The next day Empathy knocked on the door early. Sleepy groaned and buried his head under his pillow, but Doc yawned and rolled out of bed, stumbling to the door.
"Yes?" he asked blearly.
"Grandpapa says that you're going into town with him. Better get ready."
"Sure," Doc muttered.
"Coffee!" Sleepy begged.
"Already on," Empathy said. "Better hurry. Grandpapa wants to get going."
"Never get enough sleep here," Sleepy yawned as Doc closed the door.
"We have time to sleep at home," Doc said. "Get up and get dressed. We're up for the day."
Grumpy had worked on far less sleep before, so he didn't mind dressing and heading out to the kitchen. Several female cousins bustled around the kitchen with Charming, and Diligent's wife, Constancy, ordering them around. Honesty was pouring coffee for a line of Dwarfs, and Grumpy noticed Diligent get in line behind him. Once his brothers were in line for food, Diligent stepped forward.
"I was thinking that you'd stay home today," he said in a low voice.
Grumpy was about to say no when Honesty caught his eye. She winked and nodded, so Grumpy shrugged. "If that's what you want, Dilly."
Diligent's face turned red, but he didn't dare say anything as Honesty stepped closer and offered him coffee. Breakfast was a crazy, harried affair that made eating around the table at home civil by comparison. There were children running around, cousins passing plates, aunts and uncles talking and laughing, and yet Grumpy felt right at home. It was just like Cliffside when there had been gatherings, except it was more comfortable and homey. He ate in the corner with his brothers around him again.
Finally, Diligent stood up. "Get ready and let's go."
Grumpy got up with the others then headed into the kitchen. Honesty snagged him and pulled him into a corner. "I'm asking you to stay this morning, not Dilly. Tell them that."
"You're up to somethin'," Grumpy said, but he obediently went to his brothers and told them Honesty wanted him to stay here with her. They were thrilled, and Dopey made several gestures, telling him that this was very good. Grumpy nodded and saw them off with their first cousins, aunts, and uncles. The kids began to run around and play while Empathy padded over to smile at Grumpy.
"Now I can ask you questions."
"Mmhm."
"First things first," Honesty said then raised her voice. "Get ready for a walk!"
Instantly, the kids poured inside to prepare, and Empathy smiled and followed. Grumpy squinted at Honesty.
"What are you up to?"
"We're going for a walk with the kids," Honesty said. "So get ready."
Grumpy did so and watched the kids play and argue. A boy of about seven yanked on the braids of a nine-year-old girl, laughing as she squealed. As they ran by Grumpy, he reached out and grabbed the boy's belt, yanking him to a stop so fast that he lost his breath. He hit his knees and looked at Grumpy as the kids went silent.
"Why'd you do that?" an older boy asked.
"He wants to yank things, so I showed him what it's like," Grumpy said. He looked at the boy. "Why'd you go doin' that?"
"She's stuck up," the seven-year-old wheezed.
"Am not!" the girl said. "And you got what you deserved, Tricksy!"
"Tricksy, eh?" Grumpy asked, eyeing the boy. "You behave, boy, or I'll get tricksy on you. And I promise you, I will win."
Defiance stirred in the boy's eyes. "Oh, yeah? Well it's my name, so it describes me."
"Sure does. But that don't mean I can't be tricksy, too," Grumpy said.
"Grandpapa says we don't have to listen to you," the nine-year-old boy retorted.
"Oh, he did now, did he?" Honesty asked, slamming her cane on the ground.
There was an even thicker silence. Honesty gazed at the children, her eyes hard.
"You will listen to him. As far as you're concerned, he's your older cousin, just like Doc and Bashful and them. He is your elder and will be respected. Dilly can throw his fit if he wants, but you will respect your cousin. Am I understood?"
"Yes, ma'am," the children chorused.
"Good. Now everybody ready? Out we go!"
Grumpy and Honesty led the pack as they headed into the woods. Grumpy kept glancing at Honesty, waiting to see what she was doing, but she only pushed forward through the snow as the children ran around them. Honesty finally stopped and looked around.
"Where is it?"
"What?" Grumpy asked.
She looked at him. "Rumor is there's a thieves' hideout around here."
Grumpy raised his eyebrows and looked around. "Is there?" He paused and thought. "What's the nearest town?"
"Folkheim."
Grumpy gazed at Honesty then grinned. "Want me to find it?"
"Dilly's being ridiculous," Honesty said. "He wants to leave you out of his family day, then we can make it a special day with the kids. But if you mind about findin' things, we can stay right here and let them play."
Grumpy snickered then turned and whistled. "Oy! Who wants to go on a treasure hunt?"
There was instantly a flock of kids around him. Grumpy looked around.
"Now here's the thing. I don't know where this treasure is, but I do know how to find it. Thing is, I need young eyes and spry feet to help me. Can you do that?"
They all chorused an eager yes. Then Grumpy explained the symbols they'd need to find and follow, drawing them into the snow with a stick. They all listened intently then turned and began to search the stones and trees as Grumpy had instructed. Grumpy and Honesty sat down to wait as the kids went shouting into the forest.
"So it really is here?" she asked.
"Somewhere," Grumpy said. "This place was one of our treasure strongholds. Then there was a massacre by the Dwarfs and nobody ever dared to come back."
"They stole from ten clans around here," Honesty said acidly. "We took matters into our own hands when Queen Grimhilde did nothing about it. We killed every last one of them, but we never found where they'd stored the treasures."
Grumpy nodded. "If the treasure is still there, you're welcome to it. Finders keepers, we called it."
"This will please the clans," Honesty said. "If we can find it."
"I found the last mark!" Empathy screamed, and the kids came running. "It's really hard to see, but I'm pretty sure it's there!"
Grumpy and Honesty got up and followed them as they pointed out the different symbols that Grumpy had drawn. They stopped at a plain stone, and Honesty groaned. "This is the dead end."
"Not so dead," Grumpy said, pointing at the roots that formed the symbol. "She's right. This is it. Stand back."
Grumpy didn't even think to hide his magic as he held out his hands and wove a spell. Even Honesty gazed at Grumpy in astonishment as green sparks dripped from his hands. Then, an outline of a door appeared and Grumpy leaned forward and tapped the keyhole. The door swung open into blackness, and nobody moved. Then Honesty turned.
"Get the heads of the clans together with some strong Dwarfs. We've found our treasures."
Empathy and the older boys sprinted away. Honesty turned to the others. "You all play right over there. Nobody is to go inside until the heads get here."
Grumpy sat down right in front of the door with Honesty and watched the kids play. Very soon, there was the pounding of feet and ten old Dwarfs came hurrying behind Empathy and the boys, each leading a dozen Dwarf men. Honesty stood up and Grumpy stood with her, his stomach in knots. He hadn't expected this.
"It's a door!" an old man exclaimed.
"I knew there was something there!" another declared.
"How did you do it, Honesty?" an old woman asked.
"That, I'll explain another time. For now, I want to get my mother's necklace back." Honesty turned to Grumpy. "Lead us in then."
Grumpy turned and stepped inside, waving his hand. Torches bracketed to the wall lit up in a line. Grumpy began pointing down hallways and started to talk, figuring Honesty knew what she was doing even as it terrified him.
"Sleeping quarters are down there. Won't be much treasure there. Down there's the kitchen and mess hall. And here's the treasure room."
He stopped in front of a blank wall. He didn't wait for the complaints or questions and just cast the spell again. The keyhole appeared and he tapped it then stood back and lit the torches in the room as the door swung open. Glittering gold and gems met their eyes, and there was a cheer that went through the old Dwarfs.
"Did you find them, papa?" a Dwarf called from the doorway.
"Yes! And more!" one of the Dwarfs boomed back.
The morning and afternoon were spent clearing out the treasury and sorting through the treasures. Grumpy stayed back and watched the kids as Honesty picked through the treasures and chatted with the different clans. He didn't have any claim for that treasure, and he was still a little afraid to get near it. Yes, the curse was broken, but he'd caused too much damage to just forget.
By the time things were sorted, it was clear that there was more treasure from other clans in the surrounding villages. The clan heads debated on what to do before agreeing that Honesty should watch over them as the word was sent out. It was decided that at the end of the week, there would be a celebration of all the clans, and they would all gather and retrieve their treasures.
"But how are we going to get all this moved to the house before sunset?" Honesty asked.
"I can flash it there," Grumpy said, speaking for the first time since he'd come out of the hideout.
"And what does that do?" Honesty asked.
Grumpy threw out a sheet of silver magic, and all the Dwarfs stopped talking and watched with wide eyes as Honesty's cottage came into view. "Just carry them through. Or if you have a better place, I'll flash you there."
"Go inside and down the stairs. Third room on the right. Good, now down that hall. There. We'll put it in that room. Start carrying them in, boys. Grumpy, you stay here and keep this open."
"Yes, ma'am," Grumpy said.
"You still ain't in trouble," Honesty shot back.
"If you say so."
"Still not getting out of it," Honesty promised. Then she stepped through and began preparing the secure room for the treasures. The Dwarfs carried some through then came back out to get more. It took another half hour before the clan heads were satisfied. Honesty stepped through one last time and looked around.
"That's everything. Move that," she pointed at the sheet, "back out in front of the house. I don't want them kids in that room."
"I could secure it with spells if you're that worried," Grumpy said.
"How would you propose we do that?" an old woman asked shrewdly.
"I'd weave the spell and connect it with all the heads so that if anybody goes in that room, all of you will know," Grumpy replied.
"Including you?"
Grumpy frowned. "Well, I'm a part of anybody, ain't I? Besides, I don't want none of that treasure. Ain't nothin' but trouble."
They all looked to Honesty, who nodded once. They relaxed. "What do we do?" Honesty asked.
"Step back through in front of the door. Best if I touch the door and each of you," Grumpy said.
They agreed and Grumpy cast the spell, linking it to each of them, but not himself, they noticed. Then they stepped back through, Grumpy moved the portal to the front of the house, and Honesty called for the kids, who came running and laughing. They oohed and ahed over the magic then stepped through. Grumpy waited patiently for Honesty to finish talking. The clan heads were obviously asking about him, and he had no desire to hear what they thought of him. Honesty finally waved them away and headed back over.
"Let's get home. I've got to start supper. Didn't expect it to take this long."
"I'll help," Grumpy said, and they went through.
An hour and a half later, as the sun was setting, the family came back from town, their faces flushed with pleasure. Honesty and Grumpy came to the door as Empathy and the other kids raced to tell the news of the day first.
"Grandpapa! Grandpapa!" Empathy cried. "We found the thieves' hideout! All the clans have their treasures back! And there's going to be a party and everything!"
The family stopped stock still on the path and gazed at the kids in astonishment as they talked. Doc's face pinched and he hurried for Grumpy.
"Did you really?" he asked anxiously.
"I knew how to find it and she asked me to take her there," Grumpy said in a low voice, gesturing at Honesty. "So I did."
Doc looked at Honesty, who patted his back. "Come on in, Doc. Supper's ready."
"I can't help but slurry, uh, worry about Uncle," Doc said as Grumpy trailed him and Honesty into the kitchen.
"You leave him to me. He ain't gonna make trouble," Honesty said.
"Yes, he will," Doc said with an assurity that came from Adele's spell. "But we can't change it now."
"Then stop worrying' and eat," Honesty said, shoving a plate into his hands.
"Mama! What's all this about finding the clan treasures?" Diligent boomed, coming into the kitchen. "Are they tellin' tales?"
"Nope," Honesty said, serving Doc and Grumpy. "Grumpy here helped us find them."
Diligent turned disbelieving eyes to Grumpy. "You did?"
Grumpy nodded. "Yep."
"And how did you know where to look?" Belligerent demanded.
Honesty cut in and continued her line of thought as if nobody had spoken. "They were all there and then some. Got a message sent out to the surrounding towns for the clans to come and pick through the rest. We're going to have a festival at the end of the week to celebrate. Now everybody come and eat. We've got a lot to be grateful for."
Grumpy had a full plate, and he followed Doc out as everybody stared at him. He didn't cower or hide, though he desperately wanted to. He had practically confirmed that he was a thief by easily finding the treasure hoard that dozens of Dwarfs hadn't been able to find for almost two decades. The kids would tell the story of how they hunted for it and how he'd gotten them into the so-called dead-end.
Everything tightened inside of him. He'd blatantly done magic in front of dozens of Dwarfs, including the heads of nearby clans. He felt sick. He wouldn't last more than a day when Diligent got the whole story, and he couldn't do a thing about it. All he could do was trust that Honesty knew what she was doing. Still, it was hard to eat supper that night, and he was grateful to escape to bed after the family passed around the treasures that Honesty had claimed.
Grumpy didn't even acknowledge the treasures when they passed before they retired for the night. Diligent noticed, and it only confused him more. He didn't understand that Dwarf. A thief stole treasures, but he'd found some ancient ones that had been lamented over for fifteen years. Had he stolen Determination's treasures or not? That alone would determine how Diligent would see him. Tomorrow, Grumpy was coming into town with them. It was time he see for himself what this Dwarf was made of.