The summer of 376 AD. The Gothic female warrior Elja is forced to give in to the marauding Huns and to seek shelter for herself and her clan in the Roman empire. Once at the border they must wait for orders and provisions from the Roman authorities. Elja tries to understand the Roman plans in spite of the language barrier. Reluctantly Elja must hand over her sword as the Roman general Cossus tells her that, being a woman, she will never be accepted as a warrior in Rome. She feels helplessly at the mercy of her alleged allies and their laws. Why is she being treated like a prisoner of war? Why can't she travel onwards with her clan? What will happen when the Huns reach their camp? The Gothic faith - and in turn Elja's entire identity - is put to the test. When Cossus surprisingly calls upon the Gothic clan leaders tempers reach their boiling point and the situation escalates.