greenleaf777

[greenleaf777]

ACOSF

“Like you two,” she said, nodding to Cassian, and then, a bit more shyly, to Azriel.

Azriel offered her a small smile that Elain quickly looked away from. Cassian tucked away his puzzlement.”

[greenleaf777]

night triumphant (🌌) stars eternal (✨)

lady death (🪦) lord of bloodshed (🩸)

death (🗡️) lovely fawn (🦌)

bird of flame (🐦‍🔥) lord of fire (🔥)

[greenleaf777]

On Mate Behavior: Elriel (Part Two- Scent)

Another day of an SJM Instagram jump scare with more stories and no book accouncement (though I am HAPPILY celebrating indie bookstore day with you all!)- So it's another day to be on my Elriel shit. Will we still want posts like this once the announcement is out and we are done fighting for our lives? I feel like the announcement is coming soon so I need to sneak in all my thoughts!

In my previous analysis, I highlighted a moment that would have been perfect for Azriel to display some mate-like behavior towards Gwyn, and it was sorely lacking. You can catch up on that post here!

Today I would like to discuss another area lacking in mate behavior in the BC between Azriel and Gwyn, but present for... drumroll... Elriel. And that is scent.

Bringing back Nessian's bonus chapter to start the parallels, because I do think an additional bonus lends itself to the fairest basis for comparison (also if I used book examples from ToG to CC regarding romantic parings/mates and scent I'd be here for several hundred years):

Cassian is so lost in Nesta's scent that he had to stop himself from letting his eyes roll back into his head while breathing her in. This... sounds familiar:

Azriel's eyes also nearly rolled into the back of his head because of Elain's scent.

As previously mentioned, scent plays a huge role in mates/romantic pairings. I was chatting with my friend @faeprincesswarrior when I first started thinking about the scent thing, and she remembered that Rhys could smell Feyre's scent before they even met. He would wake up with her scent in his nose. Cassian and Azriel both can hardly control themselves when they take in the scents of Nesta and Elain.

Scent plays an important role in romantic pairings, and is honestly probably one of the things SJM lays on the thickest throughout the entirety of her multiverse and she has a tendency to drop it early on, often as an initial indicator. Yes, sometimes scenting is platonic, but Gwyn and Az don't even have that on page. There is simply no mention of scent in their portion of the chapter, but it is heavy in Elain's section.

*Crescent City 3 Spoiler* Even when Ithan is done with all his side quests and spends just a few moments with Perry, he's suddenly like mmm... strawberries and cinnamon. No other indicator of mate behavior there but MANY readers only needed that little nugget to be like- something's cooking here.

Again, in addition to Azriel's lack of response to directly recalling Gwyn's assault from his POV on page- something I would have liked to see to indicate feelings could be brewing there- there is also zero mention or indication that Azriel experiences Gwyn's scent at all. Even something small, like "a shift in her scent" at his arrival, or noticing a change in her scent from her flash of memory as well (as it happened between Nesta and Cassian.)

Azriel lost his mind over Elain's scent in their bonus chapter, just as Cassian lost his mind over Nesta's scent in theirs.

Azriel makes no mention of Gwyn's scent in the BC. It's as if to him, she doesn't even have one.

I want Azriel and Elain to be together because Azriel and Elain want to be together. They experience what romantic pairings experience together, and it is delicious.

I love Gwyn, which is why I think if she is going to have a romance in the future, she deserves more than a regifted necklace and a male who is drowning in the scent of another female's kitty and doesn't even notice what Gwyn smells like. This is really what we want for her?

Hoping for a book announcement soon. Do you guys like seeing Sarah post more? I have mixed feelings. Part of me thinks it is gearing up for an announcement which is exciting. Part of me also is tired of the jump scares and wants complete silence unless it is a book accouchement. Judge me if you must!

[greenleaf777]

The very obvious mate behavior

Hunt risking his life to save Bryce :

Ruhn knew Sandriel had signed her own death warrant when she didn’t bring her triarii back with her. And stamped the official seal on it the moment she’d revealed that she’d put Bryce in the Asteri’s line of fire.

There was no hesitation in Hunt. No fear. Hunt leapt out of the helicopter, his wings tucked in tight. A one-way ticket. His last flight.

Azriel risking his life to save Elain:

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.”

Az hadn’t so much as hesitated before going into the heart of Hybern’s war-camp.

Ruhn in Hosab telling Bryce that Hunt had displayed the first mate behavior towards her back when she was in danger during Hoeab :

This was how he was that day with Sandriel, Ruhn said into her mind. When he ripped off her head. He added tightly, You were in danger then, too.

And what’s that supposed to mean?

Why don’t you tell me? You seem like you know what the fuck is happening with him. Ruhn glared at her as Hunt continued to glow and menace. It means that he’s going ballistic in the way that only mates can when the other is threatened. It’s what happened then, and what’s happening now.

[greenleaf777]

✨Elriel moments: love languages edition✨

Acts of service:

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?” She seemed so small before him, so fragile compared to the scales of his fighting leathers, the breadth of his shoulders. The wings peeking over them. But Elain did not balk from him, did not shy away as she nodded—just once.

“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 his fingers as he extended a hand. Nesta monitored him like a hawk, but kept silent as Elain took his hand, and out they went.”

But I strode to my seat—nestled between Amren and Mor—in time to see Elain say to Azriel, “Hello.” Az said nothing. No, he just moved toward her. Mor tensed beside me. 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.” Elain’s hands remained in midair, as if the ghost of the dish remained between them.

Words of Affirmation:

Elain said to Azriel, perhaps the only two civilized ones here, “Can you truly fly?” He set down his fork, blinking. I might have even called him self-conscious. He said, “Yes. Cassian and I hail from a race of faeries called Illyrians. We’re born hearing the song of the wind.” “That’s very beautiful,” she said.

Azriel, graceful as any courtier, offered her an arm. I couldn’t tell if she was looking at his blue Siphon or at his scarred skin beneath as she breathed, “Beautiful.” Color bloomed high on Azriel’s golden-brown cheeks, but he inclined his head in thanks and led my sister toward the back doors into the garden, sunlight bathing them.”

Elain’s eyes widened at the obsidian-hilted blade in Azriel’s scarred hand. The runes on the dark scabbard. “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.”

Quality Time:

“Elain sat silently at one of the wrought-iron tables, a cup of tea before her. Azriel was sprawled on the chaise longue across the gray stones, sunning his wings and reading what looked to be a stack of reports—likely information on the Autumn Court that he planned to present to Rhys once he’d sorted through it all. Already dressed for the Hewn City—the brutal, beautiful armor so at odds with the lovely garden. And my sister sitting within it.”

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

Gift Giving:

“Az, this one’s for you.” The shadowsinger’s brows lifted, but his scarred hand extended to take the present. Elain turned from where she’d been speaking to Nesta. “Oh, that’s from me.” Azriel’s face didn’t so much as shift at the words. Not even a smile as he opened the present and revealed—“I had Madja make it for me,” Elain explained. Azriel’s brows narrowed at the mention of the family’s preferred healer. “It’s a powder to mix in with any drink.” Silence. Elain bit her lip and then smiled sheepishly. “It’s for the headaches everyone always gives you. Since you rub your temples so often.”

She extended the wrapped gift, her hand shaking. "Here." … Azriel unwrapped the box, glancing at the card that merely said, You might find these useful at the House these days, and then opened the lid. Two small, bean-shaped fabric blobs lay within. Elain murmured, "You put them in your ears, and they block any sound. With Nesta and Cassian living there with you..." He chuckled, unable to suppress the impulse.

He pulled the small velvet box from the shadows around him. Opened it for her. Elain sucked in a soft breath that whispered over his skin. His shadows skittered back at the sound. They'd always been prone to vanish when she was around. The golden necklace seemed ordinary -- its chain unremarkable, the amulet tiny enough that it could be dismissed as an everyday charm. It was a small, flat rose fashioned of stained glass, designed so that when held to the light, the true depth of the colors would become visible. A thing of secret, lovely beauty.

Physical Touch:

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.

He knew it was wrong, but there he was, sliding the necklace around her. Letting his scarred fingers touch her immaculate skin. Letting them brush the side of her throat, savoring the velvet-soft texture. Elain shivered, and he took a damn long time fastening the clasp. Azriel's fingers lingered at her nape, atop the first knob of her spine. Slowly, Elain pivoted into his touch. Until his palm lay flat against her neck.

It had never gone this far. They'd exchanged looks, the occasional brush of their fingers, but never this. Never blatant, unrestricted touching.

Azriel's hand slid up her neck, burying in her thick hair. Tilting her face the way he wanted it. Elain's mouth parted slightly, her eyes scanning his before fluttering shut.

Based on these, I think Elain mostly shows love with gift giving/words of affirmation while Azriel is acts of service/quality time. I’m sure they both love physical touch coming from the right person 😉

[greenleaf777]

Does Elain KNOW she can reject the bond?

Has anyone bluntly told her that’s possible? Has anyone explained HOW? Does she actually know that this is something she can get out of?

Because Rhysand and Feyre briefly talking about it, doesn’t mean that they ever discussed that option with Elain.

All this heat from the fandom about Elain not boldly rejecting the bond, and our flower girl might not even know she CAN.

Side note - How come there’s no heat on Lucien to reject the bond? Why is it ALL up to Elain, the once human who’s only been Fae for a few years and is still learning things about it???

[greenleaf777]

Their thought process or lack thereof if bananas

Antis Logic

Do you guys remember acofas special edition where Elain is holding a tulips bouquet?

Or remember when her sister feyre painted tulips on Elain's drawer:

I slung off my outer clothes onto the sagging dresser—frowning at the violets and roses I’d painted around the knobs of Elain’s drawer.

Or Remember when Elain was compared to a tulip bloom :

But Elain wrapped her own blue cloak around herself, averting her eyes from all of those towering, muscled warriors, the army camp bustling toward the horizon … She was a rose bloom in a mud field. Filled with galloping horses.

Do you remember when she missed flowers, and her father, with whom she was close, out of all the species, carved her a wooden tulip? Yeah, I remember:

She plucked another figurine from the mantel: a rose carved from a dark sort of wood. She held it in her palm, its solid weight surprising, and traced a finger over one of the petals. “He made this one for Elain. Since it was winter and she missed the flowers.”

But wait, can you imagine what Azriel gifted her?

It was a small, flat rose fashioned of stained glass, designed so that when held to the light, the true depth of the colors would become visible. A thing of secret, lovely beauty.

A tulip necklace. Yes, he doesn't know Elain well, he doesn't even know her favorite flower.

which is a rose because one time she head about a roses field in the continent and wanted to visit it with Feyre :

“These bulbs,” Elain said, pointing with a gloved hand to a cluster of purple-and-white flowers, “came all the way from the tulip fields of the continent. Father promised that next spring he’ll take me to see them."

They sound like this 🙂

[greenleaf777]

“It had ever gone this far. They’d exchange looks, an occasional brush of their fingers, but never this. Never blatant, unrestricted touching. Wrong—it was so wrong.”

“He didn’t care.”

Elriel Month officially begins next week and as a little gift, we have this beautiful piece by @/giulopesart (IG), commissioned by @lesolehabitantdelalune to give you a taste of what May has in store! 🌹🦇 We hope you’re as excited as we are!! 💕

Please no reposts. 🫶

[greenleaf777]

Technically she did blush at Rhys LOL Gwynsand anyone???? Jkjk

I'm going to say this once, and I am not going to voice this again because the fact that it even has to be said, is absolutely crazy.

Nothing in ACOSF has shown us that Gwyn is ready for a relationship. She can't even leave the library at the end of ACOSF to attend Nessian's mating ceremony. She is probably now even more traumatized after the BR, and rightfully so.

Could she one day be in a relationship with a male/female? Sure. But that time is not now, right after ACOSF.

Right now, she is NOT ready for a relationship with anyone (including Azriel).

Do not get me wrong. If there had been ANY sign she had shown interest romantically in any character - I would not be saying this. But she has not shown that for anyone, let alone for Azriel.

Gwyn is going to eventually heal. But she does not need a man to do so. She does not need to play sidekick to Azriel and help him handle his so called "darkness" to heal.

Y'all can't just force her into a ship when she's clearly not ready for a relationship. Well, I suppose you can, but that would be disrespectful to SA victims everywhere.

Fictional character or not, SA trauma is real. Forcing this timeline of healing on Gwyn or shipping her with someone just so she can "fix him" or suit his "sexual freak" nature is just downright ignorant.

If y'all like Gwynriel because you think the aesthetic is cute or you think they'd compliment each other - that is fine. But this dialogue of Gwyn is gonna fix him and she and Azriel HAVE to be together because some half-baked statement from Azriel's POV - it's so weird.

Stop shipping women with people they have shown no interest in. Same goes for people shipping Elain with Lucien, when she loses her boldness around him and shrinks into herself.

Literally the moment SJM shows Gwyn is ready and likes Azriel or Elain suddenly gives Lucien the time of day out of her own free will, I will fully accept and understand the other ships.

But for now, I am shipping the couple that has actually shown desire and attraction and affection for each other. Just my opinion, and I'm not entertaining any arguments on this.

[greenleaf777]

“Elain isn’t happy in the Night Court.”

Meanwhile, Elain:

“Elain, who would not eat, or speak, or do anything at all. Elain, who had somehow become the adjusted one.”

“Tending to the gardens of Feyre’s veritable palace on the river, helping other residents of Velaris restore their own destroyed gardens—she had purpose and joy, and friends: those two half-wraiths who worked in Rhysand’s houshold.”

“She glowed with good health. Except … her brown eyes were wary. Usually that look was reserved for Lucien. The male was definitely in the family room.”

“And then Elain burst out laughing. Howling, half-sobbing laughs that sent her bending over at the waist, gasping for breath.”

[greenleaf777]

How shitty of a Leading Man would azriel be if he just gave up and moved on to option 3 with a shrug. No thank you. Thats not a male worth stanning.

I want my men down hard for their ladies.

Not to say I want a full blown IC civil war but is this really how people want it to play out?

Rhys: You are to stay away from her.

Azriel: Aight, beloved High Lord of mine.

Cassian, in the corner: *proudly nodding*

~ The End ~

Epilogue: After pulling a Cassian, Azriel lived happily ever after as feysand's adopted son, never to misbehave again.

[greenleaf777]

“Elriel ended in ACOSF!” “It’s just lust!” Meanwhile ACOSF:

Sarah is screaming at us to see how much Azriel cares for Elain. He has lingering horror and pain at the idea of Elain being taken again just like Nesta. He hesitates for Elain to scry because of what happened the last time just like Nesta. He worries for Elain’s safely and takes precautions to protect her just as Feyre and Nesta would.

It’s not just lust. It’s not just a fling. He is protective of Elain because he deeply cares for her. And personally, I loveeee to see Az go feral at the idea of someone/something hurting Elain.

[greenleaf777]

LMAOOO

The Antis do enjoy their fanon over actual canon…

[greenleaf777]

Friendly Reminders: Elain Archeron and Sarah J. Maas

After Elain got dragged by the fandom for being boring and useless online, Sarah J. Maas- knowing full well that she as an author loved Elain and couldn't wait to tell her story that has been brewing for nearly a decade- wrote this:

-ACOSF

And this:

-Feysand Bonus Chapter, ACOSF

After certain members of the fandom collectively decided that Sarah J. Maas so *obviously* ended Elriel because she may not be able to have Azriel's babies and nothing is more important than that, or she owes Lucien her time because she is his mate and he deserves her, she wrote this:

-HOFAS

It's almost as if the author of the books has heard the things people said about a FMC whose book she has described as being *obsessed* with writing, like when you have a crush, and explicitly addressed and dragged the legitimately abhorrent takes surrounding the remaining Archeron sister.

Sometimes I truly wonder why one would read a book from an author they so vehemently disagree with. The author has told you her stance on these opinions. And it is... not positive. She does *not* agree with these ideas. Full stop.

I have no doubt most will be won over by Elain's book. But I find theories antithetical to the beliefs of the author to be at best bizarre, and at worst needlessly harmful to women. And the author has made it quite clear she has no interest in catering to those ideals.

[greenleaf777]

"Elain hates fae that's why she doesn't want Lucien right now"

Uh huh. Ok.

Except for the fact that:

Her entire family is now fae

Her life is in Velaris, with other fae

Her friends N+C are fae

She helps an old fae out with their garden

She herself said to Feyre that they need to respect fae traditions for Solstice

She cooks and bakes fae food

She is attracted to a fae male (Azriel) and gives her permission for him to kiss her

She got aroused for Azriel (a fae male)

She participates in solstice, buying presents for her sisters and Azriel

She claims she is a part of the NC

She is ready and willing to do her part for their court by offering to scry - "find me when you wish to begin."

I could go on. But I think it is very clear that Elain's problem with Lucien is not the fact that he's a fae male. It's the fact that she does. Not. Want. Him.

[greenleaf777]

Its funny when they claim elriel isn’t romantic BUT they also ended in the binus chapter. So which is it? They have either started or they haven’t

I don’t understand how antis claim that elriel has no romantic buildup and in the same breath say that their romance started off page. I hope we get an announcement soon. I’m so tired of this.

They are swerving left and right trying to avoid the very obvious ELRIEL sign. Literally no theory sounds illogical or ridiculous when you hate a certain character or love a certain character. Your mind can delude you into thinking anything is true if you try hard enough.

Sucks to be them though. I'd be desperate too if my ship had zero positive interactions in canon and all the articles about the next ACOTAR book and major verified accounts were gushing about Elriel 🤷🏻‍♀️

[greenleaf777]

Gwynriel just deciding that azriels shadows are scared of elain and just running with it like its canon is the most bizarre thing.

Sjm has never once alluded to that being the case in the slightest l, she has actually alluded to the opposite

How are y'all saying Azriel's shadows dissipating around Elain is a bad thing?

First of all, they don't "hide" from Elain. His shadows are a part of him, they're not sentient beings. They came to him when he was at his darkest place to give him company. They disappear when they are not needed - aka - when Azriel is comfortable and happy.

His shadows recede whenever he is happy or feels joy or love or comfort. They disappear and skitter around Cassian, Mor, Feyre, around Azriel himself, etc.

Not to mention, earlier in the series when Azriel was in love with Mor, his shadows again - tended to vanish completely around her. Sure she wasn't his endgame, but he did love her and his shadows reacted accordingly to someone he loved.

Now that he has feelings for Elain, his shadows also are prone to vanish in her presence...because he now feels love for Elain.

His shadows disappearing is NOT a bad thing. Azriel himself does not seem overly concerned that his shadows tend to disappear around her. So then why are Gwynriels so concerned on his behalf? Y'all know something this fictional character doesn't?

Also adding the point that the shadows react to Azriel's moods. They swarm him when Azriel thinks something has happened to Elain. They darken the room when Azriel is trying to protect Elain from scrying for the troves.

But they also help Azriel put that necklace on Elain in the BC. How do y'all think that happened if his shadows apparently hate Elain? You think he sat down and gave them a pep talk that they have to be nice to Elain or something 🤡🤡

To make it simple:

Shadows disappear into lightness = Azriel happy

Shadows swarm = Azriel mad / sad

Shadows exist = Azriel is guarded

It's like, common sense I fear 😌