Page 24 of Lonely Orcish Girl

Gurak cackled hoarsely and patted his thigh. Then he shook his head, grinning maliciously, and said, "Are you trying to get laid with an orcish gal?"

"Yeah, kind of." Reed decided to play along with Gurak's track of thought, only to end the conversation as quickly as possible.

"You've got some balls, kid, I'll give you that," replied the half-orc, smirking under his breath. He turned to Reed and said, "I can make that for you, but don’t expect me to push you in front of my other clients. Come back in… let’s say… two days. I’ll charge you two silver coins. It’s a good price, kid! And bring me back some good ale, and I mean really good ale, not some fucking watered-down piss!"

"No problem!" Reed answered with a wide smile, happy for two reasons. First, because he would no longer have to see Gurak's ugly face, and second, because he would soon haveeverything he needed to see… Katuri's beautiful face. And he couldn't wait to see her.

Stepping outside, he looked around the forge. With plenty of time ahead to spend alone, he hoped to think more about his plans for the future. As he strolled down the street, observing the people and houses, he hoped that the waiting would pass quickly.

***

Riding bareback on the draft horse wasn't the most pleasant way to travel, but it was undoubtedly much faster than walking. This was important because he felt he had wasted too much time in Larrant, but there was nothing he could do about it. He had been gone for a full four days. However, he used the time to gather everything that might be useful on the farm before winter. He also asked a few people if they knew anything about a possible antidote for Marga, but to no avail. He could only hope that Matzie had managed to find a solution and that the healer was doing better by now.

Gurak kept his end of the bargain, but he took his time. Still, Reed was impressed with how well Gurak had crafted the bracelet. It almost looked like the work of a jeweler rather than a simple blacksmith. The bracelet was a polished, shiny band with a small cutout so it could be adjusted to fit Katuri's wrist.

The horse was a little apprehensive as it had to push through dense bushes, snorting nervously from time to time. Reed knew that horses, being herd animals, felt more comfortable in larger groups and didn’t like dense brush where predators could hide. However, he guided the black mare firmly and skillfully, and after some time, he reached the clearing where Katuri's house stood.

His heart began to beat faster, but he forced himself to calm down. He was full of hope and faith that fate would finally takethe right path and that what he desired so much would come true. So, he kept a positive attitude. He even smirked at the thought of returning to her on horseback; the only things he still lacked were shining armor and maybe a rose between his teeth.

He jumped off the horse's back and let the mare graze on the grass. The house was quiet, and for a moment, Reed worried that Katuri might be gone for good. That would be a real tragedy. He called out to her, but there was no response. Still, he saw her belongings inside, which reassured him. He sat down on the porch and decided to wait for her to return.

Killing time wasn’t a problem, since he could rehearse in his mind everything he wanted to say while the mare grazed nearby. This time, he wanted to be attentive and prepared for any outcome of their conversation.

Reed had no idea how much time had passed when the sudden neigh of his horse jolted him from his thoughts. He looked up and saw Katuri.

The orcess stood a few yards away, and even from that distance, Reed could see her wide eyes and shocked expression. He stood up, and for a moment, they simply stared at each other.

Katuri looked as though she had seen a ghost.

Slowly, she began to approach him, her face still dazed, as if she couldn't believe he was really there. Reed tried to smile, but his face felt tense. His hands trembled slightly.

"Reed? What are you doing here?" she asked, almost breathless. Her eyes darted between him and the horse, and her chest rose and fell heavily with each breath.

"I told you I'd be back, Katuri." He tried his best to sound calm, though his voice was shaky. Nervously, he reached into his pocket.

"But why—" Katuri muttered, then shook her head in disappointment, as if realizing something. "What, you didn't manage to get your girl back?"

At first, Reed felt like reacting indignantly or even laughing at the absurdity of her question, but then he figured out that from her perspective, it might look like he had returned to Stagmoor, failed to win Jolene back, and finally came back to her as a second, less desirable option.

"No, Katuri, I haven't even tried to get my girl back yet," he said vaguely, then smirked as the perfect answer came to him. "But I'm in the process of doing it right now."

"What are you talking about, Reed?" she asked, looking at him suspiciously. Her eyebrows furrowed, and her whole posture seemed tense.

"I have something for you. Can you give me your hand? Please." He held his hand out to her.

She stared at Reed as if he were crazy or speaking another language. Her nostrils flared with each breath.

But Reed waited patiently, and eventually, Katuri gave in and extended her hand. He gently touched her palm before moving to her wrist.

He looked at her confused face and said, "I don't think this is needed anymore." Then, he unclasped the old bracelet and slipped it off her wrist, pulling the new one from his pocket.

Katuri's expression changed as she realized what he was doing. She was so stunned that she allowed him to put the new bracelet on her. When she read the inscription, she let out a quiet whimper.

"Why are you doing this, Reed?" she mumbled, her voice breaking. Her lower lip trembled, and tears shimmered in her eyes. Slowly, she traced the engraving with her finger, her hand shaking.

Reed took her other hand and squeezed it gently. He stepped closer to her and said passionately, "This is just a symbol of what you truly deserve, Katuri."

She froze for a moment, staring at him. Then she blinked, as if absorbing his words. He didn’t directly say it was a symbol of his feelings but rather of what she deserved. He knew it might not have been the clearest way to express himself, but he was too nervous to explain it better at that moment.

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