Well, things seem to have calmed down a bit since that...school function. Prom, was it? In any case, from what I had seem, it was nice and I had a nice time. I had one dance with Marth since I promised it to him and I got to talk to some of the other people attending.

I enjoyed myself and I guess it showed. It was...different from all the other formal functions I've been to, which was good.

...I'd better go take a bath before my roommate gets there first. She can take quite a bit of time in there when she feels like it.

So there is a...prom dance coming up soon? Is that like a ball?

In any case, I'm mostly done with my exam studies, and that sounded like an interesting thing. Whether I'll actually go or not, I'm not sure; I have no one to escort me to such a place.

*sigh* Ah, well. Maybe there will be other chances.

...I have approximately three more subjects to study for for exams.

Why did two of them include five different essays? With a minimum size of five pages each? What were they thinking?

In any case, that's where I've been all this time - working on them. Since they're research papers and everything, I was mostly in the library. Apologies if you wished to do something and could not find me.

Oh wow, I got an A on my last presentation in Public Speaking. That was completely unexpected since I didn't think I did that well on it. But apparently I did if I got an A...

It seems like the teachers are fond of giving out tests on Fridays, because I have at least three of them. I've had so much studying to do and so little personal time... If it appears I've been neglecting you, I apologise. I should be free over the weekend if anyone wishes to do something.

I've finally gotten over that stupid cold of mine, and instead spring allergies seem to have taken hold. Nothing a little allergy medicine can't cure...but the stupid stuff makes me so drowsy, I can't take it before class.

But other than that, I have been in good health, and I hope everyone is faring well, too.

Now I should take that hot shower before my roommate commandeers the bathroom again. Sigh.

Spring at last...

I think I'll be spending my day off outside. It's too nice out not to. Plus, I want to see the gardens and see what might be starting to bloom there.

I think I did good on that presentation. I hope I did, at any rate.

But I know Eirika liked it. The past few days leading up to my presentation date, I practised in front of her, and she said she enjoyed it...

I can only hope my instructor feels the same way.

Don't you hate it when you have a dream, only to wake up and wonder just what it meant?

...I had one of those. I was back in Altea and...everyone was gone. I was the only one standing there amongst a pile of ruins, which is weird because the majority of Altea is rebuilt and business is bustling...

I do not know what to make of this.

Alas, I have a big test tomorrow that I should be studying for but... I bought one of those video game handheld things and... Well, this puzzle game called "Tetris" has completely consumed my soul. Along with another game that plays kind of like Chess. I keep thinking of where I can move my units and how I would attack this enemy and then my roommate interrupted me and I nearly fell off my bed. My battle instincts seem to come back with this game.

That dream, though... It could mean something, or it might not. But I don't think I should ignore it...

Perhaps I should talk to Marth about it. From what I remember, the place was in ruins and most of the people were...well...gone. And I just get this sort of chill whenever it presents itself in my head, so perhaps it is important.

Regardless, Marth should probably know.

If you have but a moment, Marth, may we perhaps meet somewhere? I'd like to discuss this with you.

Now to embark on my studies... I hope I don't fail this test. And I have that presentation for my morning class tomorrow to finish up. I was never good at giving speeches of sorts. That was always Marth's area of expertise.

I apologise for such a long absence. I've been swamped with so much homework... Study, study, study. And people talk of these 'finals' coming up, which I'm supposed to currently be studying for, but I feel the need for a break.

And besides. It's Friday. I can rest a little bit, hmm?

Perhaps I can get a hold of Eirika and see if she'd like to do something. Hmm...

Plans with anyone would be nice, actually. I need to get out of my dorm for once.

School seems to be going well. Everything seems to be so hectic right now because of the upcoming holidays, but... I seem to be just fine.

Someone's been shouting "SNOW!" in the hallway for the past half hour now. I may have to investigate.

... It has gotten colder and colder as the week has gone on...

But, strangely enough, the garden was warm. Really warm, even.

I've gotten over my cold, and feel so much better. The second cold I've had this season, even. And while this one wasn't as bad as the first, it was still...able to run me down.

Lady Eirika, perhaps we could have lunch together today? The weather out is rather chilly... But I'm sure we can find somewhere warm to eat.

I feel rather...distant from everyone else as of late. Though I have recovered the names and faces of people from Ares Arcanum, I remember little of any events that have transpired there - but perhaps that is a good thing. Lord Marth once said back in Altea that if something is worth remembering, it will come back eventually. Perhaps my time in Ares was not very...ideal. I stumbled on my writings from it, and it appears a lot went on, a lot of bad things. I acted so...unbecoming, and yet... Sometimes I wish I could go back to being that way. But I feel I was only like that because it was a time of strife for Akaneia, and I had to be strong. Now, it is a time of peace, and I can be much more softer.

Even going over the writings, I seem to not recall much. It is strange, in a way.

But perhaps it is better that way. To start a new with my life amongst all these people.

And though I do not believe much in Fate, I do believe everything happens for a reason, however weak. There must be some sort of reason why all of us were reunited once more.

I hope everyone has been faring well. I've been sick with a cold for the past few days, so I confined myself to my bed most of the time. A little lonely, but... I did not want anyone else to fall ill. Though I must say I found it really...really lonely without my friends...
I will have to make it up to them.

My back is so sore... That journey was uncomfortable and, quite frankly, rather boring to say the least. The scenery on the way was quite nice, but even that gets boring after a while. I've seen enough ocean to last more than an eon now - I don't think I can ever look at Talis with fondness ever again, what with its rolling waves lashing at the shoreline, and the nice ocean breezes...

Perhaps I should have had a traveling partner with me. At least I wouldn't have been alone, bored to tears. It would have been okay, too, since Manna's used to other people riding along with me - specifically men. But I cannot dwell upon the past, what I could have done, should have done. As a princess, I can only learn from those mistakes I made, remember the fond memories, and move on with my life.

My roommate is rather...interesting, to say the least. She's nice, of course, but... She's sometimes a bit hard to...understand at times. Her dialect confuses me at points, but I try my best to learn it, if only to possibly communicate more efficiently.

From what I've seen around here in my five-second stroll to get to my room, I'm not the only one from Akaneia here. I think I saw Lord Marth the other day, but homesickness could have been playing tricks with my mind again. It has been since I arrived here. A feeling that I've met people, but I haven't the faintest recollection of them at all.

...Then again my memory's a little hazy right now. The last I remember was the Dark War and Prince Hardin's plans to succeed Akaneia's throne with Princess Nina, and the rebuilding for Altea that I was to help Lord Marth with.

I should go orient myself about this big..."campus". If it's one thing I hate, it's being disoriented.

I really hate my job right now. But I think I spoke about this topic over and over again, so beating a dead horse is useless.

I'm just...emotionally drained. I...I don't know what to do anymore.

...So I'm not eliminated?

Hmm. Interesting. I'd better get practising this new dance then!

So I was eliminated from that dance competition.

Oh well! It was fun for as long as it lasted.

This whole...dancing competition was rather...enjoyable. I'm not sure just how great I was, but...it was fun nonetheless. Everyone else competing did a great job, I thought.

Work has been busy once again. Mostly people coming into the casino. I only had to help out there a little bit, so it wasn't too bad, and I mostly just cleaned the same five rooms over and over again - they seem to be the most popular, so people are constantly going in and out of them. I was told that my work load should be decreasing drastically as the month goes by, and I hope that is true because I'm just...exhausted.

I passed by a...hair salon, I think they're called? on the way home from work today and thought it looked interesting. Lady Eirika mentioned a while back that I should get my hair styled so it frames my face a little more, so I...took her suggestion. It looks so different than what I'm used to, but it looks nice overall. I haven't really shown it to anyone yet, so I don't know what others think of it, but... I'm rather pleased with it over all.

Lord Ephraim, perhaps after this whole dancing competition is done, would you like to do something together? Maybe...dinner or something?

I will not make any hasty decisions. This I have promised myself. Whether it is matters of the heart or no, hasty decisions lead to badly made plans, and badly made plans can lead to disaster. Right now I'm focusing on trying to find a way back to Akaneia. I made a promise to a certain prince that I would help him rebuild his kingdom, and I intend to fulfill this promise to him. I don't make promises I know I can't keep.

Let what will be, be. If I am destined to find love here, then it is what it is. If I am destined to remain here forever, then I will accept such a fate. But I need to focus on my top priorities right now, and finding a way back to Akaneia is at the top.

Oh, and Lord Ephraim, I thank you for the movie. It was rather enjoyable, and I wouldn't mind meeting again with you in the near future.

I am so looking forward to my day off tomorrow. I've rarely had time to so much as sleep, let alone have any time to do things for myself.

I actually surprised myself at Marth's the other day. He offered to practise dancing with me, and I wasn't too bad. At least I managed to not trip him. It's a work in progress, but I'm sure I'll be fine in this dance competition. Providing I have a competent partner, of course.

Then tomorrow... Tomorrow I have a meeting with Lord Ephraim. I guess you'd call it more of a "date" than a meeting, really. It's to the movies, because I really need something calm and relaxing, though yesterday I walked through the botanical gardens with Marth, and I really enjoyed that. They even had flowers from Akaneia, which was really surprising to see, but it was also a very nice experience. Especially since all of the gardens in Akaneia were pretty much destroyed... And then Lady Eirika and I went to the hot springs. That was...that was very relaxing. It's almost like a spa, I guess, except with this giant tub.

And now... And now I think I'll go to bed. I've almost nodded off twice typing this.

...A dance competition? Me?

...Gods, what have I been picked to participate in...?