The villagers gathered to discuss Thorin and Etred's fight, they looked at Thorin with contempt and hostility.
the attitude towards outsiders was generally xenophobic in whatever rural village even living near Sicoal City, it could be said that they were even more hostile since outsiders used to pass through the villages and want to take advantage of them.
"I always said that we should not accept it"
"But... the village leader was the one who gave him shelter."
"Never mind that, outsiders only bring trouble, now it was Etred, then which of your children will be the one to end up hurt by this son of..." the voice of one of the villagers sounded dry and surly.
It was obvious to Thorin that the villagers knew of his origin, but out of respect for the village leader, old Chuyi, they did not insult him.
"shhh, remember, the old man Chuyi, the village leader was also an outsider once a time..."
"..., that's different, after all, he helped our grandparents during the wars and during the great plague 40 years ago" the villagers kept arguing lowering their voices whispering although their voices were audible and seemed not to care as they were the majority.
When Tom saw this, he smiled internally but he had a solemn face, pretending to be just and calm.
"Neighbors! We are not here to punish anyone!" Tom's voice interrupted the villagers.
Farine came out holding old Chuyi who had a pale face and frowning.
Michonne and her family watched from the entrance of her house and a man with long hair and a black beard, with a robust and corpulent body, crossed his arms, this was Michonne's father.
"Everyone knows the behavior of my son Etred, he is a boy with a lot of energy, he usually walks around the other villages always causing troubles, this time he simply received what was fair for his behavior, besides Thorin is the protégé of the leader Chuyi, what can we do we about it?" Tom finished saying while raising his hands in a sign of helplessness.
even though he sounded well-manned, he hid the knife under his calm words, making it clear that Thorin was an outsider receiving favoritism from Chuyi and that he was someone willing to accept that his son received punishment for his behavior.
sort of trying to create a gap in old Chuyi and Thorin's relationship.
"Why should he be treated differently? Are the outsiders a priority over the villagers? More than 4 generations of knowing each other to end up favoring the outsiders?"
"You're right! Today was Etred, who will be the next? Someone as violent and savage as Thorin's should be kicked out of the village"
"That's right! He's only 11 years old, what would be of him when he's an adult!? I won't be able to sleep at night knowing that a murderer sleeps a few meters away"
"Can someone think of the children!?" the voice of a middle-aged woman added to the rising voices.
Thorin just sighed and looked at the scene before him without flinching, his memories told him that this was just the usual behavior of the villagers who followed the loudest voice.
"Enough for once! I know Thorin and I know he wouldn't hurt anyone, tell your story boy!" Old Chuyi said holding Farine's hand.
"Etred attacked me from behind, not only me but also Michonne, she is a witness of this... Etred, he tried to steal the money that Gerd paid us for our work" Thorin finished adding after thinking for a few seconds, he would take advantage of Etred who passed out to cut off any chance that he would try to blackmail them.
"It's true he attacked Thorin from behind, if it weren't for Thorin being agile, he would have been seriously injured! Not only that but..." Michonne didn't finish saying what she had planned, because she didn't want to talk about the coin gold, she don't like the villager's behavior.
"Haha, what can that damned drunk pay them?"
"Although the last time your children were sick, he was the one who sold you the cheap medicine, right?"
"tch, you shut up, he's just a drunk, always bragging about being an alchemist when he only has a couple of prescriptions from herbalists"
someone tried to make fun of Gerd but it didn't turn out as planned since although Gerd was a drunk his ability to configure medicine was not a lie.
"Indeed, Gerd paid us for our work, 1 gold coin" Thorin paused and watched in silence as the faces of the villagers changed from surprise to greed and envy.
"I was just about to come with Granpa Chuyi to tell him that he could take half to subsidize the village that has received me with such a warm stay for these last 2 years" Thorin did not let them interrupt and said with a false smile but to the eyes and ears of the villagers was simply that of a generous saint.
"In that, I was assaulted by Etred from behind, thanks to the fact that I have been practicing martial arts with Granpa Chuyi, I was able to dodge it in time, although even so, I did not come out so well" Thorin lifted his ruined shirt revealing his thin body and a long vertical red mark.
it was the bruise caused by the first blow of Etred's club, the villagers fell silent again, the evidence spoke for itself.
"I fought him as best I could and in the end I received a second blow before I could immobilize him" Thorin turned around and the villagers looked at an even more obvious bruise and red spots where the skin was about to break and bleed, not only that but he had scratches all over his skinny back.
"Before he passed out he even hit me against the trees, that's why of the scratches if someone doesn't believe me they can check Etred's body, he doesn't have any injuries on his body" Thorin said opening his hands just like Toms had done.
Toms looked at Thorin without changing his face but his chest burned because an 11-year-old boy had disrupted the atmosphere that he had managed to create.
"What Thorin says must be true, look at Etred sleeping peacefully and Thorin's battered body! With this evidence who says otherwise? I believe him, if someone thinks differently we can discuss it" Michonne's father stepped forward and looked at the villagers who avoided his gaze.
"Besides, what he says about money is true, Michonne just came to give me this, 6 silver coins are the subsidy for the village, perhaps you will be ungrateful to a benefactor? Just for being an outsider? Do you already forget the times that we have been helped by outsiders when we couldn't find a way out?" Michonne's father rebuked them and showed them the gold coin.
"This, that was not our intention Guibert, hehe, now I can sleep more peacefully knowing that we have another young promise in our village"
"That's right! How is it possible that a character as legendary as old man Chuyi would take care of someone without potential! A promising young man without a doubt!"
"I told them that Thorin was a good boy, always quick to criticize and slow to thank"
The same ones that condemned Thorin just a few seconds ago now said good things about him and raised him to the skies as the hero of the village.
Toms tried to control his breathing and his facial muscles, his youngest son next to him trembled with fear because his father's anger would end up being released on him.
"Please everyone, let's calm down a bit, let's talk about my unpromising son, Etred is someone with a short temper and low education, don't lower yourself to his level, he may be a scoundrel but I doubt very much that he had the intention of stealing Thorin's money when have you heard that my son has ever stolen?" Toms hastened to justify Etred and use his prestige as a guarantee, the stigma of someone violent was not difficult to bear, but that of a thief? it was the worst he could have in the village.
"You're right Etred is not a thief, just a bit aggressive."
"We never thought that Toms, we have known Etred since he wet his diapers and got poop all over him"
"hehe, Etred is also a good guy, doubting him like that is not fair"
the voices of the villagers gave Toms a face, but no one was really happy with this result.
"Well since it didn't get bigger, let's not make the problem bigger" Chuyi concluded the meeting, and the villagers stayed talking and then returned to their homes.
Michonne's father nodded towards Thorin and gave a bag with 12 silver coins to his daughter then entered his house
Thorin shook his head and went to old man Chuyi and Farine's cabin, meanwhile Michonne reached behind him.
'the villagers just don't have a face to hold against the benefit of 6 silver coins' Thorin thought before entering and looking at the villagers who looked at him differently than before.