Doxobus

By the 14th century the Byzantine Empire was if not on the verge of actual collapse at least seriously decadent and clearly on its last legs The hungry wolves of Europe were preparing to dine on its corpse and as a result the Byzantine army and its allies were constantly engaged in battles and skirmishes In this story a widow lives in the 14thcentury Byzantine village of Doxobus with her son Xenos She forms a relationship with a village elder and when she gives birth to the elders son her son from her previous marriage is sent to live in a monastery