There certainly seem to be some very limiting constraints in their caste sitaution (and I'm guessing that 'hearth witch' is more of a character trait and less of a caste, right? Because it's not mentioned in the caste list, but they make a whole heap about Marion being one in the one about how she and Lucivar get together)

It seems to not be a caste but is a type of--inclination? Yeah, I wondered about that too.

(Also, Rainier. Tip of the homosexual iceberg in the Black Jewels books. And Karla prefers women? They never did more than touch upon that, and dammit, wasn't she pregnant when she got poisoned in Queen of the Darkness?)

I don't think so; during her Virgin Night, Saitan mentioned that after Lucivar got the business over with, Karla would probably never take another male lover. I am irritated she doesn't have a female consort or heck, a girlfriend. She apparently has an adopted daughter and formed a platonic family with her master of the guard, and I am all for alternative family definitions, but her! And Rainier!