Green Blood

Green Blood
The Green Blood is the Jeceau imperial bloodline. A Green Blood is any person who, by right of birth under Thlossian Law (also called "Green Law"), lies anywhere in the path of succession to the Jeceau throne (called the Malachite Dais). It is believed, though not confirmed, that Green Blood lineage traces directly back to the First Daughter, thereby granting a divine right to rule all of Landfall. This has been the justification for the Jeceau Empire's generations-long campaign to conquer the Holy Thlos and many other states in the Green Cradle.

Outside the Jeceau Empire, "green-blooded" is sometimes used as an ignorant slur in reference to people of Jeceau descent.

Conversely, inside the Jeceau Empire, to call someone "green-blooded" is more of a backhanded compliment -- like half-sarcastically calling a snobbish person "genteel."

Obviously, Green Bloods do not actually have green blood. Their blood is red, like everyone else's.

In later books of the series, it is revealed that Green Blood is necessary to operate the Sky Key, and that the Green Bloodline long predates the Jeceau Empire. By this definition of "Green Blood," all direct descendants of the First would qualify. This might make Mikoa a "Green Blood," assuming the Lothaen family's claim of pedigree is correct. Bruhinnen royalty, however, would never call themselves "Green Blood," since it is exclusively a Jeceau term.

The Green Bloodline
The Jade Legion has pledged to protect the Green Bloodline since the beginning of the Jeceau Empire, hundreds of years ago.

The imperial bloodline has recently faced severe risk of termination. The past five generations of Jeceau royalty have been infamously barren, unproductive, and short-lived. As a result, when Cadeus Versange inherited the Malachite Dais and Sky Key as an infant, he was the last known living Green Blood in Landfall -- his infancy placing the bloodline in extreme peril. To secure the Green Blood, Emperor Cadeus was therefore under heavy pressure to marry and produce children from a very early age. In fact, he was on his way to propose to the Lady Estrellis Wynn when his caravan mysteriously disappeared in the forest of Clairefore. With the disappearance of Emperor Cadeus X, the Green Blood was believed to have been extinguished in Landfall. This event has undermined the Jeceau Empire and instigated an ongoing Jeceau Civil War.

Shortly after Cadeus X's disappearance, Estrellis Wynn revealed that she was pregnant. She claims that her now young daughter, Cadisae Wynn, is the Green Blood heiress of Cadeus X. Most people doubt her claim, believing that Lord Ander Wynn somehow forced his daughter to get pregnant in order to lay a claim to the Jeceau throne. Late in the series, it is revealed to the reader, through the Jade Legion's spying and record-keeping, that Cadisae Wynn is, in fact, Cadeus X's real daughter.

Unknown to her, Fiorah is actually the illegitimate daughter of Prince Theadreau and his Chesny mistress Viviana Rose -- making Fiorah Green Blood.

Green Blood Family Tree (Recent History): Cadeus IX - died in battle during the Red Snow War, at Hadrin's Gate, buried at the Palace of Zerine
 * Prince Theadreau, Duke of Chesny (by Empress Ellith) - died in winter during the Red Snow War, buried on-site at High Look (died before Cadeus IX)
 * Cadeus X (by Princess Kaedra) - disappeared in Clairefore Forest
 * Cadisae Wynn (by Lady Estrellis Wynn)
 * Fiorah (by mistress Viviana Rose)
 * Princess Bellaclaire (by Empress Marie-Joliet of Lemarre) - died as a child
 * Faelyn Pelle (by mistress Lorilyn Pelle) - disappeared in Wrathmire Forest as a child

Important Historical Green Bloods (Reverse Chronological Order; Generations May Be Skipped):

Nimian IV: Withdrew from the Holy Thlos, ending the Conclave War. Established the Ellisais Conclave. Viewed unfavorably by Jeceau historians.

Belgaine III: Conquered Chesny. Highly regarded for his military genius. Admired and studied Neitsches the Conqueror. Personally designed and erected many castles through the Empire, most of which still stand. Restored the Green Palace to the Palace of Zerine. A popular Jeceau historical figure.

Martaine: Reestablished the Jeceau Empire after the death of Neitsches the Conqueror (his uncle). Renamed the ancient Palace of Zerine to the Green Palace. Controversially chose to keep many of the changes enacted by Neitsches.

Edrian of Aramoor: Exiled from the Jeceau Empire by his son, Martaine. Fathered the Aramoor line of Green Bloods with his famous Norst wife, Lady Zerine. Mostly forgotten in Jeceau history, but very popular in Aramoor.

Cadeus IV: Defeated and deposed by Neitsches the Conqueror.