He stays on the stage as –

Scene Two

AD515. A long silence. Cai, an old man, walks into the field. He is followed at a good distance by a Priest and three Village Men: The Village Men carry the bundles of refugees. The Priest carries a staff with a cross at its top. Cai squats.

Priest Saxon soldiers, Cai. Coming North, over the Thames.

First Villager They’ve been seen!

Second Villager A mile from the village!

Priest At least think of your daughters.

Cai Bah. (Cai spits.)

Third Villager They may be here, in your field – in the heart of Britain. Today!

Priest We leave under Christ’s cross. Carrying what we can of the harvest. And belongings and weapons.

Come with us Cai. There is nothing to fear.

Cai Fear is it! (Cai spits again.)

Priest We will go to Camulodunum, for the protection of the Government.

First Villager Can’t stand here arguing with you, Cai!

Second Villager Let the old fool stew.

Third Villager You want to see your daughters raped? And have the Saxons eat your brains, over a fire?

Second Villager Leave him behind. Gaga old bugger.

Priest No no.

A silence.

Saxon raiders, Cai. After all these years of peace.

But you’re an old fighter.

You know what an English raid means.

Cai I am!

I am an old fighter of the Saxons. I don’t need you – come and stand on my field to tell me that. Priest.

First Villager We’re wasting time. Let the old heathen be cut to bits. (He turns to go.)

Second Villager (going) Can’t wait any longer, old man! All the village, the women and children, out on the tracks in the woods already.

We don’t go now we’ll lose ’em –

Priest In the name of pity, Cai!

Cai Get off! Get off my field!

And you, Priest. With your cross of Jesus.

Second Villager That’s it then.

He turns away. The other Villagers follow. They shout back as they go. The Priest stands still.

First Villager Ought to stone the bugger.

Third Villager We did right by you and yours, Cai. As neighbours.

Priest Christ go with you.

Cai Good riddance.

The Priest hesitates, then goes off quickly after the Villagers. Then Cai laughs.

You’re running the wrong way!

The Saxons will burn Camulodunum!

First thing to burn!

He laughs. Then is silent.

(Aside:) An old fighter of the Saxons. Here I sit, by the ruin of my field.

Me, veteran of Badon Hill.

When we cut the Saxons to bits. Once and for all. Smashed them back into their Kent marshes. Once and for all.

Huh.

As a soldier, how many commanders have I heard say, as a villager, how man times have I heard priests say – ‘Once and for all.’ Fight! Repent! Go on, on and on, once and for all!

After a life-time of it, I forgive myself.

I’ll stay where I was born. And watch.

It all –

come –

again –