E K Stokes

Thank you, I endeavour to achieve a certain sensuality which I believe the story needs to delve into the complexity of relationships whilst the plot progresses. I think you make a keen observation when you say Étienne's obsession with Corin mirrors Giovanni's obsession with him.

Winchester buzzed with a vibrant energy, a medieval tapestry woven with the sounds of hammering, laughter, and the tuning of various instruments. The town, a charming mix of timber-framed houses and sturdy stone buildings, was overflowing with merchants hawking their wares, farmers leading livestock, and a throng of excited people anticipating the grand fair. The designated fairgrounds, a sprawling expanse just outside the city walls, resembled a temporary kingdom of entertainment. Colourful ten

The June sun beat down relentlessly, turning the air above their makeshift camp into a shimmering haze. The horses grazed lazily in a nearby meadow, and the rhythmic strumming of Marius’s lute was the only sound breaking the afternoon stillness. With no performance scheduled until the following day in a larger town, a sense of languid relaxation had settled over the band. Étienne and Corin, their youthful energy undimmed by the heat, sought refuge in the cool embrace of a nearby river. Stri

I'm not sure your information source is accurate, from a quick Google I found the Romani arrived much earlier, but in any case, I don't have strict historical accuracy in the story. Roma (Gypsies) originated in the Punjab region of northern India as a nomadic people and entered Europe between the eighth and tenth centuries C.E. They were called "Gypsies" because Europeans mistakenly believed they came from Egypt. This minority is made up of distinct groups called "tribes" or "nations." https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/roma-gypsies-in-prewar-europe#:~:text=Roma (Gypsies) originated in the,tribes" or "nations." Romani people first arrived in Europe via the Balkans sometime between the 9th and 14th centuries from north India, through Iran, Armenia, and Anatolia. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Romani_people#:~:text=Romani people first arrived in,Iran%2C Armenia%2C and Anatolia.

To address this question, because despite the various historical inaccuracies I have tried to maintain a coherent story line and plot. When Étienne decided to leave Charles to pursue his destiny in Florence, the Prince visited Maestro Lorenzo who wrote a letter of introduction to his friend and fellow artist Leonardo Bellini in Florence who had Signor Ricci as a patron. Signor Ricci was associated with Cardinal Santino. Those are the connections and the letter of introduction from Maestro Lorenzo promoted the boys and mentioned Étienne's history with Prince Charles. The Maestro was indeed honoured by the visit of the Prince to his humble artist studio. So Signor Ricci knew of the connection and we can suppose that in discussions between Ricci and the Cardinal this information became known to Cardinal Santino which he decided to use to get a message, the letter, to Prince Charles. Circles within circles and we have not finished yet! Thanks to everyone for your comments, observations, and points of historical fact, I don't want to mess with history too much 😁

The initial excitement and slight unease which had permeated Maestro Bellini’s workshop after Signor Ricci’s commission gradually subsided, replaced by the steady rhythm of artistic creation. The large canvas depicting the hunt, the first tableau, was now a hive of activity, Enzo and Enrico, the young apprentice who witnessed the bacchanal, diligently layering paint, bringing the scene to life under Maestro Bellini’s watchful eye. Étienne, Giovanni, and Alessandro continued to pose, their bodies

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.