[funeral song playing]
[villagers crying]
Stígr, have you ever killed a man?
Yes.
Why do you ask?
I've never seen you fight that way.
Each fight is different.
You do what you must do when you have to.
Freydis. I hear the cries for the dead.
I am too weak to run, but not too old to fight.
Leave me behind with an axe and save the others.
No. I'm leaving no one behind.
[villagers crying]
[exhales slowly]
-[bishop speaks Latin] -[groans]
[in Latin] Bless this divine mission of beatification and conversion, oh Lord.
Bless your Holy Vessel.
Guide him as he labors to convert souls to Your Kingdom--
[in English] Enough.
-The liturgy cannot be rushed. -It's over.
Trebuchets are unguarded and they are burning the dead.
How many remain?
I counted 20.
There may be more, but they are clearly weakened.
Then it appears we have arrived just in time.
Yes. Yes, we did arrive just in time.
Open the barrels!
[men muttering indistinctly]
Today we come to free my father's body from its earthly bondage.
From the heathen soil where it has cried for justice for seven long years.
Today you will complete this mission of ending the Pagan age.
Today you will destroy Jomsborg!
[all shouting]
[swords clashing]
[all grunting]
[Maniakes chuckles]
[all grunting]
[chuckles]
[all grunting]
It is the great Harald Sigurdsson! Care to join us?
Join you doing what?
Bullying your generals around?
It doesn't look like you need my help.
I think you're scared to fight me.
Scared? Of you?
I'm only scared of what the Emperor would do
when I robbed him of his second best general.
[all chuckling]
Someday, Viking, your quick tongue will not be quick enough to save you.
[chuckles softly] We'll see.
[soldiers chuckling]
-Good morning. -[Kaysan] Good morning.
We have approved the new recruits for the Varangian Guard.
-They are ready for your review. -Spatharokandidatos, may I speak with you?
Good morning, Empress.
I need you to escort me to my chambers.
Empress, this is not the way to your chambers.
-What are you doing? -[chuckles]
[Zoe breathing heavily] You know.
This is dangerous.
And you are Spatharokandidatos,
the second most powerful man of the Empire.
[both breathing heavily]
Show me what you want.
Tell me what you need.
[both breathing heavily]
I want you.
[both moaning softly]
Emperor, may I help you?
I was looking for the Empress. I thought I heard her voice.
[hesitating] She was here,
but I believe she went back to her quarters.
Actually, she is waiting for you in the garden, Emperor.
I escorted her there.
[panting]
Thank you, Harald.
[footsteps recede]
Huh?
We have fought alongside you for years.
We have followed you always,
but this is the most dangerous thing you have asked of us.
I ask nothing of you.
[people screaming in the distance]
-[blade slices] -[groans]
[clamor of battle and screaming in the distance]
[clamor of battle and screaming continues]
[in Greek] Take the nun.
[grunts]
[all grunting]
[groans]
[exclaims]
[grunts]
[yells]
Stop! In the name of God, no!
What is your name?
Niketas.
[in English] Do you wish to say a prayer over the graves?
No. Come and eat. You must be hungry.
You know, he could have killed you.
We do not know that.
And I will not play God, speculating his intentions.
You think God saved you?
Maybe you were sent by him.
I'd be the last person he would send.
[winces]
You're wounded. I need to wrap that.
I'll do it. Get me some cloth and some ale.
The ale.
[sighs]
What sort of nun are you?
A thirsty one.
My name is Tamar.
Leif.
When you're ready,
I'll take you down to the nearest town where you will be safe.
If I was looking for safe, I wouldn't be here.
God doesn't send his servants to places that are warm and comfortable.
I have a purpose here.
To restore this house of God.
[Leif] Well…
If you don't need my help, I'll go on my way.
But I do need your help.
With my wound, I cannot carry water to mix the mortar.
The spring is behind the church, and the day's not getting any longer.
I suggest we get started.
What are those for?
Offerings to their gods, and warnings that death lies inside.
What horrible plague befell them?
Not a plague. Me.
Spread out! Look for survivors!
"Keeper of the Faith."
[man grunting]
-[men clamoring] -[grunts]
[man shouts]
[men clamoring]
[urinating]
We should be looking for your father.
He's not going anywhere.
This was my father's axe.
We found someone.
[woman wheezing]
[coughing]
[shivers]
I'm looking for the woman called Freydis.
She's dead.
She died of the sickness.
[shivering]
[Magnus] Do you recognize this axe?
This is Olaf's axe.
[chuckling] I was there when Freydis killed him.
What happened to his body?
It is outside the gates.
In the Valley of the Dead with the other Christians she killed.
[wheezing]
[coughing continues]
[inhales] The Valley of the Dead.
Now, you are going to take me there.
Bring her.
[Tamar] Where are you heading?
Corfu.
And what is there that you seek?
A man.
Who is this man to you?
You ask a lot of questions.
We can take turns.
[grunts]
What sort of nun drinks ale and knows stonemasonry?
One who was not always a nun.
You were a mason?
My husband was. I learned from him.
We worked together in a town in the south.
Now my turn. The man you seek?
A mapmaker.
[Tamar] What do you want with him?
An answer to the unknown.
When I was young…
my father took me on a voyage to the north.
The ship got blown off course in a storm.
When the clouds cleared in the morning, I saw something on the horizon.
A line of tall trees, golden in the sunrise.
I'm from Greenland. I'd never seen trees before.
When I went to tell my father…
the land vanished, and I was the only one who had seen it.
For a long time, I would lay awake at night
and try to remember what it looked like.
I would describe it to my sister to keep the image alive in my mind.
But finally…
I came to believe I had imagined it.
You want to know if it's real?
Yes.
And where is he now?
Who?
Your husband.
Clearly, he's not here.
We need more stones.
[Leif] My horse!
[sighs]
[Magnus] Well?
Not much further.
I think that you are lying.
[man] Lord Magnus!
[thuds]
-[exclaims] -[bone cracks]
[choking]
[grunts]
[Akí] Fast!
Move! Quickly!
[bishop] It is Olaf.
A sign. Written in Latin.
[Akí] We have two boats! Hurry!
[bishop] "Stultitia patris vivit in filio."
"The foolishness of the father lives on in the son."
This is a trap.
They have not abandoned Jomsborg!
We have checked everywhere.
Not everywhere, not the dead! Back to Jomsborg!
Move!
[men clamoring]
Freydis!
[panting]
[Akí] Oars out now!
[woman shouts]
Faster!
[Stígr] Come on, children. Get on! Sit down!
Come on! Row! Row!
[soldiers shouting]
[woman yelling]
[panting]
[soldiers continue shouting]
-Get on! Come on! -Faster!
[Hrefna] They're coming!
They're coming!
Row!
[panting]
[woman] Faster!
[villagers grunting]
[panting]
Row!
Put your backs into it!
[panting]
[men grunting]
It's too late to surrender now, Freydis!
You may have killed my father, but you will not escape me!
Your people will be forced to pay for your sins!
I am not surrendering to you, Magnus!
I am destroying you!
Now!
[rocks rumbling]
Left! Hard left!
[soldiers screaming]
[gasping]
[Magnus] Freydis!
[Leif] You should have let me kill him.
[Tamar] So you can sleep without worry?
I stopped you from killing him
because forgiveness is Christ's greatest gift.
Well, out here…
that gift will get you killed.
Do you not believe in God? Any god?
I have seen more death and hatred caused by religion than any other source.
[Tamar] I didn't ask about religion.
I asked about God.
A force greater than you.
Wiser than you.
Capable of forgiveness.
Any god capable of forgiving me would be a fool.
I don't worship fools.
We all carry the burden of our mistakes.
He left me, my husband.
He left me because…
I killed our child.
When he was away…
raiders attacked our village and killed many.
When they reached our house, I hid beneath the floor with our son.
He was only a few months old.
And he had to cry.
Babies cry.
To quiet him…
I…
covered his little mouth with my hand.
But the man wouldn't leave.
And he wouldn't stop crying.
So, my hand pressed firmer.
When they finally left, I was alive.
But my child was dead.
My husband tried to forgive me, but he could not.
Neither could the people from my village.
You think…
your god forgave you?
No.
I believe He helped me forgive myself.
[sighs]
-[festive music playing] -[people chattering indistinctly]
[Harefoot] Tostig! Harold!
[laughs] Come on. Let's celebrate. Come.
[woman singing in Norse]
[all singing in Norse]
[in Norse] We gather here…
under the branches of the origin tree…
to thank it for its protection from the Wends.
From its roots, our ancestors believed, grew everything we know and love.
[in English] You remember the stories I told you of the great Tree of Life?
This is that tree.
It has endured many things, just as our people have…
like our roots are deep and strong.
[woman gasps]
Let it be a lesson to us all.
[people chuckling and chattering indistinctly]
Come.
[Godwin] Boys, come on.
[Gytha] Grandfather!
[Forkbeard] Gytha!
[chatter dies down]
Earl Godwin.
Welcome to Denmark.
King Canute was able to receive the papal blessing
on three counties in the south, which have been in dispute with the Wends.
His word and the word of the church defend this agreement.
Excellent.
So tell me, did you meet the Pope?
Yes.
And is he a big man?
Of fair height and weight.
And what kind of axe does he use in combat?
A big one like mine or a small hand axe?
Or perhaps he's a swordsman.
Your point is well-taken, Your Highness, but the Wends are now Christian,
and they won't be able to resist the pressure the church can bring to bear
if they do not accede to his wishes. Your son understands that.
He made a good deal.
[chuckles] A Viking in Rome.
Meeting with the leader of the Christian church.
I would have liked to have seen that.
He represented your people well.
So have you, I'm told.
He fought like a Viking.
I have much to be thankful for here.
A wife who is Viking…
and two strong sons who share your bloodline.
And what do you think of my grandson here?
He fancies himself to be heir to the English throne.
He fights like a king,
but he knows very little about England, and he will have competition.
I am prepared for them.
And have Godwin to advise me.
I fought bravely against the Wends, ask anyone.
A king must be intelligent as well as brave.
A real king would have anticipated their attack,
and would have put up guards.
And he must be tougher.
When I was your age, my father was King of Denmark.
He was a poor king, and the country suffered.
And even though it was obvious that I would be a much better ruler,
he wouldn't relinquish the throne.
I could have waited my turn as my counselors wanted me to,
but I chose a different path.
I killed him.
If you truly intend to rule, you must be tougher.
Prince Edward!
Let us go for a ride in the country before I depart.
I'll go!
No, Alfred. Your mother wants to see you.
[sighs]
Come. One final trip with your guest.
If you're worried…
bring your guards.
[sighs]
Alfred, where's your brother?
He's out with Canute on a ride.
I wanted to go with him, but he wouldn't allow it.
Said he only wanted to go with Edward.
Why have my men pulled back?
Because I told them to.
It cost me surprisingly little for them to abandon you.
What do you intend to do?
Calm yourself, Edward.
If I had wanted to harm you, I would have done so before now.
[grunts]
Get down. Let us talk.
You have made no mystery of how you feel about me.
Or your mother.
Or your belief that the crown of England…
belongs to you.
It does! The throne belongs to the House of Wessex!
[Canute] Someday.
But not now.
And I sit on that throne because of mistakes made by your father.
The day will come, however, when I will not.
And when that day comes…
perhaps one of my sons will wear the crown.
Perhaps you or your brother will.
But whoever wears it must realize something important
or they will not wear it long.
Thrones may be inherited…
but kings are made.
Your father understood this.
So do I.
Maybe one day you will too.
Why have you told me this?
Because your mother loves you.
And I love your mother.
And I do not like the way you treat her.
She abandoned us.
She did so to protect you.
You are not safe in England.
She did what she did to give you a chance to survive!
Do not punish her for that.
If you want to be a king, behave like one.
Else your pride and anger will be the end of you.
[bells tolling in the distance]
[Romanos] Why is it, Prince Yaroslav,
that your visits are always accompanied with requests for troops?
[Yaroslav] Because the need for them is still important.
I can offer you 2,000 men. No more.
[soft music and indistinct chatter]
I thought we were trying to solve the Pecheneg problem.
With 2,000 men, I could barely scratch their balls.
Five thousand is the minimum.
I cannot spare that many.
Then don't come asking for my help
when the Pechenegs are pissing on your walls.
I will offer you 2,000 of my Varangians.
Pound for pound, they are worth double General Maniakes's men.
And who will lead them, you?
No.
He is needed here.
I must take my leave. Do we have a deal?
We do.
You have come a long way, Empress.
I wonder, do you ever miss your old home and your people in the north?
This is my home now, Yaroslav.
These are my people.
[scoffs]
Ah, nephew, I have forgotten how wonderful Constantinople is.
The art, the culture, the beauty.
With all of this, I do not blame you for forgetting your homeland.
I've not forgotten Norway.
Seven years ago, did I not tell you I would come here and raise a fortune?
So I could return home and claim what's mine?
Yes, you did.
And over those years,
have I not sent all that treasure back to Novgorod for safekeeping with you?
Dutifully.
Then why do you doubt me?
Because you have enough gold to raise five armies!
And here you still are.
There are things here I have yet to accomplish.
Oh, yes, they have made you Sparticoticus! Important man!
Spatharokandidatos.
And it is important. I'm one step away from the Emperor.
Ah.
The Emperor…
Harald, do you know the difference between hunger and appetite?
Hunger is what our body tells us we need.
Appetite is what we want.
I know the difference, Uncle.
Many years ago, you asked me to tell you
if I ever heard news about a woman who disappeared into Jomsborg.
Olaf asked me about her as well.
It seems he located Jomsborg…
and attempted to destroy it.
And what happened?
She killed him and all his men, and now rules Jomsborg.
She was always destined to be a ruler.
A ruler with a seven-year-old child.
Thank you, Uncle.
I'm glad to learn this.
But not enough to leave all this, hmm?
Freydis chose her path.
I've chosen mine.
[villagers cheering]
[all laughing]
[grunting]
[bishop] What do we do?
We have no boats. We have no way to return home.
We are trapped!
I have an idea.
Go find the kitchen,
bake yourself a large loaf of bread and eat it.
If that doesn't work…
pray to Saint Olaf for a second miracle!
[people chattering indistinctly]
-You did it! -[panting]
No.
-[Akí laughs] -We did it.
-[laughs] -[all cheering]
What do we do now?
Now we find a new home.
[sighs]
[horse whinnies]
[hooves clopping]
I'm sorry to have taken your horse,
but I needed to find my sister.
This is Esther.
We've come to help.
Two more pairs of hands to build your church.
And I am most grateful.
Come on, boys.
Goodbye, Prince Edward.
Goodbye, King Canute.
Goodbye, Edward.
Goodbye, Mother. I look forward to your return.
For you, my lord.
I carved it myself.
[Canute] In the likeness of who is this carved?
It is the Viking god, Thor.
I know that he inspired you when you were a boy.
He's holding his beard and controlling the winds with his breath.
May he provide you a good wind for your journey home.
It has been a long time since I have thought of such things.
I thank you for this gift, William, Duke of Normandy.
The blood of Rollo runs in your veins.
May you draw strength from that.
From one Viking to another.
Thank you.
Are you sure I cannot convince you to stay for longer?
No. I never want to lay another stone again.
Good luck finding your trees.
What happens when you finish the church?
[Leif] I never saw a bell.
When we finish, God will provide one.