Tuledare.
"Think that's the third one I've seen" says the church guard Sammit, next to him, his fellow guardsman Oldham nods in agreement.
"Think that's the third one I've seen too" says Jovan Garney the cleric, followed by "And all since yesterday afternoon".
"Think his holiness will agree to whatever it is they're asking?" muses Sammit, Oldham just shrugs, while the powerful spellcaster with them quietly says "I'm not sure".
The three of them are silent for a bit as they sit on the steps outside of the cathedral kitchens, and watch the latest representative from the ruling council, make their way out of the church grounds.
Sammit, the younger of the two church guards breaks the silence by saying "Think they're pretty desperate for us to join their war effort?".
"Now they are" dryly says the guardsman Oldham, who continues in the dry tone with "When they've lost so many of those towers and forts out in the disputed lands".
He briefly pauses before adding "They couldn't care less about us before they started taking loses".
Jovan Garney nods in agreement with that, as does the other church guard Sammit, who then says to the more experienced guardsman "You don't sound that enthusiastic for this war".
"I'm not" replies the church guard Oldham who follows that with "We've, and in we've I mean Tuledare has never had any problems with Phamal, at least not in the recent past".
The older and more experienced church guard follows that in a sour tone with "They're not Vexil".
The cleric Garney can't help but slightly grin as both guardsmen frown at the mention of Vexil. The city-state that's been the rival and often enemy of Tuledare on and off for centuries.
"I personally think the ruling council has bit off more than it can chew in attacking Phamal over the disputed lands" says the guardsman Oldham, who follows that with "Hell, they're our biggest trading partners" he then adds "At least overland they are".
"Huh" murmurs Sammit who then says "I wonder why all of a sudden we attacked them?" he then adds "After all, they along with us have been building up in the disputed lands for years".
"Greed" quietly says Jovan Garney the cleric which draws the attention of the two guardsmen, who look at the teenager.
With a shrug of his shoulders, the powerful spellcaster who hails from the Lands Farque says "It's what usually leads to wars, especially ones like this" the practitioner of magic continues with "I assume that the ruling council got greedy for more of the disputed lands to come within the borders of the city-state, and the Phamalians didn't take too kindly to that".
"Makes sense" says the church guard Oldham, who falls silent as the backdoor of the kitchens opens up behind them.
"What are you layabouts doing hanging around here, oh sorry I didn't see you there young father" says Oldagin the head cook, and mistress of the cathedral kitchens.
As the trio sitting on the steps stand up, the head cook, who along with her sister Hildagar, who is in charge of supplying the kitchens. Run the kitchens like it's their own little empire, that not even the clerics of Kaēvin, or his holiness the high priest interferes with.
She scowls at the pair of church guards, and would like nothing better of it, than to tell them in no uncertain terms to get lost.
But she refrains from doing so, as even she shows a bit of decorum in the presence of one of clerics. Even though Jovan Garney is the newest member of the church here in the city of Tuledare.
Though for all that, she like everyone else here at the cathedral of Kaēvin, has learnt the young cleric is the most powerful of the church spellcasters by far.
"Excuse us good woman Oldagin" says Jovan Garney, who doesn't need to read minds to know the head cook wants to get them, especially the pair of guardsmen away from her kitchens.
Oldagin can't help but grin at being called that by the powerful young spellcaster. Who though fairly quiet. Has become quite a favourite amongst the laymen and women who work and live here in the cathedral of Kaēvin, the headquarters of the church in the Southlands.
"Oh that's alright young father" says the head cook, who then adds "I was just wondering who was talking up a storm here behind my kitchens".
The laywoman after a pointed look at the two guardsmen, says "Of course you may go wherever you like".
It's fairly obvious from her tone, that she doesn't include the two church guards Oldham and Sammit in that.
After a quick glance at the guardsmen, who would like nothing better than to get going before Oldagin starts yelling at them. The powerful young cleric says to her "We'll just be on our way".
The head cook smiles at the young practitioner of magic, then frankly scowls at the guardsmen as the three of them make their way off the steps, and head around to the right, to the front of the cathedral.
"Thought she was going to start yelling at us" quietly says the church guard Sammit once they've round the corner.
His fellow guardsman Oldham grunts in agreement, then stretches as he looks around. He's just about to say something, when a young page comes running up to them, and tells the cleric Garney that his holiness, the high priest of Kaēvin wants to speak with the powerful young spellcaster.
Jovan Garney makes his way inside, and after a moment. The two guardsmen, who were on gate duty this morning with the young cleric, share a look, then quickly follow him.
"Think his holiness has finally made a decision?" quietly asks Sammit from behind the cleric Garney. Who nods, while the church guard Oldham replies with "We'll soon find out, well the young cleric here will".
The Farqian born practitioner of magic makes his way around the large central chamber where most of the church services are held.
Not that a lot of people frequent it, as the god Kaēvin isn't one of the popular gods worshipped here in the city. Infact he's not one of the popular gods worshipped anywhere.
The fact that he's the god of scribes and wordsmiths has a lot to do with that. Even though he's one of the handful of human wargods.
Jovan Garney leads the way around to the hallway behind the main cathedral chamber, and to the rooms there.
As the guardsmen follow behind the young cleric, he sees a number of people sitting on the benches towards the end of the hallway, where the high priest's office is located.
They're priests and priestesses, who watch the approaching cleric. One of whom is the priestess Saleane, who Jovan Garney briefly stops in front of.
"Kalmiss and Yuma are already in there" quietly says the priestess Saleane with a nod of her head at the closed door to the high priest's office.
"They're waiting for you" adds the attractive looking priestess with dark, chin length hair.
The powerful young spellcaster nods, then after a glance at the two guardsmen to wait out here, the practitioner of magic knocks on the closed door, before he opens it, and enters the office of the high priest of the church of Kaēvin.
Closing the door behind him, Jovan Garney walks across to the other side of the office, where his holiness sits behind his desk.
Sitting in two of the three chairs that have been placed on this side of the desk, are the other two clerics in the church of Kaēvin who are based here in the cathedral.
The cleric Kalmiss, a man born here in the city of Tuledare. A shortish, robust man in his forties, a good twenty five years older than the cleric Garney.
The other cleric being Yuma. She's from much further north in the Southlands. The unruled lands just south of the kingdom of Druvic to be exact.
She's about a decade older than the cleric Garney, in her late twenties. A severe looking woman, who one would call attractive. If it wasn't for the always cold looking demeanor on her features.
Jovan Garney sits down on the third chair next to the cleric Yuma, and with a nod of his head says to the leader of the church of Kaēvin "Holy father".
"Good of you to join us young Jovan" says his holiness, a man in his early fifties, still spry, fit and active. Who has only been the head of the church of Kaēvin for the last couple of years.
The head priest of the church is quiet for a few moments as he looks at the trio sitting opposite him, then after clearing his throat, he says "As you know, the ruling council over the last day or so have visited us here". His holiness uses the collective we, or us, meaning not just himself, but the church as a whole.
"As you've no doubt guessed, they now want us to join their war effort against Phamal" says the head of the church of the god of scribes and wordsmiths.
"Now" sourly mutters the cleric Kalmiss, who then quickly says "Sorry holy father". When his superior raises an eyebrow as he looks at him across the table.
"I understand the sentiment" says his holiness, who continues with "Considering when they declared war on Phamal none of them bothered to send a representative to us, to even give lip service to joining their war" followed by "They only sent a low level clerk a couple of days later, who delivered a letter saying they'll get in contact if our services are needed".
The head of the church briefly pauses, before he says in a slightly dry tone of voice "Seems now our services are needed".
Even the usually cold faced Yuma cracks a smile at that, as both cleric Garney and Kalmiss grin at the tone of voice from his holiness.
"Still, this last representative almost begged for us to join their war, seems they're in a bit of trouble, as some of small border garrisons have been hit over the last couple of days" says the head of the church of Kaēvin, who follows that with "The wider public has yet to learn of this" he then adds "But they'll know soon enough".
The trio of fighting clerics all nod at hearing that, then their superior tells them "So with that in mind, I've made a decision concerning our involvement in the war".
He pauses before adding "Even so, since the three of you are most senior in the church after us, I'd like your thoughts on the matter" followed by "And if we're all in agreement, then and only then we will say yes to the ruling council wanting our services in their war".
Looking first at the cleric Kalmiss, the head of the church of Kaēvin asks him "Yes or no?" followed by "Should we go to war?".
The oldest of the three clerics doesn't even pause to consider an answer, he instantly replies with "Yes".
His holiness asks the same question to the cleric Yuma, and though she's silent for a little while, she eventually nods her head, and says "Yes".
Lastly the head of the church of Kaēvin looks at the youngest of three clerics, and asks "Yes or no Jovan?" followed by "Should we go to war or not?".
The powerful spellcaster, still only seventeen has contemplated his answer as the other two clerics made their decision.
Jovan Garney knows that it now rests on him wether or not the church of Kaēvin goes to war on behalf of the ruling council of Tuledare against the city-state of Phamal. And that he holds the lives of many in the church in his hands at this moment.
After a few moments of silence, the powerful young cleric from the Lands Farque gives his answer to the question from the head of the church of Kaēvin . . . . . .
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