#eris and mor are there along with LOA and Helion

[acourtofthought]

How do you think Azriel will get a POV if Elriel doesn’t happen? Sarah already said she writes about women, so if he get’s a pov it’ll probably be similar to Cassian’s in SF. Now, Elain is the last sister and Sarah is clearly planning on giving Azriel more protagonism, wouldn’t it be the obvious choice to put them together? And Gwyn is cool but do you really think Sarah will make her a main character? I don’t think so

I don't think it would be the obvious choice to put E/riel together for POV reasons.

SJM is not finished with this series after the next book.

We know Lucien needs to discover that Helion is his father and discover his full powers. We know that Beron needs killed so Eris can take over as HL of Autumn (and the LoA's abuse and Eris's torture can finally come to an end). We need to see the Valkyrie become an elite fighting unit (and not just three females which is not the Valkyrie truly being reborn, they need to be a legion of warriors). We know Mor needs to come out to her friends. We know that Elain needs to discover her powers. We know that Spring needs restored. We know that the peace treaty needs secured. We know the Illyrians not respecting female warriors needs to change. We know we need to discover why Nesta was left with Gwydion and the Prison territory. We need Vassa's curse to be broken. We need the box Koschei hides his soul in to be found. We need the illness plaguing the Pegasus foals to be cured. We know Koschei needs defeated. We need to find out exactly why Merrill was researching the Valkryie and time travel. We need to find out why SJM wrote that Nesta would call the dead to her in the thousands, but not just yet.

It would be impossible to solve every single one of those storylines in an Elain / Azriel POV and that means someone has to get a POV after that.

So who has the power to carry a book after that? Lucien and Vassa?

Gwyn, in a single book, has had way more dialogue than Vassa over the course of 2.5 books.

Gwyn is fae and Vassa is a human.

Gwyn is connected to main characters in the NC and Vassa is not connected to any of them, she's connected to Lucien and regardless of how much of the story is set outside the NC, there needs to be a NC character who has a main connection to the leads since they are the "Gandalf" of this series. Lucien isn't going near the NC if Elain rejects their bond.

Gwyn is connected to the Valkyrie who SJM hinted at having a story beyond what we saw in SF and Vassa.......will do what after she's freed from Koschei? Lead the humans?

I'm not sure why anyone would feel Gwyn can't become a main character yet Vassa can when Vassa has shown absolutely zero interest in the fae since the war against Hybern. And like it or not, this series is about the fae while the humans take a backseat.

If Yrene could spring up as a main character with a POV in TOD which was her first appearance, then why exactly is there any arguments against Gwyn becoming one too? She's already farther along that Yrene ever was.

#gwynriel #elucien #anti e/riel

[shadybirdwombat]

I've thought about writing an elucien fanfiction..

The prologue would consist of Beron being killed by Lucien and Eris. Keir being killed by Mor. Eris becoming high lord of autumn.

Morrigan leading hewn city.

Beron will kill helion because Helion sacrifices himself for the loa and the rest of her sons. This Lucien becomes high king.

Gwyn and Azriel kill the queens. Fund out they're mates. Gwyn is the granddaughter of Beron. Her father andras. She's researching koschei. Vassa and the swans are freed because of Lucien's full powers. The seasons are the actual rightful queens.

Azriel, Rhys and Cassian plus the Valkyries are trying to keep the Illyrians from joining koschei and they find out daglan are still in prythinan. Trying to recruit worshippers. Beron and the queens left them out. Emerie has taken over the Valkyries and is helping with the Illyrian rebellion. Mor and her are together.

Beron was using a spell to torture Tamlin to insanity. He's back to being high lord and spring court is thriving

Elain is missing. Though no one has paid attention. She's been erasing her memory from others. She's been in the middle. Searching using her powers. For asteri, monsters and pockets of magic. Though she's found two friends. A witch. An ironteeth witch. One of the first witches created by the valg. Lucien hasn't visited velaris. He's been in day etc. So he really has no clue.

She stays in the middle to hunt monsters and asteri. She's know Elain for many years. Even as a human Elain knew her. She's mates with Tamlin. I want her to be Latino with blue black hair with valg king eyes.

Elain's other friend is a Demi fae. A daughter of the king of Hybern. Who was protected by the witch. She was also the mercenary. Balthazar etc. She had visions though not a seer. She's Eris mate. Eris and mor were mates. Though they had a false bond created by koschei, king of Hybern and Beron.

She's short and has dark brown hair and brown eyes with a spark of green not hazel . She's related to Jurian. His half sister. She has two wolves. They're aren't tog fae. They're fae. Just fae animals.

Koschei would still be alive. Lucien, Eris and Tamlin go to the middle to investigate tales of increase of monsters. The pockets of magic etc. This is from Gwyn's research. Loa and Eris remaining brothers are watching over autumn

Bronn, Hart and alis return to spring. Help watch over while Tamlin is in the middle.

Day court is being run by scholars and Gwyn. She's using the libraries to research topics. Azriel and her are together. They just have jobs to do.

Dusk court is real being ruled by Nesta who has humans and fae living together.

All three high lords are following the Middle suriel. Who is a bit mad.

Though he leads them to the three females. The witch is fighting nagas. The Demi fae picts.

Which Tamlin starts helping her fight the nagas They don't have a slow burn. Immediately recognize each other. Accept the bond later on. Though not against it. She's giving me asterin vibes. Personality wise.

Eris helps the Demi fae. Though she ends up saving him. Because a pict pretend to be his mom.

They're are a bit reluctant about the mating bond..

I see her as Aelin character. Full of mischief.

So lucien senses elain. She's being attacked by bogge. Which you can't kill. Though Elain can. She's not just a seer. Idk what additional powers. I would give her.

Anyways Elain found a pockets of magic.

Created a garden in the middle. With sprites, fae animals etc.

She brought back trapped fae. Which were the ones in stone.

The story will be about koschei. The valg kings. Elain and lucien finally getting together. She had things to do before they could. As did he. Elain being viewed as the ruler of her garden in the middle. Though she refuses.

Eris finally accepting love from a light-hearted mate. His hounds and her wolves actually get along. She brings out the sweet loving side of Eris. Plus goofy.

Tamlin and his mate just being strong rulers. They bring out the live your life to to the fullest vibes.

English is my first language and I haven't written anything in years.

Decades even lol

#elain archeron #acotar #lucien vanserra #eris vanserra #acotar series #fanfiction #thinking about writing fanfiction #tamlin

[heyovivi]

Gwyn Berdara Theory

Okay, so I have a theory that tags along with a theory that many people have pointed out since the release of ACOSF. Now we all now a big mystery surrounds Gwyn on who she really is, meaning where she comes from in terms of her family tree. Many people have their theories but one theory I like to believe to be true is that her grandfather is Lucien and her grandmother is Lucien's deceased lover, Jesminda. Looking back (as many people have pointed out) the wording (as limited as it might be) surrounding how Gwyn's grandmother became pregnant with a high ranking lord of Autumn and how Jesminda was described by Lucien when Feyre was surfing through his mind is quiet similar. This leads me to believe that Lucien and Jesminda are Gwyn's grandparents.

But Beron already didn't like the idea of Lucien being with someone who wasn't high fae--or he just didn't like Lucien at all which is a likely theory seeing how he knew Lucien wasn't his son and that LOA had an affair (I'm not sure if he knew for sure if it was with Helion though.) However, if he did know that LOA's lover had been Helion and that their affair resulted in the birth of Lucien it could've meant that even though Lucien didn't appear to inherit Helion's powers, a sire of Lucien's could. Meaning that if Jesminda was pregnant and had a child that was found out to have powers that clearly resonated with the High Lord of Day then it could've revealed LOA's affair, Lucien's true biological father, and disrupt Beron's reputation and deface him in the eyes of his people and Prythian.

Now, at this point, if Jesminda was found to be pregnant by Beron then he would want to kill her in order to hide the family's dirty secret. Knowing that her life and baby are on the line there is only one thing to do, however there are very few people who can get away from Beron's wrath, but there is one person who could most likely bypass the High lord of Autumn's radar, and that person could only be his heir, Eris. Now, to add some drama to this theory, I theorize that perhaps Lucien wasn't the only person to be in love with Jesminda. Perhaps Eris was also in love, and if he was he wouldn't want to see harm to Jesminda. Even though she didn't love him, even though she was carrying the child of his brother, perhaps, out of the love he had for her, he would help her hide and escape in order to protect her from his father.

But even though Jesminda and the baby were in hiding they still weren't safe, so the only option was to hide the baby away, somewhere far and out of Autumn Court where Beron's influence was little. Eris had to take the baby somewhere where'd she be protected, somewhere not even he would know in case his father suspected he knew something and would torture the location of the baby's whereabouts out of him. So Eris had to bargain a deal with a person on the outside. Someone who would be kind enough to take the child and hide her away from the world so Beron wouldn't inflict his wrath. Someone who would need something from him.

Someone like Mor, who did not want to marry him. If it was a fae bargain then perhaps their bargain entailed that they couldn't speak of the matter, forcing the Speaker of Truth to fabricate a lie that would protect the baby and herself from the consequences of the bargain. Mor couldn't bring the baby to Night Court, because Rhys could've discovered the heritage of the child and because of his friendship with Helion he wouldn't have been quiet about, not likely. And if their bargain was supposed to remain a secret she would have to have the child placed somewhere quiet, somewhere where no body would question the sudden appearance of an orphaned child.

Like an obscure temple.

So, after Jesminda gave birth, she gave her child up to ensure her safety. Eris took the child to Mor, striking a deal that in exchange for the child's safety he would annul the engagement he had with her, creating a bargain that bound them both to secrecy.

But they all knew Beron wouldn't stop hunting Jesminda if she was pregnant. So after Jesminda gave birth she would have to come to Autumn to face Beron, even if it meant her death. Eris could've warned her not to, but if what we know about Jesminda is true then we know that she wouldn't have listened, and instead offered herself up to her sentence, claiming that she had miscarried so she could protect her baby from Beron's witch hunt.

Now dead, the baby is safe and her identity a secret, even to the priestesses of Sangravah. And she lives only to have a child that could also possess the power of light, similar to that of Helion's, which could unravel Beron's plans to keeping the secret of who Lucien's real father is.

#Gwyn Berdara #Gwyneth Berdara #A Court of Silver Flames #ACOSF #ACOTAR #a court of thorns and roses #Lucien Vansera #Eris Vanserra #Morrigan #Beron #Autumn Court #Night Court #Acotar Theories #gwynriel #sarah j maas

[nikethestatue]

Hey so u remember how in acowar (?) Feyre and rhys find out that Lucien was helion and loa son. So your telling me that Rhys, who has known Lucien for so long, along with many others who also have known foxboy for so long and have known helion too — Rhys especially given he's helions bestie— for a long time did not know abt foxy being helions son. Like ok not everyone but helion seems to be close with the inner court and they know abt his affair with loa. So how come no one was able to put two and two together but feyre a relatively new comer who's just now met all high lords and their families a little better and just now was told abt their stories was able to realise the helion was Lucien's father? How in the world is that even possible? How was she abt to figure it out within a few hours but the others werent able to do so in centuries?

It's either feyre is hella smart with an Einstein level of iq or the inner court and the people closest to helion and loa despite being centuries old, are dumb af.

Or SJM retconned. :)

No. She definitely retconned.

Because in ACOTAR Lucien was looking like Beron, and in ACOWAR he is basically draping himself in a toga and golden sandals and becoming a spell cleaver instead of some fire lordling.

I mean, why wouldn't they know the story about him and LoA. Mor somehow knew that Helion was pursuing LoA back in the day? The Nc and the AC have been tangled for a LONG time, at least since Mor/Eris engagement, but maybe even before. So the fact that all of it came out suddenly and Feyre had this epiphany and figured it out in like 6 minutes is a bit of a stretch.

If you gonna retcon, do it delicately and thoughtfully.

[yazthebookish]

I know you probably answered this a thousand times (so, sorry in advance) but I keep seeing ppl saying that a mate bond rejection is probably coming since Sarah mention in the books that it was possible and that mates aren’t always right to each other (aka Rhys parents) and that she wouldn’t bring it for nothing if she wasn’t going to explore it in the future and that she keep pushing Elain and Lucien away probably bc of that

I know you already said it is unlikely to happen but it still get me insecure that el/riel will happen (I know that right now they are extremely toxic for each other and definitely don’t bring the banter and the equal point that sjm always does in her couples) about it bc it’s a valid point

Does mate rejection have to happen with Elain and Lucien though? Everytime I see someone explaining why they don't want Elucien is because they want to see a mate rejection.

Did we even see the dynamic between Elain and Lucien yet? We don't know how they would work out as a couple yet and that's what makes Eluciens look forward to them because there is potential there. They are excited to see the type of couple they'll be. As a matter of fact, Lucien and Elain compliment each other on many aspects.

What's the issue right now? Elain is currently not acknowledging and avoiding Lucien (we don't know why exactly she was fine with him by the end of ACOWAR) and Lucien is giving her the space she needs. She is a grown ass woman, she can make decisions and two years later she still did not make up her mind about the mating bond.

If she is well enough to mingle in Solstice and Starfall parties and be around the IC, she can face Lucien and end it. She didn't and is currently stringing him along because she doesn't want to make up her mind about it knowing Lucien wants to give it a shot. She is not entitled to him but it is cruel to string him along and give a silver of hope by not rejecting him.

I think SJM will go with her original plans for them. They're currently at the tension stage and both are currently in stasis, they need growth which will come when they take the first step into their healing journey. Once that wheel starts running, we will see more of Elain and Lucien.

There are other couples we might have seen a mating bond rejection with already (possibly):

• Mor and Eris (some hints are there that they might could be mates)

• Helion and Lady of Autumn (definitely mates and likely LoA ended up rejecting the bond to weaken it and keep Helion away from her to protect her children and especially Lucien from Helion)

To me, it's unrealistic to pull a mating bond rejection now with Elain and Lucien. It takes a long time for the male to overcome it. I won't say it's not possible that it would happen to them, but from what Sarah explained about the rejection, if we get Lucien's book next we'll have to navigate through the mating bond rejection haunting him because it's not just a bond that breaks, it's a SOUL connection. They are connected on a soul-level.

"But you are not considering Elain's feelings!" We can come up with a million reasons about why Elain is the way she is. We don't know why she is distancing herself from Lucien yet not rejecting the bond (likely tied to her humanity). If Elain chooses to get to know to Lucien and chooses to be with him, that's her choice after all. Like how her sisters chose to be with their mates.

So we still didn't see much of Lucien and Elain to know whether or not they fit. I think Elain's resentment does not primarily come from Lucien but from external sources. If Sarah had shown more of Elain and Lucien and how unfit they are, that would've been more convincing. But she is keeping the reason why Elain is acting this way a mystery, to keep the reader thinking about what's going on with Elain.

What I don't like is seeing people guilt-trip Eluciens about forcing Elain to be with someone she doesn't want. Eluciens always envision Elain and Lucien happy together. Neither Elain is forced to be with him nor Lucien. I've seen so many amazing headcanons that makes this ship so appealing to me. 

A mating bond rejection does not necessarily have to happen with Elucien. I'm not so worried about that especially since all the signs point to Azriel and Gwyn ending up together. And since each book is focused on a couple, what other important character that is tied to a lot of important plots that can share Elain's book? Lucien.

#asks

[acourtofthought]

It genuinely made me laugh out loud! “Shadows disappearing is confirmed good by HOFAS!” I was confused at first thinking when tf did that happen.. and then had a chuckle when I realized they were talking about Ruhn.

I typically stay out of the subreddit, and have their tags blocked on here, but I was curious to see what theories or hints they gathered from HOFAS. Seems like the bulk of it is:

- ruhnlidia “parallel” confirms mate language for e/riel from the bonus (or something like that, I’ve forgotten which precise passage they warped).

- stone mother song is about elain (vast stretch, seems punitive to focus on the song and not everything else that happened in that scene). And is so fucking interesting because that’s a bonus chapter and they’re still claiming BC aren’t canon/down voting when you point out they are. Can’t seem to make up their minds !

- today show article & interview about fans expecting the story to be Az & Elain, and SJM saying there’s a lot to explore in a rejected bond. The first is whatever imo, and the second they seem convinced is about them but I’m more convinced it’ll be Eris & Mor. Admittedly, Helion & LoA is another possibility more likely than e/riel, but their story breaks my heart already and I desperately want them to have HEA

Are there any other arguments you’ve seen/heard of? I’m curious what you think of these three as well!

🧼💖

The Stone Mother argument being about E/riel is just bonkers to me. First off, we have no idea if the song itself is actually based off Native American legend or whether SJM just liked the name. But to take a Paiute legend and claim it about a white women's love story is very cringe to me. I agree with you, I think the rejected bond is going to be Eris and Mor and the effects of an unaccepted bond will be Helion and the LoA. I could see them eventually getting together but for the last however many centuries, they do seem to be an example of a "rejected" bond. And you're right, they have selected very specific lines from the interviews and articles while ignoring the rest. First SJM said she only asks herself those same questions when writing. Is there choice? Is it destiny? What if it's wrong? But she's already written that into the series, where the characters wonder how it happens, is there choice, etc. And every time, the characters have said that it doesn't matter because at the end of the day they still chose one another. Bryce confirms that it didn't matter where her bond with Hunt came from or who it was determined by because it's what she wanted. Nesta struggled with the mating bond because it meant giving up her humanity but in the end she decided she wanted Cassian as her mate. They take that to mean SJM is proving to the reader that she's definitely going to write a rejected bond for two main characters when all she's saying is she makes sure to have the characters ask themselves the important questions so in the end they know without a doubt it's what they wanted and not just something decided by fate. But they ignore SJM saying that characters end up with who they need to be with for the most growth. How her MMC cheer on the FMC and encourage her. These things clearly go against the E/riel narrative but they conveniently leave those quotes out of their arguments. The one big argument I heard going around during the release was how the Cauldron was corrupted therefore Elucien's bond is. So basically.....an event that happened 15,000 years ago and in all that time the ONLY corrupted bond to come out of it was Elucien's? That's quite convenient, don't you think? There is also zero proof that the Cauldron or the Daglan were responsible for mating bonds. So yeah, I imagine all these theories will end up in the graveyard of E/riel theories along with Bread and Roses meaning that E/riel are living together and pregnant in CC3.

[acourtofthought]

Do you think Elain's family will be found in Jurian/Vassa with Lucien? Or do you think it will be found in one of the courts? Perhaps Helion will take on a fatherly role to both Elain/Lucien...maybe the Lady of Autumn will take on a motherly role that Elain has never had....just having some thoughts there. I would love to see Elain have the same depth in relationships/friendships as her sisters!

I think Elain's found family might look slightly different than what we've seen so far with the ACOTAR females.

I do think we're going to see friendships forming between Elain and Vassa (and Jurian) but I'm not sure they're going to be friendships that her future necessarily centers around.

Feyre is High Lady of the Night Court and her "found family" are members of her Inner Circle. They not only share a friendship but work together regularly so their lives are really intertwined.

Nesta's found family are Gwyn and Emerie. Again, they not only share a friendship but the three are now the founding members of the born again Valkyrie. Their lives are also very intertwined as they train together and play together.

If SJMs plan for Vassa and Jurian are to have them remain in the Human Lands leading the humans then Elain's day to day life isn't going to involve them if she ends up in Spring or Day Court. I'm sure it'll be easy enough to visit and catch up whenever they want but the things they do for their people are going to be slightly different (though I'm sure they'll work together at various times to ensure that human / fae relations remain favorable).

So I think Elain and Lucien are going to collect friendships wherever they go. Which actually makes a lot of sense to me as they're extremely social and well liked. I could see them having people they're close to in Spring, in Day, the human lands, they might have a decent relationship with Eris and the LoA once they can return to Autumn. She's already got the twins and her sisters when in the NC and Lucien has shown he can easily get along with Rhys and Cassian. I could even see her growing a bit closer to Mor (there were hints in the novella that said Mor might be itching to leave the NC on a more permanent basis).

By the end I don't think we'll be pointing at one specific group and saying "THEY are their "most" found family" so much as them having found family scattered all around.

#elucien #elain archeron

[acourtofthought]

Idky sjmaas writes the important bits in her books in such a casual way. Like the explanation of mates, mating bonds, etc. I was talking to my friend and she didn’t remember the catastrophe of not accepting a mating bond. Like all this stuff is so casually or nonchalantly talked about in the books that we as readers, can imagine whatever happening to the characters or the characters can do whatever they want to do. When in reality it’s much more grave. There are pretty dire consequences to things in this series. I don’t fault my friend because if I hadn’t joined the fandom I would’ve looked over so much too. So is sjmaas actually a decent writer if so many of us are able to look over certain things that she herself considers important or wants us to pay attention to? It’s not always clear what should be looked as important, but I’m sure it’s very clear to the author

I do agree that she at times drops information that could result in grave consequences for the character in a very offhand way but I think it's intentional. To your point about mating bonds (or unaccepted mating bonds), she had two characters who are completely in love with one another as the deliverers of the information, making that information a very abstract concept to them and the reader. And they were talking about a character who was mourning her fiance (a fiance who was not her mate) so again, it didn't feel like we were truly suffering the effects of an unaccepted bond between two character. It's sort of like watching the news, the reporter delivers a tragic story but when you don't know the person being reported on or it occurred in a state far away from yours, it's difficult to feel what those close to the victim are feeling. By the end of the series I think we'll have a better idea as to whether this was an intriguing approach or poor writing technique but right now I think it's meant to be possible foreshadowing (which would make it an intriguing approach). I think she likes to subtly provide the readers with information because she knows that down the line she's going to be giving us the angst that comes along with those dire consequences but she doesn't want us to be fully focused on them just yet. Sort of like subliminal messaging. And I've noticed that she provides the information while focusing on one couple or one person, tricking you into believing she's telling you what's in store for that couple, all the while gearing up to apply the information to someone you weren't expecting. Rhys and Feyre casually talking about a rejected mating bond between Elain and Lucien only to have Elain and Lucien end up with a rejected bond is a little too on the nose. Just like Feyre imagined that Nesta and Amren would be fast friends......they were....until they weren't. Her premonition only went so far and ended up with Nesta's found family being Gwyn and Emerie. And I think the intensity of a rejected mating bond between Elain and Lucien isn't something people connect with because in order for there to be true pain and angst, we'd need to see the effects of the male suffering and being driven mad by it being unfulfilled. Lucien is a main character who is most likely getting a POV and I highly doubt SJM would give him a POV that comprises of long term suffering. We know he's getting a HEA in the end with a love interest and 2 years of an unfulfilled bond then a rejected bond for another few months before he finds his endgame person doesn't really feel like what SJM was describing for rejected bonds. But a character like Helion, who we know has held a torch for the LoA for years despite sleeping with others? Knowing she stayed with Beron and had his children? That's suffering. A possible rejected bond between Mor and Eris where he was willing to suffer through his fathers abuse in order to free Mor from being forced into the Autumn Court where she couldn't find love with a female love interest? Where he's spent centuries without an accepted bond in order to free her? That's suffering. I do think it's all very intentional on SJMs part but we're not going to be able to truly answer that until the series is finished and we see if she ever did anything with the information she dropped.

[nikethestatue]

Hey, love your blog!

So, I’ve seen a lot of talk of how Azriel’s bonus chapter won’t impact the main story much, since it’s not something every reader would have had access to, but if Elriel is the next book then how is SJM going to go around it? It’s huge in terms of their relationship progression and not something I can see neither of them mentioning or thinking about again.

Hi,

Thank you!

So it's a really good question, and I've thought about it, and I will try to explain it the way I see it.

The easiest thing is to bring the other 2 bonus chapters as examples--Wings and Embers, which is Nessian centric and the Feysand one.

So, we know that some of us have analyzed the crap out of the Az POV, but stepping back and thinking rationally about it, just as a reader, did anything actually HAPPEN in the chapter? The most obvious thing is the 'almost'-kiss (the almost is significant) and Rhys's prohibition. I'll go to Gwyn's part a bit later on.

So we have a gift exchange and an almost kiss. There is no actual kiss. So the chapter does not 'validate' Elriel beyond thoughts. Azriel's thoughts mainly. That's almost identical to the Nessian bonus chapter. Cassian has all sorts of lusty thoughts about Nesta, she confirms her virginity to him and then the 'almost' kiss. Then she knees him in the balls. In that chapter, the feelings are validated, but not technically acted upon. Just like in Az's chapter. SO--did Wings and Embers change anything in subsequent books? NO. The feelings were obviously expanded upon (as they will be in the Elriel book), Nesta's virginity was touched upon again, and the tension between Nessian continued.

The Feysand bonus is similar in that while Feyre and Rhys find out about their baby and lay a bit of ground work for the future (Elain's story), the chapter doesn't impact anything significantly, because again, in the actual book we find out about the baby as well.

These chapters give a bit of an expanded view into things, but they ultimately don't 'change' anything. That's why (and that's not because of my own personal preferences) a new love interest is not going to be introduced, set up or confirmed in a bonus chapter.

Again, thinking rationally about the Gwyn part of the chapter. Az helps her with her training and ribbon cutting (exactly the same that he's been doing the entire book. There is no revelation about his/hers feelings or anything like that). We find out he sings--obviously that will be in the next book to some extent, since we'll be explained the nature of the shadows and why he is called a 'shadowSINGER'. Would it be in the next book regardless of the bonus chapter? Obviously. The ONLY curious thing about that part of the chapter is the shadow reaction/dancing/singing. Since SJM has been hinting at some strange power that's connected to Gwyn's voice/singing throughout the book, again, it's a confirmation of that power. Whatever she is (lightsinger, siren, some kind of singing enchantress, etc.) will be confirmed in subsequent books.

Lastly the Blood Duel--we are explained what it is and how and why it make take place. I suspect that in some way, SJM will re-introduce the concept again, possibly as a side story, because I personally dont think it will be an Az/Lucien thing. It might be a an Eris/Mor/Beron thing or LOA/Helion/Beron or something along those lines. Both Lucien and Az are too important to the story to bother with the BD with them as the protagonists.

Bottom line is, nothing that happened in Az's POV, or any previous bonus chapters had any impact on the stories. It's an expansion, but not a driver. If you didn't read the POV, and just knew what happened in the books, would it change anything very drastically in your understanding of the plot? We basically had 3 months post-Solstice in the books. So what did we see? No, we did NOT see Gwyn or Az pining for each other. Az was doing his work, chasing after Eris, not giving too many thoughts about Gwyn during the Blood Rite. Gwyn was in the Blood Rite, she survived it, she has not mentioned Az ONCE in any romantic capacity post-Solstice. Nothing has been confirmed about Elriel at this point, as it's been throughout ACOSF, which is understandable since it's a Nesta and Cassian book.

The books are the books. That's where most of the info is. You can't base your whole understanding or predictions on a bonus chapter. It's a bonus, not even an epilogue or a prologue for the next book.

(hope this makes sense. Sorry it's so long)

#az pov #azriel's pov #azriel #acosf azriel pov #acosf #elain #anon ask #anon response