Year of the Boar, Fifth Month, Day 15.

The desire to flee the walls that confine me grows stronger by the hour; a bird arrived from Nanami four days ago and I had time only to grab the message ring from around its leg and shove it inside my sleeve before Mother barged into my room with a "fortifying broth". Of course, she demanded to know what I was doing out of bed and more to the point, why the window was wide open. I mumbled some excuse about feeling faint and thinking that the fresh air would revive me. Mother believed me and bundled me back into bed, making sure that I ate every last drop of broth before warning me to stay in bed until the physician had given me permission to be up and about. Just as I was breathing a sigh of relief and admonishing myself for being careless and telling myself that I may not be so lucky the next time. a pair of servants arrived and settled themselves, one at the side of my bed and one at the window. And there they stayed. I do not know at what hour they left, but a new set had settled themselves by the time I woke the next morning and since then I have had little respite. Mother's idea of making sure that I stay in bed I am sure, it as bad enough that I was subjected to bed baths, but not even being allowed to use the chamberpot in privacy is utterly humiliating... Thankfully the physician declared me fit and well this morning and although he has not yet recommended that I be permitted to leave my rooms, I am at least to be left unsupervised for a few hours in the morning and in the afternoon. It should not be too long before my presence is required at table again and after that, perhaps I shall be able to effect my escape... Unless... unless things become markedly worse in the next few days, I shall bide my time and plan as properly as I can.

At last I have been able to read Nanami's despatch; her hand hurried and untidy, seemingly she has not much time to herself either, she writes that Lady Yuika continues to ail. That Her Ladyship barely eats or sleeps and that she smokes constantly. None of this is news of course, but according to Nanami, matters became markedly worse recently when Lord Kenta arrived at Dying Crane. Nanami tells me that Itsuki forced Yuika to serve tea to an "emissary from Silent Thunder", that she did not tell Yuika the identity of the visitor and that when Yuika arrived in the Reception room to offer Hospitality, she fairly near fainted at the sight of Lord Kenta. Nanami remained close to the Reception room and overheard much of their conversation but not all. Lord Kenta told Yuika that he had heard of her... "troubles" that he had attended the summit at which the Houses had discussed Lord Fallen Sakura's likely guilt or otherwise and that he had encouraged them all to see His Lordship deposed if not executed. He spoke of his failure to convince them and his guilt at his failure. He told Yuika that he would not see her thus, and offered to put himself at the disposal of Dying Crane, to be of any assistance he could in the Lady's time of trial. Her Ladyship's response, apparently, was less than favourable, she became angry and asked him icily to leave Dying Crane and never return. She did not need his..."charity"... Nanami writes that Lady Yuika has been crying ever since and refuses point blank to leave her chambers at all. I wish there were something I could do... but until I escape my own prison, I fear I am powerless to help Yuika leave hers. I have instructed Nanami to do whatever it takes to ease the Lady's burden and also to put her mind to thinking about how I am to escape from Pale Twilight; I do not seem to be having an awful lot of success on my own.