#i just think treating it as an essential whenever a female love interest gets added to a historical story about some man is wearing

[lackadaisycal-art]

I'm getting so sick of major female characters in historical media being incredibly feisty, outspoken and public defenders of women's rights with little to no realistic repercussions. Yes it feels like pandering, yes it's unrealistic and takes me out of the story, yes the dialogue almost always rings false - but beyond all that I think it does such a disservice to the women who lived during those periods. I'm not embarrassed of the women in history who didn't use every chance they had to Stick It To The Man. I'm not ashamed of women who were resigned to or enjoyed their lot in life. They weren't letting the side down by not having and representing modern gender ideals. It says a lot about how you view average ordinary women if the idea of one of your main characters behaving like one makes them seem lame and uninteresting to you.

[acourtofthought]

Adding to that post you made about Elain being devastatingly beautiful and Lucien being so heavily scarred. I can’t help but think that his appearance also plays a part in why he isn’t approaching Elain. He thinks she’s the most beautiful female he has ever seen and he is basically at the lowest point in his life (essentially homeless, courtless, no family, no title, I don’t know about Lucien’s finances but I mean he’s certainly no high lord). And added to that is his physical appearance. Not only does he look more fae than Azriel for example (Azriel could pass for a human without his wings), he is also a fae surrounded by perfect beauty with a facial scar and likely other scars across his back etc. When he exclaims “to accept a life shackled to me” I think he really must think that he has nothing to offer Elain, especially compared to her human life and the life that was promised to her, being a lady in a traditional rich human family. And she also expressed that she blames him for how she ended up in the cauldron. It’s interesting to me that Lucien doesn’t say that he didn’t know about that, he doesn’t deflect. I really hope we get to see all this inner turmoil going on whenever we get to be inside Lucien’s head.

I wonder how Elain will treat this insecurity if it’s ever discussed. I think their story could be a version of Hephaestus and Aphrodite. Hephaestus is the only disfigured god of Olympus and he is married to Aphrodite (through arranged marriage) who cheats on him with Ares, the god of war. The myth usually depicts Hephaestus as a cruel punisher which I don’t think would happen in ACOTAR, but I think that starting point is interesting, Elain sort of betraying the mating bond with Azriel which might prompt Lucien to distance himself, it could also probably lead towards a more pronounced insecurity about his looks, seeing as Azriel is the prettiest bat boy. I just don’t think Lucien would go the Hephaestus route and shame Elain lol he really isn’t the type.

(Side note: there’s no way he isn’t aware of at least part of that whole necklace incident, he was in the house, I always felt like Rhys stepped in to prevent any conflict lol)

You made an excellent point and while I always used the line, "to accept a life shackled to me?" as a comparison to other SJM endgame couples, I never thought about what he was actually saying. If Lucien suspects that Beron might not be his father, then that means he doesn't truly know who his father is. Sure he might have used light to break free of Hyberns chains but he tells Feyre his friend in Dawn has light powers so there's a chance he thinks his real father is from Dawn (and not necessarily someone of power). Maybe he suspects Day but again, that could be anyone. So not only is it possible he's not even the 7th son of the High Lord of Autumn (already considered worthless because of that fact) but he isn't sure of where he actually comes from. He doesn't have a true home where he belongs, he knows he's unwanted by Beron, possibly thinks he was unwanted by his real father (if he suspects that's not Beron) and he is disfigured. He probably wonders exactly what he can offer Elain. Elain who is the most beautiful female he'd ever seen who lives in a place with her sisters, as well as Rhys and the IC who are the kind of family Lucien once hoped to have, in a city Lucien admits to finding beautiful. Really, the only thing Lucien can offer her right now is the chance to get to know one another and maybe his love as a result. That's something he once offered to Jesminda and we know how that turned out for him. His love alone was not enough to keep her safe. In ACOMAF he says to Feyre, "isn't that what all human women wish for? A handsome faerie lord to wed and shower them with riches for the rest of their life?" I'm guessing he doesn't entirely believe that but if there is a small part of him that thinks that's what he should be offering to someone and realizes it's not something he can provide considering he's adrift and very aware of his scars, then feeling like Elain would be shackled to him makes a lot of sense. That he feels unworthy to give her the life she deserves. I can see the similarities in the storyline with the Greek Gods that you mentioned! Though as SJM likes give things a happy ending twist, I agree that Lucien isn't going to turn around and punish Az or Elain. He might get the chance to prove everyone wrong but it's not going to be with some intentional vendetta.

I do think it's possible Lucien is aware of what happened on Solstice and if so, that seems to be in line with all the mated males she's written about in ACOTAR. Rhys knew Feyre was with Tamlin and going to marry Tamlin yet he had to tamp down the emotions he was feeling to let her. Cassian knew Nesta was sleeping with other males and tried to convince himself it didn't matter. So Lucien being aware of Elain and Az but standing down to allow her the freedom to do what she needs to do is exactly in line with Rhys and Cassian. I loved your ask though it simultaneously broke my heart for everything Lucien must be feeling right now. I can't wait for his POV.