The nameless man pulled her deeper into the water. She was a pitiful swimmer compared to him, so she gracefully followed, against her will. Small fish swam pass them as he led her to a dark pit at the bottom of the lake.

“Wait here. I promise you’ll be safe.”

Charlie crossed her arms and sat down on the muddy floor. He jumped from the floor of the lake towards the light that rippled on the surface. She shook in the cold water. Larger fish curiously swam up to her and nipped at her hair. She swatted them away as she waited for her naked knight to reappear.

> You are afflicted with hypothermia. You will lose health if you do not find a source of warm.

“Perfect,” She sighed, “Just what I need.”

Charlie watched for the man to return and realized she never got his name. There wasn’t much she didn’t know about him now, except his name or what he was doing out in the woods in the middle of nowhere.

> Regeneration rate boosted in water due to Holy Water (Lesser) blessing.

She felt herself tire out with each watery breath, but she knew she wasn’t dying anymore. Her vision wasn’t as blurry. A flu-ish feeling gripped her and refused to let go. She felt weaker than ever before. Her body demanded rest.

“Adi, what happens if I fall asleep now?”

> Falling asleep with the hypothermia affliction may result in permanent loss of health, loss of limbs or appendages, and death.

“Why not?” She laughed, “Would you be able to wake me up before that happens?”

The feminine voice did not respond.

“Well. I can’t find my mug, my bag’s wrecked, and I’m basically fucked as it is,” She shivered, “Why not die of hypothermia at the bottom of a lake? Fish have to eat too.”

Charlie tried to keep her eyes open, but no longer could. She fought the losing battle to stay awake until hands grabbed her arms. She didn’t have the energy to open her eyes anymore. Everything felt blurry and cold.

“God,” She murmured, “I hurt.”

The hands surrounded her, and she felt herself wrapped in warmth in the water. She happily sighed and leaned into it. It was almost like sleeping next to Davon, only warmer and more uniform. It reminded her of her bed back in her shitty apartment. The bed where she should have woken instead of in a lion’s cage.

“Make it stop,” She whimpered as arms wrapped around her.

“I’ve got you,” His voice whispered from the warmth “Just dispel the water breathing.”

“I’ll drown.”

“I’ll make sure you don’t.”

Charlie leaned her head against the warm shoulder and felt a hand encouragingly rub her lower back.

“You’re so warm.”

“Dispel the waterbreathing and I will take you somewhere warmer.”

“Mmkay,” She murmured.

> Waterbreathing dispelled.

Charlie held her breath as her temporary gills evaporated. The water whipped around She until she felt air against her face again. She gasped and greedily breathed in the air. Her eyes flickered open and she no longer saw the white and pink needle trees around her. Instead, thick trunks of blue bark and white snow dripped off leaves that surrounded her. She shivered in his arms as the frost in the air nipped at her wet skin.

“Where am—”

“I took you somewhere else. You’ll be safe enough to recover here,” The man moved her hair from her face, “They won’t be able to follow you.”

Shackles of Obedience dispelled. Out of range from spell caster.

“Thank you,” She murmured, “You said it would be warmer. This is…”

“There’s a cabin nearby. We’ll stay there.”

She groaned, “We?”

“I don’t expect you to move very much the next few days.”

“You just want me to like you, don’t you?” She teased tiredly, “Made a terrible first impression for that.”

He raised an eyebrow, “I could just let you die; you know?”

“Surprised you haven’t, honestly,” She chuckled.

The man held her like a bride in his arms as he stepped from the icy pond and into the snow. She felt him shiver as he approached the small cabin.

“Just go to sleep, young goddess. I’ll take care of you.”

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“No creepy stuff,” She murmured as he opened the door, “I’ll be mad.”

“On my honor.”

“Thank you.”

He sat her on the floor. She fought to keep her eyes open. The warmth of a fire quickly heated up the room and she shook from the cold. She saw him pull pants out of a dresser and put them on. His modest covering still showed most of his physique, but at least she didn’t feel as awkward around the previously naked man.

> You are no longer afflicted by hypothermia.

The steely man knelt next to her and began untying her boots. She didn’t resist as he pulled them from her feet. As he unbuttoned her pants, she tried to fight him off.

“I’m not going to hurt you. I need to get you dry or you’ll die.”

“Pervert,” She groaned, “I can still take you.”

“Sure, you can,” He laughed until he snorted, “Why don’t you rest first?”

“I’ll curse the shit out of you if you try anything.”

“I swear on Ocean herself; I mean you no harm.”

She closed her eyes, “She’ll kill you if you hurt me.”

“Ocean generally does if anyone hurts another after swearing on her name,” He undressed her and helped her to the bed, “Just focus on healing.”

Charlie closed her eyes as he piled blankets on top of her. The lucid dream state felt odd in the newer, new place. This unknown man twisted the water from his hair by the fire as he warmed himself up. She thought of the likelihood of her surviving another attack wherever she was now.

> Location: Great lake in Moggaer Valley.

The image on her map showed her in a wildly different place than she was previously. Her mind drifted away as she wondered what the hell she was going to do to get to Vlaminer now. Her mind drifted away as she wondered if she could actually trust her savior.

Charlie woke up to the sudden rush of icy air inside of the cabin. Her eyes shot up and she jumped under her pile of blankets. The entire cabin could only fit the narrow bed, a single wooden chair, a dresser, and the fireplace.

“Are you awake? I found your things,” He threw a bag at the foot of her bed, “Let me know if I missed something.”

She leaned up to look through the bag. Her outfit gems, the awfully promiscuous red dress, some scraps of food, and her mug were there.

“Ah, perfect! Thank you!” She bounced happily, “Maybe I can—”

She quickly turned the bottomless mug in her hand and searched for the “P”. When it wasn’t lit up, she frowned.

“What’s wrong? Did I not get everything?”

“No, you got everything that mattered,” She sighed and grabbed an outfit gem, “I’m just out of range to communicate with my group.”

“This is a remote location. Most don’t know it exists.”

“Great,” She grabbed the black gemstone and held it at her neck, “Exactly what a murdering kidnapper would say.”

She pressed it and a bundle of black fabric exploded from it and wrapped around her. Dark grey fur-lined, collard jacket wrapped around her. The bundled cap fit against her head, and she moved the blankets now that she was fully dressed.

“That is new.”

“Yes,” She stumbled.

“Careful!” He jumped to grab her before she fell, “You’ve only been resting for a day.”

“When can you take me back?”

He raised an eyebrow, “You want to go back to where those things were?”

“My friends might be in danger if I don’t,” She nervously rubbed her hands together, “I need to get back.”

“I can take you when you’re healthier. You said that you have a final destination. Why don’t I take you there?” He nodded, “Let me help.”

“You are so insistent on helping,” She narrowed her eyes, “Is there a reason?”

“I find you interesting and want to remain in your presence.”

Charlie blinked in surprise at his nonchalance. His words had a romantic undertone, but his deep voice didn’t carry those emotions. She wasn’t sure how to respond besides being more awkward.

“Oh you, uh, just didn’t hide anything there, did you?” She blushed and turned away from him, “Um, Vlaminer. We’re supposed to go to the attunement station there.”

“I’m familiar with it. I can take you.”

“I’ll think about it, okay?” Charlie whispered, “I’ve already taken too much of your time.”

“Nonsense, young goddess.”

“I do have a name, you know.”

“Yet, you haven’t given it to me,” He smirked.

“It feels like if I tell you, you’re going to do something bizarre,” She sighed, “So, I’m going to say no because I don’t know if this is some fae trickery shit I was warned about.”

“I will keep mine a secret as well,” He smirked, “Fair?”

Charlie nodded.

She wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and sat closer to the fire, “So, what do you do for fun—besides rescue-and-or-kidnap vulnerable, beautiful women?”

“I’ve been in self-isolation for the past century as I focused on my powers. You are the first person to enter my waters without any risqué intentions or demands,” He sat next to her, “Your attitude amuses me because of this.”

“Well, look at you mister sex god,” She chuckled, “Sorry to disappoint.”

“I am not a sex god,” He frowned, “They are deprave. Unless, of course –”

“I’m not either,” She playfully elbowed him.

A few minutes passed between the strangers until he could not keep his question to himself.

“Why were you kidnapped?”

“That’s a good question. They didn’t exactly tell me,” She looked at the flickering coals of the fire, “My sparkling personality is my first guess.”

“In that case, be prepared to be kidnapped more often,” He winked playfully.

Charlie laughed until the wound on her stomach caused her to wince. He motioned to check the bandage and saw the blood seeping out.

“We should get you to a healer soon.”

“Story of my life,” She sighed dramatically, “I’m guessing there’s not one near here?”

“No, but there is one in Vlaminer. You’d have to pay for it.”

“Good think I’m broke,” She groaned and lowered her head, “Looks like I’m going to be in for it, huh?”

“In a few days, I should have enough money,” He stood and dusted himself off.

“What, how?”

“I’ll catch fish and sell them.”

“To get me money? What are you after?”

“I must reintroduce myself to the world at some point. Why not now, with a young goddess to accompany me?”

“Oh no. We are not doing the whole ‘he saved me, so I fell in love with him!’ trope,” She stood and made an ‘x’ in front of her with her arms, “Not going to happen. I’m taken, buddy.”

“I did not necessarily mean that, but –” He investigated her, “I see no known markers of marriage on you.”

“It’s complicated,” She walked towards the bed and sat down.

“Did your contract end?”

Charlie stared into the fire and coldly stated, “He’s dead.”

Her response cut the friendly banter between them. He ran his fingers through his hair as he thought of what to say.

“I feel you are hurt from his actions and his death,” He bowed his head, “I am sorry for your situation. I understand your hesitation towards my actions.”

“Thank you… I’d rather not talk about it anymore.”

“I do not attempt to win your favor. I merely find you interesting,” He flipped his hair over his shoulder as he stood, “I will return with gold for a healer and take you to Vlaminer when you are healthy enough to travel.”

She simply nodded and crawled back under the covers, “Deal. I’ll figure out a way to pay you back later, I promise.”

“There’s no reason to promise that, young goddess,” He chuckled as he opened the door again, “It’s just what we do for one another.”

Charlie yawned curled up under the blankets. She felt much safer now that she was fully clothed. Still, she clutched onto the bottomless mug and prayed that Puddle’s button would light up again soon. She cozied up in the blanket as the door shut behind him.