A/N: Hey there! This is my first Naruto fanfic, but I'm not new to the Naruto fanfic fandom since I've been reading SasuSaku fics like 6 years ago, but only had the courage to write my own now. Well I kinda sucked in writing before, and a bit more confident now. So here it is! ROYAL PAIN!

I hope you enjoy it!

All Expense Paid

The carriage rattled and jumped as it passed a rough patch of road, jostling its passenger inside from left to right. Sakura clutched her head with a groan, afraid it might roll off of her shoulders; the jump had woken her up from her nap. Quite rested, she didn't feeling like going back to sleep, instead she decided to push back the curtains from the windows to see the view outside.

It was already sunset, shades of red highlighted the low rolling hills as the sun dipped lower behind them. Sakura had left her quiet village town at the crack of dawn; she didn't expect the travel to Konoha to take this long. She had traveled the same distance before, that time from Konoha to her mother's home town in a mountain village, but she was only a child then, she hadn't paid attention to the time past. Yet the distance only proved the huge expanse of the Fire Country, and confirmed how little Sakura knew of it.

The little window at the front of the carriage slid open and revealed the driver's milky white eyes, a signature trait of the clan he belonged to.

"Haruno-san," He addressed politely, "we are now approaching the capital's walls. We will be arriving at the Hyuuga Estate in a short while."

"H-Hai! Arigatou." She smiled at him. And with that the window closed. Sakura looked out her window again and saw at a distance Konoha's infamous walls gleaming red in the sunset.

Sakura sighed heavily; she was feeling anxious and excited for what was to come. Only a few days ago she had faced her father with a request, a very steep request that she knew she deserved after all the years of being the sweetest, most filial daughter he could have, yet a request she very well knew that he would not be able to grant her. Sakura wanted to attend the Imperial Academy of Medicinal Arts; after all she had attended the Imperial Nursery during her childhood, it was only suiting for her to pursue the best training in the land for her desired career.

Suddenly Sakura felt her heart go heavy with loneliness. It hadn't been a day yet, and here she was pining for home already. For ten years back in the village, she had trained under her grandmother who was the village doctor. Her Gran-gran was undeniably the best mentor there was, but even she admitted that what she knew was not enough to teach her granddaughter. So Sakura approached her father, retired captain of the Imperial Guard: Haruno Kizashi, with her ambition to study in the capital city to become the best doctor there is.

He may not have shown it, but Sakura saw the tiniest hint of disappointment in his eyes when she told him. It was not disappointment with her, but with himself knowing that he could not give her what she wanted.

"I'll see what I can do." His reply came with a kind smile.

Sakura sighed again and sunk her back into the plush carriage seat, releasing hot air from her system. Being an only daughter, Sakura did her best to understand her parents. They did whatever they knew was best for her and would give her whatever she required, she knew that, but training in the Imperial Academy was wishful thinking.

But before she could even consider accepting that her fate was limited to being a village doctor, the tables turned and her good fortune came knocking on their door in the form of Hyuuga Hizashi.

An old friend of her father back in Konoha, Hizashi was in the vicinity then and decided to pay Kizashi a visit. Sakura, for the smarts of her, hadn't figured out immediately what was running through her father's mind at that moment. Before she knew it, the two men were bowing to each other, shaking hands, and had huge smiles on their faces that reached their ears, and from there on her fate was sealed.

Sakura smiled in her seat too; partly because of the memory, and partly because they had just crossed the walls into the capital. The buzz of life invaded her ears and the sight of the busy middle-class streets of Konoha filled with nostalgia and warmth, she spent her childhood here. Sakura remembered the city very well, now she wonders if it remembers her. With music drifting in the air, laughter on both sides of the street, and the colorful lanterns above, the city looked as if it was welcoming her back.

After Hizashi left, her parents told her the good news before she went to bed that night, and Sakura couldn't believe her ears. She was to study in the Imperial Academy of Medicinal Arts, all expense paid. All expense paid…

Unlike most daughters who got their wishes granted, Sakura did not scream happily into her pillow or jumped on her bed with excitement. Instead, with wide suspicious eyes fluttering between her mother and father, she said-

"That's mental. How much sake did you drink with that friend of yours?"

Her mother explained with a soft smile. In exchange for her entire training Sakura was to work for the Hyuuga family as a hand maiden.

"Hinata-sama, you remember her, right?" Mebuki said.

'"Ah, yes. The silent princess…" Sakura mulled over the thought. She remembered the poor girl, such a silent yet sweet creature back then in the Nursery; she would not be a troublesome mistress. That is, if she hadn't change in the span of over ten years.

"Hyuuga-san will send for you in two days time, you'll have enough time to pack tomorrow and say your goodbyes…"

That conversation was only at least forty-eight hours ago yet Sakura felt like it was ages past. The distance did not trouble her, she had long accepted that if she wanted to study in Konoha, then she'll have to get used to missing her family. The idea of her working as a hand maiden wasn't daunting, she had lived a life of hard work, looking after a princess was nothing compared to farming, hunting, and healing. Heck, being a hand maiden was considerably princess-like for her standards. Even though she was overjoyed to know she was to study at the Imperial Academy, it was still something too huge to accept right away.

The buildings outside her window looked bigger and grander than the ones when they entered the walls, there were even houses with vast manicured lawns. They must be nearing the nobilities' district. Sakura fiddled with her yukata, growing up half her life as a country girl, she wasn't one who bothered with traditional wear. But as she is meeting her new masters and sponsors, the occasion called for formalities on her part.

The grand buildings and vast lawns was replaced by huge expanses of walled estates, some had very high walls with guard outlooks on top; the Hyuuga Estate was one of these. The mansion looked imposing in the middle of the estate, Sakura swallowed, she better not screw this up.

The carriage halted to a stop in front of the wide marble steps leading up to the main house. As the driver unloaded her luggage, Sakura was welcomed by two men; one was Hizashi, and the other one looked like a younger version of him. She remembered him, only she could not place a name to his face.

"Youkoso Haruno-san," Hizashi greeted her with a curt bow. "Your travel was well, I see."

Sakura bowed in return. "Hai Hyuuga Hizashi-san, it was comfortable. Arigatou."

"Very well, we shouldn't keep you here though. This is my son, Neji," he gesture to the younger man who bowed to her. "He will show you the way; I must get on with other matters. I hope you will have a good stay." With that he bowed one last time and left.

If Hizashi was kind to her as she was his friend's daughter, his son clearly did not care about their acquaintance. Hyuuga Neji had a stern authoritative look upon his features that had Sakura wanting to crawl into her tabi socks. She wouldn't want to piss this guy off.

"Come," he said, his voice stern as his face. "You are to present yourself to the master of the house, after which I shall show you your room and then you may retire."

"What about dinner?" Sakura blurted out.

Neji just gave her a stern look again. "You will have it in your quarters."

"Ah…" They spoke no more and Neji led her into the heart of the mansion which was a wide sitting room with an atrium overhead. Sakura tried her best not to gape as she rolled her head around on her neck to look at every single detail of the beautiful room. On one of the biggest sofas in the middle sat a man reading scrolls with a young girl.

Hizashi-san? He looked exactly like Hizashi, except he wore different robes and his features seemed sterner, almost like Neji's.

Neji walked up to them, Sakura followed closely behind. "Konbanwa, Hyuuga Hiashi-sama," Neji bowed low, "I present Haruno Sakura, she is to be Hinata-sama's new hand maiden."

Sakura bowed too upon being presented. "I am glad to meet you Hyuuga-sama, yoroshiku onegaishimasu!"

"Ah, yes. Haruno, you are our new scholar, my brother informed me of your father's request."

Oh, so they're twins…

"Of course, I could not refuse him, I knew your father very well. He is a good soldier and a good friend, I expect that you will not disappoint."

"Hai, Hyuuga-sama." Sakura said with a small smile. Her gaze drifted from the clan leader to the girl beside him. "If I may ask…"

"Hmm?"

"Is this my new mistress, Hinata-sama?" she bowed again.

"Ah, no!" He said with a slight laugh in his voice. "This is my youngest daughter, Hanabi." He sounded proud. "Hanabi no longer requires the assistance of hand maidens, she is far too independent for that and could defend herself well."

"Oh, gomenasai Hanabi-sama." Sakura bowed again, all this bending was starting to hurt her back.

"Well, off you go now, you must be tired from your journey. Neji will show you to your room."

As Sakura followed Neji through the corridors, she couldn't help but think about Hyuuga-sama's reaction when she mistook Hanabi for Hinata, it was as if he favored the younger daughter over Hinata. Sakura wondered if it had anything to do with Hinata's attitude, she wondered if the once silent girl has become frivolous.

"Hey! Are you listening to me?" Neji snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, sorry Neji-san, could you repeat that?"

"Tch, first day on the job and you're already lacking." He frowned at her from the corner of his eyes. "As I was saying, you may be Hinata-sama's hand maiden but you are my subordinate and you report to me."

Sakura's eyes snapped to look at him. This she did not expect.

"I am in charge of her safety and over all wellbeing, I am her chaperone, I am her bodyguard, I am her advisor-"

"You are her cousin."

Neji whirled around to a halt, facing her. "What?"

"You are her cousin, right? Hizashi-san and Hiashi-sama are twin brothers, aren't they?"

He frowned and continued walking. "I see that you are perceptive, but that is not of importance. Your duties will be that of a hand maiden's, you will assist her in the morning, you will accompany her to the Academy-"

"Oh, so she studies there also!"

"Will you continue on interrupting me during this debriefing?" he said heavily, as if restraining himself. "Or shall I leave you to screw up your duties and forfeit your scholarship."

His voice was venomous, Sakura gulped. "A-ano... Sumimasen Neji-san. Please continue."

"Hinata-sama studies Literary Arts and Political Sciences in the Academy, before you make your way to your Medical Arts classes; you are to see to it that she is safely with her tutor. The Imperial Academy grounds are well guarded, therefore there will be no need for you to keep with her always and act as her bodyguard-"

"Bodyguard?"

Neji pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Sumimasen! Sumimasen!" Sakura bowed, mentally slapping herself.

The Hyuuga took a deep breath. "Father has informed me that you are trained in Kenjutsu, are you not?"

Sakura recalled her regular training and sparring sessions with her father. He was previously a guard captain; he was not to let his daughter go around unable to defend herself. "Hai, I am."

"Good. Your training comes to good use here. As I cannot always be around Hinata-sama in such close quarters like a hand maiden; I entrust her safety to you during my absence. You will be around to watch over her from the moment she wakes, until she is safely tucked underneath her covers at night. Understood?"

"Hai…"

"Good."

Nej stopped in front of a double door, he swung it open and gestured Sakura inside where she found her luggage waiting for her.

"From now on, this is your private quarter. Hinata-sama's suite is located at the end of this corridor." He pointed at an even bigger pair of doors at the end of the hallway before facing Sakura again. "You will formally introduce yourself to her tomorrow morning, all your duties fall into place after that. As your senior, any mistake on your part will reflect against me."

Sakura nodded.

"Not to mention, also towards my father and yours." He added gravely. "So if you do not want to tarnish the way Haruno-san has paved for you, you better not screw up. Understood?"

"Understood."

"Very well. Your school requirements and academic scrolls are on your dresser along with yours and Hinata-sama's class schedule. Make sure to understand them by heart so not to fall back on your duties. Your uniform is in your closet, make sure to wear them over your clothes when around the Hyuuga Estate and when with Hinata-sama." With that, Neji closed the door, his sandals audibly clacking down the corridor.

When she could no longer hear him, Sakura threw herself on the bed with a sigh and a smile.

This is the life!

Well, yeah sure, but not so much when you're a servant.

Hell! Who cares? I'm a freaking scholar! Imperial Academy here I come!

Sakura rolled on her side and saw her new huge sandalwood closet at the end of the room and decided to check out her uniform. When she opened the closet, her eyes were met with more than a dozen robes ranging from casual yukatas and hakamas to a formal furisode kimono. Sakura's eyes grew wider, if that was even possible. Granting that all garments inside were of the same modest color scheme with a small patch of the clan's crest on the left breast as with servant uniforms, she had never had a wardrobe as complete and as grand as this.

She eyed her suitcase grudgingly, thinking about her plain dresses and work clothes. The only garment in her luggage that had a chance of competing with her uniforms was her mother's old kimono when she was younger. Her mother had once been a maiko, but after falling in love with Kizashi, she knew she wanted a family.

Sakura smiled, she was lucky enough to have wonderful parents who raised her well. But before she could even dwell on the thought of them, a knock came from the door.

Sakura answered it and was greeted by the sight of a maid with a trolley laden with food.

"Your dinner, Haruno-san."

Her stomach grumbled rudely. "Finally."

A/N: I know it doesn't have much to it yet, just to set the tone and feel of this alternate universe setting. Something like a prologue.

*youkoso- welcome (to place)

*tabi- split-toe socks traditionally worn with kimono

*yoroshiku onegaishimasu- please take care of me

*Kenjutsu- ancestor of Kendo

*furisode- a semi formal kimono

I'll post chapter 2 as soon as I can!