~Leaving~

Tucked away in his handmade satchel was The Picture of Dorian Gray and Sherlock Holmes. He had never read them, but anything Kimimaro suggested was bound to be noteworthy. Tapping the beige burlap of the satchel with a palm, he sighed softly.

The sky was thick with blackness despite the morning hour. The snow that drifted down fell in soft lumps-Not at all making the darkness of the day any more bearable.

It didn't seem to be letting up either.

Three feet of snow it looked like.

And he was being made to leave in these conditions?

Trade us off like livestock

Looking at the gap that was the grand entryway, Lee blinked anxiously.

"Lee."Came a low whisper.

Without having to turn around Lee knew who the words belonged to.

"Don't just stand around uselessly," Dorian sneered, "go to the carriage."

Patiently, Lee put up a hand and shook his head softly.

"I've been asked to wait for Sir Kiba."

Reed huffed, "For what? A fair-thy-well?"

Lee was careful not to furrow his brow in annoyance. Reed could pick up any disobedience, perhaps not the ones committed in the sanctity of his mind, but definitely the ones committed on his face.

"I am not sure Sir Reed. Master Kankuro's chamber maid asked me to stand by. She mentioned urgency."

Frowning at that, the man crossed his black fingered gloves and waited with Lee. But the wait was minutely, and Reed tapped his foot with impatience. And then-

"Never you mind, Lee." He sighed, "Kankuro's Select is sloppy. He's never on time and we've kept your ride waiting much too long." Reed pushed Lee not so gently out the main door.

A sweeping wind stole the warmth out of Lee's face as soon as he was out of the entryway. There was a clack of a heavy bolt behind him-giving him a violent jump.

Over his shoulder he could see that the Sabaku Manor door had been slammed at his back.

Soundlessly, Lee gripped at his rough sweater and sucked in a breath. He thought he'd be more panicked, more reluctant to leave the Sabaku Manor, but as he climbed into the glittering black buggy with a foreign insignia printed on its head, he didn't feel anything. No sadness. No madness. No sickness.

He was drawing a total blank in his heart and he didn't know why. No, he wasn't numb, not from the cold anyway.

The buggy pulled off, and as the white stallion trotted up the lanes of Sunakagure, Lee noticed for the first time how out of sync he was with the times.

He lived in this very town, yet had not seen its streets in nine years. Nine. The street venders were hustling. The street mongers were rowdy. The royals were in horse and buggies, just like him. There were new shops and dresses and eateries…and goodness, there were even new avenues.

Blinking, he let go of the drape to the window, closing off the view from outside his carriage. He peered up at the ceiling of the ride and discovered the many tints of reds in the fabric.

"Please lad, do not touch the Suede. Thank you."

Lee paused his finger's movements just inches away from the ceiling's fabric and blushed with embarrassment. Dropping his hands back into his lap, he apologized in defeat to the foreign driver. As Master Gaara would say, What a stiff.

A long time had passed and the streets began to clear out—not that people were leaving the streets, but more-so—that the buggy was passing all the people and was approaching isolation. Lee knew what isolation meant. They were approaching a grand metal gate, no doubt belonging to a Manor House. Yes. He was in a whole new providence, meaning, he was a distance too great from Sunakagure—or at least by foot.

Studying the metal gate as it was pulled open by the two gate keepers, Lee noticed the insignia on the handles: it was a strange character, almost like two number 5's but with one sitting upright, and the other laying across it horizontally. It was a swastika. He knew that much from what Kimimaro had read to him in historic novels: How in one country the symbol meant dominance, and how in another, it meant peace...

The white stallion gave a snort as it came to an abrupt stop in the middle of the walk-way. Said walk-way was long and narrow, just like every other manor. Why…even the Sabaku Manor had a great walk-way. It lead all the way past the garden, past the servant houses, and ended right at the gate's closed mouth. It was much like this one, except this one's walk-way was paved with purple-flecked stones that were jagged while the one's at Master Gaara's were amber and square.

"If you were a guest of the family, I'd have you dropped by the entry way. But you are labor-intended for the Hyuga family, yes?" came the driver's curt tone.

Lee hesitantly nodded at the driver looking over at him.

"I am not sure what I am for here…but I do suppose it is for work, so yes."

"Well lad" he sighed, "This is where you get out and walk your way. No curtsey for the labor—tis' the rules, see?"

Gathering his satchel to his hip, Lee smiled politely. He had been so confined to the Sabaku Manor that all he knew and thought were 'in-house' servant rules. This was his first time outside and he hadn't known the politics of 'out-house' servant rules that followed in open society. So he opened the carriage door and thanked the driver for the trip. Said driver tipped his hat in curtsey with a 'welcome.'

Hopping out of the buggy, he closed the passenger door softly—and immediately the stallion bucked—backed up, and was off in the direction it had came. Lee watched the black buggy bob further and further down the walk-way toward the gate before pivoting around and walking past a great circular fountain that wasn't spouting water. Despite the jagged look of the stones paving his way, they were leveled and didn't cause him problems walking.

Blinking, Lee found himself on the second step of the main door.

Taking in a deep breath, he went to knock, but before he could rap his knuckles on the grand door, it opened up to him automatically.

A young girl was looking at him with the palest set of grey eyes he had ever seen. She was pallid faced with skin as fair as the falling snow. Her hair was a deep violet, pulled up in a very tight knot. Dressed in a frilly cyan gown, she whispered, "Oh…"

Lee immediately recognized her as royalty and jumped off the steps and bowed his head sharply.

"I am sorry to have been in the way."

"It is only coincidence's fault." Then she gripped her neck handkerchief and murmured, "I have to be on my way. Do step inside." Lee did as instructed, but before he closed the door to her back, he watched as the royal girl stepped past the fountain where a buggy was waiting for her. Even though her looks were fascinating, it was her eyes—it was how she had looked at him that had him silenced.

She hadn't looked upon him with scorn or tolerance. It was soft. The only other person he knew that gave him that same expression was his Master, Gaara. And there it was again. That strange numbness in his chest.

Lee gazed down at his satchel bag at his hip and tapped it lightly to rid it of snow. And then—

"Hello, again."

Lee, with a start, glanced up at the voice addressing him and, after seeing who it was, smiled goofily.

"Hello Si-"

"Master" said man corrected. He shook his head humorously, "Under my care, you will address me as the servants I own do, understand?"

Gripping his satchel to his waist, Lee gave a slow nod.

"Yes Master, Neji."

With a chocolate smile, Neji turned his back to Lee.

"Follow me."

Author's Note:

Hiatus for now! Finals are coming up in a week and a half-so this story, like the rest, will be put on hold. Thanks for those that read this :]. It's really for my own amusement, so the fact that this is getting any love makes my face pink XD.

See you soon!