Your clothes are there by the fire.
You could have died out there.
How did I get here?
I had you brought inside.
Next time you want to kill yourself with lightning, use this.
It'll do a better job of attracting a bolt than your head.
I wasn't trying to kill myself.
I was looking for…
You don't have to explain.
Good.
Because I may not be able to.
Is that a book?
I've never seen one before.
You must be wealthy.
It goes the other way.
You can, uh… read it?
Yes. It is a book of ideas.
-Whose? -Mine.
I wrote it.
Where are you from?
I was born in Aleppo, a city in the south.
And one of the great seats of knowledge.
It has been my life journey to travel to the others.
Preslav, Alexandria, and of course, the greatest of them all, Constantinople.
-A rock that falls from the sky? -Yes.
A meteorite.
You're unwell.
Just cold.
In Greenland that cough has a name. Gastkramning.
To be squeezed by a ghost.
It was my wish to return to Constantinople.
There are good doctors there.
But at least here, I have the skies and my books.
Thank you for, uh, bringing me in from the cold.
I didn't know if it was a good thing or not.
It was.
The boats are loaded.
With your blessing, the raid is certain to be a success.
You never come inside the temple.
It is only for those who speak with the gods.
The temple must stay pure.
Pure?
No one can own the gods.
In Uppsala, all are invited to the temple.
This is not Uppsala.
Take it. Go quickly.
Move it! There's more! Get more!
You two, go on with the others. We need help loading the boats.
I'm told you are with child.
I am.
Friends!
Freydis, our Gudija, is with child.
It is an honor to us.
A gift from the Gods.
A promise for our future!
We're both happy for you.
-Thank you. -Gudrid will take care of you.
And I've left Jorundr in case of trouble.
Trouble?
How much for the boat?
It's not for sale.
I'll pay double.
I have cargo to shift to Constantinople.
So do I.
But there's Pecheneg camps now on both sides of the river.
Which is why anybody that can make it through
can command twice the price for its cargo.
So you have other Vikings like yourself to guard your cargo?
Only the best.
My name is Gestr. There are two cargo lockers on board.
If you can get me to Constantinople,
I could give you one.
I'm Harald. What is your cargo?
Slaves.
Watch. Watch.
She never uses a defensive strike.
Even in guard position.
That was good.
Girl with the stick. Come here.
What is your name?
-Hrefna. -Hrefna.
You move well.
Hrefna is just a silly girl playing with sticks.
That's… That's not what I saw.
-Where did you learn to fight like that? -My father.
He was a great Viking warrior.
-Let's see what you can do. -No, it is not allowed.
Why?
Only the descendants from Skuld are allowed to carry weapons.
The Norns wove all of our fates together,
binding each of us to our ancestors.
We must each perform the ritual.
What is this ritual?
A journey.
To the boneyard of our ancestors.
It is a spiritual as well as physical challenge
that every Jomsviking warrior takes to prove their worth.
It should be open for all.
The girl has no ancestors here.
Neither do I. Yet, you welcomed me.
We are all Vikings.
So I claim the ancestors of Jomsborg as my own and all others who come here.
Including this girl.
I will allow it.
Come on.
Show them what you can do.
Attack!
Hrefna, you are good, so good.
-Keep practicing. -Thank you, Freydis.
That is enough.
You can go now. Go on.
I hope you didn't spend all of your money on this whale.
Don't insult my boat.
I've grown attached to it.
I can't lie about boats.
And I have no patience for pessimists.
What about the Pechenegs?
Why do you care?
Changed your mind about what you said to me?
No.
I've changed my mind about going with you.
If I'm going to captain your boat,
I need to know what your plan is to avoid them.
By starting now.
Now? A boat over ice?
On a sled.
If we can make it to the Rus before the thaw,
we can use the high water from the ice melt
to carry us through the shallower rapids,
avoiding the need to portage, and the Pechenegs.
So what about the crew?
You know anyone desperate enough to join us?
I might.
Too dangerous in Novgorod for you?
If you're here for your money, I don't have it.
I didn't come for my money.
I came to offer you both a job.
Doing what?
I'm taking a boat to Constantinople.
I need men who can fight.
That is not an easy journey.
No one said it would be easy.
But you'll be well paid when we get there.
And what about the Pechenegs?
We were lucky to get past them once.
I don't want to trust luck again.
Then I suggest you go back to Novgorod
where your odds of success are much better.
Wait.
We'll join you.
-What are your names? -I'm Kaysan.
That is Batu.
-I'm Leif. -Do you have a guide?
-Someone who knows the rivers? -No. Do you know of one?
There is such a man in Novgorod.
Supposedly he knows the Dnieper better than anyone.
Where do we find him?
I'm looking for a guide to the Dnieper.
One called Kurya.
Stop this!
You prison filth!
Would that be you?
-Why would you want to know?
I'm taking cargo to Constantinople.
I need someone who can get me there.
Someone who knows the river well.
I know the Dnieper.
I've run it a hundred times.
I'm Harald Sigurdsson.
If you agree, I can secure your release from here.
So I would be trading a prison sentence for a death sentence.
If you mean the Pechenegs, I have a plan to avoid them.
Really?
I intend to ride the high water over the rapids,
and so avoid the portages where they attack.
It is a bold plan,
but unfortunately, you cannot avoid meeting a Pecheneg on this journey.
And why do you say that?
Because I am one.
-You're blind. -I am.
So how do you see the river?
It is all here.
Every turn and village, sound and color from beginning to end.
I was on it this morning and the morning before that.
Every morning.
What would it take for you to run it again?
In person?
A coat.
-For me? -For my betrothed.
Is it a family design from Sussex?
No.
No, you will never see something from that period.
Sussex was stripped away as punishment for my father's deeds.
Everything?
Almost everything.
The king spared me my father's ring.
I've never seen you wear it.
And you never will.
It was given to me only as a reminder of my father's crime.
I disposed of it when I left Sussex.
This symbolizes our beginning.
Not my past.
Freydis!
What is wrong?
It is my daughter, Hrefna.
They talked to her and now she has disappeared into the woods.
Something terrible has happened.
You must help her. Please help her.
What did you say to the girl?
She wished to go to the boneyard. I simply told her the way.
You knew it was a dangerous journey and you did nothing to stop her.
It was you who encouraged her.
Without your support she wouldn't have known about it.
Which way is this boneyard?
Tell me.
Were you ever a believer in the old gods
or simply a believer in Harekr?
Your Highness.
Is hanging an assassin meant to be a warning
to someone capable of moving freely among us?
It reminds them that we've not stopped our search.
What have your alehouse informants told you?
We're focusing on the assassin's accomplices.
How did he gain access?
Have you made any progress?
We will. Money is an excellent motivator of the truth, Your Highness.
And whoever is behind this will make a mistake.
Honestly, Gytha,
it may be one of the worst things that you could have an interest in them.
No!
Aelfwynn! Aelfwynn!
-It's called an astrolabe. -What does it do?
Everything.
It can tell you the time of day,
measures the height of the Sun, the Moon, the stars.
Those are scales to calculate angles.
Show me how to use it.
You need to understand the diagrams.
This tells you to align this marking here with the polestar.
Then using the other markings,
you can measure the angle and calculate your position.
And know exactly where you are.
Always.
Can you teach me how to understand these runes?
Not runes. Letters.
Letters make up an alphabet used to spell words.
And what about these? The, uh…
Ah. That is different.
That is mathematics.
-Another language? -The most beautiful language of all.
When you understand mathematics, you learn the secret to the world.
Can you teach me all this?
It would take years.
It is three or four months to Constantinople
and I'm a willing student.
I found a way to get you there.
Now, it will not be easy,
but I'll make sure you reach the south.
Thank you.
-He's a Pecheneg! -He knows the river.
It means he knows where to stop and have us killed.
Or where not to stop.
The Pechenegs did this to me.
I am sure whatever "this" is, is bad,
but I cannot see how bad it is because the Pechenegs did this to me.
I am not your enemy.
That I know my people well is a good thing.
You said nothing of bringing a servant.
Send him home.
Need I remind you who paid for your furs?
We will take a seat. Stow that.
Yeah. I'll have it.
A mighty fancy box you got there.
Do not speak to my servant again without my permission.
Who's she?
-She's Mariam. Mariam, this is Harald. -Hello, Harald.
After you.
This is the reason you're going to Constantinople?
-It is. It is a good one. -Huh, it better be.
We need a strong crew if we're going to make it.
Not frail women and their belongings.
I disagree.
That is exactly what we need.
-We're cold. -Silence!
We're all cold!
I've taken your advice, Uncle.
I'm reinventing myself.
Yes, I see. As what?
When I return, I will be a rich and powerful man,
with my own army and a purpose.
You'll see.
I am excited for that day.
What do you want me to tell your brother when he comes for you?
Tell Olaf he should sleep with an axe by his bed.
Do not reinvent your confidence, nephew. It is your great gift.
May God be with you.
A prince, a slaver, a blind Pecheneg, a woman scholar,
two con men and a noble, on a boat on a sled.
What could go wrong?
Let's go.
Go on!
Let's go!
I do not wish to tax you.
Until the threat is over, you're my only trusted helpers.
Of course. You must not be alone.
We are happy to be of service.
Gytha, would you prepare my clothes? Aelfwynn looks tired.
Yes, Your Highness.
I am sorry, Your Highness. I've been distracted.
Your eyes are red, Aelfwynn. Are you unwell?
I would not bring sickness to my queen.
Then you've been crying.
No. I'm very happy here.
Your Highness has been very good to me.
I'm glad you feel that way.
I care about you.
Which is why I've noticed a change in you.
Is there something worrying you?
Something you would like to share?
I promise I will not allow this to happen again.
Your clothes are prepared, my lady.
I'm sorry, my love.
It's just us.
Are you all right?
-Yes, just startled. -Are you sure?
You know you can tell me anything.
I'm fine. I promise.
Hrefna!
In here.
You're hurt.
I'm all right.
-What happened? -There was a boar. But I drove it away.
Freydis…
A piece of Skuld.
You did it.
Will they let me keep it?
Of course. You have earned it.
I'll let you go.
Run!
Come.
Let's get you home.
Out.
Out!
His cargo. Not mine.
Out!
No!
No! Orlaith! No!
No! Orlaith!
Orlaith! Orlaith!
Orlaith! No!
No!
No! Orlaith!
Break my nose, lose more money on me.
It's a pity.
Two sisters would have fetched a lot of money.
We should say a prayer.
It is a proper suggestion.
You should offer it.
Oh, Father in heaven.
Be with your daughter, Orlaith, as she journeys to your holy land.
And be with her sister, Brigtoc, in her grief.
-Amen. -Āmīn.
-Amen -Amen.
Amen.
-Amen. -Amen.
Amen.
That's where I live.
Hrefna, I'm so proud of you.
Hrefna!
Come.
Inside. Come.
What happened to your leg?
It will heal. It's nothing.
You must tell me the truth.
You know this man.
No.
You're lying.
I watched you collapse in the courtyard when you saw the body.
When I pressed you for answers you evaded me.
Please, don't ask me.
I will.
That man tried to kill me.
How do you know him?
Tell me.
If I do, you must promise not to tell Earl Godwin.
Godwin? Why?
He has proposed marriage to me, my lady.
If he should find out what I'm about to tell you,
he will leave me.
I'm sure.
Marriage? I've scarce seen you together.
We kept it a secret until he received your husband's blessing.
To be his wife, Your Highness,
is more than I could hope.
He loves me
and I love him.
Is there a connection between this man and Earl Godwin?
No.
With me.
He's my brother.
I have not seen him in years.
I did not know he was in London until I saw him in that courtyard yesterday--
Lies, you were in the chapel when he tried to poison me.
My head was bowed, my lady, as was yours.
If I had seen him, I would have reacted as I did yesterday.
I swear!
So you have not spoken a word of this to Godwin?
No.
Please… Please do not tell him.
If he finds out,
he will abandon me and I will lose everything.
All-Father. Thank you for guiding me here.