Claude de Valois/Season Two

Claude at the party. Claude arrives at French Court in The Prince of the Blood. Her mother is not happy that her orders to take the Princess elsewhere were disobeyed; however she is welcomed home and greets her brother, his wife, as well as Bash and Kenna. Later, Claude is caught in bed with the Priest who brought her home by Catherine who later chides her daughter's behavior and threatens to send her away if she sees anymore bad behavior. This leaves Claude wondering just what she has done to raise her mother's ire. Later that day, she is confronted by Bash about the sexual relationship they had when they were younger, because she convinced him that Henry wasn't his father. Claude supported by her mother. In Terror of the Faithful, Claude discovers that her mother has set up a marriage match for her with the son of a Bavarian Count. Claude is less than thrilled to hear this news and flatly refuses to go through with it, saying that she has no desire to marry anyone as well as the fact that she doesn't see why she has to become the property of any man. Catherine tells her daughter that she will marry in order to ensure the survival of the House of Valois, and that every member of the family contributes to this and that includes her. That afternoon, Claude is told by her mother that her virtue must be tested by the Vatican in order for her to marry William, the son of the Bavarian Count; however Claude refuses to go through with it saying that she'd have to be put on the rack and have her legs pried open. The Vatican arrives to test Claude's virtue and she is clearly uncomfortable. Her preoccupied mother gets up and holds her hand to give her support. Claude later visits her mother's chambers where she receives an apology for having to endure that "wretched procedure". Catherine tells her daughter that she's so beautiful and while she may not see it now this is for her own good, that she will soon be married and away from the castle. Later, Claude breaks into tears as she begs her mother not to force her to marry and send her away. That evening Princess Claude enters the room as her mother, William and his father watch. Claude doesn't approach them but goes over to Narcisse, sits on his lap and begins to flirt with him shamelessly. Claude's engagement to Conde is announced. In Acts of War, Claude is less than happy when Mary tells her that she thinks a marriage between the Princess and Prince Condé will be a good match as well as a way to smooth the tensions with the Protestants and Catholics. Catherine enters the room and is not happy with this match either and she rejoices when Claude refuses to accept. Claude then tells her mother and Mary that she is no brood mare to be bought and sold. That evening during the feast of St. Nicholas, the engagement of Lord Conde and Princess Claude is announced. In Mercy, Claude is seen playing the harpsichord when Catherine enters the room and sees the ghosts of her twins. She asks Claude to leave the room, but the Princess ignores her mother, and tells her to "Go to Hell!" when commanded to leave the room; however Catherine responds to this by slapping her daughter's face. Later, Claude is in another hall of the castle chatting with some ladies when Catherine enters the room saying that she needs to speak to her daughter, as the ladies leave Catherine gives Claude a bag of gold that will take her anywhere she wants to go; however the Princess takes the money, dumps it all over the floor, tells her mother that she doesn't need her money, and calls her a relic that's gone past her usefulness. When Catherine tells her that if she doesn't leave then she will force her to take action; Claude tells her mother not to threaten her or else she will woefully regret it. Claude being poisoned by her mother. That night, Claude is alone in her room when Catherine enters and the two have a heartfelt conversation. Catherine apologizes to her daughter for not having been a proper mother to her, begs her forgiveness and tells her that she loves her so much. Claude is receptive to this as well as hearing Catherine say that it was time she began acting like a mother, and she allows her to feed her the hot soup she has brought. Unknown to her, it was poisoned. She later bumps into Bash and he notices her strange behavior, seeing that she is burning up and quickly takes her to the infirmary. In Getaway, Claude learns from Kenna that Catherine has been poisoning her. Claude not wanting to believe this, tells Kenna that her and Bash used to be lovers. Claude goes into her mother's chambers to search for poison. Claude confronts Catherine about the matter and her mother tells her that she murdered her baby sisters as a child. Catherine can’t go through with making Claude pay for that with death. Bash and Claude hug. Claude begins her search for who really killed her sisters in Banished. Claude tells Bash that Catherine was trying to poison her because she thinks Claude murdered her sisters when she was a child. She asks Bash to investigate and find out what really happened. Later, Claude tells Bash that royal children are never left alone and asks him where the nannies were on the night she supposedly murdered her sister. They meet one of the nannies that married a noble. She admits that Henry pursued her and made her come to his bed that night. After that, she returned to the nursey and found the twins dead. The windows had been open and the babies froze to death. When she realized what would happen to her, she got the idea to put the flowers from Claude’s dress in the babies’ throats and let Claude take the blame. Claude becomes angry but Bash calms her down and promises her that there will be justice. Throughout Sins of the Past, Claude tries to continually seduce Narcisse without having sex. When Claude hears of her mother hallucinating, she takes the pleasure of watching her mother go through pain. She's told everyone in the castle about her mother’s disease, which only adds to Catherine’s chagrin. In The End of Mourning, during a family dinner, Claude learns that her mother and Narcisse discovered that the family bible had been poisoned. It’s what led to Henry going mad and made Catherine ill. Claude not wanting a bodyguard. Claude is assigned a bodyguard in Tempting Fate. Claude is first seen after having slept with Narcisse to get back at her mother. Later, she is visited by her mother in her chambers. Catherine informs her of now having a bodyguard which Claude is against until she turns to look at Leith, and suddenly approves. Leith carries a drunk Claude. In Reversal of Fortune, Catherine does not want Claude to know of Francis' condition, so she has Leith send Claude into town. While Leith runs his errands, Claude asks the driver for the most unsavory place in town and heads to Greer's brothel. Later, a drunk Claude gets up on the table and starts dancing. Leith arrives and Greer tells him to get her out of her party before she runs off her best customers. Leith grabs Claude and carries her in his arms, taking her out of the brothel but run into the women who work there and Claude is surprised that they know him. Back home, Claude complains to Leith about taking the long way back to the castle. They run into Kenna who says Claude must be relieved to hear that Francis is all better now then realizes she didn’t know. Claude asks when he fell ill and Kenna freaks and runs off. Claude asks Leith if he kept her away from the castle so she didn’t make a family crisis worse. She asks why they treat her like a problem and he says she should know. Claude says she could change and says he’s a promising fellow and could be with him but he says he is with the Madam. Claude reunites with Lyon. In Fugitive, Claude tells Leith that she wants to go to the hat makers. Leith picks up the hatbox and says it’s the heaviest hat in France and he spots booze in it. The truth is that she want to go see her lover in town but Leith tells her that her mother disapproves of the man. Leith refuses to take her and tells her that he has an errand to run. Later, Claude catches him trying to steal the jeweled dagger. She lets him know that she can turn him in and see him hanged or she can keep quiet and he can escort her wherever she likes and cover for her with her mother. In town, Claude reunites with her lover while Leith waits outside. After sleeping together, Claude wants to spend time together and win her mother's approval but he says he’s only passing through on his way to Paris and he's sure she has plenty of gentlemen following her and he'd be one of them but has to be on his way which hurts her. Claude gives Leith her diamond necklace. Back at the castle, Claude starts acting out and demands that Leith ends his relationship with Greer. He refuses to do so and tells her why he tried to steal the dagger. He sees that she got her heart broken by her lover and explains to her what love truly is. He hopes one day that she will find her true love but doesn't drive them away with her temper. She holds out her diamond earring and tells him to take care of his problem so that she never has to hear about it again. He kisses her on the head and thanks her. After he leaves, she starts to let out the tears she had been holding out. Claude and Catherine In The Siege, while in town, Claude sees Leith with Greer and becomes curious about their relationship. Leith believes there's nothing to tell as they are over. Later, in the throne room, they royal family as well as Lola and her son gather. Francis fills them in and Bash says the royals will be evacuated until the battle with Conde is over. Before Claude leaves, she tells Mary this is all her fault. While getting ready to leave with Leith for her secret location, their path is blocked by English soldiers and he tells her to run while he fights off the soldiers. She hides in the old secret passages and waits for Leith to come. Later, he finally shows up and she's thankful that he saved her. She apologizes for being difficult and prying into his personal life. He tells things that Greer refused his proposal and she tells him to cut Greer a break. Claude says she understands Greer’s independent streak but says if she could have Leith keeping her safe every day she’d like that. Claude sees someone in the shadows and screams. Leith sends her away and goes to investigate but doesn't find anyone. He believes that she may have been seeing things but she’s convinced she saw a demon. In Burn, Claude goes to Leith to tell him the reports from the servant and that the creature from the passages could very well be a shape-shifting Delphine. Later, Bash confronts Claude and Marcel about their claims that Delphine is a shapeshifting demon. Marcel tells Bash about Delphine’s seduction on a bloody shirt during the siege and Bash promises to investigate it.