The Last Viking (Den sidste viking)

THE LAST VIKING

He who has a ship, can do what he wants.

The ship sets him free. Losing his ship condems him to thraiidom.

When the king tried to impound aii ships for his army -

- chieftains came from far and wide to reason with him.

They waited at the gate for days, -

but the king refused to see them.

You are his brother. He will listen to you.

Rumour had it that the king suffered from a strange disease.

That his eyes had become buiging and biack, his skin mottied.

One even ciaimed that two horns had grown out of his forehead.

No man shaii mock the fearsome power of the king.

Your warriors slay are foes of old.

Our proud men carrying gold...

But the song died down and fear turned to terror -

- when the king's brother was taken away. Then the king appeared.

Doubt does not go with honour.

Cowards do not follow a bold man.

Any more doubting cowards who wish to see the king?

Long live the king!

No one defies the king. That is the iaw.

Even if the king is iawiess, and his power has gone too far.

When his soidiers rode off to impound ships, -

- they spread his madness across every singie viiiage.

Shh, Bjarke! I'm the chieftain.

No, we both are. We're at King Grimnir's fortress -

- to take back all he has taken from us.

Then we're going to capture him. Shhh! Dad mustn't hear us!

What? Is anybody in there?

No, there can't be.

Because Harald and Bjarke know not to play in the weapon store.

- Bjarke! - Harald!

- I've told you before! - It was Bjarke's idea, too.

You're in charge of him.

Right? And find another game instead of war.

Death to the king!

- Pick them up! - Pick them up yourself.

- Don't do her chores for her. - Bjarke loves Eisa!

Look! It's the king in disguise!

The king must die!

- The king must die! - Pardon?

- The king must die... - Which king?

King Grimnir usually nails people like you to his gates.

- Not much room there, I bet. - Enough for you.

We were only playing. Kids need to understand orders -

and obey them.

I know that game well.

Better, much better. You've captured a great warrior?

- Have you packed? - My thralls will pack for me.

- Dad! - Who's he?

- A man who says G... - I am Sigbard Fathir.

Don't interrupt my son. Go down and eat and drink.

- I will... - Then I will listen.

- I haven't time. - None of us has time.

- You have travelled far. - All right.

I'll eat first and then give you your orders.

Men like him should be left to wait.

He has a lovely steed. Eh, Bjarke?

His type rides dead men's steeds. All he owns belonged to another.

I told you to fetch firewood.

You are a dullard with no pride in your work.

- I've had enough. - Someone pushed her.

All her sticks fell into the gorge.

What are you waiting for? No work to do?

Never speak up for a thrall in their hearing.

Never.

- Who owns that steed? - A king's man.

- What does he want? - Nothing good.

He has killed men for their steeds, weapons and clothes.

- Why tell him such things? - The truth is good for him.

Pay no attention to your father. Let me talk to him.

- You'll lose your temper. - Never.

More taxes, more silver, more corn, more horses are what he wants.

Up north they want to rebel, and we must choose sides.

No, Bjarke. You mustn't die. The king must die.

Easy, easy.

Mum and Dad need us. You must live. Look at this.

Gunga! Bring back my mead!

Stand still when I'm talking to you!

Gunga! I'll.

Gunga! Curse you!

Him and his mead! He could have killed me. After all I've done.

- How much has he drunk? - Two casks, maybe three.

Open up!

Gunga, did you tell on me? I'll kill the lot of you.

Skralling, open up!

Skralling...

I've had enough.

We don't want a drunken old goat along with us.

Gunga can't even tell fore from aft.

What does Gunga know of ship building?

Not a jot.

- What am I to do with you? - Good question.

Thrash you every day like my father did -

- when you were a master shipbuilder?

What have you built since I freed you?

He can't build boats.

Not even my son has seen you build anything.

No, Gunga! You little devil!

Shout and holler, that's all you can do.

I'll rip your tongue out.

If you kill Gunga, who'll tend to you?

Drinking. That's my freedom.

Where's yours? You talk uprisings -

- but you trade with Grimnir as you lick his backside.

How does it feel?

We're sailing to trade for winter.

There'll be no sailing. This ship is for the king.

Grimnir has received silver, corn, horses and thralls.

- Is he to take our ship, too? - Let's not be selfish.

Grimnir sees farther than you or I. We must all make sacrifices.

It is my ship. I say who she shall serve.

I don't like you, and I don't like waiting.

The ship is the king's.

Gently does it...

- Let's talk. - Talk?

Get out. Get out!

Thanks a bunch. I was about to take him.

- So I saw. - Get out!

He's alive. Tie him up.

Keep an eye on him.

A whole mead bag! You devil!

A whole bag. I'll...

If we release him, the king's soldiers will be here in a week.

Then we won't just lose a ship. The king didn't spare his own brother.

Right. If we keep Sigbard, we have a month to get help from the rebels.

At the most.

If we let him have the ship, won't he let us have something in return?

Yes. He will let us starve.

If we give Grimnir the ship, all we have left is our lives.

Will we fight for Grimnir? Or for right to live as free men?

That is what this is about!

Agne!

No man wastes mead and goes unpunished.

Understand?

Down you go.

Skralling!

Skralling!

You were only meant to watch him.

You can't be trusted to do anything.

What if he'd escaped? Do you realise what would have happened?

Fish are fish, and even rotten fish belong in the sea.

Where do you belong, then? At the bottom of a mead barrel.

It's a sign of good luck.

Let's set sail!

You had better stay at home, where it's safe.

I want to come with you. I want to come.

Show me your hand.

Lift me.

- Strength isn't all that counts. - Come on.

- I just don't want to. - It's every man for himself.

Axes and swords treat old warriors and green boys alike.

- I am a warrior! - Take this.

I know you will obey me. I need you here.

To protect your mother, and Bjarke and the village.

We're ready. I'll miss you, lad.

Oh, you killed that mosquito.

- We'll say goodbye on board. - You'll be sorry you left me!

- Bird... - No, it's a frog.

- Father... - No, I am your father.

You'll conquer the world and forget all about us.

- I'd never go if I thought... - Thought what?

That we'd lose one another.

Grimnir is no god. He isn't. I'll be back soon.

We'll cope.

He'll get over it.

- The ship has gone. - One ship more or less...

Tell Grimnir that. Take half the men and spread out.

Mother!

Mother!

Mother, Bjarke!

No!

Mother!

I am Thorgrim Lodur, the king's envoy. I have come -

- to make sure everyone pays the king what he owes.

I am Frej Vanirsdotter. We owe the king nothing.

Our menfolk sailed weeks ago.

Your husband was ordered to give his ship to the king.

If he had received the order, the king would have had his ship.

Such lies do not become you.

Proud of your husband now?

What he did to Sigbard, he did to me. And the king.

Where has he gone? Eketorp? To plot with Konur?

I am not burdened with such things.

How sad. It might have saved your life.

So he's fled, and left you to drown.

We're not dead yet. We can build a ship ourselves.

We have the best shipbuilder.

Build a ship for the king. The fleetest you've ever built.

For Grimnir?

- Never! - Lets us not debate.

Build. Or die.

Have you ever felt fire? Scared?

- Now we'll play "obeying orders". - No! I don't want to!

Bjarke!

Let me go!

No! In his head he is a child.

Do what you please. But do you want a child's blood on your hands?

Sharp tongues like hers can cut you. Lock him up.

We don't kill idiots.