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"Thank you so much for your kindness," Sanzaemon Naoyuki was saying, bowing at the feet of Maeda Toshitsune.
Oodenta wasn't particularly fond of politics. He was passed around infrequently. He was seldom welcome around people. This interaction between the Maeda family was none of his business.
"Nonsense. We're family, aren't we?"
The man stood, and gave yet another bow. "I don't have much in my possession from my father, but please accept my gift of gratitude for your kindness."
Oodenta's eyes widened as he saw him walk in. A short tanto, white cape rising as he walked, head held high and gait steady — this boy waltzed into the house like he owned it. He acted like he belonged. Confident, prideful and proper with a light step, he walked right up to Maeda Toshitsune and swept off his cap to bow low.
Maeda Toshitsune grinned. "Welcome home, Maeda Toushirou."
Maeda Toushirou roamed the halls. He was allowed to walk wherever he wanted after all, and he was cataloguing everything that had changed since he had left. This time, however, he was looking for something in particular.
He knocked on the door and, receiving no reply, opened it slowly. The room was dark and gloomy, yet Maeda sensed no ill within.
The tachi rose to greet him stiffly. "Maeda Toushirou."
"Hello! I came to see how my lady was doing."
The tachi looked down at the young girl who was sleeping soundly, though she still looked pale. "She is recovering from a recent ailment."
Maeda sat on the bed, barely making a dent. "I don't remember an Oodenta Mitsuyo. When did you enter the Maeda Clan?"
Oodenta shook his head, "Please don't misunderstand. I am just here to ward off evil spirits and ailments for the young lady here. I will leave the Maeda residence as soon as possible so as to not bother the family any longer."
"Is that so?" Maeda observed Oodenta. He was large and perhaps unnerving, with wild hair and a haunted gaze that was sure to make others flee. It was unusual for a tachi to be used for a woman, and yet Oodenta sat there by the young girl's bedside in such a dutiful manner that Maeda wasn't surprised at all. "Well if you do come to visit again, why don't I show you around?"
Oodenta shook his head. "I wouldn't want to cause trouble for you and other beings."
Maeda sighed, "It won't be any trouble at all."
"Maeda!" Naoyuki called.
Maeda stood from the bed, giving one last smile to Oodenta. "I hope to see you again."
He exited the room to find his master pacing up the halls. "Maeda!"
"Shhh! Sanzaemon-san, there is a sick young lady inside that needs to rest!"
"Sorry, sorry. I just needed to consult with you..."
Sanzaemon Naoyuki, now Maeda Sanzaemon once again, had left to go manage one of the Maeda clan's lesser territories. To further secure Toshitsune's authority, Maeda supposed, by sending out his elder brother’s son somewhere that he can’t threaten his position.
Oodenta had left the Maeda residence too. He was given back to Tokugawa Hidetada because the young lady had recovered from her ailment.
Maeda Toushirou sat by the girl's bedside, quietly stroking her as her fever raged on. She shivered and coughed, clearly having relapsed. The room felt more ominous than ever, and none of the maids dared enter. Only Tamahime, the young lady's mother and lady of the house, would come in to take care of her little girl, but while she was out Maeda could only watch helplessly in her stead.
The door opened, and Maeda look up to stare right in the haunted eyes of Oodenta Mitsuyo. He looked as ragged and unnerving as ever. Maeda saw some maids outside who shivered in fear.
Oodenta walked menacingly towards the bed and knelt by the bedside, putting his hand on the girl's head. Almost immediately, Maeda saw her calm down, though the rest of her symptoms would take time to fade. Not only that but the room itself felt thinner, lighter, less suffocating and malicious. Maeda stared in wonder. This was the effect of Oodenta Mitsuyo.
"I'm afraid I cannot leave the room," Oodenta told Maeda when he visited later. The maids seemed even more afraid to enter with the tachi inside, so Maeda had come to deliver some things in their stead. "I have a duty to cure the young lady of her ailments again."
Maeda shook his head fondly. "While the offer to show you around still stands, I agree that you are most necessary next to the young lady's side. I thought I would help you open the window, since the air might be a bit stifling for the young lady."
Oodenta nodded. "That would be appreciated, thank you."
Maeda opened the window, taking a breath of fresh air. "Oh?" The birds that usually chirped outside everyday was no where to be found. Usually he enjoyed listening to them. A shame. Maeda wanted to show them to Oodenta-san who lived in the capital.
Oodenta looked up, squinting at the light. "Is there something wrong?"
Maeda shook his head. "It's nothing. I just wanted to show you some of the birds that sang around here, since they're different from the ones in the capital. I suppose I'll show you another time."
Oodenta turned away, looked even more solemn. "It is my fault that I failed last time and her ailment returned. I will do better this time so that I don't bother you again."
Maeda laughed, causing Oodenta to look up at him with a frown. "Sorry for laughing, but you did much better than anyone expected already! The young lady could hardly sleep for an hour before, and yet she is at peace now that you're here! You really are a miracle worker Oodenta-san."
Oodenta looked away abashedly. "It is merely my aura that scares away sickness. Although I have noticed that it scares others away too."
"Oh? Like who?"
"Like the humans, they are scared of my size. And the animals. The birds you mentioned are not here because my aura has scared them away."
Maeda came to sit down next to Oodenta. "Humans and animals are scared of many things, not just you. Don't be so upset about it."
Oodenta still looked quite upset, but Maeda resolved to not push the matter, instead just sitting there while enjoying the breeze.
This time, before Oodenta left after successfully curing the young lady once more, he said goodbye to Maeda in person.
Oodenta Mitsuyo was officially gifted to Tamahime after the third time she asked to borrow the sword. The Shogun declared that his little sister could own the blade if it was needed that much.
Oodenta walked through the residence. Even though it was his third time here he only knew this one path towards the young lady's bedroom and nowhere else. As usual, everyone scrambled away when he approached, and gave him uncomfortable looks as he approached the room. When he opened the door he was greeted with a familiar sight.
The young lady was in a feverish state again, and Maeda Toushirou was asleep while draped across her chest. The tanto lit up the room with his sandy brown hair and white cape, there just for comfort because he belonged where everyone else did not. Maeda would always belong, no matter where he ended up, while Oodenta would never belong, no matter where he is.
Maeda woke quickly, as expected of a sword that was meant to watch over their master, and quickly locked eyes with Oodenta. Oodenta walked over to the young lady again, careful to be gentle as he placed his hand on her head and sent threats to any and all who ailed her. Her breathing settled and her temperature started dropping.
After Oodenta settled, satisfied that the young lady was on the road to recovery, he was met with Maeda Toushirou's bright face. "Welcome home, Oodenta-san!"
Oodenta took one look at this brightly-lit countryside citadel with birds and sunlight and people and laughter, and decided that a sword like him should find someplace isolated so as to not bother everyone else. While his brother was chatting to Kashuu Kiyomitsu, Oodenta was cataloguing potential spaces that kept an appropriate amount of distance between him and the others.
He spotted a group of tanto that were playing with a group of tiger cubs, all laughing and having fun. He desperately tried to reel in his aura lest the young creatures fled on sight.
One of the tanto noticed him. "Oodenta-san!"
Maeda Toushirou, with bright his bright, elated eyes, detangled himself from the tigers and the others to bound over to him. Light-footed as always but a little more childish than before, with a more comfortable outfit but still wearing that princely, white cape. He smiled brightly up at him like he was holding nothing back.
"Welcome home, Oodenta-san!"