[Filter: Ebony]

Okay.

I'm sorry I got mad. Could we maybe talk maybe? If you're not busy. There are still a few hours before court, at least. Um. I don't know. Let me know. I'm going to start putting my dress on.

Gosh!

Ebony! You need to get up, you wouldn't believe what's going on out there! I swear there's a thousand of those ethereans just outside the window, in the street below! They're chanting and waving white streamers and...

Hm, just what are they doing out there? I need to take some notes! Do you think they'll do a sacrifice... just right here? Now? Just past dawn and outside our window? I don't know if I want that or not! It sure would be something for the research, but I'm not sure I want to watch!

Brr, I need a blanket if I'm going to sit here with this thing open!

[Filter: Autumn and Ebony]

Ebony! Autumn and I have a big surprise for you this evening! We'll bring the carriage around at about five, so you should get ready! Put your finest gown on and make sure you look fancy, because it's something swanky!

[Filter: Autumn]

Autumn! Autumn, come here and look at this! I'm near the front -- but be stealthy about it!

[Filter: Autumn]

Oh, Autumn! I know I've been quiet and strange and not like myself ever since your birthday, but I've been stewing some very heavy information inside of me! It's never happened before -- a rumour so juicy, so important, so amazing ... that I don't know if I want to spread! I haven't known what to do at all but after some very careful thought I've decided that I can always go to you! You trusted me enough to confide in me about your secret marriage! What could be better than that? So I'll confide in you!

Please say that you're ready, now that I've decided, I can't hold it inside of me any longer!!

I -- I know who the Mystery Knight is!

Someone said that they saw him!!

I had a new idea for how we could find out who he is, by the way! His horse! He may be able to hide his face, but his horse is a lot harder to disguise! We just have to look for a black horse with a white forelock who's foaming after the tourney is over, and we have him!

Oh, but that would almost spoil it, wouldn't it?

I hope he actually is here! I feels like forever since I saw him last! And -- well, my song would be a little embarrassing if he doesn't show! I might not be able to play it at all, in that case!

Oh, who is that getting up to the lists? ... sigh, not him, yet. Just Josiah and someone who is definitely about to lose. Hardly the stuff of songs and legends. Where is the Mystery Knight??

Oh, I give up!

I've been trying to write a song to play on the Midsummer Festival -- it's almost like a letter to the Mystery Knight! He'll be there for the tourney, and so logically, he'll also be there for the celebration afterwards, once he has time to clean up and hide his identity from the piercing eyes of us admirers. And I thought, what better way to talk to him than to perform something truly moving?

But everything comes out awful! The lyrics are fine, but I can't get the music right, and I don't care what anyone says, the music is a thousand times more important! My mother was write about that at l

[Filter: Private]

Did I just say that!?

-- whatever!

[Filter: Public]

I just can't make it work. I've been so frustrated about everything lately, and I just keep thinking about -- about how some people just seem to pull away from you the closer you try and get to them and eventually it doesn't seem worth it so you throw down an ultimatum and then they still don't seem to care so what does it matter, anyway? I should be spending my time on someone who is sure to never disappoint me ... like the Mystery Knight!

You'd think having all that emotion would help me create!

Ooh. I could tuck lyrics into his saddlebags again, like I did last time, but that's got to be getting old for him. It's not as if he's ever responded! I need to reach out to him! Do something for him! Find some way to demonstrate the way that I feel in a way that everyone can see and nobody can --

[inksplash]

[Filter: Autumn]

-- OH MY GOSH!

Skyler! You are a hero! I can't believe all the compliments I've gotten on my ensemble, today! And I can only imagine what Autumn's been getting~ She's the little queen, after all! And, well, she's more suited to the styles you picked out ...

But people do seem to like them a lot on me, anyway! You're a miracle worker. We have to all go out again. Maybe some more of the girls from our group can tag along?

[Filter: Autumn]

But it's not all sunshine and rainbows, you know. ... we need to do something about Ebony. I don't know what's gotten into her. I know this just happens to her every so often, but ... well, we need to help! She has really close friends now between you and me, after all, and I don't think she's had that before!

Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!! Mother's concert was apparently almost completely empty! You all listened to me and didn't go! Hurray! Now hopefully she'll go back to -- skulking around in corners, like she usually does! No more of this trying to bring her art to the masses nonsense.

I don't know how Dad stands her. I would have left her years ago!

-- oh! And that reminds me~

A little birdie told me that the reason Skyler and Josiah haven't been seen within ten feet of each other lately is that Skyler was secretly carrying on an affair with Lydia, and when Josiah found out, it tore their friendship asunder! What do you say, everyone~? Is that accurate?

Isn't it madness that we still haven't heard anything from Prince Finlay and Autumn? They left more than a week ago, and all sudden and secret, and nbody's heard a word from either of them! How suspicious! They have to have gone to Atsiria! What else would they want to keep so quiet as a visit to the worst place in Eire?

I wonder when they're coming back? The Festival of Flowers is barely more than a week ago, and without Autumn or Princess Kelita here to arrange it, what are we doing to do? If it's not a perfect party, the Mystery Knight won't come! I've written another letter for him and I need to deliver it!

[Filter: Private]

Not to mention, who knows what Mother is about! I haven't seen her so active since the time her only fan of any breeding came to see us. It's never good when she gets this way, and I don't want to know what she's up to at all ...