He let out a sigh as he laid back on the blanket that had been his "bed" ever since he and Evangeline had hit the road. He had been terrified when Evangeline had been injured and then taken away by those men who had been mutated by the red lyrium that he and Evangeline had been looking into in the first place. He was so afraid that he had lost her again. He was equal parts surprised and delighted when he saw several Inquisition scouts approach him with an offer to help him find Evangeline. He immediately accepted, too desperate to care about whatever the terms were.
When he got Evangeline back he held her in a tight embrace. She was embarrassed, reminding him that there were people watching, but he didn't care; he just held her close, afraid that if he let go she'd disappear again. He'd sent a letter of thanks to the Inquisitor, offering up whatever help he and Evangeline could, save going to Skyhold.
People viewed him and Evangeline as one of several people responsible for the mage rebellion that had begun a year ago, along with Hawke, Anders, Adrian, Pharamond, and even Rhys' own mother, among others. He assumed that was why the Inquisition had sent out scouts to search for him and Evangeline.
"Rhys."
He sat up, smiling when he saw a bemused Evangeline standing before him, arms crossed in slight annoyance.
"There are still several hours of daylight left. You could help us set up camp, you know." They had been traveling with Inquisition scouts for the past few days, off to help fight in Val Firmin as the Inquisitor had requested.
"But we've been walking all day," he carped, a sly grin on his face to indicate that he was simply being a smartass. "I'm aching all over." He feigned a sigh of exhaustion as he fell back on the blanket.
Evangeline rolled her eyes, then bent down, grabbing Rhys by the arm and pulling him up. "Enough of that," she said. "Get up and..." She trailed off when a messenger bird flew down and landed on Rhys' lap.
She frowned in annoyance, staring skeptically at Rhys as though silently accusing him of having plotted this in order to get out work. When Rhys grinned at her she couldn't help but roll her eyes and smile.
"If this is about you not wanting to do work, you can read the letter to me," Rhys suggested.
"It's for you, not me," Evangeline said.
He shrugged, carefully removing the letter from the bird's leg. "The seal on the letter is the Inquisition's. I'd just end up summarizing what it says to you anyway.
A slight smirk on her face, Evangeline nodded and sat down next to Rhys, who handed her the letter. She unraveled the paper and began to read aloud.
Enchanter Rhys,
I suppose first and foremost I should tell you that this is not my adviser, Lady Montilyet.
"Wow, a letter from the Inquisitor himself," Rhys said. "I must have really impressed him."
Evangeline shook her head in amusement and scoffed. "Now why do I find that difficult to believe?" she said, looking back down at the letter. She continued from where she had left off before Rhys had interrupted.
I would have addressed this letter to both you and Lady de Brassard,
She gave Rhys a smug look.
but I fear she may not remember.
Evangeline went quiet for a moment, she and Rhys both lost now. Still, Evangeline read on.
Perhaps I should not be writing to you at all; he didn't want me searching for you and Lady de Brassard in the first place. He wanted to let the two of you be, and he was fairly upset that I searched for you until he found out that it ended up helping you.
You need not reply; he always reads your responses no matter how discrete I ask Lady Montilyet to be. He has a knack for sneaking around unnoticed, after all.
Why, I haven't even gotten to the point of this letter yet, have I? What I want to discuss with you is Cole.
"Rhys, who is Cole?" Evangeline asked when she noticed Rhys tense.
He was taken aback by the question. They hadn't spoken of Cole in some time. Rhys was aware that people forgot Cole (Evangeline had in the past, after all), but actually hearing her ask who Cole was caused him to feel unnerved. Then again, so did the mere thought of Cole.
"Evangeline," he said, no longer in a joking mood, "give me that."
He grabbed for the letter, but Evangeline pulled it out of his reach.
"Rhys, what's going on?" she said cautiously. "Who is Cole, and what's this about me not remembering?
"Is there some kind of spell involved here? ...Did you—?"
"—No, Evangeline, of course not!" he said, quickly getting to his feet. "It's just... it's a long story, and even if I explain, you probably won't remember."
"I can remember, Rhys," Evangeline said, standing up and putting her hands on her hips. "If I'm mentioned in this letter, and this has something to do with me... Is this some magic thing?"
"No. I mean, sort of. I..." Rhys sighed. "This isn't about you; it's about something else. It... it's best if you don't get involved. This is a complicated situation, and it could be dangerous. I don't want to get you tangled up in this mess."
"I can take care of myself," she said, taking a few steps forward so that the two of them were only inches apart.
He couldn't help but smile, and he cupped her chin in his hand. "I know you can," he said, "but this is something I have to deal with myself."
Evangeline was silent for a moment, but she could see the sincerity in his eyes. She sighed, playfully pushing Rhys away and then handing him the letter. He smiled in thanks, and kissed her forehead. She blushed in embarrassment, as they were not alone.
Rhys walked away so that he was still close to the camp, but alone. After taking a deep breath he continued to read the letter.
When Corypheus and his troops attacked Haven, the small village where the Inquisition was originally based, Cole came to warn us. He was too late, obviously, but he stayed to help.
No one knows he is here aside from myself and my inner circle. I still can't fathom how it's possible for him to make himself selectively invisible.
He is always by himself, listening. He says he can hear the thoughts of those who need help. The only time he ever lets anyone see him is to help them. Speaking consoling words or giving advice, but he always makes them forget him in the end, leaving them only with a warm feeling or new knowledge.
You might be wondering why I'm telling you all this, and it is because Cole told me about the White Spire. He told me what he did and how you showed him it was wrong. He told me to kill him if he ever starts again. He also informed me that you were his only friend, and that when Seeker Lambert revealed what he was you looked at him like he was a monster.
He appears to be around my age, but he possesses both a childlike naïvety and a profound wisdom you would expect from a man who has lived a long and fulfilled life.
In your last letter you mentioned him, did you not? He read the letter, and wrote only two words at the bottom of the paper: he remembers.
It was written, but I could sense the relief and bittersweet joy in those two words.
Cole is a spirit of Mercy, of Compassion. I am no mage, but I can tell this much. I can also tell he's more than that. Not because he has a physical body of his own, but because of his affection for you. Because of his childlike innocence.
After reading what you wrote it seems like you regret not helping Cole get to the Fade. Don't. You have already helped him more than you can imagine.
Sincerely,
Inquisitor Maxwell Trevelyan
Rhys sauntered over back to the camp, looking around in confusion when he saw that no one was there.
"Some went out for firewood, some went to get water, and the rest went hunting," said Evangeline, stepping out of the shadows and causing Rhys to jump in surprise. She laughed. "You look happy. Was your problem solved, then?"
Rhys smiled. "Apparently it was solved a long time ago."
Evangeline stared at him curiously, but nodded, willing to let him keep his little secret.
"Good," she said with a smile. "Now we just have to deal with this Corypheus, the red lyrium, the mage rebellion, and the hole in the sky."
"Why, Lady de Brassard," he teased, "I do believe I recall you saying that could handle yourself."
"Oh, I can handle myself, alright," she said with a laugh, wrapping her arms around Rhys' neck, "but this... I don't know if even the Inquisitor can handle this."
"He can handle it," Rhys assured her. "He has good people at his side." His smile broadened. One good thing that came out of Cole's mistake was that it had brought Rhys to Evangeline. "The Inquisitor and I have that in common."
"Is that so?" said Evangeline, pressing up against his chest, a taciturn reminder that the two of them were alone now.
He chuckled, silently thanking Cole; silently forgiving him, and sending an apology of his own. "Why, yes," he said, leaning in to kiss her, "yes it is."
"Cole... Cole?"
Cole turned to look at the Inquisitor, who was staring at him curiously.
"What's wrong?" the Inquisitor inquired.
Cole blinked in confusion, unsure of this himself.
"Something's different," Cole said.
The Inquisitor raised an eyebrow, but shrugged it off, used to Cole's odd, nonsensical comments by now. "Whatever you say," the Inquisitor said, walking away.
Cole smiled then; something he hadn't done in a long while.
"A good different."