Outlander: imperium Romanum

V. Well Rescue

Part Two - Italy, Romain Empire - 311 d.C

"Auxilium! Auxilium!" the man screams, turning his head from us to something else on the surface.

I can hear distant voices, perhaps answering the man. I was confused and getting cold. Sophie wasn't any better. The sun was setting and knowing David he must be so concerned. When I get back to the hotel I must keep this little accident a secret. Knowing him he'd shout at me and call me insane, before laughing at this deadly however sloppy accident. 

"Quid accidit?" I hear a man asking. 

Suddently, three heads look down at us.

"Advenae hospites cecidit ad fontem" the one that found us answered. "Advenero contaminare nosmetaquam!"

Sophie looks at me, completely confused.

"Are they speaking..."

"Latin." I cut her off and admire the three mans and their bizarre choice of clothes. 

They were dressed as soldiers of the Romain Empire and I must say, it was quite a recreation. The helmet and the body armour sure were shiny and polished. 

"There must be a show and they are paid actors for it, after all there's so many tourists visiting the ruins, just like us."

"What were they saying?" 

"Something about us, and polluted waters. I can't be more accurate. Last time I spoke and learned Latin I was only 18." 

I was trying to keep calm, but being stuck on a cold ass well for nearly thirty minutes was making me dizzy and claustrophobic. 

"Can you and your friends take us out, please?" I ask. 

"Quid est lingua?" one asks, ignoring my request completely.

"Nescio. Cerritulus anglicus?"

They all start laughing and I understood. One of them asked which language was I speaking and another replied 'weird english'. I was ready to get offended, but they were the ones not even knowing that British English is a thing and exists way before the American. 

I wanted to get out of here, badly. I made a sign with my hands and after a quick glance, they finally react. The ones that arrived moments ago disappear of our sight, but were still there. Meanwhile, the guy that found us was trying to talk with us. 

"Tu loquerisne Latine?"

"Non multum." I answer. My accent was fairly bad, I can't lie. I have been way out of practise. "Scisne linguam Anglicam?"

"Ita, Ita!" he replies, with a smile. "M¯æðrian êow hwæðer wîte Britanniae? we ruled ðe stocwîc hêanes endemest tôgêare."

Suddently, I found myself with no answer and a sudden fear. He was speaking english alright, but the old one and with such naturality it could give any historian chills. If this is an act, it's a very good one. The accents are on point, the dresses...

 I was scared.

"I came indeed from Britain. We fell on this ancient well by accident and we apolagize for any disturbance. When we get out of here we can talk about the prejudice we've caused and I assure you we can pay the damage we caused to the rock."

"Yfel timbrian nâ witen what êow m¯æran maðel ûtan fyrdrinc" 

"What the fuck?" Sophie says quietly what my head was thinking.