#antiinnercircle

So this is something I’ve been turning over in my mind for a while now, but I haven’t fully committed to it yet, but I keep coming back to it…

What if there was a character—someone quiet, observant, and underestimated—who could actually see through Rhysand and the Inner Circle’s carefully darkness and truth like really see!!

What if someone didn’t fall for their words or manipulation, and instead saw the real danger behind the masks?

And what if, instead of the usual IC-centric redemption arc, this story focused on someone finding truth, freedom, and maybe even hope—not in the Night Court, but somewhere like the Summer Court? (Because I'll be honest... My baby boy Tarquin deserves way better and I want to write about him.)

🌊 The character I’m imagining is an OC named Ophelia—the youngest (adopted) Archeron sister. Her parents were close with Mama Archeron before they died, and she was raised alongside the sisters. She turned into a fae with them, but her power and perspective are different. her powers are kinda all mind power 👀

It’s still messy and in-progress, but I wrote a little draft scene to play with the tone. Maybe someone out there would be interested?

As they sit, Feyre watches her carefully. “Do you feel okay?” Ophelia sips her drink before answering. “I feel the same.” “This is for your own good, you know,” Feyre says gently. “You can’t go anywhere with unstable magic.” Ophelia fights the urge to roll her eyes. Her problem isn’t the training—it’s Rhysand’s plans behind the training.

He framed it as helping her, but Ophelia felt the truth simmering beneath his words. She wasn’t sure what Rhysand truly wanted—but the terrifying part wasn’t not knowing. It was the satisfaction she felt in him when feyre agreed to his plan. He was getting exactly what he wanted, piece by piece.

A memory flickers in her mind, sharp and unshaken. That man from the war. His presence alone had suppressed her magic, silencing it like it never existed. “There was a male I saw during the war. My magic… vanished when he was near,” she says, feigning nonchalance. “He had dark skin, white hair, and eyes as blue as the ocean. He looked like power itself.” Feyre blinks. “That sounds like Tarquin.” “Who?” “The High Lord of the Summer Court.” Feyre frowns slightly. “You don’t remember him because, at the time, you were too lost in your own mind.” Ophelia’s stomach twists. A High Lord? That… complicates things. Feyre sighs. “We’re not exactly on good terms with the Summer Court. Not enemies, but not allies either. Why do you ask?” Ophelia shrugs, lying easily. “He just seemed strong.” In truth, she had never forgotten him. His presence calmed her storm. And if she’s going to run—she needs a plan. Maybe Tarquin could help. Feyre’s voice softens. “Are you upset with me?” Ophelia doesn’t answer. “You know it doesn’t matter if you’re adopted or not, right? You’re still my little sister. I do care about you.” Ophelia hesitates. Then whispers, “Don’t stay with him, Feyre.” Feyre stills. “He’s dangerous,” Ophelia says. “The darkness I see in him—it’s terrifying. And it’s eating you with him.” Feyre exhales like she expected this. “You think that way because you don’t know him.” “Feyre…” “Rhys loves you, Ophelia. He sees you as a little sister.” Ophelia studies her. Sees the blind devotion. There’s no point in arguing anymore.

People try to argue this all the time, you know, and whatever--you have your opinions, but I am not convinced. You can’t tell me that it was necessary and then have Nesta have no withdrawal symptoms, no back and forth, no deep temptation, some great inner turmoil of an addict. If she doesn’t have any of this than the IC and Feyre and Elain look bad, because they took agency away without the reader contextually having known that they tried anything else that was meaningful. 

You can’t tell me that they care for her and then show me quite a few scenes where they outright say they don’t or don’t say anything at all. Caring has to be shown not said, where are the scenes where I am shown patience, empathy, compassion? If there is none, than the IC and Feyre and Elain look bad. Feyre and Elain worse because they are her sisters and therefore obligated. The entirety of the Feyre vs. Sister’s conflict is based on obligation. Feyre doesn’t look as bad because we know that conflict with Nesta, and we also know from acofas and mentions in acosf that she has tried at least more than Elain, though not well or effortful--inviting her to parties or to decorate is not effortful. It makes Elain look tremendously unsupportive, because we know that she does nothing. This is something I wrote about in a long analysis but never posted. Maybe one day.  

You also cannot tell me this is a healing arc, but then frame the situation that Nesta’s healing is not more important than taking accountability. Someone’s second hand suffering is not more important the person who suffers, especially in their own POV. You can have both at the same time, but you can’t fix the effects without evaluating and accepting the cause. That’s basic. 

The way I see it is that people keep trying to argue this blank grey area that was in between acofas and acosf--that “oh Nesta must have been difficult, if it resulted in this. It must have been warranted and if it was then the IC was justified because she was suffering.” It doesn’t matter. You have no proof. You have only what has happened in acofas, and what was briefly mentioned in acosf of what happened in between. The argument at the barge. The blanket statement of pushing people away, drinking, sleeping around. A moment with Elain, I believe, and the fact that Feyre asked her to decorate and gave her a tour of the house. But that’s it. Those are cause for concern but not enough for an intervention. 

What is obvious is that after the intervention, Nesta doesn’t have withdrawal symptoms and only thinks about drinking once. She starts a sexual relationship easy and that is not at all criticized. She is stuck in a house she can’t easily leave, but she does her duties. She is used many times, a few of those times being argued by her as not wanting to do it. We have blatant scenes of characters saying that they will use her no matter what it takes. We have very little scenes with the others that are not in direct relation to her power/skill of dance and games and using that power.