The Fae Courts are political entities within the Green, but are also so much more than that. They are family, ideology and expectation. It is common for a child to be raised in the Court of the parents, and often the family will put an expectation on the child to remain with that Court when they grow old enough to make those choices themselves. In fact, the majority will do so. There tends to be a lot of good reasons for staying, and a Spring couple do have a much higher likelihood of raising a child who fits in with the Spring Court. But there are times when this is not the case.
Leaving the Court of your family is not a decision made lightly even for those who feel they do not fit with that Court. If you remain, you are likely to have access to opportunities and advancement provided for you. By leaving, you strike out on your own and succeed, or fail, only on your own merits. But those who leave usually do so because it is almost impossible to pretend to truly fit with a Court that does not match your nature, and the wrenching pain of leaving is made bearable by being able to be in a new Court where the ideology and passions of your entire being finally fit in.
There are some who are born to parents of different Courts. How difficult they will find it to navigate the political landscape may depend on how sanctioned their parents match was. For the child of a political marriage, they will likely have the opportunities of both Courts open to them, whereas the child of a forbidden match may find both Courts are somewhat cold to them until they prove their worth on their own merits.
Those who leave the Court of their family are in no way forbidden from maintaining contact with their family, and it is considered to be very bad form to refuse contact with your child if they leave, as all Fae should be encouraged to be true to their nature.
The Royal family is a strange one in terms of the Courts. The previous High King Oberon was from the Winter Court, whereas his wife, the High Queen Titania, who has not been seen in Fae society for many decades, was from the Summer Court. Their son, High King Valerian, is of the Spring Court. There are some ancient Fae who say this is how the succession should be, that each passing High King leaves their crown to an heir from the next season in the cycle, to remind all Fae that all Courts are equal, and that the cycle of the seasons is inevitable. There are very few who remember the High King who predated Oberon, as that was over a thousand years ago, before the Fae Gates closed.
Spring – Green. Life, Family and Growth. Fae of the Spring Court are usually quite Liberal in thinking. They throw the best parties and make the best entertainers. Spring Sirens are amongst the most celebrated musicians in the entire Green.
Summer – Yellow. Heat, War and Strength. Fae of the Summer Court make up the best fighters of the Fae. They are loud, confident and excel at physical activities. Their passions run at the surface of their skin.
Autumn – Brown. Thought, Faith and Art. Autumn Fae are the thinkers. They can debate philosophy deep into the night and are excellent in the magical arts. However, they are also prone to melancholy.
Winter – White. Memory, Death and Future. The Fae of Winter are a strange breed. They don’t live in the present, but are constantly looking at the past and future. They see that death is necessary to bring new life. They make great librarians and advisers.