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[msbrownwithacrown]

[msbrownwithacrown]

My least favorite retcon: Rhysand sending her music. This was the one thing I could imagine Tamlin, the musician, the fiddle playing High Lord doing. C'mon, I can't recall any other times Rhysand has shown an affinity to music.

My favorite retcon of a retcon would be to find out Rhys had used his daemarti powers and saw Tamlin was sending her music and then altered the memory to make it sound like it was Velaris music, that he was sending to her.

[msbrownwithacrown]

They were willing. They begged him to go. 😭

A gentle reminder

I would like to remind you that all of these WAS SAID BY ALIS who was a servant in Spring Court & she was originally from Summer Court. All of these was said by someone who was NOT even from spring court & was a servant who lived in Spring Court & witnessed every thing.

So before you say that Tamlin was sitting on his ass doing nothing. Let me remind you that there was someone standing up for Tamlin behind his back & told all the things he did trying to break the curse. Someone who was not even from the spring court. She also said that sending his men was hard & even more harder was to make that girl fall in love with him. She also said that even if they somehow fall in love with eachother Amarantha will still kill her. And we all know after everything, he sent Feyre home to keep her safe. He chose Feyre's life over entire Prythian's freedom.

[msbrownwithacrown]

"Cassian tried to think over the bellowing beast in his head that tightened every muscle of his body until only bloody violence would appease it.

“Easy,” Lucien said.

Cassian snarled.

“Easy,” Lucien repeated, and flame sizzled in his russet eye.

The flame, the surprising dominance within it, hit Cassian like a stone to the head, knocking him from his need to kill and kill and kill whatever might threaten—

They were all staring.

Cassian rolled his tensed shoulders, stretching out his wings."

Breakdown from this scene:

Lucien is giving Yrene vibes. A healing light that can break Curses. From his Day Side genes. Mixed with the Fire from his autumn court genes (like Aelins fire). This male is a Valgs worst nightmare.

In this scene, I think they were testing out on Cassian, unbeknownst to him, if Lucien could battle a Valg parasite or if Cassian had a Valg Parasite. It seemed to work.

[msbrownwithacrown]

Not a good look when you got a group of powerful women, secretly kept away, under a mountain. So far, that is something every SJM villain has had. Except, what makes Rhysand's case complex is that it's done under circumstances that seem right and just. But like everything else with him, is the confined secrecy to protect the priestesses or to only benefit from their fear that keeps them in cages? I think it was really powerful for Nesta to be the one to start change in there. To encourage the priestesses to go outside, to train. To live again. I wonder if that's why as High Lord, Rhysand still said he couldn't take Gwen, Emerie, and Nesta oit of the Blood Rite. He secretly wanted them to fail. Wanted to keep his priestesses from getting any ideas about freedom outside of his protection.

[msbrownwithacrown]

Unhinged fanfic theory.

But, I'm somewhat convinced that Lucien and Elain are already in a relationship.

Background -

The mating bond is true. When you read the Cauldron scene again, you can see how strong of a bond it is. So strong that Lucien knew from the moment he saw her.

"Lucien staggered a step forward as Elain was gripped between two guards and hoisted up. She began kicking then, weeping while her feet slammed into the sides of the Cauldron as if she’d push off it, as if she’d knock it down— “That is enough.” Lucien surged for Elain, for the Cauldron."

And even as Nesta pulls her away, we see Elain looking back:

To me, this shows that even in shell shock, When she would have been staring at her sister, she was looking over her sister to see Lucien.

Fanfic Theory -

I have 2. But for this one, I'm diving into the secret plot.

Elain is working with the Band of Exiles as a Spy and Mastermind:

Possible Evidence -

"She (Feyre) nodded toward Azriel. “I think she’s got you beat for secret-keeping.”

(Feyre) "Elain was again at my side. I hadn’t heard her steps. Hadn’t heard any sound for moments."

"But Elain had seemed more than content to simply watch the humming city, to take in the sparkling strands of faelights strung between buildings and over the squares to sample any tidbit of food offered by an eager vendor, to listen to minstrels busking by the now-silent fountains."

Her friendship with Nuala and Cerridwen.

The way she plants seeds.

A crack theory evolved from the Weavers shop where she asked the weaver what the Silver represents. The weaver stared at her for a long time before saying "Hope." As if she was gauging if she could trust her. Soon after, Feyre forms a friendship with Ressina, the artist. And is gifted Pollina's art studio. I think there is an underground movement in Velaris (starting to bloom in the artist district), where they want change. Perhaps more freedom. Perhaps the ending cruelty of Ilyrian and CoN citizens. Perhaps not to live under the constant fear of Rhysand.

Anyway, I think her friendship with Az has been to misguide him. To act shy and innocent, to lead him on. To gain his and ICs trust.

Because, when she said "I'm sorry" During the bonus scene, it was because she had set Az up in order for him to start seeing the Cruel realty of Rhys's control. He interrupted Azs kiss, used power and rank and threats to prevent him from kissing. As a friend, a brother, that is way overstepping the line...leader or not.

Also, if Lucien wasn't in on this facade/plan, as a mated fae male, he wouldn't have been able to just sleep upstairs while his mate was aroused with another male. He would have been storming downstairs. I also think he placed a ward on her, with her consent and acknowledgment, that protects her from the shadows. Hence why Azs shadows don't go near her.

Lucien and Elain are faking their relationship as being non-existent as a way to infiltrate the night court.

Lucien faked a bloody lip to misguide Feyre into thinking Tam did that. When she noticed his clothes were from the Spring court, he quickly covered it up and said Tamlin sent it to him at the Band of Exiles home. But I don't buy it. I think Tamlin is on this.

To be cont.

I'll end on this note:

"Elain turned on her heel. “Find me when you wish to begin.”

Find me when you're ready, ready to join the resistance. Ready for Hope.

[msbrownwithacrown]

When Elain said "I'm sorry" to Az during the bonus chp....

I have this theory that she is a frigging mastermind. And she has been the one to push everyone ever so slightly to the unmasking of Rhys. And she set AZ up in that scene so he could see how controlling Rhys is and that he's not the greatest high lord/ friend.

[msbrownwithacrown]

The difference between Lidia and Rhys is that Lidia genuinely feels remorseful for those she harmed while under her mask.

Lidia also found ways to resist. To fight the Asteri. To save others. Afterward, despite doing these acts of good, she still doesn't feel worthy of love because of what she has done.

Rhys seems more concerned about how others perceive him and about his own reputation, then about the pain and affliction he caused others. He also didn't participate in any rebel alliances or movements.

[msbrownwithacrown]

Tag Artist if known.

[msbrownwithacrown]

Tamlin's cursed back story breaks my heart, especially when he gets accused of doing nothing and being a POS, lazy ass.

Think of how he sent sentry after sentry out to be sacrificed. In order to break the curse. And, how he stopped doing it for a while because he couldn't stand losing another one of his males, his friends.

Think of living under that curse for 49 years. Imprisoned in a mask. Stripped of your powers. Knowing your people are trapped under a mountain facing unknown brutality. And you have been given a seemingly hopeless and impossible task to break it.

Think of carrying the weight of your court, being the last safe guard for fairies seeking asylum and refuge. Every day, faced with the horrors of Hybern running rampant and free in your court, attacking whoever they please.

Meanwhile, what was Rhy doing to stop the curse? Who in Rhys's Court of Dreamers was being sacrificed to stop the curse? When was Velaris ever in constant danger from Amarantha? When was Velaris offering a refuge to those in need of shelter and safety? If Rhysand is such a mastermind, why didn't he collaborate with Tamlin? Embrace an alliance? Formulate a plot to break the curse?

[msbrownwithacrown]

Top 5 most annoying Tamlin scene misinterpretations

1. ''There is no such thing as a high lady'' I hate this one, because it is always taken as some sort of proof that Tamlin is a raging misogynist who doesn't want an equal woman by his side or some similar type of nonsense. I don't know where this is coming from. Tamlin never wanted to be a high lord. He would probably welcome for someone to take over most of the work so he could just keep running through the woods. He also has absolutely no issues with taking advice from women in power (Ianthe? Hello??). His first reaction to the high lady question is literally this:

“Is everyone just going to call me ‘Tamlin’s wife’? Do I get a … title?” He lifted his head long enough to look at me. “Do you want a title?”

And let's not forget that Feyre's first reply is ''No, I don’t know if I can handle them calling me High Lady”. To which he then answers that she doesn't have to worry about that, since ''there is no such thing as a high lady'' because the magic choses the title and it keeps chosing males. Also this whole scene happens while he eats her out. Not that it's relevant or anything, just saying...

2. ''Tamlin killed Rhys' family'' No. Tamlin's dad killed Rhys' family. I have no idea how Tamlin doing it is ever the takeaway from that whole story. Let's just quote the actual scene:

“Tamlin’s father, brothers, and Tamlin himself set out into the Illyrian wilderness, having heard from Tamlin—from me—where my mother and sister would be, that I had plans to see them. I was supposed to be there. I wasn’t. And they slaughtered my mother and sister anyway.”

Yeah okay, Tamlin gave the information (supposedly) and was there (supposedly) sure, but it's highly unlikely that he was so willingly. Let's not forget that it's established that Tamlin was afraid of his father, that Tamlin's father is worse than Beron (who, I might remind you, tortures his sons) and that Tamlin was friends with Rhys at the time - which neither family approved of. Even Rhys doesn't actually believe Tamlin did anything besides being spineless:

''I didn’t care that Tamlin had been there, had allowed them to kill my mother and sister, that he’d come to kill me because he didn’t want to risk standing against them.''

In the end we don't know the details. Tamlin could've been tortured and tied up or whatever. Making him watch could've been a cruel form of punishment for being friends with Rhys. We don't really know until SJM graces us with Tamlin's side of the story.

3. ''It's really Tamlin's own fault that the spring court fell'' Alternatively also phrased as: 'Feyre just opened everyone's eyes to Tamlin's incompetence' and....honestly? This low key makes me question the reading comprehension of people.

Yes, Tamlin made a deal with Hybern, which was extremely risky, but the war was coming regardless (as we learn from Rhys in the first half of ACOMAF) and the spring court would be the main target because of its location next to the wall. Inviting Hybern into his lands in a trade is actually a pretty smart way to avoid a lot of death on Tamlin's part - plus he needed help to rescue Feyre and get her out of the deal she had with Rhysand (people forget that Tamlin didn't know Feyre didn't actually need rescuing from the guy that was abusing her in front of him in ACOTAR).

So yeah anyway, Feyre did several things to make the spring court fall: 1. She manipulated the solstice ceremony to make herself seem cauldron-blessed in the eyes of the people, 2. She made a sentry accuse Ianthe (who WAS doing sneaky shit) which essentially did nothing except putting Tamlin on the spot in front of Hybern, so he was kind of forced to throw the sentry under the bus. Good job Feyre, you got a poor sod whipped! But it also built resentment within the soldiers, which was her plan all along and 3. before leaving, she did this (let's just quote the whole thing):

''I had a people who had lost faith in their High Priestess. I had sentries who were beginning to rebel against their High Lord. And as a result of those things, I had Hybern royals doubting the strength of their allies here. I’d primed this court to fall. Not from outside forces—but its own internal warring. And I had to be clear of it before it happened. Before the last sliver of my plan fell into place. The party would return without me. And to maintain that illusion of strength, Tamlin and Ianthe would lie about it—where I’d gone. And perhaps a day or two after that, one of these sentries would reveal the news, a carefully sprung trap that I’d coiled into his mind like one of my snares. I’d fled for my life—after being nearly killed by the Hybern prince and princess. I’d planted images in his head of my brutalized body, the markings consistent with what Dagdan and Brannagh had already revealed to be their style. He’d describe them in detail—describe how he helped me get away before it was too late. How I ran for my life when Tamlin and Ianthe refused to intervene, to risk their alliance with Hybern. And when the sentry revealed the truth, no longer able to stomach keeping quiet when he saw how my sorry fate was concealed by Tamlin and Ianthe, just as Tamlin had sided with Ianthe the day he’d flogged that sentry …When he described what Hybern had done to me, their Cursebreaker, their newly anointed Cauldron-blessed, before I’d fled for my life … There would be no further alliance. For there would be no sentry or denizen of this court who would stand with Tamlin or Ianthe after this. After me.''

So, the sentries left Tamlin because of a lie. A fake story. Without sentries, Hybern decided to take over rather than just be guests and had a prime spot to attack the summer court in turn. Which is also why Tarquin is extremely pissed at Feyre - not Tamlin. So no, Tamlin wasn't a bad high lord. His only real mistake was ever trusting Feyre.

Sure, some argue that Feyre thought Tamlin genuinely sided with Hybern and might be a threat to the rest of Prythian, so taking him down would make sense for her even outside of petty revenge. But there's just one problem with that: Feyre is a mind reader. She could have just.....checked. lol

4. ''Tamlin didn't do anything Under the Mountain'' This one really gets my goat because it's not really true? Things Tamlin did to help Feyre: 1. He sent her away to the human realm. (People forget this, but he basically doomed his court to protect her ass - it's not his fault she came back!) 2. He made Lucien check up on her. (Yes Lucien was Feyre's friend but he still acted under Tamlin's orders!) 3. He ignored Feyre as to not rile Amarantha up even more (Come on, have you seen Amarantha? It totally makes sense) 4. He tries to get to Feyre, begging Amarantha to stop even as he is tied up, bleeding out from a stab wound to his chest that he can't heal because he has no powers - like what do you want him to do??? 4. He literally kills Amarantha the second he is able to

Also personal conspiracy detour: That music that Rhysand supposedly sent to Feyre was SO originally supposed to be Tamlin, you can't convince me otherwise. I will never not believe that this wasn't just a lazily done quick change when SJM rewrote book 1 and 2 to account for the boyfriend switcheroo. Attributing the music to Rhys makes absolutely zero sense. He's not a musical boy at all, come on! Music themes never come up with him again either! Meanwhile Tamlin played for Feyre before, is generally a musical guy COME ON! /conspiracy detour over

5. ''It's Tamlin's fault that Nesta and Elaine got turned to fae'' No. No it's not. He knew nothing about this. Ianthe did this on her own accord because Feyre told her where her sister's lived. Tamlin actually attacks (!) the King of Hybern over it (to no avail, but still).

Some people blame Tamlin for keeping Ianthe around afterwards, despite of what she did. Those people I want to refer to point number 3 in this list. Ianthe was working with Hybern. Tamlin tried to be buddies with Hybern for reasons. No, he can't just throw out Ianthe.

[msbrownwithacrown]

In all sincerity, I'm honestly wondering what Fandom likes about Rhysand so much? How does a character that lies, abuses, and torments other character receive so much love? He is claimed to be the best book boyfriend.

Yet, Tamlin is POS. Tampon. Every other awful name. Yet , he hasn't done anything that Rhys hasn't done. And he apologizes, makes amends.

Make it make sense.

[msbrownwithacrown]

The fact that executing Nesta was even a debate in hofas…

Inner circle, they could never make me like you.

[msbrownwithacrown]

Okay but what if Nesta can't be killed, being Lady Death and her powers of Pure Death and all?

And Rhys knows it and desperately needs her to not know it bc thats his leverage?

✨️drama✨️

[msbrownwithacrown]

I'm wondering who the shadow sleeping in the thorns was on Mor's Atherwood poroperty?

Possibly...

1. Rhys's sister

- basing this on the Greek Myth of Althea. It's similar to the origins of sleeping beauty. The father gives all the gods fruit but forgets to gift Artemis. Artemis then sets the giant boar onto Calydon (which is often associated with Springtime and was the inspiration for the Classic song Hounds of Spring... which, yes, made me think of Eris and Tamlin working together/connected somehow. Especially since Eris was the one who planned the meet-up with Nesta and Cass in the Spring Court. I think that Tamlin, Rhys sister, Mor, and Eris are heavily tied to this shadowy figure, but I'm not sure how yet.

Also, Aetherwold sounds like Atherwood, the name of Mor's place. He was a ruler who lost to the vikings and had an eye plucked out.... which leads me to another theory....

2. Tamwen, Cassians prior Valkyrie lover.

Her story could be based on Brunhilde. Another early origin of sleeping beauty. Where a Valkyrie was laid to sleep by Odin (one eyed god) because she tried to defy death.

Aetherwold folklore is also connected to Aertherwulf folklore. Aetherwulf means the "Noble Wolf." The folklore says he is a legendary beast that roams misty, forgotten lands, and represents the restless spirit of ancient kings. He also guards the boundaries between realms. Does that not sound like Spring, being the land between Fae and humans, guarded by Aertherwulf aka Tamlin?

[msbrownwithacrown]

You know what would be wild or at least make a delicious fanfic?

Acofas scene.

Rhys and Tamlin.

“Do you think she will forgive me?”

Rhys responds like he is talking about Feyre.

What if.... they're not talking about the same person?

Tamlin then Segways, and for the first time ever he brings up Rhys's family to him, seemingly out of nowhere: “Do you forgive me—for your mother and sister?”

What if...in his state of sadness, he's lucidly rambling on and talking about Rhysand's sister?

Will she forgive me? Not a "Will she ever forgive me," nor a past-tense, "Has she forgiven me?"...more like a will she forgive me when she finds out what I haveve done or what I am going to do?

And now, here's the platform where the train of thought departs into a total fanfic fantasy....

But what if...the patch of darkness that Mor sees while riding her horse.. that is lying between a snarl of thorns. (Hello Sleeping Beauty reference). That doesn't move or "seem to do anything but linger. And watch." That Mor finds to be both "Familiar and yet foreign" is indeed..

Rhysand's sister.

"Something in her power whispered not to touch it, not to go near it. Even from this distance.

Mor obeyed."

Almost like it is an enchantment, perhaps from a high lord, that is enforcing this command, that makes the brave, "throws herself into battle" Mor obey and back away.

"But she still watched that darkness in the thorns, as if a shadow had fallen asleep amongst them."

I wonder if Tamlin and Rhysands' sister were in love. And Tamlin placed a glamour or spell on her that turned her into a shadow and eternally sleeping. Where in doing the spell of keeping her hidden, it accidently worked so well that it even erased her from his memory. His Mate.

And I need to read more on this but perhaps Tamlin's real heart is hidden with her in this shadow. Like he promised he would never love again or did a spell to keep their mating bond a secret. I'm also going to read about Althea mythology right now.

[msbrownwithacrown]

I really hope acofs Rhys and his actions don't just get washed away and under rug swept like all of his other previous actions.

Because poor Feyre is giving me domestically abused woman vibes. One who is so thoroughly manipulated that she laughs and justifies the abuse away, with an excuse.

"Lol. That's just how Fae Males are during pregnancy."

"Lol yes he just overreacted a little with almost killing my sister for sharing vitally important health news to me."

"Lol yes he basically imprisoned my sister."

& then Rhysand gives me toxic narcissistic abuser vibes. Classically, comes in after the abuse (and only after the victim did something that directly benefited the abuser) and bombards the victim (Nesta) with tokens of lovebombing and extravagant gifts. Miraculously now having enough wealth to endlessly gift her with things. Dramatically bowing before her (equivalent in our world to a dramatic display of affection), which yes she deserves, but when coming from an abuser master manipulator, it must be taken with a grain of salt.

Especially, considering that by hofas we're seeing the continual mistreatment of Nesta.

But this doesn't get explained as Rhys is "just a fae male", this doesn't even get acknowledged by the ic as not ok behavior.