Although Artemis' cheeks burnt, she was overwhelmed with joy and relief. She opened her eyes to see Cole's face, also dusted with a pink blush, adorned with a small smile. Tears sprang forth as she too smiled, before giggling softly and looking down, blissfully bashful. Cole moved his hand from her cheek to her narrow chin and tipped her head upwards, meeting his gaze with hers. He raised his other hand and brushed the falling tears from her face. "Why are you crying? I am so sorry for making you sad, do you wish me gone?" His voice was quiet and unsure, completely different from how determined it had been before.

Artemis' heart dropped and she was quick to act. She threw her arms around Cole's narrow shoulders and leant her head against his warm chest. She was comforted by the beat of his heart and she whispered, "of course I don't want you to leave. I never want to be apart from you Cole." She heard his heart skip and change its rhythm, and she brought a hand to his chest, feeling it aswell. My sweet Cole...I never thought this day possible.

Cole threaded his fingers through her long hair as he embraced the lady leaning against him. Spirits her hair is so soft. He inhaled deeply, taking in the sweet scent he had only smelt a handful of blessed times. How she puts every flower's perfume to shame is beyond understanding. Cole placed his free hand over hers resting on his chest, and noted it's feeling. Her hands are so small and delicate, like a fragile doll without the cold lifelessness. Yet with such agility and accuracy does she wield that strong bow of hers. Oh how she contradicts her very being, if only I could express these sentiments to her.

Cole felt Artemis' arms tighten around his body before she whispered, "why me, Cole?"

He faltered. Why? How can I explain this feeling to her without forgetting even the tiniest of detail? He rubbed his thumb idly in circles on the back of her soft hand as he tried to convey his deepest emotions to the elf in his arms. "From that very first moment you fell into my world, so too did you fall into my heart. Your inaudible cries of pain and hurt filled my ears as that demon tried to become you, but that mockery could only muster a pale imitation of everything you were. I followed you, just shy of your senses, from the beginning, protecting you from unseen evils as you struggled not to doubt yourself before the projections of your dying companions. And when I finally revealed myself to you, you could have run or lashed out in violence like so many before you. But you stayed and you listened. And when I appeared on your table in front of all your skeptical advisors, you defended and you pleaded. For me."

"Rarely, both within the Fade and without, had one stood up for me, the spirit, the demon, the forgotten boy. But here I had bore witness to a human elf, possessing no magic and no knowledge of my past, who stood at sword point to guard an odd boy in an oversized hat she had barely known. My heart had ached, and I had no idea why. During my time in Haven, as Varric began teaching me things, I could always feel you, all your pain and apprehension and guilt and sadness. When you would take me beyond those low walls of that snowy village, I was overjoyed, although unknowingly, for I got to travel at the side of my compassionate saviour."

Artemis raised her head to look at the face of the young man which was darkened by shadows thrown by the low light of the hearth. She reached up and removed the beloved hat from Cole's head and rested it gently on the mantle. Turning back to his face she noticed the tears that were welled in his eyes. She felt an immense sorrow looking at the innocence of the boy before her. She held his face in her hands. "C-Cole I had no idea that…that you felt this way so early. Why didn't you say something. I feel like I've burdened you and by gods that is the last thing I want to do to you."

Cole breathed deeply before removing her hands from his face and holding them warmly in his own. "You could never burden me. I barely understood the simplest of feelings through Varric's conversations, how could I have explained what I felt to him let alone to you?"

"But-"

"Please Artemis, let me go on, for my sake as much as for the answer to your question." Artemis nodded quietly and waited.

"All those feelings and thoughts I had begun to have in Haven were soon very overpowered by those that followed once we reached Skyhold. I faced being cast out of the Inquisition by Vivienne and Cassandra, and losing all those memories and time with you. But once more, you were there at my defence, a gleaming light in the darkness that shone for me. I wanted to believe it was for only me, but I was not delusional, I understood enough to know that others were enraptured with you just as I was. And however could I hope to compete with the likes of them? I watched as you and Solas grew closer and closer, sharing moments alone and dreams together. And I felt your pain soften when he was near you, so I waited back in the shadows, spending my hours alone in the inn. While Solas' feelings for you grew, so too did mine blossom in the dark."

"Those feelings stayed with me, unchanging and unfamiliar to me until that day in Redcliffe. After almost ending that man's life but being unable to, it was as if something changed inside me. Varric would later help, but at the time it was as if those feelings suddenly exploded and was replaced with something so very much more intense. Your radiant beauty I thought could not be bested, suddenly changed into a thousand tiny details coming together to form the perfect being. The stories I'd heard of Andraste's grace and beauty were nothing when I looked at you. Your soul was brighter than anything I'd seen, even in the Fade."

"And then that day came. When I saw your bare face, clear from the swirling green markings I'd always known you with, I heard your anguish more. I felt your heart bleed as you walked numb though the following days, Solas echoing through your mind but no longer present at your side. I wished, wanted so desperately to help soothe you, but you distanced yourself from everyone. And then it was done, gone, finished. Corypheus had be slain by the mighty Inquisition and Solas vanished. Jubilant crowds are said to have celebrated over all of Thedas. From Val Royeaux in Orlais, to Denerim in Ferelden, to Dairsmuid in Rivain, to Minrathous in the Imperium, and Kirkwall and Starkhaven and Antiva and even all the way to Qunandar in Par Vollen, royalty and commoners alike sung together with bards, telling the tale of the courageous Dalish elf who purged the world of their fear. That Dalish elf, who in all her gorgeous glory, stood before the bowing King and Queen of Ferelden, with the facade of a humble citizen, all the while being tormented inside over her lost love. I watched in pained silence as she stopped eating and sleeping when she should have been rejoicing with the world. The one thing I have never wanted to do more in my entire existence was to go to your side, to take you in my arms and rock you to sleep, to dry your tear stained face and restore your overwhelming beauty, charm and soul. I would have traded everything on this mortal coil to make you happy again, to bring back that bright light that had shone for me in my darkest times. But I could not. I could only watch you suffer in grief and melancholy, for what was I compared to the great Solas? How could I hope to mend that scar?"

The tears fell from Cole's eyes as his voice hitched and his breathing became laboured. He brought Artemis' hands, still wrapped in his own shaking ones, to his heart and closed his eyes. "And yet you wonder and ask 'why me'? I may not have known in the beginning but I have the answer now. You, Artemis, the amazing, beautiful and pure Artemis, have given me the greatest gift of all. The one emotion I've only known for a short time, but the one I could never live without. And now I want nothing more than to share it with you. I love you. That is and always will be my answer to you."

Artemis, having never before been so moved in her entire life, rose onto the balls of her feet, gaining those precious few centimetres keeping him from her. Without hesitating, she laid her lips gently against his mouth. Cole tensed against her and dropped their hands, freeing Artemis to wrap her arms around his neck without breaking contact. With this gesture, Cole relaxed into her kiss and wound one arm around her slight waist and entangled his other in her long hair.

They stayed for a time before Artemis released his now reddened lips to look at his freckled pink cheeks. "I love you too, Cole. Please don't ever leave me."

Cole smiled as he wiped the tears from his eyes. "I would rather be cast back into the Fade forever than hurt you." He stooped down and buried his face in her sweet smelling hair, his soft voice barely a whisper. "You are the most precious thing I've ever come across in all my travels. My dear Artemis…"

Her eyes had drifted shut as he had leant on her shoulder, but that intoxicating mixture of honey and milk filled her mind and she turned her head to the side, nuzzling his neck. "I am yours."

At her quiet affirmation, Cole brought his head from her shoulder and tucked a long lock of white hair behind her pointed ear, before bringing her face to his and returning his lips to those he'd barely become acquainted with, but already loved so much. Her perfect lips feel better than I'd ever imagined. So very warm and comforting, so sweet and tender. Is this what kissing feels like for everyone? Just then he remembered something from Varric's book. His heart picked up tempo as he became anxious whether it would be acceptable.

Upon feeling Artemis' fingers trail up his neck to tangle with his fair hair, he decided to proceed. He felt out her plump bottom lip and ever so gently grazed it with his teeth. At the contact, he felt her fingers tighten in his hair and hoped desperately this was not a negative gesture. These teeth which everyone stared at and made fun of have done it now, I'm such a fool thinking it would be fine.

Cole was just about to pull away, but an eager nibble on his own lip gave him pause. A shot of electricity tingled down his spine and a slight gasp escaped his mouth before it was abruptly filled. Something warm had invaded his mouth and it took but a moment before he realised it was Artemis' own tongue. His eyes shot open in shock and saw the elf's two coloured eyes also open. He felt her smile against him and her eyes lit up brightly. She's enjoying this? Good, I'm so glad.

He relaxed and allowed instinct to take control. Reveling in the sweet taste of her mouth, but wanting more, he broke their connection and planted a soft kiss on her cheek, and then another on her jawline. She tilted her head back, exposing her pale neck and he felt a heat ignite in his belly. He left a trail of warm kisses from her jaw down her neck which elicited a sharp exhale from the elf and Cole felt her legs weaken against him.

Snapped out of his euphoric daze, he grabbed Artemis firmly, supporting her minimal weight so she did not buckle. Cole had read about this reaction from the romance serial and was aware of what followed. I'm not sure I am quite ready to go that far. Not tonight. I do not want to seem to be taking advantage of Artemis. This has to be taken slowly and given proper sincerity.

Once Cole had steadied Artemis, he gazed at her forlornly. "I'm sorry, but I have to leave you for now. You deserve respect and compassion and I'm worried if I continue I will lose myself to this feeling and do something not worthy of you." He turned quickly away to spare himself her reaction and made his way hastily down the steps.

Before he reached the door he was stopped by Artemis calling his name. He turned around to see her at the top of the steps, hugging his hat to her chest. "You forgot something," she said quietly. He slowly climbed the steps to meet her, gazing into her eyes when he reached the top. He watched as she placed a kiss on the brass bowl of his hat before offering it to him. "Goodnight, my Cole."

Gently taking the hat from her, he saw her turn away from him and move to the fireplace where they'd been standing together moments ago. He whispered his farewell and descended the steps and closed the door behind him. I love you, he thought as he clutched his hat and slid down to the stone floor.