Elriel - Tumblr Posts

all drama appart HAVE Y'ALL SEEN THIS BEAUTIFUL ARTWORK OF AZRIEL WITH NYX? BECAUSE I'M NOT ALRIGHT

made by madschofield

u know, the least I demand from SJM for ACOTAR 5 sex scenes is that Azriel cut Elain's or Gwyn's bra strings with Truth-teller because that would be so hot 🔥

it appears some people in the fandom doesn't know how to use the hashtags properly, because it's a shit when you want to see, perhaps, Gwynriel theories but the only thing you see is Elriel theories, and viceversa.

People is not that hard to understand how to use them correctly, so please make yourself a favor and learn how to use them.

Thank you.

am I the only one in the ACOTAR fandom that doesn't want the thressome between Nesta, Cassian and Azriel?

don't get me wrong, I would love reading a smut scene with Nesta, Cassian and Azriel, but I think that would be a fucking serious problem when Azriel' LI come into view, because it would be awkward if Azriel ends with Elain, having had sex with Nesta, being Elain her sister, and it would be awkward as well if Azriel ends with Gwyn, because Gwyn is Nesta's best friend

I'm boreeeed so please tell me unpopular opinions and I'll tell you if I agree or disagree with them

if this flops, I'll delete this account

Here's the thing:

It doesn't matter who you ship, and I'll be very clear about this: You are not entitled to be a horrible human being with someone who disagrees with your ship. Be it Gwynriel or Elriel or Elucien or the underwear of you nonna, you are not allowed to become a despicable human being simply because someone says "Your ship is not happening."

The toxicity of this fandom is reaching a new limit and it seems that people are forgetting that these books are for entertainment. They are not real. AND even if they were real, you are not excused for your awful behaviour.

It doesn't matter who Azriel ends up with. IT DOES NOT MATTER WHO HE END UP WITH. He is part of a book. A BOOK. YOU ARE BEING AWFUL TO REAL HUMANS, TO REALITY.

If I were SJM I would kill Azriel just to teach people a lesson.

Gwynriels, elriels, eluciens, IT DOES NOT MATTER WHO YOU SHIP

Be respectful and stop shaming yourselves in the internet. Once you post something you can't delete it, and even worse, once you hurt someone, you can't take it back.

I'm over this toxicity.

Rhysta

this

Is

The

Funniest

Crack ship ever

Rhysta shippers know it cannot happen, know it is not cannon and you know what? They don't mind! They do it for fun! They write toxic toe curling smut about it! I hate it and I love it at the same time and it is the place I shall go where I can meet delulu people that are not delulu

My break from gwynriel/elriel toxicity (long live Gwynriel) shall be rhysta

Long live Rhysta!

be on the lookout my smut obsessed people

*SIGHS*

Another AO3 app that's pretending to be official when it's not (or at least isn't making it clear its unofficial.) They're using AO3's name and logo, and embedding ads.

There is no official AO3 app

Someone else is gathering your data, potentially your log in information etc and making use of it how they please. (They say they're not but their privacy policy says otherwise)

They are making money from the ads without the fic writer's consent.

They've also rated it Pegi 3 (which is ludicrous)

Please, even if you care about nothing else, for the safety of your data, please don't use this app. Certainly don't give it your AO3 log in details.

I've told AO3 that it's infringing on its copyright. I will be requesting they remove access of my work as I do not consent to my creative content being used to generate ad revenue for them.

I will be reporting it as incorrectly rated.

The only email address I can find is Narusta@gmail.com which is included in their privacy policy, and boboxway13@gmail.com as their developer.

thank you for saying it

This shipwar is extremely hostile and emotions run very high. I understand. There are times I have been above and below the fray. However, it is never okay to personally attack somebody, label, call them slurs and insult them publicly or directly, in private, to their accounts.

And it’s 100% unacceptable to wish for tragedy and trauma upon peoples’ lives. Real, actual, living, breathing people.

Ultimately, these are fantasy books. We love them and, yes, it can border on obsession for many of us, but we need to hold each other accountable- as predominately women, here.

Idc what side of this shipwar you’re on. I’m speaking about Elriels, Gwynriels, and Eluciens. Idc how much you dislike the other side or somebody on the other side…be a decent fucking human being.

A side of this shipwar is going to get what they want and others aren’t. That will be disappointing for those who do not get what they so greatly want and are invested in. What will always remain is that there are real living, breathing humans behind the screen taking your vitriol. What will always remain is how you treated others.

As an Elriel, I think we need to call out shit behavior when it happens on our side and I saw some of what looks like it today. So this is me, and I know I speak for so many Elriels, calling it out.

Do better.

Alright. @rosenecklaces your addition to this post reminded me. This started as a joke, but I’ve convinced myself of this theory. Just stay with me for a sec

Each sister’s ‘trial’ involves one of the night courts 3 (THREE like the number of batboys and archerons because ✨symbolism✨) mountains AND a batboy:

-Feyre went under the mountain, and Rhysand is her mate

-Nesta went over (ie climbed) the mountain during the blood rite, and Cassian is her mate

-Elain will go through the mountain (the prison), and Az will be her mate chosen love.

Now here’s the part that started as a joke:

Their (Feysand and Nessian) major sex scenes involved a table and the OPPOSITE of the mountain.

Feyre on top of the table

Nesta under the table

…..Y’all Elriel is gonna be (no pun intended) bat shit crazy and they’re gonna break the damn table aka go through

Guys... What if Azriel and Elain's first time is in the gardens? Then what?

THEN WHAAAATTT?!?!?

Three Brothers & Three Sisters

Night Triumphant and Stars Eternal

Lady Death and Lord Bloodshed

Death and his Lovely Fawn

[Stunning ACOTAR pins from @0nceuponapin on Instagram]

(Art by @__alex_oxy_)

This is one of the best theories I’ve seen about the next acotar book

Koschei the Deathless / The 3 Sisters & The 3 Brothers

This is another theory post, one that somewhat ties into my previous posts about Elain, the Prison being the 8th Court, and the three brothers/three sisters prophecy.

Arguably the biggest hint about the plot of future books lies in “The Death of Koschei the Deathless,” a Russian fairytale that SJM is clearly inspired by (she didn’t even bother changing the name of the villain). This particular fairytale inspired many others that are somewhat similar to it (the magical number three can be found in each one, always in the form of three sisters), but before I continue, let’s look at what happens in the original fairytale:

When the story opens, Ivan and his three sisters are approaching the death of their parents. Ivan is tasked with ensuring that the young women each find a husband. Indeed, suitors come for each woman: Princess Marya weds a youth who transforms into a falcon; Princess Olga marries a youth who transforms into an eagle; and Princess Anna marries a youth who transforms into a raven.

This is one version. Another one:

Russian folklorist Alexander Afanasyev, stated that the eagle, the falcon and the raven (or crow) are connected to weather phenomena, like storm, rain, wind. He also saw a parallel between the avian suitors from the tale Marya Morevna with the suitors from other Slavic folktales, where they are the Sun, the Moon, and the Wind. 

And another one:

In the Eastern European tale of The Story of Argilius and the Flame-King (Zauberhelene) after his sisters are married to the Sun-king, the Wind-king (or Storm-king) and the Moon-king, […]

And another one:

In another Russian variant, “Ivan Tsarevich and Marya Marevna,"  the young Ivan Tsarevich takes his sisters for a walk in the garden, when, suddenly, three whirlwinds capture the ladies. Three years later, the Tsarevich intends to court princess Marya Morevna, when, in his travels, he finds three old men, who reveal themselves as the whirlwinds and assume an avian form (the first a raven, the second an eagle and the third a falcon).

And another one:

A Czech fairy tale, O Slunečníku, Měsíčníku a Větrníku, where the prince’s sisters are married to the Sun, the Moon and the Wind.

And another one:

A Croatian variant titled "The Tsar’s Son and the Víla.” In this tale, the Wind-King, the Sun-King and the Moon-King (in that order) wish to marry the tsar’s daughters.

I could honestly go on and on because almost every single culture/country has its own version of the same fairytale, always involving three sisters/daughters, and their three husbands, who are somehow related (either by them all being birds or having a bird-form, or by them being elements).

Now, let’s look at ACOTAR. We have three sisters (Nesta, Elain, and Feyre) and three men who can fly (a raven, an eagle, and a falcon). Or, we could look at it differently. We have three sisters (Nesta, Elain, and Feyre) and three brothers who are bonded in spirit (the Sun, the Moon, and the Wind).

Does this sound familiar?

Or even:

The matreshka-style measures protecting Koschei’s mortality are, in this case, symbolic representations of the world. The ocean-sea is water, the basin for life; the island is the soil that nurtures it; the oak tree is life itself; the animals are subsistence for the living; and the chest contains natural resources, the most precious one being the egg. 

Fun fact: Koschei is derived from the Slavic word for bone (kostka).

Another fun fact: According to legend, Koschei’s mortality is contained in a needle that’s placed somewhere highly inconvenient and very far. But, finding and breaking it is the only way to destroy him. It’s hidden in an egg, inside a duck, inside a hare that’s inside a chest; the chest is buried under the roots of an oak tree, which grows on the invisible island of Buyan, at an undisclosed location in the middle of the ocean-sea.

What does this remind us of?

Which brings me back to the original fairytale: 

Ivan had three sisters. After his parents die and his sisters marry three wizards, he leaves his home in search of his sisters. He meets Marya Morevna, the beautiful warrior princess, and marries her. After a while she announces she is going to go to war and tells Ivan not to open the door of the dungeon in the castle they live in while she will be away. Overcome by the desire to know what the dungeon holds, he opens the door soon after her departure and finds Koschei, chained and emaciated. Koschei asks Ivan to bring him some water; Ivan does so. After Koschei drinks twelve buckets of water, his magic powers return to him, he tears his chains and disappears. Soon after Ivan finds out that Koschei took Marya Morevna away, and chases him. When he gets him for the first time, Koschei tells Ivan to let him go, but Ivan doesn’t give in, and Koschei kills him, puts his remains into a barrel and throws it into the sea. Ivan is revived by his sisters’ husbands, powerful wizards, who can transform into birds of prey. They tell him Koschei has a magic horse and Ivan should go to Baba Yaga to get one too, or else he won’t be able to defeat Koschei. After Ivan stands Yaga’s tests and gets the horse, he fights with Koschei, kills him and burns his body. Marya Morevna returns to Ivan, and they celebrate his victory with his sisters and their husbands.

My question is this: What if we are looking at this wrong? What if this is not what is to come, but a version of what happened when Koschei was imprisoned by the female Fae warrior (Marya Morevna)? This is what we know about the female warrior from the Bone Carver:

Which brings me to Vassa. At first, I thought that maybe the bloodline runs through the Archeron family, but what if it runs through Vassa’s?

So why did Koschei want Vassa, specifically? Is it because the female fae’s bloodline runs through her veins? Could it be because she might be the key—or at least part of the key—that will free him from his lake?

Let’s look at this differently. So far, we have:

Koschei

Marya Morevna (Vassa)

Ivan (Lucien? Jurian? Both?)

Three sisters (Nesta, Elain, Feyre)

Three males who have “bird-form” (Rhys, Cassian, Azriel)

All the players of the original fairytale, coming together again. What if it really is a prophecy? What if this is not a coincidence? What if the Cauldron, as Azriel said, WAS wrong, but was wrong on purpose? To prevent a prophecy from coming true, one that could free Koschei from his prison and unleash him upon the world?

I could go on and on with this post (and I might make another one that involves Elain and how she is directly involved in all of this), but until then, think about it. Three sisters and three brothers might not be as cliché/ridiculous/far-fetched as you might think.

“The Cauldron chose three sisters. Tell me how it’s possible that my two brothers are with two of those sisters, yet the third was given to another.”

“All three sisters were now High Fae with considerable powers, though only Feyre’s were let loose.”

“All three sisters blessed by fate and gifted with powers to match your own.”

I’ve been reading acowar and I’ve realized something that I’d never paid much attention to before. And I have a theory about the next book.

So, you know how a lot of people hates Elain for not giving Lucien a chance. I have realized that Elain started to put a distance between her and Lucien after this scene below.

In this scene we see Lucien stepping up to be the one to go to the human lands to find Vassa. And right after this, we see Feyre sensing something different about the way Elain looks at Lucien (As if Elain had seen something).

Before this scene she would talk and treat him nicely (Nothing special for him but just the way she treats everyone).

After this scene, she stars acting as though she knows something about him that no one else does.

So what if Elain kept her distance with Lucien because she had seen Lucien and Vassa’s future -where they end up together. And since she knows they are to be together at the end, she thought if she stayed away from him, she would save him from a mistake and let him be with the person he is destined to be.

So, the reason she was so uncomfortable around him is because -just like how Mor felt with Az- she’d seen that he was a nice person and didn’t want to disappoint him.

This is my very first theory post so let me know about your ideas.🤍

(And be nice)

Wow😯

How the Celtic/Welsh Myth of Blodeuwedd will act as an online for Elain's romantic plot in ACOTAR 5(or 6 if that's how you roll)

Hi,

I don't really know how to use Tumblr so we'll see how this goes...

So I was scrolling through the ACOTAR Pinterest board recently (like I always do once a month😂) and noticed a lot of pins that are of females surrounded by flowers with animals around them. However, one in particular caught my eye.

This pin is of the Welsh Goddess Blodeuwedd and the note for it says Elain.

So naturally, with me being being the mythology nerd that I am, I did some more research into the myth as I only knew the basics. Doing so, I found many similarities between Blodeuwedd and Elain as well as what could act as a potential outline for her love story.

The Story of Blodeuwedd

Lleu was the abandoned son of the god Arianrhod. His story with Blodeuwedd also talks about his struggle to kingship. Arianrhod tried to stop Lleu from gaining his kingship in order to prevent shame being brought upon her due to his companions. He would not receive a name unless it was from her. He would not receive his arms, unless from her. As well as that, he could never marry a mortal woman. Ultimately, unless it be through her own auspices (meaning: approval, support, control), he would never become king.

Lleu was giver some magik in order to ensure that he would live long enough to gain his kingship. The magik made it so that Lleu could only die from the most outrages and out there situations. Arianrhod was tricked into giving Lleu his name and arms, however he still did not have a wife. His cousins, Math and Gwydion, used their magick to create him a wife from the flowers of the Oak, Broom and Meadowsweet. She was the Goddess Blodeuwedd.

Blodeuwedd was made to be his mate, and she did so flawlessly. She was the perfect wife. The perfect mate. His people loved her and her beauty was unmatched.

One day, Lleu went hunting and left Blodeuweds and her ladies alone in the castle. A young huntsmen was seeking shelter from a storm, his name was Gronw. From first sight, him and Blodeuwedd fell in love. In order to ensure that they can be together, they devise a plan to kill Lleu.

Gronw leaves and Blodeuwedd starts expressing her concern to Lleu about how she is scared he may die. Her concern causes Lleu to show her the very circumstances where he could die. A bath is prepared on the riverbank and it is covered with a thatched roof, making it neither indoors nor outdoors. Lleu stood with one foot on the bath and one foot upon the back of a goat. Gronw throws a specially made spear which hits Lleu in the side. He turns into an Eagle and leaves. Once nursed back to health, Lleu along with his cousins find the two lovers. Gronw is killed while Blodeuwedd was turned into an owl.

Modern day take vs. My view

In modern day society, some people have used Blodeuwedd's story as an example of infidelity as well as how lust can overtake someone.

I however, disagree to a certain extent. While Blodeuwedd was unfaithful in her marriage, I feel that there is a reason behind it, not that that makes it okay.

Blodeuwedd was made by men, for a man, based off of those mens own personal desires. She was made and told that she was to marry Lleu and that that was her purpose in life. She was never given a choice. She played the role of the perfect wife and mate. The people loved her. She loved Lleu and he loved her, but they weren't in love with each other. They cared for one another. They did their marital duties, but they weren't in love. Then Blodeuwedd met Gronw and he sets her world alight.

For the first time in her life, Blodeuwedd wants something so strongly and she wants that to be her choice. She was prepared to give up everything for that love.

Blodeuwedd's story is the story of a girl who lived her entire life playing by the rules and roles that someone else made for her. She wasn't living her life, simply existing in someone else's.

How I think this will act as an outline

Although I do not think that Sarah will kill anyone like the myth, I do think she may use it as a base outline.

Elain and Blodeuwedd have a lot of similarities. Both spent a large amount of their lives playing a role. Both were given mates and told that this is the person they are destined to be with. Both are willing to fight for the love they choose.

Naturally this would make Lucien Lleu and Azriel Gronw.

Rather than plot to kill Lucien, I think that Elain will decide that she wants to step away from the role that her mother gave her and be herself. Fight for the love that she wants, not the one that she was told she will have.

Although not absolutely necessary, I feel that to an extent, the romance will help push the plot forward. I see that after she steps out of that role, Elain, like Blodeuwedd, will decide for herself who she will love and be with. She will fight for Azriel and reject the bond with Lucien.

However, I do think that the fight for love needs to be on both sides. Elain's only relationship ended with her finding out that she loved harder and fell faster than Grayson and the only thing that she got from it was that stupid iron ring. That ring is a symbol of what pain love has caused her. We see it again in ACoSF when we.find that Elain tried to reach out to Nesta multiple times, but was pushed away each of them. She is tired of fighting for love and receiving none back. Love has caused her so much pain. Azriel will need to show Elain that he is willing to fight for her.

Going along with the myth, this rejection could be a cause for Lucien to request a blood duel. Not because he is in love with Elain, simply due to his fae instincts. In the end however, i do not think that it will be Azriel and Lucien fighting the duel but I do believe that it will have the same outcome as Gronw and Lleu's. With one dying (not that they really dueled).

Ultimately, I believe that like Blodeuwedd, Sarah will use the base of her story to show Elain's growth and show Elain finally stepping away from that role(which I've been saying she's been playing since I read chapter 40 of ACOMAF with one of my favourite Elain quotes).

I feel like reading into this myth gave me a better insight on Elain due to her similarities with Blodeuwess.

Fun niche things I noticed during my research

Blodeuwedd is apart of triad alongside Arianrhod and Cerridwen

Cerridwen's symbol in mythology is a cauldron and she is the Welsh grain and sow-Goddess, keeper of the cauldron of inspiration and Goddess of transformation.

Blodeuwedd is the white goddess of death and life

Nuala's name is derived from Irish mythology. It is a diminutive form of Fionnuala (fair shoilder) or it is an alternate name for Una who was the wife of Finvarra, the king of fairies.

Sorry for the long post, I just felt like this was something interesting that I wanted to share but haven't gotten around to making a TikTok on it so... Tumblr seemed easier. There are quite a few other crack theories and things that i want to expand on so I'll get to those one day. If you've made it this far, I hope you have a lovely rest of your day.

Bye 👋😍😍

This is amazing. We should recognize that people are so much more complex than they appear at first sight. It only makes sense to call someone “boring” after you get to know them. Even then, you may only think that because you don’t share the same interests. But I truly don’t think that anyone can be “boring”.

Can’t wait for Elain to break society’s stereotypes and show everyone that being feminine isn’t the same as being weak or boring.🥰

A Secret, Lovely Seer

This post uses the symbolism of roses to peel back the layers of Elain’s character. There are four layers I describe using textual evidence: (1) love and beauty, (2) strength through silence, (3) healing and balance, and (4) carrier of secrets and understanding. This symbolism comes from The Complete Language of Flowers: A Definitive and Illustrated History by S. Theresa Dietz. In the final layer, I predict where her story might be headed based on textual evidence and interviews with Maas.

A Loving Beauty

Elain has been associated with love and beauty since the very beginning of the ACOTAR series. It is no coincidence then that the rose—a flower widely connected to love and beauty—is one of her dominant symbols:

“I slung off my outer clothes onto the sagging dresser—frowning at the violets and roses I’d painted around the knobs of Elain’s drawer.” (ACOTAR, Ch 2)

“I marveled at it, actually—that those years of poverty hadn’t stripped away that light from Elain. Perhaps buried it a bit, but she was generous, loving, and kind—a woman I found myself proud to know, to call sister.” (ACOTAR, Ch. 29)

“Beautiful—she’d always been the most beautiful of us. Soft and lovely, like a summer dawn.” (ACOMAF, Ch. 23)

Delicate, loving, and beautiful. These qualities define the first layer of her character. They are also used to confine her to a role that Mama Archeron assigned to her at an early age:

“Elain is pleasant to look at...but she has no ambition. She does not dream beyond her garden and pretty clothes. She will be an asset on the marriage market for us one day, if that beauty holds, but it will be our maneuvering, Nesta, not hers, that win us an advantageous match.” (ACOSF, Ch 17)

Throughout the series, her family fights to protect that rare brand of beauty—an inner beauty that mirrors her outward loveliness—to the point of undermining her agency. They assume she desires to remain in her garden and find a suitable match. But from the very first book, we discover that Elain never intended to stay in her garden. Like her family in the Night Court, she is a dreamer. She dreams of places far beyond her garden. Places that require braving the sea to travel:

“These bulbs,” Elain said, pointing with a gloved hand to a cluster of purple-and-white flowers, “came all the way from the tulip fields of the continent. Father promised that next spring he’ll take me to see them. He claims that for mile after mile, there’s nothing but these flowers.” She patted the rich, dark soil. The little garden beneath the window was hers: every bloom and shrub had been picked and planted by her hand; she would allow no one else to care for it. Even the weeding and watering she did on her own...

“You should come with me,” Elain went on. “Nesta won’t go, because she says she doesn’t want to risk the sea crossing, but you and I … Oh, we’d have fun, wouldn’t we?” (ACOTAR, Ch. 29)

And she is more perceptive and courageous than we expect. When war comes to their doorstep, Elain sets those dreams aside. She conveniently finds herself a match who will offer her family the necessary protection even though she wasn’t particularly interested in the season. Is that a coincidence or the first hint of her quiet steel?

A Quiet Strength

Time and time again, Elain surprises her family with hidden depth and strength. Roses also symbolize strength through silence, which rings true for our gentle gardener and stealthy assassin. She does not parade it around for all to see and it is often forgotten or overshadowed by others. Nevertheless, it is there, and we see it evolve over the course of the series as we peel back her soft exterior and find steel:

Elain, to my surprise, had a horse, a satchel of food, and supplies ready when I hurried down the stairs. My father was nowhere in sight. (ACOTAR, Ch. 31)

“I’ll do it,” Elain said, taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders. She didn’t wait for either of us before she strode out, graceful as a doe. (ACOMAF, Ch. 23)

Cassian claimed the spot beside Elain, who clenched her fork as if she might wield it against him, and Rhys slid into the seat beside me, Azriel on his other side. A faint smile bloomed upon Azriel’s mouth as he noticed Elain’s fingers white-knuckled on that fork... (ACOMAF, Ch. 24)

“It’s already ended badly. Now it’s just a matter of deciding how we meet the consequences.” (ACOWAR, Ch. 49)

The girl screamed, but Elain moved. As Azriel battled to keep them airborne, keep his grip on them, my sister sent a fierce kick into the beast’s face. Its eye. Another. Another. It bellowed, and Elain slammed her bare, muddy foot into its face again. The blow struck home. (ACOWAR, Ch. 58)

“I’ll make sure you don’t have to,” I said, grass crunching as I stepped closer. Elain weighed my words … and slowly closed her fingers around the blade. (ACOWAR, Ch. 69)

Elain stepped out of a shadow behind him, and rammed Truth-Teller to the hilt through the back of the king’s neck as she snarled in his ear, “Don’t you touch my sister.” (ACOWAR, Ch. 74)

Those doe-brown eyes turned toward me. Sharper than I’d ever seen them. “And that entitles him to my time, my affections?” (ACOFAS, Ch 18)

“I still wanted to come,” Elain went on with that focused calm, the quiet steel building in her voice. “I wanted to see you, to explain” (ACOSF, Chapter 17).

Elain remained in the doorway, her face pale but her expression harder than Nesta had ever seen it. “You do not decide what I can and cannot do, Nesta.” (ACOSF, Chapter 21)

Elain cut in sharply, “I am not a child to be fought over.” (ACOSF, Chapter 21)

But Elain turned on her heel. “Find me when you wish to begin.” The doors shut behind her. (ACOSF, Chapter 21)

Elain held up a hand, wiping her eyes with the other. “You’ve never said such a thing to me!” She laughed again. “I think that’s a good sign, isn’t it?” (ACOSF, Chapter 58)

Over time, Elain’s quiet steel becomes more vocal and violent when needed. She is a fighter, and the coddling she once allowed no longer suits her. She does not hesitate to do what is necessary, and at every turn, that strength and bravery surprises her family: from welcoming fae into her home, to deceiving her ex-fiance, to fighting off the attack of a naga hound, to killing the King of Hybern, to finding objects of terrible power. She is willing to get her hands dirty to do what is necessary. And afterwards, she brushes it off and it is conveniently forgotten about it until the next surprise.

A Healing Presence

As Elain’s claws begin to show, Nesta observes that she is glowing with health and appears to be thriving (ACOSF, Ch 17). Is it surprising, then, that roses are also associated with healing and balance? She is a gardener and true to her love of living things, Elain’s first instinct after facing the horrors of a bloody war is to restore balance by bringing forth life:

“What now?” Elain mused, at last answering my question from moments ago as her attention drifted to the windows facing the sunny street. That smile grew, bright enough that it lit up even Azriel’s shadows across the room. “I would like to build a garden,” she declared. “After all of this … I think the world needs more gardens.” (ACOWAR, Ch. 80)

Even her scent—jasmine and honey—is compared to a “promise of spring” (ACOSF, Ch. 17). And what does spring signify? Renewal. The warmth, light and life of spring balances the cold, dark and death of winter:

“the lovely fawn, blooming spring vibrant behind her. Standing before Death, shadows and terrors lurking over his shoulder. Light and dark, the space between their bodies a blend of the two.” (ACOWAR, Ch. 69)

Jasmine, Elain’s scent, is consistently connected to the Night Court because it blooms at night and promotes sleep. It is the first thing Feyre smells when she arrives in the Night Court and it appears on official court property. Two Night Court spies, Nuala and Cerridwen, also smell of jasmine under the mountain when Feyre meets them for the first time. As Elain’s closest confidants, it is no coincidence that their name etymologies are also associated with new life, prophecy, and a legendary cauldron that combines transformation, knowledge, and inspiration. They are the perfect partners for Elain, a Made fae who brings forth life, has powerful sight, and is loved by the Cauldron. The Cauldron is arguably the most powerful ally of all: it is the creator of life, master of death, and spinner of fate. And of course it found her to be lovely and gifted her with powers: she is a healer and has a role to play in restoring balance to the realm.

A Secretive Seer

The rose, as a symbol, is also a carrier of understanding and secrets. Elain has proven to be an excellent keeper of secrets like her family and friends in the Night Court. We begin to see hints of this skill set in ACOMAF and years later we find Feyre teasing Azriel, the Night Court spymaster, that Elain may be even better than him at keeping secrets:

Elain pushed, “We keep it secret—we send the servants away. With the spring approaching, they’ll be glad to go home. And if Feyre needs to be in and out for meetings, she’ll send word ahead, and we’ll clear them out. Make up excuses to send them on holidays. Father won’t be back until the summer, anyway. No one will know.” She put a hand on Nesta’s knee, the purple of my sister’s gown nearly swallowing up the ivory hand. “Feyre gave and gave—for years. Let us now help her. Help … others.” (ACOMAF, Ch. 23)

“My sister Elain can convince anyone to do anything with a few smiles.” (ACOMAF, Ch. 24)

Feyre smiled. “Elain was the only one who guessed. She caught me vomiting two mornings in a row.” She nodded toward Azriel. “I think she’s got you beat for secret-keeping.” (ACOSF, Chapter 21)

Elain not only demonstrates that she is willing and able to keep major secrets, but she is also several steps ahead of others—including those who are supposed to be cunning—in creating a plan. She uses her beauty and charm to disarm the staff and convince them to follow her directions. Oblivious beauty? I think not. Elain’s ability to understand others’ motivations, tuck them away for future reference, and resurface them at the right moment is demonstrated again by her recollection of Nesta’s battle on the dance floor. She speaks of her sister’s planning and execution with awe and this well-timed story informs both Rhys’s and Cassian’s strategies.

Elain continued, voice hushed with near-reverence, “The duke was vain, and Nesta played into that. The entire room came to a standstill. Their dancing was that good; she was that beautiful. And when it ended...I knew she was an artist then. The same way Feyre is. But what Feyre does with paint, that’s what Nesta did with music and dance. Our mother saw it when we were children, and honed it into a weapon. All so Nesta might one day marry a prince.” (ACOSF, Chapter 44)

“I’d forgotten,” Feyre murmured. “About this, and about her dancing.”

“Nesta never spoke of it afterward,” Elain said. “I just observed.”

Nesta was wrong, Cassian realized, to think Elain as loyal and loving as a dog. Elain saw every single thing Nesta had done, and understood why. (ACOSF, Chapter 44)

•

They moved on to far merrier subjects, but Cassian mulled it over throughout the evening. The fighting was only one part of it. The training would sustain her, funnel that rage, but there had to be more. There had to be joy...There had to be dancing. (ACOSF, Chapter 44)

•

Rhys leaned back, and Nesta frowned, the only one of them apparently not aware of what this meant. Rhys said to her, “You don’t have to do anything you don’t wish to. But Elain mentioned that you have particular skill on the dance floor. Skill that once won you the hand of a duke in a single waltz.” (ACOSF, Ch. 55)

Seers, like spies, gain access to hidden information—secrets. Elain has the advantage of both. She can secretly collect information in plain sight or “in the open” as Rhys calls it when he tells Cassian that Azriel is overwhelmed and needs support (ACOSF, Ch. 3). Who would suspect Elain of spying with her pretty face and doe eyes? And she can access knowledge, hidden to others, through dreams and channeling her sight. In addition to her information advantage, Elain is stealthy and patient. Not long after befriending two highly trained spies, Nuala and Cerridwen, Elain demonstrates newfound stealth when she steps out of the shadows and strikes the King of Hybern in the throat at the right moment. This stealth reappears in ACOSF as she often suddenly appears and startles members of the inner circle who are arguably the realm’s most powerful warriors.

Elain spoke from the doorway, having appeared so silently that they all twisted toward her, “Using me.” (ACOSF, Chapter 20)

She threw a nod toward Azriel. “Including Elain, who is more than capable of defending herself against the darkness of the Trove, if she chooses to. Don’t underestimate her.” (ACOSF, Chapter 29)

“You came,” Elain said behind her, and Nesta started, not having heard her sister approach. She scanned Elain from head to toe, wondering if she’d been taking lessons in stealth either from Azriel or the two half-wraiths she called friends. (ACOSF, Chapter 58)

What if our stealthy fawn has already started training in secret for something she has seen? Though she may be trying to hide them like Nesta, Elain’s powers have not disappeared. And they were intentionally given by the Cauldron as a missing piece of the puzzle in the Night Court’s inner circle. They are also a gift to Elain as they enhance her ability to defy the role she was assigned by Mama Archeron: she dreams so far beyond her garden now, even beyond the present. Perhaps it will be Elain, rather than Nesta, who will help the Night Court quietly out-maneuver their foes and help those in need. She may already be several steps ahead if she is using her sight and like both heroines in The Little Mermaid and The Wild Swans, two tales Maas wants to combine, Elain may not be able to reveal the truth until the right moment.

In her virtual chat, Maas even talks about planting secrets in ACOSF for the next book. She states that she is keeping the subject of the next book secret for now—something she told us she thought was obvious. Is that another hint for Elain, our keeper of secrets? Maas’s hints are not subtle. She provides several reminders of Elain’s connection to roses, a symbol of secrets, in ACOSF:

(1) Cassian touches Elain’s painted drawer, which was described as having roses in ACOTAR and ACOMAF, in their dilapidated cottage:

His fingers traced the twining vines of flowers on the second drawer. “Elain’s drawer.” (ACOSF, Ch. 55)

(2) Nesta finds Papa Archeron’s wooden rose that he carved for Elain. It is hidden in shadow and associated with the Mother before she places it on his gravestone in the final scene:

She plucked another figurine from the mantel: a rose carved from a dark sort of wood. She held it in her palm, its solid weight surprising, and traced a finger over one of the petals. “He made this one for Elain. Since it was winter and she missed the flowers.” (ACOSF, Ch. 55)

Her gaze shifted to the carved wooden rose she’d placed upon the mantel, half-hidden in the shadows beside a figurine of a supple-bodied female, her upraised arms clasping a full moon between them. Some sort of primal goddess—perhaps even the Mother herself. (ACOSF, Ch. 56)

Her father had died for her, with love in his heart, and Nesta held love in her own heart as she pulled the small, carved rose from her pocket and set it upon the gravestone. A permanent marker of the beauty and good he’d tried to bring into the world. (ACOSF, Ch. 80)

(3) Azriel gifts a stained-glass rose necklace with hidden beauty to Elain on the darkest night of the year:

The golden necklace seemed ordinary—its chain unremarkable, the amulet tiny enough that it could be dismissed as an everyday charm. It was a small, flat rose fashioned of stained glass, designed so that when held to the light, the true depth of colors would become visible. A thing of secret, lovely beauty. (Azriel’s Bonus Ch)

(4) Feyre and Rhys talk about Elain’s behavior and potential evolution. Feyre recalls Elain tearing her hands on a rosebush and indicates that she will be the focus of their next family intervention:

I whipped my head toward him. “You think I stifle her?”

Rhys held up his hands. “Not you alone.” He surveyed the study as he thought. “But I wonder if everyone has spent so long assuming Elain is sweet and innocent that she felt she had to be that way or else she’d disappoint you all.” He sighed toward the ceiling. “With time and safety, perhaps we’ll see a different side of her emerge.”

•

“I think she’s kind, and I’ll take kindness over nastiness any day. But I also think we haven’t yet seen all she has to offer.” A corner of his mouth tugged upward. “Don’t forget that gardening often results in something pretty, but it involves getting one’s hands dirty along the way.”

“And torn up by thorns,” I mused, recalling a morning this past summer when Elain had come into the house, her right palm bleeding from several gashes thanks to a stubborn rosebush that had pierced her gloves. The thorns had broken off in her skin, leaving sharp splinters that I’d had to pull free.

•

I sighed, absently rubbing my still-flat stomach. “Let’s focus on helping one sister before we start on the other.” (Feyre and Rhysand’s Bonus Ch)

And if our High Lady’s words weren’t indicative enough, three out of four of these connections are referenced in the final scene or bonus chapters to tease what (or who) comes next. Azriel’s bonus chapter created a figurative mess and has grave implications. Elain will need to work hard and maybe suffer for her happy beginning. Good thing, then, that our secretive seer, our stealthy kingslayer... enjoys getting her hands dirty.

Yes and also this (ACOWAR chapter 55)

Look I’m not totally against the idea of Elain and Lucien getting together but I feel like after this quote there’s no way.

And also it’s weird for the people who think she’s an undeveloped character to ship them because how is she going to develop herself if she just goes “Oh I guess there’s nothing else to do except getting mated to this dude I don’t want because apparently the fate has chosen this for me” ???

Possible Foreshadowing?

Just came across the line 

“Perhaps even Elain would receive an engagement ring that hadn’t been forged with hate and fear” (ACOMAF 390)

and I haven’t seen anyone talk about it (that I know of), but *cough* foreshadowing?!

"It made sense, I supposed, that Azriel alone had listened to her. The male who heard things others could not … Perhaps he, too, had suffered as Elain had before he understood what gift he possessed. "

I made this for @elainarcheronweek day 4: romance

Characters: Elain Archeron and Azriel

Series: A Court Of Thorns And Roses

-don't repost without my permission or credit

“elriel is too obvious” the answer to amarantha’s riddle was “love” bffr

ACOTAR Characters at Hogwarts  Part 1

***THIS FEATURES SOME MINOR SPOILERS FOR ACOSF***

This is mostly the main players in the series right now with a couple smaller characters thrown in just because. I’ll be posting a part two with side characters like the other high lords etc. I will not be taking criticism at this time, thank you.

The Inner Circle

Rhysand: Slytherin

Okay, Rhys is a pretty obvious one I think. He’s ambitious, resourceful, and a natural leader. It just makes sense. 

Cassian: Hufflepuff

So here’s where I might get some argument. Now, I will admit, I’ve gone back and forth on Cassian myself. I see a lot of people sorting him into either Slytherin (which is absolutely wrong, y’all wild) or Gryffindor. Gryffindor does make sense for him and I can see that, but hear me out. Cassian, at the end of the day, is a Hufflepuff. He’s a lover and he’s ultra loyal and dedicated to the people he loves. He’s a hard-worker who doesn’t give up on anybody or anything. Plus, he’s just there for vibes and a good time which is big Hufflepuff energy. Cassian is a Hufflepuff, nobody can change my mind.

Azriel: Ravenclaw

Az was a tough one to pin down, but I think Ravenclaw suits him. He’s kinda the weirdo of the group, and of course, he’s all about collecting info and intelligence, being a spy.

Feyre: Slytherin

Again, this one just makes sense. She’s ambitious and cunning. Her entire character arc for the first book was mostly based on her sense self-preservation, and learning to care for people outside of herself.

Morrigan: Gryffindor

Mor is another obvious one to me, though there might be some argument for Slytherin. I think Gryffindor suits her better, though. She brave to the point of being chaotic. She wakes up and chooses violence everyday. She’s also wildly impulsive. Big Gryffindor energy. 

Amren: Slytherin

Of all the Slytherins on this list, I think Amren is the most blatantly Slytherin one. Not only that, but she pushes Feyre and Rhys to be more Slytherin-like. She’s ambitious and is all about self-preservation. She wants Rhys to be more in control than he already is, as evidence by her explaining to him that he could basically use Nesta as a weapon to become High King. I don’t think there’s any argument here.

Nesta and Elain + friends

Nesta: Hufflepuff

And again, some argument might come with this one. Like Cassian, I think an argument could be made for Nesta being in another house (namely Slytherin or even Ravenclaw), but she’s a Hufflepuff at the end of the day. She’s not particularly ambitious or cunning, this is made obvious by the fact that she didn’t give a shit about her power, and she didn’t care when Lanthys gave her visions of being High Queen. She just wanted to be with Cassian, and her friends. She’s also fiercely loyal and dedicated when she truly cares about someone, and even when she doesn’t care about people in some cases, Mor being a great example. The two of them aren’t necessarily besties, but she hated Eris just on the premise that he harmed Mor. And she also loves very deeply, even though she doesn’t show it in the same way as Cassian and other characters. She’s a Hufflepuff with some anger issues.

Gwyneth: Ravenclaw

This is another obvious one. She gives off big Luna Lovegood energy. She’s an adorable weirdo, and she’s obviously super intelligent. She’s the one who did all of the research and told Nesta and Emerie about the Valkyries, after all. 

Emerie: Slytherin

Emerie was another hard one to pin down, but after consideration I finally settled on Slytherin. I think she shows a lot of ambition and a good sense of leadership throughout ACOSF. She takes over her father’s shop when he dies, and fights anybody who tells her otherwise. She has big ambitions of being more than a shopkeeper, even though she’s an Illyrian female with clipped wings. She doesn’t let it hold her back.

Elain: Hufflepuff

So we obviously haven’t seen a lot of Elain in the books. I’d really like to see her character developed in a book based solely on her in the future so we can get more details about her character, but based on what we have seen she’s pretty obviously a Hufflepuff. Loyal, kind, hard-working.

Nuala and Cerridwen: Ravenclaw

I put them together because I kinda make the same argument as Azriel for both of them. They’re both spies, so they’re obviously into collecting info. I could also see Hufflepuff. Don’t really feel to strongly about this one.

The Redemption Arc Trio

Lucien: Hufflepuff

First of all, I know Lucien didn’t really have or need a redemption arc, I just didn’t know where else to put him. I think he’s pretty obviously a Hufflepuff. He’s loyal to the point of blindness when it comes to Tamlin and the Spring Court. He’s also just a soft boy who wants to love and deserves to be loved. 

Tamlin: Ravenclaw

A lot of people place Tamlin in Slytherin, but I don’t think that quite suits him. He’s not particularly ambitious and he’s not a natural leader, like Rhys. This is made obvious in the fact that he hasn’t changed much about his court since he became High Lord, he’s kept all of the same traditions and rules in place, and followed his father’s lead. He’s only High Lord because there was no other choice. As for why I chose Ravenclaw, I think Tamlin is an artist at heart. He’s obviously very creative if he composes his own music and plays the violin so this fits a Ravenclaw vibe.

Eris: Slytherin

Eris is a Slytherin through and through. He’s ambitious and has big plans for his court when/if he becomes High Lord. He’s also shown that, in his mind, the ends justify the means. As shown by him offering to kill his own father because he thinks it will benefit his court to have a new High Lord. I don’t think you could make an argument for any other house here.

i literally don't understand why people can't treat each other with kindness?

is that so hard?

no one can even voice out their opinion anymore because when you do, you get hated on. you get turned into the villain somehow? like how is that fair?

you people are allowed to call elain a "dead brain garden gnome"

and when us elriels try to say anything about that or even say anything at all about the gwynriel ship (with valid facts, points and canon scenes) you guys start chaos...