Page 30 of Lonely Orcish Girl

"So, she couldn’t even get along with her own kind?" someone interjected.

"Enough of this, Esther! Her fate isn’t yours to decide!" Zachary roared, and the crowd fell silent. He turned to Reed with an apologetic expression. "I’m sorry, kid, it wasn’t supposed to go down like this."

Reed nodded to Zachary, grateful that the man was trying to mediate. Despite any past issues he had with the council leader, Reed knew Zachary always put Stagmoor’s best interests first.

So Reed turned back to the crowd. "What, you guys suddenly don't trust me? You think I would bring someone dangerous here, to my own house?!" he asked angrily. "You don't know her, how clever and resourceful she is! She's a smart,skillful, and kind woman! She could be very helpful to the whole village!"

"The boy has a point!" exclaimed Old Zed, another member of the council. The man was standing right next to the fence, so Reed could see his expression. Zed's wrinkled face was neutral, and he looked at Katuri with well-measured pragmatism. "I see nothing wrong with the girl living here. In fact, she could be helpful in many tasks. Just look how big and strong she is."

"Oh, yeah, she's big! And you know what, Zed? She's going to bring even bigger orcs here. I'm sure you'll appreciate their strength when they chop off your old noodle!" a woman argued with Zed.

It was Martha, a close friend of Esther. She stood in front of the crowd, giving Reed a stern, judgmental look. After a pause, she added, "And the boy has clearly lost his mind!"

"I didn't make this decision on a whim. I know Katuri, and you know me. You should have more faith in my judgement!" Reed was getting fed up.

Arrik supported him again. "You don't even know what orcs look like, Martha! You've never left Stagmoor, for crying out loud!" he snorted. "And really? Reed's lost his mind? Did he lose his mind last year too, when he ran into your burning barn and saved your sheep? Did you forget that so quickly? Have some respect, woman!"

Martha didn't answer but just spluttered with a huffy expression. She had no valid argument against Arrik's words and probably didn't feel good being reminded of the situation with the fire, as she really had a reason for a deep sense of gratitude toward Reed.

And he had enough. "Exactly! I've always had the good of Stagmoor in mind! That's why I brought a person of value here, someone who can help our community thrive! And the person I chose to be my woman!" Reed yelled.

Some other people started talking all at once, but Reed couldn't understand any of the chaotic yammering. He watched the arguing crowd with wide eyes and breathed heavily. He felt anger rising within him, but at the same time, he was slowly losing hope.

He was about to tell them to go to hell and that he and Katuri would leave the village forever when another voice could be heard behind the crowd calling his name. He knew it was Matzie because, with her speech impediment, his name always sounded like "Yeed" when she said it.

"Reed! Zachary!" Matzie pushed her way through the crowd. Reluctantly, people let her come closer.

Matzie blinked in surprise when she saw Katuri, but she didn't back away or react rudely like the others.

"Are you Katuri?" she asked the orcess.

"Yes." Katuri nodded, looking confused.

"What's going on here, Matzie?" Zachary was also surprised that she knew Katuri's name.

"The news just reached us, and Marga sent me here! She knows her!" Matzie turned to Zachary, pointing to Katuri. "She thinks Katuri might know how to help her!"

Only then did Reed remember Marga's health problems after the snake bite and shake his head, feeling guilty. He had been so busy trying to get Katuri to Stagmoor that he had completely forgotten about the old healer. But his heart filled with hope again, thinking that maybe Katuri would show these people how useful her knowledge could be and that she might be able to cure Marga.

The crowd fell silent as people tried to process what was going on.

"What happened to Marga?" Katuri looked alternately at Matzie and Reed.

"She was bitten by a snake," Reed briefly explained, while Matzie added more details about Marga's current condition.

"I can help! I know the right herb! Show me the way to her house." Katuri directed her words to Reed, Matzie, and Zachary.

The latter nodded earnestly, and then Petyr said incredulously, "Father! Are you really going to let that orc do some witchy stuff on Marga?"

Hearing this, Reed became so furious that he began to see red. He rushed toward Petyr, visibly enraged. Fortunately for Petyr, Zachary was much smarter than his son and stepped between them before Reed could grab him.

"Yes, Petyr, if Marga knows her, then I say let the girl try. We'll talk about it later." he hissed to his son. Then he turned to the orcess with a sincere, apologetic expression on his face. "Forgive us, Katuri. Please, come with us. Perhaps you can help Marga. Our attempts have failed completely, and her condition has gotten much worse."

"I'll do my best," Katuri nodded with a serious expression.

"Let's go, people! See for yourselves what Katuri is capable of!" Reed shouted to the crowd, feeling a surge of renewed energy.

The crowd emitted a strange collective groan, but he noticed how quickly the group dispersed, and the people began to head toward Marga's house.

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