This one will be a rant.
The way both the pro and anti sides of ACOTAR treat Elain is ridiculous.
Fun fact: ACOTAR is a romantasy series. See the word ROMANCE in there??? It means people are going to get paired up. If that’s not something you like, read a different genre. Don’t complain about finding steak in a steakhouse.
Secondly: it’s fun to have headcanons, but I’ve ONLY ever seen people talk about Elain this way; they want her to be stupid, or a villain, or a spy or a warrior, or single. WHY???? A woman can’t be feminine, intelligent, and empowered in a relationship???? Lucien would help Elain grow, learn more about her powers and Prythian. Together, they would be stronger as rulers. How is that not empowered????
And what about the treatment of LUCIEN??? Why does everyone want the best guy in ACOTAR to face extreme heartbreak with a rejected bond so badly? Because uwu bad boy supremacy??? Just bc Lucien isn’t a creep? Y’all need to be fr rn.
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[ COMFORT ] 🪷 Elain 🪷
Lucien could not take it anymore. Bottling up all of his problems inside was killing him. He hated himself, he hated his life, he hated his fucking job. He hated that no matter what he did, Tamlin seemed to be so far out of his reach. The last time they'd spoken, Tamlin had given him a black eye. Cauldron boil him, he'd tried not to retaliate, but...something in him had just snapped. Everything that had happened to him over the past several months had just spilled over, and he'd set a driving punch straight into Tamlin's abdomen. Then he tunneled so deep down into that rage that he hadn't even noticed his fire swirling around him as he absolutely pummeled Tamlin. He had burned most of Tamlin's clothes off, and little burn marks peppered his skin. His own clothes, woven with magic fire-resistant cloth from Autumn, remained intact.
Lucien had known that whatever progress he might have made with Tamlin was undone the moment he had punched back. So frustrating-so unbelievably frustrating to have to deal with a broken High Lord and his court, yet no one cared. Feyre hadn't even asked about his eye. Not like Lucien had offered the information; he didn't trust Feyre or the Inner Circle as far as he could throw them. With information, he had no choice. But his feelings? He could keep them to himself and spare himself the hurt.
When he was in his small house in Velaris safely in bed, he let himself cry. Why had his life come to this? What had he done in a previous life to deserve this? Who was he kidding, playing emissary to the Night Court? He didn't belong here any more than he belonged in Spring. Gods, he missed Autumn. He didn't think that was something he'd ever say, but at least Beron had mostly left him alone. He was free to pursue his education, free to make friends amongst the gentry, free to practice his sword and read books and whatever else he was interested in. He loved being busy and visiting other courts, but considering a big part of his work was babysitting a miserable man who had in the latter stages of their relationship become abusive towards him, it was safe to say he'd much rather being doing anything else.
Sigh. He could probably do a ten times better job of ruling than any of these fools, but alas, he was stuck in this weak role of emissary, disrespected by all who associated with him. Not even his mate cared for him.
By the Cauldron, he missed Jesminda. The only person who had ever cared for him, chosen him.
At some point while crying, he fell asleep. Something tugged in his gut, and he found himself watching himself sitting beside a pond, bare feet dipped in the water, and next to him sat a stunningly beautiful brunette. Elain. His Elain. His mate who did not want him-
Lucien, she whispered quietly. This is just a dream, Lucien told himself, but it did not feel that way. No, that tug on his gut was very real.
She was wearing a long ruffled lavender dress with a pretty straw hat on her head. She held a matching basket, but when Lucien looked inside, there were only worms. Lucien jumped back.
"The Night Court gardens' soil is very poor, so I bred some ground worms to help replenish the nutrients," Elain said matter-of-factly, like she hadn't just said the most shocking thing ever. Lucien gaped at her. "You actually bred...?"
"Yes!" Elain said brightly. Then she gently put a hand on his shoulder, her big eyes full of concern. "You seem upset. Is there something wrong?"
Lucien snorted, leaning back and crossing his arms over his chest. "As if you care if something is wrong."
"Of course I care," Elain said insistently. "You are my mate."
"Do not condescend to me," Lucien replied sharply. "I know such things mean nothing to humans."
"But I am no human anymore," Elain said, trying to reach for Lucien's body again. He pulled away again, and he almost regret it looking at the hurt that formed in her doe-brown eyes. But she avoided him like the plague in daylight; was he wrong to return the favor?
"But you still adhere to the human culture and rules," Lucien pointed out.
"It doesn't matter what I adhere to!" Elain shouted exasperatedly. "It doesn't matter how much I tell myself the mating bond means nothing, when I cannot breathe every time you are near. It doesn't matter how much I resent it, how much I feel is the bond and how much is me, when all I can think of when you are close to me are thoughts improper for a lady."
Lucien blinked, heat creeping up in his face as he recalled the absolutely filthy thoughts in her mind as he'd tugged on the bond that one afternoon.
"Fine," Lucien muttered. "It was Tamlin. He's being grumpy and uncooperative. I know he's hurting, but goddamnit, he has hurt me. And Spring has to be up and running soon, else the land is ripe for the taking."
Elain tilted her head curiously. "Is that really all?" Lucien sighed, shaking his head. "No, that was just a culmination of all my frustrations thus far."
"I thought so," Elain answered quietly. "You bottle up your feelings when you are hurt. Throw yourself into your tasks instead rather than wallow about it or engage in self-destructive behavior."
Lucien blinked at her in surprise. "You have been watching me."
"Of course I've been watching you," Elain said as if it were obvious. "How could I not? But also...I understand. You and I are the same in that right, I suppose."
Lucien didn't know what possessed him to do such a thing, but he crawled forward and laid his head on Elain's lap. She looked down at him and smiled serenely, stroking his hair, his cheek, his chin. Then she bent down and pressed a kiss to his forehead.
"Rest darling," Elain said sweetly. "No one can hurt you here." She continued to stroke him gently as his eyes drifted off, and the rest of his sleep was deep and pleasant.
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Middle siblings rarely follow the pattern.
Most middles are: Flexible, good negotiators, and very social. They are more laid back than their often high-strung older siblings. They are also more drawn to relationships outside the family than their siblings, and more likely to move further away from home when they are grown.
Enjoy your beautiful life in the Day Court, Elain! Say hi to Lucien 💛🧡
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azriel flying as blood sprays from his wings - his back and wings shredded - all to rescue elain. cradling her to his chest even after his power went out and is dripping blood. only releasing her when rhys steps up to take her out of his arms and while he is swaying on his feet his only priority is getting the chains off of elain, who has a clean face and clear eyes - completely at odds with az who can barely stand, wings dripping blood, and in desperate need of a healer. yet, he can’t stand the fact that elain is chained, and is immediately ordering, rasping, that someone call helion to get her out of them. and elain, not caring at all about the chains but instead in awe that az would come for her, kisses him on the cheek. just.. gets me so emotional.
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Friendly reminder:
Elain Archeron drinks whiskey, stabbed someone in the throat, is the queen of gag gifts, has the most powerful High Lord in history as her little flying lackey, made a 500 year old obsession fizzle in a matter of months, absolutely without trying, found the Suriel without getting off the couch, had the Shadowsinger running around the table with a potato dish, forbidding everyone from eating while she made herself pretty, doesn't give a fuck about her mate bond, had to be uglified so she wouldn't outshine everyone at a ball, and was all like 'may they all burn in hell!'
You sure she is 'not developed' enough?
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