#* & . › lyria / inspiration !

[acourtofthought]

I'm sorry but "you're my mate" does not outweigh Elain's feelings on the matter.

The simple existence of a mating bond does not suddenly declare all Elriel moments null. It does not make them platonic just because Elain is Lucien's mate.

If the mating bond really were the end all be all -> we wouldn't have ANY existence of a pairing where the bond was wrong.

If the mating bond was the end all be all -> there would be NO Elriel moments for us to even be discussing.

After finding out that Cassian & Rhys were their mates, Feyre and Nesta did not entertain the idea of other men.

Elucien is the only instance in SJMverse where the bond snapped before Elain & Lucien even knew each other. And despite knowing her mate is right there - Elain chooses to pursue someone else.

Oh - aside from Rowan & Lyria ... but we all know how THAT turned out

"after finding out that Cassian & Rhys were their mates, Feyre and Nesta did not entertain the idea of other men"

Nesta on the moment she met Cassian:

Nesta displaying her feelings for Cassian during the war:

Nesta months later:

Feyre while UTM:

Feyre a few months later with Tamlin:

Just because the sisters bonds didn't immediately snap doesn't mean they didn't realize deep down that Cassian and Rhys were something to them.

Yet despite the tug to them, despite Nesta even being willing to die with Cassian, both sisters went on to fuck others. Hell, Nesta even imagined Cassian's best friend fucking her!

You should be glad Sarah included Elain having a bit of a hot girl summer moment because it's proves choosing Lucien is still a choice, it didn't turn her into a mindless robot who can only be attracted to one guy.

You know what Sarah has never written though?

An endgame couple where the MMC sits and stares at another female with heat in his eyes while his supposed love interest is in the room with them.

Feyre and Nesta absolutely were attracted to other men even after confessing they were drawn to their mates from the start though I don't recall the same for Cassian or Rhys when it came to other females.

Sarah has written scenarios of poorly matched bonds in characters we've never met. But you can bet we're not going to see Elain reject Lucien Mother Fucking Vanserra, future High Lord of Sunshine for Azriel the Torturer.

Also, Elain doesn't have feelings because she doesn't actually exist. So pardon but I'm pretty sure Sarah J Maas, multi millionaire Fated Mates author is going to write Elain wanting her mate because..... Mates. And it's Lucien. Who was inspired by Jamie Fraser. Who Sarah loves.

I promise you, Elain's feelings on the matter don't matter more than the story Sarah wants to tell especially when Sarah already told us Elain took both she and Lucien by surprise and when she's the one who retconned Lucien's father so he'd be the heir to Day, not Autumn, and proceeded to hammer home how much Elain likes sunshine.

Better luck next time! 😉

[elains]

An Abundance of Mates?

One of the greatest hallmarks of the Maasverse is the existence of Mating Bonds . They’re at the heart of all SJM’s works (except Catwoman, but we don’t talk about Catwoman) and most of her protagonists have the privilege of finding their mate, this deep connection that most words we have fail to properly describe.

Yet for all their importance, the truth is that the lore around mating bonds is sparse, and I’d very much say deliberately vague. Why deliberately vague?  Because going into too much detail about how they work and establishing hard rules could drive Sarah into a corner and as she’s very much a pantser, better keep her options open.

For all we don’t know, however, there have been things that have remained constant throughout Throne of Glass, Crescent City, and A Court of Thorns and Roses. For this meta, I’ll be focusing more on the last two, as they’re still ongoing and really, let’s be real, it's where most of this debate around mates comes from. This contains spoilers for all SJMs series.

• They’re bestowed by a higher power.

How this higher power is named varies from series to series, be it the Mother, Wyrd, Urd. What is made abundantly clear is that this isn’t a choice. In Crescent City, for all the engineering surrounding Hunt’s birth, when he questions whether his mating bond to Bryce is also artificial, he gets immediately shot down by Aidas.

Hunt gripped Bryce’s hand atop his knee. “Is it in my DNA that Bryce and I are mates? Was that engineered, too?” “No,” Aidas said quickly, “that was never intended. I think that was left to higher powers. Whatever they may be.”

Granted, the way Aidas answers this opens the question whether they could have engineered a Mating Bond, had they wanted. We do know it’s possible to create something that resembles a mating bond to trick one of the parties, as happens with Rowan, courtesy of Maeve — but that’s not a true bond. Aelin comes along, Rowan’s fated mate, and the difference is stark. Lyria is literally described as a Fake Mate, someone who, like Rowan, was duped by Maeve’s sorcery.

Overall, I think it’s clear that no, you cannot create a Mating Bond. That is the purveyor of the Higher Powers that govern the universe. All other beings can only hope to accomplish are imitations of the true thing, some more successful and real than others. In the excerpt above, I’d wager the reason Aidas refutes it so fast is because he, as a Prince of Hel, knows that there are forces out there you do not mess or interfere with.

Also, Sarah has no problem creating circumstances where her characters can have something that is adjacent to a mating bond, but not really one, like Chaol and Yrene’s bond by the end of Tower of Dawn and it's still framed positively.

• They exist from birth, across species and worlds.

Let’s tackle this one by one. Another constant we have about the mating bonds in SJM’s worlds is that it very much can exist across species, with the caveat that one of these parts is always Fae or Part-Fae. In Crescent City, we have Bryce (Demifae) and Hunt (Malakim), Danika (Shifter Fae) and Baxian (Malakim) and my favourite one I think, Theia (Fae) and Aidas (Demon Prince).

Theia and Aidas are particularly fun one because not only are they from completely different species, but they are also from completely different planets. Chances are that had Theia never crossed into Midgard, she’d never have met Aidas. This does imply that whoever or whatever is responsible for the Mating Bonds operates on a cosmic scale. It’s not some weak force ruling over one world, but rather something that spans the universe, and this level of foreknowledge points at it being an all-knowing, all-seeing force/power/being.

Which we then circle back the first of the topic, last to be broached: mates are from birth. This is pretty much what we see and learn in ACOTAR, when it’s established that Feyre was always Rhysand’s mate, even when she was still human, and that inspired her to paint the stars on her drawer. By that point, they had never interacted, but the bond was already there, and it was only made stronger when she became Fae, eventually snapping.

Why was it made stronger? This is speculation and a murky area because Sarah hasn’t given many details on it, my working theory is that the Fae are more tied to the “Powers of the Universe” (Read: they’re the Creator’s Favourites) than humans are, so they feel it more keenly. I do think that what we get in Crescent City with the Parasite dulling the Vanir’s primal abilities and instincts, things that are intrinsic to their beings, which also dulled the signs of a mating bond, though it’s unable to erase them.

 • Multiple types of mating bonds confirmed in Crescent City?

One of the major discourse points in the fandom after Crescent City released was the existence of multiple types of mates, as some people argue that in HOSAB, there’s explicit confirmation that the Malakim can have mates, and they can choose them. I could never accept them because most of the ones I’ve seen are eager to ignore some important points: 1) The context of how it comes up. 2) The general context of the series.

When it comes up in HOSAB, it’s when Ithan and Bryce are talking about Connor. Ithan tells her that Connor thought she was his mate, and this is when first she thinks about the various definitions of the term. To our two kinds of Fae, mates are something deeper than marriage, chosen by Urd, beyond an individual’s control. This is verbatim what the description says:

There were several definitions of the term mate—though Bryce supposed that to Ithan, to a shifter, only one mattered: one’s true lover, predestined by Urd. The Fae had a similar concept—a mate was a bond deeper than marriage, and beyond an individual’s control.

This is contrasted by how the Malakim use the term “Mate” as specified right after. It’s not nearly as serious:

The angels, she knew, used the term far more lightly: for the malakim, it was akin to a marriage, and matings could be arranged. Like breeding animals in a zoo.

There's nothing romantic about “Like breeding animals in a zoo”. The definition of Mate to the malakim has nothing to do with the soul bond level of the Fae. When Celestina says she’s going to be mated to Ephraim to produce children, she’s not talking about them being bound body and soul in a something deeper. She’s talking about “Yeah, they have selected us to mate and breed like cattle to bring forth new Malakim offspring”.

It doesn’t have to be as bleak! As Bryce herself acknowledges, it’s akin to a marriage. Mate, in this sense, has the same meaning as spouse, lover, significant other, companion. But True Mates, mates in the way the Fae are, have a much deeper bond that defies these simple labels.

Later, when talking to Hunt, Bryce also says that it can be a biological thing, as some mates can feel an invisible link between them, a scent or soul bond. The fact that it can be but not necessarily is does seem to imply you can have a mating bond without these other biological aspects showing up, but that doesn’t take from the main point of this meta and the main conclusion.

• Mates within the context of SJMs works

With this, we go back to point number 2 I stated above: context of this series. It’s clear as day that Sarah adores the fated mates trope, the existence of a predestined love and a bond that surpasses all others. Aelin and Rowan, Bryce and Hunt, Ruhn and Lidia, Feyre and Rhysand, Nesta and Cassian, hinted with Elide and Lorcan — they’re all mates. It’s supposed to be rare, mind, but even side-characters get mates because she loves them so much.

However, being mates with someone doesn’t mean insta-love. Theses couples didn’t meet and were all stars and rainbows from the get got! There might have been attraction, but there wasn’t really insta love. They had to go through things together, to build their relationship, and some just found out/had confirmation about their bond later, when they had a solid foundation.

As far as romantic relationships go, Sarah’s work has never been about defying what fate established. Rather, they’re journeys about finding their way together, to where you’re supposed to be, and making it work despite being fated for each other. Some people have said it before, but choosing to embrace a mating bond has weight insofar as you have the possibility (or the illusion) to reject it.

This isn’t meant to be a shipping post and more one about Mates in general, but I will speak about Elucien and Elriel (Gwynriel isn’t here because Elain is the one with a confirmed mating bond) because Elain’s mating bond is at the heart of these discussions.

Unlike most Sarah’s couple, Elain and Lucien know from the start they’re mated. The tension exists because of it, as Elain didn’t want to be turned Fae and at the time was in love and engaged to someone else. The Mating Bond foisted upon them is the very source of tension, as it comes not as a confirmation they’re meant to be, but as an indication. Their story would be about knowing they’re meant to be, in a way resisting it, but falling in love and choosing each other anyway.

What of Elain and Azriel? I know there are a lot of theories about how they’re “Mates by Choice”, but I digress. They won’t be mates of choice, nor they’ll have something mate adjacent. Elain and Azriel’s story would be about them being True Mates and them finding their way to each other and staying together despite whatever external forces are keeping them apart. If Azriel and Elain are endgame, her mating bond with Lucien will be (for some reason) revealed to be some kind of spell or lie. Az will always have been the real one.

For more details of how these two ships would come about and the details, there are great theories and meta for both around which goes in depth about my points here.

• The Conclusion:

The word “Mate” can be used to describe multiple types of relationships, but there’s only one type of true (soul)mates, and they’re chosen by a higher power beyond and individuals’ control. Calling someone your mate does not equal them being your soulmate.

[enigmaticexplorer]

Fake Mating Bonds: The Similarity Between Rowan/Lyria and Elain/Lucien

This post was inspired by @violetasteracademic who pointed out the similarity when discussing fake mating bonds between Azriel's ACOSF bonus chapter and Empire of Storms. You can read it here!

I've decided to take her breakdown a step further and 1) compare Rowan and Lucien, and how they regard Lyria and Elain, and 2) rely on these canon scenes to suggest that the mating bond between Elain and Lucien is fake. None of this is novel. It's been around for years, and most people who've engaged in the fandom probably know all of this. But I like having page numbers to reference, so I thought this would be helpful.

This post contains spoilers for TOG, ACOTAR, and HOFAS.

(KOA: Chapter 5 - pages 62-63)

She’d [Maeve] gone into his head to trick him into thinking Lyria was his mate, had fooled the very instincts that made him a Fae male…. Why Lyria had been so frightened of him for those initial months, why it had been so damn hard to court her, even with that mating bond, its truth unknown to Lyria as well. She was gentle, and quiet, and kind. A different sort of strength, yes, but not what he might have chosen for himself.

(ACOWAR: Chapter 24 - page 249)

Touch her, smell her, taste her— The instincts were a running river… But there she was. His mate. She was nothing like Jesminda. Jesminda had been all laughter and mischief, too wild and free to be contained by the country life that she’s been born into…. She had chosen him. Elain had been…thrown at him.

What Rowan and Lucien Think About Their "Mates'" Personalities

To start, let's look at how Rowan and Lucien think about Lyria and Elain, respectively.

Rowan describes Lyria as gentle, quiet, and kind—all three are attributes he respects. And yet he admits that they're not characteristics of a mate he would have chosen for himself. He knew that Lyria's personality wasn't his preference, and it's even implied (refer to the last line from the section above) that he questioned why Lyria was his mate.

Similarly, Lucien describes Jesminda as laughter, mischief, wild, and free. He claims that Jesminda had chosen him—regardless of station—but Elain had been thrown at him. Through this comparison between Jesminda and Elain, it's implied that 1) Elain does not have the personality traits Lucien admired in Jesminda—personality traits he would have liked his mate (his true love) to possess, and, therefore, 2) Lucien doesn't see Elain as a mate he would have chosen for himself.

Both Rowan and Lucien make it clear that their "mates" had/have unusual personality traits—traits that oppose their preferences. [Note: Lyria and Elain's traits/personalities (being quiet, kind, gentle) are not depicted as bad traits. They're simply not the traits these males prefer in a partner.]

Lyria and Elain's Reactions to Their "Mating" Bonds

Now that we've established similarities between Rowan and Lucien's thinking about Lyria and Elain, respectively, let's look at how both female characters react to the bond.

Rowan tells us that Lyria was afraid of him, initially. And while Rowan admits to eventually coming to love her (same chapter, bottom of page 62), Lyria's fear—due to the unnatural state of their bond—made their courtship difficult. The text implies that 1) she avoided Rowan and 2) only once he proved himself a decent male—and because of the tug of the bond—did she give into him.

Similarly, Elain remains disinterested with Lucien. I don't think it's implied that she's afraid of him, like Lyria was of Rowan, however, she is uncomfortable around Lucien. She avoids him, and she only interacts with him when her family forces her to. And her interactions are polite, nothing more. Their "courtship" is difficult and problematic with Elain not wanting to entertain Lucien's attention/forced affections, and Lucien being uninspired to truly pursue her. [An aside: I don’t think that Lucien deserves applause for giving Elain space. A male not forcing himself on a woman is not admirable—it’s the bare minimum of human existence (in this case Fae existence).]

It seems that both Lyria and Elain had/have an instinctive knowledge that something was/is wrong with their bond—both females avoided/avoid their "mates" unless forced to see him. An unusual characteristic considering that we're told a mating bond overpowers your base instincts and should have compelled them to at least show some interest in Rowan/Lucien.

Males Portraying Mate-Like Behaviors with Their Fake Mates

I've seen a few posts circling about how Lucien feels so strongly for Elain and because he portrays mate-like behaviors towards her, that means they're end game.

In the KOA passage, we learn that Rowan felt mate-like tendencies for Lyria. He claims the mating bond that Maeve constructed "had fooled the very instincts that made him a Fae male." The very instincts.

We also see these mate-like behaviors described earlier in the series.

(HOF: Chapter 35 - pages 303-304)

"When you lose a mate, you don't..." A shake of the head. "I lost all sense of self, of time and place..." "For ten years, I did nothing. I vanished. I went mad. Beyond mad. I felt nothing at all. I just...left. I wandered the world, in and out of my forms, hardly marking the seasons, eating only when my hawk told me it needed to feed or it would die. I would have let myself die--except I...couldn't bring myself..." "I had nothing. No one. At that point, I hoped serving her [Maeve] might get me killed, and then I could see Lyria again."

Even though Lyria wasn't his real mate, Rowan still felt that pull to her. He believed—thanks to his fae male instincts—that she was his mate, and when she died, he spent ten years mourning her. Ten years barely eating. Ten years spending most of his time in hawk form. And he took the blood oath to Maeve with the hope that he would die and reunite with Lyria.

Remember: Lyria wasn't Rowan's real mate. And yet he still displayed all of those mate feelings and behaviors. So much so he nearly died because of his grief.

Similarly, we see Lucien display the same feelings/thoughts for Elain—hence his internal monologue in ACOWAR to touch her, taste her, claim her. However, as we've learned from Rowan's experience, male's portraying mate-like behaviors and feelings is not confined to real mate bonds. These instincts can be—and have been—bastardized and abused to create fake bonds.

So, even though Lucien displays some mate-like feelings/behaviors for Elain, it doesn't mean that Elain and Lucien are real mates. Even then, his willingness to stay away from her and give her space (again, I will not applaud him for not forcing himself on Elain), is at odds with how a mated male acts around and towards his mate. Compare Lucien to Rowan—Rowan couldn't stay away from Lyria and he actively pursued her, even though she wasn't his real mate.

Based on these comparisons, we can safely theorize—and assume—that a fake mating bond exists between Elain and Lucien. Elain does not act like a mated female (I will not judge Elain for wanting to kiss Azriel, and I will always support female characters choosing their own love), and even though Lucien shows some mate-like tendencies, his willingness and ability to avoid Elain, and compare her to Jesminda, is unusual for a mated male.

The real question is: Who or What created the fake mating bond between Elain and Lucien?

I'm inclined to believe it was the Cauldron. From what we learned in HOFAS, the Cauldron was "warped" by the Asteri.

(HOFAS: Chapter 19 - pages 195-196)

...the Daglan captured it [the Cauldron] and used their powers to warp it. To turn it from what it had been into something deadlier. No longer just a tool of creation, but of destruction.

The Cauldron is not a benevolent or good Thing. It causes both creation but also destruction. And it's not farfetched to theorize that the Cauldron—like Maeve—created the bond between Elain and Lucien. However, there's not enough canonical evidence to truly suggest that it was the Cauldron that created their bond.

That being said, canon has made it clear that 1) a fake mating bond can exist, and 2) mate-like tendencies are not definitive of a real mating bond.

[melodyswishes]

Lyria QiYi┊ ᡣ𐭩 .°౨ৎ₊˚

This is where lyria’s little details come in handy hehe— But here is where you can locate her body designs and upcoming changes to her stories!

Nickname and age: ᯓᡣ𐭩 Glim ┊pre-14 — 17

Her parents: Macaque & Fenkachi.

Other names ! ᯓᡣ𐭩

Liked: Tinzy-Winzy, Starlight, Tanzi, Monster baby and Airhead ! ₊˚

Disliked: Dummy, Nit-Wit, Absolute annoyance & Dismorphic—

( Basically any other personal hurling insults. )

Species: Offspring Half-Human & Half-Sea goat ! — ˖ ݁𖥔

Personality: Cheerful and cute, She becomes intimidating when in danger— Same as sandy when seeing those loved involved. She’s very light headed and epileptic but she can function as same. Gentle and understanding person but puts too much pressure on herself to understand things.

Pronouns: She/Them & Female !

Inspiration and idea: @/auburnitzy @/blossomnightshade @/ekukovsblog

UPDATE SOON ! 12/5 ᡣ𐭩 .°౨ৎ₊˚

[insignificant457]

Pierce Brown Light Bringer Q&A

I went to pierces book signing tonight and I will attempt to regurgitate everything I can remember since I didn’t take notes

When asked if there’s any characters he regrets killing off, he said Trigg. But he also said he has a different answer every time someone asks that

He talked about how he writes two different types of deaths—deaths that feel like the end of an arc, and deaths that feel like they cut off in the middle. He said the latter are more like life, and that’s why they hurt more, and why he’s more likely to regret killing them. Trigg is one of these, as is Fitchner

Speaking of Trigg, his aborted arc factored into the decision to add ephraim as a pov character—it allowed him to explore Trigg and his backstory even after he was gone

The other povs in iron gold were specifically chosen because each had a bone to pick with Darrow, and also because he wanted a high, mid, and low color pov

He was complimented multiple times on how he writes female characters, and his response basically boiled down to “I subscribe to the radical idea that women are people”. He said it’s funny that no one ever compliments him on his ability to write complex male characters

Related to the above, both victra and Aja were originally conceived as male characters, but he couldn’t quite make them work until he flipped the gender. He said that after making victra a woman, he immediately knew exactly who she was and she became incredibly easy to write

Speaking of victra (she got a lot of love, as she deserves), someone asked for a random fact about her, and he said she plays Karachi, which is a gambling game, but she doesn’t want anyone to know because she doesn’t want people to think she’s reckless. Everyone knows.

When asked how he feels about Lysander, pierce said “he’s doing his job,” both in universe and as a vehicle for the story. He also said this was always the path he’d imagined for Lysander

Some of his favorite lines are “do not fear for me, pity them” and “worthy”

He called Darrow a drama queen, and said that he often talks out loud while writing, and darrows internal monologues get weird reactions from friends who overhear (“who’s the motherfucking consequence?!?”)

Darrows experience in light bringer (in particular his reading of the path to the vale) was very much inspired by pierces own struggle trying to write light bringer. He said they both had to learn that the right path is not always forward, sometimes you have to go back

Light bringer was by far the hardest book for him to write (he said “if you ever want to know what the hardest book for an author to write was, just look at how long it took to do it) but he said it’s also possibly his favorite

When asked if any characters or relationships surprised him, he said yes absolutely. Sevro was apparently supposed to be a tertiary character, but basically hopped off the page, and victra was another surprise. He also said (light bringer spoilers) the relationship between Cassius and Lyria was also a huge surprise, but he realized on writing their first interaction that they would absolutely love each other

He also said that the snark between Darrow Cassius and sevro just flowed really easily, and that Darrow and Cassius understand each other, but that Cassius simply Does Not Get sevro

When asked about bringing the jackal back as a clone, he said it was an effort to explore cloning in a way that, in his opinion, has not been done particularly well in many other media. He also said it came about because there was more to explore with virginias relationship with her brother

Tongueless was a hat of death kill, but he told us the original backstory he had planned for him. Apparently tongueless was a high up leader of the syndicate, who was deposed by Lilath when she came in and instigated a coup

He said he tries to write using “South Park writing rules”, meaning instead of saying x and y and z happen, he always uses x happens but y happens or y happens therefore z happens. He said this helps keep things from feeling predictable or trite

When asked what he hopes people take away from the series, he said he doesn’t want to say, because he fears that would be showing his hand for red god. But he did say that what he hopes people take away from light bringer is the same thing darrow tells sevro in morning star “we keep looking for the light, but we’re it”

And lastly, in the signing line, I asked him when sevro found out his father was ares, and he told me it was “probably around the same time darrow found out”, and said a lot of that is because sevro had spent a long time hating his father, because he could always sense he was being shut out. He mentioned that children can tell when there are walls there, and it can actually have a very damaging impact on their mental stability (mental instability? I said. sevro? Never.) anyway rip to my sevro joined the sons pre series theory, you will be missed, but it’s nice to have an answer thanks Pierce

Anyway it was a very fun time, if I remember more later I will add it

[daenyzz]

The Dragon Girls: Breaker of Chains and Flame of Freedom

Summary — Lyria, Daenerys's younger bastard sister, accompanies her sister throughout her journey and anti-slavery campaign on behalf of Essos, while Lyria must find which path she should follow, she only knows one thing, which has nothing to do with the Iron Throne.

Warning — Mourning briefly described.

Word Count — 1.269

In the gloom of the night, under a sky full of stars that seemed more distant than ever, Daenerys Targaryen stood on the edge of a large funeral pyre. The flames danced as if they were alive, illuminating her face marked by pain and loss. Beside her, Lyria, her younger bastard sister, watched silently, feeling the weight of grief that hung in the air. Both were too young to bear such sadness, but life had taught them to face pain with bravery.

Lyria was only fourteen days younger than Daenerys, but she already bore the scars of a dark past. Bastard daughter of Aerys II and a Valyrian-looking Lyseni harlot, the young woman had wavy silver hair and amethyst eyes that reflected an inhuman and at the same time tragic beauty. The death of her half-brother Viserys did not bring much pain, but that of the son he implanted in her womb... had left an indelible mark on her heart, one that will never be erased.

The pyre burned with intense flames as Daenerys murmured parting words to Drogo. Lyria felt a deep connection with her sister; Both had lost a lot, and loneliness united them in an unbreakable bond. “We must be strong,” Lyria said quietly, her voice almost lost in the crackling flames. “They wouldn’t want us to let ourselves get down.”

Daenerys turned to her, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “I don’t know if I can be strong, Lyria. The world seems so dark right now.”

“Then let us light a light together,” Lyria replied determinedly. “Let this fire be a symbol of our ongoing struggle.”

From that moment on, the two sisters decided that they would not just survive; they would fight for something greater. Lyria’s influence over Daenerys grew as they traveled across Essos, freeing slaves and confronting tyrants. With each city they conquered, Lyria’s determination grew stronger; she did not want the Iron Throne or the power it represented—she wanted freedom for all the oppressed.

During their journeys, they met many people: men and women who had suffered under the yoke of slavery and oppression. With each tale of pain and suffering, Lyria felt her own inner flame ignite. It was as if there was something inside her crying out for justice.

One night, as they watched the starry sky beneath a shroud of silence in the city of Astapor, Lyria met the High Priestess of R’hllor. The woman was shrouded in mystery and power; her eyes seemed to see beyond the present.

“You are the Flame of Freedom,” the priestess said in a deep, echoing voice. “The stars have fallen, the heavens have roared, and darkness gathers in the hearts of humanity, you are born again amidst fire and ash.”

Lyria froze at the priestess’s words. “Me? A Flame? I don’t understand.”

“The Flame of Freedom lived in the Dawn Age,” the priestess continued. “She freed the oppressed from the oppressors and protected the poor from the rich. You have that same flame within you.”

The words echoed in Lyria’s mind like a distant echo. She glanced at Daenerys, who was lost in her own thoughts about her destiny as Dragon Queen.

“But I am not a queen,” Lyria said finally. “I do not want to be like the Targaryens who came before us.”

“You do not need to be a queen,” the priestess replied. “True leadership comes from the heart and courage.”

The days passed as the sisters continued their anti-slavery campaign across Essos. In Meereen, they faced immense challenges: bloodthirsty pirates, cruel warlords, and even political intrigue among the freedmen who wanted to rule rather than be free.

Lyria became a central figure in the movement for freedom; Her inspiring words echoed among the freed slaves as Daenerys led battles against her oppressors. Amidst the chaos of war and the darkness of human betrayal, the bond between the sisters grew even deeper.

One night in Meereen, after a significant victory against one of the local warlords, Lyria climbed to the roof of the palace with Daenerys to gaze at the stars.

“Have you ever thought about what this all means?” Lyria asked as she looked up at the night sky.

“What do you mean?” Daenerys replied curiously.

“Freeing people is wonderful,” Lyria began, “but I sense there’s something deeper here—something to do with our blood heritage.” She hesitated before continuing, “Do you truly believe we’re different from our ancestors?”

Daenerys frowned as she considered this. “I want to be different. I want to bring justice, to be justice.”

“What if we can do this together?” Lyria suggested excitedly. “If we can use our dragons not just to conquer lands, but to protect those in need?”

The words resonated deeply within Daenerys; she knew there was a greater power in her hands—not just dragons or the Iron Throne—but the ability to change lives.

That night, they decided to name their newborn dragons: the scarlet-black dragon they named Anogar, which means “blood” in High Valyrian, to represent the blood spilled by those they loved; the white dragon adorned with violets they named Valyria, to show the world that Valyrian glory had returned, but not as it had been before, but as an anti-slavery dragon. When Daenerys first released Anogar into the night sky, she felt an instant connection with the dragon; it was as if he understood her mission.

As time passed, Lyria realized that, just as her sister had felt with Anogar, she had a special bond with Valyria—a magical connection that seemed to transcend human understanding. After liberating Slaver’s Bay and Dany had made it back to Meereen from Vaes Dothraki, the dragons were now large enough to be ridden, and so they did. They rode dragons across Essos during the anti-slavery campaign, and she felt freedom pulse through her like never before.

But it wasn’t all sunshine and roses; the challenges grew more intense as they conquered cities and made powerful enemies along the way. One fateful night in Yunkai brought unexpected betrayals; allies turned against them, and even some of the freedmen began to question their intentions.

“Why are we fighting for them?” asked a disillusioned advisor after a failed attack on the city. “They should be fighting for themselves!”

Lyria quickly intervened: “Because that is how we build a better future! We cannot be driven by hatred or revenge! We must show the world who we are!”

Daenerys looked at her younger sister with growing admiration; she now saw the strength within her—an indomitable spirit akin to the fire of dragons themselves.

The final battle against the warlords was drawing near when rumors began to circulate of a new threat: those who sought to overthrow Daenerys and take her dragons for themselves were planning to strike during the next full moon./Amidst the preparations for this epic battle, Lyria had a vivid dream about the meaning of the flames—her connection to Valyria seemed to intensify as she delved deeper into the Targaryen legacy.

On the day of the final battle at Yunkai, as the enemy forces advanced beneath a heavy, ominous sky, Lyria climbed onto Valyria’s back while Daenerys rode Anogar beside her. The roar of dragons echoed across the field as they soared above the enemy ranks.

And so began their epic journey as sisters bound by destiny—fighting for justice through fire and ash—never forgetting who they were or where they wanted to go: not the Iron Throne or absolute power, but true freedom for all whose voices were still silenced by fear.

[limerental]

ficletvember 2024 - day 4

meve/reynard post-canon gooey fluff with a touch of chivalry/praise kink

A sleepy Reynard misspeaks, inspiring Meve to indulge in sharing a silly girlhood fantasy.

It's a simple slip of the tongue one morning, a misplaced word heavy with sleep. Both the Queen and her consort are slower to rouse these days, loathe to leave a warm bed for their duties in the winter chill of the castle.

Reynard in particular has never slept so deeply, rising slowly to consciousness with little sighs and grumbles rather than snapping alert, and Meve delights in it, rolling to her belly to tuck her face against his sleep-warm shoulder and trail her fingers across the span of his chest as he mumbles nonsense and groggily protests her occasional whispered requests that he wake.

Some mornings, she wakes him more pleasantly, rising to straddle him or slipping beneath the bedcovers, but the hour is already late enough that the servants meant to dress and feed them and prepare them for the day are likely growing antsy waiting outside their shared bedchamber, as they’ve instructed them to do.

In truth, tradition dictates separate bedrooms, which they maintain for the occasional sleepless night, but they’ve gladly shirked tradition and wasted far too much time to sleep apart.

As much as Meve would love to lie here beside him half the morning, to allow Reynard as many moments of peaceful comfort as he deserves after everything, both of them have too many responsibilities looming.

Meve prods him in the ribs and rises on an elbow above him, giving to the impulse to press a brief kiss to his jaw, rough with the previous day’s stubble.

“Reynard,” she says, “it’s time you woke. What ever are you dreaming about?”

“Urgghhff,” he huffs, slack brow tightening as his eyelids flutter, gaze unfocused. “Hmmph?”

Meve prods him more insistently.

“Up,” she says. “No more lazing about.”

“Mmm,” Reynard hums and blinks open his eyes. She knows she’s gotten through at last when he stretches, groggy but conscious, and reaches for her, touching a hand to her cheek as she looms above him. He appears so openly besotted as he looks up at her, that Meve feels her face grow hot. His thumb strokes her cheekbone, as gently as though touching thin-blown glass. His eyes drift shut again.

“Reynard,” she says, her voice hardening into the sharpness of an order. “Wake up. On your feet.”

He’s fully awake at once, stiffening to sit up with covers pushed aside.

“Yes, Sir,” he tells her firmly, realizing only a moment later what he’s called her by mistake. “I mean… Your Grace… err… Meve.”

Meve giggles breathlessly, deeply amused by his mortified expression as much as the slip of the tongue, and she forgets their waiting duties and antsy servants and rises to straddle his lap, planting a hand flat against the ridge of scar tissue at his sternum to tip him backwards against the pillows.

“Call me that again,” she says, laughing. “Sir Meve, hmm?”

“M-my apologies,” stutters Reynard, “if I’d been more awake, I wouldn’t’ve–” Tutting over his embarrassed flush, she catches her fingers in his greying hair to kiss him soundly in apology for the teasing. 

“Oh hush. I must confess I like how it sounds,” she says even as she coaxes Reynard’s hands to grip her hips, her own hand stealing between their bodies to cup his morning erection. There’s truly no time for such intimacy, but then again, all of Rivia and Lyria can wait beyond their bedchamber as long as she wishes. 

“Meve, we should–”

She shushes him and kisses down his throat and does not hesitate to lift her hips and settle him inside her body, delighting in his quickening breath and pinched brow as much as she had his relaxed slumber.

“D’you know as a child I yearned for th’ day I’d be knighted and all would have to call me sir rather than princess?” She rocks back as she speaks, tangling their fingers together at her hips. “My mother had to inform me of th’ proper title. Unfortunately, Dame doesn’t have quite th’ same appeal.”

Reynard laughs, breathless. 

“Call me it again,” she says.

“Sir,” says Reynard, “yes, Sir.”

His hips move up against hers, and she remembers as a girl dreaming of gleaming armor and glorious battle, of earning the respect and adoration of doting tournament crowds. Of being powerful and important, far more than a simple princess destined to be married off into the meek servitude of matrimony and motherhood. 

Gripping tight to lean against the leverage of clasp of their hands and Reynard’s raised arms, Meve tells him every foolish fantasy, even as he responds in turn, muttering praise against the skin of her breast, looking up at her through dark lashes as they move together.

The repeated, earnest whispers of sir warm her thoroughly.

They laugh together, sweaty and spent.

Meve knows she has no need of the fanfare of admiring crowds, though these days they wait anywhere she goes. She cares only to have earned the respect and doting adoration of this man beneath her, who would follow her into any battle and indulge her any silly fantasy.

[meefy]

okay bae while I'm having a crisis picking my fav thing about Umihebi/Torou why don't YOU tell us your favorite thing about Lata! Only ONE! 🫵

OOOOOOF fam you KNOW me and how I could write a whole essay on this question...BUT if we have to narrow it down to only one. I think this panel sums it up nicely:

I absolutely love his "I'm gonna do what I want and I don't care what people think of me doing it" attitude. He had everything most commoners would find idealistic: money, a place in the knights circle, noble status, the power that comes with it...and all he wanted to do was go to Lyrias to study rocks. And even when people there called his research useless, and said he was only there because he had money and time to waste, he kept doing it because...he loves it! Look at him. The few times he smiles, it's almost always him talking about or looking at rocks!

His dedication to confidently do what he loves and follow his passion in the face of societal disapproval inspires me every single day. I love him so much.

[misswynters]

MIRAELYS

The Celestial Majesty

Mentioned: yet to be mentioned

Appearance

Miraelys is a breathtaking dragon with shimmering scales that glisten like polished silver under the sun, with hints of deep pink and violet in certain lights. Her eyes are a striking shade of sapphire, exuding both wisdom and fierce intensity. Miraelys's wingspan is vast, allowing her to soar gracefully through the skies of Essos.

Temperament

Miraelys, often referred to as "The Celestial Majesty," embodies both grace and power. She is known for her calm demeanor and intelligence, making her a strategic asset in both diplomacy and battle. Miraelys is exceptionally loyal to her rider, displaying a deep bond that is rarely seen among dragons and their riders.

History and Riders

Miraelys is the trusted companion of the High Princess from House Mantheon of Essos. Their bond is legendary, forged through years of shared experiences and mutual respect. Miraelys has had other riders including the reader’s grandmother, Empress Lyria.

artwork: found on pinterest, couldn’t find op

inspiration from: @witchthewriter

taglist: @benjicotblckwood @spn-obession

[euphoniumpets]

THE LANTSOV FAMILY | PROLOGUE

Warnings: none.

A/N: i'm still in my Nikolai Lantsov era so here are the aftermath of shadow and bone where everybody is happy and that Aleksander's past is forgotten and now we dig in by the lantsov children's story instead. I'm tagging the people who were on my tag list for the calm before the storm, if you guys want to be untag or still be tagged for the story, please comment down below. This series is inspired by the show ''bridgerton'' and it will somehow play out by that show.

Tag list: @lyria-skyfall@khaleesihavilliard@shine101 @waddlingwanderer @clqudias @ducks118 @xceafh @peakyispunk @wilmasvensson @parbatai-winchester @priincehoseok @riot-in-my-soulsoul @feyredarling92 @vendy021 @ssprayberrythings @goldenpoison @shine101 @lili-of-the-dream @xushisuxi @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy @jennylil @themermaidscales82

Dearest reader, the time has come to place our bets for the upcoming social season. Consider the household of the Baron Featherington, three misses foisted upon the marriage market like sorrowful sows, by their tasteless mother, tactless mama.

Far better odds might exist in the household of the Queen and King of Ravka, the Lantsov family. A shockingly prolific family, noted for its bounty of perfectly handsome sons, and perfectly beautiful daughters.

''I am already roasting,'' The youngest complained as she walked down the stairs along with her other siblings. ''Are you to complain the entire day, Eloise?'' The middle sibling questioned her as she walked from behind with annoyance on her face.

''Surely I cannot be expected to bear these fashions the entire day,'' Eloise complained with disgust. ''I feel like a princess, do I look like one?'' The other youngest next to Eloise asked with a beaming look on her face and glanced down at her dress. ''Do you truly wish to know what I think you look like?'' Elosie asked her.

''On your left!''

''Gregory!'' The youngest exclaimed when the youngest brother angirly as they rushed down the stairs to chase each other. ''Is our dear sister still not ready?'' One of the older brothers asked Eloise as they walked down. ''She's only been readying herself the entire night, poor Genya who has to be up there,'' The middle child replied.

''You mean her entire life,'' Eloise remarked. ''I shall run upstairs and hasten her along,'' One of the brothers spoke.

''Colin, wait, I'll do it,'' One of the brothers stopped Colin from going further. Colin rolled his eyes toward the not subtle gesture Benedict who had a small crush on their maiden Genya. ''Oh please, we all know that you have a crush on Miss Safin,'' Colin teased him, earning a glare from his brother.

''Says the one who has a crush on General Nazyalensky,'' Benedict snapped. ''I do not!'' Colin exclaimed before pausing in mid sentence.

''Besides, sister, likes me better than you, Benedict,'' Colin argued and looked at his brother with a cocky expression. ''Did she say that?'' Benedict asked with a offended expression.

''Everyone says that,'' Colin remarked with a smirk on his face. Eloise groaned and had enough of her brother's banter before she walked to the stairs. ''Daphne!'' Eloise shouted as everybody in the hallway looked at the youngest child, screaming at her sister.

''You must make haste!''

''Do you think that she heard me?'' Eloise asked and turned around to look at her brothers with a proud face. Colin looked at her with a proud expression while Benedict looked at her with the same disappointing expression whenever their mother would look at them.

''Darling, the whole country heard you,'' You spoke and entered in the hallway. You wore a white and gold kefta as you had your hair up in a bun. ''Where's your sister?'' You asked them and you heard footsteps from the staris.

''Why does mother wear a kefta instead of a dress and why can't I wear one?'' Elosie complained next to her brother and looked down at her dress in disgust.

''It's because she's the queen, dear sister,'' Benedict replied.

''I'm coming!'' You heard Daphne's voice from above. You all turned and saw her standing along with Genya next to her. She wore a long white dress that matched with her sandy blonde hair that she earned from her father.

''I'm sorry mother,'' She apologized as she ran down the stairs, Genya hurrying from behind. ''It's okay, the carriage has arrived on point,'' You replied, placing a small kiss on her forehead before urging the rest of the children to go out.

It has been said that: ''of all bitches dead or alive, a scribbling woman is the most canine, if that should be true, then this author would like to show you her teeth. My name is Lady Whistledown, you do not know me, and rest assured, you never shall, but be forewarned, dear reader, I certainly know you.

additional casting:

corey mylchreest as george

[if-you-built-yourself-a-myth]

Just finished Light Bringer. I have a lot of opinions but first and foremost I’m gonna need Ephraim to Matter in Red God.

Like, he’s a POV character for two whole books and gets his heart eaten. With Lyria, his perspective functioned perfectly to show us the day-to-day consequences of war (Darrow and Virginia and Lysander see only big picture; now Lyria is with them). In Light Bringer, he’s just a passing mention to inspire Volga/Lyria.

As much as I love him as a character, and as satisfying as his emotional arc was, I feel like his perspective didn’t contribute to the central conflict at all. To show the Obsidians, Pierce Brown could have rearranged some plot points and given POV to Volga, who has large importance to the war conflict.

Idk, giving a character a POV is such a purposeful choice, and it seems weird to me that Ephraim is only in 2 of a 4 book series. I want him to be very important.

[crimsonshadesblog]

What would Djeeta and Siete get each other for Christmas?

....Swords.

Djeeta agonized over it for months, trying to think of something to get him that he'd be sure to love and going through lists of practical gifts to get him. She went shopping with Lyria and Vyrn, hoping to get inspired, she asked Siero, she had a chat with Anre over tea and overall racked her head. In the end though, she walked past a blacksmith, saw a really cool sword and impulse bought that. Then she worked together with Siero to reforge it into an even cooler sword.

He was over the moon.

To be fair, he would have loved anything she would have gotten him, especially since she put so much thought into it, but swords, y'know.

Seofon explicitly picked out a powerful sword for her, commissioned it specifically to balance out her weaknesses and play to her strengths, to help her get even stronger. He also cooked her a meal, but he doesn't really consider that a gift in the technical sense.

Then they had a sparring match with their new swords to break them in and both would agree that it was a pretty solid Christmas.

Thank you for asking!

[traditional-with-a-twist]

Beauty and Her Beast: final arc

anime-verse, canon divergent: Instead of sending Shirayuki to Lyrias, Clarines goes to war. The main arc begins after Izana’s forces triumph at a terrible cost.

What it would take for Shirayuki to marry Obi?

Read it on AO3.

Chapters

1-15. (first arc) 16-30. (second arc) 31-45. (third arc) 46-60. (fourth arc) 61. Lurch 62. Instincts 63. Unraveled 64. Hollow 65. Savage 66. Forewarning 67. Gamble 68. Pitiless 69. Rubies 70. Fair 71. Hatchet 72. Bandages 73. Verdict 74. Transfixed 75. Embrace

Bonus

a peek at the fanworks that inspired me while writing:

sources and chapter reference by row:

a cover page for the series ~ his accidental kiss and her confusion (ii) ~ penpals (xiv) ~ ~ after the funeral (xv) ~ betrothed (xxxi) ~ wedding night (xxxvii) ~ mushroom hunting (xli) ~ ~ after the break-in (xliii) and later that night (lxiv) ~ captured (lxii) ~ the happy ending (lxxiv) ~ ~~ the epilogue (sequel fic: Rain, Sun, and Snow) ~ bonus: meeting Mihaya (from the sequel fic's chapter "Windy Mountain Rain").

also this superlative AMV: Follow You

and an ending credits song: Love Will Be Enough For Us

If you're still looking for more, check out the Beauty and Her Beast masterpost for links to all the Tumblr content.

Thank you for reading! ^_^

[goldenteaset]

Did you see this art, by the way? Djeeta and Lyria look so happy

Aww, they really do! I tracked it down and it’s Summer Lilele living the dream in her bonus pose. (Sometimes I forget she was inspired to be an idol thanks to their performing Kimi no Boku no Mirai, which is so sweet ;v;)

Thank you! \0/

[icharchivist]

hey!! sorry if this is a tough question to answer (pls ignore it in that case), but if I really really loved relink's world, specially the characters and their stories found in the fate episodes, do you think it's a good idea to check out the mobage? or would it be better to watch the anime instead?

thank you in advance, I hope you've been doing well!

Aaah heyy <33

First of all, welcome in Granblue Fantasy! i'm so glad you enjoyed Relink as much as you did <33333 Granblue is a very special game for me and Relink really was a wonderful adaptation of it all, and i'm so thrilled that new people can get to discover Granblue thanks to it!

As for me, i've never watched the anime and i have been playing the mobage since 2019, still going strong now 💪 so as you can imagine, i would recommand the mobage more personally.

it depends however if you are comfortable with Visual Novels, since the main game is pretty much a Visual Novel with Turn-by-turn RPG mechanisms!

The anime has two seasons and cover the very begining of the main story, before doing its own thing, taking inspiration from the game but not straight up adapting it. I'd say, it's a good experience if you want to discover a bit more about the world. That said you'll only see in it the characters from the Main Plot of Relink (MC, Lyria, Vyrn, Katalina, Rackam, Eugen, Rosetta, Io, i call them the Core Crew personally), and it won't go as in deep into them as the mobage does. I think Zeta makes a small appearance in the anime, possibly Ferry too? but that will be about it.

but if you want to really know the characters, do feel free to play the Mobage.

it's actually a browser game that is optimized for chronium browsers. You can play it here:

(on the homepage you'll be able to switch to English and tadaa. after the prologue they'll ask you to bind your account, i recommand you make a Mobage account to connect to Granblue. The wiki can give you a step by step way to do it)

Most of the stories of the game are easily available as you progress through the main story. you don't need to get really deep into the gameplay (unless you want to) to really access to most of the story.

There are stories that are locked in Fate Episodes, which comes from units you get from Gacha most of the time. Those can give you a pretty good glance into granblue in general.

The Main Story Quest (MSQ) will introduce you to the Core Crew and will give you free units of them all. It's in the MSQ that you'll also meet Ferry, from the extended character list.

Once you progress into the MSQ, you'll unlock the Side Stories. those are basically parallels story of when the crew stops on others islands, not related to their search for Estalucia. It's in this tab that you will meet the rest of the cast.

For example, to meet Lancelot, Vane, Siegfried and Percival, you need to read up to chapter 16 of the Main Story, and the story "Defender's Oath" will unlock This was their first appearances. They have a lot of stories since they have a guaranted story event every year. In doubt if you want to find some reading list, the wiki is your friend, or you can also ask me, i'm happy to help!

For information, the side stories first start out as limited event stories. There is one new one every months on the mobage. Once the event is over, it will disappear from the game, unless you read through it (or skipped it) so it was saved in Lyria's journal for you to come back to whenever you want; Eventually, it will get a rerun (there's usually a rerun once a month or once every two months), and then down the line it will get added to the side stories.

so it means that there are some stories you won't find in the side story tab.

THAT SAID.

If all of this is complicated on its own, or you don't want to play the game but still read on the story, or if you don't want to get invested in the gacha to get the fate episodes: know that about all of the content of the game is available on youtube, and the script of each of them is also available on the wiki.

The game may be a little confusing to know what to read.

The wiki can help, but it's also confusing when you don't know what to look for.

at any rate, know that my inbox is always opened if you have questions, if you want to look for tips, for stories to read, for links, anything you may want. I'm always happy to help.

I think you can always watch the anime and it'll give you a little clearer of an idea of what those characters are, but if you want to KNOW them, the mobage is totally the way.

As a little warning, the writing improved a lot during the decade the game ran, and early content tends to be a little more simplistic or shorter. So if you don't get grabbed in right away, do consider that the further you'll go, the better the stories.

The valentine's day campain will be ongoing soon, so if you want to give vday chocolates to Katalina or Rackam or Rosetta, you can start the game and discover that for yourself ;D

The 10th anniversary event will also be underway in a couple of weeks, which will normally come with free pulls and rewards, which makes it a good season to start the game to get some footing, if you feel like it.

Hope it helps a little, i'm opened for any clarification!

and once again i'm so happy Relink made you this invested into this world <3333

Take care!

[chatte-noire]

Light bringer x scheming

an appreciation and condemnation of the schemes, moves and manouvers in light bringer. who served them the coldest, and who was bamboozled? This is only about stunts, not about morals or likability.

Lysander:

Lysander's scheming took a whole new level and I was really surprised at the little coup he staged with atalantia in the collosseum. In the first half of the book he really had the monopoly on well placed and daring maneuvering.

I think his best stunt was the compromise on the dockyard of venus, managing to keep apollonius, and win the carthii and julias block while simultaneously showing up atalantia, reinforcing the alliance with the rim and starting the attack on mars.

I wouldn't have expected him to be able to hold the alliance with applelonius for even a few weeks, now its been a whole book, I'm exited to see if Darrow can use the minotaur against lysander in red god.

yes in the attack on phobos he wasted ships and men and money and copied darrows helldiver strategy.. but he also surprised virginia with his strategies and finally took enough of phobos to have the upper hand in negotiations, something I wouldn't have expected him to be able to do. esp. after atlas called phobos impregnable.

Darrow:

in the first half darrow honestly took the scheming L. when I read the excerpt 2 weeks before buying the book I was CONVINCED that they didnt just land in apollonius obviouss trap, like pls let this be a trick. Darrow is such an experienced schemer, he must have expected a trap? but no he was like, tattoos look right, must be my bestie in this easily accessible prison. Its especially naive because he broke apollonius out of deep grave and so knows that apollonius knows how he would plan a prison break. and that backup plan was also flimsy, I expected better from him haha

on Europa Darrow had a nice scheming comeback, like recreating the Dead Horse strategy and beating Fa? Iconicc. bringing both obsidians (with a vote) and rim (with diomedes' oath) closer to democratic values? inspiring. Brokering collaboration between Rim, Daughters and Obsidians? A strong feat. that speech with the daughters was nice too.

but.. (and I'm not saying it didn't cost him a lot and will probably keep costing him dearly in red god) lysander still kept his scheming level established in the first half of the book. so much trickery, let's see how long he can keep it up before he drowns in it. He was backed into a corner by atlas but managed to trick both Atlas and Cassius, defeat the rim and gain a horrible weapon with one move.

It cost him the Rim Alliance and his humanity, but we already know his morals and ideology are a feeble construct held up by delusion and wanking off on silenius. and the rim armadas were destroyed by atlas so to lysander it probably only seems like a temporary loss until they come crawling back to society when hunger defeats them.

Sevro's stunts were refreshingly constant and awesome. Like.. escaping apollonius and fighting him in his own house?? rescuing his bumbling saviours? and the most bestest move: convincing the Daughters of Ares to work together with them by holding such an iconic speech like.. wish we would have gotten to see that in first person. just like Volgas ascension as obsidian queen. They both had such iconic and smart moments off screen. pierce doesnt want them to steel the stunt limelight me feels.

Aurae was able to follow her goals throughout the book, while managing the boys, the daughters of ares and diomedes. she had an emotional and moral bond to each one of them, but managed to stay true to her own values even as the parties were conflicting.

honorary mentions:

Lyria smuggling herself unto the archie, she knows how to take advantage of her size, even more impressive because darrow had the same experience with rhonna and still didn't realise (or didnt care?)

Apollonius snatching up Darrow and Cassius

Virginia having an informant in the Society (her clone bro?) and her making a pact with and freeing the obsidians. I would have loved to see more of her, she always delivers top tier schemes (except for when she is outschemed by society rats).

they were outschemed, honorary mentions:

Volga following Fa: even if he wasn't Atlas puppet,,, he's still such an obvious upholder of Gold values and tyranny, but volga didnt want to see any of it. this makes her following him so horrible, I hope it doesn't all get blamed on Atlas, I mean Volga was fine with everything except for atlas' involvment. I don't know if she was naive or blind or ignorant or greedy but that was some top tier delusion.

Lysander bedazzling himself: this is the most hilarious and complete trickery. That guy just believes every fucking excuse he can give himself, he just gobbles them up. He might have freed himself from his AA Puppetduo, but the real puppeteer in his life is his delusional ideology and hybris.

Atalantia: she had such a good and safe plan, she just didn't realize that lysander doesn't care for his friends enough. now she is some ships and influence poorer, lost her watchdog, her nephew/lover (ew) and the grip on Lune's heir

Diomedes: Lysander had him wrapped around his lying finger and he did nott see that dishonorrr coming. Cassius didn't see it either, but I think he would have tried to save lysander anyway. The himbo bamboozlement lost them the garter and Cassius was murdered, at least he could kill Fear on the way.