In 1612, the patrol will have to deal with someone that wants to prevent the 1512 Peace Treaty between Spain and England - while they encounter old acquaintances such as Lope de Vega and Miguel de Cervantes, and new famous people like William Shakespeare.
It is 1605. In a small office in Valladolid (then capital of Spain) Miguel de Cervantes sleeps among his writings, still remembering his "dream" about visiting the future when he is woken up by Lope de Vega. The rivals engage in a pissing contest, and Lope drops his bombshell: he has been asked to perform one of his works for the English representatives that come to witness the signing of the Spanish part of the 1605 Anglo-Spanish peace treaty, which will include no less than William Shakespeare, and he has come to invite Cervantes. While the latter seems to be outwardly calm, shortly after Lope leaves Cervantes explodes in anger.
In 1882, Amelia meets with his mother, who none-too-subtly tells her I Want Grandkids, and that if she does not get married soon, she will become an Old Maid. Amelia's attempt to point out that their favorite writer (Fernán Caballero
) was a woman backfires when her mother asks how many children she had (none).
In the present, Alonso is still down on the fact that Elena will not get pregnant, and Elena tells him that perhaps they should consider taking a break, telling him that she does not want to have children, and asking him if no one has told him that he is quite old-fashioned - to which he answers after she leaves that he was born on the 16th century.
In the Ministry, Lola complains to Ernesto that Salvador won't assign her to a time patrol. Ernesto counsels her to have some patience. Meanwhile, Pacino is read the high riot for his screw-up of allowing Marta to escape, and Pacino tries to ask to be allowed to fix his mistake, but Salvador has sent Ernesto and Irene to 1982. Before he can continue, though, Salvador receives a call from 1605 (from Carrasco, whom we saw first all the way back in the first episode): someone has tried to poison the English envoy sent to sign the peace treaty. Salvador decides to send Alonso, Amelia and Pacino to deal with this problem, probably because of their experience with the time. Amelia tells the others about why the court was in Valladolid at the timenote
In 1605, Cervantes discusses with the Duke of Lerma about the chronicle he is expected to write, and complains about the fact that only Lope's works are represented for the Court. The Duke angrily tells him that he is to write the chronicle, and Cervantes relents - if he is allowed to meet with William Shakespeare.
The patrol arrives, and as the patrol (mostly Amelia) considers potential consequences of the failure to sign the treaty and potential suspects (such as weapon makers, the Dutch (as England would retire its support for them) or the Duke of Lerma (who could not forget the English affronts)) the patrol receives its covers: Amelia will be Spinola's niece and the Queen's new handmaiden, while Pacino and Alonso are to protect the English envoy, Admiral Charles Howard, who commanded the English navy during the fighting against the Spanish Armada.
Cervantes writes a letter to his editor to request a copy of Don Quixote's first book. Amelia meets the Queen, who tests her by speaking in Italian, which she also knows how to speak. The Queen has a servant bring her son to the wetnurse, and takes advantage of being alone with Amelia to tell her that she tested her because she suspects the Duke of Lerma is spying on her and trying to drive a wedge between her and the rest of the Court. Amelia offers her help.
Meanwhile, Alonso and Pacino have taken the English to a tavern - where one of them expresses his disgust over cold beer. Pacino manages to smooth things over, and they continue to enjoy.
Amelia comes down to the kitchen in search of an infusion for the Queen and meets with the cook, so she takes advantage of this to ask him about the waiter who brought the poisoned dish to the English. Amelia sends the description to Angustias in the present: Salvador requests her to send it to Velázquez, before asking her if there's news from Ernesto and Irene.
The two of them are in the 1982 Ministry, asking for all information on Marta and anything she may still have in the Ministry. The Undersecretary asks Encarna, his Sexy Secretary, to bring Ernesto and Irene (who is immediately attracted to her) to grab Marta's belongings. There is not much information, though, and Ernesto tries to get Lola assigned to the mission, but Salvador replies that he wants only the two of them in the case. After having a wild snogging session with Encarna, Irene returns to the present and Ernesto shows her something he has found out: Marta's birth certificate is false, and her personal photographs are all manipulated.
In 1605, Alonso, Pacino and the English are brought warm ale, much to their own disgust, and the Englishmen's joy. It is obvious Alonso is depressed, but when Pacino asks him later about it, he remains silent about it.
Amelia is helping the Queen with her pre-bed ritual, and the two have a nice rapport before the Queen asks her to sleep in the bed with her, and to tell her a tale. This makes Amelia Flashback to her own childhood.
The following morning, while the Queen, Amelia and the former's handmaidens walk through the royal gardens, they have an encounter with Lope de Vega. Amelia's attempts to skip town fail, and Lope obviously remembers her - although, luckily for Amelia, he does not reveal her true identity. The Queen reveals that Lope's work that is to be played for the English and the Court is one that brings up the Duke of Lerma's corruption: hopefully, this will heavily embarrass Lerma.
In the present, Ernesto and Irene continue investigating Marta, and it has become obvious that everything the Ministry knows of her is a lie. A comment by Ernesto sparks an "Eureka!" Moment on Irene, who realizes that Marta's agenda actually hides a code that points to a Ministry-controlled time door that goes from 1982 to 1821.
In 1605, Cervantes continues writing the chronicle of the treaty signing, speaking about the hunting - which is not going to the Englishmen's expectations, no matter what Cervantes writes. Howard decides to make it more interesting with a bet: whoever kills more birds, wins. Alonso accepts the bet, betting his sword against Howard's arquebus. Pacino is not much content about the bet, though.
In the present, Velázquez has finished doing the photolift portrait of the waiter: it's the man who killed Petrov, the Russian agent that tried to kidnap Hitchcock. Angustias sends Amelia the portrait, warning her to take care. Amelia immediately rushes to meet with her partners.
The hunt seems to be going in favor of Howard, and an exasperated Alonso hands his arquebus to a man so he will load it. This man, though, is Howard's would-be assassin, who leaves to get his own modern weapon, a sniper rifle. However, he is unable to shoot at him before Amelia arrives, warning Pacino. The policeman realizes what is going to happen, and when he sees the light getting reflected by the rifle's telescopic sight, rushes to stop him, just in time before he pulls the trigger. The assassin tries to shoot at Pacino with his rifle, but Pacino kills him. Howard wins the bet, and Alonso resignedly hands his sword over.
While Lope's work's rehearsals continue, Pacino hands Amelia the assassin's belongings: the ring of the Society of the Exterminating Angel, a mobile phone and information on the time doors. Salvador wonders with chagrin about the apparent contradictions the latest cases are showing. Ernesto suggests again bringing Lola in, but Salvador replies that, until they cannot be sure Lola will not be like the one they knew in the past, they won't put her in the field.
In 1605, the Duke of Lerma tells Lope he knows that his play will feature a heavy satire about him. Lope's attempts to convince him to allow the play do not work, and Lerma threatens to forbid him from playing in Court if he does not change the play to a more innocent one. Much to his chagrin, Amelia calls him out for backing off.
Meanwhile, the King and Lerma have invited Howard, his men, Cervantes, Alonso and Pacino to a card game in a nearby tavern. Cervantes seems to recognize Alonso, but he manages to deflect suspicions. The card game is, much to Pacino's surprise, veintiuna, the Spanish ancestor of blackjack. The Englishmen win the game, but Alonso realizes Howard's companion is cheating, much to Howard's embarrassment. Meanwhile, Amelia has another {Squee}} moment as she gets to meet William Shakespeare.
The Queen remarks on her disillusion on Lope backing off from his play, although she cannot exactly blame him, given how many children he has. Amelia tells her she has mentioned her plight to Shakespeare, who is planning to write a tragedy that may include her situation: Macbeth. However, the Queen decides to screw up with Lope, knowing of his wish to meet with Shakespeare. And, meanwhile, Lerma convinces the King to halt the signing of the peace treaty, since they cannot trust the English after their cheating.
The following morning, Amelia brings Shakespeare to meet with Cervantes, who, upon entering his office, recognizes Amelia and remembers that she and Alonso were behind the mess with his play Los baños de Argel. Cervantes initially dismisses Shakespeare, but upon Amelia telling him of the Bard's identity, his attitude changes - although Amelia receives a shock when Cervantes tells her that the King will not sign the peace treaty. Immediately, she runs to Alonso and Pacino to ask what happened the previous night, and before her eyes the chronicle written by Cervantes changes to reveal that Howard will insult the King, and war will resume. The trio recriminates each other for their previous mistakes (Pacino letting Marta go, Alonso and Amelia getting involved with the cult in Trasmoz) before Amelia comes up with a new plan: while Pacino keeps the Englishmen distracted, she warns the Queen.
While Pacino takes the Englishmen to the tavern - and they play darts, with Howard giving Pacino Alonso's sword to return it - the Queen argues with the King, who defends Lerma for his support when he was young. The Queen manages to convince the King that continuing the war will only bring ruin to Spain, much to Lerma's anger. The treaty is signed, history is restored - and Cervantes takes advantage of the situation to gift Shakespeare the copy of Don Quixote he had requested of his editor, which Lope witnesses.
After the signing, Lope rushes to loudly argue with Cervantes, and the discussion nearly turns violent when both men grab two candelabra to fight with, but Amelia stops them and calls them out for spending their time in infantile quarrels, when the two are supposed to be two of the greatest writers of Spanish literature.
During the debriefing - where Alonso pretty much reveals all the near-misses they had - Angustias comes in with bad news: Lola has taken the paintings Darrow Ltd saved from the Alcázar and escaped. Alonso receives a voice message from Elena, who has decided to get her things from Alonso's flat and return the keys. And Amelia's photograph - the one where she appeared next to Julián and their daughter - now only shows her.
