Tribal Warrior (a Gladiator fan fiction)

Prologue: How the Germanic Woman came to the Romans

Since her mother died, Nava has always been sidelined. Her father – the tribal lord of her territory – didn't even care a bit about her. For him, she did not exist. The only one who still took care of Nava was her big brother Sarolf. He taught her everything he had been taught by her father or the other warriors. He taught her sword fighting, archery and even took his little sister hunting with him from time to time.

But as Nava grew older, her father saw a use for her and wanted to marry her off to the son of the enemy prince in order to force peace. However, Nava did not think much of this idea, she refused his proposal over and over again. Sarolf, too, did not want to let his little sister, who was now almost 20 years old, leave so easily. Their father listened to him and abandoned his plan. 

But the family peace did not last long. Because one day, one of the hunters – who were travelling with Sarolf - came running into the village, covered in sweat and blood. Nava rushed to meet him, "Where is my brother? What on earth has happened? Ragin?" she took her brother's long-time friend into her house and gave him some water to drink. When Ragin had caught his breath he began to speak quietly: "They attacked us in the forest...I guess we got too close to their territory while hunting. They attacked us," he shuddered at the memory and then continued quietly: "Halvor...Halvor did it for sure. They killed them all." he winces again, and a quiet sob runs through him. Halvor was the son of the rival tribal lord, Halvor was the man Nava was to marry "Sarolf...they killed Sarolf. I only escaped because he saved me." another sob, but this time not from Ragin, but from Nava. "I'm sorry Nava, I should be lying there slain in the forest and he here with you and not the other way around. That fool, why did he have to save me at all costs too." Tears ran down the brave warrior's bloodied cheeks. Nava also wept softly as she hugged the fighter. Her beloved brother was gone forever.

Her father did not take the news well, he raged and scolded the neighbours as much as he could. They asked the tribal lord of the neighbours to hand over the body of the fallen men so that they could give them a proper burial. But the shrewd tribal lord wanted something in return, of course. He wanted exactly what Nava's father had wanted several months ago. He wanted Nava - whose beauty and wisdom were widely known – as a consort for his son Halvor. Nava was indeed to marry the man who killed her beloved big brother. But worst of all, her father agreed to the demand.

 Nava was taken to the neighbouring village to be prepared for the wedding and to meet her soon-to-be husband. But Nava had not given in yet. Under no circumstances did she want to marry this disgusting, self-convinced scumbag. Who also killed the most important person in her life.

She decided that even death would be better than spending her life in the presence of this creep. That is why – before she was taken to the neighbouring village by her father – she packed the sword she had once been given by Sarolf. When she caught sight of the man who had so dishonourably torn her brother from life, a flaming rage overcame her, and she drew the sword and held it to his throat. He in turn drew his sword with unsteady movements; she almost smiled at this irony. His clumsiness was his undoing. For Nava, thanks to her brother's training, defeated him with ease. Just as she was about to lunge to end his life, she was overpowered by several warriors and wrestled to the ground. The verdict on her was quickly passed, she was to die. But just as they were about to fetch the axe for her execution, Halvor's father spoke up.

"I think for this offence, a simple beheading would be too easy.", "But what are we supposed to do with her?" a Teuton from the community wants to know. "We simply send her to the Romans." a murmur went through the crowd, but before the first protests can be raised, the leader shouts: "Listen to me! Listen to me! Either the Romans kill her as soon as they see her, or they let her get close to the camp and use her as a pleasure slave. Either way, she will receive a just punishment. Only we'll let the Romans decide what it will be." Again a murmur and a loud commotion went through the crowd. Nava, however, did not notice all this, she was thinking of her brother and mother and hoped to be with them soon. "All right, we'll take her straight to the camp."

Nava is led through the forest by a band of warriors, she knows that the forest will soon end here and that the camp of the Romans lies there at the edge of the forest. When they reach the edge of the forest, one of the warriors pushes her out of the forest and says to her: "If you turn around, your fate will be a much worse one. We are watching you. We will stay here until the Romans have made their judgement."

The young woman walks with trembling knees and slow, calculated steps towards the legionary camp. She knows that behind her in the forest are several of her own tribesmen, who are following her every step of the way. As she approaches the camp, she already hears the first cries of warning from the legionaries and sees some figures scurrying back and forth on the palisades. Bitter thoughts steal into the woman's head, "Yes go ahead shoot me, kill me, then you do exactly what they want." Her thoughts circle around the tribal warriors watching her and wishing her – every one of them – dead. Now she is close enough to hear the shouts of the legionaries clearly, now she understands with ease what they are shouting. For in her younger years she learned the language of the Romans. "An enemy!", "She's coming closer!", "Watch out, it's probably a trap set by these savages!", "Archers, aim at her and don't let her out of your sight!" these and other shouts can be made out by the woman in the increasingly hectic hustle and bustle on the wooden palisades. She just keeps going at her slow but steady pace. But suddenly, just as the order to pierce her with arrows was given, and she was already preparing herself for the pain ahead, a loud shout comes to her ear, "Wait! No one shoots at that woman!" she hears an authoritative voice shout to the archers standing on the palisades. The gate of the camp is getting closer and closer and nothing has happened yet. The young brown-haired woman slowly starts to get nervous. "What are they going to do to me?" she asks herself, just as she has finished thinking about this question she hears the voice again. "She is not armed, is she?" she hears a second voice, but cannot understand what it is saying. Then the first voice replies, "Well then, let her come over and see what she has to tell us."

She is surprised that the Romans do not simply kill her, as everyone would have expected. Many others have already been executed by this kind of punishment. But they were always warriors, and they were always sent out in small groups. The woman was now standing directly in front of the gate. Her knees threatened to give way and wet sweat stood on her forehead. The gate opened in front of her with a loud groan, and she strode into the camp, gathering all her courage. Where she was met by looks of hatred. Many legionaries were gathered just behind the gate to inspect the strange intruder. When she had already dared to take a few steps into the camp, she suddenly noticed a man standing in front of her. He is wearing noble armour and a cloak hangs over his shoulders with a wolf pelt attached to the top. His aura is that of a leader, and he seems very authoritarian, but also just, the legionaries seem to respect him very much because no one stands in his way and all the shouts immediately fall silent when he raises his hand to say something.