Avant - Frank Thomas King

A hidden village. A rising threat. A young girl caught between faith, identity, and survival.

For generations, the mountain village of Ville‑aux‑Toits‑Rouges has endured by staying invisible. Tucked deep within the hills of medieval Occitania, its people believe themselves safely beyond the reach of kings, crusaders, and the tightening grip of the Church.

They are wrong.

When a northern French baron arrives without warning, the fragile peace that has protected the village begins to unravel. Royal authority is advancing. Religious orthodoxy is hardening. And the world outside is no longer willing to let Ville‑aux‑Toits‑Rouges remain unseen.

At the heart of the storm is Cristine Ermesinde, a young girl raised on forbidden texts and torn between clashing beliefs. As suspicion grows and silence becomes dangerous, Cristine and those who sheltered her must confront an impossible choice: submit, flee, or fight for the freedom they've always taken for granted.

Avant is a gripping historical novel of resistance, identity, and the moment isolation can no longer shield the innocent. The second installment in Frank Thomas King's mesmerizing Médaillon trilogy, it reveals the origins of a legacy that will echo across centuries.