#elain and nuala and cerridwen

[nikethestatue]

There needs to be a scene where Elain is being sent on some dangerous mission by her bro-in-law. She agrees. Then the twins, Nuala and Cerridwen, suddenly float into the room and say, decisively:

"Where you go, we go."

And in the back, Azriel pipes in 'so I am'.

And Elain goes on a mission with those who love her.

#elain archeron #azriel and elain #nuala and cerridwen #elain and nuala and cerridwen #elainarcheronweek2023

[offtorivendell]

Some Friendly Teasing...

🌸 Elain Archeron Week 2023, Day 2 - Sister and Friend 

This headcanon/theory is based on a few things:

This brilliant crack theory by @wingedblooms, and the subsequent thoughts reblogged by @ladynightcourt3, which posit that Elain may have shifting powers, and have taken the form of Balthazar in ACOSF's Blood Rite (the OP), as well as the priestess Ananke during Valkyrie training (the reblogs).

This corresponding crack theory by @psychologynerd, which hypothesises that Nuala and Cerridwen may be Roslin and Dierdre, two of the other training priestesses who are frequently seen with Ananke.

I highly recommend reading both theories by these supremely lovely and talented people, they make a lot of sense! But let's go...

Azriel’s presence helped. He now trained the newest recruits, quiet and gentle yet unfaltering, and if she didn’t know better, she’d swear at least two of the priestesses—Roslin and Ilana—sighed every time he walked past. - ACOSF, chapter 40

I can't think of anything more appropriate for a trio of besties than for two of them to tease the third - lightheartedly, of course - when they discover a crush. Now I know the names Roslin and Ilana don't match up exactly with Roslin and Dierdre, but this could be explained by one of a few things:

The wraiths don't always wear the same bodies, and at this point they were Roslin and Ilana.

Only one of the twins, as Roslin, was teasing Elain at this time, and Ilana just has good taste.

Ilana, which means "torch, beautiful, light, bright, shining," is Elain (or she was on this day, instead of Ananke).

In the beginning, Elain thinks she's slick, asking for information about Azriel, like his favourite foods, or whether he has any aversions. Nuala and Cerridwen see through her falsely casual interrogation in an instant. But hey, we all have to start somewhere.

I can just imagine the glee lighting up Nuala and Cerridwen's eyes when they realised for whom Elain was developing feelings. Their boss, of all people! Who they probably know well and have a fairly good relationship with after a few centuries of being his personally trained spies, so I anticipate Azriel will cop his fair share from them in an Elriel book, too.

Nuala may have suggested that Elain train as a way to improve her balance for stealthy walking (if she is Ananke then she was as bad as Nesta initially) and self defence, but she conveniently forgot to warn her that Azriel would be taking the other priestesses through their exercises, not Cassian.

Cue the silent snickers and not-so-subtle looks when his back is turned, and Elain's ever blushing face.

That's something she'll obviously have to work on, pipes in Cerridwen.

Elain doing her best to balance, planting her feet in the dirt, yet still toppling over, only for Cerridwen to accuse her of doing it intentionally when Az is looking the other way, saying that she just wanted Azriel's undivided attention.

And when Elain does finally begin to improve, Nuala will give her a teeny, tiny nudge, just to see if they can get her to falter.

And maybe blush some more. For spy training.

At which point Cerridwen will say, deadpan, that Elain may be great at keeping others' secrets, but she sure as shit wears her own on her face.

I am really and truly hopeful that we'll finally get to see the two spies who masquerade as Rhys' own handmaidens at home and abroad for who they really are, through the eyes of their good friend, Elain, rather than someone who doesn't know them well. I think they'll have a lot of fun together, and we'll also see them all open up about their pasts, and their hopes and dreams for the future.

@elainarcheronweek

#elain archeron #elain archeron theory #pro elain #pro elain archeron #elain positivity #elain and nuala and cerridwen #nuala and cerridwen #elain and nuala #elain and cerridwen #night court spies #night court #elain's powers #shifter elain #elriel #azriel shadowsinger #acotar #elainarcheronweek2023 #elain archeron week 2023 #elain archeron week #elainweek2023 #elain week 2023 #elainarcheronweek #acotar theory

[lizzyrart]

Making Feyre’s birthday cake

#art #my art #fanart #acotar #acofas #acotar fanart #elain #elain archeron #elain acotar #nuala and cerridwen #acofas fanart #acotar memes

[duskcowboy]

🌸💗 Totally Spies of the Night Court 🌸💗

@elainarcheronweek Day 2 | Sister and Friend

♡ 🎨 by @/carasalexandra on insta ♡

♡ commissioned by me, @cateyesinlove and @starswhogaze ♡

#elain archeron #elain archeron appreciation #elain archeron fanart #nuala and cerridwen #acotar fanart #a court of thorns and roses

[wingedblooms]

Heart of the Night Court

This meta is a continuation of theories in forbidden secrets, blooming dreams, and bright as the dawn, as it narrows in on Illyria, Ramiel, and their connection to Wyrd. Please avoid if you do not want to read hofas spoilers. 

Facing Ramiel

The northern region of the Night Court is where Ramiel, one of the three sacred sister peaks, is located. It is considered the heart of Illyria and the Night Court. 

Ramiel. The sacred mountain.  The heart of not only Illyria, but the entirety of the Night Court.  None were permitted on its barren, rocky slopes—save for the Illyrians, and only once a year at that. During the Blood Rite.  Cassian soared toward it, unable to resist Ramiel’s ancient summons. Different—the mountain was so different from the barren, terrible presence of the lone peak in the center of Prythian. Ramiel had always felt alive, somehow. Awake and watchful. (acofas) [...] Ramiel rose higher still, a shard of stone piercing the gray sky. Beautiful and lonely. Eternal and ageless. (acofas)

Cassian describes Ramiel as alive, awake, and watchful, and so very beautiful as she rises from the earth. Likewise, Feyre emphasizes that Elain is alive and somehow infinitely more beautiful as she rises from the ground after she is Made in the Cauldron. Her legs are even bare, which remind me of the barren terrain, and her sheer nightgown might even be a hint for thin places, as @offtorivendell observed. Elain’s strength has also always been different than her sisters, just like Ramiel among her sacred sister peaks.   

And as if it had been tipped by invisible hands, the Cauldron turned on its side. More water than seemed possible dumped out in a cascade. Black, smoke-coated water.  And Elain, as if she’d been thrown by a wave, washed onto the stones facedown.  Her legs were so pale—so delicate. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen them bare.  The queens pushed forward. Alive, she had to be alive, had to have wanted to live– Elain sucked in a breath, her fine-boned back rising, her wet nightgown nearly sheer. And as she rose from the ground onto her elbows, the gag in place, as she twisted to look at me— Nesta began roaring again.  Pale skin started to glow. Her face had somehow become more beautiful—infinitely beautiful, and her ears … Elain’s ears were now pointed beneath her sodden hair. (acomaf)

As each spring dawns on the world, Ramiel is crowned with three stars, and the Illyrians—who we learned may have been the Asteri’s soldiers and therefore may carry on rituals that would have benefited them—honor bloodshed on her land rather than new life. 

No wonder that first ruler of the Night Court had made this his insignia. Along with the three stars that only appeared for a brief window each year, framing the uppermost peak of Ramiel like a crown. It was during that window when the Rite occurred. Which had come first: the insignia or the Rite, Cassian didn’t know. Had never really cared to find out.  The conifer forests and ravines that dotted the landscape flowing to Ramiel’s foot gleamed under the fresh snow. Empty and clean. No sign of the bloodshed that would occur come the start of spring. (acofas) 

Some even seem to take great pleasure in the killing that is permitted during this rite, and Ramiel, which we know is alive and watching, is forced to witness it every year. Azriel calls it a week of pointless bloodshed, but we know now that is likely untrue. @silverlinedeyes, @offtorivendell and I believe the Asteri may have created or warped an existing rite to suit their needs. @silverlinedeyes pointed out that this spring rite reminds her of the Great Rite, and that made something click for me: perhaps the Blood Rite is the Night Court's Great Rite. Is the secondlight from slain warriors absorbed by the land? And do those few who reach the stone, which I suspect might be the Maiden in this rite, provide firstlight to the cache hidden in Ramiel’s heart? Is it any wonder the winds around her howl, and her land is often frozen and inhospitable?

The mountain neared, mighty and endless, so wide that he might as well have been a mayfly in the wind. Cassian soared toward Ramiel’s southern face, rising high enough to catch a glimpse of the shining black stone jutting from its top.  Who had put that stone atop the peak, he didn’t know, either. Legend said it had existed before the Night Court formed, before the Illyrians migrated from the Myrmidons, before humans even walked the earth. Even with the fresh snow crusting Ramiel, none had touched the pillar of stone. (acofas)

The shining black stone on Ramiel’s face is able to heal and transport those who touch it. In acosf, it knew where Nesta’s friends were needed most and sent them to the River House. It is also on the southern face of the mountain, which in the northern hemisphere, is the part of the mountain that receives the most sunlight. Cassian tells us that he doesn’t know who put it there, but legend says it was before humans even walked the earth. While it is very likely that the Asteri warped it (into a tool to sustain them, like the gates in Lunathion as @merymoonbeam so cleverly pointed out), I believe it may have also originally been linked to the Cauldron. 

In hofas, we discover that Ramiel used to bear the Cauldron on her land:

“The Cauldron,” Nesta said hours later, pointing to yet another carving on the wall. It indeed showed a giant cauldron, perched atop what seemed to be a barren mountain peak with three stars above it. Azriel halted, angling his head. “That’s Ramiel.” At Bryce’s questioning look, he explained, “A mountain sacred to the Illyrians.”  Bryce nodded to the carving. “What’s the big deal about a cauldron?” [...]  “All life came and comes from it,” Azriel said with something like reverence. “The Mother poured it into this world, and from it, life blossomed.” (hofas) […] The snows around Ramiel parted, revealing a massive bowl of iron at the foot of the monolith. Even through the vision, its presence leaked into the world, a heavy, ominous thing. “The Cauldron,” Nesta said, dread lacing her voice. […] “The Cauldron was of our world, our heritage. But upon arriving here, the Daglan captured it and used their powers to warp it. To turn it from what it had been into something deadlier. No longer just a tool of creation, but of destruction. And the horrors it produced…those, too, my parents would turn to their advantage.” (hofas) 

I wonder if long ago, before the Asteri desecrated them, the stone and Cauldron together resembled this depiction of Wyrd: 

The Under-King lounged on a throne beneath a behemoth statue of a figure holding a black metal bowl between her upraised hands. Symbols were carved all over the bowl, continuing down her fingers, her arms, her body. Ithan could only assume it was meant to represent Urd. No other temples ever depicted the goddess, no one even dared—most people claimed that fate was impossible to portray in any one form. But it seemed that the dead, unlike the living, had a vision of her. And those symbols running from the bowl onto her skin…they were like tattoos. […] “And she,” the Under-King went on, gesturing to that unusual depiction of Urd towering above him, “was not a goddess, but a force that governed worlds. A cauldron of life, brimming with the language of creation. Urd, they call her here—a bastardized version of her true name. Wyrd, we called her in that old world.” (hofas)

This depiction is interesting because it mirrors, almost exactly, the figurine Nesta assumes is the Mother in the House of Wind: 

It was a fire. Not her father’s neck. Her gaze shifted to the carved wooden rose she’d placed upon the mantel, half-hidden in the shadows beside a figurine of a supple-bodied female, her upraised arms clasping a full moon between them. Some sort of primal goddess—perhaps even the Mother herself. Nesta hadn’t let herself dwell on why she’d felt the need to set the rose there. Why she hadn’t just thrown it in a drawer.  Another log cracked, and Nesta flinched. But she remained sitting there. Staring at that carved rose. (acosf) 

For some reason, she needed to set Elain’s rose, half-hidden in shadow, next to this depiction of what appears to be Wyrd. In hosab, the Under-King also described Wyrd as a mother to all, which is why I theorized that she is actually a triple goddess: Mother, Cauldron, Fate. They are three parts, or faces, of the same force. The three sacred sister peaks and three blessed Archeron sisters are intentionally linked to her. Perhaps the moon in the female’s hands isn’t just a moon, but a world too. Immediately after this scene, the House of Wind shows Nesta her heart in the lovely darkness of the mountain, which she calls the heart of the world, of existence. Of self. 

Heart racing, Nesta lifted the lantern in one hand and gazed at the darkness, untouched by the light from the library high, high above. The heart of the world, of existence. Of self.  The heart of the House.  “This…” Her fingers tightened on the lantern. “This darkness is your heart.” [...] Let the darkness sweep in. Embraced it. “I’m not afraid,” she whispered into it. “You are my friend, and my home. Thank you for sharing this with me.” (acosf)

Nesta embraces the heart of the House of Wind, which naturally makes me recall the heart of the Prison asking Bryce to open her heart to it…it might sing again. Awaken. There was a beating, vibrant heart locked away, far beneath them. We’re not sure exactly how Avallen might have affected the Prison island, and I suspect there is more to come with that plot thread. While I had always hoped the Valkyries might re-establish themselves as an intercourt army in the Middle, which does not have ties to any court in particular, I can also appreciate the possibility that they might ultimately settle on the Prison island instead. It would be incredible to see Pegasi return and for the Valkyries to learn how to fly on them. 

This plot is related to the core thread driving us forward, and it is something that can occur in a book that is centered on Elain and Azriel. Together, they have the vision and gifts needed to map the secrets of the land, starting with the sacred sister peaks, which I believe will ultimately help them restore Wyrd. This would fit all of the seeds Sarah has planted for the third sister’s arc with Azriel, Nuala, and Cerridwen. It would also be powerful for a character who has been underestimated and ridiculed for gardening to heal the land and the very source that created it. 

As I said prior to hofas, this exploration will inevitably bring them to the very heart of Ramiel. As a bearer of Wyrd, the source of life, Ramiel may even be the heart of the world, not just the Night Court. Will they discover that she was once very different? Did she change, as her sisters did, when the Asteri burrowed into her heart? Or was it because the Cauldron, Wyrd’s physical form, was warped into a tool of destruction by the Asteri and later removed from her land? Were the Illyrians created to guard the Cauldron since it was the Asteri’s most precious weapon? And is that why, as @cassianfanclub wondered, the Asteri were so desperate to reach the stone at the top, where the Cauldron was once depicted? Enalius may have prevented it from falling into their hands as he defended the Pass, which would’ve been a critical turning point in a rebellion. Unlike the rite they currently use to honor him, Enalius’s defense was in the service of life, which is what made Nesta’s sacrifice so inspiring. Her sacrifice is now depicted in the heart of the Court of Dreams, which is dedicated to building a better world.

Descending into Ramiel

We learn that Ramiel may be hiding secrets from Eris, of all characters: 

Eris shrugged, and Nesta knew Cassian monitored his every breath. “There are three of them, you know. Sister peaks. This one, the mountain called the Prison, and the one the Illyrian brutes call Ramiel. All bald, barren mountains at odds with those around them.” “We don’t know why they exist, but do you not find it strange that two out of the three have underground palaces carved into them?”  […]  Eris gave him a mocking smile, but continued, “Unsurprisingly, the Illyrians were never curious enough to see what secrets lie beneath Ramiel. If it, too, was carved up like the others by ancient hands.” “I thought Amarantha made the court Under the Mountain herself,” Nesta said.  “Oh, she decorated it and made us act like a sorry imitation of your Court of Nightmares, but the tunnels and halls were carved long before. By who, we don’t know.” (acosf)

He tells us that the three sacred peaks are sisters. Sacred is another word for blessed. And two out of three of them have been at least somewhat explored, but the third? Still mysterious. No one was curious enough to see what lied beneath her beautiful face, at her heart. This is such a lovely parallel for the three blessed sisters, and seems like a clear hint for the third one in particular. 

In hofas, we receive confirmation that these secrets might be connected to the Asteri, who are known as Daglan in Prythian lore: 

“They fought the Daglan and won, she went on. Using the Daglan’s own weapons, they destroyed them. Yet my parents did not think to learn the Daglan’s other secrets—they were too weary, too eager to leave the past behind.” (hofas) 

-

Vesperus backed up a half step, hissing at the gleaming weapon. “We hid pockets of our power throughout the lands, in case the vermin should cause … problems. It seems our wisdom did not fail us.” “There are no such places,” Azriel countered coldly. “Are there not?” Vesperus grinned broadly, showing all of her too-white teeth. “Have you looked beneath every sacred mountain? At their very roots? The magic draws all sorts of creatures. I can sense them even now, slithering about, gnawing on the magic. My magic. They’re as much vermin as the rest of you.” (hofas)

Bryce concludes, after Vesperus is able to draw the power from her secret cache below, that there is a firstlight core in the root, or heart, of the mountain. We see what happens in Avallen when the land is forced to contain magic where its ley lines overlap, rather than allowing it to flow as it should: it binds the magic of the land and causes it to wither like a plant with root rot. And that seems to explain why the sacred peaks are so odd: barren yet thrumming with power. 

I have theorized that the caches of power may need to be released leading up to the restoration of Wyrd, and I suspect there may be clues—especially within Ramiel—about how the Asteri warped and bound her to the land. If Elain is as tied to the land as we suspect, this could also strengthen whatever magic she possesses. 

In the cavern illustrations Bryce views in hofas, we see what might lie beneath Ramiel, maybe even the entire Night Court:

Scenes of a blessed land, a thriving civilization. One relief had been so similar to the frieze of the Fae male forging the sword at the Crescent City Ballet that Bryce had nearly gasped. The last carving before the river had been one of transition: a Fae King and Queen seated on thrones, a mountain—different from the one with the palace atop it—behind them with three stars rising above it. A different kingdom, then. Some ancient High Lord and Lady, Nesta had suggested before approaching the river.  She hadn’t commented on the lower half of the carving, which depicted a Helscape beneath their thrones, some kind of underworld. Humanoid figures writhed in pain amid what looked like icicles and snapping, scaly beasts—either past enemies conquered or an indication of what failure to bow to the rulers would bring upon the defiant.  The suffering stretched throughout, lingering even underneath that archipelago and its mountaintop palace. Even here, in paradise, death and evil remained. A common motif in Midgardian art, too, usually with the caption: Et in Avallen ego.  Even in Avallen, there am I. A whispered promise from Death. Another version of memento mori. A reminder that death was always, always waiting. Even in the blessed Fae isle of Avallen. (hofas) 

This might merely be a hint for the Asteri secrets that remain buried in the earth. But I agree with others (including @offtorivendell, @ladynightcourt3, @cassianfanclub, and @silverlinedeyes) who have wondered if this Helscape is in fact a hint that Prythian, and the Night Court in particular, is tied to Hel. We learned that the worlds in the Maasverse are tied together through ley lines, and the veil between worlds is thin where these ley lines overlap—like the lines in a star. 

That may be the true meaning of star symbols throughout the Maasverse, and the one specifically found in the Prison that is connected to the Starborn: as I theorized pre-hosab, it is a compass rose, and it seems to be linked to other places in the grander tapestry of the universe. There is power in the space where the lines meet; these lines represent ley lines. Certain people (Asteri, Starborn, etc.) are able to use that power to travel, communicate, or even light up entire worlds. Depending on how those lines are woven in certain areas, they might even be able to draw you to one place more than another. That may explain why the Prison seems more connected to Midgard. So, could Ramiel be more connected to Hel, and the Middle to…Erilea?

I wonder if Elain, Azriel, Nuala, and Cerridwen’s exploration in the heart of Ramiel might lead them to Wyrd’s Temple in Hel, except @silverlinedeyes, @offtorivendell, and I think she goes by yet another name there: Chaos. It’s possible they could use black salt or another substance to achieve this, as @offtorivendell and @cassianfanclub have discussed, especially with Elain’s sight. I am personally hoping for a physical trip to Hel and Ramiel might possess a doorway, or rift, as @offtorivendell has theorized. 

The black boat that Aidas led Bryce and Hunt into was a cross between the one that had brought them into Avallen and the ones that carried bodies to the Bone Quarter. But in lieu of a stag’s head, it was a stag’s skull at the prow, greenish flame dancing in its eyes as it sailed through the cave. The eerie green light illuminated black rock carved into pillars and buildings, walkways and temples. Ancient. And empty. Bryce had never seen a place so void of life. So … still. Even the Bone Quarter had a sense of being lived in, albeit by the dead. But here, nothing stirred. […] “It’s like a city of the dead,” Hunt murmured, draping a wing around Bryce. Aidas turned from where he stood at the prow, holding in his hands a long pole that he’d used to guide them. “That’s because it is.” He gestured with a pale hand to the buildings and temples and avenues. “This is where our beloved dead come to rest, with all the comforts of life around them.” […] Before Aidas could answer, the boat approached a small quay leading to what appeared to be a temple. A figure emerged from between the pillars of the temple and descended its front steps. Golden-haired, golden-skinned. […] “The Temple of Chaos is a sacred place,” Apollion said sharply. “We shall never defile it with violence.” The words rumbled like thunder again.

This sounds familiar, doesn’t it? It sounds an awful lot like other beliefs in the Maasverse:

Bryce asked, because some small part of her had to know after what she’d seen of the Mask, “When you die, where do your souls go?” Did they even believe in the concept of a soul? Maybe she should have led with that.  But Azriel said softly, “They return to the Mother, where they rest in joy within her heart until she finds another purpose for us. Another life or world to live in.” (hofas)

-

“We’ll collect the dead tomorrow,” Manon said, her voice low. “And burn them at moonrise.” As both Crochans and Ironteeth did. A full moon tomorrow—the Mother’s Womb. A good moon to be burned. To be returned to the Three-Faced Goddess, and reborn within that womb. (koa)

Wyrd (Chaos) is the heart of the world, of existence. Of self. And that is where people rest in joy until they are reborn. Could this be where the spirits are migrating on Starfall?

We know the Princes of Hel are intergalactic helpers, so a trip to Hel or an encounter with a Prince (Bryaxis? Thanatos? Even Balthazar, if he isn’t Elain? 😉 still my favorite crack theory) might give us insight into their role in Prythian. It could also involve Azriel’s peculiar magic that makes him, like Ramiel, so different from even his Illyrian brothers. Let's be honest, he’s always had a Prince of Hel vibe—down to his reverence for Wyrd (Mother, Cauldron, Fate/Chaos)—that I would love to see come to fruition. 

Beyond Azriel himself, I also think we will learn the origins of the Illyrians in the heart of Ramiel. Were they connected to Hel before the Asteri made them their soldiers, like @silverlinedeyes and @offtorivendell theorized? Or were they an experiment like the blessed sisters? Did the Asteri put humans (hence the ears) into the Cauldron after it was imbued with their void magic and create beings of night and pain who could combat enemies, including demons? This might be another reason why the three most powerful Illyrians are a match in power for the three blessed sisters. 

Together, they balance opposing forces as @silverlinedeyes previously theorized. They seem to represent the forces of Void and Chaos, and their power can be combined in the space between to achieve impossible feats (eg, physically healing the Cauldron and the rip in the world). All three sisters seem to be chosen bearers, or conduits, for Wyrd (Chaos), so I wouldn’t be surprised if we see another example of this in a different way for Azriel and Elain, and/or a scene where they are all linked magically.  

My lips tugged toward a smile. But Rhys stared at all of us, somehow assembled here in the sun-drenched open grasses without being given the order. Our family—our court. The Court of Dreams.  […] He surveyed them all again—and held out his hand to Cassian. Cassian took it, and held out his other hand for Mor. Then Mor extended her other to Azriel. Azriel to Amren. Amren to Nesta. Nesta to Elain. And Elain to me. Until we were all linked, all bound together. (acowar)

Since Ramiel is connected to Wyrd (Chaos), and there may be a doorway to her temple in Hel, this journey will likely also uncover secrets about her. Will her story come from illustrations in stone, members of Hel, or…my personal favorite, Wyrd herself? I believe that is one of the many reasons she gifted Elain with such powers, including sight: so she could tell her story to someone who could see differently. Someone who could see the creator within the darkness, just as Elain saw the dark cottage as a shelter rather than a prison. This gift may provide them the information they need to uncover the Asteri’s secrets and unravel their magic from the sacred peaks and Wyrd, which could lead them to at least two other places: (1) Midgard, where the Book of Breathings is now kept by Bryce, and (2) Cretea, where the Cauldron is currently hidden. Could Azriel even pay back Bryce for stealing his precious dagger? It would only be fitting. 

Ramiel Springs Eternal 

I was so cold I might never be warm again. Even during winter in the mortal realm, I’d managed to find some kernel of heat, but after nearly emptying my cache of magic that afternoon, even roaring heart fire couldn’t thaw the chill around my bones. Did spring ever come to this blasted place? (acomaf)

Illyria is known for being bitterly cold, to the point where Feyre wonders if spring would ever arrive there. Sarah has consistently described Elain as blooming life amid death and winter, and this imagery starts to become really apparent in Illyria: 

Mor let out a snort that made the Illyrians stiffen. But she shifted, revealing Elain behind her. Elain was just blinking, wide-eyed, at the camp. The army.  Devlon let out a grunt at the sight of her. But Elain wrapped her own blue cloak around herself, averting her eyes from all those towering, muscled warriors, the army camp bustling toward the horizon…She was a rose bloom in a mud field. Filled with galloping horses. (acowar) 

Compared to Nesta, a newly forged sword, Elain is a blooming flower even in an Illyrian army camp, which is essentially saying she is a bloom of life and color in the middle of winter. This imagery is so fitting because she commits her time to creating and restoring gardens wherever she goes. She brings life and joy and beauty into the world. Even her scent is a promise of spring: 

Her sister’s delicate scent of jasmine and honey lingered in the red-stoned hall like a promise of spring, a sparkling river that she followed to the open doors of the chamber. […] Her sister turned toward her, glowing with health. Elain’s smile was as bright as the setting sun beyond the windows. (acosf)

We also know she is also capable of hearing sound, specifically hearts, through stone. In their conversation about heartbeats, Lucien even wonders if she is speaking to him: 

She looked away—toward the windows. “I can hear your heart,” she said quietly. He wasn’t sure how to respond, so he said nothing, and drained his tea, even as it burned his mouth. “When I sleep,” she murmured, “I can hear your heart beating through the stone.” She angled her head, as if the city view held some answer. “Can you hear mine?” He wasn’t sure if she truly meant to address him, but he said, “No, lady. I cannot.”  Her too-thin shoulders seemed to curve inward. “No one ever does. No one ever looked—not really.” A bramble of words. (acowar)

Was Elain actually speaking to one of the sister peaks, or even Wyrd, during some of this conversation? Her response to Lucien even seems to echo the song of the land: no one had ever truly looked, not really. No one knew what secrets they carried in their heart. This is such a lonely existence. As Elain and Azriel heal the land, I believe they will also heal their own wounds. Feel seen and heard. Understood. 

Elain was also wearing a blue cloak in the Illyrian camp. Could that be a hint of her future work with others who wear something similar, like the priestesses who worship Wyrd? She answered her sister’s prayer during the war rather than Wyrd and has led her own sister in prayer before. Is she more priestess—more healer—than warrior, and is that the different sort of strength needed to garden on a larger scale? @willowmeres and I were discussing this the other night: perhaps like Gwydion and TT (which I theorized singing to each other across space), Elain’s rose necklace was called to the library when the priestesses were singing about Wyrd. And because like calls to like, the necklace answered and drew Azriel to the library instead of the Palace of Thread and Jewels. Like her sisters before her, Elain might receive help from priestesses as she hones her vision and gifts. I would scream if this turns out to be true because that necklace is pure Chaos (pun definitely intended).

It’s also possible the priestesses could be helpful in unbinding Void from the Book of Breathings, a book of spells. I doubt this will be a simple matter, however. It might rival the unraveling of Erawan, which required massive raw healing magic. Will the Asteri’s void magic manifest on another plane as Elain battles it with raw healing magic, shining bright as the dawn? Could a dawn ritual help ground her during this battle? And will Azriel, the sisters, the brothers, even priestesses with their healing stones, need to create a living chain to defeat Void and fully restore Wyrd (Chaos) in the end? Will we finally get a glimpse of her, unbound? 

Maybe with the help of Azriel and others, Elain will even restore Wyrd—blossoming life—to Ramiel’s sunniest face, the heart of the world, of existence. Of self. And true spring will finally come to her sacred land.

#ramiel #the third sacred sister peak #mysterious as the third blessed sister #healing the land and Wyrd #elain archeron #azriel shadowsinger #elriel #wyrd #mother cauldron fate #a temple in Hel #nuala and cerridwen #archeron sisters #illyrian brothers #court of dreams #priestesses

[mt-jupiter]

nuala + elain + cerridwen baking cookies !

vibes inspired by all those artworks of cute cottagecore animals doing things :0

i just think the girls deserve to have a good time

#nuala and cerridwen #elain archeron #acotar #acowar #elain acotar #nuala acotar #cerridwen acotar #acotar fanart #fanart #art #digital art #doodle #a court of thorns and roses

[elainemg97]

🌸Elain, Nuala and Cerridwen 🌸

Ps: I imagine in this scene the twins are asking Elain about her crush on a certain shadowsinger. ☺️

#acowar #acotar #sarah j maas #elriel #a court of thorns and roses #elain x azriel #acomaf #azriel #fanart #elain archeron #pro elain #pro elriel #a court of frost and starlight #acofas #nuala and cerridwen

[starswhogaze]

The happiest @elainarcheronweek to you all!!!!

I had THE BEST time drawing these three 💜💕 I do hope you love it.

Catch them casually, deciphering visions over brunch.

#mystical cottagecore besties #elainarcheronweek2023 #elainarcheronweek #elain archeron #nuala and cerridwen #night court #starswhogaze #mine #artflow

[devi1sange1]

“I can never see him. What he is. There is an onyx box that he possesses, more vital than anything… save for them. The girls.”

In Koschei the deathless folklore, his death is kept in a box/chest. In the original tales, the box is hidden and burried, away from Koschei. I find it very interesting that SJM instead wrote that koschei possesses this box. Therefore, depending how true SJM stays to the original folklore, you get the box, you kill Koschei. Even if she strays from the original tale, we’re going to want this box, it’s important.

It’s probably going to take some sneaky, stealthy spies to steal that box right out from under him, right? Similarly to how Azriel stole the Veritas Orb from the Hewn City in ACOMAF.

Food for thought…

“Elain spoke from the doorway, having appeared so silently that they all twisted towards her, “Using me.”

“‘You came.’ Elain said behind her, and Nesta started, not having heard her sister approach. She scanned Elain from head to toe, wondering if she had been taking lessons in stealth either from Azriel or the two half-wraiths she called friends.”

Who better to obtain this box besides the only one who’s seen it, the one who found it? Someone who is also stealthy? Someone who is connected to the Night Courts revered spymaster and his spies?

This is a job for Ms. Elain Archeron, of course.

#elain archeron #pro elain #nuala and cerridwen #azriel shadowsinger #elriel #pro elriel

[moondrawss]

Elain Archeron🌸💕

#acomaf #acosf #acotar #acowar #acofas #acosf art #acosf fanart #acotar fanart #elain acotar #elain archeron #elain supremacy #elain kingslayer #pro elain #elainsweekmarch2023 #elain x azriel #elain x nuala x cerridwen #feyre #feyre archeron #high queen feyre #feyre darling #feyre fanart #feyre supremacy #nestha archeron #pro feyre

[the-darkestminds]

Personally, I don’t like the idea of Nuala and Cerridwen being Elain’s best friends because at the start of Elain’s time in Velaris it was their job to attend to her, just like they did when Feyre first showed up. They answer to Rhysand and Azriel first and foremost because that is what they are paid to do. Elain deserves the opportunity to make friends of her own, just like Nesta did. I still feel bad for Feyre that she never got the chance to do that because as we saw in ACOSF, all of her friends are loyal to Rhysand first and her second. Not to mention the fact that if Elain is best friends with the twins, it has happened 100% off page and we didn’t get to read any of it as it developed. 🥱

#people be like ‘Elain is already happy! she has besties! she will never leave Feyre’s house!’ bro what #then why does she need a mf book??? #people talk about them like the three of them are bffs #I do not see that #and that is just a theory cuz we haven’t had her POV yet #also how boring if she’s already made super close friends and we don’t get to read about the growth?? #sarah j maas #acomaf #acotar #elucien #acowar #a court of wings and ruin #a court of mist and fury #a court of thorns and roses #a court of frost and starlight #a court of silver flames #acosf #acofas #nuala and cerridwen #pro Elain #Elain #elain acotar #elain archeron #azriel #pro elucien #anti elriel #anti e/riel #antielriel #pro gwynriel #gwynriel

[elrielmoments]

I saw someone say that Elain being best friends with Nuala and Cerridwen (who are Az’s spies) is fanon ……

Um.

“You came,” Elain said behind her, and Nesta started, not having heard her sister approach. She scanned Elain from head to toe, wondering if she’d been taking lessons in stealth either from Azriel or the two half-wraiths she called friends. Gone was the ill-suited black dress from the ball, replaced by a gown of amethyst velvet, her hair half-up and curling down to her waist. She glowed with good health.”

#elain archeron #nuala and cerridwen #the spies #elriel #pro elriel #elriel supremacy #elriel endgame

[nikethestatue]

Elriel and the twins

Art: dudledudlesss

#elriel #elain archeron #azriel #elain #azriel and elain #pro elriel #nuala and cerridwen #Nuala and Cerridwen and Elain

[wingedblooms]

Stone Mother

Spoilers for Bryce, Nesta, and Azriel’s bonus chapter below (yes, I read it; I couldn’t help myself). Don’t proceed if you don’t want any spoilers connected to hofas.

“Stone Mother” began playing, its rolling, thumping drums offsetting the wild, yet mellow, guitars. And then Josie’s voice filled the tunnel, sharp yet soaring, accented by Laurel’s sweet, clear backups. The sound was foreign, earthy—haunting. […] The wraith-like harmonies echoed off the stones, until the rock sounded as if it was singing. (Bryce, Nesta, and Azriel bonus)

-

But the music seemed to linger, like a ghostly echo through the caves.

And with each mile onward, she could hear Azriel humming softly to himself. The rolling, wild melody of “Stone Mother” flowed off his lips, and she could have sworn even the shadows danced at the sound. (Bryce, Nesta, and Azriel bonus)

Sarah felt it was important to describe Stone Mother in detail—wild and mellow and earthy. Haunting. Wraith-like. Ghostly.

My first thought (as you might expect) was of the divine trio: Mother, Cauldron, Fate.

“Three stones for the faces of the Mother,” Amren said upon seeing Nesta’s raised brows. “Four bones…for whatever reason the charlatans came up with that I can’t be bothered to remember.” (acowar)

I love how witchy this quote is about scrying, as it specifically refers to the three faces of the Mother (like a Three-Faced Goddess). It especially reminds me of the sister peaks and the Cauldron, which is a mother encased in stone.

The wild, mellow, earthy song flows off of Azriel’s lips long after he hears it. Wild, mellow, earthy. Now, let’s pretend to ignore the fact that Azriel listens very carefully to Nesta’s description of how she dealt with becoming Fae (why would that be, truly? who else would be dealing with that?). Who do those words remind you of?

Her gaze shifted to the carved wooden rose she’d placed upon the mantel, half-hidden in the shadows beside a figurine of a supple-bodied female, her upraised arms clasping a full moon between them. Some sort of primal goddess—perhaps even the Mother herself. Nesta hadn’t let herself dwell on why she’d felt the need to set the rose there. Why she hadn’t just thrown it in a drawer. (acosf)

Elain’s solid, dark wooden rose is next to a figurine of the Mother. Something wild, mellow, earthy—just like the third sister herself, a gentle gardener.

And the harmonies? They’re wraith-like. Just like Elain’s friends…

“Half,” Amren said, surveying my turquoise, cobalt, and white clothes. “Wraiths are nothing but shadow and mist, able to walk through walls, stone—you name it. I don’t even want to know how those two were conceived. High Fae will stick their cocks anywhere.”

I choked on what could have been a laugh or a cough. “They make good spies.”

“Why do you think they’re now whispering in Azriel’s ear that I’m in here?”

“I thought they answered to Rhys.”

“They answer to both, but they were trained by Azriel first.” (acomaf)

…who act a bit ghostly, walking through stone like shadows on the daily. If Elain is connected to that lovely darkness we see roaming around, she might bring us even closer to the Cauldron Stone Mother in the next book. Commands be damned.

#hofas spoilers #hofas #bryce azriel nesta bonus #stone mother #mother cauldron fate #elain archeron #nuala and cerridwen #lovely darkness #this is hinting how the crossover impacts acotar #elriel

[nymphpriestessvalkyrie]

A fanon thing that everyone has just accepted as fact that is very weird to me is the idea that Nuala and Cerridwen are Elain’s best friends because they spend time with her in the kitchen.

As if they aren’t known to be Night Court spies who work for Rhys and were trained personally by Azriel.

And as if Azriel doesn’t explicitly say he has eyes on Elain at all times.

Why would Elain obviously get best friends in a couple of side references in not her book?

It’s one of those things that is possible, but there’s plenty of evidence to the contrary that fandom just ignores.

#elain archeron #nuala and cerridwen #if they are really her best friends I’m going to feel so cheated that this friendship developed off page

[cateyesinlove]

To my secret Santa, Merry Christmas @sirenarts , haven meeting you is one of the best things this year and I will forever be grateful I get to call you my friend!

AO3

“No” Azriel simply answered while cheeking some paper from a folder, leaning into his desk with ease as if he didn’t have the fiercest of lawyers in the whole New York area in front of him murdering him with her sight, Lady Death herself, Nesta Archeron.

“What do you mean no” she growled, arms crossed and fuming.

Azriel let a sigh out and dragged his hand down his face, “ It means I am not taking time off from my job to go around asking who wants to come with me on an adventure where I follow some influencer girls around like a lost puppy for a beauty brand launch party.” He answered harshly, “ I’ll lose all credibility, Nesta”

Azriel has only felt fear three times in his life, his line of work didn’t necessarily allow him to feel it more often

When his hands were burned

When he almost died

And now watching Nesta smile like the devil herself standing in front of him.

“ Well good thing you need to do neither of those things,” Nesta said smiling scarily chipper, she uncrossed her arms and put them in her waist. “ Emerie has already agreed and Cassian told me you had already taken the week off so you can do your usual brooding in the mountain.”

Azriel was left speechless.

Then he frowned, “ How did you get Berdara to do it, she is worse than me with time off and that is something.” he asked.

Nesta shrugged smirking, putting her hands in her pockets.

“I guess it’s just one of the many perks of being an awesome lawyer who saves your fucking asses all the goddam time.”

Azirel rolled his eyes, being a bodyguard was a great job and it paid well whoever you were also sued a lot depending on the clients you worked with and how much of an assholes they were

“ Well I might still refuse Nesta,” he said defensively

Nesta smile somehow grew bigger and she pulled her phone out showing it to Azriel. “ Oh have I forgotten to tell you the person I need you to take care of is Elain?” she asked, in her phone a photo from the photoshoot of Elain’s new brand; Elain was dressed in a flower gown surrounded by all types of plants and holding some of her products.

He was left breathless.

Azriel’s first thought, as it always was whenever he saw Elain, was that she looked beautiful. There was a shine to Elain that Azriel had only been able to find in the stars in the night. Her glow was incomparable.

He felt his ears and face grow hot and a blush took over his face.

Fuck.

Nesta laid the trap for him and he fell like the idiot he was.

He cleared his throat and scratched his neck with the other, “ Yes, you forgot that very important detail, Nesta,” he scowled

Nesta laughed, “ Well what can I say, it is fun to toy around with you when it comes to Elain,” she said examining her engagement ring.

“ You don’t have to gloat on my misery Nesta,” he said, a sigh of exhaustion scaping him as he let himself fall on his chair.

“ You can always call her Azirel,” Netsa said rolling her eyes at the stupidity of her future brother-in-law.

“Nesta,” he warned with a serious tone.

“Fuck off,” she responded irritated, “ She broke up with that loser months ago Azriel, you could have easily called her and asked her out and-”

“Nesta respectfully fuck off, it’s none of your business.” he cut her off tired of hearing the same thing from the same people.

His brothers.

His sisters-in-law.

And his three-year-old nephew.

‘So, will you do it yes or no?” Nesta asked irked.

“Of course, I’ll do it, Nesta,” he said exhausted putting his hands on his face.

“ I’ll see you tomorrow then,” she said walking out of his office with a smile.

_____________________

“ So what exactly does Nesta have on you to convince you to be doing this?” Azriel asked Emerie as they examined the surrounding area where they were waiting for the car with Elain and her friends for the launch party.

“Not necessarily what but who” she grumbled fixing her glasses and walking towards the car that had arrived, opening the door.

“SUNSHINE!” a small ginger woman exclaimed as she walked out of the car, dressed in a modest teal dress and her straight pin hair loose, a small broach with a moon holding it out of her face. The woman threw herself at Emerie kissing her cheek.

Azriel didn’t know what to do, he froze for a moment and when he was ready to tackle the girl he saw Emerie laugh and hold her by the waist hugging her, she kissed the woman and separated from her turning a more professional stand as she could probably see photographers appear, keeping a discrete hang on the back of her wife

“Azriel, this is my wife, Gwyn Berdara.” Emerie introduced with a smile.

Azriel couldn’t help but smile, “ Oh so this is why you accepted the job?” he asked laughing

“ Oh like the reason you accepted was any better?” Asked Feyre as she climbed out of the car with Nesta.

All the girls laughed as Azriel went red, then panicked flooding him as he looked over at the car but the door was closed, he started to look everywhere for another car, Elain’s car.

“Don’t panic,” Nesta said putting the poor boy out of his misery, Elain and the twins are coming in another car.

Ease flooded his body until he saw a white car approaching and off the car came out Elain.

Beautiful, wonderful, splendid Elain, in a beautiful dress adorned with flowers of all types, but all of a pink and white scheme along side with some vines.

As Elain climbed out of the car, the first person she saw was Azriel, extending a hand to her, Like all those years ago.

“Az,” she said his name in surprise, a whisper only for him to hear but with a huge smile on her face.

He took her hand and smiled back at her, “ Elain” he greeted with the same huge smile.

“I- wha- what are you doing here?” she said still smiling and hugged him, she couldn’t keep her excitement, the last time he had seen him was months ago, and she missed him too much.

Which was a mistake, especially with all the cameras around them.

NEWS FLASH!

Icon Elain Archeron seen at her launch debut with new beau?

Who is this handsome mysterious man?

3276 Likes 298Comments Shares

Purpleunicornc

Okay but the sunshine x sunshine protector tropes

Starwhogazes

It’s the pink-and-black aesthetic for me

Jediemma

Okay but Elain the lovely fawn and a man who looks like her protector? Iconic

Nikethestatue to Jediemma

Like death itself?

Jasmineandshadows

OMG death and the lovely fawn? Iconic

Siren.arts

OKAY they are my new favorite couple!

“Let’s go” he whispered holding her waist and shielding her as much as he could from the flashes to the building. “ Oh and,” he started chuckling a bit. “Nesta asked me to keep you safe.” he answered, “ and I will always look out for you.”

Elain went red to the face but gave him a huge smile. “ I know,” she answered as they entered the building.

Cerridwen and Nuala came out of the car and gathered with the rest of the girls as they saw the scene play before them.

“Ugh he is such an idiot,” said Nesta crossing her arms and looking at them.

“Leave them alone Nesta,” Feyre answered laughing, “ They need time.”

“They are both idiots,” answered Nuala rolling her eyes, “They are the only ones who don’t know they are madly in love with each other.”

“It’s going to be a long week,” Cerridwen answered holding her sister by the shoulders and directing her to the building.

“Yes, it will” Answered Nesta walking with arms intertwined with Gwyn who was giggling.

Emerie shakes her head with a small chuckle and follows everyone inside

#elriel #pro elriel #Elriel fic #bodyguard au #elain archeron #pro elain archeron #azriel shadowsinger #azriel acotar #azriel x elain #gwyn berdara #emerie of illyria #emerie acotar #emerie acosf #nesta archeron #feyre archeron #nuala and cerridwen #gwynerie #gwyn x emerie #emerie x gwyn