Freely Given is a series of four, short romances depicting the lack of control a Medieval woman experienced in choosing her marriage partner. Noble marriages were arranged by king and family. What happened if the woman did not freely give consent?

The Troubadour

Courtly love, as sung by troubadours, was often a refuge for Medieval wives. Yet, its basis was fantasy, a far cry from the harsh realities of everyday life. Will an unwilling bride find courtly love and satisfy the longs of her romantic heart?

The Novice

Can a Medieval woman who doubts her vocation to the Church find true love in an arranged marriage?

The Betrothed

Marriage based on love was foreign to the Medieval mind. Yet consent had to be freely given for a marriage to be valid. Can a reluctant bride dare refuse her betrothed without suffering the consequences?

The Duke

A trip to the British museum in London catapults a modern exchange student back in time to a tragic life shrouded in secrecy, lust, and true love.