I had this idea. When I talked about it with my friends...they demanded that I write it. So here it is. The beginning.

She was still in the dudgeon. She had no idea how much time had passed.

She also knew that she was insane. She had to be.

Because, she was in a dungeon, and those didn't exit anymore.

…Except creepy sex clubs, and maybe some places in Germany. Hostile couldn't be entirely true, though…right?

As psychotropic dreams went…this wasn't the worst. But the last one she really had was after her appendix had burst and she'd been watching Labyrinth in the hospital room…so…yeah.

She'd been trying to sleep a lot because she figured that would be the fastest way to break the delusion… unfortunately, every time she opened her eyes, she was still here. Still, sleep was how the body would heal itself, so… she still figured it was the safest bet. Especially after what had happened.

Still, she was definitely in a dungeon. She had no recollection how she got here, either. There were varying degrees of pain and then—

The sound of footsteps echoed off the wall, but she didn't look up. Mostly because she was too tired to.

"Maker's breath! You kept her down here like this?" The voice sounded like… she opened her eyes… She was laying on her side and partially against the bars. She hadn't moved in…a while.

Well. This delusion was starting to look up. The sound matched the man. She stared, first at his boots, but then up and up and up and there was Cullen. He looked a little different from his game model. Currently, he seemed so concerned. He was a mountain of a man though. 'Ferelden.' flittered through her consciousness, and she could only wonder if that were true. Was it that Fereldens were generally large-ish? He didn't look burly the way that they made Bull or Blackwall seem, though. No his physique was big, but well-built and very well insulated with armor and such.

"She still hasn't spoken since we first questioned her, and even that was… disturbing."

Ugh. The apparition of Leliana. When she'd woken up, Leliana had been there, holding the keys to her chains and asking her questions. She tried to answer, but nothing had come out. Nothing intelligible that is. It was all just noises.

Usually a single consonant with an overly emphasized vowel. Like 'Ksaaaaa' or 'Duuuuuuu' and the very popular 'Chssssss' which wasn't even a vowel sound. Ridiculous.

She'd been humming to herself when she was by herself, because it was too goddamn embarrassing to practice at all when anyone was around. She could say words now, but…well. They weren't easy to string together.

"What's this about?" That voice was different, and it made her heart speed up.

This was ridiculous. He wasn't even real. She should not have reactions to the voices of characters…

The towering figure hunched into a squat as the Iron Bull eyed her critically.

Woof.

He was ….impressive. More than impressive. The game did not do him justice. If Cullen was a mountain, the Iron Bull was certainly a titian.

"We found her amid the desolation just outside the temple of sacred ashes." Leliana was saying.

This was insane.

She'd gone insane.

There was no other explanation.

"Didn't you say she's been having a problem speaking." That was Cullen. It wasn't exactly a question….but it wasn't a statement either. He appeared to be reminding Leliana of something she clearly knew. "She could be anyone. There's no reason to detain her like this."

"I know all of the people who were supposed to be at that conclave." Leliana said fiercely. "I even know the majority of the people who weren't supposed to be there. The Qunari mercenaries, the Carta, the Dalish. My network was keeping tabs on all of them. She isn't accounted for."

Or. Maybe she'd gotten hurt or something. Yeah. She was hurt, in a hospital somewhere. In a coma or something (it explained the need to sleep so much and the pain). And she was dreaming….

As dreams went, she supposed being inside Dragon Age wasn't too bad… At least she wasn't the Herald (again). Or the Warden (again). Or Hawke (again). She'd already had to play through all of those multiple times.

"That's no reason to leave her alone in the dungeons with nothing but her small-clothes." Cullen muttered, looking at the walls because it was the only safe place to let his eyes wonder.

…Well. She didn't have to play the games. She loved the games. She submitted herself quite willingly to the repeated pain and beauty. It was the best way to decompress after her father's bootcamps..

She supposed that it explained why she was hallucinating it now.

Bull leaned into her line of sight, and she smiled at him. She couldn't help herself. It felt so good to see him.

"Hey there, pretty lady." Bull said, smiling amiably back at her. "You seem happy to see me."

"Taarsidath-an halsaam." It was out of her mouth—and with surprising clarity—before she'd even thought about it. And then she was giggling, because what else do you do. Bull's only remaining eye widened before he guffawed, throwing his head back so severely that he nearly toppled over.

"What?" Cullen sounded so confused.

"Was that Qunlat?" Leliana asked.

"Oh." Bull was still laughing. "Oh no." He stood slowly. "I mean, yes. Technically yes. But…" he shrugged. "The pronunciation is all wrong, and the accent is.." He made a face, his mouth pressed into a disapproving ripping line. "It's not right."

"What did she say?" Leliana asked.

She started giggling again. Bull pointed down at her. "Don't you start again, little trouble maker." He grumbled good naturally. "Essentially she said she's going to masturbate about this later." He said.

She pointed up at Cullen and Leliana's faces, laughing. Bull actually nodded, laughing as well. The two were comically on separate spectrums; confusion and embarrassment.

By accident, she set off her balance and rolled on to her back. A tiny cry of pain eeked its way out of her throat, her back arching slightly from the impact and resulting pain….relaxing was something that came slowly, and finally she could breath normally again. She was still chuckling though, by the time she'd settled.

"Look, uh…" Bull eyed Leliana, as serious as he could manage after the fits of giggles. "If you want my opinion, I say you need to let her out and about." He looked around. "If you keep her locked up in here, it's only gonna make her worse. She's gone 'round the bend and she's on full lock down." He shrugged. "But… get her a room, and a bath…maybe some food. Let her stretch her legs, and who knows? She's bound to start talking to people. You just have to be around."

Leliana considered this, while gazing at her. "So, you're advocating for mercy."

"Is there a problem with that?" Cullen asked, sounding so utterly offended. Had they already been arguing? "Or have you not met your murder quota for the day?"

Leliana smirked. "The day is still young." She quipped.

The girl on the ground grunted out a dopy laugh… mostly because she'd read something like that in notes exchanged between Cullen and Leliana on one of her play-throughs…

"Fine. Bring her." Leliana said right before she sauntered away.

"Right…." Bull grumbled, unlocking the barred door to stand over her.

"Ah, Bull… I think we could get one of the sisters to help—"

"Oh, no it's fine." Bull said. "I have no problem bathing the girl." He said, wagging his eyebrows as he hauled the girl up and onto a shoulder.

Unfortunately, she had no spine. Someone had clearly taken her spine. Because she couldn't sit upright… So she just laid back. But then she felt her spine pop a bit, which was confusing because she clearly did not have a spine. Bull jiggled her better into place, so at least her hips were well balanced against the bulk of his bicep.

"Vaaaaaa?" She drawled out.

"Va." Bull replied, as if he were confirming something she'd asked.

"Uh… that's not." Cullen was practically stuttering again. It was adorable. He trailed behind the two as Bull climbed the stairs to the main hall of the chantry. He stared down at her momentarily as she swayed back and forth like a rag doll with Bull's natural rhythm. "I don't think that's how this is going to work. Mother Giselle alone won't allow it." Cullen was saying as they crested the top of the stairs and came into the Chantry proper.

"Bull!" The girl (who was currently bent into a U shape over the Iron Bull's massive shoulder) said. It caused both men to come up short.

"She can speak common." Cullen said, a nearly needless statement if ever there was one, but it was probably due to the shock.

"So it seems." Bull bent down letting her feet dock on the ground before she straightened out and he stood again. He held her upright, ducking to meet her eyes. "Yes. I'm Bull."

"Ronbuh." She gritted her teeth, hating the varying pitch of her voice. "Arr… Iron." She was nearly panting as she stared dazedly ahead, seeing the massive expanse of grey skin and yet unable to understand that it was the Iron Bull's chest. It suddenly started to lack definition. It was embarrassing. She was so embarrassed to be in such a state. She couldn't even stand upright on her own!

"…Yeah." He was eyeing her like she was a puzzle. She felt his enormous hand eclipsing her shoulder, probably the only thing keeping her from eating floor. She leaned so that her jaw nuzzled against his wrist, relaxing just a touch.

"Bull… I'm sure the healers can take better care of her—"

"Kuh." She huffed. "Kul." She shook her head. "Culnm." She kept shaking her head. "K." She suddenly felt very winded. She wasn't sure if it was because she was tired from trying so hard to communicate, or because now they were both staring at her. "S'k. Culln. Bull….Bull Gud."

"Eeeeasy there now, little lady." Bull said, with a strange half smile. "You're tired."

She nodded, half leaning forward against Bull. "Tuh." She didn't see him stare almost uncomprehendingly down at her, or how Cullen's face had gone through various stages of confusion only to come right back to concern. She couldn't have. Even if her eyes were open, she'd be pressed against Bull's chest. He was very warm, and his skin wasn't abrasive at all. Cullen's face blanked out as he shook his head, looking up at Bull with an almost sheepish concern in his eyes. Like he didn't even know how to ask the questions in his mind.

Bull cleared his throat. "These nice ladies here are going to help you get cleaned up and maybe get some food into you, ok?"

"Hmmm." She murmured, nodding against Bull's torso. "Guh...goooood."

"Yeah. Yeah." Bull was saying. She hadn't seen anyone speak to the sisters or even wave them over, but if Bull said that was what would happen… well, she'd put money that it would happen the way that he said it would.

Cullen and Bull watched as one of the sisters hoisted an arm up over her neck to help her shuffle away. Another was helping to open doors and make certain she wasn't too much for the first to handle.

"Poor woman." Cullen murmured, trying not to watch as the woman stumbled along.

"Yeah." Bull crossed his arms over his chest. "How'd she know your name?" he asked, looking down to Cullen suspiciously.

"…I…what?"

"She knew your name." Bull reminded. "Knew my name too."

Cullen's brow peaked, but he shrugged. "We said your name."

"You called me 'Bull'. She made the distinction of 'Iron Bull'." He had no one to examine, so he eyed the door the sisters had led the girl through. "Called you Cullen too, but none of us mentioned it."

Cullen splayed his palms up, shaking his head. "Someone must have said it around her." Bull looked skeptical. Cullen had no other mission statements to fulfill here, so he simply marched himself back out onto the training yard.

She'd been in a bad way, laying there on the stone floor. Bull wondered how long it would take her to recover. That speech problem alone was gonna take time.

At least she wasn't languishing in the dungeon.

*scuttles back to cubby hole*