Britannia (2017) s01e05 Episode Script

1 Father, I lied to you.
Islene's Islene's dead.
[SAWYER.]
Where are you, my gods? Where are my gods? [CAIT, TEARFULLY.]
When I was cold, you kept me warm.
When I wept, you comforted me.
I will protect you.
I will protect you.
- Have you spoken to them yet? - Who? The Druids.
You need their blessing.
You are a monster.
Well, if you won't speak with them, I will.
If you knew who I was, you would not be here.
My plans have changed.
Since when? Since I saw the General.
Since I looked in his eyes.
He's not a man.
He's something else, something far, far stronger.
Behold the power of Rome! Behold the power of Rome! [GASPING.]
You are Queen Kerra of the Cantii.
The scariest thing, your biggest fear his name is Aulus Plautius.
[WHISPERING VOICES.]
Pellenor is dead.
His daughter is to be crowned queen.
Well, that's handy.
What's all this, then? I'd say calculations.
I thought the Celts didn't write anything down.
They don't.
These are the gods'.
The gods wrote these.
Well, that explains it.
What's that? A message to an old friend.
Ye Gods [.]
Thrown like a star in my vast sleep I opened my eyes to take a peek To find that I was by the sea Gazing with tranquillity 'Twas then when the Hurdy Gurdy Man Came singing songs of love Then when the Hurdy Gurdy Man Came singing Songs of love Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy Hurdy gurdy gurdy, he sang Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy Hurdy gurdy gurdy, he sang [LAUGHTER.]
[SQUEALING.]
[CROW CAWS.]
[BONE SNAPPING.]
[CHILDREN YELL AND LAUGH.]
[WILLA.]
With these new eyes, he can see further than the hawk.
He sees the beginning of time.
[BONE SNAPPING.]
[DRUID GRUNTING.]
Does he see you? He can see everything now, but not with these.
Now, these are for the crows.
[CROWS CAW.]
[WILLA.]
A span of oak will give our king strength on his journey to the underworld.
When will the Queen be crowned? She has until sunset to make her choice.
[CHILD.]
What if she says no? Then she defies the gods and the crows will feast for days.
[CROWS SQUAWK.]
[BREATHING SHAKILY.]
My Queen.
[WHISPERING.]
[GILDAS.]
The Druids are fiends.
They don't speak for the gods.
They feed their own needs and ambitions.
Gods Veran's the devil himself.
Send for the Roman general.
[VERAN.]
Let us make peace with the spirits of the past.
As one cycle ends, so the next begins.
Bit early.
Go to hell.
Did you see her face? [SCOFFS.]
She can barely keep from grinning.
Don't be ridiculous.
You think this wasn't her plan all along? Why do you think she went to the Romans? She betrayed your father, and you stood by and did nothing.
If you hadn't been so pathetic, your father would have seen sense.
He would still be alive, and when he died, you would be king, but no you didn't dare even speak with them.
You appall me.
There is nowhere in this whole world such weakness, such craven, lily-livered [BLOW LANDS.]
Fuck Fuck you! [SPITTING.]
Come on.
Come on! Your Regni whore is miles away.
Why don't you do it? Do it or are you too weak even for that now? Come on.
Come on Fuck me! Come on.
Yeah, that's it.
Fuck me.
[HE GRUNTS.]
[SHE LAUGHS.]
What a surprise.
All talk, and no action.
I've got an idea.
Why don't you go and try and fuck your sister? Hmm? Maybe then you can get it up.
Come on.
Come on Give it a go, mm? Hmm? Maybe the Druids would like it.
Come on.
Come on! Go and stick it up the Queen.
I swear, if I had a cock, that's what I'd be doing right now.
Oh, god, look at you.
You're more woman than man! So clever.
So wise.
Where has it all got you? You're not a king.
You're not a husband.
You're nothing.
Hey It's all right.
It's not all right.
Nothing's right.
It should be you.
Who knows the ways of the gods? You know I don't want this.
I don't want any of it.
Not not any of it? What do you mean? Something's, uh something's bothering me.
When we left the citadel, the Roman prisoner, he was shouting something.
- Did you hear what it was? - No.
No? I did.
He was shouting "Behold the power of Rome.
" Mm? And they were watching us last night, just like it was planned.
I swear by our mother, I never saw any of this coming.
All my life, I thought it was going to be you, that you were going to rule us.
All of which begs the question why did they choose you? Where are you going? Back to the citadel.
There's one more question I need to ask our Roman friend.
How is she? The Queen? You're drunk.
What happened? Did Phelan catch you at it? You should be careful.
You might make him jealous.
What did you say? They've been at it for years.
Of course, they deny it but all the signs are there.
The number of times he's come to my bed reeking of her.
You must have spotted it little smiles, whispers, cosy asides and now that she's queen, what's not to like, eh? And let's face it, you should know.
Shut your mouth.
[SCOFFS.]
How you must wish that the Druids had put you with her.
Tell me, husband is she better than me? Is her mouth prettier? Did she make you sweat? Shut up.
[SHE SOBS.]
Am I not enough for you? Am I not beautiful? You took me for your wife.
You looked me in the eye, and you swore an oath.
Answer me.
You are beautiful on the outside.
Get out.
[GUARD.]
State your business! General Aulus is here to speak with Queen Antedia.
[GUARD.]
Open the gate! [GATE CREAKS OPEN.]
[ANTEDIA.]
So, Kerra is to be crowned queen.
That is what the gods will.
The woman who mutilated my only son who destroyed my dynasty.
In her lies the future.
I'm not here to explain the ways of the Druids or the gods.
I'm here to win a war.
Are we on the same side in that war? You tell me.
We have a spy inside the Cantii citadel.
Now, this spy tells me Kerra came to see you, alone, and that you spoke And after you talked, you ceased crucifying her people.
[GILDAS.]
What deal did you make with her? That is indeed the question, because if there was such a deal, and I don't know about it, then before you can bellow "Hail Claudius," your pretty head, and your friend's here, are decorating my gates.
[AULUS.]
Who is this spy? [CROW CAWS.]
[KERRA.]
This is all my fault.
I should never have disobeyed my King.
I should never have gone to them.
You did what your heart told you, as you should do now.
Hey Come with me.
We take two horses, and we flee now.
There's nothing in this world I want more.
Then do it.
Staying here is certain death.
I need to speak with Veran.
Veran is a devil.
I need to look him in the eye.
I need to know the truth.
If you look him in the eye, he will steal your mind.
It will no longer be your own.
I must speak with him.
Then you'll have your answer.
Your spy speaks the truth.
We met with the Cantii.
What was the agreement? She said she would speak to her father, that she had his ear.
Turns out she was mistaken, 'cause when he found out, he called in the Druids.
We speak to all the tribes.
It's what we do.
Now, we have mutual interests, and you'd better hope that continues to be the case.
Now, are we on the same side, or aren't we? If we are, I want more than mutual interest.
You see, I trust my allies.
I respect them.
I want to know if I have your trust, your respect, your love.
To prove it, I want you to do something for me.
What do you want? I want you to kneel down and kiss my feet.
[LAUGHING.]
Kiss your feet? [ANTEDIA.]
That's right.
It's something I like my allies to do.
Just kneel down there, and kiss them.
Kiss my feet.
And if I refuse? Well in that case I refuse.
You refuse? [AULUS.]
Absolutely.
I refuse to kiss your feet but I will kiss your lovely hand to show trust respect love.
[KISSING.]
There.
Are we satisfied? He has to kiss my feet.
[LAUGHING.]
Well, go on, then.
Come on, man.
What are you waiting for? [KISSING.]
And the other one.
[KISSING.]
[GILDAS.]
You should know my mother's not to be messed with.
Thanks for the advice, but I don't think there's anything to worry about.
Besides, we like your mum.
She's got balls.
[AULUS.]
If the Regni will lay siege to Crugdunon, they will do so with the full support of the Emperor.
Their population will be enslaved, their weak and elderly put to the sword, and when you are on their throne, that's when you and I will talk.
There's something else I want.
I thought there might be.
What is it? The Druids call themselves the mouthpieces of the gods, vessels of the divine, but really they're just whores.
I thought your tribe worshipped the Druids, that their word was law.
Once we did.
Not anymore.
I see.
So what do you want? The head of Veran on a nice big stick.
It would certainly add to the trust, respect, and love we have forged here today.
You can do that for me, can't you? You leave it to me.
Do you trust him? Not as far as I could shit him.
[PANTING.]
You won't get any answers out of him.
Quane.
My eyes fade, but you, I can see clearly.
Sit, old friend.
You know as well as I you shouldn't be here.
This rock is not your home anymore.
It is death to you now.
Quane Where is everyone? Where's Willa? Where's Veran? They went to Crugdunon, to the citadel.
The King's daughter has betrayed her people, or something.
Quane I need to speak to Veran.
Why? Lokka himself is here.
Have you seen him? Yes.
He came to find me.
He left me a warning.
You shouldn't have come here.
If Lokka is here, then Veran must know.
You don't understand, child.
If Lokka is here, Veran knows.
[QUANE.]
Veran was born ten thousand years ago.
He was the second man.
His brother, Harka, was the first.
They were born from the Oak Tree, and the tree protected them.
They would sit high in the Oak and talk of all the wonders in the world the birds the caterpillars the light on the leaves.
Then one day, Veran came home and found Harka hanging from the Oak Tree, and Veran wept.
He knew then his brother wasn't strong enough strong enough for the Wonder but then, Veran saw the rope move, and he saw the rope was alive.
It was a serpent, sent by Lokka himself, and the serpent's name was Pwykka.
Veran taught you everything he knew.
You were his favourite, but you betrayed him.
I didn't betray him.
Pwykka tricked me.
If Lokka is here, Pwykka won't be far behind and the age of Wonder is at an end.
[WILLA.]
Are you looking for someone? [AMENA.]
I seek the mighty Veran.
I'll do whatever he wants.
I'm ready.
Are you sure? You heard me, you ugly bitch.
I'm ready! Then come inside.
[MOANING.]
[BLOWS.]
[INHALES.]
[GASPING.]
[ECHOING.]
Follow me, child.
Where is he? First we must discover how ready you are.
I am ready.
[PANTING.]
I am ready.
[DREAMY, ECHOING MOANS.]
[CROWS CAW.]
Sit.
What do you see when you look at me? When I look at you, I see darkness darkness and lies.
So I'm a liar? I know Rome came to you.
They made a deal.
They knew they couldn't deal with my father, so you did their bidding.
You killed my father not because the gods told you to, but to save yourself.
Many think they can influence the ruling of the gods.
The gods' voice is the wind the earthquake the famine.
But you're not the wind.
You're human.
What's the difference? [QUANE.]
There is something I need to tell you.
The Roman General came here.
When? Soon after the Romans landed, and Veran took him to the Underworld.
No, no, no, no.
If he risked travelling to the Underworld, to walk among our dead, then he went to find something important.
Follow his footsteps.
Only then will you know what it is he seeks and what might save us.
[MOANING, GASPING.]
[VERAN.]
Romans are demons foot soldiers for the great Earth Demon Lokka.
They come in disguise, pretending to bring protection, bounty, but in truth, they bring only chaos and destruction.
Yes, Rome came to me, and I listened.
They thought you would be wiser, asked me to sacrifice your father and replace him with you.
And that's exactly what you did.
Indeed but that's not why your father is gone.
Then why? This day, Lokka believes the Druids have done his bidding, but Lokka is wrong.
The gods would not choose you for such a reason, for the gods cannot be bought.
The gods chose you because the gods know you are strong enough to defeat Lokka, and to do that, you have to be prepared to sacrifice everything.
What did he say? Kerra what did he say to you? Have you decided? I have.
So? I will become Queen.
I will rule my people.
[OCEAN WAVES CRASH.]
[PRAYING.]
[THUNDERING SPLASH.]
[GASPING.]
[SOBBING.]
[VERAN SPEAKS.]
Before the gods, there was nothing but chaos.
Now we stand held under their unyielding gaze below the cold moon, beneath the stars.
I have one question.
Did your general ever meet with the Druids? [VERAN.]
Child of the Night Sword of the Gods, I crown you.
May you never speak again, except to show us the way.
Do you feel the gods' pleasure? I do.
Then rise up, Queen Kerra.
[CROWD.]
Queen Kerra.
Queen Kerra.
Get your stuff.
We're leaving.
It's a mistake.
Then it's my mistake.
I've made plenty of others.
You must go to Amena now.
She needs you.
I'm sorry, Lindon.
This is the gods' will.
What has he done to you? This is what the Druids decreed.
Listen to yourself.
You walk into that circle as one thing, and you return saying this? You will do as I command.
[KERRA.]
The night they took my mother away, you wrote something.
Here.
What does it say? Those words are from the gods.
Not until the day you leave this world can they be read.
Read them to me.
If I am to trust you I need to know.
Trust is not important.
Only faith.
If I am the Sword of the Gods, you will read me the runes.
How will you know I'm telling you the truth? I'll know.
These words they say, "Hope is the daughter of a blind father.
" Here, father.
Thank you, my child.
[.]
Histories of ages past Unenlightened shadows cast Down through all eternity The crying of humanity 'Tis then when the Hurdy Gurdy Man Comes singing songs of love Then when the Hurdy Gurdy Man Comes singing songs