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Inquisitor Nimue made her way into the court yard again seeing Vivienne, Solas and Cassandra all arguing over something while Cole sat near the stairs.

"This thing is not a stray puppy you can make into a house pet. It has no business being here." Vivienne says.

"Wouldn't you say the same of an apostate?" Solas shoots back.

There's a brief silence before Cassandra says to her, "Inquisitor, I wondered if Cole was perhaps a mage, given his unusual abilities."

"He can cause people to forget him, or even fail entirely to notice him. These are not abilities of a mage. It seems that Cole is a spirit." Solas says.

"It is a demon." Vivienne says with a scoff.

"If you prefer, although the truth is somewhat more complex." Solas replies.

"He helped us, Vivienne. I see him as no threat to me." Nimue adds.

"He may call it whatever he likes, but it is still a threat." Vivienne says.

"In fact, his nature is not so easily defined." Solas says.

"Speak plainly, Solas. What are we dealing with?" Cassandra asks.

"Demons normally enter this world by possessing something. In their true form, they look bizarre, monstrous." Solas answers.

"But Cole looks like a young man. Could it be possession?" Cassandra asks.

"No. He has possessed nothing and no one, and yet he appears human in all respects. Cole is unique, Inquisitor. More than that he wants to help. I suggest you allow him to do so." Solas says.

"I was already planning to do so Solas, you don't have to convince me. Cole helped us, he's more than welcome to be a part of the Inquisition if he so inclines. And no one will be allowed to treat him any differently, understand?"  Nimue says before she heads off towards the tents to speak with Cole.

Once she's within earshot Cole starts speaking, "Haven, so many soldiers fought to protect the pilgrims so they could escape. Choking fear. Can't think from the medicine but the cuts wrack me with every heartbeat. Hot, white, pain. Everything burns. I can't, I can't, I'm going to... I'm dying, I'm... dead."

"Wait, were you just feeling their pain Cole?" The Inquisitor asks him.

"It's louder this close, with so many of them." Cole mumbles.

"Would you prefer to go somewhere more comfortable?" She asks him kindly, a smile on her face.

"Yes. But here is where I can help. Every breath slower. Like lying in a warm bath, sliding away. Smell of my daughter's hair when I kiss her goodnight. Gone." Cole says as they stop near an Inquisition soldier.

"Cracked, brown, pain. Dry, scraping, thirsty. Here." Cole says as he holds a glass of water to her lips allowing her to drink from it.

The woman mumbles a quiet, "Thank you."

"It's all right, she won't remember me." Cole finishes.

"So you're using your powers as a spirit to help people?" Nimue questions with a small smile on her face.

"Yes." He answers, "I used to think I was a ghost. I didn't know. I made mistakes... but I made friends, too. Then a Templar proved I wasn't real. I lost my friends. I lost everything. I learned how to be more like what I am. It made me different, but stronger. I can feel more. I can help."

Nimue felt a pang of hurt for the lost boy in front of her, for she too knows how that feels to lose everything and have to come back stronger to save the world and be a good Inquisitor for these people, for her people.

"If you're willing Cole the Inquisition could use your help. You already helped us once, so you're a friend to me if you wish to stay." Nimue says to him with a kind smile in his direction.

"Yes, helping. I help the hurt, the helpless, there's someone..." Cole trails off before walking elsewhere, Nimue following behind him.

"Hurts, it hurts, it hurts. Someone make it stop hurting. Maker please." Cole says as he pulls out a small dagger, "The healers have done all they can. It will take him hours to die. Every moment will be agony. He wants mercy. Help."

"All right Cole, help him. End his suffering. No one should have to go through their last moments like that..." Nimue says to him.

"It's all right." Cole mumbles quietly to him before he ends the mans life, after doing so he stands up and says, "I want to stay Inquisitor Nimue."

"Then welcome to the Inquisition Cole, we could use someone like you around here. You've got a friend in me." She says with a smile on her face.

Cole finally looks over and meets her eyes, his breath catching in his throat, "A... friend? You really wish to be my friend?"

"Of course. You are no threat to me, no matter what anyone else thinks. You wish to help but you're misunderstood. You've lost everything so all that's left to do is help." Nimue rambles out, understanding completely.

"How did... how did you know that? Can you hear people's hurt too?" Cole mumbles.

"No Cole I can't, just from what you told me, and my own experiences of things happening, I know what you're feeling because at a point I felt that way too." Nimue answers.

"I can hear your hurt too. Lonely, though surrounded by friends. Wishing, wanting, to be what all the people need you to be. But you don't know what that is. You're scared to do this alone, but you're not alone Nimue." Cole stutters out.

She looks to her feet before looking up, her face pale as a ghost, "Well, Cole, I'm glad that you joined us. Maybe we can become great friends, and help each other's hurt along the way."

"I would enjoy that very much." Cole says, a smile pulling its way onto his lips, happy to be around someone he might actually be able to call a friend again, maybe even many friends.

"I'll see you later Cole, I have a bit more exploring to do of Skyhold." Inquisitor Nimue says with a smile.

"Have a nice time Inqusitor." He says.

"Please, Just call me Nimue, Cole." She says to him kindly.

"Oh, well, have a nice time... Nim. Is that... okay?" He questions, unsure of if the nickname would bother her.

"Of course Cole, Nim it is." She says before waving at him and walking off to go exploring Skyhold and the Gardens.

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Cole is so precious!

I enjoyed writing this
chapter a lot, finally I
we get some more
Cole.

But I hope you all
enjoyed it!

There's a lot
more Cole to come.