Free The Black Swan by Mercedes Lackey

and service.”
    â€œWell enough, I can see that,” Wolfgang agreed. “That was the same sort of contract that the Greeks and Romans recognized. Indeed, the ancient philosophers say very little about love for one’s wife. ”
    Benno shrugged. “In fact—well, it’s generally considered rather common and ill-bred to be in love with your wife.”
    â€œAnd the woman you love isn’t your leman either—you don’t necessarily lie with her.” That was Siegfried’s contribution. He felt very sorry for Wolfgang; all the logic in the world wasn’t going to make sense of the rules of courtly love—but it wasn’t about logic, it was about the heart, after all, which knew no logic.
    â€œNo—well, sometimes you might have her carnally, if she’s nobly born, but it’s best if she isn’t actually your leman. God’s breath, Wolfgang, how could anyone make songs to the beauty of a little peasant girl’s hands? If you’ve got a serf girl or three tucked away, that’s all very well, but you don’t elevate her to lover. That would be sordid, demeaning.” Benno sounded very sure of himself.
    â€œSordid for you, or her?” Wolfgang muttered under his breath. Then he raised his voice. “All right, then, couldn’t your lover be a maiden you aspire to?”
    Benno shook his head. “Well, she can, but it’s better if she’s already married if you’re going to lie with her—and really, it’s better even if you aren’t going to lie with her. You don’t want to ruin a maiden’s honor with your attentions.”
    Wolfgang sat straight up. “You mean to tell me that the fashionable thing is to make love to another man’s wife?” he yelped, actually shocked.
    This from the man who has translated the poems of Sappho? Siegfried thought.
    â€œYou still don’t understand,” Benno complained. “You’re not supposed to make love to her, you’re supposed to adore her from afar, do everything for her. This is Courtly Love, Wolfgang. It hasn’t anything to do with lust, or marriage, it’s supposed to be utterly pure and above all that. It’s supposed to be all-consuming, overpowering, like Lancelot, or Tristan—”
    â€œLancelot bedded Guinevere, and Tristan ran off with Isolde,” Wolfgang pointed out with complete truth. “That sounds like making love to another man’s wife to me.”
    â€œWell, Lancelot and Tristan failed to reach the ideal, and that was why they came to tragic ends,” Benno explained earnestly. “They weren’t supposed to let lust get into it, you see? When Courtly Love is pure, it’s perfect, and you don’t get into situations like that. Don’t you see how liberating and glorious it is? You don’t have to be in love with that doughball you’re wedded to, and you don’t have to be in love with the pretty peasant you’re futtering in the barn. Love gives another person power over you—being in love with your wife could be trouble, because she could rule you, and being in love with your leman is degrading—how could gentleman and a knight allow a peasant to have power over him? The proper person to give that power to is the kind of person who’s either your equal or your superior, don’t you see? That’s why you love a lady above your stature, and preferably a married one with a husband who’s conveniently on pilgrimage, or at least disinclined to take exception to your attention.”
    Wolfgang took a long pull off his wineglass and sighed. “There’s no logic to this!” he complained plaintively.
    Siegfried decided to put his own bit in. “It’s not supposed to be logical, Wolfgang, and the rules aren’t logical, either. It’s an escape from logic, I suppose.”
    â€œExactly!” Benno beamed on his friend. “Exactly!