#positive acotar fandom

[athena-85]

I’m a multi pairing shipper so I don’t have that many eggs in this basket, but you’re actually wrong about the ship explanation. Any characters who interact with each other can be a ship, ships are not based on reality, they are not based on what is in the text. A crack ship is when you’re talking about two characters who have nothing to do with each other or have minimal interaction but you like the idea of them if you look at them from a particular perspective etc. “Ship” is anything a fandom decides to ship two fully out of this world insane options like Harry Styles and Obama. So no, Elucien or Gwynriel are not crack ships or potential ships, they are based on preferences in fandom, they are characters who interact, they are in the same universe, it doesn’t matter if they are potentially endgame etc. However, even if we knew who ended up with who, that would still not make any of these ships “crack ships.” The best example I can think of rn is like Naruto or Harry Potter where everyone is shipped with everyone. Ships are not reality. A crack ship is defined as something implausible in canon, fully bizarre and many times it’s also funny. In ACOTAR, the closest you can get to a crack ship is maybe Azris, that’s s pairing that is very unlikely to happen and they don’t have that much to do with each other but they still have interaction. A full on crack ship is like Tarquin with Vassa or something where it’s just random chaos 😅

Thanks for your opinion anon👍

i will just point one thing out, and clarify my opinion.

I noticed you contradicted yourself when you said:

“Any characters who interact with eachother can be shipped”

Then said:

An example of a Crackship is : Azriel and Eris (Aris)

Those characters interact with each other and we don’t know their sexual orientation. Infact there is MORE tension between those characters than Gwyn and Azriel. And there is less of a teacher and teenager vibe(Gwyn comes across very young to me with sleepovers and friendship bracelets stuff)

As for what my opinion was ,which you can disagree with but I would encourage you to avoid saying people opinions are “wrong”.

I said Elriel is a “ Canon ship”, which means there is text evidence that the characters like each other.

So far that’s not a lie for Elain and Azriel.

I said Elucien is a “potential ship” characters that have connections that may end up together. But so far no canon that there is mutual attraction.

So far still not a lie for Lucien and Elain

I said Gwynriel is a “crackship” or i can call it a “fanon ship” characters that have no potential, nor do a they have any mutual affection for each other romantically. Gwyn and Azriel ship was made up in the fandom, it is not from canon.

Still not a lie🤷‍♀️

All ships, all are okay! 👍😊

A good example of a crackship in another fandom is Hermione and Draco Malfoy.

Jk Rowling said that it was always going to be Ron and Hermione. Fans like Draco and Hermione together which I totally accept as a crack ship and support anybody who wants to enjoy that ship.

If people want to say that they like the idea of Gwyn and Azriel as a “ship” fandomship then fine! 👍

But there is no cannon between them. They are not endgame potential.

That’s what I said. I don’t think it’s wrong. It’s an opinion just like you gave your opinion which is fine.

If you find this offensive or it distresses you, please block me and enjoy the side of the fandom that you like best.❤️🤝

[elainarcheronweek]

Elain Archeron Week 2023 Prompts!

Hi everyone, we're back - and hopefully bigger than ever - to announce the prompts for Elain Archeron Appreciation Week, 2023.

🌸 Day 1, Seer - 3rd of September

🌸 Day 3, Hobbyist - 5th of September

🌸 Day 2, Sister and Friend - 4th of September

🌸 Day 4, Dreamer - 6th of September

🌸 Day 5, Lover - 7th of September

🌸 Day 6, Fanged Beast - 8th of September

🌸 Day 7, Free - 9th of September

🌸 Prompt art credits:

Cover - I’m.aren’t (_jacky.episodes_ comm)

Day 1 - siyana_art

Day 2 - moondraw_s

Day 3 - theclever.crow (offtorivendell comm)

Day 4 - isabdlsart

Day 5 - isabarryp (twitter) (thisismily_ comm)

Day 6 - fremuard (stephdaydreams comm)

Day 7 - happilyeverafterreads

[shadowsxgwynriel]

Just to spread some positivity in the fandom ✨

Tag 5 people to send some love to! 💕

@andrigyn @booknerd87 @headcanonheadcase @hlizr50 @sunshinebingo

[offtorivendell]

The gilded lining to every cloud

🌸 Elain Archeron Week 2023, Day 4 - Dreamer

One of the things I admire about Elain is her ability to find the silver lining - or, more like, the gilded edge - to the situations she finds herself in.

She and her sisters are destitute and living in a ramshackle cottage with a father who doesn't take care of them? She sees it as time to be close to her family. She's kidnapped, Made into a faerie and endures a brutal war? She thinks the world needs more gardens, so makes plans to plant them herself. She's ripped away from her human life and everyone and thing she knew? She's made two good friends in Nuala and Cerridwen, and they've taught her how to bake. It's subtle, but it appears that she's taken it upon herself to learn the skills that would have seen her be able to help Feyre with providing for their family when they were impoverished, maybe as a just in case, because she's lost everything twice now. She's slowly learning the local Fae customs. She is becoming happy, glowing like the sun at dawn, and though I know she still has a way to go in terms of processing and healing from her horrific experiences, she is getting there, slowly but surely.

@elainarcheronweek

[aprill-99]

Hey guys, quick PSA:

I’ve noticed some of my posts being used to push some strong agendas and to do some anti work and I want it very strongly known that this is not something I support or approve of. I’m here for positivity, lols, and to post things I like. I work hard to only post with positivity and I’m asking everyone to please respect that.

I DO NOT DO SHIP WARS OR ANTI POSTS.

I know this is the internet and I can’t control what happens to my content after I post, but I respectfully ask that you please don’t use my posts with those intentions.

Reblog, tag, and like all you want…. But please keep it positive. That’s all I’m asking

Okay PSA over, scroll on and enjoy

[8-worms-in-a-trenchcoat]

looking at my art from 5 years ago 😔😔😔

remembering that it was a stepping stone that got me where i am now 😌😌😌

[ijustlovelove]

I really like Elriel and Elucien, I don't mind how it goes as long as it's written well and tbh the shipping war is so tiring, it's like the kataang vs zuatara war of 2010 (except like obviously kataang was my die hard)

I haven't gotten to the stage where my Tumblr just reflects a positive space. I'd love some recommendations on blogs of acotar series that are fun and positive

[bookishfeylin]

Going through the Feylin tag and seeing all of the blatantly WRONG things here is exhausting. Like I'm convinced half of the people on this website didn't even read ACOTAR.

[mia-nina-lilly]

Before, I didn't think it was necessary to have to list every good deed of Tamlin to make a defense of the character; I thought that showing the underlying motivations behind his actions was (and should indeed be) enough for people to understand my point of view, but apparently, I really do need to, Especially when it involves Rhysand and a comparison between the two.

Basically, fans of ACOTAR, and fans of Rhysand in particular, have come to associate anything bad with Tamlin, and everything good with Rhysand, even if that's not necessarily true. For example, earlier I saw a video where the character captioned as Tamlin said something like "You don't have to accept her no...," and I believe I don't need to explain the context. The character captioned as Rhysand obviously condemned the speech.

Well, I don't need to say here who did what to whom, do I? However, somehow, over time, things about Tamlin have reversed to the point where people simply erased from their minds anything remotely positive about him, and suddenly, he embodies all the absurdities that our society condemns, and of course, this happens because of the author, who despite everything, insists on shoving Feyre's distorted view (actually, Rhysand's view) down our throats.

I've been seeing a rollercoaster of videos, especially on TikTok, where Tamlin is completely despised. The last one that made me most furious implied that Tamlin wanted to keep Feyre illiterate, and that Rhysand was the only one to help her with literacy, when in fact Tamlin offered her help numerous times, and the idea of the poem he wrote for her was precisely to alleviate the difficulty she was experiencing with the task, but even that is ridiculed... because "Oh my god, he gave a poem to a girl who couldn't read. How dumb!"

I come to the conclusion that a good portion of the fandom has undergone a brainwashing due to the strength of the group's hatred towards the character, feeding into each other. In other words, people produced hate content, consumed it, and then produced more. It's pointless to even list Tamlin's many good deeds because no matter what he does, it will always be wrong, which means that even a redemption arc, which in my opinion wouldn't be the case, would be enough to stop this, because people have already solidified this view and won't stop

[darkest-fantasy]

Gwyn being argued as some enchantress that manipulates Azriel and his Shadows has been the worst theory to come from this fandom EVER.. and I’ve been with this series since the beginning(2015)

Trying to find any crumb of a flaw from this courageous, empathetic, and positive character has made me so upset about the fandom. It is making elriels seem like they are crumbling under themselves.

Resorting to calling Gwyn a manipulator because you cannot BELIEVE that Azriel would EVER have a positive reaction to Gwyn is desperate beyond reason. If you actually think that Sarah J Maas will have a character like Gwyn become some evil enchantress or manipulator, then you don’t know her as an author at all. Gwyn has inspired THOUSANDS in the fandom. Her story might even be the most horrific one that sjm has ever written. Her ability to overcome trauma, be so positive, and even begin the entire Valkyries again will leave a long lasting impact in the entire series. If you think for one second that sjm will ruin the entire beauty that is Gwyneth Berdara, you’re again very wrong.

The fact that Gwynriel’s could easily say the same thing about Elain’s unknown powers and how Azriel could be manipulated by them. But we don’t say that because we understand that they are attracted to eachother. We acknowledge that they have a natural connection. But we also recognize that their attraction for eachother are for the wrong reasons. We understand how sjm closes the aspect of a couple and that’s what she did in the bonus chapter.

As someone who has literally seen it all, has been gaslit for saying feysand was endgame before ACOMAF, this by FAR is the worst theory that anyone could say about an ACOTAR character. This is the worst take and it really shows me how quick some people in the fandom are to tear apart another woman. It’s disgusting and desperate.

Elriels come talk to me when you actually have a concrete theory, instead of your gross wish that Gwyn is evil

[athena-85]

💙💙💙

Thanks for your blog, it rocks!

[elainarcheronweek]

🌸 Hi all, we just wanted to let you know that we are loving what we're seeing so far with #elainarcheronweek2023...

But it appears we've been shadowbanned, or something similar, as the account is barely functional. This means we're not getting messages, or notifications when you tag/mention us in your posts! Combined with Tumblr's ✨ unique ✨ hashtag system, which is selective in what it likes to show us, and we're reblogging everything we can chase down, but know posts are slipping through the cracks. We're so sorry, and we're trying to get this sorted asap.

[yaralulu]

The best thing happening in the acotar fandom rn is the tamlin hate dying out.Every time I see a tamlin post I get ready to fight for my life in the comments but now most of them end up being positive and its just crazy witnessing the complete switch up.Just a few months ago saying you like tamlin would’ve gotten you crucified now it’s probably the more popular stance on his character.People are finally understanding the complexity of his character and his actions.They acknowledge him as being flawed but don’t perceive him as a villain anymore.They want him to get his own book and his very overdue healing arc.They’re finally admitting he’s fine as hell—I mean is the world healing or what.

Once we get a tamlin pov and the people who used to senselessly shit on him start liking him,I will be one of those annoying mfs that say “I’ve never hated him” or “I’ve always liked him” because I am pettyyyy 😍.

[zenkindoflove]

Elain Archeron and Sansa Stark: A Comparison

I’ve been wanting to make this post for a while because I have seen a lot of similarities between Elain’s character and Sansa Stark (ASOIAF/GOT), not only in their mannerisms and narrative but the way that the fandom unfairly undermines and outright despises them. So, this post is going to be a bit of an exploration of both of their characters, speaking mostly to the ACOTAR fandom, to try and give some predictions I have about Elain’s narrative journey and lessons learned from Sansa’s narrative.

Elain and Sansa fit a very similar female character archetype in fantasy (and other fiction genres), which is that they are more traditionally feminine characters that conform to their roles as women in their patriarchal societies as compared to their counterparts who buck gender norms often by learning to fight. In particular, Elain and Sansa are often directly compared to their sisters who fit the more beloved sword-fighting, sassy, smart-mouthed heroines. What is important to this post, is that these characters are almost always heavily maligned and criticized by fandoms at large with critiques that are often rooted in misogyny, which fundamentally undervalues expressions of femininity and feminine roles. 

Both characters also have a lot of other similarities when it comes to their personalities, characteristics, and narratives. Both Elain and Sansa are obedient daughters who are described as sociable and make friends easily. They both are well-skilled in navigating courtly politics, and they begin their journeys as deep romantics, dreaming and wishing to fall in love. They’re both betrothed to men for political gain, and both undergo tragic and heartbreaking violations to their bodily autonomy. They are also both frequently undermined by characters’ in their stories, often underestimated in their strengths and abilities, and in both stories, those assumptions are proven wrong.

Now, we do not know where Elain’s journey is going, but we do Sansa’s, at least from the show. Sansa eventually finds her independence and her strength, taking back her ancestral home and being declared Queen in the North. She did not do this by becoming a warrior or a great battle commander. No, she did this by leaning into her political skills, inspiring nobles and armies to fight for her because of her name and what it represents. And when she had some power, leading her people and putting their care first, a narrative journey I hope to see for Elain coming into her own leadership position one day. 

One of the ways I wanted to outline drawing some of these parallels, is to break down some of the criticisms that Elain faces now that Sansa Stark also faced by fans. And if you are reading this and these criticisms are ones you have expressed, hopefully you reconsider your assumptions about Elain and where her story is going. 

Elain is boring. 

This accusation is often ascribed to Elain based on her interests and hobbies and refusal to participate in more traditionally masculine roles in the narrative (fighting, swordplay). Elain is often described as gardening, baking, helping with domestic duties, and purposely kept away from the political and adventurous parts of the narrative. And yet, this does not mean that in order for Elain to be interesting, she suddenly needs to be thrust into her own version of a training montage to start learning to use swords and daggers. Elain is a powerful Made Fae. She has one of the rarest abilities, being a Seer. She is deeply connected with the Koschei plot, as she was the one to see a vision of him, Vassa, and the other cursed women, which brought about Lucien’s journey to the continent and connecting that overall plot to what is happening in Prythian. It’s very likely her story will focus on her exploring her magic more, likely with Lucien, to figure out how to break Vassa’s curse and destroy Koschei once and for all - none of which requires her to actually become a warrior. 

Elain will become evil. 

Sansa too was often criticized as being boring by fans. They saw her struggles, being passed from cruel husband to cruel husband, as signs she was weak. Sansa was often directly compared to her sister Arya who was learning to fight with a sword and training as an assassin. But Sansa was undergoing a very different sort of training. We see her shed her sheltered POV of the world, and instead, became deeply involved in the politics of the game of thrones. She learns from several characters how to play the game and play it right, as she is one of the few characters to survive until the end, having a true hero’s journey of ascension. We see that she uses people’s assumptions that she is stupid and naive to their disadvantage, allowing their underestimation of her abilities to make them turn away from how she outsmarts them in the end. Elain is also hinted at being deeply intelligent, in ways that even her sisters seem to ignore. She is also described several times in ACOSF as being sneaky, foreshadowing that she will surprise her family based on their assumptions of her. Ultimately, I foresee Elain leaning into her courtly knowledge and social skills, much like Sansa, to push forward her own journey.

Elain and Sansa are also both very inward characters. When they are struggling, they are more quiet and unassuming, to disarm others and draw attention away from them. As we know from Sansa's POV chapters, she was constantly strategizing her pretty words to save her skin. And I think Elain similarly shows the world one side of her, but hides a rich and complex inner world that we won't see until we get her POV.

This critique - which is also not always presented as a critique but sometimes as a wish for Elain to become a villain so she might be more interesting to those who find her boring - is one that I really dislike. And one of the biggest reasons I dislike it is because I saw the exact same predictions thrown at Sansa crash and burn. Often fans would revel in the idea that “finally, Sansa can become interesting” if she were to turn into the next Cersei or Littlefinger. But we did not see that happen. Instead, we saw that Sansa clung to her compassion, empathy, and her Stark morality, while shedding the blind trust that put her father and brothers into so much danger. She took lessons from Cersei and Littlefinger, but rather than becoming them, she bested them. Especially Littlefinger, where she outsmarted him when he tried to turn her and her sister against each other, and ultimately is the one who passed his execution sentence, achieving justice for all the crimes he committed against her family and Westeros. Sansa did not let the brutalization of her body and spirit turn her against her family. She never betrayed them, even when she was wed to their worst enemies. Instead, she made it her priority to serve and represent the North and its interest in all things, including standing up to Dany, because she understood to hold the North, she must not bend to other rulers and respect all that the North had sacrificed for the Starks. 

Similarly, I do not see Elain betraying her family. There are several times she asserts her loyalty and insists that she wants to help them and their interests. I think her story will be more about being underestimated by her family and overlooked for leadership roles and her insight (as was Sansa) and this will push her to branch out on her own to discover who she is outside of her family and the expectations they have of her. But I do not think she will become the antagonist to them. Instead, I see her using her own strength to “save” them too in ways they would have never imagined that Elain can do. Sansa was not an outright antagonist to Jon, for example, though she often challenged him (which upset many fans, more on that later) because she believed her perspective was valuable. I see Elain's difference in how she sees the world and what she values being in similar disagreement with the Night Court, and her having to "prove" herself to them that she needs to be taken seriously.

Elain and Sansa are also very similar in that they both are described as abhorring violence. Sansa, in the end, does sometimes use violence as a means to an end, and even is shown enjoying Ramsey’s brutal execution by being eaten by his own dogs. Yet, Sansa is never shown to enjoy moments like these again (and of course this moment is most understandable given all the torture Ramsey put her and others through). Sansa does not lead with anger or brutality like Cersei. Rather, she shifts from a bright, sunny girl to an authoritative woman who ices out her enemies and shows kindness and warmth to her friends and subjects. To me, in keeping with character archetypes, I do not see Elain straying from this core feature of herself as well. I don’t see her desiring to follow in the footsteps of others who use torture and violence to extract information or to hurt others who have hurt her. I do think should Elain come into a position of political leadership, that like Sansa, she will care for the people (as she is already shown to do in Velaris and was known to do in the human lands) and when needed, show her steely, authoritative voice that is unbending (much like the infamous quote from Sansa in the books “my skin has turned from porcelain, to ivory, to steel”). 

Basically, female characters do not have to be either warriors or evil villains to be interesting. Sometimes, female characters who are kind, compassionate, intelligent, and full of hope can still have badass stories and stand as heroines in their own right while maintaining all of those characteristics. 

Elain is two-faced/bitchy/spoiled/selfish. 

Of course, the classic, when the feminine character does anything SLIGHTLY unsettling to the reader, she is hated and tons of stereotypically misogynistic insults are thrown at her. 

I will first off start by saying that when people say this about Elain, it is when she is essentially displaying behaviors that counter their first argument - that Elain is boring. When Elain is being compliant and nice to the other characters, she is called boring. When she very briefly, pushes back on them at all, these insults are hurled at her. I don’t even want to waste time breaking down why these are just comically unfair. Because the fact of the matter is is that every character in the book displays moments of being two-faced/bitchy/spoiled/selfish. And yet, it is Elain who is given these monikers as if they are core features of who she is. Other female characters in ACOTAR are also called these names. However, Elain faces the unique situation of only ever being boring or bitchy to those who dislike her. She can't win either way.

Sansa, of course, had all these insults hurled at her too. She was a traitor and two-faced for having a girlish crush on Joffrey when she was 13 (11 in the books) and literally betrothed, by her father, to a prince. When Sansa at all stands up to characters like Jon or Dany and disagrees with them or argues with their logic about how to handle different choices, she is bitchy, even though Sansa is often proved to be correct in her logic, hesitancy, and how she thinks politically. And of course, in line with the previous point about becoming evil, it was assumed that Sansa would be two-faced with her family. And yet, we saw, time and time again, Sansa was loyal to House Stark. Even the ultimate “sin” of Cersei guilting her to write to Robb about their Father being a “traitor” to the crown - Sansa did it because she thought it was one way she could save her father’s life. Basically, Sansa’s crime was being a girl who didn’t win the audience over by being spunky like her sister. Sansa’s crime was her naivete early on - when she was only a child, and it haunted her throughout the entire series and how fans saw her. Even though, out of every character in the books/show, Sansa at her core, is the one who represents the audience the most. She is the most removed from the magical storylines. The way she lives her life is closer to our own modern way of living than any of the warriors or magical characters in their world. Sansa represents who we would be if we were suddenly thrust into a fantasy story - defenseless and easily abused. But most readers and watchers want to see who they are not, rather than follow a story of who they actually could be and what strength might follow. 

What I want to see from Elain’s story:

Following the lessons of staying true to my girl, Sansa, I hope that Elain, like Sansa, finds her own way in the empathy, kindness, and social skills that she has - along with exploring her powers. Now, as Elain is in a romance, and not a dystopian fantasy like Sansa is, her ending will have a HEA with her love interest. Sansa became Queen in the North, it’s true. But she has no love interest. Her family is all scattered. And there is a bit of a coldness to her now. Many suspect that she will play more of a Queen Elizabeth I role in her rule and never marry, as to keep House Stark as House Stark. But if she were to marry, it will likely be a political alliance, though, my hope is she will find love in it. Because while Sansa might have had her dreams dashed at an early age, I truly hope for the sake of that little romantic girl, she can find love after all the hurt she had to experience. 

Elain will end up with a romance at the end of her story. And I think harkening to her character archetype and who suits her narrative best, it will of course be with her mate, Lucien, who mirrors her characteristics, values, and morals the most. I imagine for them a story where they act as courtiers, helping piece back together Spring, working on alliances with the human lands, and eventually, once Lucien learns of his heritage, finding another home in the Day Court (though I do imagine them to be life-long travelers, making many friends and allies across Prythian and the continent together - as Elain always wanted to travel). Similar to how Sansa used her political intelligence and compassion for her people, I see Elain and Lucien as well using their courtier/emissary skills and knowledge and devotion to serving the people of the courts, putting diplomacy first, to heal a broken and divided world. I think especially the alliance with humans will be so important for Elain’s journey. Where Elain has struggled the most with no longer being human, Lucien has been immersing himself in human culture and political interests. And once they are ready to start their journey, I think both putting their heads together will be invaluable in representing both the interests of the Fae and the humans. I also think Lucien has more invested interest, as her mate, to push her to explore her powers rather than dismiss her ever exploring them like those in the Night Court do. Lucien’s connections through the world can also help her find ways to find the information she needs to learn more about being a Seer and whatever else is going on with her. He also has his own personal experience with exploring and learning of his multitude of powers as well, including what it means to suppress and hide them, as I suspect Elain has been doing. Where Sansa had to prove herself to every character in the story to take her seriously and respect her, I think the one person who has always and will always believe in Elain is the person who has a soul-to-soul connection with her. Who puts her and her needs before his own, and will serve as her devoted sworn shield (cries in Sansan) to fight for her if need be. 

Also maybe I wish and hope for the unlikely Lucien and Elain as High King and High Queen narrative which would fit so perfectly to Sansa’s own rise, but I suspect SJM won’t go in that direction.

Anyways, if you made it to the end, thanks for reading my desperate need to get all these parallels out of my head. I have adored Sansa since I first watched the show in 2011 and fell even more in love with her when I read the books in 2013. I have been defending her to nasty people ever since, and when I joined the ACOTAR fandom, the way people criticized Elain felt SO familiar. Which of course it did. These kinds of criticisms do not stop with Sansa and Elain. Most characters like them are disliked for being soft women with big hearts who are vulnerable to cruel people in their worlds.  

[beingsuneone]

PART TWO!!

Tragedy: Pt. 2

PART ONE | PART TWO

SYNOPSIS: mourning the ‘loss’ of your husband is difficult, especially when you aren’t entirely sure what happened to him. PART TWO

FANDOM: ACOTAR

PAIRING(S): Rhysand x Fem!reader

RATING: G

MEMBERS MENTIONED:

GENRE/AU: I don’t even know y’all. It’s not fluff. It kinda of more angst but not entirely that either.

WORD COUNT: 2.8k

WARNINGS: hhggggg uhm, mentions of death, mentions of drinking,

A/N: JUNE DONT LOOK. ITS SPOILERS.

DEDICATIONS: jjjbdbhshdhshsjskksjsjsjsjjs

CREDITS: n/a

Fourty-nine years, for a Fae, isn't significant, just a blip in their immortal lives.

Fourty-nine years with a missing Mate and a bond that’s indiscernibly dead, is a much different story. 49 years of mourning a lover you don’t know is dead, of missing a man that you could still one day have again.

In Velaris, you and the others have only the most basic of knowledge, obtained previous to being locked within the city.

You know that a fearsome general named Amarantha had infiltrated Prythian and demanded that all the high lords come live under the mountain. You know that Rhysand must have given himself up to protect Velaris.

You know that the whole of Prythian had begun to be razed just before Rhysand locked you all away.

The other knowledge you have is based only on assumptions.

Rhysand’s under the mountain, Rhysand locked you in. Rhysand is stuck. Or dead.

You don’t know why the mating bond has gone dead without actually going dead, or why there is no line to tug anymore, no mental wall to caress, no voice to respond to.

Silence. Terrifying, heartbreaking silence.

For you, 49 years had felt longer than the lifetimes you have already lived, and longer than the centuries that will come.

“Y/N?” Mor slips through the door, pulling you from your thoughts.

You smile at her, though only half-heartedly. “Good Morning, Mor; to what do I owe this visit?”

She grins back at you. “I know that you still fret over Rhysand– we all do– but I heard that some of the citizen’s have been organizing a festival to celebrate him.” her face drops only a little as she sighs. “I thought it might be a nice change of pace for us.”

You take a shuddering breath as the reason for the festival dawns on you. “It’s almost the anniversary of the day he disappeared.”

It’s a statement. Mor nods. “The people still have hope that he’ll return.” she pulls you up out of your bed, leading you towards your dresser. She retrieves a dress that she knows is one of your favourites and shoves it into your arms. “So should we.”

You know she’s right– Rhysand could very well still come home– but something in your mind tells you that something is not right.

His emotions are not there for you to read anymore, like his mind had been blocked off.

It almost felt like there was no bond anymore.

Even so, Mor was right; you needed a distraction— something to take your mind off of your position as High Lady, and the details of your husband’s disappearance.

Mor slips out the door as you slip into your dress. It’s peak Night Court style— covered in shimmering stars and made of beautiful midnight fabric. It had been your first anniversary present from Rhys.

Still your favourite after all this time.

You huff at your reflection and shake yourself free from your thoughts.

Your people are waiting.

They need reassurance just as much as you do.

……

The square is decorated in purple and silver finery, the classic colours of the night court splashed in each eyeful.

The stones beneath your feet glimmer with a sort of dust that catches the sun like a gemstone and the plant life is strung with a thin string of glimmering sliver.

There’s a wall painted with a chalk portrait, a night sky, deep and dark with an insightful moon looking down on the land.

And, finally, in the middle of the square, is a beautifully painted portrait of your dear Rhysand; the likeness is sickening, but only in the way that it makes you miss him even more fiercely than before— it's an otherwise incredible painting.

The faces of your citizens reflect much more hope than you yourself hold. You see the few children of velaris, running and playing with chalk just a few paces from the festivities.

Most of the adults are already drunk off of whatever alcohol they could first find and Amren is standing bitterly in a corner, nursing a cup with— what you assume is— some sort of blood in it.

Cassian is very loudly drunk, his arm slung over Azriel’s shoulder while Azriel tries to pretend he’s annoyed.

Mor smiles sincerely at you and shoves a cup of something into your hand. “It was made by one of the citizens, they say it took them a month to perfect the brew.”

You peer into the cup; even the drinks at this event replicate the night sky. It has the same shimmering silver, swirling within a midnight blue base. It smells divine.

There is a small platform with two chairs at the edge of the square, blocked off by a navy rope. It would be yours and Rhysand’s seats, but today, it is just yours.

Although you're sure that your friends will all take their turns bothering you if you are sitting up there. Rhysand’s chair will not remain empty.

“Come on,’ Mor says, walking beside you up to the platform.

Once you're up there, you catch nearly everyone’s attention. Cassian and Azriel immediately move to stand near the platform and Amren settles into Rhysand’s chair like a cat would settle right where you don’t need them to.

However, you suppose it’s not the time in the evening because everyone resumes their previous activities not long after.

Cassian walks up and locks you in a headlock. “Hey! How are you doing?”

You sigh and smile once he lets you go. “I’m… Alright. This festival is stunning.”

“It is.” Mor chimes in, still staring out at the crowd.

There’s even a string of vendors lining the square, some with food and some with other wares and frivolities.

“How are you Cassian? Azriel?” You ask, looking past Cassian.

Azriel shrugs slightly. “Good.”

Cassian holds up his cup of whatever it is and grins. “I can’t complain.”

“I’m glad.” You respond absent-mindedly, finally taking the first sip of your beverage. You hum in delight. “That’s lovely. Mor, you must show me who made this.”

“We’ll do our rounds, and I’ll introduce you when you cross her path.”

Cassian leaves to mingle once more but Azriel sticks close-by, Amren stays in her spot with a book in her hand and Mor chats idly with someone near.

You wipe your palms on your dress, even though they aren’t sweaty and begin your rounds.

You talk to several people, conversations that involve idle chatter, Rhysand and even some problems you have to consider as High Lady; but those are far and few in between.

Finally you make it to a small booth, lined with cups and a few tea cakes, all fitting in the night court theme.

It’s the same swirling drink you hold in your hand.

“Hello, My lady.” The old woman behind the counter greets you. She is an older fae, much older than you.

“Hello,” you greet, smiling graciously at her. “The wine is amazing, were you the one who made it?”

She grins a toothy grin at you and nods. “I’ve been trying to make it for years and finally perfected it in honour of our High Lord.”

Your sweet smile drops just a fraction and you know she sees it by the way she begins to study you.

“I’m sure our High Lord is alive and well, my dear, that boy was always resilient.”

You breathe, a sort of laugh.

Rhysand may very well be alive, but if he were well, you were sour he would have returned already. Still, you must ease their minds. “I’m sure he is. Rhysand is…” you trail off, not having enough to describe how you see your husband.

She nods knowingly. “I know, My lady, you truly love him and his absence is very painful.” She passes you one of the small cakes. “Here, take this.” you start to each for a few coins but she shakes her head. “Please, my treat. I know well how you must feel.”

Your eyebrows furrow as you gently take the cake from her hands. “If you don’t mind my asking, what do you mean?”

There’s a forlorn look behind her wise eyes as she sighs. “I do not mind your asking, My Lady.” She continues as you take a small bite of the cake. The woman is talented when it comes to cake too, you find. “Many years ago, I had a mate, he was everything to me; we were together for thousands of years before he suddenly disappeared. I had no knowledge of where he might be, just a faint bond that I would try to tug on.

“I had hope that he would come home but… eventually I discovered that he had been murdered by a human after they had tortured him for months.”

Your swallow thickly. “I am so sorry.”

She shakes her head once more. “It was a long time ago, dear. What I'm trying to say is, you need to hold onto your hope, no matter how much time has passed.”

You purse your lips introspectively and nod slowly. “I’m trying to. I want him to come home.”

She gives you one last comforting smile. “He will. Our High Lord will come home.”

Your eyes burn and you have to choke back the urge to cry. “Thank you— for the cake, and the insight.”

“Anytime, My Lady.”

……

the day progressed into the night, teh children long in bed in their home by the time it hits midnight. You’re dancing slowly with Mor, a comforting waltz that you probably would have danced with Rhysand.

You can just imagine him here, pulling you in by your waist, gently kissing your cheek before telling you that you look beautiful and how much he loves you. The way his deep purple eyes would have shone with his love for you.

He would have loved this.

You would have loved watching him love this.

“I think it’s time for a speech.” Mor says, halting your dance and pulling you up to. the platform.

You settle into the chair while Mor grabs Azriel and Cassian.

Cassian whistles loudly to catch the crowd's attention.

when everyone is watching you stand, taking a deep breath. “I just want to begin by saying that this festival is breath-taking and every person who put effort into this festival is wonderful and talented.” You pause. “I just know Rhysand would have loved this.”

The crowd murmurs a bit and you see a few worried expressions. You know you must calm their fears even though you cannot calm your own.

“A wise woman told me tonight that I cannot let go of my hope— I have to believe that our High Lord will return to us, and so must all of you.” You pause. “Rhysand is out there somewhere and he is fighting to come back to us. He’s strong, smart and resilient; so please, do not worry for his safety, continue to celebrate him. Celebrate your past with him and your future, just as I will.”

The worried expressions seem to have softened which make you loosen up a bit. Mor looks at you encouragingly, expecting you to continue.

“In the meantime, while we wait for him to return, I am here to help you with whatever problems you may have. I am here to protect Velaris from any threat that may arrive.” You pause one last time and take a deep breath. “And lastly, thank you all so much for putting so much thought and care into this celebration of Rhysand.”

It’s silent for a second before a few fae clap and then everyone claps for you and shouts reassurances to you and everyone else in the crowds. You dismiss everyone and the party starts in full swing once more; expect now, it’s more uproarious, more joyful– your speech must have had the attended affect.

When you look at the portrait of Rhysand, you don’t feel so sad anymore.

……

You startle as the front door opens loudly, you wonder who it is but decide it’s probably just one of your friends. It’s been a few months since that wonderful festival, and you managed to maintain that unrelenting hope that your husband would some day walk through that front just as you’re sure one of your friends is doing now.

“Mor?” You call, assuming she was the most likely to come. “Is that you?”

Your feet patter softly, slowly as you walk out of your bedroom; you’re dressed in your Pajama’s but it really doesn’t matter.

It’s nothing that they haven’t seen before.

The silence unnerves you as you walk down the hall, Mor would always respond back. Maybe it’s Azriel? But, why would he come here alone?

Unless something bad has happened.

Your heartbeat quickens and you’re rushing to turn the corner into the living area.

The sight before you is worse than anything you imagined.

“Rhysand?” You squeak, feeling equally happy that he’s alive and upset at his silence.

He looks up at you; you see the trauma in eyes, the suffering and torture that you know he must’ve had to endure.

Rhysand doesn’t even get a word out before he drops to his knees; the sound permeates through the wooden floor as you join him down there.

You sit down and pull him into your chest, stroking his hair and listening as he sobs silently.

Your heart breaks for him, all over again and in a completely different, more angry way than before; you desperately wish you could hurt Amarantha for what she did to him. Whatever it might have been. It must have been her that kept him away for so long.

You’ll learn when he’s ready to tell you, you’re sure.

“Rhysand, My Love?” You whisper, still holding him close to you.

He pulls back and looks up at you, his mouth seems stuck, like there aren’t any words he could say to describe what he’s feeling or what happened; maybe there isn’t.

You gently pull him to his feet and lead him to your bedroom where you sit him down on the bed; he stares at the wall as you grab some new clothes for him.

You set the clean clothes down besides him and nudge his arms apart so you can take off his old clothes.

He complies; let's you unbutton his shirt and pull it off, pulls off his pants when he needs to, and then he slips the new clothes on.

“We have much to talk about, y/n.” He says, even his words sound broken.

You shake your head. “Save it for another time, My Dear Rhys. For now, let’s sleep. Okay?”

He nods.

….

Rhysand’s tale is long and winded; he tells of a human woman who fell in love with your brother, saved all of Prythian and ultimately died to save all of you.

The high lords had all used their powers to bring her back to life, turning her Fae and allowing her to live out her life with the man she quite literally died for.

He tells you how Amarantha had had an infatuation with Tamlin and had apparently cursed all of the spring court to wear masks for fifty years or as soon as he was able to get a human to genuinely say that she loved him. He had, evidently, been successful. She had also intended to keep the citizens of Prythian, high lords included, trapped under that mountain and under her power foever. He also tells you that he had tried to cut off your bond as best he could to avoid any detection of it and, once his magic was dampened, he couldn’t access it himself.

“I made a deal with her,” Rhysand says, “I told her I would help her make it out of there alive if she promised me a week of every month.”

You furrow your eyebrows. “Why did you do that? Take weeks of her time, I mean?”

“I’m not sure. I think maybe I wanted to save her from Tamlin before he could hurt her.” He pauses, “She seems convinced that she loves him.”

You ask her name and Rhysand complies.

Feyre Archeron. An interesting and fitting name for the woman who saved you all from an eternity of suffering. Especially the people under the mountain.

Especially Rhysand.

“It’s weird.” Rhysand, tugs at your sleeve and pulls you down into his lap. “Our deal made me able to hear into her mind, much like our mating bond. But still quite different.”

You nod absent-mindedly and run your hand through his hair. “I couldn’t tell if you were dead all these years. The bond was broken but it wasn't gone. I was so scared you were dead.”

“I’m sorry, My Love. I wish I could’ve talked to you. Maybe I wouldn’t be as hurt as I am now.” He buries his face into your neck, breathing deeply.

You stroke his back gently, not responding, letting him speak his mind.

How do you console someone after all that?

All content belongs to @beingsuneone , do not repost, copy or post on other platforms without my permission.

[harmonyindark245]

Character Hate

This is 100% a rant and you don’t have to agree with me, but I really needed to talk about it. I’ve been trying to distance myself from the ACOTAR fandom because of all the toxicity, but I always find myself drawn back, especially with the new books coming out and everything. There is a big difference between hating and disliking. And I understand disliking certain characters because they don’t sit right with you. But one thing that I cannot fathom, is the hatred. Why has everyone decided to hate on characters that aren’t our favorite? I just wanted to point out a few specific characters. 

Rhys 

He’s secretly evil. Really? Did you all not read the first three books? I get the argument that we only see him from Feyre’s pov, but even Feyre disliked him until we found out his truth. Also, can we talk about the absurdity of this claim? The man who was SA’d for FIFTY YEARS, who hasn’t even shared his trauma with his MATE because he doesn’t want to burden her with it. The man gave it all up for his friends, family, and PEOPLE. As an Elriel shipper, I was pissed at Rhys for interrupting them, but I GET IT. He wasn’t sure if he was going to survive, if his mate was going to live. Then there was all the other drama that was happening. Of course, he wouldn’t want one of his close friends going out and dueling with the son of a high lord (and technically heir of a whole court). And at the start of ACOSF, Rhys has every reason to hate Nesta, and I don’t think that needs to be justified. And in HOFAS, as a High Lord, he again had every right to be pissed. I just feel like sometimes you guys forget that as well as being a part of their family, he’s also the High Lord of the Night Court.

Nesta

Yes, I will admit that she’s not a good person. But she worked through it. She went through traumatic experiences, that if anyone of us goes through, we would probably behave the same way as she did. But she worked on herself. She healed. She became a Valkyrie. Nobody could hate Nesta more than she hates herself. And I admit that I could never completely love Nesta because as someone who has been in a position that Nesta had been, I can’t even imagine letting my younger sister go through all of that to keep us alive. It’s a completely personal reason, because I would do anything for my sister, and the way Nesta didn’t do anything when they most needed it will always anger me. But I still admire her for how she tried to bring herself back. Because it’s not easy. Feyre was also the same when she was depressed and she also worked on herself. Even though I don’t like Nesta, she does not deserve the hate she gets. 

Feyre (?!)

If you hate Feyre, you probably should’ve stopped reading around the second book.

Elain

What is it with people hating on Elain? I never understood how you can hate someone who has done NOTHING to ANYONE. The only possible reason people could hate Elain is because she happened to like a boy. It’s not as if she didn’t want to help out with the court. She even apologized to Feyre. She even took part in the war. So what is the problem with her? Just because she doesn’t like Lucien and likes Azriel she deserves to be hated upon? She’s boring? She can’t give birth to Azriel’s kids? Is that really what we’re getting to? Again, I can understand disliking her because she wasn’t helpful during the cabin, or maybe because she was rude to Nesta or whatever, but hating her for such feeble reasons? Let’s not forget that it was Elain who convinced Nesta to let Feyre and the three unknown Fae males inside their house and offer it up as a meeting place.

Gwyn

Just because a group of people want to ship Gwyn with Azriel doesn’t mean that other people have the right to hate her. She has done NOTHING wrong. She hasn’t even shown interest in the man. She has her things she’s going through and she is also trying to heal. There has been not a single action done by her yet that deserves the hatred she gets. As an Elriel shipper, I will admit some people unnecessarily try to bring Gwyn down. 

Fans

We are all the same. We read this amazing series by SJM and love the characters and dynamics and want to talk about it share our thoughts and theories and write pieces of fiction for others to enjoy. It’s vile how many hate comments are passed around in this community. You enjoy what you love, and let others enjoy what they love. You don’t need to prove your likes by bringing other people and characters down. You may not realize it, but some of us relate to our favorite characters, and when you say hurtful things against the character, it truly feels like a personal attack. The main reason why I couldn’t stay in the fandom anymore was because of the claims that Elain didn’t deserve to be with Azriel because she couldn’t have his kids. As someone suffering from PCOS and might not be able to have kids, that statement always breaks my heart. Do people think that just because a woman can’t have kids she doesn’t deserve love? There are so many examples of such small claims causing hurt to the fans, which is not what fandoms are for. 

And with that, if you have something negative to say about my rant, then please keep it to yourself.