DISCLAIMER: These characters and this world does not belong to me. They still belong to the wonderful Rosemarie Sutcliff and of cause the makers of The Eagle.

XXX

Esca was running. And running and running. His muscles hurt terrible and his legs felt heavy as stones, but he had to go on. He had left Marcus on a riverbed and was now searching for help.

He had started with the thought that maybe he could find Guern here in the wilderness somehow. It had been here, where they left him.

Esca was not sure what he had to expect, even when he found the man. How could a single man help him against all the men of the seal tribe? But Guern had had a horse. Maybe he could give that up so it could be used to carry Marcus out of here. He himself would find another way by foot. Marcus would protest at this but he had freed Esca. So he could not really do anything against it. It was a strange thought. After all this time, being free again. To be a servant to no one any more. But now he was constrained in another way. He would never abandon a friend. And that was what Marcus had become.

Suddenly there was some movement in the woods. There where men.

Esca stopped to take a closer look. It would not do if he stumbled into the men of the seal people. He hoped that he had not been discovered yet. But they had seen him, he could tell.

They had been sitting in some sort of camp at a fire and had been talking. The men where not exactly young but could still fight. He wondered what a group of about twenty five men where doing out here in the woods. The where obviously not hunting, because they had all some kind of arms at their disposal. That hinted at a fight. But a fight with whom?

Suddenly one man stood up from the fire. It was Guern, who he had been looking for. What was the man doing here together with a group of armed men?

"Greetings Esca. What are you doing here, alone?" The man looked at him with caution."Where is you companion?"

Esca thought for a moment of how to respond to that question.

If Guern was here with some other men of his tribe, the Selgovae, then this could mean that they had allied themselves with the seal people in the hunt for the eagle and the men who took it. Then he would be as good as dead. No need to give them a chance to find Marcus, too. But since they had met before, Guern already knew why Marcus and Esca where here. A Roman and a reluctant Brigant on the way to find the eagle. If Guern was still somewhat true to his fellow Roman he would ask himself why there was only Esca. They had not exactly told him why Esca was following a Roman on that search, but Guern could have guessed. Then being here without Marcus could bring Esca some serious trouble.

Which one was the right answer to give? He looked again at the men and saw some roman weapons among them. There was no other way then to decide now. And he had been looking for this man to help him.

"I left him in a riverbed. He is injured and needs help."

Esca waited for a response. Guern nodded. "We heard that the seal clan is on the hunt. They are searching for two people who have stolen something precious to them. Who have broken the sacred code of being guests. They have asked the other clans for help."

That was it then. They would help the seal clan and kill him. Esca looked at the men. Some where very near. He could make a brake for it but he was already tired out from the long run. He was no match for them.

"My friends and I have been talking for a while now. We think we should try to rebuild our honour by helping Marcus Flavius Aquila. To bring back the eagle to Rome."

Suddenly it all fell into the right place. Esca felt relived. The men where old enough to have been there at the campaign. All this men where deserters from the ninth legion. But now they where also trained in the fighting stile of the tribes. With their help Marcus could fight back the seal people and finally restore his family honour in bringing back the eagle. And before all else, with their help they really had the chance of surviving this fight.

Esca nodded. "Than I will lead you to Marcus and the eagle. We will have to hurry."

Guern nodded in response. And with that, the rest of the legion begun to rise from the fire and form a marching order.

XXX

Esca was walking beside Guern. Something was troubling him. The clan chief of the seal people had talked to Marcus about his father. And how in the end he begged for his life.

It was a good thing, that Marcus could not understand what the man had been saying. And Esca had evaded to give the translation to his questions. Esca did not believe that the clan chief had said the truth because there was nothing in his fathers story´s that indicated that the leader of the Romans had begged for his life in the final moments. But somebody else might tell Marcus this story. That would blow his pride and his honour. Esca knew that Marcus feared this possibility. That his loved father had been a coward.

With the help of Guern he could change that. But how could Esca approach this the best way?

"As we where with the seal people, their clan chieftain tried to tell Marcus that his father died a coward. You said that you where not there. But have you heard anything?"

Guern looked at him."What have you heard, young one? You should know."

Esca hesitated, than answered the question. "My father did not tell anything about that."

"And who is your father, that he should know?"

"My father was Cunnoval of the Brigantes, the bearer of the blue war shield."

There was some silence, than Guern somehow changed the topic."And what are you doing, Brigant, following and helping a Roman?"

Esca hesitated for a moment. Then he answered truthfully. "I have been his slave since he saved my life in the arena. So in the beginning I had to follow him." He stopped shortly, then continued."Now he is my friend."

"Hm." Guern was silent for a moment. All what was heard was the marching of the men. Then as Esca thought nothing else would happen, suddenly Guern did continue. "I have not seen it, but I could have, if you think that is important to your friend."

Esca looked up. He was surprised at this proposal. "Why would you do that?"

"He seems to be a good man. And I´m not proud that I left his father to die. We could have continued to fight."

Esca was silent for some time. Then he answered. "It would be important to him to know that his father died with honour."

"Than be it. It will be the truth anyway. Flavius Aquila would not have begged for mercy. Everyone who knew him would tell you that. His son remembers me of him."

They continued to walk in silence after that. Then they heard the sounds of dogs in the distance. The seal clan was near. But also was the riverbed where they would find Marcus and the eagle. And there he stood. Still alive and in front of the eagle. Esca was a little smug. He had really made it.