nyx's nanny

feysand apologist first, human second

[nikobrans-enthusiast-deactivate]

People mad at feysand for the bargain they did will always make me laugh, cause their reason is that

" They're selfish people for orphaning their son"

Girly they weren't even planning on having a child at that point and they quite literally just survived a traumatic war where Rhys ACTUALLY died. Feyre felt him die!!!

Rhys felt Feyre die when he didn't even get the chance to tell her that he love's her.

It's literally a trope "if you die, i die" and quite popular on many books.

I honest to god don't know why people are sooo hellbent on hating feysand for the dumbest reason to ever exist.

Pretty sure no one would bat an eyelash if it was their oh so precious nessian.

[thecatsaesthetics]

But Rhys took Feyre's choice away in ACOSF and is as bad as Tamlin

Disclaimer - I am going to state up front SJM shouldn't have told this story through Nesta's POV. It is an incredibly complex storyline in it's own right and deserved to be told through Feyre's POV.

However, fans tend to make several claims about the story that I want to either debunk or combat. You can still hate the storyline (I hate how it was told as well) but twisting canon to suit your own narrative is right.

(I am using this timeline for the series, which is the most in-depth timeline I have ever found.)

Let's begin

What actually happened in canon:

Rhys and Feyre were actively attempting to have a baby since the end of ACOFAS (December 21st). Feyre announces her pregnancy to the group 16 days into the start of ACOSF. She says she is "two months along". ACOSF is canonically 10 months after ACOFAS. Meaning Feyre and Rhys conceive Nyx in August.

31 days into ACOSF Rhys and Feyre find out via Madja Nyx has wings. Feyre would be heading into her second trimester. Rhys knows the baby wings pose a problem (as does Madja). Madja informed Feyre the birth would be "more difficult" but does not state the baby will kill her. Rhys sets out on finding a way to save Feyre and the baby.

33 days into ACOSF Rhys goes to Drakon and Miryam to ask about the wings. They give him nothing but sad looks.

40 days into ACOSF Helion visits and is asked by Rhys about the wings and says he will look into it.

43 days into ACOSF Nesta, in a fit of rage, tells Feyre her baby is going to die and kill her.

So canonically Feyre does not know for 12 days. So, around two weeks, Feyre is unaware the chances she will die in labor are incredibly heightened.

That is really important, it is not months they are keeping this from Feyre. It also doesn't seem likely Rhys or any of the IC would have let Feyre give birth without knowing what was happening. It also seems likely Rhys was pending more information from Helion who had 3 days to look into things before Nesta had her outburst.

While again it's not explicitly said I believe SJMs implication is that Rhys was exhausting all efforts prior to telling Feyre. Which is something Feyre would have done herself, since we know she wanted Nyx, and rather then let Feyre's pregnancy be ruined by fear (especially if an answer was out there) Rhys decides to take the burden on himself.

Is it necessarily right? I don't think so, but is it done to specifically control Feyre? (Like Tamlin's actions were) No. It's done because Rhys cannot bring himself to take Feyre's happiness away from her. Feyre is described as being so happy in ACOSF, she finally has everything she's ever wanted. She has her mate, her family, her home, security, and is awaiting the arrival of her baby. Feyre has her gotten her "happy ending" and who would want to take that from someone? This is something Rhys was struggling with in ACOFAS, the idea that he does not deserve to be happy with Feyre.

I hate that we get it told through Nesta and Cassian's POV, because honestly this would have been a good Feysand plotline and would have dealt with the remaining issues that were hinted at in ACOFAS.

Commonly incorrect statements by the fandom

"Rhysand forced Feyre to stay pregnant because he valued the baby's life over hers" -

This is canonically not true. Feyre is the one who wanted to get pregnant. Ignoring this is missing the point entirely, Feyre wanted to start her family.

Second, while Rhys clearly loves Nyx it seems his concern was for her and not for Nyx:

Cassian squeezed Rhys’s shoulder. “Why won’t you tell her?” Rhys’s throat worked. “Because I can’t bring myself to give her that fear. To take away one bit of the joy in her eyes every time she puts a hand on her belly.” His voice shook. “It is fucking eating me alive, this terror. I keep myself busy, but … there is no one to bargain with for her life, no amount of wealth to buy it, nothing that I can do to save her.”

His concern is for Feyre and the fact that she is going to die while in labor. He doesn't even mention Nyx dying, and it's said Nyx will die in the labor as well.

"Rhys prevented Feyre from getting an abortion" -

So first we need to ask ourself, are abortions a thing in Pyrthian? We don't get any mentions of them and fae children are rare. I would suspect in Pyrthian they aren't a thing, but maybe in the human lands.

Second, by the time Rhys and Feyre find out about the wings it's been 31 days into ACOSF and when the baby was announced she was two months pregnant, which is frustrating because we don't know if she means two months on the dot or two months and a few days. It's then 15 more days till the wings are discovered she is anywhere between 11/12 weeks pregnant.

It's important to remember pregnancies are not defined by months, they are defined by weeks. If you are 11/12 weeks pregnant the abortion you get is more complicated then at 8 or 9 weeks. So it seems even if she could have an abortion (if that's a thing in Prythian) that she would have had to pass the fetal tissue.

Remember the problem isn't that the baby is sick or causing Feyre to be sick. Feyre is described as being healthy and radiant all throughout ACOSF. The pregnancy isn't the issue, it's the birth. The wings will supposably get caught and not be able to pass through the birthing canal. So even if she had an abortion those wings are getting caught and preventing the tissue from passing. We later see the size of the wings don't matter, because Feyre gives birth preterm and it still kills her.

And it will be challenging enough during a birth when the baby is alive but if they preform an abortion you're talking dead tissue being stuck in Feyre as they attempt to pull it out of her piece by piece.

That could kill her as well.

So when Rhys says "nothing I can do to save her life" he means it. As long as Feyre gives birth/passes those wings in her fae body she's dead.

The only in universe solution is for Feyre to transform back into an Illyrian form (I'll get into that later). That's it, nothing else could save her and in fact what happens is Nesta bargains for Feyre's life and then permanently changes her body to be Illyrian. So the solution was to shapeshift.

"Nesta told Feyre because she thought it was wrong"

That's not true, in fact Nesta agreed to say nothing and was later sorry for even telling Feyre. So no she did not tell Feyre because she thought it was an injustice.

Nesta was bitter and hurt by other things that happened (I am not going into it) and decided to hurt her sister back. She told her in the most brutal and awful way possible.

She easily could have caused Feyre to go into preterm labor and didn't care if that happened. If Feyre had gone into preterm labor with no solution to get the baby out then she would have died.

"Feyre's choice was taken from her"

So if we rule out abortion, and go with shapeshifting I don't see how anyone concludes that the 12 days Feyre does not know takes that choice from her. Even for the 12 days with the abortion idea, she still could have done it. She makes a choice not to, Feyre does not go into labor unaware of the risks.

Going back to shapeshifting, Rhys says this:

“So let her change back into an Illyrian to bear the babe.” Rhys’s face was stark. “Madja has put a ban on any more shape-shifting. She says that to alter Feyre’s body in any way right now could put the baby at risk. On the chance that it could be bad for the baby, Feyre is forbidden to so much as change the color of her hair until after the birth.”

So originally it's Madja who says shape-shifting is banned but sorry I do not see how Madja is going to control Feyre. During the announcement scene we get this from Feyre:

Nesta angled her head at her sister. “So you can’t do magic while pregnant?” Feyre winced. “I can, but given my unusual set of gifts, I’m not sure how it might impact the baby. Winnowing is fine, but some other powers, when we’re still so early in the pregnancy, could strain my body dangerously.”

Feyre is given the medical opinion of Madja on her doing magic and chooses to follow it.

And the nail in the coffin that it wasn't Feyre's choice is the birth scene itself:

“There is nothing we can do,” Madja said. “Cutting the babe out of her will kill her.” “Cutting it out?” Nesta demanded, earning a sharp glare from Rhys. Madja ignored her tone. “An incision along her abdomen, even one carefully made, is an enormous risk. It’s never been successful. And even with Feyre’s healing abilities, the blood loss has weakened her—” “Do it,” Feyre managed to say, the words weighted with pain. “Feyre,” Rhys objected. “The babe likely won’t survive,” Madja said, voice gentle but no-nonsense. “It’s too small yet. We risk both of you.” “All of you,” Cassian breathed, eyes on Rhys. “Do it,” Feyre said, and her voice was that of the High Lady. No fear. Only determination for the life of the babe within her. Feyre looked up at Rhys. “We have to.”

While it isn't explicitly mentioned, the scene prior is discussions about saving Nyx not about saving Feyre. Madja says "we risk both of you" implying their is a way to just save Feyre. That way would be shapeshifting, something Feyre is refusing to do in this moment. Rhys is the one who is objecting to the c-section and Feyre insists that "We have to". Feyre chooses to have the c-section and attempt to save her son.

Conclusion:

I don't think we can conclude Feyre's choice was taken from her, in fact it seems she made a choice not to shapeshift and save herself. That might feel like pro life propaganda and maybe it is (I don't know SJMs stance on this) but a mother choosing to go through with a risky pregnancy and delivery is still her making that choice. Just because it's not the choice you would make or like, doesn't make it any less of a choice.

It's really odd how people twist this storyline to fit a narrative of "Rhys is just as bad as Tamlin" and while I can understand the similarities, (both being born out of fear and trauma) it just isn't the same. Tamlin watched as Feyre became sicker and sicker, and ignored her. Tamlin forced Feyre back to the Spring Court after she told him she didn't want to be taken from Rhys and the IC. Tamlin slut shamed her during the HL meeting. Tamlin was actively attempting to control Feyre's behavior and get her to fit what he wanted for her.

Rhys found out horrible information (on top of all the other shit that was going on in ACOSF) about the life of his mate and child. His mate who was currently overjoyed at the idea of being pregnant and having a baby. And he wanted to find a way to save her before giving her the fear, anxiety, and distress he was suffering. It wasn't about controlling her, and it wasn't about having some super baby. It wasn't the right thing to do but he didn't do it out wanting to control Feyre. That's important information and something that shouldn't be twisted.

You can dislike it (as I've stated I hate it being told in Nessian POV) but you shouldn't twist things to fit your narrative.

[moonfyre-s-deactivated20240203]

"I'm reading a fantasy book series about faeries finding their soulmates and I'm angry that it has faeries finding their soulmates instead of complex politics and heavy social commentary" 🤡🤡🤡

[feysimoneliana]

moving to this app if el0n m*sk keeps that shit up. hello feysandian and elrielian sisters 🩷

[lovelyfeyre-deactivated20230407]

How did y’all twist the inner circle keeping the secret from feyre because they didn’t want to ruin her pregnancy and risk her and the baby into “the ic obviously doesn’t care about feyre, they would chose Rhys over her”? Rhys may have been the one that told them to keep quiet but it’s clear that all of them (besides nesta) was doing it out of concern and fear, not just because Rhys told them to. They understood his worries about the pregnancy and were worried themselves, that’s why they agreed to keep the truth from her. You people try to minimize feyre’s relationships so much, i know it pisses y’all off that she’s happy and loved by literally everyone.

[moonfyre-s-deactivated20240203]

Why is it always the stans of the most irrelevant and boring characters crying, shaking and throwing up because feysand are the center of sjm's world?

[the-lonelybarricade]

If you're taking prompts. How about Rhys teaching Nyx how to be a proper ruler or to harness his powers? 😊

Thank you for the prompt lovely!! I hope you enjoy this little scene I whipped up during my lunch break!

Rhys Week - Day 2: High King

“As High King, I sentence you with treason against the crown.”

“Treason?” Cassian balked. “That's hardly—”

“Silence,” Nyx roared, fury glinting in his deep blue eyes. He raised his fists into the air. “Any last words?”

A smirk twitched at the corner of Cassian’s lips. “Behind you.”

Nyx turned, just in time to be met with the snowball hurtling through the air. He stumbled backwards as it smashed against his face, appearing momentarily stunned as the ice crystals fluttered away from his chin.

Two deep sets of laughter rumbled through the air, one from Cassian behind the boy and the other from Azriel, who watched in amusement as Nyx shook off the excess snow.

Rhysand could track the very moment the fun transcended into something darker. Nyx wiped his hand across his face, discarding more than just the layer of snow. Something shifted in his eyes as he surveyed his howling uncles. A look that offered enough warning for Rhysand to throw a shield around his brothers, around the cottage, around Nyx himself.

Every snow-built fortress and soldier exploded into a mist of frost, eviscerating their hours of work, along with Azriel and Cassian’s laughter.

The world went so still for a moment. 

Nyx stood at its center, marveling the carnage. Azriel and Cassian watched him warily, faltering somewhere between protecting their nephew and protecting themselves.

Snow crunched underfoot as Rhysand stood from his now demolished cover. He was the first to brave that heart wrenching realization dawning on Nyx’s face.

“Nyx,” Rhysand said softly, crouching before his son.

Tears glistened in his eyes, and he aimed them anywhere but his father’s face.

“I’m sorry,” he sniffed.

“Talk me through what happened.”

His bottom lip began quivering. “I got mad.”

“And then what?” Rhys prompted.

Nyx glanced around at the empty field of snow and let out a wet sob. “Then it all exploded.”

“On the outside, yes,” Rhys murmured. He pressed a hand to his son’s chest. “But you felt it in here first, didn’t you? Felt your magic building up?”

“It happened so quickly,” he said, eyes wide with a fear that Rhys felt like a knife in the gut. “I didn’t—” he sucked in a harsh breath . “I didn’t mean to—” 

“Come here,” Rhys murmured, pulling his son against his chest. Nyx stuffed his face into his father’s shoulder, and like a blockage in a stream being cleared away, the tears began flowing in earnest. Rhysand rocked him gently, giving him a moment to release all that emotion before he gently prompted, “Did you know that sometimes, I’m afraid of my power, too?”

His small voice was muffled against Rhysand’s tunic. “...You are?”

“And so is your mother.” Rhys soothed a hand over Nyx’s long, dark scruff of hair. He had been growing it out to be more like his uncle Cassian. “And mistakes like this, they are all a part of learning. They remind us why it’s so important to learn control. So that the next time your magic builds up, you can manage it safely.”

Nyx pulled away, tears still shimmering among the constellations in his eyes.

“Remember your lessons?” A tendril of night drifted from Rhysand’s palm, snaking around Nyx’s shoulders. It nudged him affectionately against the cheek. “What’s an example of a safe way to release magic?”

Nyx held out his hand, and that same star-kissed power released from his palm, lifting into the air to twine playfully with Rhysand’s. His heart tugged at the sight.

“You know how it feels now, when your magic needs to be drained. You’ll get better at recognizing it, but now you have an idea of your threshold—and what happens if you go beyond it.” Nyx nodded, absently feeling at his chest. Rhys knew the phantom ache he felt there all too well. “What do you do the next time you feel it building?”

“I release it,” Nyx said, with newfound determination. “So that no one gets hurt.”

Rhys smiled proudly. “That’s right. Now, what do you need to go say to your uncles?”

With a closed fist, Nyx hastily wiped away the remaining tears from his cheeks before marching over to where Azriel and Cassian stood, watching with poorly hidden concern. 

Shoulders set with an earnesty that was entirely Feyre’s doing, Nyx met each of his uncles in the eyes and said sincerely, “I’m sorry for losing control of my magic.”

“Hey, we’re all okay, aren’t we?” Cassian said warmly, clapping an affectionate hand onto Nyx’s shoulder. 

And what else, Nyx? Rhys prompted silently. What else do you have to say to your uncles?

He had circled around, so that he could see the sparkle in his son’s eyes, the mischievous tilt to his lips that felt almost like looking in a mirror. 

“One other thing,” Nyx said to them, sounding much more elevated now that he could see the way Rhysand knelt to the ground and plunged his hand into the cold snow.

Nyx couldn’t help laughing as he said, “Behind you.”

[emilyondemand]

Counting up how many times a character appears in a book is fine and all and to readers who maybe don’t understand literary devices outside of fOrEsHaDoWinG, I can understand how this might seem compelling. But it only works when context and characterization is stripped away.

It wouldn’t matter if Azriel was in every single chapter in SF, it still doesn’t mean he’s getting a book. What character developments did Azriel actually undergo in SF?

The reader finds out:

Az hasn’t been sleeping -> because of Elain

Az is avoiding the river house-> because of Elain

Az is over Mor-> because of Elain

Az was cold and aloof days after solstice ->because of Elain

Az doesn’t want Luc*en around-> because of Elain

“His secret to tell” what is his secret?->Elain

Az doesn’t like close physical contact. Who’s touch does he actively seek out though?-> Elain’s

Az has a cold and cunning competitive streak and will pull out a master strategy in order to get the result he wants.-> I think it’s a fair assumption that this is going to correlate to him pushing back on Rhys’s order (because of his feelings for Elain)

All of the things revealed about Az revolve around Elain. Other than that, his character is static, there is no character growth, there is nothing learned about Az that pushes the narrative forward (unless he pairs up with Elain). Every single time Elain is in the room or just brought up in conversation in SF, Az has a corresponding reaction and response. (The only time this doesn’t happen is during the birth, understandably)

Elain, on the other hand, may have only shown up in 8 chapters, but she made those appearances count, because she is a dynamic character. Elain’s growth as a character has been restricted to the background, but it has been strong and steady since book 1. In her handful of appearances in SF we find out:

Elain has adjusted to life in Velaris - family, friends, community, and hobbies

She volunteers to search for the Trove despite the dangers

She offers to reacquaint herself with her powers

We find out she still has all her powers (plural)

She is pushing back on being infantilized by those around her

She has a newfound boldness and stands up to Nesta

She is not a virgin and she enjoyed her sexual experience

She is over Greyson

She is associated with stealth and secret keeping by multiple characters

She’s praying to Fae gods

She is up to something behind the scenes, that is remarked on by Cas

She’s sharing shy smiles and charged glances with Azriel

Multiple characters say not to underestimate Elain

Offer and permission

Some of Elain’s developments have to do with Azriel, but most do not. Her developments rely on her own growth as a character, not his. The same can not be said about Azriel’s character development. (This is an SJM pattern y’all)

I don’t know, but all of this sounds like it’s meant to pique the reader’s interest in Elain. And has Elain ripe to take over as the next FMC with her corresponding batboy, who’s world and development revolves around her. Az is primed to take the backseat and be Elain’s support and cheerleader in HER book. His story is going to be told, but it’s going to be told as he helps Elain on her journey of coming into herself and her power.

[rosesfox]

why don’t people read the book before speaking? literally whenever i see an “acosf stan” talking i realize they haven’t read shit and just want to lower feyre.

there is nothing to indicate that feyre became a “housewife”. acofas is a novella, the plot of the book would logically not be feyre going to koschei to punch him. acosf isn’t about feyre, it’s about nesta. feyre cannot assist her on her journey as 1) nesta can’t even hear about feyre, 2) feyre is pregnant and it is a risky pregnancy. feyre having a child does not mean she will be reduced to the role of mother. her having a child doesn’t limit her at all, especially with her having all the resources she has. rhysand didn’t force her to have children and he didn’t even suggest it! he didn’t make her become a housewife either, he talked to her about using a damn shield because for centuries sjm says they would be persecuted!! rhysand has been saying this since acomaf, he and feyre literally talk about it!!!! holy shit, EVERYWHERE there’s some idiotic person saying that feyre is housewife, that rhysand turned her into a housewife, that she’s an invalid, fuck off. 

[escapism-z-deactivated20240203]

Acotar Rant

I'm honestly so very tired of some people in this fandom not paying attention to what's canon and thinking their HEAD CANONS are actual facts. If you hate the actual mcs so much that you've to twist everything they do into something evil then maybe you need to go find something else to do, don't you think?

No, rhysand is not the evil tyrant who trapped innocents under a mountain and no, feyre didn't "mind rape" anyone. Everything they say about rhys and feyre being "cruel rulers" and how the hewn city is "oppressed" by evil rhysand is very easily debunked by the books but they don't give much of a fuck about what's actually canon. Which makes me wonder why the fuck are they even reading the series then??

[wingedblooms]

Rot and Bloom and Bone

My friend @rminnieola recently sent me a pin from Sarah J. Maas’s ACOTAR pinterest board of the Welsh spring goddess, Blodeuwedd, that was titled “Elain” in her notes. So, naturally, I needed to learn more. Her story connects well to the parallels I was already compiling on Elain and the Suriel. You might think it strange that I am comparing Elain to the Suriel, but I believe you may find it surprisingly fitting. I use the sacred number three (think triple goddess) to examine Elain’s journey and connection to the Welsh goddess, nocturnal predators, and the Suriel.

The Triple Goddess

In folklore and mythology, the number three is often associated with fate, balance, and the triple goddess. It also appears repeatedly in Sarah’s ACOTAR series. Three sisters. Three Illyrian warriors. Three mountains. Three stars. Even the second half of the Book of Breathings, which is used to nullify the Cauldron, talks in threes in Chapter 57 of ACOMAF:

Life and death and rebirth, Sun and moon and dark, Rot and bloom and bones

Hello, sweet thing. Hello, lady of night, princess of decay. Hello, fanged beast and trembling fawn. Love me, touch me, sing me.

Light and dark and gray and light and dark and gray—

Others have identified specific parts (and aspects of the triple goddess) with each Archeron sister. Each sister may indeed be more associated with one aspect over another, however, I believe that the three aspects—light and dark and gray—might also describe the characterization and development of each sister. In other words, they are complex and share aspects from all three: maiden (light), mother (dark), crone (gray). They embrace, and therefore blend, their light and dark elements, to experience greater wisdom and inner peace. We may see Elain’s development follow a similar path, especially if her story is inspired by Blodeuwedd.

Blodeuwedd

According to Welsh mythology, Blodeuwedd (which may mean “flower-faced”) was created from flowers by Gwydion and Math to be the mate of Lleu Llaw Gyffes, a Welsh hero. While she was made for Lleu, she falls in love with a hunter named Gronw. They conspire to kill Lleu, but he does not die; he changes into an eagle and escapes. Blodeuwedd and Gronw bask in their love while Lleu recovers. Eventually, he returns and the lovers are punished: Blodeuwedd is transformed into an owl and Gronw is killed with a spear. She begins as a spring goddess with an arranged marriage (maiden), exercises her agency and finds romantic fulfilment elsewhere (mother), and is ultimately transformed into a creature of the night connected to wisdom and death (crone).

Like Blodeuwedd, Elain is strongly associated with spring and flowers. She is bound to Lucien through a mating bond, but does not display interest in pursuing a relationship with him. Avoidance and regression. Even Lucien’s biological father is compared to an eagle, the form Boldeuwedd’s husband shifts into when he is attacked. Coincidence? Probably not. Elain does, however, seem to reciprocate Azriel’s romantic interest. Offer and permission. They form an instant connection that quietly smolders. In the next book, we may see this romantic interest bloom into a love affair as she hones her powers and carves out her role alongside her sisters. Elain’s choice to pursue the male she loves, rather than the one she is bound to, may also have grave consequences. And these challenges may prompt another aspect to emerge: in place of a trembling fawn, perhaps we’ll find a screeching predator of the night instead.

A Shadow on the Wind

And this is where we find the oddly appropriate parallels with the Suriel. Like owls, the Suriel:

Travels stealthily, like a shadow on the wind:

Like a shadow on the wind, the Suriel was off, a blast of dark that set the four naga staggering back. (ACOTAR, Ch. 15)

I was about to start bargaining with the Cauldron, with the Mother, when a creeping, familiar silence fell over the wood. (ACOMAF, Ch. 50)

When I looked back at the Suriel, it was gone. (ACOMAF, Ch. 50)

Shrieks or screeches when it is threatened:

Another enraged shriek pierced the forest, and my snares groaned as they held, and held, and held. I climbed out of the tree and went to meet the Suriel. (ACOTAR, Ch. 14)

And when a crack sounded through the forest, followed by a screech that hollowed out my ears, I nocked an arrow into my bow and set off to see the Suriel. (ACOMAF, Ch. 50)

Serves as a symbol of knowledge and death:

“A test? A foolish and useless test, for if you dared to capture me, then you must want knowledge very badly.” (ACOTAR, Ch. 14)

A face that looked like it had been crafted from dried, weatherworn bone, its skin either forgotten or discarded, a lipless mouth and too-long teeth held by blackened gums, slitted holes for nostrils, and eyes … eyes that were nothing more than swirling pits of milky white—the white of death, the white of sickness, the white of clean-picked corpses. (ACOTAR, Ch. 14)

“I am a member of no Court. I am older than the High Lords, older than Prythian, older than the bones of this world.” (ACOTAR, Ch. 14)

To realize that what sprayed in my face, landing on my tongue and tasting like soil, was black blood. (ACOWAR, Ch. 58)

May appear frightening, but is helpful to those in need:

Run, the Suriel mouthed once more, blood dribbling past its withered lips...The Suriel knew it was a possibility. It had begged me for freedom once … yet it was willing to be taken. For me to run. (ACOWAR, Ch. 59)

“And you were kind to me,” I said, not brushing away the tears that fell onto its bloodied, tattered robe. “Thank you—for helping me. When no one else would.” (ACOWAR, Ch. 60)

And as its chest rose and stopped altogether, as its breath escaped in one last sigh, I understood why the Suriel had come to help me, again and again. Not just for kindness … but because it was a dreamer. And it was the heart of a dreamer that had ceased beating inside that monstrous chest. (ACOWAR, Ch. 60)

So, where is Elain on her journey and how is she connected to the owl and the Suriel? Elain starts the series as the embodiment of the maiden: she’s perceived as innocent, kind, and compared to new life (spring, flowers, fawn). She is then changed against her will in the Cauldron and experiences the loss, or death, of her mortal life.

Her skin was so pale it looked like fresh snow in the harsh light. I realized then that the color of death, of sorrow, was white. (ACOWAR, Ch. 15)

Then beheld the hollowed-out cheeks, the bloodless lips, the brown eyes that had once been rich and warm, and now seemed utterly dull. Like grave dirt. (ACOWAR, Ch. 15)

She spends months lost to the murkiness of the dream world at a time when the hardness of the world has extinguished her light. That is, until Azriel illuminates one of her powers: Elain is a seer. Seers serve as a bridge between material (reality) and divine (dream), like the vines and flowers that Feyre painted on the edges of things in their dilapidated cottage. This awareness clears away her confusion and allows her to move forward.

“She doesn’t need anything,” Azriel answered without so much as looking at Lucien. Elain was staring at the spymaster now—unblinkingly. “We’re the ones who need …” Azriel trailed off. “A seer,” he said, more to himself than us. “The Cauldron made you a seer.” (ACOWAR, Ch. 32)

In this new reality, Elain also develops new mannerisms that help her access and interpret the information she receives through her sight. She blinks or angles her head like an owl. Owls are the only birds that blink like a human; they blink to close one of their three eyelids. Yes, owls have a translucent third eye. Those who use the third eye to obtain a higher consciousness and gain knowledge are called seers.

But Azriel nodded. “You knew,” he said to Elain. “About the young queen turning into a crone.” Elain blinked and blinked, eyes clearing again. As if the understanding, our understanding … it freed her from whatever murky realm she’d been in. (ACOTAR, Ch. 33)

“What sort of curse?” my mate asked before he’d even finished speaking to me. Elain shifted her face toward him. Another blink. “They sold her—to … to some darkness, to some … sorcerer-lord …” (ACOTAR, Ch. 33)

“I need you to find something for me,” I said, dripping water everywhere as I laid a map across her thighs. Perhaps not as gentle as I should have been, but she at least sat up at my tone. Blinked at the map of Prythian. (ACOWAR, Ch. 57)

“The sixth queen is alive?” Azriel asked, calm and steady, the voice of the High Lord’s spymaster, who had broken enemies and charmed allies. Elain cocked her head, as if listening to some inner voice. “Yes.” (ACOWAR, Ch. 33)

You know who else has information-gathering mannerisms? The Suriel. It clicks its hands together and angles its head when trying to access information.

The earth tilted beneath me. “Tamlin is—Tamlin is a High Lord?” Click, click, click. “You did not know. Interesting.” (ACOTAR, Ch. 14)

“Where do I find the cure?” The Suriel clicked its bone fingers against each other, as if the answer lay inside the sound. “In the forest.” (ACOMAF, Ch. 50)

It angled its head, as if listening. “If she is unskilled … bones will do the talking for her.” (ACOWAR, Ch. 58)

These subtle mannerisms aren’t the only changes we see in Elain that parallel the owl and Suriel. She also begins to move stealthily and uses the shadows to her advantage when she hunts her prey.

Elain stepped out of a shadow behind him, and rammed Truth-Teller to the hilt through the back of the king’s neck… (ACOWAR, Ch. 74)

Elain spoke from the doorway, having appeared so silently that they all twisted toward her, “Using me.” (ACOSF, Ch. 20)

And though she is associated with life and renewal, like the spring goddess Blodeuwedd, we will likely see another aspect of her character emerge as Rhys predicted. One that is darker and subverts the beauty she has long been known for:

“Look who decided to grow claws after all,” she crooned. “Maybe you’ll become interesting at last, Elain.” (ACOSF, Ch. 21)

Elain in black was ridiculous. Yes, she was beautiful, but the color of her long-sleeved, modest gown leeched the brightness from her face. It wore her, rather than the other way around. And he knew the cruelty of the Hewn City troubled her. But she hadn’t hesitated to come. When Feyre had offered to let her remain home, Elain had squared her shoulders and declared that she was a part of this court—and would do whatever was needed. So Elain had let her golden-brown hair down tonight, and pinned it back with twin combs of pearl. He’d never once in the two years he’d known her found Elain to be plain, but wearing black, no matter how much she claimed to be part of this court … It sucked the life from her. (ACOSF, Ch. 57)

This last excerpt has been used as evidence to demonstrate that Elain is at odds with darkness and the Night Court. Cassian’s perception of Elain often outweighs her own words in these analyses. He indicates that despite Elain’s loyalty and determination, black makes her appear plain and sucks the light (and life) from her. She is ordinary and dismissible in this more crone-like aspect. But we don’t know Elain’s thoughts about it. What if she finds it liberating to blend in, hide in plain sight? She was raised to believe that her beauty needed to constantly shine brightly to secure a good match. This excerpt might demonstrate that she can choose to use her appearance as a more agile weapon than we originally believed: one that she can dim or brighten at the right moment when needed.

If we learned anything from Feyre’s and Nesta’s development, it’s that characters are complex and can be many things at once. A darker aspect—one associated with wisdom and death—does not change the fact that Elain is flower-hearted at her core. She is a dreamer and helper like the owl and Suriel. She can embrace light and dark to create a powerful blend of the two, a bridge, if you will, between aspects and worlds. Her journey will come full circle, but that does not mean an end. It simply means another cycle, another beginning. And let’s hope that beginning comes with claws and feathered wings.

Read The Heart of a Dreamer for more connections between Elain and the Suriel.

Celtic Goddess Blodeuwedd by Dangoodfellow on DeviantArt

[ofduskcourts-deactivated2024032]

I’m gonna be brutally honest here, theres something really off about ACOTAR fan spaces and the way they’re willing to forgive Eris, Lucien, even Tamlin, for the wrongs they did as fully grown Fae males who have been alive for centuries. To the point of saying they’ve never done anything wrong. And then turn around and blame Elain for literally everything, call her evil, blame her for not showing interest in a man, and claim that she doesn’t deserve love because she didn’t grow vegetables as a sixteen year old.

That whole group of males (and many others!) did much worse than Elain has ever done, no matter what their motivations/reasons were

[leiaamidala]

"⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣It made sense, I supposed, that Azriel alone had listened to her. The male who heard things others could not…Perhaps he, too, had suffered as Elain had before he understood what gift he possessed."

- A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

༻★༺⁣⁣

⁣⁣Characters Elain Archeron and Azriel belong to @therealsjmaas ⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣❧ Art by the wonderful @katjazart ❦

⁣⤞ Commissioned by my amazing friend @forget-me-not-s and me.

⁣༻★༺⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣It was a dream to commission Katja again, we’re very thankful! I also had just the best time with Aina discussing and brainstorming this idea. We wanted to play around with different head canons for what’s to come in the acotar book series.

We loved the idea of Elain and Azriel stealing a moment of peace and intimacy in midst of a final battle with current series villain Koschei. Depicted in the work is an orb in Elain’s hand to represent her untapped power (an easter egg brought over from one of Aina’s previous commissions with Katja!). We chose to have Elain in a dress “armored” with golden ivy, to show a different type of typical warrior. To show strength needs not a physical weapon at hand, but simply the courage to face one’s fears and untrodden path.

Just like the flowers she plants in her gardens, Elain blooms in her quiet resilience, brimming with hope.

⁣⁣⁣⁣༻★༺⁣⁣

⁣⁣‼️ Please DO NOT repost — we will upload on other social media. Thank you!⁣⁣

[cassianfanclub]

Ding-Dong, the Illyrian Plot is Dead

Nothing makes me laugh more than serious talk about the next book centering on Az having his “Eat. Pray. Love.” moment up in Illyria. Let’s look at why it makes zero sense

1. Az, like other victims of abuse, doesn’t need to make nice with his abusers in order to heal. Az was tormented, tortured, imprisoned, and abused by these people his entire childhood. They abused his mom for the entirety of her life. WHY does Az need to heal his relationship with them? Why would he even want a relationship with them? Leave him be. He can heal by coming to terms with what happened to him and his mom and understanding that their treatment was not a reflection of his self worth, that he matters, that he’s safe- no one in Illyria can give that to him.

2. There was, contrary to some people’s belief, no plot set up for Illyria moving forward. Everything we learned about Illyria in ACOSF was meant to lead us up to the climax of the novel- the BR. In order for the Blood Rite to hold the weight that it did, we needed to have a better understanding of who the Illyrians are: their culture, history, gender dynamics, etc. That includes learning more about the Bat Boys and their history with them. Imagine if we didn’t understand the significance of Emerie winning, imagine how random it would have been for them to be kidnapped if we didn’t understand what type of fae the Illyrians are, imagine the BR if we didn’t know just how dangerous it was. The ONLY part of Illyria that we learned about in ACOSF that holds any weight moving forward is the hint we received about something being under Ramiel, that’s it. Post-BR, they could have discussed all the work that needs to be done in Illyria, etc. Instead, they giggled about how pissed the Illyrians will be. That’s it. That’s not a future plot, that’s just an obvious conclusion to the events of the Blood Rite.

3. But…but girl power. And Valkyries! Yes, the Valkyries will continue to train and I’m sure they’ll recruit more Illyrian females now that Emerie is a Carythian. However, the majority of females currently training are priestesses. Priestesses that are dealing with a ton of trauma and only recently felt safe enough to venture to the training ring that’s on top of their home. Are Nesta, Emerie, and Gwyn going to abandon them to go train in Illyria? OR would the logical next step be to bring more Illyrian females to the training ring atop HoW so they can train with everyone. So that everyone can be comfortable. And wouldn’t it be better for them to train away from the misogynistic, controlling eyes of the Illyrian males? Doesn’t it make more sense for them to train in Illyria only once they are Valkyries and can actually hold their own against the Illyrian males? I’d say so.

4. Az already has a job and it’s not coaching Valkyries. He’s the Spymaster of the NC. And he’s got a lot on his plate considering there’s drama with other courts, a death lord that’s actively trying to break out of his captivity, uncooperative territories on the continent, devious human queens, managing a spy network, etc. I can’t imagine he’s going to have the time to prioritize training, especially since Mor will now be with the Valkyries and be there to help, let alone traipsing up to Illyria to hang out and “heal.”

5. It makes no sense for Az to go to Illyria, it makes EVEN LESS sense for Gwyn to go there. Gwyn’s back in the library. I know that’s apparently triggering for some in this fandom, but it’s a canon fact. She’s going to continue to do her trainings, and help Merrill with her research. That’s it. She’s only been comfortable around Cassian and Az for a few months, why in god’s name would she go to ILLYRIA of all places. Surrounded by asshole, misogynistic, abusive gym-bros. That seems like the perfect place for someone still healing from her own trauma.

6. If you don’t believe me, maybe you’ll believe Nesta and Cassian who actually set up the plot moving forward

Yes, they’d have to figure out what to do with the entire Dread Trove now that they possessed all three objects.

But Nesta smoothed his bunched brow, as if she could see those worries there. “Later,” she promised. “We’ll deal with that later.” Including the remaining queens, Koschei, and a still-looming war.

They set the plot quite nicely, no? And who is the only person set up to actually move those plot points forward? Elain. It’s Elain’s book, it’s Elain’s plot, it’s Elain’s love story. Now, we do have something we can agree on- Az will have a POV in the next book, it’s just that it will be with the girl he actually likes, the girl who is actually set up to carry the book: Elain 🌸🖤

[rosesfox]

are you so stupid that you are pathologically unable to understand that while Feyre and Rhys were having sex in the sky, Rhys conjured a shield that hid them and made them invisible?

or that they >didn't have sex< in the library? they were just playing, and there was no one around them to see. moreover, the priestesses are not broken and are not incapable of dealing with the mention of sex.

seriously, you use the most stupid arguments to talk about Feysand. no one is forced to like them, but increasing their actions to be militating on it is already boring.

[feysimoneliana]

someone had to say it thank you!

[unhealthyfanobsession]

Don’t forget Feyrug’s cultural appropriation of Illyarian(sp?) women. She can have wings and the tattoos. They cannot have wings.

Feyre: my wings were gifted by power form the high lords and no one would DARE take them away from me because I will drown you with a water dog or my mate with CRIPPLE YOUR WHOLE MIND IF YOU EVEN LOOK AT ME!!!

Also Feyre: Illyrian women’s wings are being clipped? Sad. But I’m pregnant and my sister is like mean and this guy who is my friend likes her so I’m gonna deal with that first instead!

Rhys: yeah, obviously as evidenced by the last 500 years of me being a ruler, this is not an issue I really care about. Like I said don’t do it? Is that not enough for you all?

[feysimoneliana]

“You’re training female Illyrian warriors?” “Trying to.” Rhys gazed across the brutal landscape. “I banned wing-clipping a long, long time ago, but … at the more zealous camps, deep within the mountains, they do it. [...] Some camps issued decrees that if a female was caught training, she was to be deemed unmarriageable. I can’t fight against things like that, not without slaughtering the leaders of each camp and personally raising each and every one of their offspring.”

[elrielsecrets-deactivated202204]

Mor had always loved a good ball. The way everyone dressed to impress each other or their special person always warmed her heart. The way couples would sway in time with the music, each lost in their own world. Their own love.

Rhys and Feyre had decided to throw one in honour of Nyxs 1st. They had invited each high lord form the varying courts, generals and special guests Rhys had wanted to impress. The ballroom was packed. Laughter and happiness hung In the air. An orchestra was playing in the corner, a buffet set out with all types of illyrian food.

Feyre and Rhys were introducing Nyx to Helion, Lucien had managed to make it with Vassa both of them arguing on what type of boot is best fit for travelling. Nesta was with a beautiful illyrian woman, Emerie. They had been chatting together for a while and occasionally Emerie would glance Mors way. They would hold each others eyes for what seemed an eternity before looking away. By the buffet to no one's suprise Cassian was stuffing his mouth with a disgusted Amren watching. The twins were flittering about attending to the needs of each guest.

Then there was Azriel, he looked good yet there was a wariness about him. A tiredness he couldn't seem to shake. His cobalt suit was tailored to fit, no syphons in sight. He had half heartedly danced with Nesta and Feyre, given everyone tainted smiles who chose to look his way. Az had stayed in the corner by the window for most of the night. The window itself was lined with different shades of roses. Their green leaves bright making them stand out.

Mor made her way over to him, hoping that she may be able to help him cheer up or at least get him to eat. Just as she was close enough to call his name out, she found that someone else had already beaten her to him.

Elain always looked beautiful but tonight she out shone everyone. Her dress was the exact same colour of Azriels suit, making her skin glow. Her lips were a darker red, black choal lined her eyes. She was truly breathtaking as she stood before Azriel, whose shadows were quick to hide his face.

"Dance with me" Elain's voice was soft yet conveyed a sense of authority. She stood tall before him meeting his gaze head on, though she did have to tilt her head quite a bit up. Azriel said nothing. His shadows were flickering across his face, a tactic Mor knew the spy master used when he wanted to hide his true emotions. He let his gaze leave Elains and focused on someone behind Mor, his eyes stayed there. It took mor a second to realise he was communicating with the person behind her telepathically. She turned to see who it was, but Az finally broke the silence.

"Thank you for asking me, but I'm not In the mood to dance right now. Feyre and Nesta tired me out. Maybe ask Lucien." His voice was low and neutral. Yet Elain didn't flinch from his tone.

"It can be a quick dance, only a few minutes, you can ignore me aft-"

"Elain. I'm tired. Please ask someone else I'm sure they'll be able to give you a much better company then I can"

" I don't want anyone else's company other than yours."

"Elain"

She simply stared at him. Before slowly nodding head. She mustered a shuddering breath. Her voice still strong.

"I'm sorry, I suppose it was a mistake asking you"

And with that she turned to leave. Her gaze caught Mors, and it broke mor to see the tears Elain had been trying to keep in. But even then a few still fell. She gave Mor a soft smile before brushing past and leaving the ball room without anyone else noticing.

Mor turned back to see Az watching Elain leave. Finally his shadows broke away from his face, revealing the emotions he had tried to lock away. His face held so much, his own eyes filled with unshed tears. Az seems at war with himself. But finally Elain was out of his sight, his reach. As his eyes closed, Mor swore a tear fell before a shadow brushed it away.

The roses that had garnered the window were now wilted, the petals slowly turning black. Leaves decaying.

[feysimoneliana]

Crying over the potential Elriel's forbidden love/ mutual pining has :')