I am uhtred, son of uhtred.
My brother ragnar died not as a warrior
but was murdered in his bed.
He cannot enter the hall of the gods.
He will spend eternity in the cold of niflheim because of you!
You will wet the blade with the blood of ragnar,
only that way will he be free to enter Valhalla.
Might his blood be in others?
Thyra?
[Uhtred] Skade has me tortured.
I cannot resist her.
Your path is the path I choose for you uhtred ragnarson
and your spirit is mine to torment.
[Uhtred] And although I have now taken her from haesten, her curse still holds me.
She has invaded my heart and my mind.
- She is poison to all men. - How do you kill a curse?
You have to kill without breaking the skin and without shedding one drop of blood.
And you've got to do the same to skade.
[Uhtred] In Winchester, a political union has been arranged
for the aetheling Edward.
But he has loved and abandoned another.
I am married to ecgwynn.
Your wife will be dealt with.
[Steapa] You are ecgwynn!
- I am confiscating these children... - No! No! You can't!
They shall become the property of the church
and dedicate their lives to the worship of god.
[Uhtred] Edward has a jealous enemy,
lord sigebriht who wanted his secret wife ecgwynn for himself.
She is confined to a nunnery.
I would understand it entirely if you could not serve Edward.
[Uhtred] Under the order of his Danish masters...
Aethelwold has returned to wessex.
I wish to speak to the king.
[Uhtred] But his treason is known to the dying Alfred.
Aethelwold's failings were born from my own.
My brother who I loved. Who am I to take his son's life?
The punishment...
Is blinding.
[Screams]
[Uhtred] Destiny is all!
[Theme song playing]
[Men grunting]
Trust me.
[Groans faintly]
I have seen the rebirth of uhtred ragnarson.
I have seen 50 men become 500 and then 5,000,
with more joining him by the day.
And I have seen Alfred fall at last and uhtred rise.
Taste me.
May I say, what an honour it is has been to ride alongside the lady of mercia.
Does it trouble you so much, lord, that your wife is respected?
If not respectable.
There'll be plenty of ale and wine at this wedding,
I suggest you refrain.
You do not like me enjoying myself?
I do not like you drunk.
Perhaps this wedding will be followed by a funeral,
a sobering enough thought.
May I ask, father beocca, how is he?
How is our king?
He is prepared, for whatever may come.
Both Alfred and Edward are in my prayers daily...
Nightly.
It must be a worrying time for you, father.
What becomes of the king's advisor when the king is no more?
I too am prepared.
And to have no influence?
Dogs not concern me.
[Aethelwold] No protection?
I have god. He is all I need.
And you have a wife, father.
Do not forget your wife... Of strong, Dane stock.
Why am I not surprised to hear you threaten a woman?
Father beocca, please forgive me my sins.
I shall leave you to your prayers.
If indeed that is what you are here for.
I shall watch out for you, father beocca... with my good eye.
I would rather us meet at the alehouse.
Father beocca is already imagining a conspiracy.
Because he is afraid!
Like the whole of wessex is afraid.
The king is dying and a child is about to take his place.
What are your thoughts on the matter?
- The matter of Edward? - Becoming king.
It is the purpose of the witan to choose a king.
It is.
Yet Alfred would have us refer to him as Edward Rex.
Men are saying that lord uhtred is now in Edward's debt.
That uhtred will reappear and swear an oath to the aetheling...
Then we must instruct other men to say otherwise!
I will pay them if needs must,
but we cannot allow Edward's reputation to grow.
Are we of the same mind or not?
Are we prepared to act, or not?
Does the challenge to Edward begin here, or not?
It does.
It does. Edward cannot succeed.
So, these are the facts of the matter.
Uhtred blames Alfred for his banishment and for the loss of his land and wealth.
Alfred is near death.
Uhtred will therefore take his revenge upon Edward.
Uhtred ragnarson, which is how he now wishes to be known,
wants wessex for the Danes.
That is the news our men shall repeat and repeat and repeat
until it becomes the absolute truth.
Uhtred cannot be allowed to ally himself to Edward, ever.
I understand.
At the moment it is you and I against the boy,
but only because Alfred lives.
The very instant he dies, then fear and doubt will grow.
The people will not wish their fate to be in the hands of a smooth-faced child.
We must be ready.
And we must be ruthless.
Is the idea we simply walk into coccham like we've never been away?
Yes.
- Directly to the hall? - Yes.
And if another lord resides there?
We ask him to leave, my friend.
I can do that.
Are we to expect a wedding, lord?
We did not risk our lives for you to hump the bitch.
Or do you plan to kill her with your cock?
My plan is to see my children.
Lord, you will not remember me.
I remember you. You're Edwin.
You are married to mildwynn.
Lord, they have taken more than half our winter's store, animals and grain.
They say it is to feed Alfred's army but what is certain is we will starve.
Who did this?
They're at the hall, lord.
King Alfred would not have ordered this, lord!
Stand aside. I want no bloodshed, no man killed.
He said stand aside!
Thank you.
I should not need to raise my voice.
Uhtred.
Er, what is the meaning of this... Invasion?
This is my home.
We are here by right on the king's business.
You are stealing food from the mouths of the poor.
An army needs to be fed.
As do priests it seems.
You're lucky it's not your hand.
We want no disharmony here today.
[Uhtred] What is that?
Well, you know what it is.
Take it down.
Take it down or I will make a gift of you to skade.
I will not do as you ask.
Icannot
lord, see it as a piece of wood, it's nothing more.
It is a holy cross!
Bishop erkenwald, I suggest you shut your holy mouth?
And take it down!
Or I can just take it down, lord.
You will do nothing.
I realise you are looking to find a reason to kill me,
and I would prefer to do as you ask.
I'm not a fool, but I cannot deny my faith.
The king would hear of it.
God would know of it...
The king has told me many times that this is a pagan's hall.
You will take it down.
It is my cross, lord.
My doing.
I put it there.
And I would like it to remain there,
unless of course your plan is to once again be the lord of coccham.
I meant no insult.
[Skade grunts]
Now perhaps, we may eat?
You may take it.
When you leave you will take only half the grain
and livestock you have gathered.
I understand an army must be fed, but my village will not starve.
The king will not approve.
The king is a ghost...
Nothing more than that!
Lord? May we speak further, privately?
Good to see you, lord.
And you, abbess hild.
Should you be here?
I came to see my children.
Do not react, do not revolt, your children are fine,
but they're not at coccham. They're at Winchester.
With thyra?
Under the care of the crown.
- Good care. - The crown?
They are well, I swear it.
Tell me that they are not in the care of nuns and priests.
Uhtred, they are well and happy, I have seen it, and you have been absent.
If Alfred is not already dead, I will kill him.
He does this to damn me further.
He does not.
Have they been made Christian?
- Have they been baptised? - It will do them no harm.
He has no right!
He has done this to damn me and to damn my wife!
Lord, you too should eat.
Later.
You should eat now, my love.
I said later!
As you wish.
She's your woman now?
A man needs a woman.
You replace gisela with her?
Who I bed is no business of an abbess.
I am speaking as a friend.
It's good to see you're well.
Back to your usual self in fact.
- Hild? - [Sighs]
I have been absent.
I would like to see my children at Winchester.
Can you help?
Yes, I can help you.
Of course, I can help you.
But bishop erkenwald will tell of your visit here, in wessex.
They'll be watching for you.
You look thin.
You should eat, my love.
- Finan? - Lord?
Have the priests unload half of what they've taken.
They must go back to Alfred, and you will be riding with them.
All the way to Winchester?
I will follow and find you.
And what of skade?
She stays with me.
I will find you in Winchester that is where I must to be, unseen.
And if Alfred decides to take me hostage?
He will have you watched, nothing more.
All you need to do is drink ale and find a woman.
I can do that.
We all need a good woman!
Father beocca!
Father, there is talk that your friend uhtred
has sworn revenge, against Alfred.
Revenge? For what?
Being outcast and should Alfred die, they say he will kill Edward?
That is a nonsense, who is saying this?
It does not sound like a nonsense to me father,
nor to the men here.
Uhtred fought shoulder to shoulder with Edward,
- you were there, lord. - I was, so why is uhtred not here?
Why does he remain outlawed?
Why is uhtred being punished for killing Danes?
He is not being punished for killing Danes.
He threatened the life of the king.
And continues to threaten the life of the king?
Uhtred of bebbanburg would never dare to harm Alfred, nor Edward.
But what of uhtred ragnarson, father?
Ealdormen are arriving from across the land for the celebrations.
You should not be talking out of your arse.
So from now on, lord, buttocks clenched.
Supper's in the pot.
There's a pile of dirt, soil.
Where?
Outside the door.
You are thinking about something more than a pile of dirt.
May god forgive me,
but I almost wish Alfred would close his eyes and die.
The longer he lingers, the more anxious people grow.
Then he should end it himself.
He should take a sword to his heart.
He's the king.
It is what a sword-Dane would do.
Alfred is holding on to life only because he worries
what will happen once he is gone.
What will happen is fate.
We all die, beocca.
[Sighs]
It is how we live that matters.
If the Danes do come to wessex, people will see you only as a Dane.
I worry I will not be able to protect you.
The gods will decide what happens.
God.
That is what I said.
[Chuckles]
My men are free men still, they will travel with you to Winchester
and guarantee your safe return.
I have a guard.
And wessex is not a land of banditry.
Priests and ealdormen aside,
you should never refuse the offer of a sword, bishop erkenwald.
Is it your intention to remain at coccham?
It's not.
My lord's intention is to rule at Winchester.
Is that right, lord?
My business is my own.
And your children?
Are Christian now.
I will ensure they are cared for.
If it pleases you.
I will bring my wife to mercia, lord, I meet you there.
What is happening?
Why is she not dead?
She has beauty and power, osferth,
over men who believe in their own reputation.
But she is evil. He has promised her death!
Pray for him.
He'll need it.
You and I can be everything together.
I want you to believe in me, uhtred.
I do.
Like I believe in you, the warrior above all men.
You're a king.
Then you are my queen.
I am yours and you are mine...
To love, to guide, to own.
I own you.
[Panting]
[Breaths heavily]
[Indistinct whisperings]
[Sighs]
I thought you would need a fire, lord, something warm to eat.
[Exhales]
You saw?
I did.
I am not proud of what I've done.
But it was necessary, lord.
She was of the devil and you are free of her now.
Why are you here?
I could not leave, lord.
You feared I could not rid myself of the curse?
I did.
I stayed here for the lady gisela, lord.
This is her hall and there was no kinder, gentler lady.
You clearly did not know the lady gisela.
The, er, marriage arrangements, father beocca, what progress?
Are all but complete.
The guests have begun arriving and the alehouses of Winchester
have been brewing day and night.
It will be the shortest of ceremonies, lord,
as you have requested.
- Are you comfortable, lord? - I am not, but it will do.
The Danes, they are encamped still?
They do not move, they have not moved from the river ouse.
We continue to watch.
Our victories against haesten and bloodhair have weakened them, lord.
Aethelwold...
What of him, lord?
He is here for reasons other than forgiveness.
He too must be watched.
He should be dead.
Although this move from the inn to the palace is long overdue
it comes at a very inconvenient time of day.
Were you due to hump an alehouse whore, lord?
Aelflaed, continue to the palace.
I was due to eat, nothing else.
Yes, my lord.
If people have been gossiping, they are wrong,
as I hope they are wrong about Edward having a whore and children?
Lord, good morning.
Whilst you are speaking with the king,
I was hoping I could spend a few moments with lady aeflaed?
With respect, I do not think that would be appropriate.
I have heard talk that you have bastard children.
Is this true?
I thought we had agreed to leave all alehouse gossip
at the alehouse, lord?
Lord, perhaps you could direct the lady aelflaed to her room.
Of course.
Do not dwell, lord.
The guards may leave us.
You will leave us!
Yes, you! Outside!
I swear there's nothing beneath their helmets but straw.
Aethelhelm.
Lord king, may I say you appear a little better this morning.
Thank you.
The king has much to do today, we shall keep it brief.
He has called you here to discuss the strength of Edward and aelflaed.
Strength, lady?
Of the crown, once Edward is king.
Assuming the witan's approval, is that guaranteed?
If the present king may be allowed to speak?
Uhtred.
A scoundrel, an outlaw...
- A warrior. - A heathen, lord.
Surely...
Christian by birth and baptism.
That is true?
It is true.
- He is an outlaw. - If the king may speak!
Uhtred is also a man of his word.
Should Edward, once king, decide to take him into his service
that would be no bad thing?
Lord, this is the man who held a knife to your throat,
so I am told.
He did!
And for as long as I live, he will remain an outlaw.
However, once I am dead and should he become Edward's oath-man,
I am advising you that his word will be kept.
I hear you, lord.
Good.
Perhaps you would like to get on with the business of your morning, lord?
One point of clarification.
Uhtred is an outlaw or he is not an outlaw?
- He is very much an outlaw. - He is.
If he were found today on wessex soil, he would be executed.
Although Edward may take a different view once king.
Or he may not.
Above all else, uhtred does what pleases uhtred...
None of us should forget that fact.
Make no mistake.
Edward will need the guidance of a warrior.
The king is tired.
The king is not a child!
I shall go about my business, lord, lady,
thank you for your confidence.
If you value the outlaw so highly, then why do you not pardon him?
Beocca, would you leave us?
Yes, lord.
It is my body that is weak, not my mind.
I know that, lord. I understand.
Then why do you question me? Why do you doubt me?
I do not doubt you, I would not...
Edward will need a sword, a warrior at his side!
He has steapa, who is god-fearing.
He will need uhtred!
He will need a man who knows not only how to fight
but when to fight because the fighting will continue!
Until the Danes learn of the benefits of peace, it will continue.
You may leave me, my dear.
As you wish.
I do not pardon uhtred, firstly, because he would not accept and,
secondly, it must be Edward's decision.
And it will be your responsibility to guide him
towards the correct decision.
In the meantime, we are agreed should he set foot in wessex,
he will be executed.
Lord.
Finan! Look!
[Indistinct chatter]
Should you investigate?
Any spare coins, lord? Any spare food? God would bless you, I'm sure.
Are you travelling to Winchester?
We are, lord. For the wedding.
We shall see you there then!
And a good day to you, lord!
Miserable bastard.
[Exhales]
Lord god,
give me strength and guidance to do your work.
[Sighs]
If it is right and proper to rely upon a heathen,
albeit for violence, then I beg you.
[Sobbing]
Show me a sign.
Help me.
I want my son to remain untarnished by heathen ways.
I wish him to be god's king.
Pure.
[Footsteps approaching]
Lord, should you be walking unaided?
While I can, I will.
[Breathing heavily]
I wish to sit in peace.
Of course.
Steapa!
Ah!
Do you not recognise me, steapa?
Why have the gates not opened?
Bishop erkenwald, you have guests.
They did ride with us from coccham.
Where uhtred remains.
He'll be going directly to mercia.
Steapa, he had hoped to visit his children there.
This is true, lord?
You do not believe me?
It is true that uhtred ragnarson remains at coccham,
that is all I know to be true.
It's uhtred's intention to return to mercia.
He asked me to petition the king to have his children follow.
Now open the gates and let us rest.
Hey, big man, we're guilty of being hungry and tired, my friend. That is all.
Open the gates.
[Gate opens]
[Man] Hold! Hold the gates.
Hold! Hold.
We've travelled from cent, lord,
to bring smiles and laughter to the streets of Winchester.
Let them pass!
Thank you, lord!
Is that aethelwold, the sword-Dane I see?
Looks like you've mislaid an eye.
I see you perfectly, finan.
Though I do not see your master.
Uhtred. Where is he?
Standing at your blind side, perhaps.
If his men are here, uhtred will not be far.
I fear he is here for the revenge we have spoken of.
Then we must inform the king, perhaps.
If we are to be successful in usurping the usurper, Edward,
uhtred must be put to the sword.
I would like the grain and the animals taken to the palace stores, immediately.
Your men have been telling me there's to be a wedding, lord?
Edward is to marry, yes.
A sweet girl.
I, er, do enjoy a wedding.
Ale flows and kisses are a little easier to come by.
I might stay a short while.
You are welcome, finan.
I'm sure, as are your people.
Finan, I'm away to find my wife.
Erm, she'll be underneath some man!
And you'll recognise her by the size of her big feet!
I still love her!
[Finan laughs]
- Finan! - What the... osferth, you're here?
So, we are inside the walls of Winchester.
Where will he go?
To father beocca?
Yes, he'll find us, be sure of this.
And he is free of his curse.
- She's dead? - Very.
Then we're all free of the curse, baby monk.
- She was of the devil, wasn't she, finan? - No.
More than that, she was the devil in disguise.
It is what he would do.
Hmm.
Ale and women.
- And prayer. - Absolutely.
- But in that order. - [Both laugh]
[Knocking on door]
[Door opens]
If you object to me being here, then say it.
Let me see your face!
-[Uhtred] Thyra. {Gasps}
uhtred.
Inside. Inside.
Uhtred.
Uhtred, it is so good to see you, to know that you are alive still.
I am.
Alive and well, at last.
But why are you here?
They will kill you.
I came to see my children and to see you.
They will kill you!
You should have remained in mercia, we would have travelled.
And I came to help ragnar, to save ragnar.
He is dead.
Beocca has told me.
- Yes, yes, he is dead. He is dead. - That he is dead.
I'm s o rry, I'm 8 o r[Ii
but he is trapped in niflheim.
He did not die a warrior's death that privilege was stolen from him.
Thyra, only your blood can save him now.
A cup full, not all of it.
[Chuckles]
[Grunts]
[Panting]
Why do you come to the door armed with a knife?
Who is it that objects to you being here?
There are people who feel I do not belong.
They see only a Dane.
But you are beocca's wife.
It's because they are afraid.
You are gone, Alfred is sickly and warriors are gathering.
Does beocca know of the knife?
Beocca, he has work to do.
[Finan] However, there is one slight problem,
osferth is a virgin.
- [Men laughing] - [Osferth] No, it's not true!
It's true! It's true!
You need to do it some time!
Are you surprised to see me, father?
Where is he?
He was last seen with a pagan witch at coccham,
and I'm not talking of the abbess hild.
Do you have a message for him?
He knows that his children are safe?
He knows they were taken, he was not best pleased.
Is he here?
You know I will not summon the guards. Is he here?
He is.
Now you can tell me why aethelwold is walking
the streets of Winchester a free man?
Because rightly or wrongly, he has been forgiven,
as I believe uhtred will be forgiven.
Tell him to find me.
Erm, I think he may well be sitting at your table, father.
Uhtred is here. I know it.
Are any of your men sober?
Some. They are with the horses.
We should pay a visit you and I to father beocca's house.
Thyra, thyra it's me. Beocca.
One moment!
You're bleeding.
Oh, good heavens, what have you done?
No, I'm, I'm fine.
You're bleeding, that should be wrapped, let me find something.
Beocca do not say a word, please.
Uhtred is here for good reason.
For good reason? What reason?
What is happening here?
What are you doing here?
- Beocca. - I'm talking to him!
I am giving uhtred my blood, to save ragnar!
It is true.
It is paganism, is what it is.
It is heathen, pagan, unchristian nonsense.
- You do not understand. - No, I will not have it!
- Beocca! - No! No!
- Thyra, please! - No.
You will not interfere.
It is wrong.
If there's a chance for ragnar to find Valhalla,
then I must offer that chance.
I do not dismiss your god.
Because my god is god!
Ragnar is my blood!
You will not dismiss what my people believe.
Am I not your people?
You are my husband, which is why you must understand.
Beocca, we're almost done.
You will say nothing.
We are almost done.
Very well.
Continue bleeding into a bowl.
I will wait outside.
I do not care to witness this.
You are certain of this?
He is here, trust me.
And beocca, what do we do with him.
He is protecting an outlaw.
Alfred can decide.
Go. Go!
As I'm allowing you to practice your misguided pagan rituals
in my home...
I would ask a favour in return.
Ask.
I would like you to speak with Alfred, if I can arrange it, safely.
What makes you think he would speak with me?
Because death is near and there are things unsaid.
If it is not the disgraced,
yet forgiven lord aethelwold, sword drawn.
You have stopped, I see, outside this house?
You should show a little respect, father pyrlig.
When you have earned it.
Father, there is an outlaw walking free.
An outlaw? Who?
It is not your place to ask.
It is not your place to tell me of my place.
Father beocca!
What is this?
I believe you have angry visitors?
Surround the house. Do it now.
Surround the house? Whatever for?
They're looking for an outlaw.
I would like to look inside, father.
I mean, you no harm.
It is for the protection of Alfred and Edward.
And what do you expect to find, beside my wife?
Step aside, father.
I will not.
We will not.
You are clearly hiding something.
- With which eye are you looking, boy! - [Pyrlig laughs]
Father, I swear, we mean no harm.
This is my home!
My home and no man shall enter without my permission!
Is there a problem we can help resolve here, father?
It is a minor disagreement, that is all, involving a minor ealdorman.
Sigebriht, send a man to fetch steapa and the king's guard,
tell him we have all but captured uhtred ragnarson.
Lord.
You believe uhtred is here, inside my house?
I do.
You are ever the fool.
Beocca?
Stay inside, my dear.
Beocca, I have been listening.
If these men wish to look inside our home, then we should allow it.
We have nothing to hide, nothing at all.
Please. Come inside.
Aethelwold?
[Finan] Come on.
[Door slams]
[Beocca] Are you satisfied?
I asked, are you satisfied?
You have my sincere apologies, father.
Lady.
He was here.
I can smell him.
Will we see you at the wedding, lords?
Where in god's name is he?
I will leave the wedding feast not because I am tired or unwell,
but because there is work to do.
Yes, lord.
I will not stay long after the songs.
Is that wrong?
No, lord.
Father beocca, something is clearly troubling you, say it.
Leave us.
Yes, lord.
Lord, today is about hope and stability,
which is what wessex needs.
But the fear must be halted, despatched.
- Fear? - Yes, lord.
It exists in every man and woman.
My own wife has dug out a hiding hole in fear of her life.
She has been threatened by who?
By people who themselves are afraid of life without their king.
And Edward alone is not the answer.
You know this yourself, lord, which is why you hope,
and pray perhaps, that uhtred will return.
If that is the case, lord, then your prayers have been answered.
He is here.
You can have him found and executed, or you can speak with him.
[Indistinct chatter]
You should wait here.
The king will be with you soon enough.
[Theme music playing]
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