#don’t get it twisted I do not like sjm

[firesidebi]

This might be nitpicky, but if you’re going to critique a writer and their works by bringing up characters and plot points, it might serve your best interest to spell the names of those characters correctly and read the books you are criticizing aspects of the plot for.

[consciouscarrot]

kinktober day 5- cockwarming [ azriel ]

azriel x fem!reader (i do not support sjm!!!)

content warnings; smut, p in v

notes; bit of a shorter and shittier one today, may have another go at this in a different angle in the future

kinktober/flufftober masterlist

—————

it was late when azriel got back from his mission, he trudged into your shared bedroom, noticing your sleeping form in bed. you must’ve gone to bed hours ago, hair messed on the pillow and sheets twisted as if you’d been tossing and turning without him. he smiled to himself as he stripped himself of his weapons and leathers, then headed to have a quick bath, not wanting to get all the blood and grime on you.

when he returned, towel rubbing over his hair and boxers hanging low over his hips, he saw you sat up in bed, knuckling roughly over your eyelids. he traipsed towards you, throwing the towel across the room and guiding your hands away before gently thumbing over your eyes.

“don’t be so rough with yourself, baby,” he murmured, tilting your chin up to look at him. you gazed at him, eyes full of love, corners of your mouth turning up slowly. you raised your arms up towards him, hands repeatedly clenching and unclenching in a grabby motion, wanting him to hold you.

he nudged you across the bed, sliding in beside you before slipping an arm around you to pull your back to his damp chest. he pressed kisses into the crook of your neck, trying to settle you down again before he fell asleep.

he closed his eyes, fatigue washing over him as he breathed in the smell of you, blissful at having returned to his mate.

he was just drifting off as you briefly wiggled your hips against him. he ignored it, thinking you were just getting comfortable, until you did it again, this time pressing back into him. he groaned your name when the scent of your arousal washed over him, now knowing what you were trying to do. you started grinding against him, seemingly caught up in your late night lusting.

“‘m too tired, pretty girl,” he squeezed your hip in warning, trying not to pass out on you.

“need you, though. please, az?”

he groaned again, knowing you wouldn’t let up when you’re like this. eyes still closed, he pulled his cock out, shoving his boxers down in the process before tapping himself against your bare heat. you always went without underwear at bed time, preferring to “let it breathe”, whatever that meant. azriel wasn’t quiet sure how your pussy was supposed to be breathing of all things, but it worked out quite well for him in situations like these, which tended to happen more often than not.

when he finally pressed himself into you, slick coating his cock and helping ease him in, you let out a whimper, turning your head to bury it into your pillow. he squeezed your hip again when he bottomed out, feeling you clenching around him, trying to adjust to his thick length.

he just about managed to call you a brat and kiss the back of your head before he promptly fell asleep, cock warm and wet inside of your cunt.

—————

always love seeing feedback in the comments <3

[elainsgirl]

It’s interesting how the Lucien scene had only 2 lines. Meanwhile the hybern rescue got a whole chapter and it was brought up multiple times in acosf. Sarah wants us to remember this moment.

Yh, I can’t think of one elucien scene Mass placed so much importance on aside from the single half step towards Lucien, Elain made. Every single scene is written to be awkward, clueless or doubt why they’re mates. I think the only reason eluciens are riding so hard for the ship is bcs “sunlight” connects both Elain and Lucien, thats what they’re putting all their faith on.

Whereas w elriel, they have had so so many significant, stark moments that stand out. Truthteller being one - to the point it was important enough to be included in the coloring book AND brought up FAS. Azriel rescuing Elain - that whole scene was detailed - Sjm honing in on Azriel’s mate like reactions. Again, it was memorable enough to be brought up in acosf.

With elucien, in each book after acowar they only thing that is repeated is how Elain and Lucien are still awkward around each other and Elain does not want him -> Mass also showing how good Elain is doing apart from Lucien. And he too has made some sort of life for himself away from Elain.

Its like - the only thing Mass wants us to remember about elucien is how tense and distant they are from each other but when it comes to elriel? She wants you to remember how: It was Azriel who risked his life for Elain and saved her, not Lucien. Azriel who gave Elain truthteller - the first person to wield it outside of him, how Elain has been getting Az gifts but nothing for Lucien, How Azriel is the one to spend time w Elain - not her mate. How the cauldron has been questioned TWICE now in regards to it being wrong about Elucien.

I love how Mass has showed Elucien vs Elriel and which man is better for Elain. You don’t have to make assumptions or twist canon quotes, Azriel has done everything for Elain that her mate was meant too. Az understood Elain. Az helped her. Az saved her. Az listened and saw her. Az spent him time w her. Lucien was clueless. Lucien doesn’t know Elain. Lucien never helped her. He didn’t truly see what she was going through and what was happening. He didn’t save her as he was off finding another woman.

In this point of the story - elucien have had too many negative symbolisms- literally fox and the fawn being negative and far from romantic - for Mass to switch up and make them romantic now.

[bright-side20]

Look, look at the build up, the crazy tension, we're just waiting for them to jump and kiss each other 😍:

“I want to see her. Just once. Just—to know.” “To know what?” He hitched my damp cloak higher around us. “If she is worth fighting for.”

But there she was. His mate. She was nothing like Jesminda..... She had chosen him. Elain had been … thrown at him.

Elain blinked slowly. “You were in Hybern.” “Yes.” It was all he could say. “You betrayed us.”

I nudged Elain, who blinked at me, then blurted, “You could come to Velaris.” He saw all of it, but nodded graciously. “It would be my pleasure.”

He hadn’t mentioned Elain, or his proximity to her. Elain had not asked him to stay, or to go. And whether she cared about the bruises on his face, she certainly hadn’t let on.

Elain, at least, would be too polite to send Lucien away when he wanted to help. She was too polite to send him away on a normal day. She just ignored him or barely spoke to him until he got the hint and left.

How Lucien withstood it, I didn’t know. Not that he’d shown any interest in bridging that gap between them.

“You’re welcome to stay for the night,” I said, since Elain certainly wasn’t going to. Lucien lowered his hands into his lap and leaned back in the armchair. “Thank you, but I have other plans.” I prayed he didn’t catch the slightly relieved glimmer on Elain’s face.

My sister rose to her feet. “I should get refreshments.” Lucien rose as well. “No need to trouble yourself. I’m—” But she was already out of the room.

Give her time to accept it.” “To accept a life shackled to me?” My nostrils flared. “That’s not what I meant.” “She wants nothing to do with me.” (hope antis would also get the hint lol)

“Spend time with her.”“I don’t think she’ll tolerate two minutes alone with me, so forget about two weeks.”

“He brought you a present.” Those doe-brown eyes turned toward me. Sharper than I’d ever seen them. "And that entitles him to my time, my affections?”.... “He cares for you.” “He doesn’t know me.” “You don’t give him the chance to even try to do so.” Her mouth tightened, the only sign of anger in her graceful countenance. “I don’t want a mate. I don’t want a male.”

Elain only shrank further into herself, no trace of that newfound boldness to be seen.

Her brown eyes were wary. Usually, that look was reserved for Lucien.

Elain, the wretch, had taken the seat between Feyre and Varian, about as far from Lucien as she could get.

It's crazy how antis try to twist things. If there is a couple who will look like two dolls forced to kiss, it's Elain and Lucien.

I don’t know why they act like they don't know it's Rhys who ordered Az to stop, that there was very high tension and chemistry between him and Elain, that she gave him 'Offer and permission.' Later on, he was questioning the pot from which the world was born. The next day, he was putting rocks in snowballs and throwing them at Rhys. At the training, he was aloof and didn't even smile at Nesta. This is the forbidden love, you can't have the kiss in a bonus chapter, we have to see the tension, the yearning, the charged glances and the brush of fingers that sjm talked about. Antis are just deluding themselves further and I fear the fall will be a bit hard.

[wordsrequired]

now let me speak for a second, there’s some moments, lines you can twist to fit your narrative and there’s some moments you can’t.

yes cassian offered elain a knife but azriel didn’t just offer her a knife. now lemme explain it for dummies.

we’re in a battle, you need a weapon to defend yourself and I offer you:

1. one of my knifes, we’re in a battle and you need to defend yourself, here take this random knife and be safe.

2. my most prized possession, in 500 hundred years, all my life I haven’t let anyone touch this knife, NEVER gave it to anyone. you’re the first person in my whole life I ever gave it too, that has ever touched it. my friends, my brothers people I was raised with were gawking from this action.

now you’re gonna admit you can’t actually tell the difference between these two situations? the first one is an action you can do for everyone, people you don’t know, your friends. you’re gonna lend them a weapon to defend themselves in a battle. the second one is an action you never did for anyone before this X person, it has MEANING.

“Cassian gawked at Azriel, and I wondered how often Azriel had lent out that blade. Never, Rhys said from where he finished buckling on his own weapons against the side of the wagon. I have never once seen Azriel let another person touch that knife.

Elain looked up at Azriel, their eyes meeting, his hand still lingering on the hilt of the blade.

I saw the painting in my mind: the lovely fawn, blooming spring vibrant behind her. Standing before Death, shadows and terrors lurking over his shoulder. Light and dark, the space between their bodies a blend of the two. The only bridge of connection … that knife.”

the author included that part with a motive, with purpose, to make that moment more special than just handing someone a weapon. and then she poetically described that moment between them. “light and dark” something you use as inspiration for the fanfiction you have built in your head. light and dark? that’s elriel, in the actual book. there’s no room left for interpretation on that scene. if you want to pretend to be stupid, to be in denial then you do you. but that happened and that’s a canon elriel moment. damn it sjm even put it in a coloring book for people who can’t read, she gave you some fanart of that, stop embarrassing yourselves. just theorize on some other argument like a black dress doesn’t look good on her or she can’t have a baby with wings, that suits you better. no need to give your two cents on iconic moments. discuss the two lines y’all have in the book smh. are your ships that boring that you have to spend day and night, invested and theorizing on another couple. like y’all think more about nitpicking any elriel moment then saying anything about your faves. i mean I get it they actually have scenes and the others are nonexistent in the canon material but y’all are fans at this point.

[gwandas]

I desperately need Nesta’s thoughts on the High King plotline because she wasn’t privy to that conversation. She’s certain that the Night Court isn’t interested in conquest:

Red flame sizzled in Eris’s eyes. “What did the King of Hybern have to gain by attaining the Cauldron and invading our lands?”

“We have no interest in conquest, Eris,” Cassian said, crossing his arms. “You know that. And we’re not going to use the Trove.”

Eris barked a laugh. Nesta could see that he didn’t believe them—that he was so used to the twisted politics and scheming of his court that even when the simple, easy truth was offered, he could not see it.

Meanwhile in Cassian’s POV 20 chapters earlier:

No other male who would be a fairer ruler than Rhys. And with Feyre as High Queen ... Prythian would be blessed to have such leaders.

And do not forget that Nesta herself—and Elain, with whatever powers she has—is here. Feyre is here. All three sisters blessed by fate and gifted with powers to match your own. Feyre alone doubles your strength. Nesta makes you unstoppable. Especially if she were to march into battle wearing the Mask. No enemy could stand against her.

So… Cassian is literally lying. Yes, Rhys has no interest in conquest for now, but we know for a fact the IC will back him up 100% if he changes his mind. And Nesta’s thinking oh Eris is ridiculous and assuming the worst of the Night Court while he’s actually spot on. Nesta is the only thing standing in their way.

They can’t use the Trove without her (as far as we know), so they’d have to get her on board. But between this scene + her comments in HOFAS, it sounds like she wouldn’t support them. She has Gwydion, assuming they don’t try to take it from her. Even if they do, she still has Ataraxia. I have no idea if SJM will actually carry out a High King plot, but Nesta has to be a key player if she does.

[youareatragedy]

People are so angry at Nesta. They’re constantly upset about the audacity of Nesta for not fawning over Cassian immediately and for making him work for her affection. They’re mad and say she doesn’t deserve Cassian because she made him work for her attention. As if, because Cassian is male (and a hot one at that) it’s absurd that Nesta doesn’t just fall on her knees and offer him her submission immediately.

All their hatred toward Nesta, who just wants to set her boundaries… All their hatred toward a woman who at the very least, obviously needs time to heal after facing never ending trauma in her very young life.

All that hatred from these people for her suffering in an “inconvenient and unpleasant way” only for the same people to frantically defend Cassian when in a book so thick, he never once says, “I love you” to his mate. In a book so thick, he lets his mate get berated by his brother again... and again... and again. In a book SO THICK, by the end of it his mate still feels like she has to prove herself worthy of his love. And after a book so thick, the next time we see this so called “MATE” he again lets his brother make her feel like she’s going to be murdered.

Nesta offended them so much just by being an FMC who isn’t immediately nice to Cassian and Rhysand. They attack her for something so human while foaming at the mouth if anyone says one bad thing about Cassian.

Cassian (the male who is 500 years older than her) can’t even say “I love you” to his own mate. And according to some, Cassian “knows the difference in her expressions” and because of that ridiculous example, it’s somehow supposed to make up for his inability to say the actual words. They twist themselves into knots trying to claim this is proof he loves her through his “actions” when in reality, it’s just more bullshit to excuse his lack of affection and mate-ism toward Nesta. Honestly, anyone who lives in the same house and spends enough time with Nesta would probably pick up on her expressions. I bet even Azriel, who’s supposedly a good “spymaster” could identify her expressions too.

Here’s something people know, but I just want to say it again: Cassian is a BAD MATE. A HORRID MATE. While I don’t want him to die because Nesta has already dealt with enough bullshit from SJM and the fandom, I do hope Cassian gets humiliated by so many people in the next book. I want him to realize how bad of a mate he’s been, beat Rhysand to a pulp, weep and sob for Nesta’s forgiveness, and leave the IC FOR GOOD.

[acourtofthought]

I usually ignore accounts like yours (people who dedicate years to posting anti content), but your whole Truth-Teller argument is posted in such bad faith. You’re so clearly trying to twist the canon of what happened in ACOWAR to make it seem less significant by claiming that Azriel only gave TT to Elain because of Mor (which is a GIANT reach).

Here are the facts:

1. Mor begged Azriel not to fight, sure. But Azriel could have kept TT to himself, as he always has for CENTURIES. He didn’t have to offer up his weapon.

2. Azriel could have given TT to ANYONE. He could have given it to Rhys, or Cassian, or Mor (and all of those options would have made sense, given that they’re warriors). But he didn’t. He gave it to Elain.

3. The scene was significant enough that it’s symbolised on the ACOWAR cover, and has a dedicated page in the ACOTAR colouring book.

4. SJM could have written a scene in ACOWAR where Lucien offers Elain something of his instead (or even just anything romantic between the two). But he was too busy rescuing Vassa 🤷🏼‍♀️

Then there’s this comment you made, and it’s just laughable: “Did Elain seem to care about Az never having given anyone TT? Did she seem to appreciate this oh so rare and special occurrence? Or did she walk away without looking back?”

Elain never once appreciated Lucien’s gifts - they literally soured her mood. Elain has turned cold at most of Lucien’s advances and loses her newfound boldness around him. Elain was about to make out with the hottest dude in Prythian without a single care that Lucien was in the same house.

But sure, Elain handing back TT is so awful and so unromantic……

At the end of the day, SJM has very clearly set up BOTH Elriel and Elucien. There is substantial evidence and foreshadowing for both. But you don’t get to erase that evidence and foreshadowing just because you don’t personally like it.

Well, you can try, but you look very silly doing it.

Hottest dude in Prythian? Has anyone outside the NC ever called Az hot in canon? NOPE

SJM did set up E/riel! She set them up to be a rebound. Hers after Graysen and his first step towards the idea of letting go of Mor. I have never once claimed that there was not evidence of something happening between them, I simply pointed out the red flags in their pairing. Just like we saw the romantic setup for Tamlin and Feyre yet they were not meant to be endgame.

If you want to know what a real romantic setup looks like I suggest you check out the TOG series. Celaena still didn't end up with one of the love interests but their romance was written beautifully and not once did the MMC ever think "he hadn't gotten that far with his planning, certainly not beyond the fantasies he pleasured himself to."

Awwww.....it's really cute you're putting so much weight on E/riel because of a coloring book as if that means something for endgame pairings. If I recall, there was also a scene of Feyre in her wedding dress...the one she wore to her wedding with TAMLIN.

Also, it's not symbolized on the cover of ACOWAR. The cover does not feature a hunting knife which TT is. The cover of ACOWAR features a pretty dainty dagger. Can you imagine Az wielding that around? It looks like a toothpick.

The scene is meaningful because of what Elain went on to do with the knife. Her stabbing the king is iconic. Az giving it to her is really not. Not when he only gave it to her because of Mor and not when it was Cassian who first had the thought of trying to give Elain a weapon. Not when he never gave her credit for stabbing the king. Not when she returned it and never looked back. And you're right, Az never gave it to anyone else because they were all warriors with their own weapons and he fought beside them. Why would he part with TT when he was in battle? When has he ever sat out of battle where an unarmed female was in need of a weapon to defend herself? Had she taken Cassian's Az would have never suggested TT and had Feyre not assured her she wouldn't have to use it she might have also never taken it. Might I introduce you to my favorite word "logic" because it will help you to understand why things came together the way they did and made it possible for Az to be in a place to even considering lending it out and it had nothing to do with his love for Elain. Not when he went on to look at Mor with heat and yearning months later.

Elain doesn't appreciate Lucien's gifts? So weird because I'm sure those words never once came out of her mouth and she still has them. We can't say that about Az's one gift to her though, can we? I wonder what Gwyn thought when Clotho gave it to her. I wonder if her eyes did truly light up just as Az imagined they would.

Elain loses her newfound boldness around Lucien? JUST Lucien? What exactly would you call her whispering "I'm sorry" after Az rejected her? What would you call it when she looked away from Az's smile in the book which left Cassian puzzled or her hands shaking when she handed him his gift? So very bold of her!

And Papa Archeron actually rescued Vassa considering HE is the one who bargained for her freedom. Lucien might have been with him at the lake but it's not Lucien who freed her. Also, are you honestly romanticizing Vassa's kidnapping? Thinking Lucien "I'm a mated male now and had no interest in female company" was thinking about romance while on his way to a war? Who is twisting canon again? And you're right, Lucien didn't offer Elain anything during battle because he was out risking his life for her vision, something Az didn't really care about after his big declaration that they needed a Seer.

I hope that you enjoyed your time deviating from your norm of ignoring Anti accounts such as mine (probably a lie anyway). I'm sorry to say that your words have had absolutely no effect on my opinion so from my end it seems like a waste of time but you do you.

You want to sit there and criticize my blog for having anti posts yet you're out here starting trouble so I create more. Make that make sense.

[nightcourtreader]

Azriel's Plotlines

After my acotar series re-read & reading HOFAS. I think that SJM gave us clear plotlines for Azriel. Or at least potential ones for him to tackle. And since I think that Gwyn would be his love interest, I think Gwyn has a clear connection to these plotlines as well. Which I think includes Illyria/illyrians/ramiel, the autumn court, the prison & the valkryies.

This contains HOFAS spoilers by the way!

Illyria/Ilyrians

* SJM introduced the Illyrian plot line early on in acomaf. When we first heard about them we learned that some Illyrians sided with amarantha & had rebellion groups which Rhys, Cassian & Azriel all hunted down & killed, causing unrest in the Illyrian camp.

* In acomaf, we also learned how the Illyrian men treat their women & how it's been a long standing issue. And we know it's still a problem today despite Cassian trying to make progress.

* In acowar, the illyrians fought in the war but in acofas it was clear that afterward they were upset with the bat boys because some soldiers died in the war and didn't get to come home. Causing more unrest. And pissing Azriel off because he said that they trained for that exact reason and he called them hypocrites despite Rhysand trying to show Azriel the illyrians side of things. But it was explained that Cassian help fix the unrest and rebellions in the Illyrian camps and they knew that the blood rite would also help with that unrest in the early scenes of acosf.

* By the end of acosf. It was made clear that the Illyrians weren't happy that the valkyies participated in the blood qualifier and the blood rite. No matter if the Valkyries joked about it, it has been well known that the illyrians take the blood rite quite seriously to the point that they have a law that no one can interfere with the blood rite, not even the damn high lord. They hold that tradition sacred. And there are other Illyrians who lived in the blood rite that can confirm that the Valkyries killed other fellow Illyrians, do you think that will sit well with the illyrians with their twisted views about women? I don’t think so. It’s going to be a future conflict in a for sure.

* From the jump once we were introduced to Azriel, it was clear that Azriel hated the Illyrians. Whereas the other batboys do not. Azriel is an Illyrian whether he likes it or not, he’s going to have to come to terms with it. Because if he hates the Illyrians, then that means in part he hates himself. Which is a long standing issue with him.

* Cassian told us in acomaf, that the Illyrians don't like high fae and don't like it when high fae try to tell them what to do. So the illyrians def don't like the fact that Rhys is halfbreed and SJM didn't fully tackle Illyria through Cassian, despite Cassian being their general and especially since she gave Cassian a plot line of learning to be a courtier. So I think it makes sense to give the plotline to Azriel.

* The Illyrians have rebelled before, toed the line of rebellion in acofas and can rebel again with the events of acosf. The Illyrians can out right refuse to fight with the night court in an upcoming war. They make up majority of the night court armies. If they don’t fight, the night court won’t have a standing army.

* I think this connects to Gwyn because she participated in the blood rite alongside nesta & Emerie. Gwyn herself stated that the Illyrians were going to be furious. Emerie, an illryian herself stated they would be in hysterics for decades. I believe there is going to be conflict with the valkryies & the Illyrians. Nesta wants to build an all female unit. Cassian is trying to train Illyrian women. What if nesta starts recruiting Illyrian women?

* In HOFAS, we also learned that Truth Teller was once wielded by Enalius, one of the first illyrians and the male the illyrians honor with the blood rite. Another illyrian connection for Azriel. And Truth Teller also came into Fionn’s possession, who was prythian’s first and only high king. Theia stole the blade from Fionn’s dead body.

* We know Azriel’s shadowsingers abilities came to him when he was locked in a dungeon at his fathers estate and his father threw him in the camp at the age of 11 after he recognized Azriel’s abilities so either he found that knife somewhere in illryia or the NC or somewhere completely different. Hopefully we find out.

Ramiel

* In acofas Cassian said ramiel always felt alive somehow, awake.

* In acosf, Eris said that “Unsurprisingly, the Illyrians were never curious enough to see what secrets lie beneath Ramiel. If it, too, was carved up like the others by ancient hands.” Why does Eris of all people mention this?

* In HOFAS, Vesperus, the Asteri told Bryce, nesta & Azriel while they were are the prison isle, that the asteri hid pockets of their power around the lands and asked have they looked at the bottom of every sacred mountain, at the roots. We all know the 3 famous sacred mountains in prythian. Ramiel, the mountain in the middle, and the prison itself. Which Eris also confirms in acosf.

* In acosf, when we got the daglan’s backstory, we were told that the asteri/daglan were rushing to get to the top of ramiel due to that black monolith on top but Enalius held them off. In acosf, we found out that the black stone is able to teleport & heal the people that touch it. Gwyn & Emerie found themselves in a parlor at the river house and they stated that they think the stone knew where Gwyn and Emerie were needed most. So did the daglan/asteri thought that the stone will transport them home? Or at least to another planet they could infiltrate.

* It’s been highly speculated that the 3 stars that are the insignia of the night court are the names of 3 daglan/asteri. Or it could be names for the first Illyrians. Who knows. Hopefully we find out more on that.

* Also, the Illyrians are the only ones permitted to be on ramiel & the illyrians aren’t even allowed to be on ramiel until the blood rite. And the blood rite is the time the Illyrians have powers. Why? And if that rule is in place, then I just know the illryians are definitely mad that nesta and Gwyn participated in the blood rite since they are not illryian.

* But I definitely think there’s something under ramiel. It’s been hinted at too many times that something is there. It hasn’t been explored enough. Especially with the rule no one is permitted on it until the blood rite.

Gwyneth Bedara

* As people already know, I think Azriel’s love interest/mate is Gwyn of course. SJM dropped too many hints and used the same wording for mates in the Crescent City series when it comes to gwynriel.

* I think the two would be a friends to lovers story.

* Gwyn would be a perfect counterpart to Azriel’s pov.

* Gwyn has been in the library since acomaf when it was mentioned that sangravah was raided. She said she’s tired of living in the library and she finally came out of it when it came to training on the top of the house of wind. And she was fully away from the house of wind when she went to go comfort nesta at emerie’s house & when she was forced into the blood rite at the end of acosf. But despite learning to be a warrior, finally coming out of the library, SJM had her go back into the end, after Gwyn said their stories are worth telling, do you really think her story is going to end with her permanently staying in the library? I hope not.

* Gwyn has been described as glowing and having crackling energy, so we don’t know what powers she possess, so hopefully we find that out too.

* A big arc for Gwyn will be definitely just getting out of the library and I would really love to see how her journey will go because she really deserves to live a happy life after all she’s been through.

The Autumn Court/Beron

* Besides the night court, the autumn court was the second most talked about court in acosf, to the point where Eris made several appearances throughout acosf.

* In acowar, the night court agreed to support Eris’s claim to the throne when the time comes. To the point that Eris suggested that Rhys kills Beron before the war even started. At the very end of acowar, in text it stated “Eris continued by as if he hadn’t heard it, but didn’t sneer at least. Rather—he just nodded at Rhys. It was silent promise enough: soon. Soon, perhaps, Eris would finally take what he desired—and call in our debt.”

* It’s clear that Beron has become a huge problem and a huge liability to prythian. In acowar, he didn’t want to fight with the rest of the courts against Hybern. And now in acosf he’s aligned with Briallyn and is looking to align with Koschei.

* Beron is so much of a problem that Cassian said “But no one had been able to decide which was the bigger threat for them: Briallyn and Koschei, or Beron’s willingness to ally with them.” Beron is so much of a problem that they were trying to decide who was worse Briallyn & Koschei or Beron.

* In acosf, Eris also confirmed that Beron wanted to take over Spring Court lands. Quite honestly, Beron is the one who is putting the Spring Court into danger. No one else wants spring court lands. Autumn and Summer are the two courts bordering Spring. The others don’t have the direct chance to take over spring because they have to go through summer and autumn. Tarquin is too good of a male to try to take over Spring. He even took spring court citizens in during acowar.

* Eris also told us this at the end of acosf “My father is furious that his ally is dead, but he’s not deterred. Koschei remains in play, and Beron might very well be stupid enough to establish an alliance with him, too. I hope that whatever Morrigan is doing in Vallahan will counteract the damage my father will unleash.” Doesn’t it sound like Beron once again is going to be a problem?

* With Eris wanting Beron gone, it’s quite clear that Eris doesn’t want to do it himself, that’s why he keeps encouraging Rhys to do the dirty work. But wouldn’t Azriel be a perfect candidate since you know he’s a spy master & torturer? He can easily do it with Eris helping him get into the forest house and without it coming back onto Eris and the Night court.

* In HOFAS, Einar, aka the autumn king, wanted to use Bryce to go to prythian. I think it’s obvious that Einar is distantly related to the Autumn Court in prythian. Despite knowing the autumn court was formed after the fae went into Midgard and left prythian. Both Einar and autumn court residents have the famous red hair and the fire power. Then the way Einar and Beron are just alike. Like why would Einar label himself as the autumn king?

* We know that Bryce & Ruhn are starborn because of their father’s bloodline, and if Einars blood line is from the autumn court blood line, or related to it. Who’s to say that anyone in the autumn court in prythian couldn’t also have starborn power?

* Now Gywn has a clear autumn court connection. Her grandfather is an autumn court male & her mother was born in the autumn court. Which I think that’s where both Gywn and Catrin were born. But I think that Gwyn’s grandmother is from the spring court. Gwyns mother was given the chance to be with her mother’s people in spring or be in the forest house of autumn. We know beron is the oldest high lord. We know that he has a say about who comes and goes into the forest house but gwyns mother was given the option to stay in the forest house. Coincidence? I think not.

* I think sangravah is in autumn; the spring court didn’t have a standing temple around the time that Gwyn & cartrin were conceived and born. The Spring court temple was being rebuilt early on in acomaf before it was even stated that the temples were being sacked, Feyre mentioned this. Rhys nor Feyre ever mentioned sangravah when Rhys went to go visit the temple in Cesere multiple times in acomaf & acofas and Rhys only mentioned that one of their temples got sacked for the cauldron foot. Not 2. So I don’t think sangravah is in the night court. Plus it wouldn’t make sense to hide 2 cauldron’s foots in the same court. Plus Lucien also identified sangravah rugs in the house of wind in acowar. Lucien has never been to the night court before acowar, so he either had to see sangravah in spring or in autumn. And since spring didn’t have a temple, it had to be autumn.

* It’s not a coincidence that SJM connected Gwyn to autumn and then expanded on autumn in acosf. I’m wondering will Gwyn go back to get closure on Catrin’s death or if sangravah is even still standing.

The Prison

* Essentially, I think the prison is definitely something that nesta will deal with. But she’s close friends with Azriel and Gwyn and Azriel was there when they learned about the history of the prison.

* Like after reading HOFAS, SJM already left us clues about the prison in acosf. One meeting between Cassian, nesta & Eris showed that, this is what Eris had to say about the prison. “We don’t know why they exist, but do you not find it strange that two out of the three sister mountains have underground palaces carved into them?” “I’d hardly call the Prison a palace,” Cassian cut in. In HOFAS we found out that the prison was in fact a palace at one point. The question is how tf does Eris knows this when the prison gates are keyed to Rhysand’s blood?

* In HOFAS, Bryce, nesta & Azriel go to the prison and find out that it was once a palace which turned into a horrible dark prison to hide 1/3 of Theias star, just how the entire island of Avallen turned gray and dead to hide 1/3 of Theias star. When bryce took part of theias star from avallen, the land turned fresh with life. When she took the star from the prison, she instantly left so we don’t know the outcome of the prison isle.

* But Bryce herself thought that after she left the prison that it too turned back to what it used to be, a fresh island full of life. We also see at the end of HOFAS, baxian called Bryce and hunt to let them know that Pegasus were on Avallen like days later. And they appeared out of no where. Who’s to say Pegasus aren’t going to pop up at the prison now since they belonged to Theia? And we all know that Pegasus are connected to the valkryie in lore. The way SJM had the valkryie talk about miniature Pegasus in acosf and even had the house of wind conjure one for them is not a coincidence.

* Then Helion has 7 pairs of Pegasus, the holy number across sjm’s universes.

* Bryce told nesta to figure out why nesta had the 8 pointed star on her back and gave her the starsword. If Pegasus are going to live there wouldn’t it be perfect for the prison isle to be a valkryie base? @bookofmirths theorized on it and I totally agree. Nesta said in acosf that she wanted to be the general of a female unit.

* I connect this to Azriel because he was there when they found out the history of the prison, he’s still teaching the valkryies, and he’s like 1 of the 4 people that is closest to nesta besides Cassian, Emerie and Gwyn.

* Now the real question is what the heck is going to happen with the creatures in the prison if the isle did transform back to its original state?

* I think nesta in the end will be ruling the dusk court as a valkryie general. The dread trove is connected to the prison and it literally answers to nesta on command. And she now has the starsword. Tho I highly doubt it if she keeps it since she has Atraxia. But I think nesta will def need help getting it together as a valkryie base and like I said, since her and Azriel are good friends I can see him helping her. And we all know the valkryies are going to be right there by her side.

The Valkryies

* Since I think we’ll get a gwynriel book, it’s no brainer that I believe that it would include the Valkyrie.

* Their story is not over. SJM didn’t make the valkryie a major acosf plot point for nothing.

* At the ending of acosf SJM made it be known that the Valkyrie are still training with Cassian & Azriel’s help.

* There are only like a handful of valkryies, I really believe that SJM is going to have more women join the valkryie unit.

* I honestly think SJM is prepping the acotar world for another war with koschei or maybe with the continent. She wouldn’t have nesta wanting to be in charge of a unit of females for nothing. And then further giving nesta more plot development in HOFAS was very deliberate. Honestly, if nesta didn’t already have her story, I would think her book was next.

The shadows

* they came to him when he was locked up in his father’s estate when he was a child & they’re the reason his father threw him in the Illyrian camp finally, to train at age 11.

* I think it’s kind of clear that Azriel’s shadows are sentient

* We know they don’t like sunlight and when they’re hiding him, it can only be when it’s dark.

* They talk to him.

* They are his spies.

* But we also learned new information about them in HOFAS, the fact that they can detect when a person is lying & they cannot turn solid like how Cormac’s shadows were.

* Also it’s clear that the shadows like hearing their favorites sing. They dance around them 😂

Mor

* Mor said that she wanted to come train with the valkryie when she comes back from over seas and I think this gives the perfect opportunity for Azriel and Mor to finally have a mature conversation.

* I personally don’t believe Mor has to out herself to Azriel but I think she will let him know that she never felt that way about him and it was never because something was wrong with him.

* I do think that Azriel has lingering feelings for Mor but I don’t think he’s in love with her any longer.

* Personally I tbink also SJM can build up Mor and Emerie as well, if she decides to go that route.

Azriel's family

* in acofas it was hinted at that Azriel’s mom was still alive and he was going to give her a winter solstice present. And who knows how often he goes to visit her.

* In acosf, Cassian questioned why Azriel’s mom never came to the house of wind library to stay, and we all know what priestess lives there.

* In HOFAS, in the Walmart bonus chapter, Azriel also revealed that his mother is anything but awful.

* From Azriel’s backstory we learned that he had 2 older stepbrothers, his father and step mom and how they all neglected him and abused him. Rhys said they punished his brothers and what we have seen so far I don’t think it was ever confirmed whether his “family” were dead.

What are you guys thoughts about Azriel’s and his potential plot lines?

[starfall-spirit]

Precious Collateral

Read on Ao3 // Fic Masterlist // SJM Omegaverse Masterlist // Dark Feysand Masterlist

Summary: When Rhys set out to collect his dues from the head of the Archeron house, he knew the man would be begging for more time. What he didn’t expect was to be offered the youngest daughter as collateral.

After spending only a day in the temperamental woman’s company, he found himself utterly enthralled with his new guest—and with no intention of letting her father scrape together the funds that would grant her her freedom.

CW: Non-Consensual Spanking, Very brief mention of Feyre's parents withholding meals

Chapter II

Feyre

“What is this?”

Rhysand smirked, apparently content to stand there and watch her process everything from his place in the doorway. “Your room, darling.”

“My room. Not some torture chamber you’ve set up?”

He clicked his tongue, stalking forward until he was close enough to stroke a finger down her jaw. “Little omega, you have no place there. Your father made you a pawn in our game, and nastier men than me might take advantage of your situation. But I have no intention of harming you.”

“Don’t you? You can’t expect me to believe you’ll just accept me into your home until the debt is paid.”

“Feyre, darling, if you feel you need to compensate—” Leaning down, he dragged his teeth across the soft flesh of her scent gland. She’d never hated her dynamic more than in that moment, unable to resist softening to him, her eyes fluttering shut. Alpha. Protector. Mate. Her instincts had gone haywire since meeting the man and her common sense was apparently nonexistent. “—I have a few suggestions.”

It was enough to break the strange mental fog holding her. Feyre staggered back, hands raised as if she could ward him off. “Don’t touch me,” she seethed, eyes wide. “You can’t do that.”

“You do an awful lot to tell me what I can’t do, little girl. Was it so bad, letting your instincts lead you? Have you ever been near an alpha before now or have your beloved parents kept you locked away from any chance of exploring your designation?”

“Don’t talk about them. You have no right to my personal life.” 

His lips twitched upward. “Of course not, pet. Not yet.”

He’d already turned on his heel by the time the words registered. The sheer assumption that he’d have any control of her set her blood boiling. The man was so damn confident she would fall at his feet, and why? Because of some stupid designation. She’d show him what he’d get from this omega. 

She ripped her sandal of her foot, hurling it across the room before Rhysand could cross the threshold. His hand flew to the back of his head, body tensing before he turned back on her. His eyes locked on her second shoe, already halfway raised. “I. Dare. You.” He was pissed too. Good. The moment she had her arm cocked back to throw the shoe, he was across the room, his too-big hand flying up to clamp down on her wrist, a few easy steps forcing her backwards. Crushed between the hard wall and the cage of his body, her rage only magnified. “Naughty little thing, aren’t you?”

“I—” One look at his unreasonably gorgeous face set in a scowl and that rage was zapped out of her, cold fear twisting her stomach. “Wait.”

“Oh no, darling. You made your choice. Now the only question is what I’m going to have to do about it.” 

Keeping one hand around her upper arm, Rhysand let her off the wall, guiding her instead to the large bed that dominated the space. Feyre gasped. She’d considered it may come to this, but she thought she’d at least have a few days of seclusion before he started demanding sex. “Wait, please. I’ll be good.”

He chuckled. “I’m sure you feel that way now. And if the lesson doesn’t stick the first time I’ll be more than happy to grant you a reminder.”

He seated himself on the bed, dragging her over his lap. “What the hell are you doing?”

“How many do you think you’ve earned?”

How many? She heard the crack first, then came the sting. He was spanking her like she was some obstinate child to take in hand. Like she was a brat.

It wasn’t awful, with the fabric of her jeans between them, but she imagined her captor would keep her in this position long enough for the pain to build. Each strike rained down, one after the next. “Stop. Stop, please,” she sobbed. “I’ll be good. I’ll be so good. I’ll listen now. Rhysand!”

But each plea went unanswered, and the moment she aimed to kick at him, he had her draped higher over a single muscled thigh, trapping her legs between his own. “Now, kicking at your alpha. That doesn’t seem like something my good little girl would do, does it? Don’t you worry, darling. Daddy will set you straight.”

Curving one hand under her outside hip, Rhys lifted her enough to unbutton her pants, tugging the fabric down to her knees. “No,” she whimpered. 

His palm connected again, setting the tender flesh ablaze. He was merciless, perfectly precise with each blow, thoroughly covering her ass and thighs before his strokes lightened, finally stopping when she’d given up on begging.

A moment later he lifted her into his lap, his heavy sigh nearly sending her into another bout of tears. She’d disappointed him. She didn’t know why that bothered her so much. 

She was too drained to fight him when he stripped her lower half completely to free her legs, the gruffness from before nowhere to be found as he removed her pants and underwear, tossing them aside. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice only muffled further when she pressed her face into his neck to seek his scent. Alpha. Protector. Mate.

“I know, little one. Let this lesson be behind us.”

Shifting her hips, she winced, the fabric of his slacks chafing her sore backside. Had she ever faced something more humiliating? Likely not, when her parents cared to discipline her for mouthing off by withholding a meal or what small luxuries they could afford.

She didn’t know if she hated him more or less for taking up a disciplinary role. And that inner conflict did more to scare her than any threat of punishment could.

Running his fingers through her hair, Rhysand kissed her brow. “Feyre.” She slowly raised her eyes to meet his. “You’re going to get a nightgown out of the dresser and prepare for bed. You have everything you need in the bathroom. I’ll be back in a few minutes to tuck you in for the night.”

“I don’t need—” A raised brow was enough of a threat to silence her. “Okay.”

He frowned as if hoping for a different response—more respectful, perhaps. But she didn't owe him anything after what he’d done. Even if she was a bit confused by it all, she did truly hate the man. 

She eased off of his chest, immediately pulling the top of the comforter down to cover herself until he left. His lips curled up again, but he remained silent, closing the door and leaving her with only her own thoughts for company. At least for a few moments.

“This is so fucked up.”

Still, as insane as the situation may be, if there was one thing she knew it was that her captor wasn’t a man who bluffed. Or appreciated insubordination. She still intended on making his life hell, but just for tonight enough had been said and done without her causing more trouble. She moved to the standing dresser, finding the promised nightgowns in the second to last drawer. Ridiculously skimpy, yes, but it was better than sleeping in her day clothes and Rhysand seemed to keep the townhouse warm enough. 

Grabbing the light blue option, she peeled off her shirt and unhooked her bra before throwing it over her head and finding her panties, so carelessly tossed aside a few moments prior.

She just finished up in the bathroom when the door opened again. “Ever heard of knocking? This is my room, isn’t it?”

“Bed. Now. Lay on your stomach.” He ducked into the bathroom after her, returning with a bottle of lotion and seating himself on the edge of the bed. He pulled down her panties once again and her body locked up. “Relax. Your punishment is behind you, pet.” 

The cool cream met her scalding flesh and she sank into the bed a little further, hugging the pillows she’d been given close to her chest.

“Rhysand?”

“Hmm?”

“Can I—” What was she thinking? She’d never been provided the materials she needed for a true nest in her own home. There was no way the man holding her hostage would cater to something so frivolous. “Never mind,” she whispered.

“Feyre.” She remained silent, stroking a finger down the seam of the top pillow. He sighed. “You can call me Rhys, you know. Only my enemies use my full name.”

“And I should not consider the trio holding me hostage my enemies?” His eyes narrowed, but he held his tongue. Breaking eye contact, Feyre turned so her cheek was flat to the pillow. “I’d like to be alone now. Or does a pawn not even deserve a bit of silence?”

There was a light tug as his hand ran through her hair, then his weight lifted from the bed. “Don’t try anything stupid tonight. Your door locks from the outside.” She would have been angry at being locked in if she had the energy left. But the insanity of her situation, the long flight, and her punishment had left her without any fight. “Sleep tight, pet.”

~~~~~

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[shadowqueenjude]

SJM FUCKED FEYLIN UP SO BADLY.

I wished that I could glimpse his face—if only for a moment. But all I needed to see were those green eyes. “I love you,” I said. “No matter what she says about it, no matter if it’s only with my insignificant human heart. Even when they burn my body, I’ll love you.”

But I trusted Tamlin—and more than that, I trusted myself. I trusted that I had heard correctly—I trusted that Tamlin had been smarter than Amarantha, I trusted that all I had sacrificed was not in vain. Fate had whispered to Tamlin that the cold, contrary girl he’d dragged to his home would be the one to break his spell, because Fate had kept me alive just to get to this point, just to see if I had been listening. And there he was—my High Lord, my beloved, kneeling before me. “I love you,” I said, and stabbed him. “I’m going to kill you.” Someone cried out, but I couldn’t move, couldn’t even try to get out of the way as something far more violent than lightning struck me, and I crashed to the floor. “I’m going to make you pay for your insolence,” Amarantha snarled, and a scream ravaged my throat as pain like nothing I had known erupted through me. My very bones were shattering as my body rose and then slammed onto the hard floor, and I was crushed beneath another wave of torturous agony. “Admit you don’t really love him, and I’ll spare you,” Amarantha breathed, and through my fractured vision, I saw her prowl toward me. “Admit what a cowardly, lying, inconstant bit of human garbage you are.” I wouldn’t—I wouldn’t say that even if she splattered me across the ground. But Amarantha still neared. “You think you’re worthy of him? A High Lord? You think you deserve anything at all, human?” My back arched, and my ribs cracked, one by one. I sobbed between screams as her foot connected with my broken ribs. Again. And again. “Your mortal heart is nothing to us.” “Stop,” I breathed, blood filling my mouth as I strained a hand to reach her feet. “Please.” “Stop? Stop? Don’t pretend you care, human,” she crooned, and curled her finger. “Say that you don’t love him!” Amarantha shrieked, and the blood on my hands became the blood of that rabbit—became the blood of what I had lost. But I wouldn’t say it. Because loving Tamlin was the only thing I had left, the only thing I couldn’t sacrifice. A path cleared through my red-and-black vision. I found Tamlin’s eyes—wide as he crawled toward Amarantha, watching me die, and unable to save me while his wound slowly healed, while she still gripped his power. Amarantha had never intended for me to live, never intended to let him go. “Amarantha, stop this,” Tamlin begged at her feet as he clutched the gaping wound in his chest. “Stop. I’m sorry—I’m sorry for what I said about Clythia all those years ago. Please.” Amarantha ignored him, but I couldn’t look away. Tamlin’s eyes were so green—green like the meadows of his estate. A shade that washed away the memories flooding through me, that pushed aside the evil breaking me apart bone by bone. I screamed again as my kneecaps strained, threatening to crack in two, but I saw that enchanted forest, saw that afternoon we’d lain in the grass, saw that morning we’d watched the sunrise, when for a moment—just one moment—I’d known true happiness. “Say that you don’t truly love him,” Amarantha spat, and my body twisted, breaking bit by bit. “Admit to your inconstant heart.” “Amarantha, please,” Tamlin moaned, his blood spilling onto the floor. “I’ll do anything.” “I’ll deal with you later,” she snarled at him, and sent me falling into a fiery pit of pain. I would never say it—never let her hear that, even if she killed me. And if it was to be my downfall, so be it. If it would be the weakness that would break me, I would embrace it with all my heart. If this was— “Say it, you vile beast,” Amarantha hissed. She might have lied her way out of our bargain, but she’d sworn differently with the riddle—instantaneous freedom, regardless of her will. Blood filled my mouth, warm as it dribbled out between my lips. I gazed at Tamlin’s masked face one last time. “Love,” I breathed, the world crumbling into a blackness with no end. A pause in Amarantha’s magic. “The answer to the riddle …,” I got out, choking on my own blood, “is … love.” Tamlin’s eyes went wide before something forever cracked in my spine.

[ataraxiasflame]

Ok, I don’t want to stir the pot here, but I was having a conversation with my sister (who is in no way connected to the online fandom or under any ‘ship’ influence at all) and we had some very interesting discussions because of her lack of ‘influence’. It was really refreshing to hear opinions from someone who is (for the sake of this point) 100% ‘neutral’.

Though there were several interesting points in our conversation, there was one I HAD to share because as soon as the point came up, it made my mind go into overdrive.

Those of us who have read the CC series from the start….do you all remember after book 1, the Ruhn fans (those of us who loved him before Ch 3 of HOSAB) were very much pro-Ruhn-Hypaxia because of all the subtle clues in HOEAB. There was a lot of admiration and appreciation of Hypaxia from Ruhn, dare I say, very similar to Azriel’s appreciation of Gwyn in ACOSF?

And what happened in the next book? Hypaxia/Ruhn was a smokescreen for the real endgame which was Ruhn and Lidia, a character who was already introduced in book 1 though there were zero clues that she would be important to the rest of the series.

So what’s my point? I don’t really have any investment in Gwynriel (I think they’d make a cute couple but I won’t lose sleep over it), but given that SJM has proven in the past few books she’s released that she’s not above an unpredictable plot twist (even ones that don’t make sense), I think it’s not entirely impossible that Gwyn could have a different LI, maybe one who has already been introduced but without any clear reason why….say a Balthazar for instance?

I’m not trying to discredit any ships at all (if you come for me, I’ll just point out that Gwynriel would support my own ship)…what my sister and I did realise is that SJMs writing has changed since her ToG days and this kind of manoeuvre does feel like a possibility now.

(Now, logically, I know that the infamous bonus chapter might seem pointless then, and the argument that Azriel is hinted at getting a book, therefore who is his love interest if not Gwyn, and to that I say, you’re probably right. But could it be a smokescreen just like Hypaxia was?)

My point is just that SJM has developed a taste for throwing curve balls (Ahem…the million involving Danika come to mind) and I think it would actually be hilarious if after all these years and the insane ship wars over Azriel, if he doesn’t end up with Elain OR Gwyn.

(Also, I can laugh at this because I’m not an Azriel fan, but if you don’t see the humor in this, I apologize 😅)

[elainsgirl]

You know what I find amazing? Every single time I hear gwynriels or Eluciens describe their ship, they are describing Elriel. It's amazing. Every time. I don't get it. It's like they switched Elain's name for Gwyn when they read. Or Azriels name for Lucien. But why? Why not like the OG thing. The thing that is actually in the books? Because they will be getting exactly the thing they're asking for, but with Elain and Azriel.

Have you seen this? If you have, why do you think this is? It's just so amazing and inexplicable to me. It makes no sense to me.

Elucien and Gwynriel IS elriel in a different font. They literally just swap out Elain/Az for the characters they like more aka Gwyn and Lucien. Why? If you look at it from Gwynriels perspective: most of them do not like Elain. They find her useless, boring, meek. Why would they ship their fave batboy with such a wallflower? Generally speaking, a popular trope is the “quiet, introverted, moody boy” x “chirpy, extroverted, sunny girl” -> that is not elriel. It does however fit gwynriel. Its a popular dynamic they can HC onto gwynriel. Same with Elucien. Now; w eluciens its not that they’re such big elain fans. Its that for them, mates = happiness. Their baby lulu has been through so much and he deserves his happiness and he’ll achieve that when elain accepts the bond. A popular microtrope for “reluctant engagement/marriage” especially with a ladylike character such as Elain is “sassy, conveniently attractive, foul mouthed man meets the proper, society abiding woman” -> his witty banter makes the proper lady blush and unable to handle herself. Again. It’s not elriel but can be used for elucien. And the reasons these micro/tropes fit is due to the fact Elucien and Gwynriel are so undeveloped you can virtually shape them to be however you like making them more favourable ships when you compare it to elriel - which is developed. They have a canon dynamic, you can’t just place any HC onto them. If I was to say, “omfg I can’t wait for the banter between elriel!” - you’re going to be like…but they’re not a couple that “banters”….thats not how elriel is. But If I was to make the same statement with gwynriel, you can’t really argue against it bcs it can happen between gwynriel. They’re that raw. And considering how far we’re into the series -> its not how Sjm rolls. But thats another discussion. Alternatively, instead of antis not liking elain/azriel - they may ship gwynriel/elucien as it drives the story in a different direction thats more liked by them. For example, with Gwynriel you’ll get more of Nesta, Emerie, H.O.W -> less of feysand and IC. And after acosf and the hatred for the OG cast, this new one in acosf is more liked and people want them to be centre staged. You’re not going to get that with elriel. Same goes for elucien -> less of the NC, IC, feysand and more of other courts and characters eluciens’ find interesting such as Eris. Again, that won’t happen with elriel. I have seen this countless times over all the years. Gwynriel: Gwyn will accept Az for who he is, she won’t be afraid of him or his shadows, she’s going to call his scars beautiful, Az will want to spend time with her, Gwyn will become a spy alongside Azriel and the twins who she will also become friends with, Azriel will get Gwyn such a beautiful Solstice gift, Gwyn will make Az laugh so much like he hasn’t done before, Gwynriel are going to love spending alone time together, gwynriel will help revive the prison, Az will take gwyn flying, their powers are so similar etc etc etc,

I’ll be honest - I haven’t seen eluciens “steal” elriels’ tropes/plot points (I mean they could be, im just not aware of it) aside from saying Elains choice being Lucien is impactful, and now trying to twist the forbidden love trope for elucien instead of elriel….who literally had Rhys stop them and told Az to stay away. I think with eluciens - its that they disregard canon and just go with whatever they want. They don’t take into consideration elains canon characteristics or the plot she’s connected too. They have a vision for elucien which they force onto the couple even if it makes no sense canonically. Lmfao who am I kidding, they don’t gaf about elains canon feelings towards Lucien so why would they care if their Hc/Theories align with elains traits and associations. Its all about Lucien. Their whole plot has Lucien right centre stage with Elain tagging along. Same like Tamlain and gwynriel really.

Thing is - I can’t blame gwynriels for having to be unoriginal and take a lot of “inspiration” from elriel bcs what unique thing can happen between gwynriel? Azriels most impactful moments have already happened with Elain. Take him giving TruthTeller to her. That was a pretty important scene. Monumental for both Az and Elain. If Az was now to give Gwyn TT…it won’t be special or anything new. Its why you often find gwynriels downplaying a lot of elriel moments only to use those same moments for their own ship but showing how its going to be 100x more spectacular.

[acourtoflight]

I don’t know where this “3 brothers 3 sisters is too cliché” argument came from, because where have you read a fantasy book like that? In the Twisted series everyone gets with everyone and nobody has a problem with that lol. And it makes sense according to the story sjm has set up.

Why would she have everything 3 and then make Az and Elain not end up with each other because “it’s too cliché”? First of all, everyone ending up with their mate or even having one is even more cliché but everyone is okay with that when it has always happened in Sarah’s books.

Also do you really think she would write Elriel wanting each other just to give us an entirely different story with characters that are not even that present in their lives?

At some point you gotta put the ships aside and start thinking logically.

[nikethestatue]

It’s kinda crazy reading gwynriel theories because, and I’m trying to be as objective as possible here, I do think elriels try to get a good understanding of gwynriels’ arguments and try to look at the text as objectively as possible. And that’s part of why we like elriel, because we see the story is going in that direction. Whereas I find that when I’m reading a gwynriel’s analysis, they make SO many assumptions that are just WRONG and easily disproven in the text. They just make these sweeping claims like “Azriel and Elain don’t actually care about each other” ?? Usually what they are saying seems to be parroted from someone else or from fanfics and don’t use the canon text to back it up. For them it seems to come down to personal preference whereas for us it goes beyond preference and we base it on canon.

And they get mad when we say Azriel doesn’t care about Gwyn even though we have “he wouldn’t go as far as to call her a friend” and how he acted when they were in the Blood Rite. Yet they’ll turn around and say Elriel don’t actually care about each other despite all of the caring behavior they’ve shown each other.

Just a rant but I guess I’m just saying I love that Elriels have canon backing us up. In my opinion tik tok has led to a rise of readers who are not able to consume literature that doesn’t involve a man with shadows who is considered “morally gray” but actually has a heart of gold and never does anything wrong, and a feisty sword wielding female character. They need everything to be a trope and need it all spelled out for them. They cannot think critically about what they are reading. I know we all joke that SJM books are not very complicated, and that’s true, but I do think she is able to write in a way that doesn’t fall into the tik tok style…probably because she’s been in the game for a decade. Anyway. Rant over haha.

I agree that there are a lot of 'feelings'. Well, I don't feel like Elain is good for Azriel. Or Azriel/Lucien 'deserve' better. Or I feel like Azriel wants a mate and not Elain.

Lots and lots of 'feelings'. And 'interpretations'.

Well, that's not how I interpret it.

Some things don't need to be interpreted at all. They just are. Words on a page which don't need anyone agonising over them. There are facts, which don't care about feelings. And facts that don't need interpretation.

You could, for example, opine on something like 'What if the Cauldron was wrong?" You could interpret it in a variety of different ways. That's totally fine.

However, some things are just there because SJM put them there for a reason. A guy who is dreaming about giving a woman oral is not open for interpretation. It also isn't really a debate to assume that an author is not going to have this same guy just dream of how a woman is going to sound when he enters her, get mated!! to another woman in the same chapter.

This is SJM, not some twisted dark romance, though even in the very darkest and twistiest of romances, it's one chick per dude. Dude becomes obsessed with one chick. Not multiples. SJM is especially not gonna write about a dude choosing a woman from a bunch of contenders. Not how this game is played.

And I wish sometimes, this basic logic was applied to Gwynriel. Step away from fanfics and cosplays and whatever else, and think about the genre and what SJM is trying to write here. Even if you don't like Elain. Even if you hate her. SJM doesn't share your feelings.

[bookishfeylin]

Okay this will be a rant so I'm sorry but I have opinions! And the world needs to know them. So I was thinking how SJM has overused "trauma" in ACOTAR to a point that now it just makes me cover my ears lol.

The reason Feyre went from not wanting to have children because she was parentified at young age and now just wanted to be free?✨TRAUMA✨ She felt her mate die and so she's scared they might not get time again and so it's a decision born out of that fear. Without Feyre would've not considered it.

Why Nesta and Elain become Fae and get absorbed into Feyre's world and become a part of IC?✨TRAUMA✨ they just had to go through a traumatic experience of being violently boiled alive and have their bodies changed. Otherwise they would've never wanted to be a part of the Fae world. They were way more adjusted to the human world than Feyre ever was.

Why Nesta was alone in HoW with Cassian as her keeper and became a warrior ™️ in the end?✨ TRAUMA✨ literally there was no other reason that Nesta would've ended up where she did and how she did if sjm didn't traumatize the shit out of her and completely beat her to the ground taking her where Feyre was mentally after UTM. As if she hadn't been through enough in book 1.

Why Azriel and Rhysand and Eris are the way they are and why they do the things they do?✨TRAUMA✨ yes, i know all of them are vastly different people but they all have one thing in common and that's all of them have had a traumatizing experience and so all their decisions are excused with "he had trauma!". I'd thought that maybe Eris will be this unapologetically snarky asshole with a "devil may care" attitude kinda like what Rhys was in book 1 minus the UTM stuff but he is just another sad boy who was traumatized and is just pretend evil. It's just SO repetitive that I cannot bring myself to give a single fuck anymore. While yes it's true that trauma shapes people up but not everyone is the way they are because of trauma dude. Why does SJM think that trauma is the only way she can give any depth to her characters instead of actually making them interesting and nuanced?

Because Sarah wants you to interpret the text her way and her way only. And if you don’t agree with her opinion, then clearly it’s because you don’t respect the ~trauma~

As an example: Feylin is unshippable because Tamlin abused Feyre and worsened her trauma. Valid! But if you argue that Rhysand was also abusive and therefore Feysand is just as unshippable, all the fandom screams about is that you don’t care about Feyre's trauma (yes I HAVE been told this before). Nevermind that it’s weird the text glosses over how traumatized Feyre should be because of Rhysand (eg the bone twisting torture and the sexual assault UTM) and only allows things associated with Tamlin/the Spring Court to trigger her.

The trauma is used as a cover to force you to agree with Sarah's opinions, which as I’ve discussed before is why only selective events are allowed to traumatize her protagonists, and if you disagree with what Sarah's written then it must be because you don’t respect the trauma the characters underwent.