I am Uhtred, son of Uhtred.
Like my childhood friend Brida, I was born Saxon, but raised as a Dane.
But while she embraced her Viking life,
I chose another path.
My sword is yours.
Defending King Alfred's kingdom,
supporting his vision of England,
I earned reputation as the killer of Danes,
and with my loyal followers, I have slain many a warrior.
Alfred is dying, and all are vying for power and position.
Alfred will not live forever.
He's constantly ill, but he will not die.
Our ancestors were kings
and yet we are barely acknowledged as Ealdormen and we deserve more.
I stole the seer Skade from her Lord Sigurd.
With Sigurd defeated in battle, she is tied to me now.
Bloodhair, you do not yield.
My beloved Gisela did die in childbirth,
leaving me with an infant I despise.
She has given you a son.
From this moment forth,
Uhtred of Bebbenburg is cursed.
She is the power behind my misfortune.
Destiny is all.
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Are you done, Lord?
Not quite.
Soon.
Uhtred.
One moment, please.
Lord, I pray, forgive the breaking of this peaceful ground.
It is an act of love.
Amen.
Lord.
It's beautiful.
She is drifting away from the earth and upward to the heavens.
We've done a good thing here.
God knows it.
The gods know it.
Godwin.
Brother Godwin.
- Good morning. - Lord.
Good morning.
I would like to speak with you...
for a moment.
The girl there.
What of her?
She could well be fond of you.
Fond?
As in fond-le.
Fondling.
And often.
You have my attention, Lord.
Uhtred.
He is not the man to guide Prince Edward.
He is wild, ungodly.
He is half Dane.
Oh, at least.
The Bishop Erkenwald needs to see this.
Alfred needs to be reminded of this.
She could be fond of you this very evening.
Holy ground has been disturbed,
Brother Godwin.
Uhtred!
You are needed at the palace by the King.
For what reason?
We are about to return to Coccham.
It would be better if you heard it from him yourself.
You alone.
Lord.
I've been saying to Father Beocca
that you should be seizing Bloodhair's ships.
Earl Sigurd is finished with, defeated.
Take away his ships
and we take away the means by which he will leave these lands.
Take half the ships.
We've killed half his men.
Haesten is about to send Bloodhair on his way, Uhtred.
We've been assured. He'll soon be gone.
To the matter in hand.
Uhtred,
I do not forget what you have done these past days.
Past years, Lord.
I am acutely aware of what you have lost, of your suffering.
Lord.
Gisela was a most hospitable woman.
How is the child?
She has given him her strength, Lord.
And life.
Yes.
She was a good woman.
Thank you, Lord.
There has been a desecration.
You were seen.
The graveyard, Uhtred.
It is blessed holy ground.
You do not have the right nor authority to break this ground.
You were seen wilfully disturbing the peace of the dead.
I disturbed no one but my wife.
If what I have done is wrong, I apologise.
It is very wrong.
I did put the earth back into the hole, Lady.
It was a desecration.
Uhtred, I admit I am at a loss with what to do.
Is an apology enough?
If it is heartfelt, Lord.
God is merciful.
He is, and Uhtred's actions understandable.
But not forgivable.
Lord, I swear, I meant no insult.
If I may speak, Lord?
The woman Gisela was a pagan
and as such did not belong in holy ground.
By removing her,
I would say the Lord Uhtred was undoing what should never have been done.
Her continued presence would have further poisoned the soil.
In my opinion, the dead are well rid of her.
Rid of her?
Brother Godwin speaks in your favour, Uhtred.
I speak the truth.
Gisela was a pagan and a whore,
still married to Aelfric of Bebbanburg.
- You will say no more, priest... - In the eyes of God,
- she was a whore... - You will say no more.
And her children, bastards.
Enough, Godwin.
I would have the poor wretches taken and baptised to save their souls.
Lord, I will listen to this nonsense no more.
The souls in heaven are rejoicing...
- Godwin. - That the heathen Gisela
- has been taken from the earth and burnt. - Brother Godwin.
She was of no greater worth than the witch Skade
whom he has brought to...
- Uhtred. - No more!
Good Lord, he's struck him.
I am not blind.
Now it is your turn to apologise, priest.
Insulting women?
Hiding behind your affliction and your cross?
Come away from him now.
Uhtred.
He did himself no favour, you all heard him.
Lord, I fear he is dead.
He cannot be dead. It was a slap, no more than that.
He is dead.
It was a slap, Lord. You saw it for yourself.
Guards, take hold of him.
It was a slap!
Seize him. Seize him now.
I said take hold of him!
Steapa, secure the city walls. No-one is to leave. No-one.
- Lord... - I want him standing
before me by nightfall.
Uhtred!
Shh, shh, shh.
I told you, big man, he's resting.
Uhtred, do not make me fire the house.
That is what I will do!
Steapa, do not make me kill you first.
That is what I will do.
Uhtred, do not make me step on your Irishman.
For that is what I will do.
Oh, for goodness' sake, stop behaving like children.
You are goading him.
I was, Hild. And enjoying it.
So the Abbess may enter, but I may not?
We're afraid of the Abbess.
Sister Hild.
Come, to bed.
Lord, there can be no bloodshed.
They are throwing insults out there, but they will soon tire of that.
Come.
There will not be bloodshed.
You should say that to Steapa. His head is hurting from thinking.
Come on, let's go to bed. It's time to sleep.
Is there a solution?
I did nothing wrong.
Uhtred, you killed a monk,
a holy man,
and not for the first time.
And why in God's name is she still here?
I'm not your concern, witch.
I did not intend to kill the monk,
nor do I regret it.
It was fate.
Fetch Beocca.
Ask him to bring the demands of the King.
I will tell Beocca that you are ready to talk and to listen.
Be sure that you do.
And it would help if you cut her throat.
He cannot.
He dare not.
Tonight, Lord...
you will break your oath to Alfred. You have no other choice...
You will be quiet.
It is a new beginning.
I did not wish for a new beginning.
This is your doing.
All of it.
You speak another word and I will end your life,
no matter the curse nor the consequences.
I thought I would keep you company, Beocca.
I feel more godly just walking beside you.
Aethelwold, you are only here for the game.
I am,
but what a game.
Open up.
Uhtred.
The King and Edward have conferred
and they have decided there will be no trial,
no punishment at all,
barring a small wergild to be paid to the church.
A small wergild?
100 pieces of silver.
And that's it? That's all?
Of course not.
100 pieces of silver and your oath.
He has my oath.
The King wishes that you swear an oath to the aetheling, to Edward.
Edward is not the aetheling. The crown cannot be assumed.
Then what Alfred is asking for is my life.
He is asking for your loyalty to Edward.
Edward is a boy.
Swear an oath to a boy and it is the rest of your life.
Father, the King asks too much.
What you must now do, Uhtred,
is consider what will happen if you do not swear the oath to Edward.
People will die.
It will not just be the men here who will die.
It will be the men standing outside, men you fought beside days ago.
And it will be Alfred's doing.
He could not care less for men in his service.
The King cares deeply.
You, Beocca, you served him all your life, and for what?
His witan whisper about your choice of wife.
Without Alfred, I would not be standing here at all. I would be dead.
Without Alfred, there would be no Wessex, there would be no Mercia, no Christendom.
There would be Danes, and that is all.
The green fields would be red with blood
and my insides would be hanging from the trees.
Look, for all your whines and moans, Uhtred of Bebbanburg,
you've had a good life here in Wessex, and don't you dare say otherwise.
Alfred gave you shelter.
I have earned it.
You have land and wealth, all you can eat and drink.
And I have earned it.
Make your choice, boy!
Accept your punishment.
Or allow your friends to kill each other,
all to spare you the hardship of life as a Lord.
Did I not say it would be more than a wergild?
Aethelwold,
I swear, when the killing starts,
you shall be my first.
There will be no killing.
Steapa.
Lord?
I will not fight you nor any of these men here.
I will go with you to the King, my friend.
I am pleased to hear you say that, Lord.
The King is merciful.
He knows your worth.
We shall see.
You know what to do.
You have something to say, I am told.
Lord.
Look around you.
I ask that you remember my service to you at Ethandun
and more, much more.
Good service past is no excuse for breaking the law of the land.
I will pay the wergild,
but though I consider Edward to be a fine young man,
I cannot swear an oath I will not keep.
You know this.
An oath to protect Edward is an oath for the remainder of my life.
Your word has meaning, I will give you that.
Which is the very reason I would like you beside my son
when I am gone and he is King.
You have Steapa, Lord.
Steapa at his left hand and you at his right.
There is no negotiation to be had, Uhtred.
None.
Have I not given enough, Lord?
I beg of you.
Self-pity does not suit you.
I am allowing you to live.
You will do as I ask.
No, Lord. I will not.
- Uhtred! - Father!
Steapa, put down your sword.
Do no more. Do nothing more. Edward, no!
- Stand still. - Uhtred, this is madness.
Not one man is to take a single step closer. Not one step!
Steapa, kill the godless bastard and do it now!
- No! - Steapa!
No man is to make a single move.
No man is to put the king's life in danger! Do you understand?
This means death for you. It can be nothing else.
- Away from the door. - Uhtred, please.
Every man away from the door!
Uhtred.
Please, I beg of you one last time.
Beocca.
You will close and bar the door.
You will ensure no one follows.
Not until Alfred himself knocks.
Lord, on my oath, he will not harm you.
But if he does harm you,
I swear, I will kill him myself.
Beocca, the door!
Now!
I gave you glory.
I gave you the freedom to worship your God
and still you treat me no better than a hound.
- I should kill you. - Then do it,
like the heathen you are and will always be.
Do you think I am afraid?
I can smell the shit on your legs.
Heaven awaits me, whereas you shall burn in hell for all eternity.
Valhalla is a lie and your gods are a lie.
I seem to have broken my oath, Lord.
With luck, the whole of Wessex will now burn.
Father Beocca!
Yes, Lord!
Find him and kill him.
He's here!
Close the gates.
- I do not wish to harm you. - Stay where you are.
- Stand clear. - Don't move.
After him!
Uhtred!
Every man with me!
Spear!
Uhtred! Don't do it.
Uhtred!
You two, come with me. The rest of you, go round.
So they decided to let you go?
We should ride, hard.
Lord, you are cut.
Barely.
We ride to where, Lord?
To Ragnar and to the Danes.
Then we should go meet your men.
Hurry!
Go, all of you.
I wish to be alone.
All of you go!
Lord.
You throw an axe well,
but can you use that sword?
It's not a sword.
It's just a handle.
It did break.
In battle?
I fell, Lord.
Well, at least you're honest.
I'm looking for men, guards.
There are guards at the palace.
No, I'm looking to form my own guard.
If you had a sword, could you use it?
I could, yes.
I'm called Offa.
Offa...
I will employ you and two others.
Do you know men who would make suitable guards?
I do. Good men, friends of mine.
Find them.
We travel tonight.
You will be paid in silver.
Uhtred has thrown everything away. Everything.
Did he have a choice?
No, he did not.
The King asked for too much.
Alfred offered him forgiveness.
What Alfred did
was ignore Uhtred's pain.
This is not the end of the matter. It is only the beginning.
If Edward is being made ready to be King,
then Uhtred knows that Alfred's death is near.
That is what he will tell the Danes.
Lord.
She wishes to speak to you.
I wish to ride alongside you.
Your place is at the back of the line.
I wish to ride alongside you as your woman.
You have what you have always craved. Your freedom.
Embrace it and embrace me.
Did I not say you would be in need of a woman?
Do not dare to think that you can replace my wife.
I saw what would occur to your wife. I was not the cause.
I know you would like to bed me.
You are Bloodhair's woman, are you not?
Unless you decide to claim me.
Then I will have a decision to make.
Bloodhair's not the warrior that you are.
He is not the King that you can be.
Lord...
we can be enemies,
or lovers.
We can suffer or we can rule.
Back of the line.
Then you shall remain cursed.
It's your choice.
Why is she not food for the rats by now?
Because she has a gift.
Because she has taken hold of my path.
If we kill her, the curse will live on.
It is the curse that must be killed.
She is the worm and Uhtred is the apple.
I am Aethelwold of Wessex.
We are here to drink and to see Lord Aethelred.
Open the gate!
In that order.
What is it about Mercian ale?
It is the waters.
Divine.
I have not seen the Lady Aethelflaed.
My wife prefers her own company.
She often sits at her own estate.
And your fair daughter?
- She's how old now... - What is it you want?
Say it.
What I want...
is your disloyalty...
towards Alfred.
You'll be aware of the talk that his health is failing.
His health has been failing and then recovering for years.
But he is now without his best warrior and Kingmaker...
Uhtred.
Uhtred is dead?
Uhtred is, by now, on his way to Dunholm and then to Bebbanburg perhaps.
Where he is not, is Wessex.
Uhtred is no longer Alfred's sword.
Uhtred is gone.
Uhtred is a Dane.
My own ambitions are clear. I have never hid them.
The crown of Wessex is rightfully mine.
But unlike Alfred, I do not wish to control Mercia.
I have no interest in Mercia.
Yes. Yes.
I believe Mercia should have its own King.
You, Aethelred.
What you must understand is our entire world is about to change.
The opportunity to take our place
on the thrones of our respective Kingdoms is near.
It is now.
And you are suggesting what, exactly?
I am proposing that we ally ourselves to one another.
A betrothal of sorts.
An alliance.
Lord Aethelred has estate,
a hearth guard and a fyrd to call upon.
You, Lord, appear to have three men and a scab-ridden pack-horse.
I will not betray any confidence, but believe me, I shall have an army.
As for Lord Aethelred's guard and fyrd, many say they belong to his wife.
She is the one with the battle reputation.
My men...
are my own...
and no-one else's, I can assure you.
I am repeating gossip, Lord, no more than...
My men...
- are my own. - Agreed.
Though you must worry...
that despite her bravery, Aethelflaed may come to some harm
alone on her own estate.
Heavens forbid...
but should something final befall his daughter,
I imagine that would weaken the pretend King further.
I would guess you would imagine this weakening quite often,
Lord Aethelwold.
Nightly.
Should we not stop and rest?
I'm tired of the sight of my horse's head, his ears in particular.
We need shelter and fire, boy. And there's no shelter here.
We keep going.
For a short time at least.
Lord!
Lord.
Are you hurt, Lord? Is it your wound?
No.
She has me.
Holy Jesus, he looks the colour of a Scotsman's arse.
Is there anything broken?
She's squeezing the life from me.
Either that, or the cold has got to your bones.
Finan...
you will find a cart...
and you will haul me to Dunholm, to Brida.
She will know what to do.
Get him up.
We're being followed.
No, we are being watched, Offa.
Just ahead, there is a camp full of Danes, led by a man they call Bloodhair.
Hold up the branch.
Tilberht.
Higher. Above your head.
What does the branch mean, Lord?
That we are peaceful,
that we wish to talk.
And if they are Bloodhair's men, which they will be,
with luck,
he will want to hear what I have to say.
And if they are not?
You will protect me with your lives.
And the branch.
My God.
There are hundreds of the bastards.
Every one of them ugly.
Hold the branch high.
Higher.
It's heavy, Lord.
Higher, Tilberht!
Lord Bloodhair.
Haesten. What a pleasure to see you as a pair.
You know this turd, Haesten?
I do.
Welcome, Lord Aethelwold.
You bring word from Alfred?
I bring word of Alfred.
And I bring word of Uhtred Ragnarson and of the Lady Skade.
She was once your woman, I seem to remember.
Skade lives?
She does.
And lives well, with Lord Uhtred snug between her thighs,
but neither are in Wessex.
Uhtred is where if not in Wessex?
Banished.
An enemy of Alfred.
Heading to Ragnar Ragnarson, his brother, I would guess.
This turd has knowledge
and not just of what I've eaten.
I have a proposal.
There already seems to be an alliance between you, Haesten and Bloodhair.
What I suggest is that we grow that alliance
and create the greatest Dane army ever seen.
I propose that we join together.
Us three here, we join with Ragnar...
and with Uhtred.
But I want to kill Uhtred.
And then what, kill Ragnar?
Or you perhaps.
We have your story.
What else do you offer?
I offer unrest, in Wessex.
By speaking to certain ealdormen,
I could halve the size of Alfred's army in a moment.
I can be the bridge between Saxon and Dane.
Are you sure Uhtred is in the north?
Yes.
Just as I am sure
that Danes cannot fight Danes, Danes cannot kill allies.
We cannot ignore the gift that is presenting itself,
a Wessex without Uhtred to protect it,
a weakened and frail Alfred.
Now is the time for all Danes to gather. There can be no divisions.
I say we take that idea north,
to Ragnar and to Uhtred.
I demand...
that the sword-Danes unite
and crush the Anglo-Saxons...
It's not your place to make demands.
It's enough that you've been heard.
Excellent.
A few days more, Lord.
It's your cart that's slowing us down.
Remember me, arseling?
You'll get out of your bed and make ready.
For what?
To fight me.
Leofric...
I do not wish to fight you.
Why would I fight you?
You will fight me, you piece of shit.
For I am Wessex. I am Saxon.
I am for Alfred. And you, arseling,
are a Dane and a traitor.
Fight me!
Can no man hold his tongue?
The country is rife with news of Uhtred's betrayal
and of my apparent weakness.
- The talk will pass, Lord. - The talk will only build.
Gossip and rumour will spread like a summer's fire.
It can only serve to embolden our enemies.
I note that Sigurd's ships remain in Cent.
Yes.
You need to end the gossip, Lord.
A visit perhaps, not to Sigurd, but to several of the burhs.
The King does not have the strength to travel.
Then something else.
A celebration,
something that allows you to show yourself, proud, kingly.
For what reason, Father Beocca? To sap him further?
To demonstrate that he has not weakened.
You will both be silent. I am still here.
Yes, Lord.
What would be this occasion be?
I do not know.
A Saint's Day?
A thanksgiving.
You may wish to involve Edward.
- A betrothal. - Edward?
He is old enough.
He remains besotted with the mother of his bastard twins.
Oh, it cannot be her.
She's a cloth's width from a peasant.
Then whomever is most suited.
What it would do is put an end to one line of gossip and begin another.
Indeed.
Father Beocca, would you leave us, please?
Yes, Lord.
I cannot allow Uhtred's betrayal nor this...
illness to defeat me.
England must not be forgotten.
Lord...
you shall see its birth, you will grow strong.
My dear, I will not see another year.
We know it.
We must continue forward.
We must find Edward a suitable match, one that will strengthen his hand.
Though a better match than was made for Aethelflaed.
Has that marriage not served a purpose?
Aethelflaed has influence.
She's far stronger than Aethelred the pretty.
What you have begun, Lord,
shall continue.
Our children will build an England,
I swear.
Take it. I said take it.
- No, my Lord. - You asked for me, Lord?
I did.
I've been thinking about...
Aethelwold's visit.
What he said about my heroic wife.
The chances of her meeting harm in one form or another.
And you have decided what?
I want her dead.
And the child with her.
We've been trailing them for half a day now.
They're mostly Saxon.
Some Danes maybe.
They're not of Eoferwic. They're warriors.
They're surrounding the cart, there.
Protecting it.
And the man that lies on it.
It is the riding in clear sight I find interesting.
Hmm.
They have no fear.
You're staring at me. Why?
I'm looking.
Nothing more.
And I'm thinking how fortunate my cousin is
to have a woman to both love and fight.
So why do you allow him to... shame you?
Cnut, you know nothing,
so you will say nothing.
Allow them to continue in peace.
All the way to Dunholm?
That is where they're headed.
Has he drunk any ale?
A little.
A little is of little use.
All right.
Do you have the strength to lift a wee cup, Lord?
Hmm?
Even if it is to... wet your lips.
I'd wager you feel like you're back on the slave ship.
You got past that nightmare.
You can get past this.
Believe me.
It's her, Finan...
turning my insides outward.
Then kill her...
or let me do it for you.
- No. - Uhtred...
I fear you're... dying.
Sihtric says we'll arrive at Dunholm tomorrow.
They've been watching us for most of the day.
At least, I hope it's them.
Broth, Lord.
I made it myself.
I did the same at the monastery and the Brothers devoured it.
Please, Lord, it will make your strength.
Now you know how Alfred would feel.
Belly and bones aching.
But every day he got to his feet
and every day he built Wessex.
With my sword.
- Lord? - My arse.
He built Wessex with my sword.
I see my sister's boy is with you now.
Alfred's bastard.
The Monk.
He's no warrior.
Then why is he here?
Gisela.
It is the fever.
It will pass.
He sees someone.
It is the gods...
tormenting him.
Who is Gisela?
My wife.
Another one?
How many is that?
So this Gisela is to blame for making my nephew a traitor to his country?
She was fond of him.
That is why he's with me.
You look sickly.
What has she done to you, the witch there?
It is a death you will deserve,
for you have made every man here a traitor.
Alfred is their King.
You are dead!
Alfred does not mourn you, so why speak for him?
- You are dead! - Lord?
Lord, you must eat and you must drink.
You are not thinking right.
- Brida. - She'll be at Dunholm.
Finan, look.
I'm here.
Brida?
Jackdaw. Any trouble in the night?
She showed me her tits.
They looked very nice.
You say you're a seer,
but you have no runes.
What is this?
Unless you have them hidden up your arse?
I wish to see my Lord Uhtred.
And you will bring him to me.
You will shut your mouth.
You will bring him to me
or I will bind your path to that of a river rat.
You will not throw curses, not here.
Not now, I have this Nithstong to block your powers.
This is Freya's soil now
and the goddess who brought the magic to the gods will protect us.
Don't make me bring the seer to whom this Nithstong belongs.
She is blood-tied to Freya.
Don't make her destroy you.
I swear...
I will kill you, bitch.
Jackdaw, keep your hands on your sword and your eyes off her tits.
She's cleverer than you.
I heard that.
Good?
It is good.
We thought you'd gone, Lord.
The same.
I feared I'd die an old man's death under furs.
So, the great Dane-slayer was afraid?
You are who?
It's no one important, Uhtred.
I am Cnut.
- You are what? - His name is Cnut.
He's my cousin,
on my mother's side.
I'm a Dane,
Lord Uhtred.
So are you gonna kill me too?
You talk like an infant.
How many of us have you already despatched to Valhalla?
Is it 12? 20? 40?
Cnut, you will shut your mouth now, and show my brother some respect.
Or I may have to kill one more.
He is back.
He's back.
Get up.
Up on your feet.
Get up.
He is back where he belongs.
Where he has always belonged.
You're a Dane for life now.
Say it.
I am a Dane for life.
No.
Say it.
I am a Dane for life.
Mean it!
I am a Dane for life.
From this day onwards.
This means everything to me.
So, do you have an army, Lord Cnut?
I do.
Two hundred men.
Two hundred good men.
And are they all as entertaining as you are?
You are headed where?
Undecided.
Though if Alfred of Wessex is now without his Dane-slayer,
I may well consider heading south.
Call me Dane-slayer once more
and I will make the square and we will fight.
Why the anger, Lord?
Do you deny that you killed many of us? Many Danes, many Northmen?
Only the ones who were trying to kill me.
And I'm only teasing, unfairly.
You must be tired from your journey and your...
illness.
So be sure to rest.
I like him.
Not as much as he likes himself.
Well, he's not wrong.
The prospect of Alfred without Uhtred
will bring fire to the bellies of many Danes.
You included?
Wessex is still the jewel.
I am getting too comfortable in my fortress.
My children are in Wessex.
We have many friends in Wessex, Lord.
More reasons to visit.
Well, this talk is for another time.
Another time soon.
You've not asked about Thyra.
The boy Osferth told me.
She is Christian
and she's married.
She is happy.
Uhtred...
I came here to rest, to hunt,
to find a woman, maybe.
I did not come here to talk of war against Alfred.
I will be outside drinking ale.
Finish your plate.
Where is she?
Skade?
Caged, for now. But she can't reach you.
She's got power, Uhtred.
I've felt it.
Power that you could wield.
It's the way she works, through a man. A warrior.
My sword is all I need.
I'll not give half of myself over to a seer.
Then you must kill her.
I want to, but how?
Her curse must die with her. How can I be sure that it does?
Ask.
I'll ask a seer more powerful than Skade.
When?
When I'm sure of you,
Uhtred of Bebbanburg.
I remember the very first time I took your hand.
On the steps of the great hall, in Eoferwic.
A priest was hanging from the wall,
a spear through his chest.
Ragnar tells me you have children.
No. No, I'm not a mother, no.
But Ragnar has children by other women.
I, too, have been cursed.
A child refuses to grow inside me.
My first loss was our child in the wood.
No matter.
Eat as much as you're able. He'll expect you to drink, play games.
Brida.
I'm sorry for you.
Ragnar is my child.
Betray him and I will kill you.
If you are now a Dane,
you must undo the past.
Undo the past, how?
You must destroy Alfred.
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