Why I think Elain will end up with Azriel instead of Lucien (some points)

I start this with the fact that I adore Lucien, I love him so much. I adore the friendship he built with Feyre, and I even preferred him over Tamlin in ACOTAR. Whatever I’m about to say is not because I dislike him, it’s just certain points that you just can’t overlook. Especially with Maas’ writings. This will be long, forgive me. 

The paintings on their old dresser, for me, is the first ever foreshadowing on who each Acheron sister will end up with. Feyre’s drawer was painted with the night sky, obviously. While Nesta’s was with crackling flames; and we all know how Maas usually describe Cassian’s Siphons as:

Now this leaves Elain’s which were violets and roses. Now, this might be a stretch, but we could actually assume that roses can represent Lucien while violets can represent Azriel. Which makes sense, a foreshadowing on the future love triangle or something. But in ACOMAF, it was little roses and begonias and irises instead. Flowers. So I didn’t think about them as specifics and just regarded them as whole; those flowers represent Elain’s love for gardening/gardens. Which makes more sense, I think. Now, with the idea of gardens, who did Elain spend time with in the gardens? 

And the fact that this happened after the scene with Lucien. When and how did Azriel even know that Elain would appreciate the garden? 

Then we get to the scene where Rhys was injured and Feyre was trying to heal his wounds at a cave. She talked about this: 

And in ACOWAR, Amren and Nesta did became fast friends. And Elain did cling to Azriel in someway, even though it was subdued because of her depression. 

Then during the war, when the Cauldron was warning Nesta, Feyre, and Amren about Hybern’s whereabouts and Azriel was the only one who thought about Elain. Not even her sisters remembered that she was made too. And the fact that he was so raged and was willing to risk his life to get her, even with Nesta’s warning. 

And Elain’s small kiss of gratitude. 

Then their most iconic scene, the scene that was even included in the coloring book because of its significance. 

This scene could mean a lot of things, relay a lot of messages. The fact that even though Elain turned white when Cassian offered her a knife first, but accepted the Truth-Teller from him. Something so important to Azriel that no one ever touched it, not even his High Lord or the love of his goddamn life, Mor. (This made me think that maybe the Truth-Teller can be seen as his heart, something he was incapable of letting anyone touch or see because he was so devoted to Mor but was willing to give it to Elain lmao this is just from my shipping goggles anw idek) 

Then the scene when Elain stabbed the King like a boss. 

From the shadows.

HOWEVER. For me, the knife scene isn’t the biggest proof that they’ll end up together. It’s a great sign, though, cause Maas described it so vividly and so iconically that it just has to mean something in the future. BUT, personally, I don’t think it’s the biggest proof. The biggest giveaway, for me, lies in Elain’s story and it’s narrative. It’s her scene with Graysen, when he hatefully rejects her because she turned Fae. 

This is the proof that Elain has the strength and capacity to love whoever she loves, that although she could feel the mating bond between her and Lucien, she knows she does not belong to him. That she is her own person, that she believes that love will triumph over some preordained connection she had no choice in. If this isn’t a foreshadowing in the future, then I don’t know what is. 

Then we get this: 

Do you know why she’s so shocked? Because when she was gone, Graysen didn’t look for her. There were no news of him looking for her, no news that he made an effort to go to her. That her fiancé that supposedly loved her didn’t even try his best to get her back and accept her as Fae. Because Lucien, even though he was her mate, didn’t go to Night Court for her until Feyre made an opportunity for him. And I don’t blame him, though, his position was difficult, but that doesn’t change the fact that he couldn’t go to her sooner. 

Then this man, someone she who isn’t really anything to her, rushed to her place on his own volition because he cared enough to risk his life for her. 

So when she said “You came for me.” 

It was a realization. 

I may have missed a lot of things, and they have plenty of scenes together that are really adorable and I would love to know what you guys think. 

Holy fuck this is the best Elriel post I have ever seen goddamn