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Hendrik dismissed the spy with a brisk gesture. It was still unpleasant to resort to what was, in his mind, a network of glorified thugs to get to the Luminary - but even he had to admit that it produced some results. They had come so close to catching the Darkspawn in Dundrasil and the experience had provided him with the increasingly rare opportunity to work with Jasper.
Looking at the piece of parchment he’d just received, his thoughts drifted back to the Darkspawn’s blue-haired companion. For all their efficiency, the agents had been unable to learn much about him prior to his life of petty crime in Heliodor; in the report’s margin, Jasper’s elegant handwriting read, "Bring known associates to the castle for questioning". Two names followed. One, Hendrik recognized as a man recently risen to wealth. A merchant who fancied himself a patron of the arts, if memory served correctly. He ignored Jasper’ suggestion, mostly out of pragmatism - if these people had been no help to the informants before, he had no use for whatever torture could wring out of them.
When the boy was locked up and peace no longer threatened, he really needed to have a word with Jasper regarding his…methods. First Cobblestone, and now this?
He wrestled with the urge to rip the parchment in half, and read on.
A few notes regarding Princess Jade and her unlikely travelling companion; wherever they went, it was clear she had been the one to make an impression (as befitted a royal princess, really), but the man’s drasilian accent got mentioned time and time again. A survivor, then, who would’ve taken the princess hostage and raised her to conspire against her own blood and kingdom… Who knew what other indignities she must have endured growing up?
Sighing, he retrieved the crumpled parchment from where he’d thrown it to the ground, smoothed it out as best as he could, and resumed his reading.
The circus performer’s track led back to Gondolia - and stopped there. His name and overall appearance suggested he hailed from the Costa Valor, but Hendrik had no need for reports to know how rare street artists were in the area. It was as if the man had appeared out of thin air almost a decade ago; a fitting trick for a jester, he thought with a smirk.
The report ended on a short note regarding the young mages travelling with the Darkspawn. Their contact in Arboria confirmed that the two blond girls were, in fact, twins; the word had been circled furiously, surrounded with question marks and Jasper had commented, "one is a child, you idiots" - albeit with less flowery wording.
Hendrik pinched the bridge of his nose. No, he did not look forward to reporting on his progress, or lack thereof, before the king.