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offtorivendell · 2 years

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The Dusk Court - Part II, Powerful Heirlooms and the Four Treasures of the Tuatha de Danann

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Disclaimer - this theory is simply that, a theory, which may or may not come to pass. When I’m specifying which Prythian object of power was “inspired by” each of the Tuatha de Danann’s four treasures, I’m only listing my thoughts. When I refer to "the Dusk Court," I am speaking of either the Court precursor that once existed, or its lost people. Thank you as always to @ladynightcourt3 and @wingedblooms for all of your theory chats and help, you are both so appreciated. 💜

Spoilers - all ACOTAR, CC and TOG books to date (November 2022).

This post is a long time coming, as it began as a follow up to my The Dusk Court, the Hewn City and Hybern theory in June (I think) of 2021. The Hybern part of that theory appears to have been debunked in CC HOSAB, though I do still think that Hybern could play into everything, but the Hewn City is, in my opinion, still quite relevant (especially because there is a Lord Thanatos there, who shares a name with the Prince of the Ravine - one of the circles of Hel we learnt about in CC). Are the people of the Court of Nightmares aware of Hel's Thanatos, or is the name cultural in some way? But I digress...

Suggested reading:

The Dusk Court - Part I

Is ACOTAR's Koschei the Death God actually Fionn, the once - and, he likely hopes, future - High King of Prythian?

Theia's Secret Legacy

Powerful parallels between Bryce, Theia and the Archeron sisters

Are the Archeron sisters distantly descended from the Starborn fae of the Dusk Court? OP from @wingedblooms, with my reblog

From what Nesta Archeron saw in the unhallowed catacombs - unholy, wicked, unconsecrated; underground cemetery - of the Hewn City, we can assume that the Court of Nightmares has amassed a decent hoard of magical objects, presumably many of which made the journey with them from what would have been the Dusk Court (if that theory pans out in any way), though that may not be the case for all of them. The "half-imprisoned" objects gave me Sword in the Stone vibes - and, as I've said before, I wouldn't be surprised if Azriel himself had an Arthur freeing Excalibur moment with Truth-Teller when he found it - but I doubt that they all contain the same level of power as the Veritas, the Ouroboros, Gwydion, Narben and Truth Teller. Some seem very powerful, and possibly imbued with raw power like Made items, but not all.

Feyre frowned at her mate. “They’re different from the objects of power in the Hewn City? What can they do?” Nesta had tried her best to forget that night she and Amren had gone to test her so-called gift against the hoard within those unhallowed catacombs. The objects had been half-imprisoned in the stone itself: knives and necklaces and orbs and books, all shimmering with power. None of it pleasant. For the Dread Trove to be worse than what she’d witnessed … - Nesta, ACOSF, chapter 20

Rhys’s eyes flicked to Ataraxia, then to Cassian. “Some strains of the mythology claim that one of the Fae heroes who rose up to overthrow them was Fionn, who was given the great sword Gwydion by the High Priestess Oleanna, who had dipped it into the Cauldron itself. Fionn and Gwydion overthrew the Daglan. A millennium of peace followed, and the lands were divided into rough territories that were the precursors to the courts—but at the end of those thousand years, they were at each other’s throats, on the brink of war.” His face tightened. “Fionn unified them and set himself above them as High King. The first and only High King this land has ever had.” Nesta could have sworn the last words were spoken with a sharp look toward Cassian. But Cassian only winked at Rhys. “What happened to the High King?” Feyre asked. Rhys ran a hand over a page of the book. “Fionn was betrayed by his queen, who had been leader of her own territory, and by his dearest friend, who was his general. They killed him, taking some of his bloodline’s most powerful and precious weapons, and then out of the chaos that followed, the seven High Lords rose, and the courts have been in place ever since.” - ACOSF, chapter 55

It is curious, though, and potentially relevant, that besides the Dread Trove objects - the Crown, Harp and Mask, and one a mystery - we have learnt of four other historically significant magical items, two of which are canonically linked to Mor’s family, who I suspect are a cadet branch of the Dusk Court's old High Family, and two weapons (three if we count Truth-Teller). Four magical objects - the Veritas, the Ouroboros, Gwydion and Narben - potentially tied to a Court who theoretically fled underground, or into hiding, millennia ago… sounds familiar, no?

“She brought me to a room full of treasure. Strange objects. And it …” She tugged at the tight sleeve of her gown. “Some of it wanted to hurt us. As if it were alive—aware. Like … like in all those stories and lies we were fed over the wall.” - ACOWAR, chapter 27

The Tuatha De Danann, who I mentioned briefly in Part I, The Theory as a possible inspiration for the history of the now defunct Dusk Court of Prythian, are said to have had amongst their magical objects Four Treasures, or Jewels (1, 2), when they arrived in Ireland in a great cloud of smoke (or mist) from four island cities (other stories say that they arrived in ships, and that the cloud was the result of those ships being burnt):

The Undry - the Cauldron of Abundance, brought from Murias, the fortress of pinnacles, and was given to Dagda Mor, by the druid Seimhias. It is said that everyone leaves it satisfied, or that it contains an endless food supply, and that its waters could heal any wound - even going so far as to raise the dead, that it was a bottomless passage to the Otherworld. Dagda was a father figure/king amongst the Tuatha De, and was known for both his wisdom and magic.

Lia Fail - the Stone of Kings, brought from Falias, the city of the sciences. It was supposedly placed in Tara, and still exists there today. Whenever a true king of Ireland sat on it, it would cry out loud beneath him. It is also known as the Coronation Stone of Tara.

Spear of Destiny - the Spear of Lugh of the Silver Arm, brough from Goirias, the city of the faith, where “every word was a prayer.” The druid Easras is said to have warped the fates into Lugh’s spear, such that any who held it would never lose a battle, but would die if it was lost.

Claiomh Solais - the Sword of Light, forged by Uiscias in the day-foundries of the city of Fionnias/Finias the bright, and used in battle by Nuada, the first king of the Tuatha De; it is also known as the sword of Nuada. It was described as glowing like a torch, and will slay whomever it was drawn against. It is said to have fallen into the underworld after it was used to slay the Taker of Souls, but rumours exist that a fairy queen reclaimed it, and will lend it to heroes who complete three tasks for her.

The four objects that I suspect are linked to the Dusk Court are probably not exact replicas of the Four Treasures of the Tuatha De Danann, but they could have been inspired by them and, as I will attempt to explain, contain similar properties/have been paralleled in the text. Azriel’s dagger, Truth-Teller, is likely also important, so I will discuss it here, too (though I have a more detailed post here if you're interested).

Veritas - inspired by the Undry

There was an orb, it turned out, that had belonged to Mor’s family for millennia: the Veritas. It was rife with the truth-magic she’d claimed to possess—that many in her bloodline also bore. And the Veritas was one of their most valued and guarded talismans. - ACOMAF, chapter 41

The Veritas is an intriguing object; a valued and guarded “talisman” - an object thought to have magical powers that can bring about good luck - of Mor’s family, that has existed for millennia, at the very least. It’s power appears to be kin to what Mor “claimed to possess,” which I suspect is more than simply being able to know or tell truths. What if the Veritas could also do more than satisfy people of the truth of a matter?

The orb was known amongst the humans, had been wielded by them in the War, Rhys told me over a quiet dinner that night. The queens would know it. And would know it was absolute truth, not illusion or a trick, when we used it to show them—like peering into a living painting—that this city and its good people existed. - ACOMAF, chapter 41

I suspect that the Veritas is the ACOTAR version of The Undry, Dagda’s Cauldron of Abundance. As Feyre noted in ACOMAF, Rhys told her over dinner that the queens would know the Veritas, that it would be able to satisfy their desire for proof of the Night Court’s intentions for the Book of Breathings. Describing the Veritas itself as like a “ripe apple” brought food back to mind, and Feyre’s description of the cloud that came from the Veritas as leaking from the orb, swirling, roiling and drifting across the carpet, is using imagery that brings to mind both the water that would be inside any cauldron, including the Undry, as well as the Cauldron of ACOTAR itself, but the Tuatha de Danann's arrival to Ireland in mythology. There are also potential water/rift associations which, if confirmed, could parallel the Book of Breathings being thrown into Prythian's Cauldron and ending up in Midgard, with Bryce.

The obvious water and cauldron based adjectives also reminded me of when Elain was washed from the Cauldron, in chapter 65 of ACOMAF, “as if she’d been thrown by a wave.” The Veritas is also frequently described as an orb - a spherical body, a globe - which could be a reference to the Cauldron of ACOTAR, which is tied to the life of their world.

Mor opened the lid of the black box. The silver orb inside glimmered like a star under glass. “This is the Veritas,” Mor said in a voice that was young and old. “The gift of my first ancestor to our bloodline. Only a few times in the history of Prythian have we used it—have we unleashed its truth upon the world.” She lifted the orb from its velvet nest. It was no larger than a ripe apple, and fit within her cupped palms as if her entire body, her entire being, had been molded for it. “Truth is deadly. Truth is freedom. Truth can break and mend and bind. The Veritas holds in it the truth of the world. I am the Morrigan,” she said, her eyes not wholly of this earth. The hair on my arms rose. “You know I speak truth.” She set the Veritas onto the carpet between us. Both queens leaned in. But it was Rhys who said, “You desire proof of our goodness, our intentions, so that you may trust the Book in our hands?” The Veritas began pulsing, a web of light spreading with each throb. … Mor stretched out a hand, and a pale cloud swirled from the orb, merging with its light as it drifted past our ankles. The queens flinched, the guards edging forward with hands on their weapons. But the clouds continued roiling as the truth of it, of Velaris, leaked from the orb, from whatever it dragged up from Mor, from Rhys. From the truth of the world. - ACOMAF, chapter 57

The Veritas was then further paralleled with the Undry at the Inner Circle’s meeting with the queens, as Mor mentioned that it had been given to her bloodline - the Morrigan of Irish mythology was married to Dagda - and that Truth can “break and mend and bind,” which sounds like a nod to the Undry’s ability to heal any wound, not to mention the possibilities for the Veritas future use. Thinking further along this track, could the Veritas “break and mend and bind” a mating bond, if the right person were to wield it? Healing any wound could also, possibly, play a role with the crossover going forward; can the Veritas somehow access the same space between as the Cauldron, or a pocket realm of sorts? Could it play a role in breaking apart the rifts, sealing out the Asteri/any other enemies like the Valg, and then mend and bind the populations of the Dusk Court and other involved fae worlds?

Ouroboros - inspired by the Lia Fail

“My sister had a collection of mirrors in her black castle,” the Carver said. We halted once more. “She admired herself day and night in those mirrors, gloating over her youth and beauty. There was one mirror -- the Ouroboros, she called it. It was old, even when we were young. A window to the world. All could be seen, all could be told through its dark surface. Keir possesses it -- an heirloom of his household. Bring it to me. That is my price. The Ouroboros, and I am yours to wield. If you can find a way to free me.” A hateful smile. - ACOWAR, chapter 24

The Ouroboros in our real world is an ancient symbol that depicts a serpent swallowing its own tail, which signifies “the mystery of cyclical time, which flows back into itself,” and is an emblem of wholeness, or infinity. This is likely significant, as cyclical time, which focuses on the idea of “renewal, repetition, and regeneration,” appears to be a common theme amongst SJM’s works.

I won’t mention her use of cyclical time in Throne of Glass, as that would contain too many spoilers (and take up too much time), but it is also rife both in A Court of Thorns and Roses itself, and between CC, TOG and ACOTAR, in the many parallels that we have all noted between characters as individuals, and their relationships. One clear example of this - and please note that I am not suggesting that Lucien is anything like Beron in either his personality or behaviour, just that Lucien's position in his respective "love triangle" appears to be the same - is the parallel between the relationships of Azriel, Elain and Lucien Vanserra, and Helion, the Lady of Autumn, and Beron Vanserra. As we saw in TOG, the “repeated” event tends to resolve itself successfully, so I suspect that (though of course I could be wrong), in this instance, Beron and Lucien are foils for each other, used to highlight how terrible Beron is, and that Lucien will not - would not - go down the same path.

The Ouroboros that we know from ACOTAR is also known as the “the Mirror of Beginnings and Endings, which definitely sounds like it has taken inspiration from the ancient Ouroboros of our own world, yet I believe that, in the context of the Four Treasures of the Tuatha De Danann, it may represent the Lia Fail - the Stone of Kings. This is potentially more of an abstract parallel than that of the any of the other pairings, but please bear with me, and I think (and hope) it will make sense.

The Ouroboros in ACOTAR might show you your true self, warts and all - perhaps even your "fanged beast" - but it is constantly written in terms of mastery, worthiness, and servitude, which are three themes that are strongly associated with kings… and High Lords. The Bone Carver even called Feyre and Rhys “majesties” when they went to speak to him about the Ouroboros (a possible nod to any future high king plot, perhaps).

“Feyre and Cassian spoke to the Bone Carver. He wants the Ouroboros in exchange for serving us—fighting Hybern for us. - ACOWAR, chapter 27

I could not find an account of anyone who had mastered it. Faced what lurked within and walked away with the mirror in their possession. - ACOWAR, chapter 29

“Pick something else,” I replied. And not a fool’s errand this time. “What would you give me? Riches do me no good down here. Power holds no sway over the stone.” … “It is rude, Majesties, to speak when no one can hear you.” - ACOWAR, chapter 40

Rage—blistering rage started to fill in the holes left by what I’d beheld in that mirror. “You wanted to see if I was worthy?” - ACOWAR, chapter 68.

Feyre looked into and mastered the mirror to prove herself worthy of the Bone Carver’s service in the war against Hybern in ACOWAR, the imagery of which is a metaphor for the Lia Fail declaring whether the person who sits on top of it as being worthy of a kingdom and its rule.

The last we saw of the Ouroboros, Feyre gave it to the Carver in his cell at the Prison. Is it still there? Could it be the reason why Elain - and likely Azriel - will visit the Prison in the book that they will likely share? If "power holds no sway over the stone," was the Ouroboros a chess piece that needed to be moved to the Prison to facilitate future events, and the Bone Carver knew this? How? Regardless, given both Feyre and Rhys, as well as Nesta and Cassian, journeyed there together, it seems safe to assume that Elain and her love interest will do the same.

Whether or not the Ouroboros is still in the Carver’s cell in the Prison, I believe it will play a part in Elain’s - and potentially Azriel’s - story. If you look carefully, the mirror has consistently been written in terms and themes that we associate with Elain, Az, and both of them combined. Feyre thought, in chapter 27 of ACOWAR, that Elain “might very well have gone mad” when she was Seeing things after her transformation, and Rhys noted in chapter 7 of ACOFAS that the “lightless, airless prison” in which Azriel spent his childhood was meant to “break him.” Lucien even told Feyre he wanted to see if Elain was "worth" fighting for.

Furthermore, beginnings are representative of the rebirth of Spring, and Endings with Death - both themes that many associate with Elain and Azriel, respectively. In chapters 67 and 68 of ACOWAR, the Mirror is extensively linked to moonlight and winter - again, possibly metaphors for Elain and Azriel… and maybe the Mother and Koschei/Void related beings? I realise that Nesta also has associations with moonlight, however I think Elain shares some of this imagery: she smells like jasmine and honey, and jasmine is the first scent Feyre smelt when she arrives at the moonstone palace above the Court of Nightmares, where the Ouroboros was once kept; additionally, Mor was admiring a moonstone necklace when she and Feyre were discussing Elain, Azriel and Truth-Teller in ACOFAS (I'll come back to the Truth-Teller scene below).

Keir rose to his feet, smirking like a cat with a canary in its mouth. “To take the Ouroboros, to claim it, you must first look into it.” He headed for the doors, not waiting to be dismissed. “And everyone who has attempted to do so has either gone mad or been broken beyond repair. Even a High Lord or two, if legend is true.” A shrug. “So it is yours, if you dare to face it.” Keir paused at the threshold as the doors opened on a phantom wind. - ACOWAR, chapter 26

But as for the Carver … “He wanted a—gift. In exchange. The Ouroboros.” The Suriel let out a sound that might have been a gasp—delight or horror, I did not know. “The Mirror of Beginnings and Endings.” “Yes—but … I cannot retrieve it.” “You are afraid to look. To see what is within.” “Will it drive me—mad? Break me?” - ACOWAR, chapter 58

I did not expect the snow. Or the moonlight. The chamber must have lain beneath the palace of moonstone—shafts in the rough rock leading outside, welcoming in snowdrifts and moonlight. […] And there, against the far wall of the chamber, snow crusting its surface, its bronze casing … The Ouroboros. - ACOWAR, chapter 68

The Clever Crow, on Instagram, has suggested that Elain could potentially scry from the Carver’s Prison cell, with the bones present - such as that of the midengard worm - and the stone in of the Prison acting in place of the bones and stones that Nesta used before, which would be a fascinating twist and a possible way for her to boost her Sight.

Alternatively, Elain demonstrated in ACOWAR that she could simply use a mental image, a map and her Sight (or some similar/related power) to locate things and beings at will. Will Elain - or, less likely - Azriel, or both of them together, use the Ouroboros to scry, attempt to See - to spy on? - a place or point in time or space, or even go somewhere? Possibly using the orrery as her star map for long distances, as @wingedblooms and I have wondered? It screams of witch mirrors. This link is suggested by following line from Feyre’s POV, when she blinked after she had mastered the Mirror, which sounds suspiciously like Elain coming out of a Vision.

“That is none of your concern.” For the mirror … it had shown me. So many things. I did not know how long had passed. Time—it had been different inside the mirror. […] I blinked slowly. - ACOWAR, chapter 68.

Given the multiple associations of Elain with the moon (not as many as Nesta, I know, but imo they do exist), Sight, rebirth, shadows and light, I suspect that the following two quotes could be suggesting that Elain will use the Ouroboros, with the full moon that the figurine of the - assumed - Mother is holding being a metaphor for Elain holding the Mirror, while the snake devouring its tail sounds like it's half-hiding itself, as the shadows hid Elain's rose.

The Ouroboros. It was a massive, round disc—as tall as I was. Taller. And the metal around it had been fashioned after a massive serpent, the mirror held within its coils as it devoured its own tail. Ending and beginning. - ACOWAR, chapter 68

Her gaze shifted to the carved wooden rose she’d placed upon the mantel, half-hidden in the shadows beside a figurine of a supple-bodied female, her upraised arms clasping a full moon between them. Some sort of primal goddess—perhaps even the Mother herself. - ACOSF, chapter 56

And finally, coming back to the Truth-Teller scene from chapter 69 of ACOWAR, the imagery in the final quote appears to invoke Azriel passing his legendary blade off to Elain: "Elain looked up at Azriel, their eyes meeting, his hand still lingering on the hilt of the blade. 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. The only bridge of connection … that knife." I'll elaborate on this further when I discuss Gwydion, but I think this could possibly be SJM hinting at Truth-Teller being the moon, which represents the Mother (and I wouldn't be surprised if that was Theia, or someone from whom Theia was descended).

Narben - inspired by the Spear of Lugh

@merymoonbeam recently posted a theory that touched on the Spear of Lugh and Sword of Light, and my interpretation of the final two members of the Tuatha de Danann's four jewels matches hers (please read her amazing theory here).

We don't know a whole lot about the blade called Narben, which means "scar" in German, but we do know that it is older than Gwydion - which the ending of CC HOSAB revealed to us as Bryce and Ruhn's Starsword - and has powers "far darker." No holy, saviour's light to be seen there, or so they say.

Rhys murmured, “I have never seen anything like this.” His magic set the three blades to rotating, allowing them to observe every facet. Az’s face was still slack with awe. “Amarantha destroyed one,” Amren said. Cassian started. “I never heard that.” Amren amended, “Rumor claimed she dumped one into the sea. It would not come to Amarantha’s hand, nor the hands of any of her commanders, and rather than let the King of Hybern attain it, she disposed of it.” Azriel asked, “Which sword?” “Narben.” Amren’s red lips quirked downward. “At least that’s what rumor said. You were Under the Mountain then, Rhys. She would have kept it secret. I only heard from a fleeing water-nymph that it had been done.” “Narben was even older than Gwydion,” Rhys said. “Where the hell was it?” “I don’t know, but she found it, and when it would not bend to her, she destroyed it. As she did all good things.” It was as much as Amren would say about that terrible time. “It was perhaps in our favor. Had the King of Hybern possessed Narben, I fear we would have lost the war.” Narben’s powers had not been the holy, savior’s light of Gwydion, but ones far darker. “I can’t believe that witch threw it into the sea,” Cassian said. “Again, it was a rumor, heard from someone who heard it from someone. Who knows if she actually found Narben? Even if it would not obey her, she’d have been a fool to throw it away.” “Amarantha could be shortsighted,” Rhys said. Cassian hated the sound of her name on his brother’s tongue. From the flare of rage on Azriel’s face, so did the shadowsinger. “But you, Rhysand, are not.” Amren nodded to the still-rotating weapons. “With these three blades, you could make yourself High King.” The words clanged through the room. Cassian slowly blinked. - ACOSF, chapter 42

A naked, golden-haired male stood before her. He was of average height, his golden skin sculpted with muscle, his sharp-boned face simmering with hate. Not a repulsive, awful creature, but one of beauty. His black eyes narrowed upon the blade as he hissed, “That is not Narben.” The name meant nothing to her. Nesta lunged, thrusting Ataraxia into eighth position. Lanthys leaped back. Cassian groaned, stirring to consciousness as she held the ground in front of her. “Which death-god are you?” Lanthys demanded, glancing between the blade and her. The silver fire sizzling in her eyes. - ACOSF, chapter 54

Nesta considered all Lanthys had said. “And what is Narben?” “Lanthys asked about it?” “He said my sword isn’t Narben. He sounded surprised.” Rhys studied her blade. “Narben is a death-sword. It’s lost, possibly destroyed, but stories say it can slay even monsters like Lanthys.” “So can Nesta’s sword, apparently,” Feyre said, studying the blade as well. “Beheading him with it killed him,” Rhys mused. “A slice from it seemed to bind him into a physical form,” Nesta corrected. “Cassian’s dagger struck true only after Lanthys had been forced to give up his mist.” “Interesting,” Rhys murmured. - ACOSF, chapter 55

I do still wonder if Truth-Teller, which we know from the end of CC HOSAB pulses with a dark light - could have been the blade of Narben somehow turned into a spear, as Azriel (with his many references to death) found it, Elain managed to slay the King of Hybern using it with no previous training (and that's not to belittle her defeat of Hybern, or the fact she may have managed to use great magic with no training after only a few months tops as a faerie), and Azriel might be so protective over TT not only because it's (likely) Made, and non-Made beings cannot use it, but it might also lead to his doom if lost (which, hello scary future plot point).

That being said, Narben could still be it's own blade/spear, a third in a trio of weapons to mirror the trove that Nesta Made in ACOSF (and this is the way I lean, purely because SJM seems to love balance and cyclical events in her writings, and "three" features quite consistently). As I mentioned above, Narben contains, at least as far as we know, powers far darker than those of Gwydion. We also know that "light and dark and gray" formed part of the Book of Breathings' prophecy back in ACOMAF; could Gwydion be the light, Narben the dark, and Truth-Teller the grey? The bridge between the two?

Additionally, Amarantha was rumoured to have found it during her reign, supposedly destroying it when it would not bend to her will; was that because Narben, like Gwydion, was Made by the Cauldron, so she could not access its powers, as a non-Made faerie? If Narben is actually a spear, did Amarantha then remove its hypothetical blade from its shaft… could Narben's shaft be the age worn bond Nesta saw when she was in her song-lured scrying? Will Elain and Azriel have to chase down both components of it to wield it at it's full power? Perhaps in Hel?

As an aside, it's interesting that the Spear of Lugh is also known as the Spear of Destiny. The fates were apparently warped into Lugh's spear, which was then brought from (and so I assume forged in) Goirias, known as the city of the faith. This, to me, sounds very much like it could apply to a blade of some sort used by a priestess, and forged in a temple. I know I have theorised about her before (and also suggested that Narben could have been Fionn and/or Koschei's blade - I never said I was consistent lol), but which priestess has a very unknown past, we've never seen her face to judge her age or features, and is associated by name with the fates/Moirai? CLOTHO.

Could Clotho/Narben have been far older than Theia/Gwydion, and with powers far darker? Theia was known for her light, and Clotho, as I've said before, was first introduced from the shadows. It's not substantiated by much, but who knows at this point.

Gwydion - inspired by the Sword of Light

Back when I first drafted this post, in June 2021 (shh, I know, it's been almost a year and a half), we had no idea what was awaiting us at the end of CC HOSAB, but after the discovery that Gwydion is, in fact, the Starsword - which shines with light and is wielded by the heir to Theia's power - it's pretty likely that if anything was to be inspired by the Sword of Light, it would be Gwydion.

“All three,” Cassian said. “First the sword, then the dagger, and then the great sword.” Rhys and Amren exchanged a look. Cassian demanded, “What?” [...] “Once, the High Fae were more elemental, more given to reading the stars and crafting masterpieces of art and jewelry and weaponry. Their gifts were rawer, more connected to nature, and they could imbue objects with that power.” Cassian instantly knew where this was headed. “Nesta put her power in those swords?” “No one has been able to create a magic sword in more than ten thousand years,” Amren said. “The last one Made, the great blade Gwydion, vanished around the time the last of the Trove went missing.” - ACOSF, chapter 42

Was Narben made first, then Truth-Teller, and then, finally, Gwydion? We know from CC HOSAB that Gwydion was Theia's, and belongs to her female heirs… Could Narben and Truth-Teller be the same? Whether or not Narben was Clotho's, or another female of Theia's line, it's interesting (and I know I've said this before) that Gwydion and Truth-Teller were found by two males who are heavily associated with shadows (and while we know Ruhn pulled the Starsword from a rock, I only suspect that Az might have done the same with Truth-Teller) before passing them on to a female who has a power associated with the Greek goddess Theia (Light and Sight) to be used for maximum magical effect (ie. Bryce and Elain).

Could the "true Fae High King" actually have referred to Theia all along, and "King" just meant ruler, but the language has evolved to mean male only? Did Fionn, who is possibly Koschei, co-opt Theia's power for himself and rewrite history to suit? The "true" reminds me a little too much of Dusk's Truth for me to let this idea go.

“This sword isn’t Gwydion,” Cassian said, well aware of the myths regarding the sword. It had belonged to a true Fae High King in Prythian, as there had been in Hybern. He had united the lands, its people—and for a while, with that sword, peace had reigned. Until he had been betrayed by his own queen and his fiercest general, and lost the sword to them, and the lands fell into darkness once more. Never again to see another High King—only High Lords, who ruled the territories that had once answered to the king. “Gwydion is gone,” Amren said, a shade sadly, “or has been gladly missing for millennia.” She nodded toward the great sword. “This is something new.” Azriel said, “Nesta created a new magic sword.” “Yes,” Amren said. “Only the Great Powers could do that—Gwydion was given its powers when the High Priestess Oleanna dipped it into the Cauldron during its crafting.” Cassian’s blood chilled, waves rippling over his skin. “One touch from Nesta’s magic while the blade was still hot …” “And the blade was infused with it.” - ACOSF, chapter 42

If you're up to date with Crescent City, then you know that Gwydion is, at that point (wherever it will play into ACOTAR's timeline), no longer missing from Prythian, and I'm excited to see what happens next, and who may wield it in a future ACOTAR book, whether that's Azriel, Elain, Mor or Feyre. At the very least, I'm excited to see if this "broken blade" type pairing (with its Riddle of Strider vibes, "renewed shall be blade that was broken") can do something special. 👀

Truth-Teller - inspired by Fragarach

Fragarach was not one of the Four Treasures of the Tuatha de Danann, however, I believe it still rates a mention in this post. Given we now know from CC HOSAB that Gwydion and Truth-Teller are paired blades, as @icedflames had theorised (light and dark light, alpha and omega), I think it's likely significant that both the Sword of Light and Fragarach were both used by Nuada, the first high king of the Tuatha de Danann. The Sword of Light was said to be used by Nuada in battle, and Fragarach - which was also known as The Answerer or the Whisperer - was Nuada's own blade, as well.

Does this mean that both Gwydion/the Starsword and Truth-Teller were Theia's own blades? Did the different properties of each, light and dark light, allow her to access different aspects of her own hypothetical powers? We know that Theia was a Starborn faerie with a very specific and powerful light, but was she also a Seer, able to access the murky space between as Elain theoretically can? And, as I keep obsessing about, could she be the Mother figure known to Prythian?

For a much more detailed look at Truth-Teller and Fragarach's parallels, and how they may have been pointing towards Elain all along, please read this post here. Essentially, though, I would not be at all surprised if Truth-Teller was able to help Elain access the murky realm, and possibly the Ouroboros, especially while she was still learning, allowing her access to her powers (posts by @wingedblooms): Sight, of which we already know, as well as others. I think and hope she can winnow, as Azriel does, at a minimum.

At any rate, whether this theory is accurate or not, I can't wait to see where everything is going. Thanks for reading!

If you enjoyed this theory, please consider reblogging. 💜