Feyre is a shitty friend to Lucien if she’s ever been a friend to him at all
This is going to be a long post and yeah I have made two tiktoks about this already and yes people got very mad at me but I’m going to post in on here anyways!!
In Chapter 3 of ACOWAR, Lucien says, “You are a better friend to me, Feyre, than I ever was to you.”
And I couldn't disagree more. This is just so so wrong. I think Feyre has been such a shitty friend to Lucien if she’s even been a friend to him at all.
If you can’t handle criticism towards Feyre then just scroll past! And I have so many things to say but Feyre being a shitty friend definitely starts in ACOWAR. She’s constantly lying to him, making wrong assumptions about him, she uses him.
And I understand that is all for her plan to take down Spring; she can’t really tell anyone the truth because it’ll ruin her cover but a lot of the things she does concerning Lucien and how she’s his friend, are kind of fucked up.
Constantly lying to him and using him in Spring
Now I thought the nightmare scene with Feyre and Lucien was excellent and very entertaining to read but when you think about how Feyre is using Lucien, her “friend”, in a sexual way to get back at Tamlin and turning them against each other…it makes her a shitty friend.
Chapter 5 of ACOWAR:
I waited the five minutes it took Tamlin to decide not to kill Lucien, and then smiled.
I wondered if Lucien had pieced it together…
A nightmare, I had told Tamlin.
I was the nightmare.
Preying on what Tamlin had feared from my very first days here…
I had no doubt Tamlin was now running through every look and conversation since then. Every time Lucien had intervened on my behalf…weighing how much that new mating bond with Alain held sway over his friend…
And she continuously gets Lucien to touch her to goad Tamlin’s jealousy and also Ianthe’s jealousy. She does it very often while they’re in Spring: an example is when they sleep in the tent together. They basically end up cuddling each other and Jurian sees. And though it wasn’t on purpose, Feyre thinks about how it would be perfect if that got to Tamlin.
Chapter 6:
I’d rolled onto Lucien’s bedroll at some point, any schemes indeed second to my most pressing demand—warmth. But I had no doubt Jurian would tuck away the information to throw in Tamlin’s face when we returned: we’d shared a tent, and had been very cozy upon awakening.
She is using him. She admits it when we get to the scene with Ianthe SAing Lucien.
Why she saved Lucien from Ianthe
And getting to this point soon:
So in an earlier conversation they have, Lucien talks about how he did the rite in Tamlin’s place and he completed it with Ianthe. Feyre can see that lines were blurred. Ianthe had continuously sought Lucien and she got what she wanted. And Feyre says she should have been there to stop it.
Chapter 3 of ACOWAR:
He might have completed the Great Rite with Ianthe of his own free will, but he certainly hadn’t enjoyed it. Some line had been blurred—badly…
The weight of that jeweled knife and belt seemed to grow. “I wish I had been there to stop it. I should have been there to stop it.” I meant every word.
Lucien squeezed our linked arms as we rounded a head, the house rising up before us. “You are a better friend to me, Feyre,” he said quietly, “than I ever was to you.”
And this brings in the quote I brought up in the beginning. ANd I will make a whole separate post on Lucien’s inaction in ACOMAF but what he says just tells me that he feels guilty for not doing enough to help Feyre with Tamlin locking her up.
Feyre said she should have been there to stop it. Alright well, when the time came and she was given an opportunity to stop Ianthe, Feyre was thinking about how she could keep going and just leave Ianthe to SA Lucien and let it happen. She is going against her word. and that makes her a hypocrite and terrible friend.
Chapter 9:
Keep going. They were distracted, horrible as it was.
Keep going, keep going, keep going.
“I thought you’d seek me out after the Rite,” Ianthe purred. They couldn’t be more than thirty feet through the trees. Far enough away not to hear my presence, if I was quiet enough.
And Feyre realizes that her using Lucien was a bad move, so Feyre’s guilt encourages her to save Lucien not out of any genuine friendship.
“You don’t act that way with Feyre.” A silk-wrapped threat.
“You’re mistaken.”
“Am I?” Twigs and leaves crunched, as if she was circling him. “You put your hands all over her.”
I had done my job too well, provoked her jealousy too much with every instance I’d found ways to get Lucien to touch me in her presence, in Tamlin’s presence.
But another thing that causes her to save him is because this moment reminds her of when Ianthe assaulted Rhys.
I made it about a hundred yards into the cover of the trees before I halted.
I heard Lucien first.
“Back off”
A low female laugh.
Everything in me went still and cold at that sound. I’d heard it once before—in Rhysand’s memory.
and Lucien saying “do not touch me” is exactly what Rhys says and this is what pulls Feyre out of her plans to keep going and save him instead.
Chapter 21 of ACOMAF:
Rhys learned close to breathe in her ear, “don’t you ever touch me. Don’t ever touch another male in my court.”
Chapter 9 of ACOWAR:
“Do not touch me,” he growled.
And then I was moving.
This moment is echoing Ianthe going after Rhys, from the way Ianthe acts to the hand-breaking situation because Feyre was replicating what Rhys did to Ianthe’s hand. And in my opinion, Feyre breaking her hand was not only revenge for Lucien but also revenge for Rhys. And that’s not inherently bad but Feyre is not saving Lucien because she’s a good friend and she cares for his well-being. If that were true, she would have never thought of leaving him to get SAed by her in the first place.
Not trusting him, questioning his priorities
When they’re traveling through Autumn she continues to not trust him, she continues to make assumptions about him and assume the worst. She questions his priorities when it comes to Elain and assumes that he’s only coming along to get what he’s owed. But then she wants him to have sympathy for her and Rhys as mates. It’s just very one-sided.
Chapter 12:
“You kissed Under the Mountain.”
“I had little choice in that as I did with the dancing.”
“And yet this is the male you now love.”
“He didn’t know—he had no inkling of the personal history, the secrets, that had opened my heart to the High Lord of the Night Court. They were not my stories to tell.
“One would think, Lucien, that you’d be glad I fell in love with my mate, given that you’re in the same situation Rhys was in six months ago.”
Compare this to Chapter 11:
“And that’s why you’re here. Not because it’s right and he’s always been wrong, but just so you can get what you think you’re owed.”
“She is my mate and in my enemy’s hands—“
So Rhys and Lucien were in the same situation: both had their mates in their enemy’s hands and want to keep them safe. Was Rhys only getting what he thought he was owed as well? No. So why can’t Feyre offer the same courtesy?
Again, ready to abandon him in Spring
And there’s literally a part when they're running in Autumn where Lucien basically asks “are you actually my friend?” and Feyre doesn’t answer.
Chapter 11:
“You have the gall to question my priorities regarding Elain—yet what was your motive where I was concerned? Did you plan to spare me from your path of destruction because of any genuine friendship, or simply of fear of what it might do to [Elain]?”
I didn’t answer.
“Well? What was your grand plan for me before Ianthe interfered?”
I pulled at a stray thread in the bedroll. “You would have been fine,” was all I said.
To actually answer your question, Lucien: she wasn’t planning on sparing you. She used you and was ready to leave you.
Lucien is a bigger man than me because I would have probably yelled in her face.
Again, uses him to get revenge against Tamlin
Also when he asks her where he’ll fit in in the NC,she thinks about how she would only offer him the position to keep Elain from Spring and to get back at Tamlin.
Chapter 12:
“And where, exactly, do you believe I will fit in? The Night Court?
I didn’t answer. I didn’t have one, honestly. As High Lady I could likely offer him a position, if we survived long enough to make it home. I’d do it mostly to keep Elain from ever going to the Spring Court, but I had little doubt Lucien would be able to hold his own against my friends. And some small, horrible part of me enjoyed the thought of taking one more thing away from Tamlin, something vital, something essential.
“We should leave at down,” was my only reply.
Lucien is vital, but not because of his talents as an emissary and how he would benefit the Night Court. It’s because Tamlin wouldn’t have an emissary.
Feyre just lies to him and assumes stuff and uses him…overall, she’s just such a selfish friend and I’m fairly sure that she doesn’t even consider Lucien her friend at this part, despite several things that would go against that. Lucien seems to consider or had considered her a friend.
And then I got a part two because there’s just more things.
Being unwelcome when they get to Night
And now we are getting to one of my biggest gripes with Feyre. When they get back to the Night Court she has the reunion with Rhys. They almost immediately go off and have sex and sure, I get it: they’re mates, they haven’t seen each other in a while, they didn’t know if they would ever see each other again. It’s very emotional. But when they are done having sex, Feyre goes down and sees Lucien in the sitting room, still in his dirty clothes. Feyre thinks about how she should offer him something…but then the thought vanishes as soon as Rhys steps to her side.
Chapter 15:
“Lucien was waiting in the sitting room when Rhus and I came downstairs at last…
I fought my cringe as I halted at the threshold. Lucien was still in his travel-worn, filthy clothes. His face and hands, at least, were clean, but…I should have gotten him something else. Remembered to offer him—
The thought rippled away into nothing as Rhys appeared at my side.
FEYRE. You literally just finished fucking him and putting on your wedding rings, stop thinking of Rhys and offer your “friend” some clean clothes, a bath, SOMETHING!!!! He has his face and hands washed probably because he washed them in the fucking kitchen sink because he doesn’t know where the bathroom is because no one has given him a tour and they still don’t give him a tour after this…
This is infuriating to me. So infuriating. It’s not only being a shitty friend but also a shitty hostess.
And then they have their talk where they explain everything to him, Lucien finally understands what has been going on, he knows that Rhys has been wearing a mask the whole time and that the NC is good…and then he is finally offered clothes and a bath. By fucking Rhys too not by Feyre.
Chapter 16:
“I assume you’ll need clothes,” Rhys went on, nodding toward Lucien’s filthy jacket and pants—which he’d worn for the past week while we scrambled through territories. Indeed, that was…blood splattered in several spots.
Not communicating, having no important talks as friends or allies
And then the entire time Lucien is in Night, she does not try to have any meaningful talks besides the one where she and Rhys explain everything to him. She often says it’s for another time. But they never have any sort of conversation, even if it would just be beneficial as allies, if not friends.
There is a weird sort of mistrust for him. They not only don’t trust Lucien with Elain but also just information in general and this mistrust takes way too long to fade. From a political standpoint, I get it: he is / was a close friend and courtier to Tamlin, they did ally with Hybern. But Feyre acknowledges he was remorseful. And when they’re in Spring he speaks up and tells Tamlin his mistrust and dislike towards allying with Hybern. But Feyre just speaks over that.
And I just don’t understand this mistrust with Elain and assuming he’ll steal her away, which is what Rhys implies.
Chapter 19:
“If he got Elain away, back to Spring or wherever…do you believe, deep down, that he wouldn’t sell what he knows? Either for gain, or to ensure she stays safe?”
I considered his question: Did I trust Lucien? “I don’t know, either,” I admitted, and sighed. “I don’t like that Elain is a pawn in this.”
“Did he discuss what he feels regarding Tamlin?”
“Non. I didn’t want to push on that. He was…remorseful about what happened with me, and Hybern, and Elain. Would he have felt that way without Elain in the mix? I don’t know—maybe. I don’t think he would have left, though.”
But Lucien explained to Feyre that he hated how Elain was in an enemy’s hands and wanted to make sure she was okay and he knows now that the IC is good and she’s safe, but you still mistrust him? You are just completely ignoring everything and thinking the worst of him, and as I said before, not offering him the same courtesy you want him to have for Rhys.
Also Elain is a pawn because you are making her a pawn.
Lucien has good intentions. He wants to do good. With Hybern, he has not only explains his dislike for allying with them before to her but he sneaks off and sent stuff to Nuan for research to find a preventative against faebane. He goes to find Vassa to basically redeem himself, he says it was “about time he did something”.
And about Elain: Lucien is not demanding to see her. He literally just sits around on his ass and waits and is courteous. There’s no malicious intent. He is so kind and respectful. And if you are so mistrustful towards him that you set up rules for him to follow, maybe just ask him. Ask permission to look in his mind maybe?
Feyre and Rhys and the IC have a set of morals that they follow sometimes but then choose not to follow when it conveniences them. That is a whole other discussion in itself but literally so many things that went wrong with their friendship could have been solved if they actually talked and Feyre wanted to listen to him.
When Lucien and Elain finally talk one-on-one and Feyre goes into his mind (again, out of mistrust), Feyre discovers that Lucien has no ill intentions. Lucien didn’t even mean to find Elain there in the library. He just wanted a walk and to get a book, he didn’t realize she was there, he did not intentionally seek her out and break Feyre’s rule, despite what Rhys says.
Chapter 24 of ACOWAR:
He hadn’t expected her to be here. The other sister—the viper—was a possibility, but one he was willing to risk…he’s been cooped up in this wind-blasted House for two days.
He just wanted a walk—and a few books. It had been an age since he’d ever had free time to read, let alone do so for pleasure.
But there she was.
His mate.
Getting jealous he has friends / the entire fight they have in ACOFAS
Feyre seemed to have redeveloped her affection for Lucien by the end of ACOWAR but it took way too long and she is still an ass even after everything he’s done for her and for the good of Prythian.
In Frost and Starlight with their fight that causes him to leave before the Solstice…by fucking god. I truly hate everything about this conversation. Feyre is just so wildly frustrating. I discussed it before so I feel like I don’t need to go a whole lot into it because I already ripped this scene apart word for word.
Chapter 18 of ACOFAS:
I rose as well. ‘But Jurian and Vassa’s is fine?’
‘You’d be surprised to see how well the three of us get along.’
Friends, I realized. They had somehow become his friends. ‘So you would rather stay with them?’
‘I’m not staying with them. The manor is ours.’”
‘Interesting.’
His golden eye whirred. ‘What is.’
Not feeling very festive at all, I said sharply, ‘That you now feel more comfortable with humans than with the High Fae. If you ask me—‘
‘I’m not.’
‘It seems like you’ve decided to fall in with two people without their homes of their own as well.’”
Lucien talks about how he and Vassa and Jurian have been getting closer and Feyre gets almost jealous that he has found friends and a life outside of the Night Court and the Inner Circle.
Of course he wanted to find other friends besides you, Feyre. It’s not like you have welcomed him with open arms.
And then this quote: “It seems like you’ve decided to fall in with two people without homes of their own as well.”
So you’re admitting that the Night Court isn’t his home? That he’s not welcome here, he has no friends here?
And then she realizes she fucked up she tries to correct herself:
Chapter 18 of ACOFAS:
“Lucien stared at me, long and hard. ‘Happy Solstice to you, Feyre.’”
He turned toward the foyer, but I grabbed his arm to halt him. The corded muscle of his forearm shifted beneath the fine silk of the sapphire jacket, but he made no move to shake me off. ‘I didn’t mean that. You have a home here. If you want it.’”
He doesn’t want it. He talks about how he can’t go to Spring anymore not just to Tamlin but to the court outside of the manor because of how Feyre ripped down Spring. Feyre shows no remorse for that. And he also talks about how he can’t stand to be in Night around Elain. He doesn’t feel welcome here for all of those reasons and from the fact that you are just the worst friend ever.
And then she proceeds to make fun of the Band of Exiles and mock him despite the work they are doing for the land she used to live in as a human. The Band of Exiles is a stupid name but Feyre doesn’t have a right to call it bullshit.
They have not had any meaningful conversations about their friendship. They could sit down and actually talk about what happened like civil people, I think they both have to still fully admit where they were wrong and apologize for the mistakes they’ve made. But Lucien seems to have already apologized more than Feyre ever will. He apologizes, he says Feyre was a better friend than he was, he feels guilty, he says he needs to actually do something and he looks for redemption. In ACOWAR when he is still in the Night Court, he has better manners than Feyre does, he apologizes and says thank you so many times.
And their fight in ACOFAS is basically the last thing we got of their friendship because he does come to the solstice party in Silver Flames which I am amazed by actually. I feel like he is still holding on to Elain and his allyship (I’m going to call it allyship) with Feyre and the Inner Circle. After everything she’s done to him, he’s still pushing through it. And I think that makes him a better person than Feyre. Strong opinion but. Jesus.
I could go for even longer but I’ll stop and I’ll end by saying Lucien deserves better.
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