The Golden Halla and The Dread Wolf

Chapter 2

2.
"Keep your shield up." Cassandra ordered. Ever since losing her arm  Evangeline can't use a bow anymore. A sword and shield is what she has been training with. Josephine has helped Evangeline get a prosthetic arm. She should use it all the time but she only uses it when training. It didn't actually help her that much in her every day life, it was just something she could strap a shield to.
"Using this arm is strange." Evangeline tried to do her best to adjust the arm.
"You don't wear it enough, that's why." Cassandra points out.
Suddenly they heard the most wonderful singing, it was someone they both recognized. They turned to see Cole and Maryden. Evangeline smiled when she saw them holding hands. "Cole!"  Evangeline exclaimed. She ran and threw her arm around him. "How are you?" She smiled from ear to ear. Having her old friends visit Skyhold always made her ecstatic.
"I am perfect. But you're not." Evangeline frowned. "You are filled with such a great sadness."
"Cole please." She whispered.
"Solas has made a deep wound in your soul. Would you like Maryden to sing you a song?"
"I'm fine."
"But you're not fine."
"Cole!" Cassandra shouted.
"Sorry." He might be more human but he still hasn't figured a lot of things out, like when to stop talking. "Where is the smaller you, your daughter?" Cole loved that little girl. Her thoughts and memories has not yet been tainted by life's cruelty.
"She is with Cullen." Evangeline began to unstrap the shield from her prosthetic arm.
"We aren't done!" Cassandra shouted and  Evangeline fearfully started to re-strap the shield.
"Lyra spends most of her time with Cullen. He is more of a father to her than Solas will ever be."
"You hurt as you think of her." Cole pointed out.
"Cole." Evangeline grumbled. It's not that Evangeline didn't love her it's just that she reminded her so much of Solas. Lyra has her fathers ears, yes his ear. They were long flat and pointed and no matter how hard Evangeline tried she couldn't help think of her lost love when she saw them.
"Evie you can catch up later!" Cassandra called out. "Come now."
Lyra spent  much of her time with Cullen but the commander didn't mind, he loved her as if she was his own. Lyra looked a lot like her mother Evangeline. Bright red hair with tight curls, huge green eyes and perfect porcelain skin. Evangeline has gotten some freckles on her nose and cheeks from being outside so much and she is sure Lyra will end up the same. Solas doesn't know of his daughter and  Evangeline fears that he never will.
"Actually Cassie I was hoping I could take a break to go spend time with my daughter."  Evangeline began to un-strap the shield once more. "And I'm sure you have other things to do, you are The Divine after all."
"Alright." Cassandra smiled at her friend. Everyone of  Evangeline old friends loved her daughter Lyra even Cassandra. They all shared their wisdom with the young girl, each of them had many different things to teach her. Cassandra always taught her how to be tough but also gentle. Aunt Cass is what she called Cassandra. "But you let Cullen know she can't keep Lyra to himself."
"I don't think he will agree with you."

Evangeline was headed to Cullen's office. On the way she passed through Solas old room. The walls he painted reminded her of the time they shared in here. Her favorite part of the fresco was the unfinished part of the wolf and dragon. She hoped one day Solas would come to finish it.
The door to Cullen's office was ajar. Evangeline could hear her daughter giggling from the other side. Lyra loved Cullen more than any of the other of Evangeline friends. Noodle is what she called him for his curly hair reminded her of noodles. In return Cullen called Lyra Pumpkin because of her perfect orange hair.
Evangeline came in the room quietly. Cullen had Lyra sitting on the edge of his desk. Cullen was making silly faces at the child. She giggled with excitement and started to grab his face. He smiled at her because he loved this little girl and loved to see her so happy. When she let go of his face he took his middle and index finger and lightly pitched her nose. "I got your nose!" He raised his hand in the air.
"Give it back Noodle!" She demanded.
"Alright." He lightly pushed his fingers back on her face.
Lyra was only 3 years old, almost 4 and she was feisty just like her mother.
Evangeline noticed all the paperwork stacked up on Cullen's desk. She could tell that when Cullen was watching her daughter he didn't get much work done. "I can see you're very busy Commander."  Evangeline stood in the doorway.
"Mommy!" Lyra squealed. Cullen picked up the child and brought her to her mother.
"I started out doing work but this one here is just so darn energetic!" She started to tickle her stomach which caused her to laugh uncontrollably. Evangeline smiled at them, they were close, they had a connection.
"Cole and Maryden are here." Evangeline blurted out.
"Uncle Cole!" Lyra exclaimed while throwing her arms in the air. Lyra had met all of  Evangeline's old friends and she loved them all.
"Pumpkin would you like to go see Uncle Cole?" Cullen asked the child and she nodded with excitement. She started to squirm out of Cullen's arms. He placed her on the ground and they watched as the child began to run out of the office.
"Be careful!" Evangeline followed after her. Lyra didn't exactly run, more like she waddled.
"Uncle Cole!" She shouted as loud as she could. The last person to visit was Vivienne. She brought Lyra clothes from Orlais, the best clothes a toddler could wear. Although Lyra only wears these clothes on special occasions because she is quite messy.
On the way to see Cole they passed through Solas room once again. Evangeline stopped for just a moment to look at the fresco. She took a deep breath.
"If the paintings hurt you so much we can-"
"No." She interrupted Cullen. "It doesn't hurt." She let out a sigh. "Let's just go find Cole."

They found Cole and Maryden in the gardens. Maryden had started playing music, the song Empress of Fire. Cole sat on the ground while bobbing his head. "Little one." Cole opened his arms for Lyra who had already started running toward him.
Cullen and  Evangeline stayed on the sidelines and let the child play with Cole and Maryden.
"Did you know Cole was coming?" Cullen questioned.
"No he just showed up but I'm glad he's here."
"He seems different." Cullen pointed out. "I am not sure what it is though."
"But he seems happy. He might not exactly be human yet but he is defiantly changing."
Evangeline watched as Lyra started putting flowers in Coles hair.
"Speaking of visitors." Cullen clears his throat. "My sister wants to visit."
"Mia?"  Evangeline questioned and Cullen nodded. "That will be interesting. I can't wait to hear all the stories about you as a kid." Cullen began to blush, he knew his sister would be more than happy to share some embarrassing stories. "I can't wait to meet the famous Mia."

Lyra stood at the bookshelf, pondering her choice. "Can we read one of uncle Varrics?" She turned around to Cullen and  Evangeline who sat on the bed.
"You just have to pick one." Evangeline told her.
Cullen read to Lyra out loud. Lyra said she liked when Cullen reads to her because he makes the funny voices. Evangeline on the other hand had drifted off to sleep.
Just like every other night Solas returns in  Evangeline's dreams. The dream started out nice enough. Evangeline sat on a blanket on a hill at the edge of a forest. In the meadow below Cullen and Lyra were playing. Lyra was a bit older, old enough to practice with a wooden sword. Cullen and Cassandra both agreed that Lyra would grow up knowing how to defend herself.
Suddenly  Evangeline felt someone watching her, but there seemed to be no one else there. That feeling intensified and Evangeline had the need to turn around. In the forest she spotted a pair of big bright yellow eyes. Evangeline felt a chill up her spine. She stood up in fear and watched the creature for a moment before it started to walk out of the darkness of the forest. It was a wolf. She was no longer scared, Evangeline felt a warmth inside of her. Slowly she walked up to the wolf. It did not move, it didn't even flinch. "Solas?"  Evangeline questioned the wolf but it made no sound. She reached out and just as her hand was about to touch the wolf he vanished in a puff of smoke.  Evangeline shut her eyes and let out a sigh.
She woke gently, it was still the middle of the night. Her eyes took a moment to adjust but when they did she saw a dark figure standing at the edge of the bed. She shot up to see what or who it was but it had vanished. Maybe I'm seeing things She thought.
"Are you alright?" Cullen startled her. She looked over at Cullen who was on the other side of the bed and Lyra who lay in between them.
"I'm fine." She rubbed her tired eyes. "I didn't know you were still here." She pointed out.
"I didn't either." He yawned "I must have just fell asleep while reading." He sat up from the bed and stretched. "I best be going."
"Wait." She took a deep breath. "Can you stay?"
"Really?" Cullen had a surprised smile on his face.
"Yeah, Lyra will be upset if she wakes up and you're not here."
"Lyra." He chuckled. "Of course."