The eldest gnome yelled as two of her sons made a production to hoist her onto the desk. She harrumphed and straightened out her many flowing shawls. Her hair spines were tied up in a floral headscarf.

“It’s about time you got to me!” Her fanged snout scrunched in a scowl. “Finally have time for ol’ widow Mahala, eh?”

Theodore moved his papers to make room as Mahala stamped across the desk with her cane. “It’s been busy. How can I help you?”

“You’re going to get my son back, is what!” She said, glaring at him with button eyes.

“Pardon me?”

“You heard me!” she said. “I need you to perform a rescue! The Red Caps kidnapped my oldest and you’re going to save him!”

Theodore searched through his stacks of forms, as if there was a sheet pertaining to this sort of request. Mahala smacked his wrist with her cane.

“I ain’t doing any scribbling! You need to haul your furless butt out into the woods and bring back Lemmy before something awful happens!”

“I...” Theodore glanced around the room for help that was not there. Oboe met his eyes with a smile and a wave. “I suppose I could make a report at least.” He fumbled with his pencils.

“Oh yeah?” She rose to her full height, coming up to Theodore’s chin. “What’s that gonna do? Is your report going to rescue my son?”

Theodore broke into a cold sweat. Things were going so well until this moment. “There likely isn’t much more I can do right now. If he’s been kidnapped, he could be anywhere.”

“I know!” Oboe said, tripping over her own hooves rushing to the desk. “I saw Lemmy! Just the other day! I was there! I can help!”

Theodore snapped his pencil in half. “Haha. Did you? Is that so? Really?”

“Yeah!” She pulled Theodore out of his seat by the arm. “It was right before they stuck me in that cage! I can show you right now!”

“That won’t be necessary!” He yanked his arm away. “I couldn’t dream of endangering a civilian.”

“Please let me help!” Oboe said. “If it weren’t for you, I’d have died in that cage."

Theodore wracked his brain for excuses. “I’ve a great deal of filing to do, and there are still others waiting for help. Perhaps later.”

“Not later, now!” Mahalla said. She whipped out her numbered ticket. “It’s my turn! I’ve been waiting all day! It’s me! Now get out there and find my son!”

She leapt off the desk and rapped Theodore about the ankles with her cane with surprising strength until he fled out the door. “Go on! Get!”

Theodore stood in front of the handful of creatures he had yet to assist, including a few goblins and a deer buck that had fallen asleep. He cleared his throat.

“I apologize, but I will have to ask the rest of you to come back another day. It seems I am being called away on business and will most likely die shortly. Thank you for your patience.”