theseeingfawn

[theseeingfawn]

Gwyn = Ansel (TOG)

(TOG spoilers) | These are my personal opinions | and this is NOT an anti-Gwyn post. | I believe characters are allowed to be morally gray and the reader is allowed to still love them. I'd argue that most of SJMs characters are morally gray and we still love em all the same!

Forget the Lightsinger theory have we all considered that Gwyn may pull an Ansel in some fashion?!

SJM characterizes Gwyn and Ansel in the same way on a few occasions and the reader may be left feeling suspicious after reading their scenes.

Gwyn: "Eyes glowed with mischief", "consipiritorial whisper", "Hair shimmering in the dim light". Ansel: "mischief twinkling in Ansel’s red-brown eyes", "conspirator’s grin", "hair shimmering in a ray of sunlight".

Could Gwyn make "a bad choice, trying to heal a wound she couldn't ever mend. Trying to avenge the people she loved."?

(quote above is directly from TOG-Celaena talking about Ansel after Ansel came to the rescue and helped "the good guys" in the end).

In addition:

*They both reside/work somewhere run by someone who is mute (Clotho/Mute Master)*

*they both witnessed their family being killed in a kitchen*

Maybe its just coincidence, but I think SJM patterns are important to watch out for (if you like that kind of stuff of course).

🧜‍♀️✨ More Gwyn deep dive posts coming soon ✨

*tagging my elriel girlies to hopefully dissuade any negativity*

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I think there is a misunderstanding :

Azriel doesn’t think that Elain SHOULD BE his mate.

Azriel thinks that Elain IS his mate.

That’s why he questioned the Cauldron.

And I think some people interpreted it the same way as Rhysand—that is, they think Azriel just wants to be Elain’s mate because he should be or deserves to be.

« You believe you deserve to be her mate ? »

But it’s understandable for Rhysand to think that way because he doesn’t know Azriel’s secrets like Nesta does. He doesn’t know that Azriel can’t stand the bond between Elain and Lucien or that Azriel is no longer interested in Mor. However, readers are supposed to know this from the books and the bonus chapter.

Rhysand also thinks this way (that Azriel believes he deserves to be Elain’s mate) because, for him, it’s unthinkable—even impossible—that Elain could have two mates. He witnessed the bond forming between Elain and Lucien; she already has a mate. She can’t have another one. That has never happened in the history of mates. So, he doesn’t even consider what Azriel believes, because it’s unheard of in history for someone to have two mates. For Rhysand, Azriel must simply mean he feels he deserves to be in Lucien’s place.

So, because Rhysand doesn’t have all the information about Azriel’s secrets (the whole BC chapter exposed his secrets) and because the idea of Elain having two mates is unimaginable (since, again, Rhysand was there when Lucien said to Elain, ‘You are my mate’), Rhysand assumes that Azriel means he should or deserves to be Elain’s mate instead of Lucien.

But no. Azriel believes he is Elain’s mate.

I think this misunderstanding between Rhysand and Azriel has also extended to the fandom. (Which is understandable for Rhysand because, as I said, officially in the books, only Nesta knows Azriel’s secrets, she’s the only one who knows why he was at the door and the only one who knows he’s interested in her sister and not Mor)

For Rhysand, it’s weird because for him Azriel is still in love with Mor « what of Mor, Az ? » So what’s happening is so sudden for Rhysand. Because Azriel and Elain don’t even see each other often anymore, since Azriel avoids the dinners, avoids Elain and stays in the House of Wind, but anyway, his secrets are explained in the bonus chapter. And why he’s doing all of that but Rhysand ignores Azriel’s secrets.

To be clear: Azriel questioned the Cauldron because he believes he is Elain’s mate, not because he thinks he should be/deserve.

There’s a difference between be and should be that’s important to note.

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Elain Archeron, waiting in a veil.

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"Elain doesn't want the necklace."

Damn, how does it feel to be worse at reading than Feyre 😔

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I was watching a debate on tik tok regarding the necklace issue saying that azriel had an evolution by giving the necklace to gwyn because elain returned it to him and they say that it is a way for azriel to move forward and not wait for the love of another person because he already waited for mor's love for 500 years and now that elain gave him the necklace and he gave it to gwyn it is a way of giving his love to another person (gwyn) and not waiting for the one who rejected him (that is, elain when returning the necklace) what do you think of the comment?

I think, as with all the arguments G*ynriels come out with, that it’s nonsense. Genuinely. What kind of man (male blegh) does that make Azriel? If he’s so fickle in his feelings/love, why would we want him with anyone anytime soon? That’s not the type of man I want to read about and nor do I think it’s the type of man SJM would write. And we have absolutely zero evidence that he is that type of man - in fact, bonus chapter excluded, we have evidence of the opposite.

I think I’ve made a post on this before, but my opinion on the purpose of the regifting of the necklace is that we’re supposed to think it’s not right. Not only because it’s not really the done thing, especially with a gift that was specifically chosen with one person in mind, but also because of the little knowledge we have of Azriel, two things have been made abundantly clear; he is not fickle in his love & he has a ton of respect for women. So then why, would we have this complete 180 character change for this one moment in time? You’re meant to question it. Why was it specifically Clotho that he handed the necklace over to? Why was the time he turned up at the library noted? Why was that time when all the priestesses were at the evening service?

I think, in short, that the bonus chapter depicts this; Elain & Azriel have mutual romantic feelings for each other. That their book, as it pertains to their romance, will explore the forbidden romance trope. There will be some questioning of mate bonds - whether elriel are true mates, chosen mates - there’s something going on there. G*yn has powers, but also, so do a lot if not all of the library priestesses, including Clotho.

Fin. ❤️

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Do people not realize being a quiet person is a personality trait?

Being introspective is a personality trait.

Being introverted is a personality trait.

Being kind is a personality trait.

Being shy is a personality trait.

Being empathetic is a personality trait.

Being observant is a personality trait.

Being understanding is a personality trait.

Being reserved is a personality trait.

Being demure is a personality trait.

Being a hobbyist is a personality trait.

Being gentle is a personality trait.

Being compassionate is a personality trait.

Being optimistic is a personality trait.

And for better or worse, being naive or avoidant are also personality traits.

So when you say Elain needs to “grow a personality” you’re just showing you only think a certain type of personality is valid or worthy. Might want to reevaluate yourself if that’s the case.

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I love you hated female characters. I love you female characters that are labelled as weak because you don’t portray the typically masculine characteristics needed to be seen as strong. I love you female characters that have seen the horrors of the world and decided to stay kind and peaceful. I love you female characters that bake and garden and love. I love you female characters that are hated for your femininity. I love you female characters whose kindness is mistaken for weakness and who understand that war and violence should never be the first option. I love you female characters that are taken for granted and often labelled as ‘boring’ by a fandom unable to understand or even acknowledge the strength it takes to be kind in a world plagued by death and war. I love you kind female characters, I love you, I love you.

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Elain is in her gardens, tending to a new plant, with Azriel by her side. They’re engaged in conversations about anything and everything, just enjoying each other’s company. Cassian joins them to sun his wings and listen in, but he gets increasingly confused and concerned as Elain went from talking about the fertility of the soils to how there’s a beast lurking beneath a mountain.

He meets Azriel’s piercing gaze with a question on his tongue, but the shadowsinger silences him by holding a finger up to his mouth and narrowing his eyes.

“Is that so?” Azriel returns to the conversation without pause, leaving Cassian confuddled. “What can you feel about it?”

Elain hums, trimming away dead leaves with a pair of sharp shears that glinted in the sun. “Anger.” Snip. “Violence.” Snip. “Vengeance. It thirsts for blood.”

As her eyes return to their normal warm brown, she looks up to see Cassian’s retreating figure. Elain tilts her head, confused and displaced, but Azriel gently turns her by the chin to face him.

“What kind of plant is this again? Can you remind me?”

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An Elriel moment we don’t talk about enough

Elain, who is known as the prude by her sisters. Who blushes talking about menstrual cycles, who we can only assume had a very limited sex education from her mother, because it was not lady like. Yes, that Elain. She actively searched Azriel, in the middle of the night, to gift him this:

This shy and sexually guarded female openly making jokes about her sister’s sex life. With her crush. In the middle of the night. Both of them smiling and chuckling because of it.

For me, that’s just a major example of how comfortable Elain feels around Azriel. She can even display this side of her personality without feeling embarrassed. And let me tell you, miss Put-it-on-me? knew exactly what she was doing, leading the conversation towards this sexual charged joke.

Peace and quiet and sexual chemistry, yes, please.

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Every couple months I pretend like I know how to draw. Happy late Valentine’s Day!

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3 Acotar scenes that have the same vibes :

Feysand :

Rhysand’s teeth scraped against my neck in a lazy caress. “What is it you want, Feyre?” He nipped at my earlobe.

...

So I said, “I want a distraction.” It was breathless. “I want—fun.”

His body again tensed behind mine.

And I wondered if he somehow didn’t see it for the lie it was; if he thought … if he thought that was all I indeed wanted.

But his hands resumed their roaming. “Then allow me the pleasure of distracting you.”

Acomaf - Chapter 48

Nessian :

Through what Nesta knew was five hundred years of will, Cassian lifted his focus to her face as she walked to him, water dripping off her body. “You want to do this?” he breathed.

“Yes.” She stopped a foot away, her wet hair draped along her torso, and stared up into his face. His eyes burned like hazel stars. Nesta gave him a smile that was pure Fae. “Just sex.”

The words seemed to spark something, because Cassian blinked. “Right. Just sex.” He didn’t say it as lightly as she did. And still didn’t reach for her.

Acosf - Chapter 37

Elriel :

But he could have this. This one moment, and maybe a taste, and that would be it.

“Yes,” Elain breathed, like she read the decision. Just this taste in the dead of the longest night of the year, where only the Mother might witness them.

Azriel's hand slid up her neck, burying in her thick hair. Tilting her face the way he wanted it. Elain's mouth parted slightly, her eyes scanning his before fluttering shut.

Offer and permission.

Azriel's bonus chapter

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I’m a casual reader but I decided to make a post because I’m baffled, after going online to see what others make of the Elucien mating bond when the books seem to set up Elain and Azriel, to discover that most of the discourse is not about Lucien/Elain/Azriel but about people shipping Gwyn with Azriel. Like that to me makes no sense, because aside from there being close to nothing on page to point to that, they also have no conflict. Nothing is stopping those two to be together if they so wish, what are those 700+ pages gonna be about? And same could be said about Elucien too, no conflict aside from the fact that Elain doesn’t want to be anywhere near him, and a story where the couple is only together because they are forced by a “soulmate” type situation is kinda a bad romance. Then going back to Gwynriel, I’ve read that pairing is popular because of the BC, but it’s exactly the bonus chapter why they would never work as a couple. Not after it’s been confirmed Azriel has those thoughts and feelings for Elain. If he and Gwyn are mates it really makes for a shitty romance that the only reason he would be with her is because of the mating bond. If the bonus chapter didn’t happen a case could maybe be made for them but even if he only feels lust for Elain, who wants to read a story where the MMC lusts after someone else while the female character was nearby all along he just didn’t notice her? Like in what world makes that for a good romance? Again same applies to Elucien. Maybe, maybe the pairing could be salvaged somehow if they are not mates and just fall in love but why would have Sarah J Mass set it up like that. The other two mated couples had conflict for why they weren’t together and were in each others orbit and radar and had feelings for each other before the mating bond. Like Nesta was willing to die with Cassian, they were clearly set up, where is that with Azriel and Gwyn? It just wouldn’t make sense to have a Azriel/Gwyn pairing with no prior set up. Even in the first book when it seemed Feyre might end up with Tamlin, Rhys was very much being part of her story. And sure, Gwyn has trauma and that might make her trusting a man hard but last book was exactly about trauma, it’s a flimsy plot point to fill another 700+ pages.

[theseeingfawn]

Flowers and Shadows

🎨 art by jumipinto commissioned by celestialfaerietrove

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If you kiss me, will it be just like I dreamed?

♡ Art by @ellizsha

♡ Commissioned by me

Instagram | Twitter

@elriel-month

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[theseeingfawn]

𝓕𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓥𝓪𝓵𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓮 ₊˚⊹♡

𝙄 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪...

𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙮 𝙧𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙥.

𝙄 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙨;

𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙚.

𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙥𝙩 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙗𝙮 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚;

𝙄 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙡 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙖𝙣.

𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨,

𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨,

𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙡.

Happy Valentine’s Day from us to you 🫶🏼 Elain and Azriel’s love is warm and gentle—it’s like coming home. Their love is like the soft glow of the morning sun. It is a love that brings contentment, joy, and peace. @annluvazzel conveyed that feeling perfectly in this piece and we cannot be more appreciative of her work!

˚₊· ͟͟͞➳❥

𐙚 Art by @annluvazzel

𐙚 Commissioned by @duskcowboy & I

𐙚 Characters belong to @sarahjmaas

Find it on IG here!

Please do not repost 🚫

˚₊· ͟͟͞➳❥

[theseeingfawn]

𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆, 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅.

༻𖤓༺

⁣⁣⁣⤞ art by celeste_donuts_art

⤞ commissioned by me

Happy Valentine’s Day!

༻𖤓༺

Instagram | Twitter | @elriel-month

please do not repost.

[theseeingfawn]

You don't understand how important Azriel's "Don't apologize. Never apoligize" to Elain is to me.