Author's Notes:

Love you, FMA. Hahaha, Lan-fan and Ling. Hahahah, I got my idea from them. And yes, I like that pair. XD Sparks Fly and Ours by Taylor Swift and You Make Me Feel Like by Cobra Starship on replay. Fast upload, I don't wanna re-read. Had it drafted for 5 files. /deletesall/

Review please! ^^

: - : A Warrior's Existence : - :

by: HeavenlySwirl

I was to serve, to survive and to die for the sake of the Hyuga Clan. Caged in fate, but it was a noble duty.

A noble duty. That was all it was.

My existence was for him.

I was chosen amongst my clan, being the most-skilled and competent in order to protect him. Years, months, weeks and days of training had led me to this. From battle protocol to weapon arsenal, everything had been taught to me, along with my clansmen.

Normal was the word to describe my childhood. Young, weak, innocent-not fully aware how much our clan had to show gratitude to the Hyuga family-it was all I was.

I did not know who my parents were, for all I knew they were strangers that abandoned me at my fragile state. But, I bore no hatred for them as I did not even take into consideration their existence throughout my life.

That is, not until I turned twelve when everything was unveiled to me. And the same as any of the descendants, I learned to accept what fate would play for the rest of our lives…

…for my clan was formed by the Hyugas for one purpose…

…to be their pawns, their weapons, and their tools for war.

My father and mother became part of that arsenal. And in their line of duty, my parents died for both the sake of the Hyugas, and in honor of our clan's name.

And indeed, I would be too.

My senses would be trained to detect any forms of threat. My limbs would be armed for defense. My skills and weaponry would be honed for offense.

My existence was for him.

I stood motionless atop of a tree branch and breathed evenly, arms on my side. On full guard. I silently watched him, observed and sensed if there was any coming danger.

Even when he had everything, every day seemed nothing for my Lord's life. A loving family, prestige family heritage, a protector, good health, and the face of royalty…he had almost everything a person could want and need in this world.

It was almost like a perfect life.

Yet, he always seemed cold and annoyed towards anyone. It was as if something was missing in his life. He was regal, silent and distant. No one knew him well. He always seemed secluded to anyone.

A friend perhaps, or a lady by his side. I bit my lip behind the porcelain mask I wore. I was mostly the only one he talked to, but they were orders and out of courtesy.

On most occasions, I wished to know what was on his mind. He didn't seem please by anything, nor had I ever seen him smile.

Like now.

He let out a heavy sigh and released again his fury to the wooden dummy, striking its vital parts with his bare hands. I could sense that there were many thoughts flowing in my Lord's mind at the moment.

Somehow, I wanted to know him well…to be his friend…and maybe, just maybe…

'The person he'd love,' I closed my eyes at the thought.

It just couldn't be. We couldn't be. It was forbidden.

He was my master, and I was his servant. I bit my lip harder and resisted the urge to cry. It was a one-sided love, an unrequited one… and he had to make a decision for his future.

Before ascending the position as head of the clan, there was a requirement.

He needed to marry. He needed a suitable wife.

This, along with the others would form the inevitabilities that would haunt me for the rest of my life. I would still be by his side, protecting him and his future family. I would be by his side, caged by fate, by the line of duty and by the love that would not be returned.

My heart was not an exception.

An exception of the existence that was meant for him.

"All this time," I whispered. As told, I used to be young, normal, weak, and innocent. Like any normal child, I had an admiration for a particular person.

And that person was the one I would protect later in my life.

My relatives let it be. They believed I would outgrow it soon and be able to fulfill my duties when I come to age. It was harmless- a part of 'blooming flower's youth,' as the old men and women in clan had put.

I had always admired him afar; hiding behind the bushes and trees just to watch him grow to the person he was now.

He was a part of my childhood…and he still would be a part of my life. Somehow, I knew him. I knew and fully remembered that one moment that changed his life.

That moment, a step to what he had become.

"Sayuri-sama, has died!" My friend, Kiba, shouted as he burst into our doors. Yamato-san, my mentor stood up at the sudden news. "W-What did you say?"

"Just this morning, one of her maids had seen her laid across the floor."

"How…was she-?"

"No, Yamato-san… there wasn't any murderer. Her illnesses…" He trailed off.

Their conversation went on about her funeral, and I sat between them staring across the door watching rain drops fall from the sky. Sayuri-sama, the warm and kind-hearted royal of the Hyugas…

And she, was also his mother… "Neji-sama!" My eyes widened as I saw him ran across the field, his maids chasing after him.

He looked devastated. He loved her very much, and I knew that left him scarred upon her sudden death.

Days passed and I watched over him, checking how he was doing and following him to her headstone. He looked so fragile, it was so…so…heartbreaking. I never knew any of my parental figures but I somehow, recognized the feeling he had. I wanted to comfort him, but I couldn't. Instead, I approached silently her grave.

"Kaa-san…why did you leave me?" He kept saying to his mother's grave, as he crumbled to his knees and cry. "Kaa-san…kaa-san…"

He seemed to notice my presence as he looked up to face me. Angrily, "What are you doing here?" he shouted to me.

I uneasily offered him a smile before placing the heart-shaped necklace that I made out of cherry blossom petals on her grave. I said nothing, but he coherently muttered along the lines of, "That's her favorite…"

I smiled again at him, before making my way home.

From that day on, every day I would seem him visit her grave and put cherry blossom petals upon it. Sometimes, he would not cry and told her stories and how much he missed her.

I bit my lip harder, tasting the blood coming out of it and snapping beyond my trance.

They were wrong. I kept telling now, I still harbored those feelings for him…something that didn't seem to lessen, only to deepen more and more.

But as I've known the secrets of my clan and my duties, I hid my feelings from anyone—especially from him. It would cause my utter death, serving as a hindrance to my responsibilities.

I only wished my life did not turn out to be like this. None of it.

Coming down the tree branch with ease, ready to clean the pieces of the wooden dummies he had torn in pieces. With chakra strings, I pulled them to one side of the garden and piled them.

Arms-crossed, he asked, "What are you doing?" I turned and crouched before him. "Cleaning up, master,"

"Did I tell you to do so?" He inquired, face passive as always.

"No, master," I bowed, "I'm sorry for displeasing you."

"It's alright, continue to do so."

"Hai," And as told, I continued what I was previously doing. I did not hear his footsteps go; I presumed he would be meditating under a tree.

A sudden wind, swept some of the dusts in the field and I adjusted the mask that I wore to keep the dusts from going through the eye holes.

He spoke again, his velvet voice shattering the silence. "You are a woman, correct?"

Almost caught off guard by his question, I tried to maintain my composure and faced him. I bowed in his meditative state. "Hai, Hyuga-sama."

"What are your interests?" He continued to question.

There was a pause. His brows then ceased, forming a scowl on his pallid face. I almost paid no heed to it and said in an obedient tone, "Training and protecting you, Hyuga-sama."

"You are a person behind that mask of yours, correct?" I gave him a nod, "Tell me about yourself," He reprimanded.

"I'm afraid not, master. I am but a mere servant and a protector of the Hyuga family." I answered again in the same tone.

"Come over here." He seemed unpleased and said, "Remove that mask of yours."

My eyes widened at the unexpected command. Porcelain masks were a custom in the selected protectors in my clan. To my self-speculation, it was to avoid any attachment between the protectors and the masters. Any detachment was far better than putting the heir's life in certain predicament.

Simply, my physical identity was hidden was hidden to possible threats. I was only known as Dragon and he addressed me as such.

"Hyuga-sama-" I tried to explain.

He interjected and stood up, "I am fully aware of the custom. Your identity is vital to our safety. However, seeing the face of our protector is also part of that, to establish trust. You had not introduced yourself to me."

I nodded and give way to the habit I've developed, biting my lip once again and distinguishing the metallic taste of blood.

Reaching to my face and I hesitated for a moment, before my calloused hands carefully made way to the red knot at the back of my head. I heard his footsteps heading to my direction and I held out my breath and let go, eyes directed downward and my mask on my right hand.

He was so close, towering over me-I could feel the radiant warmth of his skin.

I removed my head cover and heaved a sigh to comfort my disturbed nerves and uncontrollably thumping heart…

One…Two…

Three…

And finally, four…

I raised my head and faced him, brown eyes clashing with his pure ones.

His lavender-tinted eyes showed recognition and the corners of his mouth twitched into, somewhat a smile.

He seemed both surprised and pleased.

And the words he uttered next stunned me….

"It's you."

Time had flown by and what happened in the succeeding months, I did not know. He had done so many unpredicted matters in his clan.

Namely, he cancelled all of his marriage meetings...

"What are you doing, my son?"

"There is no need for any of those women."

"But...but…Neji-!"

He shut the door and left his grandfather in deep awe.

He created and settled arguments within the Hyuga family council...

"Why did you cancel your marriage meetings, Neji?"

"Hn. I've told all of you before, there is no need for it."

"Why, have you found a suitable wife?"

"Yes."

He trashed a law and developed equality...

"It can't be. We have a law; they're only our servants and our protectors. Nothing more. You cannot marry her. "

"If you do not want me to marry her, then I refused to marry anyone and ascend the position as head of the clan."

"What do you even see in this girl?"

"She has all the requirements I wanted for a wife. You are only blind by looking at the class she is in. It is not a measure of who she is. And yes, I love her."

"But…!"

"It is time for a change. I would ascend the position and implement equality. They are not indebted to us anymore, we are. I will marry her and that is final!"

And most of all, he married the person he loved.

He married me.

When explaining as he courted me, I could only smile in amusement. I was the cause of all his frustration. All these years, he had been looking for me. Finding who the mysterious girl he met at his mother's grave, and dealing with the attraction he had with the warrior by his side.

"What are you thinking?" Neji, as I intimately referred to him, suddenly asked as I stood on the balcony, taking in the view of the moonlit garden.

I shook my head, "Nothing," I replied, turning to him as he enveloped his arms around me. "Just nothing,"

An amused laugh escaped his lips, and I smiled to my heart's content. He truly had changed as our relationship progressed. "It can't certainly be nothing," he emphasized his second word.

I wrapped my arms around him, "It can certainly be nothing." I told him, amusedly.

Before, I believed that I would be by his side, only as a protector. I thought I meant nothing to him. I was but a warrior, his protector, his guard…I breathed, watched, and trained— the three simple words of my existence. It was, along with my skills, my limbs, my senses and my heart that were meant for him.

However, that nothing and that existence was along the way, aimed for something.

I was for him. I was nothing and became something because of him. I was his half in this world, a part that would not only fill his existence alone but also mine.

My existence was for him, for I was simply caged by fate and love to be with him.