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*clears throat*

we’re entering the ELRIEL ERA bitches (finally and hopefully)!

and no I have no doubts about the couple being elriel, I mean even the antis know at this point (they always knew). i’m just hoping it’s announcement time and not just some anniversary celebrations. or worse some kinda novel or something, or she is about to pull a “chaol” and give us like a tamlin spring court ass book.

WE’VE WAITED FOR SO LONG!

I think at this point I already imagined the plot, like I’ve thought of so many scenarios all these YEARS, sjm can’t find something I didn’t already think about.

JUST GIVE ME THE BOOK WOMAN!!!

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canonically azriel and elain want each other.

based on the books only, among all the ships regarding the next book azriel and elain are the only two people who want each other, it’s mutual and it’s reciprocated.

don’t need to theorize, to interpret, to imagine, or to twist anything. that’s not an opinion or a thought, that’s an actual fact not based on my wishes but based on canon.

so I find it really ridiculous when people question why people ship elriel. why wouldn’t I ship two people who actually want each other in a damn romance book? “but it’s a fated mates series”. maybe they are mates I don’t know that, you don’t know that. the only thing we both know for a fact is that they WANT each other despite fate, mates or not, despite religion. that’s all we know. now we can stand here and analyze every part of the books, every line, we can count everything as foreshadowing. but those will be my theories and yours, my predictions and yours, my opinions and yours. but what was written remains the same, azriel and elain want each other.

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• when elain needed reassurance and ease into this new situation she wasn’t familiar with, azriel was there:

Elain said “It’s all very disorienting.” “I can imagine,”Azriel said. Cassian flashed him a glare. But Azriel’s attention was on my sister, a polite, bland smile on his face. Her shoulders loosened a bit.

.. and Elain, noticing Azriel’s ease as proof that things weren’t indeed about to go badly, offered one of her own as well.”

• when elain was about to be introduced to her new home as a new being, azriel was there:

Azriel arrived first, no shadows to be seen, my sister a pale, golden mass in his arms.

He set her down gently on the foyer carpet, having carried her in through the front door.

Elain peered up at his patient, solemn face.
Azriel smiled faintly. “Would you like me to show you the garden?”

• when elain was lost and they were trying to find a way to make her feel better, azriel was there:

“Can I set you up in the garden? The herbs you planted are coming in nicely.” “I can help her” said Azriel, stepping to the table as Elain silently rose. No shadows at his ear, no darkness ringing from his fingers as he extended a hand.

• when no one could understand her behavior and her powers, azriel was the one who did:

“She doesn’t need anything,” Azriel answered without so much as looking at Lucien. Elain was staring at the spymaster now—unblinkingly.

”We’re the ones who need …’ Azriel trailed off. “A seer” he said, more to himself than us. “The Cauldron made you a seer.”

• when elain was taken, azriel was the first person who noticed her missing:

But Azriel asked softly, “What about Elain?” Something cold went through me.

• when elain needed saving, azriel was the one ready to die to save her:

From the shadows near the entrance to the tent, Azriel said, as if in answer to some unspoken debate, “I’m getting her back.”

Nesta slid her gaze to the shadowsinger. Azriel’s hazel eyes glowed golden in the shadows.

Nesta said, “Then you will die.”

Azriel only repeated, rage glazing that stare, “I’m getting her back.”

• when elain was in chains, azriel was bleeding and really wounded but the first thing he thought was freeing her, thinking about what she needed first:

Azriel rasped, swaying on his feet, “We need Helion to get these chains off her.” Yet Elain didn’t seem to notice them as she rose up on her toes and kissed the shadowsinger’s cheek.

• when elain needed a weapon to defend herself and azriel gave her his most prized possession, the dagger that never failed him and he never let anyone touch:

“This is Truth-Teller” he told her softly. “I won’t be using it today—so I want you to.”

“It has never failed me once” the shadowsinger said, the midday sun devoured by the dark blade. “Some people say it is magic and will always strike true.” He gently took her hand and pressed the hilt of the legendary blade into it. “It will serve you well.”

Cassian gawked at Azriel, and I wondered how often Azriel had lent out that blade. Never, Rhys said from where he finished buckling on his own weapons against the side of the wagon. I have never once seen Azriel let another person touch that knife.

• even in the smallest, irrelevant things, anytime elain needed help azriel was there:

But Azriel only took Elain’s heavy dish of potatoes from her hands, his voice soft as night as he said, “Sit. I’ll take care of it.”

• when elain was upset cause she understood that there was no way of going back to how it was, azriel was there to lighten her up:

“I’d feel bad for the mice” Azriel muttered. Mor and Cassian howled, earning a blush from Azriel and a grateful smile from Elain—and no shortage of scowling from Amren. But something in me eased at that laughter, at the light that returned to Elain’s eyes.

• when elain needed someone to talk, azriel was there even for things he may be not interested in but that make her happy:

Azriel and Elain remained in the sitting room, my sister showing him the plans she’d sketched to expand the garden in the back of the town house, using the seeds and tools my family had given her tonight. Whether he cared about such things, I had no idea.

• when elain was insulted and hurt, azriel’s shadows were ready to strike in her defense:

“Maybe you’ll become interesting at last, Elain.” Nesta saw the blow land, like a physical impact, in Elain’s face, her posture. No one spoke, though shadows gathered in the corners of the room, like snakes preparing to strike. Elain’s eyes brightened with pain.

• even when he just hears elain laugh, azriel is there to wonder what caused it:

Azriel stood in the doorway, monitoring them. As if he’d heard Elain’s sharp laugh and wondered what had caused it.

azriel has literally been with elain in every step and moment of her journey since the beginning. from the most important and key moments to the smallest details. he was the one who had every answer, he was the answer, he was the one who understood, he was the only one who saw her. *ugh*

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now let me speak for a second, there’s some moments, lines you can twist to fit your narrative and there’s some moments you can’t.

yes cassian offered elain a knife but azriel didn’t just offer her a knife. now lemme explain it for dummies.

we’re in a battle, you need a weapon to defend yourself and I offer you:

1. one of my knifes, we’re in a battle and you need to defend yourself, here take this random knife and be safe.

2. my most prized possession, in 500 hundred years, all my life I haven’t let anyone touch this knife, NEVER gave it to anyone. you’re the first person in my whole life I ever gave it too, that has ever touched it. my friends, my brothers people I was raised with were gawking from this action.

now you’re gonna admit you can’t actually tell the difference between these two situations? the first one is an action you can do for everyone, people you don’t know, your friends. you’re gonna lend them a weapon to defend themselves in a battle. the second one is an action you never did for anyone before this X person, it has MEANING.

“Cassian gawked at Azriel, and I wondered how often Azriel had lent out that blade. Never, Rhys said from where he finished buckling on his own weapons against the side of the wagon. I have never once seen Azriel let another person touch that knife.

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.”

the author included that part with a motive, with purpose, to make that moment more special than just handing someone a weapon. and then she poetically described that moment between them. “light and dark” something you use as inspiration for the fanfiction you have built in your head. light and dark? that’s elriel, in the actual book. there’s no room left for interpretation on that scene. if you want to pretend to be stupid, to be in denial then you do you. but that happened and that’s a canon elriel moment. damn it sjm even put it in a coloring book for people who can’t read, she gave you some fanart of that, stop embarrassing yourselves. just theorize on some other argument like a black dress doesn’t look good on her or she can’t have a baby with wings, that suits you better. no need to give your two cents on iconic moments. discuss the two lines y’all have in the book smh. are your ships that boring that you have to spend day and night, invested and theorizing on another couple. like y’all think more about nitpicking any elriel moment then saying anything about your faves. i mean I get it they actually have scenes and the others are nonexistent in the canon material but y’all are fans at this point.

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sometimes I’m reading something and I remember azriel had to move to another place and change zip code just to control himself around elain. he had to avoid her, stay away, skip family dinners and keep a distance cause he was afraid he would lose control. and literally he proved himself right in his bc, the man lost it completely, he was ready to beg and get on his knees for a taste of her.

but for a year, every night he chose to stay away, he couldn’t find sleep because of her. like he physically removed himself from her life but still couldn’t forget and move on. he still kept that literal bottle of tylenol, her gift in his nightstand every night. like the man is cherishing a bottle of advil. my man fell asleep, the little sleep he could get, thinking of her.

and that is all the confirmation I need.

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a big thank you to everyone, to the artists who are creating art, to the people who are commissioning art and sharing art.

*my eyes are blessed, my day is made, the grass is greener, I’m LIVING*

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nvm I just remembered she walked through a battlefield unharmed and stabbed the king of hybern with 0 days of training and 0 experience. my girl don’t need any physical training, we’ll take azriel only. thank you.

the funniest shit ever is like I thought elriels didn’t want elain to be this warrior and shit why should she train and use daggers? we actually don’t want to. (the only dagger that is symbolic to us is truth teller because well she’s the only person he ever gave it to in 500 years). but bruh is she supposed to fight any enemy or physical threat in her way with the power of love and flowers? or like with her charm? wow somebody is physically attacking me and probably trying to kill me. let me just bat my lashes and send him away with my stare.

we don’t expect and want her to have something similar to nesta’s training arc that was more focused in building her as a warrior. we’ve already read that and it doesn’t fit elain’s personality. but even feyre who was very powerful and had different powers from every high lord still had to train physically. there are instances where powers are nullified, you can’t use them properly and that’s why they actually need to prepare elain too for every possibility and scenario. she should be able to defend herself.

but don’t worry azriel won’t be included in that (until later on when he wants to), he will train her in being a spy. because the books lead that way not me. her stealth and secrecy being mentioned and her being compared to azriel himself. and he will also be training her in other skills like making out and smashing. but no dagger lessons off page, no worries please don’t cry about it. if they happen’ they will be on the damn page, detailed and hot.

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HOW BEAUTIFUL IS THIS ART. O - M - G.

Elain Archeron Week: Strength

“𝓓𝓸𝓷'𝓽 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓰𝓮𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓰𝓪𝓻𝓭𝓮𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓸𝓯𝓽𝓮𝓷 𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓾𝓵𝓽𝓼 𝓲𝓷 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓽𝔂, 𝓫𝓾𝓽 𝓲𝓽 𝓲𝓷𝓿𝓸𝓵𝓿𝓮𝓼 𝓰𝓮𝓽𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓸𝓷𝓮'𝓼 𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓭𝓼 𝓭𝓲𝓻𝓽𝔂 𝓪𝓵𝓸𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓪𝔂."

Art by the very talented gracerstudios and commissioned by me. I loved working with you and adore your portrayal of Elain 💖

Elain has shown her strength many times throughout the series, whether through surviving the Cauldron, seeing the good and finding the beauty in dark times, or protecting those she cares about by kicking hounds in the face or stabbing a king through the neck. I think one of the biggest ways we’ll see Elain show her strength in her book is by standing up for herself and her right to choose. In ACOSF, we saw a glimpse of this when Elain stood up to Nesta after she forbid Elain from going near the Cauldron. I’d love to see Elain defy those orders and explore her powers, proving how capable she is to all of those around her.

We also saw Elain stand up against the concept of mating bonds in ACOWAR when she declared she belongs to no one. I think this could lead to Elain defying fate in her book as she decides who she wants to spend her life with. Elain grabbing the thread of her mating bond in this piece represents that choice. Standing up against society’s expectations and following her heart would be an amazing display of strength for a woman groomed to be nothing more than a pretty face to be married off as an advantageous match for her family. Whatever she decides, I’m so excited to see Elain stand up for what she wants and show that only she knows what’s best for herself.

Please do not repost without permission.

@elainarcheronweek

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the funniest shit ever is like I thought elriels didn’t want elain to be this warrior and shit why should she train and use daggers? we actually don’t want to. (the only dagger that is symbolic to us is truth teller because well she’s the only person he ever gave it to in 500 years). but bruh is she supposed to fight any enemy or physical threat in her way with the power of love and flowers? or like with her charm? wow somebody is physically attacking me and probably trying to kill me. let me just bat my lashes and send him away with my stare.

we don’t expect and want her to have something similar to nesta’s training arc that was more focused in building her as a warrior. we’ve already read that and it doesn’t fit elain’s personality. but even feyre who was very powerful and had different powers from every high lord still had to train physically. there are instances where powers are nullified, you can’t use them properly and that’s why they actually need to prepare elain too for every possibility and scenario. she should be able to defend herself.

but don’t worry azriel won’t be included in that (until later on when he wants to), he will train her in being a spy. because the books lead that way not me. her stealth and secrecy being mentioned and her being compared to azriel himself. and he will also be training her in other skills like making out and smashing. but no dagger lessons off page, no worries please don’t cry about it. if they happen’ they will be on the damn page, detailed and hot.

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“Shall I tend to my little garden forever?” When Nesta flinched, Elain said, “You can’t have it both ways. You cannot resent my decision to lead a small, quiet life while also refusing to let me do anything greater.”

But Elain turned on her heel. “Find me when you wish to begin.” The doors shut behind her.

Even though her Mother and Nesta thought that Elain did not dream beyond her garden, she was blessed by fate with mighty gifts to defy that role and destiny. She can dream and travel to her heart’s content through her mind. Credit: @wingedblooms

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⁣⁣⁣⤞ art by adduani

⤞ commissioned by me

⤞  @elainarcheronweek Day 2: Hope

⁣⁣⁣⤞ Please do not repost without permission

⁣⁣⁣⤞ Instagram

⊱❊⊰⁣⁣⁣

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headcanon that absolutely needs to be canon. azriel training elain on her facial expressions, like subtle and micro expressions. and saying and doing certain things that can actually provoke an expression or a reaction from her. and when he doesn’t get any, maybe he comes a little bit too close, he whispers something in her ear, lightly touches her to see if she breaks. AND THE TENSION. give it to me right now.

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ugh THIS! like they’re both introverted characters that we know so little about. the little that we know about them is from the perspective of other characters or the way they see them. and it keeps being speculated by those characters themselves that maybe they don’t know them truly and they don’t know all the colors of their character and personality. oh it’s so difficult to know what’s happening with az, they can’t get him to open up or talk about anything. oh elain has been groomed to act a certain way all her life and to please people but maybe that’s not all she is. like they’re both introverted, mysterious, characters that haven’t been explored and also very HOT. so why one is useless and boring and the other is like their fave? is this about power? like did they expect elain to go into battles and wars and fight with swords and slaughter people without a single day of training? she actually killed the king of hybern with 0 skills and only courage and saved both Nesta and Cassian. like respect that bitch! her power even though not trained and explored helped in the war. she’s a goddamn SEER, power we haven’t seen fully portrayed in sjm books. imagine how badass that will be. is she able to just predict the future or maybe control it? or maybe change it? how does it work? does she have any additional powers? like I can’t wait. they truly expected to know her character, her journey of healing, growth, training, exploring, using her powers in another person’s book. like SIT DOWN and wait for her book and then we’ll talk. she and her powers are both such a MISTERY it makes it so EXCITING for me to read her POV. now they all see her only as an obstacle to their imaginary ship and they can’t go past that.

“az is so mysterious, that makes him so interesting!”

vs

“we don’t know anything about elain, she’s so boring and dull!”

and y’all wanna tell me it has nothing to do with misogyny?

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my biggest fear is not if we will have the elriel book cause duh? it’s obvious. my biggest fear is how will it be written.

because you know what four years of waiting mean? it means that I have read and reread the series. watched the decline on the writing quality and storytelling. watched some books being rushed and potential being wasted. but it also means that after waiting all this time, my expectations are very very high. I’m returning to this world after years with a couple that I think has tremendous potential. with a couple that I’m actually obsessed with. that I have created and imagined every possible scenario with. with two characters that are really a mistery and their story could go anywhere. you know how many questions I have and how many answers I need? how would she be able to fit all that in a single book. sometimes I’m like sarah how much more time do you need woman I’m going crazy? and sometimes I’m like take your time please, take all the time you need to make this great. cause for elain and azriel I don’t expect anything less than great.

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the more I think about it, the more I wish sjm would have saved that bonus chapter scene for their book. like the tension in that scene ugh, one of the hottest things sjm has ever written.

and ELAIN? sweet little shy elain WHERE? first she made a sex joke with that gift😭 and then she knew why he was trying to keep his distance, stay away and rarely came to family dinners, she knew WHY and she still went for it. my girl LEAD that scene. “put it on me?” “pivoted into his touch like basically TOUCH ME” and I repeat SHE KNEW.

and all it took was like touching her neck and the man went hard, aching, hyperventilating, he COULDN’T even think anymore. he was literally praying she didn’t understand the effect she had on him, the effect this little simple touch had on him. *dies*

and then he was like well I’m ready to risk it all right here right now. from a little touch of her skin? he was like yeah I’ve done unspeakable things dadada but I can have this and she was like yes you can. my girl. again she could read him without needing any words. and I know very well she knew the “effect” she had on this man.

then bam he took control, that’s all he needed. his dom side came out. he buried his hand in her hair, tilting her face the way he wanted it, taking control of that kiss of that situation. we all know he was about to devour her.

and my girl closing her eyes after scanning his, parting her mouth. (like do whatever you want to me, cause I want it too.) pretty sure, soon she will be in full control of their “situations” and my boy will switch for her, he will be like yes, please. we all know it. please sarah listen to me, don’t make it cringe when you already excelled with that tension and THAT scene. channel that sarah you were when you wrote this.

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is it weird that I never felt threatened by any other ship? sometimes I try to reflect and try to put myself in other people’s shoes. and I think why would the author even make elain and azriel a thing if elucien was the endgame? like why insert hints and moments that could’ve really been with lucien. he could have saved elain, he could have discovered she was a seer, he could have had a moment with her on solstice, he could exchange charged glances and little touches with her but he didn’t. like why give these moments to azriel? why not use these moments to build up your endgame? why make azriel move on from his 500 year old crush because of elain? if he isn’t supposed to be with elain, why even insert her in his story? why give them those moments? like elain already had graysen as a love interest and azriel had mor. why couldn’t they just gravitate to their endgames after that? don’t people understand that azriel’s story loses meaning if he jumps from one woman to another? or if he just goes after another woman just because he can’t be with elain? like where’s the romance and depth in that? like why should elain and azriel’s paths cross romantically? since people say it’s lust which obviously it’s not, cause you wouldn’t be celibate for a year, thinking about someone every night, losing sleep because of that person, keeping their gift in your bedside table, letting them haunt you, moving on from hundreds of years of wanting someone else ecc. just for lust. but let’s say it is just lust why should that even be included in the story? why does them wanting to f*ck each other have any importance in the story? and him being so affected by elain’s mating bond? even smelling it? needing to stay away in case it becomes unbearable? the man being in pain because of it? like why? why add that? why doubt the cauldron? why doubt and discuss their mating bond? there’s no necessity for all of this, if their journeys will be separate. why make elain have spy tendencies and hints? why make her friends with the spy wraiths azriel trained? they’re so many why’s I could write a book.

and the answer is so simple. but I know why it’s hard to grasp for some people. it’s because they dislike elain, the majority might even hate her. and they are blinded by that hate. it would be more honest to say I don’t want her with azriel cause I don’t like her than to twist the whole story and try to convince people that canon is actually a part of our collective imagination. I’d respect people more if they accepted what’s canon but just expressed that they don’t like it and really wish the author would follow another route. that’s it.

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“when both parties deeply desire each other but due circumstance, the situation, honor, fear of vulnerability, insert your flavor here, one (or both) of them keeps an iron restraint because even the barest crack in their armor would cause them to crumble, to give in and they just can't. then just the bare touch of a hand, a single glance lingering too long, feels more intimate than any kiss. that's the good stuff.”

saw this on a reddit post about the forbidden love trope. and guess what? elain and azriel came to my mind. and especially the part “the bare touch of a hand, a single glance lingering too long, feels more intimate than any kiss.” made me weak.