Ragusa, 1304

A man on a horse and his small entourage approached the front gates of the citadel. The usual garrison on duty that day was not present. Instead, a handful of men personally selected by the Governor of Ragusa, Dietrich von Dassel, stood ready to let the man in.

Dietrich was there too, ready to personally intervene in case anything went wrong. Nothing did, however, and the man and his entourage entered the citadel with little fanfare or incident. Just as planned. Dietrich made his way up to the man, who dismounted. They shook hands, cautiously.

"So this is the great Alexander Luther who has incited so much recently. I was expecting a bit more. I keep forgetting that you're a monk."

Luther chuckled, about the most anybody could get out of the man. He was rumored to be stern, as the extremely pious usually are. "You will find that we men of the Bible can be as influential as you men of iron and steel. Indeed, I believe you already have."

"Frankly, I was hoping to cause a little bit of popular unrest myself in the Diet when I stood for Chancellor," said Dietrich. "Congratulations on accomplishing what I could not. You have the Reich in full rebellion against the current agenda."

"And thank you," said Luther, "for granting me refuge and asylum in this time of backlash against me. While I admit that the tearing down of the Houses of the Lord was a bit... much... it gets our message heard. Which is where, I believe, that we share common goals."

"You are correct," said Dietrich. "The Kaiser must be stopped, that much is clear. His incompetence and disdain for the Diet has put us in dark times, indeed. So far he has two major goals; completion of which will forever harm the Reich and put the greatest empire in the world under Byzantine control. They are religious re-unification, your bete noire, as my French friends would put it, and political re-unification, which I have been arguing against. The two of these are tightly linked, for a pro-religious Pope would argue for political, and the Kaiser and his lackeys will argue for religious as well. Therefore, I offered you asylum so that we may work together."

"Which I am most grateful for," said Luther. "Travel is too dangerous now. The public can hide me well enough, but the Dukes... well, the Dukes have the military. And right now the military is out to get me, especially that Hans."

"Do not speak to me about Hans," Dietrich said with clear disdain. "It is because of his willingness to abandon me to the wolves that I am here in Ragusa and not fighting the French as I should be.

"Ragusa is your new home for as long as you wish it to be," he continued. "I shall do whatever is in my power to protect you and keep you safe. You will find all of the resources that you need to continue spreading your word."

"And in return?"

"In return, it's rather simple. Don't tear down my church, and don't do anything that would incite sentiment against me. This would be both from Electors and the common people, although I would prefer it if I had the support of the peasants should you be faced with a choice."

"That sounds agreeable," finished Luther. "May your further endeavors be successful, sir Dietrich."

"And yours, Luther." The two men shook and walked to their jobs; two outcasts helping one another out.