Naruto kicked a pebble absently, walking in a comfortable silence beside his father.

The man was staring out into the horizon with wise ocean blue eyes, humming a quiet tune as they walked.

“Father…” The younger blonde said quietly, staring down at the floor with a furrowed brow.

“Hmm?”

The humming quieted and the man looked down at his son, eyes glimmering with slight curiosity.

“Why is it so hard?”

The man beside him chuckled softly, and Naruto looked up at him, eyes questioning.

“Naruto, it seems hard, and perhaps it is, but at least for now it is enough, at least for now,”

He paused and glanced down at his son.

“, we thrive”

Naruto frowned slightly and looked down again, silent.

In the distance came the trotting of horses and Naruto continued to walk along the side of the dusty dirt road, lost in his thoughts.

The trotting became louder and the blonde continued to walk, staring idly down at the ground as he wandered ahead onto the road.

“Naruto!”

Whinnying.

Yelling.

Anger.

Shock.

Naruto stared back at the carriage, watching with wide eyes as the horses whinnied uncomfortably.

A man stepped steadily down from the side of the carriage, black eyes glinting with annoyance as he calmed the frightened horses.

Naruto’s father immediately bowed his head in respect, still standing protectively in front of his son.

“I apologize for this inconvenience my lord, I-“

“Silence”

The voice was cold as ice, chilling.

“I am in no mood for this peasant, your son needs to watch where he is walking” He said in a low voice, arms crossing.

He glared, black eyes glinting dangerously.

“Perhaps I should put him out of his misery”

“My lord,”

Naruto’s father bowed his head further down, shifting so that his son was now completely behind him.

“I beg your forgiveness”

The man smirked now and Naruto shuddered at the strange smile.

“I am deeply annoyed, a peasant has spooked my horses and nearly caused me a loss of a perfectly good carriage,”

He paused and Naruto’s father kept his head bowed.

“But, I feel pity on you. I shall take the boy and he shall serve for my son. He is a good looking boy, and I suppose he will be suitable. Now, what do you say my good man, either the boy is killed or taken into the service of my family”

Naruto’s father closed his eyes, heart suddenly heavy.

“Take him, but please… Don’t hurt my boy…”

The man smiled and Naruto’s eyes widened in alarm.

“You aren’t serious father, he can’t do that! He can’t just take me from you, you need my help on the farm-“

His father silenced him with a stern look and the blonde faltered, tears glazing over his frightened blue eyes.

“Father…”

“Go with him Naruto. Be a good boy and serve their family well, then you can come back to me”

Naruto gulped but nodded slowly.

The man cleared his throat impatiently.

“Into the carriage, boy” He said, expression bored.

Naruto gave his father one last fleeting look before climbing into the carriage with the strange man, feeling as though his heart had been shattered into a million pieces.


---TO BE CONTINUED---

CLARY (AUTHOR) :If you want me to continue then please review.