#faepolitics

In ACOMAF, Tamlin actually introduced Feyre to some of his friends, but we barely got anything about them because she didn’t really pay attention. She even mentioned forgetting their names right away. Which is kinda wild, considering how much focus was put on Rhysand’s inner circle later.

It’s like the story never really gave Tamlin’s friendships a chance to exist on the page.

And what’s even wilder is that Feyre herself described them as noticeably more chaotic and untamed than the other party guests. Isn't that a glimpse into Tamlin’s real personality? the person who was never meant for this polished, stiff royal life the person who all what he wanted is freedom from royalty stuff.

He hated being a High Lord stuck in a gilded cage of rules and expectations. And yet, somehow, he still did his duty, even when it was killing him inside.

But the real kicker? When Feyre met Rhysand’s Inner Circle, her first thought was, Wow, his friends aren’t afraid to challenge him. Not like Tamlin’s.

Hold up—how would you even know??

You never saw Tamlin with his actual friends! You only ever saw him interact with soldiers, servants, and Lucien.

and Lucien never was the kind of soldier or emissary who's too afraid to challenge Tamlin, I think we can all agree on that. They were actual friends, without all the rank nonsense between them.

In fact, in ACOTAR, Rhysand himself told Tamlin to stop being so friendly with his sentries, and Tamlin was the one who straight-up said, I don’t enforce ranks in my court.

And what did Rhys do? He laughed. Of course, we know he was putting on his mask at the time 🙄, but the point is—Tamlin wasn’t ruling like some untouchable king on a throne. He actually wanted to be close to his people.

And now here’s my biggest question

where were those friends when Feyre left the Spring Court?

The same ones who fought alongside Tamlin for years? The ones who, according to lore, begged him to let them die to break Amarantha’s curse? They just vanished.

Either they actually abandoned him (which, tbh, I doubt because why stay through Amarantha’s reign and beg to let you die to break the curse only to dip when Feyre peaced out?), or—and hear me out—they died during Hybern’s attack. Because ofcourse Feyre weakened the wall, dipped, and never looked back. She wasn’t there to see the aftermath.

If that’s true? That’s just another tragedy on Tamlin’s shoulders. The guy already lost everyone once. Imagine finally breaking free from Amarantha, trying to piece your life back together, and then boom—war comes, your people die, and the one person you thought you saved leaves you to drown in it.