INT. VICTOR’S HOUSE - EARLY MORNING.

Victor sleeps fitfully.

BRIGA (V.O.)
Victor! Victor! Help me!

Victor sits up with a jolt.

VICTOR
Briga!

The door curtain is pulled to one side. Allia stands in the doorway.

ALLIA
Dreaming, were you?

Victor shakes his head and rubs his eyes.

ALLIA (CONT’D)
It was that girl again, wasn't it?

VICTOR
No.

ALLIA
You said her name. No good will come of thinking about her, you know. She's trouble. And you would do well to put her out of your mind altogether.

Allia suddenly pulls the blankets off the bed and shocks Victor with the chill air.

ALLIA (CONT’D)
Anyway, up with you! Marcus has sent word. Claudius wants to see you, now.

VICTOR
Now? Is it late?

ALLIA
Just after dawn.

VICTOR
What does he want?

ALLIA
I don't know, boy! Do you think he tells me his plans? All I know is that Brother Leo has returned and it's something to do with that.

VICTOR
You know what it is, Mother. Somehow, you always seem to know.

ALLIA
Well, even if I did, it is for Claudius to tell you, not me. Now get some clothes on and go.

Victor pauses and looks at his mother.

VICTOR
You do know something, don't you? And you don't like it. I can see that?

ALLIA
Can you, now?

EXT. CLAUDIUS’S HALL - EARLY MORNING.

Victor and Marcus are outside. Victor looks at Marcus questioningly. Victor shrugs.

The guards ignore them as they go into the hall.

INT. CLAUDIUS’S HALL - EARLY MORNING.

Claudius sits at his table. Protus is beside him. Leo and the older monk are also present. They all regard Victor in silence as he approaches the table and salutes.

CLAUDIUS
Here at last, I see. Now, we can begin. I have a task for you, Victor, so I want you to hear all you need to know.

VICTOR
Yes, my lord.

Claudius gestures to Leo who clears his throat and begins to speak.

LEO
Well, my lord, God was merciful to us in granting us a safe passage to the heathen and back again to your hall. We had entrusted our souls into his keeping, fearful though we were, and …'

Leo falters as he sees the cold expression on Claudius’ face. Marcus gives Victor a sly wink.

CLAUDIUS
Did you speak with the Wolf Brothers, or not?

LEO
We did.

CLAUDIUS
And you saw the woman?

LEO
We did.

Victor reacts to this and just restrains himself from taking a step forward. Claudius notices.

VICTOR
You saw Briga? How was she? Had they harmed her?'

Claudius raises a hand to silence Victor, then turns to Leo.

CLAUDIUS
Well, how was she?

LEO
She was well enough, I thought.

Leo looks to the other monk who nods in agreement.

LEO (CONT’D)
She looked tired, a little distressed, perhaps, only natural after all. But she did not seem to have been harmed or … well, you know. She was dressed in some of their heathen garb and looked clean enough.

CLAUDIUS
Very well.
(waves dismissively)
Tell me of you dealings with Wulfrad.

LEO
Wulfrad listened to your proposal and he agreed. It seems that he too wishes for peace and stability and has also seen the opportunities that such a peace would bring for trade.

CLAUDIUS
Good.

LEO
But, I must say, my lord, that his brother, Wulfstan, takes a very different view. He is for continued war. In fact, I would say that he would not hesitate to destroy us utterly, if he could.

CLAUDIUS
No doubt. Well then, we are fortunate that it is Wulfrad who rules, and not Wulfstan.

LEO
Quite. However, given the offer you have made, my lord, Wulfstan, it seems, is happy to accede to his brother's decision to agree to the terms.

VICTOR
Offer? What offer is this?

CLAUDIUS
Yes, Victor. Do you remember the map? I have decided that fighting the Wolf Brothers will get us nowhere. We have fought each other to a standstill, and with precious little help from our so-called allies. We cannot defeat them, but neither can they defeat us. Therefore, I have suggested an alliance, or a truce at least.

VICTOR
You expect them to keep to their pledge on something like that?

CLAUDIUS
Of course not, Victor. And I am not such a fool as to think for a moment that Wulfrad will believe the same of my intentions. This is about buying time, for both us. There will be war again, but we need to avoid it for now. But, who can tell, perhaps with time there could be peace between us.

VICTOR
And, how will you seal this bargain?

CLAUDIUS
With ten pounds of silver and much more, besides, Victor. And you will take it to him?

VICTOR
The ransom?

Claudius shakes his head.

CLAUDIUS
It is not a ransom. It is a dowry. Briga is to be given to Wulfstan.

VICTOR
No!

CLAUDIUS
It will symbolise the alliance. After all, she comes from a noble family, of a sort, and she is obviously acceptable to Wulfstan, since he chose her.

VICTOR
You cannot do this! You cannot abandon her to those barbarians!
CLAUDIUS

I am not abandoning her, Victor. She will no longer be a hostage or a slave but the wife of a feared Saxon leader. And that is more than she would be if she ever found her way back to her father's care.

VICTOR
She could live here!

Claudius slams his hand down on the tabletop.

CLAUDIUS
Victor! All that matters is that the treaty between the Wolf Brothers and me is concluded successfully. There will be peace, at least for a time. That means an end to raids and suffering. Think how many lives and how much sorrow that will save. That silly young woman that you seem so concerned about is part of the price. She has turned your head and you are in danger of forgetting your duty to me.

VICTOR
Then don't ask me to go.

CLAUDIUS
I must.

VICTOR
Why?

Claudius rises from his chair and jabs his fist towards Victor.

CLAUDIUS
I am sick of your questioning me. I am your lord. You obey me. You do not question me. Can you not understand that?

LEO
(clears throat)
With the greatest of respect, my lord, I think that Victor should be told why you ask this of him.

Claudius sighs and sit down, and then nods to Leo.
LEO (CONT’D)
Wulfstan himself asked for you to bring the dowry.

VICTOR
Wulfstan?

LEO
He wanted to meet the warrior he fought when he took Briga. He wanted to meet you face-to-face. He would accept no other.
VICTOR

I cannot do this.
(rounding on Leo)
How can you leave a Christian woman in the clutches of those heathens?

LEO
Victor, you must understand ...

CLAUDIUS
Listen to me, Victor, and listen well. This is what you must understand. You once said that I was like a shepherd and you were my sheepdog. I cannot tolerate this disobedience, especially not from someone who aspires one day to be the commander of my men. You must decide between obeying me and exile.

Victor opens his mouth to speak, but Claudius cuts him off.

CLAUDIUS (CONT’D)
Not one word more, boy! I want actions from you, not words. Tomorrow morning, you will ride with the mission to the Wolf Brothers or you will leave Viroconium as an outlaw. Understand? Good. Now, get out of my sight!'