Louis has everything to be satisfied: his palace grows and arouses the admiration of the whole world; His troops were preparing to invade Holland and to crush William of Orange, after Fabien had saved the dauphin from the clutches of Rohan. However, the king remains haunted by nightmares, his paranoia increases, while his brother, Philippe, refuses to set foot in Versailles.

The king is heavily criticized by the clergy, who refuse to billet his soldiers, and his wife for parading the pregnant Madame de Montespan at court. A particular enemy of the lady is Madame de Foix, whose son was passed over as the justice minister. Fabien, still investigating the minister's death, believes he was murdered but not by his widow, who herself succumbs to poison. Philippe's resumed sexual affair with the Chevalier is rudely interrupted when Louis orders him to marry Liselotte, princess of Palatine, to secure a German alliance against the Dutch. A lavish ball is held to welcome her at which de Montespan goes into labour, whilst in the palace grounds the royal gardener, Jacques, has a fatal encounter with a sinister stranger . Written by don @ minifie-1

Following the second poisoning and disappearance of Jacques Louis gets Fabien to increase security whilst planning the war with the Dutch and continuing his affair with the newly-delivered Montespan - to the queen's fury and general disapproval. He also demands that Fabien's spy Sophie de Clermont marry the much older Cassel in order to report back to him. Gaston de Foix is arrested as the poisoner and tortured and his mother banished from court. Meanwhile Philippe must be seen to bed Liselotte but his love for the scheming Chevalier and disregard for his brother's power politics turn the event into a disaster. Written by don @ minifie-1

As Sophie reluctantly marries the brutal Cassel Madane de Foix is arrested as the poisoner and kills herself in prison. Philippe and the petulant Chevalier fall out but Louis warms to the feisty Liselotte, though their hunting trip is interrupted by the discovery of Jacques' body, increasing the king's paranoia regarding his own safety. Louis also faces more criticism from the clergy who pronounce the death of his and Montespan's daughter as a judgement on his promiscuity but he is also concerned with defeating William of Orange. Written by don @ minifie-1

Fabien's loyalty to the king earns him scant reward from the king in the light of recent events whilst Gaston is returned to court and offers to help Sophie escape her dismal marriage to the vile Cassel. The devious Montespan attempts to convince the paranoid king that that Marie-Therese is having an affair with the honest Father Pascal but Gaston takes deadly action to save the queen whilst Louis decides he will personally lead his army against the Dutch, giving the queen the regency in his absence. Meanwhile Claudine, gaining respect for her unpaid work with the poor, attempts to probe how the toxin entered Versailles as Louis appears to be its latest victim. Written by don @ minifie-1

As Louis triumphs in battle against the Dutch Queen Marie-Therese rules as regent but the poisonings continue though Fabien refuses to return to court. The queen responds to events by closing the salons and banning alcohol, an unpopular move which also affords Philippe kudos when the sultan of Bijapur refuses to discuss trade with a woman and he steps in to secure an agreement. When Claudine becomes the latest victim Fabien strides into Versailles, interrupting a merry-making concert but like the rest of the court he is unaware of a deadly pact between Gaston de Foix and Madame Agathe. Montespan meanwhile does her best to prevent a prospective rival, Isabelle, from becoming a lady-in-waiting to Marie-Therese. Written by don @ minifie-1

William of Orange suggests an alliance with Louis, which is rejected, Louis citing a betrayal of William's former alliances whilst at Versailles the queen investigates Isabelle's death, suspecting Montespan's involvement and the splendid Liselotte discovers a way to arouse Philippe as well as coming to an arrangement with the Chevalier, whom she easily trumps. Thoroughly unstable and haunted by ghosts from the past, including a seductive courtier turned nun, Louis returns to Versailles having failed to come to any arrangement with the Dutch king. Written by don @ minifie-1

Louis arrives back at Versailles, anxious to gain the support of the church at the expense of Montespan, whose excesses he interprets as a divine judgement on him. Her position is further jeopardized when she unsuccessfully tries to hi-jack a royal celebration and her fall from grace quickly follows. More murders continue and when Liselotte succumbs to illness another poisoning is suspected but Philippe, unlike the Chevalier, is relieved and pleased to discover that she is pregnant. However Louis is compelled to officially reinstate Fabien as a result of the killings, Cassel also falls ill, announcing to the king that Marshall, the actor and court poet, is a spy. Written by don @ minifie-1

Louis has Phillipe get close to the spy. This ignites the Chevalier's jealousy. Fabien learns what Father Etienne does with the children he rescues. Montespan is desperate to reclaim the king's love, but Louis falls for someone more pious.