#validate him nesta.

[burygods]

nesta archeron : your hair looks really nice like that.

scott was not a steady sleeper. he tossed and turned, and it has a lot to do with the handprint on his body that constantly felt like it was burning a hole into deeper his soul and the less than stellar dreams that accompanied his slumber. so yes, he had a bit of a bedhead going on ... and he's not ashamed for it in the slightest.

" i know you're taking the piss outta me, " scott pushes himself up onto his elbows with a light grunt. " but i don't care. i know i look good. " a little bit of cocky flair, a smirk tugging at his lips as he peers over at @wandyrlust. " you can't tell me i don't look good right now, nesta. "

[sserrafeim]

I’m going to hold your hand when I say this:

Feyre isn’t a bad artist. She doesn’t draw stick figures. She’s not a bad warrior either. The inner circle is her family, they wouldn’t be mad at her for painting the walls of a magic cabin that can clean itself. She’s not a breeding mule for having a child, neither is she too young for one, given that having a child was her choice and something she discussed with her partner beforehand. She didn’t lie and wasn’t manipulated when she recognised a male character’s abuse for what it was, no matter how much you want to justify his actions.

Nesta isn’t a bad dancer. It’s mentioned, and later shown, how she can enchant people with a mere dance. She’s not a bitch for dealing with her trauma in a way that you don’t like or you don’t think is “fit for a woman.”

Elain isn’t bad at baking. She isn’t stupid and a coward for choosing to live a simple life without violence, something she detests. She still needs time to accept her turning into fae, having a mate, and let go of the last.

Morrigan isn’t a whore for wearing revealing clothes. She isn’t a stupid manipulative bitch for not reciprocating a man’s feelings towards her or for not feeling safe and comfortable around a man that hurt her, no matter how attractive both men might be. You can’t blame her for not feeling ready to reveal her romantic and sexual preferences to her chosen family when she’s spent years being abused and ridiculed by her blood relatives.

Amren isn’t a bitch for being born a creature of terrifying power that doesn’t feel a single emotion and has no real free will, created only to follow her father’s orders. She can’t be blamed for not reacting to most things the way people would do when emotions are a new thing to her after living thousands of years without them.

Gwyn didn’t fake her rape. She has no intention of infiltrating a group of people for nefarious purposes or luring a man away from another woman. She spent years in a sanctuary trying to regain her identity and bodily autonomy after being brutally assaulted and witnessing the decapitation of her sister, the only family she had left. Her decision to take her life back in her hands wasn’t made with an ulterior motive. You can’t blame her for a man’s actions and feelings (ACOSF bonus chapter) because it “threatens your ship.”

Emerie spent her whole life being afraid of her father, thinking he would kill her. She suffered him after he beat her mother to death and had to endure everyone praising him for being a “good man” when not even her wings were spared from his cruelty. She then had to suffer the threats and humiliation of other male relatives, and not, after her father’s death, because she ran a shop by her own.

The Valkyries isn’t a stupid plot about women training as warriors and surface-level feminism. It’s about women reclaiming their lives after horrible things were done to them and gaining the power to prevent it from happening again to them or other unprotected women. Nesta, Gwyn, and Emerie winning the Blood Rite wasn’t “unrealistic.” They trained for that and they trained even before knowing they were going to compete. It wasn’t a senseless victory for the sake of plot.

The obsession this fandom has with diminishing female characters, friendships, and traumatic experiences of said characters for the sake of uplifting the male ones in the series is wrong on so many levels and it has to stop. It’s not “critically thinking” or “valid criticism”, it’s misogyny. Deep-rooted misogyny. It’s ironic in a way, reading a book series that is all about women healing, discovering themselves and finding true love and friendship, only to shit on its female characters.

[yazthebookish]

Maybe I'll spoil you guys and talk about Gwynriel and ACOTAR5 and anything related to it overall. I recently finished my HOFAS reread and have some fresh thoughts. I'll let my thoughts guide me and some of these points I've already addressed in my insta stories yesterday. I just rather share a lengthy post here since I'll only tag under #gwynriel.

I often see arguments about how Gwyn and Azriel can't move the plot forward because the series is centered on the Archeron sisters.

First, that's not true because Sarah is following what she called "a traditional romance route". She's following the same patterns of Nalini Singh, Kresley Cole, and Lisa Kleypas where they publish multiple books in the same series following different couples.

This is fitting for a series like ACOTAR because it's romance-centered. And Sarah have already said that each couple is getting one book and there will likely be more books beyond ACOTAR6.

Saying that doesn't dismiss the importance of the sisters to the story, Feyre already has a trilogy centered on her. The spin-off just follows different characters including the sisters.

I won't try hard to convince people on this because I've already posted almost everything Sarah said about the spin-off series and what's it's about. So if the next book is not centered on an Archeron sister, that's for Sarah to bamboozle the fandom with.

One thing that stuck out to me is when I compared the ending of ACOSF with the scene of Bryce giving Nesta Gwydion and seeming like she left Nesta with a new quest.

First, this is what the text says, and this is Chapter 80, the very last chapter in ACOSF:

Succeeding in the Blood Rite didn't mean the training stopped. No, after she and her friends told Cassian and Azriel most of the details of their ordeal, the two commanders had compiled a long list of mistakes that the three of them had made that needed to be corrected, and the others wanted to learn from them, too. So they would keep training, until they were all well and truly Valkyries. Gwyn, despite the Rite, had returned to living in the library.

1. The Valkyries are not yet a unit.

2. SJM only and specifically highlighted that Gwyn, despite the Rite, returned to living in the library. It was like "hey, remember all the talk Gwyn did about wanting to leave the library after two years? Yeah that's on hold a bit but keep that in mind". She didnt even add Emerie or the other priestesses to that sentence.

With Nesta being left with Gwydion to find out why the 8-pointed star was tattooed on her, I don't think the next book will start with "hey Elain take this sword and deal with it". Who are Nesta's main companions now? Gwyn and Emerie.

I'll be back to the Valkyries but let's just talk about Azriel for a bit.

It is so painfully obvious to me that Azriel is being handed the Illyrian plot on a golden platter. How big or small of a plot it is depends on SJM, but it's important based on the fact that she fleshed out the Illyrian's origins and tied them to the crossover AND making Truth-teller the knife of Enalius.

That is a big deal for an Illyrian like Azriel.

And I quote my friend Lacie on this, it is very poetic for Azriel to be the owner of the knife that originally belonged to the person who freed his own people from the Daglan's clutches, perhaps because he saw his people are more than just slaves to the Daglan—how powerful would it be for Azriel, who loathes his own people, to parallel Enalius.

And for years some people were against Azriel dealing with this plot because he shouldn't make peace with his "abusers", its true his own family and some Illyrians failed him but he is condemning an entire population. Good people like Emerie and Balthazar. Even Rhys's mother, who had valid reasons to hate her people especially as a female, still made sure to make Rhysand connect with his Illyrian heritage and he even goes on to say that his mother didn't forget what they did to her but still loved her people.

If both Cassian and Rhysand (and by extension the author) continue to flag Azriel's hatred of the Illyrians as an issue—then it is a damn big issue for it to be addressed repeatedly.

Okay so to address my final point about Gwyn and Azriel and how they can move the plot forward.

Now I didn't detail out much about what the next book will deal with because that's another post (and I already have a post on that).

All of our theories and predictions are based on information that is available to us. Saying Azriel and Gwyn cannot move the plot forward does not make any sense because the central plot is tied to multiple characters, Archeron or not.

If SJM wants to make a character move the next book's plot forward, she can do it because she's in control of the story. She's in control of the narrative. She's in control of the characters.

The characters are puppets and this is an unfinished story. If some characters would add more value and make for a more interesting story before the others, she can decide on that. If she wants to make Eris the protagonist of the next book, she can easily do that whether the fandom wants it or not.

Let me give you an example of minor characters that pushed the plot forward and became main characters: Yrene Towers and the Hind. These kind of arguments could've been used for them in HOEAB or HOSAB and Pre-TOD. Before HOSAB/HOFAS and TOD, could we have predicted that they would have played a crucial role before those books? Not likely because they had minimal appearances and were not part of the main cast. This is what I'm talking about.

You can't know how a character will contribute to a story until you see how it all unfolds. We can make guesses on the information we have which is why I believe three characters are likely to join the main cast: Gwyn, Emerie, and Eris.

Why is it so easy to accept that Emerie might be sharing a book with an original character like Mor but it's hard to comprehend the fact that Gwyn could also share a book with Azriel? Because Emerie showed up in ACOFAS? To me that's not really a strong argument based on Sarah's writing and what we have in the books, she doesn't really pick based on who showed up the earliest. Here's a good example: Hypaxia, who showed up earlier, didn't even get her own chapters but the Hind did.

And there's one argument I recall about how I need to rely on Nesta to have a plot focused on Gwyn or the Valkyries in the next book. Nesta's arc is clearly not over based on HOFAS, but does that mean she's getting a POV? Not necessarily. I don't think she is. Gwyn is the perfect candidate for us to see what's going on with Nesta post-HOFAS and how they all deal with the Valkyries and whatever Sarah will set up with them.

There is this whole Valkyrie/Illyrian conflict that could be triggered as a result of the Blood Rite, with Ramiel definitely being an important location to explore in the next book, we also have the Pegasi and the Prison and the implications of the crossover. It makes sense to have an Illyrian and a Valkyrie POV to deal with some plots in the next book.

"Gwyn contributes to nothing" we can't know until the book is out. How sure are we that maybe SJM won't connect her to the crossover by making her mysterious father a Worldwalker? Or Prince of Hel? Or an Asteri? Maybe I'm right maybe I'm wrong.

"But Koschei! And the Human Queens!" Koschei will always be a background player pulling on the strings until the final book as it's obvious he is the big bad in the series, unless someone even worse is revealed. But no one is dismissing Koschei or the Human Queens messing around.

Literally what's the point of the story or the fun elements of surprises or plot twists if you need Sarah to list down everything that the next books will deal with. That's not how a story develops to me. I don't need to know everything in advance to just know how it will go. That's like knowing spoilers early on and checking off with each book what happened and what didn't happen. I feel like it's close to how a lot of readers were disappointed with not having enough ACOTAR in HOFAS, because Sarah implied half of the book would be set in Prythian. So by the time the book came out and it wasn't that, people were vocal about it.

In my opinion, SJM set a good foundation for Gwyn's arc to build up on in ACOSF and her arc is not over. We won't get mentions of her still carrying the guilt of her sister's death or not leaving the library after she said she's sick of being there for two years without us seeing resolution for that. She wouldn't be in Azriel's bonus chapter if she is not involved with him.

To conclude, my reread still affirms to me that the next book with an Azriel/Gwyn book. Azriel is clearly being set in the forefront.

[extremely-judgemental]

After reading the books it's obvious SJM doesn't give much thought into relationship dynamics and shifts. She often goes with the most obvious and stereotypical reactions. Now that being said, I don't think SJM even tried to make Elain manipulative and self-serving. Her betrayal was wholly to confirm Feyre and Rhysand's decision to imprison Nesta instead.

Both Feyre and Nesta resist the idea of being confined. Both refuse to take orders from someone. Both are cruel with their words and actions to the ones who choose to imprison them. But one is justified over the other. The distinguishing factor between the imprisonment of Feyre and Nesta is the support from other characters.

When Tamlin locks Feyre up in their mansion, every one is against him. His best friend Lucien, his loyal servant Alis, his sentries—all of them condemn his outrage and choice. Even before when he orders her to stay inside and not leave alone, that reasonable request is also seen as an extreme measure by all of them. Lucien stands by Tamlin in those instances but expresses disdain towards his friend. Ultimately all of them comply only because Tamlin is their HL but it’s evident none of them truly support his decision. Everyone is in favour of Feyre. Tamlin himself expresses his actions are wrong but willing to do the unthinkable for her sake.

But in Nesta’s case, no one pities her or advocates for her. On top of having no tangible cause to imprison her, they all unanimously agree Nesta should be kept away from the city and people. Rhysand and Amren come up with the plan to trap her. Cassian is sycophant. We know Morrigan is gladly in favour of throwing her in Hewn City like Amren. Azriel doesn’t exactly have a say and even then, not sure he would have disagreed considering he didn’t have problem playing a chaperone. Feyre is on Rhysand’s side, no matter how much she asks him to back off, she still gives in to his whims.

The only tipping point against Nesta is Elain. Though her opinions barely hold any stand here, she’s the proclaimed angel in the series. Making her support her sister in all this would imply there’s some truth to Nesta’s defiance and the IC(read Feyre) were just cruel. Every time Nesta fights, there would be cause to doubt if she’s reasonable, from refusing to train, to search for the trove, to seduce Eris, to revealing truth about Feyre’s pregnancy. But now all of it is just wrong because everything Nesta does is wrong and she is out of control. That’s why even her sisters are against her. If everyone is against her, they must have some justification to hate her and wanting to make her submit. And there’s nothing wrong with locking her down like a feral animal.

So yeah, SJM honestly doesn’t give two fucks about character here. She instead used Elain to validate Nesta’s imprisonment in the eyes of the readers.

[aurenturley]

An anonymous send this message to someone and i needed to share.

Majority of the people in the fandom excuse what rhysand, feyre, and cassian do because they have trauma. People excuse rhysand sexually abusing feyre under the utm cause its what he "had" to do. Forcing someone to wear revealing clothing is sa. Forcing someone to dance suggestively on you is sa. Forcibly kissing someone, while they are trying to push you off, is sa. Guess, what he didn't have to do those things. Feyre destroying a whole court to get back at, leaving tens of thousands as refugees and contributing to the summer court being attacked, is excused. Cassian destroying a whole village to get back at the men who hurt his mother and also leaving refugees is excused. Twinies for real.

People still want to know what happens and see nesta. A lot of them also have others characters they like.

Nesta holds it against elain that she didn't do the same her even though nesta was there for elain. It's more a nuanced situation.

Nesta was nasty to cassian because cassian has ALWAYS been nasty to Nesta from the get go. Cassian doesn't respect her boundaries, thoughts, feelings, or opinions. He continues to say that's bullshit whenever Nesta says something he doesn't like. He continued to follow her home when she told him multiple times to leave her alone. He brought her father, who she witnessed murdered, just because she wasn't eating. Says he doesn't understand how her sisters love her just because she wants to be left alone. He yells at her in public because she doesn't want to do the whole mate thing even though she was one human and still hates the fae which is valid given the fact the fae oppresses the humans. Cassian doesn't accept that she doesn't want him when he continues to not leave her alone. He is supposed to be her mate but for some reason, he doesn't act like one. Allowing people around him to degrade and threaten nesta is not mate behavior.

People don't just hate rhysand for how he treats nesta. Its what he did to feyre utm, how he treats mor, how he doesn't do anything for those that are suffering in hewn city or illyria, and how he is written (badly. Not everything he does needs to be excused or justified). In regards to nesta, people hate rhysand for how he treats Nesta because he continues to disregard Feyre's feelings. Of wanting to have a relationship with her sister and telling him to stay out of it. Rhysand contributes to nesta not wanting to be around feyre which makes feyre sad but he, nor the ic, realize that and just blame nesta in reality, they play a big part.

That was not an intervention. Degrading someone, threatening them, judging their coping mechanisms is not an intervention. Forcing someone to leave in a place where they can't leave is abuse. We learned that with tamlin. Controlling how someone spends their days is abuse. Nesta wasn't struggling with addiction with her not having withdrawals.

[violetasteracademic]

I think, possibly, half of the fandom have either began to blend the bat boys together, or are getting them mixed up.

Azriel never said he wanted a mate. Absolutely never. Not in any context, any language, or any interpretation. He only said he wants Elain (a female who already has a mate) and is confused that she isn't his mate because of how he feels about her, not just because he wants a mating bond with her. Which is impossible as far as he knows.

There is no way he actually thinks he can create a mating bond with Elain out of thin air. He just knows Elain isn't interested in Lucien, while Azriel and Elain have developed deep feelings for each other, thus: What if the Cauldron was wrong. Do we actually believe Azriel thinks he can magically form a mating bond, or get rid of Elain and Lucien's mating bond? Where in the text does it suggest that? Now, I for one hope they manage to do this 🤣 but Azriel certainly isn't saying he thinks it is possible. He just thinks he could beat Lucien's ass in a blood duel *if* Lucien called for one (which is doubtful.)

If he had the same feelings about Gwyn, and she also had a mate already, then he would be questioning the Cauldron for her instead. He's not out here saying: I want Elain and I want her to be my mate. In fact, he most certainly thinks that is impossible. What he is saying is: I want Elain and she wants me and it feels wrong that she was "assigned" to someone else. How is that not a fair and valid thought to have? And now that he knows the Cauldron has been corrupted, how could he possibly *not* continue with that line of thought? His thoughts and feelings were validated, and now he is just going to... walk away?

Cassian, however, literally wants a mating bond and was jealous that Rhys and Feyre had one and he didn't:

Cassian was the one who explicitly stated his jealousy over the mating bond, how Feyre and Rhys showed that the tales of the "glory and wonder" of the mating bond are real.

Cassian wants a legendary mating bond. He saw Rhys and Feyre prove the mythicality of it right, and now he has wants it for himself even if he never has before.

Azriel just wants Elain.

Azriel also never said he wanted kids. It is so bizarre to invent a storyline where Azriel would change his mind about the woman he wants because she may have some risk during the pregnancy, which is already so debunkable in a million ways. Yes, Nesta changed her own pelvis but now she isn't sure she even wants kids as of HoFaS. And let's not forget what happened to Feyre was explicitly because she was in Illyrian form during conception. Rhys was *not* afraid to get her pregnant in her Fae form because the risk is way lower.

Azriel is also now 99% if not 100% confirmed to be Starborn, which would make him not fully Illyrian. This is also backed up by his ability to winnow and do other things Illyrian's cannot. At least one of the Made sisters possessed the power to change a pelvis when they wanted to. So how is this still a thing? The fact that people think Sarah would ever even write an "Elain doesn't get chosen because Azriel wants a female who can have his babies" is so offensive and unhinged I hate that I'm even talking about it, but most importantly it is inaccurate to the text. Again, the most important actually relevant piece of information is the fact that Cassian is the one who said he wants kids, not Azriel:

Azriel is asked if he wants children and he says what he wants doesn't matter (then Cassian notices how Azriel has moved on from Morrigan and he doesn't really get why. We all know it is because of Elain, regardless of whether or not you think they are endgame.) Cassian was asked if he wanted children, and he said of course he does.

All lines explicitly stating a desire for a mating bond or children are assigned to Cassian. So why is the fandom thinking they are Azriel's?

Azriel and Cassian are completely different characters, with completely different wants and goals. Cassian's goals, in his own words from his own POV: mate and babies. Azriel's goal, in his own words from his own POV: Elain.

[hrizantemy]

Cassian is so insecure that he really cannot survive without the approval of noble born people. He is so far up Rhysand's ass, and so defensive of Mor, even as she insults his people, because he's trying to get over his insecurities about his birth. Even if it's to the detriment of his people, the citizens of the CON, and Nesta.

I will never understand those who say Cassian has struggled throughout his life. Yes, he has faced difficulties, particularly in his early years, growing up as an orphan in the harsh environment of Illyria. But for the majority of his life, he has been enveloped in a world of unimaginable privilege. From the moment he was brought into Rhysand’s circle, his life changed dramatically, and it’s hard to argue that he’s faced the same hardships as others in his position might have. Cassian is a general, but his rise to power was largely influenced by his close association with Rhysand, who elevated him to a position that many Illyrians could only dream of.

He’s been exempt from the struggles of the people he is supposed to represent. While Illyrian warriors endure grueling conditions and constant marginalization by the Night Court, Cassian has lived in the comfort of Velaris, a city untouched by war or poverty. He’s not one of the everyday soldiers; he’s been sheltered, and his proximity to Rhysand has shielded him from many of the harsh realities his people face. This privilege has given him access to a life of luxury, and in many ways, he’s more noble than warrior now. He’s been given power and influence without truly earning it through experience or leadership, instead coasting on the goodwill and status granted to him by Rhysand’s favor.

This is why I believe Cassian’s loyalty to Rhysand goes beyond simple friendship. It’s deeply rooted in his insecurities about his birth and upbringing. Cassian wasn’t born into a noble house, and even though he’s now powerful, he clings to the approval of noble-born people. He tries to prove himself constantly, and his defensiveness when it comes to Mor and Rhysand is a reflection of that need to be accepted and valued in the circles he was never meant to belong to. He’s so far up Rhysand’s ass because, without that validation, without that connection to power, he’d be forced to confront his insecurities about being a ‘bastard-born’ Illyrian.

Even when it comes to Nesta, Cassian’s need for validation and acceptance from Rhysand and Mor undermines any sense of loyalty he might owe to her. He defends Mor, even as she insults his people, and remains passive as Rhysand treats Nesta with cruelty, because his own self-worth is too tightly bound to their approval. His need to maintain his place within the Inner Circle often comes at the expense of those he should be protecting, whether it’s the citizens of the Court of Nightmares, his own Illyrian warriors, or even Nesta herself. Cassian may be a general, but his loyalty to his friends often blinds him to the greater harm it does to others.

[sad-scarred-sassy]

This is a wild Elucien headcanon…

but please imagine Lucien being in a really dangerous situation with the Autumn court, like something happened and they have him as a prisoner, or unable to leave.

And Elain is there listening to how Lucien could potentially be held captive in a cold cell or even tortured.

And shes there when Eris says the only way to save him is if he has real ties to the Night Court or if he officially becomes a member, and the only way to do that is if he gets mated/married to someone from there, not anyone, but the High Lady’s sister.

And everyone is outraged with what he is suggesting but Elain is suddenly quiet.

And she suddenly says “I will do it” and everyone gapes at her, some try to talk her out of it (possibly Feyre or Nesta) but Rhys just nods.

And they send notice to the Autumn court that they cannot harm Lucien because he is a Night Court citizen, but Beron doesn’t believe it, he demands that Elain goes there so he can determine it.

Chaos, outrage, but she agrees, and she obviously doesn’t go alone. She convinces herself that while she doesn’t owe Lucien anything, she is tired of the bloodshed, the loss, and if she has the power in her hands, she will act. That is all, she couldn’t care less about him. She convinces herself she would be this worried for anyone that is close to her sister, it’s not because shes worried and scared and petrified of something bad happening to him.

They’re in the Forest House, they bring out Lucien who is luckily generally unharmed but Elain looks at the binds in his wrists and her whole body reacts to the sudden urge to protect. Beron takes one sniff at them and knows it is true. They’re mates. But Beron says an unfulfilled mating bond is not valid (listen idk about these fae laws bear with me) they need to marry. Elain declares that was the plan all along. Lucien is shocked. (I just imagine what must be going through his head seeing his mate stand before Beron in the same room where Jesminda was killed)

They let Lucien go with his mate but they have to stay in the Forest House until everything gets resolved. Elain and Lucien are shoved into a room, no more chains on him, but he doesn’t understand any of it.

Both of them are standing awkwardly in the room. Lucien is staring at her as if she has grown ears, still shocked, still reliving moments, furious at them for being so dumb as to risk themselves for him. He supposed he really was a big asset for Rhys to have done this. But her… why was she here? Why did she put herself in this position?

“Did they make you do this?” He says through his teeth.

She muses on what to say. “No” she gets offended with the assumption that she can’t make decisions for herself. “I agreed to this and came on my own free will”

“Why would you do such a thing?”

“Because I’m tired of people dying, I wouldn’t forgive myself if I could have done something” A silence and for some forsaken reason Elain has the need to add. “This doesn’t mean what you think it means”

Something irks at Lucien then, and the awoken nerves on his body make him respond to that. “And please tell, Lady, what do I think it means?”

Elain clenches her fists. “That I’ve changed my mind about you… about this” She signals between them. “This is just temporary, out of necessity”

Lucien just stares at her.

“I never entertained that you did, I can assure you.” It is easier to turn on her, on this beautiful female that is putting herself at risk for him, than to be hurt at the continuing rejection from her. “You’ve always just assumed that I’m some brute fae that wants to steal you away, let me tell you now that we’re speaking frankly, that its not the case. I can’t control the pull from the bond, but I have no interest in pursuing a female who doesn’t want me”

That sends Elain to retaliate. “What about the gifts then, was that not pursuing?” She cocks her head arrogantly.

“I was bringing them to Feyre as well. That was me being polite, but guess you don’t know the first thing about that”

“You are one to talk about politeness when I’m here risking my life for your neck and this is how you treat me” She takes one step closer.

“I never asked you to do it” He mirrors her and steps closer with his broad hands clenched in fists.

“I will just let you die next time then”

“Fine by me, as long as I don’t have to endure you shoving it on my face”

“Asshole”

“I’ve been called worse” A sly, angry smile creeps at one corner of his mouth. She suddenly realizes they’re breathing on each other’s face.

“And all this time I thought you were a gentleman” She summons her anger to keep focused.

“You will learn I can be a gentleman, Elain” Her name on his lips, for the first time. “But I can be so much worse too”

His breath is hot on her face, their hearts already beating fast.

“You admit you were pretending then, to win me over”

A sharp breathy laugh from him. “If I wanted to win you over, I would not have tried to be gentle”

Her lips form a thin line as she holds herself, the pull, his words, the sudden effect of his mismatched gaze intense on her face.

“You shouldn’t have done this” He says quietly, roughly, his eyes showing something beyond just annoyance, she sees the fear in them. She pushes it back.

“What’s done is done” She says. “We will pretend, see this through, and then we’re done”

“Alright, dove”

She’s startled. Her nostrils flare. She ignores the outrageous pet name he just used on her. “I’m going to take a bath, I suggest you do the same, you stink” She begins to walk away and stops herself “I mean after I’m done” She frowns as she strolls away.

He watches her with sudden amusement.

He’s scared, hes pissed and hurt. He’s tired. But something inside him sparks, and he can’t really put a name to it.

Oh he’s not alright.

[merwgue]

The Illusion of Feminism in ACOTAR: How the Series Fails Its Female Characters

Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) has often been hailed as a feminist fantasy, a tale filled with powerful female characters who fight, love, and rule their own destinies. But upon closer inspection, what the series delivers is an illusion of feminism—a narrative that dresses its women in superficial strength while confining them to traditional gender roles and patriarchal tropes. Maas may present her female leads as independent and powerful, but their development is constantly undercut by their relationships with men, their trauma, or their need for validation from others.

The series starts with Feyre, a young woman fighting to survive, taking on the role of provider for her destitute family. On the surface, she seems like a strong, independent character. However, her growth as a person is largely overshadowed by her relationships with male characters. Feyre’s development isn’t just about her becoming a stronger, more capable version of herself—it’s about finding a man to ‘save’ her. First, she is emotionally and physically exhausted under Tamlin's control, and then Rhysand comes along as her liberator, offering her the "true" freedom she never had. Feyre's journey, for all its twists and turns, is less about her own self-realization and more about trading one male protector for another. Her strength, while praised, only seems to materialize through the lens of her romantic relationships.

The problem with Feyre’s arc is that her identity and power are so deeply tied to the men in her life that it leaves little room for her own autonomy. Instead of choosing power or independence for herself, her development is almost always tied to how her male counterparts define her. The narrative tries to position Rhysand’s treatment of Feyre as "feminist" because he gives her choices, yet even within these choices, her journey is still deeply interwoven with romantic and sexual validation from him. The story makes it seem like Feyre’s strength is conditional on her connection to Rhys, reinforcing the very idea that a woman’s power must be connected to a man.

Then there's Nesta. Nesta’s arc could have been an opportunity to showcase a woman who refuses to be tamed or reshaped into society's expectations of her. Instead, the series turns Nesta’s rage, her trauma, and her defiance into something that needs to be 'fixed.' Her difficult personality, her inability to fall into line with her family's wishes, is portrayed as a flaw—something that needs to be softened or redeemed. And how does Maas attempt to ‘redeem’ her? Through Cassian, another male figure who becomes the anchor for her so-called transformation.

Nesta's journey is framed as a reclamation of power, but in reality, it's about her fitting into a more acceptable mold of femininity—softer, more open to love, more willing to be vulnerable. Instead of embracing her as she is—angry, hurt, and fierce—the narrative pushes her toward healing only through her relationship with Cassian, effectively turning her into another woman whose growth hinges on a man’s love and approval. Nesta’s complexity is reduced to a romance arc, undermining what could have been a far more nuanced and empowering portrayal of a woman dealing with trauma on her own terms.

Morrigan is another example of a character who could have stood as a beacon of true independence and complexity but instead falls flat. Morrigan, a warrior and a survivor of intense trauma, has been closeted about her sexuality for centuries. The idea that Mor, supposedly one of the most powerful and trusted members of the Inner Circle, can’t come out to her friends after 500 years speaks volumes about the so-called "family" dynamic Maas tries to sell. Mor’s queerness is sidelined to the point where her internal struggles with her identity are barely touched upon, and when they are, it feels like an afterthought.

In a series that prides itself on presenting complex female characters, Morrigan’s queerness is handled poorly, with little to no exploration of her struggles, relationships, or emotional depth. Instead, it seems Maas is more interested in maintaining the heteronormative love triangles and keeping Mor’s queerness in the background, where it won’t disrupt the more "marketable" relationships in the story. Mor's character could have been a ground-breaking exploration of queer identity, especially in a high-fantasy setting, but instead, she remains underdeveloped, reduced to a footnote in the larger romantic plots between her friends.

What’s truly disappointing about ACOTAR is how Maas consistently sets her female characters up as strong, independent figures only to then undermine them by tying their growth, power, and self-worth to men or romantic relationships. Even when Feyre, Nesta, and Mor display moments of agency, those moments are often framed within the context of male approval or romantic entanglements. The series pays lip service to feminism by giving these women positions of power, but Maas continually reverts to tired, patriarchal tropes by ensuring that their stories are defined by the men around them.

Ultimately, Maas reinforces traditional gender roles under the guise of progressive feminism. Women like Feyre and Nesta are lauded for their strength, but their stories hinge on the approval or influence of male characters. Mor’s queerness is sidelined, never given the space it deserves in a series that is already too focused on heteronormative dynamics. And all the while, the series frames this as empowerment, as though these women are truly independent when, in reality, they are just filling the same roles women have always been forced into: defined by the men around them, by their trauma, and by their relationships.

In conclusion, ACOTAR may present itself as a feminist narrative, but it ultimately falls short by reinforcing patriarchal ideas through its characters’ development. Sarah J. Maas creates the illusion of feminism by giving her female leads positions of power, only to reduce their stories to romantic entanglements and male validation. True independence for these women is never achieved, and until that changes, ACOTAR remains a series that fails its female characters under the guise of feminist storytelling.

[queercontrarian]

Eris calls in his bargain with Rhysand: he wants Nesta to join him in the Autumn Court to help him in his scheme to bring down his father.

happy eris week fuckers. this one goes out to @secret-third-thing for being so endlessly patient with me. also thank you to @fieldofdaisiies for being the best beta i could ask for. i love you, please enjoy ♡

@erisweekofficial

Read the whole chapter on AO3

The Bargain

For as long as she could remember, Nesta had had no illusions about life being fair. Her mother had rid her of that idea when she was just a stupid little girl, but despite how well she had been prepared for disappointment Rhysand’s announcement still felt like one giant cosmic joke.

Silence. Complete and utter silence was ringing in her ears as Nesta waited for the male to say something else. Anything else. She had to have misheard him. There had to be a misunderstanding, some sick joke or a cruel prank for how she had behaved in the past year. But she had been good recently, she had tried…

Cassian’s voice pulled her out of her stupor. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” he asked loudly, as if to challenge Rhys to say it again. He wasn’t the only one. No one in the room seemed to comprehend what their High Lord had just announced to them. Cassian was holding Nesta’s hand almost painfully tight, but she was grateful for the anchor, tethering her to the couch, to here and now. Her head was buzzing.

“Eris demands that Nesta join him in the Autumn Court,” Rhys repeated, “To support him in his scheme to bring down Beron. That is what he demands as his part of the bargain.”

“You can’t be serious.” The words broke out of her as she was thinking them and immediately all eyes snapped to her. The ringing in her ears persisted as she felt herself slowly turn to stone under the combined scrutiny of the room and she reverted into her own space. This could not be happening to her right now. She felt the fire thrum in her blood, icy power bubbling up in her, and did her best to fight it down.

“Well, so much for finding out where his loyalties lie. There's your answer I guess,” Amren quipped, leaning back in her armchair. Mor clicked her tongue at her friend and Amren threw up her hands in frustration. “I’m just saying.”

Mor’s face was nearly as pale as Feyre’s, who was clinging to the pillow in her lap like a shield. “I thought our support was to be given after Eris is already High Lord,” she said, “That you would help validate his claim to the throne or whatever he would need after takeover.” Lucien snorted and then quickly cleared his throat as the attention shifted to his corner of the room.

“Apologies, Morrigan, but why would he need help when he is already High Lord? If the magic chooses him, isn't that claim enough?” Amren hummed, choosing to inspect her nails while Mor tried to launch into an explanation.

“I’m just saying, it’s not–”

Azriel interrupted, finishing Mor’s sentence for her. “This isn't the kind of–” He paused, looking at Nesta for a short moment before looking away, “-support we promised.” Both Mor and Cassian nodded at that. Nesta stayed frozen in her seat.

“And besides, his bargain is with you, not Nesta,” Feyre threw in, still clawing at the pillow in her lap. Rhys nodded but his expression was pained.

"That is correct.” Nesta drew in another deep breath. “I am, however, the High Lord Nesta has sworn fealty to. She is part of the Court, and as High Lord I am the Court and the Court is me."

For a long moment no one said anything as they let the reality of the situation sink in, trying to process what Rhysand had laid out for them. Nesta closed her eyes and breathed out shakily before opening her eyes again. Cassian gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

“Reject it,” he said, his voice impossibly calm and steady, “This bargain is out of the question.” He squeezed her hand again, and Nesta wasn’t sure if it was meant to reassure her or him. Her hand felt so cold. She could feel her power’s pulse in her palm and quickly pulled her hand away from Cassian’s.

“The bargain was made long ago. And unfortunately Eris has already told me that any other solution to our deal will be unacceptable to him,” Rhys explained. “He will consider our bargain unfulfilled. This is the support he wants, the only support he’ll take." For the first time he met Nesta’s eyes and she almost believed the sorrow in them when he said “Trust me, I’ve tried.”

She didn't know what to do with that admission. Frankly, she didn't want to acknowledge that any of this was happening at all. Nesta didn't want to speak, she didn't even want to think. She tugged at a loose thread on her dress, wondering if the whole stitching would come undone if she kept pulling. Silver lights danced at the edge of her vision and she squeezed her eyes shut to snuff them out. It was too much, all of it. She had to be dreaming.

Cassian jumped to his feet, pacing a few steps through the room, his wings thrown out wide. She could almost see him tremble with anger. “Nesta is her own person. She can make her own choices, he can't force her to go," he growled, pointing his finger accusingly at his brother. Nesta shivered. Yes he could. He very well could, otherwise they wouldn’t be sitting here.

“He doesn’t have to. I do,” Rhysand replied, running his hand across his face. There was a deep tiredness in his voice that revealed to Nesta that they had already lost this battle.

“And because you are High Lord she has to follow,” Azriel concluded for him. Rhys nodded again and Mor scoffed, though her grasp on the back of the couch gave her true feelings away. It was fear, not anger, that had her fingers damn near piercing the expensive upholstery, the furniture groaning under her tight grip. She too already knew they would find no way out. There was no solution to this but what Eris had laid out for them.

Nesta saw the shield around Feyre light up before she noticed the silver flames licking at her own fingers, and she balled her hands into fists quickly trying to extinguish the fire but it was too late. Before she could even think of anything else Rhysand smothered her in a wave of darkness.

The fire did not go quietly, hissing and cracking so violently that Nesta herself tried to jump away from it, though with the couch at her back there was nowhere to go. Through the noise of the fire she heard several people call out to her but she could place neither where their voices were coming from nor who was reaching out. She closed her eyes, trying to calm down and center herself despite the fire around her, stoically following the mind stilling exercises Gwyn had taught her. Nesta let out another shaky breath and a sudden calm washed over her. She felt her heartbeat thunder in her ears, her blood rushing through her veins along with something else, something older, stronger, fiercer.

Finally, the prickling feeling left her fingers and the fire went out, taking the overwhelming darkness with it. A shocked silence had fallen over the room. Nobody dared to move. Still, Nesta kept her fists closed as if moving her hands even a little bit could rekindle the flames. She was shaking, and she was cold, she was so cold…

“I’m sorry,” she forced out, sounding much more cool and collected than she felt, “I don't know–” She grabbed a fistful of her own dress and felt pure relief when it didn’t catch on fire between her fingers. Gradually, she felt the air around her warm up again as the conversation picked up anew. When she opened her hands she found her fingernails had left tiny crescents pressed into her palm.

“Is there really no way out of it?” Elain asked, her soft voice shaking. “Could you not just… release Nesta from her oath? Then she wouldn’t have to go.” Mor shook her head but it was Lucien who answered. She heard him as if from far away.

“If it was before Eris had voiced his intent to take Nesta as support for the bargain that might have worked, but now that we know… you can’t cheat a bargain.”

Nesta tried to breathe evenly as she inspected the wounds in her palm closer. They weren't simple bruises; she had burned the shapes into her skin. Still, it didn't hurt and Nesta quickly hid her hands under the blanket before anyone else could notice what she had done to herself.

“But it could work. We could risk it, we could stall…” Feyre was nearly pleading, worrying her lower lip between her teeth. There were tears in her icy blue eyes, and Nesta was almost surprised to find she cared so much. Then again her sister cared about everyone, even her. Once more, Lucien was the one to squash her hopes.

“No, Feyre, you can’t risk it. Rhysand won't risk it. Broken bargains are certain to end in catastrophe, but a willfully ignored bargain is just as unpredictable. You remember how badly you were doing in the months after we left Under The Mountain-” Feyre winced but Lucien pressed on, “-and now with the pregnancy… there’s no margin of error for you, and Eris knows it. It's likely why he chose this moment to strike.” Nesta glanced at Rhysand for confirmation. The male had paled noticeably; once again, her sister's life was put on the scale.

“Why didn't you tell me?” Feyre asked, the hurt in her voice painfully obvious even as her mate reached out to her with his hand.

“I only found out yesterday. I'm so sorry, Feyre darling.” But Feyre pushed him away.

“Yesterday was almost twenty hours ago.”

“I know, I was trying… I was trying to find a way out of it, a way to evade the bargain, to-”

“Twenty hours, Rhys,” Feyre reminded him, her voice shaking.

Azriel muttered a curse under his breath, offering a very creative new idea on what Eris should bargain for next, and Nesta withdrew into herself as chaos erupted in the room, Cassian, Feyre and Rhysand all yelling at each other. There was nothing she could have done anyway as everyone else was dragged down the same path Eris had prepared for them.

We'll play later, Nesta Archeron. Had he known then? What had she done? What had he seen that had convinced him he needed her?

When she finally looked up her eyes found Lucien's almost immediately. The male had stayed across the room from her while the Inner Circle argued amongst each other, standing so still he was nearly blending into the wall. His scarred face bore a curious expression. A tad worried, maybe. For her? They barely knew each other. His metal eye whirred in its socket and he turned to the side, his hand reaching up to his face. Nesta could almost feel the high ‘plink’ noise reverberating through her skull as he tapped the eye once and then a second time when it would not stop moving. She quickly focused her attention elsewhere.

Amren seemed to have found a new target in Mor, who was still standing frozen behind the sofa, her dark wine-stained lips a stark contrast to her pale face.

“Well, don't stand there staring like a struck deer,” she mocked the female, throwing a piece of candy from the table in her direction, which Mor elegantly dodged, “it's not you who's going after all.” Mor opened her mouth as if to retort, her pretty face pulled into a mask of fury, while Amren grabbed some more candy to throw.

“Stop it, both of you,” Cassian interrupted sharply, placing himself between the two, “this isn’t helping anyone.”

“You can't tell me what to do,” Amren shot back, but she settled on her couch again, instead opening the paper wrapper of one of the chocolates and popping it into her mouth.

Feyre’s sudden groan of pain broke the petty arguments up right away. Her sister grabbed the back of her armchair hard, face twisted into a grimace. Her mate was at her side in a second.

“What is it?” he asked anxiously, trying to put a hand on her back to feel her pain. Feyre slapped his arm away.

“I am fine,” she said through gritted teeth. Everyone watched as they stared at each other, apparently engaged in another intense mind to mind communication until Feyre broke, turning her face away from her husband.

“Rhys, I said I am fine, I am fucking fine,” she snapped, walking a few steps backwards, out of his reach. Another wave of pain shook her and she pressed her hands into her lower back with a groan. When Lucien reached out to stabilize her, Rhysand growled. Immediately Feyre’s head whipped back to him, her eyes narrowed with anger.

“How deep do you want your grave to be?” she hissed at her husband, “Fucking keep it together.”

Silence fell over the room. The only sound was Feyre's heavy breathing, the crackling fire across the room and, of course, Amren’s candy wrappings. It lasted several seconds before Azriel finally spoke up.

“Perhaps you should discuss this amongst yourselves,” he suggested carefully, placing a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Rest for a while. You're both burdened with far more than anyone should carry, just take this moment to talk it out.” Rhysand hesitated but Feyre nodded briskly.

“Let’s,” she said coolly, gathering herself for a moment before heading for the door without looking back. Rhys followed her much more cautiously.

Nesta tuned out the hushed discussion between the remaining members of Rhysand's inner circle pondering possible solutions that weren’t directly playing into Eris’s hands, looking for loopholes or, in Azriel’s case, the merits of murdering Eris before the bargain could be fulfilled. Nesta wasn't sure of what to do. She didn’t want to participate in the fruitless discussions and she didn’t want to leave alone. She wouldn’t even know where to go - she couldn’t make it back to the House of Wind on her own. So she waited.

Eventually Elain came to sit by her side, leaning her head against her shoulder like she used to when they were kids. Her sister's dress rustled as she tried to get comfortable. It sounded louder still to Nesta's numb brain. Elain smelled like cinnamon and apples and Nesta suddenly, ridiculously, felt sad that none of them would be able to properly enjoy whatever delicacy her sister had baked for their dinner.

“Are you alright?” Elain asked quietly, in that soft, almost sad tone she adopted as of late whenever she spoke with Nesta. Nesta barked out a laugh.

“Obviously not.” Her tone was biting but her sister only nodded.

“Figures,” she mumbled. Nesta only stared back at her incredulously. Then she scoffed.

“Some seer you are. Such perspicacity, what astute observations you enlighten us with,” Nesta muttered. But when Elain looked up and met her eyes she couldn’t help herself. They both burst into laughter, quickly hiding their giggles behind their hands to not startle the others. They might think Feyre's sisters had lost their minds at last, cackling like two crows on a branch at the misfortune of some poor fool down below. And maybe they had, only the poor fool was Nesta’s role to play and misfortune was what the Mother had woven into her life from the day she had spun the first thread of her fate.

All three of them, Mother, Seer and Lady Death herself already knew that there was no changing this path, no matter what the others might tell themselves.

Nesta was going to Autumn.

◇

Read the whole chapter on AO3

[rizzoreads88]

“How can you still like Tamlin?!”

I’m asked this a lot so here I go.

Before I get into that it… I think tamlin is so hated because people insert their ex partners as Tamlin. I understand everyone has triggers and that’s very valid but it’s important to remember Tamlin is not anyone’s ex . People seem to only hold Tamlin (and Nesta) to todays morals and standards and no one else.He is a fictional character. Fae are not even the same as humans. I hold tamlin to the moral standards set in acotars fictional world. If we held all these characters to todays standards most of them would be awful people and considered abusers at different points in the story.

It’s also important to remember when I Talk about Tamlin I’m speaking about Tamlin within this fictional world setting. I am not talking about who he may remind anyone of in real life. I’m not talking about those actions in the real world.( it’s odd I even have to explain this but this is how the acotar fandom is )

Ok now on to why I still Love Tamlin.

He has a good heart. He helps lesser fae when no one else does… he’s known for doing whatever he has to do to fight against slavery…the summer court fae went to the spring court because he knew it was safe space and tamlin buried him w his own hands… he gave himself up to his childhood predator to try and protect feyre from her… he set feyres family up for life and was still taking care of them financially even after she was w Rhys for a bit… he got her fathers leg healed… the only reason why feyres dad could get those ships was because of tamlins money..he took Lucien in when he had nowhere to go and gave him a position of power and protection w that title from beron, he was the one who went to the dawn court to get Lucien his mechanical eye… he was a double agent for the courts against Hybern when no one believed him..then after everything went to 💩 and feyre and everyone hated him he still put his life on the line and saved feyre, elain, az, briars life from hyberns camp, he dragged the autumn court and the humans into the war to help and was a huge reason they won the war and he saved rhysands life… even though rhysand would have not done that for him if the situation was reversed…he helped saved prythian twice…

Don’t get me wrong tamlin definitely did some awful things I don’t agree with or excuse but they all have done horrible things that are inexcusable. I love tamlin bc I look at his character as a whole not just his awful moments in acomaf. He is the beast from the beauty and the beast.He is a morally gray complex character like the rest of them.

In the end I am glad that Feyre ended up with Rhysand and has found her happiness. I just think Tamlin has paid his dues and been held accountable (when other characters who have done awful things are never held accountable). He deserves to heal and get his own Happy ending as well.

[readychilledwine]

Wingspans and Whiskey

💙 Happy @azrielappreciationweek 💙

Day one prompt - The Family You Make

Summary - Azriel may have been late for bonding night with Rhysand and Cassian, but he has a very valid reason for it.

Warnings - mentions of alcohol use, batboys gossiping, and wingspans 😉

A/n - This drabble is based on a headcannon I have that Rhys, Cassian, and Azriel are busy body gossips. I don't know why, but nothing can stop me from thinking the three of them would hide in Rhysand's mother's cabin whispering about the other Illyrian Males, females, and the latest camp gossips.

Rhys and Cassian looked out the hallway and walk out patio one more time before sitting on the couch in Rhysand's cigar room with sad sighs.

Azriel never missed their weekly Whiskey meetings. It was a tradition the 3 of them had held since they were old enough to understand what alcohol was and sneak it away from unsuspecting Illyrians as teens. Even when Rhysand was gone, Azriel and Cassian still gathered in that room that faintly smelled of aged liquors, pipe tobacco, cigars, and mirthroot. 

It had become sacred to them, and even more so now that they were all mated, living in their own houses, and time together had become less and less as faelings became involved. 

"Rhys!" They both perked up, hearing him bound down the stairs before predictably leaping the last 4 steps. "Cass!"  Azriel was so excited for the gossip he was bringing that he accidentally ran past the intended room. He skidded to a halt before walking backward and peeked into the room with a shit eating grin. 

Cassian's own smile grew, his arms going up in celebration as Azriel tried, and failed, to calmly enter the room and shut the door behind him. 

Rhys was instantly perked up, pouring Azriel a glass of whiskey. "What gossip do you bring us this week, brother?"

Azriel took the glass, smiling so hard that his dimples began to show. "I was spying on Gwyn-"

"Of course you were," his brothers said at the same time, causing him to pause before blushing. 

"Fuck off. Anyways. I overheard her, Nesta, and Feyre talking in the library," he held up a piece of paper. "They measured our wingspans while we slept one night."

Cassian and Rhysand's faces dropped. They looked at each other before instantly reaching to grab the paper Azriel was holding. Cassian managed to grab it, his face falling further as he read it before handing it to Rhys. 

The High Lord shrugged. "My mate glows after I fuck her. I don't need the largest wingspan."

Cassian glared at Azriel. "Asshole. How do we know these aren't fake?"

"It's literally your mate's handwriting! Then Gwyn's. Then Feyre's!" Azriel stared at Cassian like he had grown to heads. "Nesta was also quite annoyed by the results."

"Because they're false."

Rhys looked at Cassian with an exasperated sigh, "Are you serious? Azriel has the largest wings, Cass. We've known this for years." 

Cassia glared towards the High Lord, then Azriel. "I want a remeasure.."

"I'm not doing this with you tonight," Azriel finally sat, "Let me tell you about the latest Autumn Court gossip."

[yazthebookish]

Why an Elucien rejected bond storyline would be boring

Years ago Sarah briefly discussed Elain and Lucien's mating bond, she changed her plans from having Nesta as Lucien's mate to Elain since she saw there is a great deal of tension, growth and healing to be found for both of them (together).

In my opinion, we are currently seeing them go through the tension stage where there is this distance and strain on both of them due to recent events. Lucien was sexually assaulted by Ianthe and he is settled in the human lands to support Vassa and Jurian. While Elain has to mourn her human life and also the rejection of Graysen (who used the bond against her) + she also grieved her father. It's pretty reasonable for her to feel that resentment and hostility towards the existence of her mating bond with Lucien.

Part 1: As of ACOSF, does Lucien want Elain or did he move on to Vassa?

He and Lucien did not exchange gifts, though the male had brought a gift for Feyre and one for his mate, who barely thanked him after opening the pearl earrings. Cassian's heart strained at the pain etching deep into Lucien's face as he tried to hide his disappointment and longing. Elain only shrank further into herself, no trace of that newfound boldness to be seen.

I won't make this part long because it's right there in the text. His longing. He still longs for Elain. He still tries. If he is so occupied and in love with Vassa, what is he doing spending Winter Solstice at Velaris to give his mate a gift instead of the woman he apparently "loves".

"But he lives with Vassa!"

The concept of friends sharing a house does not necessarily mean they're all hooking up, unless Lucien's comment on Vassa and Jurian liking to be at each other's throats is to be taken literal (and he's the third wheel in that scenario). I firmly believe Vassa and Jurian would end up together.

It's clear Lucien has eyes for one female only and that's his mate.

Part 2: Lucien doesn't want the bond and he can't stand it

And that's when arguments are formed based on out of context quotes, because context always matters to get the full picture.

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’d been born into. She had teased him, taunted him—seduced him so thoroughly that he hadn’t wanted anything but her. She’d seen him not as a High Lord’s seventh son, but as a male. Had loved him without question, without hesitation. She had chosen him. Elain had been … thrown at him.

Is it not valid for him to feel conflicted about this entire situation because he is still processing the fact that the female who he fell in love with, who had chosen him, saw him, and accepted all of him, who was beheaded because she loved him, is not his mate? but this stranger is? He is trying to make sense of it. He doesn't know Elain yet.

Looking at her now … She was pale, yes. The vacancy still glazing her features. But he couldn’t breathe as she faced him fully. She was the most beautiful female he’d ever seen. Betrayal, queasy and oily, slid through his veins. He’d said the same to Jesminda once. But even as shame washed through him, the words, the sense chanted, Mine. You are mine, and I am yours. Mate.

His feelings and thoughts and instincts are all clashing at once. That is much evident in this entire scene.

"I can't stand to be in the same room as her for more than two minutes. I can't stand to be in this court and have your mate pay for the very clothes on my back."

This is often taken out of context to point out that Lucien doesn't want the mating bond or he can't stand to be around Elain. As a mated male, it's overwhelming for him to be around her because his instincts clash and he has to keep himself grounded around her. He doesn't know yet how to approach her or what she expects of him. It's extremely awkward and he can't stand it because he still didn't find a common ground with her.

Using this quote to imply he doesn't like her or stand her is absolutely false within the narrative.

I think so. It wasn't just about what he thought—it was the ... feeling. I sensed no ill will, no conniving. Only concern for her. And ... sorrow. Longing.

Part 3: Lucien is responsible for her trauma

Hard disagree on this one.

Even canon points out that the one who told the King of Hybern about Feyre's sisters was none other than Ianthe. This is not to defend Tamlin because he gave her an opening to do whatever she liked and did not hold her accountable in ACOWAR.

Now about Lucien, what power did he have over Tamlin's decisions when we have seen that despite being his friend, there is a power imbalance and Tamlin does lash out at Lucien. Lucien is not a character without flaws, but neither Feyre nor Nesta ever blamed Lucien. Even when Elain says to his face that he betrayed them, Lucien immediately says it was a mistake. He doesn't try to absolve his role in it or explain his actions to her, he calls it as it is.

I disagree with the statement that he is responsible for her trauma, Lucien was nothing but a spectator.

"But, but, he yelled at her and announced that they were mates!"

Cassian again stirred—trying to rise, to answer Nesta’s voice as she held my sister and cried her name again and again. But Elain was staring over Nesta’s shoulder. At Lucien—whose face she had finally taken in. Dark brown eyes met one eye of russet and one of metal. Nesta was still weeping, still raging, still inspecting Elain— Lucien’s hands slackened at his sides. His voice broke as he whispered to Elain, “You’re my mate.”

Right. He yelled at her.

Great reading comprehension.

And it's like we forgot when Rhys said the moment the bond snapped between him and Feyre, if he stayed a second longer he would've damned the consequences and took her with him. As soon as he winnowed back to Velaris the first word he said to Mor after 50 years was "she's my mate".

"Well he shouldn't have said it anyways"

Yeah because it's not like Lucien is a Fae male and the mating bond is something that alters the Fae on a biological level. It overrides their instincts.

Part 4: Elain choosing the mating bond + Lucien will be a disservice to her arc, it won't be a choice unless she chooses Azriel

“but it definitely offers a wealth of things to explore with this concept of freewill and what is true love. Is it something that’s destined? Or is it something that you make? Is it both?”

I like that Sarah briefly discussed the topic of a character's agency when it comes to mating bonds because it's something that has long been discussed in the fandom.

However, I disagree that if Elain chose Lucien it's not truly a "choice" because of the mating bond. We have seen with both Feyre and Nesta that they didn't choose to be with Rhys and Cassian simply because of the bond, the mating bond was just the cherry on top—they loved their mates for who they were.

"Elain's entire journey will be about choice"

Isn't she already making a choice? Isnt she choosing not to pursue the bond? Isnt she choosing to ignore the bond? Isn't she choosing to not reject it? Isn't she choosing how she is living her life in Velaris? Isn't she choosing how she spends her time? Isnt she choosing to garden and help other gardens in Velaris? And I can go on.

Neither Elain or Lucien had a choice in being mated to each other, but the notion that the mating bond left her with no agency over her life is partially incorrect because she is making choices. Yes, the mating does in a way take some of Elain's agency and Lucien's agency since it's something that alters them on a soul-level, but Lucien's agency is often removed from this conversation.

Currently, the ball is in Elain's court and not Lucien's. She currently has the choice of accepting or rejecting the bond.

And in my opinion, "choice" is a theme that is incorporated in the journeys of all the characters, it's not exclusive to Elain. I don't think "choice" is the core of her story because I think Elain's journey should focus on breaking out of the docile and gentle sister mold (not that she stops being gentle, but stopping others from infantilizing her), finding where she truly belongs, realizing who her true found family are, discovering the world (a trip to the continent let's go!).

Part 5: Azriel (warning: controversial)

This will be a bit of a hot topic but I'll do my best to keep it short (it really isn't).

This kind of follows Part 4, but I will tell you why Azriel isn't a "great" choice for Elain.

Yes, they had a sweet companionship and a friendship and that is usually a good foundation for a relationship, but to me there wasn't anything solid or deeper then that. We have to *assume* they had moments off-page, but we also know that they're not spending time together and Azriel confirmed this. So am I going to wait for chapters of flashbacks after flashbacks to see that build up from the past?

Before anyone jumps the gun, I am a hardcore Gwynriel and a hardcore Azriel fan and I fully understand and accept that Azriel is a flawed character who carries so much self-loath. I dont like him with Elain because I believe it's an unhealthy dynamic compared to how lighter and more open he is around Gwyn and this is not something against Elain, it's more tied to how Azriel perceives the logic of 3 sisters + 3 brothers. Dynamics matter and makes a difference between couples because e.g., Chaol and Yrene worked better than Chaol and Celaena. Mismatched pairings exist but it doesn't mean the characters involved wouldn't work out with others.

So how is the male that centered himself in his entire conversation with Rhys instead of prioritizing what Elain wants, is the ultimate choice?

He argued that the Cauldron was wrong because he didn't get the "third" sister while his brothers got her other sisters, and at this point we know Elain is not interested in a mating bond. If she is attracted to Azriel, it has nothing to do with wanting a bond with him because we know how she feels about it but it's Azriel who wants to center the mating bond in it.

So does that mean the relationship from Azriel's perspective wouldn't be complete without a mating bond? Then why is he arguing about this? Wouldn't it be more romantic for him to say I don't care if she is mated or not, I want her for her—but that's not the case here.

Notice that it's Azriel having these discussions about mating bonds and not Lucien who is her mate. and I promise you if it was Lucine having this exact discussion with Rhys, the entire fandom would drag him to no end.

Back to Azriel, so he also says that he hadn't gotten that far with his planning certainly not beyond the fantasies he pleasured himself to + and said Lucien is not good enough for her and she has not interest in him anyways. Again, he is speaking for Elain when we know one of the big problems surrounding Elain is how others speak for her and assume what she needs. If she doesn't want the mating bond, that's her speech and not Azriel's. I still don't get how people were fine with him speaking for her and I'm not even the biggest Elain fan.

Last but not least, he also was against her scrying despite publicly declaring that no one decides what she can or cannot do and wants to help. Is this truly the "ultimate choice" for Elain? But Lucien's only crime is being mated to her?

Part 6: finally, why Elain and Lucien rejecting the mating bond would be bad storytelling.

So we know that a bond can be rejected, only weakened but it will always exist.

"Elain would have our full protection if she rejects the bond. But it will still be a bond, however weakened, that will trail her for the rest of her existence."

"But he'd know if Nesta were dead. In his heart, his soul, he'd sense it. Would feel it. A mate always did. Even if she'd rejected that bond."

1. There isn't enough time to explore a rejection:

It seems there isn't a ritual or a tradition we are told of about a mating bond rejection, if the female doesn't want it then that's that but it does have a worse impact on males.

As of ACOSF, it's evident Lucien still longs for Elain even if they are distant or occasionally see each other. We know Elain resents the bond but we still don't have her POV to really know what she thinks of Lucien.

What do we get out of a rejected bond with Elain and Lucien? That she just doesn't want him and can say "no"? That she finally has a choice? Even though she is making choices as of the current canon to not explore the mating bond or do anything? I gave examples in Part 4.

And then what? Lucien moved on to Vassa or another female in the next book? That despite a rejection being devastating he's all cool and moved on within months.

No stakes. No challenges. No reprecussions. No consequences. Nothing interesting.

"But it's proof that not every mated pairing works" that would be interesting if we had enough time to discover that but not with two characters that barely spoke to each other and readers have no clue to what kind of dynamic they have.

A rejected mating bond would not be a good story to tell because there wasn't much there to begin with. It's underwhelming.

"I don't want it" "okay cool see you around" < and that's it? Groundbreaking.

"It's a big factor to play into a forbidden romance because Rhys is the obstacle here" easily resolved with one word from Elain and Rhys is removed.

I think Elain and Lucien's mating bond would still be interesting to read about because we never had a mated pairing that knew they were mates but weren't in love yet.

It's giving an arranged marriage trope and the best part about arranged marriage is when the spouses get to know to each other better, they fall harder—I think the tension between Eain and Lucien would be quite delicious and fun to read about as they tip toe around each other and the mating bond.

2. Parallel journeys:

I like what Mor said in ACOFAS and it makes complete sense since it reaffirms that both Elain and Lucien are going on parallel journeys:

Mor drank deeply from her glass. "Stay out of She's not ready, and neither is he, no matter how many presents he brings."

I lifted a brow. "Snoop."

Mor leaned back against the steps, utterly un-repentant. "Let him live with his Band of Exiles. Let him deal with Tamlin in his own way. Let him figure out where he wants to be. Who he wants to be. The same goes with her."

3. Promised HEAs:

SJM already stated that each book going forward will follow different pairings and by the end of their book they'll get their HEA. That's the standard traditional romance formula.

A mate rejection, especially in standalone books, are miserable. Not enough time is given to navigate through it or move on and it also sets an unrealistic and cheap outcome that the other mate could easily move on from the soul-level rejection. No, that doesn't entitle a mate to force their other mate to accept the bond because it would affect them personally, it's just something I think that needs more than a book to discover through the POVs of the characters involved.

This is why a mate rejection is a very rare and an unpopular trope in fiction. There was a temporary mate rejection in the Zodiac Academy series that scarred the ZA fandom because it's depressing.

You have Fated Mates authors like Kresley Cole who published around 21 books with each book including the Fate Mate trope. That's one of ACOTAR's trademark.

Till this day, every SJM character that found out about the mating bond ended up with their mate one way or another. It's an SJM trademark at this point.

4. Then which rejected bond would Sarah explore?

In my opinion, the true rejected bond story that would be extremely emotional, tragic and powerful is the story of Helion and Lady of Autumn.

What they had is the definition of a forbidden romance. Lady of Autumn was married to a High Lord from her Court and Helion wasn't even a High Lord of the Day Court then.

The stakes are extremely high they could've triggered a war between Day Court and Autumn Court. Even though a mating bond triumphs marriage, Lady of Autumn still has children with Beron. She chose her children over her mate in the end. She had to reject the bond because everything stood against them.

While this is currently theoretical but it's strongly pointed at in canon that they're mates.

This makes for a better story of a Rejected Mating Bond because enough time passed to see what were the repercussions, the consequences of their actions and how they both suffered. Do they find their way back to each other in the end or does one of them for whatever reason loses their life? Did Helion have to seek other people to distract him from not being with his mate and her not choosing him? Did their bond weaken?

Conclusion:

I didn't expect this to be long but I hope you enjoyed reading this "essay". The rejected mates storyline is controversial and so many readers feel strongly about it. Everything here reflects my own thoughts and why I think a Rejected Mating bond wouldn't be an interesting one to discover with Elain and Lucien.

I deserve another cup of coffee and on my way to get me one haha. I apologize for any typos in advance.

[extremely-judgemental]

Cassian is ugly and his arc is messier. The more you look into his past and his chemistry/dynamic with other characters, his behaviour doesn’t corroborate with his words, and it becomes harder to see him as the goofy, sunshine guy SJM wants us to believe.

(response to this by @flat-neines. I agree with everything you pointed out and I didn’t want to hijack your post, so here we are. This has been in my drafts for months and I didn’t have the mental capacity to put them in a coherent order, and it’s a LOT (also because I didn’t want to dedicate another post to this mf, really). So, have an open mind and take it with a grain of salt. If anyone doesn’t want another long rant, you should read that one lol.)

Cassian is devoted to Rhysand.

For a bastard who’s constantly dismissed in his life, Rhysand is the first one to give him the validation he craves. Of all the boys, he was the chosen one and his life turned around when he was basically adopted (I’m not gonna repeat this again, you can read it here). Because of this, he is more loyal to Rhysand than his people, his title, his armies, or even his court.

Cassian doesn’t see Azriel as his equal.

He’s been enjoying this new life for a whole year and only befriends Rhysand after Azriel comes into the picture. They both are bastards. They both are underprivileged. Cassian’s unwarranted aggression towards an already abused boy, who doesn’t know how to fly or fight, outside their training can imply that he saw him as a threat to his status with Rhysand. So, he put him in his place.

There are two other instances where his sense of superiority comes through. First, in the dinner scene in MAF where he boasts about giving Azriel hell and he doesn’t hesitate to share about his captivity. There’s no emotional cue in the conversation that indicates he truly feels bad for either of those. Morrigan has to interrupt the guy who is supposedly emotionally so capable of reading the room that he gets Feyre’s trauma during their training better than anyone and ‘knows’ what Nesta needs to heal.

Second during Eris’s seduction in SF. Cassian is jealous only when Eris is dancing with Nesta. Azriel can keep up with her too, but he isn’t bothered by it. It’s dismissed because they are friends and he trusts his friend. But Cassian’s insecurity is that he’s a brute through and through and it’s why Nesta sees him as less than. And Azriel is well-mannered compared to him in every way. He’s polite, he sings and dances, and also he has a way with people which is noted in his interactions with the Archeron sisters and the priestesses. But his mannerisms don’t bring out these fears in Cassian. (Insecurities don’t understand if you’re their friend or foe.)

If, instead of being a bastard, Azriel had been a true son of a lord, their dynamic would’ve been so different. 

Cassian doesn’t love Morrigan.

Both are bastards, but Morrigan, the second woman he encounters in his life, is drawn to Azriel and not him. Cassian knows Azriel longer, he knows how much he’s been deprived of love, and he knows his reservations around people. He still chooses to hurt him and only realises his mistake when he sees the look on his face, but he already knew his brother is in love. The reason that makes sense is Morrigan validates him by sleeping with him, proves that he isn’t at the bottom of the pyramid, there’s someone else beneath him—Azriel. Once he got that, he moved on. It’s why he’s not bothered by her endless partners which clearly affects Azriel. Which is why he still flirts with her because he doesn’t regret it.

And now, he still doesn’t love Morrigan. He’s infatuated with the idea of the 17-year old big-eyed girl who saw him as a saviour. With the sexual element thrown in, she became the standard against which other women in his life are measured.

Cassian doesn’t want a mate.

His dream is to have children—not specifically a mate—so that he can be a better father. He only mentions ‘mate’ because he knows he has one. Mating bonds are rare and the one he witnesses is the worst of the ‘mating bond gone wrong’ cases with Rhysand’s parents. His desire for a mate is not as woven into his identity as it is for Azriel. He wants a woman to bear his children—like the other Illyrians, and for him, it’s convenient that she’s already chosen. Even without a mate, Cassian would have settled with any woman as long as he could parent someone. This also shows in the way he treats Nesta. If he yearned for such a bond, he wouldn’t disrespect it as much as he did and definitely wouldn’t prioritise Rhysand over it.

The second bond he witnesses is between Rhysand and Feyre. Since he doesn’t know what happened UtM, all he sees is Feyre knowing the ‘bad guy’ act and still falling in love with his best friend, Feyre supporting him and going along with his every decision. Given how Cassian idolises him, he wants to replicate their relationship even to the point of breaking Nesta to his will. He wants someone to be his Feyre.

His treatment of Nesta in SF is more than his loyalty to Rhysand. The first and only woman to nurture him is Rhysand’s mother. She took him in, fed him, clothed him, educated him. She cared for him in ways his mother should have and couldn’t. Cassian wants an amalgamation of Rhysand’s mother (the ideal mother for his children) and young Morrigan (his dream standard). But he’s stuck with Nesta who is neither ‘motherly’ to anyone nor does she admire him. When Cassian says ‘he’s shackled to her’, he means it. So, he moulds her into someone who is in awe of him, puts him on a pedestal, and makes him feel like a superior male.

Cassian’s arc is fake and forced.

The beginning of SF is quite strong with Cassian doubting himself. He is a War General and yet he struggles to earn the respect of his people because of his status. He’s thrust into the role of a courtier and he questions himself more and more as he’s not a high-born, nor is he trained to handle such diplomatic situations. 

Cassian is no Jon Snow.

His insecurities stem from the fact that he’s a bastard born to an unnamed father. It’s rooted in his core identity. However, Cassian’s situation is not so unique. Of course, he lost his mother because of his birth and that’s an incomparable trauma but it’s also common among his people who breed women. Every boy is thrown into the camps and trained, and only rightful ones are allowed in the Blood Rite. They don’t even live with their families and the only exception is Rhysand. Not to dismiss his trauma, but his insecurity falls flat and undermines the narrative when we factor in Illyrian culture.

All this could have been fixed if Cassian had tried to earn the respect of his people instead of the courtiers who were never going to anyway. Though he’s a War General, he doesn’t share camaraderie with his soldiers, he doesn’t live with them, and he has no respect for them. He does nothing to change his own beliefs or prove to others that he's more than a bastard. Instead, he uses a ‘you have no right to judge me’ attitude while constantly looking for approval everywhere.

Instead of addressing it where it counts, he’s comparing himself with Lucien and Eris, but not Vassa (a human queen) and Jurian (a renowned human War general). Why does an Illyrian who yearns for respect from his people compete with a select few who are only high fae and are of royal blood?

Nesta is his cure-all.

There’s one instance that truly marks Cassian’s supposed growth—where he sees his real ‘worth’—when Nesta admires him for his wits and apologises. In the same conversation, he admits his act was inspired by her. This is meant to be a ‘We make each other better’ moment but it fails miserably as Cassian spends the entire book tearing her down. He shows little to no concern for her wishes or needs. He assaults her in her room, stalks her, dismisses the bargain, and coerces her into an imbalanced relationship. For someone who cares so little about Nesta and her opinion of him, his fears being wiped out in a single conversation is laughable. For someone who doesn't believe he's smart, he sure seemed quite smug about outdoing an evil witch instead of it being pointed out by others and coming to the realisation being a bastard has nothing to do with being a hero.

(This could also be seen as his jealousy which leads him to fuel her self-loathing and fears so that Nesta never realises she deserves better than him. Which is quite similar to what he does with Azriel. The only ones he allows to surpass him are Rhysand, Feyre by extension, and Morrigan since he already got what he wanted from her.)

On the other hand, the one whose validation he truly seeks is Rhysand. Cassian's inner monologues clearly suggest his attempt at embodying him during the different meetings. Despite this imitation, he says the aforementioned to Nesta which can only be seen as a manipulation tactic.

I don’t even think this conflict was even in the OG Cassian character. SJM slapped it on him just for SF because it’s convenient and he needs an arc in his book. But she doesn’t want to fix Illyria or even give it a spotlight, so she stuck with Cassian trying to beat Eris. His insecurities aren’t even resolved. He still hasn’t come to terms with him being a bastard. His healing requires acceptance from himself first and also deep self-reflection. Nesta is only a supply for his ego and an emotional punching bag. Honestly, Cassian disgusts me more than Rhysand.

[bonecarversbestie]

Butterflies - Elain Archeron/Elucien

Mini oneshot ~500 words | rating: G (or as i like to call these short fics: a snicky snack 😋)

This was inspired by my obsession with short hair!Elain.

This fic is also available on AO3

(Also for the record, I don't think Feyre and Nesta would react like this but I had to do it for plot reasons)

---------------------------------

Elain beamed as she made her way through her garden toward the River House’s back door. She kept running her fingers through the short curls at the nape of her neck, giggling to herself as butterflies fluttered in her chest.

She had gotten the haircut on a whim. She'd been struck by the impulse while out shopping and had let it carry her straight through the front doors of the salon.

When it was done, Elain had stared at her reflection in the salon’s mirror for so long that the stylist had had to gently shoo her from the shop to make room for her next client. She had felt like she was seeing herself for the first time—her delicate features now more pronounced, and the pointed ears she’d come to love proudly on display—and she simply couldn’t look away.

Her hair had always been a burden—too heavy and too hot when she was cooking or gardening, and a veil she’d hidden behind because she knew others found it beautiful. She felt lighter now than she ever had before.

Elain bit her lip, still smiling, as she let herself into the house.

“Elain!” Feyre’s voice rang out as she entered the kitchen. Feyre and Nesta were perched on the counter, picking strawberries out of a bowl of fresh fruit.

Feyre leapt from the counter and rushed toward her. She began running her fingers through Elain’s hair. “What happened?” Feyre asked, voice laced with confusion and concern.

Elain’s smile faltered, and her shoulders sagged. “What do you mean? I got a haircut.”

Feyre pressed her lips into a thin line as she looked Elain over.

Elain’s brows furrowed. “You don’t like it?”

Nesta hadn’t moved from her place on the counter, but the horror in her sister’s eyes was unmistakable even from where she stood in the doorway.

“No, no, it’s not that I don’t like it.” Feyre insisted. “It’s just…different.”

The butterflies in Elain’s chest began to die one by one.

“You’ve always had long, beautiful hair. It’s just jarring that you would make this choice so suddenly.” Feyre’s expression became distant as she spoke to someone mind to mind—likely Rhysand.

She blinked rapidly, refocusing her attention on Elain. “We have to go—there’s a meeting, but we can discuss this more after dinner.”

Elain sighed as Feyre and Nesta left the room. She wasn’t sure what there was to talk about. She had cut her hair. It was done. And she had loved it. She hadn’t anticipated such a strong reaction.

Elain set about aggressively scrubbing produce for that night’s dinner.

Footsteps approached, and someone paused in the doorway. She braced herself for their reaction as she turned to face them.

It was Lucien. He lingered in the arched doorway, blinking at her rapidly as if he were staring into the sun. A slow, radiant smile bloomed on his lips. “You cut your hair.”

Elain sighed heavily. “Everyone hates it,” she muttered, letting her head fall despondently to one side.

“Do you hate it?” Lucien’s voice was gentle.

Elain lifted her gaze to meet his and shook her head. “I love it.”

Lucien nodded, eyes twinkling. “Then go on loving it.”  His voice was soft, almost breathless. “It is lovely.”

Elain twinkled back at him, and a single butterfly stirred back to life in her chest.

---------------------------------

A quick sketch i did of short hair Elain -- a treat for those of you who read all the way to the bottom *forehead kiss 4 u* 😘

(also for the record i know Elain doesn't need a man's validation for her haircut, but i just think that Lucien would see her and immediately understand its significance to her)

[serendipity-by-chance]

nesta stans are genuinely so funny bc they think feyre is an unreliable narrator like first of all, for feyre to be an unreliable narrator we need to understand that sjm needs to be a good writer. which she isnt lol. sjm is NOT a good writer. she writes the most bland ass stories so let’s not credit her with that.

second, nothing througout feyre’s narration is contradictory or her lying to make herself feel better. feyre’s narration is very true. she hated rhys and vilified rhys when she thought rhys was helping amarantha. feyre doesnt use her povs to lessen her burden and blame things on others. she doesnt shirk away from her wrongs lol. feyre’s pov only changes when she goes to the NC and learns more about him. why do you claim she is unreliable?

because of rhys. you claim feyre is unreliable because the core of it is rhys. except that doesn’t make her an unreliable narrator? rhys has time and time again admitted he is ruthless and will do whatever it takes to protect those he loves. in acowar we see how he was willing to make treaty with eris and mor’s father so he can have their army and not telling mor about it bc he didnt know how to tell her. also he did it bc that’s a way to save mor’s life in the war bc bigger army. rhys has stated in ACOMAF that he finds it difficult to forgive feyre’s sisters bc when he sees them he remembers how she was a child going to the forest while they shirked their responsibilities as her elder sisters to protect her. rhys has said he cant forgive people who hurt feyre and we see that with tamlin too. how he hates tamlin even more for locking up feyre. and mind u thats not jealousy lol. rhys despite his jealousy accepted feyre’s rs with tamlin.

u guys hate rhys bc rhys doesnt coddle nesta. u guys hate the fact that finally someone calls her out on her bs. u guys hate that there’s someone who sees nesta’s ugliness and doesn’t tolerate it. and pls do not come to me with “nesta was abused and traumatized”. so was rhys. this fandom collectively likes to forget that rhys is a rape victim. he’s been continuously raped and made to brutally murder people for 50 years against his wishes. somehow in for nesta fans the only trauma that’s valid is nesta’s. nesta’s SA is the only one that’s valid but rhys’ isnt. nesta gets to react out due to her trauma and hurt everyone but rhys can’t trauma react and protect his family.

somehow to nesta stans feyre, the narrator for 4 books through whose eyes we learn about this world and explore the main plot, is unreliable but somehow nesta with her 1 book which barely touches on anything aside from her fucking cassian every two chapters is more reliable like ok😭😭

lets not credit sjm with good writing lol. she’s a white woman who can only write very misogynistic white people centric stories.