The Arrival

 is the second episode of the first season of the Netflix series The Empress.

Synopsis
Elisabeth arrives in Vienna for her wedding. Soon enough she faces palace intrigue while Franz attempts to protect his country from going to war.

Plot
Theo informed Franz of Louise's arrival. As Franz had not returned her letters, she came to see him, but Franz insisted that their relationship was over.

Elisabeth, Helene, Ludovika and Maximilian arrived at Schönbrunn Palace, where they were greeted by Franz and Sophie.

Countess Esterházy is seen giving directions to a line of handmaidens, including the female commoner seen in the previous episode. One by one, the Court Mistresses were introduced to Elisabeth. When Countess Amalia von Salm-Reifferscheidt was introduced, Esterházy told Elisabeth that Amalia could speak 6 languages and was skilled at embroidery and drawing. Countess Charlotte von Stubenberg was introduced as an exquisite harpist. Countess Leontine von Apafi, the commoner in disguise, was described as being from Transylvania, able to speak excellent French and outstanding at reading aloud. Upon hearing this, Elisabeth became excited, asking Leontine if she knew Werther.

When Esterházy and Sophie brought Elisabeth to a room filled with dresses and showed her the latest fashions, Luzi was seen hiding under one of the dresses. Sophie then gifted Elisabeth a necklace that has been in the family for generations. While looking at Elisabeth wearing the necklace, Sophie had a flashback to a time she played with a little girl, who called her "Mama."

The Court Mistresses worked hard to prepare for the royal wedding. Esterházy was frustrated by Elisabeth's lack of discipline.

The Court Mistresses followed Elisabeth around everywhere. The Court Mistress discuss how there are 10 of them, but only 6 are needed, so some of them will eventually be cut off.

At a meeting, Franz heard news of wars in other countries. Buol, foreign minister, advised Franz to join the war, however, Bach, interior minister, advocated for peace. Buol mocked Bach for his views and urged Franz to pick a side. His mother, Sophie, wanted Franz to side with the Russians and join their war against the Ottoman Empire. However, his brother, Maximilian wanted Franz to side with the West. Franz decided that Austria would not go to war, disappointing his family and most of his advisors.

During Elisabeth and Franz's dance lesson with Johann Strauss, they snuck off and kissed in a room. They were caught by Countess Esterházy.

Leontine snuck off into the bushes and met with Egon, a commoner who she had a romantic relationship with. She asked him to bring her shoes.

Esterházy brought Elisabeth to a room, where she was forced to have a chastity test by Dr. Fritsch, with the assistance of Countess Leontine von Apafi and Countess Amalia von Salm-Reifferscheidt. During the chastity test, Elisabeth was visibly uncomfortable and kicked the doctor. She refused to be tested and said that she was chaste, but Esterházy was insistent that the doctor must confirm Elisabeth's chastity. When the doctor questioned Elisbeth's chastity, Leontine von Apafi spoke for Elisabeth and held her hand. Afterwards, Archbishop Rauscher gave Elisabeth his blessing.

Franz discovered Max's promiscuous ways and introduced Lieutenant Krall to him. Lieutenant Krall lost an arm while fighting for the empire. His daughters Agnes and Emilie were both impregnated by Max, who had no intention of marrying either of them. Agnes died in childbirth. Emilie attempted to kill herself by jumping off a barn, and has lived in a sanatorium since. Franz told Max off and ordered that he must follow rules.

At a party, Elisabeth met Archbishop Rauscher, the archbishop who presided over her chastity test. She had a disagreement with him over the test, so Sophie and Franz told Elisabeth to go rest for the evening.

Leontine chatted with Elisabeth and helped clean her teeth. Against Esterházy's demand for Elisabeth to not go out the night before her wedding, Elisabeth snuck into Archduke Maximilian's soirée, accompanied by Amalia. At the soirée, Elisabeth drank alcohol, met composer Franz Lizst and spoke to Maximilian. Maximilian told Elisabeth that the necklace Sophie gifted her belonged to his great-aunt, Marie-Antoinette, and that she was still wearing that exact necklace when she was guillotined. Maximilian also told Elisabeth that he was better for her than Franz. When Elisabeth insisted that she would be marrying Franz the next day, Maximilian laughed at Elisabeth, acting as if he was just joking.

During Maximilian's soirée, Franz met up with Stephenson, a meeting organised by Bach. Franz asked Stephenson to build a railway line as he wanted to connect the people of his empire. Stephenson said that the money wasn't enough to build a railway, so Franz asked for a few more days to secure the funds. Stephenson reminded Franz that going to war would be costly, but Franz was certain that Austria would not go to war.

At the soirée, Elisabeth ran into Helene. Helene was still upset and bemoaned Elisabeth's lack of maturity and courage to face the difficult things in life, to which Elisabeth replied that Helene had become like their mother.

On the morning of the wedding, Esterházy was furious as Elisabeth wasn't found in her bed. Instead, Elisabeth was hiding behind the curtains with Helene. Helene found her and the two sisters reconciled their relationship.

Main Cast

 * Devrim Lingnau as Empress Elisabeth of Austria / Princess Elisabeth of Bavaria
 * Philip Froissant as Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary
 * Melika Foroutan as Archduchess Sophie
 * Johannes Nussbaum as Archduke Maximilian
 * Almila Bagriacik as Leontine von Apafi
 * Wiebke Puls as Countess Esterházy
 * Elisa Schlott as Duchess Helene
 * Jördis Triebel as Princess Ludovika

Additional Cast

 * Alexander Finkenwirth as Baron Alexander von Bach
 * Hanna Hilsdorf as Countess Amalia von Salm-Reifferscheidt
 * Rauand Taleb as Theo
 * Runa Greiner as Countess Charlotte von Stubenberg
 * Michael Fuith as Archduke Franz Karl
 * Felix Nölle as Archduke Luziwuzi
 * Erol Nowak as Baron von Kempen
 * Andreas Döhler as Duke Maximilian
 * Noëmi Emily Krausz as Margarete
 * Svenja Jung as Countess Louise Gundemann
 * Anna Böttcher as Elsa
 * Patrick Rapold as Franz Liszt
 * Leopold Hornung as Count von Buol
 * August Schmölzer as Rauscher
 * Linda Sabersky as Bertha
 * Martin Butzke as Gustav von Wasa
 * Jonathan Failla as Stephenson
 * Merlin Rose as Egon
 * Markus Fennert as Lieutenant Krall
 * Andreas Bongard as Johann Strauss
 * Ralf Hocke as Field Marshal Cronberg
 * Felix Auer as Sophie's Servant
 * Eric Bouwer as Doctor Fritsch
 * Nils Liebscher as Esterhazy's Servant
 * Nicola Paulsen as Court Lady Versailles
 * Silva Bieler as Elisabeth's Chambermaid #1
 * Diana Antoine as Woman with monkey
 * Frédéric Stromenger as Wilhelm von Österriech
 * Jakob Nienhaus as Sophie's Servant #2
 * Elijah Lehnert as Anna

Quotes
"Love alone often isn't enough, Luzi"

- Maximilian talking to his brother Luziwuzi about Franz and Elisabeth's relationship

"An Empress may not wear the same pair of shoes twice. At the end of each day, they're discarded. This is Schönbrunn."

- Esterházy speaks to Elisabeth

"Every morning, every evening, the Empress must have a two-hour bath. Her hair must be combed and braided every day. Three hairdressers are retained around the clock expressly for that purpose. Maintaining well-groomed and radiant hair is vital, which is why you will bathe exclusively in a mixture of donkey's milk and vital chaste tree, which incidentally bolsters fertility. Please clean her fingernails thoroughly as well."

- Esterházy speaks to the Court Mistresses

"She's scum. Like they all are."

- Leontine talks to Egon about Elisabeth

"Highness, many of the other ladies are only here to find a good husband. They come and go. I live for this court. I am here solely to serve you. Whatever you need, just say it."

- Amalia talks to Elisabeth

"My family has a talent for using pretty things for ugly purposes."

- Maximilian speaks to Elisabeth at his soirée

"Where I'm from, people burn those straw dolls as symbols of mortality. So God may protect them."

- Leontine talks to Elisabeth