Year of the Boar, Twelfth Month, Day 13.

 It occurred to me belatedly that even Rikku's absence may alert Rani to the fact that her agent is compromised so Sasanuma and I have taken pains to arrange a schedule so exacting, that Rani will not have time to notice that she has not seen him. While I keep her occupied for the next day or two, Sasanuma will question Rikku again and attempt to see if he can be turned. If he cannot, we will send him back with Rani... if he can, we keep him here and use the situation to our own ends... of course, I must consider the possibility that he may agree to turn simply to save his own skin but that can easily be resolved...

Keeping Rani occupied all day has been a strain; I do not trust her as far as I could throw a stone lantern... and she must not know that I have found her out... I felt sick at having to sit across the tea table from her and smile at more of her platitudes... I do not know how I would have felt about her had I not discovered that she was spying on my House but ... I do not like her now... there is something about her that I cannot put my finger on ... 

I cannot understand why she is on this so-called Diplomatic tour of the Kingdom. What benefit could it possibly have...? She is not learning to rule, she is middle aged... I cannot believe that she has not already learned everything she would need to know. Were I her age, my parents would have had me by their sides, ruling with them before I took over completely once they were ready to retire... I also find it difficult to understand what they have to gain from touring the entire Kingdom alone in order to "develop Diplomatic relations"... we have trade agreements with the Sixth which have been set in stone for almost a hundred years... The Houses write a letter to each of our neighbours at the Talks once a year and relations are maintained... this can be nothing but utter nonsense... 

Sasanuma concurs. We went out to the temple where we could sure that we would not be overheard and talked about the matter long into the night... he believes that we must attempt to find out what she is up to before she leaves Silent Thunder and continues around the rest of the Kingdom; he also thinks that I should send messengers to the Houses she has already visited and ask if they are similarly concerned... 

In the faint light of the guttering lanterns, the plane of his cheek bones as he looked at me made my heart stop for a moment... I felt such affection and desire for him that I almost threw myself at him and begged him to lie with me there on the floor of the temple... I so wanted to feel his arms around me as he pressed himself to me that I could hardly bear it but I have made that mistake before... and just as suddenly as the surge of affection for Sasanuma came upon me, grief for my son washed over me and instead of kissing Sasanuma and making our relationship formal, I wept...