Original subtitles

More than a thousand years ago on the vast plains of Siberia...

A nomadic people divided themselves into tribes, and spread to the West

A people whose name aroused terror: The Tartars.

Overcoming with ferocity any obstacle, these barbaric and pitiless horsemen...

Soon spread into Russia, and flooded it with destruction and ruin.

Driven by a desire for conquest...

They now massed their forces along the banks of the Volga...

Where they settled for the time being.

But on the same immense river lived another people: The Vikings...

Who, having conquered the Northern lands, now practised agriculture and commerce.

The antagonism between the two peoples, who differed in race and culture...

Was an ever-present threat. And when the inevitable clash occurred...

The heroic Viking resistance would be a shield against the invasion of the Tartars...

And on that day, they would be driven back to the distant steppe from whence they came.

A ship! A ship has arrived

- Oleg has arrived with his Vikings. - Very well, you may go!

Play some music!

Samia! Come here!

Samia, my daughter... Oleg is coming. Get changed and come back here quickly!

- Is everything ready? - Yes, Togrul.

Do you think that we should demand his help?

Demand? Convince him, I would say.

Welcome, Oleg! We are always happy to see you.

And we render homage to you, Togrul.

- This is my daughter Samia. - I'm pleased to meet you. It's a great honour.

She is very beautiful.

My brother Erik... He came from the North to be here with me.

He is also welcome!

They believe that fire removes the evil spirits.

I ask you to accept this gift from me, and from my brother.

Splendid! I thank you, and also your brother.

Bring the casket!

Put it there!

Oleg, the day that we have long awaited now draws near.

Burundai has almost completed the preparations.

When I return, we will attack the Slavic tribe.

Will you allow your ships to carry our men along the river, beyond their encampment?

Your assistance will be repaid with all the gold that you see before you.

It is a great offer that we are making you. Our victory cannot fail!

Their destruction will be complete!

There is a pact of blood and friendship between my people and the Slavic tribe.

For more than a hundred years there has been no war between us...

And you ask me to attack them.

You hope that with my help, you can massacre all of them.

There is no amount of gold that could buy such treachery.

We allowed you to live on our lands...

Out of friendship, we traded with you...

For years we have asked nothing in exchange...

This is our first request... And you talk to me of treachery?

It is even worse than treachery!

It is a cowardly request, unworthy of ordinary people!

Let's leave, Erik!

Curse you!

- Take this! - Watch out, Oleg!

- Stop! - Let go of her!

Come with me!

- My father! - Go! To the horses!

- Take the girl! - Come on! - No! No!

Let go of me! No! Let go of me!

No! Let go of me!

Chu Ling... I entrust Samia to you.

Save her, and bring her back.

Avenge Togrul!

Everyone to horse! After them!

Free Samia!

- Open the gate! - Open it!

The Tartars attacked us.

Some of our men were killed.

Togrul, their chief, is dead.

This is his daughter, Samia.

She will remain with us, safe and respected, so that their hordes will not attack us.

Erik!

Take her to Lusca!

Bring the symbol!

We must stay alert.

No-one leaves without my permission.

Tucran!

Take this to the chief of the Slavs!

Tell them that the Tartars are preparing to attack!

And tell them that they have our support, if needed!

Come, Helga.

No!

She is savage and treacherous, like her father.

Here, you have nothing to fear.

Murderer! I know very well what you mean by "nothing to fear".

But you will learn what we mean about the honour of the Vikings!

Lusca will take care of you.

Be careful not to lose sight of her.

- What news? - Good and bad, Burundai.

To you, our supreme commander.

May your dominion be long and glorious!

But then... .

Togrul!

Your brother was killed by the Vikings.

- Who dared do this? - Oleg himself.

- Oleg? - Yes, and Samia is a prisoner.

I will destroy him... Oleg. I swear it!

And with him... All his people.

Chu Ling!

Chu Ling...

You were the wise counsellor of my brother.

Now you must give me your counsel.

What I want... Is to eradicate their fort from the earth.

- Even if it should cost the life of Samia. - To wait, Burundai, is often the best tactic.

- The Viking has killed my brother! - But Samia is the blood of your brother!

And remember that you promised her in marriage to the Grand Khan.

- Wait, Burundai! - It is I who am your Khan, Chu ling... Be careful!

I am your Khan.

Honour to our Khan! Honour to our Khan!

Honour to our Khan!

Oleg has sent you this.

He has ordered that you be treated as the daughter of a great chief.

I do not accept gifts from the one who has killed my father!

Oleg!

Erik is certainly not the strongest...

But he is very agile.

You go there and hold him fast. Eh?

Whack! Take that! Die!

Well done! What a warrior!

Woe to the Tartars who attack us!

Oleg, I cannot leave you now.

No, be calm. Now that Togrul is dead...

They will again return to their plans of war.

Do you want me to take Grisha to his grandfather?

This is not a suitable place for an orphan child.

Yes, but here with us, he wil be safe. You know that

Besides... How would I manage to defend the fort without him?

Death to the Tartars!

Go, and come back soon!

- Goodbye, Erik. - Goodbye, Helga.

- The Gods will accompany you! - Bye, Grisha.

Have a safe journey. I entrust you to one of my best captains.

He is courageous and experienced.

I am so very sad.

It is the first time we have been parted since our marriage.

It's only for a short while, and then the homecoming will be even more joyous.

Oleg, do not challenge the Gods.

Go now.

- Keep watch over her, Sven. - Certainly Oleg... Lower the sail!

Are you sewing a jacket for Oleg?

- Yes, working for him comforts me. I feel less homesick. - I understand.

- I hope the wind will lift, and we'll travel faster. - I hope so too.

I wish that we were already returning.

Harder with the oars! Go on!

- It's better to fight than to rot in this fort. - You're right.

- We have seen shadows on the far shore! - What are they?

Perhaps the Tartar scouts have reached this far.

Double the sentries and send a man to guard Samia!

Tartars, without doubt.

He's dead... Curse them!

Put two men on lookout! You, to the palisades!

Pratil and Sogrun, to the tower! You two! Take him away!

- It's good to be on guard, eh! - Yes, Oleg.

Night after night, I come to see you...

Why do you not speak to me?

Perhaps because I have memories of a father, lost for all time...

And I can never forget... That it was your brother who killed him!

Your father is dead... But he attacked us first!

Oleg is my brother and my chief.

For us, the law of Oleg, is the law of God.

I know well, that whoever touches you will pay with his life.

But I don't care... I would risk everything for you.

No!

As long as you are here...

I will have no peace.

I love you, Samia.

Whatever you want... However things are... I love you.

You will not learn how hard to pull, unless you choose a target!

Come on! Aim at me!

You, hurry up!

Come on, try and hit me!

Erik! You try it now! Let's see if you know how to do it!

To the left!

Not bad. You go over there... And try not to be hit!

Move it!

There!

Look out!

It's slightly off, eh!

A ship, coming from the North... It looks like Sven's!

You, come with me!

The Tartars attacked us. Everyone is dead!

Oleg!

Oleg!

Helga's ship has returned... But she's not on board!

Oleg...

Of Helga there is no sign.

This jacket that she was sewing for you, is all that remains of her.

Courage, Oleg. The Gods will not abandon you, you'll see.

These are the women who were on the Viking ship.

I want to see their faces.

You!

Approach my throne!

Come to me!

Are you afraid? Answer when I speak to you!

A Viking woman has no fear!

I did not answer you, because I did not think that you were talking to me.

I thought that you were talking to your dog!

How many ships do your people have on the river?

How many Vikings arrived from the North?

Be careful, my patience has its limits.

They say that the Vikings punish anyone who dares to kill a woman.

With respect to the Gods, I will protect you...

But only if you tell me what I want to know.

How many ships do the Vikings have?

How many men defend the fort?

You will learn nothing from us... Neither of our ships, nor of our men!

Nothing!

You will see how easily torture can change one's mind.

Who are you who speaks in the name of the other one?

I am Helga.

I am the wife of Oleg!

- The wife of Oleg?! - Burundai!

You do not need to know anything else.

This means that it will now be easy to free Samia.

The wife of a great Viking chieftain, is welcome amongst us.

Let her, therefore, be given the respect that is due to her rank.

Now then...

How many Viking ships arrived at the fort from the North?

What do you want?

- I have a message for Oleg. - Follow me!

Wait here!

Chu Ling has arrived. Perhaps he will have news of Helga.

Let him enter!

Where is my wife?

She is alive and well. Burundai will return her in exchange for Samia...

If you will bring her, safe and well, to the citadel.

How do I know that you speak the truth?

We value Samia, as much as you value your wife.

- Beware, Oleg! You know how treacherous he is. - Be quiet, Sigrun!

- We will wait only two days... From now. - Very well.

Now go!

Burundai wishes for you to be guest of honour at his banquet.

Is this just a request... Or a command?

Whatever the case, it is his wish.

And if I refuse?

Your wishes will be respected, but...

I want you to remember that you are not the only Viking woman held prisoner. Burundai... .

Even if I agreed, their destiny would not change.

Often we are obliged to do things that do not please us.

I humbly advise you to acquiesce.

Render homage to our Khan, Burundai...

May happiness gladden all the days of his life!

Honour to our Khan!

May the heavens grant ever greater expansion to his dominion...

And allow his faithful subjects to always enjoy a life of plenty!

May the God of War put his enemies to flight...

Welcoming the sacrifice of fire, that we offer to him.

Honour to our Khan!

I drink this cup of wine in honour of the Gods.

We Tartars keep our word.

I am happy to see you.

Drink, Helga. Soon there will be peace between our two peoples...

And by the next moon, you will return to the arms of your husband.

Hey! What are you doing? Where are you taking me?

Let me go... Let me go!

Burundai, Samia will not be returned to us, if you do not respect this Viking woman.

Show respect to me, and go! I am your Khan.

Certainly you are my Khan, and I honour and respect you. But this I cannot forget:

That your brother, dying, entrusted his daughter to me.

Samia must become the bride of the Grand Khan.

Enough!

Let me go! No!

Cowards!

No! No! Oleg!

Samia...

Erik...

My love... This is the last night that we will spend together.

No, no. I will never let that happen. We belong to each other.

Nothing can separate us.

But what can we do?

We have the right to defend our happiness.

We'll go away together... Far from those who would separate us.

- But where will we go? - To the North... Where I was born.

Where we will build a new life... And a house for the little ones that you will bear me.

- Yes. Yes, Erik, it will be beautiful, but... - But what?

Don't fool yourself, it's impossible.

Above all, we must separate so that Helga can be set free.

- No! - Yes, Erik!

Oleg is your brother and your chief.

It is written in your laws...

That you should give him your respect and your loyalty.

- We must surrender to the inevitable. - I will not give you up.

Once the exchange has taken place, you can run away to the forest.

I will wait for you every night... We will flee together.

It seems so simple.

- Too good to be true. - It can be true...

If we want it with all our heart.

And then the Grand Khan will no longer wish to marry you...

Now that you carry in your belly, the son of a Viking.

I'm going to bring back Helga.

If by the new moon, I have not returned here... Gather everyone, burn the fort...

And return North with the ships! Sigrun, bring Samia!

Let's go!

Oleg left the fort at dawn.

- And the princess Samia? - She is with him.

Let the Viking woman be made ready for the exchange!

Bring her.

Halt!

I salute you, Oleg, in the name of my lord.

My escort goes with me to the citadel!

Burundai wants to see you alone!

- Don't trust him. - Don't go there, Oleg!

Why not? Burundai does not frighten me.

- Show me the way! - Come!

Stay here and wait for me. Be prepared for any eventuality.

If I should not return, kill the hostage!

So the Viking wolf has entered the den of the Tartar bear.

With that axe, you killed my brother!

And I must avenge his death.

But I will spare you, if you accept the proposal that I offer you...

Rather than death.

Friendship is sacred, and should not be betrayed!

- But you cannot understand that. - Friendship?

Be our ally, and you will have the honour of victory, and a share of the booty.

Or do you prefer the friendship... Of miserable shepherds, to that...

- Of the Tartars? - You are a wretch, Burundai!

No Viking will ever bend to your wishes...

- Not even with your threats, or your bribery. - Oleg...

I will destroy you.

You may destroy me...

But you will never destroy my people.

- Bring me Samia! - Not here. Outside the walls.

Let him see Helga, on top of the battlements.

Come forward!

Water...

Water...

Helga...

There's Oleg.

There's your husband.

Helga! Helga!

Helga!

Oleg...

Helga!

Oleg!

Oleg!

Helga...

My love... My love!

Hold them back until I get her to safety!

Go!

Gather all the tribes. I want to destroy the Viking fort!

Don't attack Oleg. Perhaps you may still be able to save Samia.

Great events await us. What matters the life of one girl?

It will not change the course of my destiny.

Samia... Is the promised wife of the Grand Khan of Tartary.

If you dare to challenge him... His wrath would be terrible.

When I have conquered the West, all the World will be at my feet.

And then my wrath will be terrible, Chu Ling!

Chu Ling!

Chu Ling!

Chu Ling!

We are home again, Oleg?

Yes, Helga... We're home.

Oleg...

It was Burundai.

He drugged me, then...

He gave me to his men.

Oleg...

I couldn't... .

Oleg... Oleg...

Kiss me!

- This woman is to be out in chains! - No, Oleg.

You must not be cruel. Even if it seems wrong, I love her.

I want her to be my wife. Spare her, Oleg!

- I beg you! Spare her! - Why should I spare her?

Because she will be the mother of my child!

Then even you... Will be submitted to judgement! Take him away!

Helga...

Burundai! Chu Ling was fleeing to the East!

We surprised him crossing the river!

You have decided to leave me, Chu Ling.

Where were you going?

Did you intend to sow lies about me at the court of the Grand Khan?

How did you dare to imagine that I would have permitted this?

You won't be able to stop me, Burundai... Unless you decide to kill me.

And why shouldn't I? You leave me no choice.

I am now on the threshold of great glory.

- What does your life matter to me? - Less than nothing...

And nothing matters to me.

No-one is the master of their own destiny. .

And death comes to all, Burundai.

- You almost seem to want it. - I don't want it.

- I follow my destiny. - Destiny?

Yours, wretch, will only take you into nothingness; Mine takes me upwards...

- Towards greatness! - Not upwards, Burundai. But to the depths!

You will be hurled into the lowest depths... Into the darkness...

Into a lake of blood.

You will drown in blood!

You try my patience.

Would you use this language if you were speaking to the Grand... Khan?

I don't think so.

You would not dare to look him in the eyes, in the way that you look at me now!

Stand back!

I want to see what level of prostration this great sage uses...

When he wishes to honour me.

In the presence of this other Khan, who is still called Grand...

You would surely kow-tow.

Is that not so, Chu Ling?

You would throw yourself on your knees, and even prostrate yourself on the earth...

Beating your head against the floor.

Is that not true, perhaps, Chu Ling?

Come on, I want to see you perform a kow-tow...

In my honour.

Behold then, Chu Ling. And now, since your head is at my feet. .

Now you render homage... To the Grand Khan.

Sigrun.

Now it's war.

You know my orders.

Remove the women and children from the fort!

You heard.

We must warn our people in the countryside and on the farms.

You Sigor! You Beckes! And you Lette! You must ride through our territory!

Tell the Vikings to gather here at the fort. Tell them what has happened.

The women and children must leave for the North. Go!

You women! Prepare what you will need for the journey!

You too! Get ready! Go!

Meanwhile, we'll get the weapons ready. Double the guards on the palisades!

The law is the shield of liberty.

My brother Erik, has disobeyed me. He has transgressed.

Samia, as hostage, has no more value... And the war is bearing down...

On our peaceful people.

It is for you to judge!

Erik must die!

I watched you grow up, Oleg... You and your brother.

I know you too well... I do not have the courage to condemn him.

The Tartars... The Tartars are here! Alarm! Alarm!

- The Tartars are attacking! - Everyone to the palisades!

- Go! Quickly! - They are coming!

The Gods have offered you a way to redeem yourself.

- Do not disappoint them. - Thank you brother. - Let's go!

Hurry! Hurry!

You go there!

Move the catapult!

Again... Stop!

Erik... Take Samia... Flee!

Flee to the ship!

- Is Samia safe? - In there, quickly!

Come, my love!

Row!

Put your backs to the oars!

ENGLISH SUBTITLES BY MGE;-)