The Knight-Captain couldn't help but be slightly disappointed--<br/><br/>--he was<em>used</em>to being underestimated and taken for granted, it was part of how he'd been so successful in his endeavors, he'd made a bit of an artform into getting the people he was targetting to lower their guard and tell him things that they really shouldn't. Apparently, though, it was coming rather more easily than he'd intended it to... or maybe he was just that nervous in the presence of the Arch-Mage... given the fact that Quillian had apparently entirely misunderstood most of what he'd just said. Either that, Doryn supposed, or the Duke was just much better at such things than the Arch-Mage. It made sense, really, given that Quillian was rather presupposed with matters of higher spheres and magical intrigue.<br/><br/>Still, it was something to consider.<br/><br/>"No, I imagine she hasn't shared much with regard to her feelings toward me with you, I'm not sure she's thought much on the matter myself," he says, idly. "That, however, wasn't my point. Rather, I was suggesting that because Hani doesn't realize just how strong my feelings toward her is... she wouldn't be able to assure you to your satisfaction that I am imminently trustworthy. I'm not sure how well versed men of your sort are with matters of the heart, but rest assured, as long as your fortunes are tangled up with hers... I am your devoted man..."<br/><br/>Pondering his next words, Doryn can't help but hrmmm a bit.<br/><br/>"That said, you are correct, the nobles are not very thrilled with me. Not in my person and not in my position; certainly not in my accomplishments," Doryn says, chuckling a bit, thinking over to the great upset that he's made to the underworld in the past several years. Really, the best part of it all was how very<em>fun</em>it was, at least in his own mind. "You're right, it's doubtful that your mark will report his theft but I also don't think he'll be reporting to his criminal contacts either..."<br/><br/>A bit of a smile on his face, Doryn runs a hand through his hair, having a sip of the wine that the Arch-Mage had gotten him.<br/><br/>"...you see, those self-same contacts have.. changed... several times over the past year. What's left of the Underworld hasn't much recovered, and as it<em>does</em>recover, it finds itself increasingly under the sway of myself and the Duke. Mostly not directly, of course, you'd be surprised at how much I know about what the underbelly of the city is up to... So, no. If your target is at all intelligent, he won't turn to<em>them</em>. He'll try to deal with this<strong>himself</strong>."<br/><br/>Which... well, puts Hani in rather direct danger, Doryn supposes.<br/><br/>A thought that brings a bit of a frown to his face.<br/><br/>"I'll keep an ear open, in any event, and I hope you will as well," he says, idly. "That said, I hope you'll trust me with the name of your target before I leave,<em>that</em>is the information that I need if I'm going to keep Hani... and this Kingdom, I suppose... safe and your delay in recruiting me more fully in this matter could prove very costly. I will note that, if I know who Hani stole from, I can potentially approach them under the guise of investigating the theft. It's no secret-- among the upper classes, at least,-- that I've been investigating such things for a while now. I operate at my best when I have direct access to my target."