Author's Note: Sorry for the late post. My wife and I have been out of town visiting family in the warm spring weather. Here's to family...

Chapter 8.

Ayako Hiraga watched her son as he spoke to the girls. They seemed to understand him perfectly for some reason. He also seemed to understand their gibberish. It was all so confusing. People didn't just up and disappear only to reappear and then disappear again. The mother of the household got up and headed for the kitchen to prepare a meal. She wasn't aware that one of the girls had tagged along behind her until she turned to find the maid behind her.

"Uh, Saito. Come collect your servant." Ayako ordered.

"Um, she's offering to help cook if you would like Mom." Her son replied uneasily.

Ayako had never been an exceptional cook so she gladly handed over the apron. Saito came over and the girl quickly set about moving about her kitchen. Saito started explaining what all the things in the fridge were and the girl took to work. Ayako couldn't help but feel her eye twitch as the girl chopped and diced with efficiency she'd never believed possible. Dishes and utensils were cleaned as soon as she was done with them as the little domestic goddess started preparing food for the house.

"You need to marry that one, son. She'll be able to take care of your worthless hide." Ayako complimented the girl.

A strangled sound came from the little pink haired girl named Louise, and Saito instantly looked uncomfortable. Ayako's eyebrow shot up immediately. "Louise understands Japanese?"

"Sort of Mom, she's the only one though." The boy explained.

Louise said something in the strange language these girls spoke and the maid giggled before latching onto Saito lovingly. Saito looked even more uncomfortable as the other three stared at the maid in jealousy. Just what have you gotten yourself involved in son?

"So how do you plan on getting these girls to the mountains son?" Mrs. Hiraga asked her only offspring.

"I don't know. I guess I'll have to find work for a little while to save up the money. I need to do it quickly though. It's really important to get Henrietta home as quickly as possible." Saito explained.

"The queen. Oh right, there's probably an evil duke getting ready to take over her magic kingdom without her there right?" The older woman replied sarcastically.

Louise said something to Saito that sounded somewhat angry. Saito turned to his mother sheepishly. "Actually Louise's Dad is a loyal subject of the queen. It's all the other nobles that can't be trusted."

"My apologies." Ayako nodded towards the pink haired girl.

The queen in question then said something to Saito. He nodded looking at her and then staring at his mother. "I don't know, I'll ask."

"What now?"

"Henrietta wants to know if her dress might be worth something. She also has some jewelry on that might be worth something too. She's offering to sell it if it will give us the money we need." Saito reported to his matriarch.

"Well, let's take a look at it then." Ayako said wearily. She was good at her craft, and it would take her mind off the stress of the day. The young woman stood and approached her and Ayako took a long look at her clothing. The more she looked, the more concerned she became. "This looks like a western wedding dress."

Saito looked ready to cringe. "It... it is a wedding dress."

"Why is she wearing a wedding dress, who was she getting married to?" Ayako asked in confusion. Her son's silence spoke volumes, he wasn't looking her in the eyes and as realization dawned on her she was ready to faint. "You weren't!"

Saito covered himself but she didn't have it in her to beat him. He finally looked up at her in trepidation. "Like I said Mom, it's a long story."

Henrietta wasn't looking at her either. Ayako just went back to her appraisal, she really didn't want to think too much and losing herself in work was an old tactic she'd used to get through the hardest times in her life. Henrietta's dress was nothing less than stunning. It needed a good cleaning, but it was very expensive silk, hand stitched with the finest lace and embroidery. Ayako wasn't a professional jeweler, but she'd seen enough knock-offs in her time to recognized the genuine article. Henrietta herself looked western as well. Of all the girls the maid was the only one that looked Japanese. Looking at the quality of the dress made the seamstress start to wonder. This was definitely more expensive jewelry and cloth than some teenage cosplayer could ever hope to get their hands on regardless of how wealthy a family they might come from.

"I think I need to sit down." Ayako announced suddenly.

"What's wrong?" Saito asked in alarm.

"What are you into son?" The mother asked in concern. "That's the most expensive outfit I've ever laid eyes on!"

Saito looked uneasy. He looked at the girls who were looking to him expectantly. "I wasn't lying to you Mom."

"But, it's too unbelievable son!" Ayako pleaded.

"If I told you everything, you'd be even more shocked Mom." Her son said seriously.

Dinner was served, and Ayako enjoyed a better meal than she could have ever managed. She made good food, but this was out of her league. These girls were a mystery. Even the other two girls were wearing formal dresses that were probably only a little less expensive than Henrietta's. She watched her son trying to convince the maid to sit with them at the table, and only after Henrietta said something to her did she reluctantly comply. All the girls deferred to Henrietta.

After dinner the maid cleared the dishes, and had them cleaned in record time. Ayako just shook her head as she studied the girls. This was unreal, but she had a few other suspicions since she was pretty familiar with Hiraga men. "Saito, go get your bath. I'm going to help the girls get changed."

Saito nodded. "I'll leave the bath prepared."

Her son stood to leave, and Ayako watched the maid get up and follow him into the hall. After a moment, she returned with Saito pushing her firmly back into the room. The other girls hadn't even taken notice. "We don't have servants bathe us here Siesta."

"Will Henrietta require someone to help her bathe son?" Ayako asked sipping her tea. She listened as Louise apparently repeated the question to her 'queen'.

Henrietta nodded. Ayako turned to Siesta then. "Translate this for me Louise. Siesta can assist Henrietta with her bath when the time comes. The bath is large enough for two so it shouldn't be an issue. Tabitha and Louise can then go next."

Louise dutifully translated. Everyone seemed pleased except Siesta who seemed crestfallen to see Saito leave the room alone. Ayako now had the girls where she wanted them. "So Louise, you can understand my language but cannot speak it?"

Louise nodded. The Hiraga matron got up and went to the bookcase where she got down a heavy tome before returning to the girls. "These are pictures of our family. Please look."

Ayako sat back and watched. The girls hesitantly opened the book and then immediately became obsessed with the pictures. Giggles, laughter, and smiles graced their faces as they stared and talked. For certain, pictures of Saito garnered the most attention. I guess the boy is his father's son after all. Ayako thought sadly.

"So, Henrietta is going to be my son's wife?" The woman asked the assembled girls.

The girls exchanged glances with Louise as she nodded hesitantly.

"You don't seem too happy about it Louise. Is something wrong?" Ayako asked straightly.

Louise shook her head vehemently. Ayako could still see the guilty look on Henrietta's face and the way Louise wouldn't look at her though. The conversation seemed more muted after that. Still as a mother, she simply had to know. "Has Saito taken any of you as his lover?"

It was a quiet question. All the girls were staring at her and then slowly looked at Louise who was dumbstruck. The girl looked unwilling to repeat the question, but finally with prodding from the other girls she reluctantly shared the information.

Tabitha and Henrietta immediately shook their heads and looked at Louise who was likewise negative. The three then stared at Siesta who was looking down and seemed somewhat depressed as she also said no.

The relief on Louise's face was as evident as the look that was probably on her own. Maybe he's not completely his father's son after all.

The mother of the groom then helped the girls out of their dresses and into comfortable sleeping clothes before Saito returned. Then the evening passed as Ayako got to know these girls her son had brought home through Saito and Louise's help. She watched the pink haired girl occasionally punch or smack her son when he would say something silly, and she nodded to herself.

When it came time for Louise and Tabitha to go to the bath, Ayako interrupted them. "Tabitha do you mind if I go first? I have an early day tomorrow and I need to go ahead and get ready for bed."

Tabitha nodded and bowed respectfully and silently once Saito translated. Ayako left her son to entertain the girls with stories of his youth over the family album and escorted Louise toward the bathroom. The two women readied for their bath silently, and as the middle aged seamstress relaxed in the warm water she couldn't help but stare at the girl across from her. "I'm glad my son found a woman who loves him as much as you do."

Louise looked shocked as she stared at her.

"Has Saito ever mentioned his father to you?" Ayako asked seriously.

Louise shook her head 'no'.

"Saito's father is a really handsome man." Ayako mentioned happily. "You probably saw a few of his pictures in the family album. Do you know why he left?"

Again, Louise shook her head 'no'.

"Some people might think it was because I was beating up on him all the time or treated him coldly or cruelly. That wasn't it though. Hiraga men are just like that. No matter how hard I ever hit him he always just smiled and went on with his life. In all honesty I think they expect it and even enjoy it to a certain degree. It's strange but all sorts of strange people make up the world." The mother continued.

Louise actually smiled as if remembering something and nodded.

"I was the one that lost Kenichi. He was mine to lose too. I lost Saito's father because I wasn't truthful to myself. I convinced myself that he was better off with someone else, and I let him go. Hiraga men have always had a wandering eye. I still think Kenichi would have stayed by my side though if I hadn't let him go. I don't pretend to understand everything that's going on between you and Henrietta, but I can recognize when multiple girls have their eyes on the same prize." Ayako admitted to the girl.

Louise sat there in stunned silence. She had her eyes wide open and looked at a loss for words even if she could have spoken the language.

"Are you wondering why I'm telling you all this?"

Louise nodded dumbly.

"When I first saw Saito I couldn't help but wail on him for worrying me so badly. Of all the girls there, you were the only one that grabbed my arm to stop me. You love him. I see you looking at him the same way I looked at his father when I was trying to convince myself that it was for the best to let him go." The older woman surmised.

Louise looked thoughtful, and finally began to cry. Ayako pulled her close as the small girl clung to her and wept bitterly. Ayako could only guess what mess her son had been making of things. The motherly woman held Louise until her tears subsided and then looked into her eyes seriously.

"Louise, I know you've probably got a lot of reasons for not stopping this thing going on with Henrietta. I realize you're thinking it's probably for the best to just distance yourself from my son and do what's best. I'm telling you not to. You'll kick yourself later if you do. Saito needs a firm hand to make him a man, and I'm hoping you can be woman enough to take good care of him for me." Ayako told the younger woman.

Louise looked awestruck as she stared at her before she nodded tearfully. Ayako finished and got out to dry off and ready for bed. The two headed back to the living room where Saito was showing the girls a movie on the television to an enthralled audience.

Ayako smiled and decided to get things taken care of before bed. "Saito, there's an extra dress stand in the hall closet, put Henrietta's dress on it and I'll collect it in the morning. I'm going to bed, I have a lot to do tomorrow."

"Sure thing Mom. I guess we better figure out sleeping arrangements." Saito said uneasily. "There's plenty of room in my room for all the girls, I'll just sleep down here on the couch."

Ayako whacked Saito over the head. Saito looked up into her disapproving glare. "You've brought these girls heaven only knows how far from home into a place where they've never been and you're going to leave them alone all night? You need to stay in there with them. You said yourself that they're your responsibility, start acting like it. Be a man, son."

"You... you want me to sleep with them in my room?" Saito stammered.

"Yes, I do." Ayako affirmed. "Whatever arrangements after that I leave to you girls."

Louise looked nervous as Ayako left them. The mother of the swordsman didn't know how things were going to work out, but she had faith in the girls that something would turn up.

A/N: The episode this week sure was a tear jerker for me. I have to say though, I greatly preferred Saito's run in with thugs in my story. I just have a hard time believing three street thugs can beat a trained fighter. Oh well, guess they got lucky...