The Court of Cats is the domain of the Cait Sidhe. It has no precise location, but is composed of the forgotten places of the realms, stitched together with the Shadow Roads. Each Court of Cats roughly maps onto the territory of the nearest kingdom of the Divided Courts, but the boundary lines are not precisely the same.[1]
Distance is different within the Court than in the mortal world, and by taking the right route the Court can be used as a shortcut to travel between distant places in the mortal world more quickly.[2]
Mortal felines are considered part of the Court of Cats, and can communicate with the Cait Sidhe.
If a King of Cats is temporarily unable to lead his court, he may appoint a regent to stand in his place. No rival court may attack for the first seven years of the regent's reign, and the king does not need to relocate as he would if he were deposed. The king may theoretically retake his court when he is ready, but in practice is rarely accepted by his subjects due to the perceived weakness of stepping down.[3]
A Court typically passes from King to King, or Queen to Queen; it is rare for it to pass from King to Queen or the reverse.[4]
Court of Dreaming Cats[]
The San Francisco Court of Dreaming Cats is held by Tybalt, with Raj as his heir. The Divided Courts consider it loosely associated to the independent fiefdoms of Golden Gate Park, but the territory spans much of the Bay Area.
The outermost space of the court, which Toby mistakes for the Court itself until she is invited deeper inside, is a grungy alley accessible from Golden Gate Park. Bringing non-Cait Sidhe any deeper into the court is treason to all but the king.[5] The Court itself is a dizzying maze of lost places and hallways including several rooms that are set aside as an infirmary.[6]
Characters[]
- Tybalt: King of Cats
- Raj: Prince of Cats, Tybalt's heir
- Ginevra, Queen Regent to Raj
- Cal, a member of the court, serves as Raj's scout
- Julie: Tybalt's adopted niece
- Samson: (deceased) Raj's father
- Kamini: (deceased) Raj's mother
- Blake, former court member and loyalist to Samson, banished due to attempted assassination
- Gabriel, Opal, Alazne: a family of of the Court - Alazne is the only surviving kitten of Opal's first litter
- Louis: a member of the Court
- Cagney and Lacey: Toby's mortal cats
- Emil: One of Tybalt's enforcers
- Cornelia (former) - Queen of Dreaming Cats before Tybalt. Willingly handed over her crown.
Court of Golden Cats[]
The East Bay Court of Golden Cats covers the cities of Berkeley and Albany, and all of Shadowed Hills, and is held by Shade[7].
Characters[]
Unnamed Court[]
There is a Court of Cats in the County of Tamed Lightning and the neighboring Duchy of Dreamer's Glass that was held by Barbara Lynch until her temporary death. Many of the cats in the area spend time at ALH Computing. She was a queen without a crown, since all true Cait Sidhe left the territory when it became clear that Treasa Riordan "held no respect for Oberon's word" and tried to control them herself.[8] With Barbara now ressurrected and Duchess Riordan now stranded in Annwn, a proper Court of Cats may have been established safely.
Characters[]
- Barbara Lynch: (former) Queen of Cats
Court of Fogbound Cats[]
The Court of Fogbound Cats covers the mortal city of London and overlaps substantially with fae Kingdom of Londinium.[9]
Under Ainmire, the Court is run through anger, fear, and desire for power. The receiving hall is the deck of an abandoned Spanish galleon ship, illuminated by witch-light to allow for plenty shadows. Tybalt abandons the galleon when he ascends the throne, though it remains part of the Court for years afterward. The Court also contains the better part of an entire abandoned village, likely lost to plague.[10] Similarly, Tybalt abandons Ainmire's gem-encrusted throne in favor of a ratty wooden theater chair.[11] Tybalt is forced to cede the throne to Colleen after Heydon and Lettice agree to leave Cait Sidhe alone if Tybalt leaves Londinium.
Characters[]
- Ainmire: King of Cats (former, deposed 1666, deceased)
- Tybalt: King of Cats (former, 1666 through 1713)[9][12]
- Colleen: Queen of Cats beginning 1713, Tybalt's sister
- Jill (deceased): Princess of Cats, Tybalt's sister
- Carr (deceased): Prince of Cats
- Cailin (elder) (deceased): Princess of Cats
- Arles (deceased): Prince of Cats
- Cailin: Colleen's daughter
- Bartram: a member of Tybalt's Court
- Chalcedony: Princess of Cats, Cailin's companion (deceased)
- Agnet: Chalcedony's sister
- Bram: Agnet's changeling son
Court of Whispering Cats[]
The Court of Whispering Cats covers Portland and the territory of the Kingdom of Silences. It includes a room that resembles a theater, and Jolgeir likes to hold court from atop the stage.[7]
Characters[]
- Jolgeir: King of Cats
- Ginevra: Princess of Cats, Jolgeir's daughter, acting regent and mentor to Raj in the Court of Dreaming Cats
- Ginevra's two sisters
Court of Scarlet Cats[]
The Court of Scarlet Cats borders Armorica.
Characters[]
Court of Silvered Cats[]
The Court of Silvered cats is located in Armorica. As of 1715, it stands empty and without a Monarch after the slaughter of all the Court's members by Morane's parents.[14]
Characters[]
Court of Illuminated Cats[]
The Court of Illuminated Cats is in the Kingdom of Lights, covering the mortal city of Paris.
Characters[]
- Aristide: (former) moved to the Court of Scarlet Cats
References[]
- ↑ Rosemary and Rue
- ↑ The Winter Long
- ↑ Night and Silence
- ↑ The Act of Hares
- ↑ Ashes of Honor
- ↑ Late Eclipses
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Ashes of Honor, Ch. 17
- ↑ A Local Habitation, ch. 15.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Rat-Catcher
- ↑ Instruments of Darkness
- ↑ The Act of Hares
- ↑ Quick in Quarrel
- ↑ Dreams and Sighs
- ↑ Poor Fancy's Followers