Minstrel and the Princess

A forbidden love. A secret song. A kingdom on the brink.

Ethan Durand is no ordinary minstrel. Beneath the melodies he plays at Windsor Castle lies a secret mission: vengeance for his father’s execution at the hands of the Crown. But as war rages between England and France, Ethan’s focus is tested by an unexpected entanglement—Amelia, the King’s brilliant and bold daughter.

Drawn together by circumstance and torn apart by duty, Ethan and Amelia must navigate a court filled with whispered betrayals, hidden plots, and the looming threat of war. As Ethan’s music stirs the hearts of those around him, it may also strike the match that sets the kingdom ablaze.

Minstrel and the Princess is a sweeping tale of revenge, forbidden love, and the redemptive power of art, set against the intrigue and grandeur of 15th-century England.

Get your copy of Minstrel and the Princess and step into a world where passion and peril walk hand in hand.

Excerpt from the book

In the early fifteenth century, a falcon rose from the cliffs of Southern England, wings slicing through the salt-thick air as it crossed the English Channel. It glided with silent purpose over the restless waters then inland toward France, following the winding thread of the River Orne. Below, the land of Normandy lay hushed beneath a pale sky, its patchwork of fields and villages still untouched by the storm to come. As the falcon neared the lively village of Caen its shadow swept across stone walls and quiet streets, unnoticed and fleeting—yet marking the first stirrings of something about to unfold.

The bird circled above a grand estate nestled in the heart of the countryside, where townspeople had gathered in joyous celebration. Laughter and music filled the air, a symphony of merriment that rose above the fields and echoed through the nearby hills. Lanterns hung from tree branches, their soft glow competing with the daylight, while ribbons of color danced among the crowd. Perfumed flowers spilled over from baskets and window boxes, filling the breeze with fragrant sweetness. Children darted through the legs of dancers, while old women clapped along to the rhythm of drums and lute. The celebration pulsed with life, yet the falcon recognized no one and, with a final pass over the revelry, veered away into the open sky, leaving behind only the fading sound of music and the rustle of laughter disappearing beneath its wings.

At the heart of the festivities, a jester named Luc Gaultier entertained a group of delighted children. With a mischievous glint in his eye, he performed sleight-of-hand tricks, his nimble fingers dancing between laughter and gasps of amazement. Luc, a man in his mid-twenties, was not striking in looks but possessed an undeniable charm that made him magnetic. His performance was not merely for amusement; it was an art, an expression of his spirit. He knelt before a small boy, his voice laced with intrigue.

“You like magic, boy?” Luc asked, his voice warm and teasing.

The child nodded eagerly, eyes gleaming with anticipation.

“More than a little then?” Luc prodded.

Another furious nod.

Luc grinned, but his attention was momentarily stolen by a young woman in the crowd—her beauty striking even amidst the laughter. His smirk deepened, his mind shifting to a different kind of performance.

“You want to be my assistant?” he asked the boy, who nodded yet again. Luc pulled a hand-painted card from his sleeve and whispered something into the boy’s ear. The child scampered off, approaching the young woman with the card clutched tightly in his hand. When she opened it, a tiny explosion of colored powder puffed upward—harmless, yet delightfully surprising. Gasps and delighted laughter followed, rippling through the crowd.

Luc, meanwhile, stole a glance at his friend Ethan Durand, who played the lute alongside other musicians. Ethan was a few years younger, handsome in a way that suggested both passion and hardship. His clothes, though simple, were worn with an air of dignity. He raised an eyebrow at Luc’s flirtation, shaking his head with a smirk before strumming his instrument in a more romantic tune, steering the ambiance to his friend’s advantage. One of the fiddlers raised a brow at the change in tone but followed Ethan’s lead, drawing the mood into something warmer, gentler.