"The whole reason there is a war with the orcs is because there have been a string of orc characters/chiefs who have been going out of their way to take the head and kill Villagers because they match up so well against them. "

Nothing is stopping the commander from role playing their way out of the war by simply meeting whatever demands the chief throws out there. Though in this case the decision to go to war is obviously not because the commander themself enjoys an advantage over orcs, if anything she is likely the least equiped to deal with fighting orcs of any member of the village in the upper ranks.