Volume 5

Volume 5 is the 5th volume in the series.

Chapters

 * Chapter 29: Father and Son
 * Chapter 30: Master and Servant at the Table
 * Chapter 31: History of Beasts
 * Chapter 32: Defectors
 * Chapter 33: Betrayal
 * Chapter 34: Avalon
 * Chapter 35: Contact

Cover Characters

 * Thorfinn

Plot Overview
In December 1013, Gainsborough, Floki tells King Sweyn that Prince Canute is missing. The King says that with Canute's whereabouts unknown and winter underway, no rescue can be sent out until spring. Christians find Anne barely alive in the snow; she tells them of what happened to her village. In Gloucester, Mercia,Thorkell receives word that the lord of an area up the Severn has asked for help with one to two hundred Danes who have taken over a small village; Thorkell deduces it's Askeladd's band and happily sets off after Canute and Thorfinn again. Askeladd gathers the English have found them when Ear hears a small force flanking them; he sends Bjorn out with some men to neutralize them. A messenger tells Ragnar of the small battle that has started with the English. Ragnar, angry when he learns Askeladd still intends to go further into enemy territory instead of turning back to Wales, demands he be brought to him. On the way there, Ragnar is stabbed through with a spear on Askeladd's orders. Askeladd agrees to speak to the dying Ragnar privately;Ragnar reveals that the nobles have split into factions, one supporting Canute and the other his brother Harald, and that King Sweyn had sent Canute to war to have him die on the battlefield. Askeladd tells Canute that Ragnar tragically died at the hands of the English. Askeladd tells Bjorn that killing Ragnar was a gamble, but that his death may spur new growth in Canute, and that the man he chooses to follow should make him want to follow him. Ear tells Askeladd, busy torturing the captured English captain for answers, that the enemy is coming; the English captain reveals it is not the English, but Thorkell who is on their tail. Askeladd and the band prepare to leave. When presented with two men who were trying to desert to defect to Thorkell's side, Askeladd tells everyone that they're free to choose their leader, but that if they choose to follow him, they must march relentlessly, since falling behind means death. In January 1014, Thorkell and some of his men reach the Mercian village. He kills the defectors from Askeladd's band who had remained to join his side, disgusted they'd switch sides at the first sign of trouble instead of fighting. On the march, Askeladd tasks Torgrim and Atli with smashing the bridge behind them to slow Thorkell down. Torgrim tells Atli that they should steal the prince and offer him to Thorkell to get on his good side, and that half the men already agree that Askeladd's luck has run out and that they should betray him. Anticipating the betrayal, Askeladd tells Bjorn to captain the prince's cart and tells Thorfinn to ride with him and be ready. Thorkell throws a spear from the distance and skewers four men next to Askeladd. Askeladd tells his men to calm down, since Thorkell and his men are still a ways off and will be slowed down by the destroyed bridge. Torgrim says that's no guarantee. Askeladd replies that he will not try to convince him and that this is where they part ways. The men approach him with their weapons drawn and Torgrim demands Askeladd give them the prince and be on his way. Askeladd tells them that through all the years they spent together, he's hated every last one of them with every fiber of his being, then beheads the man nearest to him. Bjorn spurs the horses forward, leaving with Canute, Willibald and Thorfinn in tow. Some of the men get on horses to chase the cart. One of the riders kills one of the horses pulling Bjorn's cart, prompting it to crash. Thorfinn uses the crash's momentum to kick Atli off his horse, getting on himself and rushing for Askeladd's position, worried he'll get killed before he can kill him himself. The men are relieved that Canute is still alive and prepare to make back with him, but Bjorn, who survived, comes out from under the cart chewing on a berserker mushroom and says he'll send them all to Valhalla. In a flashback, a young Askeladd helps feed his sickly mother Lydia, who tells him of their heroic ancestor Artorius, who tends to his wounds in Avalon and will one day return as the true king to save them from their struggles. She tells Askeladd that when that day comes, he must serve him and be his wisdom and his sword. In present time, Askeladd keeps fighting off his men. Askeladd tells Torgrim that if he wants the prince, his best bet is to bring him to Bjorn as a hostage and exchange him for Canute. Askeladd is hit by several arrows when Torgrim instructs the archers to hit him in the legs. Askeladd's old band throws down their weapons when Thorkell and his men arrive. Torgrim tells Thorkell they were planning to hand Prince Canute over to him, but that their leader, Askeladd, let him escape. Thorkell speaks to Askeladd instead, relieved when he tells him he put Thorfinn on the prince's guard and that he had nothing to do with the mutiny. Thorkell instructs his men to kill everyone except for Askeladd. Torgrim tells Thorkell they won't be able to get the prince if he kills them, but Thorkell is unconcerned and says they can catch him themselves. Torgrim snaps, drops his axe and goes into vacant shock when Thorkell tells him he'll ensure he has a warrior's death. Thorfinn crashes through the fighting men on his horse and makes a beeline for Thorkell, who punches Thorfinn s horse in the chest, sending them flying. Thorfinn lands safely and yells that he will kill Thorkell if he so much as lays a finger on Askeladd, who's his to kill. Thorkell is confused, as he thought Askeladd was Thorfinn's boss; Askeladd notes Thorfinn is an even bigger idiot than he realized, as he's like a mouse trying to fight a bear. Thorfinn tells Thorkell to hand Askeladd over or face his death. Thorkell gleefully replies that if that's the case, then he and Thorfinn will duel over possession of Askeladd.

Plot Summary
In December 1013, at the Danish army's station in Gainsborough, Floki tells King Sweyn that Prince Canute is missing. The King says that with Canute's whereabouts unknown and winter underway, no rescue can be sent out until spring, and that if Prince Canute had a greater affinity for ruling than his brother Harald, then perhaps he never would have been lost. In Gloucester, Mercia, Asgeir tells Thorkell there's to be a Witenagemot in Wessex soon, where England is to surrender unconditionally and Sweyn is to be crowned King of the Britons, putting an end to the war. Nearby, Askeladd and his band wait out the worst of the winter in the farming village they put to the sword. Willibald starts to question God's trials and his love; Canute angrily tells him that doubting God's love is the last thing a devout Christian would do, and that there is no father who would not love his own son. Christians find Anne, still alive, in the snow; she tells them of what happened to her village. Thorkell receives word that the lord of an area up the Severn has asked for help with one to two hundred Danes who have taken over a small village. Happy to find Thorfinn and Canute's trail again, Thorkell prepares to march.

Ear hears a small force flanking them along the woods to the East. Askeladd deduces the English have found them and sends Bjorn out with some men to neutralize the small force, tasking him with taking one of the enemy leaders alive to question him about how they learned of where they were hiding. Ragnar convinces Thorfinn to give him and Canute the hare he caught so that they can make soup. Thorfinn eats with them, surprised to see someone of Canute's station knows how to cook. A messenger tells Ragnar of the small battle that has started with the English. Ragnar, angry when he learns Askeladd still intends to go further into enemy territory instead of turning back to Wales, demands he be brought to him. On the way there, Ragnar is stabbed through with a spear by one of Askeladd's men, on Askeladd's orders. Askeladd agrees to speak to the dying Ragnar privately. Ragnar reveals that the nobles have split into factions, one supporting Canute and the other his brother Harald, and that King Sweyn had likely made the decision to kill one of his sons to prevent the kingdom from splitting. Before dying, Ragnar tells a shocked Askeladd that King Sweyn had sent Canute to war to have him die on the battlefield, and tells him his only option is exile, which his brother in Gainsborough has arranged for. Askeladd tells Canute that Ragnar tragically died at the hands of the English. Askeladd tells Bjorn that killing Ragnar was a gamble, but that his death may spur new growth in Canute, and that the man he chooses to follow should make him want to follow him. Askeladd tortures the English captain his men captured and demands he tell him how large their force is, when they will arrive, and how they learned they were here. The man curses the Danes and calls them beasts that should get off their land. Askeladd gives him a history lesson about who the land belonged to and tells him that if the Danes are beasts, the Anglo-Saxons are as well. As he's about to torture the man further, Ear tells Askeladd the enemy is coming from the south. The English captain reveals it is not the English, but Thorkell who is on their tail. Askeladd's men panic when they learn Thorkell is the one after them and Askeladd prepares to leave. Canute screams and cries about having to leave Ragnar's body behind, refusing to leave without him. He is shocked into silence when Askeladd slaps him. Some of Askeladd's men bring up two men who were trying to desert to defect to Thorkell's side. Askeladd tells everyone that they're free to choose their leader if they choose, but that if they choose to follow him, they must march relentlessly, since falling behind means death.

In January 1014, Thorkell and some of his men reach the Mercian village Askeladd's band had been hiding in. The defectors who had stayed there to join Thorkell beg him to spare them and tell him they left Askeladd to join his side. Thorkell kills the defectors with no regret, preferring that to letting them join him when they're the type of men who would switch sides at the first sign of trouble instead of fighting. Up ahead Askeladd tasks Torgrim and Atli with smashing the bridge behind them, in the hopes of slowing Thorkell down. Under the bridge, Torgrim tells Atli that they should steal the prince and offer him to Thorkell to get on his good side. Atli seems uneasy about betraying Askeladd, but Torgrim tells him Askeladd's luck has turned and that half the men are already on their side in this. Askeladd, anticipating a betrayal, tells Bjorn to captain the prince's cart and tells Thorfinn to ride with him and be ready. The men resume their march once the bridge is smashed; from a great distance, Thorkell throws his spear and skewers four of the men near Askeladd. Askeladd tells the men to calm down, since Thorkell and his men are still a ways off and will be slowed down by the destroyed bridge. Torgrim says that's no guarantee. Askeladd replies that he will not try to convince him and that this is where they part ways. His men approach him with their weapons drawn and Torgrim demands Askeladd give them the prince and be on his way. Askeladd says there's something they deserve to hear before he leaves; he starts off a speech about the time they've spent together, but surprisingly ends it by saying that through it all, he's hated every last one of them with every fiber of his being. He beheads the man nearest him before the men can process what he said. Bjorn spurs the horses forward, leaving with Canute, Willibald and Thorfinn in tow. Some of the men get on horses to chase the cart. In the distance, Thorkell realizes Askeladd's band has turned on each other and hastens his pace. Approaching Bjorn's cart, one of the riders kills one of the horses, prompting the cart to crash. Willibald and Canute fly off into the snow, while Thorfinn propels himself off before the cart lands. He uses the momentum to kick Atli off his horse, getting on himself and rushing for Askeladd's position, worried he'll get himself killed before he can kill him. The men are relieved that Canute is still alive and prepare to make back with him, but Bjorn, who survived, comes out from under the cart chewing on a berserker mushroom and says he'll send them all to Valhalla.

In a flashback, a young Askeladd helps feed his sickly mother Lydia in a barn. She tells him of their heroic ancestor Artorius, who tends to his wounds in Avalon and will one day return as the true king to save them from their struggles, at which point Askeladd must serve him and be his wisdom and his sword. In present time, Askeladd keeps fighting off his men, trying to make it until Thorkell arrives so that he can escape in the chaos. Askeladd tells Torgrim that if he wants the prince, his best bet with deadly warriors like Bjorn and Thorfinn still in play is to bring Askeladd to Bjorn as a hostage, alive, and exchange him for the prince. Torgrim tells the archers to hit Askeladd in the legs; Askeladd is hit by several arrows. Torgrim approaches and asks Askeladd why he'd risk his life for the coward prince; Askeladd replies he couldn't wait for the true king to return from Avalon anymore, confusing the men. Torgrim asks the men behind him to tie up Askeladd, but they fall dead, having been struck in the back with arrows shot by Thorkell's men, who have just arrived. Thorfinn, approaching on his horse, sees the scene unfolding nearby and urges his horse forward faster, his shortsword drawn. Askeladd's old band throws down their weapons when they see Thorkell. Torgrim approaches Thorkell and tells him they were planning to hand Prince Canute over to him, but that their leader, Askeladd, let him escape. Thorkell ignores Torgrim and speaks to Askeladd instead. Thorkell is relieved when Askeladd tells him he put Thorfinn on the prince's guard and that he had nothing to do with the mutiny. Thorkell instructs his men to kill everyone except for Askeladd. They tell Askeladd's old band to pick up their weapons, since no one goes to Valhalla unarmed. Torgrim tells Thorkell they won't be able to get the prince if he kills them, but Thorkell is unconcerned and says they can catch him themselves. He hands Torgrim his dropped axe and tells him to swing at him and that he'll see he dies a warrior. As Thorkell goads him, Torgrim snaps, drops his axe and goes into vacant shock.Thorfinn crashes through the fray on his horse and makes a beeline for Thorkell, who's ecstatic to see him. Thorkell punches Thorfinn s horse in the chest, sending them flying. Thorfinn lands safely and yells that he will kill Thorkell if he so much as lays a finger on Askeladd, who's his to kill. Thorkell is confused, as he thought Askeladd was Thorfinn's boss; Askeladd notes Thorfinn is an even bigger idiot than he realized, as he's like a mouse trying to fight a bear. Thorfinn tells Thorkell to hand Askeladd over or face his death. Thorkell gleefully replies that if that's the case, then he and Thorfinn will duel over possession of Askeladd, and calls on to all his men as witnesses. Askeladd laments that he has no say in the matter.