So I don't know what I was expecting, but I don't think it was to wake up in a meager, sad, damp haystack in a medieval prison cell. And I mean like hardcore medieval, the walls were made of stone bricks that bore chisel marks like they were quarried by hand and the cell was maybe four by six, real tiny. Not that it really mattered to me, I was a pretty small person, but anyway when I came to, my hands were shackled and chained to a wall and I was facing the wall of my cell that was not stone, instead iron bars with the door on the far left. I was just kinda laid somewhere in the middle, and it stands to mention I woke up to a rat nibbling my nose, naturally scared the shit out of me. I hope I didn't catch anything from that. After I shooed away my furry cellmate I pulled myself up in a somewhat comfortable sitting position groaning all the way. The cell opened to a hallway, across from me was an empty cell and another empty cell to the left of that, so presumably there was one to the left of mine as well. The right ended in a wall with a wooden door flanked by torches, with additional torches between the cells. Which I assumed were not only for light but also for meager warmth, not that it was helping, still damn cold, though not cold enough to see my breath. I checked on myself, I still hurt but it looked like I had been treated, and changed apparently as I was now in a gray linen dress, long sleeved, ankle length and plain, as well as a pair of leather slippers. Not that I was complaining, I was still alive after all, actually I may retract that statement but for now keep it there. I felt bandages wherever there had been wounds and even felt a couple stitches here and there, I say felt them because they hurt. No anesthesia then. The green eye mark thing sputtered a few green sparks accompanied by stabbing pain again, definitely no anesthesia. I looked around and perked up, my backpack had been tossed in with me apparently, and my clothes in a pile next to it. I shuffled over on my knees, thankfully the chain had enough length for me to get to it and stuffed my clothes into my backpack, except my headscarf (a hijab by the way) which I guess I'll briefly describe it here, it was mostly black with white, red, and gold paisley-ish swirls, I retied that onto my head just as it was before, tied snugly around my head with the tie underneath and two long tails hanging down to my hips, which was about how long my actual hair was too. Now why they bothered to toss in my backpack (whoever "they" were) was beyond me. You'd think that'd be pretty stupid seeing as I was apparently a prisoner, again not complaining, at least I know I have a weapon. So about where I am, alternate dimension maybe? The multiple worlds theory could account for this right? I'm going to say it does, but that still doesn't answer why the fuck I am here and not dead like a normal person.

The wooden door suddenly slammed open and, I won't lie, I jumped a little. I crawled back over the hay area as two men who I assumed were guards as they both had armor, mostly leather, but some cloth pieces as well, less like a formal military and more like a moderately well supplied militia, came straight for my cell. One pulled out a ring of keys and neither looked at me. He pulled open the door and his buddy came in and unlocked the chain from the wall and tugged a little for me to follow. I pointed at my backpack and he blinked.

"Leave it," he shook his head and pulled more insistently. Ah, english. Good good, they'll understand me, optimal position for a prisoner really. I stumbled to my feet unsteady with a little dizziness kicking in and still in pain, though considerably less than when the wounds were open. I really hope I don't fuck this up, I mean with my luck I'll get killed for sarcasm in the next hour. The guards led me out the door, up a flight of stone steps and into a new room, which was a square, two sides had a cell the one directly across from the door I came in and to my left, each with its own sad little pile of hay, and I assume it's own little furry cellmates too. The wall to my right was actually a double door with tiny barred windows on each through which I could see it was snowing outside, no wonder it was colder up here. Two guards were evidently waiting for us at the two ends of the room opposite the door I came in. The guards I came with, pushed me to the center of the room, and retreated to the other two unoccupied corners. One of them still kept the end of my chain. I eyed them warily before inspecting the floor I debated on sitting on. It was grimy, I could push around wet, dark dirt with the toe of my leather slipper, but underneath all that grime was a mandala-ish design of a circle with triangles coming off of it, it was worn so the color was gone but it might have been pretty once upon a time (no pun intended). All things considered, as I plopped down heavily with a muffled swear of pain, it was probably not the best time to mention I had to pee.

The double doors to the outside slammed open with an angry crack and my hand seemed to respond in kind, green sparks jumping like crazy. I muttered a couple fucks and held it away from me, not only because the light hurt to look at, but because I didn't want my dress to catch fire. Two women came in through said door followed closely by a gust of icy wind and a baby snowdrift. The first woman, the one obviously in charge was in purple cloth armor, a couple strategic patches of leather for added protection, nothing decorative save for the linen sleeveless over-tunic over a metal chest plate with that pattern of an eye with rays dyed in black on it. She had short dark hair braided along the crown, don't know how she managed that, her hair was really short, a scar along her left cheekbone, as well as a long sword, and walked like she knew how to use it. The second woman was also in purple in a chainmail covered purple long tunic, the eye with rays on a large clasp at the base of her throat, she had light hair, reddish blondish something like that with a purple cowl over her head, and looked considerably less combative than the other. I wonder how much this alternate dimension has in common with the one I come from? The sword lady walked around me to my right, it felt like she was a cat stalking me for the kill, brows low and eyes narrowed in suspicion and barely controlled anger.

"Tell me why we shouldn't kill you now." She'd reached my left and the mark had calmed down enough for me to drop my hands back to my lap. She had bent to my ear to make sure I'd heard her clearly, slight accent, german-ish, with a little bit of french maybe? Mostly british I think. I've never really been very good at placing accents, not that it matters now, a whole 'nother world over here. "The conclave is destroyed." She continued her casual pacing around me. "Everyone who attended is dead." She turned to me, "except for you." Conclave, sounds important, everyone dead, also pretty important, and rather depressing. Too bad I have no idea what she's on about. So I just watched her, with what must have seemed like mild interest. She seized my left arm by the wrist, or the closest she could get to the shackle anyway, "Explain this." The mark sputtered in response, traitor. She shoved my arm away like it was filth and walked to the front to face me. I pursed my lips and ran through something, anything to say, but I had nothing. I wasn't even completely sure I wasn't actually dead or maybe just in a coma or something, god that'd be depressing.

"I can't, mostly because I don't know anything," I shrugged honestly. "Though from here kinda looks like I'm malfunctioning."

"What do you mean you can't!" Sword lady was getting angrier.

"I just don't know plain and simple, I don't even know how I got here, where I am, what year it is, who you people are, or what that conclave thing is for that matter, but if I did, trust me I'd be more than happy to tell you."

"You're lying!" She grabbed my shoulders, gripping me as if I were a slimy eel trying to get free. I wonder how long it's been since I woke up, did I make it past an hour?

The lady in the cowl in turn took sword lady's arm and pulled her back a few steps. "We need her Cassandra." She then turned to look at me. Not going to kill me I see. I gave them a terse grin, as much as I could manage under the conditions. "Do you remember what happened?" Cowl lady stepped forward, in the role of good cop I'd say. "How this began?"

I shrugged, "you're guess is as good as mine. I don't know what that conclave thing is so I can't comment on that, I mean I think I fell here, well not here here, but somewhere rocky, but that happened after this weird dream thing. I was going up these stairs chased by these spiders the size pigs and there was this light lady up top-"

"A lady?"

"Yeah, she was reaching for me the entire time, made me feel bad I took a while getting started but nothing happened when I got to her, I mean there was a bright light and I fell here but that's it." God, it sounded crazy when I put it like that.

Sword lady, I assume she was Cassandra, sighed and steered cowl lady to the door. "Go to the forward camp Leliana." She glanced back at me, she wasn't quite so angry anymore, in fact she looked a little depressed, as if there was a weight on her shoulders. " I will take her to the Rift." Leliana nodded and left, Cassandra went to the guard that had my chain and the key, she took the key and proceeded to unshackle me.

"So, explanations?" I wiggled my fingers at her. She glanced at me and rolled her eyes, after getting the shackles off, she pulled me by my arm up. I gave grunt, she was a hell of a lot stronger than me and almost yanked me off my feet.

She seemed not to notice and tied my wrists again with a length of rope before leading me towards the door, "It will be easier to show you," an iron grip still on my arm.

"Could I at least have some pants before we go?"

"Ugh."