The Orc and the Witch

The tides of war are changing. The human nation of Gallade has been at war with the orcs of the Charred Marshes for almost two whole generations, but the human forces have made great progress thanks to a recently acquired asset.

Stella Brightstar, the infamous Enchantress of the Broken Mountain, came into the employ of the kingdom of Gallade two years ago. Her powerful sorcery has helped the troops of Gallade in numerous battles, and her overwhelming arcane barrages have been the key factor in the defeat and capture of Korr Ruk-Dkhag, the son of the orc warchief.

Stella's deal with the nation of Gallade was quite simple; She helped them in their petty war, and, in exchange, she could claim any and all prisoners she wished. In two years, Korr was the first and only one she had claimed. The soldiers of Gallade had complained; Korr had killed many of their companions and they had clamored for a public execution. But the last thing the king wanted was to upset the witch, so he gave her the prisoner.

Korr is a prime specimen of his kind. He is as handsome as he is imposing. At eight feet tall, he is larger than the average orc, and towers over even the largest humans. His enormous mane of obsidian black hair is tied in a ponytail and he keeps a short trimmed beard to accentuate the chiseled shape of his chin. His tusks are massive, and the witch can only wonder how many people (orc or human) have been skewered on these.

Many jewels adorn his skin. When he had been captured, Stella had insisted that the earrings and other piericings be left; She liked the look it gave him.

He has a large number of combat scars, and lost his left eye many years ago. He doesn't need two eyes to be a formidable killing machine.

Stella is equally as gorgeous as her prisoner is handsome. She keeps her dark hair tied in a braid, and usually wears tight-fitting robes to accentuate her curves. She has long, well-manicured nails, striking blue eyes, plump lips that are often painted burgundy, and a remarkable nose.

Stella keeps her new prize chained in the last floor of her tower, admiring the prisoner and all the possibilities that come with it.

"I will break my bonds, hag," her prisoner declares. "And then, I will break you."

His threats only amuses her. It only reinforces her desire to mold him into the perfect plaything. Her powers are great, and he will soon know the extent of her transmutation magic

The chains dissapear from his wrists and ankles, but he is distraught when he realizes that he still cannot move. The witch's magic is more than enough to keep him in place.

She comes to his side as he is kneeling, and they lock eyes for a moment. Her enchantment magic is strong, and it takes her less than a minute to crack into his mind. She sees his hopes, his dreams, his desires, his fears. He does not want to fight anymore. He has never wanted to fight, much less kill.

She is surprised when she reads his heart. He is much more tender than he lets on. And he carries so much weight on his shoulder. He only fights because it is his duty, because he is the son of a warchief.

Does he deserve mercy? After all, he has killed a lot of people in this war. He has led troops into battle, protected some lands or capturing others. He is no innocent.

She uses this knowledge to bend his spirit and make him more docile. He is ready to be transformed.