After being on edge for several days, Himura finally discovered what was scurrying around in the rafters.

Ayame and Suzume took Kaoru into the hills to gather bellflowers. They came across a field of sunflowers on their way back to the village and Kaoru ended up with a bouquet almost as large as little Suzume. To avoid a sisterly spat, Kaoru divided up the flowers so that each girl had the same amount and kept the rest for herself. The tokonoma in the farmhouse needed a nice floral arrangement.

When Kaoru walked through the door, the clanging of pots and pans greeted her. The table, the koto and the spinning wheel were overturned and the broom had been carelessly tossed to one side. A ladder rested against the one of the rafter beams. Himura poked his head out from the top of the ladder.

"Welcome home, Kaoru-Dono," he said.
Kaoru put a hand on her hip. "What's going on here?" She'd stepped out for a few hours and look what happened. The house was in disarray and a baka-rurouni was climbing around in the rafters. What the hell had happened while she was gone?
"We have intruders." Himura banged a pot and pan together. The noise made Kaoru's ears ring. "This one is taking care of it."

An adorable flying squirrel floated down from the rafters. Another one scampered out from under the overturned table. They both bolted for the door.

Kaoru laughed. That was it? These little darlings had caused all this trouble. And they'd alluded Himura as skillfully as Master Okina's ninjas.
Himura climbed down the ladder. "How are Ayame-Chan and Suzume-Chan?"
"A handful," Kaoru said. She'd never imagined that looking after two little girls would leave her so exhausted. "Especially that Suzume-Chan."
Gensai-Sensei's youngest granddaughter flitted about like the sparrow she'd been named for. Kaoru had to constantly watch her, so she didn't chase after a rabbit or fall in the river. Suzume also wasn't afraid to stand up for herself, hence why she'd insisted on having a bouquet the same size as her sister's.
As much of a handful as Suzume could be, Kaoru hoped that she wouldn't change as she grew up.
Himura set the spinning wheel to rights. "Perhaps Suzume-Chan reminds Kaoru-Dono of herself at that age?" He said.
Kaoru snorted. She'd been ten times worse. Himura had a taste of how bad she'd been when she beat him up five years ago at Lord Takeda's estate.
"Himura-San." A young girl, wearing a traveler's short kimono, leggings, and straw hat, entered the house from the garden. She noticed Kaoru then put down the bucket she carried and bowed to her. "Hello, you must be Himura-San's wife?" Her mouth fell open in a surprised "o" when Kaoru approached.
Kaoru blinked at the girl. She was about fourteen, petite, doll-like, and pretty. Tsubame-Chan? What was she doing this far away from Mibu?
They shared a look of recognition that went past Himura's notice. Poor Tsubame seemed confused but appeared to understand that they mustn't let Himura know they'd already met.
"This is Tsubame," said Himura. "She will be staying with us for a few days. Her traveling companion got into some trouble and she has nowhere else to go."
The village was on the Tokkaido road and it wasn't unheard of for villagers to take in stranded travelers, but what were the odds that one of these stranded travelers would be someone Kaoru knew from home.
Kaoru sighed. One guess as to who Tsubame's traveling companion was. "What happened to Ya... him?" she said. What had her punk little brother gotten himself, and Tsubame, into?
"Some local ruffians picked a fight with Yahiko-Sama." Tsubame looked down at her straw zori sandals. "The constables dragged him in, saying that they weren't going to let some baby ronin disturb the peace in this town." The poor girl stifled a sob.
Of course. Leave one of Kaoru's brothers alone for five minutes and he will get himself in trouble. Yahiko was exactly the kind of cocky little lordling that the village bruisers would love to take down a peg. It was bad enough for Yahiko to have ended up in the mess, but to leave Tsubame stranded, hundreds of miles from her home and family, and reliant on strangers. Tsubame was lucky Himura had found her and not some robber or rapist.
Kaoru put an arm around the younger girl. "Tsubame-Chan," she said. "I have to run errands in town. Do you mind coming with me?" Once they'd gotten away from Himura, Kaoru could grille Tsubame about what she and Yahiko were doing this far away from Mibu. 
"Kaoru-Dono is going out again?" said Himura.
"Since we have a guest, we should make something special for dinner. Tsubame-Chan, what would you like to have? Choose anything you like."

Tsubame thought it over for a moment. "Namasu and steamed shrimp buns."

"I'll see what we can do."
They left Himura behind to straighten up the house.
"Now take me to my brother," Kaoru whispered to Tsubame.

Tsubame explained everything as they walked into the village.
"Yahiko-Sama's going to Kyoto to fight alongside his brother and cousins," she said.

Kaoru furrowed her brow. "Sanosuke's also in Kyoto?" First Aoshi, Akira, and Tomoe, and now him? Too bad she was going to miss the family reunion.
"He left soon after Aoshi-Sama and Akira-Sama did." Tsubame stopped to fix the strap of her geta. "He and Yahiko-Sama got into a fight because he wouldn't let Yahiko-Sama come with him."
"And that's why Yahiko ran away?" Kaoru grumbled. Stubborn little shit.
"Yes." 
Now it all started to make sense. Yahiko never could stand to be left behind when the big kids went off to play.
After Tsubame finished adjusting her geta strap, Kaoru helped her to her feet. "What about you, Tsubame? Why are you here?"
Yahiko had a motive to run away from Mibu, but why was Tsubame with him?
"Yahiko-Sama and I are getting married." Tsubame blushed.
Kaoru lowered her eyes. She knew that Yahiko and Tsubame were sweethearts. All of Wolf's Castle thought their puppy love was adorable. Kaoru and Sanosuke teased them whenever they were found holding hands in the garden or running off to play together. They were children and it was all harmless. Or so she and Sanosuke thought.
"You're too young," said Kaoru. "The both of you."
Tsubame put her hands on her hips. "Yahiko-Sama comes of age next month. And my mother was my age when she married."
Kaoru held her tongue. And your mother died in childbirth not long after. That was why Tsubame had been raised by her aunt, Lady Tae.
Could Tsubame be...? And Yahiko was doing the honorable thing? Kaoru took a deep breath.  Slow down, Kamiya. Is speculating about your little brother's sex life something you want to be doing right now? No. Good. She continued following Tsubame into the village.

Yahiko wasn't difficult to find. A crowd had gathered in the village square to watch three constables, glorified thugs deputized by the local samurai to wield clubs and fists as they saw fit so their lords wouldn't have to get their hands dirty, kick the shit out of the tied-up boy.
Tsubame gasped and started to cry.
Kaoru ran over to intervene. Dammit, did these peasants have no respect for their betters?
"Stop it!" She cried. But the constables didn't listen to her. "Let him go!"
Yahiko strained his neck to look up. "Kaoru?" A geta slammed down on his head.
One of the constables shoved Kaoru away. "Who the hell do you think you are? And who is this little turd to you?"
"That little turd is my brother." Kaoru rose to her full height and adopted her best onna bugeisha war face. "And I'm Lady Kamiya, your lord's daughter-in-law."
This village was part of Lord Hiko's fiefdom and these constables answered to him. They'd no doubt heard the gossip about the marriage of Lord Hiko's heir to the daughter of Lord Kamiya.

The constable looked Kaoru over and laughed. In her practical apron and headscarf, Kaoru looked like just another village wife. "Yeah, and the Shogun's my great aunt," he said.

"Isn't that Red's wife," someone in the crowd joined in. Red was what the townspeople called Himura because of the color of his hair and the gi he often wore.
The constable laughed again. "Princess indeed. Tell me, cutie, how much does your baby brother mean to you?" He put his arms around Kaoru's waist. She tried to squirm away from him. How dare this bumpkin think he could put his hands on her. His breath tickled her neck. "I've always wanted to fuck a princess."
"Leave my sister alone," shouted Yahiko.
A bucket of water sloshed over him. "That'll cool you down."
"What do you say, sweetheart?" The constable pulled Kaoru closer. "Red doesn't have to know."
Kaoru slapped him. "Go fuck yourself!" She would never stoop so low, even if it wouldn't take too much of her time. 
"You little bitch!" He threw her to the ground and in the way of an ox-drawn carriage rolling through the town square.
Kaoru screamed to get the driver's attention. He reined in the ox and brought the carriage to a screeching, jerking halt, then climbed down to help Kaoru.
"Are you alright, Miss?" he said.
Kaoru had landed on her right wrist, which was twisted at an awkward angle. She winced when she tried to move it. "I think it's sprained."
"Allow me." The driver lifted Kaoru back on her feet.
Tsubame brushed the dirt off Kaoru's kimono while Kaoru cradled her sprained wrist.
The carriage's occupant, a beautiful woman with an elaborate hairstyle and painted face, raised the curtain. "What's going on," she asked.
"We almost ran this poor woman over."
Before Kaoru could thank the lady and her driver, the constables continued beating Yahiko, whose nose was broken and his right eye was nearly swollen shut. "Stop it!" screamed Kaoru. What a bunch of tough bastards they were. Three grown men against a fifteen year old boy. Did they not have the balls to pick on someone their own size? "You're going to kill him." A blow to the chest left Yahiko coughing up blood.
The lady in the carriage gasped.
"I think we should leave, Madam," said her driver.
One of the constables bowed to the lady and gave her a leering grin. "Nothing to see here, your ladyship."
"Why are you hurting that poor boy?"
"He's a trouble-making little punk." Another constable whacked Yahiko in the head with his club. "And his big sister is too high and mighty to untie her sash for his release."
Kaoru raised her good fist to knock the bastard's teeth out but Tsubame held her back.
The lady glanced at Kaoru and laughed. "Her? She wouldn't know what a prick looks like let alone what to do with one." She crooked her finger at the constable, who was entranced by her exposed wrist. "Why don't you leave these children alone and I'll give you and your buddies a taste for free of what the swells in Shimabara pay a fortune for." The lady winked at Kaoru.
Kaoru's jaw dropped. Kohana-San?

The three constables went into the carriage with Kohana-San one at a time. They each reemerged looking smug and disheveled when they were done. Once the constables had finished, Kohana-San appeared much as Kaoru might have after cleaning the farmhouse privy. An unpleasant but necessary chore was behind her.
"Would you like a ride?" Kohana-San asked Kaoru.
Kaoru bowed her head in gratitude. If she hadn't injured her wrist, she would have thrown herself at the courtesan's feet. Kohana-San must have been a bodhisattva in disguise.
The driver lifted Yahiko into the carriage, placing his head in Tsubame's lap. Tsubame stroked Yahiko's hair away from his forehead.
"Tsubame-Chan..." Yahiko groaned. "Stop fussing over me."
But Tsubame didn't listen. "I'll fuss over you all I want," she said.
Kaoru and Kohana-San laughed. Wasn't young love sweet?
They picked up Gensai-Sensei on the way back to the farmhouse because Kaoru and especially Yahiko needed medical attention. Himura looked surprised to find out he'd have to cook dinner for more people than he'd expected. Luckily, he'd straitened up the mess he made earlier and even arranged the flowers Kaoru had picked. An ikebana masterpiece had pride of place on the tokonoma next to Kohana-San's poem.
Himura laid out a futon for Yahiko. The driver laid the boy down on it and Gensai-Sensei began tending his wounds. Kaoru sat on the floor next to the futon and held her wrist. It was swollen and tender-probably sprained. At least she'd be able to get out of doing housework for awhile.
Tsubame bowed to Himura. "Thank you again for hosting us, Himura-San," she said.
"The honor is all this one's," said Himura, looking from Kaoru to Yahiko and back again, probably noting a resemblance. "It isn't every day one meets one's in-laws."