E K Stokes

That's a good comment because Alessandro does always take a bit of a back seat, watching from the wings.

There you have it, observation and reply. It is a work of fiction with a medieval backdrop set vaguely in the 14th century, but with no historical accuracy and no real Kings or Queens, whom you might find in your history books. It's a work of fiction, but no it's not an alternate reality as in a fantasy, it has a quasi-historical base, but is not researched or meant to be placed in any real historical context.

Quite possibly true, you will have to allow a little poetic licence.

As @bodgy comments in the time the novel was set and until quite recently there was no notion of male rape and I could add, no label of homosexual.

Henry was sent into exile, and that can never be other than a rather harsh punishment.

Thank you @StoriesByTroy and @drpaladin for your supportive comments and praise. Hope the story meets your expectations as it progresses.

There are a lot of very good points made in the comments here and I will attempt to address them all. First, an astute obversation and quite possibly true depending on how things unfold, because the relationships are also dictated to by the events. Very true and also very difficult considering they are young and lack a certain maturity and understanding which develops over time, although Alessandro is the most mature of the three I think. Another clever observation, the tale has many twists and turns both in how relationships develop, how the characters change, and how circumstances contrive to create new situations. It pleases me immensely that these last two comments were made, because I wanted to be sensual, I wanted to include the boys sexual relations, but to do so without the graphic details and it is not an easy thing to do. The balance is difficult to strike, the challenge, if you like, is to be erotic without being graphic. This I think is also a clear thread, just how much Étienne's preference for that domination in his relationships is due to his history and what is intrinsic to his nature, that is an open question, but certainly his past plays a big part.

That my dear reader remains to be seen.

Everything you say @akascrubber and the points you make are spot on and that is the drama of their relationships and actions, not always the best and risking unforeseen consequences. As @centexhairysub comments,

Exactly, that is what I wanted to get across in this chapter, that Giovanni is desperately jealous, acts completely wrongly, but there is this overlying mitigation of circumstances, teenage hormones, emotions, and lack of maturity.

One sweltering afternoon, Enzo approached Étienne with a proposition. “The light in the countryside today is exceptional,” he said, his honeyed eyes gleaming. “I have been wanting to capture the way it falls on the human form amidst the olive groves. Would you be willing to model for me? Just the two of us. A study in natural light and shadow.” Étienne’s heart quickened. The prospect of spending time alone with Enzo, away from the bustling workshop, was undeniably appealing. “I… yes, Enzo.

Their journey from Napoli to Florence, though long and at times wearisome, unfolded without further encounters with the darker elements of the Italian peninsula. The rolling hills of Tuscany, now more familiar, offered a sense of peaceful continuity. They kept their wits about them and relied on each other, they learned to be careful with strangers they met along the way, but did still meet some honest fellow travellers. Finally, after weeks of travel, the unmistakable silhouette of Florenc

Thank you all for your comments, @drsawzall, @akascrubber, @centexhairysub, @Summerabbacat, @Tris. One burning question seems to be how does the title fit the story and have we seen the last of Charles? Of course, if I answered this question I'd be revealing what happens and I dislike intensely those trailers for films or series which almost tell you the whole story in highlights, so I'm not going to to say where things go or where I'm taking the story. But... I hope you will enjoy the way things play out, the little twists and surprises and that you will keep wondering what happens next, because that means you are, like me, hooked on the story, the characters and the unfolding journey. And my long winded reply simply says I'm not saying!

If I was giving out prizes for who got the choice right, then first place would have to go to @Ivor Slipper, no equivocation, right to the point. Of course, everyone else saw there is this big decision to be made, and you never can be 100% certain which way things will go, or what happens next.

Torn between the newfound warmth of Giovanni and Alessandro and the ingrained loyalty to Charles, Étienne was fighting a battle with himself. The possibility of a new life in Florence, the open affection of the two Italian boys, warred with the memory of Charles’ kindness and the shared hardships they had endured. Ultimately, the weight of his past in England, the lingering trauma, and the undeniable pull of a potential future free from those shadows tipped the scales. Later that morning, É

The weeks that followed Charles and Étienne's passionate night were marked by a return to careful circumspection. The shared intimacy had been intense, a necessary release, but the inherent risks of their situation at sea were a constant undercurrent. Charles, perhaps sensing the heightened vulnerability, maintained a more formal distance in public, their interactions once again confined to the expected dynamic of prince and attendant. Yet, a lingering warmth in his gaze and a subtle tenderness

And it's about to get more interesting!

Most certainly, it's what keeps you reading, amongst other things!

We're coming to the consequences and they aren't great.

Yes, the point you make is valid, their ranks were vastly unequal, but nobles generally treated their servants well and liveried servants, which Étienne was, had a lot of benefits, leaving aside any sexual overtones.

The initial night spent in Charles’s chambers was not an isolated incident. In the weeks that followed, Étienne found himself summoned to the prince’s private quarters with increasing regularity. What began as a gesture of comfort and reassurance evolved into a more intimate companionship. The formal address of "Your Highness" gradually softened to a more familiar "Charles" within the confines of those richly adorned rooms. Charles, burdened by the weight of his precarious position and the

I would like to address all these valid observations together because we are forming our opinion on Charles as we come to know him. Indeed, Étienne is being called upon by Charles to satisfy his lust and we shall see how that relationship develops. Remember three boys were provided for Charles' pleasure in France and he chose Étienne whom he did not abandon to his fate, but brought him to England. The first encounter in France begs the question as to, did Charles rape the boy? I think you will need to decide for yourself because it isn't clear. There is the Prince from the royal family of England and there is the servant boy who is bound to do his duty (both his palace tasks and answering the prince's summons and acquiescing to his demands in the bedroom). Rape in medieval England was defined as when a man overpowers a woman with force, there is an implicit notion of violence. In France, rape was seen by some as a crime of passion. Sodomy was a crime, consensual or otherwise, and a Prince or even a King was not above the law. This was confirmed (or reconfirmed in writing) in England by the Magna Carta in 1215. In this novel, did Charles violently force Étienne to share his bed? I don't find any violence, but neither is it likely any of the boys in France (or England) would have refused to attend the prince, something which might easily have resulted in punishment.

@Summerabbacat thank you for your kind comments. Henry was expelled from the royal palace in a way that made no fuss and got rid of the problem quietly. Perhaps, indeed, he deserved a more severe punishment, but losing his position and prospects would probably have a big impact.

The ride from the palace grounds was a blur of hushed urgency and the rhythmic thud of the horse's hooves on the damp earth. James, ever the pragmatist, had arranged everything with meticulous care. A change of clothes awaited Charles at a secluded coaching inn a few hours away, along with fresh horses and a small escort of trusted men. They rode hard, avoiding main roads and villages, the threat of pursuit a constant shadow. Their destination was La Rochelle, a bustling port city on the At

All will be revealed... in time. I can say Étienne is not an orphan and he wasn't sold into service at the French palace (but I applaud your not unprovable guesses) what happened in his early life is revealed a little in the next chapter, along with his further adventures and encounters, good and bad!