live by her side,
does Your Highness intend to live in Artena?
Yes.
It's what I intend to do.
And how do you intend to do this?
Building a castle in Artena?
No, brother.
To life this life at its fullest,
I must live by her side. As a normal man.
A-as a commoner, you mean?
Yes, Rodolfo, as a commoner.
Again, Your Highness. I ask you to reflect carefully...
There's no reason to abdicate everything like this.
Cássio, I know it's difficult to comprehend now.
And I don't even demand this of you two.
But I'm sure that with time, my life and my happiness
will by themselves explain things I can't put into words now.
My brother,
appease your heart.
I know this isn't what you've planned for your life.
The same way this isn't what I've planned for mine.
But now you have a great mission ahead of you.
And it won't be easy.
But I'm sure, Rodolfo,
that God'll give you strength and wisdom
in order for you to become a good king. A fair king.
And with time, my brother,
you will be proud of everything you'll have accomplished.
I knew it, I knew. I had an intuition.
Something, something was about to happen. But I never thought it'd be this fast-
But do you think he will accept to be crowned king?
- And why wouldn't he? - How would he?
Prince Rodolfo is a coward, irresponsible...
How dare you say that about the future king?
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say it.
Better yet, I meant it. But I think that...
Obviously I know all Rodolfo's traits.
But I also know how tempting power can be.
And our prince isn't that hard to be tempted.
Exactly. This is why, from now on, he needs to feel secure
and confident. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but...
Write my words:
Rodolfo'll ascend to Montemor's throne.
And nobody can stop him anymore.
Amália!
My daughter!
Is everything alright?
- No, mom. - I can guess it: Afonso.
He lied to you, didn't he?
What did you find out? Is he married?
- No, worse! A fugitive. A criminal! - It's nothing like this, my father.
Afonso is...
A prince?
The Crown Prince of Montemor.
But this doesn't make any sense...
My daughter, it's very bold of him to expect you to believe in this!
That's exactly why he insisted to take me to Montemor.
He knew I wouldn't believe it.
But then you saw it. It is true.
I did.
I saw it.
Afonso took me to the castle.
People call him "Your Highness",
they take a bow...
Soon he will be crowned king.
Why would he want to marry you, my daughter?
- Martinho! - Well, she's a commoner!
We all are!
We won't get married anymore, my father!
Our story....
is over.
I'd never be able to live in that place.
In that way. With people serving me while
accusing Afonso of bringing a commoner to the court!
I'd never actually belong in that world.
Besides, that's not what I want for my life.
Calm down, daughter, don't rush things.
I can't believe it. Now you want her to marry Afonso!
What's the matter? What father wouldn't wish this for his daughter?
Marry a prince!
Unfortunately the Afonso I met and for whom I fell in love with doesn't exist anymore!
My daughter, don't be so dramatic!
I am sure deep down he's the same person!
I am impressed by the nerves of yours!
I just wish my daughter well.
You are egoistic!
Listen, but she still likes him, doesn't she?
And after, she will get used to live in the castle.
We get used to good things fast.
That's for Amália to decide, not you.
Why I don't have a say in this? I'm her father, I know what's best for her.
But what you're demonstrating-
Brumela,
- I wanted to talk to you about something. - Of course, go ahead.
- It's that I decided to... - Selena, Brumela!
You won't believe what I just heard!
Say it already!
Everybody back inside are talking about abdication!
- Abdication? Who will abdicate? - Prince Afonso!
- What?! - What?!
Impossible! Who said that?
Everybody is talking about it!
Why would he do that?
Maybe it's related to that Artena woman.
I can't believe this is true...
- Do you really think he will choose us? - Of course!
I'm sure.
As soon as he's crowned, he'll name us his counselors.
What about Cássio? Don't you think he'll be kept as his right-hand man?
I don't know. It's possible.
Anyway, it's to prevent this kind of risk that-
It's not possible, this can't be happening! Afonso can't do this to me!
- THERE HAS TO BE SOME OTHER WAY! - Your Highness, if you allow me.
As your brother said himself, destiny is relentless.
- What do you mean by that? - That it was written.
God wrote Your Highness' destiny through tortuous line, but with a firm hand!
And wrote that Your Highness' destiny is to rule Montemor!
No! NO! I DON'T WANT TO BE KING!
I don't want to be king! I don't want to be king...
Those were the words of the greatest monarchs known by humanity.
Octavian Augustus, roman emperor, said those words days before ascending to the throne.
- Did he?! - Yes, he did.
It's natural that, in a decisive moment as this, Your Highness has some insecurity.
Or does Your Highness think Octavian Augustus wasn't scared as well?
- Was he...? - Yes! Yes, it's natural!
What is fear if not nourishment of our courage?
The measurement for the challenges we go through.
And the biggest endorsement of the cowards?
I don't know...
I don't comprehend, I don't... "coward"?
- Are you calling me a coward? - No!
What he meant is that Your Highness is predestined.
And the predestined ones, unlike prince Afonso, who made his choice,
didn't come to the world to choose, they were chosen.
And destiny chose Your Highness to ascend to Montemor's throne.
Besides, when prince Afonso returned to Artena,
Your Highness already had proven to be able to rule Montemor!
It's true...
And modesty aside, I did so in a brilliant way.
But now it's different! Now it's not just a hobby!
Now it's definitive.
But...
If only as a hobby Your Highness already proved to be a great monarch,
what about now, that you will rule for the next centuries?
Your Highness.
I understand you made your decision,
I don't intend to make you change your mind anymore.
But at the same time, I have the obligation to tell you
I fear for Montemor's future.
Your Highness knows that prince Rodolfo isn't ready to become king.
And who among us is truly ready for what we will someday become, Cássio?
I comprehend, Your Highness, but we know -
Surely I understand Rodolfo's limitations, Cássio.
But enough of treating him as incapacitated or as a child.
It won't be easy, but Rodolfo will learn from his mistakes.
And after each decision he makes, he'll become more confident.
There's no reason for Rodolfo to not become a good man.
After all, he carries the Monferrato's blood in his veins, and that's a lot.
Tiago.
Diana.
I didn't know Amália had returned.
- She arrived earlier today. - And Afonso came with her?
Afonso stayed in Montemor, and there he shall remain.
What do you mean? They won't get married anymore?
What happened?
Diana, I think it's better if you ask my sister directly.
Amália,
I just met Tiago and he said you and Afonso...
- If you came here to mock me, Diana, you can just- - No! Quite the opposite!
I meant to talk to you about what happened he other day. I lost my temper.
Regardless of me being with Virgílio now,
we are friends.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry about that day as well.
I think I ended up saying things I shouldn't.
I wish everything could go back to what it was before.
Of course. Of course, me too!
What happened in Montemor?
Afonso?
- Crown Prince of Montemor? - I know it's hard to believe,
I only believed it because I was there and could see it with my own eyes.
But why didn't he say anything when you found him injured in the forest?
It's a long story that...
is over now.
- Why is it over? - Because that's not what I want for my life.
Be a princess?
You can call it whatever you want.
Diana, you're not believing in me? Is that it?
No, I am...! Of course I am.
It's just that this story is very absurd.
But I do believe in you.
I need to work now, ok? We can talk later.
She thinks anyone would believe in this story?!
Yeah... I didn't even know what to say, so I said I believed it.
A prince?!
The Crown Prince. Future king of Montemor.
- But why would she come up with such an absurd story? - You ask me?
Maybe because she's ashamed?
Yeah, maybe Afonso took her to Montemor, regretted it, and she made up this madness.
Weird.
It doesn't make sense.
Come here.
Are you sure they broke up definitively?
Based on what she said, yes.
God Save the King.
If you let me take care of her on my own and don't interfere in my life-
- You shouldn't talk to the prince like that! - Your Highness deserves respect!
Yeah, if it wasn't for the prince my cousin would've died in the mine!
- Bless the prince! - Bless him!
Rodolfo.
Rodolfo!
Afonso.
I've came to tell you tomorrow I'll announce it to the people.
My brother, you know you're about to commit an insanity.
- I made my decision- - Yes, a decision that will also define my life!
Afonso, I haven't prepared myself to-t-to be king...
I know.
And I also know that what I'm asking you is not easy.
Maybe it doesn't comfort you, but I have never really been prepared to be crowned.
But the people expect you to be Montemor's king, Afonso. Not me.
The people expect to have a fair king. With a good heart.
My brother, in the mine's episode, the people recognized your effort.
I saw the way they looked at you.
And I'm sure you will gain everybody's respect.
It won't be easy, Rodolfo.
But you are a Monferrato.
And our grandma has always taught us right from wrong.
Yes, but you know I've always chosen what's wrong.
I don't know. I don't know if I can make it.
Of course you can make it.
Do you think it's easier to learn how to become a king... or a commoner?
You will make it.
All of us will make it.
My grandmother dedicated her whole life to Montemor.
And that made her a great queen.
It never existed to her anything more important than her people's happiness.
And because of that, she was a great queen.
Her heart belonged to you.
Because that's what you deserve.
And that's exactly what I can't give you right now.
My heart.
For reasons still unknown by me, God wished
that my destiny was another one.
One different from the destiny I prepared myself for my whole life.
And as I'm certain
that I won't ever be able to rule you as a king should,
humbly,
before God and before you,
I proclaim I abdicate Montemor's throne.
I also abdicate all titles, properties and perks I'd have right to as crown prince.
Because in order to live this life thoroughly,
it's necessary that the prince makes room for the man.
Therefore, from the moment I'm gone, consider me
nothing but a commoner.
God bless my brother Rodolfo.
And each one of you.
If I hadn't heard from his own mouth,
I'd never believe it.
And you believe he's really doing this because of that woman?
- The vendor? - It seems to be the only explanation.
Everyone has a right to be in love.
I saw men leave their family for other women.
I also saw men leaving their jobs for women.
But that was too much.
Would someone ever imagine that Montemor'd be ruled by prince Rodolfo?
Not even in my worst nightmares.
What's curious is that with the miners' rescue, for better or worse,
- he won some people's admiration. - That's true.
What do you mean by that?
That's too easy to fool the people.
Do you know when will he leave?
I heard it'd be tomorrow already.
So this is the last night he'll have dinner in the castle?
Should we make the pheasant or the pork chop?
I think the pork chop.
Better yet,
at evening the prince usually prefers the pheasant.
But pork chop is his favorite dish.
That's true. So in that case...
Pork chop'd be great.
Your Highness.
We'll make the pork chop.
As Your Highness prefers, of course.
Thank you so much.
Brumela, Betânia, I'd like to thank you both
for all you did for me through all these years.
And you too, Selena.
Despite arriving here just recently.
I'm sure your food will be one of the things I'll miss the most.
Your Highness...
From the bottom of my heart, I lament your departure.
Don't lament, Betânia. I'm going of my own free will.
To live beside the woman I love.
I don't lament for you. But for us.
I mean...
We wish Your Highness the best. But on the other hand...
Forgive me, Your Highness. I'm sorry I lamented.
I'm sorry.
Once again, I thank for everything.
My lady.
The marquis asked me to search you again. He wishes to know if you'll really ride with him.
Tell him to wait a little bit more.
But my lady, he's already waiting for Your Highness for three hours. Perhaps-
Lucíola.
I shouldn't have to explain the obvious to you anymore.
The longer the marquis waits for me,
longer he'll be away from me.
Therefore, go back there and tell him to keep waiting.
As you wish, Your Highness.
Who's there?
Duke...
My lady.
I didn't think you'd arrive in such a discreet way.
So...
Tell me about your endeavor.
It couldn't have been more successful.
You, sir, managed to conquer the lands you wished?
Not only the lands. But new soldiers' loyalty.
And where are they now?
Not very far from here.
My lady,
It's my conviction that, united,
mine and Artena's army,
we'd unbeatable.
A glorious future awaits us.
About that, I have no doubts.
But, unfortunately, from my end, there was no improvement.
My wedding is each day closer.
And my father is still headstrong, as always.
I simply can't fathom a way of overturning this situation in our favor.
And I came back precisely to help you.
Together, we'll find a solution.
I promise.
Trust me.
There is nobody in the world I trust more.
- Your Majesty! - Duke!
But what a surprise!
It gladdens me to have you back.
But where are your soldiers?
They can be found in Vicenza.
Doing what soldiers do in peacetime: comforting themselves in their loved ones' arms.
Love...
The war.
In both cases, they are putting their lives at risk.
I suppose this time the duke
will remain in Artena until Catarina's wedding.
If Your Majesty allows me.
It will be a pleasure.
Daughter, I had understood that you and your fiancé would ride horses,
isn't he waiting for you?
Oh, God.
I had completely forgotten.
I hope the marquis forgives me for this huge fault, excuse me.
So duke,
tell me about your trip.
There's not much more to tell, Your Majesty.
Your Highness.
Yes?
Is everything well?
Yes, I was...
Trying to breath again my childhood's air, Cássio.
I don't comprehend.
This room,
my grandmother's room,
from all Montemor's places, this one is I'll mourn the most for not returning.
From the bottom of my heart.
That's the only thing I'd like to take with me.
Because it was here I heard for the first time
beautiful poems
and stories about brave heros.
It's here I learned that our acts, no matter which ones,
will always have consequences.
That we should always pay for our mistakes.
It was also here I discovered that at certain point in life we have to face our fears.
And that asking for help isn't shameful.
And courage is a feeling that needs to be cultivated.
And mainly it was where I comprehended
that what we have to offer
is nothing but what we learned through life.
Your memories will be the most precious belonging Your Highness will take.
And that nobody will ever be able to take from you.
Rodolfo,
my brother...
- No, my brother, please, I urge- - Rodolfo, I insist.
Please.
But history is like that, things just happen...
Cousin!
I wasn't aware you knew each other.
Actually we just met.
But I confess it's been a long time I have heard such funny and interesting stories.
Ah, the duke is always a very pleasant company.
Yeah...
The more pleasant is the conversation,
the more I can relish such beautiful companies.
Careful, cousin.
Because besides being very pleasant,
the duke is very skillful with words.
And what kind of danger could he provide me?
Exactly.
You never know.
Well, but as I was saying...
at certain point, I came across four soldiers. All of them well armed. I had no option but...
The prince said he's satisfied. He'll go to his room now.
It's his last night dining in Montemor. I cannot believe it.
I don't have to believe it or not. We need to do our jobs.
But after so many years, it'll be so hard...
I want to tell you something.
I won't work at the castle anymore.
What do you mean?
I no longer intend to cook.
What do you plan on doing of your life?
I'll apply to the Military Academy.
Are you crazy?
No, Brumela, she isn't crazy.
On the contrary.
Funny, Romero didn't say anything about you two talking.
- Yeah. Maybe he didn't believe I was serious. - Maybe.
Betânia, do you really think I made the right choice?
Sure, Selena. Aren't you relieved for making it?
A lot, like you wouldn't believe.
But I confess I'm also terrified.
It's only natural.
You'll be the first woman to enter the Academy.
And look, I'm sure there will be more terrified people than you.
What do you mean?
The students will be terrified with the possibility of a girl doing better than them.
Hi, my love.
- Sorry, did I wake you up? - No.
I was thirsty, and was already coming to drink something.
How are things at the Academy?
- Any news? - No, the same.
Are you sure?
Romero...
Selena told me she talked with you.
- She wants to be a student. - Ahhh...
So that's what you're talking about.
Frankly, Betânia.
That girl is crazy.
Crazy?
Why?
It makes no sense a woman wanting to be a soldier.
- And did another one try? - Of course not.
So how can you know she isn't able to be a good soldier?
You can't. Simple as that.
That's why she deserves a chance.
Before starting the training,
I would like to announce a new student.
I mean...
A new person...
Despite the Academy not being comfortable, let's say, with this situation,
we didn't find anything to prevent their entrance.
And... well.
Selena!
This is Selena.
The Military Academy's new student.
Afonso, for the last time, I ask you: think more carefully.
Rodolfo,
The peace in my heart now only reassures me of my decision.
Montemor is in your hands.
Before my departure, I have a wish for you.
Sure. Whatever you want.
This ring.
It was given me by our grandma years ago.
It's a ring of great value.
But to me, its biggest value is sentimental.
It's the only thing I don't wish to give up.
At the same time, I wish it to stay here.
In Montemor.
Please, my brother.
Keep it with you.
Stay rested.
Cássio...
Keep being this clearheaded and faithful adviser you always were.
Rodolfo will need you so much.
Your Majesty.
We just received an urgent message from Montemor.
And what is it about?
The Crown Prince.
He just abdicated the throne.
Afonso...?
Afonso abdicated it?
She came to talk to me.
Diana is a good person, Tiago.
I just think it's a pity Virgílio is taking advantage of her naivety to-
Afonso...?
I still find this a terrible foolishness. Especially because passions end one day.