The hobgoblin attempted to back into the corner to no avail. He spat and sputtered. "Jush one! Jush one!" He had his hairy hands up and dared not make any sudden movements.
Alan grabbed at the guard's belt and snatched the metal ring of keys, selecting one of appropriate size and fitting it into the lock. It opened with a click.
After another moment, and another key, the bent little man was free. He stretched his thin appendages and some crumpled looking wings stretched in the back as well. "Ohh, my achin' wings...And so thirsty. I do hope we haven't run out of thistle tea, I do like it so..." The little pixie slowly hobbled out of the cell and into the crowded little room.
"And a crumpet...Do you think we've any yuckle-berry jam left?" He turned and looked at the cowering jailer, then back at Alan, Selythin, and Eovin. "Oh my...it's just now dawning on me who you all lot....yes...must be...I had hoped this would happen differently...I'm Oovin." The old pixie took a slow, wobbly bow. "I am the queen's Grand Vizier...her advisor....WAS...before she died..." The old pixie looked sad, resigned.
The old guy coughed, glancing up at Eovin. "And you, dear. I was hoping this would be all done differently as well, but times is as they are..."
He sighed, took a seat on the little broken stool, took a little sip of water from Alan's canteen.
"Ahem!" He cleared his throat. "You've all found your way here, even though chaos intervenes...In another age those beasts would've brought you here with bells on...And there would have been a celebration!"
The pixie started to cough uncontrollably. Paused. Took another sip of water. Smiled sheepishly.
"Forgive a doddering old fool...Ahem...Eovin, dear, I'm getting too old for this. This was all supposed to happen under better circumstances. Alas! The queen is dead. Long live the queen!" He bowed at Alan.
He started coughing again. He looked a little more green than he should, panting and wheezing.
"And I, for one, am out! Old Oovin wants to find a nice tree to sit in and whittle...Maybe a rocking chair too...Those damned brutes beat me to my last pulp...No more fighting for this pixie. No more advising...I leave that to you." He pointed at Eovin.
Cousin Zenythin started to chuckle.
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