Vikings Page #2

5.

LAGERTHA (CONT’D)

Sit by the fire, warm yourself.

The stranger nods again, and sits, Ragnar and Lagertha doing

likewise.

RAGNAR:

This man is a wanderer. He has been

on a boat that travelled to the

west.

This is clearly a shock to Lagertha. She stares at the man.

LAGERTHA:

Is it true?

Once more the stranger nods, but does not reply. Lagertha

suddenly realizes that he is glancing towards his cup, and

she quickly re-fills it.

And once more he empties it, then belches, and wipes his hand

over his mouth.

WANDERER:

We sailed north up the coast, to

the rock formation which looks like

a skull. And then, when we were out

in the open sea, we turned due

west. And I was frightened.

LAGERTHA:

What happened to you? Where did you

get to?

Behind her, we see Bjorn and Gyda peeking into the room, and

listening.

WANDERER:

After two days and nights we saw

land. Someone said it was a land

called England, for they had been

there before. But I don’t know if

it’s true. I was only told that in

this land there was great treasure.

We went ashore, found a big house

there, and took some things from

it.

From his bundle of discarded furs he retrieves an object: a

small but very beautiful ivory crucifix.

6.

WANDERER (CONT’D)

In England, they worship a strange

god called Jesus Christ. They say

he died in a tree.

RAGNAR:

Like Odin. Only Odin came back to

life.

Lagertha examines the glittering prize.

RAGNAR (CONT’D)

Tell us how you crossed the open

ocean - once you lost sight of

land? How did you know you were

sailing west, not north or south?

WANDERER:

We had a board. It belonged to a

Swede.

LAGERTHA:

A board? What kind of board...?

WANDERER:

A sun-shadow board. Here is one.

Again he reaches into the thick pile of animal furs and this

time produces a “solskuggerfol” board. It is a smallish

wooden board with a pin or gnomon in the centre (which can be

adjusted up or down) and with circles drawn around the pin.

WANDERER (CONT’D)

To show you how it works, I need to

float it in a tub of water.

Ragnar goes off to fetch one.

Once more the wanderer looks at his empty cup, and once more

Lagertha re-fills it.

And once more he empties the cup in one gulp. Outside the

wind blasts against the house and makes the candles inside

flutter and almost gutter.

Ragnar returns with the tub of water and the wanderer places

the board in the water, where it floats.

Then he takes a candle.

WANDERER (CONT’D)

This candle is the sun.

7.

He holds the candle over the board.

WANDERER (CONT’D)

Each day the sun rises, and climbs

in the sky until noon.

(he arcs the candle across

the board - the shadow

shortens)

See how the shadow shortens. At

noon it will be at its shortest as

the sun is at its zenith.

RAGNAR:

But this only tells me how far

south I have travelled -

WANDERER:

Now listen. The day before you

sail, mark a circle around the

pointer on the board at the place

where the shadow is shortest at

noon. The next day at sea, place

the board in water again around

noon and watch for the shadow. If

it only touches the circle, your

course remains true. If the shadow

passes outside the circle, like

this, you have drifted and must

steer further south. If the shadow

never reaches the circle you are to

the south and must steer more

north. Keep the noon shadow on the

circle and your course will be

true.

Ragnar and Lagertha stare at the board and the shadow as it

moves across it.

LAGERTHA:

Is it really true, wanderer, that

you crossed the ocean using only

this...this children’s toy?

WANDERER:

Yes, I swear to you. I swear on my

sacred ring. Of course, we also

used ravens to show how far we

might be from land, but the board

took us across the open sea.

LAGERTHA:

I cannot believe it.

8.

Ragnar looks at her.

RAGNAR:

But if it’s true, Lagertha, just

imagine! In just two days and

nights we can reach the coast of

England. We can find out for

ourselves if what people have said

is there really is there: rich

lands, buildings made of stone,

places filled with treasures. Don’t

you want to go and find out? I do.

A long beat.

Lagertha looks at the board, then at the wanderer.

Then she blows out the candle, plunging the board into

darkness.

RAGNAR (CONT’D)

Why did you do that?

LAGERTHA:

Because there is something I want

to know. I want to know what

happens if there is no sun? How can

the board help you then? How can

you find your way.

WANDERER:

You use this.

He holds something out in his hand, but they can’t see what

it is. Ragnar brings another candle closer - and it shines

upon a piece of semi-transluscent rock (actually a form of

calcite).

RAGNAR:

What’s that?

WANDERER:

A sunstone.

LAGERTHA:

What good is it?

The wanderer smiles.

WANDERER:

I’ll show you. Come outside.

Ragnar leads them outside.

9.

EXT. HOUSE - DAY

They look up at the sky - even now, around noon, it’s a

leaden grey, with no sign of the sun.

WANDERER:

Watch.

He holds up the sunstone. A beat. (The calcite works by

polarizing light).

The sunstone glows faintly, and an equally faint beam seems

to bounce back from it and illuminate a spot in the sky,

behind the thick clouds.

WANDERER (CONT’D)

You see? There is the sun.

It seems like a miracle. Neither Ragnar nor Lagertha can

speak as they bear witness to it.

EXT. SETTLEMENT - SPRING - DAY

Time has passed. Watched by her ten-year old daughter GYDA,

Lagertha draws water from the well. Despite her reputation as

a shield-maiden, Lagertha remains a slim, slight figure, with

long braided hair.

It’s still cold enough for her breath to steam, but the icy

blasts of winter are over and the landscape breathes and

greens.

As she carries the bucket back towards the house we see

various animals in timbered pens, for this is a working farm.

And down by the water, a couple of small wooden boats.

Two large and hairy hunting dogs shamble around the yard.

Lagertha looks over at a neighboring property, where the

HOUSEHOLDER is leaving, riding a small, wiry horse up the

steep trail behind the houses.

Glances back at her daughter.

LAGERTHA:

Gyda, feed the goats.

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