Perhaps Something Greater

Perhaps Something Greater

link to Ao3

Hi everyone! I saw all those beautiful fanarts of Gwyn and Catrin, and just had to write something about them. So, this is a quick drabble for day 1 of @gwynweekofficial.

I hope you like it!

The night of the Great Rite was always one of chaos. Amidst flowy fabrics and perfume sprays, you could sometimes distinguish a priestess or another, but the children—Gwyn and Catrin included, at the ripe age of sixteen—were advised to stay as far away as possible from the females preparing. Gwyn wondered why.

🌊🐚🌊🐚🌊🐚🌊🐚🌊🐚🌊🐚🌊🐚🌊🐚

She and Catrin climbed to the top of their favorite tree after Isobel shouted at them for the fifth time that night. Between the breeches and leaves, all Gwyn could see was the shining, silver moon and its reflection on the river. And her sister's beautiful face.

“Perhaps they all go naked and hug each other...” Catrin mused.

Gwyn laughed at Catrin's attempts to guess what exactly happened in the Rite. They knew males and females copulated, of course. It was a subject of great importance to the priestess who taught them biology, for the girls to know what exactly happened between two people for a child to take root. But it was odd, the need to have a huge get-together of sorts, just to have sex.

“Stop this nonsense. They may simply... reunite so the magic is stronger.”

Catrin shrugged, all charm and beauty. She was a spitting image of their mother, with her dark hair and pale complexion, no freckles in sight. Gwyn probably got her colors from their father, but that was something she would never be sure of. Suddenly, Catrin's smile faded and she looked at the stars, huffing a breath.

“Do you think we will participate in it someday? In the Rite, I mean?”

Gwyn considered her. Priestesses of Sangravah were only allowed to participate in the Rite after completely finishing their studies—not only in biology and mathematics or philosophy and literature, but also in their studies about the Mother and the universe. It was a breaking point for all of them, for they could have way more freedom than before.

“I really think so. We are doing well, Cat. We can do it.”

Catrin absently nodded. “Yes, I know. But sometimes... it feels really meaningless, you know?” She stared intently at Gwyn, her huge blue eyes a little wild. “I mean, is that our life? Study, pray, graduate, and then babies?”

Gwyn studied her sister. They had already talked about it, how they were raised almost to be just mothers. How Catrin sometimes wanted... more.

“It is... odd, I know. But I fear we don't have many options.”

Catrin's eyes glinted with mist as the wind gently blew her hair. “We could run.” This rakish smile illuminated her face.

Gwyn's mouth went fully agape, and her sister laughed.

“We can't run!”

“Why not?”

“Cat, we have a whole life here! And, only Mother knows what they’ll do to females like... us, out there.”

The mood darkened, growing heavier as they thought of their mother. Of how she went to take a swim and came back weeks later, dragged by the river flow, a gaping wound where her heart was supposed to be.

“I know, I know. I just... wonder sometimes. If I am fit to be a mother.”

Gwyn's cheeks burned a little when she thought about her own dreams. Dreams of a little girl she would cradle and love and care for, as soon as possible. She reached for Catrin's hands.

“I know. Perhaps there is another path for you, my beloved sister. There's no shame in wanting different things, and I pray for you to find your way.”

Catrin puffed and rolled her eyes, but Gwyn could see the grateful, loving glint in them.

“Enough of talking like our High Priestess. I think the carriages are here. Should we go down to spy on them?”

Gwyn threw her head back and laughed before agreeing with her sister. As they watched the carriages go away, she wondered when she would be the one leaving inside them.

She hoped Catrin would be by her side, too.

Hear me out... it's gwynriel's piano lessons, but Gwyn is the teacher.

girlie so pretty he forgot that he should be brooding

azriel is very self-conscious about his hands

with nesta:

with elain:

but not with gwyn:

he does not think about his insecurities when he’s with gwyn :’)

"Gwyn is an evil lightsinger, she's luring Azriel away from Elain 😡😡😡"

Good. Someone has to do it.

I gave up. I don't give a shit about what e/riels say.

One moment, Gwyn can't have any kind of sexual relationship or even READ about it because of her trauma. In the next she's THE main villain of the books who lied about her SA, all because she wants Azriel (a male she didn't even know existed??) for herself.

Sometimes, Lucien is the worst male and mate ever because he lives far away from his mate, not because he's clearly unwanted in the IC, but because he's obviously in love with Vassa. But then, other times, he's an arrogant ass forcing the bond upon Elain when he visits her.

The Shadows should vanish forever because they are not good for Azriel and are gone once he's truly happy and safe. But the shadows actually loooove Elain.

Elain does belong in the Night Court, and she'll be a spy and kill a lot of people. But she and Azriel will live in a flowy, sunsety garden and bake strawberry cake everyday, and he will retire from his position as Spymaster.

Honestly, f*ck all of this. I am very peaceful knowing that SJM is writing either Gwynriel banter + river shenanigans or Elucien angst+sex in a field of flowers by the sunset.

My favorite thing about them is how Azriel is constantly like:

"My soul is broken and I cannot love. There's so much blood in my hands, I could never commit the sin of touching. I'm dark and mysterious and tragic, I live in the shadow-"

And Gwyn is like:

"So you are batman? Pretty shadows. Shut up and have a bracelet. Also, I hid Truth-Teller. And I can't sleep." *Kicks him in the forehead and runs*

Gwynriel’s today feels like a good day to think about the fact Gwyn saw firsthand what Azriel was capable of the moment she met him and she was never frightened of him or his shadows. She was curious about him and then it took her no time at all to start teasing him once they met again.

Gwyn sees Azriel. And has since day one.

I don’t know, sounds like endgame behavior to me.