The Republic was beginning to fracture. On Naboo, Elain, a young seer in service to the Queen, dreamed of a Jedi she had never met. The Force urged her to wait in the golden fields beyond Theed when, moments later, a starfighter tore across the sky, trailing smoke before crashing into the plains. Its pilot was Jedi Master Lucien Vanserra, forced to crash-land on Naboo after a mission went terribly wrong.
Neither of them knew that the Force had been guiding them toward this meeting all along.
Summary: When Elain discovers Lucien’s apartment, she can’t resist sneaking inside. What starts as a harmless little visit quickly turns into her making herself a little too comfortable while he’s away. It’s only a matter of time before Lucien catches her in the middle of something naughty. Set during ACOSF.
Lucien finally decides to confront Elain about their mating bond – only to discover she doesn’t even believe that it’s real!
What will it take to convince her otherwise?
Read here on AO3
@elucienweekofficial
Snippet below the cut...
“Elain, it’s been nearly three years,” he said finally. “Don’t you think it’s time you made a decision?”
“A decision about what?”
He sighed defeatedly. “About whether you’re going to reject the mating bond.”
She gave a laugh that sounded like tinkling bells, but he recognized it for what it was. A show. A courtier’s laugh.
“I really don’t see what’s so funny about –”
“You’re all obsessed with ‘mating bonds’,” Elain interrupted. “With whether I’ll accept or reject, whether I’m free to live my life or be forever tethered to a stranger. I can’t exist without judgement if I choose to flirt, or charm, or take a lover who doesn’t claim to be my mate.”
Take a lover? Claim? He felt a growl rumble deep in his chest at the suggestion, and hoped to the Mother she hadn’t heard it. He’d had a… sense, at Solstice, that there had been something – a flicker of desire for someone other than him. He’d tortured himself about it, never once imagining she might be acting out, some form of rebellion against her perceived entrapment.
“But I’m not about to play along with all this faerie nonsense, like my sisters do,” she continued, tilting her chin in the air. “I don’t have to reject something that isn’t real!”
He blinked, wondering for a moment if he’d misheard her.
“Not… real?”
“Not real,” she repeated, turning from him. “From my observations, I’ve deduced that mating bonds are a myth, perpetuated by the High Fae to lure poor unsuspecting wom– females into relationships with,” she flicked her eyes over him, “unscrupulous strangers.”
Strangers? Unscrupulous? A myth? An incredulous laugh spilled from him, but she remained stone-faced. She wasn’t joking.
Lucien shook his head in disbelief. Of course. Of course. Trust the Cauldron to give him a mate who wasn’t just reluctant to make a decision about the bond, but was in complete denial about its existence! Did she not face the same daily tortures as him? The same dull ache of longing when they weren’t near each other? The same ravenous urges when they were in close proximity like this?
Huge thanks to my betas, @chaol-apologist and @crazy-ache
Tomorrow is the anniversary of Paperweight. I wanted to have every chapter finished by then, but it looks like I won't make it because real life sucks more than ever.
But the good news is that I'll be done this week.
All that's left is the last chapter and the epilogue.
Feeling like Sam after Mordor (he's my 💚), but I'm also so very sad.
It'll be about 48k words in total by the end, I think.
snog/marry/avoid (+ kill) non heteronormative edition, tagged by @ninathecowgirl. I kept kill in because mother, I crave violence. (I don't, really, but as has been said, we have four options for the Bat Boys. Actually, you know, what the hell. Adding Mor to make it even.)
Bat boys (+ Tamlin for some reason)
snog - Cassian. He seems like he'd be a good time, if no emotional attachment was involved.
marry - Tamlin. I can fix him!
avoid - Azriel. Noooo thank you.
Kill - Rhys. No shade and full respect to people who love him but I am a card-carrying hater.
The sisters (+ Mor)
No kill edition: 'have a sleepover with' is my fourth option. But look, I made it even!
snog - Mor. She'd know what she's doing and not waste my time giggling about it.
marry - Nesta, my bride. My queen.
avoid - Feyre. She gives mean girl energy and I get enough of that online already.
have a sleepover with - Elain. She'd bring great weed brownies, for one, and have good fashion tips I suspect.
tags because I can: @frostystarlight @lizzytish25 @chelseamorninggirl @gooseyjossip @chaol-apologist
WIP Wednesday: The Harrowed and the Haunted, Chapter 2
Just a little snippet for very patient people! Remember, YGM isn't on hiatus, I'm just taking a break to make space for another fic update! :)
Lucien ground his jaw even more. It was, [Elain] supposed, annoying but reasonable. “Any other terms?” he grunted.
Rhys’ smile grew alarmingly sharp and his violet eyes glittered. “Just the one. While I understand that you two have been seeing one another, if Elain is going to train in Day under your escort, Lucien, then I don’t want my mate and I to spend the next several weeks wondering whether you’re using proximity to potentially influence anything. You will not touch Elain while away for her training."
Mortification, bright and hot, rose in Lucien’s face and the oily feeling of shame flooded the bond. “I will have you know that I have been nothing but respectful—”
“I beg your pardon?” Elain cut him off sharply, rising abruptly to her feet. “Nobody here gets the right to decide who can or cannot touch me—”
“Oh, it’s nothing personal,” Rhysand insisted, still smiling as he waved her off. Elain didn’t need to be a daemati or half a millennium old to know how much of a lie that was, though the why of it was still a mystery. “It’s the mating bond, that’s all. I know from firsthand experience how hard those instincts are to overcome, especially when one’s mate is in close proximity.” He turned to her then. “Think of Lucien as… oh, what did Feyre call them… the adults that escorted eligible young ladies?”
“Chaperones,” Elain answered stiffly.
“Yes, that! Much obliged, Elain.” The High Lord clapped his hands together briskly. “But! Those are my terms, if you both are truly serious about pursuing training in Day.”
Lucien was staring daggers at him. Broadswords, even, before he barked a short, humorless laugh. “You really think that the bond is all this is about, Rhysand?”
“I think,” Rhys answered, perfectly pleasantly, “that you’re a male who’s spent years waiting for an opportunity, and that you’ve conveniently presented me with a plan during a crisis that places you both together, in another court, under minimal supervision.” His eyes went hard, suddenly. “So convince me otherwise.”
Lucien opened his mouth but hesitated, choosing instead to weigh his words; Elain decided to fill the silence. “He doesn’t need to.”
“Elain—” Lucien interjected.
“I agree,” Elain declared. “I accept the terms, or whatever you say to agree.”
A sudden shock of pain bloomed in between her shoulders, at the base of her neck; reaching back to rub at the spot, the skin felt smooth but hot, like she’d been resting against a hot water bottle. She watched as a moment later Lucien and Rhysand did the same thing.
“The bargain is struck,” intoned Rhys. “So it is, and so shall it be.”
“Heh,” murmured Lucien, gazing between Elain’s shoulder blades. “Elain, move your hand?” She did. “A blue-black moon and sun against a field of wildflowers… oh my, that’s colorful.”
“Colorful?” Rhys asked petulantly. “Five hundred years of making bargains and now I get one with color?” He seemed affronted by the entire notion. “How many?”
Lucien could barely contain his smile. “So many colors, High Lord.”
Rhys swore in High Velarian.
Taglist behind the cut! Let me know if you want to be added for when Chapter 2 comes out. :)
I'd love to know more about the projects you're working on for Elucien week! I've seen you've already shared some snippets with us, so I was wondering - would you be willing to share an image or two that you feel capture the vibe of your project? 👀
We know Lucien rented this elegant riverside apartment in the nicest part of Velaris when he was still hoping to settle in, explore the city, and spend time around Elain every day. I can absolutely picture him decorating it to be super cozy, hoping to invite Elain over for tea and conversation.
Here’s a peek at his apartment, including the hairpin Elain uses to pick the lock. 👑
You’ve Got Mail (Neris’ Version): A Modern Epistolary Fic - Chapter 24
Banner above, art and dividers below by: @themadmorrigan! Profile pic art and Discord template in fic by @itsblobross.
Status: Multi-chapter (in progress)
Rating: M (honestly, T is probably fine but not taking chances)
Relationships: Nesta Archeron x Eris Vanserra (Neris), background Elain x Lucien (Elucien), Jurian x Vassa (Jassa), Helion x LoA, Feyre x Rhysand (Feysand), Emerie x Gwyn (Gwymerie)
Fic Summary: Nesta Archeron did the one thing you’re never supposed to do: text the number on the bathroom stall. To her surprise, she and the mysterious stranger on the other end have more in common than she could ever have expected.
Read Chapter 24 here!
Start at the beginning!
(Comment or DM me if you want added to the tag list for this bad boy, which is behind the cut!)
Tag list: @olenvasynyt @lizzytish25 @thequirkytravels-blog @crazy-ache @gooseyjossip @themadmorrigan
If you want to be added or removed, please let me know! :)
Summary:
The day after Winter Solstice was supposed to be like any other for Elain Archeron. She would wake up with the morning glow and go about her day. She would continue to ignore the string tied to her ribs. She would set aside his gift in a bottom drawer, only to marvel at it later when alone at night. She would act like everything was okay within her heart and head as she fought against the bond pulling her towards one Lucien Vanserra.
But this year wasn’t like the morning after the last two winter solstices. This year she woke up in bed with the male she fought so hard against opening up to. Her mate.
Rating: Explicit
Pairings: Elain x Lucien, Gwyn x Azriel, Nesta x Eris, Jurian x Vassa, Thea Archeron (OC) x Marcus of Summer (OC) + more unhinged crackship pairings
POVs: Elain, Lucien, Thea, Nesta, Eris, Gwyn, Azriel, Vassa
Status: WIP
Chapter count: 11/?
AO3: Lay All Your Love On Me
Tag list: @hisnameislucien @themadmorrigan @limeandorange @musty-old-claptrap @frostystarlight @crazy-ache @gooseyjossip @misstyfikacja @lizzytish25
Chapter 11 is now live!
For twenty-seven years, Elain Archeron has raised her daughter, Thea, on an island off the coast of Adriata alone. She doesn’t speak to her parents or sisters, and Thea’s father is not in their lives.
However, on the eve of Thea’s wedding to the High Lord of Summer’s son, Elain’s three ex-lovers appear out of the blue.
They have questions, Thea has questions, but does Elain have all the answers?
Chapters so far if you want to catch up:
1. Honey, Honey
2. Interlude — The Day Before You Came
3. Knowing Me, Knowing You
4. Andante, Andante
5. Mamma Mia
6. Interlude — Why Did It Have To Be Me?
7. Chiquitita, Tell Me What’s Wrong?
8. Angel Eyes
9. Interlude – Voulez-Vous
10. The Name of the Game
11. Interlude — Waterloo (Part I)
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origamiaround
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