The Archeron Sisters - A Court Of Thorns And Roses

Artist: gracerstudios

These are so awesome!

This fandom loves to use Rhys as a scapegoat for how shitty the Archeron sisters’ relationship is.

“He’s purposely keeping Feyre from them”

“He’s keeping Elain from Nesta”

“He’s inserting himself and causing their relationship to remain stagnant”

You’re going to be shocked when I tell you this but their relationship was fucked up before he came into the picture and the only thing that’s keeping it from healing is Nesta’s inability to own up to her shit. SHE was the only who pushed Elain away. SHE was the one who pushed Feyre away. No one’s keeping them from her. If they aren’t around her then that’s her fault. Like let’s not forget the amount of times they’ve invited her to hang out with them? Let’s not forget how she literally ignored Elain on the street?

Y’all have an obsession with blaming outside parties for how fucked up the Archerons are rather than blaming the people actually involved. Y’all hate Rhys for protecting his wife against people who hurt her more than y’all hate Nesta for actually hurting her. Maybe Rhys wouldn’t have to defend Feyre so much and “insert himself into family business” if Nesta knew how to act like a decent human being. Just a thought.

🔥 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_ ❤️

Link to Instagram post

*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.”

by: pandyals_art [instagram]

Nesta Archeron - A Court of Thorns and Roses

Artist: @mar.ynm

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:

This is what substance abuse looks like. Their reactions, feelings and behaviors are incredibly realistic.

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.

Why am I saying this, and how does it relate to ACOSF?

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.

I hope this was enlightening and helpful to anyone in the fandom who do not have experience with substance abuse. Please recognize that it is a blessing if you could not relate to or understand portion of acofs.

Rhys will get them one way or another

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

If you wanna be single be single,if you wanna be in a relationship be in a relationship, if you wanna get married get married. Doing or not doing any of these doesn't make you strong or weak.

Why does no one understand that Feyre being a mother doesn't make her weak? Some people say that it's disgusting how young she became a mom,bruh she has taken care of three older people since she was 14. Do you know how powerful you have to be constantly hated by your family but still loving them endlessly. To fight a faerie Queen and save a whole ass continent? She can afford to be a mum that's why she's a mom. She's on top and she's here to stay. Being a mother will not take her down.

Is that what some people think of mothers? That they are weak?

Nesta Archeron loosing her powers doesn't make her weak, she gave them up to save her family and that shows how strong she is mentally. She is a Valkyrie (at the age of 24),so you should know she can still kick all asses in Prythian left to right in combat. Do you know how powerful you have to be to sacrifice your powers willingly? To forgive people who shamed you for your ways of coping?

Elain Archeron might not be strong physically (yet) but do you know how much strong you need to be mentally to go through what she did since she was a child and still laugh and joke and be kind towards others? Do you know how strong you need to be to mentally break down and then stand up back again? just because she loves baking and gardening doesn't mean she is weak. Remember she was the one to deliver the killing blow to Hybern. Do you know how strong you have to be to show love and acceptance to all and when time comes stab a king through his neck for messing with your family.I say both Nesta and Elain were Kingslayers.

Do not judge someone based on their social status, relationship status,how they cope with their trauma.

Nessian art. Can’t wait for Court of Silver Flames.

Cassian taking the babies on his day of work, training the troops by eliziannna.the.one

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 she 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.

Yes yes yes this…

Nessian! Are you exited for the new book?

Elain, Feyre and Nesta Archeron made by me on Artbreeder