Original subtitles

(IF I HAD A HEART PLAYING)

More, give me more Give me more

If I had a heart I could love you

If I had a voice I would sing

After the night When I wake up

I'll see What tomorrow brings

(VOCALIZING)

If I had a voice I would sing

(PRIEST PRAYING IN LATIN)

(EXHALES)

(ALL MURMURING)

Look, he's come back to us! (CHUCKLES)

Who you burying in such fine style?

Your brother.

(EXHALES SHARPLY)

How did he die?

JUDITH: No one knows.

It was so sudden, Alfred, he...

One moment he was well and then he collapsed, and...

It was terrible.

I can't believe this.

Thank God, you've recovered!

We were so scared to lose the both of you.

(SOBBING)

Hail and farewell, my brother.

(SNIFFLES)

Hail and farewell.

(EXHALES)

(WIND HOWLING)

(MAN COUGHING)

(WIND HOWLING)

(THUNDER RUMBLING) HELGI: Father!

Father! Father!

Mother!

(SHIVERING)

Helgi. My son! (GASPS)

My son! Father.

EYVIND: My son! RAFARTA: My boy!

RAFARTA: Oh!

(SHIVERS)

(BREATHING HEAVILY) RAFARTA: Helgi!

EYVIND: Ketill, my friend.

Come.

Come. You see how I am? Come, let me thank you.

RAFARTA: Oh, thank the gods!

EYVIND: You have saved us.

You had no cause to do it, but you have done it.

Floki was right.

We have all changed.

My friend.

(EYVIND SOBS)

(THUNDER RUMBLING)

I wish we had something to celebrate with.

FLOKI: Oh, we do.

So let's celebrate.

(GIGGLES)

(INHALES DEEPLY)

Thank you.

(DRUMS BEATING RHYTHMICALLY)

(INDISTINCT TALKING)

MAN: Make way.

(DRUMS STOP BEATING)

My people.

You are all welcome to the Thing.

It is important to us

that everyone here feels involved

in the life of our great town.

Kattegat is grown.

It is now a huge trading station.

The greatest trading station in Scandinavia.

(INDISTINCT TALKING)

Kattegat has changed since my father's time.

In those days, he knew everyone

and he was happy to share his power

with those he knew and trusted, of course.

My father gave me this responsibility

and our father, Odin, gave me this responsibility.

I've accepted it, and I ask you to trust me.

We cannot allow everyone to vote

on everything which affects our kingdom.

We have a duty to protect it. I have a duty to protect it.

So, we have to change the rules.

What are you doing?

Packing your things, my dear.

Your husband is dead, you've no reason to remain here,

unless of course, you are with child.

Otherwise you must return home

to your mother, I really am very sorry.

I don't think you're sorry at all.

I think that you control everything that happens here.

If only that were true.

You don't seem very sorry that my husband and your son died so suddenly.

And I don't know what to make of that.

You don't need to make anything of that, my dear child.

Life is complicated enough,

and you are young enough to find another husband.

Well, then I hope his mother is nothing like you.

My dear, he should be so lucky.

People I trust, will vote on land issues,

matrimonial matters, murder inquiries.

Things that you do not need to worry about.

Because I will take care of you.

I will lead you!

Now, what is truly important is to know who we are

and who is with us and who is against us.

And we know who we are, don't we?

ALL: Yeah!

IVAR: Yes, we do.

So, now, it is time to find out those

who threaten us, who is against us.

Maybe it is your neighbor.

Perhaps it is someone you know.

A family member.

A brother.

A son.

They talk about me.

They whisper that I am the enemy.

But, of course, they are the enemy.

They want to destroy our kingdom.

They want to encourage our enemies to attack us

and invade us. Is that what you want?

ALL: No!

Do you want me to protect you?

ALL: Yes.

Do you want me to destroy them?

ALL: Yes!

IVAR: Yes!

(CROWD SHOUTING)

Yes!

MAN: Destroy them.

Yes.

ALL: (CHANTING) Ivar, the Boneless! Ivar, the Boneless!

Why is Elsewith not here?

And Ethelfled?

I thought we should talk. You and I.

It's not been easy since you fell sick.

I had to deal with the traitors.

They were still plotting against you.

Perhaps they still are.

(EXHALES)

And...

I had to deal with your brother.

My brother?

What exactly does that mean?

It means...

His death wasn't natural.

You had better explain.

And quickly.

He had plotted against you before, Alfred, he told me.

He confessed.

And then he said he would never plot against you again,

but I satisfied myself he was lying.

I knew, as long as he was alive, he would do anything.

Join any plot, any conspiracy

that promised to make him king.

He thought you had usurped him,

and he could never, ever forgive you.

So?

I poisoned him.

I killed one of my sons

to save the other.

May God forgive me.

(CHAIR CLATTERS)

(ALFRED PANTING)

(YELLS)

(SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY)

(CLATTERING)

(BREATHES HEAVILY)

Can we talk now?

You've awoken from a long sleep

and seemed to have forgotten that you're a king.

You are behaving as if you were an ordinary person.

You grieve as if you were an ordinary person.

You show your feelings

as if you were an ordinary person,

but all of that must stop.

A king cannot be like an ordinary person,

must not behave or have feelings like an ordinary person.

A king must be prepared to do the most terrible things.

Things against all conscience,

if he wants to survive.

(SHEEP BLEATING)

(DUCKS QUACKING)

(EXHALES)

(THORA EXHALES)

You saw them?

FREYDIS: Saw who?

Hvitserk and that girl.

He hates me.

I ought to have him killed.

If I can order the death of my own brother,

then who else will dare stand against me?

I think that would be a mistake.

Why?

Ivar, you are a god.

And a merciful god

will always be more popular among the common people

than a vengeful god, like Odin.

Wouldn't you rather be loved, than feared?

I don't know.

I'm not sure.

(WAVES CRASHING)

(MAN COUGHS)

(SIGHS)

FLOKI: Why aren't you getting ready?

We have to leave.

Yes, Floki, we are ready.

Come on, you old witch.

What? Why did you say that?

Because it's true. You're a witch and a murderess.

And you deserve to die!

What are you doing? HELGI: Mother!

(EYVIND SCREAMS)

FLOKI: Stop! FRODI: Don't you worry, Floki.

We're doing this for love. For the love of my brother and sister.

No!

(GRUNTS)

Stop this now! (GRUNTS)

MAN: Don't move, Floki.

No! Don't touch her. She never killed anyone.

(GRUNTS) (SCREAMS)

Ketill, this is madness!

No, I've thought about this a long time, Floki.

FLOKI: Please!

(YELLS)

(SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY)

EYVIND: I should have known.

Always the good man!

Arse-licker.

I should've known you were more ambitious than me.

My only ambition is revenge.

(SOBBING) FLOKI: Ketill.

Leave Eyvind and Helgi outside.

Let's deal with them in the morning.

(GRUNTS)

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

(FLOORBOARD CREAKS) (GRUNTS)

(SIGHS)

Sorry to startle you...

But I have been thinking about you, my dear brother.

What have you been thinking?

I have been thinking

that you can make yourself more useful to me.

It concerns me that...

You have no proper role here,

that you live such an empty and idle life.

After all, you are my brother and I love you.

So, how could I make myself useful?

You could leave Kattegat.

Go on a diplomatic trip to the Great Hall of King Olaf, the Stout.

You will cement our alliance,

help him prepare for our springtime attacks on York and Wessex.

And if I refuse?

I don't want to leave Kattegat.

I'm afraid you cannot refuse.

What is your name?

Thora. Thora!

My brother has been remiss in not introducing us.

He seems very fond of you.

We love each other.

Hmm.

That is good.

That is good, Hvitserk.

It would be a pity if I had to burn her alive.

You wouldn't do that, brother.

Now, would you?

(IVAR CHUCKLES)

No.

No, I wouldn't...

Not if you agreed to leave Kattegat first thing in the morning.

Hmm?

HELGI: I'm sorry.

I'm sorry I put them here.

(SOBS) I didn't know.

EYVIND: Don't snivel.

What difference does it make?

We're all just meat.

It all goes to nothing.

(SOBBING)

I don't understand.

KETILL: Of course you do.

Do you really suppose I could forgive them?

I thought it was possible.

Otherwise, I wouldn't have come all the way here.

You had me believing again, Ketill.

We are what we are, Floki.

And the gods have made us so.

You can't kill Helgi.

None of this is his fault.

He loved your daughter, and he's a good man.

Spare him, at least.

Maybe I will, Floki.

If Helgi is still alive in the morning,

we could consider saving him.

I agree.

It would make us all feel better.

BJORN: Shield wall.

(ALL SHOUTING)

ALL: Up on the overturned keel

Clamber with hearts of steel

Cold is the ocean's spray

Your death is on its way

And your death is on its way

Your death is on its way

(GRUNTING)

(CROWD CHEERING)

Yeah!

Look at her.

Yes.

(MEN JEERING)

MAN: Be a man!

(INDISTINCT TALKING)

King Harald? GUNNHILD: Who's next?

Bjorn Ironside.

Come on!

We need to make a plan. I'm growing impatient.

You don't mean to sail at this time of the year, surely?

It is exactly what I intent to do.

Ivar will not be expecting our arrival.

GUNNHILD: Stand up and fight.

But this time of the year, there are many storms at sea.

Are you telling me you have no fear of these storms?

That you cannot imagine that our fleet will flounder?

I have no doubt that we will have safe passage.

How can you be so sure?

My father told me.

Your father?

You mean Ragnar? Ragnar told you?

Yes. He spoke to me in a dream.

MAN: Ah, finally, a proper fight!

Don't you ever dream?

MEN: Yeah!

(ALL CHEERING)

Your father loved Ivar, everyone knows that.

He chose Ivar. He chose me.

I'm his eldest son.

Kattegat belongs to me.

Huh.

I had an arrangement with Ivar that, after his death,

I would be king of Kattegat.

Well, then we will make the same arrangement.

Easy for you to say, Bjorn.

But what can you swear on to persuade me to believe you?

My sacred arm ring, of course.

MAN: You fight like an old woman.

And then on the life of my intended wife Gunnhild.

GUNNHILD: Fight me, you weak men!

She must agree and swear to the gods

that once I die, you will become king.

Whether or not she'll want to marry you

will be of no further consequence to me.

I'll be dead. WOMAN: Weakling.

But for now, King Harald...

You must give the orders and start preparing your ships.

What an exciting world we live in.

What an exciting world!

(CROWD SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY)

You will have your ships, Bjorn Ironside.

MEN: Yeah!

KETILL: Up on the overturned keel

Clamber with hearts of steel

Cold is the ocean's spray

Your death is on its way

And your death is on its way

(KETILL CHUCKLES)

KETILL: Lower your head, old man.

The ax is coming.

Don't be afraid.

(SHIVERING)

I am not afraid.

FRODI: Move. Move!

Move!

Floki.

I want to live.

I've never done anything against Ketill.

I was always more on his side

than Eyvind and surely he knows that.

He does know it.

FRODI: Come outside, Helgi.

KETILL: Be strong though rain beats down

Upon your balding crown

With maidens, you had your way

Each must die someday

And each must die someday

(WIND HOWLING)

(CAWING)

MESSENGER: Out of the way!

(GRUNTS) (DUCKS QUACKING)

(PANTING) My Lord!

The ships of a large Viking army

have been seen in West Wales.

If they continue their course,

they will arrive at our borders in a matter of days.

Summon a Witan.

(CHURCH BELLS TOLLING)

Who are they?

ALFRED: We think they are Danes.

They've sailed from their base in Dublin across to Cornwall

with at least 300 ships.

Hmm.

You've talked to the Witan,

you've talked to your nobles, are they prepared?

How many warriors can they put on the field?

About 2,000.

The Danes will have 1,000 more warriors.

I will ride myself with the head of the army to inspire our forces.

I also believe that I have some good commanders.

The Danes won't be frightened

to see you with the head of the army.

Believe me. And why do you say that?

I have a terrible habit of telling the truth.

Very well. Then what do you advise?

I advise you make me the head of your army.

I think you should listen to me.

Words are fine, but they don't win battles.

If you make me the head of the army,

I will find a way of dealing with the Danes.

Otherwise, you have no hope.

(SIZZLES)

Why do you sneak up on me?

Why do you stay in the shadows?

You're a king.

What do you want to say?

(HARALD CHUCKLES)

I just, um...

Wanted to remind you

that fate has brought us together.

(EXHALES)

You yourself said as much...

While you were still married.

I said I knew my life was going to change. And so it has.

(GUNNHILD SIGHS)

I'm no longer the person I was.

We're always the same.

We just pretend to change.

(SIGHS)

I see that Bjorn Ironside has claimed you.

You're mistaken.

No man will ever claim me.

I prefer it to think that the gods have you and me in mind.

I don't know about the gods.

What do you have in mind then?

Do you still want to be king of all Norway?

My ambition has never changed.

Well, then...

I shall like to be queen.

(JUDITH SIGHS)

My Lady? What were you doing?

Doesn't matter.

Really doesn't matter.

(SIGHS)

(THUNDER RUMBLING)

Father!

Father!

AUD: What happened?

Floki?

Tell me what happened.

Take this.

Floki.

They killed them all.

All of them.

Your father and your brother, they killed them all.

They wanted revenge.

(SOBS) No. And they had planned it a long time.

No! I couldn't stop them.

No.

I can't believe it.

What about Helgi?

No, please, surely they couldn't have killed him. Please.

All of them.

No! Helgi, too.

I pleaded with them. I asked your father to spare him, but...

No.

I'm sorry, Aud. No!

I'm sorry.

Please, no. They couldn't have. I'm sorry.

I should never have brought you all to this place.

(THUNDER RUMBLING)

You didn't even really see the gods, did you?

When you come back, we should get married.

Yes. We will have lots of children.

You won't be idle anymore. Oh, I won't be idle, even before that.

Believe me.

What do you mean? You scare me.

It means that I've come to a decision.

It has taken a long time, but I know it's the right choice.

What have you decided? Tell me, please.

I can't tell you, it will be too dangerous.

Farewell, my love.

And be careful. Yes? Mmm-hmm.

Be careful of my brother.

King Harald is in love with you.

I know.

Did he tell you?

Yes.

He has told me that we are fated to be together.

BJORN: Mmm.

Do you really believe that?

Who knows our fate? Do you?

He still wants to be king of Norway.

Ah.

And it seems he puts the highest value on love...

He is a man who always wants to be in love.

I would like to have his heart.

Instead of mine.

Why do you say that?

Well, I've had many women.

But I'm not sure I've ever been in love.

And you are not in love with me? I don't know.

I think about you all the time.

And then I'm thinking about something else

and then I think about you again.

And it happens day and night.

Why are you telling me this?

I don't know, perhaps I'm in love.

What if you don't love me?

What if you love King Harald?

He can make you the queen of Norway.

I suppose he could try.

I'm afraid. (SIGHS)

I'm afraid to ask you if you love me.

You are one of the most famous men in the world.

And you're afraid of me?

I'm alone.

Alone, naked and afraid.

You know something?

I respect you even more for saying that.

And I will take your words and lock them away in my heart forever.

Say it.

Say it.

Say it.

Say it.

I love you. Yes.

(AUD GRUNTS)

(WIND HOWLING)

Aud!

(EXHALES)

No! No!

(SOBBING)

(MUSIC PLAYING)