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"In the monastic domain of Fleury-sur-Loire, the relationship between the lord, Saint Benedict, and his serfs was atypical. Basically, the relationship brought with it mainly economic constraints for the dependents, some of whom were pressing for emancipation. By being placed under the protection of that particular lord, however, the serfs benefited from a specific defense. In the narratives of the miracles of Saint Benedict, the hagiographers of Fleury describe, between the ninth and twelfth centuries, the various kinds of relationships between, and the demands of, the opposing parties; these included every individual's expectations and the development of society as a whole. The narratives demonstrate the complexity of a protection that offered advantages for each of the protagonists within the framework of a demanding relationship, where every transgression was punished, but equally where the saint responded to every prayer."