1. JANUARY 1014 AD - OUTSKIRTS
OF GAINSBOROUGH, NORTHEAST ENGLAND
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2. Thorkell's using it as an excuse.
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3. That's the only reason I can think of.
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4. But, Floki,
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5. - the reports from Derby—
- The left flank is undermanned!
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6. Don't underestimate a force of 500 soldiers.
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7. We're talking about Thorkell's army!
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8. Floki.
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9. If the reports are true,
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10. then your actions will be disrespectful.
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11. It's impossible.
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12. His Highness Canute can't be alive
and with Thorkell as one of his followers.
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13. It's impossible!
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14. Hey, Floki! Want to fight? I'll fight you.
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15. Restrain yourself, Thorkell.
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16. I thought I sent a messenger several days ago
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17. to notify you of my return, Floki.
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18. Do you always greet your guests
with spears in hand?
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19. No, of course not...
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20. Askeladd! Why are you here?
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21. Are you deaf?
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22. I'm asking you whether you're going
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23. to draw your bows against a member
of the royal family of Denmark.
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24. No...
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25. We Jomsvikings received an inaccurate report
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26. that an enemy army was going to attack...
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27. I apologize.
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28. Notify the king
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29. that I shall be at his hall by evening.
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30. Make sure you report accurately.
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31. What in the world happened?
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32. He's a completely different person.
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33. Everyone, listen to me while we walk.
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34. We must not strike yet.
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35. I don't have many allies within this army.
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36. If we strike now, they'll label us as traitors.
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37. We need time to prepare.
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38. Thorkell. You betrayed them once,
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39. but you're still popular among the warriors.
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40. Spend time with the leaders
of all the clans
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41. and mend ties with them.
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42. In other words, are you telling me
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43. to go drink as much as I want,
and that you'll pay for it?
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44. As long as you invite the other leaders.
Now, go.
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45. What a wonderful order!
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46. I'm so glad I decided to follow you.
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47. - Let's go!
- Hey!
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48. Askeladd. Come with me to see the king.
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49. I want to hear what you think of him.
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50. Understood.
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51. And about the future.
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52. How will we achieve it?
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53. Understood.
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54. I think an assassination would be best
in the short run.
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55. Your brother, His Highness Harald,
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56. is far away in Denmark right now.
This is a good opportunity.
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57. If the king passes away right now,
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58. then command of the army in England
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59. is going to pass to you.
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60. However, if we do so, we must hide
the person responsible for it.
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61. Thorfinn.
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62. In the future, I'll assign you with other tasks
in addition to being a guard.
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63. I'm counting on you.
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64. Don't give me orders.
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65. I never said I decided to work for you.
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66. Please forgive him for his impertinence.
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67. I'll make sure I instruct this idiot properly.
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68. God...
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69. must be watching us, even as we stand here now.
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70. People losing friends,
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71. and parents and children killing each other...
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72. He must be looking down on everything
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73. from up high in heaven.
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74. I'll never forgive him.
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75. I'm going to create paradise on earth.
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76. A peaceful and prosperous place.
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77. A utopia for those who go through
suffering in their lives.
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78. I may not be able to achieve it in one generation,
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79. but I'm still going to take
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80. the first step.
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81. I'm sure that God will cherish me
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82. and summon me to his side.
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83. But...
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84. in that moment I will tell him:
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85. "We don't need heaven, nor its trials, any longer.
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86. Our paradise is on earth."
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87. We're going to take back what we lost.
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88. I'm willing to turn into a demon
if that's what it takes to do it.
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89. I will help you,
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90. Your Highness.
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91. Welcome back.
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92. I'm glad, Canute.
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93. Thank you for your kind words.
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94. I lost the soldiers you had entrusted to me.
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95. Your words are more than I deserve.
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96. Come closer.
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97. Wait.
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98. What do you think, Thorfinn?
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99. Yeah, they're there.
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100. About 20 of them.
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101. There are some up high too. Archers.
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102. Your Highness. It's an ambush.
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103. It seems that the king
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104. knows about our intentions.
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105. What's wrong? Without further delay, come closer.
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106. You two.
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107. You must not draw your swords, no matter what.
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108. He who draws his sword first loses.
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109. That's the type of fight this is.
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110. My eyes have gotten used to the darkness.
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111. If I get a little closer,
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112. I'll be able to see the king's face.
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113. If I can see his face...
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114. Stop.
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115. Right there is fine. Kneel down.
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116. His eyes are tired.
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117. Is this who
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118. the king of the Danes is?
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119. Askeladd.
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120. What happened to Ragnar? I don't see him.
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121. He died. In Mercia.
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122. I see. That's too bad.
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123. He was a loyal subject.
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124. In normal circumstances, we should be
celebrating your return with food and drink.
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125. However,
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126. I wanted to speak with you once informally.
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127. Canute. Only you. Rise.
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128. Walk ten steps forward.
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129. You face has changed
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130. in just a short time.
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131. You look like me when I was young.
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132. Then
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133. you must understand what's in my heart.
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134. You're a troublesome child.
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135. I never imagined you'd become
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136. just like me, even in that regard.
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137. Children
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138. grow up watching what their parents do.
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139. Do not blame yourself.
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140. Long ago, when I was young,
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141. I drove my father, the former king, out of this country
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142. and seized this crown.
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143. I did it because I believed it was the best
thing to do for the kingdom.
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144. The former king was cruel, but he was also a coward.
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145. The world would sink into chaos if someone
like him had the crown.
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146. How can he say that when he's surrounded
by this many guards?
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147. Shut up. He'll hear you.
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148. So, you decided not to keep up the pretense,
Your Highness?
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149. Don't forget you're surrounded by the enemy.
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150. I thought that I had done something great,
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151. and that I could do great things.
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152. Until I put this on, that is.
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153. This crown
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154. has its own will.
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155. Once you wear this crown, you can command
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156. a thousand ships and 10,000 men.
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157. You can take all kinds of treasure from distant lands.
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158. A power like that of the gods
is bestowed upon you.
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159. However...
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160. However, Canute,
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161. the king isn't the one who uses that power.
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162. That power is used by the will of the crown.
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163. Do you mean
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164. the crown ordered you...
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165. to kill me?
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166. There are only two things that the crown
orders the king to do.
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167. It orders him to use his power,
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168. and to increase his power.
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169. Resistance is futile.
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170. The crown does not want you.
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171. Canute.
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172. I'll give you part of Cornwall.
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173. Live your days in peace there
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174. while reading the Bible.
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175. If you refuse, then you'll die here.
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176. Did the crown make you say that too,
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177. - Your Highness?
- Your Highness!
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178. I humbly ask you to let me speak.
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179. State your name.
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180. I'm Canute's follower,
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181. Askeladd, son of Olaf.
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182. With all due respect, consider whether your actions
are in line with the will of the crown.
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183. Continue.
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184. His Highness Canute
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185. stole Thorkell and the military power he commands
away from London.
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186. If you become the king of England,
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187. then London will have no choice but to surrender.
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188. The wealth of London will become yours untouched,
Your Highness.
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189. His Highness Canute
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190. is the one who made the sacrifice
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191. for this great achievement.
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192. Is it not unreasonable to punish the man who rendered
such distinguished service?
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193. Your handling of this matter
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194. would deeply trouble
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195. your generals when the time comes
to divide the new territory.
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196. Please reconsider this matter.
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197. You're a man who's good with words.
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198. Askeladd. "The one covered in ashes"?
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199. That's your nickname.
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200. Tell me the name that your father gave you.
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201. I'm only known as Askeladd.
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202. My father didn't give me a name.
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203. You must be the child of one of his mistresses. No...
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204. You must be a child he forced one of his slaves to have.
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205. What's going on?
I've never seen Askeladd get so mad.
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206. Canute.
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207. You have a good follower.
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208. It is just as he said.
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209. I have to reward you.
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210. I am leaving for York tomorrow.
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211. There, I shall throw a banquet.
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212. I shall give you your reward there.
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213. My blood froze just now, Your Highness.
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214. What are you so worried about?
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215. As you already know, the king
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216. doesn't have enough justification to kill me right now.
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217. He's the man who they call the wise king.
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218. As long as we don't do anything reckless,
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219. it's safer to lie within the king's bosom.
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220. Then that's all the more reason to refrain from
provoking him like you did just now.
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221. It's nothing of consequence.
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222. King Sweyn is a slave to the crown.
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223. The power of the crown.
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224. I will show him how to use it.
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225. Askeladd...
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226. I must be wary of him.
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227. Cheers!
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228. All right! Don't be shy!
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229. This is all on His Highness Canute!
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230. Long live the prince!
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231. - That's his 57th glass!
- He's a monster!
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232. Hey! You've been drinking a lot. Who are you?
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233. I don't remember inviting you here.
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234. I'm Willibald. Did you forget me?
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235. What?
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236. What?
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237. - Your beard is gone!
- You look so young. How old are you?
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238. I'm 23.
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239. - No way!
- You're in your early 20s?
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240. All right! It's my turn next!
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241. The captain is up now!
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242. You're behind by 58 glasses!
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243. What a strange man.
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244. He does whatever he wants,
but no one hates him.
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245. True.
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246. So? What do you think?
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247. Do you think you can kill him? The king?
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248. It's going to be difficult.
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249. That's what I'd say.
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250. I got the impression he's a smart man.
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251. He's discerning, and he's a man of action
who can make the first move.
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252. When he saw that we wouldn't buckle under his threats,
he switched to a different strategy.
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253. I would say he's skilled in war.
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254. No wonder he's the king of the country.
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255. He's a tough opponent.
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256. Even if we're planning to kill him someday,
I guess now's not the time.
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257. Let's submit to his wishes for the time being
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258. while we wait for our chance.
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259. Your Highness! Your Highness!
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260. I'm so glad you returned safely!
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261. Do you have any idea how much I, Gunnar,
worried about you?
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262. I apologize that I was unable to greet you at the castle.
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263. I just returned from a foreign country.
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264. I always believed you'd return, of course!
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265. Oh, is this gentleman over here your new follower?
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266. Can you introduce me?
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267. This is Ragnar's brother, Gunnar.
Please become acquainted with each other.
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268. I'm Askeladd, son of Olaf.
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269. Oh, you look like a dependable character.
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270. I'm Gunnar.
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271. By the way, Your Highness...
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272. that plan from a long time ago...
The prospects look brighter now.
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273. I'm talking about the Duchy of Normandy.
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274. I wanted to talk to you about it later
with my brother.
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275. Ragnar is dead.
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276. Sorry for making you go through all that trouble.
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277. And I'm not going to go into exile.
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278. - Your Highness? What did you say?
- I'm sorry
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279. to put you to the trouble of
running around to the other countries.
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280. I just picked a fight with King Sweyn.
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281. - Please help me.
- My brother...
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282. Gunnar.
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283. Your job is to keep an eye on the king
and report back to me.
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284. Choose soldiers who you trust.
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285. Your Highness! You must not talk about that
in a place like this!
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286. I don't care. This is actually a good place
to talk in secret.
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287. Your Highness...
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288. You've changed.
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289. Of course I've changed.
I must change everything.
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290. Gunnar's no good.
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291. I don't think he's as loyal to the prince
as he says.
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292. How wonderful that you're so devoted
to staying prepared.
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293. Doesn't your right arm hurt?
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294. - Askeladd.
- What?
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295. I see. You're going home?
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296. I know you said you don't care,
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297. but we did betray you.
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298. I don't know how I can face you anymore—
Ouch!
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299. I got you!
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300. And look what happened to my brother.
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301. I hope Bjorn's wounds heal.
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302. Atli! And you still call yourself a Viking?
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303. I can't believe I had such an honest man working for me.
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304. Bjorn's not going to last long.
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305. The wound reached his intestines.
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306. Now,
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307. Thorfinn is the only one left from among my men.
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308. It's the perfect time for making a fresh start.
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309. A bracelet?
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310. It's gold. Take it.
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311. What? I don't need it! There's no reason for me to take it.
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312. Just take it.
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313. There's no such thing as having too much money
while traveling.
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314. Sorry. I appreciate it.
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315. What?
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316. Hey! Are you going to give it to me or not?
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317. I have one condition.
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318. Never pick up a sword ever again.
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319. Swords don't suit you, Atli.
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320. Raise some sheep, get a wife,
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321. have a kid, and die in your bed.
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322. If I see you on the battlefield in the future,
I'm going to kill you,
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323. even if you're on my side.
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324. Okay. I understand.
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325. - What's that?
- This?
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326. It's something important.
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327. It's pretty.
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328. That's too expensive! Give me a discount.
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329. Show me some younger women!
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330. - Bring the younger women!
- Any takers?
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331. FEBRUARY 1014 AD - YORK, DANISH
ARMY-OCCUPIED TOWN, NORTHUMBRIA REGION
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