Year of the Boar, Seventh Month, Day 17.

Still there has been no word from Nanami or from Broken Rampart... Crystal has continued her plaintive cheeping and seems listless and as miserable as I am. Atsuko has been in and out to oversee the maids she chose and we have talked a little but I have not felt like saying much at all. I cannot rid myself of the images Shigeru's scroll has conjured up... the Diplomats still wish me to leave the House but if I leave my chamber, he will find me. One thing is certain; I cannot and will not attend the Talks this time. Each time I close my eyes, I see the spiky characters of his writing floating behind my eyelids and I remember... at least I have stopped being sick but if I could just sleep, perhaps I would feel a little bit better.