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The Soul of Melicent.

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This was the original 1913 title of the book which in 1927, was changed by JBC to DOMNEI.

In "Le roman de lusignan" (1546), Nicolas de Caen illustrated the concept of DOMNEI in the tale of Perion and Melicent. Unfortunately, the original work only survived in fragments, so in the 20th century, James Branch Cabell conducted a search of the literature from the 15th century to the 19th, and found 20 sources which shed light on the events chronicled in the fragments.

Perion, the embodiement of Chivalry, took the blame for a crime and became a forest outlaw. Once, to avoid capture, he waylayed and assumed the identity of the Vicomte de Puysange and secured entrance to the palace of Count Emmerick of Poictesme where the betrothal of the count's sister Melicent to King Theodoret was being celebrated. Before the celebration had ended, Perion asked Melicent's help to flee the country. She was smitten by love for him and agreed to do it. She tried to flee with him, but her cousin, the warrior-bishop Ayrart de Montors, managed to prevent such an event and Perion boarded a ship to take command of a band of mercenaries. Before the ship reached its destination, it was attacked by three ships of the pro-consul Demetrios--an embodiement of Gallantry, and Perion became his prisoner and assigned to perform menial tasks for the pro-consul. Demetrios was the pro-consul of Naucaria in Anatolia--a surviving fragment of the Roman Empire in which the pagan religion still flourished. Melicent learned of Perion's capture, disguised herself as a young man and sought out Demetrios. She tried to ransom Perion with jewels, but Demetrios saw through her disguise and forced her to marry him to secure Perion's release. From that point on, Perion and Demetrios became two dogs fighting over a bone with dire consequences for many. The twists and turns of the story with its wealth of characters and events never falters.