🔥 𝓝𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓪 🔥
Here’s my first Nesta commission. This badass, beautiful, stunning Nesta art was done by the amazing @zeebythesea_ I wanted a Charlie’s Angel Nesta and @zeebythesea_ nailed it perfectly of course. We even added little clues to incorporate the other valkyrie girls too ❤️
Can you spot which tattoos represent which valkyrie? 🦇🏔🌊
I hope you love this Nesta art as much as I do❤️
Artist: @zeebythesea_ ❤️
*Character belongs to SJM*
They neared the end of the tunnel, but Nesta paused him with a tug on his hand. “What?” he asked, scanning the cavern. But she rose onto her toes and kissed him lightly. He blinked with almost comic shock as she pulled away. “What was that for?”
Nesta shrugged, her cheeks heating. “Gwyn and Emerie are my friends,” she said quietly. She tucked away her horror that Briallyn had eyes on them. “But …” She swallowed. “I think you might be, too, Cassian.”
Cassian’s silence was palpable, and she cursed herself for laying bare that wish, that realization. Wished she could wipe away the words, the stupidity—
“I’ve always been your friend, Nesta,” he said hoarsely. “Always.”
Azriel: I feel fine.
Gwyn: You were just stabbed!
Azriel: Don’t worry, I’ve been stabbed before.
Gwyn: ONE DOES NOT BUILD UP AN IMMUNITY TO BEING STABBED!
Nyx joining his first snowball fight
Art: markssketch
I’ve seen a lot of criticism over ACOSF since it was published — unsurprising because people were complaining well before it was out. I’ll be the first to admit that it was not the book I hoped for. The plot was weak and the character development was lacking, and I’ve learned to accept it.
One criticism I cannot get on board with is the complaints that the IC handles Nesta’s substance abuse. Specifically, these criticisms read as entirely opinion based; it’s painfully clear that the “critics” have little to no experience or knowledge on substance abuse. I have a professional understanding of substance abuse and how it relates to mental health, but I’m going to speak from personal experience here because it’s far more relevant.
SO. Let’s get to it then. People want to shit on the IC for how they reacted to Nesta’s drinking. So, so many complaints. Rhys is mean. Feyre is abusing her sister. They “gentrified” her apartment. They made her go to the house of wind. Cassian had no idea how to handle Nesta. Amren was vicious and lashed out. How dare they cut Nesta off like that. The list goes on and on.
Everyone is so caught up on complaining about how SJM dropped the ball with the character dynamics that they’ve missed the key point:
I prefer to keep my personal experiences to myself, but I’ll share a bit. I grew up with a parental figure who was an alcoholic (and recreational drug user). I watched one of my best friends turn into a drug addict as teen/young adult — there was a time where I saw her and didn’t even recognize her because of how sickly she looked. I slowly lost touch with other friends as they took a nose dive into addiction. My other friend’s (now ex) husband was also addicted to drugs. I also have friends who struggle with mental health issues and self-medicate with drugs/alcohol because they just can’t cope.
I’ve literally seen it all. Done the “interventions”. Sat through family weekend at rehab. Been stolen from. Found someone unconscious in their car (they survived). Found one of their toddlers wandering down the street unattended while my friends husband was high (DISCLOSURE: the little one was safe and the parent now cannot have visits unless they are supervised). I’ve enabled some of them financially and emotionally. I came to terms with the deaths via overdose years after I lost touch with friends. This is just the mild stuff, I won’t even touch on some of the behaviors that ensued from months/years of drugs and alcohol.
The emotional toll substance abuse takes on individuals and their loved ones is unbelievable. There is heartbreak, fighting, enabling, co-dependence, financial burdens, and emotionally charged interactions like you wouldn’t believe. What SJM portrayed with the IC and Nesta was mild to moderate dysfunction. It was not abuse.
Fighting over how to handle a loved one who abused alcohol and has risky behaviors as a result?? - this is a normal reaction to stress. This is not an example of controlling behavior.
Refusing to continue making rent payments? This is an excellent example of what it looks like to stop enabling someone. It was not an example of abuse.
Relocating someone who is actively using and lives in their own filth? This is a way of promoting safety and reducing the chance of future relapses. This is not an example of controlling behavior and it is not abusive.
Ganging up on someone and “forcing” them to temporarily relocate to a secure living environment? This is also known as an intervention. There is no equivalent to rehab/inpatient psych in ACOTAR, so sending Nesta to the house and having her work with the priestesses is an acceptable alternative (it’s fantasy after all).
Making Nesta choose between Illyria or living at the house to train/work? This sounds a lot like the typical deal of “You’re drug use is out of control and *insert unsafe or illegal behaviors* cannot be ignored. If you agree to seek treatment, you will not be involuntarily committed/incarcerated”. It’s a depressing reality.
Telling a loved one to shape up or that they will be forced to leave (aka go to the mortal realm)? Hitting rock bottom is heartbreaking for everyone. It’s hard to stop enabling and to stop being enabled. Loved ones can’t force you to change, and you can’t force them to watch you destroy yourself. This is setting boundaries and it is not abusive.
You’ve been sober for months now but everyone still treats you like you’re a train wreck? It probably took a long time for loved ones to lose trust, and it takes a long time to earn it back. It’s sad and frustrating to everyone involved; developing trust and redefining boundaries is hard. This is not an example of being cruel and uncaring.
Substance abuse is scary, and it takes an incredible toll on everyone involved. Consider this: you’re driving to a loved one’s home because you’re scared that you haven’t heard from them. It’s terrifying to wonder if this will finally be the day you find them dead in their living room. I truly believe the majority of the IC acted with good intentions, and I think ALL of their interactions and behaviors were accurate depictions.
He'd returned that evening, smirking like a cat, and had merely said, "One hell of a High Lord?" by way of greeting.
I'd sent a bucket's worth of water splashing into his face.
Rhys hadn't bothered to shield against it. And instead shook his wet hair like a dog, spraying me until I yelped and darted away. His laughter had chased me up the stairs.
Omg I thought I was the only one!
Rhys
Feyre called down the bond, eyes clenched closed. She felt a jolt of laughter on the other end. He knew. The prick knew
Yes my love?
Again so much laughter. She hissed down the bond, sending a series of vulgar thoughts and gestures.
She strained her neck to sit up as much as she could. Her huge stomach getting in her way. She clenched her legs together, angry at her helplessness
This is all your fault. She thought bitterly and scowled
If I remember correctly.... He purred down the bond, his voice sensual. You were the one to insist on the round that resulted on this little bundle Feyre Darling.
Feyre remained unamused, her anger and frustration slowly building
He appeared then. Smiling at her, his eyes full of promise. “Hello my love” he bent, and placed a kiss to her forehead, his hands cradling her belly.
“This isn’t funny. I can’t get up.” Feyre scrunched her brows, locking her jaw even as Rhys grabbed her arms and helped her to sit up. Another tug and he had her standing.
Immedietly, she waddled straight to the bathroom, her steps as hurried as her swollen belly would allow.
He grinned at her as she walked out a few minutes later.
Prick
Of course he was happy. It wasn’t his body that resembled a whale. She looked at him then. The Illyrian leathers he wore, sculpted to every muscle, the sweat still gleaming on his skin. In comparison, she felt frumpy.
She hadn’t trained since her pregnancy, not even light sparring, which Magda had assured her would be okay.
She was too tired. Between her constant need to use the bathroom, as well as nausea, she had found no time. She’d stay asleep as Rhys left to train in the mornings
He’s probably glad for an excuse too not have to spend so much time with me
She frowned at her thoughts. Anger and sadness bubbling up inside of her.
She moved to the balcony, no longer wanting to look at Rhys and see how perfect he was. Her throat constricted and her vision suddenly blurred by her tears.
Two arms banded around her from behind, and Rhys nuzzled into her neck as his hands found her stomach.
“You, my darling. Are perfect” holding her cheek, he turned her face to him, and kissed her tears.
“I’m not the same anymore” she whispered. “You’d think I’d be used to my body changing but this...” she closed her eyes ashamed at her thoughts, and at Rhys’s silence, she was sure he was disgusted by her.
She broke into a cry again. “You must think I’m terrible” she said through the salt, her voice shook. “Terrible and UGLY” She wailed, having lost any control of her thoughts or emotions at this point.
Her shoulder shook so heavily she could feel Rhys using his strength to hold her up. He turned her into his arms, Feyre nestled into his chest, but seeing the distance between them because of her bump, she sobbed once more.
Suddenly angry at his silence, she shoved at his chest “This is you FAULT” she was being erratic, and seeing Rhy’s eyes widen slightly at her hysteria, she became even more of a mess.
A soothing darkness settled around them, Rhys’s wings cocooning them. Rhys whispered “Everyday I see you, I have to remind myself that this isn’t a dream. That you really are my mate, and that you really are carrying our child”
Feyre closed her eyes, feeling the vibrations of his chest as he spoke, his hands wiping at her tears. She was only half listening, the sound of his voice and his warmth soothing her.
“I have to force myself to work Feyre. Force myself to be a high lord and do the jobs required of me. Because all I want to do is look at you.”
She opened her eyes then, seeing the sincerity and love in his.
“I have found you beautiful, since the first moment I ever met you, in that forest, when you were still human.”
She closed her eyes, remembering Calanmai
“ And these changes” he rubbed her stomach, stroked her cheek. “They remind me of the gift you are carrying. The baby you are giving me. The blessing I’ve been deemed lucky enough to have. And nothing. NOTHING about you could ever be hideous.” He forced her to look at him then.
“Never forget Feyre. That I love you. That I would face a 1000 Hybern’s and Attors for you. For a chance to be with you. Never forget that I would destroy the world for you Feyre Darling”
Stars glimmered in his eyes, and she felt his power rumble.
“You are my everything. You and our baby boy are the only thing in this entire world that mean anything to me. I will never stop loving you. Of being grateful that you picked me.”
He let her into his mind then, showed her what he saw. The glow around her, the smile always on her face, and her hands that always found her way to her stomach to stroke lovingly and protectively.
She hiccuped, and released a shaky breath.
“I’m sorry for being so crazy. I think- I think it’s the hormones” she bunched her hand in his leathers, embarrassed at her outburst.
“Don’t be. You are carrying our baby Feyre.” They smiled then and looked down at her stomach, their hands stroking. “Our baby” she whispered.
The way people hate on Feyre and Rhys for not having infinitely amounts of patience and empathy with Nesta is outstanding.
For starters Feyre has had patience with Nesta and it is only human that it eventually runs out, she is indeed empathetic for what Nesta is going through, but she is allowed to feel tired of the situation and is allowed to sometimes feel resentment towards the way she was treated by her. ACOFAS could be read as the last attempts of Feyre to draw her sister out and help her, she only knows the tools that work for her (being with the Inner Circle, having some purpose and regaining understanding of her body, for instance) and if they don’t work for Nesta that’s fine, but you can’t expect someone who is not trained to deal with trauma, as a fae psychologist or someone of the sorts would be, to be all equipped to deal with Nesta’s situation. Offering her money to come to the celebration is nothing if not desperate and it came from a place of worry. Was it the best strategy? no, not really, but people should stop crucifying Feyre for doing so.
Also, please stop saying that Nesta treated Feyre like she did pre-ACOTAR, during ACOTAR (safe for their brief reunion) and during certain scenes in ACOMAF, because she is dealing with unresolved trauma of their poverty and neglect from their father… as if dealing with trauma gives you a free pass to treat people badly and it’s okay because “you’re dealing with stuff”. While trauma and her mental health do need to be taken into account when analyzing her and how she relates to people, it cannot be taken as the almighty shield and sword with which people defend her and then blame others for not having infinite amounts of patience.
As for Rhys, there is no denying that the way he deals with Nesta is vastly different from the way he treated Feyre when she was dealing with her trauma, and again is an ocean of difference with his treatment of Elain. He says that he will not forgive someone who actively hurt Feyre, which is his explanation for his behavior towards the eldest Archeron. Now, you can love, admire, respect, value Nesta all you want, but, while Elain also neglected Feyre, Nesta not only neglected Feyre but was verbally abusive to her for years. That difference matters to Rhys from what we see.
Rhys is a character that you can consider feminist, but is he a new wave of feminist that is a breakthrough in the movement and offers new political ideas and pushes feminism in new directions? no. Even Feyre says so herself in ACOMAF, he offers her what any decent human would offer any other person who they see as their equal, as we all should see everybody, and she was just starved for that sort of respect. It was the fandom that propelled his character to new levels as the #BiggestFemnist to ever exist, so now when he is not “feminist” towards Nesta everyone just sends him to the pits of hell. When Rhys helped Feyre it was not for the sake of #Feminism it was because he cared for her. Feminism is not about liking every single woman just because of their sex. He could make more of an effort in getting to know Nesta and having patience, but it should be done from a place of trying to be more empathetic, not because it’s hist obligation as a #Feminist.
On this note, I’d like to point you to some tags @rhysand-vs-fenrys added on a post that I believe speak volumes and gave me life:
Finally they argue that he did “not treat Nesta like he treated Feyre”… as if.. you know they are forgetting the tiny insignificant, minuscule detail, like seriously small tiny, that Feyre is umm his mate. The dynamics of their relationship are, I dare say, quite different from the ones he might have with his sister in law.
And no, this is not ant Anti Nesta post.
Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.
EXACTLY how I’ve been feeling but unable to put into words
The way people hate on Feyre and Rhys for not having infinitely amounts of patience and empathy with Nesta is outstanding.
For starters Feyre has had patience with Nesta and it is only human that it eventually runs out, she is indeed empathetic for what Nesta is going through, but she is allowed to feel tired of the situation and is allowed to sometimes feel resentment towards the way she was treated by her. ACOFAS could be read as the last attempts of Feyre to draw her sister out and help her, she only knows the tools that work for her (being with the Inner Circle, having some purpose and regaining understanding of her body, for instance) and if they don’t work for Nesta that’s fine, but you can’t expect someone who is not trained to deal with trauma, as a fae psychologist or someone of the sorts would be, to be all equipped to deal with Nesta’s situation. Offering her money to come to the celebration is nothing if not desperate and it came from a place of worry. Was it the best strategy? no, not really, but people should stop crucifying Feyre for doing so.
Also, please stop saying that Nesta treated Feyre like she did pre-ACOTAR, during ACOTAR (safe for their brief reunion) and during certain scenes in ACOMAF, because she is dealing with unresolved trauma of their poverty and neglect from their father… as if dealing with trauma gives you a free pass to treat people badly and it’s okay because “you’re dealing with stuff”. While trauma and her mental health do need to be taken into account when analyzing her and how she relates to people, it cannot be taken as the almighty shield and sword with which people defend her and then blame others for not having infinite amounts of patience.
As for Rhys, there is no denying that the way he deals with Nesta is vastly different from the way he treated Feyre when she was dealing with her trauma, and again is an ocean of difference with his treatment of Elain. He says that he will not forgive someone who actively hurt Feyre, which is his explanation for his behavior towards the eldest Archeron. Now, you can love, admire, respect, value Nesta all you want, but, while Elain also neglected Feyre, Nesta not only neglected Feyre but was verbally abusive to her for years. That difference matters to Rhys from what we see.
Rhys is a character that you can consider feminist, but is he a new wave of feminist that is a breakthrough in the movement and offers new political ideas and pushes feminism in new directions? no. Even Feyre says so herself in ACOMAF, he offers her what any decent human would offer any other person who they see as their equal, as we all should see everybody, and she was just starved for that sort of respect. It was the fandom that propelled his character to new levels as the #BiggestFemnist to ever exist, so now when he is not “feminist” towards Nesta everyone just sends him to the pits of hell. When Rhys helped Feyre it was not for the sake of #Feminism it was because he cared for her. Feminism is not about liking every single woman just because of their sex. He could make more of an effort in getting to know Nesta and having patience, but it should be done from a place of trying to be more empathetic, not because it’s hist obligation as a #Feminist.
On this note, I’d like to point you to some tags @rhysand-vs-fenrys added on a post that I believe speak volumes and gave me life:
Finally they argue that he did “not treat Nesta like he treated Feyre”… as if.. you know they are forgetting the tiny insignificant, minuscule detail, like seriously small tiny, that Feyre is umm his mate. The dynamics of their relationship are, I dare say, quite different from the ones he might have with his sister in law.
And no, this is not ant Anti Nesta post.
Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.
Nessian art. Can’t wait for Court of Silver Flames.
Sketch of Elain Archeron, actual proof that femininity and strength can go hand and hand.
Feyre Archeron by @joannahadzhieva.art
WHAT?! THIS IS PERFECT 😍😍🥺😫
Omg beautiful 😻
they better not mess it up. and i don’t want poc characters played by white people.
Preach
True fear
Azriel’s really out here having his BEST millennium. 😂
SJM
I beg of you
I just want one scene where Cassian and Azriel babysit Nyx. Please.
