Rustic Servitude - Chapter Eight

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The removing of the mound of hay off of the trailer didn't take half as long as it did to put it all on the trailer. Sasuke and number twenty-one had just pushed it off while curious cows looked on from a distance.

Itachi looked up to the sky for a long moment, his slave who moved to stand beside him did the same. The sky had grown more overcast with darker gray clouds moving in slowly but surely.

"Sasuke, there will be snow soon, so we're heading back early."

Sasuke, who was just about to put the pitchforks that had been on the trailer into the back of the truck, just nodded and turned back to the bed of the truck where his sleeping blonde lay curled up.

"Dumb ass, it's time to go. Get out of there."

The blonde slave didn't rouse. This caused one of Sasuke's eyebrows to raise, then both moved to form a scowl. Sasuke then 'hmed' and threw all three pitchforks into the back, careful not to hit his slave in the head or anywhere vital. The loud noises the heavy tools made caused the blonde to jerk awake suddenly, and send a hateful glare in Sasuke's direction.

"Come on, idiot. We're going home."

"Bastard…could have woken me up 'nother way…" Naruto grumbled as he climbed out of the back of the truck and walked to the passenger side door where number twenty-one held it open. Sasuke climbed in after him, pushing Naruto over when he wouldn't move over himself.

Stubborn mule, Sasuke thought to himself and almost snorted at the thought.

Number twenty-one climbed into the passenger side of the truck and closed his door just as Itachi was climbing into the drivers side. Gracefully he slid the key into the ignition, closed his door, and eased into the clutch as he turned the key and released the brake. The one he owned watched all of this with great curiosity, never missing the details while he smirked raising his eyes to that of his Master who glanced in his direction. The beady-eyed man's smirk widened.

They left the pasture, this time number twenty-one opened and closed all the gates that they passed through, and though Itachi had said they were going home, Sasuke realized that wasn't where they were headed at all.

Unfamiliar territory began to pass the truck as it moved, and Sasuke became increasingly curious. Curious enough to question his brother, "Itachi?"

"Yes?"

"I thought we were going home..."

"We're going to the stables, Sasuke."

Sasuke raised a brow, "You know I don't like horses…"

"I'm sure no animal would willingly go near you…" Naruto mumbled which Sasuke chose to ignore.

"Think hard, little brother. What could we do there?"

Sasuke thought about what people could do at a stable: ride horses, feed horses, groom horses, clean stalls. He made a face at the last one, but knew that his brother must mean that one. For what reason he did not ask.

"Shovel horse shit?"

"That is one chore that would suit you," Itachi referred to the revolted blonde seated behind him while surveying the expression on the slave's face through the rearview mirror, "since you obviously enjoy handling such things…but we are just going to visit the stable." Itachi admitted to himself that when the young slave wrinkled his nose in distaste, it was rather adorable. Digressing, he focused his attention to the unpaved road ahead of them.

"Pft. It would only 'suit' if I threw a hot steaming load in Sasuke's face," the blonde smiled broadly at his Master.

Itachi snorted while number twenty-one failed to mask his laughter and chuckled darkly. Sasuke grew livid the more he thought about each and every single insulting word that spilled from his boy's mouth.

"How long have you been a slave, boy?" The no nonsense tone Itachi used did not faze number twenty in the slightest.

"All my life, sir."

The emphasis on 'sir' wasn't lost on Itachi, "Then you should know better than to call your owner by name."

Naruto laughed outright, "No one 'owns' me." He flashed a confident smile to Itachi through the rearview mirror, "though you may have my body, no one can own another person's soul."

"The good thing about property, is that the owner is not necessarily interested in the soul of his property."

The cab of the Dodge grew quiet as Naruto steamed in silence over Itachi's words. The rebellious slave knew that the older Uchiha Dom was right.

"I won't be property for much longer," he said more to himself than to anyone in the truck. Only Sasuke heard the whispered declaration causing the younger Uchiha to grit his teeth. If only Itachi wouldn't have spurred the boy on to make his life a living hell for the next two weeks…then he would have had more time.

Another lapse of silence passed before they arrived at the stables, and Sasuke wished he were anywhere but where he was at that very moment.

Early in his childhood he had loved horseback riding, however under poor supervision he was left unattended at age five with a skittish young mare. His elder cousins who were asked to watch Sasuke were nearby riding ATVs. The loud unnatural sound of the revving engines spooked the mare causing her to bolt for the woods in fear. Sasuke was thrown into a tree. He fell on his right side breaking his collarbone, arm, two ribs, and the femur of his right leg. He had never ventured near a horse since, and hadn't planned on getting near one ever again. That was until…

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Inside the stables a man with gray hair stilled, listening to the roar of the diesel engine approaching. He set aside the brush he was using to groom a three year old paint who eyed him skeptically when his grooming abruptly stopped. The horse's long ears twitched, also listening as the engines roar grew louder then died. The nervous stamping of hooves echoed in the stable as other horses noticed the new company. Several heads stuck out of their stalls to watch the open door in anticipation of their visitors. A door slammed in succession of another moments later, the horses' ears twitches to and fro to listen while one wired with excitement whinnied loudly.

The gray haired man patted the rump of the paint before exiting his stall, shutting his door firmly behind him. The paint blinked and turned to regard his attendee with curiosity before the man moved out of range.

The man stepped lightly toward the open stable door to meet those who had come to visit on such a dreary day. His newly acquired slave poked his head out of a stall door in silent question, to which his Master did not reply. Long brown hair fell in waves to his shoulders, his equally brown eyes inquisitive. Master waved his slave back when he moved to exit the stall he occupied.

Frowning, the slave leaned against the door as heavy footfalls came near before disappearing back into the stall to tend to the horse he was assigned.

The gray haired man could hear his unexpected visitors now.

"That happened long ago. You should face your fears and overcome them."

"I'm not afraid, Itachi. I just don't want to be near the things."

"I'm sure they feel the same way about you."

"Slaves are to be seen and not heard."

"Tough shit. Weren't you the one who said -"

"Good afternoon," the gray haired man interrupted the blonde slave with his warm voice and a smile that could not be seen past the fabric that obscured the lower half of his face. The blonde's eyebrows drew together in irritation and he glared at the man who made his presence known by interrupting him.

"Good afternoon, Kakashi. How is your slave fairing?"

Kakashi withheld his anger for the elder Uchiha, and essentially his 'boss'.

"He's well. To what do I owe this unexpected visit?"

"I'd like to employ you."

Kakashi raised the one visible eyebrow that was not hidden by an eye patch, "For?"

"You train horses as well as you do slaves, and this one," Itachi referred to Naruto, "needs to be trained well. Sasuke also needs to be shown how to deal with such…spirit, as well as basic principals."

Kakashi looked from Itachi to Sasuke, whom he hadn't seen since he was much younger, who now looked angry and uncomfortable. He then spied the blonde slave glaring in his direction then shifted his vision to take in the large man beside Itachi who grinned widely showing off both rows of his sharp teeth. He looked over the one who Itachi would like to be trained again, noticing his bound hands and disheveled appearance. Kakashi looked back to Itachi, "You're more than capable, Itachi. I taught you everything I know."

"I'm positive both would learn more from you than they ever would from me, besides I have my own slave to think about and Sasuke should learn to respect others."

Sasuke wasn't listening much other than to what the gray haired man said. Upon seeing who they came to visit, he instantly recognized the man from the slave auction. The one who now owned the tan slave with the scar across his nose. So Itachi knew this man, Sasuke thought, and he intentionally bid to raise the price. Nearly smiling to himself, Sasuke began to listen to the conversation again, nearly forgetting there were horses nearby.

"I intend to pay you well for your services."

Kakashi ran his right hand through his spiky hair, "How much?"

"Five."

"And what I lost at the auction?"

The wind picked up suddenly whipping around those who stood outside the stable.

Itachi stepped forward, "I intend to reimburse you, fully. Now lets get out of this chill to discuss the details."

Kakashi nodded and stood aside as Itachi entered the old rustic stable constructed of weathered gray lumber and iron, with his slave not far behind. The blonde followed the larger man with Sasuke trailing behind. Nervously Sasuke looked at the horses he could see and tried not to lock up or bolt in fear.

The stable was dark with only few florescent lights burning dim and hanging from the center beam above their heads, the only other light came from the open door and one solitary exposed light bulb in each individual stall. Even though the door was ajar the stable was surprisingly warm with a musty smell to accompany the temperate atmosphere with a hint of manure.

Sasuke almost gagged when he first smelt the scent of the stable, but refrained from showing his reaction and began to breathe through his mouth as he tried to stay as far as possible from any animals.

Naruto walked right up to the nearest horse and softly patted his nose, trying to get the horse used to him before petting.

"Such a good boy…" he murmured when the horse did not react to Naruto in a negative way.

"This way, Itachi. Lets speak privately," Kakashi gestured toward the back of the establishment as he moved in that direction. Itachi followed leaving his younger bother alone with their two slaves.

Number twenty-one's smile faded slightly when his Master left his side, and nearly instantly became bored of his surroundings. Looking around he found the Uchiha stable rather dismal.

Spying a nearby grooming brush, Naruto smiled at the horse he pet affectionately, and reached for the handle to open the stall door. Sasuke saw what his slave intended to do and yelled, "Idiot! You can't go in there!"

The horse snorted and back-stepped at the loud voice assaulting his ears. He stomped folding his ears back and retreated further into his stall.

"Look what you did asshole! Now he's scared!"

Sasuke folded his arms across his chest, "You shouldn't be touching them anyway."

"Just because you have a fear of large anima-"

"Naruto?" A soft voice made itself known a few stalls down. Everyone turned to the voice, and Naruto's face lit up.

"Iruka?!"

"Naruto!"

Iruka rushed out of the stall he occupied as Naruto ran to him and jumped into the older man's arms, throwing his tied hands over the brunette slave's head.

"I thought I'd never see you again," Iruka admitted with a sad smile, and gripped Naruto tighter.

"Release my slave," Sasuke spoke lowly in a foreboding tone filled with poorly concealed jealousy.

Iruka immediately released Naruto, though the blonde still clung to him, his bound hands now secured around Iruka's waist.

"Butt out, asshole," Naruto sneered over his shoulder, then turned back to Iruka, "Are you okay?" His bright blue eyes searched the older man's body as if he expected to find evidence of abuse.

"Yes, Naruto. I'm fine, but you should listen to your Master," Iruka reprimanded, and tried to pry the blonde off of himself to no avail.

Sasuke didn't like the fact that Naruto was ignoring his command and clinging to another man. His blood ran hot and his fingers curled into fists as his eyes narrowed in on the back of his slave's head. Number twenty had caused nothing but trouble for his new Dom, and even though Sasuke didn't know much about his newly acquired lifestyle, he wanted to make it work out whether the blonde wanted it or not. Squaring his shoulders and straightening his posture the warring conflict within himself came to a standstill.

"Naruto," Sasuke nearly growled.

The slave called by his name stiffened and slowly turned his head, his eyes narrowed nearly into slits.

"What did you call me, bastard?"

"Your name, dumb ass."

Silently, slowly bound hands lifted from around Iruka's body and over his head. Sasuke's slave turned to face him. Black eyes met blue and their emotions clashed. Everything that transpired between them, and everyone around them fell away until it was only the other in their vision.

"Call me whatever you want, but the name given to me by my parents is off limits."

"I'll call you whatever I like… Naruto."

The blonde grimaced, baring his grit teeth as he clutched his fingers together to form fists, "Bastard…" Stalking forward an arm shot out to quickly restrain the enraged slave. He ignored the person holding him back, "I was just fucking with you before, now you'll regret ever buying Uzumaki Naruto."