Faerie Courts

The Faerie Courts, which include Summer and Winter, are the ruling bodies of the Faerie.

Order
Each Court has three Queens and a Knight.

The eldest of the Queens is called either Mother Summer or Mother Winter, according to the court she belongs. They hold no official power over the court, but are still extremely powerful beings, with unseen connections. The ruling queen is often referred to as the Winter Queen or Summer Queen. She controls each court, whose power waxes and wanes with the seasons. The youngest of each court is the Lady, Summer Lady or Winter Lady. She is considered to be a Queen in training.

Faerie Queens cannot directly interfere with or kill anyone who isn't attached to the courts through birthright or bargain, though they can do so indirectly, with trickery, guile or glamour. In order to circumvent this limitation they appoint a mortal knight for each court, Summer Knight and Winter Knight for each court, to do so. Among other duties, the Winter Knight is the Winter Court's hitman, allowed to kill any mortal that the Winter Queens want to be dead, while, according to Fix, one of the Summer Knight's jobs is to stop, or try to stop, the Winter Knight's kills. Their Mantle comes from the Queen and, should there not be a suitable vessel available, for its transfer returns to her at the wearer's death.

Should the need arise, Faerie Queens may also appoint a mortal emissary to represent their interests.