“a secret, lovely beauty”

the shadowsinger & the priestess ⚔️🤍

[bookgoose444]

The book chapter and quote are each from Chapter 21 of ACOTAR and ACOMAF, respectively:

Which is funny because in ACOSF:

It’s time shine like the spark in Azriel’s chest, Gwynriel✨

[lovelygwyneth]

“𝚂𝚖𝚘𝚘𝚝𝚑 𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚂𝚒𝚍𝚛𝚊, 𝚜𝚠𝚒𝚏𝚝 𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙸𝚕𝚕𝚢𝚛𝚒𝚊𝚗 𝙼𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚜…”

Gwyneth Berdara by @/tomandosal on IG and commissioned by me 🩵

Please do not repost without permission.

[starsandreams]

azriel’s shadows didn’t warn him that gwyn was in the training pit because they knew exactly what (or rather who) he needed in that moment: his mate. and look, gwyn’s presence helped him feel calmer.

[freyjas-musings-deactivated2025]

HAPPY NEW YEAR MY GWYNRIEL FAMILY...

To light and love... peace and prosperity 🙏 ✨️

Artist ekilateral.art

Repost Not Allowed

[gwynrieldefenseatty]

Happy 2025 Gwynriel nation!!

@kt-reads-things and I are SO EXCITED to finally drop this stunning piece by @lulybot-blog

We’ve seen this inspo pic floating around for gwynriel for quite some time. Keeping this in our pockets was so hard but it’s finally out there!!

Support on insta here

Please do not repost.

All characters belong to Sarah J Maas and Bloomsbury

[gwyns]

the biggest reason i ship gwynriel over e/riel is that az can be vulnerable with gwyn in a way he never could with elain

elain doesn't know the extent of his duties at the night court, meanwhile gwyn has seen his most monstrous and bloodthirsty side and didn't shy away from it. that part of him saved her. how could she ever hate the monster who was her salvation? the blood stained hands that held her with such care, that offered his own cloak to her, giving her back the respect she's owed? how could she judge him for his violent tendencies when she feels them too, just beneath the surface, like an itch under her skin?

gwyn sees him, all of him, and doesn't treat him differently. that's why her mere presence settled something restless in him

[oristian]

+ PRYTHIAN’S PRETTIEST COUPLES ,

ART CREDIT — frostbite.studios

[silverflameataraxia]

Az when Emerie tried to cut the ribbon

Emerie groused, but stepped up to the dangling ribbon, grudgingly taking the sword Cassian extended. Azriel murmured over a shoulder to the priestesses under his charge as they watched. They instantly began moving again. But Azriel's attention remained on the ribbon.

Az when Gwyn tried to cut the ribbon

Cassian glanced over at Az, but his attention was fixed on the young priestess, admiration and quite encouragement shining from his face.

[venusin-aries]

Maybe instead of shaming people for wanting Gwyn, a fictional character, to experience a healthy, consensual and enthusiastic sexual relationship, you start shaming people who think the abused is going to become the abuser. 

Do you understand? There are people in this fandom who would rather have Gwyn do to others what happened to herself than have her with Azriel. 

But that’s not a problem?

[lady-embers]

Friendly Reminder - Shadows & Gwyn

Azriel's shadows have a distinct, positive reaction to Gwyn that CANNOT be ignored or brushed away as them reacting to Gwyn's power when she's not even singing.

From the Bonus Scene of Azriels (which is accurate portrayal of how they act around people):

He found it already occupied. His shadows had not warned him. 

His shadows peered over his wings at her.  

The young priestess smiled--and Azriel thought it might have been directed at his curious shadows.

Her breath curled in front of her mouth, and one of his shadows darted out to dance with it before twirling back to him. Like it heard some silent music.

Azriel dipped his head in a sketch of a bow, something restless settling in him. Even his shadows had calmed. As if content to lounge on his shoulders and watch.

He could have sworn a faint, beautiful singing followed him. Could have sworn his shadows sang in answer.

From A Court Of Silver Flames itself:

Gwyn asked Az, her teal eyes bright, “What do we get if we finish the course?”

Az’s shadows danced around him. “Since there’s no chance in hell any of you will finish the course, we didn’t bother to get a prize.”

Boos sounded. Gwyn lifted her chin in challenge. “We look forward to proving you wrong.”

Azriel is a Shadowsinger (who can see/hear things others cannot) so it's entirely plausible his shadows can pick up on a mating bond that has yet to be revealed and that Azriel himself does not know yet. It's entirely plausible they know Gwyn is his mate, the person the Mother picked out for him, and that's why they have the reaction they do around him when he's interacting with Gwyn.

[yazthebookish]

It drives me crazy when I read that the reason Azriel's words came off wrong in his confrontation with Rhys in the bonus chapter is because he doesn't know how to express himself.

Besties.

We were in his head.

His mind where he doesn't need to verbalize his thoughts. He won't have to hide his feelings or thoughts in his head because he doesn't know readers are looking inside his head. What you read is the extent of what he thinks and feels.

[mythicalcookie]

Azriel: My mate

His shadows: Our mate

[gwynsazriel]

idk why some people think our issue w the e/lriel part of the bc is the lust?? it literally isn’t? lust is fine and *goes with romance*

the issue is that it was ONLY lust. if he had thought about eating her out AND his chest sparked at the thought of her joy, imagining her eyes lighting up making him smile, tucking an image of her into his chest, calling HER a secret lovely beauty, not an object. then it would be cute, it would be fine and romantic.

but it wasn’t.

instead we got him referring to her as “the third”, instead we got “he wouldn’t go that far with his planning, certainly not beyond the fantasies he pleasured himself to.” 🥴

lust isn’t special. we’re talking about the man who likes to listen to pleasure hall music LMAO, he probably goes there a lot. and he probably has felt allllll those same lustful feelings for a random stranger from those pleasure halls lmaooo. you do not need a special connection to someone to lust over them.

but having your chest spark for someone, the thought of their eyes lighting up brings you joy, tucking an image of their joy into your chest…

THATS special. you don’t feel this for a random stranger. you don’t feel this for just about anyone.

his shadows dancing and singing with her…

THATS special. a positive reaction from them we had never seen before with anyone ever.

her being able to calm him AND his shadows down after he was frustrated and angry, just after ONE conversation

that same anger that rhys said he was never able to thaw.

her making him laugh 5+ times in ONE conversation, especially when he was initially frustrated. stone cold broody azriel.

lust can easily be acquired by anyone. but THIS, this connection with someone, this is more romantic to me than “wanting to eat elain out” ANY 👏🏼DAY 👏🏼OF 👏🏼THE WEEK👏🏼

sjm made sure to single gwyn out and make her interactions with azriel ✨unique and special ✨. sjm made sure to group elain with rest of his failed relationships and pleasure hall hookups.

think about that for a second.

[trashforazriel]

“Remember how Gwyn was with the ribbon? You’re the new ribbon, Az” ~ 🦇📚

✨Gwynriel week day 5: domestic day✨ Commissioned by me, drawn by Venusfolk! We hope you like this entry a lot 🥰

[tato-acm]

gwynrielweeks2024 - @gwynrielweeksofficial - day 1 | first friendship bracelet

I'm hoping for a friends to lovers trope, and a friendship with Gwyn comes with Friendship Bracelets!! I can already imagine Azriel's cobalt blue x black x golden (for his hazel eyes) bracelet - to match gwyn's blue x white x teal!

[yazthebookish]

Extremely thrilled to finally post my big feast for @gwynrielweeksofficial 🖤 enjoy!!

Commissioned with Artcraawl (here)

[azrielsdefenseattorney]

It’s perfect. 🥹🥹🥹 Absolutely perfect. 🫶🏻😍🫶🏻

[freyjas-musings-deactivated2025]

The fact that both Azriels siphons and Gwyns invoking stone are blue , yet one has killing power the other has healing and shielding power .... Everything about these two is so poetic and their aesthetic is chef's kiss