I am but your Humble Servant *a Dragon Age: Inquisition Fanfic*

Chapter VIII: Thoughts of a Bard

Two days passed. Artemis remained locked in her chambers the entire time, trying to figure out what to do, or simply waiting for it to all go away, she was uncertain. The party had filled in the rest of the Inquisition about their encounter with the demon in the Fade, sans those intimate thoughts that nobody was willing to share again. They were beginning to worry. On the urging of everyone else, Sera had come to her door, demanding to be let in, but had only been met with silence.

Vivienne had left for Orlais on the first evening, and Blackwall had been called to Weisshaupt for his official Joining the following day, both requesting to be written as soon as the Inquisitor left her room.

Inside her chambers, Artemis was curled up in her bed with the covers pulled over her head. Despite the chilling snow that had fallen continuously since their return, the stained glass doors leading to the balcony remained open, causing a dusting of snow to fill the room.

What am I supposed to do? Not for the first time her thoughts returned to this question. How am I ever to face Cole again, now that he knows how perverse I am. He probably thinks I want to take advantage of him. Oh Maker, why?

Artemis was jolted from her thoughts by a loud whistle followed by a thunk. Her heart sped up and she froze, trying to remember if she had returned her dagger to its place under her pillow. A quick search revealed she had not and her stomach sank. She paused, holding her breath and waited for her assailant to uncover her.

Moments passed before she heard exasperated grunts coming for somewhere, and with a heavy groan they were suddenly gone again. This is it, she thought, brace yourself Artemis.

Silence, then suddenly the covers were ripped off of her and she was surrounded by the orange evening sun and the biting winter air. She squinted to see that the culprit was none other than Sera, who was frantically tying her bedsheets together.

“What are you doing, Sera?” she asked as she sat up and wrapped her arms around herself and let her long white hair out.

“Helping Varric, stupid dwarf wouldn't leave his precious Bianca down there on the side of the cliff.” As Sera continued making a rope out of her Ferelden linen, Artemis gazed out onto the balcony where a rope was hanging. Further investigation revealed it was bound to an arrow, which was specific to Varric's crossbow, wedged in the wooden frame of the door. Artemis shook her head and hopped off the bare bed. She walked to her armoire and picked out a long thick cloak and shrugged it on. She then walked past her desk, noting the layer of snow covering it and the papers, and looked over the side of the balcony.

“You're up Moony, that's great!” Varric yelled from a great distance down. “Now tell Buttercup to hurry up, I'm freezing a nug’s ass off down here.”

“Yeah yeah, quit your whining,” came Sera's voice beside her. She dropped the makeshift rope down to Varric, who after a couple of jumps, managed to cling on and climb his way up and over the stone railing.

Helping Varric up, Artemis smiled and stated dryly, “you know I could have just unlocked the door for you.”

“Alas, doors are for people with no imagination. And as you know, that's something I have in abundance.” He laughed before turning serious. “Now let's get you sorted out and presentable because you are leaving this room and coming to dinner at the tavern.”

Artemis began to protest but was interrupted. “No objections.”

Sera fixed Artemis’ hair into a simple design, leaving most of it down but braiding sections at the top, while Varric sat at her chair with his feet on the desk talking to her. “Quit worrying about what you think everyone thinks about you. So what if you fantasise about someone,” he didn't say the name as Sera would have likely pulled chunks of Artemis’ hair out.

“You always prided yourself in the fact that the peoples’ Inquisitor was just an ordinary person, and this just further cements that idea. To be perfectly honest, I think they would be disappointed if the demon said you were hollow inside.” Varric chuckled and hopped off of the chair. “I'll leave you girls to change. Meet you at the Rest in a bit. Don't take too long, everyone will be waiting.” He walked towards the door before Artemis spoke.

“I thought doors were for people lacking in imagination Varric?”

The dwarf laughed and rubbed his neck. “Yeah, well, I'm not too fond of looking down, that's all.” He left promptly, his pride wounded, and Sera walked to the armoire and picked out a simple, pale blue long sleeved dress. She waited for Artemis to dress before tying the white sash around her slight waist. Sera herself was wearing a pair of leather leggings and patchwork wool overshirt.

“C’mon, let's go already, I'm starved.” Sera grabbed the other elf's hand and rushed her from the room, bounding down the stone steps. They zipped past everyone in the main hall as they hurried to bow to their Inquisitor. They then burst into the tavern which was relatively quiet, only a few lonely souls about, apart from Artemis’ inner circle. Bull cheered as they made their way to the long table and sat down, and placed huge mugs of ale in front of the pair. Sera turned her nose up at it and slid it beside Artemis’ before getting up to get some mead.

Despite feeling anxious, Artemis engaged in friendly conversation and witty banter. She was relieved when none of her companions mentioned the demon, or even looked at her in any manner other than the usual. However, it was Cole who was oddly quiet the entire evening, and refused to meet her eye. I think he knows. Her heart sank a little at the thought, and plummeted further at the next. I bet it's Maryden he thinks about. Artemis shook her head and smiled, laughing with the others at a joke she hadn't heard.

Cole had heard her pained thoughts and had to restrain himself from saying anything. Instead he repeated the same line in his head over and over wishing she would hear. It's you. It's you. It's you…

After they had indulged themselves in fine food, they tried their luck with a game of Wicked Grace, with Josephine prevailing, as usual. They all then made their way back to their chambers, huddling in the cold, pockets a little lighter. Artemis smiled to herself as she closed her door behind her, happy that nothing had changed between her friends. When she made her way up the stairs, she was given a fright as she saw Cole sitting cross legged on her bed, and a small yelp escaped her mouth.

Cole furrowed his brow in worry, but relaxed when Artemis waved her hand at him. She steadied her heart as she closed all the doors and lit the fireplace in an attempt to drive away the chill. She stood with her back to the fire and spoke, “Cole, is everything-”

“It's not Maryden,” was all Cole said. He got off the bed and slowly made his way towards her.

Artemis’ heart picked up tempo once again and she tried to calm the situation. “Cole, I don't understand what you're saying. Maryden isn't what?”

Cole kept advancing, but it was not menacing. “My thoughts. They are never about Maryden. When the demon saw inside my head, it was not a bard it saw. Sweet, soft, warm and wanting, but not Maryden, never Maryden, always another, only one other.”

He was standing just in front of Artemis when he stopped. She waited, paralysed entirely except her pounding heart. He was staring at her, into her, his blue eyes soft yet determined. He raised his hand tentatively and hovered just shy of her cheek for a moment before he laid his warm hand down on her face. Her eyes fluttered shut on their own and she unknowingly leant into his touch. Cole spoke again, this time his voice was at her ear and was breathier than normal, “only you.”