6

Just that day before, when he'd been too clumsy to do anything like picking up some herbs, picking berries, making jam.

Just before the end of the tea hour, before he had given up, thinking that the tricky magician had found another to do his work, that's when there came a jingle from the ringing of the bell at the back door, through the tunnel that led into a garden. from the back between the hidden entrances on the other side of the waterfall, which lay between the rapids and a dark forest.

It seemed they were discreet, whoever they were, they weren't stupid, didn't want to draw attention, so he remembered, chuckling to himself.

That's when he hurried to put the teapot on the fire, and set a dozen more cups of tea, some saucers, lots of sweets, and his favourites jam, his four extra cakes, then he ran to the door.

- Oh, belt so much for making him wait. – He was about to say, when he saw that it wasn't a dozen, nor a well-known magician, who came before this discreet magician, Nebelwächter by no means.

- Only one...? – He asked himself, more than himself, but the dwarf in question.

That was a dwarf with a blue beard tucked into a red belt and very bright eyes under his dark green hood.

Then he opened the door wider finding himself coming in, but not exactly as if he was being expected.

He hung his hooded cloak on the nearest peg and spoke.

- My name is Blaue Wache. - He said.

- At your service. - He said, then, making a deep bow.

"Schattendieb Wächter, to yours!" said the Erdlinge rubrus, too surprised to ask any questions at the moment.

It was when the silence that followed had already reigned there, strange, a dwarf, well he didn't expect it.

Wherever that mage went, it would be far away.

Even though they were both uncomfortable at what he added.

- I'm about to finish tea, but I made more, so please come, and have it with me, tell me about yourself. – He said, a little clumsily perhaps, but he meant well.

Since that's what you would do if an uninvited dwarf showed up and hung your stuff in your hallway without a word of explanation?

It hadn't been long since they'd been at the table, he was thinking about that promised adventure of his, which in fact they had barely arrived at by placing the third cake on the table in front of him, when there came another even louder ring from the bell.

- So, tell me, how is life. - At least, that was the beginning, thought Erdlinge rubrus, in which he went from there to the door.

- So, I'm waiting for you, finally, you arrived... - But that was what he was going to say to Nebelwächter this time, even so, he thought, the lord of his thought, more than the question predominates, besides a red colour.

It wasn't Nebelwächter yet, instead of him, there was a dwarf who looked incredibly old on the threshold,

Another dwarf with a red beard and a scarlet hood, he too jumped in as the door opened, as if he had been invited.

- There is, my friend, they are already coming. - The mage said when he noticed Blaue Wache's green hood hanging there, when he hung his red hood on the side and "Schutzschild, at your service."

- At your service. - He said, with his hand on his chest.

- Grateful. – Schattendieb said, choking.

- Even if it wasn't the first correct word to say, but the already started to arrive left him very confused, yes, he liked customers, he liked visitors, but late for tea time, like all the people of the dwarves, they didn't show up on time, he didn't like that, they're not punctual, it's a good thing they came through the back door, let's respect decorum and be more discreet.

In that he also had an interest in the matter, he would like to get to know them before they arrived and would prefer him to invite them himself or be their own men for expeditions or adventures.

It was quick as then, that the thoughts came, quick out the other side of the ears, with the horrible thought came the idea that the cakes might not be enough, dwarfs were greedy, they ate too much.

At that time, when he assessed each of them, as he poured tea, into their guests' cups, like a good host, he knew his duty and followed it to the letter, let alone a supposed group of stealing or trespassing.

Were they fit or trustworthy for the adventure, it was a horrible thought of what they might do, should they be treacherous or even unreliable, what all this might have to do without any guests or the problems that would come of it.

- Please come in, come inside, and have some tea!” – Hiding his thoughts, was what he managed to say after taking a deep breath.

"I would like brandy, and a little brandy would suit me better, if that's all right, my good sir," said Schutzschild, with his red beard. “But it wouldn’t hurt to have a little

- What are they... - The dwarf pointed to the cakes he was serving.

- Strong herb and seed cake, in case you haven't already eaten some of this, I have many strong herbs that are used to make cakes, so if you have eaten some, they are good. - He said.

- Few, just at festivals. - He said.

When Schattendieb heard himself answering, to his own surprise; and found himself running, too, to the cellar to fill a mug of brandy, and then even to the pantries to get two lovely herb and seed cakes, very round, that he had baked that afternoon to snack on after supper, and the biscuits he had it was supposed to show up nicely in case I needed to charge later.

When he returned, Schutzschild and Blaue Wache were chatting at the table like old friends...

- Who is he to you? - He asked.

- Actually, we are brothers.

Introductions aside, when Schattendieb then placed a demijohn of beer next to the demijohn of brandy and the cakes in front of them, there was another loud ring on the bell again, and then another.

Let it be for the dragon, Nebelwächter, for sure, this, this time, since it wasn't his employer he should show up on time, not late afternoon, he thought as he huffed down the hall, but as he remembered why no one wanted to , it should be a way to avoid curious people, even avoid being seen, it should be something secret, outlawed...

Swearing he could get away with it, after all, he was the best of thieves, so his guest hadn't arrived yet, it wasn't him, but it was two more dwarfs, both with blue hoods, silver belts and red beards, it must have been the troupe of red-haired dwarves, each carrying a bag of tools and a shovel, as they entered just as the door began to open, when Schattendieb was barely surprised.

- So, let's get down to business, what can I do for you, my dwarfs? – He questioned them.

“Rostiger Nagel, at your service. - The first.

- Amazing, all of you are redheads. – He said more to the sky.

- We're related. – They said, lowering their blue hoods and leaning forward, revealing red beards.

- We are from the same family, now, we are adventure brothers, so, you are now part of this family.