A Court of Thought

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Includes

Various Posts for the Month of October 2023.docx

An Assortment of Posts Recently Added.docx

Posts from 9-24-23 through 10-1-23.docx

Pro Elain Archeron

Lucien Vanserra (the Man, the Myth, the Legend)

Pro Elucien

Pro Gwynriel

Anti E/riel

Gwyn Theories

ACOTAR 5?

Bonus Chapters

Crossover Posts

Anti Tamlain

Mor Theories

Amren Theory

I think if Feyre were to feel remorse and apologize it might be to Elain.

She had an opportunity to apologize to Lucien for the part she played but chose not to:

But if Elain were to come to her speaking of the suffering of the people of Spring? Those that were innocent? If Elain were to point out the part her sister played in using her mate as a pawn?

what do you think their roles would be in the story if they were in this position?

SAME!!!

When I think I them in these roles I don't see them as being in charge of every court, being the ones who dictate the laws for the individual lands. Instead I see them more as the ambassador / spokespeople / peace keepers for all the species and territories. The ones who hold the most sway in deciding what is fair to the humans, to the far on the continent, to the fae in Prythian. Because they don't belong to any one place, their loyalty is not with any one place and that means they would be capable of focusing on what is best for all parties involved.

Really, I can't think of any other pairing who would be more suited to the role if that's what Sarah plans on doing with High King / High Queen. I doubt she'd go back in time, where every court in Prythian bows to one ruler no matter how fair that ruler might be but keeping the courts as they are now with the addition of someone(s) who represents all the people / fae everywhere?

A bracelet for you in exchange for... Truth!

If ACOTAR 6 doesn't include this once specific thing for Elain and Lucien, I'll crash out. Tell us what it is!

If I was being really greedy I'd say High King and High Queen (not the kind who rules over each and every court, just the kind who are the peace keepers of all the lands in their entire world) but I think that's reaching a bit high and probably not fair to crash out over so I'm going to say Calanmai in all it's hot Fire Night glory.

Not only do I love the idea of their union being the reason magic is restored to the land but chapter 55 was a heartfelt scene between Feyre and Rhys because of his past SA, among other things. I feel Sarah writing Calanmai for Elucien would give us an equally powerful moment of healing after Lucien's own SA.

"I mean, he's hot" - Sarah J Maas

"Lucien has always been one of my favorite character." - Sarah J Maas

"My <3" - Sarah J Maas

"One of my favorite TV / Movie crushes is Outlander. I've been obsessed with him since I read the books and now that it's on TV the "real life Jamie" is everything I'd dreamed he'd be. I'd probably pee my pants if I saw Sam up close. I was in the room for the giant Outlander panel room at Comic-Con and just sharing the same breathing space was too much for me so I would probably lose my mind if he was 20 feet away from me instead of a thousand feet away." Sarah J Mass who went on to base Lucien's Character off Jamie Fraser then thanked Sam Heughan in her ACOTAR acknowledgments.

Which character would you co-write a book with? "I feel like Lucien would be really fun, he's really smart, he'd be able to plot things extensively" - Sarah J Maas

Also Sarah:

Spoke about the crazy friendship chemistry Lucien and Feyre have always had and despite their bump in the road has been repairing that friendship.

Set Lucien up to be a High Lord.

Mated him to an Archeron.

Always wanted him to end up with an Archeron even though the first fell through for reasons.

Had him defy the main villain in book 1.

Gave him a tragic backstory that "he's never forgotten despite pretending he has".

Had him "setting his sights" on Koschei in SF.

Wrote him as someone Azriel is jealous of.

Wrote him as someone who Rhys and Feyre rely on for information.

Gave him a connection to the Trove items through his ancestral blood.

Wrote him with dominance flashing in his eyes over Cassian.

Rhys is then guilty by association as he chose to "ally" with her to keep his people safe.

So it really shouldn't matter if Lucien is also associated with Elain's trauma because he too had his reasons to follow through with Tamlin’s plan to ally with Hybern - a plan that gave them insider information that did help them in the war.

But while my room was all softness and grace, his was marked with ruggedness. In lieu of a pretty breakfast table by the window, a worn worktable dominated the space, covered in various weapons. It was there he sat, wearing only a white shirt and trousers, his red hair unbound and gleaming like liquid fire.

Bare from the waist up, he’d managed to haul on a pair of pants before opening the door, and hastily buttoned them as I strode past.

Lucien took a steadying breath, and I wondered—wondered if being emissary also meant being spymaster.

Lucien spat at Rhysand’s feet and shoved his sword between us.

“I claimed Lucien as my own—named him emissary, since he’d already made many friends across the courts and had always been good at talking to people, while I … can find it difficult. He’s been here ever since.” “As emissary,” I began, “has he ever had dealings with his father? Or his brothers?” “Yes. His father has never apologized, and his brothers are too frightened of me to risk harming him.” No arrogance in those words, just icy truth. “But he has never forgotten what they did to her, or what his brothers tried to do to him. Even if he pretends that he has.”

Without further word, he slung me over his shoulder as if I were a sack of potatoes.

when I looked up, I found that he was running—fast. Faster than anything should be able to move.

Tears shone in Lucien’s remaining eye as he raised his hands and removed the fox mask. The brutally scarred face beneath was still handsome—his features sharp and elegant.

The King of Hybern murmured, “Interesting. So very interesting.” He turned to the queens. “See? I showed you not once, but twice that it is safe. Who should like to be Made first? Perhaps you’ll get a handsome Fae lord as your mate, too.”

His gaze on me. Face hard. As if he’d seen through every lie. As if he knew of the second tattoo beneath my glove, and the glamour I now kept on it. As if he knew that they had let a fox into a chicken coop—and he could do nothing. Not unless he never wanted to see his mate—Elain—again. I gave Lucien a sweet, sleepy smile. So our game began.

“Tell me anyway. List all of them.” “You’ll die the moment you set foot in his territory.” “I survived well enough when I found you.” “You couldn’t see that he had me in thrall. You let him take me back.” Lie, lie, lie. But the hurt and guilt I expected weren’t there. Lucien slowly released his grip. “I need to find her.” “You don’t even know Elain. The mating bond is just a physical reaction overriding your good sense.” “Is that what it did to you and Rhys?” A quiet, dangerous question.

I lifted my head from his sculpted chest at last, my fingers digging into the hard muscles of his shoulders as I peered into his concerned face.

“I’d pick Beron’s son, too.” I stared at the princess beneath lowered brows. She shrugged, her smile growing. “Autumn Court males have fire in their blood—and they fuck like it, too.”

“I’m going with you,” he said again, face splattered with blood as bright as his hair. “I’m getting my mate back.”

His woods, by blood and law. He was a son of this forest, and here … He looked crafted from it. For it. Even that gold eye.

I was in the process of constructing a rudimentary fishing pole when he waded into the stream, boots off and pants rolled to his knees, and caught one with his bare hands. He’d tied his hair up, a few strands of it falling into his face as he swooped down again and threw a second trout onto the sandy bank where I’d been trying to find a substitute for fishing twine.

"You enjoyed its pleasures and diversions. But don’t pretend you weren’t made for something more than that.”

Lucien, to his credit, didn’t back away a step. From Rhys, or me, or the Illyrians. The Clever Fox Stares Down Winged Death. The painting flashed into my mind.

“You should kill Beron and his sons and set up the handsome one as High Lord of Autumn,"

He’d always had a casual grace about him, but here, tonight, with his hair tied back and jacket buttoned to his neck, he truly looked the part of a High Lord’s son. Handsome, powerful, a bit rakish—but well-mannered and elegant.

Lucien jerked his chin to Azriel. “That’s the information you need to gather. What my father knows—if my brothers realized what she was doing. You need to start from there, and build your plan for this meeting accordingly.”

Lucien glanced toward the shadowsinger—who only nodded at him. “I’m at your disposal.”

He added to Lucien, who did not balk from those writhing shadows, “After lunch, we’ll meet.”

Especially since Lucien had left before breakfast for a library across the city to look up anything in regard to fixing the wall, a task I’d been more than willing to hand over. I might have felt guilty for never giving him a proper tour of Velaris, but … he seemed eager. More than eager—he seemed to be itching to head into the city on his own.

“I don’t need one. I travel faster on my own.” His chin lifted. “I will find her. And if there’s an army to bring back, or at least some way for her own story to sway the human forces … I’ll find a way to do that, too.”

My friends glanced to each other. Mor said, “It will be—very dangerous.” A half smile curved Lucien’s mouth. “Good. It’d be boring otherwise.”

He did—and did not tell you,” she added quickly to Rhysand, “because he did not want to raise your hopes. Not until I’d found a solution.” No wonder he’d been so eager to head alone into Velaris that day he’d gone to help us research. I shot a look at Rhys. Seems like Lucien can still play the fox.

told them where to go. To come now, actually. So pushy, you Prythian males.

“He’s spent months helping them sort out the politics of who rules Prythian’s slice of the human lands,”

He had to give Lucien credit: the male was somehow able to move between his three roles—an emissary for the Night Court, ally to Jurian and Vassa, and liaison to Tamlin—and still dress immaculately. Lucien’s face revealed nothing of how Tamlin and his court fared. “It’s fine.” Cassian didn’t know why he’d expected an update regarding the High Lord of Spring. Lucien only gave those in private to Rhys.

“I think Feyre wanted a progress assessment from someone who hasn’t seen her in a while.”

His jaw tightened. “As the youngest of seven sons, I wasn’t particularly needed or wanted. Perhaps it was a good thing. I was able to study for longer than my father allowed my brothers before shoving them out the door to rule over some territory within our lands, and I could train for as long as I liked, since no one believed I’d be dumb enough to kill my way up the long list of heirs. And when I grew bored with studying and fighting … I learned what I could of the land from its people. Learned about the people, too.” He eased to his feet with a groan, his unbound hair glimmering as the midday sun overhead set the blood and wine hues aglow. “I’d say that sounds more High-Lord-like than the life of an idle, unwanted son.” A long, steely look. “Did you think it was mere hatred that prompted my brothers to do their best to break and kill me?”

Nothing—ultimately nothing. Other than the fact that Lucien might be Helion’s sole heir.

“No. But we need to summon Lucien,” Azriel said, just a shade tightly, as if he didn’t like it one bit. “We need to tell him the news, and permanently station him at the Spring Court to contain any damage and to be our eyes and ears.”

Cassian nodded. Rhys as High King: he could think of no other male he’d trust more. No other male who would be a fairer ruler than Rhys. / Prythian would be blessed to have such leaders.

“Very well then, Rhysand.” Amren also turned from the desk and the blades Rhys’s magic now sheathed and set upon the surface. “But know that the Cauldron’s benevolence will be extended to you only for so long before it is offered to another.”

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From This: It took me entirely too long to admit to myself that Acker never loved me, not truly. He only wanted me because of the connection we share, the Bond that Mother Nature forced upon us

To This:

"Do you love me, Jovie?" "What a ridiculous question," I say. He shrugs. "Answer it anyway." I can't help my smile. "Yes, I love you." "Then say yes to marrying me." He runs his thumb over my lips, eyes stuck on the motion. "Lie to me if you have to. I just want to hear you say it." "Are you sure this has nothing to do with finding another way to ensure I'm tied to you forever." My smile dims as I notice his serious expression. He continues combing through my hair before meeting my eyes. "It's what normal people do when they love each other. I want to think ... if we weren't Matched, that you'd still choose me anyway."

The first relates to the Blodeuwedd tale, which Sarah pinned a photo of for Elain. In Welsh mythology, Arianrhod is primarily known from the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi. Her name translates to "Silver Wheel" (or sometimes associated with a circular mound or fort), and she is depicted as a powerful, fiercely, independent Star and Moon goddess who rules over fertility, time and reincarnation.

The Star and Moon Goddess: She is most commonly symbolized by the full moon and the Corona Borealis (the Northern Crown constellation), which is referred to in Welsh as Caer Arianrhod (her heavenly castle). Her "Silver Wheel" represents the ever-turning cosmos and the tapestry of fate.

The Owl: She is intimately connected with the form of a large, wise owl. This shape-shifting ability allows her to see into the dark, hidden depths of the human soul and the liminal spaces between life and death.

The "Virgin" Mother: In the ancient Celtic sense, she is a virgin goddess—meaning she is complete unto herself and beholden to no man. Despite this, she embraces her sexuality and is a "High Fruitful Mother" associated with powerful feminine magic, giving birth to the gods Dylan and Lleu.

The Weaver of Fate: Like spiders who spin silvery webs, Arianrhod is often described as weaving the threads of human destiny. She controls the transitions between lifetimes and the resting place of souls between incarnations.

Does Elain having anything to do with Night imagery? No. But as a Seer can she weave the threads of human destiny? Is she learning how to stand on her own without being beholden to any man after both Graysen and Azriel's rejection of her? Are there potential hints of her being a shape-shifter - the power of the leader of Spring and did Sarah pin her along with a photo of an owl? To all those I say yes.

These are romantasy books so we know Elain's story will end in a HEA with someone but we also know that's not going to happen until she first discovers who she is without worrying about relationships. Sarah is not going to write love being the thing that drives her arc but love which eventually merges into her story once she understands her purpose. Just as Arianrhod was considered a "virgin goddess" and complete unto herself, I can already see Sarah setting up Elain distancing herself from the idea that her purpose - one put into her head by her mother - is to find love and be a wife. After spending months and months mourning the loss of Graysen we see her taking Azriel's rejection in stride after the initial hurt, we see months going by where she chooses herself over losing her identity all because a guy rejected her. That individual identity is the most important thing for her and the author to focus on right now.

"All three sisters blessed by fate and gifted with powers to match your own" is what Amren said to Rhys. What kind of difference could Elain make in their world? In helping Vassa? In helping the people of Spring? In preventing more death? In restoring beauty to their world where lands have begun to die?

The second has to do with the Prison Lands:

Selene (Greek) / Luna (Roman): Sister of the sun god Helios. The literal personifications of the moon in Greco-Roman mythology. Selene is frequently depicted in ancient art driving a celestial chariot while holding or crowned by a glowing lunar orb or crescent.

Placing Elain's rose carving next to a goddess holding a moon? There's a reason Sarah drew our attention to this moment, with Nesta wondering why she placed it where she did instead of throwing it in a drawer. We already know Elain is going to have a connection to Helion as that is her mates father. We know Helion seems to have the gift of foresight as he too was able to track the Suriel and Lucien was able to sense Cassian's arrival before he knocked, we know Helion has the only remaining Pegasus who once lived on the Prison Lands (the would have been Dusk Court), and we know Helion, Lucien, and Elain all have a link to the Trove. Helion and Lucien through their ancestral blood and Elain because she is made just as Nesta is.

While I don't think any of the above characters would end up living / claiming the Dusk Court territory, I do think there is a good chance it will still tie into their story considering the Prison Lands played a part in both Nesta and Feyre's stories. Before it can become a new court with it's own self-ruling government, before there can be homes and shops and Pegasus roaming free, there's a lot that needs to happen. The land is dead and barren, there is nothing that can sustain Pegasus living there,

(Also, Helion's mated pairs aren't producing offspring with the last foal being born 300 years ago and succumbing to an illness no healer could remedy which is interesting because Helion only became HL within the last 50 years so why did he have the Pegasus before that unless it's a plot hole? Regardless I do think this plotline will tie into Elain's story especially if she was given the characteristics of a goddess who rules over time, fertility, and reincarnation as mentioned above).

- it's also possible Koschei's onyx box is hidden there (that or the castle). The fact that Sarah named Theia's daughter Silene - very similar to Selene, with Theia in mythology also being the mother of Helios it seems far too coincidental for her to not continue on with that connection in the next book. Not that Theia would have been Helion's mother but it's possible there is an ancestral connection, like he mentioned having to the Mask, especially when his light seems to be a light similar to hers.

"I would like to build a garden," she declared. After this ...I think the world needs more gardens."

I even thought that Sarah's book "Obviously" wasn't for everyone, after finishing "ACOSF" for myself. At that moment, I saw Azriel's book.

But the truth is that nobody wants to wait another 2 or 3 years for their favorite couple. I would say that Elain has been waiting a long time in the plot, and there's no way to leave her out of the main story.

And Elain's story needs her not to actively participate in the war plot in other characters' books, because it's about her stopping waiting and getting out of her comfort zone, stopping letting people only see one side of her.

If she gets involved before her own book, maybe that's not what Sarah wants.

It's that Elain, in my opinion, doesn't show who she really is, which ends up keeping her on the sidelines of the story, because she accepted the role of a fragile young woman for too long.

She conveyed the idea that she had done what she thought Feyre and company wanted and now she needed to get out of that situation.

I find it super interesting that Sarah highlighted how people saw her: fragile, breakable.

But I confess that I'm happy just to have Elucien and Gwynriel, I don't even care about the order, and Elucien won't follow the mold of a couple who pick up swords and go out fighting.

Sarah won't change Elain's personality to be a copy of her warrior sisters. And besides, Lucien doesn't quite fit the warrior profile and I see him more in diplomatic roles…

The conversation about the pairing who kicks off the next book (and whether it will in fact be multi-pov or dual) is a lot like the conversation about who endgame couples are and something my sister reinforced to me yesterday when she as a first time reader said "I feel like the author tries to do too much...follow through on some of these stories instead of trying to do so many different things...there's just a lot going on in my opinion." Throne of Glass and CC could handle "a lot going on" because she was bouncing back and forth between various povs but when Feyre's trilogy was a single POV and Nesta's dual POV, Sarah has given us so many unresolved plot-points and side characters waiting for their stories to be told that "obvious when you get to the end of SF" means so many different things to so many different people and I dislike when anyone acts like their opinion of obvious is a more valid opinion.

To me the remaining sister and the unresolved mating bond we've known about for two years would be the clear and obvious answer especially when SF ended with Nesta placing Elain's rose carving on their father's gravestone as a permanent marker of the beauty and good he'd brought into their world. But to e/riels obvious is Elain and Az considering Sarah has been talking about rejected mates in multiple interviews (whereas I think the rejected mates storyline will be Eris and Mor). But to others obvious means Gwynriel because of the recent buildup Sarah dedicated to those two characters.

The fact is obvious isn't obvious at all when so many have differing opinions and many of these plot points and side character arcs have been drug out way too long because of the way the pov of these books were set up. It's unheard of in Sarah's world for a story, once the action and plots have been introduced, to drag on for over 2 years. I mean the girls that remain kidnapped by Koschei? What have they even been doing for that length of time and why does nobody seem to care? 😂 And to your point, I do think she's holding certain plots on standby until Elain's arc (just like certain plots will be on standby until Az's arc or Gwyn's arc or Lucien's arc). We're not going to see those things play out until we have that character's pov, their full growth will take a backseat until their pov, so now it really is a matter of what needs addressed first?

I like how you wrote this:

I find it super interesting that Sarah highlighted how people saw her: fragile, breakable.

I had a post in my drafts somewhat along those lines. Elain was written to have certain flaws but she's now been dismantling them and the author made a point to address it. Where in book 1 Feyre thought of Elain being afraid to get her hands dirty now we have Rhys reminding Feyre that being a gardener does mean getting your hands dirty so it can result in something beautiful. Where we had everyone talking about "Elain is Elain" and "Elain has never been confrontational" we see her standing up to Nesta, we have Elain volunteering to do something dangerous that even Nesta did not want to do. Where we once had Elain failing Feyre for their time in the cabin now we see Nesta jealous of Elain going out of her way for Feyre. Every complaint the characters and the fandom had about her, the author is showing us that she has grown and she is ready to stand on her own, without living in the shadow of those in the IC (considering those in the IC outside of Rhys and Amren are still struggling to recognize what she has to offer).

Holy smokes!!!...Helion is Lucien's father!!! 😳

I hope he and Helion find out!!!

Grayson is a d bag…I hope she ends w Lucien…but she’s got this weird connection w az

I hope they are really done (Elain and Graysen)

I want Az and Mor though 😭

Also waiting for Miryam to make an appearance 😬

Thoughts- happy Julian's not a total jerk but wonder what his end game will be- like how he'll help them (besides the elain rescue)...elain - like strap on a pair, girl 😂…Nesta is weird w her obsession w elain…I’m sad about the suriel…and I almost think the author tries to do too much…follow through on some of these stories instead of trying to do so many different things…there’s just a lot going on in my opinion

I forgot to ask- how come their magic is always running out?… what is it supposed to do to replenish it?

Oh dang…ok- I guess no mor and azriel 😂

Papa Archeron, I love him…I think he genuinely tried to make up for everything from the past, and he’s a good man

Oh no!!!…Amren is a bad seed!!! 😭

Of course Elain kills him 😂 (I responded she strapped on a pair for you 😂 )

Still waiting to see what Amren was thinking 😐

Oooh ok!!!..she's not a bad seed

This book is too stressful for my sensitive soul 😂

Oh noooo!!!!…I don’t want her to leave them!!! Stupid book 😭

NOOOOOOOOOOOO 😭 - I figured she got to Rhys's death but when I asked where she was in the book she said:

I can’t even say it 😭

They’re trying to bring him back!!!

Oh tamlin 😭

EEK!!!…Amren back!!!…this is how it should all be 🥰

Wait- is she still immortal?