You haven't finished it?? Kassi!!! This shall be my LAST CHAPTER until you put that K/J fic up!! So HA!! Everyone who is reading this, remember: it's KASSI'S fault. So muahahahaha!!

Disclaimer: I own nothing times ten. HA I'm good for nine more chapters.

Does NO ONE remember Anesia? She was mentioned in The Assignment. Think, peoples, THINK!!!!!

PsychoLioness13: Yeah, that was me. I had to take it down, though, 'cause I was writing this fic and everything else. After a couple more chapters of this one I'm going to hold off and write that one about bodyguard Joren and everything. It was called "Tough Cookie".

And thanks to those who said "figureheads"!! That's what they're called!! THANK YOU!!!

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"So, Ray…how long have you been on this ship?"

"I was born here," Ray said shortly. "The village me and my da and ma lived in…bandits attacked it. My da – he's up there, the one in the crow's nest –" He pointed to a small, brown-haired man with pale skin and slanted brown eyes; he had at least a little Yamani descent in him –"took my ma on board ship, even though it's bad luck to bring a woman on board, so she could have me."

"What happened to her?" Joren persisted, flicking a lock of pale hair over his should.

Ray's jaw twitched noticeably. "After I was born the men threw her overboard. Captain's orders."

He blinked. "Why?"

"The Captain doesn't like women," he said shortly.

"Who's this captain, then?" he demanded.

"I am."

He turned. Damn, he thought. I just figured she was the captain's daughter, or something. Some kind of disillusioned brat.

Quite obviously, you were wrong.

Wait a minute. She's a female, and she doesn't like women? I'm confused.

Aren't we all.

"You're the captain?" he asked disbelievingly, staring at Jehani, who casually tossed her thick mane of copper hair over her shoulder. "But you're, what, seven?"

Shadows passed over Jehani's face. "In a way," she said shortly. Her cold black gaze fell on Ray, who had paused and was staring at them from the corner of his eye. "You. Ray, is it? Get back to mending those sails, you idiot. You don't need to tarry! This ship needs those sails now!"

Ray, startled, flushed a deep pink and got back to sewing the large snowy patch of cloth, his long thin fingers flitting nimbly.

"Don't yell at him," Joren snapped, frowning. "I was the one talking to him. Blame me."

Jehani sneered. "Touched as I am by your little heroic act, you too should be working. Help Ray mend those sails," she ordered coldly. "Don't stand around doing nothing like a spoiled captain. Get to work!"

"Yes ma'am," he muttered, giving her a mock salute.

As Jehani moved off, Joren settled down beside Ray, grumbling under his breath.

"She's right, you know," Ray said coolly. "You should be working, not standing around like an arrogant pretty-faced bastard."

A minute passed in silence.

"You think I have a pretty face?"

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As soon as Keladry stepped on board with Morgan and Peachblossom, all activity halted as dozens of pairs of eyes swung around to stare at her. She shifted nervously. Peachblossom bared his teeth and snapped at the nearest sailor, who yelped and jumped back.

"Stop it," she ordered.

Peachblossom snorted disdainfully, tossing his head restlessly. One big, untrusting brown eye peered at the pirates.

"I apologize," she said quietly, stroking his soft muzzle affectionately. "He's not very well-mannered."

"You are Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan, assassin-spy for Tortall?" one man asked hesitantly, his speech slow, as though he was not used to speaking in Tortallan.

"I am," she said.

Whispers broke out among them as they stared at her, eyes filled with awe and fear. Morgan clapped his hands.

"There now," he said amiably. "None of that. Keladry has been on this very ship before – I believe you remember her, Jaxon, Tibeto? – and knows the rules. She's famous, but she's still human like the rest of us." When the men still stood there, he rolled his eyes. "Get movin'!"

Immediately men scattered, throwing unreadable glances at her.

"Don't worry about them," Morgan said. "Come on. Bring what's-his-face, Peachy, and I'll show you where we can stow him."

"I'm famous?" Kel asked in surprise, tugging Peachblossom after her.

Morgan looked at her with raised eyebrows. "You didn't know? Everywhere we go, there's always talk of a lady knight who moves like a shadow and wields a sword like a dragon wields its fire. Carthak knows of you, as does the Copper Isles and Tyra and Tusaine and Galla and Scanra."

"I had…I had no idea," Kel said blankly.

"You're as famous as Cap'n Jo'en is, milady," he said cheerfully. "When they're not talkin' 'bout him they're talkin' 'bout you. Jo'en – terror of the seas, is what they say, and Keladry – terror of the shadows."

She blinked, shaking her head.

Morgan smiled kindly.

"You and the Cap'n, you ain't as different as you thinks you's is," he said. He opened up a large door and gestured toward her. "Come on," he said, starting down.

We're not alike, Kel thought in alarm. We're as different as night and day…aren't we?