Chapter 39

"What your battle meant? There is no meaning to this battle. So stop dying. Be my subjects, warriors... and I will show you the proper time and enemy for your battles. I will give your struggles... your lives and deaths... a proper meaning. That is the calling of a king."

- Canute

The King Awakens (王の目覚め, Ō no Mezame) is the 39th chapter of the Vinland Saga series.

Overview
Disgusted with God, Canute wonders why He would make men seek Paradise and put them through trials for something they can never get back. He embraces the raging Bjorn, who comes back to. Canute decides that men will have to recreate Paradise with their own hands if God will not give it to them. Atli rushes at the momentarily distracted Bjorn and stabs him in the guts. Canute surprises everyone when he tells them they will go to Thorkell for a sled to carry the wounded Bjorn; he calls the men's battle pointless and states that as his subjects, he'll give them the proper time and enemy for their battles and give their lives and deaths proper meaning, the calling of a king. Thorfinn wakes and Thorkell tells him he'll give him time to patch up his wounds; Thorfinn wants to keep fighting, but realizes his right arm is broken. He very reluctantly accepts Askeladd's offer to patch him up when Thorkell says he'll tell him of Thors, as promised, while his arm is being tended to. Thorkell tells Thorfinn that he and Thors were two of four Jomsvikings captains and that Thors was the best, impressing their chief Sigvaldi so much that he offered Thors his daughter, Thorfinn's mother Helga. Thorkell confirms this means the head of Jom is Thorfinn's grandfather, and that since Sigvaldi is his brother, Thorkell himself is Thorfinn's great-uncle. Thorkell tells Thorfinn that he saw Thors fall into the water fully armoured and never resurface at the battle of Hjörungavágr in Norway, where the Jomsvikings were defeated. He tells him that they held a funeral without a body for him, but that he last saw Thors in Jomsborg three months later, though he was a far cry from the Troll he had known.

Summary
Canute faces Bjorn, still raging under the effects of the berserker mushroom. Canute thinks of God and of the state of the world; of how humans gained knowledge, but lost something they can never get back in return, the most precious thing of all. He is angry God would force them to seek it when they will never have it back. Canute looks Bjorn in the eyes, making him pause, and starts walking towards him, making him rush back. Canute addresses him and asks if there's any way to end the pain that is his punishment, other than death, as he is a pitiable warrior furthest from the presence of love, exiled from Paradise. He yells at God about how Bjorn's soul cannot be saved through dials, and asks if their lives only exist to undergo God's tests. Bjorn makes a fist and goes to punch Canute, but Canute grasps his face, making him pause, and embraces him; Willibald drops his drinking barrel in shock. Canute thinks he no longer seeks God's salvation and that men will have to strive to recreate Paradise with their own hands, if God will not give it to them. The effects of the berserker mushroom subside and Bjorn is surprised to find Canute hugging him. Atli rushes past Willibald and stabs the distracted Bjorn in the guts; he asks the prince if he is alright. Canute tells him to stop the pointless squabbling. He tells Bjorn the knife is in deep and asks him if he will live. Bjorn grumbles that it was a careless lapse for a supposedly mighty warrior. Canute tells Willibald to see to Bjorn's wounds and tells Atli to help him round up the scattered horses. Willibald tells Canute he witnessed a miracle and Canute tells him to shut up and help. Atli asks Canute where he's going with the horses and tells him he's handing him over to Thorkell. Canute replies that's exactly his plan, as he must ask him for use of a sled to move the wounded Bjorn. Bjorn yells that he can't and to not dare humiliate him, as the lengths they went to meant nothing if he just hands himself over to Thorkell. Canute tells him there is no meaning to the battle and to stop dying. He tells Atli and Bjorn to be his subjects and that he will show them the proper time and enemy for their battles, giving their struggles, lives and deaths a proper meaning, which is the calling of a king. Slumped against the tree, Thorfinn starts to come to. He dazedly wonders who's approaching him and recalls he's in the middle of a duel, startling back to awareness and standing up. Thorkell and the men who had approached cannot believe Thorfinn is still standing; Thorkell is happy there's more fun ahead. He tells Thorfinn he'll give him time to see to his wounds. Thorfinn balks at the offer and tells him he doesn't want his courtesy. Thorkell asks how he'll fight him like that. Thorfinn starts to tell him to shut up and mind his own business, but as he tries to raise his shortsword with his right hand, he realizes his arm is broken and bent unnaturally and screams in pain. Askeladd starts to make his way over to Thorfinn. Thorkell lets him and asks his men to bring him his seat. Thorfinn is frustrated the tide of the battle changed drastically with just one kick and wonders how he'll win with one arm, but figures he has to fix the break first. Askeladd extends a hand and tells Thorfinn to let him see it, as he'll get him back in fighting shape. Thorfinn tells him he doesn't need his help and to fix his own wounds instead. Askeladd reaches for him and insists that he show him, as he knows his way around setting broken bones, but Thorfinn flinches back and yells at Askeladd to not touch him. Askeladd tells him to calm down and think of a way to win, as getting worked up is his weakest trait. Now sitting, Thorkell tells Thorfinn that he is having fun and that as promised, he will tell him of Thors while he tends to his arm. He tells Thorfinn he and Thors were members of the Jomsvikings band, led by Sigvaldi, Battle-King of the Baltic Sea. Askeladd tells Thorfinn to ask Thorkell questions and keep him talking while he takes Thorfinn's knife to make him a splint. Thorkell tells Thorfinn that he and Thors were two of four captains and that the mighty Thors was the best of the best, earning himself the nickname of "Troll" from his peers. He tells him Sigvaldi was so amazed by Thors's warrior skills that he offered him his daughter, Thorfinn's mother Helga. Thorfinn asks if that means the head of Jom is his grandfather; Thorkell confirms and adds that Sigvaldi is his brother, making Thorkell himself Thorfinn's great-uncle. The men are surprised that Thorkell and Thorfinn are related. Askeladd, also surprised, thinks that means Thorfinn might as well be royalty. Thorkell tells Thorfinn that their last battle was at Hjörungavágr in Norway, where they were vanquished and Thors fell into the water in full armour, never resurfacing. Without a body, they held a funeral for him. Thorkell shed tears for him, having always wanted to beat him with his own hands.

Thorkell tells Thorfinn that as he knows, Thors was however not dead, and that he last saw him in Jomsborg three months after his "burial", though the Thors he met then was not the same as the Troll he knew.

Characters in order of appearance

 * Bjorn
 * Canute
 * Willibald
 * Atli
 * Thorkell
 * Thorfinn
 * Askeladd
 * Thors Snorresson (flashback)
 * Sigvaldi (flashback)
 * Helga (flashback)