"Hello," Apollo said, unsure of the proper etiquette for addressing such a being.
The fairy responded with a sound like tiny bells, then zipped away to join her companions, who had begun interacting with the rest of the group with increasing boldness.
A cluster of green-glowing fairies had surrounded Thorin, tugging at his beard with evident fascination. The dwarf stood rigid, clearly torn between swatting them away and not wanting to injure such small creatures.
"Stop that," he growled as one fairy attempted to undo one of his carefully placed beard-braids. "That took an hour to plait properly!"
Nearby, Nik had become the center of attention for a group of fairies with golden glows. Unlike Thorin, he seemed delighted by their interest, extending his hands for them to land upon and speaking to them in the exaggerated, gentle tone one might use with very small children.
