"Very good, very very good," Doryn said, walking down a veritable row of captives that his Guards had managed to round up while performing their raid on the Slaver's under the city,—the ones that had actually been taken alive in any event—"And, no losses on our side? Your supreme competence never ceases to amaze me, Lai. I'll be sure to sing your praises with the Duke when next I see him. What of this gentleman?"<br/><br/>The final question was spoken once Doryn had reached the end of the line, had gotten to the captive and bound form of the Half-Elven Sorcerer that had been in charge of the operation, a rough-seeming sort who was even now glaring up at Doryn with raw hate despite the fact that he was bound in irons and rather securely gagged. If any of these men had any connection to the Baron, it would be this man, and keeping him in sound condition was of the utmost importance.<br/><br/>"...taking him alive was difficult, but thankfully, Sorcerers are something of my speciality," Lai said, sparing the bound man a wry grin. "...isn't that right, cousin..?"<br/><br/>The half-elf just glared back, clearly happy with either, even more clearly wanting a rematch that Doryn had no intention of giving him.<br/><br/>"I want him transported to my own private cells and put under guard," Doryn noted. "The others can go to the Duke, but still, I'll expect everyone interrogated. You and Fredriech can manage such. Oh, and go ahead and send the payment to the Adventurers."<br/><br/>"They didn't actually do anything, Sir," Lai said, slightly confused.<br/><br/>"They were part of my distraction—everyone in the town was keeping an eye on them, and didn't notice my raid had started earlier, under your command." Doryn shrugged; it wasn't important that his subordinates understood his orders only that they were followed. "In any event, given what I'm<strong>actually</strong>asking of them, they'll want an advance."<br/><br/>Lai was quiet for a moment, then Doryn saw awareness flood over him.<br/><br/>"You're sending them after the Drow..."<br/><br/>"That's too dangerous for Guard work, but yes, I want information on who the slavers were working with," Doryn said. "Be sure to offer them a bonus for a high-ranking captive, but, we'll pay for any bit of information that they're able to bring back from the Underdark and as long as they present some kind of proof that they took an honest attempt at the mission they'll be paid double the advertised fee again upon their return."<br/><br/>The Knight-Captain waited long enough to be sure that his subordinate understood, whistled for some attention from some of the other Guards, and managed a bit of a transport for the Half-Elf back to his compound. After the Baron's unexpected visit to the Dewdrop, it was a prisoner transfer that he oversaw himself, wanting to make<em>absolutely sure</em>that nothing went wrong and everything was taken care of. There were some things, after all, that Doryn didn't believe in delegating to his subordinates...<br/><br/>~<br/><br/>...even as Ethirdir was making the decision to follow his hunch and make his way to Doryn's home, the Knight-Commander was wrapping up his final few bits of work for the evening (which included a few more surprises that he was sure would be quite amusing when they were eventually unveiled) and getting ready to excuse himself for the night as well. He truthfully hoped that Ethirdir had understood his somewhat purposefully opaque message, that he'd managed to earn enough of Hani's attention to keep the rather troublesome girl out of harm's way for the night, that indeed both of them were even at this moment waiting for him at his home anxious for whatever message Doryn had hoped to share with them both.<br/><br/>That, after all, had been his intent.<br/><br/>To ask them to his home, without making it obvious that he was doing so,-- to either them, or anyone else who might be watching,-<br/><br/>It was a shame, really, that Doryn had no especial intention of heading home right at that moment. No, instead, the Knight-Commander of the City Guard was making his way through the upper reaches of the city toward the residence of the very man who had so unexpectedly dropped in on him tonight. Or, rather, who had ever so unexpectedly dropped in on the Dewdrop. Doryn was fairly sure that the Baron hadn't known that that particular establishment was one of his haunts, that his presence there had proven more than a little disruptive, but he truthfully rather doubted that it'd done much in the way of actual... disruption..<br/><br/>No, the fact that the Baron had come to the Dewdrop could only mean one thing.<br/><br/>He was after Hani.<br/><br/>Which, at the very least, was one prize that Doryn had no intention of letting the Baron claim.<br/><br/>So it was that the Baron, who had no doubted settled into a quiet bit of evening relaxation,-- or, just as likely, some nefarious planning in further indulging his plants,-- was soon interrupted by a rather frightened servant who would be informing him of the presence of the Knight-Commander of the City Watch at his front door. Seemingly alone, in point of fact, for all that anyone who followed the exploits of the cities newest Noble would have good reason to doubt that Doryn was<em>ever</em>truly alone. (He had a rather disturbing habit of seeming vulnerable juuuust enough to make one of his targets make a mistake, at which point there were suddenly quite a few members of the Guard on the scene, and even the odd high-ranking official. One notable crime-lord had managed to confess his crimes within hearing of a city magistrate, which probably been the only possible way to actually take down someone of his caliber, a feat which Doryn only ever explained with a sly smile.)