Britannia (2017) s01e04 Episode Script

All right, heads he lives, tails we do him.
Who are you? - Thank you.
- What for? For saving my life.
You've not been here long, yet already, I owe you a whole litany of debts.
Cait! Let's have a close look at those eyes.
Father, it's me.
- Cait? Cait! - I'm here.
I'm here.
Yesterday I sent an envoy to parley with your father.
Does he even know you're here? Formation! Out of nowhere, they surrounded us.
- How many? - Two dozen, maybe more.
How many down? I don't think anyone survived.
Except you.
That's mine.
Don't touch it.
All texts are forbidden.
They are the work of devils.
That is what our father believes, not you! If he knew what you just told me, he'd do the same as he did to our mother.
The Druids now will decide your fate.
Then you throw me to the winds.
Know this.
You are dead to me.
The daughter, Kerra.
I'm afraid Afraid what? She keeps secrets from you.
What secrets? The Druids are the eyes of the gods.
They might want to see this.
I washed it.
Oh, you want me to say thank you? You shouldn't have touched Big Pebble in the first place.
Well, you got it back, didn't you? Why didn't you tell him his daughter's dead? So he could sleep.
And when he wakes? I thought you had a mission.
The camp's back that way.
My plans have changed.
Since when? Since I saw the General.
Since I looked in his eyes.
And? I saw something.
Saw what? I don't know.
He's not a man.
He's something he's something else, something far, far stronger.
So what are you going to do? I have to think about that.
Yesterday, you knew everything.
Today, nothing.
You sure you're the man for this mission? Don't be ridiculous.
Of course I am but I never said it would be easy.
If I were you, I'd follow the hill paths west, to Crugdunon.
King Pellenor will protect you.
Here.
What's this? Mix it with a handful of water.
Bathe the sockets once a day, and he may make it as far as the Citadel.
Stay stinky.
Is that you, child? It's me, Father.
Where am I? We're safe, but we have to get away from here.
Can you stand? Of course I can stand.
I'm not that old.
Is that comfortable? Not going to lie.
Right now, not a lot's comfortable.
Where is she? She met with the Romans, parleyed with them secretly, when I forbade it.
Why did you go? To stop them crucifying our people.
And what did the Romans demand in return? Or was it a favour to you? I vowed that I would try and persuade my father to speak with them.
What is Rome to you? Who do you serve? My loyalty is to my tribe.
Your mother used those same words.
My loyalty is to my tribe alone.
She's lying.
What are these things? Roman artefacts from the last invasion, hidden in her chamber.
My mother gave them to me the night you took her.
She was a sacrifice to the gods.
So you decided.
She knows the written word is forbidden.
Only the gods have the power to write the truth.
So you cannot read them.
No more than the runes you scribed on my father's face.
Do you fear the gods? The gods know my heart.
Do you fear the gods? I fear them but if loving my mother angers the gods, they are no gods of mine.
You just made a very big decision.
Now the gods will make theirs.
Bad for morale, keeping him alive.
Since when do we forgive mutineers? Bastards who kill their comrades? When they've been somewhere I need to know about.
Then they're called "spies.
" Wait.
Not quite back yet, are you? But when you are I want to hear all about it.
We used to stay up like this when we were small.
Remember what you used to say to me? That you'd die before you'd let anyone hurt me.
You made a vow a little prince's vow.
I was so impressed.
I was only six, seven.
To have such a serious, grown-up brother defend me I release you from that vow.
I can handle my own fate.
You think I'm weak.
No.
No.
You have to promise me something.
When you're king, you make your own choices.
Don't bow to the will of the Druids.
You cannot let them destroy us both.
Promise me.
You know the way out of here.
By morning, we'll be at the coast.
Two nights' sailing, we'll be in Gaul.
And what welcome will await us there? I can't wait that long.
I have been very far away.
The voices were clear.
Are you ready to follow the will of the gods? We are ready.
The gods have decided that you will be the sacrifice, King Pellenor.
You must surrender yourself to them.
No! Do you accept the gods' judgment? I do.
I always knew his last breath as king would be my first but I'm not ready not ready to see him go.
Sister.
Congratulations.
Seems the gods have been merciful to some.
Excuse me.
Have you spoken to them yet? Who? What do you mean, who? The Druids.
You need their blessing.
You are a monster.
I know why you don't dare speak with the Druids because in your heart, you know that you are too weak to lead us.
Prove me wrong.
Look me in the eye and show me that you're not afraid.
When I look at you, I do fear something.
I fear that the gods are insane for ever putting us together.
Well, if you won't speak with them, I will.
I've sent messengers to your general to grant us safe passage to our burial grounds, in return for your life.
What's the scariest thing you can tell me right now? What is the absolute worst thing that I should be afraid of? Many legions have sailed to your islands.
You see, but my legion, the Ninth, is the worst thing on this earth that you want to face.
We have a general.
This this man his weapon is not the sword.
His weapon is you.
He uses your right arm to fight your left, and your left eye to suspect your right, and before you know it you'll have torn out your eyes and ripped out your fucking heart.
Your biggest fear his name is Aulus Plautius.
General! They just butchered one of our patrols, and now they want safe passage? To where? Their sacred burial ground.
It's called The Amber Palace.
At this point, the old Aulus would be crucifying the messenger.
They have Vitus.
He's their prisoner.
They want to trade Vitus in return for safe passage.
Vitus is one man.
A man who has been inside their Citadel, and I want to know what he knows.
You okay? Yeah.
I'm fine.
I've just, uh just, I think I've got the You knew about this.
You knew they'd sacrifice their king, didn't you? You made this happen.
Not me.
The gods.
The gods have spoken.
Tell your people they can have safe passage in exchange for our optio.
In the name of the Cantii, we thank you.
Now, get out of my sight.
Follow him.
Take four men.
Keep a safe distance.
I want to know all I can about this Amber Palace.
My trusted elders.
The king has been purified.
Only we touch him now.
When the Druids read these runes to me, and I know, finally, how the gods see me I trust I'll be content.
I hope they tell me I've done my best, and the Cantii will prosper long after we've all gone to the Other Place.
I'll see you there, brothers and sister.
The sun is shining.
I can feel it on my face.
It is.
Let's rest a while.
It's a long way to Crugdunon.
We're not going there.
We're going home.
Islene is waiting for us.
Father I lied to you.
Islene's Islene's dead.
I'm sorry.
I didn't know what to say.
I'm sorry.
Get away from me.
Get away! Islene! Islene! Islene! Islene! May I speak with you? The Romans will come to Crugdunon.
Sooner or later, they will come.
In order for our tribe to survive, the Cantii need a king who can stand against the Romans, a strong king.
Is your husband, Phelan, not strong? He's the natural successor.
It is true I have a strong husband but his name is not Phelan.
His name is Lindon of the Gaul the man you chose for me.
The man the gods chose.
The gods know that Phelan is weak.
That is why they delivered me Lindon.
The gods wanted you to bear children.
Is there a problem there? Lindon and I shall have many children.
Together, we can lead our people through this darkness.
That is why I come to you you who speak for the gods, you who are like the plagues the waves famine sun.
If you knew who I was, you would not be here.
Forgive me.
I came to speak from my heart.
Do you even know your heart? Have you seen it? I'd know your heart if I could hold it in my hand, touch it with these fingers.
Warm still beating I could know you then, Amena of the Cantii.
Ask for rain.
Ask the hawk to spare the mouse.
Ask, and you will see what's happening here is beyond us.
It's always been beyond us.
It's beautiful.
Don't be scared.
He likes you.
Go to his tent tonight.
Suck his cock.
Maybe then, the gods will smile on you.
Legionnaire! Sir.
What's what's it for, sir? Valour.
Bravery in extremis.
You're too moved to thank me.
I understand.
Brutus Marius Order of Britannia.
I've got a little job for you.
When he starts talking, you come and get me.
You understand? Aye, General.
Might help jog his memory.
Fucking hell You gave the queen blueberries.
You should finish them all.
Don't break the nest.
We need the eggs.
It's perfect.
Any bones? We'll need a few more, and bigger, if you can.
and feathers Are we making arrows? How do we boil the bones? We've no pan.
We're not making arrows.
A snare, is it? Well, we'll need bait.
Go.
Find the bones.
Be careful.
Ohh.
.
Surely that's enough.
No.
It's what the gods command.
Did you check the grain stores today? I'll check them tomorrow.
Yeah, well see that you do.
Warriors need to be fed, or they grow lax.
I don't want it this way.
It's the way of kings.
We're called to serve, to please the gods.
I made your life hard decisions I've taken.
I loved your mother once but when the gods said she must die should I have wavered? Should I have defied them? No, no, no.
I pray you'll serve our people well.
That's all I desire, Father.
He won't see me.
I'm sorry I thought last night was my last.
And? When my brother becomes king you'll still be married to his queen.
Our tribe needs this family to be united, Lindon.
No.
When you know what you want, you do it.
I won't be bound to any man.
It's not too late.
Speak to your daughter.
Forgive her.
I beg you.
No no no.
When I was your age, one of the elders snapped his back, and his wife called in the Druids.
The Druid who came used a sparrow nest and rabbit bones crow feathers, and he moved his hands over them, and when he was finished, old Ruggan comes walking out of his hut like nothing ever happened.
He turned back time made everything as it was before.
He begged the sun, and the sun it went backwards through the sky, and the day was born over.
The day was born over, and this is how he did it and my Islene will come walking through those trees like nothing ever happened.
You see? You see now? You see what we can do here? Yes, Father.
Today, you carry a king.
Happy now? Follow with the others.
We'll be there at sunset.
You Druids think you're like the wind like earthquakes but you're not, are you? How can you be? You see it very clearly.
The gods gave you good eyes.
Watch very carefully.
Behold the power of Rome! Behold the power of Rome! Behold the power of Rome! Tell me what is written.
You were Pellenor, King of the Cantii, chosen by the gods.
The gods took your beloved wife.
Your heart was against it, but you obeyed the gods.
A darkness entered you darkness you cast upon your children, and you were broken.
A broken father.
A broken king.
I did the gods' will! What more do the runes say? What more? That is all.
No, I! I was more than that! More! That is what you take to the next place.
No No! No! No Kerra! Forgive me.
I don't know how but if your faith is the truth we will meet in the next world.
Aah! It's stopped, hasn't it? The gods are stopping the sun! Islene! I'm here! Come now! Please stop.
I can hear her.
She's near.
Sulis, sulis, sulis I beg you, I beg you sulis listen No no Sulis ymbiliaf! Sulis ymbiliaf! Sulis, sulis gwared ymbiliaf fy nghri sulis.
Sulis! Sulis! Sulis gwared Sulis sulis gwared Where are you, my gods? Where are my gods? Kneel.
From this night you are Queen Kerra of the Cantii.
Your eyes now lead us.
What do they see? When I was cold, you kept me warm.
When I wept, you comforted me.
Because of you I belong.
When you are a child again weak, helpless I will protect you.
I will protect you.