They’re yet to accept the bond but it’s arguably the strongest I’ve read about in the ACOTAR universe.
He declared her his mate the moment they looked into each other’s eyes.
I know there is an assumption that Elain’s turning Fey initiated the mating bond but how do we know that for certain. This was the first time they were both in the same room as each other and Lucien acknowledged the bond the first time he looked into her eyes. What’s to say this wouldn’t have happened regardless of Elain being changed fey. We can’t know because Elain’s changing was also the first time she’d ever met Lucien.
He was able to break the kings restraints to walk to Elain. No one else in the room was strong enough to do this except Lucien and when he broke the restraints Tamlin looked shocked as to how he could. Does this mean his bond to Elain is stronger than two high lords power? Because that’s a VERY strong bond…
Elain can feel the mating bond between her and Lucien to. She can hear his heart beating and when Lucien tugged on the bond she felt a tugging feeling around her heart. She might not understand the mating bond or even agree with it but she hasn’t denied feeling the bond.
I can understand the mating bond being wrong/faulty and I can understand the mating bond being rejected.
What I can’t understand is the mating bond being rejected when both sides are feeling such strong effects of it.
The strength of the bond has obviously caused Elain to avoid Lucien to the point where she refuses to get to know him and find out if she even likes him as a friend.
I wonder how Lucien and Elain would have reacted to one another if the mating bond didn’t exist or if Lucien hadn’t said they were mates. If Elain hadn’t felt forced toward Lucien would they actually be friends?
Rhys didn’t tell Feyre they were mates because he didn’t think she was ready to know. What might have happened if he’d declared them mates under the mountain after Feyre was changed fey? Would she have reacted like Elain has to Lucien? Would she have felt scared and stayed in the spring court with Tamlin?
How would Nesta reacted if Cassian had told her they were mates pre ACOSF?
With Elain’s Trauma and inexperience with the fey all the mating bond has done so far is create a wall between the two.
She refuses to get to close to Lucien because of the bond.
I personally think that Lucien and Elain’s bond is so strong it’s actually scared Elain from getting to know Lucien therefore causing any possible relationship between them to stall for however long it takes Elain to stop fearing/ resenting the bond.
Even Lucien was rattled by the fact he feels a stronger connection to Elain than his late wife and he was born fey.
If the bond didn’t exist between Lucien and Elain would Elain have visited the Spring Court? Or has the mating bond restricted her to the Night Court?
Despite her rebelling against the mating bond she still allows him to come visit on holidays and hasn’t rejected the bond.
I hear people saying if they were canon there relationship would have progressed more by now but how can they have any progression until Elain stops avoiding Lucien? There relationship can only evolve when Elain finally talks to Lucien.
Can we all just appreciate how Lucien doesn’t force the mating bond on Elain, and just leaves it up to her whether she wants to pursue it or not? Honestly I feel like if she would reject the bond or Azriel would try to romance her, Lucien would accept it without declaring a Blood Duel. Because he’s a good guy. He deserves someone who goes for him 100%.
Summary: Elain and Lucien are reunited after a year of civil war within Prythian. Lucien brings Elain back to Day to marry her in secret, and do something very sinful in the High Temple.
** Happiest of Birthdays to my dear @moononastring!! The Queen of Elucien, and generally just a really awesome human!
Elain has a lot on her shoulders as she prepares to host her first major event as a High Lady. Luckily, Lucien is there to help relieve some of her stress.
Read on AO3 | Tags: sex pollen, fluff, nsfw, Elain loves when Lucien loses control, because he so rarely does
This is part of the Cherry Pie: ACOTAR Kinktober Smut Extravaganza collection. Make sure to check out the rest of the collection and the other authors as they are posted each day this week!
The entire collection will be posted to AO3 and @tealnymph-writes by the end of the week.
*****
Feyre and Nesta always underestimated how difficult it was to pull off a truly spectacular party. Not that Elain could blame them, exactly. Settling down with a husband, manor, and staff had never been in their plans, but Elain had dreamed being a conductor, of orchestrating events so lavish, filled with musicians and painters and playwrights, of parties where everyone was so overcome with joy that they continued celebrating until the morning sun made its appearance and her guests tumbled into beds she had prepared in anticipation.
The food, the music, the dresses, none of it really mattered to Elain. What she waited for was at the very end, when her friends and family were sated and content and she could catch a glance of those smiles that Feyre reserved for Rhys, the way that Cassian would track Nesta with his eyes, or the glances that Mor would quietly exchange with Emerie. Those were the moments that made all of the planning and organizing and spectacle worth it. To know that because of her, the people she loved wanted for nothing.
The problem was, she was running late for Calanmai.
Elain watched the group around her laugh and smile, enjoying each others company before it was time for Azriel and Gwyn, and her, to leave. But she wasn’t sure she wanted to go with them.
She had come to the Mortal Lands with Azriel and Gwyn two days ago to help with a mission, her seer powers allowing her to see what others couldn’t. But now that she was here, spending time with Lucien’s Band of Exiles, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to go home to the Night Court. But was that really home to begin with?
She had begun to feel like more and more of an outsider, like the Night Court didn’t have a place for her. Or, maybe, she didn’t want a place there. Whichever it was, she knew she didn’t belong there. She loved her family, but it never quite felt like that was where she was meant to end up. She wasn’t like Feyre and Nesta, and she was slowly realizing that that was okay. Perhaps she could find a life elsewhere, somewhere that felt like home.
Lost in her thoughts, she barely noticed the tall male sit next to her, angling his body so his attention was on her rather than those around them. She turned, unable to hide the sadness from her eyes when she met Lucien’s gaze.
“My lady, is there anything I can get you?” Lucien asked, his brow furrowing with concern that made her heart flutter. “You looked a little sad. Or lost, perhaps.”
She frowned, his words striking unexpectedly close to the mark. She was lost, wasn’t she?
“I suppose I am,” she murmured, not realizing she had said anything out loud until Lucien responded, his voice gentle, a softness in his tone she had grown to like.
“One is never truly lost, my lady,” He whispered, holding her gaze steadily. “They are only…misplaced. But they can always be found.”
She swallowed, unsure how to respond to the vulnerable sincerity in his tone, the slight tinge of sadness in his eyes. Is that what she looked like? She gave him a small smile, drifting into silence for while until she found the sudden urge to tell him something.
“Lucien, I’ve been thinking of leaving the Night Court,” she blurted, shocked by her own boldness.
“Oh,” he said simply, studying her. “Where do you plan to go?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Well…there is always a place for you here, if you wish,” he quietly responded, his eyes holding more meaning than his words could convey. “But you don’t need to decide today.”
“I…I’ll think about it,” she promised, turning silent again. They watched the group for a while, both lost in thought before she once again felt the urge to speak.
“Lucien?”
“Yes, my lady?”
“I don’t want to choose you just because I have nothing else,” she whispered, unsure why she was telling him this but knowing it needed to be said regardless. “I want to be happy and do something that matters. I want to have something to fight for. I don’t want to choose you just because that was the only option. I want to see the world and everything it has to offer, and when I choose you…I want to know that out of all those things, the only thing I wanted was you.”
She met his gaze again, scared she might find fear or indifference or perhaps nothing at all, but what she found instead was warmth. A bright, burning warmth that held promises of life and friendship and, underneath all of it, love.
Elain tiptoed toward the kitchen, trying to be as quiet as possible despite almost everyone in the house still being up. But Lucien might be asleep, and she would hate to wake him. After all, if the loud moans and other sounds coming from the side of the house with Vassa and Jurian were any indication, Lucien probably wasn’t sleeping that well. He could use any sleep he could manage; she wouldn’t be the one to ruin his rest.
She reached the entry to the kitchen, but just as she was about to push the door open, she heard a clatter from the other side. She rushed in, unsure what she would do if it was an intruder but worried all the same. When she took in the sight in front of her, she froze.
Lucien was standing at the island in the middle of the room, a large slice of apple pie in front of him, the fork he had been using on the floor next to him, a guilty expression on his face as he met her gaze.
She smiled timidly, pulling the robe she had thrown over her nightgown tighter as heat flooded her body. He let out a shocked laugh, the sound vibrating through her bones as she stared at his very bare torso, his rippling muscles distracting her in spite of herself. She always seemed to get flustered around him.
“Sorry, I didn’t know you were in here,” she mumbled, shuffling awkwardly by the door. He quickly recovered himself, picking up his dropped fork and throwing it in the sink before grabbing the rest of the pie from the ice cooler.
“It’s okay, there’s plenty for both of us,” he held up the pie with a nervous grin. She giggled, slowly walking to the table rather than the island. He instantly followed, carrying the pie, a fresh set of plates and forks and his unfinished slice with him.
He served her a slice, then dug back into his own piece. “Trouble sleeping?” He asked as she dug into the pie.
She nodded, sighing happily when the flavorful dessert hit her taste buds. “Yes, but it’s fine,” she assured him, already diving in for a second bite. “This is amazing! Who made this?”
He chuckled, slowly chewing his own bite. She was already half finished with her slice and he had barely taken a few bites.
“My mother made it,” he explained, watching her devour her slice, sounds of delight escaping her with every bite. “Eris brought it today when he stopped by.”
“Mmmm, I need the recipe,” she gushed, shocked at herself when she realized she had finished and he still had half a slice. “It’s really good. Your mother must be an excellent baker.”
“She is,” he agreed with a smile. He slowly ate his pie while she sat quietly, not wanting to leave despite having finished her midnight snack. She felt oddly comfortable here, enjoying Lucien’s presence. The more time she spent with him, the more she liked him. He was fascinating, and he never treated her like a child. And it didn’t hurt that he was one of the most handsome males she had ever seen.
“If you’d like, I can tell Eris to bring my mother for a visit next time he comes,” Lucien finally said, breaking her out of the sudden fascination she had with the interesting cords of muscles on his shoulders.
“Oh, umm, that would be nice,” she smiled, blushing furiously. “I’d like that. I’d like to meet your mother.”
A smile teased his lips as he took another bite of pie. “I’ll write to Eris in the morning.”
She grinned, unable to stop herself from giving him her best smile. He was so thoughtful; it never failed to make her burst with happiness, even when she wasn’t sure she wanted to.
His head dipped, his fork extending toward the last bite of his pie. Before she could stop herself, words slipped from her mouth.
“Are you sure you want the last bite of that?” She blurted, her face growing warmer as his eyes shot to her. She feared she had crossed a line, but he suddenly burst into laughter, grabbing the pie pan and serving her another slice of pie while he watched her in amusement.
“Here, I don’t think either of us are getting much sleep tonight,” he teased, a scream of pleasure from above emphasizing his point. She laughed, grabbing her fork and digging in as he served himself a second slice, the two of them falling into an easy conversation as the night faded slowly into dawn.
