[Alcuin smiles, not all that bothered. Though a bit amused by the phrasing.]

That form is used primarily for matters of romance, but also sometimes for poems of nature. In Terre d'Ange, such subjects cross over.

Yes, quite common. I think it is so in any royal court- it is all tied in with power, and those who want power are always scheming for more of it. Those who have it must protect themselves, and it is a tangled web.