Sputtering out water, Darcie was finally able to breathe. She then realized her corset had been removed, thus making her able to breathe normally, her corset and under-bodice were the only things remaining on her. Looking up, a clutter of guards was just within her sight, holding onto something. Using the towel upon her, she got up, wrapped it around her shoulders and saw they had Murtagh, whose dark hair was plastered to his head and clothes soaking from water, in a death grip as he struggled to free himself.

"What's going on?" Darcie asked.

"We came just in time to see Rider Murtagh..."

"Remove my clothing?" Darcie finished, her shivering hiding the fact her shoulders were shaking in attempts to not chuckle.

Murtagh looked away from Darcie's stare, hiding the redness coming upon his cheeks.

"I couldn't breathe, so he did the right thing. Release him," Darcie commanded, shivering as the cold air started to blast in her soaking body.

"But milady..."

"If he hadn't... done he had done, I would've died. Release him," Darcie then snarled.

The guards finally let Murtagh go. He yanked himself out of their grip completely and glared at them.

"And go," Darcie told the guards. They withheld their objections and left Darcie and Murtagh by the lake shivering. As Darcie warmed up, she saw Murtagh shivering even worse, so she handed him the towel she was given.

"It's... you need it more that I do," Murtagh responded.

"I'm f-fine now," Darcie stuttered.

She pushed the towel into his arms, forcing him to take it. Sighing slightly, he took it and turned around, respectfully letting Darcie change back into her dress. She quickly slid back into the still-soaked dress that lay on the ground. She did understand why the guards thought Murtagh was going to rape her.

She turned around and stepped forwards. She tripped on the bottom of her dress and fell forwards. Murtagh caught her just before she landed on the ground in a face-plant. It felt as though her stomach had disappeared for the moment he had helped her back up.

"Thanks," she said quietly.

Darcie.

Darcie inwardly sighed; she wasn't in the mood to hear her dragon say her name repetitively. Her cheeks then flushed and she walked away, the feeling of the twigs and thorns scratching her feet. The branches cracked under her weight and poked at her feet, causing them to bleed slightly. She didn't truly notice though; Darcie focused on thinking about being warm, and despite the sound of twigs cracking under her feet and behind her, she focused herself.