elvery

[elvery]

Imagine this—The ballroom floor is empty. Azriel asks for her hand in front of the entire Inner Circle and the Court of Nightmares. For a first dance.

Gasps resound, and Rhys tenses. Our proper shadow warrior, draped in immaculate clothing from top to bottom, only extends his hand—waiting, longing, praying.

Elain blushes before gently slipping her hand in his. Offer and permission.

And as he whisks her away into a Waltz, his fingers flexing at her waist as if they’ve found their one true home, Elain matches his fervour with equal parts elegance, such that even Nesta is left aghast.

And then once she’s taken everyone’s breath away with a sweeping of her gown, including his own—once she feels all eyes on them—

“I don’t think the Court of Nightmares has ever seen you so...” She stutters.

Azriel chuckles. “Out of my element?”

“So at ease.” Elain shakes her head. A demure move. “I think they’ve highly underestimated your dancing skills.”

“Well, I certainly hope I’m doing it right.” His eyes would glitter.

“You are.” Her own would glow. “Everyone is looking at you.”

But then he’d simply lean down and say, “Believe me, my love—”

A hitch in her breath.

“They’re not.”

————————————————————————

[can you tell I’m obsessed with Cinderella? ✨]

If I was Feyre, I’d name this painting:

“A flame that dances with the dark. Flickering, flirting—

Burning.”

[elvery]

I need Sarah to firstly give us another ball scene so we can build the most filthy, heart-pounding, NASTY tension before they kiss

When and where will Elriels first kiss be? ✨

Somewhere in the gardens on Starfall—definitely in the gardens. ☘️✨🎐

Kinda like Cinderella in the princes’ secret garden at midnight, with her glass slippers and liquid glitter dress, where she walks through the maze knowing very well a certain shadowsinger might be on her trail.

Imagine her looking over her shoulder ever so discreetly, a permanent blush marring her cheeks, her heart pounding Calanmai drums in her ears in anticipation for what may end up happening.

Imagine her pushing through a secret door somewhere deep within the heart of the labyrinth, enter a secret garden she would’ve discovered in her spare time exploring the River Manor grounds.

Imagine her padding towards a swing in the centre of the foliage, never daring a sound, never daring a look behind, especially when a distinct click resounds through the space—the sound of the door closing.

Imagine Elain holding her breath as she perches onto the swing, facing away from him, fiddling with the rose pendant that found its way back to her.

Imagine his dress shoes tapping against the stone patches, his usual stealth lost to the cause of his deliberate sound making, as he saunters over to her still form with his hands in his pockets. Hands in his pockets because his fingers keep shaking.

Imagine him stopping right behind her, his shadows fanning the backless expanse of her pearly white skin, as trembling fingers ghost up her spine. Unbelieving. Stunned. Up, and up they go. Up her neck. In her hair. Pulling a pin. Letting them fall—unfurl in their glory.

Imagine Elain taking a sharp breath in, an instinctive reaction, as he fists her golden brown hair in his sullied hands, as gentle as a fawn—just like he had on that wretched Solstice Night months ago—and pulls, and pulls, until she’s looking right at his upside-down visage.

Azriel’s incriminating face. So beautiful, it should be a crime.

Imagine him directly peering into her rich brown eyes, a pool of endless desire and trust, leaning down to softly peck her forehead. Her temples. Her nose. Then, her cheeks. And finally…

Against her cherub lips that may have fallen open of their own accord—offer and permission, he recalls—Azriel brushes his own in the faintest of touches. Like a prayer unsung. Testing. Teasing. Waiting for her to disappear, to push him away.

“Will you tell me it’s a mistake?” She would breathe, baring her soul onto his bloody spears. Again.

But…

They would never come.

This time, they won’t come at all, for he would allow himself a breathless whisper against her lips, “Never.”

And because it would be utter reverence in his eyes, utter agony in his tone—because his voice would crack in the most unlikeliest of ways that make him him—

Elain, in one of the boldest moves of her life, would slide a palm into his jet black curls, and tug. And tug him down to her mouth, finally bridging the gap between their souls.

————————————————————————

[Thank you to the anon who asked this question! lol, I kinda got carried away with this one. Anyway, this is how I see it happening. Where do you think it’d happen? Tell me down there 👇🏻✨]

[elvery]

Elain, Nuala, and Cerridwen

I really want to see a deep dive into this friendship that’s been quietly developing behind the scenes. I’m completely convinced the twins are behind Elain’s subtle changes—her sudden, silent appearances, and the way she keeps secrets even better than Azriel (ahem, spy squad, ahem). I’ve adjusted the color palettes a bit, but honestly, the vibes from Elain’s story make me feel like she could be the darkest one, haha—considering the whole espionage angle, the visions (which, if you think about it, are genuinely creepy—no wonder horror movies like Final Destination or Premonition exist), the villain Koschei, and that terrifying lake…

[elvery]

How it started

How it is now

I love their friendship so much . Two people who truly understand one another.

[elvery]

Elain Archeron Week: Nightshade's Kiss 🥀

"𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬, 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫. 𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐣𝐨𝐲."

Elain’s love of gardening says so much about the resilience and perseverance of her character. At the surface, a garden is just something beautiful to look at, but what you don't see is the work that went into creating that beauty. The planning, the weeding, the dirty and torn hands. Like a garden, Elain has so much going on beneath her external beauty. Hidden depths that prove she is more than just a pretty face.

"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 ... "

Elain is willing to get her hands dirty for the beautiful things in her life. For those she loves. She is willing to endure pain knowing the end result will be worth it. Like most SJM characters, Elain has a darker side yet to be explored. Gardening may bring life, but with life also comes decay and death. What makes Elain so special won’t be her physical beauty, but the secrets hiding within her.

Art by the talented sophia.angelique.art on Instagram and commissioned by me!

Please do not repost without permission. Likes and reblogs are appreciated!

@elainarcheronweek

[elvery]

༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚.

“𝙄 𝙨𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩—𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧.”

𝖤𝗅𝖺𝗂𝗇 𝖶𝖾𝖾𝗄: 𝖲𝖾𝖼𝗋𝖾𝗍 𝖦𝖺𝗋𝖽𝖾𝗇

༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚.

✮♱✮ art by @evaroseart

✮♱✮ commissioned by me

༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚.

Now with @elainarcheronweek, we have some Elriel! I will never get over the idea of Elain sharing a private, sweet dance with Azriel! I think that it’s something that would fit both of them very well, with their reversed and shy exteriors we usually see. With each other, they’re able to bring out the full extent of themselves and the other loving them wholly and completely. I’ve been obsessed with @evaroseart’s Elriel for as long as I remember, and I’m so head over heels swooning with how this piece turned out! All the love and gratitude to her for taking my ideas and making such a stunning piece!

༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚.

✮♱✮ quote is from A Court of Mist & Fury

✮♱✮ characters are Elain Archeron & Azriel

༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚.

✮♱✮ likes, saves, and shares are always appreciated!

✮♱✮ no reposts allowed.

༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚.

[elvery]

🌙 @elainarcheronweek | Prompt: Nightshade’s Kiss 🌙

Elain Archeron, the gentle dreamer, the gardener, the one everyone overlooked was the one who ended the King of Hybern.

With her sister on the ground, about to be struck down, Elain chose. She dealt the killing blow. Swift. Precise. Final.

That was Elain’s nightshade’s kiss the hidden poison no one expected, the quiet, beautiful strength that bloomed at the exact moment it was needed most.

☠️🌹 Soft hands can still wield sharp blades.

✨ Thank you @tomandosal for capturing this defining moment in Elain’s journey so perfectly.

⊱❊⊰⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣⤞ Art by @tomandosal

⁣⁣⁣⤞ Commissioned by me

⁣⁣⁣⤞ Please do not repost without permission

⁣⁣⁣⤞ Instagram

⊱❊⊰⁣⁣⁣

[elvery]

Acosf was the worst thing to happen to the acotar world and the fandom

[elvery]

This one Elriel scene that hurts too much

Remember how Cassian said this in ACOFAS about their snowball fight traditions?

“Azriel won. His one-hundred-ninety-ninth victory, apparently.”

Well. In ACOSF BC, a year later on Winter solstice, Azriel lost the fight.

Your eyes are sad, Shadowsinger. He offered her a grim smile. "I lost the snowball fight today.”

And we all know what happened on Winter Solstice. Literally hours before the snowball fight.

“You are to stay away from her.”

Well.

After almost 2 centuries of winning track record.

Somehow after 200 freaking years of laser focus.

Bro lost the fight.

HE LOST THE FIGHT, DAMMIT.

Why?

Because he lost more than the snowball fight that day.

BECAUSE HE LOST HER.

I cannot with this heartache anymore. Give them their happy end. PLEASE.

[elvery]

𝑰 𝒔𝒂𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅...

༻𖤓༺

⁣⁣⁣⤞ art by @adelikashere

⤞ commissioned by me

⤞ secret garden

༻𖤓༺

Instagram | Twitter | @elainarcheronweek

please do not repost.

[elvery]

the people who create the covers for the ACOTAR series posted that they were working on a new project..

a project that looks suspiciously like a flower made of shadows and eyes 👀

[elvery]

🌸 @elainarcheronweek | Prompt: From the Same Soil 🌸

This piece is such a delight, it is inspired out of one of my favorite FRIENDS moments, with Monica, Rachel, and Phoebe lounging in wedding dresses on that iconic couch.

I imagine the Archeron sisters in a moment just like that before Nesta’s mating ceremony.

They may have been thrown into another world, transformed in ways they never asked for, but they grew from the same soil. And no matter how much they change, that shared root of love and sisterhood is unshakable.

🌼 Huge thank you to @rinamoart for this perfect crossover piece, it’s pure joy and nostalgia wrapped up with Archeron sister love.

⊱❊⊰⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣⤞ Art by @rinamoart

⁣⁣⁣⤞ Commissioned by me

⁣⁣⁣⤞ Please do not repost without permission

⁣⁣⁣⤞ Instagram

⊱❊⊰⁣⁣⁣

[elvery]

Elain Archeron Week: Secret Garden

Art by the lovely giogiove on Instagram and commissioned by me! Working with you was such a breeze and I'm so in love with everything you create 💙

This piece is inspired by the night Azriel stayed up late with Elain while she showed him her gardening plans. That night, Elain felt comfortable enough to share her passion with Azriel and gave him a gift that shows she’s been observing him in a way others haven’t. I think this night is a pivotal moment in their relationship where Azriel realizes the depths of his feelings for Elain.

Whether he’s following the sound of her laughter, staring at the gift she gave him at night, or preparing his shadows to strike those that insult her, Azriel is the ultimate yearner for Elain Archeron. I can’t wait to see the yearning notched up even more in Elain’s book as they navigate their feelings for each other.

Please do not repost without permission. Likes and reblogs are appreciated!

@elainarcheronweek @elriel-month

[elvery]

I have noticed a few of your asks recently were from people relating to Gwyn and being uncomfortable with how her arc is sometimes treated by gwynriels.

You know what I find vile when it comes to that? My understanding is that some elriels and non-elriels who related to Gwyn's recovery arc express such discomfort when many gwynriels erase Gwyn's empowering recovery arc in favour of romance, and turn her trauma responses and very personal recovery into quirky and cute romance cues. Basically when Gwynriels not only just flat out dismiss the trauma and recovery (which objectively had nothing to do with romance, Gwyn did that all on her own), but instead interpret her trauma responses as "romantically coded". I can see why someone who related to Gwyn's arc would be extremely uncomfortable with that. But then those gwynriels turn around and accuse those elriels and non-elriels alike of weaponising sexual trauma. That is flat out vile to me. Because those very Gwyn positive posts posts often seem to come from people who related to Gwyn's arc and found it empowering. And who dont like seeing it erased. It isn't like they're saying "gwyn can't experience romance because of her trauma". It is "Gwyn's story so far was a relatable and empowering story about female friendship and recovery, not a story about heterosexual romance, and I dont like seeing it erased."

I am just so done with this quite small but cruel group of gwynriels who have no compassion whatsoever and make this fandom impossible to be in. If it weren't for the fact that it seems an announcement is actually quite close, I wouldn't have the energy to still be here, because of those people. And I am not even directly affected by this. I haven't experienced the kind of trauma Gwyn has. I don't have trauma related to infertility (that pliable bones debacle is another example of this). But I have so much compassion for those that do and it would never even cross my mind to make the kind of posts that these Gwynriels make attacking the people within this fandom that I think deserve understanding and compassion. Not everything is about the ship wars but they're so stuck in that mentality that even other people's trauma isn't off bounds.

All of this.

I receive asks like these and my faith in the fandom gets restored.

Gwyns story was so beautiful and inspirational. A traumatised woman going out of her way to make herself stronger and better, to achieve something so few have and encourage other women to put themselves out there. She proved Cassian and Azriel wrong, and became the first to cut the ribbon, becoming a Valkry.

That was Gwyns story. What it wasn’t, was her crushing on Azriel throughout acosf. Half way through, Nesta notes Gwyn looking uncomfortable around Cass and Azriel alone. As the book progresses we do see Gwyn get out of her shell around the guys, were she’s teasing and challenging them, which is great for her growth but that does not mean she was into Azriel. It takes away from her story to say so because everyone begins focusing on Gwynriel whilst forgetting the main essence of Gwyns character. But also, its just not true. Gwyn was focused on proving the boys wrong, becoming a valkry and continuing to strengthen her friendship with the girls. No where does she show any signs of a crush on Azriel or even wanting/being interested in a romance.

It is very disappointing and sad to see Gwynriels say that Gwyn staring at Az when he first appeared in training is because she was attracted to him or it was the start of something when it was clearly shock at seeing him after Savangh. I think it’s perfectly ok to criticise these interpretations or for others to feel uncomfortable because essentially, they’re potraying Gwyn as a love-struck girl when in reality she wasn’t prepared to come across someone who was a reminder of the worst day of her life.

I’ve realised Gwynriels get threatened by any take that disproves this narrative they have crafted over the years. Someone pointing out that Gwyn hasn’t shown any interest in Azriel and it’s an insult to her character to make it seem so - instead of understanding where that person is coming from, they immediately go on to attacking and insulting them, which makes these people quiet because they don’t feel its safe to share their valid opinions. Its a very small insecure mean group of women that do this and its unfortunate to see. They take anything as an attack to their ship, most of them live and breathe for the shipwars and any drama they can ignite. Its not a healthy mindset to be in.

But I really want to bring this point up you made again:

“Because those very Gwyn positive posts posts often seem to come from people who related to Gwyn's arc and found it empowering. And who dont like seeing it erased. It isn't like they're saying "gwyn can't experience romance because of her trauma". It is "Gwyn's story so far was a relatable and empowering story about female friendship and recovery, not a story about heterosexual romance, and I dont like seeing it erased."

This is the truth. Aside from the minority group of elriels that are toxic and do weaponise Gwyns trauma against her, most elriels share the above sentiment. No one is saying Gwyn cannot have a romance further down the line when she herself has shown interest in someone/wanting a relationship - I know many Elriels theorise that Gwyn and Tarquin will one day make a lovely pair - but what we are saying, that aligns with canon, is that right now, Gwyns story has nothing to do with setting up a future romance and her future is not interlinked w Azriels. Neither have shown interest in each other and we all know Sjm is obvious in showing her pairings.

Hopefully we do get an announcement this year. I’ve heard Sjm is known for annoucements during Oct - Jan so…here’s to praying it comes soon.

[elvery]

Elain Archeron Week: In Full Bloom

My commission today is based on the Welsh goddess Blodeuwedd, also known as the "Flower Maiden" and the "Owl of Wisdom". Sarah J. Maas labeled a Pinterest photo of Blodeuwedd as Elain years ago so I think her story will be relevant to Elain's character arc!

Art by tasbaqaart on Instagram and commissioned by me.

Blodeuwedd was created from forest flowers with the sole purpose of being a man's wife. Much like Blodeuwedd, Elain has been told she belongs to a man she did not choose. Blodeuwedd went along as the "perfect wife" for a while - compliant, beautiful, and silent. We've seen a similar sentiment pushed on Elain as people insist that she must give her mate a chance despite her discomfort. She must suck up her feelings for his sake until she realizes that they're made for each other.

The cracks against this narrative have been slowly showing as Elain stands up for her right to choose for herself. Blodeuwedd ends up falling in love with a man that isn't the one she was created for and the strength of her story comes from the realization that she has the power to reclaim her agency. I think Elain's story will go down a similar path as she reaches her full potential.

Choosing who she loves, choosing to explore her powers, choosing the role she wants to fit into, defying expectations and the box many people have shoved her into. All of these actions will result in an empowering story perfect for a character like Elain who is often viewed as meek and complacent.

(The information about Blodeuwedd is from the book Pagan Portals - Blodeuwedd: Welsh Goddess of Seasonal Sovereignty by author Jhenah Telyndru.)

Huge thanks to the artist for creating this gorgeous piece for me! You captured what I wanted so beautifully and were so lovely to work with 💗

Please do not repost without permission. Likes and reblogs are appreciated!

@elainarcheronweek

[elvery]

🌸 @elainarcheronweek | Prompt: In Full Bloom🌸

Elain Archeron is a character whose potential has always felt limitless. Her arc is still unfolding, and there’s a sense of quiet anticipation around her, as though we are only beginning to see the surface of what she can truly become.

Her connection to the tale of Blodeuwedd has always fascinated me: a woman born of flowers, tied to the cycles of love, betrayal, and transformation. Like Blodeuwedd, Elain’s story carries undertones of beauty entwined with destiny, but also the possibility of breaking free from what others have decided for her.

💐 Thank you @ameropupu for capturing this breathtaking imagery of Elain, soft yet powerful, delicate yet full of resilience.

⊱❊⊰⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣⤞ Art by @ameropupu

⁣⁣⁣⤞ Commissioned by me

⁣⁣⁣⤞ Please do not repost without permission

⁣⁣⁣⤞ Instagram

⊱❊⊰⁣⁣⁣

[elvery]

Elain Week // In Full Bloom

For today’s prompt, I wanted to show Elain thriving, strong, and in her element. And when I saw Sabrina’s Rolling Stone editorial earlier this year, I knew it would serve as great inspo for an Elain piece—she’s a perfect combo of fierce and feminine too, just like our favorite Seer 🌸

*******

🎨 Art by @goldenmushroom_

✨ Commissioned by me for @elainarcheronweek

💙 Please do not repost. Reblogs are welcome!