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People had gathered around him, two slightly older serious dwarfs entered the house. Perhaps they were going to tell the Chief everything after going inside. Shaking his head in disgust, he turned his eyes towards Bayar, who was hiding behind him. And when he saw the moisture of fear in the bright eyes of little Bayar, he stooped down and picked her up.
After staying with her for so many days, now she had become dear to him like her own child. Bayar also got up on his arms and buried his face in his armpit.
The dwarves were looking at him with strange eyes as he picked up an animal like a child, who was treating the animal like a child while trying to kidnap the children.
They spoke in whispers. They were telling each other by exaggerating his movement.
At the same time, a middle-aged dwarf came out of this big round house and stood on a high place in front of his house. All the dwarves bowed and took a step back where they were. This was probably their way of honoring the chief.
The old dwarf chief had a white beard that reached down to his feet and was so thick that his body was hidden behind it.
"I have heard the whole matter. I will ask you once before the decision. Why did you come here and where did you come from? And what is the purpose of kidnapping our children? If you answer, you will get an easy death; otherwise all the dwarves here will brutally scratch your body and eat it.”
The old dwarf chief said in a high-pitched voice.
Alian took a deep breath and took a step closer to the high mound. The dwarves were filled with anger at his insolence.
"Sir, you and your people have misunderstood. The child was falling from the roof of his house; this deer of mine saw him and called me for help. I just saved the life of this falling child.”
He told the real reason of his action with full confidence in a soft and respectful tone.
All the dwarves were suddenly looking at each other muttering. The old chief looked at Alain with questioning eyes and then at the father of the child who was standing behind the chief staring at Alian.
"Can you prove your point that what you just said is true?" The tone of the old chief softened this time, he asked for proof.
"How can I prove my truth when all the people present here have turned against me and are not ready to accept my words? Just as a last hope, I would like the child to be called and asked. Surely he will speak the truth.”
Alian replied seriously and stood back. As if there is no evidence or testimony about it. He doesn't want to do anything other than that.
The old dwarf asked the child's father to bring the child. The old Dwarf was looking at Alian with scrutinizing eyes. Now there was silence in the crowd and also the desire to know the truth. Now all those people were not staring at Alian with hard eyes.
After some time the child was brought there with mother and father.
"What happened to you in the morning? And how did you leave the house?”
As soon as the child came, the old dwarf asked the child questions in a very gentle tone. The questions were so simple and quick that the child could answer them easily.
Alian looked at the child with some concern whether the child could speak properly or not (that is, was he old enough to speak or was he still young.)
“I just woke up in the morning and went there to look for my little wooden horse on the roof, which has not been found for two days." That child was talking about one of his toys. From his broken words and manner, Alian realized that he was a child of four to five years.
"And then what happened? Did you find that horse?
Chief asked this time like a sympathetic friend, adding an element of concern with gentleness in his tone. This style of his was prompting the child to explain the matter in detail. Alian looked at him with a look of pure admiration.
"No, that horse was not found and my foot slipped due to which I was about to fall. When I called for help, this tall man came there.”
The child pointed to Alian and said. All dwarfs looked at Alian at the words of the child, meaning that he was true.
"He picked me up. But I did not find a horse on the roof.”
After telling the whole story, the child was now speaking sadly. His parents looked at Alian with shame. He came in front of Alian with his head bowed in shame for his haste and accusation and bowed down in front of him together. I don't know if it was a thank you or an apology. He did not understand but went ahead and gently patted their heads. Little Bayar was also raising her head now.
The old dwarf chief asked the boy to make him a new wooden horse and turned to Alian.
"I am deeply ashamed for all this trouble. I hope you will forgive my people.” The old chief apologized to everyone and everyone present turned to Alian and bowed.
That is, it was a way of asking for forgiveness. It was an apology and an expression of shame.
"I can understand. It was not wrong for all of them to be afraid and misunderstand me after seeing the child with me.” Anyway, he was not angry with all of them. He just needed their help. And maybe now there was an opportunity to ask for help.
"For what purpose have you come here? Can you tell?” Chief finally asked him the reason for coming to their area. He was looking at Alian's dress again and again. It was not the dress of any empire. Dwarfs were highly skilled in home and weapon crafting, meeting the people of every kingdom in Inland. But Alian's dress was different.
"I accidentally came from my world to Inner land and now the way back is closed. I have no place to stay. I want to build my own house across the mountains by this lake near the palace in the Kingdom of Renam. The forest trees near this lake told me about this place. I just came here to ask for help.”
Alian told them the reason for coming and told them in detail to persuade them to work for him. So that they know that he is a traveler and homeless. They could not refuse and did not ask for any compensation for their work.
"We will definitely help you. My dear Doroze, would you all like to help this man?”
Chief reassured him and asked about fifteen of his people present there.
"We are ready from the heart." They all got excited. Alian was happy, Bayar closed her eyes happily and rubbed his face with Alian's cheek, he laughed. Bayar was becoming dearer to him.
"I will make you a weapon, a sharp edge and such that the enemies piled up with one blow." The father of the child, Dwarf, went forward and addressed Alian.
"I will make you a new cloth dress. Clean and beautiful. By wearing which you will be able to sleep peacefully in the cold nights of the hinterland.” Another dwarf stepped forward.
"We will make you a very beautiful house, strong and safe." They all came closer to him one by one as if they wanted to cure the accusation against him some time ago.
He smiled. They were all ready to give it which he needed in this world now.
For a whole day, Chief entertained him and kept him, then in the evening, his weapons and clothes. Both things were ready. Excellent and complete. He was surprised that they were really quick and intelligent people. Then they all took their belongings and left for Reenam with him.
They were strong. They were tired and walking fast carrying heavy goods after making a long journey. Even on the mountain roads, their speed was fast.
They had reached this lake even before the light of the morning.