Take this to your mother.
Mother!
I got it.
[sighs]
It is wonderful. Good boy, Harald.
Now, go check your traps for rabbits.
[horn blowing in distance]
[sentry] Ships in the harbor!
[people clamoring]
What took you so long?
You were supposed to be back from Kattegat two days ago.
How about, "Welcome home, Akí."
"Thank the gods you're still alive. You didn't drown in a storm."
Did you at least get everything for the wedding?
Everything. Just like you asked.
Even some sweets for the children.
Take these to the kitchen.
There is much cooking to be done. Come! No time to waste.
[Freydis] How was Kattegat?
Bustling. Full of boats.
If we had a hundred swords, we could have traded them all.
We will soon.
Any news about my brother or Harald?
Some say they've seen them in distant lands.
Africa. Greece.
There are rumors that they fight for the Emperor of Constantinople.
They're gone but not forgotten, Freydis. Remembered as heroes.
Thank you for always asking for me, Akí.
Of course.
[men clamoring]
[men shouting]
[all grunting]
[yells]
[in Arabic] Your Eminence, their Emperor has joined the battle.
[men clamoring in the distance]
[all grunting]
[in English] Hold the line!
-[soldier yells] -[grunts]
[all grunting]
[soldier gurgles]
-[Harald] Emperor! Emperor! -[grunts]
Forward!
Get the Emperor back! Riders!
[grunts]
Protect the Emperor! [grunting]
[grunting]
-[soldier 1 shouts] -[soldier 2 yells]
[both grunt]
-[grunts] -[cracks]
Emperor!
-Riders! -[yells]
[Harald] Get him back!
[screams]
[Dorn yells]
[Harald] Back! Get him back! Get the Emperor to safety!
[clamor continues]
[man 1] Get him to safety!
[panting]
[Romanos] You brought me here to witness victory.
And I barely escaped with my life.
If not for my Varangian Guard,
the Saracens we came to conquer
would have brought the Byzantine Empire to its knees.
Despite what you witnessed, my Emperor, the siege is working.
They are becoming more desperate by the day.
The battlefield is littered with our dead.
And while your army remains here,
the center of my empire, Constantinople,
lies undefended and at the mercy of our enemies in the East.
If we leave Sicily now, the Emir will be emboldened
and the Saracens will use this victory to spread their hatred of our God.
They will consolidate their holdings and not only threaten Constantinople,
but Jerusalem.
Silence!
Prepare your men.
We return home in the morning.
Emperor, if I may…
General Maniakes is not incorrect.
His siege has taken a toll on the enemy.
And though I do not share his passion for a religious war, I agree.
I believe there is another solution.
Yes, my men have already begun a new plan--
With respect, General, I'm not talking about your men.
Or your plan.
I'm saying it is time to let my warriors deliver you Syracuse.
Your warriors? Your 700 Varangians?
You think they can take that fortress?
They are nothing but a mongrel mix of lost Vikings and mercenaries.
Vikings are never lost.
-And we will take that fortress. -[chuckles]
[groans softly]
[man 1] Put them to the side, huh? You can use them later!
[groans]
[clears throat]
I cannot decide which is worse,
the smell of pig guts or the stink of the sulfur.
[chuckles softly] Here.
Spread this beneath your nose. It will help. A little.
[Dorn] Is that what you're looking for inside the castle?
It's called a library.
It contains writings from ancient Greece and Egypt.
Treasures from Africa…
and maps…
of places few people have ever seen.
It's beautiful.
We have enough.
[men clamoring and shouting]
[Harald] I have informed the Emperor.
We'll be taking the fortress tomorrow night.
Then you misspoke.
It will be at dawn.
[men chattering indistinctly]
[Leif] I can get you through the barbican wall.
The castle is another matter.
-Now we go up. -[men yelling indistinctly]
[Harald] Leif, the noise… The Saracens will know we're tunneling.
[Leif] Good. I want them to know.
[grunting]
[Leif] Easy. Hold. Good.
We are under the wall.
When the time comes, make it loud.
This way.
[Harald] To where? You didn't mention a second tunnel.
[Leif] You didn't ask.
[Harald sighs]
[panting]
[grunting]
Just in time.
I brought you some help.
Ah. [chuckles]
[sighs] The future King of Norway, huh!
[laughing]
As soon as we take this castle.
Soon.
Is there really as much treasure inside as you say?
[Harald] More, my friend.
Enough to fund all our dreams.
If you don't blow yourselves up first.
[Harald] My God.
How are you going to light all of this and get out safely?
[chuckles]
We aren't.
They are.
Trust him.
-[twig snapping] -[inhales sharply]
I mean no trouble, friend.
I am just a peaceful traveler.
[Hámundr] What are you doing here?
I'm looking for Jomsborg.
-Then why do you come by the forest? -I don't own a boat.
Just my legs.
[man 1] He is alone!
[Hámundr] What is in your bag?
[man 2] Just my supplies.
Careful.
The contents are fragile.
[both grunting]
[all grunting]
Stop!
What is going on?
He says he is looking for Jomsborg and has evil in his bag.
No evil. I only said it must be handled with care.
Happy to show you.
You're a healer?
Among other things.
What is this?
Turmeric. It reduces swelling.
Where's it from?
India.
It's a land far east and south.
Have you been there?
Yes, I've been to many places.
Are you a Pagan or a Christian?
I am neither.
But I'm not here to harm you.
My name is Stígr.
-Where did you learn to fight like that? -I wasn't fighting. I was defending.
Show me.
Now? Here?
-[both grunting] -[men exclaiming]
[sighs]
You are welcome to stay in Jomsborg.
-But everyone works for their keep. -I will.
Thank you.
Harald! Come.
[bell tolling]
[Godwin] Acquiring the blessing of the Pope is not only a religious duty,
it is a political necessity.
England will be gifted the southern states of Denmark
and in return, you will build 200 churches.
Two hundred churches? On land that I could clearly take?
Yes. But His Holiness will bestow upon our people
his infinite blessings, and you cannot put a price upon that.
And yet he has.
And a high one.
When we meet, I will tell him.
Unfortunately, that is not possible, Your Highness.
You will be speaking to the Pope through his emissary, the Cardinal.
I am the King of Denmark, Norway and England.
And he is the supremely powerful Pope.
Ambassador of God to all Christians on Earth.
His Holiness will see you now.
[man 1, distantly] Yes, it is a matter for discussion…
[in Latin] May God crown you with a crown of glory and righteousness.
[in English] His Holiness welcomes this dear son in Christ
and he appreciates the reparation you've made to the Church
to compensate for the centuries of pillaging
and desecration that your people have inflicted on its sacred sites.
To fully attain the atonement, however,
the Holy Father has increased his request to 300 churches.
300?
Yes. And that he may feel assured that the agreement is binding,
you will also provide him with the name of your successor.
An heir?
Ah.
I have not chosen one.
Well, then that is not satisfactory.
Or necessary! He cannot tell me how to rule my empire!
[in Latin] What is wrong?
It is nothing, Your Holiness.
[in English] You're upsetting the Holy Father.
-Your Highness, I think perhaps-- -What?
[sighs]
Your Holiness, I am Canute the Great.
King of England. Ruler of the Northern Empire.
Stop. This is not allowed.
And I have traveled many miles to demonstrate to you my loyalty
and to discuss issues face-to-face.
He cannot understand you.
Then I will ask Godwin to translate for me.
Godwin! Tell the Pope that we come here with respect.
What is happening?
You have offended His Holiness and the Church.
The meeting has ended. There is no agreement.
Thank you for seeing me, Your Eminence.
Your king is a savage.
While I admit that he is direct,
the past seven years have also proven him to be a devoted servant to the Church.
Well, that's not what I've witnessed today.
It's bad enough that to advance the Christianization of these people,
we have agreed to saint one of them, the raider, Olaf Haraldsson.
But to have your king attempt to speak to the Holy Father, as an equal,
shows how little respect he has for the sanctity of our institutions.
I am here to hopefully alter that opinion.
Well, I'm afraid once my mind is made up, I'm not easily swayed.
[sighs]
[Godwin] England is a wealthy country.
And I believe that you are a man
capable of finding the path to forgiveness.
[people clamoring]
[man 1] Thank you, brother.
You found work quickly.
Your healer is busy with wedding preparations.
[woman] Where did you get that red dress? From your sister! Great!
Have you always been a traveler?
Once I was a farmer.
What made you change?
When I was away herding sheep,
my wife and my daughter were killed by raiders.
So sorry to hear that.
[woman] There is much to do.
So what has brought you to Jomsborg?
My grandfather was a Jomsviking before he moved to Rus.
When I was a child, he'd tell me exciting stories about his time here.
The battles, the friendships, the feasts…
Did you learn to defend from him?
[chuckles] No. Like my medicines, I picked it up in India.
I want you to teach my son, Harald.
The training takes time.
And are you in a hurry to leave?
No.
Now, the ancient Greeks believed that Hephaestus,
blacksmith of the gods, lived beneath that mountain.
Every time he worked his forge,
that's when the ground shook and sparks flew.
The Saracens proved that Etna is not the home of the gods.
The fire that poured out came from deep down inside the Earth.
Do you ever get tired of knowledge?
[chuckles] No.
No, science is pure.
I yearn for more.
And what I desire most is inside that citadel.
To me, knowledge is more valuable than gold.
When we set out for Constantinople seven years ago,
I promised I would return to Norway and take back what is mine.
This victory will guarantee that I have treasures enough to do that.
And then what?
What do you mean?
I know you, my friend.
Your ambition runs as deep as the sea.
Will that be enough to satisfy you?
I know what I want.
And I'm almost there.
[Maniakes] I fear that you have placed too much faith in Harald.
I will not argue that he is a gifted warrior,
but he is not one of us.
He fights for glory, like all Vikings.
And you do not?
I fight for the glory of the Byzantine Empire. Nothing else.
Georgios…
your loyalty and courage is without question.
But your hatred of the Saracen religion has blinded you.
From the moment you arrived in Sicily, the Emir has been…
more inventive.
It is time to let someone else challenge him.
You are risking much if he fails.
I am the Emperor of the greatest empire on Earth.
I got here by risking much on men who are willing to risk more.
[sighs deeply]
Speak.
I Christianized my people.
Forced them to give up their gods and traditions.
Now, I must kneel and kiss the ring of a man
who will not even meet me face-to-face.
What is to keep me from leaving this city today?
We benefit enormously from the support of the Church.
It is the support of hypocrites.
Should the Pope wish to, he could have you excommunicated.
Shunned.
And England would be alone in all of Europe.
They judge me because I have killed to be king, but they forget…
they all have blood on their hands.
My lord, I've spoken with the Cardinal and we have come to an understanding.
How much will this understanding cost me?
300 solidi.
I do not like it. It is not who I am.
I agree, Your Highness. But it is what is needed for England.
Do it.
I was there this morning.
I saw how the Cardinal treated Canute.
They are simply not accustomed to men of your husband's background, my lady.
But fortunately, it has been resolved.
You are naive if you think your bribe
will encourage them to alter their perception.
It will only harden it.
If we are to truly change their opinions, I feel we must try a different tact.
I'm afraid it's too late for that, Your Highness.
And I have dealt with the problem.
[woman singing in Norse]
[crowd cheering and applauding]
[festive music playing]
[people shouting happily]
[chuckles]
[man laughing]
[Akí] Stígr!
-Join us. -Yes, have something to eat.
[Stígr] I'll have some wine.
-Have you been fighting? -No.
You look so beautiful, Hrefna. Come.
[Freydis] I'm so happy for you.
-Thank you, Freydis. -[Haraldsson] Mother.
Oh!
Do you know what the most powerful weapon in the world is?
Is it not our new sword?
It is our mind.
[laughs]
[festive music continues]
I see you have already started my son's training.
He's a bright boy.
He, um, speaks not of his father, however.
He never knew him.
-Is he dead? -No…
Not that I know of.
His father and I parted ways before he knew I was with child.
He was a good man.
-[music ends] -[people cheering]
[Stígr and Freydis laugh]
-[Hrefna exclaims] -[whoops]
[crowd cheering]
Skol!
[Stígr laughs]
This place is not what I expected.
It's vibrant and joyous.
You picked a good day to arrive.
You mean… it's not like this every day?
[Stígr chuckles]
We've had our struggles.
I saw evidence of that in the woods.
We are the last holdout of believers in the old gods.
All the lands to the north and south are ruled by Christians.
And their God commands them to destroy us and our faith.
So we must be vigilant for attacks.
I agree you're surrounded.
But it's a difficult journey to get here, Freydis.
It has not stopped them before.
So I must keep us ready.
[gasps, chuckles] Are these for me?
Aw, thank you so much.
[both chuckle]
Oh.
I've never seen a leader who is so loved by her people.
I don't consider myself a very typical leader.
You are most certainly not typical, Freydis.
[people chattering softly]
It's been a long wonderful day. [sighs]
I must let you rest.
Or you can rest with me.
[both breathing heavily]
[moaning]
-Mmm. -[moans]
[moaning]
[Harald sighs]
[tolls softly]
You never were good at waiting, were you?
-Patience. It won't be long. -[sighs]
[sighs]
[in Arabic] Their tunnel has reached our wall, Your Eminence.
We calculate that it is less than two strides from the base.
The Emperor's Varangians…
[in English] Yes, Your Eminence. His… bodyguards.
Why have they chosen our highest ground in which to attack?
Perhaps it is to catch us by surprise.
But our counter tunnel is finished,
and we will show them the foolishness of their decision.
[man yells in Arabic]
[oil trickling]
[soldiers shouting indistinctly]
[bell ringing]
[bell clanking]
[in English] Fellow Varangians!
[men shouting]
Have I always brought you victory?
[all] Yeah!
Have I ever failed you?
-[all] No! -Never!
-Go! Before they light it. -[Batu] Hurry, Kaysan!
[men murmuring in Arabic]
[grunts]
-[explosion] -[grunts]
[men continue shouting]
Then you must trust me.
You must follow me when your eyes tell you not to.
You must have faith.
And if you do, I promise you glory like you have never known!
[all cheering]
[panting]
Where's Kaysan?
[Batu] He was sealing off the tunnel.
Go.
Kaysan!
Kaysan! Hey! Kaysan!
[grunts]
[grunting]
-[yells] -[coughing]
[ground rumbling softly]
I told you, the Saracens will collapse their tunnel.
We go!
[men cheering]
The Varangians are excellent bodyguards, Emperor.
-But they are not-- -Shh.
Listen.
[war horn blowing]
[all yelling]
Where are they going?
[ground rumbling]
[screams]
[man yelling]
[yells]
Well, what are you waiting for?
Follow your men! Follow the Varangians!
Hey! Hey!
[coughing]
[panting]
[all yelling]
[Harald yells]
[all grunting]
General!
[Dorn yells]
[all grunting]
Your Eminence, we must get you back to the castle where you'll be safe.
[grunts]
[yelling]
[yells]
Let's go!
The castle! Yes!
[both yelling]