This 文章 contains spoiliers for A Court of Wings and Ruin, so if 你 haven't read it yet, you've been warned. Also, despite this subject hanging on my mind for weeks after 阅读 the book, I decided the best time to write my 文章 was at 3:30 am, when I was exhausted, so forgive my jumble of thoughts resulting in a discombobulated sort of essay. Regards and best of wishes to anyone who manages to get through it.
The starring romance in A Court of Wings and Ruin for me wasn't the power couple of Feyre Archeron and Rhysand. Nor was it Amren and Varian, Cassian and Nesta, 或者 the new but strong personalities of Kallias and Viviane. In fact, it wasn't a romance that was played out on the pages. It was discussed through recounted stories and tales of woe, so few tales that each casual mention 或者 remark could fit neatly onto about five pages. Which couple is it? As if the 标题 of this 文章 wasn't enough of a dead giveaway, I'm referring to the recently revealed, 星, 星级 crossed affair of Helion Spell-Cleaver and the thus far unnamed Lady of the Autumn Court.
Helion was one of the beautiful gifts I was glad to discover while 阅读 ACOWAR. He was presented so beautifully that I couldn't help but be sucked in to his charms that seemed to float right from the ink to my eager eyes. As if that wasn't enough, Sarah J. Maas had to provide us with a story of 爱情 and heartache to 密封 that deal. As we're introduced to Helion, he was portrayed as a "swaggering prick", to quote Rhysand. However, in the same seem of that quote, he's revealed to be someone completely different, 展示 a 更多 open, friendlier side, one prone to flirtatious behavior. That side of him suprises no one but Feyre, 展示 both her and the readers that this is the real Helion, the one shown to 老友记 and allies.
During his discussion with the Inner 圈, 圈子 of the Night Court, a casual mention of the Lady of the Autumn Court's losses in the last war leads Feyre to probe at the old wound she can see lurking beneath his facade. He knows well the details of the losses of the Lady, Feyre even mentioning, "Too many details. He knew so many details." This leads her to realize that he saved her, bringing is short, strong confirmation in, "I did." Feyre describes, "There was enough weight, anger, and something else in those two words that I studied [him]." Further and further throughout that scene Feyre prodes him deeper for information, making comparisons between the emotions Helion was showing, the words he wasn't quite saying, and the stories she was hearing, leading her to finally understand his personal relationship with the Lady of the Autumn Court. Revealing that despite her being married to Beron, having had Beron's children, they began an affair.
Feyre, ever our protagonist, also notices that the Lady was a rather...withdrawn female. Subservient in many ways, which 由 all accounts clashes with how Helion acts, the type of people his personality attracts. Eventually it is revealed that Beron found out about their affair and punished the Lady for it. Helion seems to know about her punishment, telling the company that he "belittle[s] her, leave[s] bruises where no one but him will see them." Understandably, this angers Feyre into demanding why he wouldn't stop it. Also understandably, that infuriates Helion, causing a "dark fury" to 交叉, 十字架 his face and reveal that the Lady chose to stay with Beron, despite the insinuation many times over that Helion and the Lady were deeply in love.
There are several points in that tragic story I wish to pull apart.
One of the most obvious is how similar their story is to two other stories 由 two well known females in this series. The first is Morrigan, who was almost sold into a marriage herself, though unlike the Lady of Autumn, Mor resisted. The 秒 is Feyre herself. Feyre 由 the 秒 book found herself caught in a 爱情 三角形, 三角 between two males, one she had sworn herself to (Tamlin) and another whom she found herself falling in 爱情 with, later finding her mate in him (Rhysand). Tamlin also physically and emotionally abused Feyre, though it's implied that Beron's abuse is much 更多 severe than Tamlin's. And, most notably, Feyre was able to escape and get her happy ending. How?
The difference is Rhysand and Helion. Rhysand was the High Lord of a court dependant on other courts fearing them. The other courts feared the Night Court with such a high degree that it gave the Night Court, arguably, 更多 power over the other courts. It doesn't hurt that Rhysand is also the most powerful of the High Lords, so anyone wanting to start a war with him over a female, like Tamlin wanting to get Feyre back, would have to think twice.
Helion may not have had that same luxury. Beron is a tempermental, mean, brutish High Lord, shown on many occassions. He's also 说 由 Helion to be possessive. The political climate would have also been shaky, considering that this is after the War, when the courts are just finally managing after decades to settle down into themselves and find their place in the new Prythian. It would make sense that Helion would also have to think twice about going to war over a Lady that he loves, except it's on the flip side.
However, Helion makes a point after he is angered 由 Feyre to stress that the Lady chose to stay with Beron. That in itself would make it impossible for Helion to save her. If he would do so, he would technically be kidnapping her, and could face the wrath of every court for doing so.
Thinking on that farther though, why would she make that choice? If she were to bring her abuse to light, Helion and his infinite wealth of knowledge at the 日 Court I'm sure could have found some loophole for her to get away. They could have also played it up to her running away from that abuse and finding refuge in the 日 Court. With that too, the other courts may have decided to stay out of the spat. The answer?
Her sons.
It's shown that at least two of the Lady's seven sons (two of those dead before the first book begins) 爱情 their mother dearly. Lucien, her youngest son, was shown even in book one, A Court of Thorns and Roses to get defensive about his mother, loving her dearly despite being exiled 由 his 首页 court. It's stated that he was her 最喜爱的 son, later revealed in ACOWAR why, and she acts that way too. She thanks Feyre for saving Lucien's life in ACOTAR, and in return, saves hers. Not only does her youngest son 爱情 her dearly, but her eldest son, Eris, is shown to 爱情 his mother through subtle actions in ACOWAR. During the meeting of the High Lords, Rhysand grabs Tamlin's mind enough to render him speechless in order to scare the other High Lords enough to remind them of his power. During this, Eris angles his body in his chair to block the path between the threat and his mother, not save his own skin, as his own father very clearly does.
It's not noted that her other three surviving sons feel that way. Actually, it's implied that they act an awful lot like their father. 你 guessed right. I have a theory on that too.
It's 说 由 Feyre in ACOWAR that she sees there might have been some goodness in Eris, a goodness that could still linger beneath the cruelty. I think that's incredibly true. I think Eris takes after his mother, a mother that is 说 to be from a powerful Autumn Court family, a mother who loves another High Lord, a mother of foxes. I believe that she saw that good in Eris from a young age and taught him how to hide it from Beron. I have no doubt that Beron abused those poor boys, and that she would have thought to save the others had they shown the same level of goodness that Eris did. Unfortunately, I believe that their genes, their personalities, took after their father from a very young age with very little influence from their mother.
I believe that Lady protected her eldest son, a son she groomed to one 日 kick his own father, their mutual tormentor, from his throne. I believe she taught him to protect that goodness from anyone who could harm it, much like, and arguably 更多 effectively than, the Night Court and Velaris. Because this Lady knew if she were to try to run to Helion and forget her past, Beron would have murdered her sons out of spite, and if she would have tried to run with them, it would have caused Autumn to declare war on principle, stealing another High Lord's children.
And I believe that when she became pregnant with Lucien, her options became even 更多 limited. If she would have left with her 最喜爱的 son, she would have forfeited the lives of her other six children. If she gave him to Helion, Beron would declare war because Lucien could pass off as one of his own enough for him to do so, again, out of spite. He clearly knew about the affair. So she tasked her 秒 最喜爱的 son, her eldest, Eris, with the protection of her youngest, her favorite, Lucien. I wouldn't be suprised to find out that Eris genuinely loves this littlest brother of his, because this brother doesn't act like the other asshole brothers of his. This one acts like himself, but without that mask Eris is forced to wear. This is why Eris refused to participate in the murder of Jesminda. This is why Eris helped Lucien to the Spring Court. I also wouldn't be shocked to find out that Eris knows that Lucien is only his half-brother, and knows that information could save Lucien's life later, 或者 be used to find his own means to an end.
I conclude that the nameless Lady of the Autumn Court is a true fox, one who has been planning her ultimate revenge on the man who bought her, tortures her, tortures her children, and ruins lives, for centuries. She's biding her time, waiting and waiting for the perfect moment for her eldest son to strike, and bring goodness to the 王座, 宝座 of Autumn once again.
And maybe even provide her with a means to her happy ending with who I want to see as her mate. A mate who can see what she's doing, but maybe not understand why. A mate who has taken other 爱人 to distract himself from the pain of what she has done. A mate who hasn't married because his 心 and soul belong to the wife of another High Lord. Helion seems to believe that their 爱情 story is over, but I believe it's just beginning.
The starring romance in A Court of Wings and Ruin for me wasn't the power couple of Feyre Archeron and Rhysand. Nor was it Amren and Varian, Cassian and Nesta, 或者 the new but strong personalities of Kallias and Viviane. In fact, it wasn't a romance that was played out on the pages. It was discussed through recounted stories and tales of woe, so few tales that each casual mention 或者 remark could fit neatly onto about five pages. Which couple is it? As if the 标题 of this 文章 wasn't enough of a dead giveaway, I'm referring to the recently revealed, 星, 星级 crossed affair of Helion Spell-Cleaver and the thus far unnamed Lady of the Autumn Court.
Helion was one of the beautiful gifts I was glad to discover while 阅读 ACOWAR. He was presented so beautifully that I couldn't help but be sucked in to his charms that seemed to float right from the ink to my eager eyes. As if that wasn't enough, Sarah J. Maas had to provide us with a story of 爱情 and heartache to 密封 that deal. As we're introduced to Helion, he was portrayed as a "swaggering prick", to quote Rhysand. However, in the same seem of that quote, he's revealed to be someone completely different, 展示 a 更多 open, friendlier side, one prone to flirtatious behavior. That side of him suprises no one but Feyre, 展示 both her and the readers that this is the real Helion, the one shown to 老友记 and allies.
During his discussion with the Inner 圈, 圈子 of the Night Court, a casual mention of the Lady of the Autumn Court's losses in the last war leads Feyre to probe at the old wound she can see lurking beneath his facade. He knows well the details of the losses of the Lady, Feyre even mentioning, "Too many details. He knew so many details." This leads her to realize that he saved her, bringing is short, strong confirmation in, "I did." Feyre describes, "There was enough weight, anger, and something else in those two words that I studied [him]." Further and further throughout that scene Feyre prodes him deeper for information, making comparisons between the emotions Helion was showing, the words he wasn't quite saying, and the stories she was hearing, leading her to finally understand his personal relationship with the Lady of the Autumn Court. Revealing that despite her being married to Beron, having had Beron's children, they began an affair.
Feyre, ever our protagonist, also notices that the Lady was a rather...withdrawn female. Subservient in many ways, which 由 all accounts clashes with how Helion acts, the type of people his personality attracts. Eventually it is revealed that Beron found out about their affair and punished the Lady for it. Helion seems to know about her punishment, telling the company that he "belittle[s] her, leave[s] bruises where no one but him will see them." Understandably, this angers Feyre into demanding why he wouldn't stop it. Also understandably, that infuriates Helion, causing a "dark fury" to 交叉, 十字架 his face and reveal that the Lady chose to stay with Beron, despite the insinuation many times over that Helion and the Lady were deeply in love.
There are several points in that tragic story I wish to pull apart.
One of the most obvious is how similar their story is to two other stories 由 two well known females in this series. The first is Morrigan, who was almost sold into a marriage herself, though unlike the Lady of Autumn, Mor resisted. The 秒 is Feyre herself. Feyre 由 the 秒 book found herself caught in a 爱情 三角形, 三角 between two males, one she had sworn herself to (Tamlin) and another whom she found herself falling in 爱情 with, later finding her mate in him (Rhysand). Tamlin also physically and emotionally abused Feyre, though it's implied that Beron's abuse is much 更多 severe than Tamlin's. And, most notably, Feyre was able to escape and get her happy ending. How?
The difference is Rhysand and Helion. Rhysand was the High Lord of a court dependant on other courts fearing them. The other courts feared the Night Court with such a high degree that it gave the Night Court, arguably, 更多 power over the other courts. It doesn't hurt that Rhysand is also the most powerful of the High Lords, so anyone wanting to start a war with him over a female, like Tamlin wanting to get Feyre back, would have to think twice.
Helion may not have had that same luxury. Beron is a tempermental, mean, brutish High Lord, shown on many occassions. He's also 说 由 Helion to be possessive. The political climate would have also been shaky, considering that this is after the War, when the courts are just finally managing after decades to settle down into themselves and find their place in the new Prythian. It would make sense that Helion would also have to think twice about going to war over a Lady that he loves, except it's on the flip side.
However, Helion makes a point after he is angered 由 Feyre to stress that the Lady chose to stay with Beron. That in itself would make it impossible for Helion to save her. If he would do so, he would technically be kidnapping her, and could face the wrath of every court for doing so.
Thinking on that farther though, why would she make that choice? If she were to bring her abuse to light, Helion and his infinite wealth of knowledge at the 日 Court I'm sure could have found some loophole for her to get away. They could have also played it up to her running away from that abuse and finding refuge in the 日 Court. With that too, the other courts may have decided to stay out of the spat. The answer?
Her sons.
It's shown that at least two of the Lady's seven sons (two of those dead before the first book begins) 爱情 their mother dearly. Lucien, her youngest son, was shown even in book one, A Court of Thorns and Roses to get defensive about his mother, loving her dearly despite being exiled 由 his 首页 court. It's stated that he was her 最喜爱的 son, later revealed in ACOWAR why, and she acts that way too. She thanks Feyre for saving Lucien's life in ACOTAR, and in return, saves hers. Not only does her youngest son 爱情 her dearly, but her eldest son, Eris, is shown to 爱情 his mother through subtle actions in ACOWAR. During the meeting of the High Lords, Rhysand grabs Tamlin's mind enough to render him speechless in order to scare the other High Lords enough to remind them of his power. During this, Eris angles his body in his chair to block the path between the threat and his mother, not save his own skin, as his own father very clearly does.
It's not noted that her other three surviving sons feel that way. Actually, it's implied that they act an awful lot like their father. 你 guessed right. I have a theory on that too.
It's 说 由 Feyre in ACOWAR that she sees there might have been some goodness in Eris, a goodness that could still linger beneath the cruelty. I think that's incredibly true. I think Eris takes after his mother, a mother that is 说 to be from a powerful Autumn Court family, a mother who loves another High Lord, a mother of foxes. I believe that she saw that good in Eris from a young age and taught him how to hide it from Beron. I have no doubt that Beron abused those poor boys, and that she would have thought to save the others had they shown the same level of goodness that Eris did. Unfortunately, I believe that their genes, their personalities, took after their father from a very young age with very little influence from their mother.
I believe that Lady protected her eldest son, a son she groomed to one 日 kick his own father, their mutual tormentor, from his throne. I believe she taught him to protect that goodness from anyone who could harm it, much like, and arguably 更多 effectively than, the Night Court and Velaris. Because this Lady knew if she were to try to run to Helion and forget her past, Beron would have murdered her sons out of spite, and if she would have tried to run with them, it would have caused Autumn to declare war on principle, stealing another High Lord's children.
And I believe that when she became pregnant with Lucien, her options became even 更多 limited. If she would have left with her 最喜爱的 son, she would have forfeited the lives of her other six children. If she gave him to Helion, Beron would declare war because Lucien could pass off as one of his own enough for him to do so, again, out of spite. He clearly knew about the affair. So she tasked her 秒 最喜爱的 son, her eldest, Eris, with the protection of her youngest, her favorite, Lucien. I wouldn't be suprised to find out that Eris genuinely loves this littlest brother of his, because this brother doesn't act like the other asshole brothers of his. This one acts like himself, but without that mask Eris is forced to wear. This is why Eris refused to participate in the murder of Jesminda. This is why Eris helped Lucien to the Spring Court. I also wouldn't be shocked to find out that Eris knows that Lucien is only his half-brother, and knows that information could save Lucien's life later, 或者 be used to find his own means to an end.
I conclude that the nameless Lady of the Autumn Court is a true fox, one who has been planning her ultimate revenge on the man who bought her, tortures her, tortures her children, and ruins lives, for centuries. She's biding her time, waiting and waiting for the perfect moment for her eldest son to strike, and bring goodness to the 王座, 宝座 of Autumn once again.
And maybe even provide her with a means to her happy ending with who I want to see as her mate. A mate who can see what she's doing, but maybe not understand why. A mate who has taken other 爱人 to distract himself from the pain of what she has done. A mate who hasn't married because his 心 and soul belong to the wife of another High Lord. Helion seems to believe that their 爱情 story is over, but I believe it's just beginning.
