Agnar, come on!
Freya!
Agnar! Agnar! Agnar!
Shut up, Eric.
You're dead.
You were lucky, Sven. Eric had you before he tripped.
Maybe, but in battle,
he'd be dead and I'd live.
A man needs luck, like he needs a wife
to make the trials of his life that much easier.
And what about the wife? Who makes her life easier?
Her maid.
I'm going to talk to your father tonight.
I have to go.
Give her time, Sven.
She's had all the time she needs.
Before this fall,
she will be my wife.
Come aboard.
Do you have to go?
I have one last voyage.
Feel the wind in my face, the roll of the ship beneath my feet.
- But... - No. I grow weak.
- No. - Yes.
Each passing day, Odin steals my breath from my lungs.
We must look to the future.
I don't love him.
- Is there another? - No!
Then why not Sven?
He's well liked by the clan. Clever, brave.
- But I don't love him! - Enough, Freya.
Our people need to know where they stand.
Everyone knows I am ill. Who is to rule when I am gone?
You are a princess. I have no son.
Your husband will be king.
I know.
We must do what is right for our people.
Quiet!
I said quiet!
A toast.
Odin!
Odin.
Shut up!
Quiet! Quiet for the king!
Tomorrow, we set sail.
As the crow flies, 40 leagues due east
and two days,
our banner
will fly over Gunnere.
No!
It is time.
For too long, our warriors have shunned that dreaded isle.
Feared to tread on land that is theirs.
It's madness! Odin's accursed beast dwells in its shadows
drinking the blood of all who set foot on its soil.
I take it you offer advice,
not utter the ramblings of a fear-ridden hag.
Sven's right!
Since Ragnar's people were slaughtered by the beast,
all fear to set foot on the island.
I fear nothing, and no man can accuse me of such
unless he backs it with his sword.
If the king wishes to walk in hell,
I'll set the course and clear his way.
Hear the words of a warrior of this clan.
Shall we let him face the war road alone?
No!
Shall we fear to tread on land that is ours?
No!
Do we set sail tomorrow?
Yes!
And I'll bring the beast's skin back as a bridal gift for my wife.
So be it.
I'll come back for you.
I'll come back for you, Freya!
I'll come back for you.
I'll be married before the next full moon.
Is that really so bad?
Sven's strong, and the others all listen to him.
- He's also spoiled, selfish and... - And what?
I don't know.
I don't trust him.
I certainly don't love him, but then I have no say.
Freya, your father
is doing what he thinks is right for you and the clan.
I know, but I'm worried.
He's ill. Why must he make this trip?
Why now? And why to a place we have shunned
since Ragnar and his family disappeared?
I don't know, but...
You have to forget what happened to Agnar's father.
Agnar's gone and he's not coming back,
no matter how many nights you stand vigil staring at the moon.
At least Sven's here, alive, real.
Give him a chance.
Give yourself a chance to feel happy.
I guess we're off.
- Sire, Freya. - Is the boat ready?
Everything's on board and the men have sharpened their swords.
Good. Kogla.
With a good wind and Odin's will, a week, two at most, and we'll be back.
Don't go.
I must. I cannot wither and die
knowing there was a part of my kingdom in which I feared to tread.
Be strong... as I have taught you.
Be careful, Father.
Before the next full moon,
you will be my wife.
Whilst I'm gone, think on how you can change your ways,
or I will change them for you.
Bring my father back safe,
and I'll make you a good wife.
Release the lines!
Clear the sides!
Push it off.
Lower the oars!
We're to claim back what is ours.
But is it ours?
Whereas Odin claimed this island,
he created a beast that dares not let us in elsewhere.
It matters not either way.
I will set my battle on this island,
or die trying.
Hoist the sail.
Two weeks. They'll be back.
Odin's way.
The isle can't be far. Prepare to slow.
- Olaf, get ready to hoist. - Loosen the ropes!
I have a chill to my bones.
This fog is a bad omen.
Odin's warning us to turn back.
There it is.
At last, our banner will fly
over all of our lands.
Well, I hope it will ease your soul
and kill the beasts that Ragnar's death gave birth to.
You think I wallow in the past?
It was against your advice that Ragnar made his choice.
Yes.
But did we help him? No.
Did we avenge his death? No.
Did we protect his son? No.
- It was Odin's will. - Odin!
The weaker I get, the less I worry about Odin
and his likes and dislikes.
Lower the sails.
Ragnar's.
Lower the oars.
Am I right to force Freya into this marriage?
Well, Sven is the best the clan has to offer.
Is that enough?
To arms! Form a semicircle.
Every other man, a torch.
Olaf, hold the boat.
Heindall, meet me on the boat!
Over here!
What have you got?
It was Algar's.
It's all I found... except this.
I like this place less with every step.
Something disturbed the birds.
Stay alert.
What is that?
Jarl, cut him down.
The hunt is on.
Odin's beast is the quarry.
I swear, I'll not leave this accursed island until it's dead.
Sven, take Eric, Jarl, Gang, skirt the walls.
I'll take Kogla, Raine...
go through the gates into the open arena to draw him out.
We leave when the beast is dead.
He's close.
Aye, but not in here.
We need to find a way into the arena.
Gang.
This way quickly!
- What is that? - The beast!
Eric, don't!
This way.
- Go get the rest. - Later!
- Thorsson! Where's Thorsson? - Hell, for all I know!
- Kogla? Jarl? - Dead.
Thorsson might still be alive!
That thing is chewing on his bones as we speak!
Trust me, the beast's faster than he planned.
We should go back.
No. We've lost enough.
- Thorsson deserves a king's passing. - Deserves?
Maybe he does, but I'll not waste more lives giving it to him.
Since when do we ever run away from a fight?
We don't on Midgard, but what's on that island is not from this world.
Odin has cursed it and set a demon to guard it.
It is not a place for men.
Well, let's just burn it.
Send Odin's pet back to where he came from.
No.
- Says who? - I say!
Thorsson's named heir, your king.
Thorsson's dead. Let Odin keep his island.
A ship.
Maybe. Must be.
It's Thorsson. They're back.
The banners... they're down.
Oh, Freya.
Three strokes aft. Ease off to the right.
You're gonna have some explaining to do.
No... it can't be.
Sven, my father... is he all right?
Where is my father?
Dead.
Dead?
I'm sorry.
I tried to tell him, but he was adamant about staking his claim on the island.
He died a Viking, sword in hand,
sacrificing his life so Eric and I could survive.
But you still live.
Your king is dead and you still live?
Gang, Jarl, Kogla, Raine all fell with the king.
But you still live!
Yes. And so do the others and so will our people
because they know not to meddle in the affairs of the gods.
If Odin wants the cursed island, then let him have it.
Coward!
Why do you eat alone?
I said, why do you eat alone?
So I won't be called on to tell the tale of Thorsson's death.
And how he traveled the road to Valhalla to save me.
What was I supposed to say...
that I was forced to watch the king die so my best friend could live?
Don't lay this at my door!
You did what you did for your own reasons and they had nothing to do with me!
Be very careful, Eric.
The king's dead and we both had a hand in it.
If you wish to have an easy life,
I'd keep my mouth shut.
Who's there?
Show yourself.
Why are you afraid of a sick old man in a locked cage?
Calm down, old man.
Here.
I brought you some water.
Why?
So you can drink.
So I can drink?
I never knew the devil had a sense of humor.
Suit yourself then.
I care little either way.
Your king has fallen.
Which of his warriors will avenge him?
Are you all cowards?
You were my father's friend.
Will you leave his death unpunished?
What can I do against Odin's will?
The beast that took Thorsson was of Odin's world, not ours.
You do your father proud to call for revenge,
and if you were his son to lead us, then maybe.
The beast is too strong.
We fear nothing in this world,
but we cannot meddle in the world of the gods.
Eric, please.
I beg of you to help me.
I will marry the man that takes up the sword and brings me the head of my father's killer.
No!
You are betrothed and not free to offer yourself.
I said I would marry you if you brought my father back to me!
What you say is of little concern.
Thorsson gave a pledge to name me his heir.
All in this room are witness.
Will you see me married to this coward?
Sven speaks the truth.
Thorsson named him his heir.
You have your answer.
Come the light of the next full moon, we will be married,
and I will be king.
Go on. Leave him alone.
Children.
All children.
There's somebody here to see you.
What do you want?
Listen to him, Freya.
He has some things that he has to tell you.
Things that could not be said in the company of others?
Things that you should hear first.
When Sven and I...
Freya, it was madness.
The thing was upon us faster than you can think
and in seconds, Kogla, Raine and Jarl were dead and I was unconscious.
When I came to, Gang and Thorsson were fighting for their lives.
Then what happened?
Tell me.
Eric, you owe it to my father.
I swear to you, Freya, I tried to help him.
I would have helped him, but I was dazed and confused, and Sven led me away.
Last time I saw your father,
he was alive.
In the clutches of the beast, but alive.
Freya, I don't know why,
but I sensed he was not going to kill him.
I could be wrong. Odin knows, I was not thinking straight.
Freya, forgive me,
but my conscience tells me Thorsson lives.
- I'm coming with you. - No way.
I'm going, Freya. I won't let you go alone.
Forget it.
One scream and half the warriors in the village will be down here.
Please, Ingrid. At best, I'll get lost at sea.
At worst, I'll be eaten by Odin's cursed beast. Stay here.
No. I won't let you go alone.
All of our lives we've been friends.
I can't turn my back on that now, not when you need my help.
Quickly!
Where's Eric?
He's drunk.
He won't thank you for that.
At least he'll still be alive.
If I'd let him come with us, I would have lost him.
Get the line.
Cut him down... if the sight offends you.
You don't understand.
I don't.
Why decorate your house with such unsavory trinkets
if the sight is unpleasing?
To scare away the foolhardy and stop them from coming back.
And the women...
and children you threw in here and left to rot?
What reasons does your conscience give you for them?
The same. They were safer in there than out here with me.
So... So I'm not locked in, you're locked out.
I know you, Thorsson.
You seek to test me, to bring out the animal within.
If you succeed, you will thank your Odin that you're behind these bars.
You know me?
How can you know me?
The high and mighty king struggles to find his answers.
Answer me, damn you! How can you know me?
Damn me? You're too late for that.
Your petty god got me first.
Aye, Odin.
He giggles his amusement as he curses the boy
to walk this earth bearing the guise of a beast,
and to fall upon his family and his friends,
ripping their flesh and smashing their bones,
with no way or will to stop the terror
from happening again and again.
What are you to Ragnar?
Answer me!
What do you know of Ragnar?
- Where is she? Freya... where is she? - I don't know where she...
- You told her, didn't you? - What if I did? She had a right to know.
I should kill you.
Go ahead. Try.
No matter. I don't need her now anyhow.
Your days are numbered.
We're here.
I don't like it.
We search by day.
At night, we take the boat back out to sea and wait for fresh dawn.
Agreed?
Over here.
Your father's not with them.
- Eric was right. - Yeah.
Let's go.
Over here!
Up here!
In the cage!
Father!
What are you doing here?
Where's Olaf, Sven?
The lock... Where's the key?
- Do you see him? - No.