Page 3 of Her Orc Blacksmiths

“H-hello,” I stutter.

They lift their dark eyebrows in unison.

“Hello,” says the one with the bow. “Are you lost? Do you need help returning to the human lands? Because you’re going in the wrong direction.”

Her companion leans close to whisper, “Do you think she’s all right? I know humans are pale, but this one looks like she might faint at any moment.”

From their demeanor, I don’t think they mean to hurt me, so I allow myself to sit back on the log because my legs are shaking too much to remain standing. They keep staring at me for a long moment, then come to sit cross-legged on the forest floor opposite me, as if we were gathered around a campfire. They sniff in my direction, but neither of them reacts beyond a slight expression of disappointment, whatever that means.

“I’m not lost,” I say. “I’m heading toward the Black Bear Hill. My name’s Jasmine.”

“Ritta,” says the one with the sword, then points at her friend, “and this is Sarrai. Any particular reason why you’re riding alone through the forest? Bears live here, did you know?”

I whip my head around to peer into the forest, half expecting a big bear to wander out of the bushes anytime now.

Sarrai slaps her arm with the back of her hand. “Stop scaring her. She’s gone pale again.”

“I’m sorry,” Ritta says. “No bears around here at the moment.”

“Oh.” I let myself relax a tiny bit. “That’s good to hear.”

I remember my fallen apple and gaze at it sadly. It’s covered in dirt and needles, so I leave it for the forest creatures and dig through my bag for another. Then I remember my manners and offer some to the orc women, who take the apples without a word, watching me carefully. I bring out some biscuits, too, and pass them around, all remnants of my misbegotten wedding feast that I raided in the early hours of the morning before the kitchen maids woke up.

“Thank you,” Ritta says, chewing appreciatively. “These are good.”

I don’t tell her I was supposed to have eaten these as part of the first breakfast I ever shared with my husband, because the thought is just too morose for my taste.

“If you’re not lost,” Sarrai says slowly, “what are you doing here? Are you visiting someone at the Hill?”

I think of how to answer for a moment. “Well, yes. My friends, Rose and Ivy, have recently joined the clan, as far as I know.”

This brings a smile to Ritta’s face. “Ah, all right. Yes, they’re at the Hill currently.” Then her gaze sharpens, and she asks, “Do they know you’re coming? Because we would have sent out a guard to make sure you arrived safely. We do patrol the roads, which is how we found you today, but you should have written ahead.”

I tug at the end of my braid. “Oh, I know. But coming here was a rather spontaneous decision, and I didn’t have the time. I thought I’d just ride up to your gates and ring the bell, you know?”

The two orc women exchange a glance that tells me they think I might be a little simple-minded. And by what I’ve told them so far, I can’t blame them for that at all.

But I’m not. Simple-minded, that is. Nor am I too blind to see that this plan of mine might turn into a catastrophe if I fail. If the orcs won’t accept me and let me stay at the Hill in exchange for working for them, I’ll have to slink back to the human lands with my tail between my legs and hope my reputation isn’t irreparably ruined.

“I’m trying to find a husband,” I blurt out, then regret it almost instantly.

They both stare at me in silence, and I squirm on the log, feeling both foolish and unaccountably stubborn at the same time.

“It’s just—I heard from my friends that their husbands are wonderful,” I explain. “And I’d like a chance to find my own.”

“Gods,” Sarrai says, leaning back on her arms. “Are we to receive every unmarried woman in the country?”

Ritta snorts. “Has word of the orcs’ prowess in bed finally made its way to whatever little village you hail from?”

“What?” Heat slams into my cheeks, and I know I’m blushing furiously. “No! My-my friends said their mates were kind. That they treated them well and that they’d never leave them.”

My voice gets quieter with each word, until at last I fall silent, embarrassment coursing through me. I knew that I’d have to explain myself at some point, because how else would I gain access to the Hill? But I have to admit these two women are a strange sort of a welcoming party.

“Well,” Ritta says thoughtfully, “that’s actually a much better reason than I expected.”

Sarrai hums in agreement. “Still doesn’t mean it’s smart to be wandering around alone in the forest without so much as a bow to defend yourself.”

With a graceful leap, she hops to her feet and offers a hand to Ritta. Then she inclines her head toward my horse.

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