Chapter 22

"I guess we don't have time to reminisce. You can have the prince for now, Thorfinn! We'll resume this later. We're both heading for the same place, anyway! Sweyn's main force, right? If you lot can avoid my attacks and escape to the safety of the main force, you win! Don't disappoint me! Thorfinn, son of Thors!"

- Thorkell

The Troll's Son (戦鬼（トロル）の子) is the 22nd of the Vinland Saga series.

Overview
The blaze started by Askeladd's men confuse Ragnar's and Thorkell's men, who cannot continue battling due to the fire and the low visibility. Askeladd has Thorfinn soaked in water and sent into the blazing forest on horseback, tasked with bringing back Prince Canute. Some of Thorkell's men find Ragnar's group, but before they can act, Thorfinn's horse leaps from the flames and Thorfinn jumps in to protects the Prince and his retinue, quickly disposing of the first soldier who tries to attack him. Thorkell appears, happy to see Thorfinn, and asks him if being the son of Thors means his mother's name is Helga. Thorfinn is surprised Thorkell knew his father, and Thorkell says that Thors was a true warrior and the one man in the world stronger than him. They are interrupted when a burning tree falls between them, the fire spreading. Thorkell says they can continue later, since both their groups are heading for Sweyn's main force, and leaves. Thorfinn leads Ragnar, Canute, Willibald and Ragnar's remaining soldiers back to Askeladd's band. Ragnar, forced by the circumstances, reluctantly places Canute's safety in Askeladd's hands and tasks him with getting him to King Sweyn's main force safely. Askeladd accepts and requests that Canute remove his helm so he can see his face. Canute complies and Askeladd seems confused, while Bjorn notes he looks more like a princess.

Summary
Askeladd's men pour oil from barrels around the forest and light it up with a torch. Thorkell's men, who can't see anything through the smoke, call for Thorkell. They tell him there's fire in all directions and that they cannot have a battle, since they cannot tell friend and foe apart in the smoke. One of the men says that downwind is safe and that they should get going, since they won't be sent to Valhalla dying in a wildfire. Thorkell replies that it is not a wildfire, as the fire was set, though not by Ragnar's men, who are also being burned and who only wanted to rescue the prince. He deduces that there is a third force nearby. Askeladd and his men observe the forest burning — it caught and spread easily due to the recent lack of rain. A deer burns nearby, and Bjorn comments that it's nasty stuff and that of all the ways to die, he'd take nearly anything over fire. Askeladd agrees and says it's painful and dull. Bjorn says it'd be convenient if the fire killed Thorkell, and Askeladd says that it won't, though it will cull his men. He says that they just need to get the prince, not kill Thorkell, and that the only goal of the fire was to confuse the men in the flames and the smoke. He calls for Thorfinn, who approaches in a hooded cloak, and instructs the men to pour water on him. Thorfinn climbs up on a horse and Askeladd reminds him that Canute is the one in the feathered helm and red cape and to not get the wrong men, before sending him forward into the flames.

Bjorn asks Askeladd what will happen if Thorfinn cannot pull Canute out of the flames in time and why they did not just join Ragnar's force of four hundred, raising their number to five hundred, like Thorkell's band. Askeladd says that they cannot beat Thorkell with equal numbers and that Ragnar's royal battalion, containing four men for every one Askeladd's and containing officers of higher station, would take all the glory for the prince's rescue. He adds that he won't fight a man like Thorkell for free. Askeladd tells Bjorn that it's a gamble, but that if their plan burns Prince Canute alive, they can simply play dumb, since no one can prove they had a hand in it. Bjorn asks Askeladd if he really thinks Thorfinn can sneak the prince away and notes that despite everything he says, he seems to trust him. Askeladd tells him to lay off and that Thorfinn is only a moron with no fear, which is useful to him. Ragnar can barely keep his eyes open in the smoke and deduces that Thorkell was not the one who started the forest fire. He tells Prince Canute, Willibald, and the men still in proximity to forget Thorkell and get downwind to escape the fire. A spear is thrust forward through the smoke and Ragnar counters it with his sword. The spear's owner, one of his own men, apologizes, and Ragnar yells at him for charging through the smoke without ascertaining if the people behind it were friend or foe, saying he could've run Prince Canute through. A man calls for his Highness and Lord Ragnar through the smoke, and Ragnar notes that's a soldier with good judgement. The previous soldier yells back that they're there and friendly, and gets speared through the stomach by one of Thorkell's men, who was the one calling out. Thorkell's men yell out that they've found the prince. Ragnar grumbles that he was the fool and that this is a disaster, while one of Thorkell's men reminds another not to kill Ragnar, since he's a precious hostage. A horse bursts out of the flames whining, its mane and tail on fire. Thorfinn jumps off the horse in front of Ragnar and pulls his shortswords out, facing Thorkell's men. Thorkell's men ask him what he's planning to do with his knives and determine he doesn't look important and that they can kill him, since he wouldn't be worth anything as a hostage. As one of the men tries to hit him with his axe, Thorfinn quickly edges right up to him and stabs him through the neck. Thorfinn removes his cloak and turns to Prince Canute to tell him he's there to save him and that he'll show you where to go after he waits there. Ragnar looks doubtful, thinking no one is there to save the prince and that Canute never has a better choice. Before Thorfinn can attack the rest of Thorkell's men, Thorkell walks through the smoke waving, greeting Thorfinn and pleased to see that it's indeed him. He asks his men if they were fighting against Thorfinn and tells them he's tough and the warrior who maimed him, showing them his right hand, with the pinky and ring fingers cut off above the middle knuckle. Thorfinn assumes a defensive stance, but Thorkell asks him to wait and says he has two questions. First, he asks him if he set the fire; Thorfinn does not respond. Second, he recalls that Thorfinn called himself "son of Thors" and asks if he is right to say that his mother's name is Helga. Thorfinn asks Thorkell how he knew that. Thorkell grins and says he just knew he was the son of the Troll of Jom and that it is no wonder he fights so well. Thorkell's men recognize Thors's epithet and comment that Thorfinn does not look like him. Thorfinn asks Thorkell if he knew his father. Thorkell says that Thors was a true warrior and was the only man in the world stronger than him. A burning tree falls between Thorfinn's group and Thorkell's. Thorkell says they don't have the time to reminisce, that he can have the prince for now, and that they can resume later. He walks away laughing and says they're both heading for Sweyn's main force anyway, and that Thorfinn will win if he can avoid his attacks and escape to the safety of the main force. He asks Thorfinn not to disappoint him. Thorfinn leads Ragnar and his remaining men away. Two men, coughing after leaving the smoke, realize they're fighting for opposing sides. Before they can start to fight, Askeladd's archers kill him. Bjorn tells Askeladd that Thorfinn is late and asks him if he thinks he may have put too much faith in his good fortune this time. Askeladd says he doesn't mind and that it is no skin off their back. He notices more people approaching. Thorfinn raises a hand and says not to shoot and that he's brought the prince. Askeladd looks surprised and his men cheer. Askeladd and Bjorn bow to the Prince. Ragnar tells Askeladd that his reckless scheme scattered and decimated his men and that the price for that is dear, but that he must entrust Canute's safety to him due to the circumstances. He tells Askeladd to protect the prince and see him back to the army's main force safely. Askeladd accepts the command and requests that Canute remove his helm so he can see his face. Canute complies and Askeladd looks on in confusion as Bjorn asks him if they didn't mean "princess".

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Thorkell
 * Bjorn
 * Askeladd
 * Thorfinn
 * Ragnar
 * Canute
 * Willibald