Amleth

*"I will avenge you, father, I will save you, mother, I will kill you, Fjölnir."*
―Amleth's vow[src]
Prince **Amleth**, also known as **Björnulfr**, is the prince of the Scottish kingdom of Hrafnsey and a Berserker.

## Biography

### Background

Amleth is born in the Icelandic kingdom of Hrafnsey to King Aurvandil and Queen Gudrún. As a child, he is told by his mother that she came to his father as a noble bride from the land of Brittany.

### Aurvandil's Return

*"Prince Amleth, you have grown too old to be greeted as a child."
"Hail, lord king."
"But a father never grows too old for a good smothering! How I've missed you, my son."*
―Aurvandil and Amleth[src]

In 895 AD, Aurvandil sets out on a conquest and is gone for a season. Upon seeing his father's ships returning, Amleth excitedly rushes off to tell Gudrún. He enters her bedchamber where she is being dressed by her handmaidens and she angrily tells him never to enter her chambers without invitation. He is dismayed when raises her hand to strike him, but she is stopped when Halla the Maiden arrives and informs her of Aurvandil's arrival. He is relieved when she strokes his face and takes his hand, leading him out of the room. He tells her that Ódinn has brought Aurvandil home.

Amleth and Gudrún travel to the throne room and receive Aurvandil as her enters. Once he receives a kiss on the hand from his queen, the king turns to his son and tells him that he has grown too old to be greeted as a child. Amleth steps forward at his mother's urging, taking his father's hand and hailing him as his lord and king. Aurvandil then states that a father never grows too old for a good smothering, gathering his giggling son up in his arms and telling him that he has missed him greatly.

Amleth watches alongside his parents as the spoils of the conquest are carried into the throne room. Aurvandil holds up an amulet and announces that it was around a prince's neck when he found it, but is destined for the prince sitting next to him. He tells his son to wear it always with his love and Amleth thanks him. Amleth's uncle Fjölnir then enters and hails his brother. Gudrún offers him her cup and Heimir the Fool makes a ribald comment about the queen's cup growing wet for men other than her husband. Fjölnir angrily tells him to be silent, but Aurvandil calms him, declaring it to be a jest. Fjölnir is handed his infant son Thórir by his nanny, Helga, and toasts his brother. Amleth then toasts the kingdom of Hrafnsey.

### Sacred Vows

*"Should I fall by an enemy sword, you must avenge me or forever live in shame."
"I will, father, I will! My blade will not rest till it's drunk the blood from his open neck!"*
―Aurvandil and Amleth[src]

Later that night, Aurvandil takes Amleth to a nearby temple, telling him that it is the same path that he walked with his father, and he with his. As they enter the temple, Aurvandil takes a gold arm ring and dips it in a bowl of blood. Amleth is guided through the temple by the Hofgythja and becomes captivated by an effigy of Ódinn. At the back of the temple, the Hofgythja opens a door for them and they discard their clothing and climb down a ladder. At the bottom, Aurvandil urges Amleth not to be afraid and to do as he does. Aurvandil begins gowling and crawling on all fours like a dog, with Amleth following suit as they enter the chamber.

Within the chamber, Heimir fulfils his duties as a high priest of the cult of Loki. He places bowls before them and orders them to drink the Vision Mead of Knowledge. He tells them that it will teach them what it means to live and die in honor, be slain in battle and in death by rewarded by the embrace of the Valkyrja, who will carry them to the shimmering gates of Valhöll. He kneels before Aurvandil and tells him to prove he is not a dog. The king belches in his face and Heimir then urges Amleth to prove himself, to which Amleth farts and is commended by his father.

As the Vision Mead kicks in, Heimir tells Amleth that each man must be wise in measure, yet wise enough to be the fool. Aurvandil asks him how Ódinn lost his eye and Amleth replies that it was to learn the secret magic of women. Aurvandil urges Amleth never to seek the secrets of women, but to heed them always. He then tells him to live in horor, safeguard his familial blood and avenge him if she falls by an enemy's sword or forever live in shame. Amleth vows to do so, declaring that his blade will not rest until it has drank the blood from his enemy's open neck. Heimir tells him to live always without fear, for his fate is set and he cannot escape it. Amleth swears to uphold his vows and sees that he is now floating high above the ground.

Aurvandil unwraps the bandages covering his stomach, exposing a deep and bloody wound. Amleth sheds a single teardrop and Heimir takes it, telling him that it is the last tear he will shed in weakness and will be given back to him when he needs it most. Aurvandil then orders Amleth to approach him and behold the Tree of Kings in their blood. He takes the distressed Amleth's hand and presses it against the wound, creating a vision in which Amleth sees the skeletons of his ancestors, all the way through to Aurvandil and ending with himself.

### Fjölnir's Betrayal

*"I will avenge you, father, I will save you, mother, I will kill you, Fjölnir, I will avenge you, father, I will save you, mother ..."*
―Amleth rows away from Hrafnsey[src]

The next morning, Amleth and Aurvandil leave the temple. Amleth attempts to catch snowflakes on his tongue and is alarmed when Aurvandil is struck by several arrows. As horsemen surround them, Amleth attempts to defend his father, but Aurvandil orders him to run. Amleth runs and hides behind a nearby stone, watching in horror as Aurvandil is stabbed with several spears and brought to his knees. The leader dismounts and approaches Aurvandil, removing his helmet and revealing himself to be Fjölnir. Amleth watches in shock as his father is decapitated by his own brother. Fjölnir's men declare him the new king and he orders them to bring him Amleth's head.

Amleth runs and hides, but once he emerges he is attacked by Finnr. Finnr promises to make it slow, but before he can strike Amleth draws a dagger, cuts off his nose and escapes. He returns to the keep, where Halla's corpse is thrown from atop a wall and lands in front of him. He takes a red cloak from a corpse and disguises himself before seeing Fjölnir carrying Gudrún out of the keep, slung over his shoulder as she screams. He hears Hallgrímr Half-Troll declaring that King Fjölnir has found himself a queen, prompting laughs from the other soldiers. As Amleth sneaks away, he sees the now noseless Finnr arrive and announce to Fjölnir that he has killed Amleth and thrown his body in the sea.

Amleth travels to the beach and takes a fisherman's rowing boat. As he rows out to sea, he repeatedly declares that he will avenge Aurvandil, save Gudrún and kill Fjölnir.

### Exile

*"When we found you as a cub, I knew then you had a heart of cold iron."*
―The Berserker Priest to Amleth[src]
Still a child, Amleth joins the Berserkers, a band of Vikings, and takes the name "Björnulfr". Over the years, he grows into a battle-hardened warrior, consumed by bloodlust and rage.

### The Land of the Rus

*"These savages are fine chattel, eh Björnulfr? We did good."
"Never better..."*
―Hrólfur Split-Lip and Amleth[src]

One day, Amleth and his fellow Berserkers row a langskip upriver in the Land of the Rus. Grímr Skull-Hammer shoots and kills a fisherman and his young son in a nearby rowing boat. This amuses the Bersekers with the exception of Amleth, who is reminded of the murder of his father.

Later that night, the Berserkers gather in a forest clearing, where they beat drums, chant and dance around a bonfire. Their leader, the Berserker Priest, chants at them in Old Norse to shed their human skins and unleash the wolves within. Driven into a frenzy, they drop to their knees and howl likes wolves.

The next morning, the Berserkers attempt to launch a sneak attack on a village in Garðaríki. Upon being spotted by a guard, they abandon any pretence of stealth and attack the village in full force. Climbing the walls, they quickly slaughter the guards. Amidst the mayhem, Amleth knocks a guard from his horse and tears out his throat with his teeth, howling like a wolf afterwards.

Once they have completed their raid, the Berserkers set about deciding which of the villagers they will take as slaves. As Amleth rests, he is appoached by Hrólfur Split-Lip, who commends him for his role in the raid and tells him that the villagers will make fine chattel. The Berserker Priest then approaches him and warmly tells him that when they found him as a cub, he knew that he had a heart of cold iron. Amleth sees a young woman attempting to fight back as she is grabbed by Berserkers and watches as the villagers who are not chosen for slavery are forced into a barn which is then set ablaze.

### The Seeress

*"It is not enough to be the man who never cries ... Prince Amleth. The prince that turned from his fate. A beast that cares for naught. A beast that wrings tears from the eyes of men. A beast scavenging for wisdom in the temple it burnt to the ground."*
―The Seeress to Amleth[src]

Later that night, the Berserkers celebrate their plunder and force the slaves to entertain them. Amleth sits silently among them before going outside. Feeling drawn to it, he enters a temple of Svetovit, where he finds a blind Seeress. She tells him that she sees him even though his brothers have stolen her eyes. He replies that he is no one's brother. She tells him that it is not enough to be the man that never cries and reveals that she knows his true identity, shocking him. She grabs his wrist and places the teardrop tha Heimir took from him into his hand, urging him to remember for whem he shed it and his oath to right the wrong. She tells him that he must sail upon a salty ocean to the edge of the world, to an island in the north where there springs a burning lake bursting from a black mountain's peak. He vows to drown his father's killer there and she instructs him to follow the vixen's tail to the dwelling of the ancient one to seek the fated sword that matches his brutal rage.

Amleth asks the witch why she speaks his fortune and she replies that where his path of ashes ends, another will begin her journey, a Maiden King. He orders her to release him and she tells him that he cannot escape the fate that the Norns have spun. She releases him, tells him to begone and vanishes, leaving him alone in the temple.

### Returning to Iceland

*"Your sheep's clothing doesn't disguise you, Northman."
"What say you, spell-speaker?"
"You wish to be a slave, hide your cunning. Show the shepherd you are a sheep."
"I'll show the shepherd his death."*
―Olga and Amleth[src]

The next morning, Amleth rejoins his fellow Berserkers, who are branding the captured villagers as slaves. He overhears the Hird Officer ordering for slaves to be sent to Uppsala, Kiev, Constantinople and Fjölnir's post in Iceland. Amleth asks Eiríkr Blaze-Eye who Fjölnir is and Eiríkr replies that Fjölnir is now known as "the Brotherless" due to his murder of Aurvandil. Amleth states that he knows of Fjölnir asks why the slaves are not being sent to Hrafnsey and Eiríkr tells him that Fjölnir fled to Iceland with his wife and son after being overthrown by King Haraldr of Norway and now lives as a sheep farmer. Once Eiríkr walks away laughing, Amleth sees a raven staring at him and believes it to be a vessel of the spirit of Aurvandil urging him to fulfil his vow.

Amleth steals the clothing of a corpse, cuts his hair short and burns a slave brand into his shoulder. He tells the brand not to worry, for when he meets its owner he will thank him for the warmth it gave him. He then hides his amulet and swims upriver, climbing aboard a knörr bound for Iceland. Aboard the ship, he sees the young woman he saw fighting back in the village comforting another slave in Old Slavic. That night, she tells him that she knows him to be a Northman and urges him to hide his cunning to be a convincing slave, showing the shepherd that he is a sheep. Amleth replies that he will show the shepherd his death. Later in the night, the ship his struck by a storm and the young woman almost goes overboard, but Amleth urges her to take his hand and pulls her to safety. As they sleep curled up together, Amleth has visions of his path and future, remembering his childhood vow as he sees the world-tree, Yggdrasill.

### Arrival at Freysdalur

*"Why would you stow away to such a hellish place? This ground harbours evil."
"My Fate has brought me here, to find what was stolen from me."
"And what is that?"
"A mother, a father, a kingdom."
"This is your kingdom?""*
―Olga and Amleth[src]

Once the ship reaches Iceland, the slaves are made to wade through water. They are rounded up by two men whom Amleth recognises as Hallgrímr Half-Troll and Finnr the Nose-Stub. As they travel in shackles, the young woman observes the land and wonders why he would stow away to such as hellish place. He tells her that fate has brought him there to find what was stolen from him. She asks what that is and he he replies that he seeks a mother, a father and a kingdom. She wonders why he would want such a kingdom and he tells her that the king who stole his kingdom fled there when another king took it from him and that he will leave when he is done with him. She introduces herself to him as Olga of the Birch Forest and tells him that she too vows to escape the island. They each point out that they must face many foes and Olga proposes an alliance, telling Amleth that while his strength breaks men's bones, her cunning can break their minds. Hallgrímr orders them to be silent and keep walking.

Upon arriving at the farm in Freysdalur, Amleth sets eyes on Fjölnir for the first time since his childhood. Fjölnir examines the slaves and concludes that they will not last the winter, ordering that they all be sold. Knowing that he must stay on the farm by any means necessary, Amleth displays his aggression by knocking the slave next to him to the ground and growling like a beast. This catches Fjölnir's attention and he inspects Amleth, declaring that they have kept worse. His son Thórir, who is now a young man, examines Amleth and states that he in not impressed. He comments on Amleth's stench and punches him in the stomach before ordering him never to look him in the eye.

Fjölnir asks Amleth what they call a beast like him in the Land of Rus and Amleth replies that his name is Björnulfr. Fjölnir states that he is indeed as strong as a bear, but warns him that if he proves to be as untrustworthy as a wolf, he will kill him himself. He decides to keep Amleth but get rid of the rest before being reminded by his young son Gunnar that Gudrún needs two for the kitchen, one for the laundry and two males for the harvest. Amleth is dragged away by Hallgrímr as Fjölnir chooses several more slaves to keep, including Olga.

### Slavery

*"Did you find it?"
"Huh?"
"What you lost."
"In the house today. Was it there?"
"That and more. It is a nightmare."
"Then you must wake up."
"It's their nightmare."*
―Olga and Amleth[src]

At night, Amleth is placed in the oxen shed alongside several other slaves. One of them, Audunn the Irish, notices him looking around and asks him if he plans to climb out, warning him that even if he did escape the farm he would only be carrion for blue foxes and selkies. Audunn urges him to get some sleep, but Amleth sneaks out and makes for the forge. He attempts to steal a knife from Völundur the Smith, but is unsuccessful. He sees an Arctic Fox Vixen eating a chicken and she locks eyes with him. He then hears a cry coming from the longhouse and looks up to see the vixen running towards it, where Gudrún is attempting to shoo several ravens away from her window. As Amleth watches her, he repeats his vow to save her, avenge Aurvandil and kill Fjölnir.

The next day, Amleth carries out his slave duties such as carrying firewood, building fences and collecting water. He notices Audunn and another slave carring a tapestry towards the longhouse and pushes the other slave away, telling him to go take a piss and taking his place. Once they enter the longhouse, the housekeeper, Halldóra the Pict, orders them to take it into the main hall. She then orders them to stop, takes the tapestry and hangs it up, at which point Amleth sees that it depicts the Tree of Kings. As he stares at it, she orders him to get on with his duties. He hears a humming coming from the back of the house and makes his way towards it, earning a scalding from Audunn, who tells him to turn around. In the back room, he sees Gudrún tending to Fjölnir's hair. She notices him and orders a servant to shut the door.

Later, Amleth sits eating and Olga approaches him, asking if he found what he lost. He replies that he found it and more, describing it as a nightmare. She tells him that he must wake up and he clarifies that it is a nightmare for the residents of the house. Finnr and Hallgrímr order Olga to come with them as Fjölnir wants her near. Before she is taken away, Olga asks Amleth if he will come and look for her if he loses her, but he does not reply.

### The He-Witch

*"The Gates of Hel. There will my sword be just. I will enjoy feeding Draugr til then in everlasting night."
"Then shall you also enjoy the moment when you must choose between kindness for your kin and hate for your enemies – for this I also prophesy."<
"That is nothing. My heart knows only revenge."*
―Amleth and the He-Witch[src]

That night, Amleth sneaks out again and follows the vixen. She leads him to a cave where he meets a He-Witch. The He-Witch states that he knows who Amleth is and invites him to sit. Amleth asks if the vixen told him of him and the He-Witch replies that it was another. He unveils the rotting, severed head of Heimir, stating that he speaks of days past and days yet to come. He informs Amleth that Fjölnir cut out Heimir's tongue and plucked out his eyes before killing him, but that he mades him ones anew. The He-Witch lets out a demented laugh and Amleth vows to avenge Heimir too. The He-Witch states that he must address him, for he made Heimir no new ears, which also met with Fjölnir's blade. Amleth grows impatient and orders the witch to speak. The He-Witch cuts off a piece of Heimir's hair and throws it into the fire, calling on Heimir's spirit as he beats his drum.

Heimir speaks to Amleth, who asks to know of the weapon the Norns of Fate chose for his revenge. Heimir tells him of Draugr the Undead, a sword forged by the deadliest war-smiths who ever lived. Once Heimir's spirit departs, the He-Witch tells Amleth that the sword can only be unsheathed in the dark of night or at the Gates of Hel. Amleth vows that there his sword will be just and that he will enjoy feeding Draugr in everlating night until that time comes. The He-Witch warns Amleth that a moment will come when he must choose between kindness for his kin and hatred for his enemies, to which Amleth replies that his heart knows only revenge. He demands the sword and the He-Witch tells him that he must visit its owner, the Mound Dweller. He produces a snake and tells him to make well the full moon's light, for shadows are not hospitable hosts. He throws the snake at Amleth and he recoils, only to discover that it is merely a rope, prompting a laugh from the He-Witch.

### The Mound Dweller

*"I am a fool. It was foretold that I would drown my father’s killer in a burning lake. Till that day comes, I will torment the man who made my life a Hel. Now, sleep well, night-blade. Yes, we thirst for vengeance, but we cannot 'scape our Fate."*
―Amleth[src]

Using the rope he acquired from the He-Witch, Amleth drops down into the burial mound. He finds a corpse sitting there with the sword in its hands and attempts to take it, but the corpse comes to life. The Mound Dweller rises up to his towering height, unsheathes Draugr and attacks Amleth. Amleth grabs any weapons he can get his hands on, but the Mound Dweller proves himself a formidable foe and cuts through them easily. He knocks Amleth around the burial mound, but is careful to avoid the moonlight entering through its opening. Using an axe, Amleth knocks the Mound Dweller into the moonlight, which stuns him. Amleth buries the axe in the Mound Dweller's back, bringing him to his knees and causing him to drop the sword. Amleth takes up Draugr and beheads the Mound Dweller before stuffing his head into the corpse's rear end. However, he then finds himself standing before the seated corpse and takes the sword from its hands, causing the corpse to fall apart. He unsheathes the sword and admires it.

Amleth makes his way back towards the oxen shed, but is forced to hide from Fjölnir and several of his men. He is discovered by Fjölnir's dog Rakki, who barks at him and gets Fjölnir's attention. Amleth growls at the dog and scares him away. He prepares to draw Draugr as Fjölnir approaches, but he merely calls the dog to him and orders his men to take him home and get to bed. He spies on Fjölnir as he enters the byre and wakes Halldóra, whom he orders to fetch Olga. Halldóra wakes Olga and brings her before Fjölnir, who attempts to rape her. She rubs her menstrual blood on her hand and slaps him across the face with it. He throws her aside and warns Halldóra to teach Olga her place or he will kill them both.

Once Fjölnir leaves, Amleth calls him a coward and states that he should thank the Norns that a woman's tide is the only blood that runs in his house that night. Amleth remembers that prophecy that he will kill Fjölnir in a burning lake and vows to make his life hell until that day comes. He tells Draugr to sleep well, for while they seek vengeance they cannot escape their fates, and hides it in some thatch on the roof of the byre.

### The Chieftain's Feast

*"I have found the cold iron that will strike him down."
"When will you do it?"
"When I must. For now I will haunt this farm like a hungry corpse returned from the grave. Fjölnir thinks Amleth is long dead."
"Yes, but what of your mother?"
"She will revel in Fjölnir's anguish. She only feigns her love to protect their child. When I free her, I will bring the boy if I must."*
―Amleth and Olga[src]

The next morning, Amleth meets with Olga, who informs him that they are being taken to the chieftain's feast. He tells her that he saw Fjölnir with her the previous night and that he has found the weapon he was seeking. She asks when he will kill Fjölnir and he replies that he will do it when he must, but that for now he will haunt the farm like a hungry corpse returned from the grave. She asks what he intends to do with Gudrún and he tells her that Gudrún only feigns her love for Fjölnir for the sake of Gunnar and that he will free him alongside his mother if he must. She tells him that she has been moved back into the kitchen, but a foreman orders him to move, so they must delay their plan.

Amleth is approached by Thórir, who asks him if he can fight. Amleth nods and is ordered in line with the other slaves. He notices Audunn carrying several items and asks what they are. Audunn is surprised that Amleth has never seen a knatttré before and tells him that he will see plenty of them before the day is over. At the feast, Amleth, Audunn and three other slaves compete in a game of knattleikr against the slaves of Hákon Iron-Beard. Hákon's champion, Thórfinnr Tooth-Gnasher, is a very large, strong and brutish man who makes short work of Amleth's teammates. Amleth defeats the rest of Hákon's slaves until only he and Thórfinnr remain.

As the two of them fight, Gunnar runs onto the field and takes the ball, causing everyone to panic as Thórfinnr chases after him. Thórfinnr attacks Gunnar and as he prepares to finish him off, Amleth tackles him. As everyone else runs to Gunnar, Amleth straddles Thórfinnr and headbutts him to death. To everyone's relief, Gunnar regains consciousness as Amleth sits alone.

### Celebrations

*"What do you do?
"Here, where the threads of Fate have bound us together, embraced beneath the trees. Here, I speak with the earth."
"What does she tell you?"
"How to reach your mother. My Earth magic will stoke the flames of your sword."
"Tomorrow night you and I will begin this nightmare and Fjölnir's life to chaos."*
―Amleth and Olga[src]

Later that night, the slaves have a rare moment of revelry as they dance and Melkorka and Eysteinn lead them in a song. Amleth stands alone before he is approached by Hallgrímr, who orders him to come with him. He takes him before Thórir, who commends him for his bravery and loyalty and informs him that when they return to the farm, he will be afforded certain privileges such as less burdensome work and command of other slaves. He also tells him that as a reward for winning them the game, he will be allowed to choose a woman, including the "Slav bitch" he has seen him eyeing, whom Fjölnir found too unyielding. However, he puts him in his place by affirming that they will never make him a free man. Amleth thanks him and Thórir leaves, with his men insulting Amleth before they follow. Amleth glances at Gudrún among the feasters from afar.

Amleth returns and discovers many of the slaves having sex with one another. Olga approaches him and tells him that he has found her. He asks if she was lost and she replies that she was only lost if he was searching for her. They make love in a forest clearing and afterwards she prays in Old Slavic. He asks her what she is doing and she tells him that she speaks to the Earth. He asks what it tells her and she replies that she has been told how to reach his mother, handing him a mushroom and telling him that her earth magic will stoke the flames of his sword. He tells her that the following night they will begin the nightmare and bring Fjölnir's life to chaos.

### The Night Blade Feeds

*"Fear not, you're the first of many."*
―Amleth to Hersveinn and Hjalti[src]

Once they return to the farm, Amleth gives orders to other slaves. He carries hay to the temple of Freyr, where Fjölnir is praying. The temple priestess, Áshildur Hofgythja, orders him to lay it at Freyr's feet. That night, Amleth follows Thórir's friends, Hersveinn Battle-Hard and Hjalti Battle-Hasty, as they make their way drunkenly to the outhouse. He tells them to fear not, for they are the first of many, and as they plead for their lives he slaughters them with Draugr. He then nails their mutilated corpses to the outside of the barn in the shape of Sleipnir.

The next morning, the grisly display is discovered and upon seeing it, Thórir swears vengeance on those responsible. He accuses the Christian slaves and as he attacks them, his father and stepmother order him to regain his calm and Fjölnir promises him that they will avenge his friends. Áshildur examines the corpses and concludes they they were killed by supernatural means and that a sacrifice must be performed to sate the spirit. Having witnessed all of this, Amleth is approached by Olga, who tells him that the mushrooms are ready, but he tells her that they cannot use them yet.

That night, Amleth and the vixen howl on the outskirts of the farm, causing panic and confusion. As the dogs attack their masters, Amleth enters the temple, where Áshildur and her assistant Hallur are preparing to sacrifice Melkorka. He disembowels Hallur, binds and gags Áshildur with his intestines and frees Melkorka. The next morning, Fjölnir grants the slaves weapons to help them defend the farm from attackers. Olga grinds the mushrooms in fly agaric and uses it to spike the soldiers' food.

### Revelations

*"How easily we all become princesses again when the beasts take us for their wives. Yes. You were forced upon your mother. Gunnar was received freely. With love. And know you this: it was I who begged on my knees for Fjölnir to kill King Aurvandil. I pressed my lips upon his strong, sweet hand, I kissed it, and I begged him. And so this day would never come, Fjölnir ordered your death — with your own mother's blessing."
"But I saw it. I saw Fjölnir carrying you away – screaming."
"Screaming? I was laughing."*
―Gudrún and Amleth[src]

Later that night, the soldiers and slaves stand ready to defend the farm. Finnr hurls insults at Amleth, but once the fly agaric kicks in, the soldiers hallucinate and go into a state of panic. Amleth enters the longhouse and tells Olga he will meet her before dawn. He enters that main bedchamber and examines the belongings, among which is Aurvandil's ring. He hides once Gudrún enters the room. He sneaks up on her and holds Draugr to her neck. She comments that his sword is long and he tells her to stop her jest. He reveals his true identity to her and she is shocked to learn that her firstborn still lives. He replies that it has been a life of death and the once he has finished his deeds, he will decide if living is to his liking.

He tells her of his intention to avenge Aurvandil, kill Fjölnir and free her. Gudrún states that he has inherited his father's simpleness, which confuses him. She tells him that she never mourned Aurvandil and that he only endured her because she bore him a son and that he only cared for silver and rutting his whores, and that she does not know if he even had heart enough to love Amleth. Amleth is angered and Gudrún reveals that she was a slave whom Aurvandil raped, which resulted in Amleth's birth, exposing her slave brand to prove the truth of her claim. She then tells him that she begged Fjölnir to kill her husband and son. Destroyed, Amleth states that he saw Fjölnir carry her screaming from the keep, to which Gudrún replies that she was laughing.

Amleth accuses her of lying and she asks what they should do. He states that he should kill her and all that she holds dear. She affirms that he will not do it due to his love for her. She tells her that if her kills Fjölnir and his sons, he will be her new king and that they will rule together. She attempts to seduce him and he backs away, horrified. She grabs hold of Draugr and attempts to pull it from his grasp. He pulls it from her and calls her a bitch, to which she replies that his taste and his mind reek of his foul father and that he should have joined him in death. He declares that her words are poison and she promises that she will be his death. He storms out as she laughs wickedly.

Amleth enters the bedchamber of the sleeping Thórir and kills him by impaling him with Draugr, taking his heart afterwards. He then meets up with Olga and informs her that Gudrún is as evil as Fjölnir and vows to destroy all that she loves. She asks waht they must do and he tells her that Gudrún discovered his true identity and soon everyone will, so he must take to the hills. She offers to go with him, but he refuses, as he knows that they will hunt him and will not put her life at risk. Olga asks why they will hunt him and he shows her his bloodied hand. She asks if he killed Gudrún and he states that he will not kill a woman, not even her, but that he has killed Thórir. He warns her to be ready to run the next day and retreats into the hills.

### Escape

*"I am Amleth the Bear-Wolf, son of King Aurvandil War-Raven, and I am his vengeance!"*
―Amleth[src]

The next morning, Amleth watches from afar as Thórir's corpse is discovered. Fjölnir begins killing slaves, demanding to know which of them aided Amleth. Once he holds his dagger to Olga's neck, Amleth reveals himself and offers to return Thórir's heart in exchange for her life. Once again wearing his amulet, Amleth confirms his identity and furiously declares his intention to avenge his father. Fjölnir's men attack Amleth and though he is unable to unsheath Draugr, he attacks them with it nonetheless. In the confusion he sees Olga escape, but this distracts him long enough for Fjölnir's men to gain the upper hand and overpower him. They bring him before their lord, who takes the heart and tells him that he is just like his father, that evil begets evil. Amleth asks Fjölnir how he knows that he holds his son's heart and not the heart of a rabid dog killed two nights previously.

Amleth is hung by his wrists in the barn, where Fjölnir beats and tortures him as he demands to know where he has put Thórir's heart. Amleth states that he cannot kill him, for it is not yet his time and he will die in battle. He tells Fjölnir that Ódinn the All-Father will vanquish his god of erections. Fjölnir vows to return for Amleth's heart, telling him that he and Gudrún will eat it. Fjölnir and his men leave with Finnr making an unsuccessful attempt to unsheath Draugr. Once they are gone, two ravens arrive and bite through the ropes holding Amleth in place. Once he falls to the ground, ravens surround him and he prays to Ódinn to let the Valkyrja carry him to his shining gates. The All-Father appears before him and once he loses consciousness, he sees the Valkyrja carrying him across the plains, over a cliff edge and towards Valhöll.

Amleth wakes in a warm, steaming mountain tarn. He states that it is not Valhöll and finds Olga standing over him, who states that she is no Valkyrja and cannot carry him that far, and that the dreams of his afterlife must wait, as she is not finished with him yet. She undresses and joins him in the tarn. Afterwards, they sit by a fire and he reflects on his quest for vengeance. He tells her that the Norns of Fate did not prepare him to her and she tells him that she thought that she must always shield her heart in stone and did not think she would open it to a Northman.

Acknowledging that they have each saved the other's life, Amleth states that he has not felt close to another person since he was a child and Olga curses his mother's evil. He mourns that she murdered his past and Olga suggests that the Norns of Fate have spun another thread for him to follow. He asks what her Earth Gods tell her and she says that wherever she goes, she must take him with her. He tells her that he has kinsmen in Orkney and that they could find safe passage there together. She tells him that she cannot truly believe that he has extinguished his fire for vengeance. He tells her that hate is all he has ever known and that he wishes he could be free of it. She tells him that it is his choice to make and invites him to find their future.

### Discovery

*"My family's blood ... my own blood is inside you ... you are the well our dynasty will spring from."
"I did not wish you to know until I could trust that our child would be safe."
"While Fjölnir lives, our children will never be safe. If he but knew of this he would hunt you with all the fire of the gods. It cannot wait!"*
―Amleth and Olga[src]

Amleth and Olga ride to the coast, where they board a ship captained by Volodymyr, who tells them that they journey will take them twenty-one days. He then states that he was expecting more of Fjölnir's men, including Thórir. Amleth attempts to explain, but Olga cuts across him and converses with the captain in Old Slavic. As they set off, Amleth notices the wound on Olga's neck and she tells him that it is nothing compared to what they have endured and she has forgotten it already. Amleth kisses the wound and has a vision of the Tree of Kings, where he sees his own daughter and son.

He realizes that Olga is pregnant and she tells him that he did not wish for him to know until she could trust that their child would be safe. Amleth concludes that while Fjölnir lives, their children will never be safe. Olga urges him to stop, but Amleth states that he was a fool to try and flee from his fate. He tells her that his vision shows that she will have two and vows that his sword will save them. He tears off his amulet and gives it to her, but she urges him to come with her. Amleth recalls the He-Witch's warning about choosing kindness for his kin and hate for his enemies. Olga urges him to see what hope they have before them and kisses him. He declares that he chooses both. He tells Volodymyr to take her to Orkney and gives him Aurvandil's ring, promising that this kinsmen will exchange it for ninefold its worth. As Olga begs him not to go, Amleth climbs onto the end of the ship and tells her that she will be mother to a king, declaring that fate cannot be escaped, before jumping overboard and swimming back to shore.

### Vengeance

*"I will avenge you. I will honor our blood. I will cut the thread of Fate. My blood will live on. Valhöll awaits."*
―Amleth[src]

Amleth returns to Freysdalur and slaughters Fjölnir's men. He corners Finnr and pins him to a wall, telling that the cub he once hunted ate off his nose and that the wolf has now grown and hungers for the rest. He drives Draugr into Finnr's nasal cavity and out through the back of his head, killing him. Amleth then disembowels Hallgrímr and tells the slaves to take their freedom and do with it what they will. He enters the longhouse and makes his way to the main bedchamber. Gudrún leaps out of the wardrobe and attacks him with her sword. He drives Draugr into her heart and she thanks him before she dies. Amleth is devastated as he watches his dead mother drop to the floor, but Gunnar leaps onto his back and begins stabbing him with his dagger. Amleth throws the boy off of him and kills him with a slash of his sword.

Fjölnir enters the room and sheathes his sword, picking up the corpses of his wife and son. He tells his nephew that he will meet him at the Gates of Hel. Amleth promises to meet him there and Fjölnir vows that he will die by the hand that killed his father. Once Fjölnir leaves, Amleth watches as the slaves burn the farm to the ground and sacrifice Halldóra and Áshildur.

The next day, Amleth rides to Mount Hekla, where he sets his horse free. There, he finds the corpses of Gudrún and Gunnar, along with the decapitated corpse of Fjölnir's horse. He kneels next to them and tells them that they shall all meet again in the stronghold of the All-Father. Unsheathing Draugr, he beats it against his shield and proclaims in Old Norse that he will avenge his father, honor their blood and cut the thread of Fate. Declaring that he blood will live on and Valhöll awaits, he makes his way towards the peak.

Discarding of his clothing due to the extreme heat, Amleth reaches the peak, where he finds Fjölnir awaiting him. Naked and armed with only a sword and shield each, uncle and nephew visciously attack each other. The duel is merciless, eventually resulting in Fjölnir bringing Amleth to his knees. As Amleth gasps for air, Fjölnir holds his sword out before him, challenging to to get back on his feet. Roaring with fury, the two men once again come to blows as Amleth rises up. At the same moment, Amleth beheads Fjölnir and Fjölnir buries his sword in Amleth's chest.

Amleth falls and as he lies dying, he has a vision in which he sees Olga with their babies. She assures him that the thread that binds them can never break and that she and their children are safe. She encourages him to make his passage and once he dies, the Valkyrja carries him to Valhöll.

## Personality

*"A life of death. Yet I swore to survive till this moment. Tomorrow, I’ll finish my deeds in honor. Only then will I discover whether living is to my liking."*
―Amleth[src]
As a child, Amleth is a happy prince beloved by his father, though is mother is more cold to him. He is traumatised when he sees Aurvandil murdered and Gudrún taken by Fjölnir. He joins the Berserkers and grows into a battle-hardened warrior consumed by bloodlust and a desire for revenge. However, he does not approve of the savagery that his fellow Berserkers inflict upon the people of the Land of the Rus. He later learns how to open himself to someone else when he meets Olga and she becomes the first person with whom he has had a close bond since he was a child. Once he discovers the truth from Gudrún of the nature of his birth, her marriage to Aurvandil and her conspiracy with Fjölnir, Amleth's desire for revenge only grows stronger. Upon learning that Olga is pregnant, he returns to kill Fjölnir to ensure their children's safety, despite Olga begging him not to go. Amleth succeeds, but is killed in the process, shedding his first tear since his childhood as he dies.

## Religion

*"Ódinn, let the Valkyrja, your warrior maiden fly me, to your shining gates."*
―Amleth[src]
As a child, Amleth worships Ódinn the All-Father, believing him to have brought Aurvandil home from his conquest and learning about him, such as how he lost his eye. As an adult, he continues to worship Ódinn alongside his fellow Berserkers. Along with the other Berserkers, he invokes the wolf Fenrir to unleash his animalistic rage. He later warns Fjölnir to fear Ódinn, whom he warns will vanquish Freyr, whom Amleth dismisses as a "god of erections". He prays to the All-Father to send the Valkyrja to carry him to Valhöll. He is also a great believer in fate, certain that he cannot break from the thread that the Norns have spun for him. However, he seeks the wisdom of the Earth Gods from Olga.

## Trivia

* In the Scandinavian legend authored by Saxo Grammaticus, Amleth was the son of King Horvendill and Gerutha, daughter of the Danish king Rørik Slyngebond. Horvendill was later murdered by his brother Feng, who presuaded Gerutha to become his wife. Amleth pretended to be an imbecile to avoid the same fate as his father, but Feng was unconvinced and put him through various tests. Once Amleth killed an eavesdropper in his mother's bedchamber and destroyed all trace of the deed, Feng was convinced his madness was feigned and dispatched him to Britain with two attendants. However, the carried a letter urging the British king to put Amleth to death, but Amleth suspected their intentions and altered the letter ordering the king to kill the attendants and give Amleth his daughters's hand in marriage. He eventually returned to Denmark and achieved his veneance by bruning down the palace and slaying Feng with his own sword. He was declared king of Denmark, but his father-in-law and Feng has vowed to avenge each other's death and unwilling to follow through on this, the British king sent Amleth to woo the terrible queen Hermuthruda, who fell in love with him despite putting all of her former wooers to death. He returned to Britain and her first wife told him ofn her father's revenge attempt, her love proving stronger than her resentment. Amleth terrified the enemy by placing the dead from the day before on stakes. He then returned to Jutland, where he was slain in battle by Rørik's successor, Wiglek, whom Hermuthruda then married despite her promise to die with Amleth. He is the basis for  Prince Hamlet from William Shakespeares's *Hamlet*.

## Behind the Scenes

* Mark Slaughter and Ragnar Páll Ragnarsson were stunt doubles for Alexander Skarsgård and Lucy Fowl was a stunt double for Oscar Novak in the role of Amleth.

## References

1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 Eggers, Robert; Sjón, *The Northman*, Focus Features, USA, April 22, 2022