āCome a little closer, and Iāll show you just what five centuries can do.ā
āWatch yourself, girl. Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not in a
week, but someday you will trip up. And Iāll be waiting."
āNo words, Prince?ā
āI move quickly.ā
āAssassins, whores, traitorsāwhat fine company you keep these days, Rowan.ā
āIs that what you thought of us? All those years that we worked together, killed men and bedded females together? I never heard you complain.ā
āRun, you
stupid fool,ā Lorcan hissed, hauling him from the fuse.
Aedion was crouched over it, his bloody hands steady as he grasped the flint
and struck.
Once. Twice.
Then a spark, and a flame that went roaring off into the darkness.
They ran like hell.
āFaster,ā Lorcan said, and Aedion caught up to them, taking Rowanās other
arm and adding his strength and speed.
Down the passage. Past the broken iron gates, into the sewers.
There was not enough time and space between them and the tower.
And Aelinā
The bond stretched tighter, splintering. No.
Aelinā
They heard it before they felt it.
The utter lack of sound, like the world had paused. Followed by a cracking
boom.
āMove,ā Lorcan said, a barked order that had Rowan blindly obeying just as
he had for centuries.
"Gavriel is still my brother. I would have faced him with dishonor if I had let his son die.ā
āI have my skills, just as you have yours.ā
āBigger tits wonāt prove or hide anything.ā
āCome, wife.ā
āWould you like me to kill him for you?ā
āIf you want to survive, you have to be willing to do what is
necessary.ā
āAs far as anyoneās concerned, youāre still my wife.ā
"I will always find you. I promise."
āI wanted to go to Perranth with you.ā
āI have loved you from the moment you picked up that axe to slay the ilken. I will be with you always."
āI will marry you, Elide Lochan. And
proudly call myself Lord Lorcan Lochan, even
when the whole kingdom laughs to hear it. And when we are wed, I will bind my life to yours. So we will never know a day
apart. Never be alone, ever again.ā
Lorcan Salvaterre, commander of the cadre? More like commander of my heart.
Lucien roasting Tamlin's lack of rizz? Sassy Lulu.
Lucien offering the moon on a string? Flirty Lulu.
Lucien pushing Tamlin to put more effort to woo Feyre? Good Friend Lulu.
Lucien getting news from the Winter Court by being sneaky? Spy Lulu.
Lucien telling Amarantha to go back to the shit-hole she crawled out of? Savage Lulu.
Lucien staying in school longer than any of his brothers? Nerdy Lulu.
Lucien falling in love with Jesminda? Lover Lulu.
Lucien surviving the cutthroat Autumn Court and holding off three of his brothers? Strong Lulu.
Lucien being willing to die rather than offer Feyre's name and taking a whipping for her? Loyal Lulu.
Lucien saying he would've fought for the Fae-human alliance? Idealist Lulu.
Lucien taking on the duty of Calanmai for his court? Patriotic Lulu.
Lucien breaking the spell of a tyrant to get to his mate? Protective Lulu.
Lucien being fully aware Feyre was bullshitting Tamlin the whole time? Smart Lulu.
Lucien catching fish with his bare hands? Sexy Lulu.
Lucien not backing down from any of the bat boys? Dom Lulu.
Lucien worrying about Elain not eating? Caring Lulu.
Autumn court males have fire in their blood and f*ck like it too? Sex god Lulu.
Lucien showing up to the informal dinner dressed like a king? Fashionable Lulu.
Lucien bowing to Elain, calling her lady, and respecting her space? Gallant Lulu.
Lucien coming back with Vassa's army and Papa Archeron in tow? Clutch Lulu.
Lucien fighting his way to Elain? Badass Lulu.
Lucien balancing three roles while still dressing immaculately and dominating Cassian in one word? High Lord Lulu.
I just decided to post this close up from the commission @acourtdelaluna and I posted yesterday.... one because I haven't been able to stop staring at their beauty ... Two because I couldn't resist sharing it here š¤... Artist @Indrakinn
Oh. Actually i never thought Azriel was polite šš. See, i see this rage in Azriel, the icy rage SJM keeps mentioning about him. And i LOVE it. As i ship Gwynriel, in my head Az is no gentleman who Elriels thinks he is. He's as fucked-up mentally as he is in the books. And i ship Gwynriel because i love the dynamic the two have, plus it's beautiful to see Azriel gets over his internal rage and pain and get over himself and finally see Gwyn with her bright teal eyes, looking at him lovingly, smiling gently as she holds his scarred hand. Thats how he will find inner peace.
On the other hand, I am proud of my Lulu who is definitely a grade A gentleman. Polite, charming, respectful... That is how he will steal his darling mate's, aka Elain Archeron, heart.
Gwyn, handing Azriel a gift: Happy Solstice, Azriel.
Azriel, smiling: What is this?
Gwyn: Open it, and read the first page for me out loud please.
Azriel: Itās a book.
Gwyn: Itās a book that I wrote.
Azriel, reading the first page: To the bat boy who patiently taught me how to use daggers. The moment you read this, my heart already belongs to you. Please take care of it.
Gwyn: I wanted to put more but Nesta and Emerie said to keep it sweet and simple. So I did. But if youāre wondering, Iāll just tell you the summary because it is really long andā
Azriel: Gwyn, youāre talking to much again.
Gwyn: I know and Iām sorry! You know I talk to much when I get nervous and flustered.
Azriel: Itās okay, love. Breathe and then say it.
Gwyn: Alright. To summarize my thoughts, Shadowsinger, I love you. I love you, too, and Iām sorry it took me a while to say it back, but I do. I truly love you. With all my heart. There Iāve said it. Thank you for being so patient with me.
Azriel: *pulls Gwyn into a hug*
Azriel: You know I should be the one thanking you. Thank you for telling me. Thank you for giving me your heart. And you donāt have to say sorry for taking your time. I really mean what Iāve said. And even if it takes you hundred years to say it back, my feelings wonāt change. My heart would still beat erratically for you. You alone.
tbh even E/riels are disappointed with acosf but they don't say it to others although they talk about it among themselves lol I used to be one so I should know. acosf was Nesta's books everyone expected to see Elain more bc she was close to her and they also heard about the training so they were 100% sure they were going to see E/riel training scenes (the very one they accuse Gwynriel for being boring and they don't want Nessian 2.0 lmao) so when they didn't get that they started commenting on Gwynriel post of how they wanted Elain instead of Gwyn in those scenes (specially the shadows dancing around Gwyn and the private dagger lesson) and that's when the toxicity started and I knew this place was not for me anymore. even tho I used to be a bypass in the fandom and not actually fixated on the books I saw enough threats and bullying, it was bad. I came back on acotar fandom this summer after a very long time and even now the reek of jealousy from that side of the fandom is recognizable. the pure ignorance and delusion is quite amusing, they know E/riel won't happen but they have to make it look like they don't so their years of being obsessed with a fictional ship and bulling other fans, the author and publisher won't got to waist yk. bc when I read acosf for the first time I knew Gwynriel is endgame and even before that I wasn't a huge E/riel fan but I wanted to tolerate them for the possibility of them happening and not Elucien (after the end of acofas we weren't sure who would be endgame and I was quite sad bc I was more incline toward Elain and Lucien)
anyway if they were so confidence in their ship they wouldn't do none of that and let others enjoy their time being in the fandom.
Oop thatās some piping hot tea right there.
Honestly, why couldn't they just be as chill as Azris shippers?
Azris shippers understand that the likelihood of their ship is slim, but they can manifest and hope for the best. Through Love, all is possible!
Yes, it's quite possible! I can passionately support Gwynriel and Azris in tandem. E/riels can readily accept that Elucien is the endgame couple while finding delight in the hints and potentials of E/riel until the next book's release when perspectives may change. Although there may still be Neris shippers out there, I haven't observed any significant disrespect directed toward Nessian. It's possible that I might not be searching thoroughly, but it's heartening that it's not as prevalent as the mainstream rivalry between Elucien and Gwynriel vs. E/riel.
I perceived ACOSAF as a retcon of Elucien, as Elain's abrupt shift from suggesting Lucien move to Velaris to ignoring him lacked a clear explanation of their deteriorating relationship. More on this later.
I get why E/riel shippers held onto hope after ACOSAF, even though I viewed their connection as more platonic. Azriel's deep love for Mor was abundantly clear in the series, and the Hybern scene hinted at the endgame couples, particularly Moriel, which was reinforced by SJM's deleted Pinterest.
In my view, Gwyn embodies a blend of Mor and Elain, sharing Mor's trauma, the ability to fit in with "one of the boys," a girl-next-door quality, and an interest in combat, while also displaying Elain's quiet and reserved nature.
On a more serious note, it's entirely possible to appreciate a ship without resorting to belittling anyone, whether it's a character without proper canon context or an actual person. Doubling down and resorting to insults becomes even more embarrassing. Perhaps this is due to a reluctance to acknowledge the scarcity of E/riel content to draw from.
Ironically, my anti-E/riel posts stem from my restraint in responding to most of their takes but they aren't inclined to listen, and I lack a suitable outlet to release my frustrations.
Additionally, I take issue with the way many books romanticize red flags as desirable relationship traits. It's crucial to recognize that Azriel's hesitancy to be his true self around Elain is an unhealthy dynamic, and it's not Elain's responsibility to change that. When someone acknowledges their actions as a mistake, it's wise to believe them and move on. This situation is reminiscent of the problematic "Twin Flame" concept, which often excuses negative behavior under the guise of a deeper connection.
But, thats why I don't like E/riel in a nutshell.
Gwyn and Lucien are fictional characters written to have a lot of trauma in their backstories. While they are not real, I can easily consider what you say about them as a reflection of what you truly believe to real people who have gone through something similar.
youāre telling me that you think Lucien ācatches a fish with his bare fucking handsā Vanserra doesnāt have the biggest schlong ever? riiiiiight.
Every time someone brings up the supposed "four books of build-up" for Elriel, it never fails to amuse me.
In ACOSF, it's clear that the highly anticipated relationship between Elain and Azriel didn't unfold as expected. After finishing TOG, I'm increasingly convinced that their "buildup" may not carry the same weight as anticipated.
While it's delightful to immerse in their love stories, a more substantial menace looms, necessitating the mating of two couples to overcome the formidable adversary.
In simple terms, the storylines set by SJM for Elain and Azriel have diverged since the Solstice, and Azriel's canonically strong refusal to involve Elain in matters with innate darkness remains a key factor.
Nesta's words seem to offer a glimpse into the story's trajectory during Starfall:
She had a vague sense of Cassian and Mor and Azriel nearby, of Feyre and Rhys and Lucien, of Elain and Varian and Helion.
The intentional arrangement of Lucien and Elain together but separated by a mere comma, while Elain and Azriel are distinctly set apart within a group that includes her mate, someone who threatened Azriel to keep his distance, and another who advocated for Elain to give Lucien a chance, is not a random choice. The sentence's structure conveys a deliberate intention.
Lucien's final appearance is with Elain, while his last reference is about Jesminda and Beron. Elain's last appearance and mention occur at the gravesite of her father, whom Lucien had traveled with for the majority of ACOWAR.
It becomes especially significant when Elain is grouped with her mate's father and the neighbor from his home court, without his Inner Circle girlfriend.
I think the next two books would follow these two groups, which does perfectly set up Elucien and Gwynriel for the next two books and they work interchangeably.
One book depicts Elucien's quest for Koschei's box around Prythian, while the other follows Gwynriel's mission to free the maidens captured by Koschei in the other continent. While other plot developments may emerge, it's worth noting that SJM is known for prioritizing romance over the plot.
I find it challenging to envision an Elriel-centric plot that could effectively contribute to defeating Koschei without resorting to a redundant training storyline.
By the end of ACOSF, both Elriel and Elucien find themselves separated, especially given the lack of observations from both Nesta and Cassian of Elriel, especially in key moments where they are in the same room. While the reasons behind Elriel not speaking have been revealed, the motives for Elucien avoiding each other remain. Nevertheless, this hasn't stopped Lucien from actively participating in Starfall.
The intriguing dilemma lies in finding a suitable way for Elain and Azriel to coexist within the same narrative. Notably, SJM emphasized Azriel's reluctance to expose Elain to the 'innate darkness' of the trove. This leads to a compelling question: Will he simply step aside and accept Elain's involvement in facing a more substantial threat than just three items? Azriel's deep concern was evident and underscored during a private conversation with Cassian.
Azriel's stubbornness aside, can we also realistically expect Azriel not to attempt a daring rescue of maidens trapped by an evil entity? He's been dedicated to post-Solstice activities, co-training violence victims to qualify for the Blood Rite, and spending time with a certain copper-haired priestess who has been listening to Azriel's spy techniques.
Elain is not included in these training endeavors.
In light of how the Elriel, Elucien, and Gwynriel dynamics are unfolding in the quest to defeat Koschei, it seems that Elriel, despite the 'build up' spanning four books, is becoming an unlikely contender.
I'm not sure how long Elain and Graysen were together before they slept together but Feyre left the human lands and was UTM for 3 months. The sisters were made at the end of book two which was 7 months after that but Elain slept with Graysen for the first time 1 month before. And we have confirmation of Elain's engagement 40% of the way through MAF. So I'm guessing we can say with some certainty that Elain knew Graysen for at least 5 months before they slept together? Maybe more?
We also know through Nesta in SF that while in the human lands, they handled matters with a certain primness so I imagine Elain and Graysen's courtship was a tad formal with him being on his best behavior for most of it. Even when they did sleep together, it was customary of that era to treat your wife with a level of respect that you wouldn't of say, a mistress or harlot.
Elain and Az met for the first time while she was in the human lands. There is zero evidence that he was physically drawn to Elain at that time.
Even when he sat with her in the gardens or lent her Truth Teller, there is no evidence of physical attraction between the two (she called either his scars or siphons beautiful, not Azriel himself) therefore we still have no evidence that there was any sort of real attraction. Not like we have confirmation of with Az for Mor.
I'd say their mutual attraction sparked for the first time around Solstice (maybe for Elain a bit sooner considering Az was still looking at Mor with yearning) but regardless of when it happened, all they shared after was looks and the occasional brush of their fingers. All very PG stuff. Probably what Elain experienced in the human lands with Graysen.
So 10 / 11 months of knowing Az before there was anything that made it clear he might have interest in her in that way. In his POV we do get confirmation that he's been staring at his headache powder since the last Solstice but he mentions nothing of having feelings for her prior to that.
So Elain has had two possible love interests who were very "proper" in her presence. I'm sure Graysen wanted to hook up with her the second he saw her (he was a young male, it's not hard to make that assumption) but I don't imagine he let on that fact. I imagine he adhered to the standards of their societal expectations. And Az wasn't losing his mind over after first meeting her, he was fixated on Mor and even when he shifted some of the attention off Mor onto Elain, it was very subtle.
Is it not likely then, that Elain pulls back from Lucien because of how palpable his desire for her is, even from the start? Lucien controls it as best he can but we see him gripping chairs while reigning in his instincts. We see him accidently have a snarl / growl slip out. Cassian and Feyre can both see the longing on his face (which means Elain can too, she can probably feel his longing).
To Elain, Lucien Vanserra is basically the sterotype of the good Catholic girl being exposed to the definition of someone literally dripping with sex with his want for her as it's all over his face and I think she's a bit ashamed at how much she's drawn to that. I don't think she's ever felt someone's desire for her with the intensity she feels from Lucien and I think she's trying her damnedest to hold onto the "human primness" she was raised on as it's one of the final links to her humanity.
But every time Lucien is around, it becomes harder and harder to hold on to do so which is most likely why she shrinks into herself when he's near.
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