Chapter Text
The Germanic tribes; an extremely proud and freedom-loving folk. A nation of great warriors, talented hunters, survivalists and stubborn people. Their traditions are old, their tribes even older and their gods are so old that no one can remember when they first appeared to mankind. Although the tribes are similar in their way of life, they are all so different that there is constant hostility.
But many years ago, there was one man who united the tribes. For when the great Roman Empire wanted to claim Germania Magna for itself, the Cheruscan chieftain Arminius united the tribes and fought against the common enemy. With outstanding success. The Romans then retreated behind the Rhine, leaving the Germanic peoples largely undisturbed. But not all Germanic tribes were freed from Rome by Arminius' success and the border tribes in particular were caught between worlds. The old rivals coexisted for many years, peace treaties and alliances were concluded. The Romans expanded their territory in other parts of the world and the Germanic tribes went back to fighting each other.
But after some tribes in the east invaded Roman territory, the Romans once again crossed the border between the empires and went to battle against the tribes. Among them was the Marcomanni tribe. This also directly affected the tribe of Nava. Although her father's tribe is only a small tributary in the territory of the Marcomanni King Ballomar, it is nevertheless drawn into all his conflicts. However, the threat of retaliation by the Romans does not mean that the tribal rivalries with their neighbouring tribe are put aside. Time and time again, there is hostility and even scuffles between the warriors during meetings between the chiefs.
When the Romans set up camp not far from their territory, the conflict comes to a head. The son of the rival chief, Halvor, insists on attacking the camp, but without the support of Nava's father and his warriors it is a hopeless endeavour. As her father grows older and weaker, Nava and her older brother Sarolf take over the main part of the tribe's business. None of their people question this new form of leadership. Nava has grown up as a warrior and is widely recognised for her strength, beauty and wisdom. Her brother Sarolf is a handsome warrior with outstanding leadership and foresight skills.
The siblings vehemently oppose Halvor's request to attack the Roman camp. The two realise that even with more warriors they would have no chance against a fortified Roman camp. When Ballomar also rejects Halvor's request and agrees with the siblings, he is seething with rage. During the meeting, Halvor tries to attack Sarolf and has the audacity to challenge him to a wrestling match. However, Halvor's father puts a stop to him and quickly disappears from the site of the Thing* with his offended son. After that, the siblings have not heard from their neighbours for a long time.
Meanwhile, the Romans remained quiet, repeatedly sending advance troops to scout the area. However, their campaign was primarily aimed at the Quads* and so they did not initially bother the neighbouring Marcomanni territories. But more and more Marcomanni rebelled and pressurised Ballomar into giving up his neutrality and coming to the aid of his fellow tribesmen. Ballomar finally gives in, against the clear advice of the siblings not to go into battle against the Romans. Since many people appreciate the siblings' foresight, they refuse to join the battle, which once again turns Halvor's hatred on them.
A few days before the Germanic troops are due to arrive at Ballomar, Sarolf goes hunting with some of his close friends. Nava insists on accompanying him, but her brother urges her to stay in the village with their dying father and help their mother nurse him. Reluctantly, Nava gives in and goes back to her family's longhouse.
Nava has had a bad feeling ever since Sarolf moved out, so she keeps going outside to keep an eye out for the hunters. When it gets dark, she is so worried about her brother that she decides to go into the forest to check on him. It's not like him to stay out so long. Just as Nava leaves the house, a lone figure stumbles out of the forest in the semi-darkness of the last light of day. Nava quickly runs towards the figure, recognising one of her brother's friends, Ragin. He is bleeding from a wound on his stomach and is extremely pale. When asked what has happened, the warrior bursts into tears. A sight that Nava has never seen before. She accompanies the distraught warrior into her house and her mother helps her to dress his wounds.
When he has calmed down, Ragin begins to tell the story: They were hunting a nice big boar when they were suddenly surrounded by warriors in a clearing. At least 10 warriors. Ten against three, a pretty unfair fight. Out of the bushes stepped Halvor, his expression unreadable, but his weapon drawn. Sarolf was still trying to talk to him, asking what he wanted. After answering he tried to negotiate "You only have a quarrel with me, so let my friends go" he said. Ragin's body is shaken with what can only be described as anger as he continues to speak. Halvor's response was clear: "You want me to let them go and risk them telling someone about this? No, that wouldn't be smart..."
"He hurled his axe in my direction...it would have hit me if Sarolf hadn't blocked it with his sword. Gent wasn't so lucky, he was pierced by several arrows," the warrior faltered again. "The warriors pounced on us...Sarolf fought like a bear and managed to get us out of their midst. Then he said to me `Run...run as fast as you can Ragin. Run back to my sister...run back and tell her what happened here...I'll hold them back!" silent tears roll down the warrior's cheeks. "I wanted to disagree, wanted to fight with him, wanted to tell him to run...but the look on his face...the pleading look in his eyes...I let my best friend down." Nava and Nava's mother wrap their arms around the warrior and together they shed endless tears for Sarolf.
After grief comes anger and Nava's rage is immeasurable. She wants revenge, revenge for her beloved big brother, revenge for Gent, revenge for this back-stabbing attack. She instructs Ragin to spread the story. She gives her father a kiss on the forehead and her mother a kiss on the cheek and sets off into the forest into the foggy night.
When she arrives at the scene of the crime, she makes a horrifying discovery. They have desecrated Gent's body and nailed his head to an oak tree... as if he were a sacrificed prisoner of war. But Sarolf's body is missing and so are the bodies of the warriors Sarolf took to their deaths. So she runs on, on to the village of her hated neighbours.
What she encounters makes her forget all caution and planning. Any thoughts of confrontation and the consequences of her actions evaporate when she sees Sarolf's lifeless face. His lifeless and agonised expression as they wave his head triumphantly on a pole above them. When she sees his corpse with a pig's head instead of his head, she throws up. As her lunch leaves her body, the rage in her stomach takes hold. She boils and sees nothing but red. How dare they! How dare they! How, yes, how dare they!
With her sword drawn, a scowl on her face and her blood boiling, she stomps towards the revellers. "HOW DARE YOU!" she shouts into the crowd. The men fall silent and turn to her in horror. Many of their faces reflect fear, fear of the consequences of their actions. Not so in Halvor's face. Halvor grins with amusement and walks confidently towards Nava. "Your good-for-nothing brother dared to challenge me, to contradict me...he got what he deserved." These words are enough to unleash Nava's hatred for good. With a wild battle cry, she lunges at Halvor, who has drawn his axe as a precaution. But it is of little help to him as Nava, blinded by rage, aims for his throat and cuts it with a well-directed blow. The culprit falls to the ground, gurgling and gasping for breath. The last thing he sees is Nava's face, splattered with his own blood and looking down at him with a superior, malicious grin. The warriors who were with him immediately attack Nava. Through the rushing, hot blood in her veins, she doesn't even notice how she strikes them down one by one. Her eyes do not deviate from Halvor's body for a second.
Alarmed, the chieftain rushes over with his warriors. "A son for a son!" grumbles Nava as she separates Halvor's head from his body with his own axe. "Your son for my brother!" she says to the chieftain, who looks at her in bewilderment, "not a very fair exchange, in my opinion. My brother was many times the man and had many times more honour than this piece of filth!" She demonstratively spits on Halvor's corpse while she lifts his head, dripping with blood, by the hair. "Give my brother a proper burial and I'll give you his head back." A dangerous calm settles over Nava's mind. She feels empty, yet liberated. No one stops her as she disappears into the darkness with Halvor's head.
The story of Sarolf's murder and Nava's retaliation quickly makes the rounds. A bounty is placed on Nava's head; she should not have acted on her own authority. But catching her is not necessary. A few days after her revenge on Halvor, she turns up at Ballomar's house.
Her eyes are red, her face sunken, her steps are shuffling. The blood of the slain warriors is still on her face and Halvor's head is still in her hand. Without a word, she stands in front of Ballomar and throws the head on the ground. "They buried my brother...here's the head..." her voice sounds empty and wooden, her eyes dull and expressionless. "No one here can blame you for what you did, no one here condemns your actions. Nevertheless, you should not have acted wilfully. Yet you should have waited for judgement. Yet you have angered the gods with your actions, you have not sought their advice," Ballomar addresses her.
"Do you think Tyr* doesn't approve? My actions were just and fair. I will face a council, I will face a verdict. If I feel it is fair, I will face the judgement." She stares indifferently at the ground as she is grabbed by two warriors, her hands bound and she is taken to a vacant building.
The judgement is heard the next day. The tribal leaders, the seers and the high-ranking warriors gather at Ballomar. When Nava is brought into the room, all conversation falls silent. The eyes of those present turn to her, and what they see is a determined expression on Nava's face. They recognise no remorse, they recognise no regret, they recognise a woman who is absolutely sure of herself. Her eyes still seem distant and cold, but nevertheless her gaze wanders to everyone present. Halvor's father is the only one who meets her gaze. Defiance is reflected in his eyes, defiance and hatred.
Those present begin to negotiate. Nava does not raise her voice once. Many think her actions are justified, many think her actions are good, many say they would do the same. A few others speak out against her, mainly allies of Halvor and his father. Ballomar listens to everyone before addressing Nava. "My brother was dishonourably torn from life by a man who acted out of self-interest and jealousy. I feel no remorse, my conscience is clear. Can you say the same for yours?" Her scrutinising gaze wanders over those present and lingers briefly on Halvor's father. He has changed his position in the crowd and is standing next to the seeress. Nava catches a glimpse of him placing something in her hand and whispering something to her. Then Nava realises that she will not receive a fair and truthful judgement from the seeress. "Let's consult the gods," Ballomar orders and the seeress steps forward.
"The gods are angry! They will not assist us against the Romans because of her actions! They demand a sacrifice," the seer pauses dramatically, " Her sacrifice!" A murmur goes through the crowd, revocations arise, discussions ensue. "SILENCE!" Ballomar demands imperiously. All eyes turn to Nava as she speaks in a thunderous voice: "This judgement is not based on the will of the gods, but on greed and deceit. The wrath of the gods will fall on those responsible!" She takes a deep breath before continuing more quietly: "I beseech you, no matter what happens to me, do not go against the Romans, it would be your downfall!" Those present look at Ballomar in shock, some look down to the ground. Not so Halvor's father, who looks defiantly at Nava. "I say she goes into the moor*!" he says with a grin. Once again the room echoes with discussion, once again Ballomar has to call for calm.
"Let's vote!" Most bow to the seer's judgement. Nava gives a grateful smile to the few who question her judgement and consider it unfair. But her judgement is clear: she must go into the moor!
Halvor's father, some of his warriors and the seer take her there. Her hands are tied behind her body, her cloak and shoes are removed and her stoic silence is met with admiration.
Once at the moor, Halvor's father leads her to the edge of the sacred place. "Soon you will be reunited with your brother...in Utgard*." His spiteful laughter beside her ear dies away as Nava elbows him in the stomach. She wriggles out of his grip, "The only ones who will find themselves in Utgard are you," and with these words she dashes into the forest. The warriors immediately give chase and axes and spears are hurled in her direction. The forest gives her cover, the forest has her back and perhaps even the gods have a hand in it, because none of the weapons find their target.
There is no escape for Nava, not in this area, not with her people. She could return to her village, her warriors would protect her and give her refuge, but at what cost? They would hunt them down as well, would judge them as well. There is only one way out, only one possibility that might give her a chance to live. This small chance alone drives her to run towards the Roman camp. It is a long way, a very long way. She is exhausted, her hands are tied, she is hungry and she is being followed. She cannot afford to make a mistake, stumble or slow down.
Her pursuers don't let up, but they slow down. They slow down because they realise where Nava is going. The clearing is not far away. Nava stumbles again and again over the last few metres, her feet are tired and so is her mind. What is she actually running away from? Why is she resisting death? Her steps slow down and she is about to give up "Stop! Just let her run! She'll throw herself to her death! The Romans will kill her immediately!" Halvor's father's voice echoes so loudly in her ears that she flinches in fright. "When you breathe your last breath, you'll realise that fighting the Romans was always the right decision and that your foolish brother died for nothing!" Laughter rings out behind her. Her pursuers have stopped. At this moment she wishes she had killed Halvor's father too, because now he seems almost worse than his son. Her tired legs carry her onwards. Defiantly, she trudges on towards the clearing. It is true that there is a good chance that the Romans will kill her on the spot, but there is also the possibility that they will let her come to the camp. She can't worry about what happens after that, just keep going so that Halvor's father doesn't get his way and she doesn't sink miserably into the moor.
She squints her eyes as she stumbles out of the shadowy forest into the bright clearing. Her pursuers are now far behind, waiting in the forest for the Romans' judgement.
Many metres ahead of her, the palisades of the legionary camp rise from the ground. The large gate and the towering watchtowers cast a long shadow over the plain. Several paths lead to the gate, the camp appears quiet. The gates are already closed for the day and the men are getting ready for the night. Nava's gaze systematically searches for the guards patrolling back and forth on the palisades and for the sentries in the towers. No one has seen her yet. She makes her way along one of the paths leading to the gate when one of the sentries spots her. He waves his arms excitedly and points at her.
She must look a frightening sight, pale, sweaty, barefoot and with dried blood on her face, in her hair and on her clothes. More guards are now looking in her direction, pointing around excitedly, obviously shouting into the camp, unsure what to do. Nava walks on slowly, turning round and round to show that her hands are tied and she is unarmed.
To Nava's surprise, there is no hail of arrows, the Romans seem tense and keep peering in the direction of the forest, but they let Nava approach the camp. When she has already arrived in the shadows of the camp, she hears voices from inside. "We should kill her", "It's probably a trap!", "We can't let her in!", "Have you seen her face?", "An evil spirit, it's just an evil spirit!" Scraps of conversation, scraps of words in the foreign language of the Romans. Nava learnt this language, her parents insisted on it. In a more peaceful time, they often traded with the Romans, negotiations were not uncommon and as the daughter of the chieftain, it was obligatory to be able to converse with the neighbours. The Romans often did not show the Germanic tribes the same respect, considering their language to be uncivilised and primitive, but Nava's parents still wanted her to learn their language. Now she is very relieved that she speaks and understands the language of the Romans. She silently thanks her parents.
Arriving directly in front of the camp, she waits for something. Whether it's the order to kill her or to open the gate, she doesn't care. "What's going on here?" thunders a voice from inside the camp. Nava is abruptly torn from her thoughts. How long has she been standing here? She can't tell. It seems that someone has arrived who can make a decision, because one of the guards immediately begins to describe the situation in front of the gate. Nava only understands snatches of words, her gaze wanders to her feet. Her feet are torn open, her shins scratched and her trousers completely shredded. The words 'unarmed' and 'bound' are spoken before another loud shout is heard. With a sound that seems far too loud to Nava, the gates begin to open.
*Thing= Meeting between all the tribe Chieftains
* Quads=Another Germanic tribe. The one that attacked the Roman territories in the first place.
*Tyr=God of battle and victory, but on the other hand also as the guardian of the legal order
*Moor=It is known that the Germanic tribes often sank people into the bogs, and it is assumed that these were sacrifices to the gods. See bog bodies
*Utgard=The germanic version of Hell.