lilac and star and bird

While I was caught up in the blooming form of the instrument, @offtorivendell pointed out a few incredible connections:

The instrument looks more like a lyre and the lyre is connected to divine music, poetry, and harmony;

The lyre is tied specifically to Orpheus, and @offtorivendell has wondered if the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice might inspire Elriel’s story. I could absolutely see that in a variety of potential plot threads: going beneath Ramiel, traveling to Hel, Elain going too deep into the Void and Azriel’s voice calling her back, grounding her in their world, and/or working together to release a soul that is trapped through a bargain or curse, like Papa Archeron or even Fionn.

Insight into various things? Almost like a…

“It’s just the story that was finally ready to come out of me was big, really, really, really big. And as I started writing this in like this, like Montana, like energy vortex, like it came outta me in a way that surprised me. And by the time I reached, you know, I like to do like parts like part one part two, part three, by the time I gotta end of part one it was, like, 400 pages long. There’s a certain reality to books like ‘Kingdom of Ash’ had to be, like, two because the glue will not hold books together, but like what I was writing felt right? Like that was what the story that needed to be told. And so I decided I wasn’t gonna approach this project from a, you know, traditional format of a book. And what if this story, like, what if this book was really long? Like, what if it took me more than a thousand pages to tell the story that needed to be told, the arc that I wanted to create from start to finish. What if that took a long time? Like, what if that took me on the constraints of a single volume and what does that look like? How do I tell that story? And so part one was this huge, huge thing. And then I realized it was gonna be four parts. A book told in four parts. So then I wrote part two and part three. And those were really fucking long. And so, like, and then part four has yet to be written because right now I’m trying to just get part one, which is out in October. And then parts two and three to be out in January is like one combined thing. So it’s basically gonna be three physical volumes, but it’s like one thing altogether that like no amount of glue in like any publisher’s factory could ever like hold this. So it’s meant to be read ideally as one massive, massive story as opposed to a trilogy. It’s not a trilogy. Like arcs aren’t wrapped up. It's like if you expand it all of part one, all of part two, all parts, like all part, like it would be huge like that. And so I just decided like, I’ve never told a story that way. This is how it wants to come out.”

Almost like it was divine inspiration, am I right?

When it was ready to come out, when I was re—, when it was ready to come out—like when this right story hit me, it hit me hard. And I had a vision from the start, of like what it would be and how I would deliver it to you guys, and like that’s what I want to do, and getting to be in the driver’s seat and decide like this is how I want to tell stories, and if I want to adapt it for every new book or just like arc, I can do that, like I can do that, like why not? Why do we have to stick to these boxes? Like this is how you tell a story from A to B, I’m like no, what if we do something different.”

•

“But I wonder if everyone has spent so long assuming Elain is sweet and innocent that she felt she had to be that way or else she’d disappoint you all.” He sighed toward the ceiling. “With time and safety, perhaps we’ll see a different side of her emerge.”

“That sounds dangerously close to what Nesta said about Elain finally becoming interesting.”

“Sometimes, Nesta isn’t wrong.”

I glowered at Rhys. “You think Elain’s boring?”

“I think she’s kind, and I’ll take kindness over nastiness any day. But I also think we haven’t yet seen all she has to offer.” A corner of his mouth tugged upward. “Don’t forget that gardening often results in something pretty, but it involves getting one’s hands dirty along the way.” (Feysand bonus)

When I first saw pictures of the Alex + Ani Elain bracelet and looked closely at the watering can, I thought it was saw what might be a music note (purple) and the bottom curl of a treble clef without the line through it or a bass clef (cobalt), and @offtorivendell and I both also saw what looks like a bass clef on the other side (pink), and @offtorivendell and @psychologynerd saw these too and confirmed I was not crazy 🤣:

And then look at the handle of the watering can—is that shaped like part of a treble clef (upside down) without the line through again?!?

Are these intentional musical references on the watering can charm on Elain’s bracelet? Is it possible this is a hint that Elain is a Singer like I theorized here and @wingedblooms and @offtorivendell theorized here? Or is this possibly a hint at Elain’s future use of the Harp? Has @wingedblooms been right all along about Elain’s connection to song??

And not just Singing/the music of the land, but if the musical note is intentionally a quaver, which is an eighth note, could it tie, thematically, into the symbolism of the eight pointed star, Wyrd, and how, possibly, eight of them may need to come together to unchain and heal the land, as you and @wingedblooms have posted?

And the fact that musical notes appear on a watering can, could @lovelydreamlight be correct in that water nymphs and Singers are related? And what does it mean for other forms of water, like Prythian's underground waterways? Does the rushing music of that water source help to fuel the Song and magic of land? And the pool of starlight in Spring, what of that? Will the Archeron sisters and their bat boys sail the Void to free their world? Is the watering can actually a gardener's Cauldron, evoking the art Feyre saw back in book one?

So many questions! I need to stop word vomiting.

But mainly, I just love how the imagery that appears to be present seems to confirm that Elain being a gardener is not accidental, and could actually be central to the plot.

I do think we’ll see more of Elain’s quiet voice and strength in the next story.

She’s so connected to the land, and the land is full of magic. It has its own natural symphony:

All the world is a song. In the crossover, we learn the slumbering land’s awakening is compared to song:

Love me, touch me, sing me.

In acosf, Nesta Makes her own trove of swords, the act of creation accompanied by a song only she could hear. Feyre’s words in the original series foreshadowed this moment:

Elriel necklace coming soon 🤭

The word twine or twining is used to refer to things that are woven together—two things that combine into one. Sarah uses this word to describe powers, vines and flowers, serpentine beasts, and romantic pairings. Is it possible she will weave these elements together in the next book through Elain x Azriel? Let’s take a look, shall we?

Azriel’s shadows twine around him, as Mor and Rhysand note below. They also behave like serpents, ready to strike when threatened.

Much like Elain’s vines of flowers twine on her dresser…

Or her Sight twines dream and reality, forging a connection between the two.

The carvings in Hewn City blend these elements together—serpentine beasts twine and devour one another as vines of flowers flow between them. A beautiful balance of life and death.

Like the serpentine beasts, the souls of mates entwine when they accept the bond. The threads of their bond weave together and their scents merge, or blend, to create something at once ancient and new. Something harmonious.

And so, perhaps this iconic scene is truly prophetic: there is already a bridge of connection between Elain and Azriel, one where life meets and merges with death.

And twining vines of flowers?

Looks like the perfect balance to me.

Bone

Bloom

Like the second half of the Book of Breathings sang:

Life and death and rebirth

Sun and moon and dark

Rot and bloom and bone

•

Love me, touch me, sing me.

•

And as Feyre concluded, this was Chaos. The force the Princes of Hel would never defile with violence.

Nephelle was dismissed and forgotten due to her small frame and wings, so she made herself indispensable as a cartographer. She found the geographical advantages in their battles (and her small frame and wings were exactly what was needed to save Miriam, outrace death).

Two years ago, that reminded me of how those with earthen magic are used to find the best geographical (and magical) locations because they could sense ley lines.

Does Nephelle have earthen magic, and does that magic make her invaluable as a cartographer? Could she help Elain hone her earthen magic, if she also has the gift? And is that why she is so affected by another place that is dead and rotting, as @offtorivendell (here) and @deathsweetblossoms (here) theorized?

I would love for Elain’s journey to come full circle and ultimately lead to Cretea (where the Cauldron is hidden), and for this moment in the text to reinforce the Night Court’s Nephelle philosophy:

What we think to be our greatest weakness can sometimes be our biggest strength.

Flowers in a Glass Vase by Jacob van Walscapelle, detail, circa 1670

Elriel Month Day 30th: SHELTER

🌸🪻Elain Azriel and peonies at Dusk🪻🌸

@elainarcheronweek Day 3 | Strength 🗡️🌹

Cassian was near death and Nesta was sprawled over him, shielding him from that killing blow, and Elain—Elain—had taken up Azriel’s dagger and killed the King of Hybern instead.

➺ Artist @ruisfree

➺ Commissioned by me

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“My father was the Void, the Being That Existed Before. Chaos was his bride and my dam. It is to them that we shall all one day return, and their mighty powers that run in my blood.” (Apollion, hosab)

When these words spilled from Apollion, my first thought was of the Cauldron and Book of Breathings. Higher beings like Void and Chaos are forces—and might be part of the Forces That Be. Their union is described like a cosmic marriage, reminding me of another romantic scene:

I saw the painting in my mind: the lovely fawn, blooming spring vibrant behind her. Standing before Death, shadows and terrors lurking over his shoulder. Light and dark, the space between their bodies a blend of the two. The only bridge of connection…that knife. (acowar)

Btw, Acotar 6:

Comm by: me