Dragon Age One Shots

Cake, Cassandra & Vivienne

A disgusted noise snapped out of the kitchen. Vivienne anticipated finding some of the scullery maids attempting to beat a rat, which would then be turned into the typical stew for the evening. What she found was, in truth, far more fascinating.

Black hair dripping in dough, flour scattered across a hauberk, armed with spatula and bowl, the Seeker turned from whatever she was attempting to slay. Her scowl slipped to one of shock as she eyed up Madam de Fer entering into the kitchen.

"Cassandra...?" Vivienne began, in truth, surprised to find her here of all places.

"What are you doing here?" Cassandra shot back, seeming as much tipped off her stance from Vivienne appearing in the kitchens. The rather ransacked kitchens she now realized.

Vivienne smiled patiently, "There was a rather emphatic boom to shake Skyhold. I assumed it to be Sera and another of her pranks, but it appears I was mistaken. What, pray tell, are you attempting to do?"

"I was," Cassandra glared at the bowl in her clutches, "I am making a cake."

"You're going about it in a most interesting of fashion."

"Argh!" she amped up her disgusted noise, nearly flinging both bowl and spatula against the wall. They paused before shattering to pieces, though Cassandra did not lighten. Vivienne inspected the lumpy mass clinging to the bottom of the bowl as if in fear for its life, as was the wont of many in Cassandra's presence.

"I beat the eggs as instructed," Cassandra snarled, jabbing a finger at a cookbook propped up on the table.

"Quite, but one does not usually reach the point where the eggs are willing to renounce their faith. Here," Vivienne scraped out the bowl and began anew, "allow me."

Cassandra's scowl faded to shock and almost concern, as if she feared for Vivienne. What a delightful concept. After sifting the flour and sugar together in a separate bowl, Vivienne began to work on the wet, which was when Cassandra voiced her barely hidden thoughts.

"You can cook?"

"This is baking, my dear. And yes, I can."

"It's just..." she pursed her lips, blowing air out through them in thought. "It seems as if it'd be beneath you."

"It is a skill. One must never turn one's nose up at the opportunity to learn a new trade that would prove useful," Vivienne was quick to fold in the softened butter and a dash of vanilla. "I can also sew, play the lute, and perform three different plays should the need arise."

Leaving Cassandra well impressed, Vivienne turned to eye up the recipe and snatched up the tin of cocoa powder. Interesting. "A chocolate cake?" she mused while sifting the cocoa powder into the white flour. As it happily settled in, waiting for the spoon to combine it, Vivienne paused.

She glanced over the pacing and clearly agitated Seeker, "This wouldn't happen to be for anyone special?"

"What?" Cassandra froze in her tracks, her eyes always announcing her thoughts. It was a wonder she survived in Orlais for a minute never mind twenty years.

"A chocolate cake, made by your own hands. That would seem to me to be something of a more thoughtful, dare I say, romantic gesture."

"No," Cassandra shook her head as if a hornet took up residence. "No, no, no. I simply..." she snorted, her fingers digging into each other as if she wished to have a sword in them. With a sigh, her head flopped to her chin, "I wanted to have cake. Craved it and thought I could make it myself. Foolish. I've never baked anything in my life."

A smile warmed Vivienne's face. She placed the two pans filled with batter into the oven and leaned back beside Cassandra. "That is a much more divine reason to make a cake."

"You, uh, would you like to stay and have some as well? It's certainly not fancy, but..."

It was adorable how the Seeker scampered around the breadcrumbs of friendship. Vivienne reached over and took her hand. Giving it a good shake, she announced, "I would be delighted to share a slice with you."