𝓭𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓮 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓶𝓮

affiliated olivia from fire emblem || written by molly || sfw || arietta || please read rules

[emptyquiver-blog]

Semi-Haitus

(no icon cuz im at work)

My activity is already scarce as it is, but it’s about to get worse if that’s at all possible. Tomorrow I’m going home to Mass for Thanksgiving. While I’ll have internet and my laptop, I will be spending most of my time with family and friends save for the evenings. I might be able to get things done then. As for when I come back…

Final Fantasy XV is coming out two days after I get home so I definitely won’t be around. Around December 13th I go back home for winter break so- once again- activity will be (hey what’s up guys its) scarce.

And if that weren’t enough, new classes start in January after my break. As per usual, I asked mom for video games for Christmas so all my time will be divided… Anyways, I’ll try to get on when I can but my activity is gonna be really spotty for the next two months. Whoops.

[rhythmeia-blog1]

soulensoleille:

Soleil giggles as the flower’s stem tickles the sensitive skin behind her ear on the way to its final resting place. Picking a flower of her own, she twirls it between her fingers, the pale pink petals spinning quickly enough to create the illusion of a full circle. 

“Don’t scold him too much,” she pleads, glancing up to her grandmother as she tucks her own flower beside the one already in her hair. “I don’t know if he’s as bad for you as he is with me, but he’s a bit of a crier.”

Maybe it would have been kinder for her to say that he was merely…susceptible to being overtaken by very strong emotions, but there’s no way he’s so easily off the hook for completely forgetting to mention her to Olivia.

A hum at the question proposed. It would be simple enough for Soleil to simply tell her about Nohr, but there were time shenanigans convoluting their family. For goodness’ sakes, her own grandmother is hardly older than she is! Who knows how telling Olivia about Nohr would mess with her future existence! Then again, she’s talked to her dad. She probably already knows!

“I was born in Nohr! Did Dad tell you anything about what it’s like there, when you saw him?”

      “Ah… I suppose Inigo really is a bit sensitive…”

Maybe scolding him would be out of the question. As Soleil suggested, there were bound to be reason why he never said a word about her beautiful granddaughter. She retired the idea of parenting her grown son and instead watched as Soleil twirled a flower between her fingers. How nice it was to share such a calming moment with a grandchild she never knew she had. There was something magical about and yet, she couldn’t help but feel the slightest sadness that she may miss out on her son raising his child in the future. Soleil had never seen her grandmother before… Was that destined to happen in Olivia’s timeline as well?

Before she could dwell on it for too long, Soleil had another question that needed answering. Everything the dancer knew about Nohr were things that she had read in books or heard in old storybooks that he own parents would read to her when she was a child.

      “Well, he didn’t tell me anything about Nohr… But I was         worried when he brought it up. All the stories make Nohr seem         dangerous and dark. I can’t imagine my son living there... “

Her heart ached to think her son would live in a place like Nohr. Why wouldn’t he remain in Ylisse? Was there still something to be feared in the future?

      “I wish he had stayed in Ylisse.... But I guess every child leaves         their mother eventually.”

[rhythmeia-blog1]

dancing-duelist:

“Eh?” Inigo colours, even while raising his arm as directed. “Mother, I’m not that hopeless, am I? …Wait, does that mean I should stop or shouldn’t I…? I don’t really know how to talk to anyone without it,” he mumbles the last, looking embarrassed.

And then.

And then she fell.

“Mother!” A panicked yell escapes Inigo as he rushes to her side, crouching by her. “A-are you okay? Is it broken?” His mind races with terrible possibilities, like his precious mother not being able to walk again, or worse…

…not being able to dance!

“A-aah, I can find a h-healer! Or maybe I can bandage it? Or both! Yes! Both!” He gently touches the ankle in question, lightly trying to gauge if it were sprained, broken, or merely bruised.

Of course, he’s no healer and has no idea what he’s doing.

“Waaah! You stay! I’ll go find someone!”

Perhaps she had misjudged the traction her feet held on the floor below her. Maybe she reached just a bit too far and lost her center of balance. Or she just got ahead of herself. Whatever the cause may have been, she fell. The dance ended in failure and in front of her son of all people. But as her son fawned over her ‘injury’ the failure began to mean nothing. With a son more interested in how she was doing, she knew he wasn’t disappointed that she had failed to replicate her dance.

     “A healer? It’s not that serious… I probably just        twisted it funny!”

She lifted her foot and turned it back and forth to demonstrate that everything was okay but her face betrayed her when she flinched at the discomfort. She held his arm to keep him from rushing off.

What if he couldn’t find his way back to her? Olivia couldn’t bare to be torn apart from her son again even for a moment. The pain in her ankle would pass soon enough. But the loneliness of being left without her son again would take time to heal. She detested being alone… Especially after Inigo and the other children returned to their own timelines.

     “I’ll be fine with just bandages, Inigo. You don’t        have to go anywhere, okay?”

Behind that smile would hide the fear of never seeing him again. Or at least never seeing this Inigo again. But to reach out and say ‘please don’t leave me alone’ would raise far too much worry in her loving son’s brain.

     “I think I just need to sit for a minute then I can        show you the rest...”

[fatebled]

“   you don’t know   ?   ”   understandably, the world they traverse is inherently a confusing place, a maze of mystery & wonder that somehow leads them to old encounters & new ones.   she doesn’t quite mind journeying;   the act of walking to explore new areas is exhilarating & spurs a childlike wonder she thinks she has long lost.   however, there’s an ache within her bones that lingers, longing for her home.   destroyed as it may be, tattered & not particularly intriguing, it’s still where she remains most comfortable.

with her comrades as well, not the mystical illusion that tries to present itself to her when she feels homesick;   she knows well enough that isn’t her true home.

she’d like to remark on how troubling it is that olivia would reside in an unknown area, but she’s a woman who can take care of herself, albeit a more petite and delicate one.   nonetheless, she gives a nod at olivia’s question.   “   yes, i encountered him before i arrived here.   if you’ve seen him as well, then you’ve heard of this… nohr place from him, right   ?   ”   her voice doesn’t quite arise to suspicion, not yet, but there remains a question atop her tongue.   even if it is inigo telling her such, it feels more akin to a tale. 

“   i hold no distrust for inigo, but…   the things he speak of:   they sound more like a fairy tale than anything else.   may i inquire your thoughts regarding his appearance   ?   ”

[rhythmeia-blog1]

Yes... She didn’t know where her son was. A part of her berated herself for not being able to keep track of her child. If she didn’t know where her grown son was, how was she ever going to keep track of him as a child? Olivia shook the fear from her mind and instead gave the princess her full attention. When did she let herself space out in such a way that almost made her forget the topic of conversation? Ah... She was so out of sorts right now.

     “I... I-It was mentioned briefly. I’ll believe Inigo no matter what he says.       Although I thought that Nohr was only in old books! I’m only a bit       worried that he didn’t seem himself. Whenever we would stop talking,       he almost looked sad.”

Olivia shifted nervously. She remembered her son as a ahppy young man who found himself smiling despite having the loss of his parents floating around at the back of his mind. There was something about her son as he appeared older that troubled Olivia. Maybe it was just the aspect of the child she had yet to raise growing older.

The dancer couldn’t let it bother her, however. Inigo was Inigo and that was who he would always be.

    “But as for coming from Nohr... His clothes certainly aren’t from Ylisse...      Why would Inigo leave Ylisse, though?”

[soulensoleille-blog]

Soleil quickly takes the seat prepared for her by her grandmother, crossing her legs under her. Her heart beats quickly, ready to hear sickeningly sweet stores about baby Dad. But…they never come. Listening to Olivia speak, her brows furrow. It begins to make a little more sense, the way he gets that distant look on his face whenever she’d ask him about the rest of their family. How he’d try to visit her as often as possible as she grew up in her Deeprealm.

“Ylisse sounds amazing,” she says, her eyes half-closed as she leans to rest her head against her grandmother’s shoulder. “Dad never really talked about his time living there when he came to see me. Maybe I can weasel some more stories out of him once I tell him I’ve met you! He shouldn’t have any problem with it then.”

“Is it okay if I pick them?” she asks, gesturing at a bunch of blossoms by her side. It’s not too hard to pick up that they’re pretty much doing what Olivia wants, leading to the possibility of a hivemind. Or pain for the flowers. Besides, Olivia seems to like them, and she wants to respect her wishes.

[rhythmeia-blog1]

     “Of course it is!” 

Olivia looked down to the flowers herself and picked one absently, twirling it between two fingers. Her eyes trailed from the flower and back to her granddaughter. The dancer brought the flower to Soleil’s hair and pushed it through her locks so the stem rested behind her ear. Ah... Her granddaughter was so cute! With all this time travel business, it was getting harder and harder to find the patience to wait for her family to take shape.

     “I do hope that Inigo tells you all about it... And I hope that       we can find him soon so I can scold him for not telling me       about his cute daughter!”

She was never one to scold. Although, there was a first time for everything! It would be great practice for when she had to raise him in the new future. Maybe then he son would have a little more discipline and wouldn’t attempt to run from her like he did when they first truly met.

But if Soleil had never been to Ylisse, then where had she grown up? She never expected her son to be one who would leave their shared birthplace.

     “If not Ylisse, then where were you born?”

[dancing-duelist-blog]

The ensuing laugh was so sudden and forceful that he knocks himself out of the rhythm that he had developed. “Ah-hahaha! Actually?” he asked, audibly and visibly incredulous. He laughed a bit more, muffling his snickers behind a closed fist.

“And here I thought that this would be a perfect opportunity to right my many wrongs in the future,” he stated, with a shake of his head. He set his hands on his hips, dropping into his more natural pose, as opposed to the stiffer one - hands clasped behind his back, spine straight, at attention, ready to serve - that he had adopted from his stay in Nohr.

He didn’t blame either parent for his faults. He had adopted those all on his own.

Besides, he wasn’t the sort to blame his troubles on others anyway.

His smile softened and he darted in to kiss her forehead. He stepped back, predictably turning pink. “Don’t worry, Mother. I can’t remember a single thing that you did wrong. No matter what you choose to do, I’ll be a very lucky baby.”

He cleared his throat, trying to remember where they had left off. He raised his arms just-so, planting his foot as he had seen her do, kicking up the other heel. “Was it like this?”

[rhythmeia-blog1]

For the third or fourth time in such a short amount of time, Olivia’s face flushed red. Her son kissed her forehead lightly and she looked up at him with a sheepish smile. His laugh was something Olivia adored. To see any smile on her son’s face was something that seemingly added years onto her lifespan. Olivia loved it just as much as she loved every other aspect of her child. She would say it time and time again- Inigo was perfect.

     “Well, maybe I won’t push the whole... Flirting practice as much.       But if I don’t teach you that at all you’ll never find someone to       marry you!”

The words weren’t supposed to be cold. Although as soon as she said it, she realized that they could be taken the wrong way. What she meant to say was that he wouldn’t feel comfortable enough to talk to someone and get them to marry him. Instead, she just sounded like she thought his flirtatious behavior was the only thing that could land him any of sort of date or spouse. 

Before she could say anything to amend her words, he was back on the dance, taking the form she had previously demonstrated for him. She peered at his stance carefully before moving to stand behind him and push his back straighter then raised his right arm higher.

     “Now it’s perfect!”

She took her own stance along with him and continued the dance. It almost came as second nature to her until she came along to the part she always had difficulty with. Even with her expertise in dancing, Olivia still found the occasional challenge. She took a deep breath before moving to twirl in place only to feel a sharp pain in her ankle and she fell to the ground, landing on her rear with a wince.

     “O-Owch...”

[rhythmeia-blog1]

I’m finally doing replies on Olivia at least. If you want to start a thread, like this for a starter! 

[fatebled]

it’s rare to encounter someone whose shyness matches her own;   in some bizarre way, that’s almost a relief to her.   to know that she isn’t the only one who’s afraid to be alone, sharing a similar skittish nature   —   it makes the feeling of loneliness diminish.   just a small bit, but sakura’s grateful for any decrease in it.   at least now, her body can relax from remaining so tense.

“   you don’t know   ?   are you a vagabond, then   ?   ”   that’s the only thing that makes sense.   a wanderer, a traveler, an adventurer   —   she doesn’t seem like the type, but there have been more deceiving appearances.   “   u   -   um, my name is sakura.   i   -   it’s nice to meet you, olivia.   i’m, um…   i’m a priestess from hoshido.   ”   the name ylisse doesn’t sound very familiar to her, but nonetheless, sakura chooses not to question it.   instead, there’s another inquiry she has in mind that she’d like to ask this dancer.   “   do…   do you know where this is, at least   ?   ”

[rhythmeia-blog1]

     “A v-vagabond…? N-No… that sounds too dangerous        for me… Maybe I really am lost!”

Her voice grew desperate in her dilemma. What was she doing here? One moment she’s with her son and next, she’s meeting a young girl named Sakura. Her hands clutched at her chest as she spoke rapidly and gaze down at the trembling hands.  She didn’t do well in situations like these… Being alone was not something Olivia was all that comfortable with. Most of her time had been spent in a group whether it was her theatre troupe or the Shepherds.

Although, upon hearing the name ‘Hoshido’, Olivia picked her head up to look at the girl in shock. Hoshido…? There was no way that was possible. Hoshido was something she had only heard of in legends. It wasn’t actually real, was it?

     “D-Did you say Hoshido…?!”

Maybe it was rather rude to make such an outburst in front of a young girl who identified herself as a priestess… But the notion of her being a legendary Hoshidan of all things was incredible to Olivia. She didn’t necessarily believe what she was hearing, but she wasn’t so quick to label the girl a liar. After all, Hoshido being a real place would’ve have been the strangest thing that had happened in her life… She did have a son and granddaughter from the future.

     “I always wanted to believe Hoshido was real!       Y-You weren’t joking, were you?” 

[soulensoleille-blog]

Her dad hadn’t mentioned her…? He was proud of her, Soleil knows that for certain, but the notion that he hadn’t told his own mother about the existence of his daughter clouds her expression. He’s probably got a reason for it, he doesn’t usually neglect to say something unless it might be upsetting to the recipient. Her jaw drops, and she pulls a hand from Olivia’s grasp to cover her mouth.

Had he - had he thought her existence would upset Olivia?

“I’m sure he has his reasons!” Like a switch has been flipped, she squeezes her grandmother’s hand in what she hopes comes across as a comforting gesture. “I never thought I’d get to see you, so maybe he thought the same thing and thought it might be kinder to just not…mention me. Anyway, I’m sure we can ask him about it later!”

The bright smile she’s painted on her face refuses to waver. She’s doing a horrible job at convincing both her and Olivia that there’s no reason to worry, but she’s a staunch believer in faking it until she makes it.

“But! I know so little about you. Tell me everything! What’s your favorite thing to do? Where are you from? What was Dad like as a kid?”

If this is to be is the only time she encounters Olivia, she’s bound and determined to make the most of it.

[rhythmeia-blog1]

There was a certain sadness that accompanied her words. But she didn’t let it last for too long- she had to put on a happy face for her granddaughter! She couldn’t let Soleil’s imagine of her be that of a sad, frail dancer.

Olivia watched as her granddaughter pulled away her hand to place it at her mouth. Was something wrong? It must’ve been rather upsetting to hear that her father never said anything about her to the dancer… But as Soleil suggested, perhaps he truly had his reasons. Never being able to truly meet each other was so agonizingly possible that Olivia didn’t even want to think about it. Thus she was grateful when Soleil swiftly changed the topic of discussion to learning more about one another.

She took to sitting in the grass beneath them and gestured for her granddaughter to sit at her side. The flowers that bloomed made space clear of any petals for the two to sit without crushing the plant’s beauty. Olivia stretched her legs out on front of her and placed her hands neatly on her lap as she smiled at Soleil.

     “I’m from Ylisse! Although I didn’t really stay in one place. I got        to travel with a theatre troupe for a while! I-I don’t really have too        many hobbies. though… So my favorite thing to do is really just        dancing… And well, as for Inigo…”

Ah, of course… She didn’t know what he was like as child.

     “I actually haven’t had the chance to raise him… He came to me and        my companies along with other children from the future to warn us        of a tragedy that was ahead of us. I’m afraid I might know him less        than you do.”

[fatebled]

the splashing of water is what gathers her attention first, acute senses barely picking up the noise.   lucina stills in her steps, head gaze tiled down as she attempts to hear anything else   -   a confirmation that the forest isn’t simply amusing itself with disturbing her senses;   but it sounds once more & this time, lucina immediately hones in the direction of it.   feet tread forward in confidence, though her right hand rests itself on falchion’s hilt.   bravery does not mean one must be foolish as well. 

when she nears, close enough to peer through the forestry & see a blur of familiar pink, her hopes begin to rise;   despite how foolish she is to gather belief when she knows the bitter taste of disappointment, she can feel her feet pick up speed.   but for once, fate has granted her respite, a comrade seated safely before her.   (   …   watering the nearby flora, no doubt   ?   interesting.   the previous generation sure seems to have interesting habits.   )

“   olivia, i’m glad to see you safe.   ”   there’s a grateful tone that resonates in her voice, a weariness lifted as she steps towards her comrade.   (   loneliness is a heavy burden, even for a war-born child like lucina;   she comes to rely on the enjoyment of camaraderie.   )   “   i hadn’t expected you to be here.   are the others nearby   ?   ”

[rhythmeia-blog1]

Skittish as ever, the dancer jumps as Lucina’s voice calls out to her. The water before her ripples suddenly in her shock but the waves quickly settle as she turns to look at the princess standing behind her. Her smile shines brightly and she stands up to face her.

     “A-Ah! Lucina… You startled me… It’s nice         to see you too.”

But wasn’t she in the right to be startled? After all, this was such a strange place and had only brought equally as strange faces. Since arriving she has met her son and even her own granddaughter. Things were definitely someone on the scale for being out of the ordinary. It wasn’t so much that she minded the change of pace… She just hadn’t had enough time to properly adjust to the flow of things here yet.

Despite meeting a few people since beginning her escape to this dreamland, she had no sense of proximity. She remembered being in her own glade for a certain amount of time before leaving to find herself somewhere entirely different from where she had left off… And when she had left Inigo’s glade, she was even more confused. But what she couldn’t remember was how long ago those events occurred. Were they days ago? Or just mere hours…

     “I… I don’t know, actually. O-Oh! I got to see Inigo!        But I have no clue where he is now… You haven’t        seen him, have you?”

[dancing-duelist-blog]

Inigo blinked, rapidly. “What? No, no, I meant the ‘me’ that hasn’t been born yet,” he said, sheepishly, pointing down at Olivia’s abdomen. 

His future children? Ah, right.

“Er, about that, Mother…” He paused, frowning. Soleil only knew him as ‘Laslow’. She hadn’t mentioned his true name when she was asked, implying that she either didn’t know it, or didn’t think it important enough to mention. Either way, it proved that she had grown up in Nohr, with no knowledge of her grandparents (at least, the paternal ones) aside from whatever stories he happened.

Did his mother even get to attend his wedding? Would she ever meet his child? 

He felt another twist of guilt. It would hurt Olivia to no end to learn that she wouldn’t be able to be a part of these landmark moments of his life. He made a mental note to try in the future…to make sure that his family could be together, at least once…

“Er, never mind. I forgot what I was going to say,” he said. He didn’t want her to be hurt. He rapidly blinked, trying to keep the tears from falling again. He was terrible. He didn’t deserve such kindness, but he tilted his head to accept the kiss to the forehead anyway.

He took a steadying breath, pushing aside his concerns as he stepped into place beside Olivia, mimicking her stance and footing. “Lead on, Mother!”

That time, he sounded genuinely happy.

[rhythmeia-blog1]

His words made her pause the dance momentarily. About what…? Her eyes flickered back up to him for just a moment before he cut himself off and discarded the thought. Olivia knew that she had already been pressing far too much as it was… She needed to learn how to let things go but it was nagging away at her subconscious. What was it that he was keeping from her? The dancer also thought she and Inigo would have nothing to hide from one another… Perhaps she was wrong.

The mentioning of his past self- her future life- saddened her for a moment. It reminded her that she had yet to see what her son had been like as a child. She hadn’t felt the pure joy and overwhelming feeling of looking at her newborn child. But she knew she would soon… Maybe not within the next few months, but definitely in the near future.

     “I’m not worried about raising you, Inigo!         I already know that you’ll turn out perfect.”

Her words came absently- almost as if they were second nature.- as she resumed her dance with him. The movements were almost lonely. Her arms only stretched upwards when they left her sides. It had been choreographed when her son had first left her with the rest of the Shepherds. The dance was something to keep her mind off the loneliness she was feeling that day… But to dance it with her son was the happiest feeling she could remember.

     “I just hope that you aren’t the slightest        bit different when I get to raise you…”

[dancing-duelist-blog]

Inigo plastered a smile on his face. Fake, but he hoped she wouldn’t notice the difference. “Ah, of course I would, Mother.”

Lies. He wouldn’t. Inigo wasn’t the sort who would burden others with his problems. That wasn’t to say that he was the sort who practiced avoidance, or the sort who became self-destructive in his attempts at altruism. No, Inigo knew when it was time to be alone, time for some quiet reflection to process the things that he hadn’t yet let himself feel.

It wasn’t healthy, perhaps, but it was hardly unhealthy, and it kept others from worrying unnecessarily.

He never wanted his mother to worry over him. As soon as he had been old enough to carry a sword he had vowed to look after her. Granted, he couldn’t really do that from the next universe over, so he needed to trust his father and trust in the abilities of his future, younger self.

“You needn’t worry over me so much, Mother. You’ll make yourself ill,” he chided, gently. “After all, what’ll you do when there’s two of me? Myself and baby-me, I mean.”

“Now, show me that dance. Let’s see if I can make you proud.”

[rhythmeia-blog1]

His smile wasn’t nearly as bright as it normally was... The radiance he carried seemed to fade slightly in the darkness of whatever was shaking him. It took everything within Olivia to not press him further and give into her smothering ways she tended to devolve into. She remembered the first time she pressed him shortly after they had met and he ran off. Olivia didn’t want to chase him off with her persistence and she decided to drop it... Although the worry would eat at the back of her mind.

     “I’ll always worry about you, Inigo. Even if it makes me       sick! You’re my son...”

But suddenly the thought of another Inigo- his child- filled her mind. Thinking about seeing her son with a baby of his own warmed Olivia’s whole heart and her grip on his hand tightened ever so slightly. While she had yet to have memories of raising Inigo this far, she still loved the idea of helping him raise his own child. Hopefully, his son or daughter wouldn’t have to worry about the same things he had to...

Olivia hoped they could be happy.

     “I’ll love your children as much as I love you. Although,       if they end up anything like you, I’ll certainly have my       hands full.”

But she wouldn’t trade such a life for anything in the world. Olivia wasn’t one to deal with large amounts of stress very easily... But if it were stress caused by assisting her son in raising her grandchildren, Olivia would gladly shoulder it. With his hands in her own, Olivia stood on her toes to kiss his forehead gently as he hoped to make her proud. She was far more than happy to have this dance with him. It had been so long, after all. Reluctantly letting go of his hands, she fixed the ribbons attached to the cuffs on her wrists and stepped back. She place one arm across her chest and the other one folded behind her back.

     “Alright now! Repeat after me, okay?”

[soulensoleille-blog]

With the sudden crushing of her ribs, it dawns upon Soleil that she’s been looking at this the wrong way. All that has happened thus far, cringe-worthy or not, pales in the face of the fact that her grandmother was there at all! It had always been a base assumption that her parents were the only family she’d ever know, seeing as how the both of them hailed from some halidom she’d never lay eyes upon. Yet here her grandmother was, crying in joy even though she’d had no notion Soleil existed in the first place. Why was she hesitating to join in?

Never to one to do anything by halves, she recovers quickly to jump right into returning Oliva’s embrace. The best part of hugging, in her eyes, is being unable to breathe and enjoying it, which is exactly what is going on.

“I can’t believe this is actually happening! Dad only talked about you, and I - Did you know that he’s the greatest dancer I’ve ever seen? But he always tells me that you’re even better than he is - I’m absolutely horrible, though, I don’t think any of that passed down to me at all!”

Her excited babble devolves into excited laughter, and she bounces up and down on her toes. If the world were perfect, their hug would never end. Besides, the thought of letting go puts a damper on her mood (and she absolutely does not like that). Letting go could mean that Olivia would disappear, and Soleil would be left alone in a clearing with nothing but a pile of fresh flowers surrounding her feet.

“But yes! You are a grandma! A very lovely grandma, who I hope to see time and time again!”

Is she being too enthusiastic? Possibly. Does she really care? Absolutely not!

[rhythmeia-blog1]

Olivia couldn’t imagine a better daughter for Inigo. Every bit like her father in good looks and warm personality, Olivia chastised herself for not assuming the relation sooner. Her thin arms held onto the girl tightly for a little while longer before moving to hold her at arms length. The dancer kept her granddaughter there momentarily, just looking at her face with the brightest smile of the ages on her own. She just couldn’t possibly find the words to express how grateful and ecstatic she was to have such a wonderful granddaughter.

     “I-I can’t believe this... You’re really my granddaughter!       Don’t worry about your dancing, sweetheart! I can help       you all you’d like if you want to learn.”

Hearing that her son had spoken to Soleil about her with such high praise was no surprise to the older woman. Although, a slight blush did heat her cheeks upon hearing the words. Her son was always so kind to her with his words and would never say anything to give Soleil a foul picture of her grandmother. Olivia moved her hands down to grab Soleil’s hand.

She wondered how long the dream would last. How much time did she have with her granddaughter? What information should she pass on...? What kind of warnings would help the young girl in the future? Olivia could think of nothing- all thoughts overcome by her joy- and she abandoned the process. Instead, she tilted her head in momentary confusion.

     “Why wouldn’t he tell me? When I was with him earlier        he didn’t mention you... I-Is he afraid I might smother        you?!”

After all, she did have a track-record of being a bit of a helicopter parent to Inigo...

[soulensoleille-blog]

Ah, there it was. The proverbial nail in the coffin. No one, no one flirted as much as her dad did (except perhaps herself), and that simple, immutable fact made all of the other evidence entirely impossibly to ignore. She takes in a deep breath, ignoring the sudden dryness of her mouth and cramming all emotions besides sheer happiness waaay deep down.

“Olivia?” She clears her throat of an imaginary frog, feeling a flush of horror creeping up her neck and across her face. “There is, well, there’s a reason for that.”

“He’s my dad.” 

Olivia’s son was her dad, and she’d been flirting like hell with her own grandmother. Few things really embarrassed Soleil, but this is probably the single most awkward situation she could have expected to arise. Her grin takes a sheepish turn, and she raises her arms up in an apologetic shrug.

“Surprise?”

[rhythmeia-blog1]

The words made her freeze. Her fingers twitched slightly against her chest as the girl’s sheepish smile twisted in the image of her son’s own smile. It hadn’t been a coincidence... Hundreds of questions sped through her mind- the main one being how- but Olivia kept them swallowed down as she stared at Soleil in shock.  This girl was the daughter of her son...? That would make Olivia... 

Her grandmother!

     “You’re... My son’s daughter....?”

The words were choked out as tears built up in her eyes. She always wanted to be a mother... It was one of dreams as a child. All Olivia ever wanted was to marry a man who would never tire of watching her dance and a son or daughter who would accompany her steps. But never in a million years had she ever dreamed of being a grandmother. The achieving seemed so far out of reach... And yet by some miracle, her flirtatious son had found a woman who love him and had a child with him. That thought alone made tears stream down her face.

     “T-That makes you my granddaughter! I’m a grandmother!”

Olivia hopped forward to pull Soleil into her and hugged her tightly. So overcome with joy, Olivia might have been using an uncharacteristic amount of strength. Call it adrenaline, excitement, or just pure happiness- call it what you will- but Olivia would call it elated. The tears of her glee spilled over his cheeks as she shook. Not even for a moment could she doubt the sincerity of Soleil’s words... There wasn’t the slightest cloud that could bother her as droves of flowers bloomed around the two from Olivia’s creation.

      “I’m... I’m so happy, Soleil!”

[soulensoleille-blog]

She blinks at the description provided, confused by the conflict between her own assumptions and what was being said. Either Olivia was extraordinarily youthful for her age (in which case, good for her!), or there was some deeprealms-like stuff going on with other poor kids.

Either way, the mental image she’s built up does not clear the situation out at all. She and Olivia are about the same height, leaving Olivia’s son taller than the both of them. Adding in the hair and the dancing, of all things, and -

Soleil is left with a portrait of her father’s beaming smile in her mind.

Pfft.

It couldn’t be more than a mere coincidence.

“He’s here, in the dreams?” she prods, her stomach beginning to churn uncomfortably. “He sounds like someone I know, but…nah, I really don’t think that’s the case.”

Absolutely not. Her mind refuses to spark the necessary connections to solve the case, because it would be impossible to look her dad in the face if her suspicions rang true. 

[rhythmeia-blog1]

      “Yes, he is. Maybe you have met him? He’s quite friendly!        In fact, he might be far to friendly for his own good... Always        flirting with women and smiling brighter than anyone else         around him...”

His charm was otherworldly. While it had taken her a while to accept the flirtatious behavior of her son, Olivia accepted him whole-heartily now. Olivia liked to think that her son was one of a kind and that no one would ever be anything like him... But Soleil was making that notion quite hard to believe. Of course, her son would always be the most important person in her life. Almost so much that it became an issue sometimes. Her husband would have to forgive her if she ever neglected him to take care of her son’s every need.

Looking over Soleil’s clothing, Olivia noticed that it was eerily similar to what Inigo had been wearing when they had seen each other beforehand. Maybe all of these coincidences were adding up into something far larger.

      “You’re wearing similar clothing to him as well...”

Oh, how she missed him already...

[soulensoleille-blog]

“Oh, no, you really don’t need to apologize for something like that!” She strikes a silly pose, tossing her hair over her back and propping up her fists on her hips.

Soleil’s rather used to stares, though it’s usually because of a constant smile across her face or having a female companion by her side, as opposed to resembling someone’s missing son. The notion that Olivia has a son does take her slightly aback, but it isn’t entirely surprising. For all of her nerves and anxiety, she’s somehow certain that Olivia must be a wonderful mother to her son.

“It’s really not a problem,” she says with a chuckle. “So, what does he look like? I can’t imagine he must be very old. Oh, I hope he hasn’t been gone too long.”

[rhythmeia-blog1]

The dancer looked so at peace as she thought of her son. Olivia simply adored being asked about him and she would always proudly tell others about him. She always envied the parents who bolstered their children’s accomplishments and now she could finally share in the glory. At night the Shepherds would often discuss their children and Olivia was unusually talkative in these conversations. She never passed up a moment to brag about how kind and thoughtful he son was.

      “He’s quite a bit taller than me with gray- almost blue- hair...        His bangs are almost identical to your’s although, his hair        isn’t nearly as long as your’s. He’s such a beautiful dancer,        too...”

Olivia was almost lost in the thought of her son. Soleil’s presence did wonders to ease her mind... Seeing this girl as her son almost made her want to adopt her as her own child. But Olivia was convinced this girl had parents who loved her dearly. Someone as kind and beautiful as her deserved no less.

      “I had been with him here before... But I’ve lost track of him.”

[soulensoleille-blog]

She breaks out into a smile almost brighter than before at the complimenting of her name, her head ducking down in a silent ‘thank you.’ The hope that she’s living up to her father’s gift isn’t the only reason she smiles so much, but it’s definitely an inspiration.

It’s both concerning and endearing to hear Olivia’s voice wavering so, and she has to wonder if she’s gone too over-the-top in her flirting. It’s definitely a strong possibility, and she makes a note to perhaps tone it down a bit. As much as she likes to express her affection for whomever she comes across, it’s more important that the other girl feels comfortable.

Nonetheless, she bends smoothly at the waist once more, her now-vacant hand placed over her heart in a display of mock fealty.

“It would be my pleasure to accompany you, Olivia. Was there anywhere in particular you were wanting to go? Oh, or were you simply hanging around here? That works just as well!”

[rhythmeia-blog1]

Did the charm ever end? This girl was just filled to the brim with it... But Olivia found it refreshing, almost.

      “Ah! That’s good to hear, thank you very much, S-Soleil...        I don’t have a particular place I need to be but... Maybe         I’d like to find my son. You remind me of him quite a bit!”

Her face, her actions, and her personality... Soleil was exactly like her son. So much that it was almost scary. Maybe it was why Olivia was so quick to trust the young girl with her companionship. Olivia had been desperately searching for someone from the Shepherds she would be able to travel with- or better yet, Inigo- but a girl who was just like him was perfectly fine with the dancer.

Olivia tilted her head and looked at the girl more closely. The resemblance between Soleil and Inigo was uncanny... But these things had to simply be a coincidence. Perhaps the flirtatious nature came with the good looks.

      “O-Oh... Sorry for starring! You really do look like him...”