"Well, I'm so glad that my little swordflower found someone to replace me," he teased. "How did things go out East?"

"Very well, actually," she replied. "I managed to fall in with the right people. If it hadn't been for bad luck, they'd have never caught me." She pulled the cloak around her a bit. "I hate to cut this short, old bear, but I still have alot of stops to make, and you have a major project to start arranging."

"True, but it saddens me that we don't have time to catch up. And you should get out of here before someone thinks you're Kalina and tries to hire you."

"They'd get a big shock," Keritanima grinned, holding up her thumg and index finger, then Ulfan rocked back when a little bit of arcing electricity danced between those fingers.

"I see those rumors were also true," Ulfan surmised. "They really taught you magic at that school?"

"Some of it," she replied.

"Could you teach me?"

"Sorcery isn't something you can just learn, old bear," she said gently. "You have to have natural ability before you can learn it. If you're interested in magic, go find a Wizard. He can teach you magic that you can use."

"Swordflower, you know that wizard magic is forbidden here," Ulfan said.

"I know a couple of arcane mages, old bear," Keritanima teased. "I'll even give you their names, if you ask very nicely."

"Maybe later," he said. "After I do this for you." He held up the parchment of names meaningfully.

"Alright. I have to go, old bear. I'll send you some love notes."

Ulfan collected the petite princess up in his huge arms and then picked her up into a massive hug. "I missed you, swordflower," he told her sincerely. "I'll get things moving for you. You just make sure you have that money here by sundown."

"I'd like to keep my ribs," Keritanima wheezed.

"Those are my ribs," Ulfan teased as he set her down gently. "I'll be waiting for your notes."

"You do that," she grinned. "Get to work, Ulfan. You're on my payroll now, and I expect my employees to be professional and motivated."

"I'll show you some motivation," Ulfan jibed, poking her in the shoulder. "I'll see you later. Keep yourself safe, little swordflower."

"Always, fat bear, always," she assured him with a warm smile, then she led her two companions back out as Ulfan called together his more trusted thieves.

"He seemed sincere enough," Azakar noted as they walked away from the warehouse.

"Ulfan's a sweetie," Keritanima smiled at him. "He has some rough edges, but those just make him more adorable."

"I wouldn't call a thief and a murderer a sweetie," Azakar grunted.

"You have no idea what a Wikuni woman looks for in a man, Zak," Keritanima winked. "In our society, being a good thief and a murderer are good qualities."

"You're lying," Azakar stated bluntly as Keritanima just gave him a wicked little smile. "No way," he said adamantly. He turned to Miranda, who was wearing a similar little smile as Keritanima, and that made the large Mahuut snort and fold his arms.

Keritanina and Miranda laughed delightedly, and Keritanima patted Azakar on the arm. "Of course I'm joking," she assured him. "Ulfan's a thief and a murderer, but he's also a dependable, loyal man."

"How can a thief be loyal?"

"When you pay for a service from Ulfan, that service is rendered," Miranda told him calmly. "It is rendered quickly, efficiently, and quietly, and those are qualities that are very much in demand when you want someone murdered. When Ulfan accepts a job, he makes sure that job is carried out, and he won't switch sides or sell out his employer once he's paid. Ulfan is known as one of the most dependable workers of underhanded deeds in Wikuna."

"Oh. I guess I can understand that."

"He's a very solid friend," Keritanima said admirably. "He thinks of me as his little daughter, so he taught me more than he really intended to," she smiled.

"Why does he call you swordflower?"

"Because I'm very pretty to look at, but you don't touch," she winked. "I carved up a couple of his thieves when they mistook me for Kalina and got fresh."

"Oh. I guess that's a good reason. Where to now?"

"To the main office of the Twenty Seas trading company," she winked. "I have to arrange for Ulfan's pay."

Going there required a change in clothing, so they stopped at a seamstress' shop and arranged for new clothing. When Keritanima left the Dancing Needle, she was garbed in a sleek, expensive gown of cream-colored satin, plain yet extremely elegant, with a very simple yet tasteful string of pearls around her neck, wrapped around the chain of her silver amulet. The neckline was high enough to hide that very distinctive adornment, something that would invariably give her away, but still managed to show a peek of cleavage. That was necessary, since low-cut dresses were all the rage among the higher circles of Wikuni society. The more it showed, the better it was. Keritanima figured that they'd eventually end up with dresses that started at the waist. Keritanima had pulled up her hair into a more mature-looking bun, and it changed her entire appearance. She no longer looked like a young lady, and now looked like a sophisticated, mature socialite or well-to-do merchant.

"Wow," Azakar said as she stepped from the shop and modelled a bit for him. "You look completely different."

"That's the idea," she winked. "Let's go. We have to hire a carriage to take us across town."

"Why not walk?"

"Because, my dear bodyguard, Lizelle Sailmender does not walk around," she said in a pompous tone.

"And what does that mean?"

"It means that she's assuming one of her other identities," Miranda told him. "Don't worry about it, Zak. Just play along. In a few minutes, she'll probably put an Illusion over me. You see, I'm Sanda, Lizelle's maid. I used to dye my hair and wear a disguise, but it'll be easier the other way."

"You know, I wonder why nobody is noticing me," Azakar said curiously.

"Because what's so striking about a wolverine Wikuni playing bodyguard?" Keritanima said lightly.

"I'm still-" he started, but Keritanima cut him off with a smile and a nod. "Oh. I don't see a thing."

"You won't," she smiled. "The wearer doesn't see his costume, Zak. Only the people who look at him."

"I didn't know that."

"Now you do," she grinned, and then Keritanima moved to hire a carriage.

The home office of the Twenty Sails trading company was a massive trio of warehouses located solidly in the middle of the docks. Three large warehouses were there with smaller buildings between them, walled off from the others by an impressive metal fence that was patrolled by roving sentries. The trading company owned the docks, as well as the ships sitting in their sloops, and just about everything that was inside the compound. The covered carriage Keritanima hired to bring them there stopped at a heavily defended pair of large steel gate, as a pair of intimidating dog Wikuni advanced. One of them, Keritanima recognized. Darl, one of her company's older guards, a good solid man who always paid attention to detail. He was an excellent guard. Keritanima raised the shade hiding them from the outside and looked out imperiously.

One of them drew himself up into a rigid posture. "Lady Lizelle!" he announced. "I will have the gate opened immediately!"

"Thank you, Darl," she said in a calm, deep voice. "Would you send someone to let Rallix know I'm coming? I don't want to have to wait for him when I arrive."

"At once, my Lady," he said in a confident tone, turning and shouting back to the other men. "Send a runner! Have Master Rallix summoned to Lady Lizelle's office immediately!"

The carriage drove past the front gate, and Azakar was looking strangely at Keritanima. "Why did they just let us in?"

"They'd better just let us in," she smiled. "I own this company, Zak, or at least Lizelle does. I'm not a poor little rich girl, you know."