Years passed by, and Kriemhild still mourned the loss of her noble husband. Often and often she recalled the dream that she had had in the days before Siegfried appeared in Worms. How truly her mother had interpreted its meaning!
And now she had but one wish on earth, and that was to avenge his death. She was not so beautiful as she had once been; constant tears had washed the brightness from her eyes, and her cheeks were pale.
One day there appeared in the castle a noble-looking stranger, who asked to speak with the queen. He was admitted to her presence, and she asked him his name, and also to what she owed the honor of his presence at her court.
He replied: "I am Rudiger of Bechlarn, of the court of Etzelburg. I have come hither at the request of my master, Etzel the King of the Huns, to ask your hand for him in marriage."
At first Kriemhild refused to listen to him. What had she to do with love and marriage? All the love of her heart lay buried in Siegfried's grave; all the joy of her life had vanished when he died. All that she wished for was revenge, and after that to share her dear one's tomb.
But Rudiger would not take no for an answer. Then, when he found that revenge was what she longed for, he saw his opportunity. He told her that if she would but become King Etzel's wife, he, himself, would promise to avenge her every wrong, not only those which might arise in time to come, but even those which she had suffered in the past.
Here at last was the chance she had so patiently awaited, and she eagerly seized it. She consented to become Etzel's bride, and Rudiger willingly swore undying fealty to her and her cause. And so she returned with him to Etzelburg, where the marriage was celebrated with royal pomp and ceremony.
King Etzel loved Kriemhild dearly, and was very kind to her. She was truly grateful to him, but she could not forget Siegfried, not even when a dear little son came to her. The child was named Ortlieb. And so time sped by, until the little boy's fifth birthday.
Kriemhild had now been in Etzelburg thirteen years, and in all this time she had neither seen nor heard from her home and kindred. One day she went to her husband, and told him that she was becoming ashamed of being a stranger in a foreign land without any kinspeople of her own. She said she thought it was high time that some of her family should come to visit her, and begged him to make a feast, and invite them all to be present.
Her slightest wish was Etzel's law, and so he willingly granted her request. He at once dispatched a messenger with the invitation. Just before the messenger set out, Kriemhild went to him and told him to be sure that every one of her relatives accepted the invitation. In this way, she hoped to get her uncle Hagen within reach, without rousing any one's suspicions.