She herself, to test their affection, replied that the princess was dead, and did not allow them to catch a glimpse of her face until she beheld Herwig's emotion at these tidings, and heard him protest that he would be faithful to her unto death.
"There spoke the royal Herwig: 'As long as lasts my life, I'll mourn for her; the maiden was to become my wife.'" _Gudrun_ (Dippold's tr.).
The lovers, who had been equally true, now fell into each other's arms.
Ortwine was overjoyed at finding his sister and her companion, having long secretly loved the latter, so he poured out an avowal of his passion, and won from Hildburg a promise to be his wife.

The first moments of joyful reunion over, Herwig would fain have carried Gudrun and Hildburg back to camp with him; but Ortwine proudly declared that he had come to claim them openly, and would bear them away from Normandy honorably, in the guise of princesses, rather than by stealth.
Promising to rescue them on the morrow, the young men took leave of the maidens.

Hildburg conscientiously finished her task, but Gudrun proudly flung the linen into the sea and returned to the palace empty-handed, saying that it did not become her to do any more menial labor, since she had been kissed by two kings.

Gerlinda, hearing her confess that she had flung the linen into the sea, ordered her to be scourged; but when Gudrun turned upon her and proudly announced that she would take her revenge on the morrow, when she would preside over the banquet hall as queen, Gerlinda concluded that she had decided to accept Hartmut.
The mother, therefore, flew to him to impart the joyful tidings.

In his delight he would fain have embraced Gudrun, who, however, haughtily bade him refrain from saluting a mere washerwoman.