A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks for the great feedback and encouragement to continue. I really think I can do a great deal with this plot and I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. On with the story!

Disclaimer: Don't own.

Chapter 1

The Stranger Arrives

...

"Naruto, it's your turn to go to the market again," a shrill voice boomed from behind him.

Hearing the order from a few good feet, the blonde begrudgingly treaded away from the blooming garden, wiping dirty hands on his pants. He'd been eagerly tending the orphanage's garden for the past couple of days now, in hopes that it would grow into something more beautiful this year.

"This year…" the blonde mumbled out quietly, slowing down his pace towards the house. Trapped in a moment of the past, Naruto absently thought about the years that had flown by since his rash decision six years ago. Back when he was still a little boy about to turn fifteen, it had felt as if the whole world was against him. But now as a young man, a large amount of regret lingered guiltily in his mind for being such a coward. He could never return home. There was too much shame in facing his parents, and on top of that, they would probably never forgive him either.

"Oi, Naruto! Hurry Up!"

The blonde shook away the memories and eagerly welcomed in the distraction of Sakura, the second in command at the house. She was always happy and although a bit violent, loved helping the kids. They were both around the same age when he'd met her at Tsunade's Orphanage. Traveling for a week, with the bit of money he had, Naruto survived the horrors of reality when he reached Gaia. Gaia was a small neutral town off the border of Lavonia. Since Gaia was border line to another Kingdom, she was never claimed on either side for fear of war. He was positive that his parents would never find him there, and so that was the first place he ran to. Besides that point, the town wasn't very large, just a decent size town with still enough places to get lost in. Naruto felt confident that it was the perfect destination, and it was confirmed upon arrival when no one recognized him. Relief flooding his senses as he created a story to the inn keeper, about the ambush he endured, losing both his parent's lives. He took on his mother's surname of Uzumaki and cut three parallel scars across his cheeks to authenticate his story. The lady inn keeper was easily smitten by Naruto's looks, regardless of the scars, and quickly ushered him into a small room for the night.

...

When morning came, Naruto was then put into the local orphanage, which was run by the Regent of the town. He was known to be terribly kind and wanted the children to have a second chance, seeing that they were the community's future. It was pretty decent compared to a lot of orphanages, and the place was oddly immaculate. Life was still tough though, food was scarce and clothing was always second hand. To say that the blonde adjusted easily would have been an utter lie. It took him at least two years to finally get used to not bathing so much. His hair grew out longer but the color dulled because of the dirt acquired during chores. Nevertheless, the freedom of deciding what to do each day was amazing. That in itself outweighed all the hardships he had to endure.

He quickly ran up to the screaming girl with a sheepish grin and apologized for walking so slow. She let it slide, still a bit annoyed but disregarded it anyway. The blonde had always been a bit weird ever since he came to the orphanage.

"Well, I need you to hurry and go to the local market to grab a few items for the kids tonight. We have a bit of money left so I think a few loafs of bread and a bit of vegetables wouldn't be splurging too much." Sakura explained as if in thought the whole time. Naruto listened intently, making sure to note all the things to get. Last time he forgot something, Sakura literally went berserk and lectured him all night about how soup didn't taste the same without tomatoes. After that experience, he made sure to always double check everything before returning back.

"So what exactly do we need then?" Naruto asked hesitantly, not exactly sure of what Sakura wanted. She didn't reply back instantly, but instead walked off into the house. The blonde didn't know what to do and so he waited patiently for her to return. A few minutes later, she came out with a rather large basket and handed it to him.

"Here, the basket has the list and enough money in it. Hurry up and return before sun down or else I won't hesitate to smack you." Sakura said without a hint of sarcasm. Naruto nodded absently and took the offered basket. He bid her farewell before swiftly reaching the gates and walking right through. Usually, it was so hard to go anywhere without the kids asking him tons of questions but luckily, they were all off playing today. The grounds of the house were fairly large and he was glad for once that it was surrounding by a brick wall. The kids could get so out of control sometimes.

...

It was a good mile until he got to the main part of the town since the orphanage was located more towards the outskirts. That was the main reason in which Sakura would always bug him into running errands in town. It wasn't that she didn't like going into the well-populated area, it was the fact of carrying everything back by hand. Naruto didn't mind though, in his six years of absence from the castle, he had learned so many new things and was never treated differently. The thought of being tied to and arranged marriage shook away his regret every time.

Somehow, everything constantly came back to that subject though. Not a day went by without him thinking back to his old life, or more particularly, his parents. They must have been humiliated to have such a spineless son. Naruto didn't even want to think about how the treaty went…how his father would have to tell the King that his son disappeared. He bit his lip slightly, a bad habit developed from the slight depression. Fortunately, the town of Gaia had very little gossip about their neighboring kingdoms. The only news he heard was Sakura's obsessed fantasy about every guy in town. He sighed loudly to himself and continued on the dirt path, still a ways to go.

"Excuse me," a rich voice sounded from behind. As if drawn to the sound, Naruto instantly spun around to see who it was. The image of a mysterious man assaulted his vision, and he couldn't help but be shocked to see such a regal man standing before him. The man's clothes screamed expensive but still didn't compare to a royal's wardrobe. He had on a solid white cotton shirt that held a nice high collar. There was a split in the middle where a lace tie was loosely looped in and out. As Naruto's eyes drifted lower, he noticed how perfectly tucked the man's shirt was into the dark pants. His over coat was bulky, long sleeved, and black, adding more to the enigmatic aura surrounding him. With the guy's raven dark hair and lightly pale skin, he was sure to be a lord.

"Yes sir," Naruto humbly replied back, feeling a bit down casted because of his attire. He was only a helper at the orphanage and barely made any money off of that. He'd sold off his old clothes long ago to rid of any evidence; the money he received was just an added bonus. A good linen shirt and brown pants were good enough for the blonde. However, standing in front of the stranger, Naruto admitted he felt a bit embarrassed.

"Do you think you could tell me where the nearest town is? I'm a traveler you see and need some lodging for the night." He spoke out, so softly and well-mannered that Naruto truly felt like a peasant.

"Ye-yes sir, the town is only about half a mile ahead, if you don't mind, I could show you the way." Naruto replied back awkwardly, pointing up the road. The man nodded his thanks and followed after the blonde as they both fell into a comfortable silence. It was only then that Naruto noticed the clanking of a sword against the man's side. The sheath was predictably black with a golden colored end point that completed the sword's look. There was a loud cough that jerked his eyes away and back to the road ahead. Flushing slightly, he walked on, feeling a constant heated stare on his body.

"What's your name?" the man spoke at last, breaking the silence between the two. Naruto was a bit taken back by the question, but hesitated too long to answer.

"Do you not have a name or is there a frog in your throat?" the man asked with a smugness that no regular person possessed. The blonde gawked angrily at the question, and ended up glaring at the stranger. He had definitely been wrong about the well-mannered part, this guy was a prick.

"If we continue on ahead, we should be there in about a couple of minutes or so," Naruto forced out slowly, speeding up to get rid of the annoyance. Even when he was younger, he hated the snobby regents who would act as if the world owed them something. Since then, he'd swore an oath to never be like that and seeing one right under his nose, it made Naruto want to vomit.

"Hey, idiot, did you not hear a word I said or are you deaf too?" the man stated again, this time with a bit of irritation in his voice. It seemed like the stranger was used to getting answers and now that he wasn't, the guy was getting frustrated. Naruto cackled lightly in his head at the bastard, he'd learned to control his temper long ago but still frowned at being called an idiot. At last, the smell of fresh bread attacked his senses and the loud ruckus of people battered his ears.

...

The bright and lively atmosphere of the market always brought a smile to the blonde's face as he walked ahead without the lord. That was the only reason why he agreed to be Sakura's delivery boy so often. Naruto noticed the tomatoes instantly, loving the juicy red appeal they brought to the table stand. Striding over hurriedly, he pulled out the list Sakura made and mentally checked off tomatoes from it. He picked the four best ones and easily slipped them into the basket after paying the lady behind the counter. She thanked him graciously as he carried on, wanting to finish shopping before dark.

"Hey moron, where's the closest inn around here?" the traveler asked, finally catching up to the hasty blonde. Naruto didn't reply and continued on with his duties, if the bastard was going to be a complete jerk after his help, then why help him further?

"Oi, I asked you a question!" the man yelled back, more than annoyed now. His voice was easily drowned out by the crowd's constant chatter and a pan flute playing in the back ground. So, Naruto effortlessly ignored the man without guilt. Were travelers always this rude?

Just as he was about to enter a small tent which sold the red spices Sakura desired, a hand suddenly pulled him back. He hardly had time to process what was going on until his back collided harshly with a brick wall and a blade was pressed against his throat.

"Don't you dare ignore me you little peasant," The dark haired man spat out dangerously, sword sliding increasingly close to the blonde's pulse.

"You think you're so tough just because you have a sword and your clothes are made of finer material?" Naruto spat back, dropping his basket carelessly to the floor. "I hate men like you."

With that as his only warning, Naruto kicked the man's chest, sending him a few paces back. Grabbing his basket as quickly as possible, Naruto ran out of the secluded alley into the throngs of people. Maneuvering around many tables, woman, and children, the blonde finally lost sight of the dark stranger and breathed a sigh of relief. He calmed his racing heart down, only to realize that he now had a limited amount of time to get back to the orphanage.

Like lightning, Naruto rummaged through the stands hastily, not allowing any time to enjoy the experience at all and began on the trail to return back. It was nearly dark by the time he reached the midway point. Sakura would scold him immensely for his lateness but that was something he had to suffer. Upon reaching the gates, he felt a cold chill run all over his body and looked back to see if there was anybody behind him. Seeing nothing but darkness now, he ignored the feeling and continued on in with the heavy bundle.

...

"You're late Naruto," Sakura reprimanded as she saw him sneak into the kitchen. The man sighed wearily, not wanting to take a beating from the abnormally strong woman. He gently set the baggage down on the counter and proceeded to slip away.

"Oh no you don't mister, you're not going anywhere." She replied back, hands on her hips, ready to snap. Naruto cringed at the sight. Whenever a woman's hands were gripped tightly against her sides, it meant she was ready to blow.

"I can't believe you-"

"Excuse me miss," an all too familiar voice quickly cut through her angry rant. Naruto dreaded the thought of turning around, wondering which fate was worst. Facing the bumbling pink ogre or the dark evil dragon, they both sounded pretty terrifying.

He was positive that with the Lord's influence, the man had somehow convinced the town's guard to arrest the blonde. Now, Naruto would have to spend the rest of his life in the dungeons. To top it off, Sakura was sure to beat him to a pulp when she heard what happened. With the dreamy look in her eyes, it was a no brainer that she was already hypnotized.

"I apologize for making him late. You see I was traveling by and just so happened to cross paths with this young gentleman. Out of the kindness of his heart, he offered to show me to the market and we just happened to linger a bit too long. I sincerely ask for your forgiveness." The noble explained, rather convincingly. He even bowed his head in shame to add to the act.

Naruto had to literally bite his tongue from retorting at the lying bastard, but seeing as Sakura was shocked speechless at the man's looks, he let it past. He'd settle for a lie any day then listen to the girl bitch.

"Oh no sir, there's no need to apologize at all. If Naruto would have explained that to me from the beginning, I would have never opted to raise my voice." She replied back sweetly with a sickeningly false voice. If the blonde listened anymore to the conversation at hand, he'd surely puke out his guts.

"You truly have a huge heart, thank you my lady. But, would you mind if I speak to Naruto alone for a minute or two. There was something I wanted to ask him before, but he refused to tell me," the man asked, sliding in a very dazzling smile. It instantly won the heart of Sakura as she nodded instantly and stepped out in a rush, with hearts in her eyes. As soon as the door shut though, the stranger turned around with a smirk, his regal persona disappearing into thin air. The blonde glared daggers at the man as they both stood in silence, he was cunning indeed. Unaffected by the look, the nobleman merely smirked, leaning back against the near counter for support.

"If you want an apology for the kick, you're not getting one." Naruto spoke at last, breaking the thick atmosphere. "How'd you get in here anyway?"

"So the blonde idiot talks," he teased, crossing covered arms over a dirty shirt. It wasn't so white anymore after a dirty footprint was smashed on to it. "I simply followed you. With your lack of attention and alertness, it's a surprise you weren't mugged. But I expected no less from a moron."

"Fuck. You." Naruto growled back angrily, fist clenching desperately in an attempt to still his racing pulse.

"What crude language to resort to," the lord chastised as if lecturing a child. "What would your parents say if they saw you now, Naruto?"

Instantly, the blonde felt as if the air had been knocked out of his lungs. The shock clearly written all over his face when he realized Sakura had said his name a while ago.

"I- my, parents… were killed in a tragic accident, an ambush," Naruto replied back hastily, but his hesitation from before had already done the damage. The raven stranger was reading right through him and Naruto knew it.

"Is that so?" the man questioned, moving ever so close to the blonde with each breath he took. It wasn't long before Naruto could make out the man's flawless pale skin and strong jaw bone inching closer and closer to his face. "Because last I heard, they were both murdered for the throne."

...

A/N: I know this is a horrible place to stop but if I didn't then this chapter would reveal out too much that would hinder the suspense. Next chapter should be out soon though, please review! Comments and feedbacks are well appreciated.