The interesting thing about being into historical fantasy is that you'll find whole dissertations defending Napoleon Bonaparte's public policies written (by Americans, in 2018) explicitly because they (the author) wanted him to get a boyfriend.

I am undecided as to whether this is a horror of history

or a delight of human invention

but it is definitely a thing that exists, and maybe that's all it needs to be.

like many things humans do, I'm pretty sure "both" is the answer with the most explanatory power

a fair and justly made point

as a narrative species we constantly revise what we know or believe to be true, and, as a thirsty one, this is one common vehicle XD

"NOT EVERYONE IS TERMINALLY THIRSTY" yes that's why the horror.