Volume 7

Volume 7 is the 7th volume in the series.

Chapters

 * Chapter 43: The Prince Returns
 * Chapter 44: The Curse of the Crown
 * Chapter 45: His Last Friend
 * Chapter 46: Two Lone Wolves
 * Chapter 47: The Hero is Gone
 * Chapter 48: Reunion
 * Chapter 49: Karlsefni

Cover Characters

 * Canute

Plot Overview
Canute arrives in Gainsborough, Thorkell and Askeladd now both in his retinue. Askeladd says assassination is their best route in the short term, as Canute would automatically command the forces in England with his brother Prince Harald far away, but notes that they would have to pin the deed on someone. Canute, Askeladd and Thorfinn go to King Sweyn's hold, where Askeladd and Thorfinn quickly realize that King Sweyn has an ambush lying in wait. Canute tells them to keep their weapons sheathed no matter what happens. King Sweyn comments that Canute has changed a lot in a short amount of time, and tells him of the crown having a will of its own. Canute asks if it's the crown that told him to kill him; King Sweyn says that the crown wants to gain and use power, and does not desire Canute. He reveals his ambush and gives Canute a choice: to live out his days in Cornwall, or die here. Askeladd steps in and gives King Sweyn reason to reconsider his course of action. King Sweyn orders his men to stand down and tells Canute that he is leaving for York the next day and that he is to attend a feast there, where he will be honoured. On Canute's orders, Thorkell drinks and talks with the smaller chieftains to win them over. Askeladd tells Canute that King Sweyn will be very cautious now and that they must wait for their moment to strike. The next morning, Thorfinn challenges Askeladd to a duel despite his broken arm. Canute says he will serve as witness, but that they must stop when he says so. Askeladd agrees, but says he has a prior engagement first. Bjorn, who knows he will not survive the wound he received from Atli, arrives to duel Askeladd. Before they start, he asks Askeladd if it isn't lonely to shut everyone out, and tells him he wishes he could've been his friend. Askeladd stabs his sword through Bjorn's chest, but misses the sure kill. Askeladd tells him he was his only friend and sends him to Valhalla. As Askeladd and Thorfinn are about to start their duel, Askeladd throws away his sword, claiming he only needs his two hands to wrangle Thorfinn. Furious, Thorfinn attacks. Askeladd easily grabs his forearms before he can make contact and then starts to knee and punch him. Askeladd raises his sword above the unconscious Thorfinn, but Canute stops the duel before he can strike. Askeladd tells Thorfinn he loses as soon as the blood goes to his head, as Askeladd can see he's aiming for the neck from his eyes, and that only a fool gives in to rage. He adds that he hates warriors, especially Norsemen, and admits that the first man he killed was an ugly Norseman: his father. Askeladd tells Thorfinn the story of how he killed his own father, Olaf, a man he truly hated. Askeladd is shown as a very young boy; plastered black and white from his various chores, he is nicknamed “Askeladd," for "the ashen lad." His mother Lydia, a sickly slave, told him of the hero Artorius, their ancestor who saved their home from invading barbarians five centuries prior, whom she believed would come back and save them all. When Askeladd is eleven, his mother’s spirit breaks and she clutches as Lord Olaf as he walks by, mistaking him for the hero Artorius. Olaf unsheathes his sword and is about to attack her when Askeladd grabs a nearby sword and defends her. Olaf recognizes Askeladd as his own and says he has potential and will live in his home from now on. Askeladd plays the loyal, grateful son for two years. When the moment is right and his father's guard is down, Askeladd kills Olaf. He tells Thorfinn that his point is that Thorfinn has had over a decade to kill him and still cannot beat him, which makes him a clown and means he needs to use his head. Canute asks Askeladd why he backs him instead of taking of the crown himself, as an able man with an illustrious lineage. Askeladd says Canute is better suited for it and that he himself is just a viking. In the Viking-occupied Jorvik, Leif talks to a slaver, still desperately trying to find Thorfinn after eleven years in order to pay his debt to Thors, who saved them. Men block off the pier and tell Mols and Leif to move their knarr, as Prince Canute's retinue is pulling in on their ships. Leif recognizes Askeladd as the pirate who killed Thors and runs up on the docks, desperate to grasp on to a thread that might bring him to Thorfinn. Canute asks Askeladd if they are ready for what King Sweyn has planned — Askeladd guesses King Sweyn will try to separate Canute and Thorkell's forces by granting them separate territories under the guise of a reward. He suggests informing the world of the state of affairs and having Canute die. A man wielding a crossbow infiltrates a crowd watching the ships arrive from above the docks and shoots Canute. The men move the wounded Prince Canute and are surprised to see a woman's breasts when they cut open his shirt to get to the wound. The real Prince Canute arrives, revealing a slave woman had been used as his body double. As the attacker moves to dispose of the weapon, he is intercepted by Thorfinn. The attacker falls onto the docks in front of Leif. Thorfinn leaps down and kills the crossbow wielder. Guards assume Thorfinn was the prince's assaillant and try to arrest him, but then recognize him as Thorfinn Karlsefni, the promising young man who challenged Thorkell with nothing but two knives and won. They realize he is part of Prince Canute's retinue. Leif asks if he is Thorfinn, son of Thors, from Iceland. Thorfinn recognizes Leif, who starts to cry and hugs him. Talking on the docks, Thorfinn asks Leif about Vinland, refusing to listen when Leif tells him about Helga and Ylva instead. He tells Thorfinn he's done enough and begs him to come home with him, but Thorfinn angrily says he hasn't done enough as long as Askeladd is alive. Leif tells him he'll stay in Jorvik until Thorfinn changes his mind. King Sweyn remarks that Askeladd outwitted Floki: as news of the attempt on Prince Canute's life spreads through Jorvik — rumours and theories abound as the townsfolk wonder who was truly responsible and pulling the strings.

Plot Summary
In Gainsborough, King Sweyn and Floki receive word that Canute has survived and is on his way, Thorkell now his loyal servant. Floki believes that is impossible and that it is a plot of Thorkell's; he readies his men. Floki is surprised when Canute comes back, now a commanding presence, with not only Thorkell at his side but also Askeladd. Canute tells his retinue they must wait to act, since he has little support now and would be branded a rebel if he acted against King Sweyn. He instructs Thorkell, who is charismatic, to go gain the minority chieftains' favour. Askeladd says assassination is their best route in the short term, as Canute would automatically command the forces in England with his brother Prince Harald far away, but that they would have to pin the deed on an officer, preferably a powerful one. Canute says it is unforgivable for God to watch them suffer and do nothing, and that he will take the first step needed to create a Paradise on Earth. At King Sweyn's hold, King Sweyn beckons Canute forward, but Askeladd holds him back. He and Thorfinn observe there are about twenty men ready to ambush them, including archers above. Canute tells them to keep their swords sheathed no matter what happens, as this is the sort of fight where the first to draw his sword loses. King Sweyn notes Canute has changed a lot in a short amount of time and that he ressembles him when he was young. He tells Canute he drove his father into exile and wanted to do good, but that once he had the crown, he found out that the crown has a will of its own. Canute asks if it's the crown that told him to kill him; King Sweyn says that the crown wants to gain and use power, and does not desire Canute. He reveals his ambush and gives Canute a choice: to live out his days in Cornwall, or die here. Askeladd steps in before Canute can goad King Sweyn further. He tells King Sweyn that Prince Canute's sacrifices brought Thorkell to the fold, leaving London's riches ripe for the taking once King Sweyn has the English crown. He adds that the chieftains would be unsettled before they are ceded lands if Canute was to be punished for it and asks the king to reconsider if this course of action is for the best. King Sweyn assumes that Askeladd is an epithet and asks what name his father gave him; Askeladd replies he gave him none. King Sweyn notes that must mean he was the son of a slave; Askeladd freezes, furious, surprising Thorfinn. King Sweyn tells his men to stand down and tells Canute that Askeladd is correct and a good vassal. He tells Canute that he is leaving for York the next day and that he is to attend a feast there, where he will be honoured.

On Canute's orders, Thorkell drinks and talks with the chieftains to win them over. Askeladd tells Canute that King Sweyn will be very cautious now and that they must wait for their moment to strike. Gunnar, Ragnar's brother, tells Canute that their plan is underway and that he's secured him a safe place in Normandy, but Canute tells him he's picked a fight with King Sweyn and no longer wants to go into hiding. Despite Askeladd telling him that the past is in the past, Atli chooses to leave and go home with his brother Torgrim. The next morning, Thorfinn, Canute and Thorkell meet Askeladd on a snowy hill. Thorfinn wants to duel Askeladd despite his broken arm and Canute says he will serve as witness, but that they must stop when he says so. Askeladd agrees, but says he has a prior engagement first. Bjorn, who knows he will not survive the wound he received from Atli, arrives to duel Askeladd. Before they start, he asks Askeladd if it isn't lonely to shut everyone out, and tells him he wishes he could've been his friend. Askeladd stabs his sword through Bjorn's chest, but misses the sure kill. Askeladd tells him he was his only friend and sends him to Valhalla. As Askeladd and Thorfinn are about to start their duel, Thorkell bets Askeladd will win. Thorfinn notices something is off and holds himself off from attacking right away; Askeladd asks him what's wrong and then throws away his sword, claiming he only needs his two hands to wrangle Thorfinn. Furious, Thorfinn attacks. Askeladd easily grabs his forearms before he can make contact and then starts to knee and punch him. Thorkell takes back his comment and notes that it isn't much of a fight, as Askeladd clearly knows all of Thorfinn's quirks and tendencies. Askeladd raises his sword above the unconscious Thorfinn, but Canute stops the duel before he can strike.

Canute wakes Thorfinn and tells him to wait for his arm to heal to fight again. Askeladd tells him it will not matter if Thorfinn has one or two arms, as he loses because he is a fool. He tells Thorfinn he loses as soon as the blood goes to his head, as Askeladd can see he's aiming for the neck from his eyes, and that only a fool gives in to rage. He adds that Bjorn was right: he hates warriors, especially Norsemen. Askeladd says the first man he killed was an ugly Norseman, his father. Askeladd tells Thorfinn the story of how he killed his own father, Olaf, a man he truly hated. Askeladd is shown as a very young boy; plastered black and white from his various chores, he is nicknamed “Askeladd”, for “the ashen lad”. His mother Lydia, a sickly slave, was one of Lord Olaf's favourites in her youth, but was treated no better than the dogs after she became ill. Lydia tells her son of the hero Artorius, their ancestor who saved their home from invading barbarians five centuries prior, whom she believed would come back and save them all. When Askeladd is eleven, his mother’s spirit breaks and she clutches as Lord Olaf as he walks by, mistaking him for the hero Artorius. Olaf unsheathes his sword and is about to attack her when Askeladd grabs a nearby sword and defends her, despite never having held a sword before. Olaf recognizes him as his own and says he has potential and will live in his home from now on. Askeladd plays the loyal, grateful son and dutifully follows lessons and gets along with his half-brothers for two years. When the moment is right and his father's guard is down, Askeladd kills Olaf with the sword of the brother who was most at odds with their father, leading the other brothers to kill him. Askeladd says simple-minded brutes like them are squeezing the life out of the world, and that he hopes it comes soon, be it through Artorius's return, Ragnarok, or the Final Judgement. He tells Thorfinn that his point is that Thorfinn has had over a decade to kill him and still cannot beat him, which makes him a clown and means he needs to use his head. Canute asks Askeladd why he backs him instead of taking of the crown himself, as an able man with an illustrious lineage. Askeladd says Canute is better suited for it and that he himself is just a viking.

Leif talks to a slaver in the Viking-occupied Jorvik. The slaver doubts Thorfinn would still be alive if he went missing at age six or seven, but tells Leif that he will buy him if he comes across him. On their moored knarr, Mols tells Leif he should forget Thorfinn, as he's already been looking for him for eleven years, but Leif wants to repay his debt to Thors, who saved them. Men block off the pier and tell Mols and Leif to go, as Prince Canute's retinue is pulling in on their ships. Leif recognizes Askeladd as the pirate who killed Thors and runs up on the docks, desperate to grasp on to a thread that might bring him to Thorfinn. Canute asks Askeladd if they are ready for what King Sweyn has planned — Askeladd guesses King Sweyn will try to separate Canute and Thorkell's forces by granting them separate territories under the guise of a reward. He suggests informing the world of the state of affairs and having Canute die. A man wielding a crossbow infiltrates a crowd watching the ships arrive from above the docks and shoots Canute. Askeladd loudly yells out that the prince has been shot. The men move the wounded Prince Canute and are surprised to see a woman's breasts when they cut open his shirt to get to the wound. The real Prince Canute arrives, revealing a slave woman had been used as his body double. As the attacker moves to dispose of the weapon, he is intercepted by Thorfinn. The attacker falls onto the docks in front of Leif. Thorfinn leaps down and kills the crossbow wielder. Thorfinn turns back to see Leif, who looks shocked. Guards assume Thorfinn was the prince's assaillant and try to arrest him, but then recognize him as Thorfinn Karlsefni, the promising young man who challenged Thorkell with nothing but two knives and won. They realize he is part of Prince Canute's retinue. Leif asks if he is Thorfinn, son of Thors, from Iceland. Thorfinn recognizes Leif, who starts to cry and hugs him. Talking on the docks, Thorfinn asks Leif about Vinland, refusing to listen when Leif tells him about Helga and Ylva instead. He tells Thorfinn he's done enough and begs him to come home with him, but Thorfinn angrily says he hasn't done enough as long as Askeladd is alive. Sad to see what the cheerful little boy he knew has become, Leif tells him he'll stay in Jorvik until Thorfinn changes his mind. As news of the attempt on Prince Canute's life spreads through Jorvik, rumours and theories abound as the townsfolk wonder who was truly responsible and pulling the strings. King Sweyn remarks that Askeladd outwitted Floki, and that he's brought a curse upon the city.