[Before he can stop himself, half spurred on by nervous adrenaline, he barks out a laugh. Now isn’t that a joke- him, of all people, an angel.]
[...But he can tell who she means by ‘him’, and doesn’t that just twist his heart?]

Ha no- not an angel. It’s just-

[A whistle of a breath scrapes inbetween his teeth as he fumbles for the words. Well. He guesses the explanation, in the end, is simple.]

Ya remember Mrs. Plundell? Lady who used ta come by for a spell, teach us our numbers and things like that? And she’d always warn us not ta go runnin’ off inta that forest that was nearby, or else the faerie queen would whisk us away? Well, ha…

[He adjusts himself, spreading his hand out with a helpless grin.]

Turns out I didn’t run into a queen, but…