you could have “republican”–parliamentary grains in what were still de jure principalities. notional ‘independence’ from monarchs wasn’t the highest priority for most medieval republics, unless their relation to the prince was particularly onerous.

for a fantasy setting wanting the whole suite of tropes a POV mostly from a merchant town but with a good relationship to a monarchy would let you have your knights, princesses etc. without having to justify the feudal order ‘over there’