"In a short while the fighting ceased around the gates. Alboin, King of
Lombardy, riding up. I ordered the bridge lowered and the gates raised,
when he rode unopposed into the court yard.

"Those were fierce, wild days. A feast in celebration of the victory and
of Alboin's coronation as King of Pannonia was held in the castle and a
week later I was forcibly made wife of the victorious king. I was told
my father's skull had been shaped into a drinking cup and used by
Alboin at the feast of victory.

"He was comely and commanding; demanding and receiving homage and
instant obedience from all. In time I might have loved him, except for
the drinking cup.

"So Alboin reigned King of Pannonia and I his queen for more than two
years.

"Then Narses, who commanded the forces of Justinian in all Italy until
the Emperor's death, was deposed by his son and successor, Justin, who,
at the instance of his Queen, had Longinus appointed in Narses' place.
In revenge he invited my husband to invade Italy.

"Alboin consented; and was so successful in the undertaking as to gain
possession of all Italy from the northern boundary to the Tiber. He
established his capital at Pavia and his household and court were moved
from Pannonia to that city.

"A great feast was held at Verona to celebrate his victories and the
establishment of the new kingdom. I sat across the table from him. The
ferocious and heartless man ordered the drinking cup made from the skull
of my father and filling it with red wine to the brim, passed it to me,
saying: 'It is but fitting in celebration of our great victories that
you should drink with your father.' I tossed the contents into his face,
threw the cup from the window into the Adige and fled from the banquet
hall.

"From that night my sole purpose in life was to avenge the insult. I
determined that he should die by my procurement or at my hand.

"The maid, Maria, who in devotion would have given her life for mine,
had a lover, Helmichis, shield-bearer of Alboin. I plotted with her that
he should become the instrument of my vengeance and so had her bring
him to my chamber. There I soon discovered he was not sufficiently in
love with the maid to assume any risk on her account or at her
solicitation.

"Willing to take any risk or make any promise to accomplish the
assassination, I finally agreed to marry him, if he would kill my
husband. This he did.

"The Lombards were so exasperated over their King's d