Canute

In Chapter 37, "The Meaning of Love," Canute and Willibald discuss what kind of thing or being truly embodies love in our world. The priest says that only the dead can love fully, because they can only give and never complain. Canute wonders, if that's true, what feelings parents have for their children, couples for each other, or Ragnar for himself. Willibald says that's discrimination/prejudice. Because we claim to "love" someone, we are willing to watch hundreds suffer if it guarantees the safety of our loved one. Canute begins to understand what kind of love Willibald is referring to. He says that the snow, the wind, and the trees are love because they show no favoritism. Realizing that the world we have been placed in is so beautiful, Canute laments that, despite that, there is no love in the hearts of men. God and nature can love unconditionally, but that seems an impossible achievement for any living person. In his own way, Cnut rebels against God and the trials He imposes on people. He believes that God expects them to love as he does, but has taken that ability away from them. Meanwhile, Bjorn finishes his fight, but remains unconscious. He tries to pursue Cnut, but Cnut, fearless, stands in front of him, proclaiming that he is the furthest from God, and embraces him. Bjorn regains consciousness but falls in the snow, attacked by Atli, who seriously wounds him. Cnut, greatly upset by the situation, readies his horse, and when Atli tries to stop him, telling him that he must take him to Thorkell, Cnut explains that he is already going there himself. He orders Willibald to heal Bjorn's wounds. Bjorn yells angrily that he fought so that Cnut could escape Thorkell and that his battle is pointless if he goes to Thorkell now. Canute sneers that such a battle can never have any meaning and that he, as is the duty of a king, will show him and other men how to fight battles that really

While fleeing from Thorkell, Cnut appears quiet and somber throughout. Askeladd senses the treachery of his men, who wish to capture Cnut and hand him over to Thorkell, and urges Bjorn to guard the sleigh containing the prince. When Askeladd's band turns on him, as he suspected, Bjorn is ready to escape with Cnut, Willibald, and Thorfinn in the sleigh. Infighting breaks out, and Bjorn charges forward, followed by Atli and some of his men, who try to stop him in order to catch the prince. One of the pursuers manages to hit a horse pulling Bjorn's sleigh with an axe, and Bjorn, Cnut, and Willibald are thrown from the sleigh into the snow. Thorfinn manages to knock Atli off his horse and turns around to go back and save Askeladd, leaving the prince and the others behind. The pursuers stop when they see that Cnut is unconscious, and as they are about to leave with him, Bjorn intervenes, attacking them in a rage. Still unconscious, Cnut has a dream in which Ragnar visits him. At first, he believes he is real, but soon realizes he is not. In this dream, Ragnar admits how he failed Cnut, raising him as his own son and not as the prince he is. But Cnut cries, saying that this is all he ever wanted and that he never wanted to be born a royal. He proclaims that he would have been happier if he had been born Ragnar's son. Deeply moved, Ragnar reciprocates, and they embrace. But afterward, Ragnar walks away from Cnut, slowly fading away and reminding him that this is only a dream, and that it is time for Cnut to open his eyes. He awakens to the scene of violence and fighting between Bjorn and his pursuers. Willibald, sitting nearby, explains how they are fighting over who gets to keep him. Canute remembers his dream and laments that there is no one else in this world to love him now that Ragnar is gone. The priest asks if Ragnar ever loved to see

Canute was born on July 12, in the summer of 996. He is the younger son of Svend, King of Denmark, who also conquered much of England and Wales. He has an older brother, Harald, and a sister, Estrid. Although his father is Svend, he spent most of his childhood being raised by Ragnar, who was his guardian and treated Canute like his own son. He took good care of Canute and sheltered him from the day-to-day intrigue and politics that are part of the royal court. Canute was raised as a Christian and is portrayed as very devout in his faith by the time we first meet him.

Canute is first mentioned in Chapter 19. The year is 1013 and King Sweyn’s forces have successfully invaded large parts of England but have been halted upon reaching the trading city of London due to unexpected resistance, mainly due to Thorkell’s decision to fight on the side of the English. Sweyn decides to leave London and conquer the rest of England with 4/5 of his men and leave 4000 soldiers to fight for London. He tells Floki and Ragnar that he will leave Canute in command of the forces in London. Ragnar protests this decision saying that Canute is still too young at the age of 17 to lead such a battle, but Sweyn insists that Canute stay and tells Ragnar that this might actually be a good experience for his son, whom he considers to be rather weak and assumes that it might be a result of his Christian upbringing. In the next chapter, "Ragnarok," an informant tells Askeladd about the events in London, and we discover that Cnut's forces have been defeated. Thorkell and his men take him hostage, heading towards the main army led by King Sweyn. Askeladd devises a plan to confront Thorkell and his soldiers and rescue Cnut. As the king's son and second to the throne of Denmark, Sweyn would likely offer large sums of money for him. Cnut appears for the first time.

Although initially timid, weak, and always hiding behind Ragnar, Cnut eventually begins to stand up for himself while Thorfinn constantly belittles him. Desiring revenge on his father for having been secretly marked for death, Cnut develops a more authoritarian and demanding personality. This manifested itself in Askeladd's murder of Ragnar, whom he wanted to eliminate for hindering his emotional maturity. Even Thorkell once remarked that Cnut had the same mysterious look as his former comrade Thors when he finally became a "true warrior."

Later, Canute becomes a cunning and manipulative figure who doesn't hesitate to eliminate anyone who stands in his way of building an earthly paradise for the Vikings. He even goes so far as to poison his own brother to rule Denmark, plot against Ketil to create a pretext for seizing his lands and increasing his profits, and even order the massacre of several innocent people to obtain them.

Canuto has also begun to suffer hallucinations about his father, to the point of even having conversations with him.

Canute is first presented with long blond hair, large blue eyes, full lips, and a feminine-looking face. Until his late teens, he was often mistaken for a child. [ 6 ] [ 7 ] [ 8 ] His beautiful resemblance made many of his men wonder if he was the reincarnation of their goddess Freyja.

After becoming king, Canute cut his hair into a bob and grew facial hair on his chin. Below his left eye is a scar left by Thorfinn. [9] In his next appearance, he cut his hair shorter than before, grew a goatee, and frequently wore a cloak and diadem.