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Public accusations can instantly shatter a nobleman's honor and standing

A sudden accusation of theft at General Ives d'Alegres's supper table strips Ugo di Savelli of his reputation in an instant. D'Entrangues publicly frames Savelli for stealing the Duchesse de la Tremouille's ruby circlet and a lady's bracelet. Restrained by Hawkwood and Colonna from drawing his dagger, Savelli finds his military bond reduced to suspicion and disgrace. Honor built over years of loyal service collapses under calculated malice.

PREFACE. → CHAPTER II.

Ruin forces a desperate nobleman to adopt a complete disguise

Exiled from camp and walking through Arezzo, Savelli encounters his treacherous servant Tarbes hanging dead from a tree, executed to seal a secret. The sight solidifies Savelli's resolve to live solely for vengeance against D'Entrangues. In a local barber shop, he shaves his grey-streaked beard, pawns his sapphire ring for weapons, and dons a plain buff coat to walk undetected. Survival demands casting off his noble identity to move unseen among enemies.

CHAPTER III. → CHAPTER V.

Recovery in solitude sharpens the intellect while testing moral limits

Bedridden in Florence with a feverish wound, Savelli relies on the old intendant Bernabo Ceci for shelter and simple salve. Books like Plutarch's Lives become unexpected companions, broadening a soldier's mind while his body slowly mends. When Ceci offers a high-paying plot to assassinate a Medici opponent, Savelli spurns murder for hire despite his desperation. Hardship reveals the boundary between a fallen knight seeking justice and a hired killer.

CHAPTER VI. → CHAPTER VIII.

Desperation tests pride until unexpected charity restores hope and strength

Starving and penniless on the streets of Florence, Savelli almost surrenders his prized Cross of St. Lazare, given by King Charles for valor at Fornovo. Refusing to pawn his final symbol of real honor, he collapses near Santa Felicita from hunger. A chance encounter with Angiola Castellani brings a gift of a gold tari, saving his life without recognizing his plight. A single meal at the Marzocco Inn restores his physical strength and determination to endure.

CHAPTER IX. → CHAPTER XI.

Vigilance on the open road turns pursuers into targets

Mounted on fresh horses, Savelli and his henchman Jacopo ride out of Florence toward the river valleys. Realizing they are being shadowed by conspirators linked to Ceci, they abandon main thoroughfares for rough cattle tracks. Crossing the Greve and Resa under cover of dusk, they keep their arquebuses loaded and blades ready. Constant alert transforms a treacherous journey through hostile terrain into an exercise in tactical survival.

CHAPTER XII. → CHAPTER XIII.

Nighttime ambushes require immediate violent action to safeguard crucial…

Resting at a dubious Roman inn near Monte Pincio, Savelli sets a lantern trap near the open stable entrance to guard his steeds. When cutthroats launch a sudden night attack, Jacopo and Savelli repulse them at swordpoint, wounding an assailant before dawn breaking over Rome. The clash proves that danger follows every step of their mission to deliver Machiavelli's letter to Cardinal D'Amboise. Readiness under dark conditions separates survivors from victims.

CHAPTER XIV. → CHAPTER XV.

Deception disguises true motives among silken courtiers in papal Rome

Securing a squad of veteran mercenaries, Savelli prepares for his secret assignment while observing young Chevalier St. Armande in Rome. St. Armande boasts of winning gold crowns at dice from Fabrizio Colonna, but Bayard reveals Colonna was playing elsewhere while the chevalier played a lute for Giulia Bella. The falsehood exposes hidden depths behind a soft courtly exterior. In papal circles, appearances deceive, requiring sharp eyes to spot covert allies or disguised foes.

CHAPTER XVI. → CHAPTER XVII.

Urgent news of a captive lady shifts personal ambition to high-stakes rescue

Meeting Cardinal D'Amboise and Niccolo Machiavelli for a private supper, Savelli learns that Count Carlo Baglioni has abducted Angiola Castellani to Perugia under Cesare Borgia's orders. The dark news transforms Savelli's purpose from quiet waiting into a dangerous rescue mission against a ruthless lord. Meanwhile, the unhinged doctor Matthew Corte reveals a fanatical quest for poison vengeance against the Pope. Personal honor demands immediate intervention when innocence falls captive to political tyrants.

CHAPTER XVIII. → CHAPTER XIX.

Infiltration of an enemy stronghold relies on cunning local intelligence

Arriving in Perugia under false identities, Savelli and his men seek the location where Angiola is imprisoned. A beggar hobbling on crutches near the Palazzo Publico turns out to be Gian, Angiola's loyal servant sent by Machiavelli to make contact. Gian guides Savelli outside the city gates to reveal the exact security around the fortress. In hostile territory, disguise and covert signals prove far more effective than an open assault.

CHAPTER XX. → CHAPTER XXI.

Reckless courage combined with heavy fire breaks through overwhelming pursuit

Slicing through castle guards, Savelli pulls Angiola onto his charger Castor and gallops at full speed out of Perugia. Chased by Baglioni's cavalry across rough ravines, Castor carries the double load to the brink of exhaustion while bullets fly around them. Reaching the Sanguinetta river, Hawkwood's artillery covers their retreat with grape-shot, shattering the pursuers. Sustained will and timely military support turn a desperate flight into a triumphant escape.

CHAPTER XXII. → CHAPTER XXIV.

Retribution overtakes tyrants when empires collapse into chaotic ruin

Savelli buries Madame D'Entrangues beneath an ilex tree and receives full public vindication of his honor from Hawkwood and Bayard. Returning to Rome during the chaotic death of Pope Alexander VI, he witnesses the total collapse of Borgia power as palaces burn. In the Vatican, Savelli watches the vengeful doctor Matthew Corte taunt the dying Pope, who succumbs to poison. True justice arrives not by personal vengeance, but through the violent fall of corrupt rulers.

CHAPTER XXV. → CHAPTER XXVII.

Book

The Honour of Savelli: A Romance

A framed knight navigates betrayal, Italian intrigue, and perilous revenge across Renaissance battlefields and papal palaces.

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@spot #romance #renaissance #intrigue #chivalry
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