Nothing to say.
A/N: Naruto, Greek Deities, and Rome don't belong to me.
A/N 2: Incorrect usage of Greek/Roman mythology
A/N 3: All flames will be used to sacrifice to Jashin
The Value of a Soul
Chapter 4: Concerning a Prince
"Y-you never told us?" Lee stammered, believing his ears were decieving him. Naruto sighed.
"I wouldn't dishonour my parents by resorting to something as underhanded as lies," he affirmed.
The bushy-browed legionary bit his bottom lip.
"You do not deserve to be in here!" he exclaimed. Naruto shook his head resignedly.
"I chose it," he tersely replied. A thought hit him. He turned to his prison-mate. "Kiba, how extensive is Neji's sadistic personality?" Kiba ran a finger down his neck diagonally, a habit that he had developed from childhood.
"Well," he began thoughtfully. "Apparently, when his father, the Emperor Hiashi, tries to find him a suitable partner, if he doesn't agree to her, he personally disposes of her. And what's worse is that he's already been through half a dozen maidens." Naruto scratched his head.
"You mean that he kills a maiden if she cannot please him?" Kiba shuddered.
"That's putting it lightly. Many hate him, but more fear him, giving him the supposrt of more than nine tenths of Rome." He paused. "And actually, once, Prince Neji had two sisters, not just Princess Hinata. The second princess was younger than Princess Hinata. Her name was Princess Hanabi. She was really cheerful and could sometimes be annoying, honestly. Anyways, she dies of mysterious causes, and the prince didn't even bat an eyelid in acknowledgement."
"Wait...are you trying to tell me..." the blonde drifted off, not willing to continue. Kiba chuckled mirthlessly.
"Yes. It is rumoured that the one responsible for the princess's death, is her own brother, the prince Neji." Naruto suddenly found it hard to accumulate a decent amount of oxygen. No one could be so cruel as to murder their own sibling! Or could they? No. Naruto wouldn't believe it.
"Lee," he called, turning to their last remaining guard. The soldier turned to face him. "Take me to Neji," he ordered. The raven blinked uncertainly.
"Are you sure, Lord Naruto?" he asked.
"Yes!" the blonde replied impatiently. "And please drop the title! I may not be immortal, but I can protect myself perfectly!" As soon as the words passed his lips, he slapped a hand over his mouth.
Kiba blinked and raised an eyebrow quizzically. Naruto sighed, and removed his tanned limb from his mouth. "Yes, I'm not immortal. I can only attain it when I reach a certain age. That is, if I live long enough to."
"I will take you to the prince if that is what you want," Lee said hesitantly, unlocking the gates and allowing the blonde to step through.
Shooting a swift, apologetic glance at former legionary Kiba, he guided Naruto out of the prison. Kiba ran his finger down his neck as he watched them go.
The two travelled down the maze of corridors, connected by large rooms, headed onwards the prince's quarters.
"Oh! N-Naruto!" The blonde's gaze snapped from a mural on the ceiling to the brunette standing across from him. "Are...are you all right? After this morning..." Naruto nodded reassuringly.
"Yes, I'm fine. I did tell you I would be all right, did I not?" he asked.
She nodded, and smiled, before rushing off, another brunette following in her wake.
Lee led Naruto to a large pair of double doors, guarded by two fully armoured soldiers.
"Halt!" one of them commanded in a monotone. Lee stopped, halting Naruto with him.
"The prince has no audiences at this hour," the other informed.
Lee walked over to the first one, and whispered frantically into his ear. When the bushy-browed legionary leaned back, the soldier nodded, and swung open the door, allowing the two to step in.
What met his eyes was significantly different from what the blonde had expected. For one thing, he thought that the quarters would be luridly coloured with garish valuable objects and gaudy furnishings.
He found himself standing in a vast circular expanse that was large enough to be a house in itself. The walls were a soothing shade of rich pale tan, edged with a cream colour, barely tinted yellow. The few furnishings that were there were in shades of pale green.
There were no chairs, or couches, or anything of the like, instead, were intricately woven mats in muted colours, scattered around the milky white tiled floor.
On the west side of the room was a considerably large aviary that took up the part of the wall it was situated in, from floor to ceiling. In the aviary, were many types of birds, both local, and exotic. Naruto smiled. From what he had heard, he never expected the prince to have a soft spot for birds.
Plants of all sorts were settled around the room, and each cared for with extreme gentleness from what Naruto could see.
Sitting on the southwest side, nearby the aviary, was a king size canopy bed made of oak. The translucent forest green curtains were drawn back, revealing muted taupe sheets, and sun-stained white pillows.
Over to the east, there was a large balcony, facing the mountains. The balcony was about two stadiums in width, and four actus in length.* On the edge of the balcony, stood the prince, his back turned to the two intruders.
Naruto opened his mouth to speak.
"What are you two doing in my quarters?" Naruto exhaled as the youth half turned to glance disinterestedly at them. Naruto's lips set in a straight line.
"I came to speak with you," he answered. Neji turned around fully, and strolled leisurely towards them, waving Lee off. The soldier bowed, and immediately scampered out the door.
The brunet's eyes fell directly onto the blonde's, and he found himself entranced by the twin sapphires. He tore his eyes away, and trailed it over Naruto.
His mind was whisked back to the morning. It seemed so long ago, even though it was currently only evening. He recalled thoughts of the lions, and the gladiators. His twin pearls narrowed.
"What are you?" he asked coldly, his eyes returning to that of the blonde. Said blonde's gaze darkened until what was once prismatic vibrant cerulean, was now deep, almost black, indigo.
Naruto lowered his head slightly, calculating frantically. He couldn't lie, but he couldn't leave the prince without an answer either. The blonde bit the inside of his cheek until he tasted tangy warm metal. Lying was dishonourable, but truth could get him killed. Honestly, he didn't care if he was killed or not, so as long as he completed his mission, but his mission was still incomplete.
"I..." he paused. Inhaling deeply, he continued. "I am not human," he admitted, refusing to tell the full truth.
Neji's porcelain-skinned hand stretched towards Naruto, but then shrunk back. The host of the appendage blinked.
"I asked you for what you are, not what you are not," he hissed icily.
Naruto sighed and closed his eyes. When he opened them, an unreadable expression lay in their depths.
"It is not my place to reveal to you more than I already have. Though you deem yourself of higher rank than I, I am under orders from one much higher than you," he replied in a bland tone of voice.
The prince's alabaster hand lifted yet again, and stretched forward until it rested on a whiskered, tanned, cheek. The blonde didn't move, but his gaze grew significantly more intense.
The brunet's hand lay still on the middle of his cheek for a few moments before he abruptly curled his long, slender, fingers, his nail digging viciously into the blonde's flesh. When he brought his hand back, he could see crimson dripping along his fingernails. Neji looked up to catch the four angry, vertical, bleeding lines on the blonde's cheek.
Naruto refused to give any sign of pain, instead, intensifying his gaze until one could drown by looking into his eyes.
"You are quite fortunate to have escaped death this morning. But be warned. When I wish someone to die, they die." Naruto inwardly shuddered. The youth seemed to talk about this like it was a perfectly normal thing to bring up. The blonde closed his eyes, relieving the prince of his intense stare.
"I will ask you one thing," he said, opening his eyes. "After you die, where do you go?" he asked quietly.
There was something rather unsettling about the blonde, but Neji couldn't distinguish what it. The youth's voice held a strange quality to it, but the brunet could not determine what it was.
"That is a rather strange question," he monotonously stated. "The answer is but for me to know," he added coldly. As Naruto watched, his eyes glazed over with something akin to bitterness. "Albeit, I will tell you something. There is no one, no place, waiting for you. There are no gods, just foolishness for priests to earn money. There is nothing! No one to listen...no one to understand!"
Neji's mind flew back to a memory he desperately wanted to forget. A young girl, a brunette, not even twelve years old, writhing in agony on her bed, being held down by physicians as they tried to figure out what had happened.
Him having to stand there and watch, whilst maintaining his icy exterior. His dying inside when the small body ceased in movement. His uncaring reaction to the 'I'm sorry, your highness,' addressed to him. His immediate anger at the gods he trusted in so much.
"There is absolutely nothing, and all those who believe otherwise are foolish dogs!" he spat. His eyes flared in anger as he saw the blonde standing calmly, taking in his every word. His every action. "Get out!" he commanded. "Leave, or I will personally finish you here and now!"
Naruto sighed.
"It will be as you wish," he answered, opening the doors and stepping through them, shutting them behind him. He sighed as he began his walk to his prison cell, his cheek stinging.
"Hi guys!" he called as he stepped through the dungeon door. Kiba stared pointedly at his cheek, and Lee shifted his weight from foot to foot. The brunet in the cell blinked.
"Your cheek," he pointed out. "It's injured."
Naruto's hand flew to his face, as his injury had been temporarily forgotten.
"Oh...that." A few seconds later, there was no sign of a scrape on his face. At all. He sighed. "Neji...he's been through a lot. He won't tell me of course, but You can see a lot by just looking deep into a person. No matter how expressionless, there's always something buried underneath."
Lee opened the cell gate, and Naruto walked through, nodding his thanks. He stood against a wall, and slid down intil he was sitting. He blinked.
"And that's why I want to reach him. I want him to not fear opening himself up. I want to change him," he declared, sounding far more comfortable than he felt. Kiba's mouth hung open.
"You do realize the danger in doing that do you not?" he asked. Naruto nodded. His aura changed and he smiled. Kiba's jaws snapped closed as he gazed at the blonde, whose face was shining brightly. He could see that Naruto had a hope that wouldn't die.
"I do not know what I can do, but I will help however I can!" Lee exclaimed, watching them through the bars. Naruto smiled thankfully.
"Thanks Lee. It's nice to know I'm supported." His gaze turned serious. "But you two must promise me that you will not, under any situation, repeat my words. It is vital that this stays between the three of us." The two brunets nodded.
"You have my word!" Lee assured.
"Me too," Kiba added.
Naruto's stiff shoulders relaxed as he gazed up at the ceiling, seemingly looking through it.
"My Lady Athena, I will not fail," he whispered.
Sorry for a short chapter. I was trying to make up for the days I missed. Srry about that. -Plot bunny hits with a stick- Ow! At least I tried!
*370 metres in width and 142 metres in length
-Jeya-