Denmark, 799 AD. Gunnhild lives on a small farm with her family, but dreams of someday seeing the world. Everything changes when her father returns home from a raid with a captive—a girl her age who is put to work doing chores. Gunnhild seems to be the only one who takes an interest in the girl, whose name is Eadyth, but when her father doesn’t return home one summer, life changes drastically for both of them. 

Gunnhild's father, Ketill, prepares to go raiding in England.

A calf is born, and Gunnhild visits her neighbor Freydís.

Gunnhild goes to visit Freydís for a week, but Rolf gets bored and goes to find her. 

Gunnhild and her family go to Ribe to visit her aunt, uncle and cousins. Uncle Ivarr teacher her to sail. 

Ketill returns home with Eadyth, a captive from England. He thought it would make life easier for everyone, but it leads to some unexpected friction. 

Eadyth settles in to life on the farm, but then Ragnolf shows up with an unexpected guest. 

The barley is harvested, Ásbjorn proposes, Brunjar is born and the jarl holds a blót for the solstice. 

Eadyth finds clay and makes pottery; Ragnolf returns early. 

Gunnhild's family pressures her into marrying Geirulf; Gunnhild goes to Ásbjorn's parents for help. 

Having reached her aunt and uncle's house in Ribe, Gunnhild thinks that she may have solved her problem, or at least bought some time, but when Ragnolf shows up and demands that she return home, she makes an impulsive decision. 

Gunnhild and Eadyth sail southward and try to catch some fish. When Eadyth tells Gunnhild about the attack on her home, Gunnhild realizes what she has to do. 

Gunnhild tries to learn some English. Then a storm arrives. 

Gunnhild and Eadyth encounter wildlife and prepare for when they will have to cross the open sea. 

When their boat's mast breaks, Gunnhild and Eadyth agree that they need to stop for help. This takes them to the village of Winaam on the Frisian coast where they meet Father Wilfrith, an English priest trying to prevent a village feud.

Gunnhild and Eadyth remain in the village of Winaam, trying to get the mast fixed. Count Leodegar arrives; he's looking for something, but no one is sure what. 

Having escaped, Gunnhild, Eadyth and Father Wilfrith set out across the North Sea with no sail. England is 200 miles away.  

Eadyth and Gunnhild find themselves in an English village. The local thegn, Almaer, has another guest, too--the nephew of the former king, who wants to regain independence for East Anglia, and needs Almaer help to do it.

Eadyth and Gunnhild arrive in Streoneshalh.

Gunnhild begins to get used to living with Eadyth's family. She goes fishing, but with unexpected results.

Gunnhild decides to leave Streoneshalh, and strikes out for Eoferwic on her own.

Gunnhild finds herself in Gypeswic, hoping to sell the wine she picked up in Dorestad. Unfortunately, the Mercian army is fast approaching. 

Gunnhild gets caught in the aftermath of the Mercian attack on Gypeswic. 

After her adventures in Gypeswic and Eoferwic, Gunnhild returns to Streoneshalh.