"Say, Ri'saad, have you ever seen a white Khajiit back where you're from?" Ysolda admired the exotic wares lining the table in Ri'saad's humble tent. She was particularly drawn to a gleaming ivory amulet with inlaid emeralds. She held it up and examined it closely.

"Khajiit come in many colors and patterns. It is true of the nords as well, is it not?" replied Ri'saad from across the tent. His voice was deep and accented in that curious way which was so endearing to Ysolda. She set the amulet down and moved on to an excessively large and rusted knife.

"I suppose you're right… but even then, nords aren't usually blue, if you catch my meaning. I spoke with a huge white Khajiit the other day and he seemed unusual." She picked up the knife and squinted at it. It was heavy and dull, but beneath the rust there was a texture like embossing. "What do you suppose a weapon like this is for?"

Ri'saad tilted his head to get a better look at what the young woman was holding. "Ah, this one is a fine piece. Not a weapon, but a ceremonial blade from an Argonian shaman." Ysolda's eyes widened as she gingerly turned the knife in hand.

"Wow, all the way from Black Marsh?" Ri'saad approached from behind her and took the knife out of her hands.

"Of course not. What, you think I would carry something that valuable around in a caravan? It'd only make me a target for plunderers," he said with a smile. He turned the blade in hand and then pointed to the hilt. "A real Argonian blade would be much nicer than this, and made of ivory. But this one is so rusted, most of my customers would never be able to tell the difference anyway."

"That's a dangerous game, Ri'Saad. You never know when someone will wise up to your scam and send a hired thug after you."

"There is a simple solution to that, my dear. You'll never have to worry about being killed if the amount you sell it for isn;t worth killing over!" He switched sides and held the knife before Ysolda. "Excellent choice m'lady, that is a rare and valuable blade from the distant Black Marsh. Normally I'd charge a lot for such a thing, but just for you, I'll give it to you for 50 septims!" he said in a tone more like that of a skeever than a cat.

"Surely to sell it that cheap you'd be taking a loss," she replied.

"That would be the case if I had paid anything to acquire this." He smiled widely and set the knife down.

Ysolda's mouth dropped open. "You… stole it?" Ri'saad vigorously shook his head.

"No, not stolen, Ri'saad is an honorable merchant… most of the time. I found it on the road at some abandoned campsite." Ysolda sighed with relief and replaced the blade back in its spot on the table. "With enough wit, you can even learn to sell apples to the orchard owner," he crossed his arms and continued. "But I am curious about this white Khajiit you speak of. I didn't know there were others besides our caravans here in Skyrim."

"I met him just the other day. Fur that was pale like the snows and piercingly cold eyes. He was probably almost a foot taller than you. Suffice to say, I had never seen one like him before." At this, Ri'saad's features tensed.

"Perhaps you should avoid this one, my dear."

Ysolda cocked her head to the side. "Why's that?" she asked.

"There are many different kinds of Khajiit back home, but they have little reason to wander the world. For one to come to Skyrim, where we are treated so poorly, makes me suspicious of him," Ri'saad sighed and looked towards Ysolda. "This place is cold and unpleasant, and with the war going on, not many would like to come here. I fear that this one you speak of has come because he is no longer welcome back home."

Ysolda frowned. "He's actually my errand boy. The guy I hired to go get sleeping tree sap was killed, and this Khajiit fellow happened to be hunting giants in the area. He found my note on Ulag's body and brought it back to me, so I offered him the job and he took it." She looked back up at Ri'saad. "He said he was a hunter. If he can take out giants all on his own, then I'm sure he's more than capable of gathering tree sap every now and again."

"Hm. Perhaps. But listen my dear, one thing you must know about being a merchant is that the people you work with are just as important as the coin you bring in," he admonished.

Ysolda put her hands on her hips. "The sleeping tree sap business is a major source of gold for me. Not many others know where it comes from, and those that do are too afraid to go there. I'm the main dealer for all of Skyrim, and it's very lucrative. I have to protect that or else I start losing business." She crossed her arms defensively. "I'm not going to stay in the drug business for long. Once I've saved enough to buy my own store, I'll leave it behind," she said.

"Oh, you misunderstand. I have no problem with dealing in illegal substances." He placed his hands on her shoulders. "I'm just concerned because you're doing it all on your own. That makes you the main target if any of your customers are ever… dissatisfied."

"Well if there's one thing you've taught me, it's that the safest place to do business is within the walls of a city. The guards and the crowds will deter bandits, and of course my stock is always well secured behind lock and key!" Ri'saad smiled and let go of her, nodding happily.

"Yes, while I am proud of your business so far, Ysolda, you should always be cautious of new partners." Ri'saad exhaled and allowed a small smile to creep into his expression. "You've learned a lot since you became my apprentice. When I first met you, you were too shy to even ask for a discount." Ysolda blushed and turned away. "Now look at you, out there establishing your own market. Perhaps one day you'll even surpass me!"

"Oh, Ri'saad. Your words are so kind." She snickered. "Too bad you still couldn't convince me to buy the knife!" Ri'saad playfully jabbed at her shoulder and they both laughed.

"...But my dear, though you are already a fine merchant, do take my advice. Make sure you know about everyone you get involved in your business, especially if they are mysterious foreigners who don't talk about themselves," he said, his face suddenly turning to a frown.

"If I had followed a philosophy like that, then you and I would never have become partners," she retorted.

"Well, I suppose a little risk taking does pay off every now and again," he said with a chuckle, grabbing her shoulder once more. "Perhaps you can let me meet this one the next time I'm in town, hm? It has been a while since I last spoke to another of my kind who wasn't in my caravan." He gave her a look that was stern but kind, and Ysolda knew better than to fight with him on this. She nodded, and his expression quickly melted away to a simple smirk.

"Alright, I'll see if I can convince him to stick around next time."

After that the two said their goodbyes and Ysolda waved to the rest of the Khajiit camping outside. On her way back into Whiterun, several of the guards greeted her and she made small talk with them. Lately she felt like she had an acquaintance in every corner of the city. It was getting bothersome, actually, as it took her almost twice as long to make it home on account of stopping every couple of feet to say hello to someone on the street. She was well-liked in town, sure, but most of them barely knew her on a personal level. None of them knew about her many business ventures, as this privilege was reserved only for Ri'saad. Even fewer knew about her past, perhaps only the innkeep down the lane on those rare nights with one too many bottles of ale. It was only in Hulda, the matronly lady whose warmth was rivaled only by the hearth of her inn, that Ysolda ever confided her personal feelings. She had made an agreement with her to purchase the Bannered Mare once Hulda had decided to retire, and once that happened, Ysolda could see the rest of her life laid out plainly before her. She would spend late nights tending the bar and listening to the stories of the various adventurers who came in, always hearing their tales but never spinning any of her own. She'd flirt with a handsome bard and settle down one day, passing the inn on to her children when she became old, and then at last dying peacefully, surrounded by family. Though there was a certain charm to that lifestyle, Ysolda felt that it was lacking a little spice of adventure. It's not that she didn't respect Hulda, but she knew that Hulda was an old maid by this time, and though Ysolda treasured her company, she always felt that her perspective was lacking. This was why Ysolda was drawn to the drug business in the first place: it would be a tiny bit of excitement in her otherwise mundane and predictable life.

Ri'saad didn't know it, but Ysolda had always followed his advice to the letter, and in a sense, she had been keeping the rule of limiting outsiders long before she even met him. While she always kept a safety net of connections, as she had developed in Whiterun, she never let her guard down, and though that had its advantages, it was often a lonely way to live. She had Hulda and she had Ri'saad, between the two sharing most of who she was. But no one soul knew all there was to her, and sometimes she wished for someone to come along who could be worthy of such trust.

~Chapter 2 END~