The Last Kingdom (2015–…): Season 1, Episode 3 - Episode #1.3 - full transcript

I was born an
ealdorman of England.

True heir to the Northumbrian
lands of Bebbanburg.

I was 12 years old when
I first went to war.

I saw my father killed.

Stolen by the invaders, along
with the Saxon girl Brida,

I became first a slave and
then a son to Earl Ragnar.

Fate had made me a Dane,

had made Young Ragnar
my brother,

and Brida my lover.

And then fate brought betrayal.

Fire!



Lies were thrown to the wind
saying I had killed Ragnar.

So taking his hidden wealth,
we fled south...

To Wessex.

To Beocca and to the King's
brother Alfred.

Seen by Danes as a Saxon
and by Saxons as a Dane,
my word could not be trusted.

But I am Uhtred, son of
Uhtred, and destiny is all.

Stand clear!

It is the King!

I have to speak, Lord.
The axe cut deep.

Even a King couldn't survive
that wound.

We shall pray and we shall see.

Apologies, Lord, this is the
best I could do without first
speaking to Alfred.

I have brought you food and
ale and more importantly,
good news.

Alfred is dead?



The opposite, he is alive
and he is victorious.

We defeated the Danes.

Argh!

Why is this good news?

Alfred acted upon your advice.

You share in his glory.

Glory?

Then why is he caged and left
to shit in the corner!

You call that glory?

Can she not hold her tongue
for just one moment?

No she can not and she will not!

Keep your food, I don't want it!

I will not eat or drink
until I am set free!

Only Alfred
can order your release.

I will speak with him.

You should spend this time,
girl, to contemplate
your improvement.

I will use this time
to curse you.

Then do it!

Alfred refused my sword.

I won't be offering it again
unless he begs.

Lord, sometimes I wonder
whether your pig-headedness

is not simple stupidity.

He will send for you when he
has scraped the mud and
blood from his mail.

We will give thanks to
Odin for our deliverance.

Do that!

We are Danes!

Show respect!

Do it again and I will cut
you prick to throat.

You are a hero of Wessex.

Congratulations.

We're alive.

What is it?

I couldn't wait to see you.

I was told you are safe,
but I needed proof.

Here it is.

Leave us...
My wife will help me.

My Lord.

My privilege.

Ensure it is repaired, and well.

I'd be a lost fool without you.

Fingers and thumbs.

Who knocks?

My Lord.

My Lady.

Forgive me...

I was, hoping for a moment to
discuss the Ealdorman Uhtred.

Father, forgive me but my Lord
is in need of rest.

He is.

You are...

Forgive me.

Aethelwold.

Were you on the hill?
I didn't see you?

I was kept safe,
with the priests.

There will be other battles.

Many.

And on and on it will go,
I'm sure, until we are
all dead.

You saying we should surrender?

Never.

Never.

But I am not against compromise.

As much as I love my god,
I am in no hurry to
reach heaven.

I fear no number of kneeling
clergy men will change

what a heathen's axe
has already decreed.

Our prayers should be with the
King's successor, whoever
that may be.

The crown is mine,
my birthright.

You disagree?

The argument against will be
that you are young, Lord.

I am my father's heir!

Yes, you are your father's
heir, but your father is also
bonded to Alfred.

A son comes before a brother.

Then perhaps you should speak
to the King directly.

'Tis my thinking, Lord,

that if on his death bed your
father were to name you
as his successor,

the Witan would find it
difficult to go against him.

I believe your father would
only be too happy to
whisper in your ear.

Whether he was conscious or not.

Your counsel will not be
forgotten, Young Odda.

Thank you, Lord.

Guthrum, you went into
battle without me.

Why was that?

That was not the intention.

Is that so?

Then why did it happen?

Let's talk inside.

We will talk here!

They marched sooner
than we expected,

and they positioned themselves
well on the hill.

It will not happen again.

No, it will not happen again,

because you have lost
half your men!

We killed their King, Aethelred.

Did you see him fall?

Yeah, I saw him fall,
he took an axe.

He's dead.

We were not beaten.

Mmm... You want to become
King of Wessex,
I will allow that,

but where is my payment,
my silver?

My grain?
It was promised,
but now it has gone.

It's still there.

Danes do not lose.

I am not lost.

You have given them hope,
Guthrum, that is worse.

Without the King,
there is no hope.

If they've defeated the Danes,
which I won't believe,
why aren't they feasting?

The Priest doesn't lie,

despite him being a priest.

Why are they so different?

So miserable.

God's wish.

I won't become a Saxon woman,
I won't wash, work

the fields till I drop and cook.

It won't come to that.

That won't be my life.

Alfred can help us.

We'll use him.

For shelter,
and then for wealth.

He has used you.

And now he owes me.

Good morning.

My thanks for last night.

Open the door,
I wish to see my father.

Open the door,

or I'll have your balls
for sling-shot.

Aethelwold.

I am here to pray for my
father, the King, to be
at his side.

The King is dead.

Why was I not called?

I should have been at his side.

You could not be found.

I was sleeping in my chamber.

Before he passed, the King
named me as heir
to the throne.

That's what he told me,
it's the truth,
his last wish.

His last command.

You would all do
well to repeat this.

I'll inform the Witan
of your claim.

You should.

Although each person here
and more heard your father
bequeath his crown to Alfred.

He must have been delirious.

On which occasion?

I am the son of the King.

Do your duty.

My Lord.

Ah, Uhtred.

Please accept my
apology for the delay
in your release.

I had other matters to attend.

Ale, Father?

A little, and for our guests.

It seems you
spoke the truth.

I did.

Though I realise our victory
is temporary, I am indebted,
Wessex is indebted.

Is my apology enough?

It is not, Lord.

What Uhtred means is that
it is not necessary.

I wish to be seen
as an ealdorman.

Because I am an ealdorman.

In Northumbria.
This is Wessex.

This is England.
One Kingdom is what
you said.

You are without lands,
completely.

Then that's what I want,
that's what I deserve,
land.

I brought you here solely
to convey my thanks,

but we shall talk further
at some point, now,

I have other, more important
matters to attend.

I gave you victory, Lord,
what's more important
than that?

The King is dead.

Since when?

I have not long left him.

My first act as King will be
to offer the Danes a peace.

They will think you
spineless...

Lord.

Then I must convince
them otherwise.

Girl, bring some fruits to
my chamber, some chopped
apples and milk.

Rest, wash, eat well.
You've earned it.

What are you saying?

You do not speak to a future
King in that manner.

He is not my Lord,
and he won't be my King.

Hear me clearly, Uhtred,
Alfred is the man to follow.

He is your way back to
Bebbanburg, as Lord
and master.

Uhtred's path is Uhtred's
business, not that
of a priest.

Forgive me, Lord.

I must leave, pray for strength,

and to expunge these unholy
thoughts that fill my mind.

You want land in Wessex?

It's my way back to Bebbanburg.

Any silver you find under
Alfred will be taken
by the Danes,

along with your life.

They can't be beaten.

Why are you doing this?

I've said, wealth!

Excuse me, my Lord, I am on an
errand to my Lord Alfred.

The milk is for Alfred?

It is.

Not a word.

Go on.

Master Aethelwold, the
man-child who would have
himself be King.

Out of respect
for the late King,

Alfred wishes no harm
to be done to a hair of
your ugly head,

but he will not put up with
your insolence and lies.

Your own son is party to
my so-called insolence.

Quiet!

Don't you involve others
in your conspiracies.

My head is not ugly.

You're to be sent
to Hampton,
to a monastery,

to be educated, it will be
a very long process.

I am the King's son!

Wessex cannot afford division.

Nor can it afford the
ramblings of an idiot child,
noble or otherwise.

See to it.

May I make him docile, Lord?

I wish you would.

No, no, no, no!

Come!

Lord.

You wished to see me.

I did, I did...

You will take a message to
Guthrum, to the Danes.

You will invite them to
negotiate within days but at
their own convenience.

If it is a messenger
you require, Lord,

there are plenty within
the palace grounds...

It is not a messenger
I require, it is a
representative.

You will speak for me,
Odda, you will speak as me.

Nothing can be written for the
Danes, my letters would be
meaningless,

therefore, the words spoken
must be my words,

and I entrust them to you.

Then I shall gladly be
your representative, Lord.

Thank you.

Do I offend you?

Watching you?

No, my Lord.

Never.

I will defend you with my life.

You stand as everything that
is precious, you are Wessex,
England,

always to be cherished,
never to be violated,

only to be loved, vigorously.

Who is it?

My Lord.

My conscience.

My Lord, would you care to
join me in prayer perhaps,

for the passing of the King?

I will, Father.

I give you my thanks.

Forgive me, my Lord,
the milk has soured.

I am tired of milk and apples.

I need meat.

But you are a martyr,
my Lord, to meat.

My Lord needs feeding!

My Lord is not a saint
and never shall be!

I have survived battle,
I need meat!

We shall pray together,
my Lord, for strength.

Why does it have to be a sin?

Already, it is a burden.

It seems never to be about
what I would wish to do,

it is about what I must do.

Ask God to give me the
strength to wear the crown
as well as you.

Father Beocca.

A moment.

Yes, Lord.

Uhtred may well have a use.

I'm pleased that
is what you think, Lord.

This Brida, she is what to him?

I would say a hindrance, Lord.

A wife?
No.

No, never, no.

She is restless.

She is the devil on
his shoulder, I fear.

But he is fond of her.

Yes, that is his way.

We shall see.

Thank you.
My Lord.

I carry a message.

From King Alfred.
Who is King Alfred?

He is Alfred, King of Wessex.

He invites the Earl Guthrum
to negotiate a peace.

You are Guthrum?

Get down from the horse, boy.

Get down from the horse
and look at me.

You are a beauty.

Tell this King...
What was his name?

Alfred.

Tell King Alfred that Guthrum
accepts his invitation,
and I will watch for him,

and I shall ride out
and meet him.

I will pass on your
message, Lord.

This horse belongs to me now.

Uhtred, Alfred is keen
to find a use for you,

but Brida is...
She's not a help.

Well, perhaps you could just
keep her away from him.

Alfred knows how
I can be of use,
and I have proven it.

Now he must prove he
can be of use to me.

He will be King.

And you can serve him.

I'm here to serve myself.

Alfred means nothing to me
but a path to take back what
is rightfully mine.

My land, my wealth,
and my title.

He will have a use for me,
but I will have a use for him.

Do not think him naive.

He will see right through you.

He will see what I allow
him to see.

Uhtred, right now you
are a warrior, not a thinker.

Though in time this will come,

you are much like your father
and he was both.

You are Alfred's
priest now, Beocca.

You looking for
company, girl?

I prefer the company of the
gods to stupid men.

Another time, then.

Good morning, Uhtred.

Good morning, Lord.

That's a fine coat of mail.

It is.

And it is yours. The battle
dress of a Saxon warrior,
a gift.

In return for what?

There's always a price.

Which you have paid in full,
our victory at the hill.

Young Odda, have you offered
your apologies to Uhtred?

My sincere apologies,
you spoke the truth.

A small bow, perhaps?

You may leave us now.

A good King relies upon
good advice, Uhtred.

For example, my nephew,
Aethelwold, the King's son.

He is young but sees himself
as the rightful heir.

How am I to deal with him?

You should kill him, Lord.
As my own uncle,
Aelfric, would kill me.

Not to kill him shows weakness.

You are
being insolent.

I will allow it, it is the
pagan in him speaking.

You think like a Dane, Uhtred.

If I kill Aethelwold, I am
admitting he has legitimate
claim to the throne,

which he does not.

That is how I think.

But to have a specimen
of the heathen mind in
council will be useful.

What do they fear most,
the Danes?

They're warriors,
they live to fight.

But when they lose,
as at the hill,
what then?

In battle, they'd rather
retreat than lose too
many men.

So, if they fear anything
at all, it is losing men.

They love to fight but hate to
lose, hardly a revelation?

Odda appears not to
value your council.

I do not.

I care not.

I have been thinking on your
request to be recognised
as an ealdorman.

Which is a nonsense.

I am an ealdorman.

Without even a goat to your
name, never mind the
land to graze it.

I am an ealdorman
by birth, Lord.

Would you perhaps, consider
becoming an ealdorman
by marriage?

I know of a marriage
that would bring you
land and title.

I have no need of a wife, Lord.

A woman helps you grow.
Grow old?

Grow roots and that is what
you are missing.

Marriage would show your
commitment to Wessex.

I have shown commitment,
you've said yourself, I gave
you victory at the hill.

You helped, Uhtred,
but the victory was won by
the men of Wessex.

Whom you now refuse
to join, through
this marriage.

Land and silver is
what all men desire,

and I'm no different.

But believe me, Lord,
I have no need of a wife.

My sword is yours.

At a price?

Everything that I have
has been taken from me.

I need title, I need to
make my wealth.

Are you are offering me your
sword, or are you selling
me your sword?

To become an ealdorman,
you must possess land,
that is the law.

However,

stand at my side during the
negotiations ahead, help me
read my enemy,

and in return we shall
talk further of wealth
and reward.

Well, what did you see?

What did they show you?

What I saw is my business.

Aw, I feel unwell.

Here.

Water.

Where we find ourselves is fate.

The work of the three
spinners, they sit deep
in this earth

beneath us, and they
have brought us here.

We should go.

To Cornwalum,

Wales, Ireland, anywhere.

Why?

Escape.

Safety.

I saw Ragnar's ship.

The past?
No. Wind Viper.

Young Ragnar?

I was there on the ship.

I saw it.

I want to leave here.

Come with me.

Come with me.

I've given a promise to Alfred.

To attend the negotiations,
to advise.

Brida, there's no place
else for us to go.

We cannot stay here.

It's a beginning!

Leave me.

We cannot wander the
country and do nothing.

How can you trust him?

How do you know he won't
simply turn you over
to Guthrum

to pass on to Ubba?

You know nothing about him!

I trust Father Beocca,
and Beocca is his priest.

I said, leave me.

You were not
on the ship with me!

Go to Alfred,
and I will watch
him betray you!

So what do we know
of this Alfred?

That he is sickly, he's weak.

He wants to negotiate, turns
out that he's no warrior.

But he beat you, Guthrum.

So, what does it say?

Negotiation.

Silver.

We will take his silver

and his land.

And if he refuses?

He will never refuse.
He wants to live, and he
wants to be called King.

Our God in his heaven,
we ask you to find favour with
your devoted servant, Alfred.

Bless him with courage,
strength and wisdom,
never leave his side.

Amen.

Amen.

Allow him pure and
holy thoughts and the power to
carry out your work

on this earth as our King.

Allow this anointing of Alfred
to enable your will.

You are God's King,
Alfred of Wessex.

Vivat Rex Alfredus!

Vivat Rex Alfredus!

I can't imagine a
time without you.

It is Guthrum?

Yes.

You can see a bone in his
hair, it's his mother's rib.

How endearing.

And the others?

It is Ubba.

The big man.

The Chieftain Ubba is with them?

You said he was in the north.

And now he is here.

This is good.

So you are Alfred,
the King of Wessex?

I am.

You are Earl Guthrum?

Yes, if you want peace,
you have to pay.

And you are
the Earl Ubba. Welcome.

Speak.

In exchange for an
agreed amount of grain,
livestock and silver,

I propose that you and your
ships return to Lundene
and remain there.

I further propose that you
confine yourselves

to East Anglia, Mercia
and Northumbria.

Wessex is Saxon and as such
out-of-bounds to all Danes.

We'll not be leaving Wessex.

We only just arrived.

Then you will starve.

You have little food, no
shelter and a weakened army.

If you believe us weakened,
why seek peace?

It's the Christian in me,
the will of my God.

Oh, I will hear no talk of gods.

God.

There is only one.

You will talk of grain,
horses, silver and land.

I will not talk of land.

What do they write?

They write
what we speak.

Every word?

Yes, every word.

Then may I say arse,
tits, hump and turd.

They record history.

We are here creating history.

People will read of
this very meeting.

I'm waiting to hear the terms
of your surrender.

You will be paid for your
return to Lundene.

There are no more terms, and
there will be no surrender.

Guthrum here will not
leave Readingum.

Then I say again,
he will starve.

We will raid, we will kill.

And you will lose yet more
men, is that your wish,
Earl Guthrum, to lose men?

Your surviving warriors may
look to find a new Lord.

Did you call a meeting
to insult me?

I offer peace,
and I offer facts.

His head and you can
have your peace.

Him.

Uhtred Ragnarson.

A traitor!

Nothing to say?

I'll speak to young Ragnar.

No other Dane has my respect.

His head for peace.

You want Uhtred,
here, for peace.

No silver, no grain, no horses?

We want silver and
the traitor's head.

These are the terms.

And you, Alfred,

you may remain King,
but we will occupy all
of the Saxon forts.

If you wish to occupy the
fortresses, then do it,
take them.

How many have you taken to date?

Father, how many have
they taken to date?

None, Lord.

We can take all the
fortresses at any time!

We have taken the whole
of England!

And we can do the
same with Wessex!

Let me be clear, I am prepared
to return to the sword,
we outnumber you.

We are many and
we are dangerous,

but I would prefer to
establish a peace.

And Uhtred, here, shall keep
his head, but I will pay you
well to leave Wessex.

That is what people will read,
that Alfred sought peace.

Alfred paid Lords Ubba and
Guthrum in silver in exchange
for peace.

It is I who is seeking
an end to the fighting.

That is what will be written.

Uhtred.

I would never have
given you up to Ubba.

But the thought did
cross your mind, Lord.

Not once.

The fact is, I would like
you to swear an oath,
on holy relics,

a year's service.

During which time you will
help my warriors understand
that the heathens are but men,

and in return, and in time,
you shall have your own
reward, Uhtred of Bebbanburg.

One year.

Boy!

For the King.

They have been halted but
nothing more, they are
not defeated!

Our task now is both simple
and impossible. We determine
what they will do next.

They will do what Danes
always do, attack.

How, where,
when, how many?

We are supposed to be
celebrating a peace, do we
have to talk of fighting?

We do, my dear,
because the peace
will not last.

It'll take them at least a
year before they can gather
a second great army.

Do we have your word?

Son.

Is there any meat here?

Should she even be here?

Brida is my guest.

You should have taken
up the King's offer
of a wife, a lady.

What happens next,
I believe, is that they will
come by land and sea,

they will split our army
in two, possibly more.

Now, Uhtred may be correct,
this may not occur for a year
or more, but what is clear

is that we need ships.

We are bordered by water,
yet we have so few ships.

You'll not get me on a ship,
I'll volunteer my son.

To save our shores,
we have to look beyond them.

And to serve God,
his word must travel.

Amen.

Praise him.

Uhtred, the beasts on the
prows of the Danes' ships,

they are a representation
of their gods?

No, Lord.
They are just beasts.

They can be lifted from their
posts, so not to frighten the
spirits of the land.

Spirits of the land.

I would like to know why some
of them make their own
teeth into points.

They do that?

Some, lady.

God save us.

To show that they aren't afraid.

If they can inflict such pain
on themselves, think what
they might do to a Saxon.

We will understand them more
by the day, I'm sure.
Uhtred-of-the-Danes

has promised me a year
of his service.

Is that so?

It is. It will be his
responsibility to show our
warriors how the Danes

approach battle, the
construction of their shield
wall and the like.

Lord, if I may.

The arseling here is barely
a man, and you expect him
to teach me how to fight?

Leofric, I expect him to
teach you nothing.

Whip him with staves in
practise, by all means.

Thank you, Lord.

But our lesser men, if they
can know what a Dane knows,

fear can be expelled
with knowledge.

Regardless how sharp
their teeth.

You didn't eat tonight.

I'd only throw it up.

A year?

It starts with a year
and becomes a lifetime.

And he offered you a wife?

I have no need of a wife.

Instead you swore an
oath to kill Danes.

You know my reasons.

We have been living in a palace.

What happens if you
find yourself facing
Young Ragnar in battle.

We fight.

Where is she?

I haven't heard her all morning.

She'll not be far.

Well, we're about to leave.

I can see.

I'll follow.

Brida!

Brida!

Brida!

Brida?

Almost a child.

You knew?
Hmm?

That you were carrying?

No...

You didn't see it in your dreams

when you drank the mushroom ale.

I'll bury it.

We will bury it.

It is a sign of a passing.

Stand together!

Shields front!

Shields up!

Shields together!

Look them in the eye!

Closer together! Unbreakable!

Are we ready?

Aye!

I said are we ready?

Aye!

Kill the bastards!

Stand together!

Shields together!

We hammer them with our shields!

They are our defence
and our weapon!

We knock them off their feet!

We are a wall!

Charge!

Before the two walls meet,
the first three rows of men
act together

to create a tall shield wall.

First row crouches lower,
protecting the lower body
and legs.

The second row
reaches forward,
protecting the upper body

and the third row leans in,
protecting the head
of all rows of men.

Shields up.

Shields together.

Shield wall!

I like it, arseling, I do.

Now kill the bastards!

The wealth isn't mine.

It belongs to Lord Ragnar,
the fearless.

You will do well to
leave me alone.

Are you Brida?

Who asks?

Brida.

What of her?

I'm no seer, but I'd
say she's unhappy.

She prefers the company of
Danes to Saxons, nothing
wrong in that.

She's been with
the wrong Saxons.

Danes have a hunger for life.

Don't we all?

Alfred...

He's serious.

A pious bastard.

Dislike him by all means,
but never underestimate him.

He's ruthless.

And the man thinks, which is
more than you or I could do.

Leofric the warrior,
may I sit with you.

No, you may not.
Do the monks know
you're missing.

Uhtred, this is Aethelwold,
another arseling.

Nephew of the King.

No, I am not the nephew of
the King, I am the King,

but Alfred likes to pretend,

and every bastard appears to
be happy with the lie.

What are we talking about?

Alfred.

He will not allow me to fight!

Have I told you that?

Many times.

Well, it's true.

He will not allow me to fight.

I would like you,
warrior Leofric,
to teach me how to fight,

and I shall teach you how to...

Go on.

You will not forget
to pay for this.

Have I ever?

Once or twice.

Alfred was caught
humping a nun once.

What I ought to do is
slit his gizzard.

Say that to anyone but me,
boy, and you'll be hanged.

You are hurting royalty.

You are lucky Alfred
hasn't had you killed.

God will not allow him.

I like God.

The silver.

Yes.

Why?

Are you leaving me?

Are you drunk?

Maybe a little.

We will give the silver
to Young Ragnar.

Tomorrow.

Dusk.

He's here.

We can tell him the
truth, and we can join
Ragnar and his men.

I need men bound to me
by God, by duty, by the land,
by Wessex itself.

I would again like to put
to Uhtred the prospect
of marriage.

To my god daughter?
To Mildrith, yes.

Well, it would certainly bind
him to the land and indirectly
to the church, to God.

It would test him.
It would.

You would be in favour still?

Of course, anything for Wessex.

Uhtred Ragnarson
is a good man to be.

Look at me.

You owe Alfred nothing.
To him your word means
nothing, you are a pagan.

Please!

Uhtred Ragnarson can never
become Uhtred of Bebbanburg.

Never.

Did you kill my father?

Do you need to ask?

Did you kill my family?

He didn't.

I am speaking with Uhtred!

I won't ask a second time.

If you believe that I would
kill our father, our mother
and our family,

take your revenge.

I knew it.

I knew it.

I had to be sure, I knew it.

It was Kjartan.

Kjartan attacked and set
the fire. If we could have
saved them, we would have.

I knew it.

I didn't believe a word
I was hearing.

We have Ragnar's wealth.
We kept it for you.

Brida.

A fully grown woman now.

I've seen this moment
in my dreams
so many times.

So, Kjartan's story is that
the English rose against
our father, encouraged by you.

He claims to have revenged
himself for the killers.

Did you ever believe him?

Never.

But he is Lord Kjartan now,
he has three times the men
and the ear of Ubba.

When I kill him, it will
need to be planned.

When we kill him.

It will be dangerous.

It must be done.

Ragnar, we're with you.

Then you will sail with me?

I will.

I have sworn to Alfred.

It means nothing.

Well, if you have sworn,

then you must keep your word.

I need this revenge
like I need water.

When the time is right,

I swear I will be with you.

I know.

I can't believe I'm about
to let you go, lose you.

You have been half my life.

All of my madness.

Be happy.

I'll take it
she has gone, then?

I'm guessing that it's
Alfred that kept you here?

I sold myself
for a mail coat and helmet.

That's what we do,
we sell ourselves.

This year, what you're giving
to Alfred, it's not about a
mail coat, it's about you.

The bastard thinks,
didn't I say?

He wants more than a year's
service, he wants you to help
take back England.

All of England.

Of course, when the year's up,
you could go back
to the Danes.

That would at least give me
the chance to kill you.

But what would you be?

Who would you be?