1. Child of a Hero
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2. My mother will die soon.
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3. She said she wanted to return to her hometown.
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4. I brought her here.
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5. NOVEMBER 1013 AD
WESSEX, SOUTH OF ENGLAND
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6. Our main army
defeated the resistance at Wessex.
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7. It is only a matter of time until we conquer the land.
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8. If all goes well, everything will be done before winter.
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9. What happened to London?
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10. And Canute,
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11. where is he?
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12. Yes.
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13. The besieging army that Canute was leading
was attacked by Thorkell.
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14. We haven't heard anything since.
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15. I heard rumors they engaged in battle at Marlborough.
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16. It's possible they joined the local soldiers.
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17. However, we are not yet sure
whether they got away safely.
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18. He's my dear son.
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19. As soon as you find out more, tell me immediately.
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20. Yes, sir.
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21. What?
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22. We're surrounded!
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23. It can't be.
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24. See? I told you so!
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25. Damn!
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26. Calm down, men!
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27. Listen well! Don't return fire. Don't touch them!
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28. Messengers of Brycheiniog!
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29. What a rough welcome!
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30. So you speak our language, you barbarian.
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31. I heard that you Danes were just like beasts
that can't talk.
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32. Withdraw your troops, Asser.
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33. Making trouble with the Danes
is of no benefit to Wales.
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34. Gratianus!
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35. I respect your concern
for the future of the kingdoms of Wales.
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36. But our values are different from yours.
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37. What promise are you trying to make
with the prince of the Danes?
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38. They're just barbarians! They have no morals!
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39. What is he shouting about?
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40. Are we going to fight or not?
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41. No. This isn't going to turn into a battle.
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42. Do you understand what he's saying?
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43. No, I don't.
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44. But they could have killed one of us with their first shot
if they wanted to.
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45. They were trying to intimidate us
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46. so that they could control the negotiations.
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47. I see.
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48. You beasts!
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49. I watched your war with England closely.
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50. You entered three cease-fire agreements
in the last ten years,
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51. and violated them all!
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52. We will not make the same foolish mistake as England!
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53. We shall capture the prince and use him as a shield!
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54. Even the king of the devils
must still love his own child!
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55. Sorry, Askeladd.
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56. No. It's just an act.
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57. He's just making trouble to see how we'll respond.
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58. These days, a sheep must wear a wolf's skin to graze.
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59. I feel sympathy for them.
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60. Are you going to tell them about your plan?
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61. I could...
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62. but if they want to put up an act,
I can go along with them.
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63. Look closely!
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64. The man standing here
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65. is none other than the son of King Sweyn of Denmark,
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66. His Highness Canute.
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67. His Highness will now address you.
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68. Be silent and listen!
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69. All right, Your Highness. Say something spirited.
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70. It can be anything. Like, "I'm going to boil you
alive and eat you."
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71. Make those rude scoundrels uncomfortable.
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72. If it comes from you, their balls will shrink
and they'll let us through.
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73. Your Highness!
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74. His Highness dislikes talking in front of other people.
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75. I shall do it instead—
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76. No, Ragnar.
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77. What?
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78. He may be young, but he's still a prince.
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79. He has responsibilities he must live up to.
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80. Everyone standing here now
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81. is acting for the prince.
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82. He is a gentle person.
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83. He doesn't like unnecessary fighting.
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84. That's exactly why
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85. I'm asking him to do this.
To avoid an unnecessary fight!
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86. Do you think you can handle succeeding
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87. King Sweyn with your mouth clamped up like a clam?
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88. Silence!
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89. You could never understand His Highness!
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90. The palace is a fox nest where parents, children,
and siblings eat each other!
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91. Do you have any idea how hard it was for
the frail and sickly prince to survive through that?
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92. He silenced his heart, silenced his breath,
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93. and made sure he didn't stand out.
That's how he survived!
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94. And even after all that, he's still approached
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95. by bastards like you who want to use him!
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96. Don't step out of line.
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97. It's not your place to try to control how he acts.
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98. What's wrong?
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99. What are you arguing about?
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100. What does Canute say?
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101. Gratianus.
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102. I'm going to tell them the plan.
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103. Very well. I shall go too.
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104. Guys! Wait right there.
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105. I'm going to go talk to their leader.
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106. Okay.
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107. Ragnar.
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108. You are correct.
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109. I was worried about the prince,
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110. and ended up overstepping my bounds.
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111. Your Highness, please forgive me.
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112. You loser. Are you really the same age as me?
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113. That man is named Ragnar, right?
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114. Yes.
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115. He doesn't know that fledglings all leave
the nest someday.
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116. What he's doing is actually bad for the chick.
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117. There are many things you have to do
to put your plan in motion.
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118. The first is to make the chick leave the nest.
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119. Yes. I know.
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120. Stay back. I don't need any guards.
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121. But...
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122. Don't make me say it again.
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123. It would bring shame to our king if they thought
I can't talk without guards.
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124. More! Get five times further away!
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125. Tell the others too!
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126. All right.
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127. You said your name was Askeladd, right?
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128. I understand your situation,
but you're putting me in a hard spot.
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129. I heard that he's already agreed.
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130. You're asking for permission for passage
through our country and supplies for your men.
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131. I can't agree immediately.
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132. We may be small, but our king also has a reputation.
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133. What's in it for us if we help you?
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134. I need to confirm that this is a transaction between
two parties of equal standing.
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135. Or else my men will think that the king is scared
of only 100 Danes.
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136. You're right.
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137. It wouldn't look good for you
if you just agreed to our demands.
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138. I apologize for not showing more consideration.
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139. I'm the one who wrote the letter to your country.
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140. I thought I wrote in the letter that I can't give details
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141. about your reward
in order to maintain secrecy.
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142. Yes. I read that.
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143. Then may I ask about that secret?
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144. Can I ask you something?
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145. Depending on the reward I offer you,
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146. would you consider joining us in the war, Asser?
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147. Don't be silly!
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148. I know that a small country like us
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149. is no match for the king of Denmark!
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150. Pardon me. I was just checking.
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151. He's a weird guy.
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152. - Who?
- Askeladd, of course.
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153. I didn't know he could speak Welsh.
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154. I guess there's some things even you don't know.
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155. Idiot. There's lots I don't know.
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156. All I know is that he's from Denmark.
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157. He's such a pain.
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158. We've been together for decades,
but he never tells me anything.
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159. Are you sulking about it? I thought you're a grown man.
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160. Shut up! Are you trying to start a fight?
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161. Calm down.
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162. Who cares? He's a good leader.
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163. And luck is on his side.
As long as he lets me make money,
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164. I don't care where he's from. I'll follow him.
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165. That's hard to believe.
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166. But it's too unbelievable to be a lie.
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167. He's Lydia's child.
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168. Askeladd has inherited the blood of the great leaders
of the Roman Celts.
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169. Then you're not a Dane?
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170. I'm of mixed Danish and Welsh blood.
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171. My father Olaf conquered the coast of Wales
in the past
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172. and carried away Lydia as his concubine.
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173. I was their child.
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174. I had heard that the bloodline of the war gods
of Old Britannia had gone extinct.
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175. Are you saying you're a descendant of Artorius?
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176. Artorius
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177. was the commander of the Britannia army,
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178. a country of native Celtic inhabitants of England
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179. in the fifth and sixth centuries.
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180. In 516,
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181. he defeated the invading Saxons
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182. and the English
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183. at the Battle of Baden Hill
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184. and brought peace to Britannia.
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185. Legends about him were passed down.
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186. He was the person that the legend of King Arthur
was based on.
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187. Do you have any proof
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188. of your story?
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189. It's me.
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190. When he was 14,
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191. he visited Wales with Lydia and met me for the first time.
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192. She was an unlucky person.
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193. She was kept in my father's bedroom for a long time.
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194. After she became sick, she was kept in the stable.
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195. That's terrible.
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196. But who would ever imagine
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197. that the last remaining survivor of the great bloodline
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198. is mixed with Danish blood?
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199. That's exactly it, Asser.
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200. It's because I'm of mixed blood...
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201. I blend in with the Danes.
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202. In other words, Wales is going to have
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203. an insider in the army of Denmark, me.
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204. If I can make that rich boy into the next king of Denmark,
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205. then I can claim a high position too.
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206. If that happens,
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207. I can conclude a treaty of non-aggression with Wales.
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208. I won't let them...
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209. take even one step into this land.
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210. My goodness! That's so bold!
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211. You almost had me!
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212. - Asser is laughing.
- He's confident.
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213. I have one concern.
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214. You were raised among the Danes.
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215. Are you sure the blood of Artorius is stronger
than the blood of the Danes within you?
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216. You'll just have to believe me.
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217. Regardless of my blood...
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218. I hate the Danes.
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219. Put your swords here.
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220. You'll give them back, right?
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221. I refuse.
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222. I can't let go of my weapons!
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223. We're just pretending to be their prisoners
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224. while we pass through their country.
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225. They'll return our weapons when we get to the border.
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226. That way they won't lose face.
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227. That's strange.
Why do your men follow your orders?
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228. It's amazing, right?
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229. That's because my men trust me.
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230. Hey, Thorfinn. You too.
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231. Don't mess with me, baldy.
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232. You said trust?
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233. He's different. You damn kid.
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234. Don't get the wrong idea, conehead.
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235. I'm not one of his men. I'm an enemy.
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236. An enemy?
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237. Fine. So be it. You two don't have to obey.
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238. It's only the two of you. I'm sure they'll allow it.
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239. All right! Let's start marching again!
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240. Danes?
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241. I heard Asser captured them!
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242. - I heard they eat humans!
- They look evil!
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243. Asser is amazing.
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244. Let me try throwing a stone.
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245. Stop, you idiot!
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246. They piss me off.
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247. They're treating us like animals.
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248. You better not look at us!
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249. We're going to eat you!
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250. Don't look, princess.
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251. If there's something you want to say,
say it yourself.
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252. Don't you have a tongue?
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253. I...
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254. I...
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255. The reason I don't talk isn't because
I'm a coward.
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256. I— I'm cautious.
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257. I have to be cautious.
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258. I'm the prince.
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259. I'm different from you.
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260. My words have political repercussions.
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261. Especially in a foreign country.
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262. Without permission from my father, the king,
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263. I can't enter a treaty of non-aggression,
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264. or say words to make them uncomfortable.
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265. I'm cautious.
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266. Not bad for an excuse.
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267. It looks like you're smart enough, princess.
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268. How dare you!
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269. This is the first time!
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270. No one's treated me like this before!
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271. Then it was a good experience, right?
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272. Take it back! It's not an excuse.
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273. You don't understand how hard it is to be
from the royal family!
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274. Stop barking. Sit down.
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275. I'm not barking!
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276. I'm just declaring that I'm right!
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277. Okay, I understand.
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278. What's wrong with your attitude?
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279. I can't believe His Highness is talking to someone
other than me!
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280. I'm not your servant.
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281. Snow.
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282. Askeladd! Can't you go any faster?
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283. We're going to be trapped in the snow!
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284. Enough already. He's such a pain.
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285. We're going to cross the northern edge of Mercia
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286. and head for the main army in Gainsborough.
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287. We'll arrive in one week.
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288. You mean we'll go through enemy territory?
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289. If we get trapped in the mountains of Wales in the snow,
we'll be stuck.
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290. What's wrong? Don't worry.
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291. We're far away from the enemy's main camp.
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292. But how are you going to get supplies?
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293. The lords in the countryside aren't going to
help out a Dane!
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294. It'll be fine.
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295. I've thought about that already.
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296. Men! We're changing directions! With haste!
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297. - What?
- Really?
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298. We're changing routes all of a sudden?
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299. Don't worry! Askeladd's decision isn't wrong!
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