ROGUE🖤 (Cole x OC! Lavellan) ✓ [COMPLETED]

Ch. 17 *Emerald Graves*❣️

NALIA
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My hands feel like they've been burned from how long I've been holding the reins to my horse. We've been riding all day, not stopping to rest no more then five minutes. We have to reach Emerald Graves before nightfall. Scout Harding said that this Fairbanks is willing to discuss things with us... hopefully, he's willing to join the Inquisition.

It's been a month now, since Cole became more human. A month of him talking and acting like a regular person. He eats, drinks, sleeps, everything we all do. He's already experienced a few stomach aches from eating too many sweets. He's learned his lesson though, humans have limits after all.

Iron Bull has already tried to get him to experience the... 'pleasurable' side of being human. Luckily, I stepped in before it could happened. I caught Iron Bull telling Cole that he'a going to set him up with someone named 'Candy', and that Bull is willing to pay for it.

I immediately stopped it before any more could be spoken, thank God. Iron Bull doesn't understand that these things should be romantic, and that you should know and love the person before doing such a thing like that. I yelled at him about it for an hour, so I'm pretty sure he got the message.

Besides, for now, Cole is too innocent for such things.
Finally, we reach the lush green forest, with hundreds of large trees surrounding us.

Emerald Graves...

I smile brightly, staring around at everything. Leliana warned us about coming here, because of the rifts, of Corypheus's Venatori and Mages, of these men who calls themselves 'Freemen of the Dales', and giants roaming these forests. And yes I'm cautious, but still, every time I come here, I get the sense of being home again.

We spot the camp dead ahead, and when we stop our horses, I get off and approach Scout Harding.

"Inquisitor, welcome to the Emerald Graves," she says. "Some of our agents have spotted many Fade rifts surrounding the area. And this...Fairbanks won't speak to any of us. He, demands to see you, and only you."

I nod. "Thank you for the report. I'll see what I can do."

"Be careful out there, but enjoy the forest while you still can." She walks away, and I approach my men who are setting up there tents.

"First thing tomorrow morning, we head out to meet Fairbanks, for now," I turn to Dorian. "Why don't you start a fire?"

"Yes, a fire without kindling, very smart," he sasses, and I can't help but giggle. Iron Bull walks past us. "I'll go find some logs. Cole?" He looks at Cole, who's knelt down touching the grass, "wanna tag along?"

"Actually, there were some things I needed to talk about with Cole," I glare at Iron Bull. I'm still pissed off about what he tried doing, and Bull can see it.
He laughs, shaking his head. "He's not your pet, Nalia. He can do what he wants."

I almost throw a rock at his head, but if it wasn't for Cole's soft voice speaking up, I would've done it.
"You needed to speak with me?" He asks sweetly.

I turn towards him. "Yes, um...can- can we do it in private?" I lead him away from the others before turning to face him. "Look, I understand that you're asking the other party members for help about, becoming more human," I say, "but there are some limits."

He furrows his brow. "Like what?" He asks softly, like a little kid whose intrigued and confused about something new.

"Well, I-I mean..." I trail off, shit how can I say this without making a fool of myself? Finally, I sigh. "Just don't go to Iron Bull, or Sera anymore, okay? The others will gladly help you."