Isabel Episode 2

Isabel and Alfonso are brought back to court for their "safety." 

Pacheco riles up the nobles against the king. They feel Enrique isn't doing enough against the Moors and the Jews. Enrique's side want immediate action against Pacheco but the king wants to negotiate in order to avoid a bloody war.

A new character is introduced. Gonzalo Fernandez is an ambitious soldier from Cordoba. Beltran decides to make him Alfonso's page. Isabel instantly dislikes the man because she knows he's there to spy on them.

In order to quell all the talk, Enrique starts spending more time in the queen's bed. Sleeping, of course. How many foxes had to die to make her blanket?

The king and Pacheco meet to negotiate although there's not much to haggle over as Enrique practically gives in to almost everything the opposition proposes. Almost everything. The one thing Enrique stands firm on is he will not disinherit his daughter. The talks come to a standstill.

Pacheco crafts a plan to kidnap the king and force him to do whatever he's told to do.

Isabel is playing with her niece, the princess. Queen Juana is not pleased and orders Isabel to never come near the little girl again. The queen drags her daughter off to her chambers only to find Pacheco's grungy brother and some men are there to take them all hostage. Isabel decides this is the time she gives the queen a piece of her mind and marches off to Juana's chambers, thus she is also taken prisoner.

Pacheco is having a private negotiation with Enrique. When grungy brother shows up, Pacheco knows everything is going according to plan. He lets the king know the queen and the princess are now being held prisoner. Enrique must quietly leave with Pacheco if he wants his wife and child to be unharmed.

Alfonso senses something is wrong when his sister never returns. Surprisingly it is Gonzalo who jumps into action and with the help of Cabrera, a converted Jew who works in the palace, they free the womenfolk. Isabel thanks Gonzalo and starts to warm up to the guy.

Enrique is starting to leave with Pacheco when they learn the queen and princess are safe. Pacheco and Grungy Brother are thrown into the dungeon but the king understands at this point Pacheco has more power in the country than he does. Since not many people know there was even an attempted kidnapping, Enrique reluctantly frees Pacheco and Co. Pacheco goes back home to plot and plot some more.

After learning about Gonzalo's part in freeing the queen, Beltran offers the man a promotion to captain of the royal guards. Gonzalo turns it down. He'd rather remain Alfonso's page. Beltran senses Gonzalo isn't doing this out of loyalty for Alfonso but because he's falling in love with Isabel. 

Isabel and Alfonso are allowed to return home for another visit with their mother. She's better now and this time recognizes her own children.

Enrique and Juana talk about what to do with Pacheco. Right now he has an army larger than they do. What they need is some outside help. Juana suggests for now they must stall for time and to throw a bone to the opposition. First Beltran, whom Pacheco hates with a passion, must leave the palace. Then they'll marry the princess to Alfonso. On the sly they'll turn to Juana's brother, the King of Portugal (and another Alfonso. This can get quite confusing.) In return for some of Portugal's troops, they'll marry Isabel to the king.

Beltran is expelled from court. Isabel and Alfonso are separated. She'll be getting her own house and getting away from the queen while Alfonso goes to live with Pacheco.

Isabel learns the king wants to marry her off to Portugal and she's totally against it. Not just because she doesn't want to marry someone she doesn't know but for political reasons as well. Pacheco's people have also learned of the intended marriage and are also not happy with it. Gonzalo offers to secretly deliver a message to Isabel that the opposition supports her in not wanting to marry.

The King of Portugal (who is really tall) arrives to visit with his sister and pick up his bride-to-be. Enrique throws a banquet in King Alfonso's honor. Isabel is brought in and she publicly declares in front of everybody that no way no how is she marrying King Alfonso.

Pacheco riles up the people against King Enrique and to promote Alfonso (Isabel's brother, not the King of Portugal) as the new King of Castile.

Beltran returns to court.