I knew that it was wise of me to keep tabs on Usires... otherwise,
I wouldn't have known.  They weren't going to tell me; everyone else seems
to have known, but they weren't going to tell me that Dara had taken my
father.  Usires holds his secrets almost as well as I do.  The first mate
had been checking in on a regular basis - I knew something was wrong when
I didn't hear from him.  I mean, I don't see myself as an imposing figure,
but, when an officer of higher rank, who is also a member of the royal
family, asks you for a daily report, you report.

	Thinking of reports... it was a bit strange that Da called last
night.  He normally doesn't check in - not with me, at least.  I'd almost
have thought that Dara started to employ her mischief last night if it
weren't for the fact that the blood on the ships hadn't completely dried. 
It's summer.  There is wind on the seas, and the blood had not dried. 
She'd only done this thing a few hours before Usires found them.  One
wonders what he was doing so far away from Amber - he was not on the route
that had been assigned to him.  Worry about that later... if he hadn't
been there, we'd still not know about Da.  I guess I've that much to thank
him for.

	Caine, Bleys, and Brand were on Da's ship as well.  Who doesn't
know about this?  Me...  Mum...  Ahab sent Bleys and Brand.  He didn't
tell me.  Why the hell didn't he tell me?  I'd a right to know.  I made
Caine promise he'd keep me informed.  He was kind enough to pass the
responsibility of telling Mum on to me.

	Asshole.

	How can I tell her this?  She'll die...  I mean... she has to know
sometime... I know that.  But, so soon?  We still don't really know what
happened.  She'll be panicked.

	I went to Foil - supposedly to see my grandchildren, moreso to
escape, I think.  Foster could tell that something was wrong - I wore it
on my face.  Seems that Usires and I are about even when it comes to
hiding secrets.  Foster's a smart man, and my mother's a smart woman.  If
Foster was able to read me so easily...  I can't go home.  I can't go and
see Mum.  She'll know immediately that something is wrong.  Immediately. 
She'll probably be able to tell all of the details as well.  She's known
me long enough to own the unabridged version of my face.  Times like this,
Julian or Benedict's steely gaze and stone visage would be an advantage.

	Foster and Laughter vacationed into Shadow again for the birth of
their second child - a daughter this time, Iseult.  My second grandchild
in what seems to be as many months.  Haris has grown, but then, children
do that in Shadow.  Harris is going to be a large man.  You can tell
already.  Iseult is going to be strong willed - much like her mother. 
Beautiful as well.  I hope my father gets to see them grown.

	In light of the recent situation, Laughter is moving her household
back to Amber - some more willing than others.  Beauty refused to leave. 
I tried talking to her as well, but she wouldn't listen.  Laughter
eventually had to bring Ahab in to convince her.  I guess there are some
things that you need to be a king to be able to do... like control teenage
girls.

	Caine came to see me.  I haven't seen Mum yet since I heard the
news.  It hasn't been that long.  She shouldn't suspect anything, as long
as she doesn't look at me.  Caine said the Dara stole the shape of the
first mate and used that to get at my father and betray the lives of the
crew.  They don't know where they are now, but it's certain that she plans
on using him against Amber.

	It makes me so angry.  If I could, I'd kill her.  What right has
she to do such things?  Caine made me promise that I wouldn't go after
her... or try to face her if she came here.  He thinks that I'm going to
get myself killed.  That would surely break my mother - loosing both her
husband and son.  It's the thought of my mother - and Vivienne - that will
keep my true to my promise.  There's got be to something I can do, though. 
Something that will make some difference.  What does the Logrus want with
my father?