Now when all had turned out thus happily
for Fleur and Blanchefleur, the Admiral proclaimed
a great festival, and in pomp and splendour led to
church Clarissa, daughter of the Duke of Alemannia,
and there took her as his one and only wedded wife,
to have and to hold, for better for worse, to his
life’s end: in the same church also and
at the same time were Fleur and Blanchefleur united
in holy wedlock. Then came the feast, at which
the Admiral sat enthroned with his bride Clarissa on
one side, and Fleur and Blanchefleur on the other,
and after them all the lords of the realm, placed
in order according to their rank. When the banquet
was over the wedding guests diverted themselves with
jousting, tilting, wrestling, and jumping matches,
not forgetting music and song, that lasted for days
together, and while the merry-making was at its height,
behold! there came ambassadors bearing tidings from
Spain that King Fenis and his Queen were dead, and
the mourning country stood in sore need of the absent
Fleur, heir and successor to the King deceased:
and at these heavy tidings the joy of Fleur was turned
to sorrow, and, seeking the Admiral, he prayed His
Highness for permission to depart to his own country,
which so sorely needed its King and ruler; but the
Admiral, loath to part with the guest he had learned
to love, sought to persuade Fleur, by promise of a
greater and richer kingdom than his own, to give up
land and people and abide with him; but when Fleur,
whose heart was true to his home and Spain, would
not be tempted from his purpose, the Admiral, commending
his departing guests to the care of his gods, speeded
him on his way with many a rich and costly gift.
Thus did Fleur and Blanchefleur take their journey
back again to Spain, and when they were come the people
received them with great joy, and crowned Fleur King
in the place of his father Fenis, and Blanchefleur
they crowned as Queen, and so this happy pair lived
on united in tender love together to their hundredth
year, and when Fleur was made King he embraced the
Christian faith of his Blanchefleur, and caused all
his people to become Christians and receive baptism,
and soon after these things Fleur inherited the land
of Hungary from his uncle, who died childless; but
to Fleur and his Queen Blanchefleur was born a daughter,
Bertha by name, who became wife to King Pepin of France,
and mother of Charles, that great Emperor whose fame
is known throughout the world.