Okay, considering that King Horik backed out on the agreement between himself , Ragnar and Jorl Borg to raid together Ragnar didn’t trust him after that. It didn’t slip either one’s mind that after doing so they were going to be leaving an insulted and angry Jorl Borg behind where Ragnar’s town and family were going to be left alone, without Ragnar and his men. King Horik dissed Jorl Borg for that very reason. He knew that Jorl Borg would take revenge on Ragnar’s town and in turn Ragnar would take revenge on Jorl Borg. That was King Horik’s way of getting rid of Jorl Borg. At the same time that is exactly why Ragnar though forgiving his brother Rollo for betraying him and fighting against him with Jorl Borg, that is why Ragnar wouldn’t let Rollo raid with them. He was leaving Rollo behind to protect his family and by doing so giving Rollo a chance to regain some honor and self respect. Now King Horik had more in mind to his plan, him setting Ragnar up to have to return home from their raid in England to save his family from Jorl Borg he would be left to raid and plunder in Wessex, he isn’t really keen on Ragnar’s thoughts of making peace with King Eckbert to obtain land to be farmed. King Horik wants treasure and slaughter.
About Ragnar’s reaction when King Horik asked that the ‘Priest’ or Athelstan, at first I thought Ragnar felt betrayed by Athelstan when he agreed to stay behind to help King Horik. But thinking about how King Horik slit the throat of the monk standing next to the Bishop of King Eckberts after Ragnar made a deal and gave his word they wouldn’t kill any more Englishmen if King Eckbert would agree to talk which he did, Ragnar knew right there that King Horik wanted to raid and not to farm, not only did that act assure they would fight the King it also made Ragnar’s word no good, which very much mattered to him. Back to the Priest, Ragnar must have been concerned for Athelstan’s safety after seeing the cold heart of King Horik when it comes to killing unarmed men. What exactly King Horik’s reasons for keeping the priest their I am not sure of. Maybe to hurt Ragnar?
Anyway….we’ll see what Ragnar really does to or with King Horik after he kills Jorl Borg tonight…
RENELAND 