Rowan and lyria/ Elucien comparison
This post will me comparing the parallels between rowan and lyria and elucien and their mating bonds . this will contain throne of glass spoilers so if you have not read the books please scroll away.
Rowan and lyria’s story is something that was tragic but the way they met was the most interesting part and is very similar to Elain and Lucien. Rowan and lyria met at a the market where he instantly knew they were mates. Rowan had felt the bond the moment he laid eyes on her and that was exactly how to it was for Lucien. After the cauldron had turned Elain into Fae Lucien looked at her face instantly knew they were mates.
Now with lyria and Elain they are very similar and Sjm had used the same exact words to describe them . It was stated how lyria sold flowers at the market and Elain Also garden and plants flowers but the parallels between the two of them are outstanding and sjm did this intentionally. Lyria is described as kind and quiet “she has been gentle,and sweet, and quiet,and a kind. A different sort of strength”. Elain is always described as kind and gentle, and light, even feyre herself had said Elain had been the strongest out of all of us but sjm used the same exact words for Elain and lyria. Here is the quote.
With Rowan and Lucien using similar words to describe their mating bond with lyria and Rowan. With Lucien it was a constant struggle with the mating and he usually speaks of the mating bond with Elain in a negative way. In chapter 24 of acowar Lucien describes jesminda and compares her to Elain but the words he used we’re very interesting. Lucien says “ she had chosen him, Elain had been thrown at him” also uses similar words and says “but not what he had chosen for himself”. There also a quote in acosf where Lucien says “ I’m not always in the city to see my mate.The last two words dripped with discomfort”. With the mating bond both Rowan and Lucien felt a tug on the bond, Maeve had made Rowan feel the tug on the bond and Lucien had felt it with Elain. “ there’s a bond- it’s s real thread”, “ it was easy to tug on the right physical thread they day Rowan saw lyria”. Rowan also talked about how difficult it was to court lyria and it was the same with Lucien and he even said to feyre “ I can’t stand to be in the same room as her”, I don’t want to be shackled to her”. The bond used negatively when it is described with lyria and Elain and it is very different from the way feysand, Nessian, and Rowaelins bonds were described ,and it’s also interesting that all of sjm main couples that were mates fell in love before they found out about the bond and it was not like that with Rowan and Lucien.
Now I’m going to get into Maeve and the cauldron and how they are similar. With the cauldron we know how is powerful and it is and how it created the acotar universe and with Maeve we were aware of how powerful she was and she was able to fake the bond between Rowan and lyria without anyone knowing. It was also mentioned how much the caldron loved Elain and how it gifted her with powers because of how lovely she was , and we know how it purred in her presence. Since Maeve was able to fake a mating bond it’s possible that the caldron did the same thing. In acowar right before We found out Elain was a seer madja said only can a mate can find out what’s wrong and how it’s a brige between two souls and feyre later described the truth teller that Az gave Elain as a brige between them and she imagined a painting of it. Don’t you think that’s it’s odd Elain’s mate couldn’t find out what was going on with her but that Az did and how madja said the mating bond is a bridge between two souls but Lucien said it was just a thread? Lucien is a fae and he grew up with knowing how the mating bond works and knows it’s importance and history but he did not know what was going on with Elain but Az did. There also a conversation Rhys and feyre had about About Az and Elain potentially being mates and Rhys talk about how the mating is not a love match and is based on who you can reproduce better with and he brings up his parents and tamlins parents and their failed relationship and how they were wrong for each other.with Maeve faking the mating bond and Az being almost dead when Elain was turned far, and Lucien becoming her mate it’s a big possibility that Lucien is Elain’s fake mate and that Az could potentially be her real mate. The parallels from tog and acotar and sjm confirming that having two mates is possible and her not confirming it or denying when Steph brought up the two mates thing it is 100% possible. “ the cauldron purred in Elain’s presence”, “ Elain’s eyes brows twitched towards each other. The queen with the features of flame. The shadowsinger angled his head. Lucien muttered to me, eyes still fixed on Elain, should we -does she need?she doesn’t need anything Azriel answered without so much as looking at Lucien. Elain was starting at the spy master now - unblinkingly.we’re the ones who need... Azriel trailed off. The cauldron made you a seer.”
One last thing before I end this post Azriel can smell eluciens mating bond and can’t stand the smell of it. He also said “the third was give to the another ” and Maeve said “so your mate was given to another” . I think that speaks for itself.
