Marban I heard him.

A silence.

And the dogs.

A silence.

In the forest.

Brac A long way away –

Viridio Run with the dogs, the short arse said.

Viridio laughs.

Brac The dogs will come back, when they’ve got him. The leader of the pack will come to tell us. That dog speaks to me. Woof woof, a bone from Ireland. Hero beef.

Viridio We should’ve taken the horses.

Brac We’d never have followed ’em through the trees.

Viridio The Iceni ride through the trees. The Iceni can ride into one side of a wood, in chariots, in the shape of an axe-head, and come out the other side, the axe-head still sharp. I saw it done once, at a festival. The forest. The screaming charioteers – disappear.

Silence.

Not even birds rising.

You stare at the wall of trees. Horizon to horizon, a wall of many dark gates.

Then wham! They’re coming at you, from anywhere.

Brac, playing with his hair.

Brac Great.

Marban A trick.

Viridio Magic –

Marban It’s a trick. They cut tracks through the trees, only known to them. They are silent because the companion of each charioteer muffles the horses’ hooves, when they are under cover.

Viridio Brilliant.

Marban A brilliant trick.

Viridio Now what would a priest know about tricks?

A short silence. Marban, quietly.

Marban I’m not a priest yet. And you know it.

Viridio Ooh!

Brac Ooh!

Viridio He’s angry.

Brac I think you touched him on his secret rites.

Viridio and Brac giggle.

Viridio Brother is it true, that for part of the training to get to be a priest, you stand for ninety days, with a great big boulder hanging from your testicles?

Brac giggles.

Marban Lie on the ground. A great boulder on your stomach. For ninety days.

A short silence.

Viridio Well. I s’pose that will come in handy, in later life.

Brac giggles. Marban, quietly.

Marban Don’t be childish, don’t be – that. You’re my brothers, don’t. Eh?

Viridio Brother, really we are shit scared of you.

(Brac giggles.) I am. Of you.

Because you are going to be a priest. (Brac looks embarrassed.)

Marban Look – no.

If you think – no.

It takes twenty years to be a priest. The thing with the boulder, on your stomach, happens in the ninth year. I’ve been doing it for three. All right? All right?

Coming home for the harvest.

Though that will stop, in two years’ time. And I’ll be shut up with them, all the year round.

Huh? Huh?

He looks at Brac and Viridio. They will not look back.

They’re so happy, those old priests. Those frightening old men and women.

Frightening in the way I begin to frighten you.

Do you want to see a ghost?

A silence.

Viridio Who am I, a mere wanker in the straw –

Marban No no do you? Now? Right.

Marban goes quickly to his clothes.

Brac Look, eh –

Viridio Let him.

Marban I go everywhere with her.