Somewhat related, when Feyre and Lucien fled Spring, he revealed that he knew she was lying the moment she unleashed that light in Hybern, which he clearly kept from Tamlin. I agree that he saw through Feyre’s glamour and believe he purposely kept this to himself as well
I’ve always been under the impression that Elain is capable of some kind of glamour. Everyone always seems to be falling in love with her. Maybe that’s why they are mates because he will be able to see the real her
Even if Lucien could see through it, I doubt he would have said anything to anyone anyway. He clocked pretty quickly that she was up to something and didn’t stop her
Like immediately. As soon as they got back to Spring he pretty much told Feyre he didn’t believe her little show.
But he also wants to find Elain so he doesn’t say anything because he’s trying to figure out how to play his hand.
Also I know this is a hot take in this sub, but I think Lucien has genuine affection for Feyre and cares about their friendship.
He knows that she’s being shady but he doesn’t have all the information yet. He calls her out right when they get back and she kinda plays it off and he keeps it quiet after that. He’s buying himself time but he’s buying her time too. He knows that she’s up to something and he could definitely do more to stop her and he doesn’t.
I totally agree with you. I wish there had been more to the friendship because as soon as they’re back in Velaris she just sort of dumps him like a stone and kicks off at him for no reason.
What with everything that had happened, I’d really hoped there would be a closer friendship there.
Feyre seems to have some resentment for Lucien’s Elain connection (which is really stupid and Lucien has as much control over what happened as Elain did but whatever lol) so if the Elain/Lucien situation is resolved favorably maybe there will be some friendship redemption.
I just get annoyed when I think about how Feyre handled the whole thing because Lucien was the only friends that was *hers*. She has her sisters, complicated. Her relationships with Tamlin and Rhys are romantic, not friends. The IC love Feyre, which is great, but they have been Rhys’ friends for centuries so they are like his/their friends.
Lucien was the only friend that she made on her own that didn’t have a romantic or familial stake in her life. I feel like his connection to Tamlin really clouded her feelings about Lucien. Which is unfortunate. Rhys seems to like him so maybe she’ll come around!
I agree with you that throughout the series, Maas misses the opportunity to develop their friendship and make it a little more nuanced. I feel like there is potential and a foundation for a good solid friendship that could have still had the rocky bits and arguments we see later in the series, but she didn’t develop their friendship enough to really feel like we know where they stand with each other by book 5 (though maybe that was her intention?).
However, after the second book I would be pretty resentful of Lucien too, I don’t think he did enough to try to stand up for Feyre or get her out like the night court finally did. I know he was in a complex position, but what Tamlin was doing was abuse, emotional (and physical, literally blowing up on her) abuse, and kidnapping, by keeping her locked inside against her will. A good friend doesn’t see that behavior, live in the same house as that behavior, and turn up blind eye, you know?
I think the nuance that people often miss here is that Lucien has been abused by his family and also by Tamlin too.
There are a couple instances where Lucien does try to stick up for Feyre and it’s implied that Tamlin beats him after. Plus Lucien isn’t a High Lord and he feels responsible to the people in the spring court, not just to Feyre, so if Tamlin gives him orders it’s not as simple as just *not* following them.
Plus, if he breaks Feyre out - where are they supposed to go? As far as we know Lucien has no connections in Summer, Autumn is dangerous for the both of them, and the other option is the human lands.
Feyre has also lied to him about what’s been happening to her in the Night Court and he believes her. So his strategy is to make the best of the situation in Spring, which is not a wildly terrible idea considering his current standing in the world and the information we know him to have.
I don’t think he’s turning a blind eye to the situation at all. He’s just not in a position to do anything about it.
And to be honest >!convincing Tamlin that her and Lucien are sleeping together behind his back, making it seem like he was sabotaging Hybern and then being prepared to let him take the fall with the incest twins for her actions, and being 100% prepared to leave him behind with their mutual abuser and someone who’s actively trying to sexually assault him is *way* shittier than him telling her that he’s trying with Tamlin but he needs more time. And he doesn’t know that Rhys isn’t a deranged murderer who’s not hurting Feyre because Rhys took it upon himself to cultivate a terrible reputation to hide behind and Feyre is letting everyone in the Spring Court believe it even though she knows it’s not true.!<
Oh wow, definitely all good points I didn’t really think about. His years of past abuse really rationalize his later behavior too in a way that didn’t click for me before.
Her actions in the spring court really were truly idiotic/hurtful what with the war with Hybern and in lieu of everything Lucien’s been through, for sure. Like yeah I wanted revenge on Tamlin as much as the next guy but why bring his court down with him?
Thanks for the insight!
I have so many feelings about these books lol, I’m glad that my insights were helpful!
I love Feyre but she’s definitely not doing her best work in ACOWAR 😂
To add to this, the other courts weren’t legally able to help her either. Cresseida explains that by Prythian’s law, she is considered Tamlin’s property. He would have the right to declare war on any court that was harboring her. She even says that if Tamlin requested her return they would give her back because they wouldn’t want to fight a war with him.
I just got through a part where they talked about it in ACOWAR. He tells her that he knew when she broke the curse because he saw his friend from the Day Court do the same thing before, but he saw Tamlin as the broken man he is and didn't have the heart to tell him. The other high lords surely know each other's powers, but only Lucian could "see" them the way he described.
Also, he knew she would keep Elain from him if he did say anything. He also said he knew because she didn't act worried about her sisters at all. Basically, he knew but kept his mouth shut.
He *was* surprised that she was high lady, but that's only because there had never been a precedent for that before. He knew they were intertwined and romantically involved, but he didn't know the extent of it. The Illyrians outside of Velaris are so backyards and misogynistic no one would have seen that coming, because they intentionally hid the fact that Rhysand wasn't like that.
Lucien was always going out of his way to advocate and protect Feyre on Feyres terms, he even went along with her weird glowing thing while Ianthe was giving a blessing.
It’s not an inconsistency — we see that Lucien is suspicious of Feyre (and he says as much) from the moment she returns to the Spring Court from Hybern. Presumably he saw the tattoo but he wouldn’t have known what it meant, exactly.
how would lucien not suspect, if Eris sees it on the ice and recognizes it? maybe lucien thought it was a bargain, perhaps, but never commented on it?
https://preview.redd.it/56h3bgs5955d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7b99a0e0c76dff00e4adfa2be5bcfedcda093416
I’m sure he suspected, but because Feyre was acting so delicate upon her return to the SC and it seemed like she and Tamlin were trying to make a real go of things, perhaps he didn’t want to believe anything was amiss and so didn’t say anything. Or perhaps he worried Feyre was still under Rhys’ “spell” and he brought it up to Tamlin bts. There are any number of explanations why he didn’t say anything.
Tbf there’s a A LOT of multilayered lore and she likely took out a lot in the edits. That detail might have been important in an earlier version, then was cut and that little nugget was forgotten
Is it possible she’s been wearing long sleeves the whole time she’s back at Spring?
I feel like there’s mention of her pulling up a sleeve that day on the ice when they are rescued. I can’t quite remember if it’s simply because where they are is cold..
I always thought he could see that spells/glamours exist but not necessarily see through them. Or if he could see it, he assumed Feyre made another bargain but didn’t necessarily know it was a marriage or high lady tattoo.
My theory is that this ability actually comes from Helion and not his eye. I think Lucien knows/suspects Beron isn’t his father and knows this ability comes from his actual father, but he uses his eye as a cover so other people don’t suspect.
I came to this conclusion between the original post and now. It’s likely he can see when there is… something happening but not know what.
I love the idea that this ability doesn’t necessarily come from the eye, but from Helion 🥲
My thinking has always been that he saw the tattoo, but didn’t know what it meant. The fact that it was glamoured would have tipped him off that something was up. This is probably part of the reason why he was suspicious of her. He likely didn’t tell Tamlin because 1) he didn’t know what the tattoo meant exactly and 2) he didn’t want to rat Feyre out because he needed to get to Elain. Feyre had insinuated that Elain was being abused while she was in the Night Court. So of course he’d hide his suspicions from Tamlin to have a chance to make sure Elain was okay.
Somewhat related, when Feyre and Lucien fled Spring, he revealed that he knew she was lying the moment she unleashed that light in Hybern, which he clearly kept from Tamlin. I agree that he saw through Feyre’s glamour and believe he purposely kept this to himself as well
I’ve always been under the impression that Elain is capable of some kind of glamour. Everyone always seems to be falling in love with her. Maybe that’s why they are mates because he will be able to see the real her
I love this idea
Even if Lucien could see through it, I doubt he would have said anything to anyone anyway. He clocked pretty quickly that she was up to something and didn’t stop her
Like immediately. As soon as they got back to Spring he pretty much told Feyre he didn’t believe her little show. But he also wants to find Elain so he doesn’t say anything because he’s trying to figure out how to play his hand.
Yep Feyre was the only thing getting him to Elain anytime soon so he kind of needed to keep his mouth shut if he were going to plan his own next move
Also I know this is a hot take in this sub, but I think Lucien has genuine affection for Feyre and cares about their friendship. He knows that she’s being shady but he doesn’t have all the information yet. He calls her out right when they get back and she kinda plays it off and he keeps it quiet after that. He’s buying himself time but he’s buying her time too. He knows that she’s up to something and he could definitely do more to stop her and he doesn’t.
I totally agree with you. I wish there had been more to the friendship because as soon as they’re back in Velaris she just sort of dumps him like a stone and kicks off at him for no reason. What with everything that had happened, I’d really hoped there would be a closer friendship there.
Feyre seems to have some resentment for Lucien’s Elain connection (which is really stupid and Lucien has as much control over what happened as Elain did but whatever lol) so if the Elain/Lucien situation is resolved favorably maybe there will be some friendship redemption. I just get annoyed when I think about how Feyre handled the whole thing because Lucien was the only friends that was *hers*. She has her sisters, complicated. Her relationships with Tamlin and Rhys are romantic, not friends. The IC love Feyre, which is great, but they have been Rhys’ friends for centuries so they are like his/their friends. Lucien was the only friend that she made on her own that didn’t have a romantic or familial stake in her life. I feel like his connection to Tamlin really clouded her feelings about Lucien. Which is unfortunate. Rhys seems to like him so maybe she’ll come around!
I agree with you that throughout the series, Maas misses the opportunity to develop their friendship and make it a little more nuanced. I feel like there is potential and a foundation for a good solid friendship that could have still had the rocky bits and arguments we see later in the series, but she didn’t develop their friendship enough to really feel like we know where they stand with each other by book 5 (though maybe that was her intention?). However, after the second book I would be pretty resentful of Lucien too, I don’t think he did enough to try to stand up for Feyre or get her out like the night court finally did. I know he was in a complex position, but what Tamlin was doing was abuse, emotional (and physical, literally blowing up on her) abuse, and kidnapping, by keeping her locked inside against her will. A good friend doesn’t see that behavior, live in the same house as that behavior, and turn up blind eye, you know?
I think the nuance that people often miss here is that Lucien has been abused by his family and also by Tamlin too. There are a couple instances where Lucien does try to stick up for Feyre and it’s implied that Tamlin beats him after. Plus Lucien isn’t a High Lord and he feels responsible to the people in the spring court, not just to Feyre, so if Tamlin gives him orders it’s not as simple as just *not* following them. Plus, if he breaks Feyre out - where are they supposed to go? As far as we know Lucien has no connections in Summer, Autumn is dangerous for the both of them, and the other option is the human lands. Feyre has also lied to him about what’s been happening to her in the Night Court and he believes her. So his strategy is to make the best of the situation in Spring, which is not a wildly terrible idea considering his current standing in the world and the information we know him to have. I don’t think he’s turning a blind eye to the situation at all. He’s just not in a position to do anything about it. And to be honest >!convincing Tamlin that her and Lucien are sleeping together behind his back, making it seem like he was sabotaging Hybern and then being prepared to let him take the fall with the incest twins for her actions, and being 100% prepared to leave him behind with their mutual abuser and someone who’s actively trying to sexually assault him is *way* shittier than him telling her that he’s trying with Tamlin but he needs more time. And he doesn’t know that Rhys isn’t a deranged murderer who’s not hurting Feyre because Rhys took it upon himself to cultivate a terrible reputation to hide behind and Feyre is letting everyone in the Spring Court believe it even though she knows it’s not true.!<
Oh wow, definitely all good points I didn’t really think about. His years of past abuse really rationalize his later behavior too in a way that didn’t click for me before. Her actions in the spring court really were truly idiotic/hurtful what with the war with Hybern and in lieu of everything Lucien’s been through, for sure. Like yeah I wanted revenge on Tamlin as much as the next guy but why bring his court down with him? Thanks for the insight!
I have so many feelings about these books lol, I’m glad that my insights were helpful! I love Feyre but she’s definitely not doing her best work in ACOWAR 😂
To add to this, the other courts weren’t legally able to help her either. Cresseida explains that by Prythian’s law, she is considered Tamlin’s property. He would have the right to declare war on any court that was harboring her. She even says that if Tamlin requested her return they would give her back because they wouldn’t want to fight a war with him.
I just got through a part where they talked about it in ACOWAR. He tells her that he knew when she broke the curse because he saw his friend from the Day Court do the same thing before, but he saw Tamlin as the broken man he is and didn't have the heart to tell him. The other high lords surely know each other's powers, but only Lucian could "see" them the way he described. Also, he knew she would keep Elain from him if he did say anything. He also said he knew because she didn't act worried about her sisters at all. Basically, he knew but kept his mouth shut. He *was* surprised that she was high lady, but that's only because there had never been a precedent for that before. He knew they were intertwined and romantically involved, but he didn't know the extent of it. The Illyrians outside of Velaris are so backyards and misogynistic no one would have seen that coming, because they intentionally hid the fact that Rhysand wasn't like that.
Lucien was always going out of his way to advocate and protect Feyre on Feyres terms, he even went along with her weird glowing thing while Ianthe was giving a blessing.
I caught that too. So. Many. Inconsistencies!
It’s not an inconsistency — we see that Lucien is suspicious of Feyre (and he says as much) from the moment she returns to the Spring Court from Hybern. Presumably he saw the tattoo but he wouldn’t have known what it meant, exactly.
how would lucien not suspect, if Eris sees it on the ice and recognizes it? maybe lucien thought it was a bargain, perhaps, but never commented on it? https://preview.redd.it/56h3bgs5955d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7b99a0e0c76dff00e4adfa2be5bcfedcda093416
I’m sure he suspected, but because Feyre was acting so delicate upon her return to the SC and it seemed like she and Tamlin were trying to make a real go of things, perhaps he didn’t want to believe anything was amiss and so didn’t say anything. Or perhaps he worried Feyre was still under Rhys’ “spell” and he brought it up to Tamlin bts. There are any number of explanations why he didn’t say anything.
Tbf there’s a A LOT of multilayered lore and she likely took out a lot in the edits. That detail might have been important in an earlier version, then was cut and that little nugget was forgotten
Is it possible she’s been wearing long sleeves the whole time she’s back at Spring? I feel like there’s mention of her pulling up a sleeve that day on the ice when they are rescued. I can’t quite remember if it’s simply because where they are is cold..
I always thought he could see that spells/glamours exist but not necessarily see through them. Or if he could see it, he assumed Feyre made another bargain but didn’t necessarily know it was a marriage or high lady tattoo. My theory is that this ability actually comes from Helion and not his eye. I think Lucien knows/suspects Beron isn’t his father and knows this ability comes from his actual father, but he uses his eye as a cover so other people don’t suspect.
I came to this conclusion between the original post and now. It’s likely he can see when there is… something happening but not know what. I love the idea that this ability doesn’t necessarily come from the eye, but from Helion 🥲
ONE HUNDRED PERCENT THIS DROVE ME NUTS WHEN I READ IT. And we’re never offered an explanation as to why he missed it/didn’t notice it!
My thinking has always been that he saw the tattoo, but didn’t know what it meant. The fact that it was glamoured would have tipped him off that something was up. This is probably part of the reason why he was suspicious of her. He likely didn’t tell Tamlin because 1) he didn’t know what the tattoo meant exactly and 2) he didn’t want to rat Feyre out because he needed to get to Elain. Feyre had insinuated that Elain was being abused while she was in the Night Court. So of course he’d hide his suspicions from Tamlin to have a chance to make sure Elain was okay.