#house gwydion

[zackprincebooks]

Bountiful

Sir Lucan Findlay is invited up to Dreamborn Keep by the handsome and gregarious Lord Avaddwyn Penvaine for a weekend of dross hunting, friendly bonding, and gorgeous scenery. For Lucan, gorgeous scenery includes Lord Avaddwyn himself.

Rating: Explicit

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Category: M/M

Fandom: Changeling: the Dreaming

Relationship: Original Male Character/Original Male Character

Character: Original Changeling Character(s) (Changeling: The Dreaming)

Everyone has those "stories I play in my head as I'm falling asleep," and this is the one for me. Or at least, a small part of it. In the Changeling: the Dreaming game I play in my head, Sir Lucan and Lord Avaddwyn have a long, adventurous relationship with a deep courtship and lots of kinky sex. Since I needed to write some fun smut to distract myself from The Horrors, I picked them.

I did not expect this to be almost 12.5k words, but hey, The Horrors are many.

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[melphss]

@nestaarcheronweek | Day 01: Queen of Queens

“We heard about you down here. You are the one the sea and the wind and the earth whispered of.”

“Nesta.”

“You took from the Cauldron itself.”

“Come with me, Queen of Queens, and we shall return what was once lost.”

-  Chapter 54, A Court of Silver Flames.

Nesta has been referenced more than once as a queen in the books, and perhaps this is a portent for what the future holds for her. Maybe not exactly as queen, but as ruler of the Dusk Court.

In this art, me and Luana wanted to represent Nesta as it's High Lady, holding her two swords: Cauldron made Ataraxia and Starsword/Gwydion. And we couldn't have loved more how @gessueter brought this idea to life.

Art by: @gessueter

Commissioned by: @melphss and Luana

Characters belongs to: Sarah J. Maas

[silverflameataraxia]

I love how Nesta got pissed at Bryce for stealing Truth-Teller because she knows how much that dagger means to Az. She didn't just make the trade with Bryce for the Mask's return, but for Truth-Teller as well.

Now that Nesta wields both Ataraxia and Gwydion, I wonder if, at some point, she'll gift Gwydion to Gwyn? Since Truth-Teller and Gwydion have a connection, it would make sense for the mates to wield them.

[princessofmerchants]

HOFAS - Gwydion and Nesta Archeron

HOFAS spoilers below the break

“I think that eight-pointed star was tattooed on you for a reason. Take that sword and go figure out why.”

—Bryce to Nesta, HOFAS ch. 100

The way I screamed.....

This moment right here lives rent free in my mind.

(I didn't plan to go into a deep meta about this but oops my fingers slipped I guess...)

I would never presume to say I know where SJM's head is based on what we see in her work unless she says it herself in an interview.

But there's so much in HOFAS and the bonus chapters that make me think she wasn't quite finished telling Nesta's story.

I think Nesta's romantic arc has been good and told in ACOSF, but her personal arc, both with herself, and with her family both blood (sisters) and found (Valkyries)?

I am daring to hope SJM isn't finished telling Nesta's story, even as she will need to do so in the formula she has established in the series (i.e., one couple per book with a multi-book magical conflict plot arc within which the romance arcs are set).

I want to be on record that I'm not looking for another Nesta book (though I'd never be opposed... 😏), and the stories I know are coming about some of my most beloved characters (Gwyn and Lucien specifically) are not stories I want somehow replaced with a book starring Nesta and Nesta alone.

But the way SJM kept inserting into HOFAS actual honest to God character development for Nesta, with both overt and implicit unresolved threads, albeit from the POVs of CC characters (something I enjoyed a lot and which I'll maybe write about another time), makes me so, so happy.

And this moment, with Bryce giving Gwydion not to the Prythian Fae but to Nesta specifically? And almost CHARGING her with a quest of sorts when she does so?

IT HAS ME HYPED BEYOND BELIEF

~and ACOSF Amren can take this and shove it~

[hlizr50]

I've been sitting on this for, like, a year. I finally got it all together in a shareable collection of thoughts! So, without further ado, please enjoy my Fallen Star theory :)

I'm sorry it's so long.....

[bookofmirth]

I saw a theory about Gwyn finding Narben, so if that happens maybe Nesta will give Gwydion to Emerie. I like that. If they’re gonna be sword girlies, then they should at least have special swords!

Oh yeah I'm always forgetting Narben haha, it's just not my jam, important swords with names, so it slips my mind.

That makes total sense though! If Nesta gives Gwydion to Emerie, and then Gwyn has Narben. Again, I think that that would allow the Valkyries to be a force in their own right, and not be beholden to any specific court!

My headcanon/theory is that eventually the Valkyries will go back to how they were, and help the balance of power among the courts a bit. I see them as being autonomous, a force for good, above the petty court squabbles. I've mentioned before that there would be major conflict if the High Lords all start fighting over this new territory, and now that we know for sure that the Prison has special properties (I'm trying to be kinda vague) it only makes sense that no one gets to play with the special new toy, but that everyone has to share. Enter the Valkyries, keeping the peace.

[oristian]

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@azrielappreciationweek Day Seven — Free

“When knife and sword are reunited, so shall our people be.”

— House of Earth and Blood

One of my largest theories is that Azriel and Gwyn will simultaneously wield both Truth Teller and Gwydion—as per the prophecy, together with their blades they shall help to unite the fae of the Dusk Court. I believe that this will take place within their book; Azriel shall accept himself as Illyrian and he and Gwyn will help bring together the Illyrians and Valkyries, and further the fae trapped within the walls of the Prison.

ART CREDIT luxury_banshee

COMMISSION BY @oristian

PLEASE DO NOT REPOST

[fanwarriorfictions]

Not Again - Part Eight

Summary: It’s been nearly four days since Y/n had collapsed, and she still hadn’t woken. Azriel won’t leave her side, he can’t, no matter how worried his family is.

Warnings: none really, kind of a shorter chapter

Series Masterlist

Another day had passed, Azriel refused to leave her room, he sat in the chair by her bedside and would not move no matter how much his family pestered him. Rhys had forced him to at least put some clothes on, but other than that, he’d stayed right at her bedside and spoke to her, feeling the pulse in her wrist flutter each time, feeling that evidence that she was still there. He read to her out of one of the books on her night stand, obvious gifts from Nesta. He struggled through some chapters, face warm, others he skipped entirely.

“Dinner is served,” Mor struts into the room, a tray balanced in her hands, “I can watch over her while you eat and take a damned bath.”

He frowns up at her, “I don’t-“

“Yes you do,” she sniffs pointedly, “You’ve been bed ridden for two days and haven’t bathed once since you woke. She won’t go anywhere, I promise.”

Azriel looks at the female in question, her lips were slightly turned down at the edges, like she could hear them and wasn’t happy to have him leave, “Fine.”

As soon as the word is out of him mouth, he hears running water in the attached bathroom, it seems the house was sick of him stinking up the place. He sighs, carefully standing up from the chair, shaking his head when Mor moved into casual reach incase he fell.

“I’ll be right back,” he says.

“I don’t doubt that,” she sighs, rolling her eyes at him, “at least take the time to wash your hair.”

Azriel doesn’t respond as he closes the door behind him, sighing through his nose as he rest against it. There was this strange anxiety in him, even though Y/n was just on the other side of the wall. Watched over by one of his closest friends. The female he’d spent centuries believing he was in love with, and the female he, he didn’t know what it was he felt for. There was this feeling in him, this feeling of desperation when she’d been in danger, before that when she was about to leave him, when he’d seen her cry beneath the stars. Not love, gods he’d known her less than a week, but there was something, something there. A string of shadow connecting them together, one he refused to let go of. Whatever it was, he wonders if the swirling eddies of the cauldron, or the mysterious force of the Wyrd, that brought her here, right to him.

With Quinlann, it had been the blades, Gwydion and Truth Teller, calling to each other from across the stars. When she’d opened the portal between realms, they found each other. But with Y/n, there wasn’t a reason, there was no mysterious object, no intent. Simply a portal that had torn her from her home and thrown her into his path. He’d spent the last day pondering about it, about why exactly she was brought here, brought to him, and he’d come up with nothing but blanks.

Azriel forces himself to focus on the bath before him, to get in and out as quickly as possible so he could get back to her. The water was lukewarm, like the house knew he wasn’t ready to feel the heat. His bandages had been changed early in the day by Madja, the burn on his chest had been the worst of the damage, the imprint of Y/n’s shoulders burned into him from holding her to him. It would heal, there may be the faintest scar, a darker, rougher patch of skin. He found that he didn’t mind it, that he’d be left with that permanent memory of her, even when she finally found her way home.

He scrubs methodically, using the same lavender scented bar of soap on his hair and his body, not bothering with the bottles of soaps lining the edge of the bath. He submerges his entire body, wings included to rinse off, and he’s up and drying off quickly.

The house provides him with a comfortable set of black sleep clothes, loose fitting shirt to not irritate the burns. He dresses without thought, quickly buttoning the shirt around his wings as he moves towards the door.

“Record time,” Mor says as he walks into the room, “I’m surprised you bothered with a towel, instead of shaking out like a dog.”

He rolls his eyes, taking his seat beside Y/n. She hadn’t moved at all, he hadn’t expected her to, her lips would sometimes twitch in her sleep, but that was the only movement he’d seen.

“She’s not going to disappear,” Mor says gently, “You can rest for a while.”

Azriel knew that, knew that if he crossed the hall and collapsed into bed like his body begged him to do, she was would be right here where he left her. But he couldn’t do it, not until she was awake and he could see those eyes, see that insufferable smile, hear her soft accent. He was a desperate fool.

“I’m fine,” he says, “thank you for the food.”

Mor frowns, “I’m worried about you.”

“I know-“

“No I don’t think you do,” she snaps, arms crossed over her chest, “I don’t know what happened between you two, I don’t want to know, but I can’t stand to see you fall apart over a female you hardly even know.”

“Nothing happened between us.” It’s the truth but somehow it feels like a lie on his tongue, “I don’t expect you to understand it, I don’t even understand it.”

“I’ve had lovers in the past, hell I pined after you for centuries.” Azriel doesn’t miss the way she flinches, he’d never actually said the words aloud, “but this is different, she’s just different. She’s not my lover, I don’t love her, I just- I don’t- When I saw her there, trapped in that spell, it felt like someone was carving my heart from my chest with a dull knife, hacking through skin and bones and ripping the thing out.”

He shudders, looking down at Y/n, whatever this was, gods he didn’t know, he didn’t want to know, he just wanted her to wake up.

Azriel feels a slight pressure on his shoulder, Mor’s hand resting there in gentle reassurance, “She’ll wake up.”

“I hope so.”

Azriel wasn’t sure what exactly woke him up, the pain in his back from being slumped over in his chair, his shadows frantically swirling around him, or the hand that gently twines through his hair. His half asleep brain decides the feeling is very very nice and he almost goes right back to sleep.

“Are you alive over there, shadowsinger? It’d be a shame if you weren’t.”

That soft swirling accent washes over him like the warm surf of the summer court. It has him launching up out of his chair, eyes wide and staring at the female who sits up in the spot she’d laid for the past three almost four days. Her face was washed in silvery moonlight from the window, hair a tangled mess on her head, her eyes wide and warm with the fire in her blood, gods she was beautiful.

He’s surging forward before he can even think that it might be a bad idea. Her face is warm, soft between his scarred hands, and her lips feel like heaven as he crashes his mouth to hers.

Her hands grip the front of his shirt, pulling him closer and he could die right then and there. Their lips move in tandem, tongues and teeth clashing in desperation. He can feel her sharp canines, the way they drag on his lower lip, she could tear him to pieces with them and, Mother above, he would let her.

“Don’t you ever do that to me again.” He pulls back just enough to growl against her, “Don’t you dare, princess.”

“Don’t tell me you’re going soft on me, shadowsinger,” she grins against his lips, that insufferable little smile, “it’ll ruin your whole dark brooding warrior image.”

“Shut up.”

She barely has the time to laugh before his lips cover hers again. Azriel’s shadows writhe around them, pulling her closer and closer till she’s practically sitting in his lap. His hands grip her waist, so hard that he’s sure she’ll have bruises in the shape of them. Her hands are tangled in his hair, pulling at the strands in a way that has Azriel purring. Everywhere she touched left him burning, burning with desire for more, more, more.

He’s moving, lips trailing across her jaw and down the side of her throat, he can feel her heart racing, maybe that was his own. Her head falls back, giving his better access to her throat. She lets out a breathless sigh when his teeth graze that sensitive spot, and Azriel wants to hear that noise again and again and again.

“Az,” she gasps, fingers digging into his shoulders like she’s trying to ground herself, “I, gods, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but hold on.”

It takes more effort than it should to pull away, to look into her eyes without begging her to let him keep going, “Are you okay? What’s wrong?”

“I’m fine, this is amazing,” she sighs, “more than that. I just- I need a minute.”

Azriel sees that look in her eyes, that broken heart behind a wall of ice, “Whatever you need, princess.”

Her head falls, hiding, “I failed, Az. I- I did everything the books said, and I fucked it up.”

His heart squeezes in his chest, and he can’t help but to tug her into his arms. She collapses into him, face buried in the silk of his shirt and she cries. Those silent heavy tears, so Azriel holds her tight as she cries and cries and cries.

Y/n feels warm, safe, there’s a comforting weight across her waist, a hard wall behind her.

Her eyes open, blinking at the bright sunlight streaming through her window. It must be late morning, it had been the middle of the night when she’d woke, finding her hand clasped in Azriel’s, the male himself asleep in the most uncomfortable position possible.

When she’d seen him there, moonlight dancing over his features, she thought he was the most beautiful male she’d ever seen. It felt like her hand moved on its own, raking through those black strands of hair, the slight curl to them tickling her palm.

She’d felt him stirr, felt the way he’d pushed into her hand like a cat seeking attention. It was incredibly cute, which is something she was sure had never been used to describe the spy master.

When he’d realized she was awake, when he’d looked into her eyes, she’d seen the utter desperation behind his whiskey eyes. And when his lips had fallen onto hers, she felt it too. He kissed like a man starved, like she was his last meal and he was going to savor every bite of her. He kissed her like she meant something, like she was worth worshipping. Gods she wanted him to do just that, to take her for all she was worth, to ravish her until she was screaming. But then his teeth had caressed the side of her neck, her pulse racing beneath, and she felt herself slipping, felt the memories slam into her, of the matching scars her parents wore proudly on their necks, of the burning words in her throat, of the spell that had taken control of her and had tried to swallow her whole.

She felt everything crashing into her all at once, and when Azriel had looked at her, nothing but understanding in his eyes, she broke. She must have cried herself to sleep, to be waking up near noon.

Y/n froze as the wall behind her shifted, a body, she realized, that weight across her waist, an arm. Azriel.

She glances over her shoulder, finding the sleeping male. He held her close, face tucked into her shoulder. He made no noise, just soft breathing, lips slightly parted. They were laying beneath the knitted blanket that was usually folded by the foot of the bed, like he hadn’t wanted to wake her to get her beneath the covers.

Y/n shifts, gently trying to lift his arm so that she could escape to the bathroom, but the second she tried, his arm tightens and she’s pulled back against his chest.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Gods spare her, his voice was deep and rasping in her ear. Her eyes look back over her shoulder and she’s met by those hazel eyes, still heavy with sleep. His gaze feels like a brand, like he was taking in all of her, like he was planning to claim her in every way possible.

“The bathroom preferably,” she says, throwing in as much snarky energy as possible to hopefully hide the way her face was heating.

He sighs, “I suppose that’s fine.”

“You suppose?” She scoffs, pushing the heavy arm still wrapped around her waist, “Let go of me you overgrown bat.”

He holds tighter for just a second, “You wound me, princess.”

“You’ll get over it.” She slips out from beneath his hold, “Keep your wandering shadows to yourself, I’m going to bathe, I smell like death.”

Azriel looks at her with predatory focus, resting on his elbows so he can look her up and down, “Hm, I hadn’t noticed.”

“I’m sure you didn’t,” she rolls her eyes, “Keep them out, I’ll be back.”

Azriel settles back into the pillows, eyes watching each step she takes into the room beyond. She can still feel his gaze when she shuts the door behind her, heavy and burning.

The bath is already filled with steaming water, clothes and towels laid out for her. She thanks the house quietly, slipping out of her tattered clothes and into that hot water.

Her head tilts back, a quiet moan slipping past her lips at the feeling, her body sore from whatever had taken control during the spell, and then even more from laying in bed for the past several days. She takes her time, washing every spot of herself to rid that scent of smoke. Her hair takes longer, tangled and brittle, she uses half the bottle of the sweet smelling soap.

All of her movements are precise, methodical, to keep her brain and hands busy. Because if she stops for to long, her mind is ripped back to that room, to the yawning portal of darkness, that presence on the other side beckoning, whispering, playing with her. What ever it was, ancient and cold, dark and cruel, she felt it reaching for her. And at the same time she’d felt another pull, one from behind, one begging her to stay, to let go of the gods damned book. A string, a lifeline, a way back. She’d cling to that, and let it pull her out.

But still, on the other side of that portal she heard a whisper, a voice young and old, pay the price, gods killer’s kin, pay the price.

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[gwydionmisha]

The Boomers Attack: We are Fucked

Summary:  On the 16th, Monday a week ago, HOA announced an emergency meeting that members weren't allowed to vote or participate in.  Thursday they rammed through a special assessment for $4416 and change due in 90 days.  This is on top of the $141 and change they raised us every month in august.  I am currently spending nearly everything on housing and bills.

The rate hike was legal as it was voted through properly: Reasonable notice. People allowed to vote. The second very likely was not, but that likely won't make a difference. See below.

I contacted Medical social Worker immediately, who sent me to HUD Monday, who sent me to another agency, who sent me an email of places to call.  I have called places and left messages where I could.  A couple didn't apply or I need to try again.

Really though, according to the guy at the second organization, we would need 51% of people living here to do a class action suit to stop it.  We can't post signs anywhere, and according to Squirrel, the Boomers are using the Facebook community to organize to sue anyone who can't afford to pay on time. (I don't Facebook; Squirrel does.)  They are keeping ears open for people involved in organizing to lower the monthly rate increase, but anyone drawing attention is liable to be sued in retaliation, so... yeah.

Squirrel can cover $2000, maybe even half.  We will see.  2000's about a month's pay for them.  It is impossible for me as I have about a hundred a month after bills and I'm already committed to 1. Pay mechanics so the car will make it to November, and some other commitments, like gas to get me to physio, cat litter, etc., out of the hundredish I have after bills. To give you an idea of the scale of the catastrophe, my half is about 3 month's entire income.

I will keep phoning around.  I still need to call HOA, but given how draconian they are being, I don't have much hope of a payment plan.

I know there are more important things going on in the world than my housing. Still, I don't have a lot of options.

If you can afford to chip in:

Paypal Gwydion

[queenofqueensarcheron]

I mean do we actually know that Rhys wouldn’t kill or hurt Nesta for certain? Like I can’t stop thinking if one day Rhys decides to lash out at Nesta for whatever reason while the others are standing on the side not thinking anything serious could happen. And then Nesta or someone else gets hurt. Then what??

After Hofas, and the fact that Rhys followed her home to scream at her, I’m not so sure Nesta is fully safe in the NC. When she said that she wouldn’t be forgiven any time soon. FORGIVEN… for saving 2 worlds

I’m ready to bet a lot that when Bryce came back to Prythian and gave back the mask + truth teller (and Gwydion) none of them ever thanked Nesta for that decision. But one thing they would do is judging her and belittling her as usual. Because Nesta is the ONLY CHARACTER that is villainize for saving the world.

And this is why she needs to run (with or without her mate) but she needs to get out of there ++ the house of wind since they’re besties

[malky-tea]

The latest and newest artwork I'm pouring on the internet for the first time, hehe

This is my character that I play in Changeling: The Dreaming. It's been a long time since I've had such an easy, enjoyable and comfortable game. All the other games were good too, don't think so. I just feel like it's MY thing. Maybe it's the fact that I finally didn't limit myself and decided to take ALL the things I love and combine them into one character? Well, that makes sense…

Her name is Charlene René Wade, but in the fairy community she is known as Leofrun from the House Ailil. She has recently passed her Chrysalis and the Fior-Righ, but has already earned the title of knight in the course of our chronicle. She is a very emotional and passionate Autumn Sidhe from Unseelie Court. She enjoys making devious plans, participating in intrigue, unraveling other people's schemes and learning dirty secrets. More than anything, she longs to benefit the noble House Ailil. She likes to be a bit dramatic, although she loves fun and taking care of her loved ones. Sometimes she wants to appear more cold and impenetrable than she really is (she is far from it).

Like any Sidhe from House Ailil, she strives to be seen as nothing less than ideal and when that naturally doesn't happen… It hurts her. Sometimes she gets overly emotional and allows herself to think overly violent things. Part of her is frightened by this urge to burn cities and shoot at knees and… Charlene doesn't usually remember what happens next. A piece of her life falls out of her memory and it's good if she finds herself in a familiar place. She doesn't know, but in these moments that very part of her really wants to placate the universe and show that she is not bad, but on the contrary the kindest girl in the world.

❤ She has a chimerical dragon named Opal ❤ Loves cherries in any form, including cigarettes and perfume ❤ Very fond of human history and hopes to become a historian already in the society of changelings ❤ Very passionate about tragedies and stories with bad endings ❤ Afraid to engage in close combat and shuns the sight of blood. Instead, she has learned to shoot and loves firearms. She has a chimerical gun, which she named after the dragon guarding the Garden of the Hesperides ❤ At the beginning of the timeline she hated House Gwydion, now she will fight for loved ones from that house ❤ She loves abandoned houses with old attics ⛓︎ Afraid of repeating the fate of characters from her favorite tragedies ⛓︎ Ruined her relationship with her own Lady. ⛓︎ Very easily offended by things that another would not even pay attention to ⛓︎ Sometimes she dreams of previously agonizing death experiences and these dreams throw her off balance ⛓︎ Tends to succumb to paranoid thoughts and see enemies everywhere ⛓︎ Smokes a lot, literally can't live without cigarettes ⛓︎ Her family is known for her mother committing Rhapsody. Because of that, Charlene has a bad reputation, too

[elains]

Azriel's association with Enalius, what it means for his arc and Illyria

This is something me and my friends have talked about off tumblr, but I wanted to write my own post about it and gather my thoughts. But here, I'll discuss a bit Azriel's character and how the revelations we witness in House of Flame and Shadow will be important to his character. (+ a little bit of Emerie).

What do we know about Enalius? From ACOSF, Emerie provides us with a little exposition when they are in the Rite, when the Pass of Enalius is brought up:

Long ago—so long ago they don’t even have a precise date for it—a great war was fought between the Fae and the ancient beings who oppressed them. One of its key battles was here, in these mountains. Our forces were battered and outnumbered, and for some reason, the enemy was desperate to reach the stone at the top of Ramiel. We were never taught the reason why; I think it’s been forgotten. But a young Illyrian warrior named Enalius held the line against the enemy soldiers for days.

Now, from the Crescent City crossover, we learned that Truth-teller and Gwydion are twin blades. They are a pair. According to the Silene History Lesson, the dagger used to belong to her father's (Fionn's) dear friend, slain during the war. A bit later, when they find Vesperus, she confirms that this friend was Enalius:

The Asteri’s eyes flared with recognition at the long blade. “Did Fionn send you, then? To slay me in my sleep? Or was it that traitor Enalius? I see that you bear his dagger—as his emissary? Or his assassin?”

Immediately before that, she also confirms that the Asteri crafted (which can either mean created, shaped forged, but we are going with created) the Illyrians:

The Asteri’s blue eyes lowered to the dagger. “You dare draw a weapon before me? Against those who crafted you, soldier, from night and pain?”

From everything, we can conclude this: Enalius was the original wielder of Truth-teller before Fionn and Theia, a dear friend to Fionn, and someone who pulled the ultimate sacrifice to keep the Asteri/Daglan from reaching the top of Ramiel. He was a traitor to the Asteri, a rebel against his masters and everything they stood for.

Enalius is the hero most Illyrians strive to mimic, the legendary figure who they all hope to one day surpass. He's a symbol of their people, even if so much about him has been forgotten — the fact that he had a dagger, Fionn's friendship, what the battle was for, maybe even how he was as a person. Brave, for sure. Willing to die for the cause.

And it's Azriel who bears his dagger. Azriel, who has such a complicated relationship with his Illyrian heritage and loaths it - and by extension, himself - is the one with this enormous legacy right at this hand. And this matters.

Still in ACOSF, we have Rhys talking with Cassian and wanting him to play Courtier, the following exchange then follows:

“What, we’re doing some role reversal? Az gets to lead the Illyrians now?” “Don’t play stupid,” Rhys said coolly. Cassian rolled his eyes. But they both knew Azriel would sooner disband and destroy Illyria than help it. Convincing their brother that the Illyrians were a people worth saving was still a battle amongst the three of them.

Azriel hates the Illyrians for what happened to him and his mother and his dislike for them is, to a degree, understandable. The thing is that Azriel, no matter how much he loaths it, is Illyrian. Maybe he's more than that (as it's pointed that Az is different in a lot of ways and Bryce wonders if he is Starborn), but at heart, he's Illyrian. Siphons, leathers, fighting, being Carynthian, his wings, his scabbard and the dagger it holds.

It was healthy, perhaps, for Az to sometimes remember where he'd come from. He still wore the Illyrian leathers. Had not tried to get the tattoos removed. Some part of him was Illyrian still. Always would be. Even if he wished to forget it.

Being Illyrian is part of who he is and his deep hatred for them only fuel his self-loathing. He would like to set himself apart, but he is not.

We can actually draw a direct parallel between Azriel and Bryce with how they regard the Fae vs the Illyrians. Bryce loathes the Fae and for most of HoFaS, she believes they are evil, corrupt, power-hungry and quite generally, not worth saving. She would leave them all to burn. Sound familiar?

And Bryce is wrong. Sathia challenges her notion, pointing out that she's laying judgement to all fae and that is hardly fair. What the one who don't deserve it? Herself, yes, but Flynn, Declan, and Ruhn himself? Do they deserve to burn too? Bryce herself acknowledges this:

Urd had sent her there to see, even in the small fraction of their world that she’d witnessed, that Fae existed who were kind and brave. She might have had to betray Nesta and Azriel, trick them … but she knew that at their cores, they were good people. The Fae of Midgard were capable of more. Ruhn proved it. Flynn and Dec proved it. Even Sathia proved it, in the short time Bryce had known her.

And this part here sums up quite neatly:

Fire met starlight met shadows, and Bryce loosed herself on the world. It ended today. Here. Now. This had nothing to do with the Asteri, or Midgard. The Fae had festered under leaders like these males, but her people could be so much more.

There are Illyrians who are kind and brave and break the mold. We see this with Emerie, who is also a woman. We see that with Balthazar, Cassian. The main point stands, though, that you cannot judge or condemn an entire race for the bad apples.

Azriel is wrong, just as Bryce was wrong, and his journey will be also to realise that his people are worth saving. They were created of night and pain (words that Azriel embodies, being a master of shadows and a torturer), but that is not everything they need to be. They can be more than soldiers. They can thrive.

And I believe this was something Enalius himself came to the believe, long ago. His people deserved more than to be slaves to the Asteri, forced to give them their power when need be, bred to live and die for them. They could be more. And Enalius died to free his people from their chains.

Is Azriel Enalius's blooded descendant? I'm not sure, but he doesn't need to be. Azriel is Enalius successor because he will finish what was started. He'll uncover the secrets of the past, what his people were in truth, what Enalius rebelled for, what he stood for, what the Blood Rite truly means - which he only got a glimpse of.

And this is where I think Emerie will also come in. She's s one of ACOSF most relevant characters and the first female Illyrian to be Carynthian. I think Emerie will also become an inspirational figure to the Illyrian women, another of these what they coud be. What they can be. And more importantly and that is just a theory, what they were.

Orestes was a warrior. What if so was Carynth and she was woman? The name always struck me as similar to Carina, which is the name of a constellation and commonly used by women. It would be ironic and another shaking revelation to the Illyrians that Carynth, for whom their greatest warriors are named after, was a woman.

Does that mean all Illyrian women must become Valkyries? No, but some might wish to follow this path whilst their society takes its time to catch up. They already shook the status quo and with Nesta poised to have a big role (andthe Valkyries along her), they will continue to do so.

Azriel will uncovered the lost history of Vesperus offered him all the clues he needed to start looking. His journey to find out this secrets will lead to him facing his own demons, confronting his loathing for his people and, in doing so, he will make peace with himself.

[melphss]

 @nestaarcheronweek | Day 07: Free Day

“You said you had an eight-pointed star tattooed on you,” Bryce explained. “And you found the chamber with the eight-pointed star in the Prison, too.”

Nesta lifted her head. “So?”

“So I want you to take the Starsword.” Bryce held the blade between them. “Gwydion—whatever you call it here. The age of the Starborn is over on Midgard. It ends with me.”

“I don’t understand.”

But Bryce began backing toward the portal, taking Hunt’s hand, and smiled again at the female, at her mate, at their world, as the Northern Rift began to close. “I think that eight-pointed star was tattooed on you for a reason. Take that sword and go figure out why.”

- HOFAS, Chapter 100.

In one of her past interviews, Sarah J. Maas commented Nesta's journey was just beginning after Silver Flames, and after reading House of Flame & Shadow I believe part of her journey will be linked to the Dusk Court, as not only did Nesta bargaining mark has an eight-pointed star form (which is associated with the Starborns and thus the Dusk Court), as now she is the Gwydion owner. And as much as Nesta power is usually linked to death, its also showed capable of bringing life (as we have seen with the House of the Wind and Feyre & Nyx). I also found it particularly curious that Pegasus started appearing in Avallen once the land was healed, since Pegasus seem to have an association with the Valkyries.

Thank you @/paolapieretti.art for creating this stunning art! 

Art by: @/paolapieretti.art

Commissioned by: @melphss

Characters belongs to: Sarah J. Maas

[silverflameataraxia]

ACOSF was meant to be a healing journey for Nesta, but at the end she said that she wouldn't fall back into that pit of depression if she had Cassian at her side, her friends at her back, and the HoW.

Perhaps the future did not need to be so planned - she could just take it one day at a time. As long as she had Cassian at her side, her friends with her, she could do it. Face it. They wouldn't let her fall back into that pit. Cassian would never let her fall again.

But it didn't matter. Nesta could hardly wait for it - the ceremony, the...whatever awaited her beyond it. None of it frightened her. None of it left her with that pit of despair. Not with Cassian at her side, her friends at her back, the House of Wind...

HOFAS ripped all that away. Cassian was most certainly not at her side. He didn't agree with her decision, he did absolutely nothing to stick up for her, he didn't defend her when Rhysand threatened her, he did nothing to protect her from punishment or possible execution, he did nothing when she cowered before Rhysand. And to make matters worse, he was the most furious with her. He probably ripped her to shreds, probably said some incredibly hurtful things to his own mate. Every other SJM mated couple is a team...except Nessian. Cassian left Nesta all alone. Every other mated couple sticks up for their mate (even if they don't agree with their decisions), at least in public. And they most certainly don't let someone threaten their mate.

I have no doubt that Gwyn and Emerie had Nesta's back, even if they didn't agree with her decision, but Az (Nesta's other bestie) did not. He didn't agree with her, he did nothing to stick up for her, he allowed Rhysand to threaten her, he did nothing to protect Nesta from punishment or possible execution, and he did nothing when Nesta cowered before Rhysand. Nesta and Az have developed a beautiful friendship, but he most certainly did not have her back.

The HoW probably ceased to be Nesta's home when Rhysand entered without her permission and threatened her in it, when she cowered before him in it.

We know Nesta's story isn't over yet, and she's the only character to have been given a clear objective: take Gwydion and find out why the eight-pointed star was tattooed on her. Considering in HOFAS she seemed so lost and hurt and broken, maybe she'll take this journey on her own and maybe Cass, Az, Gwyn, and Emerie will team up to find her.

When it comes to Nessian, I see two directions forward: Nesta rejects the mating bond or Cassian gets a redemption arc. I really see no other alternative.

[princessofmerchants]

I just had a revelation as I continue to reread ACOSF post-HOFAS...

The bargain between Nesta and Cassian, that produces their eight-pointed star bargain tattoos, is what finally causes Nesta to start training.

(HOFAS spoilers after the break)

I know this sounds obvious. I've read ACOSF a bazillion times at this point.

But in the past, whenever I thought about their bargain, I have always had at the forefront of my mind the personal impact of the bargain on both of them — how much it means to Cassian that she give training a try, and the fact that Nesta calls in her side of the bargain as part of their lovers' quarrel about their mating bond.

But without this bargain (i.e., Nesta trains for one hour in exchange for a favor from Cassian), Nesta Archeron would not have begun to train.

And if she had not begun to train, the priestesses, Gwyn, and Emerie would not have begun to train.

And (you see where I'm heading with this), this means that without this bargain, the Valkyries would never have been reformed.

The fact that in HOFAS, Bryce connects Nesta's eight-pointed star bargain tattoo to Gwydion/the Starsword, and challenges Nesta to go find out what they may have to do with each other... 🤯

And also given the fate-laden way the scene where Gwyn cuts the ribbon is written, as a turning point that everyone senses but can't fully understand yet...

I'm one of those readers that absolutely thinks the Mother / Urd is a deity who acts in and through the lives of those in these stories. (I would probably be a priestess if I lived in Prythian...)

I'm just in awe and totally hyped to see, on this post-HOFAS reread of ACOSF, all the ways SJM has imbued Nesta's personal story of healing with significance related to the wider magical conflict.

And maybe part of what Nesta will find out is that the eight-pointed star tattoo represents the moment she made a choice that would change everything, and that maybe the Mother made the tattoo that shape to both honor and reveal that change.

[copperbadge]

Radio Free Monday

Good morning everyone, and welcome to Radio Free Monday!

As a reminder, I will be discontinuing Radio Free Monday in the new year, although the guide to fundraising will remain, and you should feel free to link to it.

Ways to Give:

Aviator Celadine is an unemployed trans woman raising funds to try and keep above water while she continues to apply for jobs and preps to apply for state aid; she needs to raise $2.5K to survive until she can reapply for aid in February of next year. You can read more and support the fundraiser here.

Samantha is disabled and is also caring for her disabled father and brothers; she recently missed work due to her father's stroke and her own disabilities, and needs help getting back on her feet. You can read more and support the fundraiser here.

Anon linked to a fundraiser for Ima Pseudonym aka Ray Blanchard, who recently raised enough to achieve housing and medical care for his disability but still needs help to cover rent until his disability aid application makes it through the system. You can read more and support the fundraiser here.

Recurring Needs:

gwydion's HOA recently pushed through a special assessment charge of $4.4K for tenants that is due in 90 days, and which ze is unable to cover in full; ze needs to raise another $1400 or so to cover by mid-December. You can read more, reblog, and find giving information here.

loversdoom is raising funds for an assessment to get help with mental health so she can be treated and remain in school, where she has a safe place to live and basic psychiatric support. You can read more, reblog, and find giving information here or give via paypal here.

chingaderita is raising funds for their mother-in-law, who recently found a lump and needs medical attention to determine if it's cancer; the family has been struggling after having to move into an unsafe living situation after a house fire. You can read more and support the fundraiser here.

And this has been Radio Free Monday! Thank you for your time. You can post items for my attention at the Radio Free Monday submissions form.