I'm worried about how this turned out, because Cole is surprisingly hard to write.
The box had arrived under the cover of darkness with the aid of Leliana's best agents, before they left for a week long mission. From there, and after the contents had been personally inspected by the relevant parties, it was locked in the Inquisition vault, hidden under next month's wage pile. The easy part over, everyone involved in the operation did their best to forget about it for the next few weeks until at long last, the Inquisitor brushed the coins from the lid, and took it to the tavern.
Evelyn checked the package for damage as she went, unsure of how much weight had been resting on it. Thankfully, if there was one thing Orlesians were careful about, it's keeping their precious accessories safe.
The face Cole pulled when she set the box on the table in front of him was well worth the last few weeks of thinking about nothing but the growth rate of every piece of elfroot in the garden. His eyes went from the ornate pattern painted on the paper, to the silky ribbon tied with an intricate looking bow that Josephine promised could be unravelled with a single tug. Then he looked towards Evelyn, features growing slightly more comprehending as he read her, "Mother won't tell, Father just laughs. Maxwell thinks the attic, Lizzie says the cellar. But it comes from Nan's cabinet, bright and brilliant and beautiful and…mine?" He finished, looking back at his present.
"That's right." Evelyn smiled, making a mental note to tell her parents about this entire operation. It was the type of thing she could see them appreciating, even if Cole was technically too old to count as their grandson. "Go on, open it."
He blinked at her, before gently tugging on the exact strand of the bow he needed to. Evelyn settled back to watch him, correctly guessing he'd be nothing like she or her siblings. Instead he peeled away the wrapping paper slowly to avoid ripping any of it. Eventually though he was left with the still very impressively decorated box, the lid coming free with only slight resistance.
Just as before, the look on his face made the hours spent over a catalogue of Orlesian fashion all worth it. "I remember you telling Dorian how wonderful the hats at the ball were." Truth be told that little conversation was probably the best thing to come out of that particular trip, no offence meant to their jester of course. "So, I thought, what better way to celebrate your first birthday, than with one of your own?"
Cole blinked at her before pulling the hat out, inspecting it carefully. Vivienne had sent the catalogue promising it contained some of the more practical designs, but the wide brim was still curved at the side to look rakish, and what looked like a giant plant was tucked into the braid roping around the base. Finally, he set it down with a small frown, "You don't like Orlesian clothes."
Evelyn blinked, "Well, not particularly."
"Too many frills, too much pomp. Will you still like me if I wear it?" Maker, he actually sounded worried about it.
"Of course I'll still like you Cole. What hat you choose to wear won't change that."
Thinking it over, Cole finally nodded, setting the hat back in its box before replacing the lid. "I won't wear it yet. The horses might get it messy. Tonight though, at the party."
"If that's what you want to do Cole." Evelyn smiled, watching him pick up the hat box and take it upstairs before coming back through the bar and leaving, for the stables presumably. Watching him leave, Evelyn settled back with a sigh of her own, pleased by how that had gone, if not worried slightly.
Having overheard the whole exchange and grimacing in sympathy, Cabot brought her a drink over. Thanking him, Evelyn took a long first sip, almost choking on it when she realised what Cole had said.
"Alright, who thought about the surprise party?"