Herold's Wife, Prose in Honor of Judith

I never imagined myself leaving Denmark. When my father arranged a match for me with King Herold, I believed I would live out my days in the comfort of my home country, praying to the old gods, living peacefully and piously. But how quickly it all fell apart. I now find myself an exiled queen to a dethroned and outmaneuvered king, about to set foot on the shores of a strange land called Francia.  I never wanted to come, but Herold insisted that I accompany him to this foreign court.

Our ship has docked on the banks of the Rhine, and as I gaze up towards the high palace of King Louis, the man we have come to see, I am awestruck by the splendor and beauty of his hill top residence. They have sent an entourage for us with robes of the deepest and most regal purple that I have her seen. Even their Frankish horses seem to glimmer, bedecked with jeweled bridles and blankets.  But this was nothing in comparison to the luscious and extravagant banquet they had prepared for us, and at its center, Louis’s queen Judith. And I realized, my husband had come to talk with Louis, but we had come to see Judith. She was radiant in her purple robes adorned with gold, and I marveled at her dignified and powerful aura. Despite her youth, she exuded the confidence of a queen solidly in charge of her affairs and in support of the stability of the realm.

My husband bowed before Louis to profess his faith to the Christian God and request the sacrament of baptism. Once we showed our loyalty and allegiance to Louis’s religion, my husband believed we could forge an alliance that might help us to win back our kingdom.

It was Judith who drew me out of the baptismal font, and she began to bestow me with a fraction of her own power and glory. She removed my simple garb and replaced them with garments that she believed befitted my station as a Christian queen. She placed a gem-laden tunic over my shoulders with a shining golden cloak. She also gave me a multitude of fine jewelry including a ringed gorget for my neck, a symbol of me rank and power. I felt I now possessed some of the confidence and dignity of Judith. Though I could never admit it, I do not think that this was because of God’s power rushing through me like the water of the baptismal font, but power forged in the image of and by the hand and example of Judith.

Once our baptism ceremony was over, Louis and Herold set off on a hunt where I hoped they might forge a bond of trust between them that could be the foundation for the requests Herold desired to make of Louis. Little did I know, I too had much to accomplish. I remained with Judith in a grassy knoll where she asked me to assist her in setting up a picnic. She had arranged for beautiful trellises and flower arangemtns to transform the simple pasture into an elaborate setting fit for relaxation but also discussion of pressing issues. I had never thought to do anything like this back home in Denmark. Certainly orgainizing feasts for our allies was one of my duties there, but I had always been more simple in my presentation of our family. But now, seeing Judith’s impressive instruction of the servants and delicate decoration of her and Louis’s property, I saw that her methods painted a picture of a strong and stable realm with riches and bountiful resources to share.

It was through Judith that I learned of their surpluses of land bordering the North Sea, as she told me of their expansive land holdings and network of Christian lords. I felt we were now part of that network. Judith appeared to have everything she wanted—land, abundant crops, palaces, allies, beautiful clothes. The only thing they lacked she admitted, was a fleet of ships to complement the rest of her splendid kingdom. I knew Herold could help with his. I made sure, with help from Judith, to steer the conversation at dinner towards Louis’s land on the North Sea and Herold’s great fleet of strong ships.

We set out the next day for our new holdings, given by Louis and Judith to us. As we embarked on our ship I caught my last glimpse of Judith, in her resplendent robes. I was glad I had come with my husband. Not only were we able to secure land and a powerful alliance, but also, I felt I now knew how to truly be a queen. With the image of Judith to guide me, I felt confident we would have our kingdom restored to us in even greater glory than we had had before.