Stone Circle i love you, and if you want, I'll call you king

he had what he needed and at the expense of his son.

"she cannot touch you here, aquillius."

it was a moment to be a man he had never been before: a father.

"the crest worn by the men of our family has always been an eagle's claw. the name of your grandfather's kingdom is editum. and mars, the god of war, shaped us as we are now."

he touched aquillius' shoulder. "i owe him. you owe him. for now, you evoke him against her."

his lips moved in a rote prayer. "mars pater, te precor quaesoque uti sies volens propitius mihi domo familiaeque nostrae."

and on, in adulation of the god's power, in a man's prayer for strength. the offering of the suovetaurilia, a blood sacrifice for purification. it was which aquillius had already given.

"she cannot touch you here. and her witch's flesh will not live long." a soldier straightening, and perhaps the downed young man might sense the proverbial snap of buckle and clank of sword lifted, slid to scabbard.

war was all germanicus knew.

it was his love.

and now, in love, he acted.

"rest. pray. live another day, my son."