Ralph and the Pixie

Pran shook his head as though Ralph’s words were incomprehensible.

‘With you? In what sense? If the uttering of such words sufficed, any one of us could say as much.

‘However,’ he said, ‘Malina, at least some of your fears are groundless. The Thane would have nothing to do with imprisoning you, or having you arrested, or ordering a continuance of that mockery of a trial you were subjected to. That was the doing of Prince Cir and his minions. It is the soldiery, the citizens, and the Merchants of Mirrindale who may present a problem. The Thane himself, in his way, is a Pixie friend, though he has never declared such openly. You see,’ he said to Ralph, ‘those of Faeriekind may be treated as any individual of Elvenkind sees fit, and with absolute impunity. Even though the Thane expressly forbids such behaviour, still, there is little that he can do under existing Elven law.

‘But-’ he added quickly, seeing Ralph’s reaction, ‘I will speak to Birin, and ask him in turn to speak with Loriman and Dornal, to make it clear to all that-’ he looked at Ralph levelly, ‘if anything were to happen to Malina, such a transgression would carry the gravest of consequences.’