July 16, Summer, year 36

Mmmm, so apparently I slept for four days? Long time for me. I thought about reading what Skye wrote—I mean it's my journal after all—but changed my mind because it's relatively pointless. He wrote private thoughts, and if he wants to share them with me, he will.

We're all awake at this point, though according to Miharu the kids woke first. Not surprising, I refused to let myself lay down, so it makes sense that I would be out the longest.

I think Skye's away at court now, and the kids are amusing themselves with the stuff in his "junk" room. I find myself wondering where he got the doll that changes colors, but the more sensible part of me says I really don't want to know.

Then again, all things considered he might've made it himself, the way the kids have at their own lessons. Heh. The multicolored sheep comes to mind.

Alan and Mirei turn ten tomorrow, but I don't have a thing for them. At home I'd be baking them cupcakes, maybe finishing the cloth doll I was working on for Mirei… give Alan his bug net for the day…

Ah, this place is dull as all get out. Doesn't help that Miharu's orders keep us from leaving the rooms. I understand them—I nearly fell over trying to take a shower after I woke up—but that doesn't mean I have to like them.

I'm probably the bane of all doctors everywhere. Hah!

Meri's curled up with me, looking through one of the many books that was in their room. Neither of us can read the writing, but the pictures are impressive. I wonder if they're of the other kingdoms, or if it's a book of fairy tales? Skye would know…

Man, being this ignorant is annoying! I can't tell her anything about the places we're looking at—and they're all very beautiful, I wonder where they are?—or what any of this writing means. At any rate at least I can make the stories up.

Makes me wish I could head over to Win's for a short period of time. She could either translate for me—at least until she lost her temper—or would know a handy spell so that I could read it.

I should mention that to Skye. He might know a spell for it. And while I'm at it, I can accost him for ideas on what to do for Alan and Mirei tomorrow!

Miharu has not only ordered us to stay in, we're not allowed to eat much in the way of real food. She's given us honey-laced tea, sweetened milk—I'm still trying to figure out what the sweetener is, it's enough to get me gagging a little—and some strange tasting broth. And if we manage to eat it for three days we can graduate to real food again.

I think I wanna smack something. Or someone.

But I can't deny that I feel a little stronger every time I have some of the stuff, even if I'm a little worried about cavities. Too much sugar and all that. Still no one else seems to be suffering for the over-sweet foodstuffs.

I think. Lauren makes a face every time she gets a refill for her tea. Can't blame her though it is attack of the sweet.

I wonder if it will be like this when we return home? Maybe we should try teleporting to different palaces to get used to it… Then again that's probably not the best of ideas, all things considered. I'm only tolerated here because I'm married to Skye, I don't think other kingdoms would be to amiable to a mortal and her kids portal-jumping until we got used to the sensation.

Drat, that means going home is going to be harder than getting here was.

Well, wait, maybe not. Miharu did say she'd train me a little once the week was out. Maybe I can learn the spell that put my kids under, I can handle a little suffering.

I wonder what's happening this week? Oh, right… it's the funeral for Skye's father.

Kinda sad that I don't even know his name. Though, I have to admit, I think Skye would've preferred to keep the two different lives separate, maybe. I would in his shoes, considering what a mess they tried to cause sixteen years ago with… whatsherface, who's name escapes me. Heck, did I even hear her name? I forget. Too many years.

Life would have been so much easier if that hadn't happened.

I mean, Lauren—my friend, not my daughter—might still be alive. Well… no, maybe she wouldn't. That was Damien's insanity not anything Moon-related.

Bah, I can't change the past no matter how much I might want to, so I guess there's really no point in wondering. Besides, everything worked out in the end.

Ack, Miharu's back. I think we're all being chased to sleep!

It's very difficult to keep track of the flow of time here! The sun doesn't set more than a little bit, and the sky—or at least what looks like the sky—is always a very pale blue. At this point I think I'm lucky to have a little calendar on the wall that has the day glow.

Right, anyways! Skye was here when I woke up again—everyone apparently decided to share the bed so it was a bit of a tight squeeze—so I got to ask him some of the things bothering me.

For the twin's birthday, we're just going to have to improvise. He said he'd play hooky and show us one of his favorite hiding places, as long as it was okay with Miharu. I haven't asked yet, she's supposed to be here soon though.

I hope she gives the okay, his hints have made me curious. It's apparently a place outside the palace.

Oh! Apparently King Yasuo's—his father's—funeral is four days after the younger twin's birthday, so everyone is running around like chickens with their heads removed to prepare the feast, the speech that Tsukiko will make, the speech that Skye will make… He said he's going to make Daisuke do it because it's supposed to come from the next King and it's sure as heck not going to be him.

Ah, I do love him for that. He even put his foot down about it, and Dai agreed.

Although, he won't countermand Miharu's orders, so the kids an I have to do what she says. But if we're 'good' we can get out of the rooms for the funeral, and maybe eat a bit of the real food that will be set up.

All we have to do is sit through speeches… I'd say how hard can it be, but I have the feeling that I don't want to know. I've said stupid things before, I don't want to chance it now.

I do wonder what the mourning color is. None of these people would look good in black on black on black like at home. Besides, as much as I want to mess with these people, I don't want to be too disrespectful. And it was Skye's father.

I'd ask Skye, but he's reading to everyone. By which I mean all the kids, and I'm listening too. We've even got Hoshiko and Yue in here listening. It makes me wonder what he was up too these past few days to have his younger, previously unknown, siblings hero-worshiping him like this.

And on second thought I don't think I want to know. I'm sure he does have a good reason, but common sense is intruding and telling me to not ask.

Mmm… I feel like a hot bath, for some reason my muscles are all tensed up. And a bath won't knock me down the way the shower did earlier.

Hehe… if he wasn't reading to the kids, I'd kidnap him. Ah well, there's always other times for that… besides, I need to have the energy to talk to Miharu.

Right, bath…