Forgotten Boy

Rhys And Evangeline

When we woke the next morning and continued our journey, Dorian knew something was up. He questioned me while he checked my arm and Cole wandered in the distance. He didn't usually venture far from us so Dorian was even more suspicious.
"What's gotten into him? I can understand you being a little off, given the circumstances, but him?"

"He was upset about Solas, too. He was a close friend."

"Funny, I was talking about Solas to him and it sounded like he loathed the man," he tilted his head, "what's happened?"

"It's a long story..." I sighed, not wanting to get into it all now.

"Ah, one of those, is it? Don't worry, I won't badger you about it anymore."
He wrapped my withered hand and looped a sling around my chest, "that should be more comfortable."

I thanked him and we climbed back into the saddles to continue our journey. Cole didn't say a word as he sat behind me, even when I asked him how he was.
I put it down to nerves and left him to ride in silence.

It was five days before we came across embers dying on a fresh campfire ahead of us, and when Dorian went to inspect the ashes he confirmed that it had only been left a matter of hours ago. It may not have been them but the hope that we were drawing close gave me something else to think about. Cole seemed to fidget behind me, uncomfortable with the possibility that he might see his old friend again.
After an hour we found hoof prints in the soft mud underfoot and, although there were only a few, it showed that we were getting closer to whoever we were tracking.
Cole was restless, not staying still for more than a few minutes, and I turned to him, "what's wrong?"

"He's close" he almost whispered, his face full of regret, "I don't want to see him."

"You don't have to, I will speak to him."

Just as I said that he slid from the nuggalope's back and walked in the opposite direction. Dorian called after him and I began to turn around, but when I saw him stop maybe 20 feet away, I realised he was only letting us go on ahead of him. He walked behind us for the next half an hour before darting into the shadows of the trees that were appearing to our right.
Just when I thought that maybe we'd lost whoever we were following, there was a crackle of magic and a red bolt knocked me from the saddle. I yelped in alarm and Dorian quickly reached for his staff, holding it in the direction of the blast.
"Who's there!" He hollered.

Two strangers stepped from the shadows, one holding a sword out in front of her, and the other pointing his staff at us. Rhys and Evangeline, I guessed.

I got up slowly and dusted off my armour, "Rhys?"

"Who are you and why are you following us?" He growled.

"I lead the inquisition," I announced, "we contacted you a while back?"

He lowered his staff and stepped forward a little, "the inquisition? I helped as best as I could, what do you need from me?"

"I'm here to ask you about Cole."

"Who's Cole?" Evangeline asked flatly, still suspicious of us.

Rhys' features darkened, "I don't know who you're talking about."

"I think you do" I snapped, worried that Cole was hearing this and, if he could, hoping that he could see that the man was lying.

"I can assure you, I don't. I don't want to speak anymore of it."

"You met with Cole for months, you know what he is and what he did. You're not in trouble, I just need you to tell me that you remember him."

"Why? Why are you bringing this up now, after years of keeping myself to myself? Why, now, is it being brought up?"