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I had just married and was expecting my first child when my husband left with Attila to the west. Rumour had it that a woman was the reason for taking up arms again. The sister of the Emperor from Ravenna, Honoria, who was exiled to Constantinople, had sent Attila a ring and a letter, asking him to help her regain her claim to the throne. Attila, convinced that she was offering him her hand in marriage through this ring, didn’t waste any time and set out with a large army towards Gallia, especially since Honoria was said to be very beautiful. Since it was his first military campaign, upon returning from battle, my husband told me about everything he saw and experienced in great detail. We conquered many Roman cities. He listed them all, but their names were so complicated that I only remember Augusta Treverorum and Argentoratum.
The bloodiest battle was fought on the Catalaunian Plains, where people from all around the world gathered. The Romans were led by the general Aetius, who had spent his childhood among the Huns as a hostage. A multitude of tribes fought alongside them: the Visigoths, led by Theodoric, the Alans, the Burgundians, and the Franks. All of the subdued peoples gathered under Attila’s banner: the Gepids, led by Ardaric, the Ostrogoths, the Sciri, the Rugii and the Heruli.
The war was fierce, unlike any other since the beginning of time, and no matter how many battles one might’ve fought in, no warrior could’ve witnessed such a battle in their entire life. Upon returning home, grown men spoke in horror about how the small stream that flowed through the battlefield swelled with so much blood that it became a true torrent, and those who were thirsty were forced to drink water mixed with blood.
This time fate was not on our side and Attila was forced to take refuge in his camp, formed of crowded chariots, and only in this way did he manage to escape death. The outcome of the battle had been foretold by the seers who, reading entrails and bones, predicted that Attila would lose the fight but the supreme commander of the opposing army would die. Unfortunately, Attila wanted to see Aetius dead so badly that he was willing to risk everything. The prophecy came true, although not Aetius but rather Theodoric, the king of the Visigoths, died in battle.
After they returned, I didn’t have much time to enjoy my husband’s presence because around springtime, the men left again, this time to Italy. There, they took the city of Aquileia, which was said to be unconquerable. Then, as the story goes, an embassy arrived directly from Rome, led by Leo, an old and wise man who was the leader of their church. No one knows what Attila discussed with him, but what is certain is that all of our men returned home.