#olivandra

Update for November 1st!

These are listed in Chronological order as much as possible. Some ficlets are not dependent on a specific time set, so they are fine to read no matter where you are in their timeline. Olivia is a OC character in Theia’s saga, so she is first introduced there. So, from her first appearance in Theia’s story “ICE IN HER BLOOD” up to present.

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Chapter 14 of ICE IN HER BLOOD: Kiss and Tell

Chapter 15 of ICE IN HER BLOOD: Drink Your Fill

These chapters give an intro to who Olivia is and how Theia knows her from their days traveling with the rest of the Foxes during the Mage Rebellion.

Chapter 32 of ICE IN HER BLOOD: A Crossroads

Chapter 33 of ICE IN HER BLOOD: Blade for Blade

Chapter 34 of ICE IN HER BLOOD: On Thin Ice

Chapter 35 of ICE IN HER BLOOD: Allied Powers

Chapter 36 of ICE IN HER BLOOD: A Last Dance

Chapter 37 of ICE IN HER BLOOD: Grief Stricken

Chaper 38 of ICE IN HER BLOOD: Stolen Sleep

These Chapters are of when Olivia next reappears in the saga, for the Winter Palace ball. These are also her and Cassandra’s first encounters, time in combat together (LOL), and first conversations. I highly recommend reading them because they ground Olivia’s character development and flesh out her persona, and they are the preliminary moments she and Cassandra share together before I dive into their own subfic/romance arc.

After I wrote Chapter 38 I decided to write their own love story separately from the Saga in order to have more room to dive into their story:

“For what better breath of divine air

to revive the Nevarran’s death-ridden heart;

But that which came from the mouth 

of the famed black dove of Orlais,

Who, blade in hand, tore men’s souls apart.”

                                 - Excerpt from a Bard’s tale recounting the love story

                                  of Seeker Cassandra Pentaghast and Olivia Sinclair

                   //Official #Olivandra Romance Playlist//

For Link to Spotify Playlist, Click Here!

For a bit of background on this playlist and the process, read below the break:

A collection of correspondences between Seeker Pentaghast and Olivia Sinclair, transferred and accounted for via Inquisition Scouts during the Inquisitor’s stationing in the Exalted Plains: 

Olivia,

It is strange to think I have someone to write to simply for the sake of writing and not reporting from the front lines. My instinct is to debrief you on the logistics of our travels, the intelligence gathered from Leliana’s people, or recount the possible dangers we have yet to face. It has only been a day since we set foot on our camp, and our initial explorations have left us less than optimistic. 

Rest assured that everything you sent along with me is safe and stored beside my cot or somewhere more appropriate. I have also taken note of your list of samples you wish to be passed along to the Scouts for gathering. 

If and when you do respond to this letter, do me a favor and tell me of lighthearted things. When we are out on the front lines, it is easy to forget life has simple pleasures and joys. I know you would be the best voice to ask for such a reprieve. 

My kindest and most sincerest regards, 

C. Pentaghast

--

Dearest Cassandra,

You cannot imagine the happiness receiving your letter brought to my heart. Clara and Felicity will not stop teasing me about how I seemed to jump down from the top flight of stairs in the tower to meet the messenger. I am relieved to know you have made it safely to your destination and have began the work you must do. 

Your heavy words seem fatigued -- I hope you are taking time to rest your mind and body. I will gladly do as you request, and speak of happy things. Here is an itemized list, since I know you appreciate conciseness:

1. Dorian and I had some great fun out testing my fire neutralizing powders. He seems to take joy in practicing. I doused an entire straw man in the stuff and it only slightly smoked when he attempted to set it aflame! Progress, progress, progress.

2. Josephine and I have agreed to secure shipments of pastries from the Capitol using a connection I have to a seller in the city. In exchange, I have access to the funds I need for more research.

3. I sleep in your bed almost every night, and rub myself all over the sheets and pillows with my tossing and turning. You won’t be able to escape my perfumes forever, I’m afraid.

4. Yesterday, I snorted when I laughed at a joke Veronica made. I haven’t done that in ages. 

My darling, I know you have a great deal to do, so I won’t keep you long. Just know you are wonderful, and I miss you with each aching day. Be careful, and do right by your conscience as best you can. 

Love, Olivia

--

Olivia,

Thank you for responding. It is a comfort to know you are better and more timely with such things than your friend, the Inquisitor, is. Your list brought me great solace, even the part where Dorian was entrusted with something haphazard. That must speak to just how bleak our time here has been. 

The splintering impact of the Freeman of the Dales and the Venatori have caused rampant discord here amidst the Civil War. Between the pyre pits guarded by Arcane demons, skirmishes with bandits and rebels, and resolving the fade rifts, it has hardly been a linear progression. The Inquisitor is tiring, not just from this mission, but from everything. We all are, even as we try to hide it.

You must forgive me, I am not the best or most eloquent writer. I am sure I sound less hopeful than I wish to be. 

Do not worry about sleeping in my bed, or taking up space. It only makes me wish you could be here to threaten me with your dares in person. Be safe and take precautions in your work, please. I wish to see you in one piece when I return. 

Kindest regards, 

C. Pentaghast

[READ MORE BELOW THE LINE]

and just as they arrive there’s a fucking EXPLOSION in on of the study wings, and when the smoke cloud settles it’s a 20-something Olivia, on the floor with two of her peers after they took cover, with dark soot and powder all over her face and she’s laughing her adorable ass off because she accidentally put in too much explosive agent and that’s the third time in the month she’s surely going to get reprimanded for it but she does NOT care because she’s just passionate as fuck about what she does and the process.

Her friend asks her if she’s okay and she laughs and says, “Yes, of course silly goose! Let’s do it again, see if we can’t blow the roof off of this foresaken wing!”

And the Maker just shrugs, points, and goes “yeah, she’ll be fun for you.”

And Cassandra just stares in disbelief because wait, what? Her? A Mage, a Mage who clearly enjoys trouble and danger? What? 

Summary: The Seeker returns to Skyhold in the middle of the night to find Olivia in unexpected sleeping arrangements. Sweet, sweet, sweetness ensues in this unexpectedly undramatic reunion. 

--

The return to Skyhold was late in the night – quite unusual for them, given their usually prompt schedules. Nevertheless, Cassandra was glad to be back. The Plains felt like a lost cause the longer they spent there and the more they kept having to leave and return. She could forget for the next several hours that they would have to return in a week or so, hopefully for the last time before they could move on to another mission location or goal. These matters could wait, though – for now, she had one, single-minded purpose, and that was to find Olivia.

Figuring with the late hour that she may be sleeping in her quarters, Cassandra’s fatigued footfalls found their way to her door. Opening and shutting it, hearing that familiar creak as it did so, she took care not to cause too much noise. The intent was null when she looked and saw no one in bed, the sheets neatly made with no body to be seen. Her brow furrowed – it was quite an anticlimactic moment. She then thought about the only other place Olivia could be found at this time of night, and she sighed to herself.

Out she went, down stairs and up them again, hearing the goings-on of unpacking from down in the courtyard. Eventually she traversed the final series of stairs and up to the door of the Mages’ study tower. One window on the base floor lightly illuminated from what she suspected to be the fireplace, all over floors were dark from the view from outside.

Slowly opening the door with care, she peaked towards the corner where Olivia’s workspace was. But, there was no petite frame of a blonde woman steady at work with a mass of candles surrounding her – not this time, at least. She scanned the room, seeing no signs of movement or activity; all of the candles were out, burnt down to the quick or blown out some time ago by the looks of the dried wax. Her eyes at last made their way to the fireplace again, the only source of light. There was a tall lounge chair facing the hearth, not usually there, at least from what she could remember.

Then, she noticed the pointed, limp foot hanging off the side – a sign of life, in an otherwise dead end.

Cassandra pushed the door, exhaling softly. She knew she had found who she was looking for. Stepping quietly inside, she closed the door behind her but not all the way. Slowly she crept over, not entirely sure what shape she would find Olivia in but nonetheless eager to see her at all after weeks of separation. Eventually, she rounded the side of the tall, red cushioned chair to uncover her at last.

Olivia was hunched onto one side of the chair, shoulders bunched as she leaned against the curved rim of the back rest. Her head was down onto her right shoulder, her loose waves of blonde hair caressing her cheeks and forehead. She had curled her legs up against her upper body, but they had since relaxed and fallen a bit in her sleep. Cassandra stood still and took the sight of her in – the way her eyelids were softly fluttering, her lips parted in relaxed slumber. The firelight flickering shades of oranges and reds on her complexion.

Then, she noticed her sleeping attire – one of Cassandra’s linen shirts that went underneath her day armor – a size or two larger than Olivia’s body would need. The fabric bunched in excess around her hips and left one shoulder exposed. She noticed the way Olivia’s arms were folded against her chest, as if she had been hugging herself, pretending that it was Cassandra holding her back in one of her garments.

Her heart skipped a beat – clearly, Olivia had not expected her to be returning any time soon.

The Seeker sighed, and a soft grin appeared on her face. She turned her attention to the fire, and found a pale of water sitting beside it, clearly meant for whoever was last to leave in the Tower to put out the fire. She crouched and grabbed it, taking care not to cause too much noise, but as she tossed the water against the flames the hissing sound of the doused embers betrayed her intention to be discrete. She turned to look, and saw Olivia begin to rustle in her position. She remained still, awaiting whether or not her lover would awake from the disturbance.

When Olivia groaned and simply slouched lower in her chair, Cassandra knew she had gotten away with it.

Now, it was time to resolve the nature of her sleeping arrangements. Returning to the chair, she bent down onto one knee to be at level with Olivia’s body. First, she lifted Olivia’s right arm and wrapped it around her own shoulder, pre-empting her mission to pick her up off the chair. Making short work of that, she then slipped a hand underneath the middle of Olivia’s back, and the other under her thighs. The bare skin on her legs felt cold, and she wondered how long she could have stayed like this without catching a chill. Once she had her grip around her, she lifted upwards, stepping back up onto both feet as she picked her woman up from her less-than-ideal “bed.”

Olivia groaned again, a soft, suspicious breath as her head curled in against Cassandra’s shoulder. The Seeker hadn’t thought it all though, realizing her traveling armor would probably be less-than-comparable comfort to the cushion of furniture. Olivia wasn’t the lightest load for a tired warrior’s body, but she wasn’t the heaviest, either – she was, however, the most missed kind.

Stabilizing her foothold, Cassandra let Olivia quiet down against her hold before she started heading for the door. Scooting the door open with her foot, she slipped out into the outdoor air, and used the same heel to push it shut behind her. Now making her way to the stairs and down their path, she hoped the walk to her chambers in a corridor behind the Great Hall wouldn’t be too great of a distance for Olivia to not stay asleep.

Though, a little piece of her heart wished she would, so she could see the look on her face when she realized she had returned.

Walking with her upper body as still as she could manage, she could hear Olivia’s rhythmic breathing and the hot air of her exhalations against her neck. From across the grounds, Cassandra caught a look of the Inquisitor, having made her way from the courtyard up the first flight of main stairs. Seeing Cassandra steadily walking with Olivia in her arms, Theia almost immediately understood the nature of the situation – and she nodded after her with a smile. After all, she had her own sleeping woman to greet up in her chambers.

Cassandra managed a grin at the corner of her mouth, before her walking took her out of view for the Inquisitor and the remaining people on the grounds. Eventually, she made her way through the hallways, through one or two heavy and inconvenient doors, and into the corridor where the door to her quarters was.

Just as she had a clear cut path to the destination, she felt the arm Olivia had over her shoulder tighten its hold ever-so-slightly, the thickness of her armor making it more difficult to notice such hints of movement. She kept focused on her goal, all the while she could feel Olivia’s body grow more restless.

Then, a sound.

“….Mmmmm,” Olivia hummed, her face scrunching a bit.

Cassandra couldn’t help but smirk but tried to do so without drawing any more attention to herself. She hadn’t contemplated what Olivia would do if she woke up being carried by someone whom she would assume to be a stranger. Maybe she was in for a swift kick in the ribs, or punch in the gut, out of defense. This made her add a hurried pace to her steps, and a swift kick to the door cleared her path inside.

“…C-Cassandra?” Olivia breathed, her eyes still closed.

Kicking the door shut behind her, Cassandra’s grin grew broad, and she allowed her hips to sway a bit more as she walked towards the bed.

“Shh,” she whispered, standing at the foot of the untouched bed, “I’ve got you.”

Olivia exhaled roughly, as if deep in sleep. She hummed a soft affirmative sound. “This…is a dream?” she cooed again.

Cassandra smiled as she lowered Olivia into bed, freeing up a hand once she did in order to pull the blanket and sheet back and over Olivia’s curled up body.

“I am afraid not, my Love,” she replied, pulling the covers over her and tucking them in a bit around her shoulders. She then sat down beside her, one arm resting on the other side of her back. She could see Olivia grin widely, the dimples of her cheeks unabashedly showing.

“I thought so. My dreams are…” she took a heavy breath, “they are never this good.”

Cassandra shook her head, stifling a bittersweet chuckle. Her gloved hand went to Olivia’s thick head of hair as she pulled a few wily strands out of her face. “Well, now I am here, and you can daydream with me as long as you wish.”

Olivia’s eyelids fluttered but remained closed. She tucked her arms in against her chest, hands sliding in between her neck and her pillow. “Why aren’t you kissing me, if this is real life?” she sounded more clever and cunning, like she did when she was awake.

Cassandra rolled her shoulders a bit, feeling the sore ache in their muscles. “Being gone makes me forget that I have the privilege of being able to do such a thing, and I did not wish to wake you.”

Olivia breathed through her mouth, her brow softly furrowing. “Silly.”

Smiling again, the Seeker lowered herself over her, and pressed her lips against Olivia’s cheek. The hand she had rested in her hair cupped the back of her head as she did so. Parting her lips from her, she pressed her forehead against hers rather than withdraw, and closed her eyes as she breathed her in.

“I have missed you,” she whispered, smelling the spices and rich vanilla undertone of her skin and hair.

Olivia then reached and placed her hand around the back of Cassandra’s neck, her thumb comfortingly rubbing against her short hair. Her eyes still closed, but the cognition in her affection giving a hint as to how awake she had became.

C A S S A N D R A    X   O L I V I A 

Aesthetic & Words

  //To Read the Full Short Fic, Click Here to go to My Ao3//

Summary:  Seeker Cassandra Pentaghast has lived a life of discipline, control, and honor. Lady Olivia Sinclair has lived one of intrigue, adventure, and terror. One has built a wall of stoicism, the other of sweetness. Out of all possible outcomes to their friendship, no one could foresee such an unlikely attraction. This is the story of how the woman who would become known as the Black Dove of Orlais captured the heart of one of the most fearsome women in all of Thedas.

“Seeker – Cassandra – I know that I am not the person you envisioned. I know that I am silly, and clumsy, and I am complicated. I sing in my sleep and I befriend too many small children. I do not even know yet why I feel this way, or what I can compare it to…but I…” her lips parted as she took in one more breath of bravery, “I am in love with you. For the rest of my days, no matter how many there are, I want to be here, in the midst of danger and the unknown. I want to have my heart skip a beat when you come back to me from your journeys. I want to come with you. I want to be someone you can be proud to be with, and not someone’s caged bird. Please, tell me I did not estrange you from me forever. Tell me…” She stopped to regain her lost breath again.

“Ugh, sweet Maker,” she grumbled, reaching and untying her corset strings and pulling them apart, giving her some room to actually intake air. She opened it wide enough to maintain decency whilst also giving her some relief. The people in the room wondered just how far it would go before she would drop the corset all-together. Dinner and erotic entertainment: Skyhold was looking more and more Orlesian by the day. Or, perhaps Tevinter, as Dorian would tease.

Cassandra took a step forward, wanting so badly to cover her in a blanket or something warm, but there wasn’t anything but her words now. Olivia had broken herself apart, stormed Skyhold, literally and figuratively, and now she was here. It all felt like she was making up for the lack of romantic humor she had in previous nights, injecting a strong dose that could overpower the sensibilities of any man or woman.

Still, even with the overwhelming nature of it all, Cassandra knew. She knew what she wanted.

“Olivia,” her crooked smile framing the voice of a romantic, and not of a hardened warrior, “are you going to just stand there breaking people’s hearts, or are you going to kiss me?”