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it is no surprise to me

that these Northmen have arrived in Wessex.

After I heard about their raids into Northumbria,

I realized it was only a matter of time

before they came ashore here.

When I lived at the court of the Emperor Charlemagne,

of long and blessed memory,

these Northmen had already emerged from their lairs

to attack parts of his empire.

And I remember an incident from this period very well.

I was with Charlemagne's party

at a harbor town in southern Gaul.

As we sat eating supper,

a fleet of pirates attacked the harbor.

There was some confusion about their identity,

but from the build of their ships and their speed through the water,

the Emperor recognized them at once as Northmen.

After a lightning attack...

They made their escape.

The Emperor's men took up the chase, but they were soon out-sailed.

Charlemagne rose from the table and stood at the window, facing east.

I remember it as clearly as if it were yesterday.

For a long time, he stood

while the tears poured down his face.

In the end, he said, "Do you know why I weep so bitterly?

"It's not because I'm afraid these ruffians will do me any harm.

"I am sick at heart

"to think that even in my lifetime,

"they have dared to attack this coast.

"And I am horror-stricken when I foresee what evil they will do

"to my descendants and their subjects."

And now, it is our turn to deal with these ruffians.

These pagans.

But deal with them we shall.

And must.

Aethelwulf?

Yes, Father.

I put it in your hands to work with our ealdormen to raise an army.

In the meantime, we shall send spies and others

to observe the size of the raiding party and their intentions.

These Northmen never like to venture far from their ships,

and they prefer not to be drawn into pitched battle.

Let us not be afraid, but rather watchful.

And ultimately, decisive.

As the Emperor was.

What is that place?

It's a Christian church,

a minster.

A large one. It may be Winchester.

Is it important?

If it is Winchester, Saint Birinus is buried there.

It's a place of great pilgrimage.

And will there be treasure there?

Yes. A lot of treasure.

Lagertha!

Why must I follow you up the fields?

You're my wife.

You should be at my side, especially when we have important guests.

I will not stay to hear my son insulted.

Your son should know his place.

He continues to be resentful.

He refuses to accept or acknowledge my love for him.

You don't love my son.

You don't love anyone, Sigvard.

You don't know how to.

Forgive me, Lagertha. I'm an intemperate man.

I find it difficult to control myself.

But I have loved and desired you after my fashion,

and if your son will only meet me halfway,

I will make sure he has a good future.

The alarm!

Inside, now!

Ready?

Weapons!

Could be a trap.

Shield-wall!

Open.

Where have they all gone?

There should be treasure.

He said there would be treasure.

Why do you always listen to him?

Where is it?

It's over there.

This? This is not treasure.

This is an empty wooden table.

You are mistaken, King Horik.

The treasure is here.

You're standing on it.

You were right!

Look, it's treasure!

How did you know?

It is a Christian habit

to bury the bones of the revered dead beneath the altar.

Ragnar!

Let me see that.

Who was this?

It must be Saint Birinus.

You keep talking to me like I know what a saint is.

A saint is a man who has lived a particularly holy life,

performed some miracle,

or been martyred, killed, for their beliefs.

It's all gold!

But I am dead. What use can I be?

Christians believe that the bones can still exert benediction.

Can perform miracles.

What is a miracle?

Miracles are things which are impossible to do.

Take it all.

It's heavy.

Wait.

What do they want?

No! Stop!

You speak our language. How?

It doesn't matter. Just do as I say. Hide.

Hide, or they will kill you. You're one of us.

Once. Then, I will tell you this.

One day, you will be caught.

We will catch you and crucify you,

for an apostate is the lowest and the vilest of all creatures

in the eyes of God.

Oh.

What will happen to him?

You just wait and see, Priest.

More treasure!

Here!

Is he still talking?

Tough old goat.

Erlendur, quiet him. Right in his mouth.

Suffer no more, but trust in thy salvation.

Mother, why would you allow him to do that to you?

What are you talking about?

Your husband, Earl Sigvard.

I saw him.

Bjorn, please.

Please what?

Has he hit you before?

Will you let him hit you again?

It will never happen again.

If it does, I'll kill him.

I said it won't.

What would Ragnar say?

What has it to do with your father? Nothing.

Sometimes I think of him.

I miss him. I can't help it.

Of course not. You're his son.

You must always be proud.

As should you, for being his wife.

Another son?

Yes.

What is his name?

Sigurd, after my father.

Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye.

Close the gate!

Your Majesty, you have heard of the attack on Winchester?

Of course.

I grieve..

The martyrdom of my fellow bishop, Bishop Swithern.

A fine Christian.

Praise be to God.

There are those who ask why we did not do more

to protect our brothers and sisters at such an important site.

Are there?

What answer did you give them, My Lord Eadric?

Perhaps he did not have an answer.

I've never found Lord Eadric to be at a loss for words.

I confess, Sire, that in this case, it's true.

I had no ready answer.

No, because it's always easier to be wise after the fact, is it not?

My kingdom is very large.

There are many important sites.

Could I protect all of them? No.

Did I want to discover where the pagans would strike?

Yes.

For now I know where they are.

So Bishop Swithern was a necessary sacrifice.

As a man of God, I assumed he welcomed the opportunity for martyrdom.

Or do you disagree? Oh, no, Sire.

All of the cloth would welcome martyrdom in the cause of our faith,

service of our lord Jesus Christ.

Good.

Because I'm going to offer you precisely that same opportunity,

My Lord Bishop.

And, I trust, very soon.

It's times like this I miss our friend Arne.

He could always make us laugh.

Even in the darkest moments.

Now, he's making the gods laugh.

That's why they took him from us, 'cause they were jealous.

Speaking of gods...

I have something for you, Athelstan.

Don't you want it?

Are these not the images of your god?

I told you before, and I will tell you again.

My god is Odin, the Allfather.

I know you've told me.

Only, I don't believe you.

And this?

Ragnar gave me this.

Wearing a dog turd doesn't make you a dog.

Oh!

I have something else for you.

The hand of your holy man, I believe.

So tell me, how do you find England?

It is a pleasant land,

rich with treasure.

You are right. This land is rich.

But here, here is the real treasure.

Earth?

Have you not seen? Everywhere we go, there are crops.

There is food growing.

I am a farmer and the son of a farmer,

and this is what I understand.

Compared to our poor countries where it is hard to farm,

hard to live,

here, it is easy.

If we lived here, we could feed everybody. There would be no hunger.

I like your thinking, but here is my question.

Will the Saxons simply invite us to live among them?

Hmm?

Friends, family, what's left of it,

so, lam married for the second time.

As most of you know, my first marriage lasted less than an hour,

because my own brother poisoned the drinks that day.

Of course, the same thing can never happen twice,

so let the wine be poured.

Now, who will be the first to drink in celebration?

I will.

No. No, I could not bear it. Not a second time.

Let me taste the wine.

That's good enough.

I have something else important to say.

I don't wish to dampen the celebrations,

but you all know that the agreement between myself,

King Horik and Ragnar Lothbrok has been broken.

They have gone raiding west without me, without us,

which is an insult not only to myself, but to all of you.

And now, also to my wife and to my wife's family.

I have to do something about this insult.

Frankly, I blame King Horik more for what has happened,

but at the same time consider what is happening to Earl Ragnar's lands.

He has abandoned them

to the care of his wife and his drunken brother.

In order to punish those who have insulted me and my family,

I declare today that I will seek vengeance against Ragnar Lothbrok.

By all our gods, I swear that we will seize all his lands,

and that I will repay his brother's treachery with the ax.

Who can speak to us?

I can.

I have been sent here by Ecbert, King of Wessex.

The King regrets your attack on the holy church at Winchester.

He wonders how much longer you intend to remain in his kingdom.

Well, that depends.

Upon what?

Upon what he'll offer us to leave.

Or what he'll offer us to stay.

Stay?

Yes, we want to make peace with the King.

Peace.

So we don't have to kill any more of you.

I will relay your message to the King.

Not hungry, Bjorn?

No.

Any reason?

No reason.

Are you unhappy?

What can I do to make you happy?

Shall I raid one of my unsuspecting neighbors,

so you can show off your fighting skills?

And maybe slaughter them all?

Show that you are truly the son of Ragnar Lothbrok?

No, believe me,

I do not like to see you so solemn.

So tell me, what can I do?

You can let me go live in a cabin in the mountains.

By yourself? In the mountains? Yes.

I'd like to test myself.

Get away from all this.

All these servants. All these people doing everything for us.

I want to know what is essential to life.

What is really important.

Will you let me?

No. Of course not.

I am the earl here.

What would folk think if I let my beloved stepson starve

or freeze to death in some mountain pigsty?

You understand that, don't you, my boy?

In any case,

I have solemnly sworn to Lagertha that I shall take care of you.

And I will.

Rollo!

Rollo, wake up. What?

What is it? There are boats.

Who are they?

I think I can guess.

Go back to the town.

Find anyone who can fight.

Anyone who can hold a weapon.

We're under attack.

Rollo, what is it? What is happening?

Jarl Borg. He has come back to attack us.

Jarl Borg?

I'm sure it is him.

Ragnar and King Horik broke their agreement with him.

He has returned to gain his revenge.

What are we going to do?

What do you think we're going to do?

We're going to fight.

Come. Go! Go!

Torfin! Olaf! One of you on each flank.

Help with the barricades.

Ragnar has taken all of the best fighting men.

Look what we have left.

What are you doing?

What does it look like?

Not you. You are not a shield-maiden.

You're not... Lagertha.

Siggy, I need you to go back to the Great Hall.

Find Princess Aslaug and her children,

and take them up into the mountains.

And then what? Wait.

For what?

For whatever the gods have decided is about to happen.

Now go.

Come on.

This way. To the mountains.

This way. Go, Hvitserk. Run. Quickly.

Sail down!

Row! Row!

Stay strong!

Don't make it easy for them!

Light the fires!

Archers!

Oars!

Hold your places!

Jump ship!

Go!

As fast as you can! Shields!

Rollo!

Fall back!

Fall back!

Back to the marketplace.

Move!

That's right, Rollo, run!

Run, like you always do.

Loose!

Loose!

Shield-wall!

You can't win, Rollo!

There is no disgrace in the eyes of the gods to save yourself

for another day, Rollo.

Your first duty is to try and save the sons of Ragnar.

Surrender!

Rollo,

let me speak for the gods,

for I will shortly join them in their bright halls.

But you, you have other work to do here.

Go.

I will tell the gods what you have done.

Now do you surrender?

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