It was then, of course, that Astredian came looking for her - right when the hapless troubadour was yelping and swatting ineffectually at a tiny garden nuisance, little tears springing up in the corners of her eyes.
“GAH! Little bastard!” Ellie growled at the creature as she flailed her arm- only causing the mole pixie to clamp down harder.
Astredian put a hand over his mouth, trying to disguise the fact that he was laughing with an unconvincing cough. His shoulders shook from the effort, and his blue eyes crinkled at the edges.
Seeing the amused glint in the paladin’s eyes, Ellie frowned and dropped the spade in her right hand, then gripped the annoying fuzzy bugger at the back of the neck. She squeezed, and was surprised when the mole pixie went limp in her hand, like a kitten. But, s
