Greg sat down to enjoy his double hot dogs and double fries. He had been looking forward to this meal since he won the throwing contest.

"Congratulations, Greg," said Rose, sitting across from him. "We heard you throw like an orc."

Greg chuckled, mouth full, and gave her a thumbs-up. As the rest of the crew joined him at the table, the air filled with laughter and chatter. Rick whispered something that made Rose laugh loudly, turning the little imp's cheeks red. When Thorn sat down with her food, the laughter abruptly stopped.

Conversation soon resumed in small groups. The twins discussed cooking techniques with their eager new staff. Meanwhile, Rose and George exchanged ideas over coffee. Rose discovered that George's friend, Sam, was an expert in what George termed "Foo Foo coffee" (anything that was not black coffee).

"Foo Foo coffee," Thorn laughed raspily, "Now, I like that. Black coffee is the only way to go."

George shifted uncomfortably, "Yes, well, I like a good strong black coffee, too. But Sam made some of the best coffee with cinnamon, butterscotch, and chocolate."

"Chocolate?" Rose asked, curious. "I've had chocolate once—it was bitter. Wouldn't that make the coffee bitter, too?"

"You had dark chocolate, girl," Thorn explained. "We had some from a trader that time. There is a sweet chocolate. I've had it once. It was," the old Shaman said with a look of disgust, "too sweet."

"Sweet like Rose," Rick said. Rose smiled and blushed, her cheeks tinting light brown. (Hello, Dear Reader, keep in mind green and red make brown)

"Bah! Orcs aren't sweet, Imp," scolded Thorn.

Rick didn't back down, "Why not? Can't all creatures be kind and sweet?"

"Look, I…" Rose began.

"Of course, all creatures can be kind." Thorn glared at the little imp. "You shouldn't be saying an Orc is sweet."

"Why not?" Rick was getting angry, "Rose is sweet, kind, smart, and beautiful."

"You think I'm beautiful," Rose whispered.

"An imp should know his place." Thorn stood up, glaring down at the imp.

"What!" Rose shouted as she stood up, "How dare you say that to him!"

"Mind yourself, girl," Thorn shouted back.

"I will not!" Rose shouted, "Rick is a good imp, and he's shown me more respect than anyone else."

Bob raised his hand, "I respect you."

"Shut up, Bob!" Rose and Thorn shouted together.

"Outside, girl!" Thorn shouted.

Rose patted Rick on the head, "Stay here. I'll be back soon."

The two Orc Shamans left the tent. Everyone except Rick went back to silently eating. The shouting could be heard all over the camp.

"One gold on Rose," Bob said to the table.

"What?" Betty asked, "Thorn is a battle shaman. She's, uh, you know, hardened."

"Yeah, but Rose really likes Rick," Ben said, "She's got it bad for him."

"Really?" Rick asked.

Bob laughed, "I'm as dense as a gold brick, and even I knew that."

Rick blushed, "I like Rose too."

"We know, little cousin," Ben said, patting him on the head. "It'll be okay. Thorn is set in her ways, but we can all change."

"Yeah!" Rick said.

Bob raised his cup of water, "Orcs running a restaurant."

Everyone else also raised their cups, "Orcs running a restaurant."

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The shouting had stopped, and the rumble of thunder began. Lightning flashed outside, and the ground rumbled. Even the most hardened Orc at the table started to worry. Then silence.

Thorn entered the tent. Her glare told everyone all they needed to know. She sat down and began to eat. Rick stood, but Thorn held up her hand.

"Leave her be, Imp," Thorn said, "She's gone for a walk."

"But," Rick began as Bob waved for him to be quiet.

"No," Thorn said sternly, "Let a Shaman walk out her anger. It's for the best. Nothing sane on this plain would dare bother her."

–

"Stupid Thorn!" Rose shouted, kicking a rock down the road. "Stupid restaurant, stupid coffee, stupid imp," she paused, whispering, "No, not a stupid imp. My imp." Tears began to follow freely.

Rose walked. She didn't care where she went; she wanted to put distance between herself and everyone. As she walked, she thought about the future. There was a future now for them. She knew it. Thorn had seen it. But she also knew there could be a future for her and Rick. They didn't need to be fighting to survive.

"What's the matter, dear?" A voice brought Rose back to where she was. She looked at a group of humans riding in a wagon; the one who spoke was a female.

"Oh, uh, sorry," Rose said, wiping away tears.

"No need to be sorry, dear; you're upset." The woman said, "So, what's the matter?"

Rose laughed, still trying to wipe away all the tears, "I had a fight."

"Boyfriend?" Said one male.

Rose laughed again, "Well, over my boyfriend."

"Always a boyfriend," Another male said.

"No, it was my mentor. She, well," Rose began.

"She doesn't approve," finished the female.

"Yeah," Rose whispered.

"My mum never approved of any of my boyfriends," the female said.

"Hey? What about me?" The male driving the wagon said over his shoulder.

"Especially you," the woman said with a laugh, "It's why I married you."

"Ha! Shows her," The man said proudly.

"Well," The woman began, "She was right, but I'm stuck with your sorry ass." The group laughed, and even Rose laughed a little.

"What does she not like about your boyfriend?" One male asked. The entire group in the wagon had become invested in the plight of this one Orc Shaman.

Rose shook her head, "He's an imp."

"Oh!" The entire group of humans said at once.

"That's a bit rough," The woman said, "I take it Orcs don't approve of interspecies dating?"

Rose thought about the woman's words and nodded, "Yes, I guess so. I've never heard of an Orc dating someone who wasn't an Orc."

"But love doesn't care," the woman said. "It can't see things like Orcs or Imps." The group nodded in agreement. The woman jumped from the wagon and began to walk with Rose.

Rose smiled down at her, "You are right. Love is blind in those things."

"Oh, true, true," The woman said as they walked.

A man in the wagon offered Rose an apple. "Thank you," she said as he took a bite. "So what do I do?"

"Well, you can leave the imp and follow tradition," The woman said.

Rose frowned as she chewed, "I'd rather not. He's such a great guy, and we work in the restaurant."

"Oooo," the humans said together.

"Ah, dating a coworker, yeah, that's tough," the woman said. "Well, then buck tradition and choose the Imp."

Rose continued to eat the apple, "I hated how upset Thorn was."

"Whose Thorn?" a man in the wagon asked.

"Hush," another said, "That's got to be her mentor." The rest nodded in agreement.

"I don't know what to do," Rose said, tossing the apple core into the field.

The woman stepped in front of Rose. Everyone stopped. She said, "Look at me." Rose looked down at the woman. "I need you to repeat after me." Rose nodded. "I am strong."

"I am strong," Rose repeated.

"Capable."

"Capable."

"Confident."

"Confident."

"Orc!"

"Orc!" Rose stood tall and proud.

"I will."

"I will."

"Be my own Orc."

"Be my Own Orc."

"And!"

"And!"

The woman raised her hand in front of her, "Sleep!"

Rose batted her eyes in confusion, "Sleep?" Suddenly, her eyes grew heavy, and she fell into darkness.

The woman put her hands on her hips and addressed the wagon," Told you I knew magic."

"Whatever, one spell doesn't mean you know magic," The driver said.

"Doesn't matter, old fire pants will be so happy." The woman said.

"This was way better than being tossed around," the driver said. The humans in the wagon nodded in agreement.

"Throw her in the wagon and cover her up." The woman ordered.

"How are we going to get her into town?" The driver asked.

"We take the side entrance. My cousin is on guard duty tonight. He's lazy and never checks the wagons." The woman said with a wicked smile.

The group loaded Rose into the wagon and wrapped her in a large sheet.

"Hey, I wonder what will happen?" a man asked.

"We'll tell the Orcs to leave if they want her back," said the woman.

"No, I mean between her and the imp," The man said.

"What? Who cares?" The woman sneered.

"I do," The man said, "I was invested."

"Shut up, Derrick!" The group shouted.