Doom Upon All The World

Chapter 21: Troublesome

     He saw all of them the day they arrived. He kept his distance, never revealing himself. It was so odd to see them after all this time. They hardly looked any different, slightly older, tired or sad perhaps. But more than the sight of them, their feelings, their sudden rush of emotion was alarming. Something had happened and he was being hit with all of their sorrow. He couldn't bring himself out of the shadow since they arrived. It was too painful. Hiding, sleeping, staying away, it helped. He couldn't even go to Leliana. Even she was different. Jealousy and anger filled her up. She regretted never going to see Josie and now she felt distant from the rest of their friends.

      But there came a time before the Inquisitor and Commander had left that he felt he needed to reveal himself. They were all asleep, all except that tiny child, Tavvy, Bull had called it. He faded into her quarters and sat beside her as she slept. The Inquisitor was a powerful woman but time and the events of recent days had her looking withered. She seemed fragile. He couldn't understand how this could be of course, she was stronger than all of them, except maybe Solas. She laid on her side, Solas' arm wrapped around her middle, her legs tangled in his, his gentle breathing fluttering the strands of hair against her skin. "Flames fluttering, my fault. We have to go back, my fault. Why can't it stay, my fault." He spoke quietly as he read her feelings out loud. He shook his head. "The guilt lies in your head only. They don't blame you. They fear for you." He told her whilst she slept.

     He let out a shaky breath, hoping it would work to soothe her while she was unaware. "Cole?" The voice startled him, sending him reeling backwards. He hadn't intended to be seen and especially not by him. The day before Solas left for the final fight with Corypheus he'd tried to make Cole forget him. He'd never used his own ability on himself. But Solas thought he could do it without him being aware. He was wrong. Now he'd seen him, heard him. He'd thought they'd forget him. Solas was the only wild card. There was no way to know if the God of Deceit would be immune. The question was answered as the Elf rose his head from his pillow just enough to gaze over Maeve's shoulder. 

     He was not surprised to see Cole. He knew he would turn up eventually but the timing was odd. Cole felt the sudden urge to disappear. He didn't want to be here anymore. He needed to get away. He was scared of Solas knowing he was the Dread Wolf, knowing what he was capable of. He began to panic, frantically backing himself into a corner as his chest heaved with crazed breath. Solas rubbed the sleep from his eyes as the boy sat in the corner, shaking as if the chill in the air was unbearable. 

     Cole felt the fear in his soul like a hand around his throat. He felt the darkness as it consumed him, himself fading into invisibility. Solas watched as he faded from view, the fog of sleep still lingering in his mind. He groaned at the irritation of the situation. He didn't mean to scare him but the boy feared his power no matter what. He knew what Solas had done, with the Veil, to Mythal, he could read it on him. And he'd never looked at him the same. He felt terrible about the irritating predicament but laid back against his pillow as sleep tugged at his eyes. Maeve breathed in deeply, stirring from the commotion and rolled onto her back groggily. "What was that?" She questioned in a raspy half conscious voice. Her eyes stayed closed as she spoke. "Just Cole." He replied sliding back down against her and curling to the form of her sprawled body as she laid back on her side. 

     His arm went around her and she pulled the blanket back up. "Who?" She asked again, seeming confused. The realization that she could have forgotten Cole hit him. Then again she could also just not be fully awake and understanding what he meant. It struck him hard in the chest but he was too tired to do anything about it. "Nothing, Vhenan." He whispered, kissing the side of her face gingerly. "Go back to sleep." He soothed before drifting off. A few days later Cole found it difficult to sustain his invisibility. He'd been hiding in one of the unused rooms. This was only to find that the room was in fact being used. A woman with a red stripe on her face and a white haired, unaged man were beginning to wake when he appeared. She yelped in fear when she saw him standing too near to the bed.