The End of the World Was Long Ago (Eagle of the Ninth/Sun Horse, Moon Horse; Esca, Cottia, G)
Once, on his way south in chains, Esca saw a white horse carved into a hillside. Six years later, on their way to visit Cottia's mother, Cottia and Esca see the White Horse of Lubrinium, and Cottia tells Esca a story of the Iceni, long ago, before the Romans came to Britain. You don't need to have read Sun Horse, Moon Horse for this story. although Cottia does reveal part of the plot (it's quite possible my memory of it is flawed, but I figure that's a decent stand-in for a few hundred years of oral tradition).
Thanks to isiscolo for the beta.
Fandom: Eagle of the Ninth/Sun Horse, Moon Horse
Characters: Cottia, Esca
Length: 1925
Rating: G
The End of the World Was Long Ago
They had all three of them meant to journey to see Cottia’s mother, after the letter, but of all people the Tribune Servius Placidus had quite suddenly appeared at the farm in Cunetio--no longer a tribune, but on the staff of the new governor. The years had changed him little, and Marcus had sighed and smiled and bade Esca and Cottia a safe journey without him.
Esca found as they made their way eastward to the Iceni lands that he rather liked having the time to talk to Cottia in their own tongue, without Marcus to lapse into Latin as often as not. And certainly traveling with Cottia was no hardship, as enduring Placidus’ sly barbs for an entire visit would have been. Cottia seemed at once eager and frightened of seeing the mother she had left when she was only a child, but she was reluctant to speak of it, so they passed the time on the road trading half-remembered stories and songs.
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Thanks to isiscolo for the beta.
Fandom: Eagle of the Ninth/Sun Horse, Moon Horse
Characters: Cottia, Esca
Length: 1925
Rating: G
The End of the World Was Long Ago
They had all three of them meant to journey to see Cottia’s mother, after the letter, but of all people the Tribune Servius Placidus had quite suddenly appeared at the farm in Cunetio--no longer a tribune, but on the staff of the new governor. The years had changed him little, and Marcus had sighed and smiled and bade Esca and Cottia a safe journey without him.
Esca found as they made their way eastward to the Iceni lands that he rather liked having the time to talk to Cottia in their own tongue, without Marcus to lapse into Latin as often as not. And certainly traveling with Cottia was no hardship, as enduring Placidus’ sly barbs for an entire visit would have been. Cottia seemed at once eager and frightened of seeing the mother she had left when she was only a child, but she was reluctant to speak of it, so they passed the time on the road trading half-remembered stories and songs.
Archive of Our Own (with notes)
Livejournal
Dreamwidth