#he’s also the kind to tell lucien he has a gift for him and it’s like a weird looking caterpillar or sm

[yaralulu]

Tamlin being really into bugs is very real to me.Like not only is he well versed in plants and flowers but he also knows the name of every bug known to man and whenever he finds something especially cool looking the first person he’s immediately showing is lucien.Lucien’s usual reaction is “???? please get that thing away from me” but who can really say no to those dazzling big green eyes 🤷.

Tamlin particularly loves presenting lucien with the weirdest looking bugs ever and telling him “this one looks like you 😄”.

[acourtoflight]

big rant incoming <3

being on acotar tiktok comes with dealing with delusional people who are also trying to gaslight you.

the fact that people still believe gwyn is gonna have a book is crazy to me, especially before elain. the fact that people believe sjm is gonna have a man choose is crazy.

let’s address all their arguments one by one, shall we?

1. “elriel is too obvious/cliché”. this makes me laugh because do you even know what you’re reading? romantasy is always cliché. and also, everyone finding their mate and living happily ever after wouldn’t be too obvious or cliché? what stakes would they have? they have no obstacles, that book would be finished in 100 pages unless she made the romance a subplot, which we know won’t happen.

2. “lulu deserves happiness”. okay i’m gonna be real biased here. i don’t care about lucien’s happiness. i don’t care. the only thing i want is for elain to get the man she actually likes, which happens to be azriel. also, if lucien has been through so much so has azriel yet i don’t see all that coddling for him. lucien fans sound like boy obsessed moms and i’m tired of it. you 36! i would loveeee to know what lucien has done to have so many fans.

also, if i entertain the possibility of elucien happening, i will not forgive sjm for making elain “come around” after she repeated non-stop how uncomfortable she is around lucien. she’s not a consolation prize for him, sorry.

another thing. every plot point i have read for an elucien book revolves around lucien, not elain. but then they will turn around and tell you we are the ones who don’t care about elain. that we only want azriel smut. lol first of all, if we only wanted azriel smut we would have no reason to ship him with elain, we could have shipped gwynriel. but we don’t because the smut is not the only thing we want. the only thing we have had for years were the cute/sweet moments, and it’s all we talk about still. so point invalid, once again. next.

3. “azriel only feels lust for elain!”. stop lying. i know you can’t be that stupid. i know you have read the whole series just like me. what kind of man stares at ibuprofen every night for over a year if he’s only looking to get laid? what kind of man questions fate if he only wants to get laid? what kind of man risks dying alone just to rescue her if he’s only looking to get laid? what kind of man goes out of his way to pick a necklace that represents her if he’s only looking to get laid? cry all you want but we all know azriel is a good male and you would rather destroy his character in your head than accept it.

also, if azriel is so bad, why would you ship him with gwyn? she won’t fix him. and the poor girl hasn’t even shown interest in him yet here we are.

4. “elain gave truthteller and the necklace back”. she gave back truthteller because it wasn’t hers, and azriel would need it again because he actually makes use of it. she gave the necklace back because she thought azriel didn’t like her, she thought she had read everything wrong, not because she was the one rejecting him. she gave the necklace back just like nesta didn’t even accept cassian’s gift.

5. “azriel’s shadows don’t like elain”. that’s another big fat lie. i know we all have eyes and have read the same words on paper, let’s not act stupid, okay? shadows swarming him means he’s either mad, uncomfortable, or something is troubling him. so if we know that why would the shadows disappearing be a bad thing? he certainly doesn’t seem worried about it. not to mention those same shadows were like snakes preparing to strike when nesta insulted elain.

6. “feysand and nessian didn’t like each other at first either”. LIE. feyre literally called rhys the most beautiful man she had ever seen and nesta and cassian were attracted to each other from the first moment they met, and we know that because it’s in the actual book! elain and lucien are nothing like that, they have no chemistry for the pov to change all of a sudden, they are uncomfortable around each other because the mate bond basically feels like a curse.

that’s it for now.

[acourtofthought]

The Asteri arrange bondless matings in Midgard to produce powerful offspring. The Asteri corrupted the Cauldron. ACOTAR is the only world where the Cauldron has influence. ACOTAR is the only world where we know some matings bonds can be wrong. Rhys says mating bonds may be from the Mother or the Cauldron, and might just be to produce powerful offspring. If SJM wants to make Elain and Azriel true mates she's already done all the work. It's all in canon. Elriel, Nessian, and Feysand could all have bonds from the Mother, just like in CC and TOG. Elucien could have a bond from the corrupted Cauldron. It's not that hard.

In 15,000 years.

After Danika / Baxion, Kallias / Vivianne, Feyre / Rhys, Rowan / Aelin, Bryce / Hunt, Nesta / Cassian, and so on.

In 15,000 years, ONLY the Elucien mating bond is corrupt? Those are some fucking odds, let me tell you. And damn, Elain and Lucien must be really important to be the sole recipients of such a unique plot with such far reaching implications.

It's really strange how the Asteri, who have never met Elucien and will never meet Elucien considering the ones on Midgard who are responsible for all this corruption are (spoiler) DEAD, would have gone to so much trouble.

If you're trying to claim Elain and Lucien were mated only to create the most powerful offspring than I feel pretty bad for E/riels future children since you're telling me they will just never measure up and that Az is in fact the weakest link.

It's also really strange how this same corrupt Cauldron created Elain and Nesta. Maybe it's not the bond that is corrupt but Elain herself, right? Since everything that comes from the cauldron now has the potential to be tainted I guess neither Lucien or Az should end up with a girl with that sort of questionable creation. I mean, the author did include the line about Elain having tightness on her face and Cassian suspecting she wasn't telling the truth about something. Clearly, that's SJM already "doing the work" to support Evil Elain and Az and Lucien will need to put her down together.

You know what's not hard? Understanding why some bonds are poorly matched.

You're referring to Rhys's parents, correct?

Rhys's father was cold and vicious and stole his mother away the second their bond snapped because he felt entitled to her. He also refused to ban wing clipping despite his her begging him to.

Rhys's mother was soft and fiery and beloved by many.

Elain sounds like Rhys's mother, does she not?

Cold and vicious, cold and vicious, feels entitled to a female. Gosh...that just doesn't sound like Lucien.

But it kind of does sound like someone full of an icy rage who is a far better liar than Rhys himself and knows how to perform a symphony of pain during his torture sessions. The guy who feels he should have gotten Elain as a mate for the simple fact that his brothers are with her sisters.

Elain and Az will never be true mates and let me tell you why.

Because as Elain was violated in the most horrible way possible to her character, Az was crying out for Mor.

As Elain was depressed and traumatized, Az never bothered to ask how she was doing, did not visit her for weeks after she was turned, and actually drew straws so he didn't need to stay and guard her.

After Elain lost her father, Az was relieved not to get her a Solstice gift and blushed and stared at Mor with heat and yearning.

I don't even need an Elucien mating bond to understand he is by far the better male for her.

[nyxreads]

2 + 2 = 5 ACOTAR SHIPWAR EDITION

Azriel questions the Cauldron + he wants the mated Elain Archeron = Azriel only wants a mate and Elain is the one available

Azriel spends time with Elain, rescued her, and kept her gift on his nightstand while looking at it for one whole year + Elain giving Azriel the offer and permission, didn't balk from him and called his hands beautiful = Azriel is an incel who only lusts after Elain, after one fvck he'll end up with the redhead

Elain who tracks the Suriel, foreseen Vassa, helped on planning where to place humans during the war, kicked a beast, volunteered on tracking the Dead Trove, and killing the KoH + Elain gardening, baking, and having friends on the NC = Elain is useless plant, she's passive, she plays no part on the series, only sulking.

Elain, a fae not a plant + Elain living in Night Court where sun also exists = Elain needs a sunlight!! She should live in the Spring/Autumn court! .

three mountains, three villains, three dead trove, three trials, and so and so forth + three brothers x three sisters = OMG so cliche, I hate it! I want them all to end up with their mate because it's not cliche.

Azriel desires Elain + Azriel cannot sleep properly thinking about her = oh he's sooooo toxic! He should end up with a redhead bcs she can fix him!

Azriel bought the necklace for Elain + Azriel just wanted to get rid of it, advise Clotho to even give it to other priestesses = he gave it to Gw*n! It is for her, he bought it for her♥

Elain minding her own life, gorgeous and growing. + Azriel being a total simp = He deserves someone better!! Someone I can self-insert with

Elain stabbed a king, kicked a beast that's harming them, and "I hope they all burn in hell", "she's better at secret keeping" + Azriel = He deserves better! A badass, someone who can weild a sword, we need another training lovestory!

Azriel in his full rage ready to die to save Elain + Azriel telling Cassian they trained the Valkyries so let's go save the enemy = MATES!! GW***** ENDGAME!!

Elain making Azriel laugh, Feyre never heard such deep and joyous sound, Elain calling his hand beautiful, Elain "put it on me" Archeron + Azriel always reaching for her, Azriel who made her comfortable, Azriel "this is wrong, I don't care" Archeron = They're incompatible! They don't make sense! I don't find them romantic.

Elain balked from her mate, tried to be nice but still visibly uncomfortable, Elain who's book is not out yet, Elain who was never given a choice. Elain, a woman. + Lulu, hundred year old fae, not a baby. = I hate Elain! He owes Lulu everything! She's so pick me! She should just accept the mating bond and make my Lulu so so happy, he deserves it.

Azriel who has a secret feelings for Elain + Az who doesn't consider G a friend = he's such a fvckboy! He's so toxic ugh, he needs to apologize to them and then end up with G♥

Acotar, a romantasy + Elain who has two love interest = Elain should end up alone! She needs it to grow.

Elain, existing, being gorgeous and minding her own business, Elain being a woman in this series + Azriel and Lucien simping = She doesn't deserve both of them! She should be with her sister's abuser!! Tampon needs a redemption so

Ianthe, Tamlin, Beron, KoH, all abusive and villains + Elain, the sister who owns up to her mistakes and tried to fix her relationship with her sisters. Elain who is hopeful and kind. Elain who is a quiet dreamer = Elain deserves to be the most hated character, she's so useless.

Acotar a fantasy book where the dead came back to life, so any magic can happen + SJM, who's adopted and loved her adaptive parents. Sjm who wrote books empowering women. = Elain doesn't have a pliant bone!! She cannot have Az baby so not endgame 😕

Elain and Azriel exchanging meaningful looks, brushing fingers, Azriel following the sound of her laugh, something charged between them, Elriel confirmed to desire each other + Az regifting a necklace because it reminds him of what happened between them, causing him pain = ACOSF ended Elriel

This is just one of the many arguments where a simple canon was twisted to fit on the wanted narrative. This is not how a story goes. A reader cannot control or forced the author on what they want to happen. Think of what the character can bring to the story, how they can make an impact and if they can move the plot forward. It will be very hard to enjoy a series if we keep on denying what's written on the books. Sjm has been clear. She could place other character on Azriel position or vice versa but she didn't. There's so many parallels between Elriel and sjm endgame couples. There's so many hints but the fandom twisted it because they simply hate Elain. They thought she's not deserving of love, of her own choice.

At the end of the day, Elriel is hated because some people cannot accept Elain is going to end up with Az and they thought she's less than for so many reasons they believed. It all rooted from internal misogyny.

So many lies/misinformation and total crap was spread in this fandom all because of Elain hate

How can you continue a series when you filled yourself all the lies and hate towards the character?

[nikethestatue]

Chaotic Reading of the Azriel Bonus Chapter

So I meant to do this a while back, but just never got to it. Made my BF read Azriel's bonus chapter and the HOFAS bonus chapter.

(He knows names of characters--Elain, Azriel, Cassian and Nesta. He doesn't know who Gwyn is. He is generally only interested in Cassian, because 'he is strong and handsome' and looks like him. Doesn't exactly know who Rhys is, but knows the name and knows that he is in charge. Also he calls Rhys 'the main wizard'. For some reason he thinks that Fae are wizards. So here you go.)

Recorded reactions:

Oh, he depressed. Why? He didn't like his Solstice gifts?

Cassian is pounding Nesta, isn't he?

Oh, there she is! Who is she? Oh Elain! Hi pretty girl! Emo boi is into her for sure.

Is she into him? Because why? He is kind of boring. Is Cassian a one woman man?

Ohhh, he wants to tap that!

Oh, he really wants to tap that!

What the hell kinda weird gift is this? Babe (this is directed at me), don't give me ear plugs for Christmas.

Eat that pussy bruh!

Is he gonna bite her? he should bite her!

It's a cute gift. He could've gone a little flashier though. Maybe throw in a diamond and a ruby.

Oh, look, she is offering it on a silver platter!

Wait, why is this guy here?

Wait? he is not gonna eat that pussy?

Where. Is. The. Smut?

Bruh is a cock blocker on steroids. Wait, who is Lucien?

Why do we care about Lucien? (I explain briefly)

Blood Duel sounds rad.

Elain is stepping out with the emo Azriel on her mate. (laughs) They sound Australian! (proceeds to say 'mate' a lot in an Australian accent)

Is there gonna be a blood duel?

I feel like there is a lot of teasing in this chapter.

Oh, he is cold. He just went 'this was a mistake?!!" Yea, girls love hearing that.

Who is Mor? An ex? Oh, it's that chick you don't like. I feel you.

Babe (addressing me), this Azriel of yours has no game. This Rhys guy the Grand Wizard just told him to back off and he backed off? Who does that?! That pussy isn't gonna lick itself. Poor Elain. I hope she throws that necklace back in his face. Can I blood duel the shit out of him?

Don't like him at all!

(I correct him and tell him that Rhys is a High Lord not a Grand Wizard (that would be the KKK))

*mutters under his breath* He is acting like a Grand Wizard!

Yeah, be depressed emo boi! Who leaves a lady hanging like that?

Yeah, well, she is better off with Cassian anyway.

Does Elain have special powers? Can she burn him or something? Or Rhys? Rhys needs to mind his own business. Wait, back up. Lucien is in the same house? She doesn't like Lucien, does she? (laughs)

So if they kissed, they'd just do it in the living room for everyone to see? That's bold of them.

This chapter is very frustrating.

Emo boi needs self-esteem classes.

Who the hell is she?

Is he into her too?

Noooo, he is not into her! What bloody memory? Did they fight?

Why is she cutting the ribbon on Christmas?

Is she like a nun?

Wait, he lives in a convent with nuns?

Oh she is a priestess? Of what? Is she a nun?

(Explain to him that she is not a nun)

But he lives with a bunch of nuns?

(Explain the layout of the House of Wind)

He is into Elain, so I guess he doesn't care. Also, this setup is weird. Does he not have an apartment? Wait, he lives with Nesta and Cassian? Like roommates? Or is this a menage? No, it's not a menage, right? Because he wants to eat Elain out--and DIDN'T (kind of yelling at this point)

(Explain it's not a menage. But Nesta wouldn't mind if it were)

Okay, this conversation is boring.

He sings? Like in a band?

Oh, this is like "Kill Bill". Emo Azriel is Pi Mei. He is teaching her to kill people. I can respect that.

...This chapter is weird. Why is this part even here? Is she gonna cut the ribbon?

All I am imagining right now is Gwyneth Paltrow cutting a ribbon with a sword. (laughs)

Nope, she did not cut the ribbon.

(proceeds to offer a lengthy explanation on how difficult it is to cut a ribbon like this. I am forced to listen.)

Azriel can cut a ribbon! I think SJM legit stole this whole training idea from 'Kill Bill'. Didn't the Bride have to cut a ribbon too?

(He is not wrong)

Okay, so..........now he just leaves? What was the point of this whole part with her? I don't get it.

Ahhhhh, my girl! She left that necklace for him to find! Yeah, you go girl, feminist queen!

Not even gonna ask about this snowball fight. Is this like a cutsey thing they do?

Ohh, who is Clotho? Is she like Fate? Why are the seven bells singled out? Does it mean something? She can't talk? Aww she feels bad for him. Well, she shouldn't! (said aggressively)

I feel like this necklace is more than just a necklace. Do they explain it later?

(No)

Okay, so he just gives it away? Oh god. Please don't say Clotho is going to give it to Gwyn!! No. No. That's weird.

So wait, that's it?

This is what you guys have been fighting over for three years? (laughs) That's stupid (he is not wrong) But what are you fighting over? That he should've beaten Rhys's ass?

(no, some say that he is into Gwyn because of the last line)

Like romantically? (asks incredulously) What are you fucking stupid?

(decisively)

As a man, I can tell you he is not into her. If you are gonna give a woman a gift, you don't go through others. You want to see her reaction. You want to see her smile. You want to put it on her. The first part did it right. Not sure what the purpose of the second part was, but I hope he and Elain get some kind of a resolution, but he needs to ask for forgiveness. And so does Rhys. Does Gwyn cut the ribbon at some point?

(Yes)

Good for her. Now she can go and start avenging shit, like the Bride.

Final question, does he eat Elain's pussy at some point?

(No)

She should ask Cassian. He'd do it. And do it well.

The End

[eudaimonia83]

Everyone who was requesting Feral Elain, here you go. 😅 Don’t judge me too harshly on this, bc it’s an upcoming chapter of a long-form fic and hasn’t undergone any real editing. There are also some references that might be unclear, as this chapter is a ways down the line. But if you have read my fic The Gift (on AO3) you have most of the background info.

Basic details: Lucien has just escaped from being held prisoner under the Hewn City with his powers suppressed. He was jailed for allowing Elain to escape…which she has just discovered. And she is, naturally, deeply unhappy about this. 😈

Tag as requested: @lorcandidlucienwill @mr-agent-mulder

——————————

His wrists. What had happened to his wrists?

She stared numbly at the puckered, darkened skin that bracketed his hands, scabbing over as his healing finally began to return…his tender, beautiful hands that touched her with such gentleness, such affection…

“What is that?” She couldn’t keep a tremor out of her voice. Steady, steady. Be calm. She knew this feeling now; the sick coiling in her veins, around her heart, rustling through her brain.

He glanced down, tearing his eyes from her face with a physical wrench. “It’s only a scar. I’ve got plenty of them, remember?” He turned his hands over and squeezed hers, so gently, so kindly.

A scar. But from what…?

“What kind of scar?” Her voice only barely escaped past the lump in her throat; she could barely hear it over this singing, this thrumming in her blood. It was hot and deadly cold. The strength of anger, with the ice of…revenge. Leaves curled around her ears, tendrils winding through her hair.

He looked up at her again. “Please, Blossom. Don’t be angry with me. I tried to get away, to get back to you. But I couldn’t.”

He did not understand, how did he not understand? He thought she was angry with him…

She swallowed hard, then brought one of his hands up to her face and dragged her lips over his wrist, trying to mimic the gentleness he’d shown her that night, that sweet night that was both their first and last, before he’d sent her away and the long hand of darkness had reached out to grasp him and hold him…hold him…

The True Sight bubbled up inside her like a hot spring, filling her eyes and tearing her heart to pieces. Lucien, her Lucien, limp on the stone floor of a cell, drenched in a sticky, purulent substance. No light to see by. No warmth to envelop him. No comfort, from her or anyone else. Lost in the cold, and the dark. Why did he not summon his fire, that spirit that breathed inside him like coals, that had kept him alive and protected his kind heart through so much before this? She didn’t know if she said it aloud, but she screamed to that limp body on the floor, stay alive. Stay alive, no matter what occurs. Bring your flame to bear, and I will avenge you, I swear it…

But he just lay there, breaths shallow and broken, his hands…his wrists…bound to the wall…

She leapt up, the vision melting like smoke, only to see his wide eyes before her.

“They bound you?” Her voice did not sound like hers. What writhed underneath it?

He nodded, pushing himself up on the cot to a sitting position. “I knew they would. It was only a matter of how.”

“How, then?” She squeezed her fist at her side. The earth would fill their mouths and choke their cries, drag them into its depths and bind their very skeletons to the rocks that made its own bones…

He hung his head. “I was shackled, with Hybernian stone, I think. They put faebane on me too, before the chains. Not as I knew it, either — a sort of paste. Perhaps it concentrates its effects that way. I only recognized its scent.”

“So you couldn’t break out.” Or use his fire to stay warm.

“I was more valuable as their prisoner,” he said, his voice as hollow as a pebble skittering down into a well. “They did not want to kill me. If they did, they would have done it long ago, before even making me their emissary. They were more interested in what I could tell them. Or do for them. Or who I could bring them. They wanted you most of all.” He smiled. “I knew that. So it was worth it to have you escape somewhere I didn’t know, so no matter what they did to me, you were out of their reach.”

She nodded, slow and steady. Coiling like a fist within her, the grinding of the rocks that silted into soil and reached towards the sun with vines and leaves and trees.

Find them. Punish them.

She went to the window, where the sun had grown bright as they spoke. It spilled over her. She felt her skin tingle, the warmth of the sun stoking the fire inside her.

“It will heal,” he said, husky and sad. “It will scar, but it will heal eventually.”

She had to get out, before this white-hot anger striated with cold revenge burst out of her and harmed him, he who she so wished to protect it was like shielding her own heart. She turned back to him and knelt, swiftly, next to the cot. He wound his hand into her hair, cupping her cheek, her jaw. She felt the strands of her hair catch against the grit of the scab on his wrist. Her heart raced, stuttering with affection and sorrow and the dark pulse of vengeance.

“It will heal,” he repeated. “I will heal.”

“You can only heal if you’ve been hurt,” she murmured. “And that’s what I don’t want to happen any more.”

He smiled, and kissed her hairline, so softly that she ached with it, in the pit of her belly and the cleft beneath her ribs that held her heart, squeezing it between her lungs with each agonizing breath.

She helped him to lie back, tucking the sheepskin over him, and with a wave of her hand, leaves clustered over the window to filter the sunlight. It would be gentle, would carry the scent of jasmine to soothe him as he slept. As his skin knit back together.

Pay. They would pay, and pay again, and beg forgiveness.

She would make sure of it.

———————————

He had fallen asleep at last, heat beating out of him as the fever raged. He had spoken, fretful and miserable, in his sleep, wept with pleas of stop, take me, kill me instead and Tam, help me Tam, I can’t see, it hurts. She could do nothing but lay a cool cloth on his brow. She dared not touch him at those times; knew that if she did, she would be immersed in his fever dreams, or worse, steal his past from him with her imperfect visions of what had happened. Better to let him awaken, to ask him later and let him tell her himself. Her sister might not know the difference, would sweep in with daemati might and root around with dirty fingers in a mind that wasn’t her own, but she would not. She would be different.

Her sister.

Feyre was still here. As soon as it occurred to her, the truth of it squeezed her heart with cold tendrils.

She stood up, skirts whispering, and slipped out into the hallway, closing the door behind her so softly that the latch didn’t even click.

The hallway yawned into shadow ahead of her. It was twilight, just after the dinner hour, and she knew where Feyre would be: eating with Helion and the attachés, perhaps in the Solarium, or the conservatory. Her steps matched the pace of her heart as she sped along the white marble floor, gleaming with gold and rosy specks of quartz. She did not see the darkness. It was hard to appreciate it when her vision was red at the edges and star-bright with rage.

The long night is ending. They will wake from the dream and find it rebuilt.

Perhaps it was time for a wake-up call, then.

She felt the stones begin to tremble beneath her as she walked, a low rumble from deep in the earth. She cast her eyes down and saw the curls of vines swimming around her arms, tangling in eager threads, tiny leaves unfurling, stained black with the ash of her anger.

She heard the dinner conversation as a merry buzz before she even saw the spill of light onto the floor…and by that time, there was a dull roar in her ears, her arms were corded with thorns and leaves, and death was coming to all, to all who had failed him and starved him and imprisoned him. She was vengeance, and he was her mate, and they were going to pay.

She burst into the lamplight like the heat from an opened oven door. All the faces turned to her, smiles draining from their lips like waves receding on the beach.

There was barely a moment to register the screams that bounced off the walls before the table heaved and cracked as six inch thorns spiked through it from beneath. Half of it sagged down; the other half toppled with a deafening crash, and through the middle burst the vines, reaching up to seize the chandelier and twist, pulling it from the ceiling with a screech of metal and timber. The candles sputtered against the ruined food. Her eyes were on her sister, dressed in glimmering silver and blue, eyes wide with horror and…what was that, underneath the surprise? Could it be fear?

Good, Elain thought with satisfaction as she leapt over the rubble, her vines sweeping everything away into chaos, coming up behind her in massive gnarled hands scaled with bark and stippled with thorns. She regarded Feyre for a moment. As her sister’s eyes narrowed and went dark, and the daemati talons scratched at her mind, she swung one of her arms in a massive arc. The vines followed it in a deadly sweep, choking with the scent of petrichor and leaves. Feyre was thrown against the wall of the room in one movement, immobilized, her head dragged backward as the vines grasped her hair, her pale throat exposed, arms akimbo and sealed to the wall. Elain let out a wild cry and leapt forward, her fingers closing around her sister’s neck and squeezing with all her strength.

Feyre struggled in silence, her air cut off — but then went deadly still. Her face flushed scarlet. The vines had pushed thorns against both the arteries in her neck, had pierced the skin under her left breast. If she moved it would stab her. Elain hissed into her face, aware that she looked completely unhinged, “You bound him.”

Feyre shook her head, as much as she was able. Elain released her throat and slapped her with all her strength across the face. “You drenched him in faebane and bound him with stone, and what, you thought I wouldn’t find out? That I wouldn’t strip the skin off your bones?” She matched word to deed, scoring her nails along Feyre’s arm.

Tears streamed from Feyre’s eyes and scratches bloomed across her cheek, carved there by the thorns that had turned Elain’s fingers into claws. “I didn’t,” she rasped. “I didn’t do that to him.”

A second slap cracked across her face and this time the outline of Elain’s hand remained, bright red. “Your demon mate, then. He would say the same, wouldn’t he, if he was here? I didn’t do it, I knew nothing of it. Bullshit.” The curse tasted sour in her mouth, and she spat into the tangle of vines that had immobilized the other dinner guests into helpless writhing heaps on the floor. Only Helion was still upright, wrestling against the grip of the leaves that had encircled his legs and arms. She let him be. Her quarrel was not with him. “The pair of you are the same, always the same. Using him —using us — for your own —“ the vines tightened around Feyre’s wrists and ankles and wrenched a scream from between her clenched teeth “—wretched—“ the thorn pushed against the bottom of her chin “—ends. There were others in that prison. How many more did you do this to, besides him? Besides my mate?” Red spots swam in her vision. She wanted to kill her. “You turned a blind eye.”

“You turned a blind eye to me…” gasped Feyre, then let out a groan of frustration as the thorn pushed harder against her chin, forcing her jaw closed.

“Talk about yourself for one more moment and you’ll never talk again,” Elain whispered into her sister’s ear. A tremor went through Feyre, and she was still. Elain savored the victory for a moment. It was terrifying, nauseating to be this angry…it made her feel like an animal. It was this part of being Fae that had called to her like a dark song, that coursed through her veins like electricity, like the storms she’d watched batter the Eastern Channel: but to a small part of her, caught in the swirl of adrenaline and anger, it felt right. To defend Lucien when he couldn’t defend himself. When he was sick and raving with fever, when her sister’s court had painted him with poison and thrown him in prison, to suffer in darkness.

Human Elain would not have done this.

But she was Human Elain no longer.

Why be a girl, when you could be a terror? the voice of the void whispered to her.

So she seized her sister‘s head in both her hands, and let the True Sight boil into them both, and felt Feyre scream and scream as she showed her everything she had ever feared.

Mother of mercy, how good it felt to punish.

[lovemyromance]

If people are reading Feysand & Nessian interactions and thinking they parallel Elucien ... idk what to tell them.

Feyre hated Rhys - but she did not balk from him. She did not avoid him. She did not shrink into herself around him.

Nesta bickered endlessly with Cassian - but she was not losing her boldness around him. She was not leaving rooms when he entered, refusing to even speak to him.

I am all for an enemies to lovers story. We've seen it twice already with Feysand and Nessian, in a sense. But what makes it enemies to lovers? It's not as simple as "they hate each other and then they somehow fall in love". Enemies to lovers always starts out with initial attraction.

Feyre through Rhys was the most beautiful man she'd ever seen. Nesta nearly gave into Cassian when he visited their manor while she was still human. Despite how they felt about their love interest, they could not deny they were attracted to them.

And I don't just mean like, physical attraction. I mean there was that intensity, that honed in focus on only them. It felt significant, like two magnets that initially repel each other but once flipped, are impossible to pry apart.

Elucien does not have that.

Elain actively avoids Lucien. She does not initiate conversation with him, even when Feyre tries to force them into the same room. She does not use his gifts. She shrinks into herself.

Yes, SJM has written countless enemies to lovers couples. Like... all of them lowkey are enemies to lovers lol. But if you really look at those couples vs Elucien, can you say they are the same?

No. They are not. The female in all the relationships she has written has never balked from her male love interest. They have not avoided the other male. They don't lose their personalities around their men. They don't shut down and leave the room.

"Oh Elain is just shy" - No, she is not. She is quiet, sure, polite, yes, but she is not shy. She interacts with the IC just fine. She has friends in Velaris. She tends to the gardens of other fae in the NC. She is not some shy thing that is so afraid of the fae world that she hides from her mate 🙄

You know who she doesn't balk from, though? Azriel. She calls his scarred hands beautiful, she can understand him without a single word.

What about that tells you she's some frail little terrified thing? Is it really so hard for people to believe she does not want Lucien?

It's not enemies to lovers slow burn between Elucien. They are not enemies. They are not even friends-barely acquaintances. There has been no space for any feeling to grow between them. They do not hate each other.

But they also have no obstacles in their path. Elain is not afraid of fae anymore and she's over Graysen, so what are the other obstacles? There's quite literally nothing standing in their way to get together but they haven't. Why not?

I stand by my opinion that if Elucien ever stood a chance, SJM would have written it any other way. She wouldn't have brought in Azriel, she wouldn't have stated endless times how Elucien avoid each other (not just Elain avoiding Lucien). If she wanted to, she would've written Lucien in place of Azriel saving her at Hybern. She would've written Elain getting Lucien presents at Solstice. Elain & Lucien sharing an intimate moment under the cover of the night.

But she didn't write that! So if all this couple has is indifference and a stale mating bond - why are people insisting Elucien is about to be some kind of grand love story? Make it make sense.

Enemies to lovers needs intensity, drama, and tension. Elucien does not have that. Elain avoiding Lucien is not to cause drama and tension - it's because she is uncomfortable. Stated multiple times in the text.

Feyre was never uncomfortable around Rhys. Nesta was never uncomfortable around Cassian.

That's the difference.

[gwynrieldreams]

It just striked me so hard how boring Elriel is as a ship.

Or maybe it's because of what Elriels have invisioned. Elain is apparantly already very happy and content in the night court. Her family, the IC is with her and so is her second family, Azriel and the wraiths. Her and Azriel are already in love and the only thing that stands in their way of their ultimate happily ever after are 2 redheads. One who would accept rejection and the other who's literally just minding her own business.

Then there's the fact that apparantly you.. aren't allowed to be cold to Elain? No, you have to be very nice and soft with her! The wraiths are good enough to be friends with her cause they'd never challenge her, unlike Vassa and Jurian.

No Elain absolutely never did anything wrong! She's perfect and very powerful!

- they've made fun of gwynriel cause Azriel wasn't already so trusting with Gwyn in the bonus chapter. Laughing that he doesn't consider her a friend.. like??? Yeah?? Why would I want them to be already in love? Lmao it's not the end of the world that they aren't close?? It makes perfect sense that they aren't. I actually prefer it that way.

Same with Elucien. Because they aren't close it means it's a lost cause! Elain isn't comfortable with Lucien! (even though we don't know why and Lucien hasn't done anything to make her feel that way).

Maybe it's just cause they want Gwyn and Lucien out of their way, which is why those 2 could never win in their eyes no matter what. Azriel thinking nothing beyond sexual fantasies is fine and understandable but how dare Lucien breath the same air as Elain?! He's abusive! How dare he stay away 7 courts away from her?! He doesn't care about her!

Idk. I'm just not interested in reading a book about a girl who has everything she wants and everyone loves her and her obstacles very easy to overcome. Why does Elain's love interest have be a complete simp? Elriels can't even take the smallest inconvenience. Lucien giving her gifts on Winter solstice is enough to traumatize them I guess.

I want to read Gwynriel's whole progress. I can take Azriel being harsh or not trusting to her sometimes. I'm cool with it. I want them to go from 0% to 100% in a full book, ON PAGE. I want them to challange each other.

It's all over the place but I hope you get what I'm trying to say..

To be fair, I get why some people want to read a story about defying fate and god and say fuck to all of that, I will follow my heart BUT I don't think they will find that sort of thing in SJM's books, let alone in elriel.

Azriel, like the rest of the ic, puts her in a box. He constantly unknowingly contradicts her wishes during acosf. Elain wants to scry for the Trove, Azriel doesn't want her to. Elain doesn't want to be fought over, Azriel wants to fight for her. Azriel contemplating killing her mate just because he assumed she's not interested WITHOUT EVER DISCUSSING IT WITH HER! (I love Az but he made me so mad in this part). Even in acowar nobody acknowledged her part in killing Hybern, but Lucien. Lucien has done nothing but respect her wishes.

I've already made a post about it but I will shortly explain why elriel doesn't make sense to me. Their "romance" could end in like 5 chapters. Elain rejects Lucien, Lucien accepts it, they live happily ever after. There is not going to be any Blood Duel between them because if it did then sb would have to die. SJM can't kill her characters. Even if she did though, who would lead the next vassien book that all elriels like to claim will happen? If there's no conflict and everything is perfect how is that a good story? What would be the logic in making Lucien the villain in the elriel book and in the next we'd have to fall in love with him through Vassa's eyes?

The irony is that her stans also fight over her and baby her like no other. As if she so fragile, she will break if she faces any kind of inconvenience. I'm sorry to be the one to tell them but Elain in her book will probably go through shit -like any other mc- because that's what makes a good story. If you want to read about Elain frolicking in flower fields and baking go read a fanfic.

Let's not forget Azriel is never going to reject his mate. Gwyn and Az are perfect for each other in so many ways.

"He didn't consider her a friend, but..." First of all this happened in the Winter Solstice, when they barely knew each other. Second, I thought it was a wink wink monent as in he hasn't "friendzoned" her, so maybe they can be friends or sth more(?) I definitely wouldn't want to be best bros with the guy I liked. I don't know if SJM will go with the friends to lovers route, I wouldn't mind it. I'd personally prefer if they had more like a rivalry, constantly challenging and teasing each other (maybe because that's how I flirt 😅 but I also think that's more SJM's style).

[solorcandid]

Necklace/Acotar

I may get a lot of hate for this but the necklace has a lot of hints of what ships will sail it sink.

BE. NICE.

So, when I read the part where he gifted the necklace to Elain and described it as insignificant and kind of plain, “The golden necklace seemed ordinary -- its chain unremarkable, the amulet tiny enough that it could be dismissed as an everyday charm.” I thought of how a lot of people think of Elain the same way, ordinary, nothing special about it, just a pretty face, etc. This is sort of when I realized Elriel was officially over, especially after this, “It was a small, flat rose fashioned of stained glass, designed so that when held to the light, the true depth of the colors would become visible.” Immediately I thought that Lucien to me, this is saying Elain is beautiful now, but with Lucien, she will truly grow and he will help her shine.

He is LIGHT, she is the necklace and with him, every part of her that is remarkable will be brought to the surface for all to see. Also, the shadows while we don’t fully understand them, the way they disappear around Elain was a tell-all. Then when it got to Gwyn later on, I loved the way they danced with her like they heard music, MATING BOND!!!

This was adorable! Then we get to how his shadows are relaxed around her “Azriel dipped his head in a sketch of a bow, something restless settling in him. Even his shadows had calmed. As if content to lounge on his shoulders and watch.” Then he leaves and tells her to not stay out too late she’ll freeze ‘ he cares for her well-being, whether as a friend or not.

When he goes to give the necklace to Clotho for Gwyn this is where it was confirmed. “Clotho's pen moved once more. She deserves something as beautiful as this. I thank you for the joy it shall bring to her.

Something sparked in Azriel's chest, but he only nodded his thanks and left. He could picture it, though, as he ascended the stairs back to the House proper. How Gwyn's teal eyes might light upon seeing the necklace. For whatever reason... he could see it.

But Azriel tucked away the thought, consciously erasing the slight smile it brought to his face. Buried the image down deep, where it glowed quietly.

A thing of secret, lovely beauty.”

When he described the necklace and Gwyn as secret lovely beauty, and how the image of her GLOWED And how the mere thought of Gwyn being happy made something in his chest spark is a big deal!!!! Gwyn is a thing of secret lovely beauty. When you first look at her all you see if a pretty Acolyte, but when she’s happy it's when she is radiant and she’s been said to rival the beauty of Mor and Merrill… that’s a HUGE deal. So when Gwyn is happy, her joy is the light to the necklace she needs to see how beautiful she is. Elain needs Lucien, he is her light. I hope that made sense!

Not to mention Gwyn glows… so you could argue singing is her other light to show the deeper depths of her beauty!

[sjmgirlie]

“Azriel needs someone who can accept his darkness. He needs someone who can fight at his side. Elain won’t ever understand him. Blah blah blah”

Are you sure? How do you know what Azriel needs?

We only got his POV in a bonus chapter where he would literally beg on his knees for Elain. And it’s not just lust, because his feelings are so strong he would fight in a blood duel for her (and win). He questions his own religion for her. Not because he’s full of himself, but because he feels so strongly about her. Plus we know the male doesn’t know how to articulate his feelings at all, so why are we surprised he can’t? **Cough** Mor?? **Cough**

How can you be sure that the male who was tortured by his own family, kept in a dungeon, is the literal torturer of the NC, was kept away from his friends during the war and used by Rhys terrible father, does NOT want a women who is kind, quiet, enjoys to bake and garden? Someone who is not violent, who is soft and needs him? Wants him?

Also.. have you met a middle child? Lol. They can handle darkness 😭 Not to mention having to handle Nesta and Feyre lol.

Why don’t we just stop saying we know what Azriel or even Lucien wants and start reading what they literally show and tell us they want?

Do you think it’s a coincidence that the only internal monologue we see from Lucien is that he says Elain is nothing like jesminda? The women he was so in love with that he thought a bond would snap? That Elain was thrown at him? That he doesn’t even stay in the Night Court to be around her? That Feyre says he hasn’t put in the work to bridge the gap between them? That he blushes when talking about Vassa in front of his mate? That he stays in the human lands with Vassa and Jurian?

Do you think it’s a coincidence that basically every single scene so far related to Elain has Azriel involved in some way? That he was the one to sit in the garden with her? To figure out she’s a Seer? That he was listening to her talk about her garden plans late into the night? That he rescued her? That he took the plate of potatoes from her hands and said he’ll handle it? That he made everyone wait for her to be seated? That he looks at her gift every single night? That gets her a custom necklace as a gift? That he literally questions his religion? Does this genuinely seem like a guy, who could sleep with anyone he wants, just pining for sex?

Can we all stop doing mental gymnastics when it’s actually really fucking clear what these guys both want?

And can we finally just stop focusing only on what the MALE characters want, but take the time to think of what the female characters want?

If Elain wanted Lucien she would show it. She would literally already have him. She doesn’t. She literally takes every opportunity to not involve herself with him. She literally tells Feyre that him bringing her a gift does not entitle him to her affections. She clearly shows indifference to him. And it’s not because she’s a bitch. She is a seer, maybe she sees something we don’t. Or maybe it’s just literally the fact he is associated with her human life being stripped away from her. Whether you admit it or not, Lucien did play a role in it. Maybe not directly like Ianthe, but it all started with Tamlin and Lucien just going along with it even though he knew Feyre was suffering and literally told Lucien to his face that she wasn’t coming back. Could they rationalize that it was because Rhys is bad and manipulated her? Sure. But they still literally went to Hybern for help. Like “oh no, the bad guy did something bad.” You know what she does show? She shows she wants Azriel.

Does Gwyn show she wants Azriel? No. She only blushed at Rhys. But I don’t blame her because I’d blush at the High Lord too. There have been no interactions where she shows she even wants Azriel. Gwyn is focused on her healing and the support she feels from her friendship with Nesta and Emerie. She’s trying to prove that she is strong to not only herself, but to the person who rescued her, which is Azriel. She’s also trying to prove it to Cassian which people forget to mention. To wipe the smirks off their faces. She has not shown any interest in romance at this time. Will she and does she deserve it? Yes and yes. But in canon at this time we don’t see that being a priority for her.

I want all these characters to get the partner they want. And so does SJM. They are her characters, she knows what they want and need, and she said that is what drives her pairings. What she knows her characters need.

Does the screenshot below seem like a male who is pissed he doesn’t get to just have sex with a female he’s attracted to? Or does it seem like a male that can’t be with the female he loves and as a result completely shuts down into what we can only interpret as how he always feels… like nothing??

[pinklayla123]

"I'm sorry but people acting all offended and disgusted about Az's inner monologue in the bonus chapter are so funny to me like ma'am, that dialogue made him 200000000000 times hotter to me. If I'm into a guy and I find out he's equally into me and the voice in his head is a gremlin telling him to make me feel good I would simply marry him. Rip to y'all but I want a man who needs me desperately."

canon: Azriel hadn't planned for Elain beyond sexual fantasies

Called her the third

Was insecure around her

Couldn't appreciate a single thing about her personality

Went against Elain's wishes of not being fought over as a child

Got calmed by another girl even his shadows

smiled unconsciously think about Gwyn's smile and bright eyes

appreciated Gwyn's charming personality and called herthing of secret lovely beauty

Elain returned the necklace when she couldn't return grayson's ring and still has Lucien's earrings

Azriel buried gwyn deep in his heart

Gwyn makes him smile, snort laugh in one half chapter which is more than 4 whole books

Gwyn is the one from whom SJM tells us that Az sings

SJM chose to end the chapter with Gwyn

Gwyn dismissed Az but he chose to stay and I can go on and I definitely agree Az's thoughts were absolutely gold in the BC.

First of all, hi, hello, how are you. I have no idea when this ask came in, so I'm sorry if it took me a while to respond. Been busy for the last couple months.

I see that you came across this post of mine. Doesn't look like the kind of content you seem to enjoy but such is life.

So I'm gonna respond to your points one by one.

Azriel hadn't planned for Elain beyond sexual fantasies

Yes, that is true. Because he is in a situation where practically anything could happen at any time, regarding the whole Briallyn-Beron-Koschei-Dread Trove from the literal storybooks thing. I think this is a simple case of not daring to hope for too much. (Also all the aforementioned sexual fantasies are ones where he is thinking about how she would feel, her pleasure is at the forefront of his mind. Not saying that he would get nothing at all from these encounters, but the man has his priorities straight)

Called her the third

I'm gonna hold your hand when I tell you this, but Elain is one of three sisters. If you're having a conversation where you mentions two of them as group, you will mention the third as.. well.. the third. He also (indirectly) called himself the third... as in one of three brothers

Was insecure around her

Anon you mean to tell me that it is a bad thing that this guy was nervous the first time he gets to make his move around the girl he has been developing feelings for over a year? Idk about you but I think that's sweet, that he cares enough about her opinion that he's nervous around her and wants her to like him.

Couldn't appreciate a single thing about her personality

We haven't had a lot of his pov so I can't speak to every thought he has ever had, But I would like to draw your attention to this scene, that occurs after Azriel opens a gift from Elain: Then Azriel tipped his head back and laughed. I’d never heard such a sound, deep and joyous. Cassian and Rhys joined him, the former grabbing the glass bottle from Azriel’s hand and examining it. “Brilliant,” Cassian said. Elain smiled again, ducking her head. Azriel mastered himself enough to say, “Thank you.” I’d never seen his hazel eyes so bright, the hues of green amid the brown and gray like veins of emerald. “This will be invaluable.”

So, again, can't speak to everything (yet), but he does seem to appreciate her sense of humor and the fact that she has been paying enough attention to him to realize he gets headaches.

He also spends time just sitting with her in the townhouse garden in acowar, so clearly he enjoys her presence.

To add to that, he practically pushed Feyre out of the way to get to Elain first to wish her Happy Solstice and stayed up late just talking to her so, again, he clearly enjoys and seeks out her company.

Went against Elain's wishes of not being fought over as a child

He is not "fighting over her," he is simply stating that he feels Elain deserves better than a guy who barely even wants to spend time with and instead is living with another woman on the other side of the world. He has never said anything about wanting a Blood Duel or anything

Got calmed by another girl even his shadows

He got calmed because this conversation, unlike the one he just had didn't involve his brother/friend/High Lord pulling rank and interrupting the kiss he has been dreaming of for months. It's like if I had a very difficult test and then got a cookie afterwards. The cookie itself is just a cookie, but it feels good because it's something that takes my mind off of the bad experience I just had. As for the shadows, they have acted protective multiple times in acosf when Elain's safety/wellbeing was involved.

smiled unconsciously think about Gwyn's smile and bright eyes

Breaking News: Local man feels good and smiles after doing something nice for the girl who he has been training/mentoring (but also there is an alternate hypothesis that I will not repeat here. other people have explained it better than me)

appreciated Gwyn's charming personality and called herthing of secret lovely beauty

Breaking News: Local man has a light-hearted, polite, friendly conversation with the girl he is mentoring/training. As for the calling Gwyn's smile "a thing of secret, lovely beauty" thing, isn't it interesting how this guy who is capable of waiting for a girl for 500 years completely switches gears in less than 24 hours? So fast? Almost.... suspiciously fast? (see alternate hypothesis)

Elain returned the necklace when she couldn't return grayson's ring and still has Lucien's earrings

She couldn't return Grayson's ring because she quite literally is ripped away from everything she has ever known in the dead of the night and that ring is her only remaining connection to who she used to be. I think it's understandable if it took her some time to let go of it. And if memory serves me it was gone in acofas. As for Lucien's earrings, we saw how she opens the box, looks at the earrings, and immediately puts them back and they are never mentioned again. Contrast this with how she immediately asks Azriel to put the necklace on her after he gives it to her. Yes she does give it back after she believes that Azriel has rejected her, and i think that shows growth on her part. Like you mentioned earlier, she kept Grayson's ring because of a false hope for a long time. i think now Elain is strong enough that she is refusing to let herself use the false hope as a crutch. She previously waited for a man who didn't want her, and she will not repeat her mistakes because as far as she knows Azriel made the choice of his own free will to leave her hanging.

Azriel buried gwyn deep in his heart

Again, happened very quickly and unexpectedly, at precisely the same time Gwyn was singing in the prayer service, similar to the singing that led Nesta to scry a vision of the Prison and the Harp. Lots of interesting things happening here.

Gwyn makes him smile, snort laugh in one half chapter which is more than 4 whole books

Breaking News: Local man laughs and jokes with girl he has been mentoring for months.

Azriel often laughs and jokes around his friends, especially in small groups. For one example, see the quote in purple above

Gwyn is the one from whom SJM tells us that Az sings

And she tells us via Nesta that he dances the waltz extremely well, via Bryce that he likes metal music, and via Feyre that he used to have trouble flying and enjoys inspirational stories. Guess he's getting a harem then since SJM using a character to reveal tidbits about another surely leads to a romantic relationship between the two. Maybe we should host a season of The Bachelor for Az.

SJM chose to end the chapter with Gwyn

With Gwyn and a long string of interesting events surrounding her. Make of that what you will.

Gwyn dismissed Az but he chose to stay and I can go on and I definitely agree Az's thoughts were absolutely gold in the BC.

Breaking News: Local man holds a conversation with the girl he has been training for months and asks her to demonstrate her form when he finds her practicing. In a shocking turn of events, he also gives her some pointers on her form.

The Bonus Chapter is a great read, I'm glad we can agree on something. All in all, answering this ask was an excellent refresher of the bonus chapter and why I love it so much. This was fun! And I hope you have a nice day anon :)

[oristian]

Elucien holiday ask game!!

Let's spread some Holiday cheer with some fun 🌟holiday themed🌟 head-canons!

1. What holiday traditions do you think Elain and Lucien would have?

2. What kind of foods would they enjoy making together?

3. Who would win in a snowball fight?

4.what gifts would they exchange?

5. Would they spend their day alone together or host a major gathering?

6. Any other head canon you have with them?

You guys do not seem to realize just how much I love to gush about Elain and Lucien.

Baking an insane amount of holiday themed pastries—their home forever smells of cinnamon, powdered sugar, and baked pies of various assortments of fruit. They also always host holiday dinners and festivities at their home, throwing some of the most lavish get-togethers that their friends and families have ever seen. They always compete with their previous party from the year before to see if they can top it that current year. (Spoiler—they always do.)

Breads of all kind. Lucien loves sitting across from Elain while she kneads the dough, smiling fondly at the flour on her face and the cute, “Kiss the Cook!” apron that she wears—only when he is around, of course. Though, he does assist her in preparing foods that require meats and spices, as he has an incredible palette for different flavors and his traveling experience allows him to share different recipes with Elain.

Elain. Lucien would get so awestruck by how beautiful she looks with snowflakes cluttering her lashes, the wide smile of pure joy on her pink mouth, and the flush from the cold on her cheeks, that he would stand still and just stare while she pelts him with snowballs. (He doesn’t care to lose.)

Gifts that speak the language that they have curated between themselves—gifts that only they can understand. They gift each other presents throughout the year, so Solstice is a time where the gift is either handmade, or something so obscure that its meaning only exists between Elain and Lucien. Those gifts are used so heavily and treated delicately with love.

The morning is theirs. They wake with the rise of the sun and bask in each other’s embrace for a few hours—maybe stealing beneath the sheets, as the bond tends to make them insatiable for each other. Afternoon and on is when they pull on their host personality and offer the best damn party Prythian has ever seen (aside from their own the year previous.)

When they have children, they both latch onto parenthood rather quickly. They create family traditions, such as baking together, telling holiday stories, traveling, etc. Their children are absolutely spoiled rotten, but not just from them—Elain’s sisters and Lucien’s friends and parents spend top dollar on their children; the children never complain, but Lucien had to build a separate shed behind their home just to house some of the gifts. The Archeron-Vanserra clan always wears matching Solstice sleeping clothes and drinks hot chocolate while spending quality time together.

This was so fun, thank you!

[shadowqueenjude]

Azriel Analysis

"Azriel couldn't stop it. The envy in his chest. Of Cassian, and Rhys." "Az tried not to look at his scarred fingers as they took the gift. She hadn't bought her mate a present. But she'd gotten Azriel one last year- a headache powder he kept on his nightstand at the House of Wind. Not to use, just to look at. Which he'd done every night he'd slept there. Or attempted to sleep there." He left the rest unspoken. Because her mate was here, sleeping a level up. Because her mate had been in the family room and Azriel had needed to stay by the door the whole time because he couldn't stand the sight of it, the scent of their mating bond, and needed to have the option of leaving if it became too much. "The Cauldron chose three sisters. Tell me how it's possible that my two brothers are with two of those sisters, yet the third was given to another." "Despite being an outsider, Azriel had been ready to invoke it when he'd found Mor all those years ago. Had been ready to challenge both Beron and Eris to Blood Duels and kill them both." I think it's interesting how many times mates or anything connecting to a mating bond are mentioned in Azriel's bonus chapter. Because Azriel is obsessed with the mating bond, not Elain. He's preoccupied with the fact that both the friends he calls brothers have mates while he does not. He's obsessed with the fact that Lucien has a mate while he does not. And it's not just brought up in the bonus chapter.

“Wouldn’t the mating bond have snapped into place for them if it exists?” Rhys’s eyes shuttered. “I think that is a question Azriel has been asking himself every day since he met Mor.” Do you really think this guy is going to be happy with anything less than a mating bond? Do you really think he'd be happy with Elain knowing she has a mate out there who she will always be connected to? As much as he disrespects Lucien (and az is a dick for that), I think a part of him does respect Elain and Lucien's mating bond because he never intended to be with Elain forever. Don't believe me? "But he could have this. This one moment, and maybe a taste, and that would be it." He never actually intended on marrying Elain or pursuing a romantic relationship or anything. Because deep down he knew he would never be right for her, never be enough for her when she has somebody in her life who can be her everything. Her mate. So ultimately, SJM will give him a mate. But not until he is forced to watch Lucien get to be happily with his mate after he disrespected him. SJM is not going to reward that kind of behavior with an instant HEA. Although maybe the real plot twist is that Azriel is actually obsessed with Lucien and is using Elain as a buffer in which case I actually feel sorry for azriel because me too i also want lulu to notice me.

[acourtofthought]

I see some Elriels talk about the solstice presents as an example of how close and connected Elriel is, but I don't understand that because the gifts Elain and Azriel give each other don't seem that deep.

Elain gives him ear plugs and headache powder. One is so he doesn't have to listen to Cassian and Nesta have sex and the other is because he's apparently so annoyed by other people that he gets headaches. These are gag gifts. I mean, they clearly show us that Elain is clever and has a sense of humor, but I don't see anything to them beyond that.

Azriel gets her a rose necklace. Something that, to me, suggests only a surface level of understanding Elain. I kind of think Azriel's thought process was kind of like: Elain = pretty and flowers. Flower jewelry = pretty. Pretty flower jewelry + Elain = win.

Now, Lucien gets her jewelry, too, the pearl earrings, but her engagement ring also has pearls. So, maybe he saw her ring and figured out that she likes that particular stone. Which seems to take a bit more observation.

He also gets her the gardening gloves but also has them enchanted, so he took something he knew about her and went the extra mile.

Idk, maybe I'm being unfair to Azriel because I don't ship Elriel. It just seems like he's not going beyond the surface with Elain.

Completely agree. Az got Amren jewelry the first Solstice that we read about, "exquisite pearl-and-diamond earrings" so him getting Elain a necklace is not all that special when it comes to gifts Az has given.

If we look at his gift for Nesta the second Solstice however, that was an extremely thoughtful present, something that goes above and beyond for her interests. He took what he knew she loved and made it possible for her to enjoy that hobby for a longer period of time.

Which is the same with Lucien's gloves. E/riels continue pushing the narrative that Elain wants scars on her hands which is why she doesn't wear them but Feyre literally tells Lucien that Elain put on gloves to do her gardening so he found her ones that were enchanted so she could garden for as long as she desired. Then in the Feyre bonus of SF we again have Elain wear gloves which tore (leading Feyre to have to pull out thorns from her hands and her thinking if she had been wearing Lucien's gloves nothing would have pierced her at all). If someone wants scars on their hands they wouldn't be wearing any gloves, that's kind of the point of wearing them in the first place.

I'm not sure the story behind the pearls Lucien gave Elain the second Solstice but we've never seen him give jewelry to anyone else AND Nesta mentions that jewelry is a normal Solstice gift for mated males to give.

In comparison Az gave Amren jewelry, he gave Elain a necklace then he gave that same necklace to Clotho to give to Gwyn. I think it's clear Az doesn't put a lot of meaning behind who he's handing jewelry out too.

And gag gifts, while funny, do not really suggest some sort of deep insight into Azriel on Elain's part considering neither gift is something he's likely to ever use.

[soartfullydone]

Did you ever read ACOSF? What did you think of the twilight baby plot?

Everything I know about ACOSF I've learned against my will lol. One of my best friends kept a play-by-play of each chapter in a Google Doc, so she could spare me the reading experience but also so we could make fun of it mercilessly.

In all seriousness, I knew I was never going to subject my eyes to it directly because I hate Nessian with a burning passion. I one-hundred percent believe that Nesta deserves better than everything she got, and she should've been meaner actually. Even when I somewhat liked ACOMAF, I felt utterly indifferent to Cassian. Who is this bland rice cake taking up the space where Lucien should be? No good dialogue or anything out of that guy. And then SJM wrote Nessian into MAF with all the subtlety of a clown show, and it was over. Nesta hates him! Keep him away from her! If she doesn't kill him, I will!

Most baby plots are horrendous in fiction, and I hate them deeply also. They often reduce women to being pure idiots (why do I have morning sickness after unprotected sex? a mystery!) or they reinforce this false idea that women can only achieve ultimate happiness by having their One True Love's baby. Ah, the number of women I know who are stuck in unhappy marriages, their sense of self completely lost because being a Wife and Mother comes first! Can those things be fulfilling? Absolutely. But a lot of folks are selling a romanticized idea of both, and SJM is no exception here.

Because look at what the Twilight baby plot does. It takes away all of Nesta's power, asserts her feelings of worthlessness, and encourages her to be a breeder for Cassian, who never even told her he loved her in their romance book. It puts her firmly and forever under Rhysand's and the Night Court's boot. It confirms that Feyre has also lost all her agency, that the High Lady title is meaningless, that her found family and Court do not respect her, that Rhysand will lie to her and trap her if it serves him to do so. That, ultimately, her body does not belong to her and she doesn't have a choice.

What really gets to me, too, is that these two women have to change their bodies to accommodate their love interests, their supposed fated mates. Methinks if it was fated, if they really were perfect for each other, this kind of change wouldn’t have been necessary 🤔. But also if this really were a fantasy story with all-powerful magical beings, there’s no reason why Feyre’s pregnancy should’ve been so risky to begin with. Barring that, there’s no reason why a C-section couldn’t have been an option. It was drama for the sake of drama, pain for the sake of pain. All filler, no substance.

Everything surrounding the baby plot and Nesta's forced captivity prove ACOMAF for the lie it is, a romanticized idea about overwritten trauma and choosing the Perfect Guy because he can read your mind and tell you the things you want to hear. I mean, how else do we go from Feyre earnestly believing she wants time with her new love, that a child can wait, to a Feyre who can't think of a single gift to give Rhys besides the news of her pregnancy? (Cue him cumming to the sight of their unborn child. I will never forget, and neither will you, dear anon, I'm sorry. But I didn't write it!)

And idk, given how much pregnancy in general squicks me out despite being a woman myself, how much medical care for women generally sucks, how many people are going through such pain with miscarriages, unviable pregnancies, and unclear yet strict abortion laws... This ain't it, fam! If SJM wants to talk real-life application with her trauma bullshit, then let's talk real-life application! Because no one, not a single person, has an I Am Become Death magic sister who can pull a dying mother and their dying baby back from the brink where medicine and the law have failed them. No one can have their premie who can't survive on its own suddenly turned into a healthy six-month-old. Who does this plot serve? Neither the reader nor the characters benefited.

I genuinely can't understand how SJM, as a mother herself, could write something so tone deaf, without even being brave enough to explore this kind of fear and pain with any care whatsoever. If she wanted Feyre and Nesta to actually bond over something... Feyre's pregnancy and what that means as a human-turned-fae and a mother could have been it. That could have been something the sisters discussed and helped each other with, where they could have learned more about each other and their deeper fears as young women in a society that does not truly respect them. Both of them share in family trauma, for fuck's sake! Now here Feyre is starting a new family at great risk while Nesta is still guiltily mourning the one she lost! The dots are there!

But no. Instead, not even Feyre is allowed to learn the truth about her pregnancy until Nesta tells her, and then Nesta is painted as a villain for doing so. Feyre isn't allowed to have any real opinion or lingering fears or doubts about her fate whatsoever. Because none of this stuff really matters, especially not the trauma. It's about the fucking, rutting, animal sex. It's about the smirking males, their dripping seed, and their inability to be anything besides horny at any given moment. It's about the washboard abs. Hey, a sexy story would be just fine with me! I just wish SJM would fully embrace that (and also write it better lmao) and get off her "I'm God's gift to feminism" soap box. Maybe take off the girlboss shades, too, because ain't none of her female characters even living up to the shallowness of a girlboss. The narrative undermines and undervalues them too much.

Actually, I have to clap my hands to SJM for this baby plot. I've never seen one that destroys two main female characters in a single stroke before. That's how powerful Rhysand's dick is.

[nikethestatue]

This is my opinion in the subject of Elain's gifts.

Elain, more than anyone (other than Feyre) has received all kinds of gifts, and from 3 different men, no less.

We have Graysen's engagement ring

We have Lucien's gloves and pearl earrings

We have Azriel's rose necklace

Graysen's engagement ring--iron, with a pearl--spoke of his essence. He was violently anti-Fae, he was a warrior and a protector. His ring to his future wife was made of iron (to 'protect' her, to 'ward off' the enemy), had an impersonal, token gem in it, and it was something that Elain loved, just like she loved Graysen. Her hold on the ring, which she refused to relinquish, was her tether to her old life, to her old self. She cried for the ring, and for everything that she'd lost when she was Made, and she felt as emotional about it as she did about Graysen's rejection of her.

The steel that Elain was once so dependent on for protection now forges her. She is not the same girl who was Made. She is more like her sister Nesta--we see that in ACOSF. This new Elain, the Elain who was Made, dumped, who saw the death of her father, who was in a war, and who killed the king, has a new kind of softness. A steely softness. This Elain don't take shit from nobody. Not from her sister. Not from the IC. Not from Azriel.

When Nesta lashed out at her, she lashed out right back. She is still emotional about those she loves--she cried over Nesta, but she also wasn't going to put up with any more shit. It's not Elain trailing after Rhysand. It's the High Lord trailing after Elain, flying her back and forth and giving her the scenic flyby of Velaris. This Elain says 'by using me' and this new Elain is ready to go and look for Trove objects. "Find me when you are ready," she tells them.

So when Azriel gifts her a beautiful necklace that she loves, and calls 'beautiful' and when she tells him to put it on her and when she offers him to kiss her--this Elain knows what she wants. And when he says 'this was a mistake' the new Elain returns the necklace. Why? Because she is no longer a weepy pushover who let her family or her previous men put her in the corner. The return of the necklace is a prideful gesture, but also an emotional one. She is sad and upset, but she is not going to beg or cry. She let's him know everything that she is feeling when she leaves the necklace on top of the pile of all of his gifts. To me, this speaks of her emotional growth. She isn't reactive like Nesta, but her reaction is sharp and telling. It will be Azriel who will be groveling this time.

Which leads me to Lucien's presents. And here, we see the absence of emotion. She doesn't...care. She isn't angry or resentful, she isn't hurt or upset. She. Doesn't. Care. She doesn't use the gifts because she doesn't want to give Lucien any ideas--no notion of interest on her part, no notion of 'acceptance' of him or his bond. But also, indifference. It's not like she is using the gloves or wears the earrings when he isn't around. She put them all in a drawer and forgot about them.

And I think that's what's so telling about Elain's feelings: to those she cares about, she reacts. She reacted to Graysen, to Azriel, to Nesta...Lucien, not so much.

And SJM, who built entire chapters around Solstice and Solstice gifts, around gift giving and receiving, definitely emphasises Elain's reaction to all of them.