Who doesn’t love a couple that just belongs together! Especially one that is inspired by the story of Hades and Persephone. For anyone who has read A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas, I am already sure you are well aware of how amazing the chemistry between these two High Faes is (if not, pin this post and come back as soon as you finish this amazing series). Even though you might think you are a pro on their dynamic or just want to hear another rant about Sarah J Maas’ work by yours truly, ready the tissue box as we reflect on this phenomenal series.
Amaratha’s Games
“Rhysand stared at me for long enough that I faced him.
“Be glad of your human heart, Feyre. Pity those who don’t feel anything at all.”
Sarah J Maas, A Court of Thorns and Roses
Let’s start at the beginning of the shipping of Feyre and Rhysand, Under the Mountain. In this part of the story Rhysand is seen as the enemy but as we learn more about him, the more we realize that he is not the monster he seems to be.
“When you healed my arm…You didn’t need to bargain with me. You could have demanded every single week of the year.” My brows knit together as he turned, already half-consumed by the dark. “Every single week, and I would have said yes.” It wasn’t entirely a question, but I needed the answer.
A half smile appeared on his sensuous lips. “I know,” he said, and vanished.”
Sarah J Maas, A Court of Thorns and Roses
First of all, when Rhysand makes the deal with her, he does it because he obviously wants her to live. He wants to see this human defeat the High Fae who has clipped his wings years ago. He trusts her with his truth and she grows to admire him.
Her magic sent him sprawling, and it then hurled into Rhysand again – so hard that his head cracked against the stones and the knife dropped from his splayed fingers. No one made a move to help him, and she struck him once more with her power. The red marble splintered where he hit it, spiderwebbing toward me. With wave after wave she hit him. Rhys groaned.
“Stop,” I breathed, blood filling my mouth as I strained a hand to reach her feet. “Please.”
Rhys’s arms buckled as he fought to rise, and blood dripped from his nose, splattering on the marble. His eyes met mine.
The bond between us went taut. I flashed between my body and his, seeing myself through his eyes, bleeding and broken and sobbing.
I snapped back into my own mind as Amarantha turned to me again. “Stop? Stop? Don’t pretend you care, human,” she crooned, and curled her finger. I arched my back, my spine straining to the point of cracking, and Rhysand bellowed my name as I lost my grip on the room.
Sarah J Maas, A Court of Thorns and Roses
Then Amaratha died. Rhysand snapped when he saw Feyre die and killed the High Fae that has ruled his life and stole the one thing he cared about Under the Mountain. Feyre’s soul clung onto Rhysand and that was the moment I knew that they were Mates. Seeing Aelin and Rowan in Throne of Glass, I knew that there was no way that Maas would include the much detail to a scene without giving us a major clue.
“Well, good-bye for now,” he said, rolling his neck as if we hadn’t been talking about anything important at all. He bowed at the waist, those wings vanishing entirely, and had begun to fade into the nearest shadow when he went rigid.
His eyes locked on mine wide and wild, and his nostrils flared. Shock—pure shock flashed across his features at whatever he saw on my face, and he stumbled back a step. Actually stumbled.
“What is—” I began.
He disappeared—simply disappeared, not a shadow in sight—into the crisp air.”
Sarah J Maas, A Court of Thorns and Roses
The fact that after Feyre is turned Fae and sees Rhysand, HE STUMBLES! Repeat, the most powerful Fae in existence is knocked back by the impact of the Mate bond snapping into place. I was convinced by that very action that they were officially Mates but some fellow fans didn’t catch on which dives deeper into the fact that Maas’s foreshadowing is phenomenal.
The Confession
“Say it,” I gritted out.
“The High Lord of the Night Court is your mate.”
Sarah J Maas, A Court of Mist and Fury
So there is the fact of the Suriel finally breaking the ice and telling Feyre that Rhysand is her mate. First of all, this establishes the Suriel as my forever gossip queen. But secondly, this finally confirms everything we have waited for!
When Rhysand comes to the cabin that Feyre has harbored herself in, we get the side of the story that we have been waiting for since the first time we met Rhysand on Feyre’s birthday. He is so adorable with exposing the entire truth about himself and expressing just how much he has loved Feyre the whole time. I have included some extra quotes from this scene because they are lines that I repeat to myself on a daily.
I fell in love with you, smartass, because you were one of us—because you weren’t afraid of me, and you decided to end your spectacular victory by throwing that piece of bone at Amarantha like a javelin. I felt Cassian’s spirit beside me in that moment, and could have sworn I heard him say, ‘If you don’t marry her, you stupid prick, I will.
Rhysand, Sarah J Maas, A Court of Mist and Fury
If you were going to die, I was going to die with you. I couldn’t stop thinking it over and over as you screamed, as I tried to kill her: you were my mate, my mate, my mate.
Rhysand, Sarah J Maas, A Court of Mist and Fury
And I wondered if love was too weak a word for what he felt, what he’d done for me. For what I felt for him.
Feyre, Sarah J Maas, A Court of Mist and Fury
The Now-Painted Cabin and the Times After
“A snap of Rhys’s fingers, and my nightclothes—and some flimsy underthings—appeared on the bed. “I couldn’t decide which scrap of lace I wanted you to wear, so I brought you a few to choose from.”
“Pig,” I barked”
Sarah J Maas, A Court of Mist and Fury
Do I really have to say anything here? This is finally the conclusion to the love story that we have been waiting for almost two novels. And Sarah did not spare details when it came to the content we have been waiting for for so long!
Night Court Tattoos
That I will bow before no one and nothing but my crown.
Rhysand, Sarah J Maas, A Court of Mist and Fury
The meaning behind Rhysand’s tattoos has impacted my life so much. The fact that his High Fae has lived a tough life and inked his skin to prove that he will never forget why he has fought day in and day out… beautiful. Then to further my love for their symbolism, this Fae gets on his knees for the woman he loves, exposing all he is and showing her that he sees her as his equal.
The Bone Carver
At first, I thought the Bone Carver was simply a nonessential edition to the story until he became more. But I wanted to include him in this article because of the glimpse of the future that Feyre and Rhysand were not guarenteed.
Once A Court of Frost and Starlight was released, I realized just how much I treasured the Bone Carver (ignoring all his sacrifices during the final war that is). He showed Feyre the future that her and Rhysand could start. A family. A family who would surely be more consumed with love then any other Fae family ever did before. A child that Rhysand and Feyre could add to their preexisting family.
Separation at the End of Wings and Fury
“She is my mate. And my spy,’ I said too quietly. ‘And she is the High Lady of the Night Court.’
Sarah J Maas, A Court of Mist and Fury
‘What?’ Mor whsipered.
I caressed a mental finger down that bond now hidden deep, deep within us, and said, ‘If they had removed her other glove, they would have seen a second tatoo on her right arm. The twin to the other. Inked last night, when we crept out, found a priestess, and I swore her in as my High Lady.’ (…) ‘Not consort, not wife. Feyre is High Lady of the Night Court.’ My equal in every way; she would wear my crown, sit on a throne beside mine. Never sidelined, never designated to breeding and parties and child rearing. My queen.”
I am sure I can leave this part as simply this quote because these words had me trembling. After everything that happened at the King of Hybern’s palace, this was exactly what I needed, a trace of hope for the most powerful couple to ever live.
Investigative Geek 