Traveling knights and their squires' day-to-day
Hi there! I'm currently doing some research for a book that includes a group of medieval-esc traveling knights and it's been surprisingly difficult to find info about the day-to-day of knights and their companies while in travel. Thought I'd post here and see if anyone has any good info or resources!
The questions/areas I'm wondering about include:
What would a small group of traveling knights be called? A company? I find mixed answers. Let's say it's a group of one to three knights plus their squires, personal guards, etc traveling in search of a holy relic or location. Is this a realistic scenario or am I off the mark?
Who would normally accompany a group of knights like this? I'm aware that each knight would probably have a squire or two to help them change, eat, take care of horses, etc. And I'm sure there'd be someone in charge of cooking food, maybe hunters as well to keep a consistent supply. Is this accurate? Who else might travel with them?
Did women ever travel with knights? Maybe to repair clothing, cook food, tend to wounds. What would a woman's role with a group of knights be like? Would they ever bring women along for "comfort" or would that be a bad look for a knight?
What did the average day look like to a squire? I've read they would help their knight change, serve them dinner, look for food for the horses. Did squires stay in tents with their knights or were there separate sleeping quarters?
How would a squire find a knight to serve under and what would a squire call his knight? I've read that a squire would often serve a Lord as a young boy before becoming a squire. Would he continue to serve under the same lord? And, when responding to or addressing his knight, would he call him "sir?" or "my lord?" Or something else?
Did "impromptu" knightings ever happen while on the road? Would a knight have the authority to knight his squire? Is there a step between squire and knight like honorary knight? Is there a step above knighthood (other than royalty) in the military hierarchy?
Would a knight ever choose to head/fund his own missions, or would he always be acting under orders from someone else? And if so, where did funds for such an excursion come from? The king? The knight himself?
What are the nitty-gritty details? I've read that knights would often soil themselves while in battle or when unable to remove their gear which would leave the squire with the unpleasant task of washing it away. And that this could rust the armor and give the knight a rash or infection. What are other details like this (unpleasant or otherwise) that would affect a knight/squire's day-to-day.
Lastly, did knights ever engage in sexual activity with each other? [TW] Was there ever a culture of SA toward the young boys (squires) they traveled with? I'm aware of the christian, puritanical culture, but if anything I think the culture breeds disgusting behavior like SA. And we all know what the Catholic Church historically likes to do to young boys (don't come at me, I'm Catholic lol). So I'm wondering if this wouldn't be somewhat rampant behavior amongst a traveling group of boys and men out in the middle of nowhere. Especially within the knight-squire mentor relationship.
Any thoughts/details/expertise/points in the right direction are appreciated! I love learning about Medieval history, so give me all you've got! I find the intimate details of the day-to-day life endlessly festinating. Thanks!