#tqon spoilers

[moonteacup]

Cardan - the cruel prince

IG: @jandi.z

#the cruel prince #tcp fanart #cardan duarte #cardan greenbriar #the wicked king #the queen of nothing #tqon #tqon spoilers #jurdan

[avelanlorelay]

Small spoiler about tpt:

At the end of the book Jude and Cardan go on a diplomatic mission in the undersea to watch Nicasia choose her fiancé, which made me wonder: are Cardan and her still friends? I don't know much about royalty, but I found this invitation so strange, like 'come and watch me choose my future fiancé so I can make sure you respect our treaty'? It's a genuine question.

Also, has she invited other nobles? Why is Nicasia being forced to marry if not even the sons of the Great King Eldred have gone? And most importantly: after more than ten years, does she no longer feel anything for Cardan? Because damn it, I would never get over that man. I hate Nicasia (do I hate her more than Taryn?) but I always found her and Cardan's friendship cute(?), she may be horrible, but we have to admit that she had a real friendship with Cardan and well, that boy forgave her even after he caught her with Locke in his own bedroom, so it's clear that he likes her too.

I wish they were still close, but it also makes me jealous (crazy) that there are lots of things about Cardan that she knows and Jude doesn't. Speaking of her, after all, I'd like them to have a good relationship too. Like in TCP, when Jude wakes up in Locke's house, Nicasia is almost cordial to her, despite her acidity. I'd like to see them in a friendly relationship, perhaps with some provocation. Anyway, although I hate Nicasia (did I say that already?), at the end of tqn we see how much she really loves Cardan, romantically or not. I hope we get some answers in the next book.

#cardan greenbriar #jurdan #tfota #the cruel prince #jude duarte #holly black #tqon #the folk of the air #the prisoners throne #tpt spoilers #twk #nicasia #the stolen heir #tpt

[its-ya-boi-kaz]

Relationships should be 50/50. I tell her that I think of her, often, it's disgusting and I can't stop, and she puts a knife to my throat

#the cruel prince #jude duarte #cardan greenbriar #booklr #tcp #twk #tqon #qon #the cruel prince spoilers #jurdan #judecardan #cardan x jude #jude my beloved #jude x cardan #prince cardan #high king cardan #cardan my beloved

[agirlwiththoughtsandnegativity]

this is so real oak

#mild prisoners throne spoilers ig??? #I thought it wasn’t enough to do read more or whatever I apologize 😭 #I’m so sorry if I upset anyone #tfota #the stolen heir #the prisoners throne #tcp #twk #tqon

[pollyaunt]

WHY JUDE DIDNT AGREE TO SAVE MADOC IN TSH

I think i just figured this shit out

so remember oak said jude refused to save madoc and thats why hes on a quest?

well now do yall remember the scene where holly oh-so-subtly described how a single bud was blooming on mab's remains...

yep yep yep

JUDE IS PREGNANT THAT'S WHY SHE REFUSED TO SAVE MADOC. OR ELSE IT WOULD BE WAYY SURPRISING THAT OUR MURDER QUEEN DIDNT GO TO CHECK ON IT HERSELF.

This is a theory of course but i dont see any other potential so as for why jude refused to save madoc.

she didnt go cuz she didnt want to put her kid in any danger.

#the stolen heir spoilers #the folk of the air #the stolen heir #tsh #tfota #jude duarte #cardan greenbriar #oak greenbriar #oak x suren #queen suren #wren #madoc #holly black #twk #tqon #tcp #htkoelths

[murasaki-cha]

The Prisoner's Throne spoilers!!

.

.

.

.

.

.

Well that confession went horribly. At least when Cardan confessed he just turned into a giant death spreading murderous monster snake. This one hurt dude. But it's this line Wren said:

“You don’t understand.” She wears a pained expression. “And I can’t explain.”

She's clearly unable to say whatever she wants to as if she's been compelled not to. Bogdana definitely has something planned and it involves Wren's marriage with Oak but she's made Wren unable to warn Oak in any way about it. That's why she wants to break the engagement so much. But Wren is able to unmake curses and the like so what could Bogdana have done??

God this is so STRESSFUL!!! YOU'RE KILLING ME HOLLY!!!

#the prisoner's throne #the prisoners throne spoilers #the prisoners throne #tpt #oak greenbriar #suren #wren #queen suren #oak x wren #oak x suren #oakwren #the stolen heir #tsh #cardan greenbriar #qon #tqon #holly black #tfota #bookblr

[two-ndborne]

some of u have never been exiled by ur husband after he terraforms an entire island into existence hours within saying your vows of marriage to each other and it shows

#me staring at this in my drafts trying to remember what fucking piece of media i was talking about #tfota #tfota spoilers #judecardan #the wicked king #twk #tqon #the queen of nothing #not art #jude duarte #cardan greenbriar #other

[bugsybaritone]

Locke: *droning on about partying and stuff*

Taryn: I’m pregnant

Locke: and?

Taryn: and you’re about to die

#that’s pretty much what happened right? #taryn duarte #I forgot Locke’s last name #the folk of the air #the queen of nothing #tqon spoiler

[ezziefae]

My thoughts on The Prisoner's Throne.

(spoilers ahead, and talk about Holly Black's planned book)

ps: I finished this book in one sitting on release day and needed days to process everything, that's why this is a late post. Enjoy!!!!

Heather and Vivi

Where were Heather and Vivi? They were present in the prologue but then they vanished. I was excited to see Vivi become friends with Wren, especially after the rude comments she made towards Wren in TQON. I wonder why Holly excluded them from everything after the prologue, such as the family drama scene at the feast. However, I appreciated how they were mentioned in the story, particularly when we learned that Oak and Heather's mom are close, and that Oak would sleep at their house.

Oak abdicating as heir

So yeah, Jude and Cardan have given Oak permission to resign from the throne as heir, and obviously Oak is taking that opportunity to do just that, just not yet….he has to stay heir for months since Jude and Cardan are going away together. I always knew Jude and Cardan were going to stay as High King and Queen of Elfhame, but only because Oak married Wren and therefore became King of the Ice Needle Citadel, but that didn't happen…Jude is letting him step down because she knows he's grown, and wants him to make his own choices, which is great. If Oak resigns, Jude and Cardan will need to have a child to maintain the royal lineage. So, it's VERY possible that we may see a Jurdan baby in the future.

political problem (Holly Black's next faerie book)

So finally we know what the next book will be about. We know that Jude and Cardan have plans to go to the Undersea. That was the plan Holly Black has been teasing at us for a long time now. This means we’re getting another Elfhame book (Holly didn't say an "Undersea book", she said "Elfhame" even though it's going to be set in the Undersea). In an interview online, Holly Black states that this book will possibly be a stand-alone. Many fans are speculating that this book is going to be a Nicasia POV, but from reading the interviews from Holly I believe it’s going to be either a Jude or Cardan POV (maybe even both). This would make sense since Holly has said many times that she's planning to give us more Jurdan, and that Jude still has a lot of story in her. The Prisoner's Throne leaves us with many unanswered questions, such as what happens to the Ghost, if Oak gets married, news about Wren and her family, and whether Jude and Cardan have children. A standalone book to wrap up these loose ends would be very needed.

Cardan saving and being protective of Jude

Do you guys remember the post I made about Cardan fighting alongside Jude? and how he will not sit on the sidelines to watch her fight? Fans who know Cardan well already knew this to be true, but this book further proved this. This isn’t the first time has Cardan stepped in front of Jude to save her from being impaled. My man sacrificed himself so Jude wouldn't get hurt. Many times during the Stolen Heir duology Cardan has been called a coward, but mannn he's no coward, he will protect those he loves dearly, it was so refreshing to get more of his protective side in this book.

Taryn and The ghost

Since TQON, fans have been speculating that Garrett and Taryn are involved in a romantic relationship. Although it wasn't confirmed in the book, The Prisoner's Throne offered some insight into this. We find out that Heather, Vivi, and Oak have all speculated about it. Furthermore, Oak reveals that even after 10 years, The Ghost has remained close to Taryn and her child Leander. In one chapter of TPT, The Ghost has a serious conversation with Oak, but when Leander interrupts them, Oak notices that The Ghost becomes a different person around Taryn's son. He changes his behavior and has an indulgent smile towards the boy. I personally find it adorable, and after all the hardships The Ghost has been through, I believe he deserves to find happiness, even if it's with Taryn of all people.

The Ghost’s tragedy *sobs into pillow*

I never expected The Ghost to become such a prominent character in the book. It was amazing how I started to develop an emotional attachment to the Ghost throughout the book, only for him to end up turning into a tree by the end. The chapter where the family feasts and Lady Elaine and the Ghost are found dead was pure chaos and full of royal family drama. I had such a good time reading that part, until the Ghost turned into a tree. Also, going back to the topic of the Ghost and Taryn, I feel bad for Taryn even though I know she is a terrible character. It was heartbreaking to see Taryn sob and hold the Ghost while he was slowly dying (We didn't get word from Taryn that they were dating but I think that part was enough comfirmation that they were indeed lovers). As far as we know, Taryn and the Ghost did not get a happy ending in this book :(

ps: This is why I believe holly black's next book will be a Jurdan POV, because the only way we get to know about the ghost is through them. Nicasia is not close to Wren, Oak, the Ghost, or Taryn, we will never get insight on what happens to them if this next book is a Nicasia POV. Also I've been hearing as of 3/12/24 that Holly might possibly write a Jurdan dual POV, so...more reason to believe that it will definitely not be a Nicasia POV.

Taryn Vs Wren

It's funny how Holly decided to create a lot of family issues in the second book of the duology. Many fans believe that this duology should have been a three-part series to resolve these issues. One major problem is that Taryn dislikes Wren and holds her responsible for what happened to The Ghost. Oak's family is also not very fond of Wren. It would have been nice to see a moment in the book where Oak's family and Wren could have worked together and gotten along, but that didn't happen. If Oak and Wren plan to get married, I hope that they can resolve these issues between them all.

Cardan VS Taryn

It shocked me that after 10 years of them being brother and sister in law, that they still don’t get along. I think Taryn was wrong to feel like she had to protect The Ghost from Cardan when he was only trying to help. In fact, it annoyed me a bit. While Cardan was respectful towards Taryn, he had every right to dislike her, unlike Taryn who had no reason to dislike Cardan. Moreover, I would like to mention the moment when they found the ghost almost dead and Cardan ignored Taryn and answered Jude instead, Cardan being petty to Taryn in the most respectful way is hilarious. I think that moment perfectly sums up their relationship.

Wren’s Family

Although I’m happy Wren's sister Bex reunited with Wren, I was very much expecting to get more closure from that, like seeing Wren's entire family together reunite in the book. It feels like that left a huge void at the end of the book.

Wren’s Transformation

Okay, that was absolutely shocking. Holly mentioned in one of her interviews that there would be a transformation in the book, and I guess that was it. Wren now has beautiful wings. Can someone please draw a picture of Wren with wings? Also, can you imagine what Oak and Wren's children would look like if they ever had any? Their child would have blue skin, hooves, and wings. That would be a very interesting looking child.

Wren VS Jurdan

Wren was so wrong for making Jude and Cardan appear weak in front of their court. While reading this part, I remember thinking 'Wren, please stop," I found this chapter fun to read, and seeing Jude and Cardan's reaction to Wren's power. It was interesting to see how Wren exposes Jude's geas and curse to almost the entire court, and how Cardan becomes overprotective of Jude while Wren was removing her curse. I love Cardan.

Where was Queen Annett?

Since the stolen heir, I believed that queen Annett was going to be a problem for Elfhame and Wren. As you may recall, Wren freed her prisoners, and I always believed Queen Annett would've punished Elfhame for it since Wren was with Elfhame's heir Oak. However, she did not appear in The Prisoner Throne at all. I wonder if Holly forgot to bring this issue up or if she has decided to address it in her upcoming faerie book. (Queen Annett is also pregnant, so I think she will definitely be brought up again)

Madoc's Character

I'm a bit disappointed. I was expecting a lot from Madoc in this book, but nothing happened, except the fact that Jude lifted his exile (temporarily?) It bothers me that she lifted his exile easily, does Jude not remember he caused many problems for them? Madoc is the reason why Cardan almost died, why Oak was put in danger, he's the reason why the royal family died, and why Orlagh was weakened. I at least expected that Jude lifting his exile would've caused political problems for her, since Madoc is a political criminal for Elfhame and the Undersea. I thought he would’ve at least made a big heroic or villainous move in The Prisoner's Throne, or found a way to at least redeem himself, but nope.

Oak and Wren's Ending

So…Oak does not become king of anything, which is shocking. Everyone believed that if he didn’t become the King of Elfhame he would at least rule the Ice Needle Citadel, which can still happen, since he did propose to Wren at the end of the book. But still, I find it unnecessary, I think that Wren should step down from being Queen, and run to the mortal world with Oak where they can live away from the royal duties. Oak has expressed many times he does not want to be king, but if he marries Wren he will be king, which doesn't seem satisfying to me. Wren never cared for power in The Stolen Heir, she only ever cared for love and her family, I think the ending felt incomplete and unfinished. A lot of stuff was built up from The Folk Of The Air series, and this duology was supposed to give us results, but it did not. Even Oak and Wren's love story felt rushed. I didn’t see much of a connection. It didn't give me much of what I felt when I read Jude and Cardan's love story (You guys are so welcome to disagree with me)

Jude and Oak

So if you read the book, you know how shocking Jude and Oak's relationship became. Especially that scene where they “duel” (And Jude was an absolute fucking badass in that scene) The way she tricked Hag and even Oak at first that she was going to trade Oak for Cardan. I was very impressed with Jude in this book, especially in this chapter where we see her ordering her archers, and her ripping her dress to be able to fight while she's all wet. Her dialogue was so badass: "What if I give you Oak's head instead of Cardan's" and even this quote "Well, then, what a wonderful opportunity for you to prove your loyalty and die for the High King." Chapter 23 (I was so gay for Jude in this chapter, she was so mommy material) Despite feeling a bit betrayed by Oak and believing that she had failed in protecting him, she still trusted him when it came to Wren.

Oak Vs Taryn

"For a moment, he thinks of going over there and dumping his red clover tea over his sister's head" (Chapter 19)

(Jaw was on the FLOOR when i read this) I think it really sucked that Oak's family never told him about this, and I understand that Oak had every right to feel so raged that his family hid his mother’s true killer from his knowledge. Oak and The Ghost have been close, we did get some insight of The Ghost going to the mortal world and train Oak with Magic. I really hope Oak and The ghost's issue gets resolved, but that can only happen when the ghost gets cured....I love family drama, and it shows.

Jurdan Kids

Going back to the topic at hand, Cardan and Jude have given Oak permission to abdicate, which leads me to believe that they are planning to have kids of their own. So far, there hasn't been any indication from Jurdan that they are against having children. Holly has given us insights into Jurdan taking care of Leander, which is incredibly heartwarming. For example, we find out that Cardan plays with Leander, and there's a part where Jude is in the mortal world with newborn Leander, and Oak remembers Jude playing with baby Leander with a toy, almost like she was playing with a cat. I think these are definite hints from Holly that Jurdan would make great parents. Holly did say that we would get an answer to Jude and Cardan possibly having kids in the Prisoner's Throne, and I believe this was it. I will definitely make a separate post on this.

Randalian

I'm so happy this man is dead, it was long overdue. This man annoyed the crap out of us since the folk of the air series (it’s crazy that Jude and Cardan never decided to remove him from the living council, he never saw eye to eye with Jude and disrespected them constantly)

Lady Asha apperance

It turns out that Lady Asha is still in the court. She was only mentioned once when Lady Elaine was speaking with her. At that moment, I became suspicious and believed that Lady Asha was also part of the conspirators.

Locke appearance

The dream Oak had with Locke as a fox was fun and interesting. Even though it was a dream, it was cool to hear Locke again and how he acknowledged being murdered by Taryn.

Taryn is aging...but not Jude

FINALLY, we have some information on this topic. Oak describes Jude as looking very young, and Taryn as aging. He offers two possible explanations for this: either Taryn has visited the mortal world too often as her years are catching up to her, or becoming a mother has exhausted her. For a long time since TFOTA series, fans have speculated that since Jude is the Queen of Elfhame, she will never age. And it looks like Holly seems to support this, especially since Oak finally wonders "if Jude is quite as mortal as she once was". I from now on have no doubt about it, i am a "Jude will never age as long as she's Queen of Elfhame" believer.

The Cardan and Oak problem

it turns out that it wasn’t a big deal, Oak had been too much in his head, he was his own enemy when it came to Cardan, and it was amazing to see Cardan and Oak have a brotherly talk by the end of this book. Cardan’s character has really matured, and its amazing how comfortable he's become with his loved ones (i love him so much) I will admit, that when Cardan was talking to Oak about delaying his abdication of heir, I thought he was going to announce Jude’s pregnancy and you can't blame me, the way Holly wrote it made it sound like he was going to do that. (would’ve made me scream) but nope.

Summary:

The beginning was slow, but I nonetheless enjoyed it. I love Oak and Wren, however, I felt that they could have had a stronger connection in the story. There were too many unanswered questions left in the book, and it did not provide any closure to Oak and Wren's future. I feel that the series should have been a three-part book series instead of a duology. Moreover, many of the main characters seemed to have lost their power, such as Oak's resignation as heir to the throne, Wren losing her godly powers, and Tiernan being fired from his position as Oak's guard. I think many new readers who have never read the Folk of The Air series might not have appreciated that. Despite this, I appreciate that Jurdan was not removed from the Elfhame throne. However, I think that Holly Black set up more problems in this book than solutions, which makes it feel neglectful towards Oak and Wren's story. I am excited about this book, and I am sad that we may not get more news on Elfhame until possibly 2026, as she is currently working on the second book of The Book of Night. Anyways, In other news, I have a virtual event with Holly Black tonight 3/12/24, so I will write anything important down, and I will try to ask good questions!

#jude duarte #cardan greenbriar #the folk of the air #the stolen heir #holly black #oak greenbriar #elfhame #the prisoners throne #the cruel prince #jurdan #leander #the ghost #taryn duarte #vivi duarte #locke #nicasia #wren #oak x suren #tpt #queen suren #suren #tiernan #tfota #tfota series

[scarafice]

*SPOILERS FOR THE CRUEL PRINCE AND THE QUEEN OF NOTHING*

IM JUST GOING INSANE OVER HERE BECAUSE I JUST FOUND THIS WHILE REREADING TCP AFTER FINISHING TQON

The Cruel Prince:

Cardan to Jude: “We can curse you to wither away for want of a song you’ll never hear again or a kind word from my lips.”

The Queen of Nothing:

Cardan to Jude: “Mock me all you like. Whatever I imagined then, now it is I who would beg and grovel for a kind word from your lips.”

kfblrmglmKDNKFNEJJCISJS!!!!!!!!

#cardan greenbriar #folk of the air #jude duarte #the cruel prince #the queen of nothing #jurdan #cardanandjude #high king cardan #jude x cardan #prince cardan

[avelanlorelay]

I desperately want to write a little one-shot with some scenes of jurdan that we didn't see in the prisoners throne, but i don't know if it's a nice thing to do, since the stars of the book are oak and wren. I don't want to be an obnoxious fan TT (please give me an opinion)

#tfota #jude duarte #cardan greenbriar #jurdan #the folk of the air #tqon #twk #the cruel prince #the prisoner's throne #tpt #tpt spoilers #the stolen heir #tcp #ao3 fanfic

[cromulentreader]

TPT reading thoughts - chapters 14 to 20

I'll probably finish this one today or tomorrow. Since I'm not devouring it, that's probably a sign. Anyway, spoilers.

Chapter 14

Jude and Cardan arrive

She breaks protocol and it’s interesting that she also walks ahead of Cardan

Randalin needs to be punched in the face

Catch-up time with Jude

Chapter 15

Madoc catch-up

Oriana is one of those mothers, uh?

Chapter 16

Oak forgot what Elfhame is like after TWO months away?

Mother Marrow time. She’s salty about not tricking Cardan 10 years ago, ffs 

Faerie non-talk

Tiernan <3

Jude’s myth is an interesting side not on what she's been up to since TQoN

How is Val Moren still alive?

Jude isn’t ageing, Taryn is. Good

Chapter 17

Valerian’s half-curse is such an afterthought. Better not be an excuse for Jude to get “redeemed”

Wren is still powerfully falling apart yawn

The question idea is quite clever, go queen

Chapter 18

T and H romance <3 

Oak learns that the Ghost was the one killing Liriope

Wren tries to warn Oak again

They had sex, probably, I truly don’t care. Now if T&H had sex on page...

Chapter 19

Oak is upset with people about the Ghost

He doesn’t truly understand that Jude wasn’t motivated by position primarily but by fear. I find what he knows or not about his sister very inconsistent

Oak doesn’t like Tatterfell? I always knew I didn’t like him. 

Jude has a normal hairstyle. Thank you to the writer and the gods

Lady Asha is one of the conspirators, my money is on it

Oak seems to know WAY more about what happened to Jude in the trilogy than in previous chapters

Yeah, yeah, Wren is veeeeeeery powerful, we get it

Back to the Ghost plot. And he is dead

Beginning of Chapter 20 

WTF. Why don’t the rulers of Elfhame have proper magic in this? Jude could wake up the Roach a decade ago and drink buckets of poison, why wouldn’t she try to heal Garret? Oh, sorry, it would get in the way of Wren being super powerful, never mind. 

Why would Cardan be happy to treefy Garret when he didn’t want to be a snake?

#the prisoner's throne #the prisoners throne

[loserdiaz]

your faithless love's the only hoax i believe in

AO3 LINK

Summary: The one where Jude actually receives Cardan's letters.

Pairing: Jude Duarte/Cardan Greenbriar

Words: 2.8k

Tagging: @figonas @mayhemories @lysandra-ghost-leopard @charrise @o-rion-sta-r

It's been months and Jude misses Elfhame. She could come back, figured as much by Cardan's letters. But something is holding her back.

Jude,

You are in no mood for games. Very well, I am in no mood for them, either.

Let me write it outright. You are pardoned. I revoke your banishment. I rescind my words.

Come home.

Come home and shout at me. Come home and fight with me. Come home and break my heart, if you must.

Just come home.

Cardan.

"What if you already broke mine?" Jude mutters to the empty room, reading the letter again and again until the words blur together. She tries to blink the tears away but it's no use.

And she isn't this girl. She's never cried for some stupid boy who hurt her. "If you hurt me, I wouldn't cry. I would hurt you back," she has told Locke as much. So why is she crying for Cardan now? Why do his letters make her heart jump out of her chest? Why does something inside of her flutter at the sound of his name?

Sometimes, in the middle of the night, Jude wakes up drowning. Sometimes, Jude wakes up with a crushing weight on top of her and an empty feeling inside her and she can’t—get—free. And for all the times in between, she wakes up, terrified out of his skin calling Cardan's name.

Elfhame is not your home. Is not where you belong. A nagging voice screams in her mind. And Jude can't deny that. She remembers all those times where she nearly died, where she was attacked, tricked, or betrayed, more than once by her own sister.

But God, she misses him. She misses magic, and the power, and him. Always him.

She misses their bickering and the fights. She misses watching Cardan dance at the revels. She misses eating breakfast with him, and lunch, and dinner. She misses his smile and his laugh and that’d look in his eyes that he’d get, all soft as he watched her when he thought she wasn't aware. Oh, and his stupid tail. She never thought she could miss that stupid fucking tail so much, but she does.

God, she just misses him. And she hates him for that.

She hates how her stomach still does backflips when the thought of the kisses they've shared crosses her mind, how when she pictures seeing him again there's always this flutter in her chest that just about hurts now.

She hates that this is all her fault.

"Hey! There's another letter!" Vivi enters her room unnanounced, a letter in her hand and Jude breaks a little more inside. There's been a letter every now and then but recently it's been more frequent, more desperate.

She takes the letter from Vivi and waits for her sister to leave her alone. Once she makes sure her sister can't read over her shoulder, Jude opens the envelope, preparing herself. She fears the day the letters stop coming.

Jude,

Not even responding to my missives is ridiculous and beneath you and I hate it.

Cardan.

Jude can't help but laugh hysterically at the words on the paper. God, Cardan already had her heart in the palm of his hand, couldn't he see that?

She starts shaking, the lump on her throat making her feel like she couldn't breathe. She's hyperventilating. She can't stop. She wants to break the letter, burn it, forget that Cardan Greenbriar ever existed. Only her hands keep shaking and she is not breathing normally and, God, she feels so much like crying. She can't stop thinking, searching for something to focus on, something that doesn't remind her of him.

She can't find anything.

She wants to forget how it felt to be his, even if it was only for a moment.

The more she tries, the more she realizes that she can't.

That's when she finally cries herself to sleep.

She dreams of curly, iridescent midnight hair and sharp cheekbones, of dark eyes, looking at her fondly and soft lips touching hers.

When she wakes up it's still dark but she knows it's close to dawn. Rain was falling and hammering at the roof and windows.

There's a letter on her night table and her heart flutters, knowing that it must've come from one person only.

She quickly opens it, the sleep far gone by now, and is greeted with Cardan's scratchy and a little messy writing.

To the High Queen of Elfhame,

Above me, it's the same silvery moon that shines down on you. Looking at it makes me recall the glint of your blade pressed against my throat and other romantic moments.

I do not know what keeps you from returning to the High Court —whether it is vexation with me, or whether, having spent time in the mortal world, you have come to believe that a life free of the Folk is better than one ruling over them.

In my most wretched hours, I believe you will never come back.

Why would you, save for your ambition? You have always known exactly what I am and seen all of my failings, all my weaknesses, and scars. I flattered myself that at moments you had feelings for me other than contempt, but even were that true, they would make but a thin gruel beside the feast of your other, greater desires.

And yet, my heart is buried with you in the strange soil of the mortal world, as it was drowned with you in the cold waters of the Undersea.

It was yours before I could admit it, and yours it shall ever remain.

Cardan.

And god, does Jude love Cardan. She loves him with every breath she breathes and every move she makes. It courses through her veins and is carved into her very bones. It’s so big that it surrounds her entirely, swallows her whole until all she can feel, all she knows, is loving Cardan Greenbriar.

It would be beautiful, perhaps, if it wasn’t so painful. Because her soul feels like it’s grieving every time she gets a new letter, every time she dreams of him and reaches for him but can’t have him. And Jude can’t catch his breath every time he sees the words inked on paper, begging her to come back. Somehow it feels like a trick, it must be, because Jude's been through enough to know she doesn't get a happy ending.

And she hates so much that this is the person she's becoming; she hates that she feels spiteful, insecure, and weak, and hurt, and just so fucking out of control. But there's nothing she can do to change it, no matter how hard she tries to stop feeling this way.

“You’ve had that look on your face the whole time you've been here,” Vivi says, leaning on the door frame and Jude looks up at her, surprised and a little confused. It's pretty early and Vivian is not an early riser but then she sees the phone in her hand and figures that her sleeples state must be Heather related.

Jude frowns. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Viv waves at her face like that’s an answer.

“That look,” she says. “Like you’re constipated and trying not to hit something.”

That’s fairly specific, Jude thinks. She snorts out a laugh as a delay tactic because she needs a second to get her shit together before she even thinks about answering, the words of the letter still burning at the back of her mind.

"I have you know, that's my normal face." She replies, still laughing like her heart isn’t hurting.

Her sister sighs and walks closer to her until she's next to her sitting on the bed.

"No. That's the look you get when you think about him... which is all the time." Vivi says knowingly. "Look, Jude, I love you, and believe me when I say that you staying in the mortal world with me and having as much of a normal life as we can is all I want for us. But you're not happy, you're miserable, in fact."

"I'm not—"

"You love him. And I know it's hard and scary, especially after everything he did to you, but you have to ask yourself: are you better here without him than you are with him? Is it worth it?" Vivi asks. "I just don't want you to regret anything in the future when it might be too late."

"I honestly don't know." She hates how her voice breaks and a lonely tear falls down her cheek.

"Love is complicated and painful sometimes, Jude. And we made mistakes and we break promises and we lie, which makes everything so much harder than it should be. But, from what I can see, Cardan is willing to work it out. He's waiting for you and... I've never seen anyone in Elfhame look at someone the way he looks at you. That has to mean something, right?"

"What if I end up like mom?" Her voice is small and unsure and she's never felt so much like a little girl before.

Vivi gives her this sad soft look with tearful eyes and shakes her head.

"I won't let that happen. And for all of his tough-guy act, Cardan doesn't seem like the type who would kill his wife."

"Yeah, he can't fight even if his life depended on it." She jokes but it falls flatly. "I just... I didn't mean it literally. What if he falls out of love eventually? What if he asks me to leave again?" God, she really hates how insecure she feels. She hates him so much.

"Then you kill him. I'll help you hide the body." Vivi says dryly. Jude looks up at her and she has a teasing look in her eyes. They chuckle together and then they fall silent, both with a lot to think about.

"Thanks, for everything."

"Anytime, sis." Viv leaves her be and Jude falls back into bed, the letter still clenched in her hand. A plan, an insane and crazy plan forming in her mind.

_______________________________________________

It's been three months, almost four, and Jude isn't there. He hates it but he's losing hope.

At this point he doesn't even know if she's alive, knowing his sweet villain, she could be bleeding out in some dark and empty alley for all he knows. And if she is alive, would she be thinking about him? Does he ever cross her mind? Or is he just some fading memory at the back of her mind?

Has she received the letters? Has she burned them? Has she even read them? Does she know how the High King of Elfhame was slowly losing his mind, longing for his High Queen to return home?

"Come home and shout at me. Come home and fight with me. Come home and break my heart, if you must. Just come home." That's what he wrote, but maybe she doesn't care. Maybe she doesn't want to come home.

Perhaps, Elfhame is not home for her. He is not home.

Why did he even let himself think that she would love him after all he's done to her? She had known him as the monster he is, as the pathetic cruel prince who was incapable of real love. A few kisses shouldn't mean anything.

He should've known that Jude Duarte was never meant to be his. He should've known that someone like her would never want a heart like his.

It's still hers anyway. Jude Duarte has his heart locked up in some box, and even now he doesn't mind. She can keep it he thinks Because she's the only one he can ever imagine giving it to.

He sighs. He's locked up in his room again, drunker than he cares to admit, his hands are shaking and his writing another letter that probably will go unanswered, just like the rest, but he doesn't care.

This time, he can only write her name. Like that time he did so long ago that it was barely a memory when he couldn't stop thinking about her.

Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude.

Please Jude.

It was a mess, some of the ink has splattered across the paper, and the words seemed almost forced into the paper; angry, and desperate, and almost jagged. Cardan could feel the plea in every inch of the letter, could feel his own desire and longing.

He doesn't even know what time it is. The palace is silent, everyone knowing better than to disturb the King when he was in such a state of anger, feustration and sadness. Elfhame was frozen in place, cold and almost lifeless, waiting for their Queen to return.

He sighs again, pushing away from hia desk and making a move towards hia bed but before he can notice or process anything, he's being pushed down to his chair again, tights coming and locking him in place and a blade against his neck.

For a moment he thinks he's delusional, he must be, because Jude is in his lap with a blade against his neck and a fierce look in her eyes, just like she remembered her. This felt like every dream he had since she left, so this probably wasn't real. An hallucination.

"You know, for being the High Kinf of Elfhame, your security sucks. I could be someone send to kill you and no one would even notice." Her lips are pursed in a think line and she's frowning lightly. She looks wickedly glorious and Cardan can't stop grinning.

"Well, are you here to kill me?" He asks and when he swallows, the blade digs even more on his skin, amd he can feel a little bit of blood roll down his neck.

He can't even be bothered by that. She's here. Jude ia home, she came back. The roundness of her ears, the softness of her lips, the fire in her eyes, everything he missed is now in front of him and if she's here to end him... then what a heavenly way to die.

"My sweet villain." He whispers hoarsely, like a prayer.

_______________________________________________

Jude can't think clearly when Cardan is looking at her so intensely, so openly. And he's not doing anything. She has a blade against his neck, a fine line of blood already falling down his skin, but he's not callimg the guards or fighting her.

She frowns again, tilting her head slightly and applying more pressure with her knife.

"Everything you say, everything you promise, it's all a trick." She states. "The letters you sent-"

"Did you read them?" He asks and there's this vulnerable tone in his voice. He's looking at her so earnestly and hopeful that Jude is having a hard time breathing. "Everything I put on that letters, is the truth. That's not a trick, I can assure you, my darling wife."

"Fuck, I hate you so much." She mutters and then she's kissing him. It's hard and demanding and unrelenting. It's desperate and a little bit painful, her tongue fighting for the control he took away from her and winning. He moans against her mouth and she grins, biting his bottom lip a little to hard. "I hate you." She whispers again, just because she really does. She hates him and she loves him and she doesn't want to ever let go.

"You can hate me all you want as long you remain here with me. Please, don't leave me again. Don't go, Jude. I don't think I could survive that again." He stated softly, his voice wavering slightly.

Jude feels her eyes grow misty, her breath catching in her throat as she stares in surprise at Cardan.

"I'm still so mad at you..." She feels tears on her cheeks as she pressed his forehead to his temple, nodding dumbly as one of his shaking hands went to cover hers. The blade falls from her other hand and a second after, they're both kissing again. "And I hate you because you made me love you and now I can't stop." The kiss was bruising but none of them cared.

"Good." He grinned against her lips. "I love you, too."

Jude leans in, stealing another kiss, this one longer, slow and gentle. When they finally part, she presses her forehead against his, breathing in the relief and love surrounding them that she was missing when she was in the mortal world.

“I love you too.” He whispers. “More than I can ever tell you, my wife.”

#the folk of the air fanfic #the folk of the air #jurdan #jude duarte x cardan greenbriar #jude duarte #jude and cardan #jude x cardan #cardan greenbriar #the high king of elfhame #high queen jude #high king cardan #the high queen of elfhame #tfota spoilers #tfota fanfic #jurdan fanfic #the queen of nothing #tqon spoilers #holly black

[sabel-thelocal-farmhoe]

Jude and Cardan having to share the bathroom mirror to take their makeup off at night.

Jude and Cardan bumping hips and making sure their makeup is all off each other.

Just Jude and Cardan living their happy domestic life, as they should be.

#books #fandoms #booktok #the cruel prince #the cruel king #the queen of nothing #jude #cardan #high king cardan #high queen jude #cardan duarte #jude duarte #incorrect cruel prince quotes #tcp #tck #tqon spoilers #tqon #happy ending

[starmanm00ny]

jurdan headcannons as a apology for my last post lols

-before parties they would do each other’s makeup. jude would do cardan’s eyeliner and it would be horrible

of course she’d never admit it was bad and that he was so much better at doing it

and cardan always tries to find ways to tease her

and she’d always give him the cold shoulder if he did.

yes jude is petty like that i know she is

and to make up for it i know cardan would intentionally embarrass himself to make her feel better or just flat out beg

and this time he’s teased her so much about the eyeliner jude gives him the silent treatment

“ jude my love please talk to me i was kidding”

and jude would just turn back and put on her eyeliner

then he turns around. he goes to her wardrobe he knows how to make her feel less dumb

he resorts to wearing one of her dresses just to cheer her up

yes. cardan in a dress is something i support

she couldn’t even stay mad after that sight

she just laughed. for a good 15 minutes

and i just KNOW cardan is way taller

so the dress would be ridiculously short on him

“i’m so pretty though” he’d protest

and jude would just be unable to speak and just keep laughing

he starts pouting and being childish at that point

and she’d kiss him. just to shut him up.

but then oak walks in. with vivi and heather

and of course heather has her phone on her

so she takes a photo of him checking himself out, without him noticing of course

and cardan just BEGS FOR HER TO DESTROY IT

and he doesn’t know how phones work so he chases heather and tries to literally snap the phone in half lol

heather sends it to everyone. and i mean everyone in the family groupchat they have

oak just tugs on the dress and doesn’t realise it’s cardan lols

jude now has the photo as her mortal world lock screen

and cardan whines every time they visit the mortal world cause he has to see it

and every time he whines, jude kisses him. every single time.

and he never complains

“i still looked really pretty in that dress” he says

“no you didn’t it was kind of disturbing” says vivi

“it’s okay cardan. believe what you want and it’ll come true” jude laughs

#tfotadaily #tfota #jurdan #jude and cardan #jude duarte #jude greenbriar #cardan greenbriar #tfota headcanon #vivi duarte #cardans tail #the cruel prince #twk spoilers #tqon spoilers #tqon #headcanon #jude x cardan

[im-someone-i-guess]

So Cardan made Jude promise to pop off his head if he becomes a threat to Elfhame

and...

She did.

#books #booklover #booklr #tfota #tfota spoilers #cardan greenbriar #cardan and jude #jude duarte #queen of nothing #the queen of nothing #tqon #tqon spoilers #qon #queen of nothing spoilers #jude x cardan #jurdan