Sorry it's been so long. This weird thing happened where I had a life, and I spent time with my friends. Don't worry, it doesnt happen often.

Reveiw, blah blah blah. You know the drill by now.

Day: 13

We see land in the distance. Still far away, but visible on the horizon. Celeste claims that once we get closer she will be able to fly over and take a look. To my untrained eyes it seemed to be desert, so perhaps we have not yet reached Hatari. But it is land none the less.

I find my days are spent mostly alongside Ike, my nights in the cabin charting maps and then sleeping. Somehow we have managed to hide our relationship from the others. I believe he does this for my behalf; for it seems he could care less what others think. I admire that in him; for though I put on a tough exterior, the judgment of others can still hurt me. It is why I left Tellius in the first place.

He is, I am not ashamed to say, an extremely good kisser. I feel my cheeks warming as I write. Often as of late I have found myself smitten in his presence; which gives him the opportunity to pull me into a kiss. I do not mind of course, but I have always prided myself on my ability to stay cool in any situation. Ike seems to throw my whole world off track, and I don't know how to respond.

It's noteworthy to add that my secret is no longer mine own. Celeste has told no one, that I know of, but Ike has found out. He claims to have realized it long ago; and that it was because he knew I planned to leave his mercenary company that he left on this journey; with me. A foolish decision, but one that I cannot deny warms my heart.

Celeste no longer babies me. She keeps her distance, but still puts on a friendly face. I know my violent action days ago hurt her. I cannot deny that fact. But for now I shall let her continue to sulk in my presence; I prefer this Celeste to the annoying one any day.

With the appearance of land Ike has begun to train again. I, too, have picked up my spellbooks. Who knows what waits on the shores of this strange new place? We will not be caught off guard.

Soren.

As the drawer closed, hiding away the diary from possible prying eyes, the cabin door swung open. "It's so cold," Ike shivered and complained as he entered the room. "Cant this room come with space for a fire?"

"Only if you want to burn the ship down," Soren mumbled, returning to his charts. "Look at this Ike," the swordsman approached, standing so close to the mage that he actually felt a shiver run down his spine.

"Hm?" The man asked tiredly.

"This," Soren marked a spot, "is us. This," he drew a line, "is what we see on the horizon. Now, based off of my calculations, that would place Daein here, and the desert here. This means that if we-"

"Soren."

"Yes, Ike?"

"Relax."

The mage shook his head. "There is no time to relax, Ike. Who knows what we will face when weaahh!" He gasped in shock as he was yanked from his chair and into a kiss. Ike did that a lot. Especially at night.

"Still not relaxed?" the swordsman asked with a smirk.

"T-the charts…. I… I need to-"

He was silenced with another kiss, this one as Ike pushed him up against the wall. The swordsman's body was so close to his own that Soren was literally sandwiched between the wall and Ike. "Ngh, Ike…" was all he managed to get out. His hands were held captive above his head by Ike's and he could have sword he felt a lump near the man's groin…

The doorknob turned. Ike was immediately apart from Soren and on the other side of the room, leaving the mage panting and flushed. He turned his head as the door opened to hide his face.

"Uh, Soren?" That was Bryant's voice.

"Yes?" His voice was cold, emotionless; yet his face was still red.

"The anchor got stuck on a rock; it's going to cause us problems tomorrow morning if we don't do something about it."

"Right. I'll be right there."

The door closed, and Soren took slow, deep breaths to quell the blood that refused to leave his cheeks. Once more Ike was at his side, placing a soft kiss on his head. He wasn't helping, the mage thought.

"I-I'm going to go then." The mage straightened the collar of his robe and grabbed a tome.

"Alright, I'll be waiting."

Soren's cheeks flushed once more, and he rushed out, back into the night air. The captain and Bryant were leaning out over the edge; Bryant's hands gripped around the anchor's chain. "Just a little more Celeste," the berserker called out below.

Sure enough, the hawk laguz was standing on a large rock below, tugging on the anchor's chain with all her might. It seemed that the anchor was lodged between a crevice in the rock. Soren approached the side, opening his tome. "Tell her to move," he said.

Bryant nodded, "Celeste!" he called down to her, "Soren's going to give it a shot, you might want to move."

"Alright!" She flapped her wings and rose into the sky.

Soren waited until she was out of the way before pointing his finger towards the rock and whispering, "Rurewako."

The wind around the ship picked up, the sails beginning to flap violently. The chain that Bryant was still clinging to jiggled and the ship let out a long groan. It died down back to a soft stillness.

"It didn't work…" Bryant said softly.

"Yoteshinaha!"

The rock split in half, a loud bang shaking the ship as it did so. The wind had once again picked up; quicker and stronger this time. Byrant dropped the chain to cover his face; the captain dropped to the ground; and Celeste was thrown, like a rag doll, into the water. She broke the surface coughing and spluttering, thrashing around in the water.

"Woman overboard!" Bryant called out, grabbing the life preserver and tossing it into the ocean below, "Grab this!"

Her thin arms linked through the preserver, "Alright, I… I got it!" She coughed as the waves took her head under the water again. "Pull me up!"

Bryant pulled with all his might, "Ugh, you're so... heavy."

"EXCUSE ME?!" Came the shout from below.

"Sorry darling! It's just your wings, I'm sure. Ugh, someone help me out here!" The rope was slipping from his hands. Immediately the captain grabbed it as well, and together they managed to pull Celeste up and over the edge. She was soaked head to toe, body shivering violently in the cold.

"I'll get a blanket," The captain said quickly, running off.

"What the hell do you think you were doing Soren!" Bryant spun on the young mage. "You could have killed her. Using such strong wind magic when she was flying!"

Soren didn't even flinch, "I got the anchor loose, didn't I?"

"At what cost?"

"Celeste looks fine to me. I simply did as you asked me to do; it was her own ill judgment that lead to this complication." He folded his arms, holding the tome loosely in one hand.

"Why you-"

"Bryant, it's alright." Celeste coughed, looking up at Soren. Their eyes met, "Don't blame him."

Something stirred in the mage, so he looked away, breaking his gaze with the hawk laguz. "I'm going back to my room," he said, turning. Amber eyes turned back towards Celeste momentarily. "Celeste. If you have need for warmth tonight I… I can create a fire for you." It was the only kindness she had received from him; and it brought a smile to Celeste's lips.

"Thanks Soren."

She received nothing more than a 'Hmph' from the mage.

Day: 14

Celeste is sick. Just a fever, she'll be fine. It is partly my fault, and partly her own mal-judgment. Still, I feel a little responsible, as it was my wind magic that cast her into the freezing waters of the ocean. I spent much of last night using my fire magic to keep her warm. She's not as bad as I once thought she was.

We grow closer and closer to land. If Celeste wasn't sick, perhaps she could go on a recon mission. There is little other to do but wait. Mush of today was spent making up for lost sleep. The rest spent checking the charts, and then rechecking them again.

There is nothing else new to report.

Soren.