Candlelight flickered off the the walls inside Leo's private tent. The prince did not travel lightly, as evidenced by his great oak desk and his overflowing bookshelf. Chances were that he could be stuck in these godawful woods for much longer than he would like, and he certainly wasn't going without his reading materials.

Several books lay open before him, ignored. Hours had past since the encounter at the hot springs, yet the memory of it coursed through Leo's mind and distracted him from his reading. It was all Takumi's fault. Each time he took up a book, instead of words he would see the dashing Hoshidan. Leo picked up a book once more, and in seconds cast it aside. It's useless. Bemoaning, he took up a quill and dabbed it into the ink.

Dear Diary,

Damn that Hoshidan! The one I quarreled with the other day. His name is Takumi, and he discovered me as I bathed alone. He is a big stupid meanie-head!

Leo stopped there, then scratched everything out and facepalmed. What am I, a five year old?

What he had written was stupid, certainly. It occurred to him that he could try writing the truth, instead. The truth was always a dangerous thing to put on paper, but no harm would come of it... as long as no one else saw it. And he had to get it out somehow.

Dear Diary,

It's not always easy to admit these things... Even if I do know that I'm gay. It's just... argh! It's that damn Takumi, I have a crush on him all right?! He's arrogant, and prideful, and everything I don't like... but he's got these great legs, and soft eyes, and really, really great hair, and—

"Hey, bro, whatcha doin?" chirped Elise, causing Leo to jump about ten feet. The startled boy crumpled up the paper immediately—he had intended to burn it in privacy. Privacy that was sorely lacking around here, apparently.

"H-how long were you standing there?!"

Elise smiled; everytime she did, it was like some bizarre cross between childish innocence and bubblegum psycho. "You didn't answer my question," she pressed, swirling one of her golden pigtails in her hand.

Shit, Leo thought, if she saw what I was writing... I'd be done for. The shame would kill me if Father doesn't...

"Just taking some notes on Hoshidan customs," Leo said; his voice was shaky at best, but he did have history books open on his desk.

"You're such a bad liar," Elise chirped, "but I don't care. You're my favorite brother." She then brought her face to within whisper-distance, "Who is it?"

Leo cleared his throat. "You had better get some sleep, Elise; tomorrow, we will treat once more with the Hoshidan clan."

"Oh, you're so boring, Leo!" she said, prancing about his tent. "Xander's looking for you, by the way. Better go find him, better go find him..." She said in a sing-song voice that was nothing like music. She pranced out of his tent, and the flap closed behind her.

It occurred to Leo that he had probably forgotten to breathe. He let out a great sigh, reopened his crumpled admission, read it once more, and then put it to the candle and let it burn.