Can we all collectively agree that Dorian stayed up the whole night before he left for Morath just staring at Manon sleeping peacefully in his arms and gave her a lil forehead kiss before leaving
Aaaaah just finished Kingdom of Ash and had to draw SOMETHING to get rid of the immediate hangover. This was probably the most defining scene in the book for me. Aelin’s arc was pretty much expected, but Manon and Dorian’s arcs were the most surprising events of the book. Dorian especially – every chapter I yearned that he could some how find his self-worth after working tirelessly to sacrifice himself at every turn - and this is the scene when he does.
I don’t usually sketch in color too often, but these two deserved it. So much.
A compilation of Dorian flirting with Manon and her getting “annoyed” by it (she hates how much she loves it).
QoS
“The man closest to the king didn’t bother glancing around. His sapphire eyes went right to Manon, and stayed there. … He smiled at Manon as though he knew the taste of her blood. She stifled the urge to bare her teeth”
“The dark-haired young man who had ridden at his side dismounted with fluid grace, still smirking at her. She ignored him.”
“The prince was now leaning against a gnarled oak. Noticing her attention, he gave her a lazy grin. It was enough. King’s son or not, she didn’t give a damn.”
“Is there a reason you’re smiling at me,” she said, “or shall I interpret it as a death wish?” ... “Do I need a reason to smile at a beautiful woman?” “I’m not a woman.” Her iron nails glinted as she crossed her arms.”
“I’ve been with plenty of men. You’re all the same. Taste the same.” She looked him over as if he were her next meal. “I dare you,” he managed to say. Her eyes narrowed, the gold like living embers. He’d never seen anyone so beautiful.”
Eos
“I once told you to find me again—it seems like you couldn’t wait to see my handsome face.” Her shoulders stiffened slightly.“I’m hungry.” He smiled slowly. As if she’d heard that smile, Manon glared. “Food.”
“It’s coming in a few minutes. I’d hate for you to waste away into nothing. It’d be a shame to lose the most beautiful woman in the world so soon into her immortal, wicked life.” “I am not a woman,” was all she said. But hot temper laced those molten gold eyes.
“Witch, woman … as long as the parts that matter are there, what difference does it make?” She eased into a sitting position, disbelief and exhausted outrage on that perfect face. She bared her teeth in a silent snarl.
“I don’t think you can handle the sort of things I need, witchling. And I am never begging for anything again in my life.” And then he left. Manon stared after him, a hiss of rage slipping from her own lips. At the opportunity she hadn’t taken to grab him, hold him hostage, and demand her freedom; at the arrogance in his assumption; at the heat that had gathered in her core and now throbbed insistently enough that she clamped her legs together.
Dorian prowled to her. “I said that I’d do it.” Manon took in each inch of him as he towered over her, and a shiver of pleasure rippled through her. “I suggest you listen.” The pure male arrogance in that statement alone— “You’re courting death if you—” Dorian lowered his mouth to hers. It was a featherlight graze, barely a whisper of touch. Intent, calculated, and so unexpected she arched into it a bit…. She didn’t move, didn’t even breathe—like every part of her body was waiting to see what he’d do next.
“We’re not done, you and I.” And it was the purely male promise that made her bare her teeth. “Unless you would like to learn precisely what parts of me are made of iron the next time you touch me, I decide those things.”
Manon’s iron nails slid out. “I would be careful handling that if I were you.” “The warning is noted and appreciated,” he said, meeting those gold eyes in the mirror. She didn’t return his smile.
KoA
Her stare drifted to the pale band around his throat. “I’m still not convinced, princeling,” she hissed, “that I shouldn’t just kill her.” “And what would it take, witchling, to convince you?” He didn’t bother to hide the sensual promise in his words, nor their edge. A muscle flickered in Manon’s jaw.
“How do you want to play this?” Dorian murmured. “Do you want me to keep quiet, or be at your side?” “Asterin is my Second.” “And what am I, then?” The smooth question ran a hand down her spine, as if he’d caressed her with those invisible hands of his. “You are the King of Adarlan.” “Shall I be a part of the discussions, then?” “If you feel like it.” She felt his rising annoyance and hid her smirk. Dorian’s voice dropped into a low purr. “Do you know what I feel like doing?” She twisted her head to glare at him incredulously. And found the king smirking.
“What am I supposed to be watching for, exactly?”... “My eyes,” he said. “Just tell me if they change color.” She growled. “This shape-shifting is really a pressing thing to learn?” “Indulge me,” he purred, and reached inward, his magic flaring... Manon gave him a look that might have sent a lesser man running. “They’re still blue.” Gods above, she was beautiful.
“But you are not cold, not at heart. I’ve seen men who are, and you are not.” “Neither are you,” he said a bit quietly. The wrong thing to say. Manon stiffened, her chin lifting. “I am one hundred seventeen years old,” she said flatly. “I have spent the majority of that time killing. Don’t convince yourself that the events of the last few months have erased that.”
“You do care. You know it, too. It’s what makes you so damn scared of all this.” Her golden eyes raged, but she said nothing. “Caring doesn’t make you weak,” he offered. “Then why don’t you heed your own advice?” “I care.”…. “I care about more than I should. I even care about you.” Another wrong thing to say. Manon stood—as high as the tent would allow. “Then you’re a fool.” She shoved on her boots and stomped into the frigid night.
I even care about you. Manon scowled as she turned in her sleep… The king was a fool. Little more than a boy. What did he know of anything? Still the words burrowed under her skin, her bones. Is it so bad, to care? She didn’t know. Didn’t want to know.
Dorian said into the darkness, “Three to a tent isn’t too comfortable, is it?” “I didn’t come back because I agree with you.” Manon yanked the blankets over herself. Dorian smiled slightly, and fell asleep once more, letting his magic warm them both.
“You’ll come back,” Manon said. It sounded like more of a threat than anything. Dorian smirked. “Would you miss me if I didn’t?” Manon didn’t reply. He didn’t know why he expected her to.
He even went so far as to run one of those phantom hands along her jaw. “You think I don’t know why you don’t want me to go to Morath?” He could have sworn she trembled. Could have sworn she arched her neck, just a little bit, leaning into that phantom touch.
“Because while you might be older, might be deadly in a thousand different ways, deep down, you’re afraid. You don’t know how to ask me to stay, because you’re afraid of admitting to yourself that you want it. You’re afraid. Of yourself more than anyone else in the world. You’re afraid.” For several heartbeats, she just stared at him. Then she snarled, “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” and stalked away. His low laugh ripped after her. Her spine stiffened. But Manon did not turn back.
“And after?” “There will be no after.” He smiled slightly at her, a secret, knowing smile. “Won’t there be?” Manon asked, “What is it that you want?” You, he almost said. All of you.
1. Asterin Rhiannon Crochan-Blackbeak, Heir to the Witch Kingdom
Hair: Silvery White
Eye color: Sapphire flexed with gold
Complexion: Alabaster
Powers: Raw Magic. Her favorite is the wind as she often feels it sing to her and likes to sing back. Asterin does not have iron teeth as she takes primarily after her mother’s Crochan side. Due to her father’s heritage she can access more magic than any other Crochan or witch in history. Though it took years for her powers to fully develop. For many she only had the wind.
Fav parent: Asterin is an absolute daddy’s girl. She often will use her raw magic to open a portal so they can discuss books he recommends. He gives her dancing lessons and teaches her about court intrigue. As a child she refused to leave his side and would throw a fit when he left for council meetings, often resulting in him taking her with him. Even though she is closer with her father she respects her mother and often shadows her in her duties. When Asterin was born her mother refused to leave her side for weeks, not trusting anyone but her father to properly look after her.
Personality: Unlike her sister, she enjoys the mundane tasks of ruling a kingdom. Because of her relationship with her father she often spent time in council meetings and learned the ways of the court at a young age. If she had it her way she’d spend every day in the library learning the history of the witches and Erelia. Even though she is not heir to Adarlan she thinks it imperative to learn its history as well. She often spars with her brother over this, who reminds her with a smile than she cannot be heir to two kingdoms. She doesn’t mind attending council meetings as she feels she has a responsibility to uphold and that she should be involved in all decisions regarding the witches. She is very tightly wound like her mother and often doesn’t slow down and soak in the moment. She doesn’t enjoy frivolous parties but she does enjoy ballroom dancing like her father taught her. Her sister and her clash as Asterin is often nagging Lothian for her constant outlandishness and “lack of direction”. Asterin is known across Erelia as the only beauty to rival that of her mother. She often has suitors requesting her hand but she rejects the notion saying that she is far too busy with important matters of the kingdom. This makes Manon smile and Dorian eternally happy as it keeps people’s paws off his first girl.
2. Lothian Sorscha Havilliard Crochan-Blackbeak , Leader of the Adarlan/Wastes Ariel legion and second in command to Asterin
Hair: Raven Black
Eye Color: Burnt Gold
Complexion: Alabaster
Power: Lothian does not have any raw magic as she takes after her mother’s Ironteeth (valg) heritage primarily. When her iron teeth began to come in at 12 she had never been so happy. She spends most of her time in the Ferian gap training the Wyverns and excels in hand to hand combat, only rivaled by her brother.
Fav Parent: Lothian often clashes heads with her mother even though they are best friends. Manon taught her how to fly and fight at a young age. Often her and her mother bicker and her father has to step in. He just laughs at them knowing how stubborn they both are. Lothian has Dorian’s penchant for debauchery and often sneaks off to pubs and pleasure houses. She thinks her father doesn’t notice but secretly he sends guards to trail after her just in case.
Personality: Lothian spends time flying between both Adarlan and the witch kingdom. She spends most of her days training the aerial legion, but at night she indulges in the “substances” the rukin brought from the southern continent. She is a wild and free spirit who enjoys not having a kingdom to rule. She has a friendship with the wildlings in the Fang as their spirits are akin to one another. Her and her sister clash but they love each other dearly. Lothian once threatened to rip the insides out of a boy who pulled her sister’s hair when they were younger. Her and her brother are incredibly close as they are both enjoy a bit of reverly. Often her brother encourages her to “break the rules for him”.
3. Dorian Gavin Havilliard |||, Heir to Adarlan and a rare Crochan prince
Hair: Black hair with a Silvery White strip
Eye color: Sapphire
Complexion: Golden Tan
Magic: Raw Magic. It is easier for Dorian to access his magic than his sister Asterin, much to her dismay. His favorite is ice, like his father. His magic materialized at a young age.
Fav parent: Dorian was attached at the hip to Manon as a child. A total mama’s boy. Being the youngest and only boy, Manon absolutely babies him (though she will not admit it) as she never imagined they’d have a boy. When he was born, the witches held a celebration to honor the birth of a rare Crochan prince, even though he was to inherit Adarlan. As a child he would often tag along with Manon on her morning rides with Abraxos and enjoyed feeding the Wyvern flowers. Being a rare Crochan prince, he often spent time with Glennis hearing stories of his grandfather Tristan and how he upheld his role as prince. Dorian however loves and respects his father and sees him as a role model for the type of king he wants to be. Dorian looks mostly like his father aside from a strip of silvery white hair he was born with.
Personality: Dorian enjoys pass times such as combat and sword fighting but also reads books on books on books. He enjoys war strategy and often plays games of chess with his father that turn much too competitive. Dorian however hates dancing and would rather poke his eyes out than participate in lessons. Often he elects to go on a morning run and enjoys winking at all the ladies who swoon as he runs by. However his real reason for the run is to sneak a peak at Sitha, Yrene and Chaol’s third daughter. Though he may act the part of a rake he has been hopelessly in love with her since they met. She is however 5 years his senior and never allows him to forget that. When he was younger and would wallow to his father, he would say “age is but a number” and wink at his mother. Dorian aspires to have a love like his parents. He is extremely close with both his sisters in totally different ways. While he appeals to Lothian’s trouble maker side and encourages her “bad behavior”, he understands the pressures and responsibilities felt by his sister Asterin and they often vent to each other about the stresses of their respective kingdoms. Growing up he was the neutral party between them and often tried to act as moderator in their arguments.
Manon being Dorian’s (soul)mate and him not realizing it:
tog “I am not married because I cannot stomach the idea of marrying someone inferior to me in mind and spirit”
koa “she would be his wife, his queen. She was already his equal, his match, his mirror in so many ways”
tog: “you marry for love, and nothing else.”
koa: “yes, he would take her as his queen. So he might never have to say farewell to this. So that this magnificent, fierce witch might remain by his side for all his days.”
Also in koa: …. “And there is only one witch who will be my queen.”
com: “he deserved someone who looked at him like that.”
eos: “Dorian again looked to Manon, who now smiled faintly at him. It was a smile that softened her face, made it come alive.”
hof: “always hiding. Was that to be his life? Not just the women he loved, but his magic, his true thoughts”
eos: “And yet, that darkness, that violence and stark, honest way of looking at the world … There would be no secrets with her. No lies.”
koa: “Only with her did he not need to explain. Only with her did he not need to be a king, or anything but what he was. Only with her would there be no judgment for what he’d done, who he’d failed, what he might still have to do.”
koa: “Dorian closed his eyes, and Vesta fell silent. For days, she’d sat with him when her training and scouting permitted it, watching for any of the shifting that he attempted: changing his hair, his skin, his eyes. None of it occurred”
next scene with Manon in koa: “Where that edge had dulled in his chest, his magic now flowed freer. As if it, too, had been freed from those inner restraints he’d loosened slightly last night. What he’d opened up, revealed to her. A sort of freedom, that letting go.”
koa: “Be what you wish, Cyrene had told him. Nothing. He wished to be nothing.” …. “who do you wish to be? Anyone but himself. But what he’d become.”
later in koa: “who do you wish to be?.. for a heartbeat, snow- white hair and golden eyes flashed into his mind. Happy.”
eos: Dorian nodded his thanks. “The first time you met Aelin, did you know …?” A snort. “No. Gods, no. We wanted to kill each other.” The amusement flickered. “She was … in a very dark place. We both were. But we led each other out of it. Found a way—together.”
koa: “Both of them still grieving, still broken in places, but in this new world of theirs … perhaps they might heal. Together.”
hof: “you cannot pick and choose which parts of her to love.”
koa: “what is it that you want?” You, he almost said. All of you.”
Now that we have more info on mates from CC, and with the speculation that the novel after the next acotar is a TOG one, I wanted to make a master post with all the evidence that I compiled that Manon and Dorian are mates. I even added dissenting opinions for the potential ones that could have other explanations because why not be thorough and impartial. AND I highlighted the ones in red that I felt like are absolutely evidence of mateness.
Here's hoping Sarah was dropping hints for a manorian spin off!!
TOG:
I. Pg. 8 “On his black doublet, an emblazoned gold rendering a wyvern occupied the entirety of the chest. His red cloak fell gracefully around him and his throne”.
the Adarlan colors being red (and gold) and the symbol being a Wyvern. This may be coincidence since in the beginning SJM was planning a Celeana/Dorian end game but I think SJM chose to make the Crochan capes red to parallel the first time we see Dorian in TOG . Manon then bonding with Abraxos who is a wyvern is the icing on the cake.).
Also keep in mind the Adarlan colors are crimson and gold. The Crochan color is red (crimsons is a shade of red) and manon is canonically known for her gold eyes. She radiates Adarlan’s colors.
Bonus: Dorian’s favorite color is white re Kaltain in TOG and she has white hair and alabaster skin. Not really mate evidence but definitely soulmate evidence.
Dissenting Opinion: The red cape was just a coincidence and red feels like the obvious color for witches given it is the color of blood. And the King of Adarlan/Erawan chose to breed wyverns because it was the symbol of house Havilliard.
QoS:
I. I know that the Valg eyes are why Manon was able to scare the Valg prince away in Dorian and pull him out of the possession. What interests me is:
Pg. 420, Roland was only able to regain control for a second after speaking to Manon before the demon took back over. I’m not going to quote this cause it’s the whole scene but go reread if you want. Dorian is able to beat the demon down and essentially say screw off while talking to Manon. Is it possible Dorian was able to regain control for a longer period of time because of a bond with Manon?
Pg. 463 “step away, get away. The demon prince inside him yanked so hard he took a step. But not away. Toward the white-haired witch”. Are we sure it’s the demon that was yanking him?? Especially since he was yanked towards her instead of away from her even though the demon wanted him away???
her name continued to ring in his head even after the demon took back over:
Pg. 469 “the words soon faded, swallowed up by screaming and blood and the demon’s cold fingers running over his mind. But those eyes lingered- and that name. Manon. Manon”
Pg. 518 “he could not remember a time when the demon had not been there inside of him. And yet- Manon.”
Is this a classic SJM easter egg similar to how we thought the bargain between Rhys and Feyre was the reason for the pull between them? Could she be trying to mislead the reader?
Dissenting Opinion: Manon's valg eyes and his want to be killed is why he remembers her name. He regained control longer because Dorian is stronger willed than Rolland.
II. Pg. 463, Dorian seeing Manon for the first time: “He’d never seen anyone so beautiful”.
Sarah uses the “most beautiful person ever seen” repeatedly for her mated couples when they first meet. This could be writing style but it seems like a pattern in how she writes her mates meeting. I read ACOTAR and CC before TOG and when I read this line I was like yep they are mates seen this before.
Pg. 188 ACOTAR “standing before me was the most beautiful man I’d ever seen” - Feyre when seeing Rhysand for the first time
Pg. 536 ACOMAF “you’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I thought it from the first moment I saw you on Calanmai” Rhys about seeing Feyre the first time
In ACOWAR Lucien about Elain “she was the most beautiful female he had ever seen”.
Pg. 346 HOSAB “Ruhn found himself staring at the most beautiful female he’d ever seen” Ruhn seeing Lidia the first time.
Dissenting Opinion: Manon is canonically one of the most beautiful females in the world, especially because she is a witch designed to attract men.
III. pg. 492 “She stepped closer to the prince’s horse. ‘Dorian’… Sapphire eyes snapped to hers”..he remembered his name when she said it without looking into her Valg eyes. interesting.
IV. pg. 511 “Manon couldn’t tell why that thread kept yanking, why it felt so urgent, but she pushed them hard, all the way to Rifthold”. A thread is pulling her urgently towards Rifthold to save Dorian. Using the terms thread and Manon not knowing why it feels so important is so incredibly mate for shadowing.
Pg. 184 ACOTAR “go, a voice said, tugging at me. Go see.”
Pg. 412 ACOTAR “I was pulled from sleep by something tugging at my middle, a thread deep inside”. A THREAD.
Dissenting Opinion: Sarah does multiple times in TOG reference a tug pulling her main heroines to do things so this could just be the gods/fates pulling the thread.
V. pg. 640 “Dorian didn’t know what awoke him”. Some force awakens Dorian, he then goes out to his balcony and sees Manon outside.
Similar to Feyre being pulled to Rhys, Pg. 412 ACOTAR “I was pulled from sleep by something tugging at my middle, a thread deep inside"
Pg. 640 Manon says “she didn’t know why she’d bothered to go; why she’d been curious”. Manon Blackbeak, maneating witch, for no apparent reason, decides to go check up on a human man. Need I see more?
And again, her name echoes in his head (pg. 641) “through the darkness of his memories, through the pain and despair and terror he tried to forget, a name echoed in his head”.
EOS:
I. Manon saving Dorian from the yellow legs (duh). She says her “instincts took over her” when she saw someone “taking her kill” ... then proceeds to rescue said kill.
Pg. 44: “I have no doubt the Yellowlegs will try to claim his head. Stop any one of them who dares take it.”
Pg. 84: “And when Manon had spied that Yellowlegs sentinel perched inside the tower, readying to claim this kill for herself... a century of training and instinct had barreled into Manon. All it had taken was one swipe of Wind-Cleaver as Abraxos flew by, and Iskra's sentinel was dead.” WHAT INSTINCT? THE INSTINCT TO CLAIM YOUR KILL? Cause you actually rescued him afterwards not killed him sweetheart.
Clearly it wasn’t to claim the kill for herself. So what was it? Instinct? Helping the witches? She didn’t know of Dorian’s magic at this time, so how would saving Dorian help the witches? Seems like the instinct was from something else.
Pg. 85: “Some ancient, predatory part of her awoke at the half smile. It sat up, cocking its ears toward him”. Ancient and predatory? Mates.
II. The one million times Dorian protects her even though she starts off on Erawan’s side and he has no reason to be so protective:
Pg. 87: “Manon crashed to her knees. The king was instantly at her side, studying her for a heartbeat before he roared down the stairs, “NO!””
Pg. 369: ““No.” The word ripped from Dorian’s lips before he could think. But then it came out, over and over, as the wyvern and rider sailed closer to the ship. The witch was unconscious, her body leaning to the side because she was not awake, because that was blue blood all over her. Don’t shoot; don’t shoot— Dorian was roaring the order as he hurtled for where Fenrys had drawn his longbow, a black-tipped arrow aimed at the witch’s exposed neck. His words were swallowed by the shouting of the sailors and their captain. Dorian’s magic swelled as he unsheathed Damaris— “. This lowkey makes me chuckle like what is he gonna do with Damaris against a bunch of fae warriors lol.
Pg. 395: “Dorian didn’t feel like mentioning that he’d been the one who’d jumped into the water. He’d just … acted, as Manon had acted when she’d saved him in his tower. He owed her nothing less”.
Pg. 438: “Ice danced at Dorian’s fingertips as he slid beside Manon, still chained by the bed” when the bloodhound shows up on the ship.
Pg. 574: "That hunger shifted into something icy and vicious: 'You once asked me where I stand on the line between killing to protect and killing for pleasure'. His fingers grazed the seam of the scar across her abdomen. 'I'll stand on the other side of the line when I find your grandmother". Earlier in EOS Manon asks him why he didn’t make the bloodhound suffer, that there is a line even when it comes to their enemies. Apparently not when someone harms Manon.
III. Dorian’s magic reacting every time she is in danger or threatened:
Pg. 369: “His magic felt it before he did. A sense of awareness, of warning and awakening” when she comes in injured on Abraxos.
Pg. 369: “His words were swallowed by the shouting of the sailors and their captain. Dorian’s magic swelled as he unsheathed Damaris—“
Pg. 396: “Manon’s voice was flat and cold as death. “Tell Aelin Galathynius not to bother using me for negotiations. The Blackbeak Matron will not acknowledge me, either as heir or witch, and all you will get out of it is revealing your precise location.” His magic flickered. “What happened after Rifthold?”
Pg. 438: “Ice danced at Dorian’s fingertips as he slid beside Manon, still chained by the bed” when the bloodhound shows up on the ship.
Pg. 441: “Manon froze entirely. And didn’t particularly care as the Bloodhound lunged for her throat, teeth bared. It was not flame or wind that snapped the Bloodhound’s neck. But invisible hands. The crunch echoed through the room, and Manon whirled on Dorian Havilliard. His sapphire eyes were utterly merciless.”.
Pg. 457 ““If you were me,” Aelin murmured in a tone that had Dorian’s magic rising, ice cooling his fingertips. Aedion’s hand slid to his sword. “If you were me.” His magic flickering when Aelin RAISES HER VOICE at Manon (like come on this is mates shit).
Pg. 498-499: “ "As far as I recall,” Dorian went on with a sly grin, “you two—” The attack happened so fast that Aelin didn’t sense or see it until it was over. One moment, Manon was seated at the edge of the fire, the marshes a dark sprawl behind her. The next, scales and flashing white teeth were snapping for her, erupting from the brush on the bank. And then—stillness and silence as the enormous marsh beast froze in place. Halted by invisible hands—strong ones.” The fact that Dorian was mid sentence, not paying attention, and doesn’t even move a finger to protect her.
Even Aelin comments on it, Pg. 499: “But Dorian’s magic held the beast still, frozen with no ice to be seen. The same power as the one he’d wielded against the Bloodhound. Aelin surveyed him for any tether, any gleaming thread of power, and found none. He hadn’t even lifted a hand to direct it. Interesting.” IT IS INTERESTING AELIN. I also find it interesting that Aelin says the same power he wielded against the bloodhound, which was also to protect Manon. Granted I know Aelin is observing him bc his raw magic is so different from other forms of magic, but I still think it’s interesting that Sarah had Aelin comment on how he didn’t even react or move and his magic protected her.
Dorian about his magic sensing Rowan and Aelin’s bond, pg. 131, “His magic had felt the bond between Aelin and Rowan—the bond that went deeper than blood, than their magic, and he’d assumed it was just that they were mates, and hadn’t announced it to anyone.” Obviously later we find out it was because Aelin and Rowan were mates. So his magic canonically can sense a mating bond.
Also Rowan on Pg. 357 “I wanted to chuck you off a cliff, yet I bit you before I knew what I was doing. I think my body knew, my magic knew." His magic knew when he tasted her they were mates. Similar to how Dorian's magic has been acting? Like it knows something he doesn't?
VI. Pg. 575 “Manon thought the king tasted like the sea, like a winter morning, something so foreign and yet familiar it at last dragged that moan from deep in her.” The so foreign yet so familiar is so mate coded. Especially bc...
in HOF the Wastes are described as having winter mountains and near the western sea
Pg. 71: “To take our host to reclaim the Wastes from the mortal pigs who now dwell there." A fierce, wild thrill pierced Manon's chest, sharp as a knife. Following the Matron's gaze, Manon looked to the horizon, where the mountains were still blanketed with winter.”
Pg. 68: “Manon herself had never set foot in the former Witch Kingdom, had never seen the ruins or the flat, green expanse that stretched to the western sea.”
So it makes sense that the Wastes would smell of winter morning and the sea. They also call the wastes the “Frozen Wastes”, further implying a wintery sent.
VII. Pg. 577 “ Wondered what he’d say if she told him she’d wanted to sink her teeth into his neck and find out what he tasted like”.
Rowan on Pg. 357 “I wanted to chuck you off a cliff, yet I bit you before I knew what I was doing. I think my body knew, my magic knew. And you tasted …” Rowan loosed a jagged breath. “So good…”
Manon in HOF Pg. 33: “The common, watery taste of the man, laced with violence and fear, coated her tongue, and she spat onto the wooden floorboards.”
Manon in QoS Pg. 463 “I’ve been with plenty of men. You’re all the same. Taste the same”.
Manon has not shown to be particularly interested or intrigued by the blood of men aside from just to hunt and feed until Dorian. We also have Rowan describing how good Aelin tasted when he bit her and how he thinks "his magic knew". Is her attraction to Dorian’s blood because of this similar mating bond logic?
Dissenting Opinion: She just wants to taste Dorian's blood because she's attracted to him and so his blood is more enticing to her. She does say that the blood of the men at the Ferrian Gap distracts her in HOF, so obviously she sometimes does crave man blood.
KOA:
I. Again, we see Dorian’s magic reacting to her in a way instinctually
Cyrene attacks, pg. 78 “As Manon whirled, Dorian’s magic surged, already lashing at the unforeseen foe”
Pg. 130: “Despite who walked ahead of them, behind them, Manon smiled slightly. He surprised her further by saying,"I've been tunneling into my power since they appeared. One wrong move from them, and I'll blast them into nothing." This is so touch her and you die vibes I love it. This isn’t his magic acting instinctively I just wanted to include as another instance of him being protective of her using his magic.
Pg. 227: “ “I care.” His temper rose to meet hers. And he decided to hell with it—decided to let go of that leash he’d put on himself. Let go of that restraint. “I care about more than I should. I even care about you.”
Same scene: Pg. 228: “Dorian smiled slightly, and fell asleep once more, letting his magic warm them both. When they awoke, something sharp in his chest had dulled—just a fraction…Where that edge had dulled in his chest, his magic now flowed freer. As if it, too, had been freed from those inner restraints he’d loosened slightly last night. What he’d opened up, revealed to her. A sort of freedom, that letting go."
This is right after he says he’s been trying with Vesta for days to get his eyes to change color and it hasn’t worked but one time with Manon and she warms his heart enough to let his magic go free.
Pg. 143, Dorian goes to Cyrene to learn how she shifts…
“Is that what you do to summon the change: first think of what you want to become?” “With limits. I need a clear image within my mind, or else it will not work at all.”
Followed by Pg. 286 when Dorian is trying to shift… “Who do you wish to be? “Someone worthy of my friends,” he said into the quiet night. “A king worthy of his kingdom.” For a heartbeat, snow-white hair and golden eyes flashed into his mind. “Happy,” he whispered, and wrapped a hand around Damaris’s hilt. Let go of that lingering scrap of terror. The ancient sword warmed in his hand, a friendly and swift heat. It flowed up through his fingers, his wrist. To that place within him where all those truths had dwelled, where it became warmth edged with sharpest pain. And then the world grew… He made to touch his face, but found he had no hands. Only soot-black wings. Only an ebony beak that allowed no words past it. A raven.” In this scene Dorian thinks of Manon, which makes him think of happiness and very similar to the scene where she made his magic flow before, his magic begins to flow through him and he shifts, for the second time due to Manon warming his heart, into not just a bird, but a black beaked bird. I repeat, BLACKBEAK bird. It’s safe to assume this is because he pictured Manon, and as the spider said you have to have the picture in your head when you will the shift for it to happen. The image he had in his mind was Manon. This one I honestly think is crazy and such strong evidence of mateism , especially bc it happened TWICE in this book.
Manon fighting the Matrons, pg. 474 “Dorian’s magic writhed, seeking a way out, to stop this.”
When Maeve glamours as Manon to seduce Erawan, Pg. 639: “icy rage, pure and undiluted tore through Dorian as Manon stood before the Valg king.. Dorian focused upon his breathing, on the stones beneath him, anything to keep his magic from erupting at the desire on Erawan’s face” (also important bc when she glamoured as Aelin his magic didn’t do this!!!)
II. Pg. 225 ““Which do you like the best?”… “I like the ice best,” Dorian admitted at last, realizing he’d let the silence drip on. “It was the first element that came out of me—I don’t know why.” I know why!!
HOF pg. 230 “If Manon was ice and Asterin was fire, then Sorrel was rock.”
QOS pg. 68 “Asterin had always been that way—and that wildness was exactly why Manon had chosen her as her Second a century ago. The flame to Sorrel’s stone … and to Manon’s ice.”
III. Dorian refers to Manon as his equal, pg. 536 “she would be his wife, his queen. She was already his equal, his match, his mirror in so many ways”.
SJM is very consistent about mates being equals and being mirrors of each.
Quote from Tampon in ACOTAR: “High Fae mostly marry,' he said, his golden skin flushing a bit. 'But if they’re blessed, they’ll find their mate—their equal, their match in every way.” This is almost verbatim what Dorian said about Manon. Also want to note that ACOTAR (2015) ,where the idea that mates are equals really starting being engrained in the reader, came out 3 years prior to KOA (2018). Sarah was writing the ACOTAR trilogy concurrent with the later half of TOG. So for her to have Dorian use those words to describe Manon, she had to have known what she was doing. When KOA was released there were already three acotar books out that beat this idea into our head so i can’t believe this is a coincidence. I think Sarah would notice how that phrasing sounds exactly like how she describes mates considering how important the bond is in her books.
Feyre to the Suriel: “How can I possibly be his mate?' Mates were equals- matched, at least in some ways. '
Rowan about discovering Aelin is his mate pg. 678 EOS "His equal. His friend. His lover. His Wife. His mate."
Dissenting Opinion: This is just SJM's writing style, and I’ve also noticed SJM reusing some phrases for her couples across the series *ehem* nessian and sartaq/nesryn “I wish we had time”
IV. Also in this scene Dorian talks about wanting to “claim her” as his wife/queen... Pg. 538 “the temptation that his every instinct roared to claim. Not the body, but what she had offered…” This could just be SJM writing style (fair argument), but nevertheless "his every instinct to claim" is VERY matey especially with the instinct part and because "the claiming" is a thing. Some examples:
HOF Pg. 158: “the bite so strong and claiming that she was too stunned to move”
EOS Pg. 352: “You are mine,” Rowan breathed, and she felt the claiming in her bones, her soul.
EOS Pg. 422: “A claiming, mighty and true, that she understood he so desperately needed.”
Dissenting Opinion: This is just SJM's writing style. Just because the word claim is used doesn't mean they are mates.
V. Manon screaming his name when he almost dies pg. 133 "Manon bellowed his name, and Crochan arrows fired... Manon screamed his name again, but he couldn't move... Then there were iron-tipped hands gripping his shoulders, and gold eyes glaring into his own".
This reminds me of in HOF when Manon shoots Rowan with an arrow and Aelin screams his name
Pg. 477 QoS... "Aelin's scream echoed down the Ravine" when Rowan is shot.
Pg. 655 EOS Aelin admits to Maeve she knew Rowan was her mate, "The moment the arrow when through his shoulder. Months ago"
This is also parallelled by Dorian screaming for Manon when she is in danger in EOS:
Pg. 87: “Manon crashed to her knees. The king was instantly at her side, studying her for a heartbeat before he roared down the stairs, “NO!””
Pg. 369: ““No.” The word ripped from Dorian’s lips before he could think. But then it came out, over and over, as the wyvern and rider sailed closer to the ship. The witch was unconscious, her body leaning to the side because she was not awake, because that was blue blood all over her. Don’t shoot; don’t shoot— Dorian was roaring the order as he hurtled for where Fenrys had drawn his longbow, a black-tipped arrow aimed at the witch’s exposed neck."
Dissenting Opinion: Aelin tells Rowan she saved Manon because Asterin screamed her name the same way she screamed Rowan. So technically by this logic Asterin and Manon could be platonic mates. And maybe Manon just screams Dorian's name because she cares about him not anything to do with being mates. (Counter Argument- but then why did Dorian scream her name in EOS so aggressively when he didn’t even know her then??)
Edit:
Also want to comment on Manon being the scariest individual in the world, and yet repeatedly both Dorian and Manon comment about how he is not afraid of her. Across the SJM universes this is seen as a huge mating bond sign (“Aelin terrifies everyone, but not him [rowan]” ; Feyre not being afraid of Rhys).
ALSO want to mention that Manon had “never allowed another male atop her” during sex before Dorian. To me this is incredibly telling bc it indicates that Manon sees Dorian as an equal by allowing him to dominate her. Yes, Manon is attracted to his domineering manor, but you’re telling me never in 116 years she’s done anything but ridden a male, and Dorian walks in and she’s like yea tie me up and get on top of me… I mean I would to but you see my point. Additionally, them being incredibly attracted to each other could be a mate indicator as mates are obviously aggressively attracted to each other bc of the “animalisticness” of the mating bond.
Lastly, you’ll see above that there are lots of times where their “instincts” cause them to act or are pushing at them to act in relation to each other. Instinct is mate coded af, especially when they’ve had that instinct since they first met. It wasn’t something that grew over time they always had it.
Debunking arguments against them being mates:
I. Mates are only fae.
Manon is part fae, so she could have a mate.
E.g. Bryce is half fae half human also and mated with Hunt (who confirmed in HOFAS is the product of two angels and not fae); Lorcan is a demi fae and can have a mate (believed to be Elide who is human but unconfirmed); Aelin is demi fae prior to forging the lock and is mated with Rowan.
I also cannot find anywhere there is a rule that you must have XYZ amount of fae blood to have a fae-like mate, just have to have some fae blood. But we don't really know what percentage of Manon is fae vs Valg. Given she is half Ironteeth and half Crochan, she likely falls around that 50% fae line which is just as much fae blood as Lorcan, Bryce, Aelin, etc.
II. The Crochans believe in Mates
It’s not confirmed whether the Crochans do or don't have the traditional fae mating bonds, however we learned in CC2 it was proved that you can have a “true” mating bond as long as one person has fae blood, E.g. Bryce (half fae/human) and Hunt (Angel).
pg. 139 EOS the Crochans "... had adopted the Fae habit of selecting mates- if not a true mating bond, then in spirit".
pg. 139, EOS Manon's grandmother says about her father "But he did not love her- not with your mother as his true mate, the song of his soul". This sounds to me like her parents were believed to be a true fae mating bond not just "in spirit".
Pg. 316 HOSAB "Angels have mates. Not as.. soul-magicky as Fae, but we call life partners mates in lieu of husbands or wives". Sounds like the Angels have a mating bond "in spirit" similar to the Crochans. Except that Hunt then truly "fae mated" Bryce, and he doesn't have any fae blood.
When then find out Hunt and Bryce are "true mates"; Pg.492 HOSAB "It means that he's going ballistic in the way that only mates can when the other is threatened. It's what happened then and happened now. You're true mates- the way Fae are mates, in your bodies and souls".
III. Fae can have non fae mates.
We see Bryce/Hunt in CC that are different species and have a traditional fae mating bond.
Rhys/Feyre and Nesta/Cassian feel a pull to each other when Feyre and Nesta are human, which then clicks into place as a true mating bond.
There is also Elide/Lorcan and Gavin/Elena in TOG that are “mates” (unconfirmed since the humans never became fae). Fae queens Mab and Mora also give up immortality for their human "mates".
So it is canon that you can have inter species mates or human mates, it just may never "click" into place if they are human.
via Hunt and Bryce, we do know the bond can completely click (souls and scents merging, etc.) between "magical" species once it is accepted, but we do not have this evidence with fae and human bonds.
I also don’t believe Dorian is entirely human. But that is completely my speculation
Pg. 933 KOA " 'I am human.' It warmed in his hand... 'I am human," he repeated, to the stars now visible above the city. The sword didn't answer again. As if it knew he no longer needed it." Yes he is human but he can be other things too. Similar to Aelin's quote about being a human in a fae body below. They identify and choose their human moral side, but that does not mean there are parts of them that are not human.
Aelin KOA Pg. 723: "I am human, deep down, Faerie Queen nonsense aside. I had human parents, and their parents were human, mostly, and even with Mab's line running true... I'm a human who can turn into Fae. A human who wears a Fae body".
On par with the theme of "Be grateful for your human heart" (Rhys, ACOTAR)
Also curious as to whether he does or does not have valg blood from his father. Because he could also have fae blood (distantly) from Elena/Brannon/Mala (Valg + Fae= Witch?)
IV. The mating bond would have clicked when they fucked… I think we all know this ain’t true anymore (cough cough Nesta and Cassian). You can have sex but if you do not accept the bond it will not click.
Rowan also says on pg 396 HOF "Sometimes, mates can be together intimately before the actual bond snaps into place"
V. Wyrd/Urd/the Mother/Fate (aka Sarah) gets to decide whose mates and who isn't
The only thing Sarah has been clear about is that she can basically make anyone mates that she wants as long as one person has fae blood. And even then, there is very much a "fate like force" aka Wyrd/Urd/The Mother that is working to pull the strings of fate and make people mates.
Hellas speaks to Lorcan and Hellas's consort, the goddess Annieth, speaks to Elide. Lorcan and Elide are never confirmed mates as Elide remains human and yet there are still signs she is his mate even as a human.
Rhys's mind has able to find Feyre's when she was still human years before they met. Yes he has demati abilities but finding Feyre's mind is because they were fated to be mates.
Adias says about Hunt and Bryce mating bond HOFAS, Pg. 551 "I think that was left to higher powers. Whatever they might be".
There is no special "biological formula" proven necessary for a mating bond. To the best of our knowledge so far, the only thing we can be sure of is it happens when fate demands (and when one person has at least some fae blood). Therefore it logically makes sense why the Mother/Wyrd/Urd would manipulate fate to ensure that Dorian and Manon were mates because they needed Manon to get into the witch mirror and raise the witch forces. They needed Manon to unite with Brannon's heir to defeat Erawan and destroy the keys, whether that be Aelin or Dorian. A mating bond would ensure that.
Also Wyrd/Urd means fate/personal destiny in nors mythology —> https://www.mimisbrunnr.info/ksd-web-of-wyrd and https://norse-mythology.org/concepts/destiny-wyrd-urd/ (read these if you want to theorize about acotar)
In conclusion, I think they could be mates but it won't fully snap into place (they won't fully merge souls, scents, etc.) unless Dorian is somehow Made. The only evidence of interspecies true confirmed fae mating bonds is Bryce and Hunt, and while they were able to fully "click" without Hunt being fae, it is very unclear why this is other than "high powers". We do know though that human Elide was very likely Lorcan's true mate, but we were never told of any clicking between them on that fae physiological level. So it is safe to assume that for a mating bond between a human and fae it will not "click" into place unless that human is turned fae.
HOWEVER, I do think it is possible because of Dorian's raw magic, he could be a rare exception to this rule similar to Hunt. So maybe it just has not clicked because Manon and Dorian have not accepted it. Which would also make sense given the nature of their relationship through most of the series, them denying their feelings to each due to their emotional unavailability.
Dissenting Opinion: But we also don't know how the angels were created by the Asteri, so maybe Hunt is "made" and not actually an exception.
Anyway, there's my evidence. There was some more evidence that I had and then removed because even though I think it is proof of a deeper connection I didn't think it was mate related (e.g. Abraxos taking Manon to Dorian when she says take me somewhere safe, I came to the conclusion that that showed Abraxos's awareness in protecting Manon).
Here are the links to some other tumblr posts on them being mates. I did look at these when putting this together so full credit to those individuals :)
Reblogging because I’ve updated it!
as some of you might know, I’m a sucker for the mate trope and throne of glass is a little more subtle here than acotar. we got rowaelin, ob
A Dreamer Dreaming — Hints that Manon and Dorian could be Mates
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