: Athelstan, struggling with his internal religious conflict, becomes a trusted confidant to King Ecbert. Ecbert entrusts him with secret Roman relics and scrolls, warning him of the consequences should he reveal their existence.
: Returning to her home with Earl Sigvard, Lagertha is brutally beaten and publicly humiliated by her husband. In a climactic moment of defiance, she stabs him in the eye, and he is subsequently killed by one of his own men, allowing her to seize power. struggling with his internal religious conflict
: A subplot introduces Porunn , a slave girl who catches Bjorn’s eye, marking the beginning of their relationship. she stabs him in the eye