Munich led Ortensia by the hand through the streets of the Imperial City. Winter fled first there. The young girls couldn't wait to show off their light spring dresses and these fluttered out from beneath their coats as they raced to school.

                The bell above the shop tinkered as they entered and the baboon behind the counter greeted them. "Sergeant Kassel," she grinned and stopped trimming fabric. "I always enjoy when spring brings old faces." She came around the counter and hugged him.

                "Mr. Iffy is in back fitting another customer. You're not in for a new cap are you, we've stopped carrying them."

                "Oh no, Mrs. Lace, I'm not hear for me." He nodded down to Ortensia and the baboon looked down at the little girl who was looking around the stores with wide curious eyes.

                "She?" she frowned at Munich.

                "Yes, Munich said. "We need something we can step out in and look sharp.

                "Well—"

                "Munich!" Mr. Iffy a gray manned Zebra entered the front room behind his customer. "What a sight for old sore eyes." He hugged the younger zebra. "Mrs. Lace, ring him up will you." He said of the other customer. "How was your winter? You seem to have put on a few pounds for a change."

                "It was well, Mr. Iffy," Munich said. "Look I'm in a bit of a rush today and wondered if you could help me with some shopping."

                Mr. Iffy raised his brow as the other customer left the store. "Stepping out of uniform during wartime?"

                "He's here for the girl," Mrs. Lace interjected, coming around the counter.

                Mr. Iffy adjusted his glasses and looked down at Ortensia. "Oh," he said. "You've brought a child. Well cream is popular for little girl's this season but so is muted pink."

                "Iffy." Mrs. Lace whispered. "She's a savage."

                "Now, Mrs. Lace,"  Mr. Iffy said. "The girl is a customer and our stores never turns down a customer." He led Ortensia over to a stool and had her stand on it.

                Munich took a relaxing seat on the red velvet couch against the wall.

                "So are you off to see Lord Kasper?" Mr. Iffy asked as he took Ortensia's measurements

                "Further out than Manor town I'm afraid," Munich said. "Philippi invited me up for a visit."

                "Oh how is he, I heard he was sick? Mr. Iffy asked.

                "Well, last I heard," Munich said as Ortensia turned around on the stool. "His wife is expecting their fifth child.

                "Poor guy spends less and less time in the Imperial City." Mrs. Lace said. "The Empress wasn't too happy when her handpicked treasurer started to have a family. She also wasn't too happy when he married his little wife, her favorite maid." 

                "Bah," Mr. Iffy said. "There's only so much of the Empress one person can take." He put away his measuring tape and put his glasses in his breast pocket. "I think I have just the dress for the girl." He went into the back of the store and returned in a minute with a pink sailor dress with a high lace color and a hat box.

                "But you can't give her that." Mrs. Lace rushed over to him. She touched the dress. "It's too nice...you spent all winter on that lace."

                "I can do what I please." Mr. Iffy said pushing her hands away. "Besides I'm not giving it away, Munich is buying it." He pushed past Mrs. Lace and gave the dress over for Ortensia to change into along with a pair off cream spats and shiny black booties.

                As she went to change Mr. Iffy stretched his back then dropped down to all floors. "I tell you, my boy. I remember when you were that age. You used to come by every day after school and eat biscuits on the terrace. You never wanted to go home."

                "I remember him struggling in math," Mrs. Lace said.

                "Oh, you scarecrow," Mr. Iffy said to her.

                "She's right," Munich said. "I was bad at it. I hated school and I hated home. I used to dread the walk back. I knew mom had another family when she wouldn't tell me who the boy in a picture I found was. I didn't understand adult business back then but somehow I just knew..." He shrugged. "Dad never got over her after she left us. Me...I hated her." He looked at Mr. Iffy. "I don't think I knew the true meaning of the word until then." He shook his head. "When I came here all my worries disappeared."

                "Do you ever see your half brother?" Mrs. Lace asked.

                "Oh I see Johannesburg all the time when I visit the palace." He shrugged. "We're civil with one another."

                "What about your half sister?" Mrs. Lace asked. "It's a pity the poor girl went blind she was very beautiful."

                Ortensia came out the back room on her hind legs fully dressed.

                "Marvelous!" Mr. Iffy said. "Oh if Mrs. Iffy could see this now. She loved muted pink. Go on and spin around for us!"

                Ortensia spun around letting the dress skirt flow. She had never had booties before aside from the sort worn in winter. These shiny black ones were not seen as necessary for an Eshkopean palace servant.

                Mr. Iffy put the lacy beribboned hat on her head. "Like a doll fresh off the shelf, eh Mrs. Lace?"

                Mrs. Lace couldn't suppress a smile. "You've outdone yourself, Iffy," she said and went over to the register as Munich paid for the outfit and Mr. Iffy helped Ortensia back into her coat and yoke.

                "Thank you, Mr. Iffy," Munich said reaching for Ortensia and steering her out the door. "We'll come again.

                "Goodbye, Mr. Iffy, Goodbye Miss. Lace." Ortensia called.

                "It's Mrs. Lace!" Mrs. Lace shouted before the door closed. "Little ingrate...She is cute though."

/

                At the door Munich and Ortensia removed their coats and the butler hanged them on the rack. Then led them upstairs to where the treasurer was waiting.

                His office was across an upstairs living room which had been turned into his children's playroom. Even now four kudu children played with dolls and blocks.

                "This way." The bear butler said as he led them across the room to the office doors. He went in ahead and Ortensia looked back at the little children. The eldest was clearly under four. She looked at how nicely they were dressed then looked at herself. She wasn't sure why her master had brought her such fine things.

                "He'll see you now," The butler returned and said.

                Munich lifted Ortensia on to the floral couch in the room and gave her a jack-in-the-box to play with. "Sit tight, I'll be right back," he said then went into the office.

                Ortensia cranked the jack-in-the-box as the treasurer's children ran wild about the room. She felt sorry for the one girl among them. They were soon called out of the room to eat and Ortensia was left alone with the toys.

                /

                "So you see, Munich my hands are tied," Philippi said. The kudu leaned back in his seat and took his wife's hand standing next to him. "The only other way would be a false charity."

                Munich rubbed his temples. "Don't you have assets in Carn?" he asked from the opposite side of the desk.

                "I did," Philippi said, "But Emperor Cato had everyone move their money into Mount banks before the war. What I left in Carn was absorbed into the treasury. I'm lucky he didn't find out I was hiding money there."

                Munich groaned. "The Blue Army needs money," he said. "Metians have outrageous prices on their weapons."

                "We're exhausted." Philippi's wife a tall kudu said with one hand on her swollen belly. Munich could tell they would be having twins again. "I sold all the jewels I owned the last time. I have children to clothe and feed."

                "We could borrow from the treasury," Philippi said.

                "Are you mad?" Munich scoffed.

                "Have you seen the golden bowls brought from Nagoray?" Philippi asked. "Three or four won't be missed. We could sell them to the Metians or melt them down for weapons for ourselves." He rubbed his chin. "They might go farther that way."

                "I don't think it's wise to steal from the treasury," Munich said. "You'd be the first blamed and failure to pay a loan to the crown will land you in debtors prison. We have to think of another way. I'll go through my father's things and see if I can't find anything to sell."

                "We'll do the same," Philippi said getting up from his desk. "But I don't think we'll come by much." He linked arms with his wife and they walked Munich out the room.

                Munich took Ortensia by the paw. "We'll have to think of something soon," he said. "My cousin visits the alchemist more and more."

                "If push comes to shove we'll leave the empire," Philippi said, "I studied at the military academy before I found my true calling, I know how to live in a tent."

                Munich laughed. "Take care, I'll see you in the summer."