Courtly love or domnei was a medieval European conception of nobly and chivalrously expressing love and admiration. Generally, courtly love was secret and between members of the nobility. It was also generally not practiced between husband and wife.
The "courtly love" relationship is modeled on the feudal relationship between a knight and his liege lord. The knight serves his courtly lady (love service) with the same obedience and loyalty which he owes to his liege lord. She is in complete control of the love relationship, while he owes her obedience and submission.The knight's love for the lady inspires him to do great deeds, in order to be worthy of her love or to win her favor. Thus "courtly love" was originally construed as an ennobling force whether or not it was consummated, and even whether or not the lady knew about the knight's love or loved him in return.
The "courtly love" relationship typically was not between husband and wife, not because the poets and the audience were inherently immoral, but because it was an idealized sort of relationship that could not exist within the context of "real life" medieval marriages. In the middle ages, marriages amongst the nobility were typically based on practical and dynastic concerns rather than on love. The idea that a marriage could be based on love was a radical notion. But the audience for romance was perfectly aware that these romances were fictions, not models for actual behavior. The adulterous aspect that bothers many 20th-century readers was somewhat beside the point, which was to explore the potential influence of love on human behavior. The behavior of the knight and lady in love was drawn partly from troubadour poetry and partly from a set of literary conventions derived from the Latin poet Ovid, who described the "symptoms" of love as if it were a sickness. The "lovesick" knight became a conventional figure in medieval romance. Typical symptoms: sighing, turning pale, turning red, fever, inability to sleep, eat or drink. Romances often contained long interior monologues in which the lovers describe their feelings.
tl;dr characters are in a fantasy/medieval setting and having a courtly romance.
How to Play
- Comment with your character, preferences, etc. Also, be sure to include what "role" your character will be taking on in this little affair.
- Lord/lady
- Knight (gender neutral, of course)
- Prince/princess
- Bard or poet
- Servant
- Commoner (for the ultimate "forbidden romance")
-Comment to others, using the RNG to determine your fate.
Prompts- When I First Saw Your Face: You are meeting your liege or your knight for the first time. What you see takes your breath away.
- Lovesick: Your pining for your beloved has made you ill! You can't eat, you can't sleep, you're in loves throes.
- Playing Hard to Get: If you're of nobility, you at least have to pretend you're not interested.
- You're So Coy: The art of flirtation is just getting started, but you have to be subtle about it.
- In Your Honor: Be it a jousting match or a battle, you're going to win this for your lord/lady's name!
- A Token: You must give your knight something for good luck.
- A Gift: This is the reverse of the above. You must give your love something.
- Keep a Secret: Kisses behind columns, holding hands under the table. You must sneak away little moments together, but you have to keep others in the dark.
- Back from War: Your knight has been away in combat, and now they've returned. You want to shower them with affection.
- Consummate: Believe it or not, courtly love could have a physical angle, as well. Sometimes physical afairs happened.
- To Defend Your Honor: Someone has insulted your fair lady or lord. You know what that means! DUEL.
- I'll Protect You: The lands are under an attack, and you must protect the person you love!
- Breaking the Rules: You've decided to abandon the pretense of courtly love and actually be with this person, even if that means running away.
- WILDCARD
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bakerstreet2017-01-26 11:24 am
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The thought sent a thrill through Ashley's spine. He knew that his guardsman desired him--who didn't?--but it was all the more tempting because of how careful and respectful Reinhardt was. Ashley trusted him, and knew that his heart and body would be safe to whatever degree he chose to give himself to Reinhardt.
Which meant that he could flirt without any repercussions but the ones he chose.
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"All right. Fine. I will take the side closest to the door and I will spend it on top of the covers." Just another barrier between him and what he desires. "And I will leave the room for you to change into your sleeping attire if you so choose." Reinhardt is prepared to sleep with his clothing on as he doesn't want to give the young man a show of muscle and scars
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Though he's not sure he's quite ready to drop all the barriers between them, Ashley wants to do away with this sense of careful propriety that Reinhardt has. Reaching up for him, Ashley curls a gentle hand around Reinhardt's neck and guides him down into a kiss.
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He is Ashley's knight and he should put his foot down. Push the prince away and tell him that's not what he should be doing...they should be doing. But he knows he can't hide forever from this. The young red head already knows, likely, just from how many men and women the prince has seduced in his role as youngest heir.
It's better just to give in. Let go of his already feeble control and let himself be guided down. He leans and once more their lips press together. There's no way for him to keep this chaste, The desire, the love for this young man spikes at the taste of him and Reinhardt's hand slides into red hair to kiss back, hard, passionate, leaving nothing at all behind as he let's Ashley taste for himself just how strongly his knight feels for him.
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Laughing breathlessly as the kiss breaks, Ashley beams up at him. He wants to bask in Reinhardt's loyalty and desire, a combination which is irresistible for him.
Reluctantly stepping away, Ashley turned his back and walked to the bed. He stripped off his shirt, expecting that Reinhardt would watch, and then reached for the pajamas that had been laid out for him, changing into them with a careless, casual grace, aware at all times of his audience.
Then he climbed into the bed and gave Reinhardt a coy smile.
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He does watch. It's hard not to. He wants to badly. He wants to cover that pale skin in kisses. He wants to see that beautiful young face morphed in pleasure. He swallows those desires and waits. He knows his clothing for sleep isn't half as nice. He had just been planning on wearing his clothing and sitting up all night to guard.
Now, he finds himself sliding his shirt off. He wonders what Ashley will think to see him without his shirt. He knows he's stronger than most men half his age, but the silver of his chest hair and the years of battle scars shows his age.
He swallows his desire once more at that lovely smile. He picks up his sword and carries it to sit right within reach on his side of the bed. Then he looks to the space that's left for him and he takes another deep breath. He can do this. He can control his desires. He can.
Reinhardt carefully sits down and then pulls his legs onto the bed to recline, well aware that his size and his weight will pull the mattress towards him. It might very well force Ashley to roll against him, to press right against his bare chest. "I'll keep watch from here."
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Nestling close, Ashley settles his head on Reinhardt's shoulder, tucking himself under Reinhardt's arm so that the guardsman has no choice but to hold him.
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It curls around the young man to pull him closer. He tells himself that it's so he can protect the prince better. It's not the truth. The truth is that he likes the feel of it. Of this beautiful man pillowed against him. Even if it does tempt him to roll over and press Ashley into the mattress and show him what it meant to play with him in such a way.
"You should rest, Highness. We have quite a lot to do tomorrow."
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And if he wanted to spend the day lounging in bed and teasing Reinhardt, he didn't imagine that anyone would dare to tell him no.
He makes a little sound of contentment as Reinhardt pulls him close. It feels nice, and he knows that he's safe like this. Nestling close, he shuts his eyes, fingers slowing a little as they stroke over Reinhardt's chest.
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He feels another tickle of silky hair against his chest and then the soft breaths of the other male. He breathes slowly himself. Anything to control his body as those fingertips keep moving. He won't tell Ashley to quit it because he enjoys it but he does hope the young man does sleep and spare him from not only staying awake all night but staying awake all night with an erection on top of that.
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He doesn't mean to torment Reinhardt quite so much as he knows that he is, but Reinhardt's steadfast determination to resist being tempted means that Ashley's continued temptation must become torture. Even knowing that, Ashley isn't about to stop teasing.
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He's been without so long that even the simple tease has him reacting. His nipples harden. But that's not the only thing. The blankets on the bed rising around his hips. "Ashley..." Not my lord, not highness, but the younger's name. And then Reinhardt's hand is moving to catch that delicate wrist. He doesn't know if he wants to stop the touch or guide that hand under those sheets. "You don't know what you're messing with. I can only hold back so long. I adore you. You're my everything. You're my prince. My lord. I want the world for you and everything in it. And if you keep this up, I won't be able to fight my want for you. I'll become like every other man who has ever touched you. Ever used you. You deserve to be loved, not used." He loves Ashley, but he knows he desires the younger man so badly that he'd not be gentle.
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Reinhardt's grip on his wrist is surprisingly secure. Not surprising in terms of Reinhardt's strength, but in terms of the boldness of restraining him.
Ashley shifts up and over, straddling Reinhardt's waist and smiling down at him, long hair falling in a curtain around them. "If you're going to go on being this distracted, I suppose you'll just have to fuck me."