#elriel positivity

[violetasteracademic]

I am going to say something for my Elriels that I hope can be absorbed with grace and compassion. I realize not everyone may agree, and I do not speak for all survivors. But I am speaking from the perspective of someone who has received over 19 years of intensive therapy (yes, I started at 14. Feel free to calculate my age) as well as EMDR to treat complex PTSD. I hope you can hear this and take it to heart, and understand that *both sides* are contributing to some of us considering whether or not we should permanently leave this fandom to protect ourselves. If your interest is protecting survivors, I hope you will hear this with nothing but love and care in my heart and wanting this to be a better place for everyone and feel open to what I would like to say.

If you are taking this opportunity to re-blog and make a public spectacle of how badly the other side is behaving- you are not protecting survivors. Limiting exposure is a critical tool for those with PTSD. Stepping away from areas where we cannot prevent exposure to traumatic or triggering environments does not make us weak. It makes us strong. It makes us capable of making hard decisions and reflecting inward, and walking away from things that cause harm even when our inner child wants to feel drawn towards it and resolve it. These are not easy decisions. Right now, I want to stay away because of how everyone is acting, not just those on certain sides. The exposure to triggers is frankly beyond anything I could have ever imagined happening joining this fandom.

The spectacle is harmful for those that you are trying to protect. I beg you to consider this in the coming days as you decide what type of contributions you want to make to the Elriel community. At this point, I have so many people blocked, but it doesn't matter. I am still being exposed to how traumatizing this fandom is because the Elriel community will not stop. I promise you, starving harassers of the attention they so desperately want is the only thing that will have any meaningful impact to improve the environment. You are never going to understand each other or see things the same way. Please consider if re-blogging harmful takes just to prove a point is an act of protection, or an act of judgement and escalation.

If you are taking this opportunity to engage in a war of morality, and decide that the *other side* has behaved badly enough that they finally *deserve* to be harassed or insulted, you are not protecting survivors. I know it sucks. I know it's unfair. I know the high road is comprised of more steps. But the reality is, there are people with completely different moral codes opposing each other here. You will never be able to show another person why their deeply held beliefs are wrong. Some felt that protecting DV victims was a violation of their personal rights. We all understand how wrong that is. But instead of trying to turn this into a battle of whose behavior is worse, and who deserves what treatment, the best way to protect survivors is to say: I'm so sorry this is happening. I know how triggering this must be. Let me focus on making this a safe space for you. Invoking verbal abuse or escalating an aggressive conflict in our name does not help us. It only makes this space more unsafe. The simple act of, "I said this to you and I treated you badly because you acted badly first" is in of itself triggering behavior. If you look for reasons to treat someone you don't like or respect poorly, you will surely find them.

Please know that my only goal here is safety for all. It can be difficult to make everyone feel comfortable. I have long since realized that fandom life may not be for me, and have repeatedly left group chats, tiktok, and Instagram because I personally hate watching women rip each other to shreds every day when these books were a place of respite for me. So maybe I'm in the wrong. Maybe I don't *get* fandom culture, and if that's the case, I can gracefully step away or set new boundaries with myself about what I contribute and how involved I am regularly. No one is required to change their behavior because of me, or because of anyone. We are only in charge of ourselves. But this felt worth saying.

I truly hope that the goal of fostering a community that feels good to be a part of, even if it comes at the sacrifice of "fighting back," because no one is actually winning at anything here, is something that feels worthy of acknowledgment. I hope everyone can consider before typing, re-blogging, screenshotting, fighting, ect., pausing, reflecting and asking- does my behavior hurt or harm survivors? Am I making this space safer or more harmful for them? Is this a space I'd want to look at and make art for every day if I was trying to avoid landmines of watching how people treat each other? *If* protecting survivors and making things safer is your goal of course. That will not be the priority for everyone. But then please be honest with yourself about what you are trying to accomplish.

I always considered the Elriel space safe and joyful and a place largely not centered around bashing and negativity (though of course there are always exceptions, and I think venting is perfectly natural so long as it's not done with malicious intent to hurt others) but this situation made me realize that both sides are standing with loaded guns, just waiting for the opportunity for the other side to do something bad enough to trigger a war.

We are the collateral damage.

I hope that maybe this can move the Elriel community back in the direction of focusing on kindness, positivity, and excitement. If that is not the case, I hear you. Perhaps I'm the one that doesn't fit, and that's okay. But it felt worth trying.

[elrielffs]

You know what…I’m looking forward to the Elriel smut. Antis can try to make that a bad thing all they want but I hope Elriel is nastier than Nessian.

And that’s okay.

Maybe it’s cause a lot people on tumblr are young/virgins but sex is great and shouldn’t be villianized! and Elriel fucking will be great! They deserve it!

Let 👏 them 👏 fuck! 👏 Sick 👏 nasty 👏

(and they’ll be hopeless in love while they do it)

[ramoneida]

So we won't be getting an elriel month announcement. That's a bummer.

But! We might get an elriel month release next year!

(Don't mind me, this utter delusion is pretty much the only thing keeping me going rn)

[offtorivendell]

Some Friendly Teasing...

🌸 Elain Archeron Week 2023, Day 2 - Sister and Friend 

This headcanon/theory is based on a few things:

This brilliant crack theory by @wingedblooms, and the subsequent thoughts reblogged by @ladynightcourt3, which posit that Elain may have shifting powers, and have taken the form of Balthazar in ACOSF's Blood Rite (the OP), as well as the priestess Ananke during Valkyrie training (the reblogs).

This corresponding crack theory by @psychologynerd, which hypothesises that Nuala and Cerridwen may be Roslin and Dierdre, two of the other training priestesses who are frequently seen with Ananke.

I highly recommend reading both theories by these supremely lovely and talented people, they make a lot of sense! But let's go...

Azriel’s presence helped. He now trained the newest recruits, quiet and gentle yet unfaltering, and if she didn’t know better, she’d swear at least two of the priestesses—Roslin and Ilana—sighed every time he walked past. - ACOSF, chapter 40

I can't think of anything more appropriate for a trio of besties than for two of them to tease the third - lightheartedly, of course - when they discover a crush. Now I know the names Roslin and Ilana don't match up exactly with Roslin and Dierdre, but this could be explained by one of a few things:

The wraiths don't always wear the same bodies, and at this point they were Roslin and Ilana.

Only one of the twins, as Roslin, was teasing Elain at this time, and Ilana just has good taste.

Ilana, which means "torch, beautiful, light, bright, shining," is Elain (or she was on this day, instead of Ananke).

In the beginning, Elain thinks she's slick, asking for information about Azriel, like his favourite foods, or whether he has any aversions. Nuala and Cerridwen see through her falsely casual interrogation in an instant. But hey, we all have to start somewhere.

I can just imagine the glee lighting up Nuala and Cerridwen's eyes when they realised for whom Elain was developing feelings. Their boss, of all people! Who they probably know well and have a fairly good relationship with after a few centuries of being his personally trained spies, so I anticipate Azriel will cop his fair share from them in an Elriel book, too.

Nuala may have suggested that Elain train as a way to improve her balance for stealthy walking (if she is Ananke then she was as bad as Nesta initially) and self defence, but she conveniently forgot to warn her that Azriel would be taking the other priestesses through their exercises, not Cassian.

Cue the silent snickers and not-so-subtle looks when his back is turned, and Elain's ever blushing face.

That's something she'll obviously have to work on, pipes in Cerridwen.

Elain doing her best to balance, planting her feet in the dirt, yet still toppling over, only for Cerridwen to accuse her of doing it intentionally when Az is looking the other way, saying that she just wanted Azriel's undivided attention.

And when Elain does finally begin to improve, Nuala will give her a teeny, tiny nudge, just to see if they can get her to falter.

And maybe blush some more. For spy training.

At which point Cerridwen will say, deadpan, that Elain may be great at keeping others' secrets, but she sure as shit wears her own on her face.

I am really and truly hopeful that we'll finally get to see the two spies who masquerade as Rhys' own handmaidens at home and abroad for who they really are, through the eyes of their good friend, Elain, rather than someone who doesn't know them well. I think they'll have a lot of fun together, and we'll also see them all open up about their pasts, and their hopes and dreams for the future.

@elainarcheronweek

[athena-85]

❤️👀Me when I open up Tumblr and see an update to a Fanfic I am reading🥹❤️

When I finally get a minute to read it .

See ya’ll later ….

Thank you! 🥰😊🙏

I hope you all know how much joy you bring to peoples lives by sharing your art.

@ultadverb

@nikethestatue

@fawnandshadows

@casuallivi

@danydragons21

@rowanaelinn

@dottielovegood

@snelbz

@tswaney17 @tswaney17fics

@theladyofdeath

@thefangirlofhp

@rhysanoodle

@slytherhys

I know I missed some wonderful writers so please share and tag anyone you think deserve a shoutout

[pastelpinkkadan]

My most blunt, controversial ACOTAR opinions. Nothing is safe, nothing is sacred. Mind the tags for your own peace of mind please.

P.S.: Absolutely not directed at any other blog/person specifically. Just general fandom/shippers.

Elriel/Gw*nriel:

Gwyn is not that important of a character. She is a secondary character whose main purpose in the story was to be Nesta’s friend. She has no connection to any overarching plot. She could literally never be seen again in the books and all the main plot points would still work.

People have inflated Gwyn’s character and importance solely because they ship her with Azriel. And they ship her with Azriel because 1. She is the only other single female character (besides Elain) that he has interacted with. 2. Gwyn is enough of a blank slate for people to project/self insert themselves into and thereby romance themselves with Azriel 3. Gwyn has only been shown in a positive light, with only positive personality traits (good friend and can wield a sword) so there’s no REAL controversy on her character/personality. Because there’s not enough to actually have any controversy.

If Gwyn was actually that important, Emerie would also be as important, if not more so. But 90% of time Emerie is forgotten by the fandom. Even to the point that the theory of an Illyrian plot is somehow given to Az and Gwyn, rather than Emerie. The two people that, arguably, have the least skin in the game concerning that theory. And the reason Emerie is this pushed out of her own potential story line is because she isn’t shipped with Azriel or another Fae male.

If there was no Bonus Chapter Gw*nriel would not exist. Or at the VERY least, it would be acknowledged as the crackship that it is. Because outside of the BC, there is nothing in the main ACOSF to accurately ship them to the degree that the fandom does. Elriel, however, still has several books where canon scenes have taken place. The BC is absolutely not needed to show that Elriel have feelings for each other, we already knew.

“Well Elain gave by TruthTeller, so Elriel isn’t end game!” Is one of the stupidest reaches I’ve seen. TruthTeller was always, OBVIOUSLY, meant to be something lent to Elain for the war. It wasn’t a permanent gift, and Az didn’t say it was. He said he wouldn’t use it TODAY, implying he would expect to use it again in the future. Imagine -

“Well Gwyn gave back the books Nesta recommended to her, so they obviously aren’t friends.”

Thats what y’all sound like. It’s just purposely misinterpreting things in a scene that obviously aren’t there for the sake of your ship. It’s disingenuous and not at all the win you think it is.

You cannot call Azriel an incel/fuck boy for Elain and then ship him with Gwyn in the same breath. If he’s all those things with Elain, he’ll be the same for Gwyn. She is not magically going to make him “better” or a gentleman. Actually, he’s already a gentleman. He just didn’t have sexual thoughts about Gwyn and y’all can’t stand it.

Same vein, but if Azriel had had those sexual thoughts in the BC about anyone else besides Elain there would have been no issue/debate.

If a Gw*nriel book did somehow happen, it would 1000% be for fan service/peer pressure. No previous books have set it up, even the main story in ACOSF. Elriel has been setting up since book 2. It makes sense. Anyone who says it doesn’t just doesn’t want it to happen, mostly because they don’t like Elain. And that’s also mostly because they can’t see themselves in Elain, so they lash out.

Saying Elriels are delusional is the wildest thing, because Elriels have the most canon scenes spread throughout the books, Elain and Azriel have interacted with each other positively the most and the longest, and they are the only potential couple that actually bluntly like each other. They exist outside of misinterpreted bonus chapters and “what if” theories with no real backing.

Elain:

Whether anyone wants to admit it or not, part of the Elain hate IS misogyny. The amount of hate this character receives, compared to what she has actually done in the series, is entirely undeserving. She has received the same level of hate, if not more, than Tamlin, any of the ACOTAR villains, and Nesta, who is still a very controversial character. And for what? Liking Azriel, and not wielding a sword while doing it, apparently.

Elain liking flowers does not determine who she’ll end up with. For fucks sake we didn’t know Nesta liked to read smut or was great dancer until her book. And neither of those things determined her partner. It’s just what she likes. Same with Elain.

Nessian/ACOSF

The idea that Nesta will leave Cassian and make her own court is stupid.

Being anti-ACOSF but Pro-Nesta is a streeeeeetch, because all of Nesta’s actual good character development came from ACOSF. Like, did you like that she was angry and unhealed before? Because that’s where she would still be without all that happened in ACOSF.

People don’t understand the intervention that HAD to happen with Nesta in ACOSF. And I would even venture to say that most people against it have never HAD to have a real intervention with someone to that level. The level of, go to rehab/therapy or you are not allowed to be in my house/take up my resources. Because you will not get better on your own, you will only hurt yourself or others and I won’t enable you anymore. It’s a difficult decision that but often it is NECESSARY. Speaking as someone with several addict family members.

El*cien/Lucien:

All the theories about an El*cien plot line are completely focused on Lucien, and ignore everything built up with Elain. It’s always about Lucien figuring out his heritage, becoming some High Lord of one of the courts, or something with the Band of Exiles. Elain doesn’t have to be involved for any of that to happen. She’s pushed to the side in her own romantic story line. Nothing about her Seer powers, or the fact that she’s apparently been gaining spy abilities, or her place at the Night Court.

Lucien fans make me hate Lucien more than Lucien ever could.

The poor Lulu mindset can die.

While we’re at it, the theory that Elain likes Lucien so much that she avoids him is also stupid. That makes no sense. She loses her boldness around. She got better WHEN HE LEFT. All of Elain’s most powerful moments are when Lucien isn’t around. And that says something.

People cling to 1st book Lucien so much, but he has not been that way SINCE book 1.

Tamlin:

Tamlin already got a redemption arc when he brought Rhys back to life. He doesn’t need another one, and he certainly doesn’t need a full book.

The Tamlin/Elain ship is stupid and only benefits Tamlin, not Elain. Once again placing Elain to the side of her own romance, much like El*cien.

ACOTAR:

If you hate everyone in the IC, you don’t actually like ACOTAR. They’re the majority of the books, including half of ACOSF. And it’s actually really stupid to hate the IC and still pretend you’re an ACOTAR fan. Because, again, the IC is the MAJORITY of ACOTAR. Please read something you actually like.

If you hate the entire main story and main characters of ACOTAR, but like one or two characters, you don’t like ACOTAR. You see yourself in a character, and want the story to reflect what YOU want to happen to that character (ie, yourself), and can’t handle that it didn’t. You don’t actually like the ACOTAR series. Again, maybe it’s time to read something else.

3 Acherons x 3 Bat Boys isn’t cliche. It’s a pattern. It’s a literary motif. It’s a theme. It is a pattern that SJM has naturally set up, the fact that you can see and assume that Elriel would be apart of that just means you can recognize basic literary devices in a fantasy novel. Which is the POINT.

I have no intention of debating anything. I’m just stating my opinions on my blog, like everyone else gets to do. So take that as you will.

Anyways, thanks for coming to my TedTalk.

[gracieart]

Let me be your wings

Let me be your only love

Let me take you far beyond the stars ✨

The idea of Elain and Azriel flying together has taken up so much space in my brain. I knew I had to draw them in such a way!

@santkazoya was the lovely human that brought up the Thumbelina reference for this piece, I lay no claim on what her beautiful brain comes up with. This song fits them so perfectly! I added a couple nods to the song in this piece that you’ll see here.

For “let me take you far beyond the stars,” you can see stars sparkling in the distance, just starting to show as the sun sets.

“Everyday I’ll take you higher and never let you fall.” This line from the song is shown through their position here. Azriel is below Elain, always there to catch her. 🦇💗

@elriel-month

No repost without permission, ty <3

[kopfkino-o]

"Elain is too soft and weak to ever be a spy--"

I feel like it's very fair for me to say that when myself, and many other Elriels, say "Spy Elain" we do not mean Elain turning into 007 so she can run around Prythian in the dark like a stabby stabby girl boss

We mean spies like the women spies from WWII.

Spies like Vera Atkins, Noor Inayat Khan, and the infamous Nancy Wake who was described as "the most feminine woman I knew--until the fighting started".

Women who leaned into stereotypes of the time to position themselves close to the enemy without being detected. Women who helped the resistance by gathering intel from bars and bakeries and city squares where Axis forces were known to gather. Women who collected intel and carried messages to and from the front lines all while wearing dresses, their intel concealed in shopping baskets or on their own persons. Women who were viewed as weak or passive, women who were never believed to be a threat because of their feminity and outward appearances.

Women who were underestimated just like Elain.

[elainemg97]

🌹Elriel || Sleeping Beauty AU🌹

“I know you

I walked with you once upon a dream

I know you

That look in your eyes is so familiar, a gleam

And I know it's true that visions are seldom what they seem

But if I know you

I know what you'll do

You'll love me at once

The way you did once upon a dream.”

~ Once Upon a Dream, Sleeping Beauty~

Elain Archeron gives me the same vibes as Aurora, with her sweet disposition, her love of plants, her love for her family, and her way of turning every hopeless situation into something positive. Aurora didn’t mind walking through the forest or living in a little cabin in the woods, just as Elain made the best of their circumstances even during those years of poverty.

And like Aurora, she is destined for greatness. While Aurora is a secret Princess, Elain has so much untapped potential that when we get her book, we will all be blown away.

And like Prince Philip, Azriel is nonjudgmental and a gentleman, and loves a sweet girl who loves nature and plants and sees the best in everybody. He is not afraid of risking his life to protect his girl, even if that means going into the heart of a Hybern war camp.

PS: I will never look at this movie the same again. These backgrounds were a pain to do 🤣

[gracie-rosee]

Sometimes I feel like I’m part of the few people in this fandom who is obsessed with these books in a normal way.

I love Rhys and Nesta. I love Azriel and Lucien and Mor and Elain. I love Cassian and Amren and Varian. I love Gwyn. I love Emerie. I love Jurian. I love Vassa! I love everyone.

I ship Elain and Azriel, and I believe they’re going to get the next book. I love Elriel but I also really love what Elucien could be and I read Elucien fic and I make art for them!! I’ve read Gwynriel fics because my amazing writer friends wrote them, and they are incredible.

I love some characters a lot more than others for sure, but I’ve never dedicated my entire blog to being anti-anything.

I hope this reaches the right audience. I want to make more friends who like and ship different things than me because I love seeing why people enjoy them so much. If something makes you happy, hell yeah I wanna know why!

This isn’t a joke. I want to be friends with people who have different likes than me. But every time I go and follow someone who likes a different ship than me, their blog is full of negativity towards everything and everyone else. :(

I want to fill my feed with nothing but positivity. If this is calls to you, hi. Let’s be friends!

[violetasteracademic]

hi! this isn’t a question, but i wanted to say this somewhere else than a comment. 🥰

i just read your most recent (i think) post, and i want to say it’s *really* well written. i’ve seen this same thing within the fandom—and at some point i can blame it on how large the fandom is, which allows people to fee so free in spewing really harmful sentiments. for me, i’m watching people be hurt, not particularly being hurt myself, but that doesn’t make it less impactful.

i’ve always tried to not only focus on the beauty of Elriel but also make sure to only post the positive as well. and honestly, that’s the content i want to see! yes, i’ll discuss why another ship really isn’t canon, but i read for fun—i’m not about to make my love of a series lose that fun.

anyways, long story short, i’m with you on your post, and thank you for (a) posting it and (b) being someone who really just wants to love Elriel in peace. 💗🫶

-isobel (@bookish.biologist on insta)

Thank you my lovely!! This was so kind of you to send. I think I'm seeing the sentiment grow that many Elriel's are ready to start focusing back on our flower girl and our fave bat boy, and of course we all make theory posts share our thoughts and ideas! That often includes discrediting or addressing "anti takes" if you will, but usually doesn't involve escalation to such heights in direct conflict with other people in the internet that will literally never, under any circumstances, agree with you.

I think many people are tired and hurting and disenfranchised, and while I'm still struggling with those feelings myself, I also feel hopeful that with a bit of rest and recovery from this week, we all can get back to our regularly scheduled programming of absolutely obsessing over Elain 💖🌸 I'm here with you, and I'm seeing a lot of people express they too want to try to foster a safe and peaceful environment! Which is is encouraging and beautiful to see 😘 I will try to do my part if this continues to die down and get safer all around!

[elrielffs]

I think I might need to get out of fandom and go back to enjoying the books in my bubble.

I just saw the worst take (among many I have seen) and people applauding the person and saying they wish that would happen.

People desperately want these books to be something they're not and I'll never understand it.

There's plenty of books that fit what people describe they want to happen or their crazy theories but for some reason they want it to be. this. book. series.

When that's just not the way SJM writes/plots.

Not everything has to be a GRRM level shock or "twist".

(and no, this wasn't about shipping)

[deathxfawn]

alright i'm gonna say it. i know it'll make antis want to find me irl and slash my tires, but i'm going to say it anyway: L/ucien is nothing more than a plot device for Elriel's story.

i'm fully convinced Elriel has been the plan since the beginning. there are too many hints as early as MaF to think otherwise. these have only increased as the books progressed. also, as it's been pointed out, if L/ucien was originally supposed to get with Nesta, who was Elain going to be with? Cassian? lol.

i don't think L/ucien has been relegated to the rank of plot device for the story as a whole. just for Elain and Azriel's story. I fully believe he'll play a huge role in breaking Vassa's curse (perhaps with his spell-cleaving father? what a weird coincidence, if not) and defeating Koschei. but as it stands, he's simply a hurdle in Elain and Azriel's way.

think of it this way: if there was no E/lucien mating bond, what obstacles would Elriel even have? this is a romance novel. the main couple has to have some sort of stumbling block. Feysand and Nessian sure did.

what would Elain's obstacle be? her trauma? of course she still has it. but is it currently keeping her from Azriel? lol no. she would've taken him to her bed in the BC if Rhys hadn't interrupted.

what would Azriel's obstacle be? his insecurities? all it took was a little offer and permission from Elain and he was willing to damn it all to kiss her.

without L/ucien they have no barriers. nobody would care if they got together. there would be no political implications. no stakes. nothing.

"but why make them mates!! isn't that a little drastic??" they cry. umm...no? forbidden romance, star-crossed lovers, etc has been a staple trope in romance for as long as romance has existed. it's not some new crazy idea. and what's one of the biggest reasons for a forbidden romance? one of them is promised to someone else. it's a tale as old as time, really, and i'm not sure why the concept seems so outlandish to some.

i know people say the opposite. that Azriel is the obstacle for Elain and L/ucien, which might be believable if...they had even a single positive interaction with each other. L/ucien would rather live in another country. Elain would rather watch water boil than be in the same room as him. that's not tension, it's indifference.

people can say what they want, believe what they want, theorize all they want. i for one am excited for a little forbidden romance and kicking fate in the nads.

[rae2velaris]

If people can't figure out Elriel foreshadowing, it's not my problem or anyone else's.

I guess it will just be a stupendous surprise for those people? That's the only positive thing I can say.

[athena-85]

Ok Positive post for ACOTAR

This is one of the MOST tender moments in the whole ACOTAR series

Fight me🤷‍♀️

Like even her hair is clinging to him

❤️🥰❤️

😭😭😭

[thisisnovelty]

The next time someone tries to use the argument that Azriels shadows don’t like Elain just show them this…

She makes him lighter, around her he doesn’t need protection of his shadows (which we see gather around him in times of high tension and discomfort or in preparation to fight etc)

And his SENTIENT shadows (which I suspect are a bunch of wraiths like Nuala and Cerridwen, whom worked for Azriel first, his spies) go away to give him and her privacy…

…for all their subtle introverted flirting that’s probably happened during the year between the two gift exchanges.

Since during the second solstice they deemed it necessary to do it in private, so the tone had clearly shifted between them from a gentle, understanding friendship we saw build in ACOWAR, into a romantic tone that has them trying to have a secret rendezdvous and has Az literally losing sleep.

Also, he ‘allowed’ his shadows to collect the necklace box.. so he is their master if you will, meaning he chooses to send them away.

And when they danced with g/wyn’s song, her power, he had to draw them back in since they seemed to react not of his will.

So this is clearly foreshadowing about a new character with a cool power that will surely be significant in the plot. But, definitely also a red herring - Sarah probably thought, two birds one stone? Make everyone sweat and create hype for the next book? Sure why not.

Not only this, but I just re read acowar, which had me paying more attention to Nessians foreshadowing and how ‘obvious’ it was. And how they had moments where things looked positive, only for things to go cold and stagnant once again.. so that we can pick up from it in their book rather than have everything happen in Feyre’s books.

And not to mention that just some time with Vassa had Lucien more relaxed and laughing and more like Lucien from the first book. He was back to making jokes?! They have a couple name from Feyre, the OG main archeron sister. They are definitely also being foreshadowed here.

And I haven’t been that bothered about Lucien’s character since after the first book once he didn’t seem like the same character anymore, but Vassa and Lucien’s personalities and potential for chemistry and an interesting story has even me looking forward to it.

I think we will see a positive conclusion to elain and Lucien in her book, in which it will be resolved happily and a life long friend kind of vibe eventually. -Because tension/stakes/external conflict has clearly been set up first, to make for an interesting story worth publishing.

So alas, if Lucien isn’t going to be for Elain in the end, which I doubt based on the textual evidence and chemistry written, and considering the build up SJM has written for Elain and Az, then it can only be Azriel for her. Hence why we had his bonus chapter ready for the next book.

Yeah, it’s elriel. 🥰