These young leaders were led by a Half-Elf, who, upon hearing the complaints and discontent of the youths under his command, backhanded one of the young girls who was exaggerating the story with a slap, "Haven't you read about how cruel Goblins are in books?"
"We have read, but those are just records in books. Moreover, Sir Durin's actions were really too cruel—the cave was full of the old and weak…" As he spoke, the young boy who was speaking up for the girl fell silent under the leader's lethal glare.
Meanwhile, on the other side, five robust village women, having been scolded, knelt down before Durin under the captain's command.
Five village women, five tragic life stories—among them were those whose fathers had been victimized, brothers gone missing, sisters crippled, and some who had lost their children.
All this was just because of the Goblins, which to the townspeople seemed a pitiable species that could not be completely eradicated.
