#The Assassin and the Desert

[acourtofquestions]

So, I (of course😂) have a LOT of thoughts after finishing The Assassin’s Blade — heading into Heir of Fire, so I still don’t fully know the series… this is current non-spoiler thoughts — but let’s get into it:

First off let’s deal with a big one: Celaena and Arobynn.

…Mostly “big” because their entire relationship is so severely f*ed up it take’s a LOT to understand… However, the biggest thing that keeps sticking out to me is the fact that it does makes sense (I am NOT saying it’s right, or healthy; to be clear it is most definitely NOT) it is a disturbingly realistic portrayal of what THAT kind & level of abuse does to a person.

It is infuriatingly painful to watch; as the reader you can clearly see the issue; you want to scream at Celaena to RUN already, get out, NOW; you feel for Sam’s frustration at times becoming fury & terror at the fact she does not stop him.

Yet, it is not a lack of knowing or agreeing with this that makes Celaena stay; it isn’t even wanting to stay, often she confirms the opposite; it’s the fact that she is utterly terrified. At times Arobynn makes her revert into a terrified state of childlike fawning. All centered around the idea; I can only seem to explain using this quote (because Shakespeare has nothing on Taylor Swift; though the context of this is 100% NON romantic; that question mark on their relationship is utterly skin crawling) “Who’s going to know me?” if not Arobynn who is going to know Aelin Galathynius ever even existed?

… Everything Celaena has become she has been (falsely) taught into believing was “Arobynn given”; even her notoriety as the prized “Adarlan’s Assassin” is not by her mark but by his word. He has ensured at every opportunity that she does not forget it; that she feels small & one breath away from being prey, that she does not feel sure of herself or anything aside from him (and even that is a pendulum) that she is haunted by her past; and never forgets what it is to lose EVERYTHING. She lost everything. In that she had to destroy every piece of the girl she was; the one that had a family she loved; the one that had a home, a country, a purpose; anything she was before the one Arobynn pulled out of the river. And if not him; does anyone even remember? — Does it all cease to be nothing more than forgotten; her grief, her love, Aelin herself; is it any different than if Aelin had drowned in the river?

— This is Celaena’s obsession with being remembered; on the surface it appears shallow, selfish, full of nothing more than pride & arrogance alone; in truth it has more to do with fear (a key point of her character’s driving mindset) & purpose (a key point of humanity/morality).

… How does she make any sense of all she has done & become at Arobynn’s hand; every life she has taken, every terrible thing she has done; if not for him?

And this is why for so long she stays; because she is more afraid of the unknown & so tired of loss; it feels much safer to be known, to know the loss that will come, to hurt with familiar pain, to exist within a tether to his realm; then to feel as if she is risking everything over again.

[thxm8y]

Trying To Convince You To Read A Book Based On It's Aesthetic:

The Assassin and the Desert

( The Assassin's Blade ) - Throne of Glass 0.3

[inlovewithquotes]

“So,” Mikhail said, shattering her thoughts as he pointed a fork at her, “when your master beat the living daylights out of you, did you actually deserve it?”

Ansel shot him a dark look, and Celaena straightened. Even Ilias was now listening, his lovely eyes fixed on her face. But Celaena stared right at Mikhail. “I suppose it depends on who is telling the story.”

Ansel chuckled.

“If Arobynn Hamel is telling the story, then yes, I suppose I did deserve it. I cost him a good deal of money—a kingdom’s worth of riches, probably. I was disobedient and disrespectful, and completely remorseless about what I did.”

She didn’t break her stare, and Mikhail’s smile faltered.

“But if the two hundred slaves that I freed are telling the story, then no, I suppose I didn’t deserve it.”

None of them were smiling anymore. “Holy gods,” Ansel whispered. True silence fell over their table for a few heartbeats.

Celaena resumed eating. She didn’t feel like talking to them after that.

-The Assassin And The Desert

[acourtofquestions]

Also has very Red Desert dance vibes from Celaena with Ansel and the Silent Assassins in The Assassin and the Desert from The Assassin’s Blade

[v4mpfilm]

doodles of these three !!

i’m on the romantic route of the read so i’m currently on the assassin’s blade before i read queen of shadowssssss

I read the assassin and the desert last night and I LOVEDDDD ITTTTT the books been hard to read but this novella omfgggggggg

ANSEL I LOVE UUUU💔💔💔💔

so excited to keep reading

[fantastic-nonsense]

insane how Red Robin is "the loner Tim Drake book" when he had friends and family just popping out of the woodwork like daisies asking him to come home and enjoy hugs like he used to 😭

[pigin-is-so-rad]

A completely normal marriage portrait

[spicymotte]

the inspirations I used for Core’s design and personality :)

[textless]

[acourtofquestions]

Starting the Assassin’s Blade:

Fully aware that I am going to fall in love with Sam Cortland; enjoy the story & character arc so much that I forget I know the ending… 🚨And then be consequently utterly wrecked when he inevitably dies… yay🤦🏼‍♀️😅🖤☠️.

[ophierian-vp]

[hellagator]

Starlight assassin (Commission 2024).

[galasgamingcorner]

AC Origins Scenery | The White Desert

[citrus-soda]

how much salt does a keronian need to ingest before it lethally dehydrates them. could we kill keroro with a box of saltine crackers.

[aiisstuffnthings]

With the World at Your Feet

[maxispaxis]

When artists draw brotherhood ezio as a lean fit lad who’d pass as a 33 year old and not a plump bitch that tumbles around and likes to rock climb, It feels like i’m watching a before and after liposuction video of an unwilling participant