"The Invaders" "In the year 786 of the Christian era, near the rocky coasts of Portland, in Dorset's county, appeared for the first time three big and long vessels." "Blond bloodthirsty giants, eager to conquer, bent on dominating the island, razing every defense and spreading terror and death." "The Vikings invaded Great Britain." "That first disembark was followed by many others." "And their vessels of monstrous prow and squared sail, inspired terror at their very first appearance." "The "Big Iron Axe"" "was their weapon of choice." "And from their cold lands, those ferocious, unbeatable, ruthless pagans, firmly established themselves on those coasts." "Small reigns rose, which were getting their power from blood and slavery." "The only king eager of peace and justice was Arald of the Order." "For this reason, King Lotar of Scotland, appointed Ruthford's Baron to negotiate further peace efforts." "Don't be afraid!" "Tay down, children." "There he is!" "It's King Arald!" "Death to him!" "Let's kill him!" "Ranco, take Erik and Eron." "Run away to their safety!" "My sons will avenge me." "What a massacre." "Your plan was successful, Sir Ruthford." " Now?" " Yes." "Erik!" "Erik!" "Erik!" "Erik!" "Eron!" "Eron!" "The Viking weed was uprooted from British ground, Sire." "Arald is dead." "And he will no longer defend this flag." "Enough, Ruthford." "You deserve merit for your victory, but we don't approve your war methods." "Destructions, massacres, various cruelties, cannot decorate the shield of a British knight." "Those are the necessary rules against the barbarians." "Nothing will justify the betrayal that you used to conquer the country." "Our orders said to deal with the Vikings." "Find a common ground." "Convince them to abandon our land and be satisfied with the unopposed dominance of the north seas." "You don't bargain with the barbarians, you destroy them." "You will be accountable in front of God and the men to have disobeyed our will." "Your sword, Ruthford." "From now on, you are exonerated from the command of our terrestrial and naval forces." "And you will prepare yourself to appear in front of the justice court, to respond of your doing." "I hope your repentance is as sincere and profound as it is my regret." "Assassin!" "It was him." "He was the one holding the bow!" "Damn!" "He was feigning death." "Damn!" "To the stake!" "To the stake." "The king is dead." "Hail to the queen." "A little boy." "Don't cry, little one." "He's very cold." "Look." "The sign of the Viking in chief." "True, but what does it matter?" "He's just a child." "Poor little one." "God wanted to save him." "And with His endless kindness He brought him to me, as in consolation for the death of my loved one." "I always wanted to have a child." "Nobody will ever have to know who he is." " Swear it to me, Ursula." " I swear, my sovereign, I won't talk." "You're crazy." "Don't look at him, they may understand." "Listen to us, Odino our father and God." "The woman who transgressed violating the vows that made her your bride, will have death." "The man who dared kidnapping her, to you and your cult, will have death." "And now, charged with their sin, charged with any of our blame, may the bodies we are offering you placate your anger." "It's true, they sinned." "But this conviction is unfair and inhuman." "Love is not a sin." "Arald, my father," "I'm sure would have forgiven them." "I don't believe it." "You can't forgive a betrayal." "And a vestal that fails her vows of purity, betrays our faith for Odino." "Unleashes among all our people the unrelenting anger of an insulted god." "I don't understand why you are defending them with such fervor." "Eron, the generous impulse of your youth moves my heart." "I'd rather be dead than see my daughter expiate her sin." "But I don't plead for clemency." "She broke her priestess oath." "She surrendered to the sweet adulations of a terrestrial passion." "She wanted to love." "And Garian is right." "She must die with her accomplice." "May they be offered to the vultures." "To the vultures!" "I thought I was not gonna see you anymore." "Nothing could have kept me away from you." "Nothing." "I'm so afraid for you, my love." "I don't want you to risk your life for me." "Daya... your father consecrated you to the God once you were born." "Was it your will?" "And now, just to love each other we provoked anger..." "Odino's jealousy." "But we'll be stronger than him." "Please don't challenge him, Eron," "I don't want to lose you." "What's this sound?" "Everything scares me." "Don't be afraid." "Only a king could marry you freeing you from those vows." " I will be king." " You will need to fight." "Yes, Daya." "I must become one." "And I will become one." "Death." "Death to Queen Alice and her subjects." "Let's unite the forces of Scotland's warriors, those of Norway, Denmark, Iceland." "Let's crush the British under the stones of their fortresses." "The Vikings will dominate the north seas." "I am with you, Olaf." "You can count on my people's alliance." "Iceland will follow you." "I will help you, if only to avenge my eye." "Now listen to me, Olaf." "Each one of us who responded to your plea has the same number of weapons, of men and vessels." "And can count on the blind obedience of faithful and valiant soldiers." "Each one of us showed great courage in war." "But nobody has your wisdom and your experience." "Once already, many years ago, a king of your progeny was able to plant his flag on British ground." "And only betrayal could bend him." "What we'll face now will be difficult and lengthy." "In order to overcome it, we need one thing... only one chief needs to lead us." " And you must be the one, Olaf." " Olaf!" "Thank you very much, Garian." "And I thank all of you." "Your faith is the best reward that can fulfill the existence of a soldier." "But I am old." "I am tired." "And in war my wisdom will be worth less than the eagerness of a young and impetuous chief." "I then suggest my brother Arald's son." "Eron has the value and the courage of his father." "I'm sorry, Olaf." "Eron is still young and inexperienced." "If you refuse to be in command, I'll be the one to guide the expedition." "You forget something," "I am driven by a much deeper feeling." "To avenge my brother and father's death." "As well as being elected king." "I deserve it!" "You see this sign?" "Was on the Viking's banners that were already waving in Great Britain." "They were my father's banners which brought him glory and blood." "We have decided." "The soldiers themselves will choose who's going to lead them." "The chiefs of each tribes will present their vote." "Garian!" "Garian!" "Garian!" "Garian!" "Garian!" "Eron!" "Garian!" "Eron!" "Eron!" "Eron!" "Eron!" "Eron!" " One." " One." " Two." " Two." " Three." " Three." "Four..." "Why so sad?" "Daya, what' wrong?" "My heart is full of dismay." "Help me." "I would if I could." "We come from the same womb, we were born the same night." "Who can understand you better than I do?" "Eron shouldn't have shown interest in you." "It's sacrilege." "And you, Daya, why did you break the oath that links us to the gods?" "Because I love him." "I love him so much." "And you worry for him, since he's going to war." "Only his death could clean your sin." "No, Rama, don't say that." "He will become king and he'll have the power to dissolve my vows." "Is the love for a man so strong to risk your life in hope that he'll maintain a promise that is almost absurd?" "...48." "...49." " 49." " 50 for Garian." "50 for Eron." "This is the will of the men... uncertainty." "A lost deer." "Let's refer to the gods' supreme judgment." "You will face each other in a duel with your own forged weapons." "Odino will give the strength and the astuteness to the one He has chosen." "Did you hear, Rama?" "Why do they scream like that?" " I'll go see." " Wait." "You want to reveal everything?" "They'll kill you together with him." " Don't say anything." " Daya, Rama!" "Eron and Garian are about to fight in a duel." "Calm down." "Calm down." "The warriors clashes are none of our business." "This is the gods' will, Eron." "Kill him." "It's the law." "No!" "I cannot kill him." "He's a valiant soldier." "He must fight on my side." "With me." "His life is yours." "My life is yours, Eron." "Now that your patron became so important, we won't be able to talk to you anymore." "Shut up." "You sacrilegious man." "I never talked to you, and I never will." "With the powers given to me by God, and by my subjects, I appoint you," "Erik, Duke of Helford, chief in command of my reign's fleet." "May God will give you through the sword of Lotar the great, my beloved husband, the value and the wisdom of the deceased king." "With the powers given to me by God, and by my subjects, I appoint you," "Duke of Helford, chief in command of the naval forces." "That bastard has fallen for it." "He took the command of the fleet." " And what about you, Baron?" " I'll organize the castle's defense." "He's crazy." "He thinks he's going to destroy the Viking fleet." "And he doesn't know his vessel will burn before the fight." "Should we trust that man?" "As if it were myself, Baron." "Then we need to pay him." "Go, we can't waste time." "I don't have the courage to take you." "A queen cannot cry in front of her subjects." "Even if it is her son who is leaving for war." "Here." "It's just a cross... but it will protect you." "You'll see Mother, you'll be proud of me." "You've always been my pride." "You gave a meaning to my existence." "Perhaps, one day someone will explain the symbol on your chest." " And that day I hope..." " Don't worry, Mother." "When you adopted me, raising me as if I were your own child, you gave me all that a man could desire in life." "Mother, I just want to deserve your love." "How many oxen did you have to kill for those bladders?" "Can't you see they're chicken bladders?" "What are you doing, selling them?" "Laugh, laugh." "In my opinion vessels are floating coffins." "No matter what happens, I'm sure I'll float." " Yeah, just like..." " I know what you're trying to say." "The most important thing is saving your skin." "You'll be damned!" "Bastards." "I had 13 of them." "One blew up..." "Attention!" "Sails at starboard!" "Sails at starboard." "Alert!" "Sail!" "Increase the rhythm." "Prepare the burning arrows." "Increase the rhythm, the wind is against us and we need to move around them." "Keep going." "Keep going." "Fast!" "Throw as many arrows as you can." "If we can burn the vessel in front, will find ourselves in advantage with the other ones." "Put up the sail!" "They're bending with the wind." "Stop paddling, come on." "Let's get ready to board!" "The wind is blowing their sail." "We won't be able to stop them." "Garian!" "You'll be damned!" "Where are you," "Duke of Helford?" "Here I am!" "Vikings, abandon the vessel." "Let's get onboard." "Quick!" "Go!" "To Lotar's castle!" "Help!" "Get out, now!" "Her Majesty, during this years of peace," "I've been your most loyal subject." "But now, I repeat, a marriage would reinforce the unity of our people." "Silence." "How dare you consider my feelings..." "I wasn't talking about feelings." "For many years you ignored mine." "Her Majesty, what I am suggesting is the salvation of your reign." "Unfortunately, ambition is devouring you." "It takes away from you the good judgment." "Your suggestions are wrong." "We don't need you." "And now, leave." "Anyhow," "I remain one of your most loyal subjects." "Down, down!" "On your knees." "Your revenge is complete... finally." "Yes." "I accomplished my biggest dream." "And without spilling any Viking blood." "Thanks to Baron Ruthford who gave us the castle and you, queen." "Before abandoning this reign of mine," "I will appoint a ruler." "And you all remember this, you will obey to his orders." "If you tried to rebel the blond head of your queen will get here with the first Viking vessel." "Since I will take her with me as hostage and my sword won't quiver in the event I had to use it." "You are vile." "Why don't you stay here?" "You'd become more civil." "Don't you think?" "Even the servants could teach you how a human being should behave." "It may actually... end up being me... the one who will show you, one day, what a real man is." "Perhaps you don't know it." "Barbarian." "Yes!" "Barbarian." "You, Ruthford!" "You'll be the ruler of this reign of mine." "You, example of British civilization." "Be careful, though, I warn you." "Don't you think to be able to betray a barbarian." "It would be very dangerous." "You better remember it!" "Remember it!" "Where am I?" "On Viking's ground." "Where do you come from?" "From very far away." "A long time has passed since I first set foot on the deck of that ship." "Where is your vessel now?" "It sunk, together with my fellows." "Who are you?" "A woman, or an angel?" "If I didn't hear your voice, I would have thought I were dead." "It wouldn't have been bad, if the angels looked like you." "Who are the angels?" "How beautiful." "What is it?" "A talisman." "It protects me, always." "You see, it also let me meet you." "It's almost dawn." "I need to go." "Tell me who you are." " Tell me." " I can't." "What if I asked to see you again here?" "Over there, past those sand dunes, there's a small fishermen's village." " They will help you." " Don't run away." "Please." "Hey!" "There's a man here." "He scared us." "No, don't be afraid." "It must be a survivor." "Who are you?" "How did you get here?" "Speak." "Are you a survivor as well?" "Yes, of course." "He was on the same vessel, when we hit some ice, right?" "What are you doing here?" "Go away." "Go back to work." "Come on." "Hurry up." "If you are a good fisherman like him," " you can stay with us." " Of course." "He's great at fishing." "His nickname was "whale eater."" "We go back to work." "You can stay here and take care of your friend." "Yes, yes." "Duke..." "Forgive the confidence, Duke, but they're Vikings!" "If only they knew who you were..." "I knew you were alive." "What about you?" "How did you get here?" "Those bladders were a blessing!" "Do you remember on the vessel?" "Everybody was making fun of me." " Yeah." " What a fight with the swordfish!" "I had seven and they punctured three." "No, four, they punctured." "I brought you some food and water." "You are good, Rama." "But I would have preferred something else." "What?" "The announcement that my end is near." "Death is gods' will." "Not the men's." "Only if the gods want it, your sacrifice will happen." "How long will I have to live this way?" "You see," "I don't even know how to hide my tears anymore." "I wish I could do something for you." "You are priestess of the gods." "You can implore them for my death." "And that my useless body will get thrown in the waters to find who's already there." "It's what I ask in my prayers to my God." "He's also not listening." "He abandoned me." "I only have his cross left." "Is that talisman called cross?" "Who told you this blasphemy?" "The cross is not a talisman." "It's the symbol of our Christian faith." "I knew I would have met you again." "My eyes and heart are still full of your beauty." "I couldn't stop thinking of you." "You know, in his dreams every man without realizing chases the image of a woman." "Now my dream has come true." "You are that woman." "And I don't want to lose you." "Please, don't speak like that." "I can't listen to you." "Let me go." "You are Christian, right?" "Yes." "How do you know?" "This is your God's cross." " It's not a talisman." " Who told you that?" "The queen, who's prisoner explained it to me." "What queen?" "Queen Alice of Britain." "How can that be possible?" "Yes, we are taking care of her." "You see, everything revolves around our destiny." "I could have died in a battle, but I found myself survivor on this land." "To find love, and free my mother." "You mother?" "Yes." "Now I understand why she's crying." "She thinks you drowned and she's praying to join you." "Instead, she'll see you alive." "I'll help you free her." "I already know how." "Tomorrow there will be a wedding." "That will be the right time." " Here you are." " Duke..." "Hi, my friend." " Sorry..." " Tomorrow there will be a wedding, all the village will be at the ceremony." "I worked all day long at it." " Are we going to have fun?" " No." "You'll stay here and you're going to bring the fastest boat at the pontoon." "Duke, you're scaring me." "Careful." "He's gone." " Tomorrow will be a great day." " Perfect." "Why did you do this to me?" " What?" " Why did you want me to see this?" " I don't understand you." " Weren't my mother's tears enough?" "If you wanted me prisoner as a gift to your husband, here I am." "Duke of Helford." " Eron!" " Death to you." "Let's kill him." "Yes." "Kill him." "Tie him up." "Your blood cannot flow today." "Today is a celebration for us." "You will be executed tomorrow before dawn." "You'll be damned." "Are you afraid?" "Very close to the left ear." " I can do better by lying down." " We'll see." "Look at me." "With my feet." "Brush against the left cheek and through the wood." " Nice shot!" " Good job!" "Where are you going?" "I'm bringing some wine to the prisoner." " Give it to me." " Some wine to the prisoner..." "Don't say we don't treat you well." "Pass along!" " Leave some for me." " Here it is." "I put them to sleep." "What are you doing here?" "Is my agony sweeter than your wedding night?" "Look into my eyes." "Don't you see in them all my love for you?" "How could you doubt me?" "You thought I was Daya, my twin sister." "How could you." "Let's go." "Your mother is already at the fishermen's village, she's with your squire." "That's why I wasn't at the wedding." "Quick." "Let's go." "Her Majesty, the boat is ready." "What happened?" "Hey you, wake up, where's the prisoner?" "The alarm." "They're also responding from the coast." "We're surrounded." "Wait, come with me." "This way." "It's impossible." "Rama couldn't have done this." "I'll find him, Daya." "I'm sure of it." "And if Rama is with him," "I'll kill them both." "They don't deserve mercy." "Here we are." "I doubt anyone will find us here, Erik." "When we were kids Daya and I would hide here." "Nobody ever found us." "They didn't go this way for sure." "All that's left is the road to the forest." "Save him, please!" "Eron!" "The rope." "Throw the rope!" "Quick!" "Here they come!" "They put the boats on fire!" "Let's go to the harbor!" "Let's chase them!" "It's useless." "They're too far." "And the night is in their favor." "I'll find them." "On their land." "Soon." "My sovereign, our swords and the ones of the nobles of Scotland, are ready to fight to bring the throne back to you." "Thank you, Baron." "Your loyalty is moving, knights." "We were worried about you." "As soon as we got your message, I kept hoping." "Thank you, I need friends like you." "But to take Lotar's castle we need men and weapons." "The noble knights who followed me are valiant but few." "But fast dispatch riders are going through different counties and I'm sure the princes will welcome my appeal and will join us with great force." "Death to Ruthford." "Hail to the queen." "Hooray!" "Hooray!" "The Vikings." "Damn it." "They've already disembarked." "Let's attack them anyway, they don't have cavalry." "Wait." "They are numerous." "I have an idea." "Did you see?" "They never thought they would find the Vikings." " This time I'll kill them all." " Eron." "I entrust her to you, Ruthford." "Take good care of her." "He's challenging you, Eron." "You saved my life." "Now we're even." "This can't be possible." "You're Erik, my brother!" "Look, look, Erik!" "The same symbol!" " Brother!" "Brother!" " L..." "My valiant soldiers, and you, brave knights of Great Britain, no more hatred and disagreement between us." "Today is a day of joy." "Look, this is my brother." "No!" "Careful!" " Eron!" " No!" "The king!" "They hit our king!" "Let's attack the castle!" "Duke of Helford," "If the Vikings won't embark, and if the princes won't get sent back to their estates," "Daya will die." "Your bride, Eron, is in my hands." "You entrusted her to me." "Her life now depends on your decisions and the ones of your brother." "You can think about it as long as this flame is burning." "No, Erik." "I want Erik." "Erik... it's so strange that I find you... as a British." "That was the gods' will." "Their hatred is sedate." "Erik... don't cry." "Don't suffer." "Arald, our father, is calling me." "I can hear his voice." "Don't cry." "You, Erik, you... my brother, the Duke of Helford, will finish my work." "This is what the gods want from you." "Erik will succeed me." "He will be your king." "The barbarian is about to die." "Eron..." "I will have to close my eyes without seeing Daya." "They look like hungry wolves." "Daya, we have only one chance of survival for both of us." "You must tell them to leave." "Never!" "Kill me if you want." "Your death will be slow and awful." "You will invoke the end as a liberation just like all the other ones who never made it out of here." "I want Daya." "You, were one of the soldiers who guarded me that night that I was tied to the sacred tree?" " Yes." " Find the other ones and follow me." "Where are you, my sweet bride?" "I will never be able to see you again." "I am here." "Daya..." "Yes... it's me." "I'm back." " How did you do it?" " Ruthford let me go." "A beautiful dream... it's been a beautiful dream." "It couldn't have been reality." "The gods were jealous." " Eron..." " That way they wanted to punish me." "The dream will become reality." "We'll be happy together." "Yes." "We'll be together forever." "I will bring..." "I will bring with me your memory." "It is a crazy undertaking." "I must try." "There's no other way." "He's dying and his woman is up there." "This wooden tower is the only way possible." "How will you..." "Listen to me." "Let the drums roll the death march." "Until that flame is burning, we should not hear any other noise." "And in the event I won't be back, before it stops burning, you go ahead and attack." "Attack!" "With no mercy." "Let's cry out for revenge." "Daya... don't cry." "You must be strong." "We... will be together again and we'll be happy like innocent kids." "On the green valleys of Odino." "Where the sky is clean." "Night and day, always." "And the clouds don't cover the moon... like in this moment." "I can't... see you anymore." " Did you hear that?" " Yes." "This is the time." "Do you persist in your silence?" "You see, when the sand will all be into this bucket, its weight will lift the urn's lid." "And this cute little animal will be able to get out undisturbed from its glass cage." "Brilliant, isn't it?" "It's one of my inventions that I successfully tested many times." "As soon as the spider will be out, all you will need is a bite to die in atrocious pangs." "And it will feel like a liberation compared to the anguish of the wait." "So?" "One word and we'll be saved." "Go away." "In death..." "I only have one mate." "My sword." "Goodbye." "Kill them all!"