AN: Ok… so here's chappie 2… Again, stuff happens that important in the story, but you guys won't find out yet… why? Because I feel like being mean… :P Enjoy!
The days rushed by quickly, Naruto walking around in a haze. There in body, answering questions that were asked, but not so much as giving a hint of hope of any independent action.
His servants started whispering, noting how he was more like a zombie than a human. They looked on with sad expressions as their master moved from room to room, in thought, answering only when asked, sometimes, they had to repeat their questions.
He couldn't believe all this was happening; it was like he was brought back to his childhood again. The young children of wealthy nobility, whispering behind his back, giggling at what he said, openly rejecting him, shoving him to the side because of what he was.
As if I had any say in this!!!
His question, his anger, all reverberated through the deep woods of his childhood.
How many times he came there, to think, to be alone, and to scream out what he didn't understand in frail hopes that his echo might answer him with something other than a desperate reverberation of his voice… no such luck.
The pain of not having a Mother, while sad, couldn't get to him as much as the death of his Father could. He didn't know his Mother, but his Father talked of her often; he only praised her.
Naruto loved her from his stories. Her gentleness, her lively spirit, what he most loved about her was that she chose freedom over constraint. She stood up to her husband, defied him… loved.
And had paid the price… but he loved tat she did all that, somehow, it made it easier for him to do the same.
And so, Naruto had been a very lively child, lively being an understatement. He was a prankster, hiding his pain and any rejections behind a mask of laughter that was inpenetratable.
Only the forest could penetrate his sadness with its silence… and so he escaped there often.
For all he was worth, he decided that what he needed to do was become the best, at everything. Not to gain approval, but to get himself through this hell of societal hate and by doing so open doors which one day will be used to get himself out of here…
Somewhere where his name would not just translate into bastard.
These thought reverberated through his head as he made preparations for the funeral.
On the day of, he was ready to face the crowd of hating assholes who came to pay final respects to his dead Father.
He sat through the mass, staring into space, hoping beyond hope that it was soon to be over.
Another thing that made him a social outcast was his blatant disregard for religion, he could not stand to sit around 2-3 hours on a Sunday being preached about how to run his life.
He went to confession once, as a younger man, asked why he was hated for something he had no control of, the priest could not answer, he had nothing to say… And Naruto had no further questions, he walked out, anger clouding his vision, and when asked why he refused to go, he told his Father that if he was forced to go again, he would run away.
His Father complied, but himself went every week, so now, as a final show of respect, Naruto found himself sitting on a cold, hard bench, and being stared at with what people thought as discreetness.
He didn't listen to a word…
In the cemetery, he watched the coffin being lowered, watched the heavy stone monument of an Angel being placed over the site, and pretended to listen to the words of solace that the priest and the people present had to give him.
He didn't wait… as the stone was closed off, he felt the air constrict in his lungs, he needed to get out of there, the atmosphere was suffocating him.
With a soft "sorry" he excused himself and made short work of the way to the manor. He ran up the stairs, not caring to realize that the servants gave him quizzical stares.
He ran into his room and slammed the door, turned the lock and broke down against it.
All the tears and pain he had been holding in all his life, all the questions and anger spilled forth form him in great shuddering sobs… He sat there, pressed against the door for hours. Tears running down his face, first accompanied by sobs, wrenches, and finally… when he no longer had the strength, in silent rivers, incessantly flowing…
Twilight set in, bringing the day to a close, the cuckoo's flying low, their cries, had him finally snap back to life.
He felt empty, devoid of life and hope. But he knew that for the sake of his sanity he had to move on. Had to keep his head up over the tide that was trrying to wash his entire life away.
Naruto got up and sat at his desk, fingers entwined, resting his chin on both, thinking about what he should do.
As soon as that brat came from America, as soon as everything was officially sealed, he would pack whatever was his, and sail to India, hopefully never to return.
As he made up his mind, a knock softly sounded on his door.
"Come in" was all it took for the woman to appear, looking stern and reproving.
"What are you doing? Sulking here boy?" She growled out, angry.
Naruto looked at her with sad amusement, Tsunade was his tutor, and his mentor, in time, she became a friend, almost a mother figure, although she was staff in the Manor, and should have, by all means showed her pupil respect, she constantly criticized him, reproved him, and was probably the only creature in all this world that came at him when he did something stupid without being afraid for her life.
Fearless despite her age, she looked at him now with sadness in her eyes.
"I miss him too." She whispered, coming closer and putting a hand on the desk, looking into the Azure eyes and smiling. "It will be all right dear"
She came around the table and he hugged her hard, she hugging just as tightly.
They stayed like this for some time, Naruto breathing in her scent, and calming down somewhat. When they broke apart, she grabbed his shoulders and asked in a very businesslike tone; "What do you plan to do love?"
Naruto looked out the window, the sun was now a bloody red line in the horizon, he sighed.
"I don't know… I want to leave this place, forever…"
"I'm coming with you" the woman said, looking at him with her honey eyes, she looked too young for her age, much too young… but Naruto was more grateful to her now than ever.
He didn't need to say it... he just nodded and smiled, she smiled back and made to leave, turning back to him just as she was going to walk out of the room.
"come back to us Naruto… we all need you right now."
He mulled those words over, yes, mourning would have to wait.
He grabbed the jacket that hung across his chair and put it on, checking himself in the mirror on the way out, running his hands over it smoothing out. He felt a bump in his pocket, he rummaged inside, pulling out the letter his Father had handed him.
He had completely forgotten it in light of everything that happened.
He opened it now, breaking the seal, his eyes growing in size as he read each word, his fist turning white with the anger and strain... disbelief.
His fist collided with the mirror before he saw it move.
The enormous crash brought the servants running in to behold a sight unlike any other.
Their master stood, with his fist still connected to the mirror, or what was left of it, the millions of tiny fragments lay at his feet, the hand bleeding, sending a small river of blood running the entire length of the frame, spilling to the floor. But that wasn't what scared them… Naruto was smiling, a wild look in his eyes.
Tsunade pushed her way to the front, eyes wide and scared, "Naruto, sweetie, talk to me" she grabbed his face in both hands, forcing him to look at her, but he didn't, the smile, those now cold eyes looked through her before wrenching himself out of her grasp and walking briskly out of the room and down the stairs.
Someone wanted to run after him, Tsunade stopped them. "Let him go." She whispered…
"he needs to deal with his demons alone."
She looked around, and noticed a small piece of paper on the floor between the glass, she scooped it up and putting it in her pocket, ordered the maids to clean up the mess and order a replacement.
Naruto marched into the stables and ignored to protests of the workers, he began to prepare his horse for a ride, he worked quickly, enjoying the smell of horse and leather, it was soothing, reassuring.
Why?!
How?!
When?!
He ignored the questions reverberating in his head, he shut them out, needed to stay sane.
The smell of his blood unsettled the horses there, all but one, his Stallion, whom he named Kit, a horse which was unique for its reddish tinge, stood there, looking at him curiously, excitement palpable in the dance he performed in his stall.
Horse ready, he ordered it to be taken outside, walking into the weapons room, he chose two well liked muskets and those also, he attached to the saddle.
With a whistle, he had his hunter dogs at his side, ready and eager for the hunt.
He mounted, looked around once, and with a nod to the worried stable boy, he galloped into the night, followed by a swarm of barking dogs.
It had started to rain, he was on the road, the carriage galloping towards the slowly rising village before them.
Sasuke hated traveling, had hated the ship he was on, people bowing and sniveling up to him, the youngest of a noble family, he had status and respect of all who knew him or his Father, his Father being the younger son of a Count…
Sasuke went through his entire history in his head. Up until a month ago he had thought he was from a Family of well to do merchants, his father didn't like to talk about his grandparents, so he assumed it was of no importance.
And then the letter came…
And his Father had to explain, he told him how his older brother inherited everything, title of Count included… how he left England because of it, the hate and anger rising in his voice.
Sasuke was told how his uncle eloped with a duchess, how her pregnancy and death caused a scandal, and that their illegitimate son lived with him until the Count's death.
He noted how it was that son the letter was from, he noted the noble seal…
He didn't have much against all this, not lacking anything his entire life, he was perfectly happy with where he was, but his Father had apparently hated his brother ever since, and thuis was overjoyed that the "bastard" wouldn't be able to keep anything.
He set Sasuke out at once, promising to come as soon as he could.
So here the young man was, in a cold, dark carriage, with rain washing the windows rendering them useless… speeding off and hoping to make it into the blasted manor by nightfall.
The letter from this half-cousin tightly in his hand... he kept glancing at it from time to time. It was short, precise and to the point. The writing elegant but simple, not written in the flourishing style much nobility chose, he wondered what kind of man this Naruto was.
His musings were cut short when he heard an unholy sound of masses of dogs barking, he felt the carriage give a shudder as the horses were spooked and the driver trying to calm them down.
He couldn't see anything, the windows were useless. Sasuke chose to open one, and stuck his head out.
The cold hit him like a wall, the rain washing him down immediately, the sound of howls and barks getting closer, until finally, a shape emerged meters down the road, a single rider, on a horse, speeding in the opposite direction as them, accompanied by a horde of howling dogs, the powerful hooves splattering mud everywhere, the phantom was gone as soon as it appeared, swallowed up by the rain and darkness that approached.
"madness" Sasuke whispered to himself, shaking his head.
No sound human should be out in this weather.
He soon forgot the rider however, once the coach was on the move, and fast approaching a huge Manor, illuminated by thousands of lights…
AN: Ok wanted to make this a little longer, but I looked over and damn, noticed I had pulled quite a chappie there… decided to keep you guys in suspense… :P