Britannia (2017–…): Season 1, Episode 4 - Episode #1.4 - full transcript

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.