Alfred chooses to forgive almost-conspirator Aethelred, who assures their mother Judith that loyalty to Alfred prevented him from leading the conspiracy. Hearing of Harald's defeat, Ivar plans his own invasion of Wessex. Meanwhile, Alfred grants his Norse allies Ecbert-promised East Anglia; Bjorn can't accept Ubbe and Torvi's conversion to Christianity and travels north after Magnus, to make a deal in York with Harald, after his prisoner-turned-lover Gunnhild reveals his plan to attack Kattega, but Harald is jealous when he realizes Bjorn and Gunnhild are in a relationship. An Asian merchant interests Hvitserk in Buddhism, notably karma. Helgi returns to the settlement with frostbite-condemned fingers and news that 'truly remorseful' Eyvind is near death. Kjetill decides to lead a rescue expedition. When Alfred becomes sickly bedridden, the aristocracy questions his fitness to rule and paranoid Judith poisons heir Aethelred fatally.
—KGF Vissers