Chapter 41

"Hold it in for now, Thorfinn. Don't let them get to you. You have to create the means to grasp victory when there is none to be found. And that requires patience. Even at full strength, you weren't able to reach Thorkell's vital areas. In your battered condition, that's even less likely to happen. Your only choice is to make him come to you."

- Askeladd

United Front (共闘) is the 41st chapter of the Vinland Saga series.

Overview
Part of Thorkell's crew try to catch Prince Canute before he can take refuge somewhere. They are surprised when he goes to them and demands to be taken to Thorkell. Thorkell and Thorfinn continue to duel. Thorfinn simply keeps dodging and does not fight as sharply as before; Thorkell notes he is disappointed and expected him to show more backbone. Thorfinn lets one of Thorkell's hits make his shortsword fly off into a nearby tree. Askeladd is happy that Thorfinn is maintaining a good position, being patient and leading Thorkell to believe he is helpless, causing Thorkell to lower his guard and approach him. Askeladd recalls witnessing an instant where Thorkell was brought to his knees at the Battle of Maldon many years prior and recreates it, angling his cleaned sword to catch the sunlight and direct it into Thorkell's eyes, momentarily blinding him. Thorfinn uses the moment to leap up and kick Thorkell in the face; Thorkell falls onto his back. Thorfinn loses his cool and hooks his legs around Thorkell's neck, going for his eyes with his bare hands. Asgeir orders the men to rush Thorfinn together and kill him. Thorkell angrily orders them to stop, damning them for daring to shame him and dishonour his duel. He asks Asgeir what warrior's pride means to him and Asgeir replies that the duel is over and he will kill Thorfinn. Thorkell grasps Asgeir's neck and head, ready to kill him, but Asgeir stands his ground and says Thorkell must live, as no one else could lead their army of five hundred beasts. Prince Canute arrives and tells everyone to calm themselves, stating that there will be no more combat and that any who die in the battle are wasting their lives.

Summary
Part of Thorkell's crew, who had been sent to capture Prince Canute, try to hurry and find him before he can find refuge in Derby, an area to the east under King Sweyn's control. Some of them are happy they were given the task, as they were promised a pound of silver each if they bring in the prince, while others are disappointed, since they wanted to see Thorkell fight Thorfinn. One man comments that Thorfinn is a stupid boy who doesn't know his own mortality, and that he'll die within five seconds. Another comments he wants to die by Thorkell's hand someday so that he can hold his head high in Valhalla, as Thorkell is a mighty warrior. He notes Thorkell might be an incarnation of Thors. One man laughs and asks if that makes Prince Canute Freya. They see figures down the path and urge their horses forward, recognizing the prince and assuming he is giving up. They start to rudely tell Canute to come with them, but Canute interrupts them and tells them they must uphold propriety in the presence of a king. He states he is going to meet with Thorkell and tells the men to lead them to him. The men are startled about the change in Canute's personality since they last saw him. Thorkell and Thorfinn continue their duel. Thorkell asks Thorfinn if he is hurting, as his movements are less sharp. He asks if he'll surrender and lose his chance at Askeladd forever. Thorfinn keeps narrowly dodging Thorkell's swings and crashes back into the watching men, who tell him to quit playing around. Angry, Thorkell asks him what the nonsense is about and tells him to fight with pride until the end if he doesn't want to tarnish Thors's name. Crouching nearby, Askeladd rubs snow on his sword's blade, thinking that Thorfinn has to hold it down and not let them get to him, as he has to be patient to create the means to emerge victorious in situations that seem hopeless. He thinks that even at full strength, Thorfinn couldn't reach Thorkell's vital areas, meaning his only choice is to make Thorkell come to him. Askeladd holds up his sword and angles it towards the sun, making the blade glint. He recalls what he thinks might've been the Battle of Maldon, a bloody clash where Byrhtnoth nearly maimed Thorkell, and briefly seeing Thorkell collapsing to his knees. One of Thorkell's swings causes Thorfinn to let go of his shortsword, which lodges itself into a tree near Askeladd. Askeladd thinks it is good, since Thorkell wouldn't let his guard down as long as he sees the blades in Thorfinn's hands, and that he needs to think that Thorfinn is out of ideas. Thorkell asks Thorfinn if he is tired of running; Thorfinn defiantly huffs and puffs, crouched in the snow, but does not move. Thorkell sighs and says he is disappointed and was expecting Thorfinn to show more backbone, noting Thors must be crying in Valhalla. Askeladd approvingly thinks that Thorfinn is doing well in maintaining a good position. Thorkell starts to move closer to Thorfinn, whom he believes is helpless, and starts to raise one of his axes. Askeladd creates the instant they need, as the one he had witnessed at Maldon; angling the hilt of his sword, point down in the snow, he makes the sunlight catch on the blade and aims for Thorkell's eyes with the flash. While Thorkell is momentarily blinded, Thorfinn leaps for him and kicks Thorkell in the face. Thorkell drops his axes and falls back first into the snow. Thorfinn yells and jumps onto Thorkell, hooking onto his neck with his legs and going for his eye with his unwounded hand. Askeladd dams Thorfinn for going back to his old habits and losing his cool again, without his weapon to boot. He pulls Thorfinn's shortsword out of the tree next to him and shouts that an attack is coming from the right; Thorfinn barely dodges the oncoming spear. Asgeir shouts at the men to rush Thorfinn together and kill him. One man holds Thorfinn down with his knee and raises his sword to kill him, but Thorkell yells at everyone to stop. Heavily bleeding from one eye and looking crazed, with his hair everywhere after having had his headband pulled off by Thorfinn, Thorkell yells at his men for being craven bastards and daring to shame him and dishonour his duel. The men back away, except for Asgeir. Thorkell approaches him and asks him what a warrior's pride means to him. Asgeir tells Thorkell to curse him if he wishes, but that he's going to kill Thorfinn and that the duel ends here. Thorkell threateningly grasps Asgeir's head with one hand, his neck in the other. Asgeir tells him to kill him if he must, but that Thorkell needs to live, as no one else could lead their army of five hundred beasts. Askeladd is surprised to see that there's character in Thorkell's crew after all. Thorkell lets go of Asgeir's head.

Canute arrives and tells everyone to calm themselves. Askeladd is frustrated that Canute would end up within Thorkell's grasp after all the trouble he went to. Canute states that there will be no further combat and that anyone who would die in the battle would be wasting their lives.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Canute
 * Atli
 * Thorkell
 * Thorfinn
 * Askeladd
 * Asgeir