Year of the Boar, Eighth Month, Day 17.

The rain did return yesterday but it receded to a relentless drizzle in the afternoon which made walking bearable at least. I passed two villages that were not on my map as I walked and on the outskirts of the second was an inn. Fortunately, the place seems fairly deserted although it is clean and the owners seem friendly enough; I thought it wise to take shelter for the night since sleeping under a bush in this rain again would hardly be good for me. I woke feeling well rested and after breakfasting on meat and eggs, I decided to write for a while rather than continuing my journey. The House of Dying Crane lies about another day's walk from here and if the weather improves and I decide to carry on, I should make it there by late evening. I have enough money for another two nights here should I need to stay so I need not worry about pushing on for the time being.

Trying to be friendly, the owners of the inn pressed me for information about myself. They could tell I was not of Dying Crane from my accent, of course and while I felt reluctant to tell them anything, it was difficult to avoid being rude. They believe that I am a servant on my way to the House of Dying Crane in hope that The Lady Dying Crane will take me on because my only relative lives up here and working for The Lady Pale Twilight is difficult and unpleasant. They have been very kind to me and the wife even gave me a cotton gown to wear while she washed and pressed the clothes I had been wearing; when she brought them to me a little earlier, she had mended the tears and fixed the hem of one of the trouser legs which had come un-stitched and looked ragged. I had not the words to thank such an act of kindness and it makes me upset to think of the help and benignity that I have experienced on my travels... why can I not find the same amongst my own people; amongst my family...?
The weather is not the only difference between the south of the Kingdom and the north - the landscape up here is impressive. The mountains that lie to the west loom over Dying Crane's Lands; I daresay they can also be seen from Fallen Sakura and perhaps even as far as Shimmering Dawn or White Lake. In Pale Twilight at this time of year, the temperature is balmy, the days are long and warm but I can already see snow on the mountain tops. It looks like the sugar icing on the cakes that Father's favourite chef used to create for my birthday; they do not look entirely real. Father... he has not come to mind at all lately... my stomach twists at that thought. What sort of daughter have I become that I have given my ailing father not a thought...? I must find out how he fares as soon as I get to the House and if there is no news, I must send a bird immediately. 

I still have no plan regarding my arrival at the House. No bird has found me and so I have not been able to contact Nanami. I will think on it...