Desmond couldn't help but think as the water flowed over his face and his hair, that heroes in all of the tales that he had ever read never had things like this happen to them. Perhaps that was why he never really had considered himself the hero of his own story, but more like a watchful narrator, watching things happen, but never the true focus of the tale. The things that he had done had been worthy of song, hell, there had been songs written about him that had been long since forgotten, but they were never as horrifying as being there, in the moment. The truth seemed to distort the vanity of thinking oneself a hero. And though he didn't have any such illusions about his personal status, it seemed that the universe was always there to constantly remind him that he was in fact very fallible just like any other living creature.
The darkness creeping in he could feel his strength starting to return as he started to pull himself up on the rock. He didn't necessarily need the help from the mermaid who was swimming towards him, but then, it didn't really hurt him either. Desmond made a mental note that she was a kind mermaid. There were usually two distinct types that he had met. Those that were genuinely curious about humans, and often were kind. Then there were the other kind, the ones who for whatever reason felt a necessity to destroy things that were not like they themselves. Desmond supposed at some level it was the nature of every creature to destroy things unlike it, even though he didn't like to think about such things. But he had known sailors that had drown trying to get the charms of a mermaid of the second type.
He had once upon a time sat and talked with those of the first type. They had tended to be playful and had not wanted to indulge in idle chit chat so much as to get him to swim with them... which had been an odd experience, to say the least. To get startled by one in this day and age was not something he had expected, even with the fact that he was going to Alden. He supposed, he thought with a somewhat sour expression as he pulled himself up with the mermaid's help, that he really should have not been as surprised as he had been. But then, seeing a random topless woman hadn't been something that he would have expected, mermaid or not.
"Thank you." He said politely as he finally finished pulling himself up, pondering asking the mermaid if she saw his dignity floating down there somewhere amongst the dark waves. As she started to pull herself up, he offered her a gloved hand to help her. If she took it she would find it suprisingly strong and more than able to pull her up to where she wanted to be. He wouldn't look as he offered it though, clearly someone who respected her modesty enough to turn his head like a gentleman should. Once she was somewhat situated, he took off his duster and shook it out lightly in the opposite direction from Raina, so as not to flick any water on her.
After giving it a good rubbing down he blinked a little and admired the fabric. It was hardly as if it was wet. The outside seemed to be oiled, to stop the rain, but the inside seemed rather resilient to getting wet as well, which was something that he could appreciate. He nodded a little at her as she asked if he had been the one reading, and stole a glance in her direction, grateful that she had placed a rock between the two of them. Still, he couldn't help but realize that it was likely going to get a little cold for her, if it wasn't already. And that he didn't want her to feel stripped of her modesty if someone else were to come along. So quietly he stepped down the rock a little to where she was, not looking at her as he took his duster and quietly laid it across her shoulders so that it covered her front.