#so what's the point besides trying to get rid of Nesta? Or make her suffer? | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

litnerdwrites · 14 days

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About the dancing chapter...

I agree 100% with this comment by the amazing @deathbealady (no seriously, I didn't even realise how similar this situation was to Mor's) and I wanted to use it as a jumping off point to talk about Eris Vansera. To be clear though, I like fanon Eris and am currently undecided about canon Eris, for reasons I'll explain later.

For now, we can start with the IC asking Nesta to try and seduce Eris. I refuse to believe they weren't given this idea by Elain, either because she volunteered Nesta outright, or because she put the idea of using Nesta's artistic passions that, at this point, they know were effectively weaponised by her mother, to seduce an older male with the idea of marriage.

Either way, the fact that the IC knew what Nesta's mother had done, and decided to take advantage of it without ever asking what she thought of it, or what she might like, despite it being the same thing done to Mor when she was Nesta's age, if not younger. It's made especially worse given that Nesta likely feels unable say 'no' to the IC, because if she does, she'd likely be threatened with Elain being made to do it.

If that isn't bad enough, and I wouldn't be sure if it could get worse if I wasn't about to tell you why, then we can take a look at the age gap between Eris and Nesta. I've heard people argue that it's fine, since they're both consenting adults, but I think that the term 'adults' needs to be redefined. Humans are considered adults at the age of 18 or so, but only have a fully developed frontal love at 25. Meanwhile, fae are considered adults by the age of about 50 to 80 (with the latter being the age that a High Lord can be named such, but some people say it's 50). This has some pretty serious implications.

Starting with the fact that if females in Illyria and the CON are married off/wings clipped when they have their first period, which seems to be from around the same time human women have theirs, to 18 if they try to prevent it through medication, then they aren't adults themselves. They aren't even half way there in the (I don't want to say mild, best case, better or anything like that case because it's all messed up) cases where the woman is 18 or so. It also implies that a fae female's frontal lobe isn't developed until she's over fifty, since we don't have evidence to suggest the contrary.

Just because Nesta was almost 25 when she became fae doesn't make it alright either. Given that her aging must have slowed astronomically when she was turned, it's fair to assume it would have a huge impact on maturity and brain development. Which means the Archeron sister's in general might have serious gaps in the way their brains develop, especially Feyre, since she was resurrected and her body changed. It might even be slightly different for Nesta and Elain since they were killed, pulled apart and put back together in the cauldron.

Since it was the cauldron, there's a chance that their brains were also changed to be like fae, but either way, both possibilities and scenarios come back to the same answer: The Archeron Sisters are still mentally children, and will likely remain so for several decades longer, perhaps even longer than regular fae due to the unprecedented and irregular nature of their existence.

This brings me back to the subject of Nesta and Eris. He is a grown adult many centuries older than Nesta, with frontal lobe development and centuries of experience. Nesta is barely even half way to being an adult, while he is over 500. Moreover, the IC believe that Eris is a monster.

Now, I'm well aware that there's likely more to the issues between Eris and Mor than what we've seen. Between Eris's own words regarding 'circumstances' that he wouldn't explain, to the narrative going out of his way to show us good parts of him. Such as the way he moved to protect his mother at the HL meeting, and how he let his own father torture him but still protected the IC's secrets and took the unnecessary verbal abuse from Cassian. There's even the fact that Eris simply lets others believe him to be the villain, and let's Mor control the narrative for her own comfort, as opposed to spilling whatever happened, even if it would, somehow, absolve him.

Now, to be perfectly clear, there is little Eris could say that would absolve him, truly, of what happened. I acknowledge that he's a victim of his father, however that doesn't mean he can't also be Morrigan's abuser. And yes, even if he didn't touch her, neglect is abuse. Leaving her there for dead, regardless of the reasons, is a messed up thing to do. The categories of victim and abuser are not mutually exclusive.

The narrative wants us, as readers, to question Eri's actions and begin to wonder what happened between him and Lucien and Mor. It wants us to open up to the idea that Eris may not be as bad as he's made out to be, and that there's something more sinister happening, since it puts some level of suspicion on Lucien, Mor and Beron. However, just because that's the story we're being fed as readers, doesn't mean that the characters have the same perspective, or are living the same story, necessarily.

If you think about it, they have no reason to believe that Eris isn't a psycho who abuses woman and would slaughter his brothers to get to the crown. His comment about circumstances does read like an abuser trying to justify his actions with little effort, while giving no real reason, not that one would make up for what the IC believes he did. It's not a good enough reason to absolve him or make him seem like a good person.

He still hunted Feyre down, even though he had no reason to once she and Lucien made it to the Winter Court, and it, logically, would've caused more trouble for Beron if they were caught. Especially since a whole fire fight took place, and it would be easy for Kallias to connect that with autumn citizens, since he didn't know about Feyre's magic. If anything, hunting them at that point would've caused more problems and they'd be better off just telling Beron that Feyre and Lucien were there. A high lady, if Beron acknowledges the title or not, trespassing in foreign lands with a banished son would be enough to raise a fuss about.

He, also, has people who've known him for centuries, from Mor to Lucien (though the latter probably has more accurate info given his connections in various courts, and the fact it's unlikely Mor shared many words with him over 5 centuries) and the fact he's essentially blackmailing the Nc. This is more so an issue of his having certain pieces of information being a cause for the IC to fear what he may do with it, or what might be found out by their enemies if they use torture or a daemati.

I'm not saying, by any means, that I hate him. I think he's actually written better than Rhysand at this point, since unlike Rhysie playing hero, Eris knows he's a terrible person and low key owns it. Whether or not that's subject to change is dependant of SJM's writing in the future. There's a chance she may actually turn him into Rhys 2.0 by pretended he was a good guy all along.

However, regardless of his reasons, he has done so many atrocious things that the IC have no reason to think he's a descent person. Mor clearly hasn't said anything about what happened and, as much as I don't like her, she has no on page motive to antagonise Eris otherwise. That might change later, especially if she's the traitor, but as of now, her behaviour seems understandable, somewhat, based on the version of events that she gives.

Yet, despite all of this, the IC still think that essentially whoring Nesta out to Eris because it suits their goals. Regardless of the risks to Nesta's safety, regardless of how Nesta feels about the matter and and simply going off of Feyre's guesses about how Nesta feels without ever feeling the need to confirm if any of them are accurate to Nesta.

Let me summarise: Rhysand and Feyre, Nesta's own sister, thought it was a good idea to use Nesta's artistic passions to seduce a man that is literally 20 times Nesta's age, letting said man ask for Nesta's hand, and letting Nesta consider accepting despite the IC believing he is a woman torturing psycho that would throw her to the wolves at the first chance if it helped him in the end.

Let's not forget that while Eris may be bit of a grey area for us at the moment, the IC knows that Eris also lives with abusers, like Beron, who'd have no issue using physical violence against Nesta. So even if they thought Eris wasn't a monster for some reason, they'd still be putting Nesta in danger. Especially if Beron is working with the Death God, who wants the trove and is using Bryallin to find it.

Oh, and this was all after Cassian came to the conclusion that Nesta was suicidal, and was sexually assaulted in a vision, if I remember right, while on a life threatening mission in a place the rest of the IC, even Amren, is scared of.

Regardless of what Rhysand says, he allows abusers near enough to his family, or the ones he doesn't care as much about, I suppose, and is seemingly willing to let them marry said abusers if it gets him his goal. Rhysand who was abused. Rhysand who's mother was forced into child marriage.

Rhysand who seems to ignore the fact that the Archeron sisters are children. Children can't consent, if it wasn't clear enough to him already. Also, consent must be informed, and last I checked, Nesta wasn't informed about Eris beyond him being a snake. She isn't given a heads up about how abusive he's believed to be, how he may have to kill/watch you die if his dad decides so, or how he's likely to leave you bleeding out in the woods if you're injured. This is literally what the IC believe he is like and they didn't tell her.

Consent needs to be voluntary. I think it's been well established that Nesta likely doesn't feel like she can make real decisions because of consequences she may face.

He's also completely willing to send a suicidal (you can't argue that he doesn't know since Cassian reports everything to Rhysand, and kind of Feyre, apparently, from her Valkyries to her progress in 'healing'/being brainwashed so there's no reason he wouldn't report that too) into life threatening situations, put them in a place where they could jump to their deaths at any moment, with magic that could provide literally anything but alcohol, and filled with weapons.

To conclude, Eris is a grey area in ACOTAR that, at this point, reads as what Rhysand kind of should've been if SJM didn't make him a good guy for no reason. Meanwhile, this 'good guy' is endangering his sister in law through abuse, emotional blackmail and brainwashing, while putting her in proximity with a known abuser. Might I remind you that she's a minor? With possible developmental gaps. And he's doing it all because her being in danger makes his life easier, and the cousin that the dude abused is going along with this without any issue.

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darklove9314-blog · 3 years

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Nightmares: A Nessian One-Shot

So I usually put my writing on A03, but I wanted to write two one shots specifically for Tumblr. The other may be coming later in the week, but definitely before ACOSF comes out. I hope you guys enjoy it!!!

Description: Nightmares always plague Nesta Archeron’s dreams, but what happens when one night a battle scared warrior is awakened by her screams.

Terror scorched through her, intense as any fire, suffocating her with it’s smoke. licking at her skin with it’s flames. Her mind far from clear. Her soul heavy She tried to fight it. Tried to tell herself it wasn’t real. The flames. The burning. The crack and pop of the wood. Her father’s neck snapping over and over again. The image playing in her head on repeat. Haunting her. Making it hard for her to breath. Wishing that this was the only image that haunted her nightmares. But this was just the begging.

Perhaps this was the price she had to pay for immortality even though she did not want or ask for it. In retrospect it was a punishment she deserved. For what punishment could be better suited for the monster she had become? A monster her mother would be ashamed of. A monster her sisters had been tired of dealing with. A monster he had been tired of dealing with...

“Your sisters love you. I can’t for the life of me understand why, but they do.”

Well he had been right about one thing, she truly was unlovable.

Sighing, Nesta shut the book she had been trying to read and placed it back on the shelf. It used to be one of her favorites. A book that brought her such joy. Now she could barely endure reading it. Hadn’t been able to read much romance these days. Smut scenes included. What was the point? Her mother had been right, they had given her such unrealistic expectations. They were only fantasies and it was time for her to come back to reality. To her nightmares. Awake or asleep it was as if she couldn’t escape them. And being back in this house, Back to the place that haunted her with memories. Memories of first becoming fae. Memories of him, both good and bad. Once he had tried helping her with her nightmares. Now that just wasn’t an option.

Things were still so strained between them, so fragile. Like broken glass. Shattered and unfixable. She had no clue how they would last possible months together as she unbound her hair working her braids out with her hands remembering the few times that he had seen her doing it before shaking off the memory. Mad at herself for thinking of him yet again. It was harder without the alcohol. Without the distractions. When she could physically feel his presence in the room above.

Sighing in frustration, Nesta finished the last of her hair, her scalp stinging from how tightly she had bound it that morning as she gently massaged her scalp climbing into her bed preparing to surrender herself to whatever nightmare was awaiting her.

Cassian tossed and turned in his sleep, his mind refusing to shut off before he finally gave up, exasperated, he threw the sheets off his body, making his way to the door, and silently opening it. Being extra careful as to not wake Nesta. It was the last thing he needed to deal with right now. The woman that still haunted his dreams. Like a siren’s song. Being this close to her didn’t help. It never did.

He needed something. Anything to help him sleep. Carefully heading downstairs towards the kitchen to go make something to help him sleep, Cassian stopped dead in his tracks at what he heard on the lower level.

It had started off small. Soft whimpers he would have not noticed, barely would have registered if it hadn’t been follow by the screams. Her screams. Was she hurt? Was she in danger? Every instinct in his body was set aflame as soon as one name screamed from her lips.

“Cassian!” she cried out propelling him forward. Rushing to her aid, damning the consequences as he burst into her room, looking for any signs of impending danger and finding...

Nothing. He saw nothing except her. Thrashing in her bed. Clutching onto her sweat soaked sheets. The sweat making her hair cling to her forehead. Her cries of sorrow and agony filling the room. The sight of it slamming into his gut. He knew she had been having nightmare's when she was turned, but hadn’t known they had continued. Asshole. He was such an asshole for saying those things to her about them.

Approaching her slowly, Cassian knelt down beside her, her back to him as he gently laid his hand on it.

“Sweetheart.” He said gently.

She lurched up so fast, Cassian barely registered what was happening as power flung to his chest propelling him across the room, making him slam into the wall, hard enough to bruise, but the impact had not been hard enough to kill him. As she looked at him bewildered. Hair amess, teeth bared, breath heavy, as the silver in her eyes that had lingered from her powers faded returning to their normal color as panic and fear replaced the fury in her gaze.

“Cassian-Wh-What are you doing in here?” She asked, for once there was no malice behind her words.

“I-I heard you screaming. You-” Called out my name.

The words hung unspoken between them, the silence defining for what seemed like hours before she said,

“Di-Did I hurt you?” She asked, voice trembling slightly. Turing her face away as if she couldn’t bare the thought of it. A glimmer of the Nesta he had known.

“I’ll be sore tomorrow, but I’ve been through worse.”

Cassian didn’t know how long they sat in silence. He yearned to go over to her. To comfort her and kiss the tears she was now spilling away promising her that whatever it was they could work through it. That it would be alright. But he knew she wouldn’t want that. Wouldn’t want the promises he could not keep. And than a thought came into his mind. An olive branch.

“I’ll be right back.” He stated leaving her alone to her thoughts as he went to retrieve what he thought might help.

She had hurt him. She knew it deep within her soul. Had been having a nightmare about the king. About her and Cassian, but this time the king had killed him. His shadows holding her down as he murdered him right in front of her. The agony filling her as she screamed out his name. And than she had awoke to him flung across the room. She had felt the hand upon her back and had assumed it had been the king winnowing behind her back. Ready to end it all, but it had been him. And she had hurt him.

Monster. Her mind whispered.

She had no idea how long she sat there drenched in her sweat soaked sheets before she heard her door click open and Cassian shuffling inside. She didn’t know why he cared. Why he bothered when all she would ever cause him was pain.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He asked as she felt his weight shift her bed. Knowing that he was now sitting beside her. As few aromas hit her nose.

She stared down at her toes, struggling to find the words to say. Still shaken by the nightmare. Terrified that him sitting beside her was her mind playing tricks on her yet again. Having to remind herself that this was real. That she was here, and he was alive.

She concentrated hard on keeping herself grounded. Focusing on the aromas wafting though her nose. On the cool feel of her sheets. The taste of her fresh tears on her tongue. And than forced herself to look at him. At the warmness of those hazel brown eyes. The ones that had calmed and soothed her many times before. The ones she had nearly lost.

“I can’t.” She whispered forcing the tears back. She knew it was selfish, but she didn’t want him to see her as weak. To see her as vulnerable. Not when being vulnerable had gotten her nowhere. Not when being vulnerable had caused her nothing but pain and suffering.

A strong, earthy scent filled her nose as Cassian handed her a tea cup, the scent of it something she couldn’t place.

“It’s herbal tea infused with valerian root. I-I have nightmares' too, and this usually helps me get back to sleep.” he stated as she took the cup taking a sip of it. The warmth of it filling her chest

“You do?” She asked knowing it was unfair of her to ask about his when she didn’t want to share her own, but regardless, he looked down staring at the blue pattern of her sheets.

“Yeah. Sometimes I think I’ll never get rid of them. I-I still see those faces. Still see those fallen soldiers that I failed to protect.”

“You did what you could.” She answered wanting to comfort him.

“And it still wasn’t enough.” He answered, the silence between them echoing. She didn’t dare push farther than that. She didn’t know exactly what to say. So instead she reached for his hand and squeezed it in reassurance. The warmth of him flooding through her palm as the bond between them sung at the touch.

“We can’t save everyone.” She answered, thinking back to her father, the snapping of his neck. His lifeless eyes.

“That we can’t.” He answered a sorrow filling his own. “But we owe it to the ones we couldn’t save to at least try.”

He pressed a vial in her hands as she looked down.

“What’s this?” she asked. Thankful for the change of subject.

“It’s lavender oil. A few drops applied to your skin each night can help you sleep. You can also add it to your baths if you like. I have more of it in my room if you need it. “ He answered about to pull away before she surprised them both throwing her arms around him in a hug. The closest they had ever been since....

“Thank you.” She replied pulling back slightly, not sure why she had done it. But it had felt like the right thing to do. Before she had spotted how close they were. Before their lips were mere inches apart. He moved in closer about to close the distance between their lips as she twisted her head away, knowing that if she let him kiss her , it would be her undoing. She wasn’t ready. Not when she was like this. Hurt flashed across his eyes when she looked back, but understanding filled them as well as if he knew exactly what she was feeling without her needing to say it.

“You should get some rest. We have a long day of training ahead of us tomorrow. Goodnight Nesta” he answered giving her hand a gentle squeeze before standing up and making his way out of the room, the loss of him making her feel cold.

“Goodnight Cassian.” She whispered to the empty room before sleep overtook her once more.

#nesta #nesta archeron #cassian #nessian #fanfiction #nessian fanfiction

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