While Askeladd receives his reward for saving Prince Canute, he daringly questions King Sweyn's order to subjugate his own homeland of Wales. Askeladd justifies his statement by saying that the poor mountainous country of Wales is not worth the cost to conquer, and offers to broker a peace instead. Surprisingly, Sweyn accepts Askeladd's counsel, but then forces him to choose between Wales or Canute – if he chooses Wales, he must deliver the head of Canute. Meanwhile, Leif Erikson almost convinces the badly beaten Thorfinn to sail away with him, but the youth returns to the Imperial Council...