[center][img]http://s33.postimg.org/o8wvycz6n/1295552482005.jpg[/img]

[h2]To Wage a War - Part I[/h2][/center]


The scream of seagulls as they wheeled and dove over the Grand Harbour barely cut through the mass of noise below. The birds were a menace to any food stuffs left on the quay. They were also incredibly stupid. One had spied what it thought to be food, dove, and slammed head first into a cage of thin mesh netting. Some exotic creature was now doing its best to tear the gulls head off, the white wings frantically beating at the cage as the gull tried to withdraw its head from the unseen trap. To late.

This was but one scene playing out on a massive scale all along the main Quay. Roads came from all directions, the huge marble stones that had been set generations before ended here, giving way to waterfront. Huge oaken planks as thick as a mans waist stretched out on countless piers, some hundreds of feet long, looking like so many teeth into the Grand Harbour.  The largest and deepest harbour in the known world, totally surrounded on all sides by hills that had slowly been absorbed by Ordensburg as city had grown in size. 

Spring had always been a busy time as merchants prepared to sail for the colder regions as the ice began to break up, but this Spring something was different. The huge number of Electorate Trade Caravels normally expected still sat anchored in deeper water, small packet boats swarming about them like insects. But there was no denying the incredible number of foreign ships present this year, hundreds of them, varying in size from small galleys to great leviathans, all drawn to the Electorate by the promise of gold. And not just ships, but soldiers, tens of thousands of them.

Every Port City of the Electorate played host to similar scenes as mercenaries, sell swords, seekers of fortune and fame, all hurried to answer the Grand Elector's call to arms. Any fool could see war was coming, the signs were everywhere, but none knew could say for certain where hammer blow would land. Rumours hinted that no greater force had been seen amassed since the days of the Adronian Empire. 

At a nondescript jetty tucked quietly between two tall warehouses stood a red robed Inquisitor. A pair of keen green eyes gazed out from a face of flawless ivory skin, watching a small boat putting out from a nearby merchant ship, four sailors pulling strongly at the oars. Three figures, all hooded, sat quietly in the bow of the boat, their heads lowered to prevent recognition.

 Behind the Inquisitor waited three carriages, no different from the hundreds of cabs that plied the streets of the Capital at first glance. The drivers even slouched in their seats, apparently uninterested in what was going on but each man was a highly trained Practical, the soldiers of the Inquisition. It was a simple ruse but one that had allowed the Inquisition move freely about the Electorate without anyone the wiser for a hundred years. 

As the boat touched the jetty a sailor sprang forward to secure the vessel to the edge of the quay. In a moment the three figures had disembarked, hurrying up the stone towards the Inquisitor. The boat meanwhile shoved off and began to row back to sea. Just another ordinary looking cog in the secret war the Inquisition waged on behalf of the Electorate. 

No words were exchanged between the Inquisitor and her visitors, rather she simply pointed to a carriage, and then to an individual, and each one bowed their head before climbing into the assigned cab. The Inquisitor glanced around once, the Practical’s who had been ensuring no curious eyes approached were already fading into the city, then she climbed into the nearest cab, banged the roof and they were off.

“Welcome back.” She said, her voice almost soothing to hear.

“Thank you.” A voice hissed out from under the hood and it was pulled back to reveal a reptilian face and unblinking eyes. “We are ready.” 

“You have made your preparations then?” A pair of knee high white socks crossed themselves as the Inquisitor leaned back against the wall of the cab. She found this species interesting but was always mildly offended by how harsh their breath smelt.

“Yes. My comrades and I will rise as soon as your troops begin their landing. You must keep your word we will not be harmed and given our rightful place!” A long tongue flickered, tasting the air and the Inquisitor wondered idly how she smelt to him. Food for thought another time.

“You have the Grand Electors promise in writing. Your support, full support,” She stressed the last two words with a hiss to match the reptiles. “Will result in you getting everything you have asked for.”

A slow toothy grin crept across the reptiles face. “Excellent…” The word was a low hiss. “Vengeance is at hand.”

The Inquisitor smiled but there was no warmth in it, it was almost as sinister as the reptile’s own grimace.