Honest Balin

"Greetings, Duke Apophis Breo! Please give my regards to king Roland!" Balin panted as he climbed the fortress walls and met Apophis Breo. He was exceedingly courteous; Balin would always be grateful to Roland!

"I will! Thank you for your support... I never even dared hope the Dwarves would join the battle!" Apophis Breo was deeply moved. Good deeds truly bore good fruit—Roland had planted a seed of kindness, and it had now blossomed for Apophis Breo!

"Dwarves do not mistreat their friends! Never... Huh? Elves?" Balin patted Apophis Breo's arm with a friendly smile, only to turn and spot Lindir and the Elf Rangers resting nearby.

"Yes. King Elrond learned of my predicament and sent Lord Lindir to assist me!" Apophis Breo explained to Balin. Lindir also placed a hand over his chest in greeting.

Balin nodded to Lindir in acknowledgment. Although Thorin did not particularly like Elves—or rather, Dwarves in general did not care much for them—Balin was the lord of Moria. For the sake of survival, he still needed to maintain friendship with the Elves. As a king, he could not be willful; that would have been irresponsible toward the Kingdom of Moria. Thus, Balin had always treated Elves with calm indifference, neither deliberately currying favor nor showing disdain.

"The Elves are certainly generous!" Balin glanced around and roughly made out that several hundred Elves were also stationed here in defense. He could not help but smile.

What Balin and Apophis Breo did not know was that Elrond had his own purpose in being so generous as to send a group of Rangers to aid Apophis Breo! After all, there was no love or hatred in the world without cause!

Although Roland had risen to prominence only recently, the title King of Dragons had already been sung