the issue I have with people saying Elain doesn’t “owe” Lucien a conversation to reject him is that it insinuates Lucien had any agency in creating their bond. He didn’t. Neither of them did. It was thrust onto both of them. Elain is not a victim of this bond anymore than Lucien is. They were both put into a complicated situation that neither of them had any control over and now the only way forward is for them to talk about it. They’re not toddlers. They need to have a conversation and, yes, Elain needs to be part of it. She’s an adult. And this sentiment is not anti Elain. “I want Elain to act like the adult that she is” is not anti Elain
This is, again, confusing fictional characters with real people.
A real person wouldn’t “owe” a man a conversation. But that’s not what’s happening here. A mate bond is a magical storytelling convention that connects two characters physically. We don’t have anything like it in real life, but one thing it’s sort of like is a child. You have a child with a random person but never want to see that random person again, that’s your right. But guess what? You owe that child something. You owe child support. Even if the child was an accident and neither of you planned it, it exists now and it’s your responsibility and you have obligations to it, and yes, to each other.
Not only that, but this idea of not owing something to another person… Sarah has actually written it before.
These scenes are basically cut and paste. And they’re about the same thing.
No. Just because Lorcan apologized, Elide does not have to forgive him. But he did apologize. And she DOES eventually forgive him and love him. They are mates. It works out. Even despite her not owing him anything for the apology. Elain also doesn’t owe Lucien time and affection because he gave her a gift. But he gave her a gift. And she WILL eventually spend time with him, and fall in love with him. They are mates. It will work out. Even despite her not owing him anything for the gift.
Feyre and Gavriel aren’t telling Elain and Elide that they OWE anything to anyone. Gavriel is pointing out how unusual it is for Lorcan to do what he did, and how that very unusualness means something important.
Feyre is also pointing out an unusualness. Elain is supposed to be the kindest of them all. It’s sort of her only personality trait. But here she is, actually being rude to someone who has done nothing to deserve it. Isn’t that unusual? Unusualness is important. And usually, in a romance, violent instant distaste for a fated mate doesn’t mean he’s a bad guy and she’s right to shun him. It means the opposite.
They’re gonna talk. Because they have a mate bond together. Neither of them planned it. Neither of them even wants it right now, but it ties them to each other forever and the only thing they can do about that is try and work it out.
@justwithlu @nymphpriestessvalkyrie perfectly said 👏🏻👏🏻💛💛💛
