CHAPTER EIGHT
Reed and Katuri reached Stagmoor in the late afternoon. Most of the men were out working in the fields, while only the women lingered near the houses, and the children dashed about. However, Reed didn’t spot any of his closest friends.
As they made their way along the path leading directly to his farm, they encountered only a few people—just a couple of women carrying baskets filled with mushrooms and berries, returning from the forest. They greeted Reed, clearly surprised to see him after such a long absence, though they couldn't conceal their shock upon seeing Katuri. Most of them hurried away, likely eager to spread the latest gossip.
Reed glanced at Katuri to gauge her reaction. She attempted to maintain a composed and indifferent expression, but it was evident that she was quite nervous. She had been quiet when they set out for the village, and now she was totally silent. The only sound in their vicinity was the constant snorting of the horse.
A group of younger children gathered behind them, trailing them through the fields but keeping their distance. When Reed and Katuri finally reached his house, he noticed she seemed ready to say something to the children. She turned to them with a friendly smile, but they all immediately scattered. Some screamed, while the older ones laughed.
"Um… I think they've just never seen anyone with, you know, green skin," he pointed out cautiously, fearing Katuri might already feel uncomfortable due to people's reactions.
The orcish girl shrugged and replied lightly, "Kids will be kids, Reed. Right now, they're just shy or scared because I'm an entirely new sight to them, but they're also curious, so they'll warm up to me eventually."
She smiled at him, and they headed toward his house, first tying the horse to the fence. Reed felt relieved that Katuri didn't seem to feel unwelcome thus far, and he prayed that the rest of the villagers would accept her. But he suspected it wouldn't be that easy.
As they came closer to the building, a man emerged from behind it, carrying a bucket; it was Joseph. Reed realized he must have just finished feeding his chickens, which made him feel guilty.
At first, the old man seemed startled at the sight of them, but then his face lit up with genuine joy and relief.
"Reed! Oh! It's good to see you alive, my boy! I thought I'd never see you again!" He approached Reed and hugged him with surprising strength for someone over seventy years old. "What happened? Where have you been all this time?"
Joseph looked at Katuri, but to Reed's relief, he didn't even grimace in a way that would indicate any negative feelings. His wrinkled face was open and curious.
"It's a long story. Joseph, this is Katuri. She's the reason I'm still alive," Reed said, pointing to the orcess.
"Oh, please." Katuri snorted, waving her hand, and said to Joseph, "Reed is exaggerating. Nice to meet you, Joseph."
"And she's far too modest. She literally saved me after I fell into the river and then almost died of fever," Reed countered her words, quickly telling Joseph a brief version of what exactly had happened.
Joseph listened without interrupting, and when Reed had finished, he turned to Katuri.
"Thank you, Katuri, for saving that silly hothead. Without you, he'd have rotted in the mud. And welcome to our small village," Joseph said with a friendly smile, even bowing slightly to her.
Then the old man asked what they were up to, and Reed thought this was a good opportunity to reveal that they were together. He held Katuri's hand while he told his neighbor about them. Reed sensed that Katuri was touched by his behavior.
Joseph didn't seem surprised; he just laughed softly and patted Reed on the shoulder. Then Reed thanked him for taking care of his farm, and he tried to suggest some ways to repay the favor, but Joseph wouldn't listen at all. He just said he was glad that Reed was well and safe, wished them all the best, and then headed to his house.
They walked around Reed's house, and he wanted to show Katuri everything that surrounded the farmyard, but she seemed too distracted, so instead, they went inside. Katuri looked very stressed.
He gently touched her shoulder and said, "I know this is probably a stupid question, but how are you feeling?"
Katuri smiled absently and shrugged her shoulders. "It's just a big change for me, Reed."
"That's because of the people, right? But so far, it hasn't been that bad. At least Joseph reacted positively."
She chuckled, albeit humorlessly. "Yes, he has. But you're like a grandson to him, am I right? I bet he'd react well, too, if you brought a female troll along."
"Yeah, you're probably right. Joseph is a cousin of my late grandfather. We were always close, since he doesn’t have his own family," Reed replied, sighing. It was a stressful situation for him, let alone for her. He tried to think positively, but it was hard.
"But don't worry, Reed. I'll adapt. I'm not that fragile, you know. I was brought up among the orcs, and it has made me tough enough." She smirked, stepped to the window, and looked out pensively. "So at least I want to give it a try. For us. And I'm aware that some people in the village might have problems with letting an orcish woman stay with them. I can't say their concerns aren't justified. I know how orcs are perceived. But perhaps in time, I'll be able to gain their trust. As long as they don't come with torches and pitchforks, I'll be fine, Reed."
"Please, remember, Katuri, if they're unfriendly to you, we'll leave Stagmoor. To me, you're the most important," he said firmly, surprised by the strength of his own statement.
Katuri turned to him with a warm smile for the first time since they had left her hut. But when she peeked out the window again, her smile vanished immediately.
"Well, it seems we're going to find out sooner than we expected. Look."
Reed stepped closer to her and peeked out the window. He froze when he realized what she meant.
A large group of people, about two dozen or maybe more, was approaching his farm. He cursed under his breath, recognizing the council elders and a few others. In the lead walked Zachary, Petyr's father and the head of the village. His son was beside him.
Zachary was easy to recognize from afar because he was the only fat man in the village, having never worked in the fields. He was rich enough to pay other men to work for him. The head of the council became wealthy by sheer luck when, as a young man, he found a large nugget of gold on his land. But he was smart and multiplied the value of his find.
Reed always had mixed feelings about Zachary but couldn't put his finger on what exactly bothered him about the man. In any case, Zachary wasn't known for being overly biased or corrupt as a councilman, so at least that was a good thing. Reed even believed that Zachary's presence could be beneficial since he was respected and had enough charisma to influence the crowd.
Fortunately, the people weren’t carrying torches or improvised weapons, but Reed could still feel his hands sweating with nervousness. Nevertheless, he clenched his fists, set his jaw, and mentally prepared for a confrontation. He had to be strong today. He had promised Katuri he’d fight for her, and he was ready to do that.
Reed turned to the orcess and noticed her tense expression. She was trying not to show her emotions, but he could tell that she was concerned, which wasn't surprising at all.
He pulled her closer, kissed her on the lips, and whispered, "I’m gonna deal with them, Katuri. Remember, no matter what happens, you have me."
Katuri nodded slowly and said, "I’m going with you. I won’t hide in the house and make them more suspicious about me and my intentions."
"Okay." He opened the door. People were closing in around the fence. He glanced at Katuri one last time to reassure her and then walked toward the crowd and she followed.
As he made his way toward them, Reed felt a sudden surge of energy—he was focused and determined to defend his woman. And there was something strangely exhilarating about that. He approached the people with his head held high. He was no longer just a shy orphan with no one to stand up for him.
As he drew closer, he recognized more and more faces. His childhood friends and their parents. To his surprise, he also spotted Jolene standing slightly behind Petyr. She looked at him, and their eyes met for a split second before she averted her gaze. Reed expected to feel resentment or anger toward her, but there was nothing. She didn't matter in the upcoming confrontation, so he focused on Zachary, knowing he would be speaking on behalf of the villagers.
And he was right: as soon as Reed stopped in front of them, Zachary spread his arms theatrically, as if to greet Reed and convey goodwill at the same time. "Reed! Glad to see you back, safe and sound! We were very worried!" he said.
Reed winced and let his gaze wander over the faces of the gathered people. He wondered how many of them would be on his side. Maybe he could find some allies in the crowd? Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Joseph joining them, which was a relief. At least there was one friendly face. He sensed Katuri standing even closer to him, slightly behind.
"Well, thanks for the concern, Zachary." Reed barely managed to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. "I’ve had a few problems, but I also had some help. Still, I didn’t expect a welcoming committee like this."
"People wanted to check on you, Reed," Zachary continued. "Some were worried about your well-being, some were concerned... for different reasons."
"Oh, yeah?" Reed shot back, then turned to the crowd and asked aloud, "What’s going on, folks? What are you so concerned about?"
At first, there was silence, but then a man in the back shouted, "Why the hell did you bring an orc here?!" The voice sounded familiar, but Reed, already agitated, couldn't place it.
"Yeah! Exactly!" a woman’s voice joined in.
There were a few other murmurs of agreement, but others in the group were talking back to the complainers. Reed felt a bit of relief—it meant he wasn't completely alone.
"Hold on, everyone, let’s be civil here." Zachary raised his arms to quiet the crowd. He turned back to Reed with a difficult-to-read expression.
Reed partially understood Zachary’s position; as the head of the council, he had to at least appear impartial. But could he really be unbiased? Reed wasn’t sure about that. After all, he was Petyr’s father. Reed doubted Jolene had told her fiancé about their past, but he and Petyr had always had a mix of rivalry and camaraderie, with more rivalry lately.
"Her name is Katuri!" Reed shouted. "And she’s the reason I made it back here at all! I’d be dead if she hadn’t helped me and given me shelter!"
"So what?! That’s not enough reason to bring her here!" the same man yelled.
"These are my reasons, and they matter to me! I’m standing here alive because of her!" Reed shot back, fighting to keep his tone firm instead of desperate. "She’s going to live with me! As my woman! We’re together!"
The crowd fell silent, stunned by Reed’s announcement. He felt Katuri’s fingers clutch his arm, and he took her hand in his, knowing she needed his touch. He needed her closeness, too. Katuri’s hand trembled slightly.
He scanned the faces in the crowd; some stared at him in shock, others whispered among themselves. He caught Jolene’s eye again, but once more, she looked away, clearly upset. Even though she no longer mattered to him, it was satisfying to see her reaction.
The murmuring grew louder, but then Joseph’s calm, strong voice cut through the noise. "Let the kids be; they’re clearly in love!" he shouted.
"This is unacceptable! She’s an orc!" another voice snapped.
"Joseph’s right! What’s your problem, people? Don’t you trust Reed?" boomed a voice above the others. Reed recognized it as Arrik, the village blacksmith. He and Reed had always gotten along well.
"She’ll bring other orcs here! They’ll rob Stagmoor and kill us! We can’t let her stay!" a woman screeched.
Reed knew the voice—it was Esther, Jolene’s mother. Her daughter hung her head, stubbornly avoiding his eyes. Reed knew Esther had never liked him, believing he wasn’t good enough for her daughter and preferring someone like Petyr.
Reed opened his mouth to argue, but Katuri beat him to it. "I will not do anything of the sort!" she said firmly, her voice raspy but strong.
"Sure you won’t, because we won’t let you stay!" Esther shot back, and a few others echoed her, though not as loudly as before.
"Katuri isn’t even a full-blooded orc! She’s half-human; her father was human!" Reed retorted.
"She looks more like an orc to me!" Esther shouted.
"But she’s not, and she didn’t even live with other orcs! She built her own place in the forest!" Reed countered.
"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.
As he started to walk, he grabbed Katuri's hand again and held it tightly to show her his support. The orcish girl looked at him hesitantly, and her face showed a mixture of emotions, but the clearest was determination. Her violet eyes sparkled, and she even forced herself to smile. Reed smiled at her too, feeling truly proud of her.
Soon, the whole group gathered in front of the old healer's house.