I don’t know if you can call this “Modern AU” , I’m not sure what people wear these days, but it’s my fashion taste so therefore it’s my version lol 😗✌️ Very neutral, casual, earthy.
“My heart... It feels like my chest can barely contain it. Like it's trying to escape because it doesn't belong to me any more. It belongs to you. And if you wanted it, I'd wish for nothing in exchange - no gifts. No goods. No demonstrations of devotion. Nothing but knowing you loved me too. Just your heart, in exchange for mine.”
I spent like two and a half hours today just fucking with the colors and lighting. Bluer light? Yellower light? Solid color rectangle? Gradients? Yes shadows/no shadows, black chains/white chains?
I still don’t know if this is what I wanted or not. But if I don’t post it I will never stop.
Surprise! This amazing fanart was gifted to me by my friend @livlochan for a scene from Famously in Love! I’m so so grateful to Liv for this and absolutely love it and hope you all will as well! If you wish to read Famously you can find the links for it on the pinned masterlist on my page (go to series masterlist and you should find it there)! Thank you again Liv for this I absolutely love it!
You are so, so, welcome Em <3!!! The scene was so adorable that I marinated on how to create the visual for months. I'm so in awe and grateful for your ability to bring such feelings to the page!
Elain wouldn't trade these days with her family, free from the shadows of impending doom, for the world.
(From Hope Springs Eternal by @offtorivendell)
Eternally honoured to collaborate with @offtorivendell and draw a scene from her Elain-centered fic, which you can read on Ao3 and here on tumblr. We dedicate this to our book club pals and to one of our forever ships, Hannah Bellinger & Fox Thornton from Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey ;)
Thirty minutes later, Rowan was still staring up at the ceiling, teeth gritted as he calmed the roaring in his veins that was steadily shredding through his self-control.
That gods-damned nightgown.
Shit.
He was in such deep, unending shit.
Hunt:
Hunt grinned. Her little smile was like seeing the sun after days of rain.
Bryce pretended not to notice his grin, but Ruhn gave him a sharp look.
Like he knew every filthy thing Hunt had thought about Bryce, everything he’d done to pleasure himself while imagining it was her mouth around him, her hands, her soft body.
Shit—he was in such deep, unrelenting shit.
Ruhn only snorted, as if he knew that, too, and sheathed the sword again.
He feared, once, that he was too large, too brutal, too scarred for her. That his silences would overwhelm her or drive her away.
But she enjoyed moments of quiet just as much as he did. Where silence in the dark still had its place in his life, Azriel found he much preferred moments like these now. The sweet fragrance of flowers around them, the gentle lap of waves nearby, and Elain in his arms - warm, safe, and happy.
This work was commissioned by Hannah ( @queenliamaria on Insta and @hannahmontann_ on Twitter) who wanted to bring to life this moment of tranquility and love between Elain and Azriel.
Chapter 1, "Ensuring Proper Light Exposure," of Fundamentals in Caring for House Plants by Insulindsay on AO3
Tips and tricks for nursing your fern, ficus, and succulents back to health.
(Elain is a novice house-sitter and Azriel has an abundance of house plants in need.)
Set in between the events of A Court of Frost and Starlight and A Court of Silver Flames
If she’d been wearing pink, he would’ve thought they’d traveled back in time.
The fading summer sun sat on the other side of the Sidra, washing the front room of the River House in decadent golden light. In front of the large windows bathed in that brilliant warmth, a simple lounge faced him, it’s occupant seemingly oblivious to anything around her as she stared out toward Velaris. Legs gathered on the cushions, the train of her gown fell to the floor below in a curtain of lavender. No books lay next to her, but the almost impossible silence of the room was identical to the memory of that day he carried her to the Town House–the day they’d walked through the gardens together.
She hadn’t worn that pink gown since then.
“Did you enjoy the lemonade?”
Azriel’s shadows fell away from him, disappearing like the rising smoke of a candle. Elain tore her gaze from the window to see his frame pausing in the doorway, a faint smile on her lips as he made no effort to appear casual whatsoever.
He nodded, quickly but stiff, like it was a gut reaction instead of a calculated answer.
“And the asparagus?” Amusement danced in her eyes.
Hands twitching behind his back, Azriel entered the room and cleared his throat. “Lovely. Thank you for preparing it.”
She shrugged gently. “It’s easy when your audience is so receptive.”
“I suppose that’s true. Cassian doesn’t pay very close attention after the first few bites.” His brother was not only an easygoing dinner guest but nearly always made sure there were little to no leftovers available when everyone finished eating–a habit he had likely picked up from his formative years.
“He might have noticed that I asked about lemonade and asparagus when we actually had wine and brussels sprouts, though,” she teased with a laugh, mouth quirking to the side.
Shit.
She was grinning at him as she patted the seat next to her on the lounge. “You can tell me if the chicken was overcooked. I can see how that could be distracting.”
“No–I…it wasn’t.” Azriel moved toward her, face faintly flushing a deep red. He sat, facing away from the window as Elain remained angled toward the golden sun streaming into the room. If he blinked for too long, it was like the images were combined into one, her sullen face from a year ago a shadow beneath the freckles that splashed across her skin today.
“Then would you like to talk about what’s on your mind? I may not be as strategic or sharp as my sisters, but I’ll always be willing to listen.”
It was more than honor or duty that drew him to watch over the middle Archeron sister, and it made Azriel grimace to think she didn’t see how valuable she was to the makeup of their court. No, she wasn’t just a good listener–and even if she wasn’t strategic or quick-witted, it wouldn’t change the fact that she deserved to live a life that she found purpose in.
“It’s nothing,” he said quickly, “forgive me.”
“Nothing seems like quite the puzzle. Do you always get so fixated on nothing?”
He almost grinned at her prodding–when was the last time someone had tried interrogating him? “I try not to.”
“So perhaps nothing can be solved? Let me know if I can help, then. I’ve got nothing but free time.”
Her smile had faltered on the last few words, chipping further at Azriel’s peace of mind. He knew she was doing better these days, that she’d found a better rhythm to daily life in Prythian after the war with Hybern. But with the passage of time there was always change, and even though Feyre’s pregnancy had brought the two younger sisters closer, Azriel had still noticed the melancholy in Elain’s idleness–A glance toward the floor in discussions of home renovations. A swift exit during diplomatic visits from neighboring High Lords.
He took a slow breath and found himself doing something with ease that had normally never come naturally to him: he let someone in.
“There’s one thing, actually, yes.” Azriel tried not to focus too intently on her eyes brightening before him. “If you’d...like.”
“I believe I would.”
A knot had found its way in between his brow, but his tone was smooth and calm. “I have an apartment in Velaris.”
Elain paused, a hundred different questions forming on her lips.
She’d admit she hadn’t considered the possibility of something so...simple for where Azriel might have spent time when he wasn’t away on a mission or around the other members of the Night Court. It had occurred to her, yes, that he might have had a personal life outside of being the spymaster, but it had always seemed more likely a proclivity for sharpening his knife...or sitting in silence. “An apartment? Why?”
“I like having something that’s mine,” he said quietly, matter-of-factly, and his expression turned more vulnerable than she’d ever seen it. “Something the others don’t know about.”
“And you’d share that part of yourself with me?” A flutter in the pit of her stomach threatened to give her away, to get too excited for what this moment might have meant if she didn’t know any better. The sun was nearly under the horizon now, casting a softer glow on Azriel’s enormous wings, almost purple throughout the sprawling surface.
He shifted, only a fraction of an inch, toward her. “I think you could benefit from having something that’s yours, too.”
Sense wouldn’t come to her. Elain grasped at any logical reasoning for why Azriel might have been telling her this, why he might have wanted her to know something that even his most trusted family members weren’t privy to, but she only found herself hoping for a possibility that could never be. It took all she had to squash that hope as she always did–to remain as neutral as possible.
“Are you suggesting I buy myself an apartment?” she said playfully, stomping that flutter out of her like an extinguished flame. “I’m not sure I can afford one quite yet.”
A frown. Did he dislike hearing the truth of her new life, not quite independent but more vulnerable than she ever expected to be as a lady in society?
“You shouldn’t be concerned over money ever again.” He’d gone stony in an instant, a muscle in his jaw twitching as the only indicator he wasn’t actually made of carved marble.
“It’s alright, Az–”
“It’s not,” he said lowly, stare fixed at the ground. “You saved us all, Elain. Paying for a home should not be something you ever have to worry about.” He shifted once more, a fist hidden at his side.
Elain hadn’t exactly thought of it that way–hadn’t considered her role in the final battle with Hybern to be some sort of payment toward any future debt she could incur. She had been warming up to the idea of calling this place home when it held the promise of her family being with her for the rest of their lives, so it wasn’t necessarily her first thought to consider what independence she’d expect to have once the dust settled on a time of peace.
When that time came, it might have been more appropriate to seek a position outside of the court politics, barring any necessary training or involvement that she would be required to have for her “seeing” powers that they still didn’t understand. Such a life would be outside anything she would’ve had in the human realm, but seemed almost….preferable in Prythian given that her sisters were close by. Above all, she knew she always wanted that.
Perhaps, at the moment, she just needed to understand where she fit. How she’d live. “Is this an invitation to live in your garden, then? Or just a roundabout way of asking for advice on how to keep a fiddle leaf fig alive?”
A smile, as small as an upward tilt of his mouth, bloomed on his face. “The plants have never listened to me. Neither has Cattiopeia.”
“Cattiopeia?”
“My cat.”
“You have a cat?”
A nod.
“Did Cassian help you name her?”
Azriel shook his head, his tone playful. “The other’s don’t know she exists, nor is Rhysand fond of pets.”
Elain laughed in earnest thinking of Azriel, weapons strapped onto his armor, refilling Cattiopeia’s litter box. She took him in then–his rigid posture, the way his hair was neatly pushed away from his face, the siphons atop his hands that were only a dim blue while he sat in silence. He was the epitome of order, but this new information about him softened edges that she’d already knew to be just a protective layer built over time.
“That’s a shame, then. She sounds like she’d give Amren a run for her money.”
The laugh that escaped him was like the bubbles of champagne, bright and crisp, and she felt it run through her veins in a way that didn’t quite make sense. As if it would remain there, reminding her of what joy sounded like.
He stood, then, his smile a remnant of that beautiful sound she would linger on. “Would you like to meet her?”
She smiled, nodding so she didn’t reveal how much she would enjoy that, indeed. Talking about Azriel’s personal life was one thing, yes, but seeing it? Elain thought she might never feel so honored again.
He offered a hand to her as she rose from the lounge. She took it, the touch warming her in a way the sun could not.
The building was unassuming in nearly every way. Elain didn’t know what she’d been expecting, but it hadn’t been the last address on the end of a little street bordering the ocean.
Azriel set her down gently on the sidewalk, a stone staircase on the side of the two story structure before them both. She turned to face him, hair still windswept in her face from the flight across the city.
“The ocean?”
He only nodded once, not raising his voice above the sounds of the waves only a few yards away. “You’ll see.”
They ascended the staircase together, a key appearing from seemingly nowhere in Azriel’s hand. She looked beyond his broad frame at the beach, a vast expanse of rocky tides that smelled of salt and...jasmine, somehow. Little birds in the distance pecked at the sand, burrowing in to find what lurked beneath. Long, soft grass swayed with the breeze, dancing in sync with the nature of the untouched landscape. “I already do.”
His face was unreadable. Inside, he placed his keys in a dish, appearing so normal it almost made her laugh. Perhaps it was silly to think that apartments in Prythian were just magically assigned an unlocking spell for when their owners arrived, but keys and dishes for keys were just so...practical.
“Cat will be around here somewhere,” He murmured, his hands clasped once more behind him, his stare moving intently to her.
Elain raised a brow. “You call Cattiopeia ‘Cat?’”
He pressed his lips together slightly, a faint raise of his shoulders his only response.
They moved into the main room, his statement from before becoming abundantly clear in the near moonlight outside an entire wall made of glass. The waves crashed on the beach below, dusk settling on the indigo water that spanned the entire view of the massive wall. A couch, large enough to comfortably accommodate an Illyrian winged male–plus a cat–faced it, books littering the coffee table in between.
Elain smiled. The Evening Garden sat worn and marked open in the center.
The apartment was as open as one might assume it would be for a male with enormous wings. A kitchen with an island occupied the other end of the expanse, a small dining table and two chairs only right nearby. It felt like Azriel, like her friend, and made sense that he would choose a place so unrestricted for what he described as his.
The only rooms not visible from the main seating area were the bathing room and his bedroom. Curiosity tempered for a moment, Elain gestured to the window as Azriel continued to gauge her reaction however he could. “This is remarkable, Azriel. Truly.”
“I’m relieved you think so,” he replied, his voice conveying no emotion she could detect, “because I’d like to ask you to stay here while I’m away.” Elain felt a brush of fur on her arm, looking down to see Cattiopeia scaling the back of the couch next to her as a way of greeting.
“Stay here?”
“Yes,” he moved to the house plant near the window, brushing a finger over a leaf that had gone a bit yellow. “Watch over things...keep Cat company...perhaps nurse a plant or two back to health.”
She laughed and offered her hand to Cat, who paced back and forth to rub her arm as closely as possible. The silky white fur of her tail wrapped around it, big blue eyes blinking at her curiously. She’d never had a pet in the human realm, but had always thought it might be like having a little friend–like tending a garden that needed attention and care.
Azriel continued, slowly inching toward her before stopping a few feet away. “Morag in the unit below is moving into town to be closer to her great-grandchildren, so she can’t come by anymore.”
“I see,” Elain said, thinking of how lovely a little life he had here with a neighbor to watch his cat and a view of the edge of the world, open and unobstructed so long as he wanted a reminder of the peace that came with that freedom. “And what do you normally pay Morag for her service?”
“That could work,” Elain said lightheartedly, “although I must warn you, I’m a novice at house-sitting. You’d be taking a gamble on me.”
His stride toward her rushed the indulgent scent of his body to her sensitive fae nose, a breath catching in her throat at the proximity. He held out a hand as he did at the River House, but holding a new key in it this time. “A bet I’d be a fool not to take, given the chance.”
She wondered if he’d been holding the key for a while–wondered if he’d simply hoped for the right time to ask her this–and noticed the gold of its handle polished to perfection.
“I suppose you’ll need to show me where Cattiopeia’s food bowl is.”
Outside, the waves crashed on the shore–the rhythm unpredictable but steady as the rising moon.
I want to try and spread as much positivity to the Elain stans and Elriel shippers as I possibly can
Happy 100 Days of positivity!! I cannot believe that so many days has passed since the start of this series. I am trying to continue this series for as long as possible, since I always want positivity in the Elain and Elriel tags.
As we all know, this fandom can be harsh. However, many of the Elain stans and Elriel shippers have constantly made things better. From the theorists to the artists, you all have helped keep the ship afloat.
I want to show some appreciation to others, so here are a few accounts that you should look into!! I am sorry if I wasn't able to get everyone, please know that you are all important and I am glad that you are a part of this fandom.
Analyzers/Theorists
@dancingwithfae - amazing at analyzing characters and disproving anti arguments!
@dracolovebot - one of the longest Elriel defenders on Tumblr!! Look for one of their amazing posts that analyzes Azriel's shadows and what it means regarding ships
@elriell - formerly known as "silver-flames" they are one of the most popular Elriel blogs. Make sure to check out their theory that connects Elriel's book to Sleeping Beauty!
@hacawijo - this blog is just amazing when it comes to refuting anti Elriel arguments and proving why Elriel is endgame. Also founder of the TarGwyn ship lol
@icedflames - they have received so many asks about Elriel, and always gives great answers! Made many great parallel posts regarding Elriel
@juusworld5728 - amazing at defending Elain!! Their posts about why her book is next is just spot on
@mrspettyferr - their theories and posts providing parallels helps confirm that Elriel is endgame even more. They also have written some fanfics!
@offtorivendell - this blog provides some very well-researched theories that are filled with an insane amount of evidence and reasoning! Look out for the ones about Koschei
@psychee92 - this blog's theories about what the next book will be about leaves you with no doubts that Elriel is next!
@sciencebaetch - if you are wondering about the fourth dread trove item then be sure to check out this blog!
@silverdreamscapes - they provide some great posts that invalidates any of the anti arguments!
@silverlinedeyes - this blog has many theories but is most notable for the Lightsinger Theory!
@suelky - this blog has made many metas that will blow your mind. The one about Elain, Azriel, and Windows, is a must read!!
@wingedblooms - this blog has some very interesting theories, including one that connects Elain to the Welsh Spring Goddess Blodeuwedd!
Writers
@batboyazriel - great AU fics, including one called "Famously In Love"
@danydragons21 - check out their in progress multi-chapter fic "The Shadows That Sing"
@dottielovegood - “Pretty Little Angel” is definitely worth reading!!
@fawnandshadows - they are currently working on a "25 Days of Elriel" for December so be on the lookout!!
@featherymalignancy - such a talented writer!! You must check out their masterlist
@gopeachllama - check out their amazing fics and HCs!!
@gripefroot - You all must read their “A Court of Dusk and Shadows” fic that is set to have 33 chapters!
@insulindsay - incredible writer with the most heartwarming fics!!
@julesherondalex - they have some amazing work so definitely read their many Elriel fics
@nikethestatue - in addition to writing fanfics, this blog is amazing at answering any anon thrown their way!
@rhysanoodle - if you are looking for a lengthy fanfic to read then "Perfectly Aligned" is for you!
@snelbz - this blog has a variety of fics for whatever mood you are in with Elriel!
@thefangirlofhp - make sure to check out their wonderful Elriel one-shots that were done for this year's Flufftober!
@the-laughing-bubble - they have a couple of fics and some great HCS!!
@tswaney17 - the in progress multi-chapter "I Do Bad Things With You" is a must read!!
Artists
@demonlovesangel - this blog creates the cutest art of Elriel!!
@elisiarin - (on Instagram with the same name) such a wonderful artist! Their art is just so pleasing to look at
@livlochan - (on Instagram as livlochan.art) the way I cannot breathe when I see their art. Seriously, truly phenomenal!!
@sncinder - (on Instagram as sncinderart) so talented!! Such showstopping work
Instagram@: jessdraw.s - they make absolutely stunning work!! Elriel always looks gorgeous
Instgram@: one3yedneko - their Elriel art is so pretty!
Instagram@: theclever.crow - all of their art is incredible. They recently did an Archeron sister piece that is phenomenal
Bookstagram
Insta@: captnswreads - (on tumblr as @forget-me-not-s ) they make some great reviews and has commissioned quite a few incredible Elriel art!!
Insta@: courtofelriel - their aesthetic is just breathtaking. They frequently post credited theories and such!!
Insta@: stephdaydreams - this blog shares some amazing reviews and has commissioned a couple of great Elriel art!
TikTok
TikTok@: aelinelain - (on Twitter as twinklingminna and on Tumblr as @elrielgarden ) you will be mesmerized by their cosplay of Elain!!
TikTok@: hey_itsjoanna - their theories and predictions about the next book will reassure you that Elriel is endgame!!
TikTok@: fkzreads - in addition to Elriel be sure to watch their other great videos that will get you reading more!
Again I am so sorry if I did not get everyone. The Elain stans and Elriel shippers make the fandom worth it and I am so glad for all the people I have met. Whether you make 10000 word fanfics or you hit like on the posts, I am happy you are here!
I have always wanted a forbidden love fanart for Elriel. The foreshadowing for this trope is too big to ignore, we have the mating bond with Lucien, then we got Rhysand forbidding Azriel to follow his feelings for Elain due to political reasons, the Blood Duel being brought up two times and Sarah wanting to write a broken bond story to name a few.
In the bonus chapter, Azriel confirmed they have shared small moments together, more than those we have seen mention by other characters. So my mind couldn’t stop picturing a scene were Azriel and Elain shared a secret, tender moment.
@livlochan is one of my favorite people so when she told me she would open commissions, I immediately told her my idea as I thought she would do an amazing job with it. She didn’t just bring my headcanon to life, she create a masterpiece of longing and secret love. Also can we talk about how both of them are blushing? It’s so damn cute and they both have blushed for each other in book canon!
This is for all my fellow Elriels. Don’t let the hatred bring you down.
And as Cassandra Clare once wrote 𝘽𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙗𝙞𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙣 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚. 𝙄𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣𝙨 𝙞𝙩.
༻❁༺
Characters belong to @therealsarahjmaas
Please treat people with kindness!
Shares are appreciated! Please provide 𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗱 credit to both artist and me 💛
The thing I love about making fanart is that you get to gather the feelings you want to convey and let them immerse you. Thank you for commissioning me and giving me that opportunity Aina!
titsay
gummygunk
andulkaphoto
theartofmadeline
dailybridgerton
annaxmalina
romaincrisis
origamiaround
kaledo-art
tangentwithtanner
vaporwave
