itselriel - Tumblr blog

[itselriel]

(this post is made by an elriel defending elriel and questioning why people are against it... if you don't want to engage its totally fine!!! you can scroll past this post :)

why do you guys think there are all the scenes of elain and azriel through the span of like 3.5 books

...only for elucien/gywnriel to happen??? I'm not talking about the bonus chapter but the actual books

I'm talking about sjm specifically writing a scene where elain calls azriel's hands/scars/siphons beautiful

I'm talking about when azriel gently carried elain over the threshold

I'm talking about when they stayed up past midnight on solstice talking about garden plans

I'm talking about azriel's shadows gathering in the corners preparing to strike when he hears elain is upset

I'm talking about how it was azriel and not elain's mate who noticed she was missing 

I'm talking about when azriel volunteered to go save her when its mentioned he could get killed

I'm talking about azriel wanting to get the chains off of elain when he had blood dripping off him

I'm taking about azriel choosing to lend his most precious blade to only elain in his centuries long lifetime

I'm talking about elain welding azriel's weapon to stab the king of hybern

I'm talking about Sarah specifically writing "I saw the painting in my mind: 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."

Im talking about azriel lounging with elain in the sunshine enjoying the peace and quiet (and not lucien even though he's somehow sunshine personified)

I'm taking about elain specifically getting azriel a thoughtful funny gag gift (not once but TWICE) when she hasn't gotten anything for her mate.

Sarah J Maas could have easily chosen not to write these moments/details (like the plot is not going to suffer without a scene of elain and azriel literally lounging lmao) or she could have chosen write them with elain/lucien or azriel/gywn but she didn't. its always elain and azriel, azriel and elain. why is that?

I'm wondering why sjm would specifically include/emphasize all these moments between two people (why she would write about the man literally wanting to get on his knees to get a taste of her) just to then write a story about elucien (where the girl who literally looses her newfound confidence around the male - sjm's words not mine) or gwynriel (where the male says he wouldn't even go so far as to call the girl his friend). would it not feel odd if you re-read the series later? would it not be jarring to have the perfect set up and no follow through?

like these characters are not sentient. every single word on the page is chosen by the author. Feyre did not magically get free will and question the mating bond/cauldron in regards to elain and lucien, it was sjm specifically choosing to write that, introducing us to that possibility. It could have well been lucien sensing his mate was in trouble, (a "WHERE IS MY MATE???" moment that I would have devoured, licked the plate clean) but sjm CHOSE to write azriel saving her. 

before anyone says 3x3 is cliche... wouldn't it be the perfect symmetry? three brothers love three sisters, three sisters conquer the three mountains, three sisters against the cauldron with three legs. Before anything else the series is about the three sisters and the three brothers, is it not? 

[itselriel]

One of my biggest annoyances with the way a lot of this fandom approaches theories and ships etc is the way they have this tendency to take individual books at face value as if they weren't part of a larger plot/storyline that will ultimately be comprised of something like...what is it now, seven books and two novellas? Worse, they do this with a bonus chapter, of all things. They take, say, ACOSF and/or the bonus chapter out of the contexts they're intended for. The new spinoff novels do still depend on the story of what happened before. Feyre's books are still and always will be the foundation. You CANNOT dismiss what happens in those books in favor of your preferred plotlines and endings when they inform what's currently happening. The story did not start with Nesta and the Valkyries, it started with Feyre shooting a wolf.

[itselriel]

🌸Tropes & AU🦇

For this @elriel-month prompt, I wanted to combine two of my favorite fictional worlds by having Azriel and Elain as Hogwarts students stealing away together for a private moment in between classes.

After finding out that Sarah herself said Azriel would be a Ravenclaw and Elain would be a Hufflepuff if they were sorted into Hogwarts houses, I knew that this was a childhood/adult mashup opportunity I just couldn’t pass up!

🌸🦇🌸🦇

I was so excited to have the opportunity to work with the amazing and talented @andie_owo! She was so much fun to work with and I absolutely adore the little details she added into this piece!

🌸 art by: @andie_owo

🦇commissioned by: me

🌸characters belong to: @sarahjmaas

🦇 @elriel-month

Find it on Instagram

Likes, comments, saves, and shares are always appreciated!!

Please do not repost without permission

[itselriel]

Elain and Azriel by @lulybot

the way he looks at her. his eyes are so soft and her gaze is so loving I— they will be the death of me this is a masterpiece

[itselriel]

Elriel Month // Tropes & AUs 

𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘮, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵. 𝘏𝘦'𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘵.

When I thought about a trope for today's prompt, the first thing that came to mind was groveling, not only because Azriel definitely needs to grovel after stopping that kiss, but also because we already know he's more than willing to get on his knees for Elain 🫢🫢

*******

🎨 Art by @gukkhwa

✨ Commissioned by me (find it on IG here) for @elriel-month

💙 Please do not repost. Reblogs are welcome! 

[itselriel]

If I see one more "Well, have you read the Azriel bonus chapter?"

I swear to god I'm aboutta start countering with "Have you only read the bonus chapter?"

[itselriel]

Hey, can I show you something cool?!

I’m currently rereading the series while listening to the audiobooks (10/10 recommend), and I’m currently in ACOWAR, Azriel teaching Feyre how to fly.

Do you remember Nephelle’s story? The Seraphim female with too small wings that wasn’t soldier material and was undermined her whole life?

ACOWAR - Chapter 29

I couldn’t not relate with how Elain was the one who killed King Hybern. The lovely fawn that Azriel himself armed with his favorite dagger.

Is it reaching to think SJM did this on purpose? Had Azriel explain the Nephelle Philosophy and have Elain land the kill blow and change the course of history? What do you guys think?!

[itselriel]

All Canon Ahead.

Azriel: was said to be deprived of sunlight as a kid.

Elain: is referred to as sunlight throughout the book.

Azriel: says Elain reminds him of “the sun at dawn.”

Elain isn’t the one who needs sunlight. Elain IS the sunlight. AZRIEL is the one who needs sunlight. And he found it in ELAIN.

“Light and Dark. The space between their bodies a blend of the two.”

[itselriel]

There's something unbiddable about love. Love doesn't come when you want it to come, it claws at your door and demands entrance when it intends you need it. Sometimes love comes as a gentle whisper in the quietest nights or as raging thunder that seems to ignite the world in flames, sometimes it gazes over your skin with the barest kisses or digs it's teeth into the crook of your neck and tastes the iron of your blood. But it doesn't matter in whatever way or form love comes in, when it does though it leaves you unbounded by gravity.

There's something untameable about him, they say there's a seething fire daintily imprisoned within his chest. He is not scared of anything, not even the breath of death. The first time Elain saw him, he strode into the room with his head held high and a stoic face. He wasn't a Prince Charming she could tell. He smelled like trouble and storm and all the things that never ends well. He was beautiful though, the kind that made your heart ache.

She has always been gentle and kind but there was raging water running through her veins begging to be set free. The kind that could drown worlds. There was something so brave within her that she could look at the hardness of the world and choose over and over again to love and to be compassionate. The first time Azriel saw her, she held his gaze long enough that it surprised him. She wasn't scared of him or what he could have possibly kept hidden within him. She had stars in her pretty doe eyes that collided and exploded into tiny specks of light and a laugh that could illuminate a pitch black room with hues of bright warm colors.

Elain tugged at his heart with bashful simpers and Azriel rattled her bones with tricksy smirks. There was an impossibility about their love like it was somehow forbidden. Yet love doesn't care about the trivial uncertainties, it paves it's way into one's heart and calls it home.

•They inspire me so much to write about them. I can't wait to read their story but in the meantime I'll simply satisfy the craving of my heart with my own words•

[itselriel]

I can’t tell you how sick I am of this entire situation. Dragging this book out this long is insane. Elriels have been getting bullied and harrassed for three years. They’ve been bullied off of the internet, harrassed by Gwynriels and Eluciens left and right constantly and have even been threatened as well as doxxed. This needs to stop.

The things I have seen Gwynriels/Eluciens say about Elriels are disturbing. It’s gotten to a point where people seem to have no morals and don’t care that they are harming people. It needs to stop.

I loved Elriel since acomaf and when I saw how the online fandom was, I was appalled. Gwynriels/Eluciens like to say Elriels are the bad ones, but one or two bad Elriels will never make up for every single Gwynriel/Elucien who has been so unbelievably awful. There is no comparison. The hate they spew at us is disgusting. The way they keep an eye out for every single Elriel post so they can bully and harrass them in the comments is unacceptable. It needs to stop.

This fandom could not be more toxic if it tried. I’ve never seen such misogynistic individuals in my life. More than 90% of them being women themselves. I’ve never read more disturbing comments by women directed to women in my life. I’ve never seen such toxicity with no one putting an end to it. It needs to stop.

This is fiction. This is not important and you are all hurting people over words on paper. I’m begging anyone who has severe mental health issues to never step foot in this fandom and to never engage with such awful people. The fact that BB and SJM has not once addressed the bullying and harrassment of innocent people is insane. People are being attacked with unkind words every single day and there is no one putting a stop to it. It’s disgraceful.

I don’t want to be apart of this fandom. I don’t care about this series enough to have to deal on a daily with people bullying and harrassing my friends and I as well as other innocent Elriels. It’s not fair. The way we are treated because we ship a couple that have feelings for each other is terrible. I’ve never seen such behavior in my life. I’m appalled and I’m over it.

I don’t care if you don’t like Elain. I don’t care if you don’t like Azriel. I don’t care if you don’t like them together. They canonically have feelings for each other. Stop looking for every elriel post on tiktok to spew your hatred. Stop telling people their delusional for picking up what the books are saying. Stop going out of your way to send hateful messages to innocent people who are trying to enjoy a series. Just. Stop.

I feel so sorry for all of the Gwynriels/Eluciens. I really do. With how they have been behaving for three years, there’s no way you can’t feel sorry for them. No one who is a decent human being would be acting the way they do on a daily basis. No one who has kindness in their heart would be spreading hate so freely. No one who has morals and is intelligent would be bullying and harrassing innocent people for liking a couple that like each other. I will always feel sorry for them.

Learn to be better, and if you can’t I suggest you don’t interact with Elriels. Being harmful to Elriels 24/7 is not going to make a difference in anything. You are only hurting people and making this fandom more toxic than you’ve already made it. We don’t want this. We didn’t ask for any of this hate. There shouldn’t even be any.

I’ve lost faith in both BB and SJM. Not only for letting the bullying and harrassment of Elriels go on with no stopping it, but for also letting this go on for as long as they have. It’s ridiculous and wrong. There’s been no book announcement. No hints. Nothing. It makes all the hate from Gwynriels/Eluciens stay the same and simultaneously get worse. I’ve had enough.

[itselriel]

It is absolutely wild to me that there are people out there who read all 4.5 ACOTAR books and then read Azriel's bonus chapter and went, "WHATTT??? Elain and Azriel? Since when do they like each other???"

Like how did you miss that, babe? Sure, their attraction wasn't as in your face as Nesta and Cassian's, who are two extroverts that wear their hearts on their sleeves--the exact opposite of Elain and Az--but all the signs were there.

If it came as a surprise, then you missed something. You didn't pick up what SJM was putting down because the BC wasn't written to introduce us to that potential pairing. It already existed.

And look, Elriel doesn't have to be your ship, but they are canonically interested in each other and have been for a while. The BC did not "end" whatever attraction there is between them. Its purpose was to show was to see that attraction in action.

If you didn't see Elain and Azriel coming, that's on you.

[itselriel]

And it was Elain—Elain—who sighed and murmured, “I hope they all burn in hell.”

[itselriel]

How are people out here saying they only see Elriel interactions as Platonic AND/OR only Lust??

Y'all know that Wholesome Moments + Lust = ROMANTIC Interest

Right?

Like I understand different moments can have different vibes:

Azriel in the BC was obviously showing more sexual attraction than wholesome interaction.

Azriel when he stayed up late into the night discussing gardening plans was obviously showing more wholesome vibes than sexual attraction/lust.

Together, all their interactions as a whole just prove they have both wholesome moments together and sexual attraction, which is literally the formula for romantic interest.

If the ONLY interaction we saw of Elriel was in the BC, then yes, I would too agree and say Azriel seems to only show lust for Elain.

If the ONLY interaction we had of Elriel was them talking late into the night on Solstice, I would also be hard pressed to believe they are going to have a romantic relationship.

But that's not how we read books, now is it? We consider the entirety of their interactions when we decide to ship two people together. We look at ALL their interactions, not just cherry-pick one or two and take them out of context.

If every single Elriel interaction (or even the majority of them) was pure lust or pure platonic vibes, then I might've understood this argument form the antis.

But to say that Elriel's entire relationship is based on just lust or their entire relationship has zero romantic connection is both a contradictory and frankly incorrect conclusion, because it shows people are not reading things in context.

[itselriel]

“Elain said she needs sunshine and Lucien is the heir of the Day Court. Elucien endgame confirmed 🥰”

You mean this scene?

The scene where Elain is physically with Lucien, but leaves him to go to the SUNNY garden in Velaris? That’s the scene that foreshadows Lucien as what she needs?

That scene actually reminds me of a previous scene where Elain is enjoying the sun in the townhouse garden (in Velaris)…with Azriel.

The scene where they sit in silent companionship and Feyre sees them and wonders “Why not make them mates?”

But I guess that means nothing.

[itselriel]

I lose years off my life every time I see people attack the Archeron sisters in favor of the hundreds of years old men they spend time with 💀

Like apparently Feyre bullies Lucien (yes this traumatized 19 year old girl bullies a 300+ yr old fae bc he’s so sad and defenseless) and it’s 100% her fault what happened in the Spring court and not Tamlin’s (bc again even tho he’s 300+ yrs old and has been ruling for most of that time and should have some grasp on it he was sad and in love so it doesn’t count)

Also apparently Nesta deserves Cassian emotionally manipulating/abusing her throughout their relationships because she was rude to him a few times (and this poor sad 500+ year old warrior just can’t handle the stress of being told off by a 20 yr old girl he won’t leave alone🥺)

Don’t even get me started on the attacks on Elain for not wanting to be in a relationship with Lucien. This girl was IN LOVE AND ENGAGED when they met and all she probably knows about mating bonds is that they’re often used to make females the property of their mate. She owes Lucien nothing and has never been directly rude to him, she does NOT need to grovel next book for them to end up together and Lucien wouldn’t expect that either so the fact some fans want that is insane.

Really, I’m not saying Feyre/Nesta/Elain are perfect, they are complex characters with flaws just like the rest of the ACOTAR characters, but it’s crazy to me to see so many people attack them while praising these centuries old males who have exhibited FAR worse behavior than them and have had centuries to mature as opposed to these girls in their 20s.

[itselriel]

Elain being shy around Azriel because she has a crush on him is different from shrinking into herself and losing her new found boldness. One is a girl feeling tongue-tied around a crush and the other reaction is a girl having the life sucked out her at the profound weariness they feel around another person. Besides, as time wears on, Elain becomes more and more talkative around Azriel and they become very comfortable in each other's company. Not to mention, their last interaction she was giving him the go ahead to madly make out with her.

[itselriel]

Feyre questioning Elains mating bond in Acowar:

Azriel questioning the cauldron over Elains mating bond in the Acosf bonus chapter:

HOFAS SPOILERS BELOW

During the crossover in HOFAS that Azriel is heavily featured in: