There is a warm wind blowing along the inner porch of Matsu's house, and coupled with the sunlight pouring into the secluded center garden, the morning had been warm enough—and Kenshin healed enough—that he was allowed to practice katas outside. The frigid winter had finally given way to spring, and the young man, not often idle, seemed relieved to be in motion. Katsura watches him for a time from the porch before his eyes are drawn at last from the impossible skill of his best hitokiri to the young woman sitting across the garden. The shoji to the room she shared with her husband has been opened to allow in the fresh air and spring sunlight while she sat mending. Katsura recognizes the fabric in her hands as one of Katakai's kimono and shakes his head, smiling softly. Kaoru had a knack for working her way into people's hearts, and it has not taken long for the entire Ishin-Shishi group to adopt her as their own.

He steps quietly along the porch, towards Kaoru's room. He knows both Himuras were aware of his presence even before he stepped foot in the house; Kenshin was attempting to be polite by ignoring him, as it was not him Katsura is here to see. It is only when his shadow casts itself over her sewing that Kaoru looks up, tucking the needle safely into the cloth.

"Good morning, ani-ue," she smiles, bowing her head. "You have returned home."

He returns her smile, noting that while hers has grown a little wider than when she'd arrived in the winter, it still does not light her eyes. It cuts him, to see her mother's eyes in a face turned cautious and hidden, and to know that he was partly to blame. To know that he is woefully late, that he should have been working to bring the shine back to her eyes nearly three years before.

"I've only just arrived," he tells her. "It has been a long journey from Satsuma."

"Ikumatsu-sama is out," Kaoru says with a small frown. "Would you like tea?"

"Perhaps later," he assures her, smiling again. "I stopped in at the Satsuma residence, and had a cup there. But if it wouldn't trouble you, Kaoru-chan, I would speak with you for a moment."

The furrow between her brows grows deeper, and Katsura notices that behind him in the center garden, there is nothing but silence. Kenshin had stopped his exercise, apparently in tune with his wife's emotions. "With me?" she murmurs, and then slides herself deeper into the room, making space for him to sit. "Of course, what is it?"

He can't help himself, he grins at her as he takes a seat. "Okubo-san wants to tell you himself, so you will have to act surprised when he comes with the order," he warns. "But, Kaoru-chan, you have been pardoned by the Emperor."

She blinks at him. "Ara?'

"You are no longer an outlaw, you can walk freely in Kyoto."

"But… how?"

"In recognition of your service, the Emperor made you his ward, Kaoru-chan. The shogun has no sway over you. And," he grins wide, unable to contain his excitement on her behalf, "your title, the Kamiya lands, the manor and the dojo, all of it, are to be returned to you."

"The dojo…" she whispers, covering her lips with her fingers, tears watering in her eyes. "Ani-ue…"

He lowers himself deeply into a bow, his fingers a perfect triangle, nose nearly on the tatami. She far outranked him now. "It is an honour, Kamiya-sama, for this humble self to have been able to be of service to you."

"Himura-san," she corrects blankly, and he raises his face to meet her confused look. "What about…" her eyes look past him, focusing on the man standing in the center garden behind him. "Kenshin has been pardoned too, ani-ue?"

Katsura straightens, his face sympathetic. This is why he had needed to tell her before Okubo. "No, Kaoru-chan," he says softly. "You have been forgiven because you have done nothing wrong; you have fought bravely for the shogun, defended the Emperor's safety. The Kamiya are not traitors."

"Kenshin is not a traitor," she says, her voice trembling. "He has followed your orders, ani-ue…"

"Will you trust him to me, Kaoru-chan?" he asks. "In the new era-"

"The new era…" she murmurs. "He gave you his sword in order to help people. Not for sonno joi, or to make Japan stronger, but to build a better world for the common people, a world where there is no needless suffering. Can you promise me, Katsura, that what you are doing will bring about this peace?"

He blinks at her, and she meets his gaze directly, a faint glimmer of her fiery spirit in her eyes. "My husband will no longer fight alone," she reminds him, her voice quiet and firm. "Himura Kenshin belongs to the Kamiya family, now."

"Kaoru," he begins, but she continues right over him.

"My father helped you because he believed in a world based on merit, he believed in fairness. When Yoshida-san died, he helped you, ani-ue."

Katsura presses his lips together and looks down at his lap. He feels Kaoru's eyes boring into him, and wonders when she had learned to be so delicately commanding, when she had learned to come straight to the heart of a matter.

"You asked Kenshin to fight for you, and he agreed," she says. "If he wishes to lend his sword to the Ishin-Shishi, you will have the support of the Kamiya. But it will always be his choice. And when the new era comes, it will be the Himura family, not the Kamiya, who live in it."

He nods, and then smiles at her tightly. "The Emperor has chosen his allies well, I think."

It is a bright and warm afternoon, a day on the cusp of summer, when the Lady Kamiya is escorted from the palace of the Emperor to her restored home. Surrounded by an honour guard of Satsuma clansmen and her own returned samurai, dressed for the occasion in a fine silk furisode and hakama, her daisho on her hip, and riding the horse the shogun had presented to her as part of his apology. The people of the city line the road carrying small banners bearing the Kamiya mon and throwing dried sakura petals as she passes, and Kenshin has never seen anything more adorable than his wife, blushing in faint embarrassment at being the centre of so much attention. He follows her progress from nearby rooftops, as the afternoon sun dips lower and dusk descends, until finally the gate of the Kamiya manor is closing behind her, and she is dismounting in the courtyard to greet her household.

Kenshin walks along the top of the manor wall, and drops quietly into the back garden. The manor is divided into sections, and the family had its own secluded quarters at the back, only accessible by one entrance from the rest of the house. It has a private garden and bathhouse, which would be theirs alone while they lived in Kyoto. He rolls his shoulders at the thought of so much space for two small people.

Ibuki is waiting for him at the shoji, dressed in his newly made haori, embroidered with the Kamiya crest. Ibuki had pressed his face into the tatami the moment he found out about Kaoru's title, and immediately sworn fealty to her. She'd gently raised him up by his elbows and asked him to be her personal guard. He nods to Kenshin, sliding open the shoji for him.

"Third door on the left, Himura-san," Ibuki says. "She'll be along shortly, and my watch will end at midnight."

"Thank you, I'll be here until morning," he replies, and Ibuki bows, closing the door behind him. He sighs softly as he walks down the porch; there are very few members of the Kamiya household who know about him, only her personal staff, Dr. Gensai, and her steward. She would be meeting now with Yukishiro-san, and Kenshin enters their bedroom lost in the memory of his own meeting with the Kamiya steward upon his arrival in Kyoto. Kenshin had bowed low and deep, knowing he could never be worthy of the man's forgiveness, and that Yukishiro-san had no choice but to endure him as the husband of his Lady. But the man had smiled at him, and asked to hear of Tomoe's final moments, relieved to know she had been able to smile at the end.

Yukishiro-san had pushed a small, cloth-bound book towards him with tears in his eyes and tapped the cover. You would honour me greatly, Himura-san, if you would read and keep this diary of hers. He had read it because duty bound him to do so, and now he kept it at the top of his trunk here, with his other most prized possession, Kaoru's shredded indigo ribbon, tucked safely in its pages. The diary is a symbol of his promise to Tomoe's memory and to Yukishiro-san: Enishi has not returned home, and Kenshin would find him. He knew all too well the trials a boy alone in the world would face, and finding Enishi has become one of the Ishin-Shishi's top priorities.

He is drawn from his thoughts by Kaoru's approaching spirit, and he goes to greet her on the porch. She strides towards him in her finery, her smile slightly self-conscious, though her eyes are relieved to see him. "I'm home," she says.

"Welcome home, Kamiya-sama," he smiles, bowing slightly.

Kaoru groans softly, threading their fingers together. "Not you, too," she murmurs, tilting her face up for a kiss. He obliges her with a particularly passionate one; last night she had been the guest of the Emperor and stayed at the palace, and it had been their first evening apart since she'd returned.

"Forgive me," he whispers, pressing another kiss to her mouth, "Welcome home, my heart."

She smiles softly, and then leans her head on his shoulder. "I'm glad you are here."

Though she has not voiced it, Kenshin knows she was hesitant to return to the manor, to the place where she had lived with her father. He'd understood that it might be difficult for her to live with the constant reminder of her father's absence, and so he had told Katsura that so long as it was safe for him to do so, he would stay there with her.

"I will be here for the night," he promises. "And the night after, and the night after, for as long as I can."

"I don't know, you have already displeased Aoi with your presence; it is the duty of a Lady's maid to set out her futon and dress her for bed."

That was another part of her apology from the shogun; Kaoru had asked that the housemaid Aoi, who'd helped her escape, and Eita, the soldier Aoi loved, be released from Akuyaku's service and allowed to wed. It was a far lighter concession then Akuyaku ought to have been forced to make, and he had readily complied. Kaoru had not expected the girl to show up at the manor, adamant that she would serve no other but her "Ojou-sama," but Kenshin had known, from his wife's grateful tears, that she was happy to have Aoi and Eita close by. Aoi was dutiful and kind, attentive to Kaoru's needs as a high-ranking lady that Kenshin would have been hard pressed to fulfil. And Eita was a skilled and loyal soldier, and along with Ibuki, someone he could trust to keep her safe.

"Mmm, I thought she'd be pleased to have the night off. Since I am here, Eita does not have to relieve Ibuki of the watch."

Kaoru giggles against his shoulder, like a summer wind chime, and Kenshin smiles, hugging her against him. Her laughter is coming more frequently now, and each peal of it is a gift.

"Perhaps she will see the benefit by tomorrow morning," Kaoru agrees, and Kenshin laughs.

"Well then, since you are maid-less, it falls to this humble self, that it does, to prepare you for bed, Kamiya-sama." She is still so very light, even in the many layers of her fine clothes, and it takes nothing at all for him to scoop her up into his arms. Kaoru squeaks and he grins at her, starting down the porch towards their room, where he has left the shoji conveniently open. He sets her on her feet just inside and closes the door behind him. When he faces her again, Kaoru has walked to the middle of the room, and he can tell from her trembling shoulders that something is wrong.

"Koishii?"

"Ara, sorry," she blushes, wiping her eyes, turning to smile weakly at him. "It's just… this is my room… it's so strange to be here, once again."

Kenshin crosses the tatami and folds her into his embrace; her arms encircle his back tightly while she hides her face in his chest. "Can it… can't it be our room?" he asks softly. "If not, koishii, we will choose another."

"Our room," she repeats, lifting her head and smiling softly. He brushes away the remains of her tears with his thumb and kisses her forehead. He sighs against her bangs, worried she is enduring the manor on his behalf.

"Are you sure, Kaoru, that this is what you want? Yukishiro-san and Dr. Gensai will take you back to Edo if you ask it."

"I'm sure."

"Kaoru…"

She shakes her head, and cups his face in her hands. "My home is where you are, anata, and you are needed here. I won't go to Edo without you."

He opens his mouth to tell her that it would be different, to be separated for a time when he knew she was safe. To promise that it would not be for long and that he was sure Katsura would give him leave to visit; but the words die on his lips. Never, ever let go of me; I have something to live for, I have you.

Instead he nods softly, turns his head to kiss her palm. He takes her hands in his and tries his best to give her an easy smile. "Now then, Kamiya-sama, would you like a bath?"

Kaoru chews her lip and shakes her head. "I wish you would not call me that, anata."

He blinks at her, and she blushes, running her thumbs over the backs of his hands to take the sting out of her words. "It is only that… I am very proud to be Himura Kaoru. And I wish that, at least when we are alone-"

He does not mean to cut her off, but Kenshin cannot help himself, he presses his lips over hers, cupping her face in his hands. He is often bad with words but she always understands how he feels when he kisses her, and so he tries his best to convey how very humbled he is that she loves him, how honoured he was to have been chosen by her, and his gratitude that she had found him again and that the long days of their lives stretched out before them. He kisses her deeply and reverently, and he takes his time. Kaoru fists her hands in the front of his kimono and it is only after their kisses have ended that he realizes they have sunk together to the tatami, and she is comfortably seated between his knees, safe and close.

"Forgive my error, Honoured Wife," he whispers, and Kaoru laughs and wrinkles her nose.

"Oh no, not that either," she laughs.

"Ohimura-dono?" he tries, teasing, immensely rewarded when she laughs again. Gods, he would do anything to make her laugh. She shakes her head and her eyes grow wide in mock indignation. "You are hopeless, Kenshin!" she complains.

"Ah, then tell this one, how should he address you?"

She taps her lips with one tapered finger, her eyes sparkling with mirth, and he holds himself very still, resisting the urge to pull her against him and kiss her senseless. She was so very beautiful, but what she said next would be important, and he should not interrupt her again.

"Kaoru," she says simply. "I like it best when you say my name."

A little thrill shoots through him, and he leans forward and kisses her cheek. "That's all?"

"My heart, also," she admits, blushing, "and koishii, too."

"I like when you call me by my name too. And anata, and Husband. Are those names all right, Kaoru?"

"Of course! Of course, anata."

She settles against him and he hums softly, stroking her shoulder. "Then, shall I help you with your furisode, Kaoru?" he blinks at her innocently. "You should not let it become wrinkled, Aoi will be mad."

Kaoru blushes, but she nods and he helps her to her feet. She has put on weight in the last few months, but she was still very shy about being unclothed, and Kenshin was becoming adept at reading her small signs. If she clutched at the collar of her nagajuban he would excuse himself to let her change into her yukata and know they would softly kiss each other until she fell asleep in his arms. But Kaoru knew how to read him too; all she had to do was let down her shimmering curtain of hair, and his fingers would bury themselves in it of their own volition.

She loosens the tie of her hakama and sets her hands on his shoulders to steady herself while she steps out of them, revealing the detailed embroidery along the edge of her furisode. He knows it is her mother's handiwork; after Kinmon Kaoru had parted with all her furisodes except the ones touched by her mother's hand. He bends down to retrieve and fold the hakama for her while Kaoru reaches behind herself to loosen her obi. It is the blue one he'd purchased for her, and she pulls it from her waist and holds out the heavy silk to him. "Will you hang this for me, anata? I will wear it again tomorrow I think."

He nods and folds it over his arm, looping the obi-jime twice before tying a knot in its centre. "Are you still going, tomorrow?" She is fumbling with her datejime so he moves to stand before her, carefully untying the silken knot and unwinding it from her waist. "I saw Todo-san in the crowd," he adds.

"Ito-san too," Kaoru sighs, loosening the karihimo from her waist and hiking up the extra fabric of her furisode so she can untie the other from around her hips. "And many others, but not… all."

"They won't refuse you, it would be a grave insult to turn away a ward of the Emperor." But secretly he hopes that her former Commanders do turn her away. It would be easier for her, if they cut themselves out of her life, easier for her to walk her new path without regret.

"Perhaps, but I will not be forgiven. At least Ito-san will see me, and that will be enough." She sighs again, folding her two karihimo. Kenshin takes the silken ties and steps behind her, holding the edge of her collar while she steps out of her furisode. She sits to remove her tabi and Kenshin takes all of her silk garments to the kimono stand, keeping his back to her, conscious of her comfort.

"There is so much to do," she sighs behind him. "I had forgotten how much it takes to head a household."

"Can I help, Kaoru?" he asks.

"No, thank you." He hears the smile in her voice and continues with arranging her furisode. "You are busy enough, Husband, leave this to Yukishiro-san and me."

He turns, wanting to reassure her that he would help her, that she did not have to do this alone, that all she had to do was ask, but when he meets her eyes, he sees that she already knows this. His breath catches in his throat and he takes an involuntary step forward, drawn in by her soft smile and the fall of her long black hair, trailing over her shoulder. She pads towards him, the silk of her nagajuban rustling against the tatami, his favorite soft pink blush staining her cheeks.

"I should help you now, anata, with your kimono…" she muses shyly.

Kaoru accepts her tea from Ito-san, careful to keep her back as straight as possible. She would have preferred for the men in front of her to relax their own posture; she is a little woman, and it is tiring to strain her height so they could keep their heads lowered. But there is too much mistrust now, for Kondo and Hijikata to treat her as they had before. She watches them calmly over the lip of her teacup, patient. Kondo is too emotional for distance, and Hijikata too rough for courtesy, so they had left the formalities to Ito, and greeted her in silence.

"Thank you, Ito-san," she says softly, setting her cup down on his proffered tray. "The tea is quite refreshing."

"The honour is mine, Kamiya-sama," he bows. "May this humble self inquire as to what we owe the pleasure of your visit?"

Kaoru looks at Kondo and Hijikata, but they do not raise their gaze. Kaoru sighs in resignation. They had received her as the Lady Kamiya, as though there was nothing between them but duty, and so she answers Ito-san elegantly, as a lady should. "I am grieved over the way I parted from you all last winter. I have come to make amends."

"Amends?" Kondo hisses softly, and Ito-san winces. Kaoru squares her shoulders, and pushes the heavy lacquer box Eita had carried in for her towards the Commander. She had known insulting them would be the only way to get their attention.

"I am in the debt of Lord Matsudaira," she murmurs. "I return to him the funds I received in your service, and the costs incurred for the funeral last spring. I am grateful to him for his support in the darkest time of my life."

Kondo turns red and Hijikata's jaw tightens, but Kaoru presses on. She takes a wallet from her sleeve and sets it atop the box. "I must also return those funds that were given to me for travel and lodging in Otsu. Please accept their return with my deepest gratitude."

"Is that all, Kamiya-sama?" growls Hijikata.

"No, sensei."

The Vice-Commander's eyes widen, and Kaoru lowers herself into a deep bow, her forehead on the tatami. The ornaments in her hair tinkle softly as she speaks. "I can never repay my debt to the Shinsengumi, or to you both, Kondo-sensei, Hijikata-sensei. For this home, this family, I shall be forever thankful."

"Kaoru-chan…" Kondo breathes, and she raises her head, unsurprised that the Commander is crying.

"It is because of my service to you that my father will at last be laid to rest beside my mother in Edo." She sits up and reaches for Kondo's hand, squeezing it gently while she speaks to Hijikata. "I know that when all hope was lost, you grieved for me. I know that when my honour was slandered, you fought for me. I am greatly humbled, and I know you must have many questions."

"Where were you, Kaoru?" Hijikata asks quietly.

Kaoru gives Kondo's hand a final squeeze, leaving her handkerchief in his palm. The look she gives Hijikata is sympathetic. "I have promised the shogun not to speak of it," she admits, which is true. "You will forgive me for not embarrassing him by disclosing it."

Hijikata's face remains unreadable and she sighs. "Since the winter, I have been the guest of the Emperor, and stayed at the Satsuma residence." That was almost true—she had moved there briefly with Kenshin when Okubo-san had brought the order pardoning her, and it seems to be enough for the Vice Commander.

"Why did you not come to us, Kaoru-chan?" Kondo asks softly.

The look she gives the Commander is indulgent, though Ito-san has the decency to look incredulous on her behalf. "I could not put you in such a position with the shogun, Kondo-sensei," she murmurs.

"And Hitokiri Battousai?" Hijikata says, each syllable landing like a stone.

Kaoru meets the Vice-Commander's ice cold gaze with one just as bold, exactly the way she had so long ago, when he'd dared to call her father a traitor. Over his head, distant and slightly to the right, she can feel Kenshin's spirit, where he is hiding on some rooftop and thinking she could not sense him. Even with her honour guard and Eita, he wanted to make sure she is safe. She raises her chin, every inch the Lady Kamiya, all samurai. If she'd been wearing daisho she would have set her thumb against the guard of her sword in warning.

"In Otsu, that man tried to save my life. I could not let him die for it."

Hijikata's smile has no humor in it, and as expected, it is clear he does not accept her brief explanation. "You will forgive us, Kamiya-sama, if we do not share your opinion of him."

"He has done many things," she says coolly, "but he has never wronged me."

Silence falls over the room, and Kaoru waits for other questions she would only half answer. There are many paths a bushi may walk, but only one for the Shinsengumi. She could no longer walk the same path as these men. It deeply saddens her, that she can never return to the easy way she once spoke with Hijikata and Kondo, that the kinship she'd had for them was now shattered. They deserved more than lies from her, and it breaks her heart to know that in spite of her best intentions, she had betrayed them. But she had tried to walk two paths before and failed. She had tried to keep safe everyone in her heart, but she could no longer protect them all. It was impossible to help everyone, she knew that now. There are times when there is no right decision, Daughter-mine. And Kaoru had made her choice long ago.

At last, Ito-san clears his throat. "Is there anything further, Kamiya-sama?" he asks gently.

"Yes," she smiles briefly at him. "I would speak for a moment with Todo Heisuke."

Ito-san nods, but it is Kondo-sensei who speaks. "He's in the dojo."

Heisuke rolls along the polished floor, coming to his feet short of breath. He does not like to spar with friends, but sometimes, sacrifices must be endured for friendship. He readies his stance, shinai aimed at the weakest point in Okita's defence. "Ready?" he calls.

"Come," grates the first unit captain. Heisuke sighs. He lunges towards his friend, hoping he wouldn't have to draw this out for too long. He has rounds tonight and it was never comfortable to patrol with a fresh set of bruises. However, Okita freezes, eyes wide and staring through him, and Heisuke cracks him lightly over the shoulder for his mistake. The first unit captain sinks to his knees on the floor, and Heisuke offers him his hand.

"Can you stand?" he asks worriedly. He hadn't hit him that hard. Okita ignores him and bows his forehead into the hardwood.

"Please, don't…" says a soft voice behind him, and Heisuke turns, shocked and dismayed to find the exact reason he was letting Okita hit him standing in the doorway.

"Kaoru!"

She bows herself into the dojo, restricted slightly by the expensive furisode she was wearing. It is pale blue with koi swimming lazily through pond lilies across its hem and sleeves. Heisuke has never seen Kaoru dressed as a woman before, and he sees now what so many others in the troop had—she is beautiful. Small and delicate, lit with a courageous inner fire. No longer a frightened girl in her manor, or a hard-eyed bushi with everything to prove. It is almost as though she had stepped into the role she was meant to play. For some reason, it makes him feel fiercely proud; she was his friend, his little sister, and it was an enormous relief to see roundness coming back to her cheeks, brightness to her unusually coloured eyes.

"It is Himura-san's care, that has helped her look so healthy."

"Okita-sensei," she calls quietly, "please, raise your head."

The first unit captain raises himself to sit seiza, but keeps his gaze on his lap, a deep red flush colouring his cheeks. Kaoru watches him for a moment, and then she looks at Heisuke with an apologetic smile. "Forgive me for disturbing you, Kondo-sensei told me you were in the dojo. I thought you'd be alone, you don't usually spar with anyone…"

She chews her lip and her gaze falls once again to the kneeling first unit captain. She begins to twist the edges of her sleeves with her fingers and Heisuke moves quickly to reduce the awkwardness that has settled over the three of them. "How can this humble self be of service to you, Kamiya-sama?" he asks, bowing. She frowns softly and he smiles and wiggles his eyebrows at her, and is rewarded with a small, suppressed giggle.

"I require you, would you walk out with me to the porch?"

At her request, Okita gets to his feet and bows to Heisuke. "Thank you for the practice," he says shortly, and then he strides from the dojo, purposely not looking at Kaoru, though he walks right past her. When he has left, the Lady Kamiya sighs softly.

"Sorry," Heisuke apologizes, because someone should.

"It's nothing," she murmurs. "I cannot expect Souji to forgive me."

"There is nothing to forgive," Heisuke says firmly. "You did not ask him to love you, and he never asked if you loved him."

She smiles at him kindly, and then gestures towards the porch. Heisuke places his shinai on the rack and follows her outside. "What did you need, Kaoru?"

"I was hoping you would accompany me to Shimabara."

"What? Why?!" he sputters, and she laughs, tucking her arm through his.

"There is a maiko there whose debts I am keen to settle."

Heisuke freezes so abruptly that Kaoru has to steady herself against him. He reaches out to grip her elbow by instinct and he gapes at her as they nearly tumble onto the porch. "Kaoru!" he gasps, and she smiles, beaming at him while she regains her feet.

"I will pay it all or give you the remainder, Heisuke, whichever your honour would prefer."

"Kaoru!" he gasps again, because he is at a complete loss for words. She grins and reaches out to his face with her tapered fingers to brush away the tears he hadn't noticed shedding.

"It is the very least I can do for you, when you did so much for me that day, to protect my heart," she says softly. "You know, as well as I do, a man who resides in a woman's heart should spend his days beside her."

"Kaoru, I will pay you back-"

"Hush, consider it my wedding gift."

The word crashes over him and he grins at her. "Kaoru, I am getting married!"

"Yes!" she laughs, and he suddenly panics.

"Gods where will we live? I need to buy a house…"

"Heisuke!" she laughs. "If you wish, Kimiki can stay with me, at the Kamiya manor. I'd be so happy to have her company, and to see you often."

He blushes. He knew how generous Kaoru could be, but he has never been on the receiving end of her kindness quite like this before. "Thank you, Kaoru."

She pats his arm, leading him down the porch towards where her guards are waiting next to her palanquin, one of them kneeling by the porch with her geta. They are still out of earshot and Heisuke stops her, because there is something he still has to make right. He checks over his shoulder and pulls her deeper into the porch, lowering his voice to a whisper.

"And him, Kaoru… I'd like to… that is… we should be introduced… properly."

She smiles, and for a moment her eyes lift over his head, slightly to the right. "I'd like for you to meet him, Heisuke."

"Good. Someone should, after all. Make sure his intentions are honourable."

Kaoru rolls her eyes, and then she grins at him mischievously. "I think it's a bit late for you to approve of my husband, Todo-kun."

"What? Kaoru!"

Akuyaku sits on the porch of his manor, drinking sake and watching the last remaining Yaminobu ninja work through his exercises in the yard. The high tail on the man's otherwise bald head twitches along with the movements of his chained swords spinning through the air. The shogun had forbid Akuyaku from coming any more to Kyoto or Edo, and he is bored, confined to his small property.

The summer sun is disrupted by the shadow of a young man, and Akuyaku blinks at him for a moment before a faint breeze stirs his white hair, and he remembers the boy's name. "Ah, Enishi?"

"A message has arrived for you, Akuyaku-sama," the boy says, voice flat and devoid of emotion. It is slightly unnerving, and Akuyaku grabs for the letter in the boy's hand, flustered by his dead eyes. It so perturbs him that he tears the envelope. He scans the kanji and his eyes widen, vexation quickly blooming into delight. He grins at the boy. "You will have your revenge yet, Enishi."

"Sir?"

He thrusts the letter into the boy's hands and rubs his own together in anticipation. "It is a summons from the shogun," he explains. "To war."