July 27th – We are another day closer to Uthethia, and Phil is feeling very poorly. When I began to worry, the captain assured me against putting too much energy into troubling myself with what was no more than seasickness, the likes of which I'd seen before but not in a decade or so. He patted my back and returned to attend to his duties, and I the same to my sickly Prince.

He was hid away in his quarters, wrapped in a blanket and looking green and warm. I shut the door behind me and lit a lamp, and sat on the floor beside his cot. He smiled at me from his little nest. "Has the open sea bored you, Dan?"

I grinned. "How did you know it was me?"

"Who else would come into my cabin, in the middle of the day? I haven't been much company, but in all your compassion you haven't seemed to mind." He reached his hand out. I took it and brought my lips gently to the fingers.

"I'd just much rather tend to you when you're feeling so unwell, than stand up there with nothing productive at hand." I kissed his forehead. He wasn't warm, which relieved me, but I still worried. "You're a bit clammy." I moved closer. "Have you had anything to eat?"

He shook his head no. "I couldn't keep it down if I did."

"Any water?"

He turned to face the direction of the water jug, only a little to the left. He couldn't see it, but he knew it was about there –I'd made sure of it. "We're running low now: the jug was very light when I took a sip. We'd better conserve while we're still waiting to reach shore."

"We'll be there soon. Go and drink if you need. I'll move it closer for you."

But he wouldn't let go of my hand long enough to retrieve it. He sighed softly. "I can't wait to reach land. I'll kiss the stone beneath my feet, just lucky it isn't the damp wood floor of this ship."

I smiled; he was too much sometimes, and yet never enough for me, always leaving me wanting. "You'll be lucky if it's not far worse there than here. I've read about Uthethia, and it's nothing like Daegalon." I felt guilty telling him this now, instead of letting him draw his own conclusions on our arrival.

"Oh?" He looked worried. "Where was my dear sister sent to marry, Mr. Howell?"

I reluctantly let go of his hand, and reached for a shelf in the cabin and drew a book from the far end. "It's nothing awfully horrible, Your Highness. It just seems the poor aren't quite so well kept as they are at home."

Phil looked very concerned, and with good reason and a good heart. "What do you mean?"

I kissed his head. "Never you mind. Rest a little, now. We'll be there by morning."

He nodded and closed his eyes. I watched him a bit longer, until his breathing softened and slowed. Confident he'd sleep for a while now, I returned to the deck in hopes of making myself of use.