"IN 120 AD" "THE NINTH LEGION OF THE ROMAN ARMY" "MARCHED INTO THE UNCONQUERED TERRITORY OF NORTHERN BRITAIN" "THEY WERE NEVER SEEN AGAIN" "ALL 5,000 MEN VANISHED TOGETHER WITH THEIR TREASURED STANDARD." "THE EAGLE" "SHAMED BY THIS GREAT LOSS" "THE EMPEROR HADRIAN" "ORDERED THE CONSTURCTION OF GIANT WALL" "TO CUT THE NORTH OF BRITAIN FOREVER" "HADIRAN'S WALL MARKED THE END OF THE KNOWN WORLD" "Marcus Flavius Aquila." "Fourth cohort of Gauls, second legion." "Come to relieve the command." "Lutorius Drusillus Salinator, acting senior officer." " Where's the garrison commander?" " He left this morning, sir." "Couldn't wait to get away." "The duty-roster, and the keys to the pay-chest." " No paymaster?" " We're too small a garrison." "Unfortunately, that job falls to you." "As you probably noticed, we've had a little trouble with the latrines, but we have someone working on it." " Unsuccessfully." " So far." " This you're first command, sir?" " It is." "What made you choose Britain?" "You have family connections, I believe." "No." "I've noticed the fort, it's in a poor state of repair." "We'll need to do something about that." "Yes, sir." "Sure." "Move, move, move." "Get in line, soldier!" "Now!" "Fall in!" "Our new commander, Marcus Flavius Aquila." "Where's our newly minted commander?" "Probably unpacking his rule book." "You mark my words." "Marcus Aquila is tainted." "Well, you know who is father was." "The man who lost the Eagle of the Ninth." "Not to mention, 5000 men." "That was a little absent minded." "I heard, he asked to be sent here." " To this shit hole?" " Yeah." "I'm telling you." "I've marched with the Eagles 23 years." "I know a bad omen, when I see one." "The boy's a bad omen." "Mithras, lord of light." "Please, help me." "Father of our fathers." "Help me lead my men well." "Do not let me dishonour my legion." "Please, help me regain my family's honour." "Dig in deep, boys." "Your lives depend on these defences." "You must be answerable to your instructions!" "It's been told, the grain delivery hasn't arrived." "I want you to send out a patrol to investigate." "I wouldn't worry, sir." "One day late, is nothing here." "Well, it is to me." "Send out the patrol." "Believe me sir, too dangerous." "We've had reports of a Druid roaming the villages." "Right now, I would not send out a patrol." "The men, they need to eat too." "Patrol!" "Forward!" "March!" "Left, right, march." " Wake Lutorius." " Yes, sir." " Did you hear that?" " Sir?" "I hope the patrol's all right." "It seems I may have got you up for nothing." "What did you hear?" "It's a cattle, most likely." "There." "That." "Did you hear it?" "Damn the dark." "Should I call the men to arms?" "If it's only cattle, they won't thank you." "Better angry than dead." "Call them out." " But in silence." " Yes, sir." "Soldier, wake up!" "Bloody helmets!" "Come on, come on!" "Move, move, move!" "Bring me a torch!" "Hold!" "Steady!" "Hold your lines!" " Sir." " Well done, sir." " Well done." " Sir." "The light of the sun be with you, brother." "Many more of us would be lyng there, sir." "Is there any sign of the patrol?" "Sir!" "Today, the god of victory, we will take it to us." "On your knees, seed of evil" "You have stolen our lands and killed our sons" "You have defiled our daughters" "I curse you!" "You wicked" "Die!" "I'm not leaving them to die." "Muster fifty of the reserves and hold them at the gate." "Sir..." "Let me lead them." "It was my decision to send out the patrol." "It's my responsibility to bring them back." "move away!" "move out!" "Prepare to battle!" "Mithras, lord of light, father of our fathers, let me not bring misfortune to my Legion." "Mithras, lord of light, father of our fathers, accept whatever sacrifice that I may not bring misfortune to my Legion." "On my command!" "We form Testudo!" "Ready!" "Open the gate!" "Legion!" "Dopuble time, March!" "Testudo!" "Form!" " Move forward!" " Move forward!" "Move forward!" "Locking Testudo!" "Move!" "Hold the circle!" "Hold the circle!" " Hold the circle!" " Hold the circle!" "Here!" "Cut that's free!" "Hold the circle!" "Hold the circle!" "Hold!" "Hold the circle!" "Fall back!" "Run!" "Run!" "Father, where are you?" "Father." "Rest now." "Lie still, still." "where am I?" "You still in Britain." "Calleva." "Calleva?" "Your fort surgeon had you transferred here." "Two hundred leagues in a mule cart." "A few are wounded, so I wonder you didn't die." "I'm your uncle, in your father's side." "Aquila." "These are not the best circumstances, under which to meet, but... assuming you gonna live so you'll have a plenty of time to make your acquaintance." "Don't." "Please, lie still." "The patient must rest." "I hope the medicine, he's gonna give you does you some good." "It smells repellent, like one of his farts." "My men?" "What happened to my men?" "Your men were saved." "Thanks to your effort." "Rest now." "Marcus." "Marcus." "You have a visitor." " Lutorius." " Sir." "The men have been asking after you." "And how are they?" "Anxious to know how their Commander fares." "You have some news for my nephew?" "Yes, sorry." "We have received word from Rome." "For holding the fort under extreme duress, the Fourth Cohort of Gauls, has been awarded the gilded laurel." "From today, their standard will carry its first wreath." "Tell the men I could not be more proud." "And that's not all, sir." "They've awarded you, a military armilla for conspicuous gallantry." "And an honourable discharge, because of your wounds." "The citation reads "honour and faithfulness"." "Honour and faithfulness." "May I be the first to offer my congratulations." "It was good of you to come so far." "Sir." "Thank you, Lutorius." "Stephanos." "Leave him." "There's no medicine for that." "Ease him down." "careful." "Gently." "Fun." "What was my father like?" "Your father?" "Your father was the perfect Roman, with everything that that implies." "The man who lost the Eagle was the perfect Roman?" "How the Eagle was lost, no one knows." "But if your father died defending it, he died honourably." "That's what we tell ourselves." "But what if he didn't?" "What?" "What if he was a coward and ran?" "And now..." "a fight to the death!" "It's a slay." "A gladiator and a slave's never a fair contest." "Never." "Come on." "Come on." " Come on!" " Come on!" "There's bravery." "He's gonna give himself his death." "Come on, fight!" "Look at that, look at that!" "Fight!" "Fight!" " Get up, son!" " Fight him!" " Fight!" " Fight steady!" " Get up!" " Get up and fight!" " Get up!" "..." "Get up!" "Fight!" " Come on!" " Fight!" "Come on!" "Get up!" "Kill!" "Kill!" "Kill!" "Kill him!" "Life!" "Life!" "Life!" "Come on, what is this?" "Come on, get your thumbs up!" "Come on, you fools!" "Life!" "All of you, life!" " Kill, kill!" " Better be, it's life!" "Get your thumbs up!" "Get your thumbs up!" " Life!" " Come on you fools!" "Get your thumbs up!" "Life!" "Life!" " Life!" " Life!" "Come on!" "No doubt that was not expecting." "Why did you save him?" "Stephanos!" "Stephanos!" "I've decided Stephanos is too old to serve two masters." "I've bought you your own body slave." "I don't need my own slave." "Marcus." "I should have been consulted." "Yeah, well..." "you weren't." "Slave!" "His name's Esca." " I have no use for you." " I had no wish to be bought." "You should've run." "My uncle wouldn't stop you." "You saved my life." "I have a debt of honour to you." "Against your wish." "No man should have to beg for his life." "You didn't." "I did, on your behalf, and..." "I meant nothing by." "I'm the son of the Brigantes, who never broke his word." "My father's dagger is my bond." "I hate everything you stand for." "Everything you are." "But you saved me." "And for that I must serve you." "Who searched this wound?" "The surgeon at the fort." "Was he drunk?" "Never seen such a mess." "You must have been in constant pain." "Sent him two hundred leagues in a mule cart, nearly killed him." "I'm going to have to re-open it." "There's still metal in there." "Well..." "I guess, it's gonna be time." "You're gonna do it, right?" " Yeah." " It'll be over before you know it." "I've the best knives in the business." "Some wine." " Ready?" " Ready." "You can go." "No." "I'm gonna need the slave to hold you down." " Can't my uncle do it?" " Me?" "No..." "I've grown to hate the sight of blood, especially, the blood of someone I'm quite fond of." "Be strong." "Quickly now." "Hold him down." "Put your weight on him, slave!" "Harder!" "Take a deep breath." "When I say "now", let it out." "Now!" "Did I shame myself?" "Thank you." "There he is." "Spear!" "Now!" "Cut him off!" "Turn around!" "As I remember it, they seem to be fond of you." "Marcus." "May I present my nephew," "Marcus Flavius Aquila." "Claudius Marcellus is my old friend, and the esteemed Legate of the Sixth Legion." "Your uncle is an old sparring partner." "Tribune Servius Placidus, and... indispensable member of my staff." "pleasure." "Ah..." "Supper's ready." "Boiled eggs and fish." "Don't all rush at once." "If it was my choice, I'd be a soldier all my life." "However, my father will insist I go into politics." "Have we met before?" "Your name sounds familiar." "Oh, I doubt it." "The Tribune's Club, in Rome?" "No, I was only a cohort centurion." "Ah." "Right." "I remember now." "Flavius Aquila..." "Your father marched with the Eagles, too, did he not?" "He commanded the First Cohort of the Ninth." "Of course." "The Ninth." "Every Roman remembers the Ninth." "Talking of the Ninth, there's been a rumour recently along the Wall." "Rumours, rumours." "Britain's full of nothing but rumours." "They say the Eagle's been seen, receiving divine honours in some tribal temple in the far north." "An Eagle in the hands of the Painted People, a potent weapon." "One has to wonder how any Roman could let it go." "If this were to be true, surly, we should act." "What would Rome say?" "Eagle lost, honour lost." "Honour lost, all lost." "Rome would love to get the Eagle back, but politics being politics, no Senator's going to risk thousands of lives, on a tainted Legion." "My hands are tied." "Not if you sent one man." "North of the wall?" "No Roman could survive up there." " Has anyone ever tried?" " No... but that's the point, militarily." "To try, would be to fail." "How do you know?" "One man can hide where an army can't." "No one would even know he was there." " It's too risky." " Quite right." "The loss of the Ninth was humiliating enough, without adding another pointless death." "Marcus." "Marcus." "You can't let the likes of him do this to you." "He has no notion how you and I, lived our lives." "Ever since I can remember, all I've ever worked to be was a soldier. like my father." "I know." "I can still see him now, riding away for the last time." "I can still feel how proud I was." "My father..." "Centurion of the First Cohort of the Ninth Legion!" "Can you imagine anything more magnificent, than to be a soldier?" "And to serve Rome, with courage and faithfulness." " But you did, son." " For what?" "For what?" "!" " An honourable discharge?" " That's fate." "That's in the hands of the Gods." "When I made Centurion, they asked me, where I wanted to be posted." "I knew the answer before they'd even asked." "Britain." "This is where my father lost the Eagle." "This is where I was going to win so much glory, that no Roman would ever dare bring up his name again." "And what all I do now?" "What all I do?" "I sit, and I listen to some silk-arsed politician's son, pisses on our family's name!" "I will not sit in some villa, for the rest of my days, rotting and remembering." "If I can't win back my family's honour, by being a soldier, then I'll do it by finding the lost Eagle." "You can't." "No Roman can survive north of the wall alone." "You can't." "Then I'll take Esca." "I can use his knowledge, he speaks their language." " Esca?" " Why not?" "Because he's a Britain." "He may not be from north of the wall, but he's a Britain." "And he will slit your throat the minute you're alone." " He wouldn't do that." " How do you know?" " He gave me his word." " His word?" "He's a slave." "He says what he says, and he does what he does, because he has to." "Once you be on their territories." "If I'm wrong... then I'll die." "And that's how it should be." "Where are you heading?" "North." "Didn't they tell you, this is the end of the world?" "Just open the gates, soldier." "See you in the afterlife, Roman." "Who did this?" "Rogue warriors." "You know, sometimes, I..." "I dream that I'll find my father alive up here." "And that he survived in some hidden place?" "Is that why you're here?" "To find your father?" "No." "We're here to find the Eagle." "How can a piece of metal mean so much to you?" "The Eagle is not a piece of metal." "The Eagle is Rome." "It's a symbol of our honour." "Every victory, every achievement." "Wherever the Eagle is, we can say that..." "Rome did that." "You wouldn't understand." "How could you?" "My father was Cunoval, bearer of the Blue War Shield's the Brigantes." "Lord of five hundred spears." "Seven years ago, you took our lands." "And we rose against you." "My father and two brothers died." "My mother also." "My father killed her before the Legionaries broke through." "He knew what they would do to her." "She knelt in front of him and he slit her throat." "Rome also did that." "The Highlands." " Which way?" " It's up to you." "Five thousand men could disappear in a single glen." "There are thousands of glens." "You could search for months and still find nothing." "North." "Whoever we meet, let me do the talking." "If they find out you're a Roman, they'll kill you." "And me." "Don't look." "There's three Rogue warriors behind you, across the river." "How many behind me?" "I don't see anyone." "They're there." "Are you ready?" "Next time, don't hesitate." "Stay back." "He remembers seeing the Legion march north." "but they never came back this way." "He must know more than that." "He says not." " Ask him again." " No." "What're you doing?" "Enough!" "Enough!" "No more games, no more lies!" "Ask him where the legion went." "Ask him!" "Kill him!" "Kill him." "Do it, now!" "Chin-strap scar." "Only a Roman helmet does that." "He's a Legionary." "What do you want from me?" "What's your name?" "What's your name?" "I'm called Guern." "My name... is Lucius Caius Metellus." "First Cohort of the Ninth Legion." "How did you survived up here for so long?" "My tribe is called the Selgovae." "They took me in, made me one of their own." "I have a woman, two sons." "My life is here now." "I don't trust him." " He's a deserter." " We don't know that." "He's still a Roman." "He was a Roman when he ran." "I don't know what your father's orders were, but..." "All I know... is that we had it coming." "Why did they have to come north?" "There's nothing here worth taking." "Couldn't they be satisfied with what they had?" "They always have to punish and push on, looking for more conquests, more territories, more wars." "Just tell me what happened." "When the order came for the Ninth to march north, it was autumn." "Worst weather they had in years." "For weeks we marched, no sign of them." "Suddenly, they just appeared out of the mist." "We can hear them, picking the men off at the back, one by one." "Finally, we just stopped trying to find open ground and we turned and faced them." "Those last few days in the Legion," "I've never been so frightened." "We fought back to back." "No sleep, pissing where we stood." "They came as if like animals." "This is the killing ground." "All the northern tribes were here." "But their worst, were the painted warriors of the Seal People." "They hacked the feet off the dead." "so their souls couldn't walk into the afterlife." "They used those stones as Altars, to kill the officers." "They ripped their hearts off while they were still alive." "We could hear them being sacrificed." "And my father?" "What happened to him?" "The last time, I saw your father, he was surrounded by the warriors of the Seal People." "Did he die fighting?" " Did he die fighting?" " I don't know." "I ran before the end." "A lot of us did." " You coward." " No." "You weren't here." "You don't what it was like." "Who has the Eagle?" "They say the Seal People have it." "How do I find them?" "He knows." "He's Brigantes." "They fought here." "You always knew that place existed, didn't you?" "We've wasted weeks searching for it." "And all this time you could have told me." "Your tribe was there." "And they butchered my father's men like dogs." "Your father came to kill!" "He came to punish us, cause we were not bowed to the name of Rome." "Yes, I've heard of this place." "To me and to all my people," " it is the place of heroes." " How dare you?" "You're still my slave!" " And you'd be dead in a ditch without me!" " I saved your miserable life!" "Who are you?" "I am Esca." "Son of Cunoval." "Slain Chief of the Brigantes." "Who is he that you talk to in the Roman tongue?" "My slave." "My slave." "It's true." "Their god marks them all with the same scar." "My father would like to see such a slave." "You will be my guest." "You must teach your slave not to talk to you as he does." "We will help you." "No!" "What's happening?" "No!" "Esca?" "Esca?" "Esca?" "Esca!" "The hunting was good?" "It was good, father." "You wish me to eat these people, too?" "I bring a guest, Esca." "Eldest son to Cunoval, the slain Chief of the Brigantes." "And his slave." "A Roman." "Does the slave have a name?" " Marcus Flavius Aquila." " Marcus Flavius Aquila." "I have brought many Romans back to my village," "Marcus Flavius Aquila." "but never with their head attached to their body." "You're welcome Esca, son of Cunoval." "Come." "Eat with us." "Esca." "Esca, what's happening?" "You're my slave." "Show him where to go." "How do you know he's not a spy?" "He swore allegiance to me." "He would not dare to disobey me." "And never to abandon me." "I've seen many Romans, he's not savage as them." "You!" "Take your eyes off her, slave!" "What is it?" "He was looking at my sister." "All Romans are savages." "I have seen what they do to their prisoners." "Such people are not to be trusted." "Kneel." "Kneel!" "Get on your knees!" "Do it!" "If it pleases you... kill him." "No." "You are my honoured guest, and he is your property." "As long as you trust him, he lives." "When I get the chance," "I will kill you." "Now is the time to strike." "Bring the great bird south, and complete the victory of our clan brothers fifteen years ago." "At the ceremony of the New Spears, we will ask The Horned One." "If he blesses your request, we will march south." "Behold, the great Eagle!" "Marcus." "Marcus!" "Marcus!" "It's time." "We have to do this now." "It's our only chance." "while they sleep." "I thought I'd lost you." "Quickly." "There's no time now." "Let's go." "We have to go now!" "Where did you get my father's ring?" "Just another dead Roman." "The coward knelt before me and begged for his life." "What did he say?" "We have to go." "Esca?" " Are you leaving?" " Yes." "Can I go with you?" "Go back to your family." "My father will be angry." "You tell him, when he wakes," "Esca's sorry but he has to go now." "Not until he wakes." "You understand?" "Esca?" "If he wakes them, we're dead." "And you know it." "He has no reason to protect us." "Do you trust me?" "He won't betray us." "They've gone?" "They've gone!" "Come on, come on!" " How many days to the wall?" " If we ride hard, four, maybe five." "They'll never catch us on foot." " Have you seen them run?" " Come on, come on." "You're wounded." "Why didn't you say?" " It's nothing." " It's your bad leg." "Sit down." " We don't have time." " Just sit down." "In the cave... the chief." "What did he say?" "Come on, there's no time right now." "They're coming." "Half a day behind." "The wind always lies." "No fires." "It's too risky." "I'm not eating that." "I'm not a savage." "Then die a Roman." "You've lost a lot of blood." "You need to keep your strength up." "Eat." "It's time to go." "They can take shortcuts that the horses can't." "Come on, keep going." "Come on!" "Come on!" "No!" "We need to stick to the river." "They'll double back soon enough." " Rest." " We can't." "You need to rest!" "Marcus!" "You need to rest." "Come on." "Come on." "I can't go on." "Yes, you can." "You just need to rest." "Take the Eagle." "If you find horses come back." "If not, just keep south!" "Make sure, this gets back to Rome." "I'm not leaving you here." "Do not dishonour me." "Take it." "I came this far with you," "I won't leave you now." "Esca, I order you." "Take it." "I swore an oath of honour, never to abandon you!" "If you want me to leave, set me free." "Give me my freedom." "You're free." "You're free my friend." " Take it." " No." "I will return." "Legion!" "Halt!" "Your father's Legionaries." "You were wrong." "The dead can live." "My shame would not allow me to tell you this before, but I watched your father die." "Whatever anyone tells you, he was not a coward." "He stood his ground, to the very end." "I saw it." "The last Roman to hold the Eagle was your father." "The order, sir." "You've honoured my father's memory enough." " You don't have to do this." " No." "When I ran from your father," "I ran from myself." "Give the order, sir." "Prepare to defend the Eagle!" "Esca!" "To those who would betray their own kind, I'll show you how to deal with them." "Out swords!" "Let us remember the men who fought and die, in the name of honour" "Romans and Britains." "My father and yours." "Fathers..." "Brothers..." "Sons..." "May peace and honour follow you." "May you know no more strife." "May your souls take flight and soar." "With the Eagle of the Ninth." "For my father." "My dear boy!" "I congratulate you, Rome congratulate you." "Your family's good name is restored." "The senate will want to reform the Ninth, perhaps they can reward you with its command." "I don't know how did you do it." " With only a slave to help you." " He's not a slave." "And he knows more about honour and freedom, than you ever will." "So, what now?" "You decide."