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

Ch. 24 *Our Moment of Peace*

NALIA
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I slowly open my eyes only to see that I'm lying on my couch in my quarters.
I get up groggily, holding a hand over my head.
It still feels weird, but after two weeks, I'm starting to succumb to the voices.

I stand up and stretch before I make my way downstairs. Skyhold has been crowded lately, and chaotic.
Soldiers are getting ready for the final strike against Corypheus. I'm both excited and scared.
Once he's dead, what else is left to do?
A lot. There are still many Fade rifts, I guess that will be our next goal, clean Thedas up, set it back to normal.

But what about when that's done, too?

I walk into Solas's room, he stands in front of the painting on the wall, staring at it.
I don't like that our friendship has been falling apart, ever since Cole became more human. Maybe today I can fix it...
I open my mouth to speak, but his voice fills in.
"I begged you not to drink from the well."

I sigh. "Solas-"

He turns, revealing a raged expression on his face.
"You gave yourself to Mythal. You're servant to a God now! How could you do this?"

"What would you do, Solas?!" I yell back, stepping closer to him. "Let Morrigan drink from the well? Who knows what would've happened! It's better that someone who is leading this entire operation to drink from that well! So why don't you just quit riding my back and leave me alone?!"

His eyes widen, and it makes me realize that I practically screamed those words. All these words that I've been wanting to yell since Cole killed the Templar.
I lower my gaze, exhaling. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"No, I'm sorry," he says, breathing in, reshaping his face to his normal stoic expression.
"You've done nothing but help everyone. Me included. I shouldn't make matters worse when we are so close to our goal. What matters most, is that Corypheus falls, and we retrieve the orb." He looks at me. "You surprise me sometimes, Nalia. You don't appear to be the type to yell."

I scoff. "I guess I surprise a lot of people."
He laughs under his breath, clasping his hands. "Forgive me. For the time being, I will do everything in my power to help you defeat Corypheus."

"We're so close to our goal," I smile a little, "what will you do once all this is over?"

He lowers his gaze. "It is of no importance. I'm an Apostate, after all. But what will you do, Nalia?"

I sigh a little as I tug at a piece of my hair. "I don't have a clan anymore. So I guess, I have to create my own home."
Sounds easier then it is, but with all the traveling we've done, I wouldn't mind settling down either at Crestwood, or the Hinterlands. Nice, rolling country land...

"With the help of Cole, of course," he says with a little smirk.
I blush.
"I didn't agree with you, when you said that Cole should become more human. But now that I've seen him, he seems more at peace. Happier. It appears you helped make him real, Nalia."

I nod. "So far he seems safer as a human." I respond before I smooth my shirt. "I should probably go see him."

"I won't keep you, then," Solas nods with a little wave. "Dareth Shiral, Nalia," he says.
I wave back, walking out of his room and down the castle steps.
I pass Vivienne. "You're glowing, darling."

I rub my cheeks. "Everyone can see that," I say, feeling a little embarrassed, but in a good way.
She makes a sound in the back of her throat.
"I've noticed that there have been, lingering looks shared between you and the boy?"
The boy...she means Cole.
I want to tell her that he has a name, and that she should treat him like a human being, but doing so wouldn't help, she'd still see him as a threat.

I nod. "Cole and I are in a relationship."

She raises an eyebrow. "Oh my dear," she says, beginning to walk past me. "I had thought you had better taste."

I stare at her in fury, hands clenched at my side. I would've ran up and probably punched her in the face if it wasn't for Varric stepping beside me.
"Just let it go," he says, "being a bitch is just her nature."

I look at him. "You're definitely right about that," I sigh, "why can't some just accept the fact that Cole is..." I trail off, before sighing. "Well, you know."

Varric nods. "I get it, you love him. He loves you, that's for damn sure. He's come to me a few times asking about...things."
"Like what?" I ask, feeling a wave of nervousness wash over me. "Oh please don't tell me he's asking Varric about...that side to love!"

Varric shrugs. "Just little stuff really. Like what's the best way to show someone you love them, what to surprise them with, things like that."
I exhale a little louder then I should, but I feel seriously relieved that he didn't ask anything inappropriate.

"By the way, Cole wanted to see you. He said it had something to do with surprising you, I don't know. So, you should probably meet him at the tavern."

A surprise? Well, I must say that I am... surprised.
I nod, taking my leave and going into the tavern. I pass through the Chargers, and Krem staring at a certain Bard singer as she sings her song.

Do I sense some chemistry?
I giggle softly, going up the steps to see Cole standing in the corner.
I greet him with a hug and a soft kiss to the cheek. "Hi, Varric said you wanted to see me?"

"Yes," Cole nods. "Can we go somewhere else? Just for a little while?"
"Oh," I say, a little taken back by this sudden mention of a trip. "Of course. I'll get the horses ready and we'll head out. Where are we going?"

He shakes his head. "I can't tell you, I'm sorry."
I smile. "Don't be," I say, disappearing down the steps to go retrieve our horses for this surprise trip.

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We ride for an hour, entering Hinterland territory.
Soon, Cole stops his horse, getting off and walking away.
I follow behind. "What are we doing?" I ask as I squeeze through two rock walls.
When I emerge on the other side, I gasp.
There's yellow and blue little wildflowers everywhere. Mountains circle around us, with a gorgeous waterfall in the back.

My jaw is dropped, and Cole bends down to touch a flower.
"I wanted to show you what you mean to me," he says, coming my way with the yellow flower. "I hope you like it."

"This is beautiful!" I hug him, tightly. "I can't believe this..."

"Varric helped me find this place," Cole looks around, "he promised not to tell anyone about, so that it would be our little secret. That way, if we ever want to escape, we come here..."

My heart beats so fast it's uncontrollable. Cole did all this, for us?
He tucks the flower in my ear, cheeks blushing as eyes are coated with innocence and shyness. "For so long, I was alone. A ghost, moving from one corner to the next. All I wanted was to help people, and it was enough for me. But after I met you, all I ever wanted, all I ever needed, was you. I just didn't realize it until much later."

He runs a finger down my cheek. "You saved me, Nalia. You made me real, and...I hope that I can make you real, too."

I throw my arms around him. "You already have," I whisper, before I bring my mouth to his, kissing him so gently and softly.
He pulls away, still lingering near my face. "I'm glad you found me, it'll hurt less, now that I have your light."

For hours, we stay in that little secret paradise, laying on the grass, stealing kisses from each other.
I wish we stayed like that forever, but soon, we're pulled back to reality.
But I'm not in it alone. I have my friends.
I have Cole. And that is enough for me.