Several days of testimony and ledger comparisons culminate in the gatehouse court. Mara, Edrin, Pell, Guard Tessa, and Octavius remain present as Hadrik Seln is brought from the holding cells under guard.
Hadrik is a lean middle-aged man with thinning red-brown hair and a narrow scar beneath his left eye. His wrists are bound before him, and two guards keep him between them.
Reeve Anja Vey
The evidence is consistent. Hadrik knew Mara’s name, Edrin’s name, and the cart before Pell received the first memorandum. He supplied false route guidance and used Pell’s authority to divert them.
Reeve Anja Vey
The softened wax, matching dates, altered routes, and Hadrik’s access to eastern reports establish knowing misuse, not clerical error. He is charged with conspiracy, unlawful interception, and abuse of the reeve’s authority.
Hadrik Seln
You mistake access for guilt. I carried orders from the marshal’s office, and Pell accepted them willingly.
Reeve Anja Vey
Pell’s cooperation was negligent, not proven conspiratorial. He remains under supervision, while Hadrik stays confined for formal trial. Mara’s letter and testimony receive protection, and the eastern road reports are sealed.
Anja turns toward Octavius, with Patter close beside his boots. Hadrik’s accusation hangs unanswered as the reeve asks, "Is there anything you wish entered into the record?"
✓ Quest Accepted
Identify who intercepted Mara’s warning