Four moons later, in Britannia (Recap Series 1 Episode 8)

Image from Britannia, streamed via iFlix

One of the reasons why I wish there would be a second series (season, in the US) of Britannia is that, however one may feel about the stories presented, this is a show that is peopled by fascinating characters. Late into the first series, another one was introduced. General Aulus sent for assassins to track down Cait. There was Jhehutamisu Akbolla Ramses, an expert in poisons. There were the brothers Ashur and Aziz Ramand, from the plains of Assyria. Then, there was Hella, known as the Irish Raven, Slayer of Pharaohs, the best of them all, based on her work in this episode.

Hella gave the gold Aulus paid her to the brothers Ramand in exchange for a crossbow. She then used this crossbow to kill them, after they attacked Brutus and Philo, who appeared to have spent the last four months getting high in Cait's old village. Hella killed the brothers, and their unnamed companion, and got the minute information Brutus had, that a blind man and a girl went on different roads. She also got her gold back.

Through his bird, Ramses figured out that Cait was not travelling with a blind man. Instead, she was travelling with a Druid. Hella threatened him with his own poison and asked him about the prophecy before she killed him.

After a rather dispiriting conversation between Divis and Cait, which we will get to later, Divis went to a river where he talked to himself and realised he had been wrong about something. From the river rose Hella, and the two of them fought. Divis was stabbed several times and thrown into the river. When Hella found her target, young Cait, she was already hanging from a tree branch, on her way to the Underworld where she had asked Divis to take her.

Image from Britannia, streamed via iFlix

The last four months, Divis has been teaching Cait magic. To his frustration, she has not learnt it as quickly as he wanted. One night by the fire, Cait told Divis that her father was dead. Whether this was a strong feeling born out of reality, or a fear expressed, it did not matter because Cait believed it. She regretted ever leaving her father. She told Divis she was not the One, she was not strong enough. She wanted to go to the Underworld because she wanted to see Islene and Sawyer. When Divis said she would not be able to make it back, Cait's response made it clear she had no wish to return to the land of the living.

Four moons, and the citizens of Crugdonon continued to survive the siege of the Regni. Zoe Wanamaker provided welcome light to this rather gloomy episode; her reading of lines like, "My burning need for vengeance keeps me toasty" or "Parley, my balls. This is just getting interesting" alone make Britannia worth watching. Food inside Crugdonon was dwindling, but not quickly enough. Winter was coming, and whilst Kerra and her people would be warm inside the citadel, the Regni would be outside their walls, suffering through the cold. Antedia sent for her spy, Lindon, who later burnt Crugdonon's food supply. Kerra still could not see that Lindon was the traitor; he cared for her even as he betrayed her. He wondered what could have happened had they ran away together before Kerra became Queen, before the siege. Kerra did not want to surrender to Aulus because, she said, she knew what he was. 

Image from Britannia, streamed via iFlix

Lucius had started to see what his friend was. When General Aulus called the assassins and offered them the Emperor's pardon if they brought him Cait, Lucius was furious. He was offended that Aulus spoke for the Emperor and wondered who he was truly working for. Later, Lucius took his dagger, entered Aulus' tent, and repeatedly stabbed the man sleeping on his bed. Aulus had anticipated this. The man Lucius killed was Marcus, who acted as a secretary to Aulus. For their years of friendship, Aulus allowed Lucius to run. But how far, I wonder.

Apologies for the delay in posting this recap, I have just had a lot on my mind. I'll be back next week for the first series finale.

Strays

■ Queen Antedia's son was named Gildas. 

■ Divis was kicked out by the Druids before he could learn more about the prophecy. The last that he learnt about it was that an enraged Lokka released three hellhounds to track down the chosen one.