a glittering venery: nanowrimo novel description

Eira Tove is the heir to the Prima Princeps of the Parcel, the (currently) ruling family of the Court of Dreams--one of the four Courts of the Venery and one of the two Summer Courts--and as such, Tove is expected to do her duty and marry whomever her parents decide that she's supposed to marry because alliance is a thing that always needs to happen and our position is much more precarious than you think it is, Tove, and--yeah.

Enter the Parcel Wards.

(Because how better to ensure that the Families and the Courts don't go to war with each other than to raise each other's children as their own? If it sounds like a familiar position, it's because the Romans learned it from the Venery. How is another story entirely.)

Well, one of the Parcel Wards because there was no way in the Heavens or Hells or In-Betweens that the Eira Parcel would be sullied by a non-Summer court marriage, so that left Grey Halkyon, heir to the position of First Unkindness in the Court of Miracles, and someone who has never in the remotest way been pleased with living in the Court of Dreams.

And, Grey might not be particularly fond of Tove.

Some of it is that Tove is a Blood-Wielder, casting worlds and changing realities by the shedding of her own blood. That liminality and changeability is unsettling at the very least for most people, but it's downright terrifying to Grey--for reasons.

Some of it is that Grey would much rather run with Aedier Quille, the First Flutter of the Court of Nightmares, because Aedier is the only person who isn't asking Grey for anything other than for them to be theirself.

(That's rarer than you'd think--especially in the Venery.)

Hells, Grey would even rather spending time with Killian Pius despite the fact that he is also a blood-wielder, so it might be more than just Tove's abilities that are getting to Grey.

The most flummoxing thing is that Tove actually really likes Grey--tiny Grey with their sure-footness and excellent flying thrust, their kindness and their intelligence.

Tiny Grey who would be so much happier to just return to the Court of Miracles and allow their sibling to ascend to the position of First Unkindness.

Grey may get their wish.

And, there may be more sinister machinations going on beneath the usual Venery politics than any of them know.

Cast of Characters (thus far):

  • Eira Tove, Parcel Prima Princeps of the Court of Dreams, blood-wielder (species: hind; pronoun: she/her)
  • Grey Halkyon, First Unkindness of the Court of Miracles, fencer (species: tengu; pronoun: they/them)
  • Aedeir Quille, First Flutter of the court of Nightmares, unknown (species: cecaelia/old one; pronoun: she/her)
  • Killian Pius, Oppositional Parliament of the Court of Calamities, blood-wielder (species: hieracosphinx; pronoun: he/him)
  • Zoii Blake (species: meliae; pronoun: they/them)
  • Persis Gwyn, Court Archivist of the Court of Miracles (species: griffin; pronoun: she/her)
  • Leif Ione, Court Assassin of the Court of Dreams (species: salamander; pronoun: she/her?)
  • Cassius, Orpheum (species: faun; pronoun: he/him)
  • Mad March Grey (species: pooka; pronoun: unknown)
  • Aris Vinska, ballet dancer (species: firebird; pronoun: she/her)
  • redcaps: harry, murphy, bob, otello

if y'all are interested in a glittering venery, feel free to follow my nanowrimo page/profile here or my a glittering venery-specific tumblr.