Year of the Boar, Seventh Month, Day 21.

Birds arrived today. One from Pale Twilight and another from Shimmering Dawn of all places. It has been such a long time since I heard from my agent there that I had just about forgotten I had one... Somehow, Aoki has gained intelligence from Silent Thunder that Lady Kaede has been reinstated and that after a period of confusion at the House, she has taken control of the day to day House affairs. He says she spends a lot of time in her temple but that he has nothing else to report. In his own House life continues as normal and there is very little to report, hence his silence.

Aoki asks for instructions but I do not think that I can spare the bird if there is nothing happening in the North East... we will sail around the peninsula eventually but I do not think that the traders will be seen as a threat to Shimmering Dawn so they are unlikely to launch an Armada and even if they did, forewarning Aoki would be pointless since he cannot tell Lady Rina and Lord Shinshinousuke that I am aboard...
From Pale Twilight; Shikiko reports that Mother is well and truly furious. As I predicted, she did send out soldiers but only to scour our Lands. I was fortunate to have escaped their notice. When they failed to find me, she resorted to sending emissaries to Purple Lightning, Laughing Spider and Crying Orchid. Shikiko does not know whether she asked them to send emissaries further North or not. This is worrying. I should be safe once we sail but I feel anxious to be sitting on Crying Orchid's Lands knowing that Mother is actively trying to find me. We should sail in a few hours though so perhaps I can put it from my mind. Once we are at sea, even if she discovers where I am, there will be little she can do about it.
Speaking of sailing... I am ashamed to record what has passed between the Chief and me... he is like a drug. The herbs will not bring on my cycle for another day or two, he says and in the meantime, he intends to take full advantage of that. Intellectually, I wanted to refuse him but all he had to do was whisper at me that I should return to my tent and take off my under-garments. I was pathetic. I am beginning to sympathize with Lady Yuika's dependence... I will not detail what we did but the slightest touch of his fingertips and my entire body is on fire. He renders me quite incapable of saying anything other than 'please'... Soon enough he will have to leave me alone for a few days and perhaps then, I shall be able to rid myself of this... addiction.