In theory, maybe I get the “we’re all just playing with barbies, they’re fictional characters, no interpretation is incorrect because it’s an interpretation” argument. But actually no, not all takes are equally valid. Framing something as an interpretation doesn’t mean it inherently has merit. Some takes are completely incorrect and betray a fundamental misunderstanding of the source material. They just aren’t a reason to harass people or send death threats
Elucien & Courtly Love
I went down a bit of a rabbit hole today, and it sparked this analysis. I want to break down a common head canon that many Eluciens share which is that the dynamic of Elucien fits patterns and tropes found more in historical romances than those popularized in romantasy. I want to conceptualize what ultimately feels like a ~vibe~ they have to something a little more concrete by using the Medieval literary concept of "Courtly Love".
Courtly love mostly refers to the romantic stories between knights and women of nobility from Medieval Europe. One of the most famous stories is that of Guinevere and Lancelot. These stories of longing and chivalry served as entertainment but also influenced social practices. Many of the acts of knightly chivalry and sacrifice have influenced romance tropes that have persisted into our own modern media. There has been a lot of scholarship on courtly love, but for the purposes of simplicity, I'll use the Gaston Paris' four principal characteristics to frame this discussion as it pertains to Elucien.
- The love is illegitimate, furtive (ie. adulterous).
- The male lover is in an inferior position and the woman in an elevated one.
- The man does quests, tests, or trials in the woman's name.
- There is an art to it, it has rules, in the same vein as chivalry or courtesy.
bad liar
A slow-burn, regency reimagining of Prythian, written for @elucienweekofficial 2026 • Day 4: Arranged Marriage
After two years out of society, Elain Archeron is determined to find a husband.
When she meets Viscount Graysen Nolan, she falls head over heels, and with his proposal all but guaranteed, everything feels as though it’s falling right into place.
Until it falls apart.
Facing ruin or a life on the shelf, an out-of-the-blue offer of marriage from Prince Lucien Vanserra, Duke of Glenacre, turns her world upside down.
Now married to a man she barely knows while nursing her heartbreak over the one she’d planned her life with, Elain must contend with lust, lies, and longing to find the one thing she’s wanted all along: love.
chapter masterlist:
- chapter 1 – taking up a fraction of my mind
- chapter 2 – if you're the art, i'll be the brush
- chapter 3 – trying not to give in to you
- chapter 4 – even if it's in my dreams
- chapter 5 – call me an amenity
- chapter 6 – trying to distract myself
- chapter 7 – there’s nothing subtle here
- chapter 8 – paint my kiss across your chest
I Dreamed I Held You in My Arms
Chapter 2/?
Note: This chapter takes place on August 1st, so let's just pretend I finished the chapter in time to be enjoyed on that date. Cool? Cool.
I went down a real rabbit-hole researching this fic (vintagedancer.com, my beloved), and my Baby Boomer-era mom filled in the gaps from her own lived experience. She'll never see this, but she treated my story questions seriously, even though it was "just for fanfiction", and I'm so grateful. ❤️ To everyone else who reads this, I hope this chapter feels like stepping back in time (in a good way).
Tags: Please let me know if you'd like to be tagged for updates.
Summary: Elain Archeron has vivid dreams of a man she's never met, and whose face she cannot see. Inspired by the novel "The Unmaking of June Farrow" with a touch of "Outlander", this modern AU follows Elain Archeron as she falls into a fairy ring and across time… only to discover that the man of her dreams is very real, and they've already met. She just can't remember when, and all he wants to do is forget.
After somehow finding herself in 1951, Elain is re-introduced to her distant relatives, Vassa and Jurian. Meanwhile, Lucien keeps his distance, which leads her to wonder, how did she meet him in the first place, and what led her to leave?
Word Count: 4.4k
Read the chapter below, or find it here on AO3:
graphics divider by @strangergraphics
Hiiiii! You always have the best theories about the next books. Tell me why you think Elain and Lucien will be the focus and any theories you have on how the four parts will be divided.
Ahhh what a big, complicated question but I will do my best to answer them 👌🏼
Why Elain and Lucien Will Be Next For me, the plot threads laid down in ACOSF trump the ones hinted in the HOFAS crossover due to their language of urgency. I have gone in extreme detail with examples in this older post here for anyone curious. The crossover will be a big deal eventually, but the issues brought up in HOFAS don't need to be dealt with immediately. However, the issues brought up in SF do need to be dealt with immediately. Just look at the way these are worded:
- “Tell my Vassa I’m waiting.”
- “He should have asked someone before coming here how much time remained before Vassa would be forced to return to the continent—to the sorcerer-lord at a remote lake who held her leash.”
- “I can delay my father from allying with Briallyn and starting this war for a little while. But not forever. A few months, perhaps.”
- “With a new war possible and Briallyn up to her bullshit with Koschei, we need a strong ally. We need the Spring Court’s forces.”
- “He [Beron] did not invite me to accompany him, or explain what he discussed with Briallyn. I can only assume the fallout is approaching, though, and wanted to warn you. It was not something I could risk putting in writing. But for now … for now, it seems as if the world is holding its breath.”
She is very heavy handed in her foreshadowing. Spring, Koschei, and Beron NEED to be addressed now and who is the most interconnected to these plots??? Elain and Lucien.
Theories On How The Four Parts Will Be Divided (Or, the Four Movements = Elucien)
If it is truly an Elucien book, the Four Movements will be a re-telling of the Firebird ballet (credit for this big brain realization to @juriansgeneralgoods who pointed it out)
The Four Movements of the Firebird Ballet have been outlined as:
Part 6 - Introduction, dark and mysterious, the firebird pleads for her freedom from the evil sorcerer koschei Vassa will be captured, Elain will hold the key via her visions, we get glimpses into the past through her powers, hence why the covers are gray and why one website tagged this book as gothic romance...i foresee everything with koschei being a bit on the creepy side which fits perfectly with the ballet's first movement
Part 7 - Fast Movement, musically more romantic, prince ivan meets a captive princess in her enchanted garden and they fall in love
We will see Elucien's love story truly begin. Perhaps a bargain or a deal is struck in her garden, but they will work together to free the girls / Vassa trapped in the lake under Koschei's control. This could also take place in the Spring Court, fitting with the enchanted garden themes as well. Part 8 - Slow Movement, brutal and aggressive music, ivan tries to free the princesses but koschei's monsters attack, the firebird helps with her magic feather
My guess is that Beron will act as Koschei's "monsters" in this retelling since we already know he is in the process of allying with him. Danger and battle will face Elucien as they tackle the High Lord of Autumn.
Part 9 - Finale, a lullaby, a victorious celebration, koschei's soul is destroyed
Elain and Lucien will find the onyx box and kill Koschei by destroying whatever is inside, effectively freeing the girls and Vassa from his hold. Their celebration will come in the form of a wedding and/or mating bond acceptance.
When reading about the Firebird ballet, the plot is very evidently a retelling of the famous folk tale, all the way down to Koschei, the captured firebird, the soul in a box, the captured princesses, and the prince. We know SJM is a fan of the ballet AND fairy-tale tellings from previous, older interviews.
If you don't believe me, this is her old bio from 2012 from an old interview:
[Image: "Over the years, she’s written several other novels (most of them fairy-tale retellings), and when she’s not busy writing, she can be found geeking out over things like Han Solo, gaudy nail polish, and ballet."]
To me, the Four Movements is in reference to the ballet/Koschei fairy tale. Something she is a massive fan of and has clearly set up to tell her own version in these next books.
Thanks for this great question!
Summary: Elain makes the best of her life in the Night Court, and yet, she still finds herself longing to escape into dreams about a certain mate she has barely even spoken to.
But when her dreams begin to suggest something sinister at play, and Lucien doesn’t arrive at his weekly meeting in Velaris, Elain finds herself on a rescue mission further out of her comfort zone than she could have ever imagined.
A collaboration between @tinyy-jj and @gooseyjossip for @elucienweekofficial 2026
Read it here on AO3 or from the beginning here!
Snippet below the cut…
Nesta and Elain emerge from the cauldron.
summer trends 2025
Polish Publisher Shares ACOTAR 6/7 Descriptions
They’re vague but they’re here and I’m licking crumbs off my fingers for all the Elucien hints. Can we trust these description? I can’t say I trust anything with 100% certainty unless it comes directly from SJM herself. However, the publisher has access to information we don’t have and a lot of their content repeats info the New Zealand retailer posted for descriptions. I posted the screenshots here back in March…and they were taken down the very next day. I wonder why!! It is important to remember as I explained there, several countries operate under Fair Trading Act laws which means they can’t sell books with zero info to consumers. BB is undoubtably aware of this and most likely provides the barest, vaguest summaries possible to adhere to the laws. Because of this, I do think there is a high chance for legitimacy.
Links and Screenshots below
Now before I dive in, let’s look at the New Zealand retailer descriptions I mentioned that were mysteriously taken down in March hmmm…….thank goodness I save my screenshots!
There is definitely overlap of language and themes between the two likely credible sources. My guess is this is a placeholder summary Bloomsbury had to provide for legal reasons to the laws mentioned above. Which means they’re hella vague as possible to maintain their secrecy but they can’t mislead the consumer so there has to be truth to them.
It just feels like Elucien crumbs to me because:
- Political intrigue across Prythian’s courts. (Lucien the courtier! NC, Autumn, Spring conflicts…can’t forget about Day’s involvement with Helion and LoA too)
- Emphasis on closure and confronting of past wounds from the War (Elain!!! Lucien!!!! Unresolved since ACOWAR)
- Supernatural phenomenon intertwine with court instability (sounds like Koschei…..and Beron’s alliance and how that impacts the courts)
- Picking up where we left off in SF (Literally one sister remains without her mate…spring is suffering…Vassa is about to be taken back to Koschei…Beron has eyes on Spring and mortal lands…)
- “What exactly is true freedom?” (Elain vs Free Will of the Bond)
- Emphasis on action and romance
- Deep analysis of human and fae relationships (band of exiles)
- Lastly, it’s a focus on discovering one’s true identity (essential to Elain’s dilemma with her turning fae and Lucien’s entire existence lol)
Oh and one more thing for good measure. The single line BB gives us for the ACOTAR 6 description?
ROMANCE. DANGER. INTRIGUE. Same themes.
This is all speculation. Let me emphasize that. However, I have been posting for years that these will be the central themes to the next book AND it’s the same central themes mentioned back in March by NZ retailer. That can’t be coincidence (to me). Take it all with a grain of salt if you’d like. But it really does have me excited.
Artist is Giulia Rosa on IG