Ragnar issues the challenge to Earl Haraldson who initially declines on the grounds Ragnar is a criminal. He remembers what the soothsayer told him however and decides to accept. A pregnant Lagertha, fearing that Ragnar is too weak to win, thinks they should just run away.
Incumbent. The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent.
1 [Archaic.]resting, lying, leaning, or pressing on something:incumbent upon the cool grass. 2  Governmentthe holder of an office:The incumbent was challenged by a fusion candidate. [ 3 Brit.]a person who holds an ecclesiastical benefice.