02x07 - Curse

[bunniefuu]

I want you to take Germany.

I command the army of the Rhine.

Instead of leading
it into Germany,

I lead it into Rome.

Give this to my
brother. It's important.

My brother's hand only.

It's an exact copy?

I gave the
original to Tiberius.

Can't break the code
without the key.

Write back.

You want me to tell him
I support Stepfather.

What choice do we have?

Agrippa?

Oh, my love.

It'll be me
who has to marry Julia.

He'll give her to someone who...
Who he doesn't fear at all.

Your mother told you
about the wedding?

Thank you. It's a great honor.

I don't want to
get married again.

I love her.

I can't remember a
time when I didn't.

Julia.

Gracchus.

Sorry about
Marcellus, Gaius.

I really am.

I had no choice.

I never cared
that she k*lled Marcellus.

I care that she got caught.

Mother,
your difficulty

with Livia must be resolved.

Her difficulty with
Livia, as you put it,

was my brother's m*rder.

And unlike you, I'm not
about to forgive or forget.

If you want any kind
of power in this city,

you'll need to get rid of Livia.

I just found out.

It wasn't Agrippa that
had your brother k*lled.

It was Livia.

The wife of Augustus.

Father.

Thank you, Germanicus.

Ballomar,
he's over there.

They've found us.
It's all over now.

Germanicus.

Ballomar!

Hello!

Your wife, Lord.

Drusus!

Drusus, I've had most
of the Eighth out

for the past four days
searching the forests.

We went...

We went on a hunting trip.

Without telling me or anyone?

Drusus...

My love, we need to leave today.

f*ck. The wedding.

I completely forgot.

Come on, Germanicus.
We're off to Rome.

Poor Uncle Tiberius is
getting married again.

Where the f*ck have you been?

We've been hanging around here
waiting like f*cking sl*ves.

All right, all right.

Dickhead.

Since the joyful
day is tomorrow,

I assume you've both read
the final draft agreement?

So, for the duration
of the marriage,

the bride will remain the
property of her father,

and not her husband.

Subsequent to but also

including the day
of the wedding,

both parties agree to forego
all and any sexual relations.

Said marriage,
consequently, will remain

without pregnancy or issue.

Both parties agree
to grant the other

complete freedom
and independence,

outside the performance of
normal social and public duties.

The bride will receive a yearly
allowance of 100,000 sesterces,

and in return
agrees at all times

to abide by accepted
standards of social behavior.

I still don't see why we have

to have that stupid
morality clause.

We accept.

For obvious reasons, this
document has no legal validity,

but I take it both
parties now finally agree.

To the happy couple.

This wedding's really
cheered you up.

Well, they hate each other.

They'll live separate
lives. Many couples do.

Julia's unstable. So is he.

Aren't you at least happy
to have Drusus back?

Drusus is more
unstable than they are.

He's done well in Germany.
Even you can't complain.

Shitty swamp. Pointless w*r.

Mm, how wrong I was.

But it's still the best
place to make your name.

- And your grave.
- Come on.

You could have got your
husband to recall him,

if you wanted to.

Soon.

But for now, it's safer to
keep Drusus and Gaius apart.

Especially now.

What?

Octavia's dying.

sh*t.

How long's she got?

First Agrippa, now Octavia.

- She never liked you.
- Mm.

No, but her death will
leave Gaius isolated,

and that's not good.

So, what you're telling
me, in fact, is that

this is a critical
moment in everything,

which requires calm and
stability, but instead...

What could go wrong?

Don't worry.

We'll be there to
keep an eye on things.

She's
still at Piso's.

I know where f*cking Livia is.

My men have been camped out
there for days, waiting.

She's leaving before
dawn tomorrow.

She has to, or she
won't make the wedding.

Tycho's gone to escort her back

with just four bodyguards.

Is that all?

Those woods are full
of ruthless outlaws.

Tomorrow, you're k*lling
the wife of Augustus.

You can laugh when she's dead.

Come on,
Ursa. We're late.

Sun's already up.

Mm, but oh, look.

Livia's keeping us waiting.

Oh, what a surprise.

They're on the move.

Let's go.

How are you?

Will you not come?

Even to the ceremony?

Hmm.

Gaius, I
want you to come back...

here tonight, after the wedding.

There's something important
I want to ask you.

I'm here now. What is it?

Enjoy the day and just promise
to come back and see me later.

Swear.

I swear.

Well?

Julia! Julia, come
on! Time to get up.

You're getting married today!

Go away. Let me sleep. Ugh.

What the f*ck?

This can't go on.

You need to pull
yourself together.

No.

I'm not doing this
without a drink.

You don't do anything
without a drink.

Your affair with Gracchus
is the scandal of Rome.

It's a miracle your father
hasn't heard about it.

Even I heard about it,

and I live in a forest
in f*cking Germany.

And if anyone ever finds
out where you met him...

What? Huh? Why? Where
did she meet him?

Look, Julia, just try
to see your marriage

to Tiberius as a fresh start.

Oh.

A fresh start, you say?

I am sick,

sick of being bought
and sold and bulled

like a farmyard heifer.
I mean, aren't you?

That's the game, and
everyone has to play it.

Listen, Julia.

You need to be very, very
careful with Tiberius.

There's a side of him you
don't ever want to see.

Well, here's a surprise
for you, Antonina,

there is no side of Tiberius
that I ever want to see.

"A fresh start"?

Seriously?

For f*ck's sake.

"That's the game and
everyone has to play it."

What did you expect, really?

All right, fine. So,
this is the new plan.

We just have to get
her through today,

keep her away from Gracchus
and Tiberius and the wine

and her father and Iullus.

Hey, Tiberius. How's it going?

"How's it going"?

Well, my beautiful, fragile
wife has been married off

to that venal twat, Gallus,
and while he mounts,

enters, and defiles my
beautiful, fragile wife,

I'm getting a spiteful
drunk that I can't divorce

or even abuse for my
own entertainment,

because she's the daughter
of a psychopathic tyrant.

So, I don't know, Iullus,
how do you think it's going?

Yeah.

How about you? Are you
all right to officiate?

Yeah. Yeah, sure.

Julia and I finished
a long time ago.

It's... It's nothing to me whom
she marries or sleeps with,

although I don't...

get why women find Gracchus
attractive.

Anyway, I'm, uh, I'm
over it, of course.

Gallus and Vipsania
are obviously invited.

We need to keep Tiberius
away from both of them...

and Julia... and Mother.

Nobody wants bad Tiberius
gatecrashing the party.

Does the water go
all the way to the sea?

Yes. From all the rivers
and falls around here.

It goes to Rome first, though.

Only polite.

Come on. We're late.

You.

I'm fed up with
you sulking in bed

and feeling sorry for yourself.

Drusus isn't right.

I mean, most of the time he
is, and then suddenly he isn't.

Mm. Bad Drusus.

No, he isn't bad.
He's just impulsive.

With the wrong people
and at the wrong time,

impulsive can be very dangerous.

That's why it's bad Drusus.

And he's never gotten
over that sl*t, Gemina.

He told you that?

He talks in his
sleep. You know that.

What else does he talk about...

in his sleep?

Oh. Mother's little disciple.

I prefer your contempt
to your self-pity.

You're right, Antonina.

We need to keep Drusus
away from Stepfather.

And we have to get him
recalled from Germany.

There's a darkness
there, in the forests.

Something... other.

It's consuming him.

I feel it, too.

Augustus.
I hope I find you well.

Allow me to present the
General's formal report

and the statement of
accounts from the Rhine Army.

What's the informal report?

It's a brutal w*r of attrition.

And it's taking its toll on
everyone, including Drusus.

He takes great risks,
leads from the front.

His wife is worried sick,
wants to have him recalled.

But his men adore him.
They'll follow him anywhere.

I need to decipher his letters.

Bring me the key.

I never forget my friends.

Get him to play dice with you.

It'll distract him while I look.

Yeah, I do
love a good wedding...

The plotting and the
bitching and the fighting.

I remember my first one.

You wanted to butcher Gaius
and Agrippa at the dinner.

What, did your
father tell you that?

No, I was snooping
outside while you argued.

"It's practically a
tradition," you said.

Well, it was.

But, obviously, I would've
waited until after dessert.

k*lling those two back then

would've solved a
lot of problems.

Made a lot of new ones.

Livia, get down!

Get the
woman! k*ll the rest!

Go! Go, Livia!

Ursa!

Stop those
f*cking horses!

Get her!

Aah!

Piso!

No, no, no, no, no,
no, no, no! Leave it!

Leave it, leave it,
leave it. It's better.

Just go, Tycho.

I'm done for.

Go on, f*ck off!

f*cking go and find Livia!

Promise me, promise me.

I'll be back.

Ah!

They've ditched
their f*cking horses.

Right, fan out,
and use the horns,

once to give your position,
twice means you see them.

But remember, I want
her alive at first.

No, no, no!

We have to run!

Oh...

Do the
same to me. Do it!

Where are we?

If we get lost up here,
we'll never find our way out.

Water! The stream
will lead to a river.

Yeah, and the
river runs to Rome.

Run!

Hi.

Nice mask.

Do you think something
bad's happened?

No. Your mother's late.

She's always
late. She's Livia.

We can't keep the guests
waiting any longer.

Where the f*ck is she?

I don't know, Drusus.

Perhaps she's off
uniting my Balkan legions

with your Rhine Army in
order to overthrow Augustus.

All right, that was
just a suggestion.

Trying to be helpful.

Tiberius.

Drusus.

Gallus. Vipsania.

I'm sorry I missed your wedding.

Mm, I wish I had.

But of course, you
were off in Germany,

covering yourself in glory.

That's right, I was.

I was hoping to run
for Consul next year,

but now I understand you are.

I'm afraid so.

Well, obviously
I needn't bother.

No. That's right.

See you inside.

Come on!

Stop it.

Come on. I'll be next
to you the whole time.

It's gonna be fine.

- No, it isn't.
- Yes, it is.

No, it isn't.

Well, maybe it isn't.

Augustus.

Livia's missing.

Take a cohort. Search the roads
between here and Piso's estates.

Call my daughter.

Father.

Perhaps Tiberius isn't
everybody's idea of a husband.

I wouldn't say that.

Are you ready?

A fine union.

Gracchus... is
your wife not here?

She went into
labor... last night.

Never mind, Domitius.

I can wait for Julia.

I can't see this
chariot crash lasting.

Well, let's just
enjoy it while we can.

I've never seen
Julia so miserable.

Tiberius. Are you ready?

Julia, will you marry now?

Then I congratulate you both.

Make the sacrifice.

Livia
didn't even turn up.

And everyone was probably
hoping that it'd get

postponed or canceled,

but Gaius made them
go ahead without her.

No.

And so it's done.

They're married.

Perhaps it won't end up being

the poisonous catastrophe
we're all expecting.

Oh, I doubt that.

I'm sorry I shall
miss it.

The constant malice
and recriminations,

the cruelty that so
brighten this family daily.

Honestly, one quite
looks forward to

wandering the wastelands of
the underworld for eternity.

I should get back
to the wedding.

No.

No.

Please don't go.

Don't leave me. I don't...

I don't want to be alone.

Yes, of course.

Where have you been?
Germanicus had a fit.

I'm surprised you
didn't hear it.

Is Livia here yet?

Where's Scribonia?

I don't know, but
we don't need them.

It's all going pretty well.

Where's Julia?

You were supposed
to stay with her.

She was right there just now.
Can you see Gracchus anywhere?

No. Okay, you check
the backrooms.

I'll see if the
boys have seen her.

I'm the older sister,
I say what we do.

Well, what shall we do then?

- All right.
- Mm.

Hey, have you seen Julia
or Gracchus anywhere?

Gracchus is with
Gallus and Vistilius.

Well, he was a moment ago.

Oh, here comes the dice board!

No.

Tiberius. Where's
f*cking Tiberius?

He must've gone.

"He must've gone"? What?

Come on!

Who's going to help me
pay for the wedding?

Or my new beach house.

He said he'd keep an eye
on him. The gods, Iullus.

You need to stop Drusus
playing f*cking dice!

- Look, you don't wanna do this.
- Yes, I do.

Come on, Iullus,
get your silver out.

You're always unlucky.

Let's go for a walk.

What's the maximum bet?

Drusus, darling, may
I speak to you for a moment?

Sorry, I have to plunder
Augustus's treasury

to pay for our new beach house.

You wish.

It's really urgent.

I'm sure it can wait, Antonina.

Vistilius, help Iullus
keep a lid on Drusus.

You know what he's like
when he starts gambling.

I do.

Julia's not in the back house.

The spare rooms.

Excuse me,
excuse me. Sorry, sorry.

Julia,
what are you doing?

What the f*ck, Julia?

Just go,
both of you, go, now!

How dare
you, Gracchus?!

This was bad enough when
she was just a widow,

but she is the wife of Tiberius,
and it's your wedding day.

I know. It's perfect.
I just couldn't resist.

What?

What the f*ck do you want?

Iullus!

Iullus!
Enough! Stop it!

Get off!

Iullus, please!

Julia! Iullus!

She's out cold.

Go, we'll look after her.

- I'll remember this.
- You'll forget this now,

unless you want your wife and
my uncle to hear about it.

You idiot, Iullus!
Why are you even here?

I left you with Drusus!

Vistilius is there.
He knows what to do.

All right, so now things are
not going pretty well anymore,

and we need Livia.

Listen, Ursa.

Okay, I want you to follow
the river down on your own.

Keep going until you find help.

What are you gonna do?

I'll wait here a
while, then follow.

The hunters are not after
us. They're after me.

Why? Who are they?

If you stay with me,
you're in danger.

On your own, you're safe.

But I don't care. We're
sticking together.

No! You do what I say!

Everyone does.
That's how it works.

Well, I'm not leaving you
here on your own, so there.

Run!

Come on!

- Come on! Jump!
- I can't!

Come on!

Shut up!

Cut the girl's throat!

Then use the horn to
call everyone here.

No!

Argh!

Time to go.

f*ck, it's a dead end!

sh*t!

Bad luck, Drusus!

A Roman never gives up.

Where's Vistilius?

He slipped off a while ago
with Scipio's wife, Polilla.

Drusus has dropped an
absolute fortune, Antonina.

Put that new beach
house on hold.

Drusus!

Let's raise the maximum,

otherwise, I'll never
get my winnings back.

They're not winnings if
you lost them, technically.

What are you
thinking? 500 a throw?

Let's do 10,000.

Drusus!

You're not some
stupid kid anymore.

You're the general
of the Rhine Army!

Antonina.

Don't ever, ever

talk to your husband like
that in public again.

What's wrong, Stepfather?

You're not scared
of losing, are you?

What's mine is
yours. You know that.

Armies, money, women.

Your throw.

Come on.

We need to find Tiberius.

Vipsania's not here either.

It's an old silver mine.

Tycho, what happened to Piso?

He was alive when I left him.

He told me to look after you.

Thank you. Thank you, Tycho.

I was
sure they'd be here.

There's
someone in my bedroom.

Vistilius!

Oh. Polilla.

Antonia. Antonina.

What are you doing in our room?

I did ask Drusus if he minded.

I left you there
to look after him.

Yes, but he... Uh...

We should go.

Your underwear.

My regards to your husband.

What?

I don't know. Nothing.

Gallus won't let her
see her son anymore.

Tiberius, wake up.

It's Drusus.

Drusus, you have the heart
of a wolf, and I love you.

But that wolf has lost an
unbelievable amount of money

in a very short space of time.

You're right. He has.

But the darkest hour's
just before the dawn.

- No, it isn't.
- Yes, it is.

Stepfather, may...
may I speak to you?

It's fine. Enough dice now.

Oh, come on! Just one more.

One more throw.

All or nothing.

Oh, no.

If I roll a double,
any double, we're even.

Even?

Those odds are
not great, Drusus.

- Six to one.
- But if I don't throw a double,

I will give you six times
what I've already lost.

Be clear. Be very clear.

If you lose this bet,
it will bankrupt you,

and I will take
everything you have

and not think twice
about it ever again.

Neither will I, Stepfather.

I can promise you that.

Is this how you lead my legions?

I've had no complaints.

Unbelievable.

This is the key to
his private code.

I copied it and put
the original back.

I just wanted to ask,

is there any news of Livia?

Strabo will find her.

I'm sure everything's fine.

What?

What do you mean, what?

If you've got something
to say, just say it.

I was thinking
about my daughter...

and this.

All this is because
we k*lled that Vestal.

We didn't k*ll her.

I walled her up and left
her to die in the dark

because you asked me to.

And we're paying for it.

The gods don't care about
you. It's me they want.

Oh, and yet here I am.

They're getting further
away. We should leave.

Antigone told me what
you were really doing...

with the boys.

Getting them to
restore the Republic...

A secret you never
trusted me with.

That secret
can get you k*lled.

I have the right to
be the judge of that!

I k*lled the Spaniard with
my bare f*cking hands!

I earned your trust!

- I set you free!
- Yeah, to do your dirty work!

Well, I release you
from your dirty work.

Go. Go! We're done.

I say when we're done!

I might die today, and
I might die for you,

so you're gonna shut up and
listen to one more thing.

That night after
Agrippa's funeral,

when you had that nightmare
where you couldn't breathe.

It wasn't a nightmare.

It was Tiberius.

Your son had a pillow
jammed over your face.

When I turned up, you'd
stopped breathing,

and if I hadn't dragged
him off, you'd be dead.

And Vipsania just... watched.

Anything else?

Yes. You're making a mistake.

The Republic sucked.

It was corrupt,
and nothing worked!

We are much better off with
a dictator like Augustus,

and so is Rome.

Run!

Ursa.

Wait, wait. Where's Livia?!

Oh, oh, no.

What?

She's leading them
away... from us.

- She's here!
- There she is!

Tycho. Tycho!

Oh, gods!

Livia. Recognize me, lady?

Oh, you knew my
brothers, though.

Varica and Vilbia.

And I hear it was you
who got Vilbia k*lled.

Not interested, no?

Well, I was very fond of Vilbia.

So, in a bit, I'm gonna cut
your guts out while you watch.

Perhaps that might get your
aristocratic attention.

But first, we're gonna f*ck you.

All of us.

f*ck.

Uh... nah.

I'm the daughter of
Marcus Livius Drusus.

I never get f*cked.

What's she doing?

No!

No!

f*ck!

I have a truly
astounding headache.

Julia, you're k*lling yourself.

Yes.

Why is it taking so long?

There she is! Livia!

Wait.

Late again?

You were wrong
about the Republic!

Well, we'll see, won't we?

There
they are! It's them.

Centurion!

Thank the gods.

Centurion!

She's alive!

Lady.

Did you find Piso?

We've taken him to Rome.

Livia's still not here.

Actually, you know what? We
did all right without her.

We made sure Julia
didn't drink too much,

and we kept her out of trouble.

More or less.

Apart from Gracchus.

And we totally shut him up.

And although Drusus made
an absolute a*s of himself,

even that turned out
all right in the end.

- We deserve a drink.
- We do.

It's done.

- You're sure?
- I'm sure.

Don't forget your promises.

I never forget anything.

Everything all right?

It will be.

Just tying up some loose ends.

Tiberius, I know
you won't agree with me,

and Mother never will,

but now is the time to act.

If I bring my legions to Rome

and you bring yours
from the Balkans,

Stepfather will
have to cede power.

We will make him a living
God, which is what he wants,

and cover him in honors
for a happy old age.

If we act together, we
can restore the Republic

without bloodshed or w*r.

But I cannot do it alone.

It will take both
of us together.

An overwhelming show of force.

Think this over.

Give me your answer.

And don't tell Mother or Piso.

Stepfather. People are leaving.

Thank you.

Drusus.

Did you give
Vistilius permission

to fornicate in our bedroom?

Yes.

No? Possibly.
Who can remember?

I love you.

The sl*ves can
change the sheets.

You're gonna have to
do better than that.

It's all over.

Mm.

So I see.

Fabulous dress, Mother.

What did I miss?

Tiberius was brilliant.

We totally got away with it.

I assume there's a sensible
explanation for all this.

Bandits.

Our escort was wiped out,
and Piso badly wounded.

But for now he's alive.

You should not have
looked so shocked

to see Livia alive, my dear.

Hopefully no one else noticed.

Piso.

Hey, you left me to die.

And?

Tycho, you left me
to f*cking die, too.

Good to see you.

Who were they?

Musca and his friends.

Vilbia's brother.

Someone's been
talking about Livia.

That could only have come
from inside the family.

They were very well informed.

There will be a reckoning...
with all of them.

But not yet.

Oh, f*ck!

What do you want?

This is my room, you
weirdo c*cksucker.

Get the f*ck out.

I have a very serious headache.

What the f*ck, Tiberius?

Tiberius!

What the f*ck are you
doing, you f*ck?

He's not here.

So, what did I really miss?

You need to get Drusus
recalled from Germany.

Your mother wants to see
Gaius. Do you know why?

No.

We'll talk tomorrow.

I thought
you wouldn't come.

I'll always come.

I will leave you soon.

Before I go...

I must ask you something.

Anything.

In return for my son's life,

I want you to take the
life of one of Livia's.

Just one, either one.

Tiberius or Drusus...

as a matter of family honor.

I need you to settle
this account for me...

as now, I cannot.