"It's a long story," Toyef said, draping his arms across their shoulders. "When we bumped into each other on the street, these two were just abandoned babies. My workshop happened to be short-handed, so they naturally became my apprentices. I called them Blue and Green because I brilliantly figured I could tell them apart with blue and green clothes--though it's hard to see in this light. As for the nicknames Rascal and Varmint, within seconds of our first meeting, they'd each pilfered the only two copper coins I had on me. Once they learned to walk, they became obsessed with swapping clothes. I don't know if all twins are nuts, but these two swap clothes, call each other names, and then laugh like fools."

  Blue Rascal and Green Varmint erupted into foolish laughter. "Walin Barklo Vaslov, at your service." According to dwarven tradition, elders weren't required to perform the service bow to juniors, but nearly all dwarves delighted in such courtesies. These moments of interaction most clearly demonstrated their warmth and trust.

  While the service bow could be omitted, the Beard Greeting was absolutely essential. For dwarves, beards were the most important part of their bodies after their reproductive organs—though many claimed beards were even more significant, perhaps to compensate for certain physical shortcomings. When dwarves first met, failing to touch the other's beard meant no friendship had been established. "No beard, no family" was a common saying even dwarven children sang. Walin embraced Blue and Green, touched their beards, and offered his assessment: "Your beards are soft and neatly trimmed." The twins' beards were even shorter than Fendi's, and if they cut their thick head hair short as well, they might easily be mistaken for elderly halflings. "You're quite young, gentlemen. I'd wager no more than forty-five," Walin said, stroking his black beard. "Tell me, which of you is the elder brother?"

  Green Varmint proudly jabbed a thumb at his chest.

  "Then you must be the younger brother?" The black-bearded dwarf turned to the other. But Blue Rascal shook her head.

  "There's no younger brother here, Lord Walin. Blue is a girl."

  Walin nearly bit his tongue. "A girl?" He studied Blue Rascal with the expression of a child first witnessing stray dogs mating in the street. "You're a girl?"

  Blue's voice shifted to a delicate tone. "Yes, Lord Walin."

  "Sorry, miss. I really couldn't tell--blame this damn darkness. You two look exactly alike."

  "Don't apologize, my child. It took considerable time to correct my own misconceptions," Toyef said. "Now tell the truth, children. Which of you is Blue and which is Green?"

  Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

  "I'm Blue." Blue Rascal lowered her head and raised her hand. "I'm Green." Green Varmint puffed out his chest proudly, jabbing his thumb at himself.

  "Okay, I get it, you two." Toyef Bilinski pointed at the dwarf claiming to be Blue Rascal. "You're Green Varmint. And you," he said to the other, "are Blue Rascal. Don't think I don't know your tricks, apprentices. When Blue lies, her eyes drift skyward, and when Green lies, he stares at the ground."

  "Well, you caught us again," the previous "Green Varmint" glanced at her twin before admitting to Toyef, "I confess, I'm Blue Rascal." She helplessly looked up at the sky.

  With the twins' introduction complete, Toyef Bilinski beckoned forward a human mother and child, along with one silent dwarf. "This mother and child are our honored guests, traveling with us." The woman, not particularly old but already visited by wrinkles, nodded so vigorously her head seemed in danger of detaching. Toyef leaned in to whisper to Walin, "If I'm not mistaken, you have a human with your group too, don't you?"

  At that moment, all the acting skills Walin Barklo Vaslov had perfected over years utterly failed him, like a single dud round in a chamber. The torchlight's warm glow couldn't thaw the thin ice glazing his pale face. Even simple syllables like "yes" or "no" seemed trapped behind his stiffened lips. After a long pause, just as Toyef began wondering if he'd suddenly died, Walin managed a slight nod.

  "Just as I thought," Toyef beamed. "We were stopped for inspection four times on our journey. Each time, we escaped trouble largely thanks to our human companions' cooperation. Obviously," he gestured toward the mother and child on the wagon, "a single mom with a kid--no one thinks they're not refugees."

  The mother continued nodding in agreement. "Mom, please stop nodding," her boy said, tilting his head to look at her chin. "They're good people; they won't hurt us."

  "Of course we're good people, dear child," Toyef Bilinski smiled. "This good man here is Walin Barklo Vaslov. You can call him Lord Walin."

  "Lord Walin?" The boy blinked at the red-haired dwarf. "Is he a good person too?"

  "Just call me Walin, child," Walin said, approaching the wagon. "Do I look like a bad person?" He smiled at the boy, rising slightly on his toes as he extended his right hand. The boy hesitated, unsure how to respond, but his mother quickly intervened. "Hello, sir." They shook hands—a human custom actually borrowed from elves, though elven handshakes were more elegant, almost theatrical. "Hello, my lord," the mother said, nodding repeatedly. "It's an honor to meet you."

  After several polite exchanges, Walin's hand was finally released. "She's really enthusiastic, isn't she?" Toyef teased the black-bearded dwarf, who was massaging his hand. "She's always like that--nods to everything you say. She hasn't disobeyed us once or asked for anything. The Cynthians who checked us thought she was crazy."

  "But she's actually smarter than anyone."

  "Yes, exactly right." Toyef Bilinski crossed his arms in agreement. "There's one more person I'd like you to meet. Come on over here, kid."

  A young dwarf with downcast eyes, visibly uncomfortable, shuffled toward them. Everything about him radiated reluctance and embarrassment. "Child!" Walin exclaimed. "You have red hair too!"

  The young dwarf lowered his head even further.