Law and Magic

NaNo Part 5

Starting something new however and the actuality of starting something new were completely foreign to Rania however. Just that morning, she had been called into an Inquiry and now, she was expected to follow a Judge and what appeared t be another prisoner into a very dangerous area. She blinked and all her training as a clerk suddenly came back to her. The Judges wanted to send her into the Consulate in Mangaria. Mangaria was a rather large country; even with the small border skirmishes that happened between it and Tarsis, the Ministry of Law had many encounters with the Consulate.

Where the Ministry stood for the education of its citizens and the integrity of Law, the consulate of Magic was a rather large institution that history dictated be largely power hungry. Since the Consulate came into being, war had all but been the largest prospect in the entirety of the two countries. With the country of Laskin in between them, the war that the Consulate fought against the Ministry of Law was considered to be petty. Often times, when someone had to make a standing apology between the countries, Laskin was always there to be the neutral ground. However, none of those skirmishes had been caused by the death of a Judge.

Rania took a deep breath and then let it go. She stood up as tall as she could and then turned to Judge Drake. "As you wish your honor; I will be more than happy to go on this mission with you. After all, who will watch out for the rest of the party when we actually reach Mangaria?"

Judge Drake smiled and nodded his head. "That is exactly the kind of people that we need on this mission Clerk Major." He turned to Gixanna who gave him a rather unhappy look. Her eyes were all but filled with anger at being chosen to go.

"I still don't see why I have to be the one to go," she began in a heated tone. "Why can we not choose another person to go in my stead? There is any other sort of person in the Militant Order who would be more than qualified to go as a matter of fact!"

Osters chuckled only for a moment and then said, "Please, by all means your honor, tell me which one it is that you are talking about? Can you name someone who is able to go on this mission?"

Gixanna looked at the younger man with narrowed eyes and then raised her chin up in an imperious look. "Of course, there is Judge Gabelhardt."

Balthendis interrupted her. "He is currently on leave as he has some familial matter to attend to on the other side of the Imperium."

Gixanna whirled on the older Judge and then said in a drawn out voice, "Fine then, there is Judge Berghal."

"Judge Berghal is currently on duty watching the former prince of Ghellia while he staying here in our country." Balthendis made a rather polite smile.

"Judge Coorsev."

"He is at the summit meeting in Berkhall."

"Judge Vellendarik, he was free the last time I saw him, and he knows the common tongue of Mangaria."

"Vellendarik is on the front lines already as he knows the common tongue of Mangaria. He has also since been promoted to Vice Justice."

Gixanna snarled at Balthendis. "Fine; I shall go, but I expect to be going in the honor that I am accustomed to as I am a Judge. I don't want to be associated with any of the minor Travel Judges. Am I clear?"

Judge Drake nodded his head. "Perfectly... I will see to it that you are allowed an airship of your station. Perhaps the Iferitus will be able to take you to Mangaria without any problems?"

At this moment, Rania chose to interrupt as well. "Your honors? I thought that there was going to be a third person accompanying us as well?"

Balthendis looked at Drake and gave him a hard stare. "I would hope that to be the case Clerk Major, but is seems that it might not happen. I do hope that you will not be too disappointed." As he continued to speak, Drake finally raised his hand into the air as if to ward of Balthendis' words.