#Apollion prince of hel

[shallyne]

SJM Crackshipmonth: Modern AU

Rookie Mistake

Day twenty-eight! Ship: Apollion x Mother Archeron. From my theory that Apollion is Feyre's real, biological father. For @sjmcrackshipmonth

Words: 964

TW: mention and implication of substance abuse

Feyre gets curious and asks her father how he had met her mother.

Feyre quickly pulled out her phone to take a picture of her sheep Cottonball because she looked adorable and sent it to her boyfriend. Grabbing her apple juice, she sat down at the dining table and answered a few messages that she didn't have the time to answer yet. She took a sip of her apple juice as she watched the thirty tiktoks and memes that Cassian had sent her over night.

When Rhys finally answered, Feyre smiled down at her phone as she replied.

"You shouldn't text back so quickly, let the punk stew a bit." her father finally said. When Feyre looked up, he was smiling at her, nodding to her phone. She rolled her eyes at the nickname he had for Rhys and said "I'm not taking relationship advice from you, you fucked my mom."

Now it was his time to roll his eyes, "I already told you that it was just one time."

Feyre snorted. "You got her pregnant, too."

"You say that as if it's something bad. I am very happy about your existence." he said, a strand of his blond hair falling in his face as he leaned forward, putting his arms on the table and propping his chin in his hand.

They stared at each other for a moment, Feyre raising a brow in question as a grin spread on her father's pale face. Although it was her who broke the silence first "Dad?"

The amusement on his face faded and was replaced by curiosity as he replied, "Yes, Princess?"

"How did you even meet her?" Feyre asked. "I mean, it could have been anyone, why her?"

Her father chuckled at Feyre's incredulous tone, at the topic they already talked about a handful of times. "I was under the influence, honey. I wasn't known for making the best decisions when I was young."

"No substance in this world could be the cause for this bad of a decision." she murmured.

Her father only laughed as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "Trust me, you're wrong." he said.

Feyre opened her mouth to answer but in that moment the front door opened and Mor yelled "I'm hungry!" she sauntered into the kitchen and looked at Apollion and Feyre. "Oh you're already here." She grabbed a few cookies from the kitchen counter and sat beside Feyre "What are we talking about?"

"My father is telling me how he met my mother." Feyre replied, snatching a cookie and munching on it as Mor straightened.

"Please tell!" she shouted excitedly. Her father sighed in defeat.

"Fine, but there is not much to tell," he said.

Mor shrugged "That's okay."

Feyre continued to chew on her cookie as her father looked out of the window, the sun illuminating his pale face.

"Don't you remember that day?" Mor asked.

"No, I remember that day very well, it was the day of my father's funeral." He told her and Mor choked on her cookie.

"I thought you met Feyre's mother at a party." she turned to Feyre, "You told me he met her at a party."

"He did."

"You went to a party on the day of your father's funeral?" she asked Apollion.

"No." he tsked, watching as Mor relaxed. "I threw a party."

"What?" she asked incredulously.

"You see, my father and I always had a bad relationship. I was in a piss poor mood and it was my last day before traveling back to Romania, so I decided to throw a party." he grinned at Feyre and Mor. "That kind of party my father would have hated."

"Did you take drugs?" Mor asked.

Feyre snorted as her father raised an eyebrow. "I'm supposed to be a role model for my daughter, I'm not answering that," he said. "What I can tell you is that an excessive amount of alcohol was flowing and I admit, I didn't hold back. I remember that Feyre's mother was watching me but it wasn't until a few hours later that she finally dared to approach me,"

"But wasn't she married at that time?" Mor interrupted, her cookie discarded as she intently listened to the story.

"That she was but she wasn't wearing a ring." Apollion chuckled faintly although there was no humor on his face. "I think." he shook his head and continued. "Well, she flirted with me but I wasn't interested and turned her down. Honestly, I thought that was the last of her but she approached again and I turned her down, again. I wasn't in the mood for any flings, I just wanted to forget the shitshow of a day but when she approached me the third time, I was…" he drifted off and looked at Feyre, lost in thought. "I was…drunk enough that I wasn't as opposed to her proposition. And then, well–" he waved his hand at Feyre.

"Then what?" Mor asked.

"Then Feyre was conceived." he replied nonchalantly.

Mor looked at Feyre "Ohh."

"I still don't get how you could choose my mother. Literally everyone else would have been a better choice." Feyre chimed in.

Mor snickered. "You look so disgusted."

"Maybe I wanted to punish myself." her father replied to her, stretching his legs with a groan. "Let's order lunch. Can you get the flyers from the living room, Mor?"

Mor gasped excitedly as she stood up "Yes, I'm starving!" she called as she hurried out.

Apollion smiled and waited until she was out of hearing range until he asked Feyre "Are you okay? I know you don't like talking about your mother."

Feyre shrugged and smiled back. "I'm fine." She told the truth. "I didn't know she was that desperate."

Her father laughed in response and ruffled her hair as Mor's steps closed in again.

Taglist: @timesconvert

[offtorivendell]

No but imagine, Elain - who we know goes to the Palace of Bone and Salt (ACOSF, chapter 17) - accidentally bought black salt. The first time.

Or maybe the House of Wind gave it to her when she was visiting and needed salt one time, it doesn't matter.

But after that, she learnt (as @wingedblooms has theorised) how to commune with a certain, princely feline whom I suspect may be hanging around the House of Wind library. So of course she keeps a small pot of it by the kettle, because nobody besides her (and Nuala and Cerridwen, but they know what it is) use the kitchen, so she can throw it in her tea as required for a little "trip."

Enter Cassian:

"Elain, what are you cooking there? It smells delicious." An exaggerated sniff followed his remark.

"Cat food," Elain replied dreamily.

"When did you get a cat?" Elain often appeared to be off in her own world, so Cassian wouldn't put it past her to get a cat and not mention it.

"Oh, I didn't," Elain replied, as she walked out into the sunny terrace garden, herb basket on her hip.

Cassian: 🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨

Or:

Elain had invited Nesta and Cassian over to the townhouse for dinner one night, when Feyre and Rhys were off on official court duty (ie. a family getaway to the cabin, to introduce Nyx to the wonders of snow). Cassian bullied Azriel into tagging along, and because Rhys wouldn't be there, he agreed.

Elain was making a hearty beef stew, with a side of freshly baked bread; the perfect meal for a chilly winter's eve. It had been simmering over the fire long before dusk had threatened to consume the sky, and she had finished seasoning it - even adding a little extra pepper, just for Cassian - moments before Nesta had knocked upon the roof-top door.

It smelt delicious, she couldn't wait to tuck in.

Thirty minutes later, they were sitting down to eat. Cassian shoveled some bread in his mouth as Nesta buttered her roll. Azriel had taken a polite mouthful of stew just as Elain - hungry after a long day in her potting shed and cooking - took a heaped spoon that would have made their mother faint from shock.

The stew was overly salted. Badly. How on earth?

Elain swallowed her mouthful and said, "I'm so sorry, something has happened to the stew. It appears I've put too much salt in it. Hang on and I'll heat up something from the ice box." She started to stand.

Azriel was wearing a funny expression... How mortifying. For him, of all people—her head started to spin with the shame of it.

Averting her eyes, Elain noticed that Cassian was looking incredibly guilty. Her focus narrowed over the roar threatening to consume her, and she was no longer sure it was entirely due to the people pleasing habit that had been forced upon her from childhood.

"What did you do?" Calm, stay calm.

"I, ahh, added some of that finely ground pepper you've got. I'm sorry, I couldn't resist."

"That wasn't pepper." Darkness was creeping into the edges of her vision, her fear all but confirmed, as she warned, "Do not eat the stew, I'll be back in an hour at the most." Azriel had already slumped back into his chair, eyes closed. Oh gods, how would she explain this to him?

Elain closed her eyes and let the darkness take her, opening them to Azriel, dagger at the ready, facing down a fluffy white cat, fur and whiskers abristle, blue eyes wide. If she wasn't so mortified she'd have laughed at the absurd picture they made. Oh well, no time like the present.

"Azriel," she said, standing up tall. "Meet Aidas, the Prince of the Chasm."

This post was brought to you by the ramblings of @cassianfanclub, @psychologynerd and myself. I still haven't finished HOFAS lol - I'm on chapter 75 🐢 - so I could be way off, but this is really just for laughs.

[blackholepenguin]

Aidas to Bryce and Hunt:

"So, your dad was uh... a scientist. Yeah, a scientist. And he died a noble death. Real cool dude."

After Bryce and Hunt left:

Apollion - "I thought you were going to tell him the truth?"

Aidas - "That you had a threesome with his mum? Fuck no, we want them to like us."

Thanatos - "I thought we agreed to NEVER SPEAK OF IT!!'

Apollion - "Chill bro."

Thanatos - *slams on helmet and stomps off to be with his doggies*

[shadowqueenjude]

Sarah J Maas can't introduce the princes of Hel and expect us not to simp. Be fucking fr rn.

[sjmgirlie]

Why was Bryaxis at the bottom of the library?

Why are there 7 levels to the library?

Why is Cassian so scared of Bryaxis?

Why are there 7 layers to Hel?

Why is Apollion the Prince of the Pit aka the last level?

Why is Bryaxis so scary that it’s almost like none of the IC have ever seen anything like him?

Why does Hel have a variety of scary ass pets?

Why is there a Lord Thanatos in the Night Court?

Why are some of the Princes of Hel unavailable for the battle against the Asteri?

Is Bryaxis a guard to a portal into Hel? Is he a pet to Apollion?

Will my obsession with seeing the Prince of the Pit in Prythian ever stop? I can answer that. No, I will never stop lol.

It’s just extremely interesting that the Star Eater might be available (heavy on the might) to, I don’t know, help defeat a death god? Rival the magic that the asteri used to corrupt the cauldron? That is a stretch of course. But the above? Not so much.

Mr. “I am darkness itself. True darkness. The kind that exists in the bowels of a black hole.”

Mr. I can project into your dreams.

Mr. Power of the Void

Can Mr. Prince of the Pit please project into Elain’s? Thank you.

😮‍💨

I’m still Eriel but jeeeeeeeeez the princes of hel do something to me

[balladofbells]

Nesta on the Library’s deeper/darker levels (pit), A Court of Silver Flames

Apollion (Prince of the Pit) describes the Void, House of Sky & Breath

[shadowdaddies]

In Your Dreams

Apollion x Reader x Thanatos smut

A/N: after reading HOFAS, I couldn't resist writing about the Princes of Hel, aka the ultimate shadow daddies

warnings: smut, mmf, oral f! receiving, oral m!receiving, p in v sex, shadow play, sensory deprivation, rough sex, electro-stimulation, blood, is this monster fucking? they're kind of incubus-esque

A weight at the end of your bed woke you, eyes fluttering open to see a familiar face studying you. Apollion’s black eyes flicked over your body, head tilting in an unsettlingly smooth motion that sent a shiver down your spine.

You dared an exasperated sigh, leveling your gaze with the prince’s. “Couldn’t let me sleep in peace for one night, could you? Are my dreams more interesting than whatever duties you have in Hel?” 

A ghost of a smile flashed across Apollion’s lips, his leathery wings flaring slightly behind him at your overt disrespect. “You are certainly of interest to me,” he retorted, stern expression giving nothing away. 

You opened your mouth to question what the prince meant by that, when another figure materialized at the foot of your bed. With a gasp, you tucked your knees to your chest as swirling darkness slowly transformed into another male, tall with black curly hair, his dark eyes matching Apollion’s as he watched you with a vague sense of interest.

Apollion showed neither surprise or bother at the male’s appearance, simply offering a nod of greeting before turning back to face you. Tugging your covers towards yourself, you made a feeble attempt at covering yourself from the stranger. “And who do you think you are, coming into my room, my dreams?” you demanded.

A flicker of amusement flashed in his eyes, your cheeks reddening in response as you felt his power ripple through the room, realization of how powerless you were in this situation hitting you like a shockwave.

He must have recognized your embarrassment, mouth ticking up slightly as he rumbled in a deep voice, “You may call me Thanatos. I am a Prince of Hel.” Lightning sparked down his toned arms as he spoke, stopping your heart as you tried to hide the fear from your face.

“Helfire,” he murmured, softer this time. At your look of confusion, the handsome male amended, “it is not lighting. It is Helfire,” he explained, holding up one hand to demonstrate the bright power. Apollion’s darkness swirled around him where he sat, creating a maelstrom of power, a dark storm that both stole the air from your lungs and charged the energy in the room.

As they drew in their powers, the air in the room settling, you had the frightening realization. Your wild gaze turned to Thanatos, the male fully smirking at you this time as he merely nodded in confirmation of your suspicions. “I didn’t say ‘lightning’,” you breathed. “Can you read my thoughts?”

Thanatos took two steps closer to you, his large form towering over where you sat on the bed. “Yes,” he drawled, gaze flicking to Apollion’s before he continued. “I have heard every dirty, sinful thought you’ve had about my brother.” He showed no mercy, no pity towards your mortified expression. “And every thought about myself since I arrived, for that matter. Not that I had to. We can smell your desire, it’s quite sweet. No wonder that my brother finds his way here so often.”

You looked to Apollion, your heart pounding as you suddenly became aware of your flush, the slick between your legs, your heavy breasts. His expression hadn’t changed, black eyes still watching you with that predatory stillness. Nervously biting your lip, you subtly rolled your hips against the mattress in an attempt at relief, your arousal building much more quickly now in the presence of both of them.

“But you... you are not an incubus?” you questioned, anxiously watching as Apollion’s wings twitched behind him.

Thanatos scoffed at your side. “No, we do not require your pleasure for our survival.”

“But all creatures of Hel - lesser, or most powerful - acquire... a strength, of sorts, from that pleasure,” Apollion murmured, his nostrils flared, chest heaving. It was the most expressive you had ever seen him, clearly overcome with his hunger. His desire, for you.

“Is that why you continue to show up in my dreams? You are drawn to my... pleasure?” you managed to ask. 

Apollion’s gaze raked down your form, as though he could sense how you were fighting not to reach out and touch him. “As I said before, I find you interesting. The potential of bringing you pleasure is one aspect of that.”

You turned to see Thanatos, who had somehow moved even closer to your side, less than an arm’s length away. He smiled down at you, pointed teeth bared in an expression that should have been frightening. “My interest in you is purely carnal. I’ve scented you on my brother, your arousal clinging to him even in Hel. It is tempting.” He clicked his tongue, sizing you up like a meal set before him.

Shaking off the thrill that sent down your spine, you looked between the two princes. “So, what do you want from me, then?”

Apollion’s eyes flickered, his dark aura growing as he leaned closer to you. “Permission. We need permission to touch you,” he breathed, his warm, rich voice like a balm to your fried nerves. Biting back a whimper at their desperate gazes, you nodded.

“You may touch me, please,” you agreed, sitting up and letting the covers drop. Neither prince spared a glance at the nightgown that clung to your body, Apollion instead reaching out a gentlemanly hand - an invitation for you to accept. 

The moment you set your hand in his, his darkness consumed the room, your surroundings disappearing as you were sucked into a dark void. You could see nothing, only feeling your lack of clothing, hearing the soft breathing of the two demons at your front and back.

Apollion’s hand released your own, sliding up your arm to rest above your heart. A dizzying sort of pleasure muddled your thoughts, bones feeling weak as Apollion groaned in front of you, the grip of his hand on your chest growing stronger.

“Good girl,” Thanatos whispered, and you felt his naked body press against yours from behind, his hands supporting your waist. Your hair was swept to the side, Thanatos raking his sharp teeth over your neck, small droplets of blood quickly lapped up with a groan. 

Apollion’s hand moved from your heart, joining his other as they toyed with your nipples, his mouth alternating sucking and licking on each sensitive bud. With a lewd moan, your legs gave out from the pleasure, but instead of falling to the ground, you found yourself lifted in the air. 

You were weightless, floating in this dark void with no eyesight, the brushing of the princes’ bodies against yours the only sign that you were levitating, suspended in the air as Apollion switched placed with Thanatos. Thanatos’s hands slid up your calves, spreading your legs as he moved in between them, the feeling of his warm breath on your inner thighs.

The princes moved in tandem, Apollion’s teeth moving to the same spot on your neck where Thanatos had marked you moments prior, as Thanatos dove into your slick cunt. A moan left your lips, back arching and eyes rolled back as Thanatos’s warm tongue flicked over your clit, sharp teeth nibbling softly as he sucked on the swollen bud. 

Warmth trickled down your neck where Apollion held your head, licking and sucking down to your shoulder. His hands twined around your chest, pinching and rolling your nipples between nimble fingers as Thanatos continued his assault on your pussy.

A finger rubbed gently along your folds, slipping into your aching cunt with ease. Obscene wet sounds echoed through the dark space, heat rising to your cheeks as Thanatos slipped in another finger, cooing to you, “don’t be embarrassed, little one.” He curled his fingers against your sensitive walls, your breaths shuddering as you mewled at his expert touch. “Good girl, let us hear those delicious sounds.”

Apollion chuckled from wherever he was behind you, and you could feel his eyes on your body as you clenched around Thanatos’s fingers. “She’s close,” he murmured, and Thanatos hummed as though he had been waiting for that signal.

You screamed at the sudden shock of pleasure that traveled from Thanatos’s tongue, straight to your clit as he sent you spiraling over the edge into your orgasm. Stars danced in your vision, the only source of light as you moaned, babbling incoherently as the prince worked you through your high.

“That is Helfire,” Thanatos murmured, smugness lacing his tone as you struggled to catch your breath. You heard the demons shifting again, and a small yelp escaped you as you were flipped over onto your hands and knees, completely disoriented in this suspended state of darkness.

Apollion’s familiar hands slid up the backs of your thighs, thumbs spreading your ass open before sliding a finger up your dripping slick. The prince groaned behind you, the sound of him sucking on your juices causing you to clench around nothing. 

A gentle but firm hand cupped your cheek, tilting your face forward. “Open up,” Thanatos spoke in a low rumble, and you obeyed without question, tongue out as you awaited, eager to please. Precum dripped onto your tongue as the head of his cock pressed into your lips, the demon groaning in pleasure as you sucked the tip, flicking your tongue along his slit. 

You leaned forward, hands searching for purchase on Thanatos’s hips as you aimed to take him deeper into your mouth. His cock pushed past your lips, hitting the back of your throat just as you felt Apollion’s hand spreading you further, rubbing his erection against your folds. 

Your moan turned to a gag around Thanatos’s thick length, tears pricking at your eyes as the demon prince’s hands guided your jaw to take him even further. “Relax,” he commanded, tapping your throat. Willing yourself to relax, the prince hummed his approval as he slid fully in your throat, your nose pressed against his lower abdomen. “Stay still. Let us do the work,” he murmured, withdrawing his hips slowly.

He thrust back into your mouth at the same time Apollion pushed into your hips, both princes seated fully inside of you. You practically melted, thankful for whatever dark forces held you up as the two of them began thrusting together inside of you, your wanton moans muffled by Thanatos’s cock down your throat. 

Silky tendrils like wisps of air circled soothing motions over your body, the cool breeze undulating over your peaked nipples, your swollen clit. You were sent over the edge again, overstimulation wracking through you as the demons continued to use you for their pleasure. 

Thanatos twitched in your mouth, tilting your chin up as he said, “swallow it” - your only warning before he spilled down your throat. You swallowed eagerly, tongue flicking out as you collected his remaining seed. The scene must have sent Apollion over the edge, his hips stuttering before he came behind you with a roar.

Your muscles were limp, hardly more than a rag doll as strong arms picked you up bridal style. You were vaguely aware of being back in your bedroom, Apollion pulling the covers over you as Thanatos watched with mild interest.

The demon princes stepped back, darkness beginning to envelop the both of them. “You’re leaving?” you managed to mumble, eyes straining to focus on the pair. 

The corner of Apollion’s mouth ticked up, Thanatos’s eyes shimmering with amusement. “Don’t worry, little one. We’ll be back soon.”

~~~

You awoke the next morning, breath catching in your lungs as you recalled last night’s dream - but it felt too real to be a dream. Kicking off your covers, you tumbled out of bed, still clad in your nightgown. You shook your head, taking a large sip of water from the glass next to your bed as you tried to erase the disappointment that it was in your head.

Sighing, you padded into the bathroom, turning on the water for your shower when you felt a soreness on your neck. Hissing at the dull pain, you turned to the bathroom mirror, recognizing the pain as from the same spot where Thanatos and Apollion had bitten you in your dream. But in that spot, etched into your skin like a healing scar, was an eight-pointed star.

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[silverlinedeyes]

An initial list of questions spawned from HOFAS

HOFAS spoilers below the break.

I’ve been thinking about some big and some small questions since I finished HOFAS last night and wanted to preserve them here with some of my thoughts for later discussion. I am also planning some larger theory posts to try to answer some of these questions.

Also, please reblog with any additional questions you may have if you’d like!!!

Where are the other Hel princes and what are they fighting?

Are Valg related to the Asteri or the Hel princes (or both)?

Are Valg children of the Void like the Hel princes?

Is the Under-King Valg and has he been hiding in the Under-King body living off of some of the Second Light?

How do Koschei and the Carver and the Weaver fit in with this?

Is Az also a descendant of the second daughter since he’s Starborn?

Is ToG on the same timeline as Prythian and CC?

Are the tall fae that came to Midgard from Erilea coming from the same time period depicted at the oasis in ToD when Yrene and Chaol find those carvings from the first demon wars, before Elena or Gavin were born?

Who on Prythian is a powerful enough starborn to wield and use Gwydion and TT? Is Elain? Or will the three Archeron sisters together make Theia’s light anew, as @offtorivendell @wingedblooms and I have theorized that each Archeron sister has part of Theia’s light.

Will the Archeron sisters be able to wield TT and Gwydion together to kill the unkillable—Koschei?

Did Bryce revive Dusk by taking Silene’s light back like she did Avallen when she took Theia’s light out of it? Or will someone (Elain???? Cc @wingedblooms) revive Dusk?

Does Urd = Wyrd = Chaos = the Dark Mother?

Is the temple in Hel that looks like Urd’s temple a temple to Chaos, Hel’s version of Urd and Apollion’s mother?

Were the ToG gods and the Asteri sucked (back into?) the Void, and if so, can the Void send them back or can they be retrieved from the Void by something?

What IS the connection between the gods in all these worlds, like Bryce asked when she was in Prythian?

Why do all these different fae societies oppress the females? Is it because only females can be powerful starborn, and some forces are at work to suppress that power to protect darker beings? Like how Pelias seems to have created a society that doesn’t allow women to get access to anything related to starborn to prevent another starborn queen from rising?

Can only females be powerful starborn/light wielders and can only males be powerful dark wielders/shadow wielders? Like how Hypaxia says six pointed star is two triangles, one male one female one light one dark (three brothers who are dark princes, three sisters who are starborn/princesses of light?)

Are there male lightsingers or female shadowsingers, or do singers follow these same rules?

Are morven and the murder twins descended from people from Hybern? The murder twins are daemati and remind me of the Hybern twins, and Morven’s shadows are described like ravens.

Does this mean TT has slewn two Hybern kings?

Where does the Starborn power come from?

Where in Prythian are the avallen from?

Are the Starborn and Avallen the same people?

Was Fionn the original king of darkness/shadows and theia the original queen of light/starborn queen? And are the males of their line the former, and the females the latter?

Where in Prythian did Fionn and Pelias come from?

Can TT unMake a mating bond?

Can Elain wield Gwydion and TT together to unMake her bond with Lucien and Make a bond with Azriel?

Aidas tells Hunt some higher power must have made them Mates. We have all these super powerful fae finding their powerful mates right before these huge universe altering moments. Is this part of how Urd is using them as pawns in her plans/games?

Why does Amren’s timeline not match Silene’s re the creation of the Prison? Was this just a continuity error, did Silene manipulate memories, or is this fishy on Amren’s part?

Was Enalius one of the people with Fionn and Theia on Ramiel when they made Gwydion and TT?

Did Nesta give up some of her Starborn powers when she gave back what she stole from the Cauldron, and does this mean she won’t be able to wield and use Gwydion and TT, which will lead to Elain’s role with this?

[heycasper22]

Long Acotar theory (Elain)

Spoilers all SJM books.

Elain is possessed.

The more I re-read I truly see Elaine being possessed by Koschei, but I do not however, think that is where he intends to stay. 

I think Koschei wants to inhabit Azriel.

We hear a little in CC about Hunt's body being 'equipped' to deal with his lightning, or as we later find out Apollion's Helfire. 

Bryce feels like overcooked meat in HOSAB at one point after being hit with Hunt's power, her body cannot handle it the way Hunt's can. 

Is Azriel 'equipped' to hold Koschei? 

Is this the only way Koschei may escape his Lake prison? To have a body able to hold him long-term?

I feel like a lot of things would make sense if Azriel were another child of Apollion, perhaps even biologically unlike Hunt. There has been a mention in the other 2 series of there being a specific day in which the veil between worlds is thinnest.

Samhuinn in TOG

Death's Day in CC

Could Starfall be something similar?

If so, would it be possible for Apollion to have physically been with Azriels mother, in order to conceive him? He did touch Bryce on Death's day in CC, but that was in a dream.

It would however make sense of the different ways in which Cassian and Azriel were treated when they were young. They are both bastards, Azriel apparently being a local Lords bastard. 

Cassian however was thrown into a camp like garbage when he could walk. Azriel on the other hand was contained. 

Azriel's mother was a servant of this local Lord, was he perhaps the only male in the area that people would have believed could have had access to her, to make her with child? Perhaps, but let's imagine he knew that wasn't the case.. 

With the Illyrians being described as 'backward' and their superstitious culture, that we see when Nesta is being questioned about her cycle and burying weapons, would it be fair to think that these two bastard boys where treated so differently because this local Lord and his wife thought not to imprison Azriel out of cruelty (which of course it is) but to 'protect' everyone else?

Rhys notes his half brothers had not been forthcoming about Azriel's time with them when they'd met. 

We do learn in Cresent City that Dragonfire is one of the only things that can harm a Prince of Hel.

Azriel being burned when he was a boy was again just portrayed as a evil mindless cruelty, but again if we look through the lens of his 'family' seeing him as sort of Demon, could they have actually thought of fire as way to kill him? 

Bryce actually thinks of Azriel as a Demon when they first meet, because she was trying to get to Hel, true, but a possible nod to parentage as I believe Apollion is the only Prince we've seen so far with leathery wings.

If Apollion where to reproduce in the more physical sense might it be necessary for him to be with someone who might safely bare a child with wings, a horrid thought definitely, but with the way that the creation of Hunt is revealed in HOFAS, I don't think it likely that Azriels mother would have been forced or 'ill used' is the phrase Aidas uses, infact Apollion looks at Aidas with compassion he speaks of Theia, perhaps Apollion knows more of being in love than we've yet to see. 

So, let's say Hunt got Apollion's Helfire and a body equipped to deal with it, perhaps Azriel got Apollion's Shadows/Darkness and a body equipped to deal with that. 

Koschei is never described to us as having a true physical form, Cassian says they 'can make out nothing of him beyond the shadows of his form.'

Perhaps if the Weaver was tricked into diminishing her power, Koschei was outsmarted out of a body that could truly hold him? 

It does remind me a lot of Harry Potter, with Voldemort probably being based off the myth of Koschei the deathless, Koschei removes his soul from himself and places it somewhere else and therefor he cannot be killed, in HP these were the horcruxes and Voldemort had 7 of them. 

He also inhabitanted the bodies of snakes, until he happened upon a wizard, Quirrel, whom posseses but is still ill equipped to hold him, he required a true body. 

Could this be what is happening to Elain? 

Elain and Nesta had been put into the cauldron and Made High Fae, when Feyre returns from the spring court in Acowar, she goes to see her sisters, there's mentions of the connecting suite they have, and all the windows in there, Elain is stood by the window.

And the words: empty, hollow, void, vacancy and shell are used all in quite a small passage.

Of course they could easily be used to describe how Feyre perceives Elain coping, or not coping with her trauma. 

But could they also be hints at what is happening at the window?

All 3 of SJMs series mention some sort of 'wind talking' usually the wind whispers things to people. Could this be literal? Vassa mentions Koschei planting words in courts through 'whispers on the wind'

Could the wind have been whispering to Elain by the window? Filling her with Koscheis sinister presence?

Maybe it has something to do with unknown bargain made by the Archeron Father for Vassa's temporary freedom. Possibly something that his bloodline could inherit after his death, unbeknownst to him. Rhys notes the spell on Vassa seems woven into her very blood. Perhaps the Acheron Father bargained to be a host of some sort, or something as open-ended just helping Koschei to get off his Lake. Magical bargains have to be quite specific, he may not have known this. 

Of the three sisters though, Feyre is a daemati with a solid mental shield.

Nesta, was resistant to magic and Tamlin's glamour when she was human, so I'd say he'd have no chance with her. 

But Elain... Feyre says, "she had no mental shields, no barriers."

Easier to inflitrate, possibly posses. 

Then take a look at Elain's power 'a seer' Azriel says. 

I don't believe she is, Elain begins to talk in these 'half riddles' as Nesta calls them weeks after coming out of the cauldron. It's actually specified that it started after Elain was found to have left her room, the morning after Nesta had left her alone for the longest time after being Made. She was found in front of the window in the HoW private library.

So far, most of Elain's visions have been Koschei related, Vassa the Firebird, his onyx box, and ones of Briallyn who was working with Koschei. Even Hyberns twin Ravens made mention of speaking to Briallyn.

They all tie back to Koschei. 

Could the heartbeat Elain is hearing 'through the stone' while she sleeps, not actually be a heart at all, but something just as vital? A soul perhaps? In a stone box?

Again to go back to Harry Potter. Harry was a horcrux, a portion of Voldemorts soul was inside him and he could see for a time, when his mind was vulnerable into Voldemorts mind. It was unintentional at first, but later used against Harry by planting things in his mind. Ginny is also possessed by a horcrux and does things she doesn't remember doing. 

This could be similar, I in no way believe that Elain is evil, perhaps being manipulated while she is vulnerable, from her trauma or while she's sleeping like HP, until Koschei is really able to sink his claws into her. We know SJM says that Elain has 'different kind of strength'

Feyre says this too in ACOWAR, "a different sort of strength, a better strength" 

Elain has fight in her. Not a blade weilding warrior strength but maybe a strength to keep fighting something internally, something trying to control her, the strength to not give up. 

There's an interview in ACOFAS in which SJM says: 

"Elain's now going to have dreams about ripping ivy out and the ivy creeping through the windows to strangle her at night, because let me tell you that ivy does not want to go"

With this theory I find the wording of the ivy creeping in through the window rather interesting. 

It's also quite like how Feyre describes her old bedroom in the Spring Court in ACOWAR. She says the bedroom has become a tomb. 

What if Elain's own mind has become like a tomb for her, and it is there that she is 'ripping at the ivy' trying to get free? Using her considerable 'different' kind of strength to keep going, keep fighting. 

Seer's powers can be useful to authors as a plot device, but they can also become a bit of a problem and authors find a way to temper their power. Sometimes using this 'talking in riddles' to make it interesting for readers, without actually revealing too much. Trelawny does this in HP, she also doesn't even realise she's making actual prophecies. Or take Alice in Twilight, it's a great power, but there comes a point in a story where it becomes a problem having a character that can see any outcome. So voilà she can't 'see' the werewolves!

I think with Elain, it's possible she just isn't a seer.

And Luicien, not Azriel, was the one who right about her, she needs sunshine. Sunshine to drive out the darkness. 

Or perhaps Sunfire?

I like to think Luicien will have Sunfire powers. We've had literally every other kind of fire there is. Normal fire, Shadow fire, Dragonfire, Helfire, Moonfire, Starfire...and as Bryce said, the sun is a star.

Briallyn does make that weird comment to Nesta in ACOSF about Eris:

"His fire wouldn’t have withstood Koschei’s lake, I don’t think."

To me that really says there's someone out with with fire that can withstand it. And That someone is surely Lucien, perhaps mixing his Autumn Court power with his Day Court power. 

He could have the type of power to stand up to Koschei, or simply just spending time with Elain would lead him to figure out something is wrong. 

Which would make Elain's reluctance to entertain him one bit, explainable. (Of course not the only explanation possible)

SJM did after all write a scene with Aelin possessed in EoS, and the only thing able to stop her was her Mate. 

Lucien's willingness to endanger himself by venturing out to help the person Elain is seeing in her 'visions' so that they were not happening to her in vain, whilst giving her space seems far more Mate like to me, than just pointing out an apparent power that she has then doing nothing about it. 

I do hope Luicen has help from the Valkyries too. 

Emyrs, resident story-keeper of TOG apparently told tales of "shield maidens and enchanted animals and cunning sorcerers"

Sounds very much like the Valkyries, and Koschei..

And we know Nesta would without a doubt come to Elain's aid if needed. 

Koschei also enables people with power of winnowing, he winnows Cassian and Briallyn in ACOSF, without leaving his lake. 

Have we been seeing Elain use this power? She may be powerful enough to winnow in her own right but she was untrained the time she stepped out of a shadow to kill the King of Hybern. She's mentioned to have become quite stealthy in the time since. People don't hear her approach, things like that. 

Could Koschei have also used HIS power to find the Suriel?

I find it very interesting that when Elain does this for Feyre in ACOWAR, the following conversation between Feyre and the Suriel makes mention of the Suriel not expecting to see Elain's doe eyes peering at him from across the world, and immediately following, there's talk of the Bone Carver, and how the Suriel CANNOT see him? Because he is not of this world. It would follow suit then that the Suriel also could not see Koschei, even if it was his power used through Elain to find him?

Perhaps Koschei needs a body that is not entirely of this world, and Azriel has been described as other, different. 

If Koschei has possessed Elain, he could be using her to get vital information on the IC, and Nesta for Briallyn, as well as using her to pursue Azriel.

She might be perhaps forced to see him, once a month when she's supposedly visiting her father's grave alone? Cassian also notes he doesn't quite believe her having to be up early to tend to an elderly faeries garden, but this was after they'd had a monthly court dinner and much wine was consumed... What was discussed? Did someone spill something important?

Something that also nagged at me but could be me reading too much into it is, the line where Briallyn tells Nesta her spies (plural) have told her who Nesta's friends are, 'The half-breed and the broken Illyrian' 

True, Bellius does refer to Gwyn and Emerie similarly later on in the text. But at this point in the story, Gwyn hasn't left the HoW Library in 2 years. No one is going to be able to spy on that house from the outside without someone finding out. I doubt Emerie would have chatted with Bellius about her friendship with Nesta and Gwyn, or Gwyn's race. So perhaps a spy in the library that knows Gwyn and knows she's become friendly with Nesta?

Elain however was present, when Cassian was telling the rest of the IC about about Nesta becoming a Valkyrie, it would make sense to mention Gwyn and Emerie, maybe a few details about them? Possible stretch but still stood out to me, bolstered a little by Briallyn "There are others in your court as delusional as you are. They’ll get it for me one way or another, with the right incentive." Could this mean Elain? She would be the only one capable of summoning the trove to her I think?

There's also the wood carving of a rose Nesta places on the mantle, half hidden in shadow next to a female holding the moon, perhaps the mother. 

Hinting at Elain spying on Nesta? Nesta does have a connection with the mother and we can make a connection between her fire and the moon fire wielded by Aelin in EoS, while possessed by Deanna. 

I think a heartbreaking theme of Elain's storyline could be quite like the line where she says to Lucien: 

"No one ever does. No one ever looked - not really." "He did. He saw me. He will not now." 

She's refering to Grayson here but I think it will become true of everyone and it will be so sad, until Lucien sees what's happening, he doesn't know her at all yet, but they are mates and perhaps if he had the opportunity to really investigate what was on the other side of that mating bond without Elain jumping up, he could see what was potentially lurking in her. 

People see what they want or expect to see with Elain, Rhys even states 'Elain is Elain.' 

On my rereads I found it interesting how when reading ToD, specifically about Duva my mind compared her a lot to Elain.

Duva is lovely, gentle, kind, feminine, unthreatening, both loved the most by their fathers. But always watching.

She also had a brand new arranged marriage with a man who did not know her well enough to realise something was amiss. 

Perhaps the real 'lightsinger' isn't a lightsinger at all, but is still a 'lovely, ethereal being who will lure you, appearing as friendly faces when you are lost. Only when you’re in their arms will you see their true faces, and they aren’t fair at all.'

Maybe Elain is luring Azriel, because he is lost now, both his brothers have their mates and he is adrift.

And when she finally gets a hold of him, it won't be Elain's grasp he is in, but Koschei's.

Interestingly, when Duva was healed by Yrene in ToD the Valg that was possessing her left her body in the form of a black shadow or mist coming out of her mouth. 

Perhaps we could have seen something similar had Rhys not interrupted Elain and Az's near kiss at solstice in his BC, we know his shadows skittered back as she sucked in a breath. Just a thought. 

Elain's solstice gifts to Az are interesting too. Especially because they include a powder that SJM makes a point of reminding us he hasn't actually taken it.

In theory it could be anything. Something incapacitating perhaps? And again SJM having actually written about a Mate pulling another out of possession it gives the earplugs an interesting slant. 

It's possible however that there might something that is aware however primal, that is aware of the presence in Elain. 

The Mask. 

Its makes sense to think that Nesta's relationship with her sisters completely healed, it probably isn't, which is why the silver flame in Nesta's eyes flared in HOFAS. But flaring immediately after Elain's name is mentioned whilst wearing a death mask... 

Maybe the mask has an awareness of such things, a deathless sorcerer might be an affront to such an powerful item. 

I think it's so much more likely that Elain will have Life powers. Nesta took Death it makes sense for Elain to be gifted Life, probably in the form of earth magic, I could see her using it to bring the bog of Oorid back to it's former glory, before it died when Fionn was Killed. 

As far as ships go I'm firmly Gwynriel and Elucien.

And if Azriel was a son of Apollion I think it would fit quite nicely in the way SJM likes to mirror mates/endgame pairings.

Az and Gwyn would fit a very interesting 

'Holy/Unholy' vibe, a part Prince of Hel and a Priestess.

And potentially Earth goddess and Sun god magic, for Elain and Lucien.  

Very Solas and Cthona. 

If this is a route that SJM takes the next book it also kind of undos the "four books of build up" that Elain and Az apparently have, as Elain would have been stripped of choice, and Azriel manipulated.

I want to state that I in no way WANT Elain to have been struggling with something nobody even notices this whole time, especially with the violation she's already been through, but I think a storyline like this could really speak to the gift we already know for a fact she does have: 

"To look at the hardness of the world and choose, over and over, to love, to be kind. She had been always so full of light."

[a-court-of-lust-and-stardust]

My very real, very accurate, definitely NOT chaotic SJM male ranking

Rhysand

Azriel, Cassian, Hunt, Ruhn

Aidas

Helion

Kallias, Thesan, Tarquin

The Suriel

Tharion

Bryaxis

Ithan, Baxian, Declan, Tristian

Thanatos, Apollion, and the rest of the Princes of Hel

The Bone Carver

The Middengard Wyrm, Jurian

Lucien, Eris

Kier, Lord Devlon

King of Hybern, Tamlin, Beron

[nikethestatue]

If Elain doesn't end up with Az or Lucien, who is an appropriate match for her then? Who do you want to see our flower girl with?

Oh Apollion, no doubt. The mightiest Prince of Hel. The Star eater.

Apollion has the power of the void, which he used to devour the heart of Sirius. He is also able to transform into a beast of "darkness and decay" with leathery wings and rows of sharp teeth.

Do i need to say more?

My girl ruling over Hel, having Apollion eating out of the palm of her hand, giving her heart eyes.

Ahhhhh....be still my beating heart!

[shallyne]

Ever since you said that Feyre's real father is Apollion, I've been obsessed with this theory too. tell me more please🙏🏼🙏🏼

OH MY GOD YES anon it's my biggest dream to convince people of my theories, you made me so happy. Okay but so, there's not much to add to what I said because we know next to nothing about Apollion

BUT I can imagine that someone would argue "Feyre said she has her father's lips and hair" or whatever and girts of all, we don't know how mother archeron or Apollion look like and second of all, Apollion can shapeshift and we all saw in acosf that when you shapeshift while making a baby, it does play a role.

And then, what I already said is, that the book of breathings called Feyre princess of carrion and princess of decay and that's both things that you could very well associate with hel. ND the fact that it's PRINCES of Hel. Come on.

Everybody seems to think that Elain is the youngest child, too. BECAUSE SHE IS. Because Elain and Nesta are only Feyres half siblings. That's why Elain gives youngest sibling energy.

And Apollion has leathery wings in Hunts dream I think and you know that it's said that kinks are genetic? MOTHER ARCHERON HAS A WING KINK AND SO DO THE ARCHERON SISTERS

Plus, Feyre seems to have a connection to monsters which seems very hel-y to me

[yazthebookish]

I feel like not enough people are talking about the Princes of Hel so we better get to see more of Apollion and Aidas (the real one).

[acourtofthought]

I’m back with my thoughts. I’m sorry for the delay, life’s been crazy and I have many many many thoughts, but I wanted to make sure I get them to you. So forewarning I’m going to word vomit 😅

My main takeaways from HOFAS-as it pertains to acotar-are about Azriel. I know he gets a lot of hate and isn’t your favorite, but I’ve been curious about his powers from jump, and have drawn many hypotheses based on similarities between him, Cormac, and Lorcan. And whilst he and Cormac have mystery surrounding the origins of their powers, we known that Lorcan is watched over by Hellas, God of Violent Death and the Underworld. 

“Bryce could have sworn that shadows wreathed [Azriel], like Ruhn’s yet…wilder. The way Cormac’s had been.”

Cue the Michael Scott voice because IIIIII knew it!! There’s a clear distinction between Rhy’s & Ruhn’s shadows and those of Azriel and Cormac (+ the murder twins and Morven—maybe. I still have questions about them). But how, and why?

It would appear that the shadows Rhys and Ruhn possess are those of Starborn heritage, those which Silene had. But then this:

 “Hunt opened his mouth, his last bit of bravado before the shit-show began, but in the shadows behind Pollox, beyond the fireplace, something dark moved. Something darker than shadow.  Not Ruhn’s shadows. The prince didn’t seem to be able to access those when constrained by gorisan shackles. Only the prince’s mind speaking abilities remained.  This shadow was different—darker, older. Watching them. Watching Hunt…  …Across the room , the thing in the shadows moved. Just slightly. Like it had crooked a finger at him.  Death. That was that thing in the shadows. And now it beckoned.”

Is TEA!!!! We know that these passages are in reference to Apollion, the Prince of the Pit who cam to visit Hunt. And I’ve long suspected that the forces of Hel and Death have some ties to Azriel’s shadows & shadowsingers in Prythian. I think Sarah is dropping hints at the true nature of Azriel’s abilities, or at least to provoke questions about the forces at play in this universe she created. I'd be shocked if we didn't learn more about Shadowsinging in his story, especially because she teased Illyrian history in HOFAS. 

We learn that the IIlyrians were creations of the Asteri. Could the forces of Hel have mingled in their creation, as they did in Hunt’s? We don’t know if shadowsining is exclusive or dominate in IIlyrians, so I’m not too convinced of that. Truthfully, it’s why I’m not yet convinced that Azriel’s heritage is key to his powers. And something to just really tickle the brain is this passage from EoS:

“Lorcan’s magic was that of will - of death and thought and destruction. There was no name for it. Not even his queen had known what it was, where it had come from. A gift from the dark god, from Hellas, Maeve had mused - a dark gift, for her dark warrior. And left it at that.”

Not even his queen—Valg Maeve—knew what it was. Now, considering how the Valg were not native to the ToG world, would it really be a stretch to consider that the princes of Hel helped another world before? And then, again? What if, for whatever reason, Hel has taken to watching over their universe? What if Hel paid a visit to the little boy being horrendously abused by his family, and saw within them to help him? That they knew the most powerful high lord was also just a boy, and would need a right hand who could wield the dagger, similar to how Enalius commanded it at Fionn's side? If we learn Enalius was a shadowsinger in future books....I will squeal.

PS--

Something else from the HOSAB passage is that Ruhn’s shadow abilities disappear when shackled. I cannot remember if Morven was ever shackled, but Cormac’s ability to teleport/winnow was hindered by the gorisan bullet in HOSAB. An injured Az would certainly be hindered as well, but I wonder if it would be to the same degree considering how the Midgard fae are much weaker. Does the bullet hinder him just because he was shot, or does it specifically drain his magic?

I still have many questions, like if Cormac, Morven and the murder twins share the same shadows. Their inability to teleport inclines me to think no, but another major indicator of Cormac & Azriel’s difference is that Avallen magic is actually earth magic. I suspect the shadow powers Avallen have are because they’re the descents of Helena and/or fae of the "Night Court" bloodline (I cannot remember if this was explicitly explained or not lol). 

But that's all I have for now! Super curious to hear what you think :)

🧼💖

Despite my dislike of Az's behaviors at the moment I definitely know that when we get it, his story will be an interesting one! And I am curious why Rhys says it was Az's time in the dungeon that helped her learn the language of the shadows versus someone like Cormac who has a similar power but doesn't necessarily have quite the same tragic backstory. Does that mean it wouldn't have mattered whether Az had the childhood he did or not but that he would have always developed the ability to talk to the shadows? I agree that there's a good chance we're going to see a strong connection to Hel and Az in later books. Nesta is Death, both Cassian and Az had a strong reaction to Nesta in her Death form and she hears the lowest level of the library whispering to her. Since Gwyn felt a presence like a cat down there I do think it's going to turn out to be a portal to Hel and Aidas. I think with Bryaxis gone, the portal is no longer guarded which means whatever was in there can now reach out. I also think that because we learn the other "brothers" of the Princes of Hel are off helping other worlds, we'll see that set up for future arcs for Az, Gwyn, Nesta, etc. where they too world walk to protect their world from outside threats. My one big question from HOFAS was why did Vesperus bleed black (like a Valg) but the Asteri on Midgard bled red? If Vesperus was an Asteri, shouldn't they bleed the same color? Thank you for putting together all your thoughts for me!!! ❤️

[elains]

Do we find out what's up with Hunt's parentage/ancestry?

Yes we do LOL

More on it below

Orion has three dads! Kinda hahaha

This time, she keeps close to one of the mythological origins of Orion, the Hunter. Basically, the Thunderbirds were created by the Princes of Hel to charge Bryce, but they were hunted to extinction. Project Thurr was a project studying them and their strange power and therein worked an angel, Hyrieus, who then contacted the Princes of Hel. Princes told them the truth and he volunteered to help in creating a weapon whi could charge up Bryce.

Yes, Hunt was created to power up Bryce in the offchance they were born in the same time lapse.

So Hyrieus and Hunt's mom are his biological parents per se, but Hunt's lightning comes from Apollion, who Thanatos (maker of monsters) aided in shaping. It's helfire!

Aidas does say his brothers are only his dads in the furthest way of the word but STILL

[shadowdaddies]

Does anyone else kinda find the Princes of Hel kinda 🔥👀

I cannot shake the idea of an x reader smut with Apollion and Thanatos from my head

...so that's coming soon

(edit: here’s the fic)