Vikings

Previously on Vikings...

A stranger has come to Kattegat.

He takes away Ivar's pain.

If he possesses powers, then he is putting them to good use.

But are you sure?

I wanted something to happen between you and me.

It was wrong of me. I'm married.

The Northmen are fighting beside us

to help us gain the throne of Mercia,

for our puppet, Princess Kwenthrith.

Spare my brother.

Porunn!

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It is ended!

How many more of us must die for your Christians?

This is your fault.

What have the gods told you?

What have you foreseen?

No one can help you.

Ivar, what is it?

Where is Harbard?

I don't know.

You have to find him.

Ivar is suffering so badly. I can't bear it!

Why can't you look after your own child?

I am here.

Ivar.

There is no more pain, Ivar.

No. No more pain.

That's right.

Very sleepy, Ivar.

You're getting very sleepy.

There's no more pain.

Go to sleep.

Who are you?

- You know who I am. - No, I don't.

You have such power.

Are you a god?

I wish.

For who would not wish for such a thing?

Porunn.

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So much for Rollo, the warrior.

The hammer to the cross.

Where is your soul?

Where is your belief?

Floki, forget it.

This...

This is the future.

We cannot fight everyone.

There must be cooperation,

alliances just as there are among the gods.

That is the way forward.

Well, well.

It seems that the magic of your Christian baptism has worked after all.

You said the whole thing was a joke. Perhaps you took it seriously.

You know very well it was a joke.

No.

I can see that you have all drunk from the poisoned chalice!

And the joke, Rollo, is on you!

I see you are still suffering.

I can make it better.

How?

Lie back.

What are you doing?

I suppose I should thank you.

I suppose that maybe you should.

I may have just saved your life.

Your brother is weak.

He is just a puppet.

And he will be your downfall.

I know what you think about Ecbert.

Do you believe him?

Should I not?

He has always acted in his own interests.

He wants power over me and over Mercia.

I did not fight for him.

I fought for my people,

and for you.

How is your wound?

It still hurts.

Do you need to lie back?

Wait!

- Where are you going? - Out.

- Where? With whom? - It is not your concern.

Oh, it is my concern,

since you are once again leaving your children behind.

I know they will be safe with you.

Are you going with him?

Just look after my children, it's all I ask.

No.

- What are you trying to do? - I am trying to save you.

It is not just the children.

You have other responsibilities.

Ragnar has left Kattegat in your care.

There are folk who are waiting to see you.

There are important matters to decide.

Let go of your queen.

Then I will do it.

I will accept the responsibility.

I heard a story about a king who was killed

and all his family massacred.

But his wife, Astrid,

she escaped and fled to an island in the middle of a lake.

I was smuggled onto the island,

and I was introduced to Astrid.

She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.

And she was a nymphomaniac.

She needed a lot of sex.

I was forced to sleep with her.

Forced?

I heard later that nine months after I left the island,

she gave birth to a second son called Olaf.

Now this Olaf is Grand Duke of Kiev and all Russia.

And he is your son?

I am sure of it.

I am forever in your debt.

What you have done for my son is...

Is what I would do for any suffering creature.

Like you.

Me?

I am not suffering.

Yes.

Your husband is a long way away,

and you fear he no longer loves or desires you.

How do you know?

Remove your clothes.

It is cold.

Then go back to your children.

I do not want to be with my children.

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There.

It is done.

I am glad.

I love you.

Do you love me?

Yes, I love you.

What will King Ecbert do to me?

He will do nothing to you,

so long as I protect you and Ragnar protects me.

Ecbert must hide his power behind a legitimate heir to the throne of Mercia.

Then he will not have me killed.

No,

he will not have you killed.

Burgred, you and I will be joint rulers to the throne of Mercia.

Does that not excite you, hmm?

The Mercians may quarrel against us.

No, they will not.

Behind us are the iron fists of both Wessex and the Northmen.

Do you see?

Then we will be prisoners of Ecbert and Ragnar.

I suppose.

But better prisoners than dead, hmm?

Prisoners can always escape.

It is not his fault.

No, you are right.

It is someone else's fault.

Who's that?

Is it not clear to you, Bjorn Ironside?

Who brought the Christ god into our lives?

Floki says we have betrayed our gods

to serve a Christian king and a Christian god.

Unlike Floki, I do not think I can speak for the gods.

All I know is that my desires and ambitions

for our people have never changed.

And now that I am King,

I must try to bring them about.

What limits did Odin put upon his curiosity?

- Who can say? - Exactly.

So unless I seek out those limits,

I cannot say that I have honored his spirit.

Floki threatens me with Odin,

but I would not be ashamed to meet the god face-to-face.

When Ragnar returns, I am sure he will stay but a short time

before sailing back home.

He is, after all, a king.

But you could stay.

To what purpose, King Ecbert?

Well, surely,

someone must stay to make sure that the new settlement is successful,

the first harvest safely gathered.

Someone will stay to do that.

But even if I am not a king, I am an earl.

I must return to look after my people.

It is fine and it is good to talk of responsibilities,

but there are other things in life.

What if I asked you personally to stay?

I have enjoyed your company.

And the sex.

Even so,

although you have made me happy and fulfilled,

I have come to understand that