I am uhfred, son of th'red.
Ihe/ped the saxons defeat the Danes.
Cnut was killed, but / left bride to a terrible fate.
Send me to Valhalla.
[Rhodri] Take the pagan bitch!
- [Whimpers] - [Uhtred] Bridal
as aetnelred lay dy/ng, new dangers arose in aegelesburg.
We will betroth the lady aelfwynn
to the successor and seal the bond between our lands.
[Aethelflaed] I am concerned about the fate of our daughter
so, what is it that you want?
At the very least, you agree not to betroth her to some heartless fool.
The king wishes to betroth me to your daughter.
No, I will not agree to it.
[Aethelred grunts]
[Neck snaps]
Have aethelflaed confined until this is settled.
[U htred] She was rescued by an unexpected ally.
Come, I've alerted the man that protects you.
He's outside the window.
And I have pledged to protectae/fi/I/ynn on the dangerous road that lies ahead.
Stiorra, get the children on the cart.
We head north towards ceaster!
Destiny is all!
[Sobs]
[Coughs]
Stop crying! I cannot bear it!
Be kind.
She wants her mother.
We survived without a mother.
You must be stronger. Be grateful.
Better this than being wed to an old man.
[Sobs]
[Uhtred] Do we stop?
No. Edward and his men will be half a day behind us at most.
We must move faster to have any chance.
I bring a message from lady aethelflaed.
Did your brother send you?
No, he does not know I am here.
He imprisoned lady aethelflaed, but I released her.
- Why should I believe you? - I do not lie.
How did you find us?
Lady aethelflaed herself said you spoke of traveling the road to ceaster.
There's no one else, lord.
- And you took the road alone? - Yes.
And she wants you to meet her at the ruins of St. milburg's priory.
St. milburg is on the road to wenloca, and we have passed it.
It might be a trick to divert us.
I've done what I promised. You can choose to believe it or not.
- And where do you go? - I do not care!
I have family in francia.
That way is inland.
Ships come in near ceaster.
Travel with us. We will show you.
If she's lying, at least she's under our control.
I'm sick of being controlled.
Then travel alone.
When did aethelflaed leave?
Last night, in haste.
Without much silver and only lord aldhelm to protect her.
Then she may be at wenloca already.
We should ride back to meet her.
Lord, we should not do this.
If she found us, so will they.
Are you good with children?
Not really.
Excellent, neither are we.
We go back!
[Low murmuring]
We will seize uhtred's lands in coccham and take his children.
He will pay for abducting a child of my blood.
We think his children are with him.
He was seen on the road with a number of children.
Speak of this to no one. We need to maintain a semblance of order.
I fear doubts were already whispered by the ealdormen.
They want my betrothal agreed.
Then say it is agreed and that I have decided.
With respect, lord, your decision is not final here.
Lord king, the priests are telling me that the room
offered to aethelflaed to grieve is empty.
- It appears she has also left aegelesburg. - She conspired with uhtred to betray us.
They are saying your sister eadith was the one who conspired to release her.
Then all these traitors should be dragged back on their knees.
I apologize, lord, I speak only out of frustration.
Aethelflaed is in grief and does not know herself. Get your men to track them.
- Let me take the mercian guard... - No. Cenric's men will find them.
It is better you stay here and maintain a sense
that everything is proceeding as it should be.
They must hurry. The danger of division is real.
Ludeca is appeased for now, but burgred is stirring up the ealdormen
against the match and against wessex.
What if the ealdormen discover lady aethelflaed and aelfwynn are missing?
They will not discover that, because all the fugitives will be found.
- [Finan] I've not asked. - [Sihtric] It's a bit stale.
That bread is so stale, it'll take a tooth out!
Leave the fresher bread for the children.
My men have the stomachs of dogs.
That's very true.
- In fact, I once ate a dog. - [Finan] I always said you were barking!
You are kinder than your reputation, lord.
- Lady aethelflaed is lucky you serve her. - I do not serve her.
But I owe her my respect.
I never sought to disrespect her, only protect my brother.
And did he protect you in return?
You know the answer to that.
- [Screams] No! No! Father! - Lord!
Go back! Stay back! The road is closed!
[Beggar] Let go!
- Move! - Stop there!
[Gags and coughs]
Stay back!
Lord, stay back! It's the sickness. They're dying of the sickness!
[Both grunt]
It was a kindness, lord.
Which hand did he grab?
Leave her be.
Lord, it is spread by touch.
No, it is the air that spreads it. Do you have it?
And the animals. We should kill the horses.
Father, what if I breathed the air?
It will not matter. It only takes sinners.
That's not true. Your father's right. It's in the air.
- It could take us, any one of us. - We should return to aegelesburg.
- If there's sickness in the land... - We cannot go back.
We cannot defend ourselves against Edward's men or mercian guards.
Better to die in a fight than choking blood.
We go across land to wenloca, abandon the path, avoid the bad air.
The children will not make it on foot.
Then we leave them... Somewhere safe and then...
I will not leave the children!
But, lord...
Lord, I have followed you without complaint,
but do not inflict this on men who've been loyal to you.
Finan, we have no choice. We have to alter the plan.
We'll leave the horses somewhere safe. We'll go across land to wenloca on foot.
We'll be safe from the sickness, trust me.
- All right? - Hm.
We go to wenloca! We find aethelflaed and we get to ceaster.
Let's find a place to hide the horses.
- Is this St. milburg's? - Yes. Trust the marker.
We should get off the road before nightfall.
No. I will be here when my daughter comes.
Aldhelm, what if Edward's men have taken my child?
What if she is imprisoned somewhere at this very moment, not knowing where I am?
Lady, do not torture yourself.
Uhtred will have rescued her and he will find us.
He has never failed you.
And yet this feels like failure.
A daughter of Alfred riding as an outlaw in her own country!
Your father lived off the land for a while.
He survived and prospered after.
In time, we will return to aegelesburg.
I'm not certain we can.
I fear I may have led you along a path from which there is no return.
- Aldhelm, they may spare me, but I... - I understand, lady.
I understand.
[Burgred and family murmuring]
It won't be long.
You must be strong. Think of your brother.
- Who allows you into the king's chamber? - I do not need permission.
I am merely showing my son where he will rest when he is lord.
You are a fool to pursue this, burgred.
It's as though you wish to lose another child.
Why would I be frightened of Edward's puppet...
When I have greater forces on my side?
Who? Who are your forces?
None but the lord himself.
There is a reason we survived the massacre.
God wants us to right the wrongs done to mercia.
Nevertheless, I will be betrothed to the child,
and I will succeed the throne.
If it is so certain, why is it not yet done?
I think the king conceals something and lies to us.
So, we will wait for our moment.
- The crowds are growing. - Yes, commander.
News of aethelred's death spreads.
Nervous villagers seeking protection.
There is a matter more pressing. Find me 12 men to leave immediately.
If wessex is incapable, we'll find the fugitives ourselves.
This many people on the road, someone must have seen them.
We'll soon find them, commander.
Lord ludeca.
[Messenger pants]
- I've heard news. There's sickness. - Yes?
- It is spreading across mercia. - Thank you. Let's go.
- No word? - Not yet.
- Could they have gone north, not south? - It is possible.
Keep them looking.
We're running out of time, lord king. Tempers are fraying.
Father pyrlig, how do the preparations proceed?
Forgive me, but we should delay all ceremonies.
They say the sickness is coming. People are abandoning their villages.
It ravages worse than any Dane invader.
We have to protect aegelesburg.
Close the gate!
We cannot abandon the sick!
We risk spreading fever. We must close the gates!
Lord, overrule this.
No, ludeca is right. More people will provoke trouble.
We have a duty to protect all saxons.
You cannot close the gates, when the people seek refuge!
We have to protect the town, burgred.
The other ealdormen would agree. You know this.
I hope your reward for doing his bidding is worth it.
Perhaps we should keep it open. The people are clearly frightened.
Frightened people frighten others.
Overrule me on this and the witan will say you seek to conquer us.
Besides, for now, burgred has no men to fight for him.
Do not provide him with a readymade fyrd.
I agree.
Shut the gates!
- Close the gates! - Get the gates closed!
[Villagers shouting]
[Baby cries]
[Angry and confused yelling]
Where is she?
Where's lady aelswith? And who helped her?
Who betrayed us?
Leave the frogs alone!
[Aethelstan giggles]
Was I wrong to oppose the betrothal?
You are trying to protect her.
[Exasperated sigh]
Perhaps I should have accepted it all with good grace.
I was married young and I survived.
Lady, your husband wished you dead.
Maybe that's what royal husbands do.
Maybe that's what I should have been preparing aelfwynn for.
[Horse neighs]
Hurry!
For your own safety, don't stay here!
Do the Danes return?
No. The sickness is taking young and old.
Escape the foul airs while you can.
The sickness has not struck for many years.
Follow us. We go north.
Join them.
No, we'll miss aelfwynn.
Lady, do not be foolish. The sickness takes all, regardless of rank.
I would rather be foolish than abandon my child.
Do not ask again.
[Stiorra sniffs]
- He's heavier than he looks. - [Stiorra sneezes]
[Sniffles]
- What's wrong with you? - I have a fever from the grasses.
I do not have it!
Finan, the sickness would not strike this fast.
You've not seen what I have, lord.
Oh, hey! How many times do I have to tell you?
You cannot do that!
Who are you anyway?
I am no one.
He's aethelstan, Edward's firstborn son.
Hidden child of Edward! How did he survive this long?
He's driven by a mission to annoy me, aren't you, aethelstan?
Better keep him safe, finan. That's royal blood you're carrying.
- Welcome to the bastard life, boy. - [Sihtric laughs]
You can smell it on the air. They're burning bodies.
It means the fever is just fields away.
Lady, no one has passed by for hours.
They've probably closed the roads to contain the sickness.
Uhtred will have gone on ahead to ceaster.
We should do the same.
- [Aethelstan] How much longer? - [Stiorra] Again and I will not reply.
[Uhtred] It is right at the end of this field.
We should be able to see the cross any moment.
We're looking for warriors traveling with children.
Did these warriors bring the sickness?
The sickness is on this road.
We have no fear of it!
It only takes sinners!
Is that true?
Move, I'm getting out of the bad air!
I'm not risking the sickness.
I will double the reward of every man who chooses to stay!
[Clatter of sword]
- What are you looking for, finan? - Bodies!
Eh?
Bodies! I know the sickness is close.
Why are you shitting yourself?
[Sighs]
I've seen men as strong as bears at breakfast time...
Gurgling blood and pus by supper time!
You little runt!
Take aelfwynn out of the sun. It is not good for her.
I'm sick of mothering her. I've done it for months now.
Think of it as training for being a wife.
I will not become a wife... Hard work for too little reward.
Come on.
Lady aethelflaed is not coming.
Let's go, not wait for the foul air to catch us.
Lord, I promised her I would send you to meet her.
On horseback, she must have been here first.
She would have gone on to ceaster as agreed we move.
Hey! Look at aelfwynn.
[Whispers] Her face is red. She clearly sickens.
She just needs some rest.
We all do.
- Go on. - Let me talk to him.
Go on.
How long have we been on the road, lord? Two days?
And no sight of Edward's men.
They do not know the land up here, lord. Children need their rest.
Worried about your father's grandchildren, osferth? Huh?
[Aelfwynn coughs]
This is a good place.
We rest here for the night.
[Eadith] You can sleep now.
Have the fugitives been located?
No. Villagers flee in their droves, but none seem to have seen your sister.
What if the sickness has taken her? What if we drove her into danger?
- She left by her own choice, lord king. - Did she?
Tell them to burn herbs in the surrounding fields.
Let the smoke drive out the bad air.
Then we have done one good thing at least.
Eardwulf has left aegelesburg with 12 of our best men.
Why does he travel in time of sickness?
He has gone to protect the lady aelfwynn.
He is a man devoted to his betrothed.
He is devoted to himself.
And would risk the bad air only for treasure.
Anyone here could have warned you of that.
- Eardwulf has gone to find aelfwynn? - Yes.
You assured me he would do as we requested.
I asked him to remain.
He is a man of action, not a man of politics.
In future, advise me better in whom we place our trust.
[Crows cawing]
[Surprised grunt]
[Sighs]
Hey! Good morning, Princess.
Anyone who shits liquid will be left behind.
[Caws]
[Guard] The gates are closed! There's no entry to aegelesburg!
Lord aethelhelm, explain this to me.
The ealdormen have ordered that the gates be held closed.
There is sickness here.
Speak to my son.
Of course, but I'm sure he'll not want you to be harmed.
In fact, he might wish that you quit mercia altogether.
Tell him I survived the swamps of athelney and am unafraid of the sickness.
[Pants]
Lord, we should go.
- I shall leave it to you, ludeca. - Are we certain it's her?
Sir, I saw her for myself.
Why's she not in Winchester?
Ludeca, why is my mother being held at the gate?
The order applies to high-born and low.
This is the wife of Alfred.
Nonetheless, you agreed we should not risk the sickness being brought into our town.
The king's mother cannot be treated the same as a peasant...
She can, if you are to respect the witan.
She is mercian in blood and defied me to send troops to help you.
If she cares for mercia, she will turn back.
And trudge the roads like a beggar. Unthinkable, explain to him!
Lord, if you make an exception for your mother,
you will be seen as overruling mercian wishes.
Tell them to open the gates.
[Exasperated breathing]
I cannot speak in the king's name. That would be to over-reach myself.
The ealdormen are overruled!
Open the gate immediately!
[Crowd shouting]
[Horse neighs]
[Yelling and shouting]
He lets good mercians suffer whilst his own kin are preferred.
I fear you were right, burgred.
King Edward seeks to conquer us.
Why are you here?
Has something happened in Winchester, mother?
Apart from being threatened, on your behalf, nothing whatsoever.
I sent no command for you to be imprisoned!
Then how did it happen?
I said you were to be rebuked for raising the Welsh.
The humiliation of it, Edward, to be manhandled by your men.
It was not an order I sent!
Who, then? Who decided to treat me in that way?
I do not know. It is a mistake.
A mistake? Or perhaps the girl lied?
If by the girl you mean the queen, no. Aelflaed is a gentle soul...
Lord aethelhelm, then.
He despises me and seeks to have me diminished.
He does not speak in my name without my knowledge.
I think he schemes to his own plan.
Well, you, of course, would recognize that.
Enough fighting. Edward.
I simply wish to see aethelflaed.
She is not here.
She is somewhere in mercia with uhtred ragnarson.
She travels the road in times of fever?
She has chosen to run with him and abandon her life as a widow.
Then uhtred has compelled her.
It appears not.
Then she's gone mad with grief. And is this known by the people?
Obviously not. Nor will it be.
But your father will see it.
From above. Alfred will see it and feel despair.
The lady warrior, putting her strength to good use, I see.
To think men died to defeat you.
I wouldn't give you the satisfaction.
You smell of shit.
[Spits]
Take some rest.
I will watch over you.
Trust me, I've learned the skills of a warrior.
You may have the skills, but you do not have the heart of one.
This life isn't for you. Why do you pretend like it is?
"Honor your mother and father." It is commanded.
You do not have to do this so that father might love you.
I do not.
Besides, I also know how to defend myself.
I've spent a lot of time on my own and taught myself many things.
I'm sorry we were torn from each other.
Alfred used us to hurt father.
Yes, but at least he led us to a Christian path.
You perhaps.
- What heathen gave you that? - None, I made it myself.
As I say, I taught myself many things.
My blood on this rune is to protect us on our journey.
[Blows]
[Inhales deeply]
[Exhales]
They're traveling with young children. They cannot be far away.
Aelfwynn says she feels hot.
Drink this. It'll cool you.
You did not see me do that.
I will not tell.
I think she is just tired.
His name is finan, isn't it?
That's him. Irish bastard and the bravest warrior I've ever known.
Bar lord uhtred himself.
Forgive him for his alarm. He's seen the fever take people.
I judge very little, for I am in no position to.
Thank you, osferth.
If you feel any worse, you tell me or eadith.
I will.
You are true warriors, aren't you?
Mm-hm.
I don't know about true warriors.
It is strange to spend so much time with men
and not be seen as a thing to be used.
- Well, if you're offended, I can always... - I am not offended.
[Chuckles]
Build the walls of Winchester.
[Coughs]
We've picked up a trail, commander.
Try and get some rest now. We leave before sunrise.
Thank you for not killing my brother.
No honor in killing a sleeping man.
If he comes for us, I will not hesitate.
I know.
I have chosen which bed to lie upon.
Why did you not betray us when you could?
Because I would rather sleep on cold earth than in a palace
where people see me as a whore.
Do they look down on you from the heavens?
Your gods?
Do they sit in judgment?
They are more fickle than that.
You please them or displease them. You do not always know how.
So, how do you know which path is righteous?
Sometimes...
I think the path of the warrior is my way to Valhalla.
Sometimes I do not know.
Does your god watch over you?
I look for signs that he does.
But I rarely see them.
[Raucous shouting and laughter]
[Laughs]
Brochfael of gwent has not smiled once.
Envy. Your victory is his loss, brother.
Hm, perhaps.
Perhaps the spoils are a little galling to him.
[Cheering]
- [Rhodri yells] - [Brida gasps]
Oh, rhodri, you are a turd.
She was a great warrior once.
It is you who are the great warrior, brother.
What will you do now the fight is over?
I'm going on a pilgrimage...
And you can rule from the fortress in my absence.
Play king for a while. You deserve it. You fought valiantly.
Come on!
[Brida groans]
[Knocking]
This way.
[Indistinct chattering]
Come here, bitch!
[Pants and groans]
You see this? It belonged to cnut himself.
No, it did not... you lying turd.
[Men raucously] Oh!
[Brida grunts]
Throw the Danish whore in the pit!
[Brida grunts]
[Brida whimpers and yells]
[Grunts]
[Raucous laughter]
We lost good men because of her.
Have some grace in victory.
We melt this down.
Pay every craftsman in the country to finish
the job that that bastard king offa of mercia started centuries ago.
A barrier between us and the saxons!
[Cheering]
And, in honor of our delicious friend here, I swear...
The Saxon pigs will never set another foot in our beautiful land!
[Cheering]
Eat!
[Cheering]
[Rhodri] Get up, bitch! [Laughs]
- [Brida groans] - No sleeping down there!
You hungry?
[Rhodri laughs]
Thank you, father.
[Knocking on door]
- [Whispers] Go. Hide. - Come on, quickly.
Get down.
Shall I turn a blind eye, father pyrlig?
They are just frightened. None of them have the sickness.
I need to speak with you, in confidence.
Lady, please...
I do not want to be involved in any more plans to deceive the king.
Except this one.
I am not concerned about Edward.
He seems to have come to his senses, at last.
But why has my daughter taken leave of hers?
You imprisoned your own sister?
[Sighs]
It was a temporary measure to keep the town at peace.
And then sent men of violence to hunt her and aelfwynn down?
No violence has been ordered.
You send an army, you start a battle.
And now your sister is in harm's way.
- Not to mention your son... - My son is protected in Winchester.
Your secondborn, yes.
Your firstborn, aethelstan...
I had hidden at saltwic.
Mother...
- I sent him there... - Mother!
I sent him there, because threats were made against him.
Do you know if he has been taken by uhtred?
I believe uhtred left with children.
So, at best, two of my grandchildren...
Travel on open ground in time of sickness.
How has it come to this, Edward?
How have you strayed so far?
Forging an alliance with mercia is everything.
I did not intend to harm any child.
But children should not be dragged into politics, Edward. We know this.
The ones that are...
Well, we know they rarely survive.
[Chuckles] An actual path.
A good sign. Next village we get to, we can get some horses, move more quickly.
Without wind, the sickness cannot have reached this far north.
I fear lady aelfwynn may be sickening.
Yes, but we have to keep moving.
- Just reassure her. - How?
I do not know.
It's something I myself have failed at.
- [Eadith] Keep going. - [Horse whinnies]
- Not much longer... - Horses?
Head over that Ridge. Go!
[Eadith] Come, aelfwynn!
[Uhtred] Faster!
- Come, aelfwynn! - Quick!
Help the children! Don't look back.
- Keep moving. - We're not going to outrun them, father!
[Indistinct yelling]
- They're getting closer! - Keep moving!
Run! Come on!
[Finan groans]
[Finan] It's the sickness! Stay back!
Stay back!
Dear god.
We can swim through.
No. I'd rather face them and die now.
I'm not sweating and shitting in three days' time.
- I want to try. I am not ready to die. - No, stiorra!
Give me lady aelfwynn and you'll all be spared.
Stay your weapons.
[Arrows whistling]
My men won't miss next time.
[Uhtred] Shield the little ones.
Aelfwynn, come with me.
Or I will kill all of these people.
Then I'll find your mother and I'll kill her too.
Save your friends and leave with me.
[Uhtred] She will stay where she is.
- [Eardwulf] Aelfwynn, we are betrothed. - [Sobs]
[Uhtred] Stand firm.
Protect the children with your lives.
When the fighting kicks off, run like hell toward the trees, wee man.
[Dagger rasps]
I want it back.
- Are you ready, sister warrior? - She's ready.
[Stiorra pants]
[Sobs and whimpers] Please don't let them kill my mother!
[Eardwulf] Seize the child!
No. No, do not do his bidding!
He has betrayed you all!
He murdered lord aethelred! I witnessed it...
So speaks a traitor of mercia...
As he lay mortally wounded in his bed...
- This is the words of a whore! - I will swear to it on the book!
Aethelred refused to allow my brother to marry this poor child.
So, he killed him.
That is the man you serve.
Ask him why aethelred was late to the fight at tettenhall.
Because this man lied to you!
Days he delayed telling you your fellow mercians were dead!
Days you could have had to travel home and save your families!
He killed and buried the messenger
that Edward sent alerting us to the trouble.
My men will not be fooled by your lies.
[Guard] Let the woman speak!
I have proof of his crime!
Look inside the pouch he wears around his neck!
Inside, you will find the ring that he stole from your lord as he lay dead.
There is no truth to this.
If there is no truth to it, then prove it.
Show your men what's inside.
Seize aelfwynn or I will have you executed for treachery.
Do as I say!
Do not threaten your own men!
Enough talk.
If she lies...
Let us see what you bear around your neck.
Now.
It is lord aethelred's. It has his seal!
You cannot deny it. Save yourself before these men kill you.
Flee to francia, brother!
You're safe now.
Will he return?
I doubt I will see him alive again.
It is over for us.
[Messenger groans]
[Chains clanging]
[Whimpering]
Who did this to you?
Danes.
[Breathes heavily] They have landed west of here... from irland.
They told me to say they are intent on slaughter.
And that yours is the first head they will take.
There will be plenty of time for reading books
and playing games before you'll be needing one of these.
Aethelstan?
You ride with finan.
Keep an eye on him? Hm?
You two go on the road and find aethelflaed.
Tell her her child is safe for now.
Eadith and osferth will guard her here
until Edward has sworn he will not harm her.
You will tell him what kind of a man he trusted.
So, we fight for peace, lord... again.
We cannot let them turn on each other.
We do it?
We do it.
I fear she's getting worse.
Can you keep her alive until I return?
We will do everything we can.
We need to.
She is the future.