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[a-court-of-critique-and-antis]

Nesta's trauma

Saw a comment saying "Feyre died, Rhys was raped, Az was set on fire, Amren was in a prison, Mor was beaten and used like a pin board and Nesta became poor in her youth lol"

Let's review the things Nesta went through for the illiterate ones who jump at any chance to dismiss a woman's trauma, shall we?

had her palms beaten raw by her grandmother at the age of seven for missteps in her dancing lessons

groomed by her mother as a child to seduce elder men and was led to believe she was only as worthy as the title she married

was almost raped by Tomas Mandray and physically assaulted when she attempted to fight back.

neglected by her father, the man who was supposed to take care of them and bring food to the table

was put in a position where she wanted to starve to death just so her father would get up and provide for them

was shoved into the cauldron against her will (which she described as having molten ore poured into her veins and her human blood boiling) had her bodily autonomy stripped from her, and died as a human

watched her father's neck being snapped right after he told her he loved her

she became depressed and reclusive, "feeling nothing" after the war ended

she couldn't take baths from her trauma of the cauldron, she had to wash herself using buckets

she couldn't endure small spaces due to the cauldron

had to endure the cold in her apartment because the sound of cracking logs reminded her of her father's neck being snapped

was locked up in the HoW because men once again think they know what's best for women against her will

was SAed by the kelpie, monsters known for raping women before they eat them

Hope this helps! Read carefully next time :)

[a-court-of-critique-and-antis]

Feyre: I don’t want ppl to call me High Lady or something 😤

Tamlin, a man who never wanted to be High Lord, but had the responsibility thrust upon him, relieved that his fiancée won’t be forced into something she didn’t want like he was: Oh don’t worry! There’s nothing called High Lady actually! 😄

Feyre:

[a-court-of-critique-and-antis]

Feyre's selective hearing is the origin of my villain arc.

[a-court-of-critique-and-antis]

How torturous is it to love with everything your heart can give, and then some, only for your acts of love to either be forgotten about or to be treated like the villain for caring? And on top of that, you never once receive even a fraction of the love back.

Nesta loved Feyre enough to go to the wall for her, and she would've gone farther, if she were able, only for Feyre to forget.

Nesta spent her entire childhood taking her mother's abuse so her sister's didn't have to, only for Elain to turn her back on her.

Nesta spent her whole life trying to give Elain the love that she would've given anything to receive from their mother, for Elain to abandon her and condemn her when she needed that love more than ever.

Nesta joined a war for Feyre, only for it all to be forgotten.

She stayed in the mortal lands, despite it being dangerous after the Queens denied the IC's request for the book, clearly ready to sacrifice their people, including Nesta and Elain, all because Elain wanted to be near her betrothed and be comfortable, just for Elain to try and force Nesta out of her safe space, and into uncomfortable situations.

Nesta stayed with Elain, putting aside her own trauma for her sake to look after her, but when she needed the same love and understanding, Elain abandoned her for the comforts Feyre provided.

Nesta put aside her own trauma to help with war efforts, but it's never brought up again.

Nesta is most likely the one who cooked and cleaned and looked after the cabin, and who thanked her?

Nesta is the one who demanded their neglectful father be held accountable for his failures, but, instead, that burden was forced onto her.

Nesta is the one who demanded Rhysand be held accountable for lying to both her and Feyre, only for Feyre to turn around and laugh at the idea of her being punished for something Feyre said herself, that she isn't mad at.

Nesta endured verbal abuse at the hands of Feyre's new family, let them stare at her like a zoo animal, and didn't comment on it.

Nesta would've gone into the blood right after Emerie and Gwyn, laws be damned, to save them. She would've done it for any of them, only for them to decide she's fine and leave her there. Did they worry about her while she was there? Azriel didn't seem worried. Neither did Feyre or Elain.

That's not even the half of it. Nesta loved so much, with her whole heart, and not a single person could give it back to her. Not one. How tiring, and heart breaking must that be for her? The thought alone brings me to tears.

[a-court-of-critique-and-antis]

For all that Cassian claims to love his people, do we ever see that love? He never mentions anything about them other than how he feels they've failed as a society due to their misogyny, or how he feels a pseudo hunger games is the only way to avoid civil war. What are the readers, much less the other characters, meant to think of Illyrians?

On top of that, the one thing that bothers him most is being called a bastard? I get that it's a major insecurity, but when he downplays his so-called mates' trauma and chalks up her response to said trauma as a personal attack on him due to his birth, it just comes across as being self-centred and un-empathetic.

When he sees Nesta dancing with Eris, despite knowing that they were doing to her what her abusive mother did to her, his biggest concern was still that Nesta may chose the person who acknowledges her talents, doesn't try to force her to change, and is generally pretty nice to her, over him because of his birth?

Dude, if it was that much of an issue, she wouldn't have been willing to die with you during the war. At this point, your birth doesn't mean shit to anyone but you, and you're the one being the most vocal about it. Honestly, it makes him feel more like a stubborn pick-me boy than an someone we're supposed to be rooting for, and empathising with.

It's not because you're a bastard, it's because you're a self centred, arrogant asshole who can't see past yourself, your brother and your own pain.

[a-court-of-critique-and-antis]

free my girl she did all that shit but if she was a man you'd be all over him AND his crimes

[a-court-of-critique-and-antis]

Feyre: You have every comfort and yet it is not enough?

Court of Nightmare Women:

[a-court-of-critique-and-antis]

I desperately need Nesta’s thoughts on the High King plotline because she wasn’t privy to that conversation. She’s certain that the Night Court isn’t interested in conquest:

Red flame sizzled in Eris’s eyes. “What did the King of Hybern have to gain by attaining the Cauldron and invading our lands?”

“We have no interest in conquest, Eris,” Cassian said, crossing his arms. “You know that. And we’re not going to use the Trove.”

Eris barked a laugh. Nesta could see that he didn’t believe them—that he was so used to the twisted politics and scheming of his court that even when the simple, easy truth was offered, he could not see it.

Meanwhile in Cassian’s POV 20 chapters earlier:

No other male who would be a fairer ruler than Rhys. And with Feyre as High Queen ... Prythian would be blessed to have such leaders.

And do not forget that Nesta herself—and Elain, with whatever powers she has—is here. Feyre is here. All three sisters blessed by fate and gifted with powers to match your own. Feyre alone doubles your strength. Nesta makes you unstoppable. Especially if she were to march into battle wearing the Mask. No enemy could stand against her.

So… Cassian is literally lying. Yes, Rhys has no interest in conquest for now, but we know for a fact the IC will back him up 100% if he changes his mind. And Nesta’s thinking oh Eris is ridiculous and assuming the worst of the Night Court while he’s actually spot on. Nesta is the only thing standing in their way.

They can’t use the Trove without her (as far as we know), so they’d have to get her on board. But between this scene + her comments in HOFAS, it sounds like she wouldn’t support them. She has Gwydion, assuming they don’t try to take it from her. Even if they do, she still has Ataraxia. I have no idea if SJM will actually carry out a High King plot, but Nesta has to be a key player if she does.

[a-court-of-critique-and-antis]

The fact Rhys gave away NESTA’S possession (the sword) that SHE hand-crafted and which is imbued with HER magic to Eris (whom he doesn’t even like) while also making her dance for him despite her trauma…

[a-court-of-critique-and-antis]

I love you “unlikeable” female characters I love you rude girls I love you mean women I love you girl interpretations of the ��Asshole with a Heart of Gold” trope I love you women who get labeled Cold and Unfeeling I love you girls who lash out I love you women who lie I love you female characters who make people mad just by existing

[a-court-of-critique-and-antis]

Cassian: “Talk to me”

Nesta: *opens up to Cassian for once about why she’s apprehensive about the mating bond*

Cassian:

snarls at her to the point where people give them a wide berth on the bridge

rages loud enough for people to hear it across the river

can’t empathize with why the forcibly made fae is still clinging onto her humanity

tells her he didn’t have a choice in being shackled to her

[a-court-of-critique-and-antis]

[a-court-of-critique-and-antis]

Disappointed acomaf didnt make me fall in love, thats my favorite part of Romance. I really wish I found Rhys even remotely attractive, or compelling, or interesting, or funny, or cool, or smart or witty or enchanting or-

[a-court-of-critique-and-antis]

you've got this friend and she's a little naïve about the world, doesn't have the best parents or school. she just got out of a bad relationship and gets a new boyfriend and she's crazy about him. there's a bit of an age gap, he's a rich older dude and they want to move in together, he's love bombing her, giving her anything she wants because money is no object, they're vowing to get married after a couple of months. he wants his whole life with her. here's the thing: she stops seeing her friends and hangs out with only his. She stops seeing her family unless he's there too and he starts giving her opinions and advice on her sisters 🚩🚩🚩

[a-court-of-critique-and-antis]

Did Feyre ever tell Rhysand about that little nightmare thing she pulled when she went back to Tamlin??? Because if I were Rhysand I would be so insecure around Lucien knowing that. Like...you were married to me and you were feeling up Lucien? Are you sure it was a ruse? You didn't enjoy the feeling of his broad chest or his cut abs even remotely? You loved the feeling of his arms around you, didn't you? You're telling me you were together like that skin to skin and you didn't fuck? Are you sure????

[a-court-of-critique-and-antis]

Human Nesta would shake Nessian Nesta by the shoulders screaming "What the fuck is wrong with you???!!!!"

Human Feyre would be drawing her bow trying to shoot Feysand Feyre just so she would never become her.

Human Elain would look at Elucien Elain and be like, "Nice."

[a-court-of-critique-and-antis]

It's actually laughable to go see these hoops that sjm goes through to show why no man is right for feyre other than bat boy. Because by this logic, RHYS ISNT RIGHT FOR HER EITHER. RHYS IS THE PRYTHIAN ELON MUSK, HE HAS NO IDEA WHAT ITS LIKE TO BE HUNGRY AND DESPERATE.

TARQUIN WAS TRAPPED UTM W/ AMARANTHA FOR LONGER THAN FEYRE HAS BEEN ALIVE AND HE "CANT UNDERSTAND HER DARKNESS"????

Like just say what you really want to say: feyre doesn't like tarquin romantically because he's not Rhys. It's okay for you to say that sjm, you don't have to make shit up 😒