The Wrath of the Iceni (audio story)

The Wrath of the Iceni was the third story in the first series of The Fourth Doctor Adventures.

Publisher's summary
Britain. The height of the Roman occupation. The Doctor has brought Leela to ancient Norfolk to learn about her ancestors...but has not idea how much education she is going to get.

Because this is the time of Boudica's rebellion. When the tribe of the Iceni rises up and attempts to overthrow the Roman masters.

As Leela begins to be swayed by the warrior queen's words, the Doctor has to make a decision: save his friend...or history itself?

Part One
The Doctor and Leela arrive in a field and begin a long walk towards a wood. Leela inquires why they simply do not return to the TARDIS, but the Doctor states that this is part of her education; to locate natives in the locations they visit and ask questions to learn more of her ancestry.

In the wood, a couple of Romans are being stalked by Boudica on horseback. They slay the horse and threaten her life. The Doctor and Leela arrive at this point, the latter of whom joins Boudica's side much to the former's dismay. Boudica uses Leela's convenient arrival as a distraction so she can slay the two Romans. Upon introducing herself as the ruler of the Iceni, the Doctor immediately gains an urge to return to the TARDIS, which both Leela and Boudica refuse. As thanks for Leela's loyalty, Boudica takes her and the Doctor to her tribe and arranges that they be given food and shelter.

Once they are alone, Leela questions the Doctor's urge to leave in the TARDIS so soon. He tells her about the time period - England had been invaded by the Roman empire 17 years prior to the day which they had arrived in. Boudica's husband Prasutagus, the previous ruler of the Iceni, was one of several tribal rulers in Britain who were bought off by the invading Romans. After his death, he left half of his kingdom to the Roman Emperor Nero and the other half to his daughters. However, the Emperor annexed the entire kingdom. When Boudica objected, she was flogged and her daughters were raped in public. The Doctor then tells Leela that the next day, Boudica intended to attack the nearest town with her tribe, which would result in their massacre. Leela reasons that surely they must prevent this, but the Doctor tries to explain that these events are history and cannot be changed. Leela objects and states that these events aren't history; they are here and now, and here and now she decides that she wants to aid the survival of the Iceni tribe. She loses her faith in the Doctor and flees to Boudica. A cook, Bragnar, had overheard their conversation and enters to talk talk to the Doctor. She can't help but believe his words and thinks him to be a seer. She asks if he can save her tribe but the Doctor tells her that it is their destiny, although he considers that he might be able to save her. He decides to take her to the TARDIS and hopes that Leela will come round to her senses in time to leave with them.

Word gets to Boudica that the Doctor and Bragnar are fleeing the tribe and she considers this a sign of treachery, although Leela tries to convince her otherwise. They set off into the forest on horseback and cut them off. Boudica threatens the Doctor's life, but Leela prevents this by claiming that he sees the future and knows that tomorrows' attack on the town will result in their destruction. Boudica decides that the Doctor and Bragnar are instead to be held prisoner to ensure that she will get information out of him to ensure her victory and survival.

Part TWO
to be added

Cast

 * The Doctor - Tom Baker
 * Leela - Louise Jameson
 * Boudica - Ella Kenion
 * Bragnar - Nia Roberts
 * Caedmon/Festucas - Michael Rouse
 * Pacquolas/Man - Daniel Hawksford

Continuity

 * The Doctor refers to their visit to the Morovanian Museum whereas Leela mentions Reginald Harcourt's attempt to drain her mind. (AUDIO: The Renaissance Man)
 * The Doctor's hatred of Morris dancers may be due to the fact that he was once almost killed by a group of them in the English village of Devil's End in the 1970s during his third incarnation. (TV: The Dæmons)
 * The Doctor once again observes that one person is unlikely to make a difference in the grand scheme of things. (AUDIO: The Foe from the Future)
 * Leela tells Boudica that she knows from personal experience that history can be changed. (AUDIO: The Foe from the Future)
 * The notion of saving specific individuals from fixed events allowed the Tenth Doctor to save lives during the eruption of Vesuvius in The Fires of Pompeii. Here the Fourth Doctor saves Bragnar alone as he cannot save all the Iceni.
 * The Doctor refers to his encounter with Harry Houdini. Prior to their arrival in 1963, his first incarnation and his granddaughter Susan Foreman met Houdini in the United States. Houdini taught the Doctor how to perform sleight-of-hand tricks. (PROSE: The Sorcerer's Apprentice)
 * The Doctor refers to the extinction of the dodo in 1681. (PROSE: The Last Dodo)
 * The Doctor suggests to Leela that they take a trip to the 21st century. (AUDIO: Energy of the Daleks)
 * The Doctor would later return to Norfolk in 2011 in the company of Romana. (AUDIO: Ferril's Folly)
 * The Eighth Doctor would later return to Roman Britain in 305 in the company of Charley Pollard. (AUDIO: Seasons of Fear)
 * The Tenth Doctor would encounter Boudica once again in the company of Donna Noble when she was taken out of her own time by Momus who wanted her to help lead Planet 12 of the Ridion Alliance into a new age of enlightenment. The Doctor eventually convinced her to return to her rightful place in Earth's history. (WC: The Lonely Computer)
 * Gaius Calaphilus was among the soldiers who fought "Boudica's wretched Iceni." (PROSE: Byzantium!)
 * Leela tells Boudica that her name has no meaning. However, she would later claim that she named after the greatest warrior in Sevateem history. (AUDIO: The Catalyst, Arbitration, The Abandoned)
 * The renegade Time Lady Iris Wildthyme claimed that she had also been present at the Siege of Colchester. (AUDIO: The Elixir of Doom)