You don't see many of these around these days and I felt adding yet another fluffy DA fanfic would be too boring, I have decided not to finish my previous DA fanfic until I finish this one and gauge the results.

I hope that some will like it and constructive critisim is welcome.

I do not own Dragon Age Origins or any of the characters, except Ash herself.

~**~

As she watched the load bar fill on the screen a little thrill of excitement bubbled in her chest. Yes it was lame and she knew it, but even though she had played Dragon Age twice before she had yet to play as the Human Noble Origin. As the computer finished loading and she created her character she wondered how differently she would do things this time.

She typed a name, Ash Cousland.

It wasn't a particularly epic name but it was her own and helped her feel more attached and one with her characters. The phone rang just as she finished talking to Fergus Cousland and saved. Looking at her watch she muttered, irritated.

"Ash where are you?" came her friend Jake's voice down the line, "I hope you aren't playing those stupid video games again."

She found this intensely ironic as he had been the one to get her into them in the first place so she just ignored the jab and told him she was just leaving. Picking up her bag and clipping it around her shoulder she reached to turn of the computer. A small jolt of electricity met her finger and she yelped at the shock just as the power went out. Shaking her hand as it went slightly numb she realised there must have been a short circuit.

"Great," she muttered to herself, feeling for the lightswitch, only she couldn't seem to find it.

Ash frowned into the pitch darkness. Groping around she found herself disoriented, she knew where everything was but couldn't seem to find anything familiar. Suddenly she could hear voices coming from behind her and her frown deepened, how she had turned herself around she couldn't think. Her friend's must have been sick of waiting for her and come to physically pull her from the computer.

"Hold on a sec," she called, "The power's gone out and-"

Before she could finish the biggest fog she had ever seen burst through the door, spilling light into the room. Her momentary shock was replaced with a curious hysteria as she realised the door did not belong to her, nor did the room outside it....

Or the room she was standing in!

The girl tried to take a moment to collect herself, she had only been playing the computer a minute ago...

She realised the dog was whining at her and started at the size of it, the hound could have been mistaken for a miniature pony! He forced his head under her hand and she felt wetness, as she looked at her palm in the semi light a curious darkness covered her hand. She stepped cautiously into the hall and looked down.

Ash had never fainted in her life but she thought at that moment she was close to it, her hand was covered in blood!

So was the dog for that matter, as well as the three men lying on the floor at her feet. It was obvious the animal had ripped their throats out, but he just stood next to her, whimpering expectantly. For some odd reason she could not be afraid of him.

"Ok too many video games have addled my brain..Or maybe Jake slipped something into my coffee or-"

She remembered the electric shock and her stomach stopped cramping just a little.

"I'm unconscious, that's it! I got shocked and passed out and dear God someone please find me soon and get me out of this trippy nightmare!"

~**~

A woman's voice behind her caught her off guard and she turned to find a middle aged woman sprinting towards her. She was dressed in leather armour and had a longbow strapped to her back. She choked back her startled yelp as the woman embraced her tightly.

"Are you alright? You aren't hurt? Did you see their shields? Those are Arl Howe's men!"

Wait- What!

Arl Howe, as in Arl Rendon Howe... From Dragon Age?!?

"This is not happening, this is not happening, this is not happening!"

Suddenly she wanted to curl up in the fetal position and block her ears with her fingers, singing loudly to keep everything out.

"This isn't real- It just can't be possible! I must be insane..."

She hadn't realised she had said it aloud until the woman she now knew as Eleanor Cousland shook her.

"Calm yourself daughter...And- What on Maker's Earth are you wearing?"

Ash looked down and realised she was still dressed as she had been ten minutes ago, before the nightmare had begun. She was wearing baggy jeans, sneakers and a large loose t-shirt, her strap bag still clipped securely to her shoulder. She realised it must look quite odd given her surroundings, then shook her head. She wasn't dressed funny, it was a game for pete's sake!

"Nevermind that now, we must find your father! Oh I do hope he is alright...."

The woman seemed frantic as she pushed a small sword into Ash's hands, the girl looked at her incredulously.

"You don't seriously expect me to use this do you?"

The Teyrna looked at her kindly, "I had hoped you would never see real battle but..."

Ash had not meant it like that but in hindsight realised she had trained her character as a warrior.

She was supposed to know how to fight.

She remembered that she had done a bit of 'sparring' when she had been part of a re-enactment society, but that was two years ago, and she had always known what her opponents next move would be. A strangled gasp pulled her out of her numbness and she saw that Eleanor had moved to the doorway opposite her.

Fergus' room.

"Oh no, my little Oren! What manner of fiend slaughter's innocents?"

Not good, not good, not good...

She could feel herself starting to panic, the sickness rising like bile in her throat. She tried not to picture a little boy dead on the floor. The woman turned to her, tears streaking down her face, "Howe's men must be everywhere," she managed huskily, "We must get to the front gates."

yes. Moving. Good.

Maybe doing something would stop her from descending into a shrieking hysterical mess.

~**~

They moved silently through the castle as battle sounds raged and grew closer. More bodies piled around them. Ash had to close her eyes and hold the Mabari's fur to stop herself from gagging or throwing up every three seconds. Her hands shook as she fitted the light leather armour her 'mother' handed her from the treasury. She felt awkward, ungainly and uncomfortable with it over her street clothes but at least for now with a light wooden shield she was somewhat protected.

There was no way to avoid fighting as they reached Ser Gilmore, Howe's soldiers practically filled the room, outnumbering them by at least three to one. She had never intentionally hurt anyone in her life so she just kept her shield up and covering her as men turned to attack her.

"Oh my God, I'm going to die in a video game! This is like something out of a twisted Freddy Krueger movie!"

Her arm was aching from the blows her shield was taking, she wasn't exactly the fittest or most muscular person, she was a computer geek after all. She was taken aback when the pounding suddenly stopped and Ser Gilmore stood panting above her as she cowered in a corner.

At least she had managed to keep the wall at her back.

"My lady are you alright? Did you lose your sword?"

She realised this was a question as to why she had not been fighting and was relieved to be able to affirm it, she really did not need them thinking she had totally lost her senses. He helped her to her feet and sent them towards the kitchen.

She was most definitely not expecting what they found.

"Howe's men found me...Almost did me in right there."

Bryce Cousland lay on the floor in a pool of blood that was getting steadily bigger. Eleanor took the man in her arms, heedless of the blood that soaked her legs and armour. Ash's heart was in her mouth.

What the hell?

Suddenly the Grey Warden appeared, Ash had been expecting it well before this.

"Figures," She muttered to herself, "Character development and all."

She had resigned herself to the fact that she would be leaving with Duncan and did not protest when the subject came up. She only wished that something could have been done to prevent the horror that was happening around her. The Warden's hand on her shoulder startled her and he looked at her kindly, regret clear in his features.

"We must go."

She muttered and noticed for the first time that she was shaking and shivering, the dog nudged her to move.

As they moved through the hidden passage Ash took one last look back to see Eleanor standing solidly over her husband, ready to defend him to the death.

She really really hoped she would wake up soon...