"Ubbe!" " Modir!" " Come here." "**" " Let's go find out what your brother Hvitserk is doing." " All right." "Ubbe, go find your brother." "He's here." "Hello, Hvitserk." "The ax is much better than the sword because..." " How?" " And the range!" "Hello, Floki." " Helga." " Torstein." "Torstein, you're standing in the way of the fire." "As usual." "Hello, Priest." "Why do you still say such things?" "So where is he?" "Where is our earl?" "Behind you." " Hey, Ubbe!" " Hello, Floki." "Hey." "We've kind of missed you." "Well, I've been busy like a dwarf, building your new boats, Ragnar Lothbrok, even in the ice and the snow." "So busy, yet he still has so much time to complain." "The boats are nearly finished." "I think we all want to know where we'll be raiding this summer." "Every year, all your people wonder when you will order another raid west and every year you disappoint them." "I've even heard some people say that Earl Ragnar is becoming like Earl Haraldson." " Let me put their minds at ease." " You should." "Welcome, everyone." "As you all know, it has taken a long time to prepare ourselves." "To build our ships, and to replace the young men that we lost to the plague." "But now, now we are ready, and this summer we shall finally go west again." "**" "We will return to England, for that land was so generous to us the last time." "But this time, we shall not go alone." "For King Horik and Jarl Borg have agreed to join us." "And perhaps we will not have to return so quickly, but stay in their land for a while, explore it, maybe even winter there." "Who knows?" "But, I tell you, these are interesting times." "The world is changing and we must change with it." "We must act together, for everyone's sake." "And now that I have put your minds to rest, who is hungry?" "Thank you." "I've never seen you before." "What is your name?" "My name is Hild, my lord." "Where are you from?" " Uppsala." " Uppsala." "Thank you." "How hungry you are, husband." "What is wrong with that?" "Nothing." "What were you talking about with her?" "We were talking about movements in the shield-wall." "Girl, bring me some more food." " I have to eat for two." " Yes, my Lady." " How old are you?" " I don't know." "Old enough, I'd say." "Be careful who you choose to be familiar with." "Yes, my Lady Aslaug." "My love." "Came to see if you were being well-served since I was not with you." "Well, as you can see, I am being very well-served." "Now, come." "Sit." "Join us." "I had hoped, my lord, that you might join me." "What is it?" "What is what?" "You..." "You are acting very strangely." "You think it is strange for a pregnant woman to want her husband to be supportive and kind?" "No." "Then why do you think I'm acting strangely?" "I don't know." "You don't know you're flirting with other women and showing them you want to bed them?" "I am not doing that." "You're saying such things because of your condition." "My "condition"?" "Tell your beautiful mother that I am not doing what she thinks." "Yes, you are." "Women know these things." "I know it especially, because I have certain gifts." "Gifts?" "I see things others cannot." "You mean you are a volva?" "Seeress?" "I may be." "They say that volvas practice forbidden sexual rites." "Shall I stay awake?" "The fact is, you want to sleep with that girl, even though she is barely above a slave girl." "That is such an insult to me." "I do not want to sleep with that girl, whatever her name is." "Good night, little one." "And now I'm going to sleep." "I won't let you sleep until I have told you this." "I will bear you another son." "If you like, you can feel him stirring in my belly." "But, because you treat me like an idiot, I make this prophecy." "My father killed the dragon Fafnir, and our new son will be born with the image of the serpent in his eye." "This much I know." "Ancient one." "Old man!" "Who..." "Who is this stranger who forces me up and unearths me to sorrows?" "Ah." "It is you, Ragnar Lothbrok." "What do you want?" "Are you not content?" "Look at what you have." "Is it not enough?" "The gods have given me sons, as they promised." "But I want to know what the future holds." "What will become of them?" "The sons of Ragnar Lothbrok will be spoken of as long as men have tongues to speak." "They will enjoy that much fame?" "One of them will marry the daughter of a king." "Another will discover and sail around the sea that has no tides." "All this and more have I foreseen." "Then they will have more fame than I, their father?" "What about Bjorn?" "What about my son Bjorn?" "What of him?" "Is he alive?" "It was of him I was speaking." "Will I ever see him again?" "You ask too many questions." "I have said enough." " See for yourself." " Not today." "You're a disgrace." "I have lost everything." "My sons, my husband, finally my daughter." "I am not going to lose you." "Yesterday your brother spoke of the summer's raid." "He's going west again, with King Horik." "You must ask him to take you with him." "Look at me." "You will look better if you have something to believe in." "I am giving you a choice, Rollo." "Go and speak with your brother, or..." "Or take this blade, push it into your ribs right now." "Stay in hell for all eternity." "One day, Hvitserk, you will ride a horse, just like this." "Ragnar." "You should all leave." " Come on, boys." " Ubbe, go with your mother." "I said everyone." " I just thought..." " Everyone." "Well, are you going to take a seat?" "So, where have you been for so long, brother?" "Carrying around my heavy heart, cursing the gods," "cursing myself," "and then drinking ale until I almost forgot everything." "So why are you here now?" "I am your brother." "You chose to fight against me." "I remember when we were boys, we often fought against each other." "Isn't that always the way with brothers?" "They hate and love each other all the time." "You could have killed me, like you killed One-Eye." "I could never have killed you." "Tell me, why should I ever trust you again?" "Because I ask you to." "Shouldn't you be asking for forgiveness after everything you have done?" "I ask only for the opportunity to regain your respect, to fight beside you again in battle." "I have nothing." "You have suffered." "But many people suffered more because of what you did." "Let me think on it." "Then I'll give you my decision." "You broke my heart." "Good!" "Use your shield!" "Not bad for a shield-maiden." " Do you ever miss England?" " No." "Sometimes." " I want you to come with me." " Of course." " I don't want to stay here with the old people." " Good." "Perhaps you will come in useful." "We will need the help of all the gods, including yours." "**" "It is one thing to use a weapon, but another to kill." "Never hesitate." " Ah!" " King Horik!" "Welcome indeed." "Earl Ragnar, my great friend." "I heard you came by horse." "Where are your ships?" "My ships are being prepared." "I could not wait." "I have waited an eternity already." "Ah." "I said to my sons, hmm, "I have to set off." ""I cannot even wait for the ice to melt."" "My ships will arrive soon enough." "And I look forward to getting to know your sons and introducing mine." "There is someone here that you will well remember." "Come here, Ubbe." "I can see, King Horik, that you're not too delighted to see me, but I hope you're not surprised." "We all made an agreement to raid together and I've come to honor it." "The last time we met, Jarl Borg," "I had the distasteful task of burying many of my kinsmen and friends." "And for the past four years," "I've been paying you profits from my lands." "But still, it is true," "I am not surprised to see you." "Good." "Is this not Rollo, the brother who fought against us?" "Yes." "And you spared his life?" "The gods spared his life." "What is your decision?" "I accept you back, Rollo." "I acknowledge you as my brother, but I forbid you to raid with us." "I accept your judgment." "Drink to the gods!" "King Horik." "I have to tell you, Princess Aslaug, it is the greatest privilege and honor to be seated beside you, the daughter of Sigurd." "Thank you, King Horik." "Such a compliment from a man like you is always welcome." "Mmm." "Oh, it is true." "I have also slain dragons, just like your father." "Unfortunately, like most men, the dragons were only inside my head." "How old are you, Ari?" "Seventeen." "Nearly 18." "Will this be your first raid?" "Yes." "I can't wait to prove myself in battle." "I want my father to be proud of me." "I have a son about your age." "Where is he?" "I would like to meet him." "I do not know where he is." "That is by his choice." "I should never have mentioned him." "Drink." "I have made a decision." "I do not wish Jarl Borg to raid with us." "But we had an agreement." "Why not?" "Why do you not want your brother beside you?" "Because you don't trust him enough." "It is the same for me with Jarl Borg." "I cannot bring myself to trust him completely." "You must inform him of our decision." "**" "**" " Are you jealous?" " They won't even make it out of the fjord." "They are beautiful, King Horik." "Jarl Borg, thank you for waiting." "So, when do we set sail?" "Forgive me, Jarl Borg, but we have decided not to seek your help." "I thought we had an agreement." "It is not my desire to break that agreement." "Believe me, I wish it to remain intact." " But on this occasion..." " On this occasion?" "On this occasion, the silver thread is slit, the golden cup breaks and the pail is smashed at the spring." "I know much about what happens here that you do not." "I know things about Ragnar Lothbrok you do not know." "I knew his first wife, Lagertha, and their son Bjorn." "I know his strengths, and I know his weaknesses." "Why should I need to know his weaknesses?" "Because he is your ally." "It is always a strength to know the weaknesses of your friends," "is it not?" "I might be interested in what you know." "But how do I know you and I can trust each other?" "Your brother gives with one hand and takes away with the other." "How many times must you suffer his injustices?" "If only you had stayed strong, we would have overcome." "And now he does with you as he wishes." "It's terrible to witness the state into which you have fallen, you, Rollo," "the greatest warrior." " What do you want?" " Abandon your brother for good." "You will never be anything here." "Why would you stay?" "What can you find?" "Myself." "Yourself?" "Yourself?" "If you want to find yourself..." "You're a fool." "Yes." "But someday I hope to be wise." "**" "**" "**" "**" "**" "**" "Now you grow big, and tall and strong." "I love you." "All right." "Hey" "Now you be a good boy, and you do what your mother tells you." "Most of the time." "Hey." "Ooh!" "I love you." "Good boy." "Farewell, my wife." "And you, Sigurd." "We will make a sacrifice to Thor, but I believe you shall cross the sea safely." "I shall get word to you as soon as I can." "I will miss you, your pride." "So will I." "Hoist sails!" " Heave!" " Hoist sails!" " Heave!" "Heave!" " Hoist!" " Heave!" " Dig in the oars!" "Oars!" "Hold!" "Steady now!" "Row!" "What do you think?" "That we ought to be near land by now." "What now?" "We wait." "**" "**" "You having fun yet, Horik?" "It's going to tear, get it down!" "What is that?" "That's the sound of waves hitting rocks." "Set the oars!" "Prepare to pull away!" "Pull away!" "Quickly!" " You asked to see me?" " Yes, sit." "We have not made friends." "It is my fault." "But if you wanted to, we can be friends now." "After all, we are family and Ragnar has forgiven his brother." "I would be honored to be considered your friend." "Let's not fool one another." "You were once where I am now." "Perhaps you wish to return to this status?" "If so, I don't blame you." "But in the meantime, let's not be enemies." "Women should stick together more." "That's true." "And we should rule." "All things would be better." "Friend." "Friend." "We've been blown miles off course, who knows where we are?" "The gods know, Priest." "What I want to know, where are all the ships?" " How many do you see?" " Only four." "Some of the others may have been scattered." "Or they all might all have foundered." "Father!" "Father, come see!" "What did I tell you, boy?" "Land!" "I told my sons Ragnar always finds land!" "Where do you suppose we are?" "I build boats Ragnar, you're the navigator." "Ragnar, Ragnar." "There's fish." "**" "**" "**" "**" "**" "**" "**" "Ari!" "Ari!" "Shields!" " Shields!" " Get down!" "Get down!" "Priest!" "In!" "**" " They're everywhere." " But how many?" "Erlendur, do not be dismayed." "Meet everything head-on." "Whether we live or die today is already in the hands of the gods." "They already know if we sup with them tonight, so fear not." "Fight well, and if you fall, surely Odin will take you to Valhalla." "Odin!" " Horik is in trouble." " What?" " Horik is in trouble." " Then help him!" "Perhaps he can strike them dead with his holy book!" "**" "Go help Horik!" "Torstein!" "We're going around!" "Open!" "Close!" "Ragnar!" "That's it." "Rip it Off!" "Rip it Off!" "You did not hesitate today." "Take it, if you want." "**" "**" "**" "**" "**" "**" "**" "**" "**" "**" "**" "What have you heard about King Ecbert?" "That he's just like you." "What on earth has caused you to bring your muddy boots into my bathhouse?" "Forgive me, sire." "But the Northmen have come ashore in Wessex." "They defeated a large force of our men." "They are here."