#koa fae

[amalur]

I know it's been a while since actually posting, but I wanted to share this creation with you all. Not super great, but I made a High King Titarion emoji for my Amalur themed discord server ♡

[hierophant-x]

a lorestone may tell you it’s secrets if you listen close enough ✨

• INSTAGRAM •

[acourtofquestions]

Maeve: *about Rowan and Aelin*

If they got together, they would make the most beautiful super baby. It would rule us all… But what if super baby became too powerful?

[titsthedamnseason]

sometimes i am randomly haunted by the original throne of glass series covers. because like WHO is that girl and WHY is she gray

[dankinamalur]

King Kush

[wizardofderpiness]

Not me rereading my own fanfics and getting obsessed again with kingdoms of amalur. psh no. that's that dude over there. *pointing away, no ones there and when you look back i tripped over my own feet trying to run away*

[offtorivendell]

Is this proof that the mating bonds of the High Fae were corrupted along with Prythian's Cauldron? What might this mean for Azriel and Elain Archeron?

This post was written for @azrielappreciationweek Day 5: No Need For Poetry

Disclaimer: this is a theory that, while based on the text, makes no claim of being canon. My thanks as always go out to @wingedblooms, @elrieldreamer, @ladynightcourt3, @psychologynerd and anyone else who tolerates my nattering. And don't worry, this isn't nearly as long as my last post. 😂

Spoilers: the entire Maasverse to date is discussed.

High Fae and their mating bonds

@wingedblooms recently made a great observation: that the witches from Erilea had once taken up the Fae habit of "selecting" their mates. This especially caught my eye as I have previously theorised that all Singers could be witches or sorcerers of a sort. I think @psychologynerd also mentioned the same passage when she discussed the possibility of Azriel being a witch prince, which I absolutely hope is true.

The crone read her question in her eyes. “Our men dwell at our homes, where they are safe. This camp is an outpost while we conduct our business.” The Crochans had always given birth to more males than the Ironteeth, and had adopted the Fae habit of selecting mates—if not a true mating bond, then in spirit. She’d always thought it outlandish and strange. Unnecessary. - KOA, chapter 15

It even pairs nicely with the following quote, which @silverlinedeyes included in her discussion about true mates possibly being a bond type all of its own.

“After your mother never returned, your father was asked to couple with another young witch. He was the sole carrier of the Crochan bloodline, you see, and should your mother and you not have survived the birthing, it would end with him. He didn’t know what had happened to either of you. If you were alive, or dead. Didn’t even know where to look. So he agreed to do his duty, agreed to help his dying people.” Her great-grandmother smiled sadly. “All who met Tristan loved him.” Tristan. That had been his name. Had her grandmother even known it before she’d killed him? “A young witch was chosen for him especially. But he did not love her—not with your mother as his true mate, the song of his soul. Tristan made it work nonetheless. Rhiannon was the result of that.” - KOA, chapter 15

Those on their own were very interesting finds, but when we combine them with the now-canon fact that, per Silene's message, Prythian's Cauldron has indeed been corrupted, it shines the following passage from ACOMAF in an entirely new light.

The Cauldron was of our world, our heritage. But upon arriving here, the Daglan captured it and used their powers to warp it. To turn it from what it had been into something deadlier. No longer just a tool of creation, but of destruction. And the horrors it produced … those, too, my parents would turn to their advantage. - HOFAS, chapter 19

I held out my own glass for Mor to fill. “He does need unusual amounts of coddling.” Azriel choked on his wine, and I met his gaze—warm for once. Soft, even. I felt Rhys tense beside me and quickly looked away from the spymaster. A glance at the guilt in Rhys’s eyes told me he was sorry. And fighting it. So strange, the High Fae with their mating and primal instincts. So at odds with their ancient traditions and learning. - ACOMAF, chapter 56

So at odds with their ancient traditions and learning.

Feyre suggested the primal instincts of the high fae mating bonds - at least as they currently exist - were "at odds" with their ancient traditions and learning.

Does this not sound like we should be questioning everything, especially in light of the information we learnt in HOFAS, which confirmed what some of us had previously wondered about the Cauldron having been tampered* with? It makes me wonder what, exactly, made these two facets of the current high fae become so at odds with each other.

* Kudos to @fawnandshadows for that brainwave years ago!

Why can Azriel smell the bond between Elain and Lucien before it has been consummated? That shouldn't be possible, especially as - like Cassian - he simply "suspected" that Feyre and Rhys were mates in early ACOMAF. Unless there's something we don't yet know, Amren was the only one who knew without being told.

Further, why does proximity to the "bondmates" become too much for even such a hardened soldier to bear? This doesn't seem normal.

Why does the Cauldron's magic appear to be associated with oiliness?

It has to be the Cauldron's corruption, right?

What if Azriel has been right all along... what if the Cauldron was wrong?

So... Azriel and Elain Archeron?

We know that Azriel's shadows can hide him from binding magic, such as the contract Thesan created to keep the peace in the High Lords' meeting.

Azriel squeezed, Eris thrashing beneath him. No physical brawling—there had been a rule against that, but Azriel, with whatever power those shadows gave him … “Enough, Azriel,” Rhys ordered. Perhaps those shadows that now slid and eddied around the shadowsinger hid him from the wrath of the binding magic. The others made no move to interfere, as if wondering the same. - ACOWAR, chapter 45

@mrspettyferr has previously wondered if this part of the shadows' power could have been why a true bond didn't snap between Azriel and Elain while at Hybern, either when she was in/freshly out of the Cauldron (or with Mor previously, if it turns out they share some sort of bond); do his shadows hide him from the binding magic/contract of a mating bond? Especially as SJM has used the term "shackled." It is an incredibly interesting thought, as I had only ever considered this ability in terms of defensive magic, and is part of the reason why I first took note of the passage below. Of course, we still need to answer why a mating bond would generate with Lucien in the absence of Azriel's soul; was there some sort of external interference, such as the Cauldron itself, or is it simply part of the function of at least one of the hypothesised bonds to snap into place if the nearby match is "good enough" for strong children?

@wingedblooms and I have previously discussed the potential for an evolution of the current mating bond (here and here), and many theories exist about how the bond may be dissolved. Will it be Nesta or Elain who use the power of the Cauldron to unMake it; will it be Truth-Teller severing the Elucien bond, per sleepyliv and @riddlecrux; or did Lucien and his spell-cleaving heritage unintentionally pull their bond thread loose and begin its unravelling back in ACOWAR, as once suggested by @nikethestatue.

Assuming that whatever exists between Elain and Lucien can be unMade, of course, I wonder if Azriel's shadows/magic could contribute in some way towards him "selecting" his own mate in the future, after reading the following exchange.

“No one’s got any rope?” Bryce asked pathetically. She was met with incredulous silence. Bryce nodded to Azriel. “Those shadows of yours could take form—they caused that cave-in. Can’t you, like, make a bridge or something? Or your blue light … you seemed to think it could have restrained the Wyrm. Make a rope with that.” His brows rose. “Neither of those things is remotely possible. The shadows are made of magic, just very condensed. These”—he motioned to the blue stones in his armor—“concentrate my power and allow me to craft it into things that resemble weapons. But they’re still only magic—power.” - HOFAS, chapter 16

Cassian gawked at Azriel, and I wondered how often Azriel had lent out that blade— Never, Rhys said from where he finished buckling on his own weapons against the side of the wagon. I have never once seen Azriel let another person touch that knife. Elain looked up at Azriel, their eyes meeting, his hand still lingering on the hilt of the blade. I saw the painting in my mind: the lovely fawn, blooming spring vibrant behind her. Standing before Death, shadows and terrors lurking over his shoulder. Light and dark, the space between their bodies a blend of the two. The only bridge of connection … that knife. - ACOWAR, chapter 69

Why did we learn that Azriel's shadows cannot make any sort of "bridge" or "rope" (aka a cord of woven threads, which is very reminiscent of a mating bond) to reach across the gap? It seems pretty symbolic to me, and marries nicely with Truth-Teller being described as "bridging the gap" between Elain and Azriel in ACOWAR's pre-war meadow scene. Will Azriel's shadows or siphons be able to help nullify the Elucien bond somehow? What about creation?

Purification?

I know @wingedblooms and @ladynightcourt3, at least, join me in my suspicions that - similar to Yrene in KOA - Elain's magic/light could purify a Valg (or similar) infestation from Azriel's shadows, which we now know are really condensed magic. If this is possible, could Az's shadows - once purified by Elain, of course (assuming Valg or similar corruption to the Cauldron, with Elain as the "executioner") - help to bridge the gap between his and Elain's souls with his magic, to meet hers half way? Thereby having Azriel and Elain "select" each other as true mates, just like the witches in Erilea once did?

Why did SJM say that Truth-Teller was bridging the gap between the two? Was it because it had been charged with sunlight and/or Elain's own light enough to begin negating a possible Valg infection in Azriel's magic, or that it will be charged enough to do so at some point in the future? Or will Gwydion or Truth-Teller's magics help to cleanse the hypothetically corrupted Cauldron bond that currently exists between Elain and Lucien? There are so many possibilities going forward.

Whatever ends up happening, this all seems very symbolic. Especially once you add in all of the "purity language" (not my term) that SJM used between Elain and Azriel. Imagine the pay off if it was always suggesting that Azriel sensed Elain's light could cleanse his magic and free him from Valg (or other) corruption?

That would be amazing foreshadowing. Sorry.

[enigmaticexplorer]

Fake Mating Bonds: The Similarity Between Rowan/Lyria and Elain/Lucien

This post was inspired by @violetasteracademic who pointed out the similarity when discussing fake mating bonds between Azriel's ACOSF bonus chapter and Empire of Storms. You can read it here!

I've decided to take her breakdown a step further and 1) compare Rowan and Lucien, and how they regard Lyria and Elain, and 2) rely on these canon scenes to suggest that the mating bond between Elain and Lucien is fake. None of this is novel. It's been around for years, and most people who've engaged in the fandom probably know all of this. But I like having page numbers to reference, so I thought this would be helpful.

This post contains spoilers for TOG, ACOTAR, and HOFAS.

(KOA: Chapter 5 - pages 62-63)

She’d [Maeve] gone into his head to trick him into thinking Lyria was his mate, had fooled the very instincts that made him a Fae male…. Why Lyria had been so frightened of him for those initial months, why it had been so damn hard to court her, even with that mating bond, its truth unknown to Lyria as well. She was gentle, and quiet, and kind. A different sort of strength, yes, but not what he might have chosen for himself.

(ACOWAR: Chapter 24 - page 249)

Touch her, smell her, taste her— The instincts were a running river… But there she was. His mate. She was nothing like Jesminda. Jesminda had been all laughter and mischief, too wild and free to be contained by the country life that she’s been born into…. She had chosen him. Elain had been…thrown at him.

What Rowan and Lucien Think About Their "Mates'" Personalities

To start, let's look at how Rowan and Lucien think about Lyria and Elain, respectively.

Rowan describes Lyria as gentle, quiet, and kind—all three are attributes he respects. And yet he admits that they're not characteristics of a mate he would have chosen for himself. He knew that Lyria's personality wasn't his preference, and it's even implied (refer to the last line from the section above) that he questioned why Lyria was his mate.

Similarly, Lucien describes Jesminda as laughter, mischief, wild, and free. He claims that Jesminda had chosen him—regardless of station—but Elain had been thrown at him. Through this comparison between Jesminda and Elain, it's implied that 1) Elain does not have the personality traits Lucien admired in Jesminda—personality traits he would have liked his mate (his true love) to possess, and, therefore, 2) Lucien doesn't see Elain as a mate he would have chosen for himself.

Both Rowan and Lucien make it clear that their "mates" had/have unusual personality traits—traits that oppose their preferences. [Note: Lyria and Elain's traits/personalities (being quiet, kind, gentle) are not depicted as bad traits. They're simply not the traits these males prefer in a partner.]

Lyria and Elain's Reactions to Their "Mating" Bonds

Now that we've established similarities between Rowan and Lucien's thinking about Lyria and Elain, respectively, let's look at how both female characters react to the bond.

Rowan tells us that Lyria was afraid of him, initially. And while Rowan admits to eventually coming to love her (same chapter, bottom of page 62), Lyria's fear—due to the unnatural state of their bond—made their courtship difficult. The text implies that 1) she avoided Rowan and 2) only once he proved himself a decent male—and because of the tug of the bond—did she give into him.

Similarly, Elain remains disinterested with Lucien. I don't think it's implied that she's afraid of him, like Lyria was of Rowan, however, she is uncomfortable around Lucien. She avoids him, and she only interacts with him when her family forces her to. And her interactions are polite, nothing more. Their "courtship" is difficult and problematic with Elain not wanting to entertain Lucien's attention/forced affections, and Lucien being uninspired to truly pursue her. [An aside: I don’t think that Lucien deserves applause for giving Elain space. A male not forcing himself on a woman is not admirable—it’s the bare minimum of human existence (in this case Fae existence).]

It seems that both Lyria and Elain had/have an instinctive knowledge that something was/is wrong with their bond—both females avoided/avoid their "mates" unless forced to see him. An unusual characteristic considering that we're told a mating bond overpowers your base instincts and should have compelled them to at least show some interest in Rowan/Lucien.

Males Portraying Mate-Like Behaviors with Their Fake Mates

I've seen a few posts circling about how Lucien feels so strongly for Elain and because he portrays mate-like behaviors towards her, that means they're end game.

In the KOA passage, we learn that Rowan felt mate-like tendencies for Lyria. He claims the mating bond that Maeve constructed "had fooled the very instincts that made him a Fae male." The very instincts.

We also see these mate-like behaviors described earlier in the series.

(HOF: Chapter 35 - pages 303-304)

"When you lose a mate, you don't..." A shake of the head. "I lost all sense of self, of time and place..." "For ten years, I did nothing. I vanished. I went mad. Beyond mad. I felt nothing at all. I just...left. I wandered the world, in and out of my forms, hardly marking the seasons, eating only when my hawk told me it needed to feed or it would die. I would have let myself die--except I...couldn't bring myself..." "I had nothing. No one. At that point, I hoped serving her [Maeve] might get me killed, and then I could see Lyria again."

Even though Lyria wasn't his real mate, Rowan still felt that pull to her. He believed—thanks to his fae male instincts—that she was his mate, and when she died, he spent ten years mourning her. Ten years barely eating. Ten years spending most of his time in hawk form. And he took the blood oath to Maeve with the hope that he would die and reunite with Lyria.

Remember: Lyria wasn't Rowan's real mate. And yet he still displayed all of those mate feelings and behaviors. So much so he nearly died because of his grief.

Similarly, we see Lucien display the same feelings/thoughts for Elain—hence his internal monologue in ACOWAR to touch her, taste her, claim her. However, as we've learned from Rowan's experience, male's portraying mate-like behaviors and feelings is not confined to real mate bonds. These instincts can be—and have been—bastardized and abused to create fake bonds.

So, even though Lucien displays some mate-like feelings/behaviors for Elain, it doesn't mean that Elain and Lucien are real mates. Even then, his willingness to stay away from her and give her space (again, I will not applaud him for not forcing himself on Elain), is at odds with how a mated male acts around and towards his mate. Compare Lucien to Rowan—Rowan couldn't stay away from Lyria and he actively pursued her, even though she wasn't his real mate.

Based on these comparisons, we can safely theorize—and assume—that a fake mating bond exists between Elain and Lucien. Elain does not act like a mated female (I will not judge Elain for wanting to kiss Azriel, and I will always support female characters choosing their own love), and even though Lucien shows some mate-like tendencies, his willingness and ability to avoid Elain, and compare her to Jesminda, is unusual for a mated male.

The real question is: Who or What created the fake mating bond between Elain and Lucien?

I'm inclined to believe it was the Cauldron. From what we learned in HOFAS, the Cauldron was "warped" by the Asteri.

(HOFAS: Chapter 19 - pages 195-196)

...the Daglan captured it [the Cauldron] and used their powers to warp it. To turn it from what it had been into something deadlier. No longer just a tool of creation, but of destruction.

The Cauldron is not a benevolent or good Thing. It causes both creation but also destruction. And it's not farfetched to theorize that the Cauldron—like Maeve—created the bond between Elain and Lucien. However, there's not enough canonical evidence to truly suggest that it was the Cauldron that created their bond.

That being said, canon has made it clear that 1) a fake mating bond can exist, and 2) mate-like tendencies are not definitive of a real mating bond.

[acourtofquestions]

@the-unseelie

Aelin x Rowan - Throne Of Glass

Artist: imjenndove

“She smiled at last. And damn if it didn't kill him, the quiet joy in her face.

They had walked out of darkness and pain and despair together. They were still walking out of it. So that smile... It struck him stupid every time he saw it and realized it was for him.”

—Queen Of Shadows

[gracie-rosee]

I’ve had a thought about ToG and I’ve never seen anyone talk about this before in theories or anything. (KOA spoilers)

Yrene is Silba’s sole heir, the Goddess of Healing. So when Aelin banished all the gods and they are no more… that would mean Yrene inherits her full powers, right? Let’s say she does, for the sake of the theory.

Being the new Goddess of Healing, would that mean she becomes immortal? And by their life bond, would Chaol be as well?

This poses some super interesting questions!!

Do you think they are in all the great fae history books? Do you think Bryce has read about her in Jesiba’s library? Do you think Azriel, who hoards legends and stories of enduring love, knows of the Healer who saved the world? Do you think Feyre or Rhys tell Nyx the bedtime story of the Captain and the Healer?

And do you think Yrene and Chaol could possibly have descendants that we have met already in acotar/CC?

There’s just so much potential there not to be explored!

[acourtofquestions]

I wann ask, since you've completed EoS, how do you feel about Lorcan now? he had a redemption arc in koA but honestly, I could never truly forgive him. I wanna know your thoughts on what he did

Good question @mysterylilycheeta! — (Thanks for the ask, you always have great ones & I loved thinking on this one :-) — I’ll definitely have to see how it changes over time. And can totally see your point already! P.S. I’m thinking out loud, feel free to skip to the final chapter for the cliff notes, lol🙃

As of right now, it’s kinda weird (I may still be in shock😅): I’m upset with him, but I’m also not surprised? I’m more angry, than disappointed? — What I mean is I kind of expect this from him; it’s like the old “Frog & Scorpion” tale… I wasn’t quite as shocked by the betrayal, because I never trusted him not to betray Aelin in the first place. I’m sad that he did… I’m angry… at so, so many pieces of those chapters; I want to mentally throttle him a lil bit… but I also on some level knew that he was always going to make that choice; somehow he would betray her, somehow his tether would remain with Maeve; there were just too many threads between the Cadre, Rowan, the Wyrdkeys… all of it… the situation was painful & complicated (all the while feeling a few seconds away from easily comfortable/fixable).

You had some of the most powerful players all on the field, yet completely helpless. Gavriel & Fenrys were trying (even though I was a little mad/confused by Gavriel because I don’t know what the blood oath actually does but, he was acting way more injured than he sounded? & I kinda wanted to shake him & say “GO! NOW!! GET AELIN!!!” If for nothing else, then for your son BECAUSE YOU STILL HAVE HIM; YOU HAVE A SON (who isn’t this psychopath) and THEY NEED YOU)! And Fenrys who might have broken my heart most (or close to Elide; of course Aelin was #1 in that scene but as far as the “watchers” go) because he desperately wanted to help her, he was fighting with everything he had (I think he would have died for her right then & there if that was the price saving her required) and while it’s never been fully clear what his “deal” is with her, his character stands alone & says enough. I have no doubt he loves her both for his friend & for the same reason we all do; she is the future, bright, fierce, powerful, loving, joyous, & overflowing with life. How could he not want to serve a queen like that? And the fact he was trying says a lot because (invisible as it may have been in the moment) it was a high price for him; he is risking his only family, he is risking every torture he’s experienced times 10, and he is doing it for someone he barely knows (yet knows too well). Then you have Manon; who obviously wanted to help, but also knew she had to keep the keys, & get Elide out (even Aelin needed to know she would do that) and while I wanted her to do something, I don’t blame her for not; I don’t think Manon had a better option in that moment with that hand she/they were dealt. And the fact she is flinching, almost moving; it says a lot; Manon doesn’t scare easily, and even she is in pain watching. She is also already under the assumption of rescuing Aelin (even if that ending sentence of why was gutting). Elide quite obviously was impossible to watch, she did everything she could, and if she had been allowed she would have gone with Aelin without doubt on the mere whim it would spare her the slightest. And of course, I’m not angry at anyone on the boat because they literally couldn’t have gone any faster (Rowan; despite the fact he will probably regret it; made the right choice to go with the team + honestly I didn’t want to see him see it, Maeve would’ve made it so much worse… a part of me keeps wondering if Aelin was hurrying because of that? Or stalling because she thought they’d save her in time?) and oh Aelin… & then there’s that; beautiful, brave, selfless, Aelin & an idiot😂 (if you think there is a chance in any realm that Aedion & Rowan don’t come for you… honestly it’s sad… it’s sad how surprised she was to learn Ansel had tried to save her; it’s sad that she still believes that😭).

Which again, leaves us with Lorcan (in this already long “thinking out loud” kinda post😅😂 sry lol)… at the end of the day, Lorcan was bound by the oath. Maeve would have found Aelin no matter what. And eventually, he would have had no options even if he had tried. While, he could have pleaded or tried, I think we & he knew Maeve would not listen. And the real problem is in, the fact that is the queen he put his faith in and that is when he did not try. That is who/what he betrayed Elide for. That is what he paid for with Rowan (ROWAN; someone he knows to be a good man; someone he knows cannot live without Aelin… even had to know on some level; she is what the entire world needs… and his friend deserved that peace) & he chose to pay with the love of Rowan’s life, on the hope of saving Elide, the denial of the true monster he served, and perhaps the whim of possibly earning back his devout dark queen. He was full of vengeful rage, and he made a very, very bad choice (not a mistake, a choice). One that he was not bound to do. One that he was not forced to make. One that he knew on some level was wrong, and didn’t know just how true that was until it was too late… and even then, he watched. He watched Cairn maul her, and while he could not look away, he too gave up (and realized that she didn’t, she refused to count, and she would pay a heavy price for resilience, one that was his; honestly it reminded me of Elena… maybe I’m a little raw from Ch. 68, but it seems a parallel of sorts; Aelin grew & grew up, beyond the Assassin who jumped the window for revenge, but Lorcan the immortal was still too young to understand; to know such love… it’s sad… how close he came with Elide… and how he hurt her anyway) and the moment the oath broke… perhaps it did shred his soul, but he had to know right then that he had done the same to a better man and when Rowan said those words… he felt it all. Lorcan wept. He lied, and cheated, and brought death upon them. And I don’t know if anyone will ever forgive him for it, but in a way it reminds me of Chaol; it wasn’t fully his fault (though Chaol had an easier claim to innocence). But for me, in a way, it made sense? I didn’t expect more from him, now the question is will he change; I expect that. Because all cards are on the table, right and wrong is clear, and brutal as it was, he is free; he can make a decision, so… what will it be? Will he do the right thing? I hope he will… because now he has no excuses, the frog, and scorpion sank, he lost Elide, he knows it’s more than a “bitch queen”. He knows exactly what he did; to Rowan, to the world, to Elide; he knows, he feels remorse. & now it’s time to see what he makes of it.

So, in summation: Lorcan has always been complex & a dark/gray moral-based character; this book being the first time we see any other side or perspective. And he has an already long list of poor decisions, and this is one of the worst. He trusted the wrong person. He was selfish. He hurt them. He lied. Lorcan was wrong. She (Aelin) paid the price for it, and he lost Elide & Maeve & then watched Rowan lose Aelin, and Elide lost them both… everyone went down. And I don’t know if I will forgive him; I think this one will always be angering/hurt-filled. But I also don’t think I’ll hate him forever (I’m not even sure I hate him now) I think he is what he is, (not an excuse) and I want a redemption arc. I want Elide to be happy… I don’t think she will be without him. I want Aelin to be okay, and if she can come to a place to forgive him, then I can too. Like Rowan said, he has punishment enough… now is that in comparison to Aelin? No. No, not even close… but he is redeemable. Even if what he did isn’t.

[silverlinedeyes]

The Fae at the Oasis and Timelines

This post is a long time coming…like since February 6 cc @wingedblooms lol, but for some reason I never got around to making it. Might as well make it now!

When I read HOFAS, I became convinced that the shifters in Midgard descend from the fae that Chaol and Yrene saw depicted at the tomb at the Oasis in Tower of Dawn (time stamped screenshot below for proof lol):

Here is how the fae that presumably came from Erilea are described in HOFAS when Bryce sees them in Silene’s vision:

“Tall, beautiful beings” from another world. Each capable of turning into an animal, with elongated canine teeth in their humanoid bodies.

Then we have what Chaol and Yrene see at the Oasis:

“Tall, broad-shouldered warriors” with pointed ears like the fae Bryce saw in the vision. Maybe I’m just being stupid thinking the “tall” description matters, but it just stood out to me and Sarah harkening back to this scene on purpose, and giving us a clue this is who those fae are.

We also know that the fae were at the Oasis during the first demon war, before Elena and Gavin were born:

According to this, the fae depicted at the Oasis settled there during the First War, before Elena and Gavin, and before Terrasen.

I know there has been a lot of talk about how ToG might be on another timeline from Crescent City and ACOTAR, and the events of ToG took place 15,000 years before the events of SJM’s two other series.

I think this disproves that. While it’s certainly possible ToG isn’t on the same exact timeline and might have occurred at some point before the events of CC and ACOTAR, I think that’s unlikely. Not only because Aelin sees Rhys and Feyre when she’s falling through worlds, which suggests she’s on the same timeline as them (unless she fell through space AND time), but also it would be odd for SJM to write two of her series on the same timeline and then the other 15,000 years beforehand so that story can never actually crossover with the other. (As I noted back in February:

Either way, I think the fae depicted at the Oasis lived 15,000 years before the events of ToG. We know Elena and Gavin fought Erawan 1,000 years before the events of ToG, and at that time, Brannon was decades from the fading. Which means he must have been alive for thousands of years at that point. We also know from KoA that the Western Gate of Orynth has stood there “thousands of years” and not been breached. So the fae came to the Oasis before that, since they came to the Oasis before Terrasen exists.

I think all of this together means that the shifters from Midgard came from the Southern Continent thousands and thousands of years before the events of ToG, but likely 15,000 years before the events of ToG.

And finally, I think the Under-King in CC was one of the Valg during the first demon war who snuck through the rift with the fae from the Southern Continent:

Maybe the Under-King was a valg spider, or a Valg soldier. But I think he was certainly a Valg who snuck through the Rift and began working for the Asteri when he got to Midgard.

I’m really excited to eventually see what SJM does with all of this and how she connects it, and I’m excited to see how she uses this to bring us back to the ToG world and tie it completely into the crossover as I know @wingedblooms and many others think will happen.

[acourtofquestions]

Oh my word yasssssssssssssss

Aelin Ashryver Galathynius & Rowan Whitethorn (Throne of Glass)

Art: fantasai.books

[wingedblooms]

Three sisters witches

Thank you to @offtorivendell, @silverlinedeyes, and @psychologynerd for our discussions which inspired this theory. This is a Maasverse post, and as such, there may be spoilers for all Maas series. Please proceed with caution.

“All three sisters blessed by fate and gifted with powers…” (Amren, acosf)

The acotar series begins with three sisters: Feyre, Nesta, and Elain. Given their ironwood origins and the fact that Ironteeth witches in Erilea use it to carve their brooms, many of us suspect the sisters have witch heritage or are connected to witches in some way.

The room was large enough for a rickety dresser and the enormous ironwood bed we slept in. The sole remnant of our former wealth, it had been ordered as a wedding gift from my father to my mother. It was the bed in which we’d been born, and the bed in which my mother died. In all the painting I’d done to our house these past few years, I’d never touched it. (acotar)

In Midgard and Erilea, witches worship the Three-Faced Goddess, and she is sometimes conflated with Fate…

Again, Manon felt that ebb and flow in the world, that invisible current that some called Fate and some called the loom of the Three-Faced Goddess. (hof)

In this quote, Manon feels an invisible current that goes by different names. That current sounds a lot like Urd in Midgard, Wyrd in Erilea, and the divine trio (Mother, Cauldron, Fate/Forces That Be) in Prythian. All of which sound like different forms (usually three) of the same higher being. The Fae believe this being controls fate, including fated bonds. Bonds, like spells, are described in terms of threads. Does this being weave threads of fate together with her loom, like witches seem to believe? She (they?) appears to be inspired by the Norns of Norse mythology, one of which is named Urðr (Wyrd). Together, these wise women preside over fate. In some folklore and literature, they are considered witches, like the Three Witches or Wyrd (Weird) Sisters in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, who deliver a prophecy.

The Three-Faced Goddess is also known, albeit rarely, as the Three-Faced Mother:

Manon couldn’t look at them, couldn’t do anything but close her eyes and pray to the Darkness, to the Three-Faced Mother as she held her hands over the bleeding gashes. (koa)

I’ve talked about links between the Archerons, witches, Three-Faced Goddess, and divine trio (Mother, Cauldron, Fate) before, so this isn’t new, but something caught my attention when reviewing the text recently. Ironteeth witches believe that they return to the Three-Faced Goddess when they die, and they are reborn within her womb. It’s called the Mother’s Womb.

“We’ll collect the dead tomorrow,” Manon said, her voice low. “And burn them at moonrise.” As both Crochans and Ironteeth did. A full moon tomorrow—the Mother’s Womb. A good moon to be burned. To be returned to the Three-Faced Goddess, and reborn within that womb. (koa)

This belief reminded me of the three sisters’ rebirth, particularly Nesta and Elain. We gain insight into this experience in Nesta’s book:

In the beginning

And in the end

There was Darkness

And nothing more

She did not feel the cold as she sank into a sea that had no bottom, no horizon, no surface. But she felt the burning.

Immortality was not a serene youth.

[…]

They would pay. All of them.

Starting with this Cauldron.

Starting now.

She tore into the darkness with talons and teeth. Rent and cleaves and shredded.

And the dark eternity around her shuddered. Bucked. Thrashed.

She laughed as it recoiled. Laughed around the mouthful of raw power she ripped out and swallowed whole; laughed at the fistfuls of eternity she shoved into her heart, her veins.

[…]

Wrapped in black eternity, Nesta and the Cauldron twined, burning through the darkness like a newborn star. (acosf)

While Feyre is not reborn in the Cauldron, we do get insight into her experience. When telling the Bone Carver about what appeared to her after death, she said this:

But if he knew … I turned again to the boy-creature. “There was a choice—in Death,” I said.

[…]

“I knew,” I went on, “that I could drift away into the dark. And I chose to fight—to hold on for a bit longer. Yet I knew if I wanted, I could have faded. And maybe it would be a new world, a realm of rest and peace. But I wasn’t ready for it—not to go there alone. I knew there was something else waiting beyond that dark. Something good.”

[…]

“I knew there was no coming back from what I’d done,” I said, wondering if the blue flame in the Carver’s eyes might burn my ruined soul to ash. “And once I broke their curse, once I knew I’d saved them, I just wanted enough time to turn that dagger on myself. I only decided I wanted to live when she killed me, and I knew I had not finished whatever…whatever it was I’d been born to do.” (acomaf)

Feyre was broken, but she wasn’t finished with whatever it was she had been born to do. Nesta also chose to fight in the Cauldron like a warrior. When we finally get insight into Elain’s rebirth, I am willing to bet that she fought with her own brand of strength.

It’s clear the dark womb of the Three-Faced Goddess is the same divine trio (Mother, Cauldron, Fate) the Fae in Prythian worship. When discussing the sisters in acosf, Amren emphasizes, nothing is a fluke, and the Cauldron—like the invisible current Manon described—can influence others without their awareness, especially those it has reforged. The sisters are blessed by fate with immortality and rare gifts for a reason. What plans does it have for them, and who would it enlist to help them on their path?

“May the Immortal Light shine upon thee, sisters,” said the pale-robed young woman directly in our path. (acolyte, acotar)

From the beginning of the series, various religious influences have played a role in the sisters’ journey. Children of the Blessed are the first religious influence we see, and they are largely reviled as religious fanatics by humans. The acolyte who blesses the sisters wears pale blue robes like Fae priestesses, and it is this blessing that serves as foreshadowing for their immortal fate. The acolytes’ imitation of Fae priestesses also makes me wonder if they are part of the priestesses’ extensive spy network.

Like witches, Fae priestesses worship the divine trio, and in their full garb, they represent the Voice of the Cauldron:

Ianthe had shown me once what the panel looked like when down: only her nose and full, sensuous mouth visible. The Voice of the Cauldron. I’d found the image unsettling—that merely covering the upper part of her face had somehow turned the bright, cunning female into an effigy, into something Other. (acomaf)

Their powers stem from their rituals and they can be deadly, if desired:

Among the High Fae, the priestesses oversaw their ceremonies and rituals, recorded their histories and legends, and advised their lords and ladies in matters great and trivial. I hadn’t witnessed any magic from her, but when I’d asked Lucien, he’d frowned and said their magic was drawn from their ceremonies, and could be utterly lethal should they choose it. (acomaf)

It was a High Priestess who informed Hybern about Feyre’s sisters, leading to their eventual capture and rebirth. Hybern also possessed the Cauldron at the time—did it influence him and Ianthe, weave their actions like threads in a tapestry?

Lucien’s face had slackened. “She sold out—she sold out Feyre’s family. To you.”

I had told Ianthe everything about my sisters. She had asked. Asked who they were, where they lived. And I had been so stupid, so broken … I had fed her every detail.

“Sold out?” The king snorted. “Or saved from the shackles of mortal death? Ianthe suggested they were both strong-willed women, like their sister. No doubt they’ll survive. And prove to our queens it can be done. If one has the strength.” (acomaf)

According to the Bone Carver, dark makers created the Book of Breathings and used the Cauldron to make terrible things. The Book of Breathings can control or nullify the Cauldron, and because like calls to like, only someone who is Made can speak the spells and wield its power.

As three Made sisters with potential witch heritage, were the Archerons chosen to wield the divine trio's power, a Three-Faced Goddess in the flesh? Each sister is associated with a different kind of light, so could they be light makers? And is that ultimately what it means to be Starborn? Blessed by fate, their purpose written in the stars or woven into the Goddess's loom...

The weaver went on, "I have to create, or it was all for nothing. I have to create, or I will crumple with despair and never leave my bed. I have to create because I have no other way of voicing this." Her hand rested on her heart, and my eyes burned. "It is hard," the weaver said, her stare never leaving mine, "and it hurts, but if I were to stop, if I were to let this loom or spindle go silent..." She broke my gaze at last to look at her tapestry. "Then there would be no Hope shining in the Void." (acofas)

...to be threads of Hope shining in the Void.

In acosf, priestesses continue to remain directly in the sisters’ path. They help Nesta in various ways, including scrying and locating the Harp during their dusk ritual. It belongs to the Dread Trove and it is the Trove that Nesta uses to save Rhys, Feyre, and Nyx. Was the divine trio pulling the threads here as well, and if so, to what end? To help another world defeat an old enemy? Combat an ancient death-god and sorcerer? Bring peace and healing through a different sort of world?

Now that Nesta has tracked down three Trove objects, and we know the Cauldron can be used alongside them by those who are Made, it seems inevitable that we will see it again.

“Shall I tend to my little garden forever?” When Nesta flinched, Elain said, “You can’t have it both ways. You cannot resent my decision to lead a small, quiet life while also refusing to let me do anything greater.”

“Then go off on adventures,” Nesta said. “Go drink and fuck strangers. But stay away from the Cauldron.” (acosf)

In the original trilogy, we learn that the Cauldron gave Elain such powers and found her so lovely.

The Cauldron seemed to realize what she’d done, too, as his head thumped onto the mossy ground. That Elain … Elain had defended this thief. Elain, who it had gifted with such powers, found her so lovely it had wanted to give her something…It would not harm Elain, even in its hunt to reclaim what had been taken. (acowar)

Her story might bring us even closer to the divine trio, witches, and priestesses with her gift of Sight. Among the Ironteeth, Bluebloods were especially known for their connection to divine Sight and even had their own priestesses:

“I see now,” Manon said softly, “why my Blueblood sisters still worship you.”

“Do they, now?” The spider remained motionless, but the three behind her crept closer, silent and observing with their many dark eyes. “We can hardly recall the last time the Blueblood priestesses brought their sacrifices to our foothills. We do miss them.” (Manon to the valg spider, hof)

Like a Blueblood, Elain is different from her sisters. She has a different sort of strength. Manon comments that the Blueblood Matron, who represents the maiden aspect of the Three-Faced Goddess, is more priestess than warrior. Her heir, Petrah, is similar to Elain: she is gentle and caring and is rumored to have her head in the clouds. Their clan is full of oracles, mystics, zealots, and they supposedly require more iron to remain tethered to their world.

Elain’s connection to the Cauldron—marked by a mental, iron crown—mirrors her unique strengths and gifts.

She had no mental shields, no barriers. The gates to her mind … Solid iron, covered in vines of flowers—or it would have been. The blossoms were all sealed, sleeping buds tucked into tangles of leaves and thorns.

[…]

If Elain’s mental gates were those of a sleeping garden, Nesta’s…They belonged to an ancient fortress, sharp and brutal. The sort I imagined they once impaled people upon. (acowar)

Rather than a brutal ancient fortress (the Prison?), Elain’s iron crown is covered in vines and sleeping buds. It is peaceful and lovely and full of budding life. So, what might this mean for her role? With her oracular and mystic sight, Elain might be able to move and influence like the divine trio, a rose among the thorns. She could use her gifts, or the Cauldron itself (the flower of life), to weave threads of Hope through protection, healing, and creation. Both Feyre and Nesta have used raw magic to heal and create, weaving their own threads of Hope. Elain may also participate or learn a ritual in the dawn service to help her channel her powers. It’s no coincidence that we’re told about a dawn ritual called groundings before her story. Not when she is described like this:

But even the silence weighed too heavily, and though the shadows kept him company, as they always had, as they always would, he found himself leaving the room. Entering the foyer. Soft steps padded from under the stair archway, and there she was.

The Faelights gilded Elain’s unbound hair, making her glow like the sun at dawn. She halted, her breath catching in her throat. (Azriel’s bonus chapter)

And there she was, a vision of hope and healing, glowing like a new dawn during the longest night of the year.

If you’re interested in related posts about Elain, the divine trio, witches, and Archerons, here are some of my favorites:

Murky Realm of Dreams (Elain's connections to oracles and mystics)

Seer. Wise Woman. Witch. (Elain’s connections to witches, shifting, sight, herbs and healing, rituals, etc.)

Forbidden Secrets (Elriel mapping the secrets of the sister peaks and healing the land)

Sister-Glass Caverns (Prythian’s underground caves behave like sister-glass)

A Rose in the Thorns (Elain moves like the Cauldron)

Elain and the Flower of Life (The Cauldron is the flower of life and Elain is a gardener on a larger scale)

[nickel156]

It's funny to me that E/riel shippers want the next book to be all about forbidden romance, a blood duel, Gwyn being a lightsinger, and a rejected bond. Have they forgotten that SJM is a fantasy author? While ACOTAR blends romance and fantasy, SJM’s plots are never solely focused on romance. If the book revolves entirely around a rejected bond and forbidden romance, where’s the fantasy element? What's the main plot? Is Elain supposed to be a spy and a fighter too? A book covering all of that would need to be over 800 pages. I really don’t see how that would work.

It's truly hilarious that anyone thinks there's going to be a forbidden romance.

Where Elain and Az are just sneaking around.

WITH A MIND READER 🤡

Also the fae have a gross sense of smell, so they'd all know if they were together.

Plus the added trauma of a rejected bond. Like they're just gonna have a quick sit down coffee conversation and break their sacred bond over scones 🥸

A blood duel would not happen because Lucien actually respects his mate and her wishes. I simply don't see him being the kinda male to do such a thing.

Gwyn and her backstory has the potential for a large story arc. Sjm put a lot of research into the little mermaid for her retelling.

And for all of that to take place in another female's book?! I think not!

KoA was so damn long, I wanted to quit the book. I don't need another one, tyvm.

I distinctly remember hearing chapter 97. And thinking, oh my God. How long is this book?! Just get on with it!!

[anarchiii]

What would be… —TOG AU

Part four | warnings: angst, fluff, Lyria being a pain in the ass | Rowan x Aelin

Summary: What if Rowan had known Lyria was pregnant and didn’t go off to war? Fenrys would have most likely trained Celaena, not Rowan, Would Celaena be the person she is in KOA?

Note: this is an AU it’s not in the books.

Masterlist / Series Masterlist

Celaena’s POV

“What are you doing here? Why aren’t you in Wendlyn?” Celaena whispered, “I came to see you—to be with you, I can’t stay away,” his eyes held such sadness, “I don’t understand…explain.”

“I ended my relationship with Lyria, I always knew she wasn’t my mate, I had this feeling…would you believe me if I said she’s been seeing one of my companions Vaughan behind my back? And that Maisie isn’t mine? I always found it peculiar that she resembled so much of her mother and not of me, and that her scent was always hidden? Lyria said Fae children didn’t develop a scent until they were of age…I was so incredibly stupid to believe her…” he started crying then.

“Oh Rowan…I’m so sorry, is there anything I can do?”

“Be mine, Aelin, and I be yours, that’s all I want” he pleaded, “I don’t think I can…I’m sorry Ro, it’s not right—it’s not fair to Lyria—too Maisie…”

She started crying as well, she really, really wanted to accept but it was so soon and— “please, this is our chance, I can’t let you go, I know you want to accept…so do, if I have to spend every second of my life proving I am worthy? Then fine. I can do that, but please, don’t do it for me—do it for you.”

Would it be so terrible to have someone by her side? And not just anyone—her mate…

She sucked in a breath and…“okay, I accept” she whispered, Rowan immediately pulled her into his arms and crashed his lips against hers, “you are mine, and I am yours” he said against her lips, “and you are mine and I yours” she responded. Their tears glistened in the bright sunlight. His face being cast in an golden light, sure this was sudden but.

It was better than nothing.

The End.