Ralph and the Pixie

Pran had wanted to avoid this, but said, ‘Yes, this Pixie is Malina, whom the Prince had exiled from our world. These Men are from the world to which she was exiled. They do not share the sentiments of Men or Elves from our world towards the Pixie race.

‘It was I who was forced to carry out the Prince’s sentence of banishment . . . a sentence he carried out in bad faith, as she was told that her sentence was for but a year. But at the end of that time, the Prince chose not to end her punishment. Ever.

‘Rather than be made a liar of, at the year’s end I returned to her place of banishment, intending to make good on the Prince’s word.

‘Malina, however, did not wish to return. She had a new life, and new friends. But she returned, regardless, because I asked it of her, telling her of the threat to her people.’

There was some amused tittering at this remark from the gallery, and even the Thane’s aides smiled.

His face blackening with outrage, Pran surged to his feet.

‘How dare you!’ There was shocked silence, as Pran angrily glared from eye to eye around the room. ‘It isn’t enough that you profit from their extinction, is it? You think that you can smugly condescend as well, from behind the safety of this city’s walls, and the Thane’s soldiers.’