Einar, a young man from northern England lives with his mother and younger sister in a quiet farming village. One day the village is destroyed in a Viking attack, and Einar's life changes dramatically.
Thorfinn and Einar find themselves in a sticky situation with some vicious men claiming to be "warriors". Thorfinn is put in major danger as one of the men finds newfound excitement in making him beg for his life.
Realizing they need a horse to remove tree trunks, Thorfinn and Einar go to the stables. When the workers deny them a horse, they decide they must find another way to get one.
Thorfinn is caught off guard and knocked unconscious in a fight with the servants. In the midst of this, he had a dream in which he sees his father and his arch-enemy. How will they respond to the current state of Thorfinn?
Finally, after three long years, Einar and Thorfinn chop down the final tree in the forest. At the same time, Canute, who became the conqueror of England, is visiting Jelling, the royal capital of Denmark.
With Canute's newfound additional throne and the land of Denmark, he aims to fund his armies with drastic means. Ketil meets with Lief Ericson who finds out he has a slave named Thorfinn. Ketil pays tribute to the new king Canute.
A slave kills his master and all his sons, as a result, a bounty amounting to three horses is placed on his head. The old master collapses tending the field and must be taken care of due to his poor health.
Gardar, the runaway slave who killed his master has come to Ketil's farmstead to free Arnheid, his wife. Snake aims to subdue Gardar while Einar wishes to aid Gardar by violent means, Thorfinn, however, pursues a diplomatic solution.
Having realized Gardar is escaped, Einar and Thorfinn make their way to the old master's home to find Arnheid. The two find her and both decide to help her and her husband escape, with the three colluding in a plan to help save Gardar.
Ketil gathers men to fight and defend his farm from the King's forces. Meanwhile, Thorfinn and his friends try to escape with Arnheid before the battle ends.
Thorfinn is determined to face the brutal challenge of having to endure one hundred punches in order to speak with Canute. His father's words resonate with him as he undergoes this brutal but necessary task.
After negotiating peace, upon his return to Iceland, Thorfinn reunites with his long-lost family after a 16-year separation, and the encounter sparks within him a bigger inspiration to establish a nation in the bountiful lands of Vinland.