surfalldaybaby

[surfalldaybaby]

Elain isn’t loyal? She wore an iron wedding ring for months because she was still in love with her fiancé, a man who wants her dead. Feyre came home as a High Fae, and Elain, who was engaged to that fae-hunter and terrified of fae, welcomed her inside and was happy to see her, when the safer, easier thing would be to turn her away at the door and avoid Feyre’s faerie mess altogether. She cared for her disabled father for years as his only compassionate companion even though he essentially ruined her and her sisters’ lives with his carelessness and poor judgment many times over. Nesta herself lashed out and put distance between them, and for months Elain was the only person in the Night Court to try reaching out to her with kindness after the war.

You can’t blame her for learning from so much rejection, fear, and hurt and taking a step back to finally protect herself when her sister, in the midst of an intense destructive spiral, moves out, explicitly says to leave her alone multiple times, and pointedly ignores her in the street.

And Nesta is extremely mentally ill. She even says herself she didn’t believe she deserved kindness or goodness or love. Of course her brain is going to perceive that new distance from Elain as an inevitable betrayal, a swapping of loyalties to the “safe” sister, and a loss of a lifetime of love and sisterhood between Nesta and Elain, rather than the defense mechanism and acquiescence to Nesta’s own repeated demands for space that it is. Of course Nesta, whose own defense mechanism is lashing out and insults, is going to cast Elain as a wretch and a dog to protect herself from the pain of “losing” Elain’s loyalty.

But family isn’t about who is more loyal to who at any given moment, and it is healthy and okay to distance yourself from family members who repeatedly reject your company and requests space from you, no matter how close you once were, even if they are also hurting. It doesn’t mean you’re choosing or loving your other family members—who may also need and welcome your help with their own issues—over them.

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You know, for a series where the emphasis is constantly set on the concept of choice, it's alarming how many people infantilize Feyre and Elain and treat them like they aren't capable of making their own choices.

Feyre is brainwashed by Rhys to wear demeaning clothes.

Elain claiming to be part of the Night Court is meaningless.

Feyre's wish to have children is reduced to her "being knocked up by Rhys".

Elain expressing discomfort around Lucien is childish and she needs to grow up and give him a chance.

Seriously, do better.

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The Archeron sisters are the perfect example of how everyone deals with trauma and depression differently.

Nesta shows us that we can get ugly and nasty when dealing with trauma and depression when we don’t actually mean it but we can’t help it. It’s a trauma response to assert dominance. And through asserting dominance, we protect ourselves even though it may be wrong sometimes. We hope that in asserting dominance and being nasty, it will intimidate others into thinking twice before violating us!!! We see through Nesta’s actions how it’s a direct result of trauma.

With Elain we see how people can become withdrawn, disassociated and avoidant when dealing with trauma and depression. We tend to turn to the things that once gave us joy in the hopes that it will heal us, like Elain does with gardening. We also avoid confrontation as much as possible because we’re tired and withdrawn from reality. We avoid the harshness of reality as much as we can because if we don’t, we’re constantly reminded of how horrible this world is and what was done to us. We also tend to lean on the people that bring us most comfort and security in our lives so we don’t have to worry about being a target anymore.

With Feyre we see how people can completely give up and not care about our lives or what happens to it anymore. We don’t care how much weight we lost/gained. We don’t care whether we’ve eaten or not and we don’t care if someone completely dictates our lives and future because we’re so numb and withdrawn that we just don’t gaf anymore. We are willing to let others live our lives for us and don’t care whether we live or die until someone tells us that it’s not right. And even then it takes months for us to start caring again. Even then it takes months to stop feeling numb and wanting to live again.

So that’s why I’m 100% pro Archeron’s and the rest of you guys can eat rocks for all I care 😩

[surfalldaybaby]

ELAIN ARCHERON LOVE LANGUAGE IS GIFTING

First a brief summary of the meaning of the love language of gifting:

"Gifts, within the context of the five languages ​​of love, represent a way that the person finds to materialize their feelings for the other and demonstrate their love and affection"

She gifting their father a chisel for work (acotar, chp. 3)

The ideia of having a party to welcome Feyre was from their father but Elain took the reins to planner and prepare the whole party for Feyre (acotar, chp. 30)

She bought Feyre paints since she knew feyre loved to paint and even bought Nesta a present too (acomaf, chp.49)

For the twins aka her besties, Elain bought fluff blankets (acofas, chp. 17)

For Nesta first solstice she bought books from her favorite author (acofas, chp. 20)

For Feyre she bought brush with Night Court insignia (acofas, chp. 20)

Of course, we can't forget this amazing moment between Elriel where elain gifts him the headache powder (acofas, chp. 20)

She gave Nesta a scarf on her last birthday (acosf, chp. 1).

For Cass, she gave a special mug on solstice (acosf, chp. 58)

SINCE TUMBLR ONLY PERMIT 10 PHOTOS FOR POST, I'M GOING TO REBLOG IT WITH THE REST. (+)

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I love that Elain can observe everyone and understand what they need. Feyre's birthday cake and paint brushes, the portable thermos she bought for Cassian - she knows he spends a lot of time in the Windhaven she's trying to keep his cold -, the books she gifted Nesta and the painkiller powder she gifted Azriel. She knows what everyone needs and makes everyone feel valuable with these tiny details.

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In Lucien’s POV, he compared Elain to Jesminda.

“She was nothing like Jesminda. Jesminda had been all laughter and mischief, too wild and free to be contained by the country life that she’d been born into. She had teased him, taunted him—seduced him so thoroughly that he hadn’t wanted anything but her. She’d seen him not as a High Lord’s seventh son, but as a male. Had loved him without question, without hesitation. She had chosen him.”

In Azriel’s POV, he compares her to the sun at dawn.

“Soft steps padded from under the stair archway, and there she was. The faelights gilded Elain’s unbound hair, making her glow like the sun at dawn.”

I’m not sure about you, but I would rather have the latter.

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Feyre Archeron is for the girls that were forced to grow up too fast. She is for the sisters that had to take the brunt of other peoples abuse so she could survive and protect her family. She is for the girls that had to give up their whole childhood to help raise their siblings because their parents weren’t bothered. She is for the younger siblings who have only ever experienced abuse from an older sibling. She is for the girls that always need to be in control for the fear that their whole life will crumble around them. She is for the girls who never cared about their worth, beauty or anything like that because they were so neglected that they thought it didn’t matter anyways. She is for the girls who never knew how valuable and precious they are because without them, others wouldn’t be able to survive.

She is for the girls who accept mistreatment from a toxic lover because they confuse toxic love for true love as it was the only form of love they ever experienced. She is for the girls that have never been in a relationship because they know they will accept mistreatment and confuse that as love because it’s the only “love” they experienced growing up and it’s scares them to even think about it. She is for the girls that only dream small because they feel they’re not worthy of something better, yet somehow that small dream seems like the biggest achievement to them. She is for the girls that are in constant survival mode even when they don’t need to be.

She is for the girls that pray they will find a man like Rhysand so they can grow, heal and love in a way they deserve. She is for the girls that learned strength and resilience through themselves without even realising it until years later. She is for the girls that need constant reassurance that everything will be ok and that they can relax every now and then!!!

To all my fellow Feyre Archeron’s out there, you got this. No matter how far you are in your journey, you still got this. You’ll get to where you want to be and you will look back on this day with pride. You will survive this. Never give up. I love you all!!!!

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Of course I support Feyres rights

but most importantly I support Feyres wrongs

But luckily I don't have to defend her because she's always right, my High Lady

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lucien was defending the man who locked her up to feyre and y’all are still saying she was the bad friend

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saw a video on tiktok saying that “we criticize Nesta and forgive Feyre for having trauma”, but what do we forgive for? I’ve said it a few times: there are no canon scenes where Feyre is cruel to Nesta. there are no scenes where Feyre is half of what Nesta is to her. the only thing that Nesta stan uses is the fact that Feyre, Nesta’s family, along with Elain, decided to intervene in Nesta’s destructive behaviors. stop painting Feyre as Nesta’s villain, she just isn’t.

[surfalldaybaby]

the raven cycle spoilers

losing my mind as the narrative deconstructs around gansey because he's the one who created it in the first place. there's this boy who thinks he's special and collects special people, only to eventually realize that he's the only one who isn't special and he's the one that's been collected by the special people around him. how is he supposed to live with that now. to live knowing his destiny was actually just to survive all along, that his friends love him because they choose to, not because there is a greater calling he can offer them as it's discovered they each already have a calling apart from him? the strangest thing about this boy is his capacity to love the strangeness around him, and for a long time he believed he was a part of that strangeness. but the strangeness allowed him to be a guest in their world, a companion. and all along he thought he was the captain, the pilot, the mapmaker. but he was a stowaway all along, led by a current he saw and did not understand. his girlfriend is half-tree. his best friend is a dream thief. his other best friend is a bond with the magic of the universe. his other best friend is a ghost. his life was saved because his love echoed ahead of him, not because he was mystic and fated to accomplish his childhood dreams. do you think he ever looks at the people around him and feels like he didn't belong? when, once upon a time, he looked at the people around him and laughed because he thought they wouldn't believe all the magic he was a part of? do you think he feels ordinary? do you think there's a bitter aftertaste in his mouth? do you think there's a hollowness when he looks at a map of the interstate and knows that there aren't any clues left waiting for him? do you think he grieves for the person he thought he was supposed to be? do you think he holds on to his friends all the more fiercely because they're the closest to otherness he'll ever get again? do you think he went a little mad and hopes that some teenagers try to bring him back to life in a few thousand years? he died once and he thought it was the worst thing that ever happened to him. but maybe the worst thing to happen to him was nothing, and having to watch things happen to everyone else around him.

[surfalldaybaby]

the world needs more angry feyre content. after everything life’s thrown at her since she was a child, she has every right to be angry and just go feral.

[surfalldaybaby]

UNPOPULAR OPINIONS

Don’t rlly know if this is a hot take but I got two strong opinions about the future of Elain. I have to say I love her character.

1. Anyone who ships Elain with Tamlin is a dumb ass. Elain deserves so much more. After saying how nobody truly sees her and then finding some healing in the night court with Feyre and the IC you want her to be linked with the man who abused Feyre? Rlly? Who isolated her so much that she wanted to die. Who physically hurt her? How utterly disgusting. Elain deserves more. She’s interesting in her own right. Even Nesta dislikes Tamlin. And Elain is loyal to Feyre she would never do that to her sisters or to rhysand who would have to routinely see the male who slaughtered his family in cold blood. People make the oddest fucking ships for no reason w no logical thinking at all. And then say they support women and support domestic violence survivors. Keep the same energy.

2. I don’t rlly ship azriel with anyone. We don’t know anything abt him and as far as I’ve seen I like him but also I don’t care that much abt his character. Like I don’t find him that likable and I don’t rlly care abt the whole mysterious thing he has going on. I think his pining for mor was self-flagellation and not love. I don’t think he’s capable of healthy romance right now. I think him and Elain are great friends and obviously more than that but it wouldn’t be sustainable to put them together. They need to work on themselves. Also not a fan of putting Elain or Gwyn against eachother when they literally have no interactions. What’s the point of making them hate eachother when we know both of the female are kind and love the same people. Soooooo weird to me.

3. The evil Elain theory is stupid. Just wanting to make Elain “interesting” bvs people can’t see the nuances of stereotypically feminine characters. We saw Feyre go “evil” when she took down her abusers court and got so much hate for it. Just a way to justify hating Elain when she’s made amends with everyone and is finding a home with her sisters and friends. There is nothing interesting about evil Elain. Wanting to see a female go against her sister who she loved and her new found family is weird a fuck. Elain the spy I love. Elain the gardener I love. Elain the traveler I love. Elain being evil is fucking stupid. I want to see a healing arc and get to know her character better.

Ok that’s it ! Thank youuu

#acowar #acofas #acosf #acomaf #acotar #azriel #elain archeron #feyre archeron #rhysand #nesta archeron #gwyn acosf #sarah j maas #night court #pro rhysand #pro elain #pro feyre archeron #pro elain archeron

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Reminder that:

Being quiet Does not equate to being weak Dealing with your trauma quietly and by  yourself does not mean that your trauma is invalid 

Elain also got kidnapped, taken away from her home, thrown into a couldron, turned into the very thing she was brought up to fear. She heard voices and saw images that she couldn't understand for over 3 months yet dealt with it. Everyone around her thought she'd lost her mind even her supposed Mate, couldn't even begin to figure out what she was. Wondered if she was worth fighting for.  She got kidnapped, chained and bound again.  Undermined and underestimated.

It was only because of a certain shadowsinger that Elain managed to understand what was becoming of her, a certain shadowsinger who listened and saw her pain, her wish. Resonated with her. Spent time with her talking about her favourite hobby even though it wasn't asked of him. Trusted her. Believed in her.

Elains trauma is  valid as any other characters. Just because she doesn't lash out or starve herself does not mean her trauma simply disappeared. Does not mean it *doesn't count* Saying she doesn't deserve Az because she hasn't gone through enough trauma as Gwynerth is such a horrible and degarding thing to say. Making comments on how Gwyn will understand Az better cause she has gone through so much and is so strong, whilst Elain has been through nothing therefore won't be able to help Az heal, is disgusting. But what to expect form Gwynriels They preach feminism and defend everyone elses trauma but when it comes to Elain? Nothing. All they do is degrade Elain, call her trauma invalid and what not.

why? Because she's traditionally feminine. Because she is "boring". Because she doesn't deserve to get defended. That or the way they're so double handed if they do "defend" her. Anti Elains need their mysognystic arguements and reasonings cause they have nothing. There is no reason for why Elain gets treated disgustingly by that side of this fandom. They all need a reality check. Hope one day they reflect on all the vile and horrible things they've said and feel so ashamed, disgusted, embarrassed.

Cause we all feel embarrassed for them.

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Feyre going from hearing n.esta tell her that everyone would forget her one day to a high lady, cursebreaker, and the woman with the seven high lords power. And still taking care of her sisters. With a family that adores her.

Love that for her

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I forget that with Feyre antis her past and trauma can’t influence anything of the present (unless her trauma makes her do something wrong to someone else, than you can bring it up to explain why she isn’t fit to be high lady) and she’s only allowed to be extremely perfect and make no mistakes UNTIL it’s time to call her a Mary Sue.

But she also has to change, adhere, and sympathize with everyone (even her abusers) trauma and completely disregard her own and trauma is an excuse for whatever someone put her through and why she should forgive them

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Rhysand

“There are different kinds of darkness. There is the darkness that frightens, the darkness that soothes, the darkness that is restful. There is the darkness of lovers, and the darkness of assassins. It becomes what the bearer wishes it to be, needs it to be. It is not wholly bad or good.”

Rhysand, proud and arrogant and grinning. The Lord of Night, Death Incarnate, Night Triumphant. A male who donned the mask of a monster to save his home, who fought for his family with his final breath, who whispered to his unknowing mate, “You are my salvation.”

Rhys gave the dregs of himself away; his body to the lady of the mountain, his power to a city shrouded in the night, his heart to a female with stubborn blue eyes. 

Though beloved dearly by his Inner Circle, Rhys views himself as a monster worthy of only hatred. He has not bothered to conceal the bitter edge to his nature, the creature dwelling beneath his skin. Time and time again, he has said he is unworthy of affection, said he does not deserve his fortune. He has claimed himself a beast.

From the start, we knew Rhys would do anything for our Feyre. They saved each other, not just from blades and curses, but from a darkness that was very different from night. His devotion to her went beyond words, and he made it no secret he would raze the earth for her. 

And it’s not just our High Lady. Rhys surrendered his sanity, his pride, his own safety for the family he left back home.

Home.

His city, the townhouse tucked within, a maelstrom of light and laughter and teasing. Rhys must have risen every morning, still shaking from his ordeal the previous night, and thought of his Inner Circle. He must have recalled their messy breakfast, a collection of sweets and eggs and toast and tea and whisky. He must have dressed, the memory of Mor lingering in his mind, how she would stride into his room and leap on his bed like a child. 

He loved his family, so, so much. His first thought was always of their safety, their comfort. Sometimes it was the little things, like tucking a blanket over Amren nervously, or tending to one of Cas’s sparring wounds; sometimes it was giving up himself so they might live, and know peace within that sheltered city.

Should Rhys have protected as many lands as he could? Yes, of course.

But you all forget Rhys cast that enchantment hastily, with barely seconds to think. In that moment, he wasn’t a seasoned High Lord. He was a terrified  brother and friend and cousin. He was human.

Under the Mountain, when Feyre Archeron made herself, did he have any right to give her the faerie wine? No. It was wrong, and it doesn’t matter if it was for her benefit.

But, for fuck’s sake, Rhys never said it was right. You are allowed to think this was off-putting, but know Rhys never brushed it aside. He never insisted it was for her own good. Rhys, even though he couldn’t have cared less for Feyre, was always mindful never to touch her beyond her arms and hips. I am not making his excuses: I am simply pointing out Feyre was not unwilling, and we should know, as we were inside her head. She looked to numb herself with the wine, sought the haze of intoxication. 

Rhys never claimed to be a saint. He never called himself god. He was a male struggling to climb out of his trauma, and he made a poor choice, but not an unforgivable one. 

Then came Nesta Archeron, who truly turned the fandom against our Rhys. She hated him, he hated her. 

Did it begin this way? No.

Most people fail to recall the Inner Circle extended their hands to Nesta, when they first met.

Amren was civil and brutally honest.

Mor complimented her dress, and she was shamed for her own in return.

Cassian tried laughter and banter, his way of saying “I’m friendly, I won’t hurt you.”

Rhys tried to be civil to the woman who had abused his mate, to the woman who detested his kind. He was forced to watch as his family was cut down swiftly. 

Nesta’s “talent” is finding weak spots and exploiting them. So she slut-shamed Mor, ridiculed Cassian’s status, showed Feyre nothing but scorn. Nesta was not trauma-ridden, back then. She was just cruel.

So, how am I supposed to hate Rhys for defending his family?

He is allowed to feel fury as Nesta does without being detested. He is allowed to try and protect his Inner Circle. He is allowed to hate the female who made fun of his brother, abused his wife, shamed his cousin, hurt his friend. 

Is Nesta entirely in the wrong? No.

Is Rhys entirely in the wrong? Absolutely not.

Even when he kept the secret of Feyre’s pregnancy from her, he was not so at fault. It was bitter of him to keep such a danger from his mate, but I can understand why he did so. He was trying to keep her happy and carefree. As we know Fae pregnancies are delicate, so why would he want Feyre to feel so much stress and terror and misery when that could risk the child’s life? I do think he should have told her, but again, it’s not impossible to get why he didn’t.

If we are going to blame Rhys for keeping Feyre’s risk quiet, why not blame the others in on it? What about Amren and Cassian and Azriel and Nesta? They are as equally responsible. Even if it was a bad choice, that’s okay. Everyone detested Rhys for being the “perfect” character, and now we hate him for fucking up. He is allowed to make mistakes. I don’t know who told you he can never do wrong. 

Rhys is a monster, the unforgiving darkness and the merciless cold. He has never claimed otherwise. He has done awful things, yes, but he aspires to be better. He cares about working through his trauma, because he wants to be a good male for Feyre, for his family, for his son. 

He was betrayed and raped. His little sister was brutally slaughtered by an old friend. His mother was tortured. His mate was killed, and his Inner Circle hurt time and time again, and he has never known a moment’s peace. 

He isn’t perfect, but he’s learning. He’s learning and working every day. 

Rhys may be the Lord of Darkness, but he is not incapable of light.