His health failing and fearing for his legacy, Alfred sends Uhtred to confront a new threat: fierce Danish warrior Bloodhair and his sorceress, Skade.

Falling afoul of Alfred, Uhtred flees north to his brother, Ragnar. His eye on the throne, Aethelwold begins assembling an alliance to strike Wessex.

Bloodhair and Aethelwold try to coax Uhtred into their alliance against Alfred. Fearing for her life, Aethelflaed turns to Father Beocca for aid.

Uhtred turns his attention to Aethelflaed's plight. Alfred forces Edward to face his duty. Ragnar's army marches but traitors emerge from within.

A deadly betrayal threatens to splinter Ragnar's army. Uhtred forms a cunning battle plan and finds an unexpected ally in young Edward.

Edward makes a kingly decision. Alfred lays plans for his son's future reign. Aethelwold faces a treacherous task. Uhtred and Brida search out a seer.

A message from Uhtred and the machinations of Skade exploit divisions among the Danes. His health failing, Alfred wrestles with Aethelwold's fate.

Uhtred risks returning to Wessex to fulfill his vow to Brida. As the royal wedding approaches, Aethelwold spreads discord from the shadows.

At the end of his days, Alfred takes Uhtred into his confidence about his plans for Edward's uncertain future, but Aelswith charts a different course.

As a climactic battle with the Danes draws near, untested Edward faces dire decisions about the fates of Uhtred, Wessex -- and England.

Uhtred receives news that Bebbanburg's defenses have been weakened by Scottish attacks and plans to seize his birthright, but Edward refuses to help.

As Uhtred and his men draw closer to Bebbanburg, prodigal son Wihtgar returns with some tricks up his sleeve. News of Cnut's treachery reaches Wessex.

Uhtred suffers an unbearable loss in his attack on Bebbanburg but takes some valuable captives during his retreat south. Aethelflaed prepares for war.

Hoping to be joined by Edward's troops, Aethelflaed and Uhtred ally with the Welsh to face Cnut's thousand-warrior army at the Battle of Tettenhall.

A repentant Aethelred lingers near death while his ealdormen vie for control of Mercia and Edward uses his niece Aelfwynn as a bargaining chip.

Eardwulf and his men pursue Uhtred's party as it flees through a countryside ravaged by disease. Tensions rise between Edward and the Mercians.

Aelfwynn suffers from the sickness sweeping the land. Edward proposes an unexpected path forward for Mercia. Brida is freed by Cnut's kinsman.

Uhtred reluctantly prepares to take power in Mercia but secretly formulates an alternate plan. Brida joins the Danes in attacking the Welsh.

The Danes under Brida and Sigtryggr sack Winchester, guided by the traitor Eardwulf. Haesten ambushes Uhtred's party and seizes valuable captives.

Edward besieges Winchester as he awaits Aethelflaed's reinforcements, but Uhtred isn't convinced that conquest is really Sigtryggr's ultimate aim.