Court of Night-Blooming Flowers

In Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel's Legacy saga, the Court of Night-Blooming Flowers, also known as the "Night Court", refers to the thirteen Houses of Mont Nuit in the City of Elua, home to the Servants of Naamah, the most elite cadre of religious prostitutes in Terre d'Ange.

tructure & Initiation

Each House has its own and , relating to the reason its residents believe for Naamah prostituting herself. Each also has its own masquerade like the Midwinter Masque but only Cereus House has the one on the Longest Night.

Each House is run by a Dowayne, the highest-ranking , who is in turn supported by his or her Second.

Life in the Night Court is one of rigorous discipline. Most adepts enter their Houses in early childhood, usually born into them but in some rare instances bought. At the age of ten, the Dowayne decides whether they will remain in the House of their rearing, or be sold to another House that would better suit their individual traits. That birthday there is a celebration with watered wine and the ceremonial breaking of a honey-cake, which is shared by the adepts of one's House. It is both a grand and solemn occasion as the child moves out of the nursery and into the fosterlings' quarter, side by side with the apprentices that have already been admitted into the mysteries of Naamah and who often stay up late at night whispering of what they have learned.

The official begins at thirteen, when the children begin learning about the arts of sensuality and seduction, as conforming to the canon of their House. There is again a ceremony at each House's temple to Naamah. A priest/priestess of Naamah performs the ceremony.

An adept's instruction then begins with a "Showing", wherein they witness a sexual rite between two adepts, as initiation into the arts. A Showing is a sacred ceremony, open to any adepts of the house who wish to see it, and is always the traditional pair of a man and a woman. After this they learn from other adepts the many great texts including, the "Trois Mille Joies", the "Ecstatica", the "Journey of Naamah", and Emmeline of Eisande's "Log of Seven Hundred Kisses".

Children of the house are considered adults at the age of sixteen. The new-made Adepts have a debut where prospective patrons view them and offer a price for their virginity to the Dowayne. Once the first assignation is completed an Adept is free to start paying off their debt to the house and begin earning money towards making their "marques".

The "marque" is the sign of a Servant of Naamah and is a tattoo covering the entire back. It is said that Naamah in her passion scratched the backs of all her patrons and that the resulting scars never faded; thus the tattoo is done in homage and remembrance. In the Night Court, each house has its own design which all of its members wear. Money for the marque is earned when a patron gives a gift (usually of money) that is not of the fee paid to the house but freely given to the adept. This is usually placed in a statue (this can be made of any material such as wood, marble, etc.) of two cupped hands. Each statue is a personal one chosen by the adept.

When an adept has completed her or his "marque", she/he is free to leave the House or, as most do, to remain and tithe a portion of their profits to the House. By tradition, the Dowayne of the House must see and acknowledge an adept's "marque" before it can be recorded as complete.

Houses of the Night Court

Alyssum

The House is modesty; the motto is "With eyes averted". Alyssum House holds that when Naamah offered herself to the King of Persis, she trembled to lay aside her modesty.

The year Phèdre nó Delaunay served at the Midwinter Masque, Alyssum's adepts dressed in the veils and robes of Yeshuite priests and priestesses.

Balm

The House is compassion; the motto is "Rest and be soothed". Balm House holds that Naamah came in compassion when she offered herself to the King of Persis.

In Kushiel's Dart, Phèdre nó Delaunay comes to understand the full meaning of the view of Naamah expressed by Balm House following the battle to restore the throne of Drustan mab Necthana; she sleeps with her longtime friend Hyacinthe out of compassion, to comfort him after the death of a girl he loved.

Later, in Kushiel's Scion, Imriel de la Courcel is taken to Balm House on his sixteenth birthday, where he has sex for his first time with the adept Emmeline nó Balm.

Bryony

The House is cupidity and wagering; the motto is "Wealth seeks company". Bryony House says that when Naamah offered herself to the King of Persis, she made a good bargain in the exchange.

Adepts of Bryony House sometimes go on to staff the Royal Treasury once they have made their marques. They are adept gamblers who almost never lose, even to Tsingani who are famed for their betting skills. The young Csavin bet against a Bryony adept, including his cousin Anasztaizia in the wager, and lost. He deceived Anasztaizia into an assignation with a patron who paid Bryony well for the chance to seduce a Tsingani virgin. Phèdre nó Delaunay thinks that Bryony house should be held accountable for heresy for the crime of rape against Anasztaizia.

In Kushiel's Justice, Imriel de la Courcel and his cousin Mavros Shahrizai go on an excursion to Bryony House. There, they lay a wager with the Dowayne of the House, Janelle nó Bryony, for a pair of tokens to the fete on the Longest Night held at Cereus House.

Camellia

The House is perfection; the motto is "Without fault or flaw". Camellia House says that when Naamah lay with the King of Persis, her unveiled perfection caused him to go blind for two weeks.

It is at Camellia House that Phèdre nó Delaunay witnesses a Showing as the initiation into her dedication as a Servant of Naamah. Anafiel Delaunay chooses Camellia specifically because Phèdre has no connections to it. The Dowayne of Camellia House at the time is Edmonde Noualt.

Cereus

The House is pale fragility, fleeting beauty; the motto is "All loveliness fades".

Cereus House was the first of the thirteen to be founded, by Enediel Vintesoir, 600 years or more before the events of Kushiel's Dart. During his time, Cereus House only served those of the royal family. Its Dowayne represents the Night Court on the City Judiciary. It is the privilege of Cereus House to host the Midwinter Masque, one of the grandest celebrations of the year. For all its delicacy, Cereus House is also noted for producing individuals of considerable strength. Some adepts find steel interiors after the blush of youth fades away.

When Phèdre nó Delaunay first arrives at Cereus House, Miriam Bouscevre, an elderly woman with white hair and grey gimlet eyes, is the Dowayne.

Another notable event taking place at Cereus is the birthday party of Prince Baudoin, wherein Melisande Shahrizai contracts the entire House for the night, paying a full night's fee for every adept so that no guest would be refused their services.

Characters associated with Cereus House

*Calantia is one of the children with whom Phèdre was reared; she went to foster at Orchis House.
*Cecilie Laveau-Perrin is a former adept of the House.
*Donatien is a boy whose marque was bought by Cereus House. Donatien was reared in Mandrake House and retains a great fear of the place and its adepts. He served at the Midwinter Masque with Phèdre.
*Ellyn is one of the children with whom Phèdre was reared, noted for being tender-hearted. She served at the Midwinter Masque with Phèdre.
*Etienne is one of the children with whom Phèdre was reared, half-brother to Ellyn. Etienne was too young to attend the Midwinter Masque the year Phèdre and Ellyn served at it.
*Jacanth is a boy whose marque was bought by Cereus House. He served at the Midwinter Masque with Phèdre.
*Jareth Moran is the Second to Dowayne Miriam Bouscerve when Phèdre first arrives at the House, and becomes Dowayne upon her death.
*Juliette is one of the children with whom Phèdre was reared; her marque was bought by Dahlia House.
*Miriam Bouscevre is the Dowayne of the House when Phèdre first arrives: elderly, with white hair and grey eyes.
*Phèdre nó Delaunay was fostered in Cereus until her 10th birthday.
*Suriah is an adept of the House who portrayed the Winter Queen at a Midwinter Masque in her youth, and became Second to Jareth Moran later in life.

Dahlia

The House is dignity and regality; the motto is "Upright and unbending". Dahlia House maintains that when Naamah offered herself to the King of Persis, she bestowed herself like a queen.

The year Phèdre nó Delaunay served at the Midwinter Masque, Dahlia House dressed its adepts in cloth-of-gold as a challenge to the greatness of Cereus House.

Eglantine

The House is genius, song, and performance; the is "To create is to live". Eglantine sponsors players, poets, artists, musicians, dancers, tumblers, and clothiers. They hold that Naamah charmed the King of Persis with the sweetness of her song.

The year Phèdre nó Delaunay served at the Midwinter Masque, Eglantine's attended costumed as a company of Tsingani. A troupe of Eglantine adepts are responsible for mercilessly mocking Joscelin Verreuil when he follows Phèdre to Night's Doorstep.

Characters associated with Eglantine House

*Japheth nó Eglantine-Vardennes is a former adept who has become a premier playwright; his play "Passion of Naamah" is chosen to be performed for King Ganelon.
*Favrielle nó Eglantine is an adept who had a fall just before her debut that left her scarred (some say this was not an accident). She is a clothier, and she designs Phedre's costume for her re-introduction into the Service of Naamah. Phedre ends up paying Favrielle's marque, so that she can set up as a clothier in her own right, instead of being forced to work off her marque in servitude to Eglantine House.

Gentian

The House is mystic purity of spirit; the is "Truth and vision". Gentian House holds that Naamah was filled with such when she offered herself to the King of Persis. Its adepts seek visions and interpret dreams, and some go on to become priests of Elua. Their marques bear a moon-and-flower design.

The year Phèdre nó Delaunay served at the Midwinter Masque, Gentian dressed its adepts as seers and preceded their entrance with opium incense.

Characters associated with Gentian House

*Raphael Murain nó Gentian is the adept who aided Phèdre nó Delaunay in understanding the meaning of her dreams, which understanding prompted Phèdre to seek Melisande Shahrizai in La Serenissima, in "Kushiel's Chosen". Raphael later became a priest at the Great Temple of Naamah in the City of Elua, who gives Imriel nó Montreve de la Courcel Namaah's blessing in "Kushiel's Justice".

Heliotrope

The House is devotion and love; the is "Thou, and no other". Heliotrope House holds that when Naamah lay with the King of Persis, she basked in love as in the sun. It is said that if you sleep with a Heliotrope adept, they will make you feel like you are the only one they have ever loved.

Jasmine

The House is pleasure and sensuality; the is "For pleasure's sake", and that is the reason they give for Naamah giving her sexual favors to the King of Persis. They are reckoned the most exotic of the Thirteen Houses, with Bhodistani blood in the lineage of the adepts.

The year Phèdre nó Delaunay served at the Midwinter Masque, the adepts of Jasmine House attended dressed to emphasize the exotic qualities of faraway lands, causing a bit of a scandal with Valerian House, who had adopted a "hareem" motif.

Characters associated with Jasmine House

*Liliane de Souverain was an adept of Jasmine House before wedding and giving birth to Phèdre nó Delaunay.

Mandrake

The House is sadism and dominance; the motto is "Yield all". Mandrake is one of two houses to use a "signale", in this case for the patron's benefit. The other house which uses a "signale" is Valerian.

The year Phèdre nó Delaunay served at the Midwinter Masque, Mandrake's adepts were costumed as the Court of Tartarus.

Orchis

The House is mirth; the motto is "Joy in laughter". House Orchis holds that Naamah lay with the King of Persis "for a lark".

The year Phèdre nó Delaunay served at the Midwinter Masque, Orchis House adopted an aquatic theme for their costumes, replete with mermaids and sea beasts.

Characters associated with Orchis House

*Miriette nó Orchis is an adept who, after making her marque, sets up her own salon. When Phèdre and Alcuin serve Anafiel Delaunay in Naamah's honor, Mierette lies with Alcuin and soothes some of his strain about being dedicated to Naamah only for the love of his master, Anafiel Delaunay.

Valerian

The House is algolagnia and submission; the is "I yield". Valerian is one of two houses to use a signale, in this case for the Servant of Naamah's benefit. The other house which uses a signale is Mandrake, with which it has a reciprocal agreement.

Valerian selects early on which of its fosterlings will remain in the House, and which will be sold to other Houses. Children at the age of six are given spiced candies, and an adept explains that the pleasure from the candy is derived from the touch of pain that the spice provokes. The children who understand this are kept, while the others have their marques sold. From then on no fosterling or apprentice of Valerian is allowed to experience pleasure without pain, or pain without pleasure.

The year Phèdre nó Delaunay served at the Midwinter Masque, Valerian's adepts adopted a "hareem" motif, though their idea was stepped upon by Jasmine House, whose adepts were similarly dressed in the exotic veils of faraway lands.

Characters associated with Valerian House

*Didier Vascon is the Second of Valerian House during "Kushiel's Dart"; by the events of "Kushiel's Justice", he has become Dowayne..
*Phèdre nó Delaunay would have likely ended up in Valerian, had her extraordinary nature as an anguissette not come to the attention of Anafiel Delaunay.