#dusk Court

[melphss]

@nestaarcheronweek | Day 01: Queen of Queens

“We heard about you down here. You are the one the sea and the wind and the earth whispered of.”

“Nesta.”

“You took from the Cauldron itself.”

“Come with me, Queen of Queens, and we shall return what was once lost.”

-  Chapter 54, A Court of Silver Flames.

Nesta has been referenced more than once as a queen in the books, and perhaps this is a portent for what the future holds for her. Maybe not exactly as queen, but as ruler of the Dusk Court.

In this art, me and Luana wanted to represent Nesta as it's High Lady, holding her two swords: Cauldron made Ataraxia and Starsword/Gwydion. And we couldn't have loved more how @gessueter brought this idea to life.

Art by: @gessueter

Commissioned by: @melphss and Luana

Characters belongs to: Sarah J. Maas

[oristian]

ELUCIEN | GWYNRIEL — MAASVERSE SPOILERS

I tend to see posts and videos from a multitude of people who seem to be reluctant to accept foreshadowing in the ACOTAR books—specifically regarding the endgame couples to finish out the overall series. As this post is simply beating a dead horse down, I find that it is very much needed as a specific group of people lack the capacity to understand the books.

Foreshadowing is not meant to be obvious. There are, of course, cases where it is relatively obvious, but only within the parameters of back-to-back scenes. Foreshadowing is meant to be picked up on, but to be fully understand later on in the story when everything comes to fruition. Examples of foreshadowing include color descriptions, specific use of language, emphasis on certain scenes, emphasis surrounding specific objects, et cetera. If something happens obviously and you can read the scene as-is, it is not foreshadowing.

I see many people who ship Elriel claim that there is buildup across the entire series that foreshadows why they will be endgame. As the books do not support that claim, it is outlandish and a spread of misinformation. Allow me to disprove this theory using the books alone:

— 🌸 ACOTAR: Zero interactions between Elain and Azriel as Azriel had not been introduced as a character yet. This book highlighted Feyre surmising that Elain would thrive within the Spring Court, that her sister enjoyed typical emissary work, and instead introduced Lucien as a character.

— 🦢 ACOMAF: This is the first book where Elain and Azriel met, as is this is where many Elriels like to claim that the Elriel build-up begins. However, this book says otherwise. Elain and Azriel’s first meeting is neutral, quiet conversation to ease a tense situation as Nesta/Feyre/Cassian/Rhys were creating an uncomfortable atmosphere and Elain meant to ease it. This book highlighted how in love Azriel was with Mor and how Elain was engaged to Grayson. Many Elriels also claim that the color of Elain’s dress in this first meeting—being cobalt—is indicative of endgame between she and Azriel. However, cobalt is also the signature color of Grayson’s family crest. Their interactions die out after that first meeting and instead focus on Feysand again. The throne room scene in Hybern also showed the beginning of Elucien and their mate bond, while Azriel was on the floor reaching for Mor. (I go more into this on my Tik Tok page: @oristian)

— 🔥 ACOWAR: When Feyre returns to the Night Court after her month in Spring, she finds that Elain has been within a catatonic state for the entirety of that month and has shown no signs of recovering—that is, until Lucien came along. Elain began eating and moving around once he came and after tugging on the mating bond, her visions first started showing. themselves. Everyone likes to credit Azriel for most of this, but all that Azriel did (take her to the garden) was suggested previously by Lucien. Lucien, who was not able to be alone with her due to Nesta and Feyre. Next, everyone tends to say that Azriel “saw” Elain when he named her power. “What we need is …” Contradicts such a thing. Naming a power does not cure someone of their trauma. Lucien is also canonically the first character to take Elain’s visions seriously and went in search of Vassa, ultimately finding Papa Archeron and creating an even deeper connection into the Koschei plot arc with Elain. This is also where we get the iconic half-step on the stair scene.

Elain is now kidnapped by the cauldron portraying itself as Graysen—Elain wanting so badly to be with her previous lover. This is a scene where many Elriels claim that it is supportive of Elriel being endgame. However, it is within character for Azriel to save someone, especially people close to him. Certainly, Elain being appreciative of being saved and kissing him on the cheek is cute, but that is not enough “foreshadowing” for an endgame. Next, Azriel hands her Truth Teller after Elain refused other weapons. Elain is hesitant and only agrees to take it once Feyre chimes in that she will not have to use it. Juxtapose this with Elain immediately giving it back after the battle is over, not saying a word, and instead falling into conversation with Lucien. Lucien, who is canonically the only character to credit her for assisting with ending the King of Hybern.

— 🌨️ ACOFAS: This is the buffer book that was meant to do two things: Establish Nessian as the next couple for the following book, and establish a clear love triangle between Azriel/Elain/Lucien. Elriels use this book to drive the idea of an Elriel endgame. While this book has scenes between Elain and Azriel, there is unfortunately no foreshadowing present enough to support that claim. This novella emphasizes, from a conversation between Rhys and Feyre, that Azriel may be inclined towards Elain due to her having traits that may remind him of his mother (Freud). We also have Solstice where Lucien brings Elain a gift—a gift that fully reflects her interests—Elain brings Azriel a gift, but Azriel does not bring Elain a gift. Azriel even questioning beforehand if he has to get the sisters a gift at all. Elain’s gift being superficial and more of a joke than anything truly meaningful to them as a relationship.

— 🗡️ ACOSF: The book that ended Elriel. We have this book set up as PRE-BONUS CHAPTER | BONUS CHAPTER | POST BONUS CHAPTER. In the pre-bonus chapter, we have a few scenes between Elain and Azriel that is a glance, or a very small interaction. The infamous scene that Elriels like to use to “prove” that his shadows actually like Elain is the scene where Cassian says that Nesta upset Elain and his shadows seemed poised to strike. His shadows reacted to his anger, not to Elain. Next, the Solstice scene where Azriel refused to be within the room due to the mating bond between Elain and Lucien and Nesta seeing that he was interested in Elain—which is never brought up again, however we do get a scene post bonus chapter of Nesta encouraging Gwyn and Azriel by calling him the “new ribbon.”

The bonus chapter ended Elriel officially as endgame. The chapter is told from Azriel’s POV and documents his lustful thoughts of Elain and how he wants a mate, hurt and confused why his brothers had two of the Archeron sisters and the third was given away to another male. Rhysand even asking Azriel what his plans are after seducing Elain and Azriel having none “past the fantasies he pleasures himself to.” This is also a chapter where Elriels like to claim that Elriel is a forbidden romance. ACOWAR Rhys clearly objects to this being the case. (I have a video on my Tik Tok going over this @oristian) The bonus chapter then moves to Azriel finding Gwyn, his shadows not warning him of her presence at the HoW. His shadows are curious about her and dance with her breath. Azriel then finds out that Elain rejected his necklace—the only Solstice gift that he has gotten her, and one he expressed as “nothing extraordinary”—and the next morning finds him re-gifting such to Gwyn. Azriel can picture her eyes lighting up at the gift and he smiles—this is also where mate language is used to describe the spark in his chest at the thought of her and the glow of the thought. “A thing of secret, lovely beauty.” A line that was used twice—one to describe the necklace, and another time to describe the thought of Gwyn.

Post bonus chapter has zero interactions between Elain and Azriel. The interactions between Azriel and Gwyn are charged and witty. Energetic. This is also where we see Azriel’s siphons glowing darker at the thought of the Valkyries in the Great Rite—the first instance that this has happened.

Next, we go into the last two remaining plot arcs: Koschei and Dusk Court. Both ACOSF and HOFAS have set Nesta up as the driver for the Dusk Court arc, with Azriel as the character to follow. With SJM’s Bloomsbury contract slating her to have two more main books with dual POV romantic interests, the Dusk Court arc book would only make sense having Gwyn and Azriel as the FMC and MMC of that arc. The Koschei arc has been carefully crafted for Elain and Lucien to be the FMC and MMC of that book, with both of them being set up for this since ACOWAR. Elain with her visions of Vassa, the lake, and Koschei’s black box, and Lucien being tied to Papa Archeron and Vassa and the mortals. (I have a video on my Tik Tok that goes more in depth with this @oristian)

— SUMMARY: Elain and Azriel do not have multiple books of foreshadowing, a Gwynriel and Elucien endgame is not fanservice, and the remaining two plot arcs do not support an Elriel endgame. If you have any problems with that, take it up with SJM.

[deboecia]

I always choose the wrong day of the year to remind myself that I am an artist.

Here's a sneak peek of my recent sketch of Elriel, which I will probably finish next year (I am so funny, please laugh).

I am literally counting days, hours, minutes, and seconds to get my hands on CC3. I've spent these last weeks re-reading the previous CC, Acotar and now I am back to ToG.

After reading all the books again, my love for Elriel grew stronger. I can't wait to find out some clues about these two on HOFAS.

My head is exploding with theories and ideas and I am so excited to find out what SJM has planned for the next book.

Happy New Year!

[offtorivendell]

The Asteri, the Daglan, and Prythian's Court System

Disclaimer: this is a stupidly massive crack theory that could end up being disastrously wrong. Oh well.

Spoilers: the ACOTAR and CC series to date (I'm halfway through HOFAS right now, slowly plodding along, so nothing beyond that).

Image from ACOSF, Kindle edition.

Buckle up for some more of my nonsense! I think I could have discovered why Prythian's land has the Court and High Lord Systems. This theory still has a couple of wrinkles to iron out, but it's plausible, so I figured I'd share what I've got.

A massive thank you goes to @ladynightcourt3 and @psychologynerd for our chat yesterday morning, which led to this post. I love you guys! 💜

Full warning that this will A) be absolutely cracked, and B) contains Maasverse spoilers, including from HOFAS (up to around 40% I think), but I was mulling over what I'd read so far and this popped into my mind.

Part 1 - The Court System

Bryce made, I think, one hell of an assumption when she said the following in HOFAS:

Vesperus, the only Asteri left on this world, lay dead. - CC HOFAS, chapter 26

@wingedblooms and I have previously theorised that some of the barren regions in Prythian may be so because the death gods were trapped there, drinking the magic of the land, rendering it spent - lifeless - and possibly unable to power up a gateway to an interstellar rift. We both also think it's very interesting that one Elain Archeron was referred to as “a rose bloom in a mud field,” but I digress.

However, in HOFAS, we learnt that there was a Daglan/Asteri, called Vesperus (who considered herself the Evening Star and their god), trapped in a crystal coffin far below the Prison, which was once a land of Dusk.

The female’s long nails scraped along the lid of the coffin. She didn’t look at them as she tested the lid for weaknesses. “I am your god. I am your master. Do you not know me?” - CC HOFAS, chapter 24

It's interesting, no, that the region was named after the Daglan who ruled it? Was this common practice? Because we just so happened to learn, in Feysand’s ACOSF bonus chapter, that there was once an ancient Night Court goddess named Nyx.

You know, their son's namesake? Yikes. 🫣

“You may call me Vesperus.” The creature’s eyes glowed with irritation. “Are you related to Hesperus?” Bryce arched a brow at the name, so similar to one of Midgard’s Asteri. “The Evening Star?” “I am the Evening Star,” Vesperus seethed. - CC HOFAS, chapter 25

Silene, Theia's second daughter, who “escaped into the night,” gave us further information that appeared - to me, at least - to be incomplete. Or perhaps inaccurate? She had been taught by her mother, so she could have been fed certain things as facts. For example, was the land of Prythian really divvied up into seasons and times of day before the Daglan came to town?

The land strengthened. It returned to what it had been before the Daglan’s arrival millennia before. We returned to what we’d been before that time, too, creatures whose very magic was tied to this land. Thus the land’s powers became my mother’s. Dusk, twilight—that’s what the island was in its long-buried heart, what her power bloomed into, the lands rising with it. It was, as she said, as if the island had a soul that now blossomed under her care, nurtured by the court she built here. - CC HOFAS, chapter 19

The Cauldron was of our world, our heritage. But upon arriving here, the Daglan captured it and used their powers to warp it. To turn it from what it had been into something deadlier. No longer just a tool of creation, but of destruction. And the horrors it produced … those, too, my parents would turn to their advantage. - CC HOFAS, chapter 19

My sister and I grew older. My mother educated us herself, always reminding us that though the Daglan had been vanquished, evil lived on. Evil lurked beneath our very feet, always waiting to devour us. - CC HOFAS, chapter 19

Reading between the lines, I think it's just possible to link the powers of each land with the Daglan who once ruled over them. Perhaps each region - each “precursor” to a modern day Court - had a Daglan/Asteri buried underneath a barren peak, or in a body of water? Is this why the lands have frozen seasons, pools of starlight*, or powers based upon the light of the time of day? Because of a monster buried far, far below the surface?!

*Is there a Daglan entombed in a crystal coffin far below the surface, or is it a cache of firstlight, one that may be refuelled each Calanmai? Or, as @psychologynerd has suggested, is there a Made object of power that will draw Elain to the Spring Court?

Our home had been left empty since we’d vanished. As if the other Fae thought it cursed. So I made it truly cursed. Damned it all. - CC HOFAS, chapter 21

Despite my efforts to hide what this place had once been, a terrible, ancient power hung in the air. It was as my mother had warned us when we were children: evil always lingered, just below us, waiting to snatch us into its jaws. So I went to find another monster to conceal it. - CC HOFAS, chapter 21

I left, wandering the lands for a time, seeing how they had moved on without Theia’s rule. They’d splintered into several territories, and though they were not at war, they were no longer the unified kingdom I had known. - CC HOFAS, chapter 21

As a quick aside, I still suspect that Fionn may have been a Daglan - or similar, perhaps an Under King - who tricked Theia into thinking him a normal faerie and used her to overthrow his peers in order to gain more land for himself. It seems exactly like something a rogue Asteri would do.

Like I suggested earlier, could each region be named for its ruler? Because the names of at least one of the Midgard Asteri was, shall we say, coincidentally similar to the Daglan of Prythian, and others appear to match at least the solar courts.

Solar:

Dawn - Eosphoros

Day - Rigelus

Dusk - Hesperus

Night - Sirius

Seasonal (incomplete/unsure/probably incorrect):

Spring - Austrus?

Summer - Octartis?

Autumn - ?

Winter - Polaris?

As I said, the Midgardian Asteri don't perfectly match up to the seasonal Prythian courts, but it's too close to not consider as a possibility, imo.

Perhaps the lands of Midgard were broken up into solar regions and something else that wasn't seasonal? But given the Vesperus/Hesperus competition... maybe whatever species Asteri and/or Daglan are are strongest when travelling with a full complement of powers? And each "clan" (for lack of a better word) that travelled together had dawn, day, dusk, and night “lights,” as well as spring, summer, autumn and winter lights? Could it weaken them to be without a full cohort of powers? As @ladynightcourt3 said, it would explain why they were so upset about Sirius. Could Rigelus be hoping for a replacement to find them and return them to full strength, and that's why he keeps an empty throne?

Part 2 - The High Lords

No one knew that the infant who sometimes glowed with starlight had inherited it from me. That it was the light of the evening star. The dusk star. - CC HOFAS, chapter 21

An Asteri being buried under each Court could explain the high lord magic as well.The HLs are “a different breed,” per Lucien. Did the Asteri/Daglan need a Starborn Fae who is predisposed to holding, or withstanding, their magic? If this is the case, it would explain why the next in line to inherit the power - or who the magic chooses - isn't always a direct descendant of the previous high lord. Does it pass to the Fae with the strongest Starborn blood? And why the mountain shook when Mor got her first period. There has to be a Daglan/Asteri buried under the Hewn City.

That being said, why is it only men who can inherit the magic, and not women, especially when we now know that high ladies used to exist? Did Theia's betrayal made them distrust females in general, or was it something Seline did? Or is it because the women have the most/purest/strongest, starborn power, so did the men keep them down to use them as “breeding stock” in order to legitimise their rule, similar to what Pelias did with Helena?

Part 3 - Further Thoughts

I still wonder how Hybern and Hel could come into play here, because I think those lands are linked. A Valg/Hel Prince population on a different island?

@psychologynerd noted that we’ve previously connected the solar and seasonal courts, such Dawn = Spring, Day = Summer etc., and that it would track for Autumn and Dusk - an appropriately matched pair - to migrate together to Midgard. As an aside, this could tie in with the parallels shared by Azriel and Lucien, who may be/are linked to Dusk and Autumn. What if their power was connected via their “stars”?

@ladynightcourt3 wondered if Hesperus may have changed her name, hence Vesperus’ anger.

I can understand how a Daglan's presence may impart their magic into the land, especially if they're left buried - steeping? - in the soil for millennia, but how would that magic shape the faeries living there? Is it like I suggested in this post, that prolonged exposure to a powerful object allows a tie to be forged?

A bonus crack theory for fun - what if Merrill is a trapped Asteri? Either Nyx or Sirius, whom Apollion ate, and perhaps she escaped the pit of Hel through the base of the House of Wind library; nobody knows where she came from, she's descended from Rabbath of the Western Wind… her room is described as a cell and she called Nesta “girl” like Amren - an ancient - did. I dunno, but there's something about Merrill.

As always, thank you for reading! 💜

[stargirlfeyre]

I don’t think the “Feyre only become High Lady and got her title from Rhysand” people realize that the Dusk Court, yeah the court y’all have been theorizing Nesta is going to rule, already belongs to Rhysand. So if your crack theories are true and Nesta does become High Lady of that court that would mean Rhys gave it to her. He would have handed her that land to rule over because it already belongs to him.

Nesta would literally only get her High Lady title because of him. Either she doesn’t become High Lady (which is likely the case because let’s be real for a second Sjm is not making Cassian a High Lord and she’s not splitting Nessian up either), or she does become High Lady of Dusk and her fans have to cope with the fact that there’s another thing she only has because Rhys was kind enough to grant it her.

Either way I’m going to laugh.

[elrieldreamer]

When you look into your back yard and the sky is dusty pink, amethyst, and cobalt blue. 🌸🗡️💜

[shallyne]

MOR IS STARBORN

It hasn't been officially confirmed that she is but in acomaf we learned that Mor's family once ruled the land where the prison is and in Hofas we learned that the prison was the Dusk Court and that's where the Starborn lived

[emmitaaa4]

"As if the city view held some answer." On visions, heartbeats through stone, and the Dusk Court.

I'm but a procrastinating engineering student so this is going to be a bit of a messy post/theory, but here we go.

HOFAS spoilers:

Others have probably already theorized about this, but we know that Bryce ended up giving back TT and handing the Starsword (Gwydion) to the acotar folks... could it be that the Gwydion is destined to be Elain's? Or used by Elain, perhaps in the revival of the Dusk court? After all, as @bright-side20 and others have pointed out we already know that she likely accessed TT's powers in acowar (stepping out of a shadow to kill Hybern; if I am not mistaken TT leaked a darkness that even Az was surprised to witness in HOFAS).

sidenote: if you are curious about the link between Avallen & the Dusk court, I encourage everyone to go read this theory/breakdown!

Could this also be why the fact that Elain returned TT (which was an obvious action) was emphasized in ACOFAS, where SJM said she planted seeds for future bookS? Cause I find it interesting that it is Mor of all people that hums pensively as she points out that Elain gave TT back to Azriel: does she know/sense something with that power of hers? Does Elain perhaps See something too, given that she supposedly moved away from it very assuredly? After all, Mor was the one to say that "there is a reason that Elain is seeing these things" (acowar).

ALSO... I believe it's been pointed out already that the heartbeat through the stone that elain famously heard in acowar could have been a literal "beating, vibrant heart locked away far beneath"; i.e. the heart of the Dusk court (hofas). I find it all the more interesting, then, that Gwydion is described to have its light like a heartbeat (paraphrased from hofas, I dont remember the exact quote).

After all, it is looking away from Lucien, towards the windows, that she tells him--or rather, appears to be telling him:

“When I sleep,” she murmured, “I can hear your heart beating through the stone.” She angled her head, as if the city view held some answer. “Can you hear mine?” “He wasn’t sure if she truly meant to address him, but he said, “No, lady. I cannot.”

I repeat:

as if the CITY VIEW held some answer.

What if it did? And what if that answer is found in Gwydion's light and/or the Dusk court's beating heart?

In fact, what else do we know happens (or happened in acowar at least) when she sleeps? Visions, most likely: before she gained the understanding she needed to free herself from the murky-realm she was trapped in (thanks to my man Az), she was lost in a dream-like state. And those dreams often including the trashing sea...

"I can see so very far now. All the way to the sea." Indeed, the sea beyond the Sydra was a distant sparkle. (...) “I can hear your heartbeat—if I listen carefully. I can hear her heartbeat, too.” (who is her? is she hearing her sisters' literal heartbeats, or someone/something else's?)

“I can hear the sea. Even at night. Even in my dreams. The crashing sea—and the screams of a bird made of fire.”

These quotes have been dissected countless times already, but what I'd really like to add to the conversation is that there is something interesting from a passage from HOFAS I referenced earlier:

“And in that moment, the mountain—the island—spoke to her. Alone. It was so alone—it had been waiting all this time. Cold and adrift in this trashing grey sea. If she could reach out, if she could open her heart to it… it might sing again. Awaken. There was a beating, vibrant heart locked away, far beneath them. If she freed it, the land would rise from its slumber, and such wonders would spring again from its earth (…)”

I am about to make the mother of all reaches (call me delulu idc idc), but all this talk about Elain being “blooming spring” and “a promise of spring”… and here we have a slumbering, barren Island (not unlike the way she herself has been forgotten, has been lost in dreams) in the trashing sea (crashing sea, anyone?) which could spring anew.

Just to wrap this up, you cant tell me that this passage isn't extremely Elain "gentle-grower-of-life" Archeron coded:

Dusk, twilight—that’s what the island was in its long-buried heart, what her power bloom into, the lands rising with it. It was, as she said, as if the island had a soul that now blossomed under her care, nurtured by the court she built here.

-------

Voila :) Hopefully I didnt get things mixed up and this made at least a little bit of sense. Ok so done with my procrastination and now back to thermodynamics (send help)(please).

[helenlvsbooks]

• Elain Archeron as High Lady of the Dusk Court •

CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR ALL OF ACOTAR AND HOFAS

DISCLAIMER: This is a pro Elain, pro Elriel theory, if you know this is something that will upset you, scroll and don’t interact with my post. I am not responsible for the content you choose to consume.

This is a post made with love and appreciation for Elain Archeron and all of my beautiful elriels, you guys are the intended audience for this post and I hope you guys enjoy it, as much I enjoyed writing it.

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POWERS

As of February of 2024 we know very little of Elain’s powers, and while we know for sure that she has visions or something close to it, making her a seer; there’s reason to think that she might be able to do more than that.

ACOWAR CHAPTER 75

It’s been said throughout the series that the cauldron is taken with Elain, and gifted something to her. While Nesta took power from it, Death itself as Rhysand called it in ACOSF, Elain was blessed by it.

While I have a preference for what those powers might be, I’m not going to stick only to my ideas, but I’ll also mention some alternatives the fandom has come up with.

ACOWAR CHAPTER 74

There’s two things I want to talk about when it comes to this passage.

— Elain stepped out of a shadow.

While there’s a lot of possibilities as to why Elain was able to do this, the exact moment it was needed, there’s two main theories I would like to mention.

One. Elain was able to winnow.

ACOMAF CHAPTER 7

ACOMAF CHAPTER 13

This is the most simple explanation to what happened in ACOWAR, and it could be an indication of Elain’s power being greater than that of a normal high fae.

“Only the stronger fae can do it.”

But it also leaves the question of what about the training? We all know Feyre is a High Lady, and even she had to train to be able to use that ability, so how is Elain able to do this so easily at the right moment in the middle of the battle field?

I would love to offer you an alternative.

TWO. Elain used Truthteller’s powers.

HOFAS CHAPTER 25

We learned in CC3 that Azriel doesn’t know how to use Truthteller to its full potential, what if Elain was able to see it with her Seer abilities and make use of it?

ACOWAR CHAPTER 30

It’s known in the fandom that Elain foresaw Cassian’s death. And while some still think this is going to happen in future books, I believe it already happened and Elain found a way to stop it.

ACOWAR CHAPTER 69

If Elain was able to winnow all along, why didn’t she take the dagger that Cassian offered her? She could’ve killed the king with that one just fine. Unless, she isn’t or didn’t know she was able to until she possessed Truth-Teller.

It’s been proven in CC3 that The star-sword and Truth-Teller possess a unique ability when combined/used together, but Vesperus was referring to Truth-Teller on its own.

HOFAS CHAPTER 12

This conversation in CC3 tells us two things:

Truth-Teller doesn't possess the ability to kill the unkillable we saw with The Starsword and Ataraxia. So, a simple dagger could've killed the King of Hybern.

It's implyed by the name of the dagger and what Azriel said that it might possess truth powers.

What if Truth-Teller showed Elain her ability to winnow or the dagger's innate power to help her do it?

HOFAS CHAPTER 12

"The dagger shone with darkness" - "Elain stepped out of the shadow."

As for the second thing I wanted to mention about ACOWAR 74: Only those with the power of the starborn can wild the Sword and the knife. And this is a fact.

Healing - Life Powers

ACOWAR CHAPTER 76

Going back to the Cauldron and Elain's gifted powers. It would make sense that while Nesta stole Death itself from it, Elain might've been gifted with Life by it.

Throughout the ACOTAR books, Elain's been linked to spring and gardens, and there have been many instances where SJM wrote about Elain growing plants, growing life.

ACOWAR CHAPTER 80

All of this aligns with what we learned about Theia and the Dusk Court in CC3.

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HOFAS CHAPTER 22

This right here is what inspired this theory, the moment I read this, everything made sense to me. This is what Bryce senses in the prison with her starborn powers, sounds familiar?

ACOWAR CHAPTER 24

Even Lucien knows that what Elain is saying doesn't seem to be about him, and I never believed it was. The wording is very specific.

"I can hear your heart through the stone." - "There was a beating, vibrant heart locked away, far beneath them."

HOFAS CHAPTER 67

"Off making more gardens?" - "I think the world needs more gardens."

Again, the wording used here was too specific to be a coincidence. A Garden, that's how SJM referred to the mountain Bryce awakened in Avallen, which is almost the exact copy of the Prison/Dusk Court.

HOFAS CHAPTER 19

"blossomed under her care,"

All of this makes me think of something SJM mentioned in ACOSF.

ACOSF CHAPTER 22

There was no reason for SJM to mention this particular detail unless it's something that might come to happen in the future; and with all of the foreshadowing I just showed you, I think it's pretty clear who they might be referring to.

In HOFAS, Bryce takes Theia's power from the mountain and this awakens the land. She already did this in Pythian, but we didn't get to know if the same thing happened there. What if the land needs a High Lady to really blossom and come back to what it once was?

I can't think of anyone better than Elain to do that.

DRESS FORESHADOWING

One thing that some elriels noticed is that SJM makes it a point of having Elain 90% of the time in either pink or blue dresses, this is a fun detail that we love to mention when talking about The Sleeping Beauty retelling theory, this one is one of my favorites so definitely check it out.

While this is true for most of the series, SJM decided to make Elain wear another color in Silver Flames, purple, the mix of the two. Where am I going with this?

I think this Google image speaks for itself, but one last thing! There's a particular line of inner monologue from Cassian that a lot of gwynri3l's use to justify Elain "not belonging" in the Night Court.

ACOSF CHAPTER 57

While they love to forget that the Inner Circle did this on purpose to make Elain look "plain", so Eris would keep his attention on Nesta; they might have a point because no, Elain won't stay in the Night Court.

ACOSF CHAPTER 57

Nesta looks stunning in black tho, so she'll most definitely stay there. Right?

COLORING BOOK SYMBOLISM

On another note, user acoracaodefogo found something really interesting in the official coloring book for the series. Remember how Archeron's father named three ships after his daughters? Well, each of them has a symbol that correlates to something important about the sisters' future.

The Feyre has a crescent moon and stars, symbolizing the night court, and The Nesta has a creature that looks close to what the hounds of the Daglan are described as (intriguing), and a sun, like the one in the mask of the trove.

Elain's however, has an eight-pointed star, the symbol of the starborn and the Dusk Court.

HOEAB CHAPTER 21

As we already know, only the starborn can wield the Sword and the knife, and Elain happened to wield one of the two already.

STARBORN HERITAGE

Were the sisters already part of the Starborn line? I think this might be the case. It never made sense to me how Nesta was able to shield her mind from a high lord, or that Rhys could feel Feyre, his mate, while still being human; or how their father was able to make a deal with Koshei. We know he was known as the Prince of Merchants before losing all of his fortune, but what could he offer Koshei? What could be so important that a death god was happy to strike a deal with that old man?

ACOTAR CHAPTER 35

And there's also this. This little piece of information is what made me believe the sisters weren't completely human after all. Why would their parents know and old name of the fae? The humans hate the fae, they are scared of them, why would they choose that name for their youngest daughter?

There's also this new piece of information we got in CC3. Ruhn has healing magic, from the starborn line? This aligns perfectly well with what some elriels have been speculating since ACOWAR, that Elain saved Cassian not only by stabbing the King of Hybern, but also by immediately running towards him and healing some of his wounds.

HOFAS CHAPTER 94

NOTE: One last thing that came to my mind just now, the Starborn lake is in the Spring Court and it was said multiple times in Silver Flames that Elain would love to see that court. Just a thought.

This is going to be it for now, if you have something else to add to this please do; I would love to talk more about it!

ACOSF CHAPTER 21

BUT ELAIN TURNED ON HER HEEL. "FIND ME WHEN YOU WISH TO BEGIN."

ACOSF FEYSAND BONUS CHAPTER

"LET'S HELP ONE SISTER BEFORE WE START ON THE OTHER."

[wishfulimaginings]

I had a thought.

What if Nesta keeps Gwydion and Ataraxia. And Azriel gives Truth Teller to Gwyn !

And the Valkyries move to Dusk court and Nesta becomes their Warrior Queen ( or High Lady whatever)

AND their palace is on top of the prison ( like the Moonstone palace on top of CoN )

I can't stop thinking about this.

[melphss]

 @nestaarcheronweek | Day 07: Free Day

“You said you had an eight-pointed star tattooed on you,” Bryce explained. “And you found the chamber with the eight-pointed star in the Prison, too.”

Nesta lifted her head. “So?”

“So I want you to take the Starsword.” Bryce held the blade between them. “Gwydion—whatever you call it here. The age of the Starborn is over on Midgard. It ends with me.”

“I don’t understand.”

But Bryce began backing toward the portal, taking Hunt’s hand, and smiled again at the female, at her mate, at their world, as the Northern Rift began to close. “I think that eight-pointed star was tattooed on you for a reason. Take that sword and go figure out why.”

- HOFAS, Chapter 100.

In one of her past interviews, Sarah J. Maas commented Nesta's journey was just beginning after Silver Flames, and after reading House of Flame & Shadow I believe part of her journey will be linked to the Dusk Court, as not only did Nesta bargaining mark has an eight-pointed star form (which is associated with the Starborns and thus the Dusk Court), as now she is the Gwydion owner. And as much as Nesta power is usually linked to death, its also showed capable of bringing life (as we have seen with the House of the Wind and Feyre & Nyx). I also found it particularly curious that Pegasus started appearing in Avallen once the land was healed, since Pegasus seem to have an association with the Valkyries.

Thank you @/paolapieretti.art for creating this stunning art! 

Art by: @/paolapieretti.art

Commissioned by: @melphss

Characters belongs to: Sarah J. Maas

[acourtofkindness]

December 11th | @goldenmagnolias @acourtofladydeath

Lost In the Labyrinth of My Mind (OC x OC) - goldenmagnolias

OC High Lord of Dusk x Archeron!Sister - uhm, yes yes yes!!!! The story looked so promising from the beginning on (I have to admit, I am only in chapter three) but god, is this story good and exciting and well-written. It is something new and something I haven't really read before, so please definitely go check it out, it is so worth your time. 

A Second Chance (Eris) - acourtofladydeath

Heartwarming, heartbreaking, absolutely amazing. This is the only way to describe this absolutely amazing story, by this absolutely amazing author. Wonderful work, I've re-read it many times and loved it each single time and will do so when I read it again in the future.

Enter: Uncle Autum (Azris) - acourtofladydeath

Love, love, loooove the relationship reveal. This story was perfect and adored it soooo much. Stories including little Nyx and Azris can only be perfect, right? This was very well written as well, super lovely.

and not to forget @acourtofladydeath is hosting @polyacotarweek in 2024 - an event that you shouldn't miss!!

[acourtofthought]

HOFAS SPOILERS -

More on Gwydion, Fionn, and Truth Teller

I was kicking around this idea yesterday but now I think I've solidified my thoughts on it and changed my mind on a few things. .

"It's why the Starsword calls to the descendents of Helena - of Theia". But only those with enough of Theia's starlight to trigger its power."

We can almost guarantee Rhys is a descendent of Theia through Silene.

And Mor is Rhys's cousin, her family having ruled the North long before his family, even before the prison was created which means she could be as well, Mor who has golden hair as did Theia:

Based on what we now know, Gwydion did originally belong to Fionn and at the time it was a symbol of the first High King. Truth Teller once belonged to Enaulis (his friend), which Fionn wore at his side after his death. However once Theia took the weapons from Fionn after his death, she "made" the Starsword and Truth Teller with her light which is why only her female descendents can use it at its full power (which I think is telling us that it has to go to someone other than Nesta despite it being in her possession, she is not a descendent of Theia).

Az was able to use it at one point only because he was the keeper of Truth Teller and the blades have a desire to be close to one another.

Theia was not necessarily the heroine as she was made out to be in Crescent City and Gwydion no longer represents a "saviors" light so it belonging in the possession of someone who is both light (a characteristic of Mor) and bloodthirsty (which Rhys mentions her as being) is a good fit. Light and Dark - a combination of the two being Twilight or Dusk.

I do still think Bryce leaving Nesta the lands of the Prison, Bryce's birthright, is setting us up for it becoming Valkyrie territory, where they'll possibly remain as defenders of the portal that seems to exist there, and as Mor expressed interest in training with the Valkyrie in SF and we're given hints she'll not be staying in the NC, the pieces seem to fall into place for her to end up living there if they all found a way to bring it back from its current state. It seems the monsters in the Prison are the cause for the land around it dying so by eliminating the current inhabitants, it's possible for it to again become what it once was.

And I think that whoever else is a descendent of Fionn & Theia could still be a contender of the High King plot if SJM goes that route. A lot of focus is placed on the bloodline of the females who contain Theia's light however not much is said of what Fionn's bloodline was capable of (if anything) or whether there are male or female descendants who show hints of his power.

Or if they simply realizing that they are a descendent, it could somehow lead to a course correction of history, where the land that died as a result of his death will be restored, a land I believe to be the Bog of Oorid.

We're told Fionn's general Pelias had red hair and Fionn had golden hair. We're also told they once went hunting in the lands in the middle, where Oorid lies and to me that indicates Fionn was possibly not of NC descent.

So maybe there is still something there to connect Lucien to the High King plot considering he is not only descended from Autumn Court but connected to the lands of Spring through the Rite and has Day powers through Helion which may or may not somehow connect to the "bright light" part of Theia's light versus the darker lights of Silene and Helena (her daughters).

Rhys could be connected to the High King plot through Silene and Fionn as well however, Amren tells us that the Cauldron's benevolence may extend itself to another if he rejects his birthright.

Truth-Teller

I do believe that if Mor were meant to have Gwydion it could provide an explanation for Az struggling to let go of Mor.

If Truth Teller has been longing to reconnect with the sword for 15,000 years it would make sense that Az would find himself pulled to Mor if TT recognized her as a descendent of Theia's daughter. It was not necessarily Az himself being pulled to her but him being influenced by the dagger to some degree.

It does not seem that Gwyn will end up with Gwydion, she doesn't seem to be descended from Theia or her daughters as her heritage is not that of the Night Court. But Gwydion and Truth Teller want to be together.

What if Az takes the dagger Nesta made (as it was in their possession again at the end of SF) and he gives Emorie Truth Teller to keep?

It's poetic, not only if she and Mor are endgame, but because Truth Teller originally belonged to Enaulis. A female Illyrian ending up with the dagger of an original Illyrian hero is girl power at its finest.

[goldenmagnolias]

lost in the labyrinth of my mind

Series Masterlist

pairing: OC High Lord of Dusk x Archeron!Sister

summary: Reverie Archeron has always been different. Different in a good or bad way depends on who you asked. Now a High Fae, and with another war approaching she tries to be as helpful as she can around Velaris and with her baby nephew, but at a High Lord meeting, the countless dreams she has as a child and the feelings that are not quite hers suddenly make sense and things become something that she never could have seen coming.

warnings: blood, gore, death, explicit descriptions, mental health issues will be present (rating E)

other ships mentioned: feysand, nessian, elucien, gwynriel…

chapters: chapter I • chapter II • chapter III • chapter IV • chapter V • chapter VI • chapter VII • chapter VIII • chapter IX • chapter X • chapter XI • chapter XII • chapter XIII • chapter XIV •

link ao3

[stargirlfeyre]

CC3 Spoilers: Dusk Court Info!!

Rhys is the heir to the Dusk Court and he is blood bound to it. If it is awakened then Feysand are going to inherit another court and Nyx is going to be the new heir to the Dusk Court. Question though. If Feysand become rulers of the Dusk Court do you think they’re still going to be High King/Queen?

Edit: When sword and knife are united so shall our people be = the eigth court is awakened and all eight courts reuinte once more under a high queen and high king.

Source:Dinah. G P.h.D in Feysandology aka @colorlesschristmastree