"Fifteen hundred years ago  most of Europe had abandoned its old beliefs  and turned to the Christian faith." "Only in the North did the people hold on to the gods of their ancestors." "The most powerful of these gods was Odin." "He reigned among the stars in Valhalla  and his ravens gave him wisdom and memory." "But whilst the fire of the ancient powers faded  a wondrous tale arose that captured the hearts of the people." "It told of a blacksmith who slew a mighty dragon  and won a legendary treasure. ;" "The dragon gold." " Where are we going?" " Quick!" "My king!" "We can't hold the wall much longer." "We can't stay." "Take our son and go." "I'm not leaving you." "Siegfried!" "Xanten whelp!" "Siegfried." " My son." " Go now." "Go!" "My brother always watches out for me." "This way, my lady." "What do we do?" "We must cross here, my queen." " Where are they?" " Come on." "Get up on here." "Siegfried." "Hold on." "Hold on tight." "Hold on." "My son." "A little early for a morning swim, isn't it?" "Who are you, boy?" "What happened?" "What happened?" "I don't know." "I can't remember." "12 YEARS LATER" "What do you see?" "Be patient, child." "Odin's powers are in the runes." "They never lie but they won't be rushed." " Don't keep me waiting." "Fire will rain down from the sky very soon." "Tell me more." "And the light of that fire will reveal your destiny." "So far from home." "What destiny could I have here?" "After the fire, a man will come a man as strong as you." "The warrior's strength will match your own." "He will even best you in battle." "No one's ever done that before." "No one else ever will." "We should anchor for the night soon." "I better get the cargo ready for the king." "You work on this." "All right." " Whoa." " Whoa, whoa." "Greetings." "How can I help you?" "We're looking for Eyvind the blacksmith." "That's me." "They say your iron is the best around." "What can I do for you?" "What swords have you got?" "Well, right now, nothing at all." "I can see a lot of "nothing" right there inside." "Oh, those." "They were made for King Gunther of Burgund." "Well, he's not here, and we are." "Meaning that you plan to steal King Gunther's property?" ""Stealing," he says." "Just count yourself lucky we aren't offended." "Eric, I think your iron is getting cold." "Good day to you." "I don't like Saxons." "I do, once in a while." "Yeah, I know." "For sword practice." "Look at that pale path of light." "That's the road to Valhalla." "I wish I could see them sitting up there." "All the great heroes at table with the gods." " And they're watching over us mortals." " But why do they care about us?" "They need us just as much as we need them." "We'll fight on their side when the evil powers attack us." "But how do we know what they want us to do?" "They map out our destinies." "They've given you all the signs in the sky." "If they see, from up there, that we do something that's bad for us, they..." "They get furious." "The Christians say their god is all about forgiveness." "The Christians?" "They are a strange lot." "Look." "It's Ragnarök." "The gods go to war." " I wanna take a closer look." " No, no, don't go." "Don't go." "We should never meddle with the gods." "Never." "You're the woman from the longship." "And you're the man from the smithy." "A tamer of fire and the elements." "Then maybe you can tell me what this is." "Some kind of strange metal." "I've never seen its like before." "Imagine the weapon one might forge from it." " Is this metal the reason you came?" " No." "You are." "Never mind him, blacksmith." "Tell me something." "Do you believe in destiny?" "Why?" "We were both sent a sign that would bring us together here." "That sign was big enough for the whole country to see." "The only ones here are you and me." "Today the runes promised to lead me to a man whose strength would be as great as mine." "And you defeated me." "I just wrestled you down." "No one has ever done that before." "Until now." "So you see, we were meant to meet." " Why don't you stay here with me?" " Oh, Eric, I would love to." "But like you, I have duties to perform." "But I will wait for you." "But where will I find you?" "Iceland." "But there might be more than just one Brunhild in Iceland." "Not more than one who is queen." "You're the Queen of Iceland?" "Yes." "Does that make a difference?" "No." " Not to how I feel about you." " Good." "Because no matter what happens, I will love you forever." "I promise I will come." "Well, the gods wanted it to happen." "But I'm a blacksmith, and she is a queen." "Up North are many tales about blacksmiths who became kings." "Really?" "There have always been things that were different about you." "Maybe she felt them too." "Father, take me with you on your journey to Burgund this year." "Why?" "Maybe the river holds an answer to what happened before you found me." "You were never curious about that before." "It never really mattered before." "Maybe last night changed you." "I don't know anything about myself." "I've never even left the smithy." "And now I feel I must." "Let's get the boat ready." "We'll leave tomorrow morning." "Thank you." "Thank you, Father." "What's that?" "Is it a war?" "It sure looks like that." "But who's the enemy?" "King Gunther is at peace with the Saxons." "Up here." " Alberich." " Lord Hagen." "I see you have not changed." "Nor have you." "I got your message." "What is it you want now?" "Fafnir the dragon is awake." "You must convince King Gunther to gather his best warriors and kill Fafnir." "Why would I put their lives at risk, and mine?" "I don't care about the dragon." "You wouldn't say that if you knew what was hidden in his cave." "Go on." "The ancient treasure hoard of the Nibelungs." "You've been babbling about that ever since they cast you out for trying to thieve it." "Now you want me to believe the hoard is here?" "The dragon was sleeping on it." "So you've wasted years of the mortal life they cursed you with and the treasure was under your nose the whole while." "That's funny." "You won't laugh so hard when you've seen it." "You've never dreamed of such a hoard of gold and jewels." "Why would I help you and not keep the whole hoard for myself?" "We know each other too well, you and I." "Some of my blood courses through your veins." "Enough." "Don't ever dare to speak of it." "You know it's true." "Hold your tongue!" "I know that you're ashamed of where you come from." "But remember how many times I've helped you with my magic." "We could help each other now." "Very well." "I'll choose the best of the king's men." "Move fast." "There again, why do things by half?" " All right, Kriemhild, let it go." " Ready?" "Go." "So much for the pigeon." "I need to work on that bird's hunting technique." "If he ever comes back." "Good to see you." "Good to see you, my friend." "There he is." "Are you sure he'll come back?" "Of course." "He knows I'm his lord and master." "Very well, lord and master, go get him back." "What a beautiful bird." " Give him back." "He belongs to me." " What's its name?" "Arminius." "Like the hero who chased the Romans out of the country." "Yes, now give him back to me, boy." "Who are you calling a boy, boy?" "I'm the king's brother, and I call common men what I please." "Did you hear that?" "What?" "What's that?" "He says I'm no common man, but the tamer of fire and the elements." "And that's what you should call me." "Shall we try again?" "Stop that nonsense, Eric." "Give back the hawk to Prince Giselher." "At once." "I hoped you wouldn't give up so easily." "I'll get you a new one." " Eyvind." " Oh, Lord Dankwart." "We've been waiting for you." "I'm glad you got here safely." "We saw the devastation coming up the river." "It's a dragon." "Fafnir, they call it." "The monster came out of nowhere and started killing, destroying everything." " I'll tell the king you're here." " Yeah." "Thank you." "Now, look at this." "This is even better." "You have a good eye for blades, my king." "Forged and tempered by my son here." "It's well-balanced in order to make it move like an extension of your arm." " You've learned your craft well." " Thank you, my king." "I've always said there's no better weapon-maker in the land." "Eyvind, you arrived just in time." "I need your best iron to help my men fight the dragon." "Brother, with this sword I could fight the dragon at your side." " Let me come with you." " You know my answer, Giselher." "It is not wise to put two princes of Burgund in danger at the same time." "You handle it very well, Prince Giselher." "The balance is perfect for you." "Keep it." "It's yours." "A simple gift." "Thank you." "The creature should be hunted down." "I, too, ask to join your quest against the dragon." "That task is only for warriors most honoured and favoured by the king." "Please excuse his impetuous youth, my king." "I know exactly how you feel." "What did you think, Eric?" "The king would be waiting for you to kill the dragon for him?" "I can do it." "With your mouth you can." "Make sure it reaches the right temperature." "Aren't you helping me with this?" "It's your sword." "Didn't I teach you how to do it?" "Yes, you did." "Then do it." "I will love you forever." "To the forest of Fafnir." "May God be with us, and grant us swift victory." "Open the gates." "Don't stare at the princess." "It's not polite." "I'm not staring." "She is, though." "Tamer of fire and the elements may I enter?" " You may." "And please do call me Eric." "I'm Prince Giselher." "Well, would you care to pump the bellows, prince?" "Thank you." "I came to thank your father for the sword." "I neglected to do so earlier." "Oh, he's asleep now." "But I'll let him know you stopped by." "I've never met a blacksmith who knows how to use the sword so well." "Father says you can't forge a sword if you don't know how to use one." " It's good to have a father like that." " What about your father?" "My father was killed in a battle years ago." "My mother died soon after." "How do you know when the iron's ready?" "The feel." "The way it looks." "This one will need hammering for days." "It must be wonderful to make things with your hands." "Do you have a talent or a craft?" "I'm a prince." "I'm not allowed to work." "It would disgrace my brother, the king." " Don't you get bored?" " Yes." "If it weren't for my sister, I'd go mad." "She's quite a pretty girl." "Every nobleman in our kingdom wants her." "She doesn't want any of them." "Who does she want then?" "Why do you ask so many questions?" "Are you smitten by her too?" "My heart is elsewhere." "I just hope my brother is able to kill the dragon." "The king!" "The king is returning!" "Gunther!" "Gunther!" "The dragon's hide was hard as iron." "Our weapons were useless against it." "Take him in." "Careful." "He will be avenged, my lady." "I swear it." "This is your masterpiece, my son." "What will you call him?" "I don't know." "Why?" "A sword as great as this deserves a name." "Then I shall call you "Balmung."" "Balmung?" "Balmung was the sword of the last King of Xanten, destroyed in battle." "Why do you want to call him that?" "I just like the sound of it." "Fafnir!" "Come out!" "Come out, you worm!" "Fafnir, I'm right here!" "That's it." "Come out!" "Come on!" "Blood..." "Bathe in the dragon blood." "In the dragon blood." "Bathe in the dragon blood." "If you are wise, you will leave empty-handed." "This gold is not for humankind." "It belongs to us." "I think it belonged to the dragon." "We are the keepers of the gold." "Gold that only we can hold." "The hoard was ours till Fafnir stole it from us." "Heed our warning, or you too will pay." "Who are you?" "The Nibelungs." "The people of mist and twilight." "You gave the gold back to us by slaying Fafnir." "And we thank you for it." "Thanks are all very well." "But I'm the one who risked my life to kill the dragon." "That should be worth something." "It is not worth a single coin of this treasure." "Not when it comes with a curse." " I don't believe in curses." " The proof is outside." "Fafnir lies dead because of it." "I think he lies dead because of me." "And what's this?" "That is the ring of the Nibelung." "The oldest thing in the hoard." "Its heart." "The one who possesses it is the treasure's owner." " It's beautiful." " And as deadly to you as anything else here." "It's gonna take more than just words to frighten me today." "I'll be back for it soon." "When the curse begins to bite, beware for it will find your weakness, and through it, destroy you." " What sorcery is this?" " Give it back." "Who are you?" " I should've known better." " What?" "The dragon's blood." "It's made your skin impenetrable." "I killed the dragon." "What's to stop me from killing you?" "The magical Tarnhelm." "You can keep it." "It made me take your shape." "What do I need that for?" "I look like me already." "Yes, but with it, you can wear any shape you desire." " Prove it." " Put it on your head." "Listen, are you trying to...?" "You must say the magical words:" "Shadows and vapours, all the same." "And you must think who it is you want to turn into." "Shadows and vapours, all the same." "You look really ugly." "Then I must look like you." "Are you going to spare me?" "Go." "Another mistake, young mortal." "Now you also own his enmity." " And the curse." " Why?" "Who is he?" "His name is Alberich, and he was one of us." "But greed awoke in Alberich." "He wanted the treasure all for himself, like you." "When he tried to steal it we cast him out, and stripped his immortality away." "How about we make a bargain?" "I'll only take half of the treasure you keep the rest." "Would that be fair?" "Half the treasure, all the treasure, or just that single ring." "It's enough to bring the whole curse down on you." "It's all mine now." "Lady, you set tests for your suitors." "Such tests are almost an insult to their rank." "These men who ask for your hand are royal kings and princes." "And I am a queen, their equal." "I have a right in my own land to make whatever laws I please." " Yes, but..." " Then tell them that the Queen of Iceland will wed the man who passes the tests she sets." "And who can defeat her in single combat." "But no man can hope to succeed at such tasks, majesty." "One man will succeed." "And one man will marry me." "And I will know that man as soon as I see him." "You may go." "You are thinking of the man you met on the night the star fell, aren't you?" "The blacksmith?" "I have thought of that man ever since." "And I will marry no one else, Hallbera." "Not a prince, not a king, not the Roman emperor himself." "And if your handsome sword-maker does appear, what then?" "Are you sure he's strong and brave enough to pass the tests you planned?" "He has defeated me once already." "Only he will defeat me again." "The rune stones do not lie." "It's Eric." " Where have you been?" " Hunting." "Any luck?" " What is it?" " What does it look like?" "It's a dragon's claw." " Where did you find it?" " On a dragon's foot." "Of course you didn't." "You think you can fool your own father?" "If you don't like its claw, how about its head?" "I don't believe it." "It really is the dragon!" "It's wonderful." "Fafnir is dead!" "Eric the blacksmith killed the dragon!" "Yes, he's dead, do you hear?" "The dragon is dead!" "Eric killed the dragon!" "It's true!" "It's over, it's over!" "Please, I'm fine." "Gunther." "Eric killed the dragon, alone." "This blacksmith must be blessed by God." "Or the devil." "He succeeded where you and 12 of your best warriors failed." "Whatever power he used against the dragon, he could use against you." "He did this for me." "Open your eyes, Hagen, and let your suspicious mind have a holiday." "People of Burgund." "I command that Eric the blacksmith be proclaimed a hero of the kingdom." "Long may he be honoured for his great victory." "Long live the dragon slayer." "Even the honour of guarding such a treasure would bring fame to Burgund, my lord." "And respect for its king will increase beyond measure once it's known that you have been entrusted with the safety of the hoard." " My king, the dragon slayer's outside." " Send him in." "It sounds most attractive, Hagen." "But all of these benefits depend upon what our young hero has to say." "King Gunther, I am greatly honoured by your offer to hold the treasure in safekeeping for me, but..." " You don't trust the king?" "I trusted him well enough to kill a dragon on his behalf, Lord Hagen." "Did you?" "That was a fair hit, Hagen." "Now, Eric, the word "but" usually means some difficulty." "My king." "It's only I'm not sure your treasury has enough room." " Can I see your face?" " No, that would ruin everything." "He's my only son." "I brought him up all by myself." "The father of our saviour." "Not just that." "I'm also a sword-maker, favoured by the king." "And still a pagan." "The hammer of Thor, the god of thunder." "The workingman's god and my god." " You're baptized?" " Yes." "But tonight, I'm pagan again." "Let's go get some water." "What does a dragon slayer do now that there are no dragons left to slay?" "He goes home to his smithy." "With all the gold you brought back, you don't need to work." "My father taught me the art of changing charcoal and ore into iron and I enjoy doing it." "Defeat dragons with iron, but win maidens with gold." "How many?" "One?" "Two?" "A dozen?" "None." "My heart is pledged already." "Who is this fortunate lady?" "Highborn or low?" "High, I think." "Or fear." "Maybe too high." "Perhaps she doesn't know you love her so deeply." "All sorts of arrangements might be made for so great a hero." " Would I know her?" " No." "She lives far away." "So to whom is your heart pledged?" " Are you married?" " No, I'm not." "If I ever marry, it will only be for love." "Will you finally come to me?" "I'm waiting for you, my love." "Do you know who you are at last?" "They call me Eric the blacksmith, Eric the dragon slayer and Eric the hero of Burgund." "Ah, but these are just titles." "One honest, one honoured, one honourable." "But none of them are who you really are." "The Twin Kings have struck at Odinwood." "They've burned our towns and taken our people as slaves." "Even as we speak, Bonna is under siege." "Damn them." "Damn them both." "We've lived in peace with the Twin Kings for ten years." "But for most of those ten years Burgund's treasury hasn't been filled to overflowing with Fafnir's hoard." "Greed will negate any treaty." "How strong is their army?" " Four, perhaps, 5000 men." " We can match them in strength." "But they're on the move." "Send messengers to all our towns." "Muster the army." "We leave at once." "But my king Eric the blacksmith owes you no allegiance." "But he killed Fafnir on your behalf." "If he agreed to join our army I'm certain it would encourage our warriors." "And discourage the enemy." "To meet a man who slew a dragon single- handed would give anyone a pause for thought." "Command..." "No, ask that he ride with the Burgund host." " Brother, I..." " I honour your intention but this is not about glory." "If we don't come back, you must live to defend Burgund." "And your sister." "Meanwhile we ride." "Go." "King of the Burgunds, my masters, Kings Thorkwin and Thorkilt do not wish for this battle." "Since we outnumber you, I believe that." "We will spare your lives, and spare Burgund its certain devastation if you yield up to us the dragon gold." "I am the wrong man to ask for the gold." "If your masters want the gold they must take it up with the man who slew the dragon." " Let me talk to them, my king." " No." "I will never allow this." " We will fight them together." " It is my treasure, my king." "And I feel enough blood's been spilled over it already." "My king, if the dragon slayer can help avoid more bloodshed then let him." "If he fails, we attack." "Another messenger." "I hear you want something of mine." "I'm the lord of the dragon's gold." "If you want it, you're welcome to try to take it." "But you have to fight me first." "Big words for a blacksmith." "It takes more than gold to make a man worthy to fight a king." "And it takes more than a crown to make a man be a king." "You're nothing more than a Burgund whelp." "Xanten whelp!" "You killed my father!" "I am Siegfried, son of Siegmund, King of Xanten." "You're beaten." "And your kingdoms will be divided between the Kings of Burgund and Xanten." "I should kill you both for what you did." "But that wouldn't give me any satisfaction." "Just get out of my sight." "I want him tied to the house of Burgund forever." "What do you have in mind, my king?" "My sister will marry Siegfried of Xanten." "And I'm sure you will not find this too difficult to arrange." "Go now!" "Father, I'm awakened at last." "I finally know who I am." "A king." "And worthy, I hope, of a queen." "Come to Iceland, my love, and find out." "Soon, my love." "But I've won a mighty treasure, and I wanna bring it home for you." "Siegfried, you are the only treasure that I wish for." "Hurry, my love, I'm waiting." "And now you send for me." "What do you want?" "Siegfried means to take the treasure to his father's castle in Xanten." "He must be stopped." "From what I hear, a whole army couldn't stop him." "King Gunther wants him bound to Burgund through marriage to Kriemhild." "But there's some other woman." "What do you have in mind?" "One of your cantrips, spells or potions." "If he could forget his other love and find the princess attractive instead?" "Then the gold stays where it is." "I think I can help you if the price is right." " What do you want?" "That boy took something from me." "It looks like a mask." "The man who knows its secret can look like anyone else." " Siegfried knows that secret." " Interesting." "Get me the Tarnhelm back, and the potion's yours." "The potion first, thief." "Once I have proof that it works, you'll get your Tarnhelm." "You'll have it the day after tomorrow, my son." "Don't ever call me that." "But my son you are." "If killing you could change it, I would've done so long ago." "As the moon wanes, the heart wanders." "Sweet memories dwindle, the heart grows cold." "Drinking the draught, mak e new love sweeter." "Past love a memory, withered and old." "Power..." "Nothing prevaileth, grey iron nor silver." "As the moon wanes, the heart wanders." "Sweet memory dwindles, the heart grows cold." "Drinking the draught, mak es new love sweeter." "Past love a memory, withered and old." "Against potion's power, nothing prevaileth." "Grey iron nor silver, jewel nor gold." "Father?" "Father." "Father." "What's the matter?" "Are you sick?" "If old age is a sickness, yes." "You've just been working for a long time." "But there's no need to work anymore." "There's all the gold we ever need." "Don't tempt me with gold, son." "Iron is my metal." "You're just tired, Father, that's all." "I'll get you something to eat." ""Father."" "Can you still call me that?" "Your true father was a king." "You knew?" "I suspected it." "I saw the mark of the royal house on your tunic." "And later I learned that the Twin Kings were looking for the lost son but never found him." "Because you gave me another name to protect me." "It would be a lie to say that that was the only reason." "You see, I never had a wife." "But with you, I got a son." "And..." "And it was such a joy to be a father." "Your father." "And I've always been proud of you." "I wanted you to know that." "And whatever I am, it's because of what you taught me." "Listen." "The world around us is in the throes of great change." "And the new powers struggle with the old for domination." "And I've done my part in that struggle." "So when my time comes my body can descend to the gods in the old way the way of fire and water." "But you and your queen are children of the old world too." "The gods gave you wondrous powers and you must fulfil your destiny together wherever it leads you." "I'll bring my love with me to Xanten as my wife." "I promise you." "But you're gonna come with me." "I have no more travelling left in me." "I have hardly even breath anymore." "There's still so much for you to do." "So many swords to make." "My best blade is forged." "There's no need to bother with lesser ones." "My throat is dry, son." "That drink you said you were going to get me, I could use that now." "Of course, Father." "I'll be right back." "Father?" "Father!" "Beasts die and men die." "All who walk the earth must die." "But the true hero never dies." "In our memory he will live forever." "My love." "So near to my heart and my mind." "Yet so far from my arms and my body." "How much longer?" "How much farther?" "Yes?" "My lady Kriemhild." "May I please speak with you?" "I wish to be alone, Lord Hagen." "It's about Siegfried." "What about him?" "I expect him back any day." "Of course he will come back, for the treasure." "And not because of you?" "What are you implying, Hagen?" "I have noticed you have feelings for him." "You speak of matters you know nothing about." "I know, my Lady Kriemhild that you have loved the dragon slayer since the first moment you saw him." "And I have come here to help you." "Once the treasure is gone, there is nothing to keep him here." " What is that?" " Certain herbs with interesting properties." "Which, if correctly brewed, will make a heart grow warm." "That is wrong." "That is no Christian thing." "It is the old magic of spells and curses." "All he must do is to drink this mixed with wine and so long as it is you who gives him the cup any love for any other woman will be forgotten." "And only you will burn in his heart from that moment on." "But why?" "In battle and in council I have always served the house of Burgund and the best interests of the kingdom." "IN THE STORY SO FAR..." " My son." " Go now." "Who are you, boy?" "What happened?" "I can't remember." "Fire will rain down from the sky very soon." "After the fire, a man will come." "The warrior's strength will match your own." "He will even best you in battle." "Do you believe in destiny?" "We were meant to meet." " You're the Queen of Iceland?" " Yes." "Does that mak e a difference?" "No." "Not to how I feel about you." "I will love you forever." " Don't stare at the princess." " I'm not staring." "She is, though." "Lord Hagen." "Fafnir the dragon is awake." "You must convince King Gunther to gather his best warriors and kill Fafnir." "I ask to join your quest against the dragon." "That task is only for warriors most honoured and favoured by the king." "To the forest of Fafnir." "The dragon's hide was hard as iron." "Our weapons were useless against it." "He will be avenged, my lady." "I swear it." "This gold is not for humankind." "It belongs to us." "That is the ring of the Nibelung." "The oldest thing in the hoard." "The one who possesses it is the treasure's owner." "It comes with a curse." "Fafnir lies dead because of it." "Heed our warning, or you too will pay." " What sorcery is this?" " The magical Tarnhelm." "With it, you can wear any shape you desire." "His name is Alberich, and he was one of us." "But greed awok e in Alberich." "He wanted the treasure for himself." " Like you." " It's all mine now." "Eric the blacksmith killed the dragon!" "Fafnir is dead!" "I command that Eric the blacksmith be proclaimed a hero of the kingdom." "Even the honour of guarding such a treasure would bring fame to Burgund once it's known that you have been entrusted with the safety of the hoard." "Defeat dragons with iron, but win maidens with gold." "My heart is pledged already." " Would I know her?" " No." "She lives far away." "And I will marry no one else, Hallbera." "Not a prince, not a king, not the Roman emperor himself." "I'll bring my love with me to Xanten as my wife." " But you're gonna come with me." " I have no more travelling left in me." "I have hardly even breath anymore." "They call me Eric the blacksmith, Eric the dragon slayer  and Eric the hero of Burgund." "I am Siegfried." "Son of Siegmund, King of Xanten." "You're beaten." "Your kingdoms will be divided between the kings of Burgund and Xanten." "I want him tied to the house of Burgund forever." "My sister will marry Siegfried of Xanten." "And I'm sure you will not find this too difficult to arrange." " What do you have in mind?" " One of your cantrips spells or potions." "If he could forget his other love and find the princess attractive instead?" "Then the gold stays where it is." "So near to my heart and my mind." "Yet so far from my arms and my body." "How much longer?" "How much farther?" "All he must do is to drink this mixed with wine and so long as it is you who gives him the cup any love for any other woman will be forgotten." "And only you will burn in his heart from that moment on." "Fifteen hundred years ago  most of Europe had abandoned its old beliefs  and turned to the Christian faith." "Only in the North did the people hold on to the gods of their ancestors." "The most powerful of these gods was Odin." "He reigned among the stars in Valhalla  and his ravens gave him wisdom and memory." "But whilst the fire of the ancient powers faded  a wondrous tale arose that captured the hearts of the people." "It told of a blacksmith who slew a mighty dragon  and won a legendary treasure. ;" "The dragon gold." "King Siegfried of Xanten." "I came to thank you for your hospitality." "You are always welcome." "I know that the treasure has brought your kingdom misfortune and bloodshed, and for that, I apologize." "Please, Siegfried." "Many wars are fought over gold and treasure." "No army ever waged war with a hero such as you among them." "You didn't destroy lives, you saved them." "You have done the kingdom of Burgund a great service." " Thank you, my king." " King Siegfried." "Would you join us in a toast before you leave?" "This is a special wine of Burgund mixed with spices." "To Siegfried of Xanten." "To the hero who arrived a blacksmith and leaves a king." " King Siegfried of Xanten." " King Siegfried of Xanten." "Good wine." "Though the spices give it a strange flavour." "Where are Gunther and Hagen?" "They left." "Will you make it again for me sometime only with less cinnamon?" "Of course I will." "But first I must confess something." "What?" "At the dragon feast you told a masked girl that your heart was already pledged to somebody else." "So it was you." "Forgive me." "I couldn't say anything because..." "Please it doesn't matter because I love you." "I don't know why it never occurred..." "Nothing matters now." "Except that you love me." "And I love you." "Where might my raven be?" "I'm proud that Burgund has won you as brother- in-law." "Nobody could bring more honour to our kingdom than you, Siegfried of Xanten." "I want to make your sister my queen before I return to my kingdom." "Unfortunately, in our kingdom the law decrees that the king must marry before any of his siblings." "How long do we have to wait then?" "It's not that simple." "The queen I desire is a beautiful and powerful woman who challenges her suitors to single combat." "Till now, nobody has proved strong enough to defeat her." " And who is this powerful woman?" " Her name's Brunhild, Queen of Iceland." "I've met her once." "You know her?" "Yes." "Her ship sailed by our smithy one day." "How could I forget?" "She is of extraordinary beauty." "You said you've met her?" "I did." "That night a star fell from the sky into the forest near our smithy and we met by the crater it made, and we fought." "But why?" "I mistook her for a Saxon and wrestled her down." "You mistook the Queen of Iceland for a Saxon?" "How did she react?" "She was a little surprised, that's all." "Siegfried she is the woman I wish to marry." "Would you help me win her for Burgund's queen?" "How?" "By fighting her in my stead." "Wouldn't she notice?" "Not if you wear that magic helmet of yours." " These powers shouldn't be misused." " You're the man who could defeat her." "King Gunther has given you his only sister in marriage." "Will you not help him win a queen for himself?" "Think, Siegfried." "If Brunhild and I marry you and Kriemhild can be married the very same day." "I knew what the wagons were carrying when they came but I had no idea it could look so beautiful." "It's yours." "Mine?" "The treasure is my wedding gift to you." "But this ring is the symbol of our love." "Wear it till I come back from Iceland." "Every day without you will be an eternity." "Come back soon." "And bring my brother back safely." "My king, we found a stowaway hidden amongst the stores." " Throw him over the side." " I think you should see him first." "Giselher, are you insane?" "I only wanted to see the Norse women, the great Valkyries who fight like men." "Why, Giselher?" "Do you want a warrior woman of your own?" "Why didn't you ask me?" "I always ask you, and you always turn me down." "Your place is at home, looking after Burgund." " Besides, Kriemhild will be worried." " Kriemhild knows." "I've half a mind to send you back in a barrel!" "Oh, come on, Gunther." "What boy doesn't crave an adventure like this?" "Sit down." "And those are the Seven Silver Apples of the goddess of youth." " You know a lot." " Not as much as my father, Eyvind, did." "See over there?" "That's Orwandil, the Giant." "And next to it is Fearr, the bull that he hunts." "And see there?" "That's the Spirits' Road, the bright road to Valhalla." "The gods sit up there with the holy dead and decide what we should do to help them save the world." "How are we supposed to find out what they want us to do?" "They send us signs." "In water fire, or in the sky." "What happens if we read those signs wrong?" "I don't know." "He's coming." "Your future husband is coming." "Siegfried." " Captain, hoist the mainsail." " Yes, my king." "Raise the sail!" "Queen Brunhild, come quickly." "Welcome to my country, tamer of the fire and the elements." "At last you found your way to me." "The dragon slayer's fame reaches even here." "It is not I who come to challenge you, great queen." "It is King Gunther of Burgund who seeks your hand." "I only serve him." "My queen I come here to seek your hand in marriage." "We will fight a duel of double- bladed axes." "If you win I will wed you." "If I win it will cost you your life." "If I fail to make you my wife I will die gladly." "The contest commences in one hour." "Giselher, let's wait outside." "Shadows and vapours, all the same." "Just stay hidden until it's done." "What about Siegfried?" "He'll follow us later." "The dragon slayer doesn't join you?" "He's already preparing the ship for our return." "The axes." "You can still sail back to Burgund alive." "There!" "Come on!" "Here!" "Come on!" "Bow to my future husband the King of Burgund." "Now the King of Iceland." "Leave until I call you and close the door." "They make no sense, lady." "Look there." "That means a cloak or a mask." "Something or someone has been hidden the way truth is hidden by lies, our eyes are covered by a blindfold." "Is that why Siegfried didn't recognize me?" "There is nothing here." "The gods are silent." "Noble Siegfried ever since you came to Burgund in the guise of a humble blacksmith many good things have happened in our kingdom." "Around this table are the two men I love most in the world." "Giselher is my brother by birth." "And it would please me if you would become our brother by blood." "The dragon's blood made my skin impenetrable." "But I guess tonight is a night for trust." "This is the only place where I can be wounded." "And now both of you share the greatest secret I have." "This cup will hold no lesser drink than the blood of brotherhood." "It will be raised in no lesser toast." "And may those who betray that trust die, dishonoured and accursed." "People of Burgund!" "Your queen!" "I present my sister, Kriemhild." "I'll be a sister to you as well." "We will celebrate two weddings on one day." "Where's my Tarnhelm?" "We're not done with it yet." "You can have it in due course." "That wasn't the deal, Hagen." " We're not sure if it worked." " It worked!" "It worked!" "Now you're trying to cheat me!" "Perhaps I should find a way to have a little talk with the king." "No need for that." "I'll do it!" "Queen Brunhild." " Can I help you?" " I waited for you." "As I said I would." "Siegfried what happened?" "Did you find you couldn't love a queen as well as you did a passing stranger?" "Or was it the gold?" "That has turned many hearts cold before." "I don't know." "Who shall I ask why you loved me then, and you don't love me now?" "I didn't." "Don't lie to me." "You cannot claim you didn't love me then." "It was your first time, blacksmith." "And mine as well." "And I knew then that the gods had sent you to me and me to you." "And you knew it too." "Does that mean nothing?" "That's not how I remember it." "And you never loved me?" "Even though you said you did?" "I was a boy then." "If this is what manhood brings I only wish I'd learned this lesson sooner." "But it's too late now." "Perhaps I should pray that I, too, will remember our love so little." "Because I will never know joy again till I forget or you remember." "King Gunther do you take Brunhild as your wife and queen?" "I do." "And do you, Brunhild accept my king as your rightful husband and lord?" "I do." "Do you, Kriemhild take Siegfried as your lawful wedded husband?" "I do." "King Siegfried do you take Kriemhild as your lawful wedded wife?" "I do." "I now pronounce you man and wife." "This warlike display shows our Burgund swords and warriors at their finest." "They could only be bettered by the great Queen Brunhild and the extraordinary King Gunther." "Those few of us who were privileged to travel with King Gunther to Iceland witnessed a display of incomparable skills." "And King Gunther was the only man who could match his beautiful queen in her challenge." "Siegfried could." "But Siegfried didn't." "Would he like to try?" "It would be an honour Queen Brunhild." "What weapons shall we choose then?" "Weapons that were forged from the same ore and have never been crossed." "My spear and your sword." "Thank you for this chance to recognize my limits." " What happened?" " I was tired." " I decided to lie down." " That's not what I meant." " Why did you leave without me?" " Siegfried." " In front of everyone." " But you won." "He let me win." "I know a feigned defeat from an honest victory." "He was lucky, that's all." "He probably gave up so he didn't go to his marriage bed covered with bruises." "You're the only woman I've ever really wanted." "And you have me." "Or do you?" "You want me, my strong husband?" "I'm waiting." "No more of this, my queen." "I've drunk too much tonight to deal with such foolishness." " The man who defeated me hadn't." " What?" "Or maybe you had been drinking." "Some magical potion to give you strength, perhaps?" "Well, I'll let you in on a little secret:" "My strength is a gift from the gods." "And it lies in this belt." "Once you've removed it, you'll find a yielding maiden in your arms." "Can the man who survived my challenge not survive his own wedding night?" "Brunhild, stop." "Untie me." "Stop this." "Untie me." "Untie me right now." " Be quiet now." " Wife, are you mad?" "Let me loose!" " Gunther's a lucky man." " Not as lucky as I am." "Don't you think Brunhild's beautiful?" "What a question for such a time and place." " Siegfried, answer me." " All right, yes, she's beautiful." " But it's a hard beauty." " You noticed it then." " What?" " That coldness." "The angry way she looks at us." "Well, she's certainly angry about being defeated by Gunther." "I don't think she likes me much." "Well, maybe because you won your husband without having to fight him." "Hear that?" "That's Thor swinging his hammer." "Probably to tell us about the war god who's going to be conceived tonight." "Giselher you don't really believe in all this pagan nonsense, do you?" "I do." "And so does Siegfried." "And he's the greatest hero Burgund has ever known." "I believe in what he does:" "Living life by the sword." "And I'm going to do the same." "And when I die I'll be rewarded by sitting at the warriors' table next to Father Odin himself." "You should hear yourself." " Don't the old ways fascinate you?" " No, they don't." "They scare me." "The powers in it are uncontrollable, dangerous." "Anyway, it's not the way we were brought up." "Lena I didn't mean to hurt you." "Brunhild please don't let the servants see me like this." " I'll never try to subdue you again." " Then let this be a lesson to you." "I might be captive in this gilded cage, but I will never be your wife." "Gunther." "Siegfried." "What's the matter?" "Can I speak openly and know you won't tell anyone?" "Of course." "The queen..." "We haven't..." "I mean..." "What?" "Siegfried, she won't let me into her bed." " I'm sorry." " And Burgund needs an heir." "I must have a son." "If there was anything I could do, I would." " But this isn't a battle I can win for you." " But that's not true." "You've proven that your strength is greater than hers." "And her strength doesn't even come from her own body." "It comes from a pagan belt that she wears." " Lf you can get it away from her..." " No!" "No, Gunther." "I'm only asking you to take her belt, not substitute for me in some other way." "You'd refuse to help the man who gave you his own sister?" "Your magic Tarnhelm worked for us in Iceland, blood brother." "But if you don't use it here, tonight then all of that's been wasted, and my marriage is a joke." "Shadows and vapours, all the same." "Good night, my king." "Lena." " You two go ahead." " Don't be long." "I have to tell you something." "Come in here." "I love you too." "He just passed this way." "Something very strange is happening here." "I just want us to be happy together to be man and wife." "Look at you, my king." "You are a match for me, are you not?" "After all, you defeated me in Iceland." "Well, well my king regains his steel." "Strange how it comes and goes without warning." "Listen, I don't wanna fight." " I love you." " Prove it." "That's what I needed to know." "Siegfried?" "Now you can be my husband." "Where are you going?" "To get rid of this pagan witchery." "And when I return I expect you to be my wife." "Do you swear to keep this secret?" "In Iceland, I saw two Gunthers too." "When my brother returned after his victory over Queen Brunhild  it wasn't Gunther who arrived in the room." "It was Siegfried." "Gunther had been hiding in there all the time." "I know it wasn't my brother who defeated Brunhild." "It was Siegfried." "Where have you been?" "Kriemhild." "Why aren't you in bed?" "I woke up and you weren't there." "I couldn't get back to sleep without you, so I waited." "What's that in your hand?" "Nothing important." "Let me see." "A woman's belt?" "Why try to hide it?" "It's not what you think." "We've only been married one day." "All I can tell you is your brother needed me." "What for?" "That I cannot tell you." "Why not?" "I promised not to." "I swear before all the gods that I remain your true and faithful husband." "So why won't you answer my questions?" "What help did my brother need that took you from your bed at this hour?" "And what kind of help leaves a woman's belt in your hand?" "If I told you, I would be breaking a vow of the utmost secrecy." "Break it." " Open the doors for us, please." " I cannot do that, my lady." " Cannot?" "Why not?" " We have orders from the queen." "What?" "No one may enter the church until the Queen of the Burgunds does so." " You must be joking." "Open the doors." " We cannot, Lady Kriemhild." "How dare you order the doors of this place closed to me?" "I am the king's own sister." "And I am his wife Queen of all Burgund." "It is only right that I should enter before other lesser royals." " Step aside and let your queen pass." " You're no queen of mine, Brunhild." "And how dare you refer to my husband as lesser than anyone?" "He even introduced himself in Iceland as Gunther's servant." "He served your husband well when he defeated you last night." " What did you say?" " You heard me." "And it was also my husband who conquered you in Iceland." "You insult the Queen of Burgund in public with these lies?" "So first I'm a servant's wife, and now I'm a liar?" "Do you recognize this?" " Who gave you that?" " My husband." "Do you believe me now?" "He took it from you last night, in your own bedroom." "It surprises me that you couldn't tell." "Now get out of my way." "I don't understand how you could reveal my most intimate secret and your brother's, in front of the whole of Burgund." "Kriemhild, I only broke my vow because I counted on your discretion." "I know." "I'm sorry." "Please forgive me." "I love you more than life." "Now I'm terrified something awful will happen, and somehow we'll be parted." "No more tears." "In two days, we'll be far away from this place far away from your brother and his marriage." "He was wrong to make you a part of it." "He took advantage of your loyalty." "But it's over now." "I'll attend the hunt with him, and we'll part as friends." "Today, I'll give orders for the gold to be loaded onto our ship." "As soon as the hunt is done we can be on our way." " Can't it be done any sooner?" "I wish but we cannot give your brother the impression that we leave bearing him ill will." " I told you he wasn't to be trusted." " Never mind that." "What justice can I administer to put this right?" "The simple justice laid down in our books of law may not be sufficient." "Siegfried has used magic to help you, it's true." "But what other use has he made of it?" "You've heard the people praise him more than you." "Now he has your sister's hand in marriage." "He has a legitimate claim to the throne of Burgund." "What's he planning next, my king?" " Your downfall?" " You said the presence of that hoard in my chamber would bring me good." "Even if the queen begets a child by you, every tongue in Burgund will wag with the gossip that it's really Siegfried's bastard." "The kingdom is already rife with the scandal." "It won't go away." "It will taint you and your house till the end of your days unless something is done." "I'll end the alliance and send him away." " Let him live out his days in Xanten." " It's not enough." "You may not care if men scorn you as a weakling and a cuckold." "But what about me?" "I was betrayed by the dragon slayer and by you." "I am the Queen of Iceland and Burgund." "I will not be dishonored." "I will be avenged." "There is only one punishment fit for such a crime." "What would you have me do?" "It's very simple." "Siegfried must die." "You can't mean it." "He's my friend." "More than my friend my blood brother." "After what we've shared, a betrayal like that..." "I can't just have him killed." "Either you kill him or I kill myself." "My king perhaps his punishment could come about accidentally at the hunt." "You know Siegfried is invincible." "And you know as well as I that he is not." " King Siegfried, shall we ride together?" " Brother- in-law." " May I join you as well?" " I'd be honoured." "Come on!" "Queen Brunhild?" "Queen Brunhild, please let me talk to you." "This trouble between us has to be settled." "Please, Queen Brunhild." "I have something that's rightfully yours which I must return." "Indeed you have something that is rightfully mine." "But it is far too late for you to return it." "You Christians make much of forgiveness." " Don't look for such in me." " I don't, Queen Brunhild." "All I can do is say how bitter my sorrow is for the way I treated you in front of the cathedral." "I was jealous." "And when I thought of what seemed to be happening, I couldn't bear it." "Once I loved a man who I thought the gods themselves had sent me." "I loved the whole world because he was in it." "Long we were parted but I could bear it because I knew he would return one day." "But when he came again it was as if his heart had been wiped clean." "I loved him as I had but he did not love me." "We were strangers as before we had been Iovers." "Siegfried?" "Siegfried." "Brunhild, I have done you a terrible wrong." " Let us speak no more of the cathedral." " I am not." "I speak of something far worse." "What are you talking about?" "You have done me no other great harm." "Once I loved a man who did not love me." "And I could not bear it, for the world was an empty place without him." "So when Hagen came to me with an unholy thing that would banish the memory of old loves and plant a new one there I blinded myself to what was right and gave it to that man to drink." "It was Hagen's magic." "Siegfried never knew." "And even if he did, there would be nothing he could do against it." "That is my great sin against you and him." "And I will do penance for it for the rest of my life." "So I'm not the only one who got lucky." "Well done, brother." " Have a drink with us." " I'll wash the blood off first." "Brunhild." "Is Siegfried not back?" "We should leave before dark." "I'll go and get him." "Siegfried?" "Siegfried?" "Siegfried!" "No." "Help." "Help!" "Help!" "Somebody help!" "Arminius!" "There was an ambush." "A group of Saxons." "Murderer." "How can you accuse me?" "What reason do I have to kill a man who's done us so much good?" "Envy and guilt and greed." "With Siegfried dead you wouldn't have to face your own weakness and dishonour." "And with him dead, you could keep the hoard for yourself." "All of it." "The hoard." "I don't want it anymore." "You wanted the gold for yourself." "That's why you slew him." " We planned it together!" " You'll never have the gold!" "But the gold is my Nibelung birthright!" "It's mine!" "You insolent son of a dwarf!" "Keep out of this, boy." "He murdered our king!" "I order you to arrest him!" "Those of you who ally with me will be rewarded with gold from the hoard." "And finally betrayed, as he betrayed me." "Hagen of Tronje face the fate my gods have chosen." "Your gods are dead!" "Soon we will know." "Return this ring to its rightful owner." "Take it back to the Nibelungs." "Arminius." "Today the old gods live again." "No, Giselher." "Today the old gods will die with them."