Kushiel's Dart
Encyclopedia
Kushiel's Dart is Jacqueline Carey
's first novel and the first of the novels in her Kushiel's Legacy
series. The idea for this book first came to Carey when she was reading the Biblical Book of Genesis, and specifically a passage about "sons of God" coming into the "daughters of Men." Later, when she was writing a coffee table book
, she encountered Jewish folklore
, which paralleled the story in greater detail. She based Terre D'Ange on a nation founded by a rebel angel
.
series takes place in a medieval world that is modeled on Earth (the map at the beginning of the novels is a map of Earth, with creatively historically named countries). The main characters are from Terre d'Ange, which occupies the area of France.
Terre d'Ange was founded by Elua and His Companions
and is thereby a nation of progeny of fallen angels.
Each Province of Terre d'Ange was founded by one of Elua's Companions, except Cassiel as he chose to remain loyal to the One God.
, asking her to "open the womb" of the woman so that she may be able to become pregnant.
One of the central institutions of Terre d'Ange is service to the angel Naamah
. As such, her adepts are courtesans (a word normally associated with prostitution
, but which Carey gives a more positive connotation). Because of the above-mentioned precepts of Elua, Servants of Naamah are both men and women who engage in all manner of dalliances.
The Court of Night-Blooming Flowers, or the "Night Court," is in the City of Elua and comprises Thirteen Houses. Each house has a head, called the Dowayne. Each Servant of Naamah owes a debt to their House for the training they have received, and in many cases upbringing. Their debt is considered complete when their marque, a tattoo covering the entire back, is complete.
It is quite possible that "Love as thou Wilt" combines Aleister Crowley's "Do as thou wilt" and "Love is the law" from his religious doctrine of Thelema - of which takes from more pagan concepts derived from Egyptian and Greek lore.
Each region has its own ruling elite in a feudal structure.
The courts are separate from the feudal ruling class and function in a similar fashion to present-day European courts including various levels of appellate courts. Final appeals can be brought to the King/Queen, who will either hear a case or rule that the previous judgements were appropriate and thereby refuse to hear the appeal. D'Angelines are known to treat their criminals and prisoners in a fashion similar to that of present-day European standards, though capital punishment and public floggings are practised. Rape is a capital offense.
Phèdre grows up in Cereus House but is somewhat outcast, given her flaw that keeps her outside the canons of the Night Court. As a result, she can never become an adept of one of the Houses of Court of Night-Blooming Flowers. Since she will never be an adept, she must pay off her marque by earning money with any talent she has.
One day, after learning about The Eluine Cycle
, Phèdre pricks her hand with a pin. The look in her eyes causes the Dowayne to call in the lord Anafiel Delaunay, a learned poet. He recites lines from an ancient epic poem that identifies Phèdre as an anguissette, Kushiel's Chosen, who will always find "pleasure in pain". He buys her marque. To make her fit for his service, Phèdre begins learning the Caerdicci tongue (analogous to Italian
/ Latin
) at age eight, and at age ten, begins her apprenticeship with Delaunay.
Delaunay's other pupil, Alcuin nó Delaunay, becomes her foster brother. They are trained physically, mentally, and sexually to be scholars, spies and Servants of Naamah. Her nature as an anguissette is kept secret from all of Delaunay's guests, to make her more valuable as she grows and learns. At age thirteen, Phèdre first meets Melisande Shahrizai, who is one of the few people to identify her as an anguissette at first glance. When they enter the Service of Naamah, Delaunay uses their skills as spies for his court intrigues, the nature of which Phèdre and Alcuin nó Delaunay do not always know.
When her bodyguard is killed in an incident involving Alcuin nó Delaunay and the political intrigues of the Stregazza family, Delaunay contracts the Cassiline Joscelin Verreuil to protect his charges. An immediate discord strikes up between Joscelin and Phèdre as he does not approve of Phèdre's line of work or her nature as an anguissette, and Phèdre finds him dour and too imposing. Delaunay eventually learns that Alcuin made his marque (became a free D’Angeline citizen) that night.
One of the facts of D'Angeline existence is the riddle of the Master of the Straits. Terre d'Ange is separated from Alba by a small channel of water, but which no one has been able to cross for eight hundred years. It is said that the "Master of the Straits" controls the water and will not allow any meeting between the two nations. Phèdre becomes increasingly frustrated when she sees Alcuin working to solve this mystery and yet he will not tell her why.
On the Longest Night
, Melisande Shahrizai contracts Phèdre for herself for a midwinter masque. She parades Phèdre before the nobles of Terre d'Ange. Phèdre loses herself entirely to Melisande that night, and when Melisande uses flechettes on her, she gives her signale (safeword) for the first time. Phèdre accidentally reveals to Melisande that Delaunay is waiting for word from Quintilius Rousse. Melisande's patron gift provides Phèdre enough money to complete her marque.
Joscelin accompanies her to the marquist's, but before the marque can be finished, they are interrupted by a sailor, bearing a message from Admiral Quintilius Rousse to Delaunay; he knows that Delaunay's house is being watched, and seeks to give the message to Phèdre instead. She only believes him when he gives a password, which Phèdre believes to refer to a ring she saw Ysandre present to Delaunay. Rousse's message in return makes no sense to Phèdre but, given that the soldier said Delaunay's house was being watched, she believes that her lord is in danger.
Dying, Alcuin tells Phèdre to tell Ysandre what has happened, to trust Admiral Rousse and the remaining Trevalions, that Thelesis de Mornay knows about Alba, and that the important figure is the Dauphine, not Ganelon.
Phèdre and Joscelin rush to the Palace, but before they can reach Ysandre, they are betrayed by Melisande, who drugs them and sells them into slavery in Skaldia.
Gunter takes Phèdre and Joscelin to the Allthing held by Waldemar Selig, presenting them both as gifts to Selig. Phèdre becomes Selig's bed-slave, and learns of his plans to invade Terre d'Ange by betraying the traitor Duc Isidore d'Aiglemort. Her knowledge of the political machinations becomes even greater when she sees in Selig's room a letter to him from Melisande Shahrizai, who is helping Selig to betray Isidore. In this way Melisande is playing both Isidore d'Aiglemort and Waldemar Selig and that no matter which one wins, Melisande will have been in league with them, and will benefit.
Phèdre comes up with an escape plan and persuades Joscelin to go along with it. Initially she means to take Melisande's letter with her, but decides against it, realizing that would let Selig know she knows his plans. Joscelin disguises himself as a Skaldic warrior, killing several guards so that he and Phèdre may escape from the camps.
It takes Selig's best riders four days to catch up with Phèdre and Joscelin; while Joscelin battles several of them, the young Harald the Beardless out of Gunter's steading attempts to recapture Phèdre; she kills him with her dagger in order to escape.
Several days out on their journey, Phèdre and Joscelin take shelter in a cave, where Phèdre patches his wounds, and the two make love. The next morning, they find etched on the cave wall the sigil
of Blessed Elua
, and realize that he and his Companions rested in that same place during their wanderings.
Phèdre and Joscelin eventually reach Terre d'Ange.
Once inside the City of Elua, Phèdre decides that the only person she can trust is her old friend Hyacinthe, whom she and Joscelin seek out immediately. From Hyacinthe, Phèdre learns that she and Joscelin were tried and convicted in absentia for the murders of Delaunay, Alcuin, and the entire household. Some few spoke on their behalf, including Gaspar Trevalion and Cecile Laveau-Perrin. Deciding upon the best course of action to reach Ysandre, Phèdre sends a message to Thelesis de Mornay, written as a love poem in Cruithne, that it might not be understood if intercepted. Thelesis comes to Hyacinthe's to fetch them and bring them to Ysandre right away.
Ysandre wants to clear Phèdre's and Joscelin's names immediately, but Phèdre persuades her that to do so would be to reveal their hand too soon, and would let Isidore know that Ysandre knew of his betrayal. Ysandre instead places Phèdre, Joscelin, and Hyacinthe into royal custody. During this time, the extremely ill King dies.
The newly crowned Queen Ysandre de la Courcel can only trust the few courtiers that she is sure aren't working for Melisande. She gathers these trusted peers in a secret conference where she reveals Phedre and Joccelin and the threat to the realm they have discovered. During this secret council, it is mentioned that Ysandre is in love with and was betrothed secretly to the heir of Alba, Drustan mab Necthana. The council knows that without the support of Isidore d'Aiglemort's army, Terre d'Ange must have the support of Alban troops to defeat the Skaldi. The trouble is, Drustan's throne has been stolen by Maelcon The Usurper and he and his familt are currently refugees with the Eiran Lords of the Dalriada. Thanks to the Hyacinthe's mother's old fortune, however, this plan is not forsaken and Ysandre decides to make Phèdre - one of the few who can speak Cruithne - her ambassador to Alba and Eire. As well, as the Black Boar is the symbol of Drustan's clan, Elder Brother should allow them to pass.
to the Cassiline Brotherhood, and is allowed to accompany Phèdre to Alba.
In a demonstration of her benevolence, Ysandre secretly brings the marquist Robert Tielhard to Phèdre so that her marque may be completed before her journey, allowing her to leave as a truly free D'Angeline citizen. When Phèdre tries to kneel to her, Ysandre dismisses it, declaring them bed-cousins. Ysandre then also Phèdre the diary of her father Rolande, as much was written there about Phèdre's master Delaunay.
Hyacinthe comes up with the idea to transport Phèdre safely to Admiral Quintilius Rousse by traveling along the Tsingani routes that are unknown by D'Angelines. He disguises Phèdre as his cousin, a Tsingani prostitute's by-blow, and Joscelin as a Mendacant, a traveling bard
from Eisande. At the horse fair in Kusheth, Hyacinthe is reunited with his grandfather and extended family; being unanimously accepted as one of them. While at the horse fair, Phedre sees Melisande Shahrizai and becomes frozen with fear that she will be found. Hyacinthe uses the dromonde (a gift of fortune-telling held by the Tsingani) to assure her that Melisande will not see her. For this, Hyacinthe's family casts him out because only Tsingani women are supposed to use the dromonde.
While traveling across Kusheth, the party is intercepted by Quincel de Morhban, the reigning Duc of Kusheth. In order to gain safe passage to Quintilius Rousse's fleet, without questions about their mission, Phèdre suggests a one night assignation with the Duc. This is accepted and the next morning they reach Rousse's fleet.
The Master of the Straits attempts to halt their passage to Alba, coming to them in a fierce storm as a face in the waves, and demands a toll. Remembering the story of Thelesis de Mornay, Phèdre pays their passage with one of the Skaldic hearth-songs taught to her by Hedwig Arnildsdottir.
The Master of the Straits lets them pass, and they come to the far western shore of Éire, where a delegation is waiting for them; Moiread, Drustan mab Necthana's younger sister, saw their coming in a prophetic dream
.
In the ensuing battle, Phèdre spends it with Necthana and her daughters, with Joscelin as their guard. Unfortunately, this location proves unsafe as they are attacked by a small group and one of Necthana's daughters, Moiread, dies. After the battle is over, Phèdre knights those of Quintilius Rousse's men that survived. That night, she sleeps with Hyacinthe, to comfort him over the sorrow of Moiread's death, and thus comes to understand the view of Naamah expressed by Balm House.
After the battle, Rousse tells Phedre that he pledged to his men that all who survived the battle would be knighted and receive the title of "Chevalier". Phèdre keeps Rousse's pledge and, as the Queen's emissary, knights his men. These men see Phèdre as a charm of good luck and make her their personal symbol, calling themselves Phedre's Boys. On their march to the coast, they create a flag for themselves, which they present to her. Phèdre announces that, for those who survive, she will throw open the doors of the Night Court
and have a party like none of them have ever seen.
They plan to charge the Skaldi army the next morning and aim straight for Selig. Knowing this plan will work most effectively and give the D'Angelines the greatest advantage if those inside the city know of it beforehand, Phèdre decides to make a suicidal attempt to sneak through the Skaldi lines and warn those on the battlements not to fire on Isidore's troops. Knowing that no one will let her sacrifice herself like this, she silently slips out of the Alban-D'Angeline camp in the dead of night. She manages to gain the wall and shout a message to be delivered to Ysandre before the Skaldi drag her down.
When Selig learns what she has done, he begins to skin her alive as a message to Ysandre. He is interrupted almost immediately, however, by Joscelin, who, having followed Phèdre from the camp, challenges Selig to the holmgang
. As Joscelin realizes that even if he wins the fight they will not escape alive, he begins the terminus (the act where a Cassiline kills himself and his ward at exactly the same time). Upon seeing a rescue force leaving the fort, however, Joscelin quickly changes his mind and kills Phèdre's captor. They are brought inside by Barquiel L'Envers and Ysandre immediately brings a healer to Phèdre. Phèdre then informs her face-to-face that an army of seven thousand is approaching the city and will attack in the morning. She also assures Ysandre that Drustan is alive and crowned.
Phèdre watches the rest of the battle with Ysandre, looking out an arrow-slit on the battlement. She sees Isidore d'Aiglemort, not yet dead of the seventeen wounds he took in battle, charging for Waldemar Selig. He kills Selig and the battle is won, with the defeated Skaldi fleeing back to Skaldia.
After the battle, Phèdre is on the fields helping to comfort the wounded and give the wounded and dying water. She finds Isidore and gives him water before witnessing his death. Phèdre spends much of the next few weeks as Ysandre's personal aide.
Ysandre clears Phèdre's name entirely, and bestows all of Anafiel Delaunay's estates onto her. At this point, Phèdre officially becomes the Comtesse de Montrève, inheriting Delaunay's mother's estate in Siovale as well. After the wedding of Ysandre and Drustan, Phèdre travels to Montrève with Joscelin. After settling in, Phèdre and Joscelin travel to L'Arène to find Taavi and Danele; they return with Seth ben Yavin, a Yeshuite scholar who agrees to teach Phèdre the Habiru language, that she may find the secret to freeing Hyacinthe from his island.
Later, a visitor from La Serenissima
comes bearing Phèdre's sangoire cloak, which she had lost when Melisande sold her to the Skaldi. This is Melisande's challenge to Phèdre: to find her.
Melisande Shahrizai: Has two possible derivatives. Is a French form of Melissa, meaning "honeyed." The second derivative could be from the "old" German name Milucent, whose derivative is ‘Amalaswinth.’ It is composed of the Germanic elements ‘amal’ meaning ‘to work’ or ‘labor’ and ‘swinth,’ meaning ‘strength.’ Its combination, ‘to work for strength,’ is generally interpreted to mean ‘ambition.’ The character is probably named after Queen Melisende of Jerusalem
.
Cinhil Ru: There are some references in the series to the Alban ruler who helped overthrow the Tiberians and drive them out of Alba. This is possibly a reference to Arthurian legend. One popular school of Arthurian legend runs that King Arthur
was not a Roman king at all, but a native Breton king who actually drove the Romans from Britain and defended his people against barbarians (Saxons, Eirans). This idea has existed since the 12th century AD, when Geoffrey of Monmouth published his pseudo-history Historia Regum Britanniae
(History of the Kings of Britain). It relates the tale of how the emperor of Rome demanded tribute from King Arthur, who refused and drove the Roman armies back to Rome. This theme also appears in books such as Marion Zimmer-Bradley's epic The Mists of Avalon
and Rosalind Miles' Guenivere trilogy, as well as in the 2004 movie "King Arthur
".
Waldemar Selig: Culturally, Waldemar Selig and his tribes are similar to ancient Germanic tribes. There are many parallels between Selig and the ancient "Scourge of God", Attila the Hun
and the principalities of Prussia and modern day Germany. [In Kushiel's Dart, Selig was defeated at Troyes-le-Mont.
Yeshua ben Yosef: The equivalent to Jesus, son of Joseph, son of God. Yeshua was executed by crucifixion by the Tiberians (Romans) and is worshiped by his followers, the Yeshuites. Unlike medieval Christianity, the Yeshuites are more alike to Jews (locks of hair, black clothing, speaking in Habiru = Hebrew) and experience similar to treatment under the Roman Empire. Also like the Jews, the Yeshuites are generally ostracized throughout Europe, although they are not in Terre d'Ange.
Mary of Magdala: In Kushiel's Legacy, Mary is the human mother of Elua. D'Angeline myth says that Elua was conceived through the blood of Yeshua ben Yosef and the tears of the Magdalene. According to the Christian Bible, Mary Magdalene
was one of the closest female friends of Jesus, and was the first to discover that he had been resurrected. Some suspect that Jesus and Mary were lovers and some even suggest they were married though both theories are discredited by the Roman Catholic Church. There was also a theory that a pregnant Mary fled the Romans and settled in southern Gaul
. In pop culture this is referenced in the The Da Vinci Code
.
for Best First Novel. It was also nominated for the 2002 Gaylactic Spectrum Awards
.
Jacqueline Carey
Jacqueline Carey is an author and novelist, primarily of fantasy fiction.-Life:She attended Lake Forest College, receiving B.A.'s in psychology and English literature. During college, she spent 6 months working in a bookstore in London as part of a work exchange program. While there, she decided...
's first novel and the first of the novels in her Kushiel's Legacy
Kushiel's Legacy
Kushiel's Legacy is a series of fantasy novels by Jacqueline Carey, comprising the Phèdre Trilogy and the Imriel Trilogy...
series. The idea for this book first came to Carey when she was reading the Biblical Book of Genesis, and specifically a passage about "sons of God" coming into the "daughters of Men." Later, when she was writing a coffee table book
Coffee table book
A coffee table book is a hardcover book that is intended to sit on a coffee table or similar surface in an area where guests sit and are entertained, thus inspiring conversation or alleviating boredom. They tend to be oversized and of heavy construction, since there is no pressing need for...
, she encountered Jewish folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
, which paralleled the story in greater detail. She based Terre D'Ange on a nation founded by a rebel angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
.
Founded by angels
The Kushiel's LegacyKushiel's Legacy
Kushiel's Legacy is a series of fantasy novels by Jacqueline Carey, comprising the Phèdre Trilogy and the Imriel Trilogy...
series takes place in a medieval world that is modeled on Earth (the map at the beginning of the novels is a map of Earth, with creatively historically named countries). The main characters are from Terre d'Ange, which occupies the area of France.
Terre d'Ange was founded by Elua and His Companions
Elua and His Companions
In Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel's Legacy saga, Elua is the most important deity of Terre d'Ange. Elua's Companions are eight angels who forsook the One God to follow Elua.-The Eluine Cycle:...
and is thereby a nation of progeny of fallen angels.
Each Province of Terre d'Ange was founded by one of Elua's Companions, except Cassiel as he chose to remain loyal to the One God.
"Love As Thou Wilt"
Elua's motto was "Love as thou wilt." This results in the fact that love and physical pleasure is a central aspect of society in Terre d'Ange. Although marriage exists in Terre d'Ange, it is viewed equally with other forms of love, including dalliance, taking a lover or consort, etc. It likewise engendered an acceptance of any form of love, be it reverent or harsh, heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual. Usually, as part of a marriage, a D'Angeline lights a candle to EishethElua and His Companions
In Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel's Legacy saga, Elua is the most important deity of Terre d'Ange. Elua's Companions are eight angels who forsook the One God to follow Elua.-The Eluine Cycle:...
, asking her to "open the womb" of the woman so that she may be able to become pregnant.
One of the central institutions of Terre d'Ange is service to the angel Naamah
Elua and His Companions
In Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel's Legacy saga, Elua is the most important deity of Terre d'Ange. Elua's Companions are eight angels who forsook the One God to follow Elua.-The Eluine Cycle:...
. As such, her adepts are courtesans (a word normally associated with prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
, but which Carey gives a more positive connotation). Because of the above-mentioned precepts of Elua, Servants of Naamah are both men and women who engage in all manner of dalliances.
The Court of Night-Blooming Flowers, or the "Night Court," is in the City of Elua and comprises Thirteen Houses. Each house has a head, called the Dowayne. Each Servant of Naamah owes a debt to their House for the training they have received, and in many cases upbringing. Their debt is considered complete when their marque, a tattoo covering the entire back, is complete.
It is quite possible that "Love as thou Wilt" combines Aleister Crowley's "Do as thou wilt" and "Love is the law" from his religious doctrine of Thelema - of which takes from more pagan concepts derived from Egyptian and Greek lore.
Ruling classes
Terre D’Ange exists in a monarchical system, which is currently ruled by the Courcel line. They are directly descended from Elua, and their signature physical attribute is a graceful neck, which parallels the fact that their emblem is the Swan.Each region has its own ruling elite in a feudal structure.
The courts are separate from the feudal ruling class and function in a similar fashion to present-day European courts including various levels of appellate courts. Final appeals can be brought to the King/Queen, who will either hear a case or rule that the previous judgements were appropriate and thereby refuse to hear the appeal. D'Angelines are known to treat their criminals and prisoners in a fashion similar to that of present-day European standards, though capital punishment and public floggings are practised. Rape is a capital offense.
Phèdre's Childhood
Phèdre is born to Liliane de Souverain, a Servant of Naamah, and Pierre Cantrel, a merchant's spend-thrift son. She is born fair-skinned and black-haired, and given a cursed Hellene name. She is distinguished most by a red mote in her left eye, a flaw that is believed to render her unsuitable for work as a Servant of Naamah. Due to poverty and Pierre Cantrel's unwillingness for his wife to continue in the Service of Naamah, Phèdre is sold to Cereus House of the Court of Night-Blooming Flowers.Phèdre grows up in Cereus House but is somewhat outcast, given her flaw that keeps her outside the canons of the Night Court. As a result, she can never become an adept of one of the Houses of Court of Night-Blooming Flowers. Since she will never be an adept, she must pay off her marque by earning money with any talent she has.
One day, after learning about The Eluine Cycle
Elua and His Companions
In Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel's Legacy saga, Elua is the most important deity of Terre d'Ange. Elua's Companions are eight angels who forsook the One God to follow Elua.-The Eluine Cycle:...
, Phèdre pricks her hand with a pin. The look in her eyes causes the Dowayne to call in the lord Anafiel Delaunay, a learned poet. He recites lines from an ancient epic poem that identifies Phèdre as an anguissette, Kushiel's Chosen, who will always find "pleasure in pain". He buys her marque. To make her fit for his service, Phèdre begins learning the Caerdicci tongue (analogous to Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
/ Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
) at age eight, and at age ten, begins her apprenticeship with Delaunay.
Delaunay's other pupil, Alcuin nó Delaunay, becomes her foster brother. They are trained physically, mentally, and sexually to be scholars, spies and Servants of Naamah. Her nature as an anguissette is kept secret from all of Delaunay's guests, to make her more valuable as she grows and learns. At age thirteen, Phèdre first meets Melisande Shahrizai, who is one of the few people to identify her as an anguissette at first glance. When they enter the Service of Naamah, Delaunay uses their skills as spies for his court intrigues, the nature of which Phèdre and Alcuin nó Delaunay do not always know.
In The Service of Namaah
At fourteen, Phèdre officially dedicates herself as a Servant of Naamah. Her virgin-price is bought by Childric d'Essoms when she is sixteen. His patron-gift allows her to begin work on her marque, which Delaunay commissions.When her bodyguard is killed in an incident involving Alcuin nó Delaunay and the political intrigues of the Stregazza family, Delaunay contracts the Cassiline Joscelin Verreuil to protect his charges. An immediate discord strikes up between Joscelin and Phèdre as he does not approve of Phèdre's line of work or her nature as an anguissette, and Phèdre finds him dour and too imposing. Delaunay eventually learns that Alcuin made his marque (became a free D’Angeline citizen) that night.
One of the facts of D'Angeline existence is the riddle of the Master of the Straits. Terre d'Ange is separated from Alba by a small channel of water, but which no one has been able to cross for eight hundred years. It is said that the "Master of the Straits" controls the water and will not allow any meeting between the two nations. Phèdre becomes increasingly frustrated when she sees Alcuin working to solve this mystery and yet he will not tell her why.
On the Longest Night
Winter solstice
Winter solstice may refer to:* Winter solstice, astronomical event* Winter Solstice , former band* Winter Solstice: North , seasonal songs* Winter Solstice , 2005 American film...
, Melisande Shahrizai contracts Phèdre for herself for a midwinter masque. She parades Phèdre before the nobles of Terre d'Ange. Phèdre loses herself entirely to Melisande that night, and when Melisande uses flechettes on her, she gives her signale (safeword) for the first time. Phèdre accidentally reveals to Melisande that Delaunay is waiting for word from Quintilius Rousse. Melisande's patron gift provides Phèdre enough money to complete her marque.
Joscelin accompanies her to the marquist's, but before the marque can be finished, they are interrupted by a sailor, bearing a message from Admiral Quintilius Rousse to Delaunay; he knows that Delaunay's house is being watched, and seeks to give the message to Phèdre instead. She only believes him when he gives a password, which Phèdre believes to refer to a ring she saw Ysandre present to Delaunay. Rousse's message in return makes no sense to Phèdre but, given that the soldier said Delaunay's house was being watched, she believes that her lord is in danger.
Dying, Alcuin tells Phèdre to tell Ysandre what has happened, to trust Admiral Rousse and the remaining Trevalions, that Thelesis de Mornay knows about Alba, and that the important figure is the Dauphine, not Ganelon.
Phèdre and Joscelin rush to the Palace, but before they can reach Ysandre, they are betrayed by Melisande, who drugs them and sells them into slavery in Skaldia.
Slavery in Skaldia
Joscelin initially refuses to submit to the Skaldi, and most likely would have gotten himself killed, but that Phèdre steps in and persuades the Skaldi not to harm him. He is instead chained with their dogs until Phèdre can convince him that they will be best served by obedience. She begins to teach him the Skaldic language. Phèdre becomes the bed-slave of Gunter Arnlaugson, the lord of the steading. She is protected somewhat by Hedwig Arnildsdottir, the daughter of the previous lord, and spends some of her time learning songs and stories from the Skaldic women. The relationship between Phèdre and Joscelin first begins to change on the night Gunter and his men return from raiding a D'Angeline town. It reminds them of the severity of their situation, and forges truer compassion and understanding between them.Gunter takes Phèdre and Joscelin to the Allthing held by Waldemar Selig, presenting them both as gifts to Selig. Phèdre becomes Selig's bed-slave, and learns of his plans to invade Terre d'Ange by betraying the traitor Duc Isidore d'Aiglemort. Her knowledge of the political machinations becomes even greater when she sees in Selig's room a letter to him from Melisande Shahrizai, who is helping Selig to betray Isidore. In this way Melisande is playing both Isidore d'Aiglemort and Waldemar Selig and that no matter which one wins, Melisande will have been in league with them, and will benefit.
Phèdre comes up with an escape plan and persuades Joscelin to go along with it. Initially she means to take Melisande's letter with her, but decides against it, realizing that would let Selig know she knows his plans. Joscelin disguises himself as a Skaldic warrior, killing several guards so that he and Phèdre may escape from the camps.
It takes Selig's best riders four days to catch up with Phèdre and Joscelin; while Joscelin battles several of them, the young Harald the Beardless out of Gunter's steading attempts to recapture Phèdre; she kills him with her dagger in order to escape.
Several days out on their journey, Phèdre and Joscelin take shelter in a cave, where Phèdre patches his wounds, and the two make love. The next morning, they find etched on the cave wall the sigil
Seal (device)
A seal can be a figure impressed in wax, clay, or some other medium, or embossed on paper, with the purpose of authenticating a document ; but the term can also mean the device for making such impressions, being essentially a mould with the mirror image of the design carved in sunken- relief or...
of Blessed Elua
Elua and His Companions
In Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel's Legacy saga, Elua is the most important deity of Terre d'Ange. Elua's Companions are eight angels who forsook the One God to follow Elua.-The Eluine Cycle:...
, and realize that he and his Companions rested in that same place during their wanderings.
Phèdre and Joscelin eventually reach Terre d'Ange.
Secrecy in Terre d'Ange
Once back in Terre d'Ange, Phèdre and Joscelin encounter the men of the Marquis le Garde, one of the Allies of Camlach; she borrows names from Cereus House and tells them she is Suriah of Trefail, and that Joscelin is her cousin Jareth, refugees from a town that has been set upon by the Skaldi. When it looks as though they are going to be taken into custody, Joscelin holds their commander at knifepoint and demands horses for their escape. They proceed down a road called Eisheth's Way, until they encounter a Yeshuite wagon on the road. The Yeshuites give them shelter when they recognize Joscelin for a Cassiline, with whom their people share an affinity. They take Joscelin and Phèdre all the way to the City of Elua; in gratitude, Phèdre gifts them with the small grey pony that has come with her all the way from Skaldia.Once inside the City of Elua, Phèdre decides that the only person she can trust is her old friend Hyacinthe, whom she and Joscelin seek out immediately. From Hyacinthe, Phèdre learns that she and Joscelin were tried and convicted in absentia for the murders of Delaunay, Alcuin, and the entire household. Some few spoke on their behalf, including Gaspar Trevalion and Cecile Laveau-Perrin. Deciding upon the best course of action to reach Ysandre, Phèdre sends a message to Thelesis de Mornay, written as a love poem in Cruithne, that it might not be understood if intercepted. Thelesis comes to Hyacinthe's to fetch them and bring them to Ysandre right away.
Ysandre wants to clear Phèdre's and Joscelin's names immediately, but Phèdre persuades her that to do so would be to reveal their hand too soon, and would let Isidore know that Ysandre knew of his betrayal. Ysandre instead places Phèdre, Joscelin, and Hyacinthe into royal custody. During this time, the extremely ill King dies.
The newly crowned Queen Ysandre de la Courcel can only trust the few courtiers that she is sure aren't working for Melisande. She gathers these trusted peers in a secret conference where she reveals Phedre and Joccelin and the threat to the realm they have discovered. During this secret council, it is mentioned that Ysandre is in love with and was betrothed secretly to the heir of Alba, Drustan mab Necthana. The council knows that without the support of Isidore d'Aiglemort's army, Terre d'Ange must have the support of Alban troops to defeat the Skaldi. The trouble is, Drustan's throne has been stolen by Maelcon The Usurper and he and his familt are currently refugees with the Eiran Lords of the Dalriada. Thanks to the Hyacinthe's mother's old fortune, however, this plan is not forsaken and Ysandre decides to make Phèdre - one of the few who can speak Cruithne - her ambassador to Alba and Eire. As well, as the Black Boar is the symbol of Drustan's clan, Elder Brother should allow them to pass.
Mission to Alba
Phèdre must now go to Alba and Eire and convince the Dalriada to help Drustan reclaim his throne, so that Drustan can bring his army to Terre d'Ange to help defeat the Skaldi. Phèdre agrees, if somewhat reluctantly, doubting her aptitude to serve in that capacity. Joscelin, loathe to leave her, swears his sword into Ysandre's service, becoming anathemaAnathema
Anathema originally meant something lifted up as an offering to the gods; it later evolved to mean:...
to the Cassiline Brotherhood, and is allowed to accompany Phèdre to Alba.
In a demonstration of her benevolence, Ysandre secretly brings the marquist Robert Tielhard to Phèdre so that her marque may be completed before her journey, allowing her to leave as a truly free D'Angeline citizen. When Phèdre tries to kneel to her, Ysandre dismisses it, declaring them bed-cousins. Ysandre then also Phèdre the diary of her father Rolande, as much was written there about Phèdre's master Delaunay.
Hyacinthe comes up with the idea to transport Phèdre safely to Admiral Quintilius Rousse by traveling along the Tsingani routes that are unknown by D'Angelines. He disguises Phèdre as his cousin, a Tsingani prostitute's by-blow, and Joscelin as a Mendacant, a traveling bard
Bard
In medieval Gaelic and British culture a bard was a professional poet, employed by a patron, such as a monarch or nobleman, to commemorate the patron's ancestors and to praise the patron's own activities.Originally a specific class of poet, contrasting with another class known as fili in Ireland...
from Eisande. At the horse fair in Kusheth, Hyacinthe is reunited with his grandfather and extended family; being unanimously accepted as one of them. While at the horse fair, Phedre sees Melisande Shahrizai and becomes frozen with fear that she will be found. Hyacinthe uses the dromonde (a gift of fortune-telling held by the Tsingani) to assure her that Melisande will not see her. For this, Hyacinthe's family casts him out because only Tsingani women are supposed to use the dromonde.
While traveling across Kusheth, the party is intercepted by Quincel de Morhban, the reigning Duc of Kusheth. In order to gain safe passage to Quintilius Rousse's fleet, without questions about their mission, Phèdre suggests a one night assignation with the Duc. This is accepted and the next morning they reach Rousse's fleet.
The Master of the Straits attempts to halt their passage to Alba, coming to them in a fierce storm as a face in the waves, and demands a toll. Remembering the story of Thelesis de Mornay, Phèdre pays their passage with one of the Skaldic hearth-songs taught to her by Hedwig Arnildsdottir.
The Master of the Straits lets them pass, and they come to the far western shore of Éire, where a delegation is waiting for them; Moiread, Drustan mab Necthana's younger sister, saw their coming in a prophetic dream
Prophecy
Prophecy is a process in which one or more messages that have been communicated to a prophet are then communicated to others. Such messages typically involve divine inspiration, interpretation, or revelation of conditioned events to come as well as testimonies or repeated revelations that the...
.
In Alba & Eire
Phèdre and her companions are taken to meet the Dalriada. Here Phèdre informs Drustan that the price of marrying Ysandre is helping her to secure her throne from invasion, and that the Master of the Straits will only allow the Albans to cross to Terre d'Ange after Drustan wins his own throne back. The joint Lords of the Dalriada, Grainne and Eamonn, greet the D'Angeline delegation and become part of the discussion on whether or not to go to war. They are eventually reconciled only when Phèdre has sex with Grainne. As Eamonn can not stand Grainne having something he does not, he asks Phèdre why she continues to refuse him. Phèdre says to him that D'Angelines like strong men and not those that are afraid of battle. Eamonn then says he is not weak and will prove his courage by going to battle for Terre d'Ange.In the ensuing battle, Phèdre spends it with Necthana and her daughters, with Joscelin as their guard. Unfortunately, this location proves unsafe as they are attacked by a small group and one of Necthana's daughters, Moiread, dies. After the battle is over, Phèdre knights those of Quintilius Rousse's men that survived. That night, she sleeps with Hyacinthe, to comfort him over the sorrow of Moiread's death, and thus comes to understand the view of Naamah expressed by Balm House.
After the battle, Rousse tells Phedre that he pledged to his men that all who survived the battle would be knighted and receive the title of "Chevalier". Phèdre keeps Rousse's pledge and, as the Queen's emissary, knights his men. These men see Phèdre as a charm of good luck and make her their personal symbol, calling themselves Phedre's Boys. On their march to the coast, they create a flag for themselves, which they present to her. Phèdre announces that, for those who survive, she will throw open the doors of the Night Court
Night Court
Night Court is an American television situation comedy that aired on NBC from January 4, 1984, to May 20, 1992. The setting was the night shift of a Manhattan court, presided over by the young, unorthodox Judge Harold T. "Harry" Stone...
and have a party like none of them have ever seen.
The Master of the Straits' Puzzle
On their trek back across the straits to Terre d'Ange, the Master of the Straits accosts them one last time and exacts a terrible price: he needs an apprentice before the ships can leave. To determine who, he gives them a riddle to solve. Phèdre manages to solve it but before she can answer, Hyacinthe uses the dromonde to get the answer, and upon saying it, must take the curse for the rest of his days. That night, Phèdre sleeps with Hyacinthe again as a last tribute to their friendship.The Battle of Troyes-Le-Mont
They finally reach Terre d'Ange in the midst of battle with the Skaldi. They learn that the D'Angeline army is mostly holed up in the fortress of Troyes-le-Mont. Phèdre comes up with a plan to trap the Skaldi between the walls of the city and an advancing army. In order to break through the Skaldi lines, however, they will need more men. Phèdre achieves the impossible when they accidentally stumble upon Isidore d'Aiglemort's traitorous forces. She tells d’Aiglemort about Melisande's betrayal of him to Waldemar Selig, and that he will be a dead man no matter what. She offers him the choosing of the manner of his death, proposing that he regain his honor and die a hero by fighting for Terre d'Ange. D'Aiglemort vows to help the D'Angelines so that he can spite Melisande and kill Selig himself.They plan to charge the Skaldi army the next morning and aim straight for Selig. Knowing this plan will work most effectively and give the D'Angelines the greatest advantage if those inside the city know of it beforehand, Phèdre decides to make a suicidal attempt to sneak through the Skaldi lines and warn those on the battlements not to fire on Isidore's troops. Knowing that no one will let her sacrifice herself like this, she silently slips out of the Alban-D'Angeline camp in the dead of night. She manages to gain the wall and shout a message to be delivered to Ysandre before the Skaldi drag her down.
When Selig learns what she has done, he begins to skin her alive as a message to Ysandre. He is interrupted almost immediately, however, by Joscelin, who, having followed Phèdre from the camp, challenges Selig to the holmgang
Holmgang
Holmgang was a duel practiced by early medieval Scandinavians. It was a recognized way to settle disputes....
. As Joscelin realizes that even if he wins the fight they will not escape alive, he begins the terminus (the act where a Cassiline kills himself and his ward at exactly the same time). Upon seeing a rescue force leaving the fort, however, Joscelin quickly changes his mind and kills Phèdre's captor. They are brought inside by Barquiel L'Envers and Ysandre immediately brings a healer to Phèdre. Phèdre then informs her face-to-face that an army of seven thousand is approaching the city and will attack in the morning. She also assures Ysandre that Drustan is alive and crowned.
Phèdre watches the rest of the battle with Ysandre, looking out an arrow-slit on the battlement. She sees Isidore d'Aiglemort, not yet dead of the seventeen wounds he took in battle, charging for Waldemar Selig. He kills Selig and the battle is won, with the defeated Skaldi fleeing back to Skaldia.
After the battle, Phèdre is on the fields helping to comfort the wounded and give the wounded and dying water. She finds Isidore and gives him water before witnessing his death. Phèdre spends much of the next few weeks as Ysandre's personal aide.
After the Battle
Soon after, the Duc de Morhban, brings Melisande Shahrizai, who has been sold out by her kinsmen Marmion and Persia Shahrizai, to the fortress in chains. She is convicted of treason and sentenced to be executed the next morning. Melisande requests for Phèdre to visit her in her cell during the night. In that conversation, she reveals that rather than allowing Selig to rule Terre d'Ange, she had every intention of seizing control of Skaldia. Phèdre leaves her and spends the night alone on the battlements of the city, only to discover later that Melisande somehow escaped her cell before daybreak. Ysandre interrogates everyone, even Phèdre, but then apologizes for casting any suspicion on her.Ysandre clears Phèdre's name entirely, and bestows all of Anafiel Delaunay's estates onto her. At this point, Phèdre officially becomes the Comtesse de Montrève, inheriting Delaunay's mother's estate in Siovale as well. After the wedding of Ysandre and Drustan, Phèdre travels to Montrève with Joscelin. After settling in, Phèdre and Joscelin travel to L'Arène to find Taavi and Danele; they return with Seth ben Yavin, a Yeshuite scholar who agrees to teach Phèdre the Habiru language, that she may find the secret to freeing Hyacinthe from his island.
Later, a visitor from La Serenissima
La Serenissima
La Serenissima is a British early music/period instrument ensemble founded in 1994 by violinist Adrian Chandler, who has served as the group's director since its creation...
comes bearing Phèdre's sangoire cloak, which she had lost when Melisande sold her to the Skaldi. This is Melisande's challenge to Phèdre: to find her.
Geography
As noted above, the map of the world of Terre D'Ange is a map of Earth, with similar country borders, but which are renamed, generally with allusions to historical names/places.Character Names
Phèdre nó Delaunay: In the Kushiel's Legacy series, it is referenced several times that Phèdre is "an ill-luck name," and that she brings bad luck to many people she meets. This stems from the fact that Phèdre is the D'Angeline (or French) pronunciation of Phaedra, a figure from Hellene (Greek) mythology. She was Theseus's wife and fell in love with his son (her stepson) Hippolytus. Various versions of the myth exist, but in all of them Hippolytus spurns her advances and meets his death because of her affection. Hence, Phèdre is an ill-luck name for those around her.Melisande Shahrizai: Has two possible derivatives. Is a French form of Melissa, meaning "honeyed." The second derivative could be from the "old" German name Milucent, whose derivative is ‘Amalaswinth.’ It is composed of the Germanic elements ‘amal’ meaning ‘to work’ or ‘labor’ and ‘swinth,’ meaning ‘strength.’ Its combination, ‘to work for strength,’ is generally interpreted to mean ‘ambition.’ The character is probably named after Queen Melisende of Jerusalem
Melisende of Jerusalem
Melisende was Queen of Jerusalem from 1131 to 1153, and regent for her son between 1153 and 1161 while he was on campaign. She was the eldest daughter of King Baldwin II of Jerusalem, and the Armenian princess Morphia of Melitene. She was named after her paternal grandmother, Melisende of...
.
Cinhil Ru: There are some references in the series to the Alban ruler who helped overthrow the Tiberians and drive them out of Alba. This is possibly a reference to Arthurian legend. One popular school of Arthurian legend runs that King Arthur
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
was not a Roman king at all, but a native Breton king who actually drove the Romans from Britain and defended his people against barbarians (Saxons, Eirans). This idea has existed since the 12th century AD, when Geoffrey of Monmouth published his pseudo-history Historia Regum Britanniae
Historia Regum Britanniae
The Historia Regum Britanniae is a pseudohistorical account of British history, written c. 1136 by Geoffrey of Monmouth. It chronicles the lives of the kings of the Britons in a chronological narrative spanning a time of two thousand years, beginning with the Trojans founding the British nation...
(History of the Kings of Britain). It relates the tale of how the emperor of Rome demanded tribute from King Arthur, who refused and drove the Roman armies back to Rome. This theme also appears in books such as Marion Zimmer-Bradley's epic The Mists of Avalon
The Mists of Avalon
The Mists of Avalon is a 1983 novel by Marion Zimmer Bradley, in which she relates the Arthurian legends from the perspective of the female characters.-Plot introduction:...
and Rosalind Miles' Guenivere trilogy, as well as in the 2004 movie "King Arthur
King Arthur (film)
King Arthur is a 2004 film directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by David Franzoni. It stars Clive Owen as the title character, Ioan Gruffudd as Lancelot, and Keira Knightley as Guinevere....
".
Waldemar Selig: Culturally, Waldemar Selig and his tribes are similar to ancient Germanic tribes. There are many parallels between Selig and the ancient "Scourge of God", Attila the Hun
Attila the Hun
Attila , more frequently referred to as Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns from 434 until his death in 453. He was leader of the Hunnic Empire, which stretched from the Ural River to the Rhine River and from the Danube River to the Baltic Sea. During his reign he was one of the most feared...
and the principalities of Prussia and modern day Germany. [In Kushiel's Dart, Selig was defeated at Troyes-le-Mont.
Deities
Adonai: A reference to the monotheistic God worshiped by Jews, Muslims, and Christians. "Adonai" is Hebrew for "Lord." In the Kushiel's Legacy series, most of the references to Adonai are closest to the Old Testament, Jewish interpretation of God. Likewise, many of the myths surrounding Him come from Jewish folklore.Yeshua ben Yosef: The equivalent to Jesus, son of Joseph, son of God. Yeshua was executed by crucifixion by the Tiberians (Romans) and is worshiped by his followers, the Yeshuites. Unlike medieval Christianity, the Yeshuites are more alike to Jews (locks of hair, black clothing, speaking in Habiru = Hebrew) and experience similar to treatment under the Roman Empire. Also like the Jews, the Yeshuites are generally ostracized throughout Europe, although they are not in Terre d'Ange.
Mary of Magdala: In Kushiel's Legacy, Mary is the human mother of Elua. D'Angeline myth says that Elua was conceived through the blood of Yeshua ben Yosef and the tears of the Magdalene. According to the Christian Bible, Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus' most celebrated disciples, and the most important woman disciple in the movement of Jesus. Jesus cleansed her of "seven demons", conventionally interpreted as referring to complex illnesses...
was one of the closest female friends of Jesus, and was the first to discover that he had been resurrected. Some suspect that Jesus and Mary were lovers and some even suggest they were married though both theories are discredited by the Roman Catholic Church. There was also a theory that a pregnant Mary fled the Romans and settled in southern Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
. In pop culture this is referenced in the The Da Vinci Code
The Da Vinci Code
The Da Vinci Code is a 2003 mystery-detective novel written by Dan Brown. It follows symbologist Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu as they investigate a murder in Paris's Louvre Museum and discover a battle between the Priory of Sion and Opus Dei over the possibility of Jesus having been married to...
.
Delaunay's household
- Phèdre nó Delaunay – Main protagonist
- Anafiel Delaunay – Noble, Phèdre and Alcuin's mentor
- Alcuin nó Delaunay – foster brother to Phèdre
- Joscelin Verreuil – a Cassiline Brother
- GuyGuy (given name)Guy is a given name, which may derive from two sources:* Through Germanic, it is the French and English form of Guido....
– an expelled Cassiline Brother
Royal Family of Terre D'Ange
- Ganelon de la Courcel – King of Terre d'Ange
- Rolande de la Courcel – son of Ganelon de la Courcel, Dauphin
- Isabel L'Envers – wife of Rolande; Princess-Consort
- Ysandre de la Courcel – daughter of Rolande and Isabel, Dauphine
Companions of Elua
- Elua – "The Misbegotten" son of Yeshua, the Magdalene, and Mother Earth
- Naamah – an angel
- Anael – an angel
- Cassiel – an angel
- Shemhazai – an angel
- Azza – an angel
- KushielKushielIn Judeo-Christian folklore the angel Kushiel, meaning "Rigid One of God", punishes individuals in Hell.-In Hebrew writings:Kushiel is one of seven angels of punishment along with Hutriel, Lahatiel, Makatiel, Puriel , Rogziel and Shoftiel.As a "presiding angel of Hell," he is said to punish...
– an angel - Eisheth – an angel
- Camael – an angel
Others
- Master of the Straits, – Controls the seas between Alba and Terre D'Ange
- Hyacinthe, son of Anasztaizia – a Tsingani, "The Prince of Travellers."
- Drustan mab Necthana – son of Necthana; Prince of the Picti
- Waldemar Selig – Skaldi warlord
Awards and nominations
Kushiel's Dart won the 2002 Locus AwardLocus Award
The Locus Award is a literary award established in 1971 and presented to winners of Locus magazine's annual readers' poll. Currently, the Locus Awards are presented at an annual banquet...
for Best First Novel. It was also nominated for the 2002 Gaylactic Spectrum Awards
Gaylactic Spectrum Awards
The Gaylactic Spectrum Awards are given to works of science fiction, fantasy and horror that explore LGBT topics in a positive way. Established in 1998, the awards were initially presented by the Gaylactic Network, with awards first awarded in 1999. In 2002 the awards were given their own...
.