Episode 2 The Last Kingdom

This programme contains some violent scenes

UHTRED: 'I was born an Ealdorman of England,

'true heir to the Northumbrian lands of Bebbanburg.'

-You have the amber?

-Yes, Father.

Our ancestors took this land and you will DIE for it if needed.

'I was 12 years old when I first went to war.'

Kill them all!

'I saw my father killed.

'My uncle took my lands and pledged his allegiance to the Danes.'

My advice for you is to never cross Ubba,

and never, never fight him.

'Stolen by the invaders along with a Saxon girl, Brida,

'I became first a slave and then a son to Earl Ragnar.

'That was my family, my life.

'Young Ragnar, my brother, and Brida, my lover.

'Fate had made me a Dane,

'and then fate brought betrayal.'

HE ROARS

I will not stand by and have everything that's mine taken from me.

Bebbanburg's mine!

'Destiny is all.'

Horses!

Head for the woods!

MEN SHOUT

Go right. There's a gully over that ridge.

Hoof marks. There must be hoof marks.

There must be hoof marks somewhere!

HE PANTS

Fetch more men. I want him found.

We'll go as far as Mercia if need be,

but I want him found...and I want him dead.

He looked like my father.

And now he knows you are alive, he'll keep looking for you?

Let him. I'm going to kill him and take back what's mine.

He has an army. He's the choice of the Danes. All you have is me.

No, we have Ubba.

We go to him with our story.

And with his army, we avenge Ragnar's death and we take back Bebbanburg.

It's that simple?

Yes.

HE PANTS

Yes. HE CLICKS HIS TONGUE

BIRDSONG

Brida.

Brida...sing me a song.

I won't, I'm not your skald.

True, and what's more, you'd frighten the birds.

-What?

-There's a taste in the air.

Death.

CROW CAWS

CROW CAWS

HE PANTS

HE PANTS

ARROW WHISTLES

HE GROANS

MAN GROANS

MAN GROANS SOFTLY

Who did this?

-Who sacked the village?

-I cannot move.

Your back is broken.

MAN GROANS

-Who did it?

-You know who did this.

-Danes did this.

-Why?

I don't believe you.

Why should the Danes attack a village that feeds them?

Revenge.

But since when have Danes needed an excuse to kill?

Revenge? Revenge for what?

-Huh?

-MAN GROANS

Revenge for what? And I'll end it.

An uprising north of here.

A Saxon slave, he killed his master at a wedding party.

MAN GROANS

What was the name of the slave?

-Huh?

-You speak English well for a Dane.

-Argh!

-His name?

MAN GROANS

Uhtred.

End it!

-End...

-MAN GROANS

SLICING, WET SQUELCH, MAN GROANS

-Say it.

-Say what?

-What you are thinking?

-I'm thinking that you have a turd

where there's supposed to be a mind.

HE LAUGHS Thank you.

We should never have gone to Bebbanburg.

We should have let them believe that you were dead.

No, you're wrong.

I want them to know that I'm alive.

I need them to know that I'm alive because they hold what's mine.

-I feel better for it.

-Yeah?

So, does a dog pissing on a tree.

You wish me to bark?

What we needed to do was to ride south to the Chieftain Ubba

-and tell the story of Ragnar's death.

-We'll do it now.

Now, there is a second story about some slave who killed his master.

Ubba knows that Ragnar was my father.

He knows nothing! I doubt he'll even remember you!

He will believe the story that he hears first and he will kill you.

If you could write, then you could write to him.

-If he could read.

-SHE LAUGHS

You've left us no choice,

we must find Ubba and hope he believes you.

BELL CHIMES

BELL TOLLS

HUBBUB

Thank you.

-Father Beocca.

-Father.

Segwall.

I'll see you in the King's hall.

My lord?

My Lord Alfred, it is I, Father Beocca.

My lord, the King has called council.

Do not look at me, Father.

I am a sinner. I'm a grievous sinner.

We are all sinners, my lord.

And I am married. I should never have married.

He sends temptation to test us.

And when we fail, he sends the Danes to punish us for that failure.

I should never have married. I should have joined the Church.

I should've gone to a monastery.

And God would have found a great servant in you,

but I feel he has other plans.

If your brother were to die,

it would be to you the people would turn.

Oh, pray God he does not die.

What kind of a king would I be?

You will be God's King, my lord.

You have been blessed and chosen by the Holy Father in Rome,

you will be God's King.

-I have seen the girl who torments you. She is...

-She must be banished.

-No, I believe the opposite, she must be brought into your service.

-No.

-No, I could not.

-You will resist her,

you will let Him see your strength.

You will thank Him for tempting you

and then praise Him for resisting the temptation.

Notwithstanding...

-I have news you may wish to take to council.

-What news?

Of an English uprising, lord, in the north.

It was defeated, but the nobleman responsible

was Uhtred of Bebbanburg. I know him.

He was taken by the Danes as a child, a God-fearing child,

-clearly his heart remains English.

-He lives?

I believe so.

He's a warrior, lord,

they say he killed his Danish master and 40 men.

He knows there ways, he speaks their language.

He would be useful, would he not?

-You could mention him in council.

-Why would he kill his master?

-For blood? For money? For pleasure?

-For England, lord.

Yes, but how do we know?

He may well be just one more pagan with a busy sword.

-Ah, but I know him, lord.

-No, Father Beocca, you knew him once,

you knew him as a child.

-I could send word out into the country.

-Father, he's a ghost,

he's a pagan rumour. Should he become flesh and blood,

then he may merit a mention.

However, my faith...

I reserve for God alone.

Now, about this girl. You may be...right about her.

Bring her into my personal service...and...pray for me.

As always, my lord.

MEN CHATTER

Alfred.

King Edmund of East Anglia writes a plea to Wessex for an army.

An attack by the Danish Chieftain, Earl Ubba, is inevitable.

This was two days ago.

A long march to fight the Danes at a place of their choosing

is not a strategy worth considering.

-To say the least, my lord.

-I'm of a mind to decline.

-And rightly.

Ubba...he is the Dane

-whom King Edmund has fed and watered in the past?

-He is.

Perhaps in the hope that he would simply pass through East Anglia

on his way to invading Wessex.

It is my opinion that Edmund deserves nothing but silence.

Too harsh, young Odda.

I believe it was Edmund's hope to convert the Danes

from pagan to Christian, beginning with charity.

For that he deserves praise, surely.

You are true, my lord, if indeed that was his hope.

Edmund is a godly man,

we have no reason to mistake his actions for cowardice.

Regardless of Edmund's intentions,

barring a miracle, East Anglia will soon fall to the Danes.

And he shall have all our prayers for such a miracle, my lord.

-He will need them.

-He will not, however, have one man of Wessex.

-On that we are agreed?

-Yes, lord.

-Aye.

-Hmm.

MURMURS OF AGREEMENT

Then we must therefore recognise that we now stand alone...

..the last kingdom of England.

It will soon be the men of Wessex

staring across a field at the pagan army. We must be ready.

We must pray, we must prepare.

Odda, I require that Mercia, Lundene and East Anglia be watched carefully,

-forward knowledge is everything.

-It is done, my lord.

And scribe, I require the forges of every town and village

to be burning, night and day.

-We shall need all the iron those fires can proffer.

-Yes, my lord.

Most of all I require men.

Strong, fighting men who are prepared to die,

because that, in the end, is what it will take to save us.

The blood of men.

Ravn used to say, "Never fight Ubba".

Looks like East Anglia's just made that mistake.

We should stay away for now...

build our own fire.

Ubba is unpredictable, he takes his orders from the gods.

I know he only listens to a sorcerer, and he's half mad.

How will you approach him?

As a man.

It has to be done.

Yes, it has to be done,

but we need to guard your life.

-How?

-I don't know.

We should hump tonight.

We should, it's written.

That we should hump?

Our destiny is to hump...

tonight. SHE LAUGHS

SHE SIGHS

I'm enjoying the thought of it.

-That's all you'll enjoy tonight.

-HE LAUGHS

SHE GASPS

GASPING INTENSIFIES

Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop!

-What? What is it?

-I...I think I have it.

SHE PANTS

We take a hostage, a shield,

a guarantee for your life.

-Who?

-I don't know...

-SHE PANTS

..someone he can't do without?

-Storri...his sorcerer!

-SHE PANTS

Who is the woman?

Why's she not on her back?

Not that it's your concern, but she's for Storri.

A Saxon whore from Ubba.

I've seen you before.

I...served Earl Ragnar and now I serve Ubba.

-WOMAN SOBS MAN:

-Quiet, woman!

You'll see me again I'm sure, boy.

UHTRED LAUGHS

I'm told Storri's at the church?

He's up at the monastery looking after King Edmund

and killing his priests.

MAN COUGHS

MAN GROANS

HE SIGHS

Hello?

Leave or it will be the death of you.

This church is mine by order of Ubba.

-Master Storri, I have a gift for you.

-Really?

-She's from Earl Ubba.

A woman?

Why would Ubba send me a woman?

-I have no need for a woman.

-She's a sorceress.

He wishes her dead, but is afraid of a curse.

Saggy tits, stinking breath,

but...you'll be rewarded,

her head's weight in silver.

A sorceress?

She has the face of a she-wolf.

-Does she bite?

-Yes, she bites. BRIDA MOANS

Leave her with me.

I will do as Ubba asks and she will die...slowly.

Argh!

You belong to me now, old man.

And you will die slowly unless you do as I say.

On your feet!

We're going for a walk and you will keep your mouth shut!

-This is so foolish.

-Shh!

Ubba will come look for me...

-..and he will be here soon.

-I said, be quiet.

Then I'll wait for him here.

I'll wait for Ubba here.

That means it's just you and me.

HORSES NEIGH

Where is Storri? He's supposed to be here.

Edmund?

Edmund...

Edmund!

Edmun...

-HE LAUGHS

-Can we have some ale?

Miserable King Edmund of East Anglia.

You have had a night to consider my offer.

How do you answer?

Are you dead or breathing still?

With luck, he's dead. We allow far too many of them to live, as it is.

-You allow nothing!

-He lives.

It's God who decides who lives.

I would say your god has left you hanging, sir.

If he has done so, it's because it is his will.

Take him down... and do not to let him fall.

And ale, and for Earl Guthrum.

I don't understand, we do this all the time.

We allow half of them to live.

I say we kill them all, all but the young women.

And who should work the fields?

The old women, the pregnant women.

Put him there...

-and give the man some ale.

-Earl Ubba!

If I may speak freely.

I know you.

I am Uhtred Ragnarson.

I am here with the truth of how my father died.

Yes, you are Ragnar's slave and you killed him!

I don't know what stories you've heard,

but Earl Ragnar was killed by his own, by Danes.

His former ship's master Kjartan and his half-blind son, Sven,

they led the attack on a sleeping wedding party.

Can't you see that we are entertaining a king?

Lord Ubba, I am telling you that Earl Ragnar was killed by Danes!

You be quiet, boy!

-And you will wait!

-Kill him.

Not another word!

Bar the doors, he does not leave.

Guthrum is right, we are entertaining a king,

so no more interruptions.

I just have to know - who is that? Hm?

-His eyes are watching me.

-And me.

Who...who's what? Who?

The other half-naked image there.

Who is it?

That is Saint Sebastian.

A former Roman soldier who found God.

Found him where?

He found him in his heart! Not...

-Do you wish me to tell you the story?

-I have time.

The Emperor of Rome, on discovering that Sebastian had found God,

ordered him to renounce his faith, he refused.

So, then the Emperor ordered that he be filled full of arrows...

and yet...he lived.

-He lived?

-Yes, he did.

-Is this true?

-Of course, it's true!

God saved Saint Sebastian and God should be praised for that mercy.

For how long did he live?

Well, sadly he...he then ordered him to be clubbed to death.

-So, he died...?

-He went to Heaven, so he lived.

-I heard mention of this Heaven.

-What is this Heaven?

Heaven is Valhalla, lord, to the Christians,

but without the fighting, feasting and humping.

Heaven is..is Heaven,

it's not heathen.

But to answer your very first question, I ha...

I have considered your offer, and yes,

I will continue to rule East Anglia as you suggest.

I will suffer your presence,

I will provide you with horses,

food, coin and hostages.

I will do all that you demand...

But...

..only if you, Lord Ubba,

and all of your men,

..submit to God.

That is my demand.

YOU must be baptised.

You must stand in a barrel of water and they pour more water over you.

They want to wash me?

-No...

-Your scent upsets them, Ubba.

No, to cleanse you of your sins,

there's only one God and I demand that you serve him.

-Kill him now!

-Why must I serve him?

Because God is great! All powerful! All magnificent!

-Have him stop his yapping and prove it!

-Ah, agreed.

-Prove to me your god is great. Prove it!

-Prove?

Prove...prove... Look, here!

God spared Saint Sebastian.

-But the man still died.

-Because it was God's will!

So, would your god protect you from my arrows?

If he was all powerful, he would.

-Yes, if it was God's will, he would, yes.

-So, let us try.

We shall shoot arrows at you and if you survive...

..we will all be washed.

-Including Guthrum here.

-Why not?

Very well.

I...I will continue to be king...

..but we will dispense with the need for the baptisms,

the, er...the washing.

I withdraw my request.

But you claim your god is all powerful.

I want it proven.

Strip him.

Archers!

Wait.

Tell me truthfully...

..are you afraid?

God is great!

We will see.

Shoot.

-Shoot!

-Ah-ah!

They are my men and only I tell them when to shoot.

Shoot.

Do you now wished to be clubbed, or will the arrows be sufficient?

HE WHIMPERS

HE EXHALES

You come a long way, boy,

to tell me it was Danes and not you who killed Ragnar.

It was Kjartan and Sven, lord, and others.

It's the truth. Why else would I be here?

To spy, to lie.

No, lord.

-HE LAUGHS

-Perhaps to kill me?

-No, lord.

Have you been washed?

Odin is my god.

But you have been washed?

Yes, lord.

How did it feel...

..the washing?

Cold, lord, the water was cold.

Nothing else?

I was a child, lord. Now I am a Dane.

Yeah, a Dane.

So...now let us see if Odin

will protect you from the arrows.

I like this game.

-Strip him.

-Keep away from me!

-Not another step!

-Archers at the ready!

-I have a hostage!

-What?

-I have Storri.

-Stop!

If I die, he dies.

If I die, your sorcerer dies, and you're without his guidance.

He lies, I can smell it.

I have proof...

his runes.

Storri will be returned to you safely.

Take his head from his shoulders!

Guthrum, be quiet!

Have them open the doors.

I will release Storri when I am clear of this place.

-You go nowhere!

-Then he dies! Your sorcerer dies!

Have them open the doors.

DOOR OPENS

One day I will kill you.

Storri will tell you otherwise.

And I am telling you the truth about Ragnar.

This is what happens when we allow too many of them to live!

HE YELLS

WOOD SPLINTERS

Excellent! Firewood.

You're alive.

That's good.

Did he hear you?

He did not, not a word.

What did he say?

-That he'll kill me.

-Nothing else?

Where's Storri?

What did he say?

-He's naked?

-It was necessary.

He has a branch up his arse.

Which is why he is naked.

Uhtred...

Ow!

Uhtred, he must have said something?

He believes the lie.

He believes that I killed Ragnar.

STORRI GRUNTS

There's nothing more to do.

-We should put distance between us and this place.

-And go where?

Anywhere that's not here.

I say we go to Young Ragnar.

He's in Ireland.

-Then we go to Ireland.

-How? In what? We sail in what?

-And with whom? Danes?

-Then we wait for him to return.

What if he doesn't return, what then?

Accept it, we are lost.

-We are alive and breathing for a reason...

-Brida...

We are no longer Danes.

How much for your work?

For a long sword?

You tell me what you need and I'll tell you a price.

A warrior sword to last a lifetime.

And what are you?

Saxon or Dane?

Northumbria.

It will take some time to make her right...

..which means she'll be expensive.

If she's right, I will pay in silver.

How much?

Ten pieces. Half now.

Oh-ho! Six, no more.

Eight and I'll make her my finest.

Eight, and if she is not your finest, you will be her first.

I want this stone set into the handle.

That can be done.

Don't sell it, nor lose it.

-Ale, my lord?

-You stand too close, girl.

Just a little, to take away the taste of the gruel.

You stand too close!

It is broth, not gruel.

Is it?

Well, I think it is!

You should be thanking God for its goodness

and the banishment of those awful cramps.

-I am happy to eat as you eat.

-Well, you are saintly, my dear.

Father Beocca, join us for breakfast - I dare you!

-Alas, my lord, I've already eaten.

-You're fortunate.

Bad news, lord, er...your nephew Aethelwold.

-Isn't it always?

-He's drunk, he's sleeping in the palace gardens.

Should I take him to the King? It's the second time this week.

May God strike him down...painfully.

SNORING

Aargh!

-What? What?

-On your feet, boy.

-Wait, wait, wait, wait!

-Come on, the King wants to see you.

Drunk!

What again?

Do you think this is fit?

Out, all of you, leave us!

Do you think this is fit?

I have been mistreated, you...you saw this for yourself.

I demand that this... this bear is punished.

Aethelwold, your years do not hide the fact

-that you are a disappointment.

-May I ask why?

That you need to ask tells your father all he needs to know.

-What?

-That you are an unsuitable heir! That is what!

Then I will change.

-You should!

-I will.

-All I ask is that you become a man, and quickly.

Today.

Today, I promise.

Am I excused?

My lords.

I am not convinced he IS my son.

If his mother were not already dead, I'd have her beheaded for adultery.

HE LAUGHS

If I'm to fall in the battles that will come...

..he cannot be king.

-You favour Alfred?

-I do.

Even though he is often... weak in body?

Well, that his illness does not tie him to his bed

shows the strength of my brother. Alfred is my heir.

He knows it.

And when the time comes,

Odda, my friend,

you must steer the Witan to make this choice.

My lord.

It's done.

Should be safe for now.

They say Danes rarely come here.

What did Storri say to you, to make you bind his mouth and, er...?

-He threw a curse.

-Saying what?

It's not important. I responded with the branch.

What are you doing?

You know what I'm doing.

-I'm removing the last of his curse with a kiss.

-I don't want to.

If you want to go to the Danes, then go, find a new lord.

It's me they wish to kill.

-You sound like a child.

-I'm offering you a choice.

-You're talking through your arse.

-I'm sitting on my arse.

So, your arse is cleverer than you, it can do two things at once.

Thank you.

Your tongue is sharp, woman.

HE LAUGHS

-Show me again.

-No.

You're right.

We can't go to young Ragnar.

But we should wait for him to find us.

Which he will. He will want to know the truth.

In the time between, we stay alive.

And we pass the time...

Doing what?

Aargh!

Hey! Hey!

Get off!

SHE LAUGHS

I have given her some beauty, but she is a tool, no more no less.

She is exactly as I'd hoped.

-We said ten?

-We said eight.

-She's worth ten.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

Lord, men have been asking of you.

And your woman.

Danes or Saxon?

Take your pick - five or more.

Make her sing!

Brida, we should leave. There are men looking for us.

-From Ubba?

-I don't know - Saxons and Danes are looking for us,

we seem to be collecting enemies as we go.

Get to the horses! Go! Go! Go!

Out the way! Out the way!

Brida, the horses are just there.

Wait, there's another! We have to go. Come.

Move, move! Out of the way!

Brida, the door!

Wait.

Wait...wait...

You are right. We should leave.

Whoever it was that sent them, Ubba or your uncle, they won't rest,

there'll be others.

I can't go home without help.

Uhtred...you should forget Bebbanburg.

No.

No, I won't vanish.

Nothing changes.

Kjartan and my uncle will pay for Ragnar's death,

and I will have those lands.

But how? With whose help?

-You said yourself, we only have Ubba...

-The English.

If we're dead to the Danes, we have no choice.

There is no England! The Danes have England.

No, there is one place, south of here, it's Wessex.

They'll take one look at you and kill you as a Dane.

Whereas Ubba will kill me as an Englishman.

With King Aethelred, we have a chance of everything.

What do you say?

Come with me.

Why do they stare?

They think you're pretty.

Huh!

Or they've never seen a Dane so close.

But they will.

Come away!

SHOUTING

JEERING

We have business with the king, Aethelred.

-MAN:

-Go home!

I say we have business with the King.

Do you not understand English?

Is that what you're speaking, arseling? You sound like a Dane.

Why do you dress as a warrior when you're clearly a farmer?

Farmer, am I?

I'd wager this farmer against you at any time.

We are here to see the King, peaceably.

Uhtred, what are you doing?

-What is it, farmer, first blood...

-Uhtred!

-..or to the death?

I'll be splitting your skull, boy, so one follows the other.

-MAN:

-Come on!

Uhtred?

Father Beocca!

-Ha-ha!

-Oh, my goodness.

You know this arseling, Father?

I do. Yes, I do!

Uhtred, you're...you're fully grown!

And you're old!

THEY LAUGH

I am.

Oh, you're a man.

-He claims business with the King.

-Yes. Yes, that's true.

But not with the King, it must be with Alfred.

-You vouch for him?

-I vouch for him? Yes, I will vouch for him.

God has sent you, surely.

You're a man!

Father, this is Brida,

my greatest friend.

A woman?

-Yes.

-I am.

I have tits.

I see.

Have their horses fed and watered.

And I will inform Alfred that you're here with me, both.

We need their weapons, Father.

Why not inform the King?

The King is busy.

But you will like Alfred, he is an impressive man.

Come.

CHURCH BELL TOLLS

Do you like it?

I do.

It's beautiful.

You could rest here, it's so quiet.

Peaceful.

The, er, the Romans, they built this courtyard for just that purpose -

-tranquillity.

-You're Alfred?

I am.

-My lord.

-You are Uhtred?

I hear word you are a considerable warrior.

Ha-ha! Not been tested, lord, not yet...

and I've been lucky.

Well, luck is good.

Or so my own warriors...say.

Now, I haven't quite worked out the theology of luck.

Can there be luck if God disposes?

If your god is with you, you're a lucky man.

Yes.

You're right.

Simply put, but you are right.

With me, we shall talk inside, briefly.

I spend much of my time in here.

Do you read, Uhtred?

I was schooled as a child, by Father Beocca, I was not a good student.

There's much to know outside of letters.

Oh, I am certain there is.

But do not underestimate the power of the written word.

When a man dies, if nothing is written, he is soon forgotten.

For instance, who is remembering Earl Ragnar?

You know of Ragnar?

Father Beocca has talked much about you, Uhtred.

He believed you a prisoner, a slave to Earl Ragnar.

-Is that the case?

-Ragnar was a father to me.

I loved him.

Yet, in Eoferwic, they are saying that you killed him.

They lie.

Karjartan. Karjartan - is that how you pronounce it?

-Kjartan?

-Kjartan...

has benefitted most from Ragnar's death.

He has taken his place and is Earl Kjartan now,

-a great lord, with ships.

-That's written down?

Whatever I discover about my enemies is written down.

It is in Kjartan's interest to kill you, is it not?

He would not want Ragnar's son to hear a different tale.

-He would not wish him to hear the truth, no.

-No.

And the Chieftain Ubba,

although he himself has now travelled north,

he has sent men to Mercia,

asking of your whereabouts.

But not your welfare, I surmise?

How do you come by all of this?

I have eyes and ears in each of the kingdoms.

One day, it is my hope

that all kingdoms will become one,

united under one God.

One king?

If all men can agree, yes.

All that remains of England is Wessex.

The birth of an England, the idea...

..of a single kingdom...

..called England...

..has to begin here.

There is nowhere else.

But for how long will Wessex remain?

The fate of Wessex will be determined by Englishmen,

all Englishmen.

Only by joining together and saving Wessex can we HAVE England.

Only by saving Wessex can we have a...

a Northumbria...

a Bebbanburg.

And if Wessex can't be saved?

Then we are all no more.

CHURCH BELL RINGS

Prayers.

HE WINCES

And a little discomfort.

I will summarise.

The Danes are gathering a great army.

They have, in fact, gathered an army.

-They gather where?

-They have moved upriver from Lundene to Readingum.

They are settling as we speak.

But you said Ubba's in the north, so who leads them?

-The Earl Guthrum leads them.

-I know Guthrum.

We will need every advantage.

And Father Beocca considers you,

Uhtred of Bebbanburg, to be an advantage.

Whereas I believe you are here solely to hide, to save yourself.

I look at you and I see a Dane.

I see Uhtred of Nowhere, who cares for no-one, but himself.

Now, I must go to prayers. You will join me?

-If my lord will excuse me?

-Us both.

Of course.

I expected as much.

Father Beocca.

-Lord.

-Take your guests for refreshments.

-I will, my lord.

They may remain in Winchester, but I hold you responsible.

Yes, lord.

You should have gone along and prayed with him,

-it would have bonded you.

-He believes we are pagans.

What Alfred believes is that the Danes have abandoned you.

Ubba has abandoned us, there are other lords.

Most, if not all, follow Ubba.

So believe me, girl, you have been abandoned!

-Yeah, you know everything about the Danes, don't you(!)

-This way.

I want to show you something.

The Charters of Bebbanburg.

Yeah, the land books, yeah.

You kept them safe.

I have shown them to Alfred,

he knows you are the Ealdorman, by right.

I will continue to keep them safe, but, Uhtred, you...

you must behave like an Ealdorman.

The Charters have no meaning - Northumbria belongs to the Danes.

It does not belong to the Danes, it has been stolen by them.

If you want wealth, you take it. You can't ignore what's true.

-If the Danes are at Readingum, I'll go to Readingum.

-What?

-For what purpose?

-For knowledge.

But we have knowledge and you should stay away from Danes.

For new knowledge.

You know where they're settling, but you don't know why.

We know their number and their position.

But not their intention.

Am I a prisoner?

Their intention is to attack.

When?

-Spring. It's always spring.

-I'll go to Readingum.

-Where is it?

-It's too dangerous.

-Not for me. I'm a godless stain, remember!

-Why spy for Alfred?

Because he is an Ealdorman of England.

-DOOR OPENS

-Lord...

Regarding the conversion of the pagans to Christianity?

-Yes, lord?

-How do we decide what is proper?

To enlighten them or to kill them?

Spreading God's word is, of course, our mission.

But I fear that the pagans, the true pagans,

must first witness and then feel his power.

Uhtred...will return?

Yes, he will return.

Yes, but how will he return? As who?

-As what?

-I know this boy.

This boy is now a man.

I know his soul.

Father Beocca, he has no soul.

And you say yourself, the pagans need to feel the power of God.

It is written now, here.

You may leave me.

We shall see what the days bring, my lord.

If resting through the winter was their intention,

they would have remained in Lundene, yes?

It is you who is Alfred's spy.

-The next step is to kill for him. Will you do that?

-Answer me this.

If we were to cross this river and find Guthrum, what would happen?

He'd kill us both. We owe them nothing!

Alfred needs to know about the Danes and I need to win his trust!

You think he'll deliver you Bebbanburg, what if you're wrong?

Alfred, you have called council. For what reason?

Lord forgive me, it may well be for no good reason but we have

a pagan in court who claims to have knowledge regarding the Dane army.

A pagan?

Forgive me, lord, he is Uhtred of Bebbanberg. I vouch for his word.

Uhtred!

Lord.

I have been to Readingum. I have watched the Danes.

Their intention is not to settle.

If it were, they would have remained in Lundene.

You are saying what, that they intend to attack?

-I am, lord.

-We already know this.

Come spring they will be at our door.

They will be marching within days, lord. I am sure of it.

How can you possibly be sure of it?

The ground is sodden all around, it makes no sense.

They made their sacrifices.

The ordinary warriors have caught and killed birds, jackdaws.

This is only done in the days before battle. And they are hungry.

Then perhaps they have eaten these jackdaws.

They have many hundreds of men and horses and few supplies.

They will first seize a town rich with grain and livestock.

I don't know the country well, but I've travelled.

I believe Abbendum is such a place.

To defeat the Danes, you must meet them on the road to Abbendum.

It will be within days, lord.

You went to Readingum alone?

With Brida.

Why alone?

Why not?

Because for most of your life you have lived as a Dane.

You look like a Dane. you can speak the language of a Dane,

therefore, I surmise, you can set a trap like a Dane.

Agreed, my lord, he imagines we are jackdaws.

Where, on the road to Abbendum?

Where would you choose to meet their army?

I would choose the place called Asec's Hill, lord.

You would choose or Guthrum would choose?

I have seen it, the pass narrows, you cannot be out-flanked.

For the Danes to fight uphill, it will be difficult,

but they will be confident. They don't fear West Saxons.

Why? Why do they not fear us?

They believe you to be farmers, nothing more.

So, even with the sun in their eyes, which is possible,

they will climb the hill to fight and that can be to our advantage.

"To our advantage", he says! You've been here for a matter of days

and already you claim to be of Wessex?

This is nonsense. This is all far too convenient, my lord.

I, for one, can not go along with these ramblings.

My lord, my sword was made by a Saxon smith. My sword is for Wessex.

-Do not interrupt a noble when he's speaking!

-Odda.

I believe this man and this bag of rags that follows him

to be impostors. No army marches as winter approaches, never.

Young Odda, enough from you now!

My lord.

You.

You have spoken and given this council much to discuss.

My lord.

Alfred, he's here at your invitation. What now?

Should the Danes march, we must face them.

And I would rather be at the top of a hill than on the flat.

I say we march to Asec's Hill.

But...

take him.

Take them both and make them secure.

-My lord?

-What is this!?

I have spoken the truth.

I have spoken the truth!

-Father Beocca.

-My lord, please...

-Beocca, help me! Beocca!

-Have faith!

..reprime eorum superbiam, minue malitiam,

dissipa illorum machinationes et astutias,

ut nos tuis armis muniti semper servemur ab

omnibus periculis, ad glorificandum te,

qui es unicus victoria largitor...

Hold!

Left flank, hold!

Hold!

Archers, ready!

MEN ROAR

CLAMOUR

On my command!

For God!

For Wessex!

For England!

MEN ROAR