Child of a Hero
Mother die soon.
She wants... come home.
I bring.
Beyond the night skies I'm trudging towards, a lone crow lies in wait
Cawing as if to hasten my gait
From the annals of history, shadows of skulls laughed at me
Laughing in my face with glee
So I just bleed and feel the blood I have inside me
Holding to the creed and blade to slay thee
Carry on the oath until my last scene
Higher than the sky and deeper than the sea
Keep your precious justice to yourself, bud
Use it till they're torn, become a pile of mud
I don't need their choice or voice to judge me
The one and only way I had and always seek
Anyone, everyone, I will crush 'em all
Enemies, let 'em see, now I see you fall
Kings and gods, change the odds
I'm the one who makes my final call
My scars, my past and even my solitude
I'll quell them all with just my feud
Keep your crown, I'll take you down
I'm the one who makes my final call
NOVEMBER 1013 AD WESSEX, SOUTH OF ENGLAND
Our main army defeated the resistance at Wessex.
It is only a matter of time until we conquer the land.
If all goes well, everything will be done before winter.
What happened to London?
And Canute,
where is he?
Yes.
The besieging army that Canute was leading was attacked by Thorkell.
We haven't heard anything since.
I heard rumors they engaged in battle at Marlborough.
It's possible they joined the local soldiers.
However, we are not yet sure whether they got away safely.
He's my dear son.
Notify me of any information you uncover immediately.
Yes, my liege.
The hell is this?
We're surrounded!
You're shittin' me!
See? I told you so!
Damn it!
Settle down, men!
Listen well! Don't return fire.
Don't touch them!
Envoys of Brycheiniog!
I find your greeting rather bracing!
Oh? So you speak the language of Wales, barbarian.
I had heard you Danes were sub-human beasts with no use for language.
Withdraw your troops, Asser!
Stirring up trouble with the Danes will bring no favor to Wales!
Gratianus!
I harbor great respect for you and your concern for the future of Wales.
But it seems that we have differing opinions on this matter.
What kind of pact do you expect to forge with this Danish prince?
He is a barbarian! He will not understand our ways!
What's he screechin' on about?
Are we going to fight or not? What's the hold up?
Nah, this ain't gonna be a battle.
You know what they're sayin', Bjorn?
Not a bit.
But if they wanted to kill us, they'd have hit someone with that first wave of arrows.
They put on a bluff hoping that it would give them the upper hand in the parlay.
Ah, gotcha.
You beasts shall not be forgiven!
We have watched you vile Danes make war with England!
Thrice in these ten years you have signed a truce with the English,
and thrice you have broken it!
Our kingdom will not repeat England's foolish mistakes!
We will seize the prince and use him as our shield!
Even Sweyn, king of the demons, does not wish to lose his heir!
Forgive me, Askeladd.
Not at all. This is just an act.
They're testing us, trying to see if we can be intimidated.
These days, even sheep must wear wolf's clothing to graze.
I sympathize with them.
Will you tell them of your plan?
I could...
but if it's a farce they want, I don't mind playing along for a little.
Behold, men of Wales!
The regal figure you see before your eyes is the son and rightful heir of King Sweyn of Denmark,
the mighty Prince Canute!
His Highness will speak to you now!
Treat his words with the respect they deserve!
Now, Your Highness.
Just say something fierce.
It can be anything at all.
"I'll make a stew with your bones," or some such.
Make those rude scoundrels uncomfortable.
If you're the one saying it, their balls will shrivel into their sacks and they'll let us pass.
Your Highness!
His Highness is reluctant to speak before an audience.
Allow me to—
I cannot, Lord Ragnar.
What?
He may be young, but he is a royal prince.
He has a duty to perform.
Every man is here for the prince's sake.
His is a gentle soul.
He dislikes needless bloodshed.
Exactly!
That's why we need him to calm these people to avoid an unnecessary battle!
Does he think he can take his father's mantle by hiding within his shell like a clam?
Silence!
What would you know of His Highness's thoughts, you rogue?
The royal family is a treacherous den of foxes that feast upon each other!
Do you have any idea how hard it was for the frail and sickly prince to survive in their midst?
He learned to stifle his breath and his thoughts to escape notice!
That's how he survived!
And for his reward,
he has glory-seekers like yourselves coming in to use and take advantage of him!
Know your place here.
However His Highness might choose to act,
he is above the reproach of the likes of you!
What's the matter?
What has you arguing so in your tongue?
What does Prince Canute say for himself?
Gratianus.
I will tell them of the plan.
If you see fit.
I will join you.
Wait right here, boys.
I'm gonna go have a chat with their big man.
Okay.
Lord Ragnar.
You are correct.
In my concern for His Highness's well-being,
I ended up overstepping my bounds.
Your Highness, please forgive my impropriety.
Pathetic.
Are you really my age?
That man—Ragnar, was it?
Yes.
He does not realize that every chick must one day leave the nest.
He does his baby bird no favors.
It seems you have many tasks ahead for the sake of this "plan" you follow.
The first being that the bird must fly on his own wings.
Yes. I am aware.
Begone. We need no retinue.
But...
Don't make me say it again.
It would bring shame to our king if the Danes believed I could not negotiate without guards.
Farther!
Five times that distance!
And tell the others to stay away!
All right.
Askeladd, your name was?
I sympathize with your plight, but we simply can't have this.
I heard that he's already agreed.
A message out of the blue demanding passage through our borders and provisions?
We cannot leap to your aid.
Even the smallest of kingdoms must save face.
Our king has a reputation.
What can Brycheiniog expect to see in return for this timely assistance?
I need to confirm that this is a transaction between two parties of equal standing.
We can't have our people thinking our king is afraid of a mere hundred Danesmen.
Of course.
You would lose face acceding to our request without recompense.
I apologize for my lack of forethought.
It was I who wrote the message to you.
As I stated, for the sake of discretion, I could not elaborate on the terms of the deal.
Yes. I read that.
Might I ask what is it you offer that is so sensitive?
I have a question of my own.
Is it possible that the contents of my offer
will lead to battle, Asser?
Please, don't tease me like that!
I am not foolish enough to think our humble country could anger the Danish king and survive!
Forgive me. I was just making certain.
Strange, isn't he?
Who?
Askeladd, of course.
I had no idea he spoke the language of Wales.
You've been with him longer than anyone else, and there're still things even you don't know.
What I don't know outweighs what I do, you buffoon.
About the only thing I'm sure of is that he's from Denmark.
That standoffish prick.
Together for over a decade, yet he won't tell me a thing.
What, are you sulking, you great lout?
Shut it. You tryna start a fight?
Easy there, pal.
Who cares?
He's a smart leader, gets his men paid, and has the luck of the gods.
I don't care what he is. I'll follow him.
This is rather difficult to accept.
But it's too far-fetched to be a lie.
He is of the direct line, Lydia's son.
Askeladd has the blood of the greatest Roman Celtic leaders running in his veins.
Meaning... that you are not a Dane?
I am half-Welsh, half-Danish.
My father Olaf once raided the coast of Wales
and took my mother, Lydia, as his concubine.
She gave birth to me.
But I had always heard that the bloodline of the hero of Old Britannia had died out.
You claim... that you are truly the descendant of the great Artorius?
Artorius.
A military leader of Britannia, the Celtic predecessor to England,
who lived in the fifth and sixth centuries.
In the year 516,
the invading Saxons, who later became the English,
were crushed at the Battle of Baden Hill,
thus bringing peace to Britannia.
Legends about him were passed down.
He formed the basis for the legend of King Arthur as it is known today.
Do you have evidence to lend credence to your tale?
I do.
I met him when he was a lad of fourteen.
He was on his first visit to Wales with his mother, Lydia.
She was an unlucky woman.
My father kept her trapped in his bedroom for most of her life.
And when she fell ill, she was sent to the stables.
It is a tragic tale.
And if you don't mind my saying, it is a shame that the last man in such a great line
is soiled with the blood of a Dane.
But that's just it, Sir Asser.
My mixed blood is the key.
I've assimilated into Danish society.
The lords of Wales will have a powerful agent rising through the ranks of the mighty Danish army.
If we can plop that sickly prince's soft arse on the throne,
then I can claim a high position.
If that happens,
I can conclude a treaty of non-aggression with Wales.
I won't let them...
take even one step into this land.
I like you! Such audacity!
Few men would dare plot such an ambitious career course!
Sir Asser is laughing.
He has the heart of a lion.
There is one thing that concerns me.
You were born and raised among the Danes.
Can you be certain that the blood of Artorius will always hold sway over your Danish half?
For that, I can only appeal to your trust.
But apart from my own background,
I despise the Danes.
Swords over here.
Anyone left?
You'll be givin' these back, yeah?
No, you fool. Separate them out!
I refuse.
A wise man is never parted from his weapon.
It's only for show.
We'll pretend to be prisoners while crossing their land.
Our weapons will be returned when we're "exiled" over the far border.
That way they won't lose face.
I cannot wrap my mind around
the willingness of your men to relinquish their weapons at a simple order.
Impressive, isn't it?
Even now, my men really trust me.
Your short swords too, Thorfinn.
Fuck off, baldy.
There's that trust.
He's different.
You little shit.
Don't get the wrong idea, Conehead.
This windbag isn't my leader.
He's my enemy.
Enemy?
Fine, so be it.
You're both exempt.
I'm sure they'll be magnanimous enough to overlook two men.
Here we go!
Resume the march!
Danes?!
Lord Asser rounded up a whole bunch of them!
Whoa. Savage monsters by the look of 'em.
I 'erd they eat 'uman flesh.
I don't see no 'orns.
Lord Asser's got 'em by the toe.
See if they like a good stone.
Don't ye dare, fool!
What a bunch of bloody looky-loos.
What are we, a circus?
What are you lookin' at?!
I'll boil yer bones!
What're you lookin' at, princess?
Got something to say? Say it.
You do have a tongue, don't you?
I...
I'm...
I am not too cowardly to speak.
High—
I-I have to ch-choose my words
very c-carefully.
I am a prince.
I... I am not like you!
M-My words have a p-political weight behind them.
Whoa, he's talking.
First I've heard his voice.
Especially in a foreign land.
Signing non-aggression treaties without Father's permission,
expressing my anger...
I cannot just do these things!
I—I'm just... being careful.
Guess you at least know how to make excuses.
Maybe you're not so dumb after all, princess.
You insolent r-rogue!
No one has ever spoken to me th-that way before!
Then it'll build character.
Take back your slander!
I do not make excuses!
You know nothing of the troubles of royalty!
Sit down and quit whining.
I am not whining!
I am just declaring that I am right!
Yeah, all right. I get it.
H-How can you be so boorish?
What do you take me for? I will not tolerate ridicule from a subject!
I cannot believe my eyes. His Highness is talking to someone other than me!
I don't recall pledging allegiance to you.
Snow.
Askeladd!
Make haste, will you?
We will find ourselves trapped in the snow!
Here we go again.
We will cross the northern edge of Mercia
and head for the main army in Gainsborough.
We'll arrive in one week.
You mean we're treading through enemy territory?
Sure beats getting snowed in on the mountains of Wales.
We can keep moving, at least.
What? Lighten up.
We're quite a ways from the enemy main camp.
How do you suppose we procure supplies?
The lords in the countryside aren't going to help out a Dane!
We'll be fine.
I already thought something up.
All right, lads!
We're changing directions!
Put some leg into it!
What?
For real?
The hell we goin' that way for, eh?
Don't shit yourselves!
Askeladd's judgment is unparalleled!
I feel like I'm almost there, but I'm not
Hounded by bones drifting along on silent winds
Unceasing echoes of voices won't ever fade
We can't well turn back without knowing what lies ahead
We may see in the same colors
But the breaths we draw are shaded differently
You're gonna make me go
You're gonna make me drown
I've nothing left to even lose
You're gonna make me go
You're gonna make me drown
No I don't want it, I don't want it,
I don't want it
Don't let me go
You're gonna make me drown
I'll head towards an answer that affords no footing
You're gonna make me go
You're gonna make me drown
No I don't want it, I don't want it,
I don't want it
But I know no one's there
I will stay right here
I'll walk the precipice