“It is not the sword that will change the world. It is words.”

In the opening titles, we see first Saint Germain, then Robespierre writing words of power on thin air. And the words ‘revolution’ and ‘change’ run like an ominous refrain throughout this volume.

The stakes are raised even higher as young D’Eon de Beaumont and his three companions (the ‘Four Musketeers’) try to find out who murdered Lia, D’Eon’s sister. D’Eon is granted a private audience with the formidable Empress Elisaveta who confides in him how much she valued Lia’s friendship. “Lia gave me the courage to change this country’s system.” But some of Elisaveta’s subjects hate the changes to the regime that she is bringing about, none more so than Vorontsov who is conspiring with the first minister Beztushev, watched by the shadowy figure of Maximilien Robespierre. “Her blood must be spilt to realize the ideals that you and I hold,” He tells Vorontsov. Tipped off by a mysterious masked noblewoman, the Four Musketeers set out to foil an assassination attempt on the empress and to discover the true identities of the empress’s lovers.

If Elisaveta is assassinated, the next emperor will be the unstable, boorish, drunkard Pyotr who is more keen on playing with his toy soldiers than ruling Russia.

Robespierre is also conspiring with the rogueish Count Cagliostro and his lover Lorenza to entrap D’Eon. ”In order to uncover the secret of Royal Psalms,” says Cagliostro, “we need to steal the soul that has possessed the French knight.” Lorenza asks innocently, “Am I to become its vessel instead?”

Lured to a ruined house to meet with Vorontsov, D’Eon and his friends find themselves attacked by suits of armour, as the malicious Cagliostro and Lorenza look on. A desperate and protracted duel takes place between Vorontsov and D’Eon who realizes all too soon that his opponent is possessed by the power of the Psalms. When Lia takes over her brother’s body, will the watchers on the roof seize control of her spirit?

Grim events are about to take place that will change Russia’s future forever. Warned by the masked woman not to return to the palace, the Musketeers are forced to flee but not before Durand has found himself face to face with the eniogmatic Robespierre. “Why did you kill Lia?” Durand demands bitterly, reminding us that very little of his relationship with Lia has been revealed.

Back in France, we get a glimpse of the bitter rivalry between Queen Marie and Madame de Pompadour, masked beneath the elaborate rituals of court etiquette. Madame de Pompadour, ambitious and self-possessed, is determined that the Four Musketeers must be destroyed.

Tantalsing secrets about the Royal Psalms and their powers are revealed and as the Four Musketeers sail for England, Robespierre’s final taunting challenge to Durand rings in the viewer’s ears: “I’ll be waiting in England.”

As in the previous volumes, the design and beautifully painted backgrounds are very convincing, making it all too easy to be lulled into believing that you’re watching a historical drama. However, the series should carry a warning to the unwary (or those unfamiliar with events in eighteenth century Europe): DON’T USE ‘LE CHEVALIER D’EON’ AS REVISION FOR YOUR UPCOMING HISTORY PAPER!

Extras
ADV certainly gives the buyer their money’s worth with yet another fascinating booklet, this time containing an interview with Yuki Tai, the Japanese voice of D’Eon, more character sketches and another act of the linked drama. On the disc itself, there are helpful historical notes about Russia and four commentaries by the US actors, as well as the usual stuff!

In Summary
This is an exciting, blood-spattered volume, filled with betrayals, assassinations and duels, that, while answering some questions, only reveals more mysteries yet to be unravelled. Recommended – and not just for history buffs.