18. Baldur

Complete story — includes the ending

King Olaf asks Hvitserk about Ivar's rule; Hvitserk declares his brother a tyrant and asks Olaf to help overthrow him. An amused Olaf instead has Hvitserk tortured. Nevertheless, Hvitserk refuses to change his mind about Ivar. Impressed, Olaf decides to support him. In Kattegat, Ivar orders Thora's arrest and accuses her of fomenting hatred toward him; she contends that in Ragnar's time, all were free. Ivar lets her leave, but she is soon taken by his soldiers and burned alive, along with other rebels. Freydis gives birth to Ivar's "son" Baldur. The child is deformed and Ivar puts him out in the wood, not wanting him to have a life like his. In England, Judith seeks treatment from a witch for a tumor. In the witch's hut, Judith finds a feral Lagertha, whom she takes back to the royal villa. Ubbe talks with the leaders of " the black danes ", kings Hemming, Angantyr, and Frodo, offering them settlement in East Anglia. When Frodo refuses, Ubbe challenges him to single combat. In Iceland, Floki buries Aud and leaves the colony to confront the gods in the wilderness. He eventually finds a cave that he believes is the Helgrind, and enters it.