Zenon Olender, the Hero of Poren and Okkam, had never lost a battle and had never surrendered an inch of his people’s territory. The elf was raised from youth on the battlefield. Olender, the southernmost territory, bordered the humans of Teoran to their North-West and the Dark Elves of Orchadas to the south. They held a long coastline on the Shaded Sea that stretched from one coastline to the other, so it was in the sea that Zenon made his name.

Zenon used his family's comparatively small navy to defeat the fat greater Orchadan Navy in the shaded sea, then used their superior position to block Orchadan raids all along the extensive coasts of Teoran and Reonglas, earning the friendship and support of the Tryskan Empire. In his later years, with the navy that he had built with the support of his allies he answered a commission from the Aerdir of Okkam.

The seraph’s were attempting to create a navy along their southern coast, but the Orchadans were making it impossible with their raids and had formed a pact with Ryshamvar, the other dominant power in the region. Therefore, Okkam offered an exorbitant sum to Zenon Olender to have him take on the task of sailing a small fleet around the Maran continent. If the navy could be brought, more ships could be built without fear of raids, however there were no routes that were known to be viable to sail around the Maran continent. Therefore, Zenon became the first non-Orran to find a viable route and delivered the ships to Okkam’s coastline, securing the production of a new navy that could shift the balance of power in the south. Zenon took it upon himself to clean the Ryshamvar Sea of privateers.

Unknown to all, Zenon Olender was captured in one attempt to halt the reign of one particularly nasty privateer.

“The Winged-Knight.” Malik grinned, rubbing his chin as he stared appraisingly down at the tied up elf.
    “Such an honour to meet you in the flesh! I’ve actually been thinking about you a lot. Those charts that provided a route around that Horn of Mara… I’m very interested.”

“The information will never leave my lips. Ask the duplicitous Orrans if you wish to navigate. Orc.” Zenon spat onto the deck and looked around at the crew. The orc was the only one of his kind and quite notably the small, lithe vessel he controlled was crewed by only women. Zenon’s eyes widened.
    `No… not just women.` He spotted a dark elf he originally assumed to be female seated on the railing of the deck watching with his legs spread. He could see a clear bulge wrapped up, but also signs of breast flesh. Zenon gulped. There were a few elves in the same condition. He saw a mix of fear and loyalty in their eyes.
    `How did this happen?` He shut his eyes tightly, then opened them, coming to a conclusion.
    “Bold.”

Malik chuckled and paced in front of Zenon. “You have a powerful fleet. You are an incredible commander. I respect you a lot. I’m… not a commander. I’m a planner.” He tapped his forehead and leaned down, smiling wide as Zenon glared back up at him hatefully. Malik’s long red mane fell down around his shoulder. He laughed and leaned back, tying it up.
    “What I do- what I’m good at is solving puzzles. See a problem, find a solution. The problem with you, Zenon, is that you are unbeatable. You can’t be stopped in a ‘battle’ so…” He shrugged and motioned around to the small, fast ship and barebones crew.
    “Why even entertain one? I could gather a million ships and you would simply sink them all. Tactics and Strategy are really night and day.”

Zenon sighed. Even he had to admit that the man had executed a strong plan. “You viewed my fleet as being unstoppable, so you did something that seemed completely untenable. In reality, it was my blind spot… I did not think anyone would be capable, nor have the gall to sail a single small, light ship with no weapons into the middle of my fleet at night to board the most protected and powerful vessel in the south seas in a bid to kidnap the commander. The thought never crossed my mind.” Zenon nodded with a mild sense of respect.
    “Tactics and Strategy. As you say.”

Malik got down on one knee. “See?” He reached out, stroking the elf’s cheek. Zenon flinched away from it, but could not escape the big green hand.
    “I want you. I think that your mind and your skill in battle is incredible. Your tactics are unbeatable. With my strategy we’d be unstoppable. I promise that I won't even touch your home. Poren will not suffer any attacks.”

Zenon furrowed his brow sternly. “What are you even after? Orchids won’t attack Poren? What type of joke is this? Are you under the banner of Waren? I didn’t know you hill people could set foot on the water, so it was surprising.”

Malik’s eyes became gleeful. “Oh, you’re a bit of a feisty one, aren’t you? You hate orcs? Are you a bit racist?”

“Who wouldn’t be? The corruption of our southern brothers and sisters into what they are today is one of history’s worst affronts. I don’t blame the Queen Orchada, I blame your kind. Despicable. The only saving graze was the quick divide. They had the sense to stop following your peoples direct command. No sane elf would willingly consign themselves to slavery.” As he said that there was a collective giggle from the majority elf crew all around. Malik glanced around theatrically.

“Interesting! Well, I agree with you. Waren is at fault and I’m not happy about that little split, either.”

“Truly?” Zenon eyed him suspiciously.

Malik’s widened madly. He opened his arms wide. “The fact that the elders ever allowed those little elves to gain independence from our rule was a crime! The idea that we’d stop with Orchadas was an affront! The fact the moderates skew the politics of my people is terrifying. The passiveness of the majority should not stifle the passion of the minority!”

“You are utterly insane. You-” Zenon gulped.
    `Red hair… orc pirate… exile…`

“I see a glimmer in your eye. Realisation? Say my name, little elf.”

“Malik.” Zenon uttered between clenched teeth.
    “Your own people hate you, Exile. Orchadans hate you. The world does not WANT you to exist. How can you even pretend to be right?”

“Like I said.” Malik patted Zenon on the head affectionately.
    “The passive whims of the majority should not cause the ambition of the minority to suffer. Orcs have a spark that wishes to ignite. Your southern brothers and sisters have a spark that wishes to submit! You too have that spark. You should be mine. Your mind should be put to use for me. Your body should-”

“Shut your damn mouth you swine!” Zenon spat, it hit Malik’s cheek. The orc didn’t seem annoyed, he stuck his tongue out and simply licked it from the corner of his mouth with a suggestive glint in his olive eyes. Malik stood up.

“We’re sailing around the Horn.”

“I’ll never tell you how. Your ships will sink. Your people will drown. I will be pleased to sink if I can drag you to the depths with me, Exile.”

“Oh Zenon…” Malik said in a deeply menacing tone. The elf’s eyes widened as the Orc’s fingers crackled with red electricity.
    “We have so much time to change your mind…” The orc eyed Zenon’s body, inhaling with a deeply satisfied expression.
    “Among other things.”

Zenon cringed as the small ship rejoined a larger fleet. It was larger than his. He felt no threat from it… if he was commanding his own.
    `A fleet of this size would terrorise all the peoples on the Maran sea if it makes its way around the Horn of Mara.` Zenon closed his eyes and thought deeply. He smiled subtly and nodded to himself.
    `I know what I have to do.` He opened his mouth very suddenly, preparing to bite down on his own tongue to choke on it and save all of the people on the sea from The Exiled Orc. Just as he was about to bite down his eyes shot open once he felt two thick fingers and a thumb pry his teeth apart.
    “Aaagh! Uugh!” Zenon struggled to bite, he squirmed and fought his bonds but Malik simply grabbed the tongue, grabbed Zenon by the neck with his free hand and pulled the elf up into a deep kiss. The fingers were replaced by a thick orc tongue that reached the back of his throat and made him gag. It was like a slug had infiltrated his lips. The orcs' lips closed around his. The kiss lasted so long and once it was done Zenon was pushed down, restrained and a gag was thrust between his teeth.

“Can’t have that.” Malik stated off-handedly.
    “You’re my special guest~”

Zenon shuddered and felt shamed by his failure, and especially felt intense shame at the kiss that was just stolen. The lips that had only touched his wife's lips and his son’s forehead were defiled.
    “Monster.”

“Please. Like I haven’t heard it all. Enjoy your stay.” Malik waved a hand and raised his voice.
    “Signal the fleet! We’re circumventing the Horn!”

Zenon tried and failed to spit the taste of the orc from his mouth, but the gag made it hard, and only made his mouth messier.
    `He said circumvent… he already knows something. Too much. I need to find a way to kill him.`