Hey there everyone! Sorry it took me so long to get this chap up. Typing can be a bitch sometimes, but I'm happy with the way it turned out. I hope that you like it as well. But I'm sure that you'll like it, and it will be better than the original. So when your done, make sure you leave a review. Ok.

Disclaimer: Why do we even have to bother this these? This is called fanfiction after all.

Text means text

"Text" means speech

'Text' means inner thoughts

'Text' means Inner Sakura's thoughts

'Text' means Sakura and Inner Sakura's thoughts together

Enjoy the chap everbody. :)

Chapter 1

A Day In The Life Of A Slave

"You lazy girl! You're still in bed at this hour! What are you waiting for? Get out of be! The sun will be rising soon and its your turn to make the Master's breakfast this morning. Didn't you hear what I just said? GET OUT OF BED!!"

Pushing the young girl from her cot, the body of a 17 year old female landed on the floor with a heavy thud sound. A moan fallowing afterward in obvious discomfort. Her pink hair that reached her mid-back was in disarray. The dark bags the hung under her bright emerald green eyes showed as evidence to her sleeplessness, and the tender, and battered skin on her slim, curvy figure proved how hard she had been working the previous day. This was Sakura Haruno.

Moaning again Sakura stood up and swayed slightly on her feet, feeling slightly dizzy from the rude wake up call. Standing in front of her was Ami, one of the Master's favorite slaves for her so-called loyalty and looks. She was only three years older then Sakura and yet she acted like she was Sakura's superior, and Sakura as a stupid child who didn't know anything at all.

She was always causing trouble for Sakura. Such as telling lies to the master, and spreading horrible rumors about Sakura. Often smirking at Sakura whenever she was beaten as punishment for something she didn't do. Ami would always push her shoulder length purple hair out of her face to get a better view of Sakura's pain.

"It's about time you got out of bed. The Master would be extremely displeased if he found out you had slept in while he and his family went without any breakfast this morning. You had better hope that you still have enough time to cook everything the Master asked for to eat. If you don't, then I wouldn't want to be in your shoes. You should get going while you still can." Throwing a smirk Sakura's way, Ami tucked her hair behind her ear as she turned to the door.

When she reached the door she turned back to face Sakura, still smirking. "Now if you excuse me, I have to get back to my beauty sleep. I wouldn't want my looks to fade just because you were to lazy to wake yourself up in the morning." she said as she left Sakura's room, walking down hall to her own privet room.

'Even if you slept for a hundred years, you would still look like a hag, bitch' Sakura thought to herself as she grabbed her tattered working clothes for the day from the small dresser in her room as well as her work boots from under her bed and headed to the servant bathing house.

Life for the past ten years had been really hard for Sakura. Being a slave was one thing, and even that was really hard if you didn't know what it was like, but being a slave in this house was something completely different.

When she had first arrived here on that day many years ago she had be almost scared to death of the Master's house and of her new life. The Old Bastard (she refused to call her so-called owner Master aloud unless forced to or if she would get beat if she didn't) had taken her to his home and put her in the care of Ami, who was responsible for teaching her how to cook and clean properly until she was able to get all of her chores done by herself. If she didn't get all of the chores done by nightfall, she wouldn't get anything to eat for dinner, which was her only meal of the day. Even though Ami had been a horrible instructor she had taught Sakura enough of the basics for her to figure out the rest on her own.

So ever since she was seven years old, to the present day she was to gather the water used in the master's bath - whenever he got one - and go to the kitchens and help the kitchen maids prepare the master's families', servants', and others slaves' breakfast.

Then attend with the help of a few others to the large amount of wash of the master, his wife, who had to wear a different outfit for every hour of the day, his three sons, and two daughters; the head butler, the cook, the kitchen maids, the housekeepers, the footmen, the grounds keepers, the animal herders, the different chauffeurs, the nanny, the master's and his sons valets, the master guards', the other slaves, and the occasional au pair or guest that may be visiting. Not to mention all of the ironing that had to be done to the now clean clothes afterwards.

But even then once all that was done she still had to return to the kitchens and help the kitchen maids prepare the master's lunch and her own. Before she would be able to dust, sweep, mop, and polish the floors and furniture in the mansion, all of them. Including, but not limited to, the master and his families bedrooms, the kitchen, the dinning rooms, the library, the breakfast nook, the sitting rooms, the main hall, the grand hall, the parlor, the master's study, and the unimaginable number of other rooms that seemed to have no purpose whatsoever in the huge mansion.

As night began to fall she had to help with salting the various meats, preparing the fruits and vegetables gathered from the gardens that day for storage, before being able to help prepare the dinner for everyone in the mansion. It was only if all of these chores and other small tasks, like going to the market or running errands, was complete without compliant before she was able to enjoy her own dinner, take a calming bath, and finally go to bed for some well deserved rest each night, and do the whole thing over again the next day.

Oh the freaking enjoyable life of a slave.

After entering the servants bathing house and removing her cloths, Sakura sighed as she stepped into the nice and warm water of the large servant bathing tub. Grabbing the cherry blossom scented soap bar from the rim of the bath, she stared to wash herself.

'There is only one benefit when having to get up early and make the old bastard's breakfast: the water is always clean and hot in the bath.'

'Yeah, you got that right.'

Sakura groaned. Dunking under the water she washed the soap off of her body while trying to block out the voice of her annoying, constant companion, Inner Sakura.

When she had first heard the strange voice out of no where when she was a little girl, she had panicked, believing all of the recent tragedies of losing her mother and becoming a slave had caused her to finally lost her mind. It was only until some time later, and after many tries of denying her inner voice, that she had learned that she had not in fact lost her mind, and the inner voice, which she had named Inner Sakura, was only the voice that she had hidden in herself. Like all of the times she had wanted to call her master an old bastard, or the master's wife an ugly old hag, and all of the other numerous amount of insults she thought a number of people deserved in the mansion all together in one single voice, and nothing to worry about. But Inner Sakura did have a tendency to get her into trouble at times. Not to mention she had noticed that Inner Sakura seem to have the uncontrollable urge to always want to give her own two cents about something. Like this morning.

'Can't I just enjoy one day without having to put up with you, the annoying-tinny-little-voice-inside-my-head. You already got me in enough trouble the other day, and I don't want to get another beating so soon.'

'Don't blame me. It's not like I knew that the old bastard was standing around the corner and heard you talking to yourself. If you ask me that guy deserves a good kick where the sun don't shine.'

'Well I didn't ask you, even though you are right. Look just don't talk to me right now ok? It's already enough that he gave me a beating for thinking I was insane. Did you hear him the other day? Calling me 'damaged merchandise' while hitting me around. Thank god the bruises healed over night.'

'Alright, alright already. No need to get all snippy on me. Jeez, just trying to have a nice morning conversation, but whatever. And by the way you may want to get a move on. Your running out of time, and you know how the bastard gets when he first wakes up and doesn't have anything to eat.'

'Yeah.'

Steeping out of the warm tube, Sakura dried herself off with one of the spare towels in the room before putting on her working outfit, simple gray tunic with a gray colored rope for a belt to tie around her waist; typical slave outfit.

After brushing her hair until it was silky smooth she tied into a single tight braid behind her head. When finished she headed to the kitchen, briefly wondering if she still had time to snatch some spare food from the pantry where all of the loaves of bread where kept while no one was looking.

Her cheep-skate of a master had a tendency to often forget that the servants and slaves had to eat too otherwise nothing would get done around this place. Sometimes he would even command that food would be thrown by the very servants and slaves that had tried to steal it before they were execute. Only justifying his actions by saying, "Let the trash take it's self out, that food is no good to anyone now that it had been touched by someone so worthless."

Thankfully though, after many years of practice, Sakura was a precocious locksmith and hardly ever caught. Sure she may have had a few beats when she had first started trying to sneak food from the locked pantry and food storage buildings, but she had eventually learned how to pick a lock successfully without getting busted. Now she never went anywhere without her handy set of lock picks safely hidden side her boot, just incase she ever needing in an emergency.

Upon reaching the kitchen door she pushed it as gently as she could, flinching slightly at the loud screeching noise caused by the aged hinges on the door. Glancing around the room, she was thank full no one was there. Stepping through the door she quickly made her way to the full pantry on the other side of the kitchen. Kneeling in front of it she glanced at the familiar lock.

'Ok, I've got to make this fast. Thank god this lock is easy to pick and won't take me long.'

Picking up the lock hanging on the pantry door in one hand she was about to reach into her boot with her other and take out her lock pick set when a pair of small petite hands grabbed onto her braided hair and her upper left arm. Trying not to pull on her hair to much she looked out of the corner of her eye, and was shocked to see it was Ami who held a strong grip on her.

Ami smirked evilly, fully enjoying Sakura's startled face. "Well, well, well. Look who we have here. Trying to steal some of the Master's food while no one is looking hm?"

Not to gently pulling up on Sakura's hair, she managed to make the pink haired girl stand. "Tell me what I should do to her, Master."

Sakura's whole body tensed at the mention of her owner.

'The old bastard? Oh shit. You've got to be kidding me. Please don't tell me he's already awake.'

Unfortunately for her, he was. Turning the Sakura around while still keeping her bruising grip on her, Ami giggled quietly as Sakura's expression turned from one of shock to fear at the sight of the Master.

His physical appearance hadn't changed much since the first day Sakura had seen him, those many days ago when she had become a slave. Still his old wrinkled face bore the old ugly scar that Sakura had learned to fear when she was a little girl. His greasy hair seemed to be quickly fleeing him in his old age, as now he was completely bald, and his mattered beard line was slowly disappearing. It was an understatement to say that the years had not been king to his appearance.

Though it seemed in retaliation for his horrifying looks, he had gained a fierce temper. Even worst than what it had been years ago. It was not a surprising sight if the Master could be seen beating a servant or slave for something as trivial as spilling a few drops of his wine or even glancing at him with a look he did not like. It appeared to any of the staff in his household that his fiery temper was even worst when he was in one of his drunk moods.

So it was not a comforting sight when Sakura noticed the furious glare present in his little bug eyes, the more that half-empty wine bottle hanging in his one hand, and the slight swaying of his stance made Sakura's brow sweat.

'Oh fucking great.' Sakura thought. 'He's drunk and it's not even sunrise yet. But why is he awake? He shouldn't be up for at least another hour! Something must be up.'

Taking a deep swig form his whine bottle, he didn't reply. He merely stared at Sakura. Seeming to enjoy the fear and uncertainly in her gaze. A small drivel of wine dripped out of the corner of his mouth, forming a red trail from his mouth before disappearing into the gray whiskers of his beard.

"Master?" Ami asked.

Wiping the wince off his lips with the back of his free hand, he placed his now empty wine bottle haphazardly on one of the near by kitchen tables. With lazy movements he slowly walked over to the two girls. Each step closer sent a small chill of fear down Sakura's spine. No matter how long she had lived in this mansion with him, her owner had been unpredictable in his actions, and always managed to cause her to feel a small touch of fear.

"Master?" Ami asked again. "Tell me what I should do with her."

Grasping Sakura's chin in an unrelenting grip, he simply replied, "Nothing."

Ami's mouth nearly dropped to the floor. "What?! But-but Master she-".

"SILENCE!" His rough voice bellowed throughout the room. Causing both Sakura and Ami to flinch in slight terror. Stepping closer to the two girls he forced Ami to relinquish her hold on Sakura. Keeping one of his hands securely on Sakura's chin, he tightly gripped where Ami's hand had been on her hair.

Ami stepped away, giving her master room to punish the younger girl. Sneering at Sakura she said, "Yes, my Master."

Sakura grid her teeth together in anger. Glaring at Ami she thought, 'Oh eat it up bitch. Someday you'll get yours.' She shifted her body slightly, trying to lessen the pain from her masters unbreakable grip.

Smirking down at the young girl in his grasp, the master ceased Sakura shifting by tugging sharply on her pink hair. Causing her to gasp in pain.

"My dear, dear Sakura." He smiled maliciously as he yanked hard on Sakura's hair again, being the sadist that he is he enjoyed hearing her inhale sharply in pain. "My sweet little cherry blossom." He sighed. "Were you trying to steal form me again? I thought I taught you what would happen if you ever tried to steal from me again."

The sweet tone of his voice made Sakura ill. The bastard old man always was a bit sadistic when ever her punished her. Always using that sweet and kind tone of his, sounding as if he was her father who deeply cared for her. But the false appearance of a gentle loving man never lasted long, her would soon explode in a fit of anger and rage, his fist flying wildly as he beat her. Sometimes he would remain silence, never uttering a word as he knocked her around, other times he would give lie after lie of false apologies, but most often he would yell with his booming, rough voice in her ears.

His grasp on her arm tightened to the point of pain. "Do you even realize how lenient I have been to you all these years?"

'Lenient? Does he call beating us until we couldn't walk lenient? What about when he would lock us up in the cellar for days without food for days? Lenient my ass!'

Sakura wisely did not reply. She had been in many situations like this one over the years and she had learned it was best to keep her mouth shut at times like these. One wrong word could set him off.

His calm and gentleman disposition quickly disappeared as he threw Sakura to the cold stone kitchen floor. Her entire wait landing on her right arm, causing a sharp jolt shooting up her limb. There was no doubt that the bones in her arm where no slightly bruised, hopefully nothing worst then that.

Sakura groaned. She rolled onto her back, trying to get a such weight as she could off her injured arm. The older man smiled maliciously in sadistic satisfaction. While the pink haired slave was distracted with her pain, the bastard old man stepped closer to her. Looming over her, he placed his heavy leather boot on her upturned stomach and pressed down.

Gasping in pain Sakura grabbed her owner's boot desperately trying to force if off her. The master chuckled. "Do you even know how much I've let you get away with? Well no more. I won't let you slide on this one, my cherry blossom slave. Tell me, what should I do to you as a fit punishment for you crime?"

'Punishment?'

This was nothing new to her. She had often been beaten as "punishment" for her wrong doings over the years, and the old wooden paddle an bull whip were no strangers to her either. Still, he had always been careful. Never leaving a wound to deep to leave a scar, never break a single bone, but causing her enough pain to get his point across. It would only demean her value if she was damaged.

But something was off, he had been acting strange since she first saw his this morning. For one thing he would never be up this early, he never started drinking in the morning, especially his expensive wine. He always saved the wine for special occasions along with his imported port and cherry cigars. The sadistic gleam in his characteristics only confirmed her suspicions even more. Something was up.

He forced his boot down even further. Sakura could have sworn she hear one of her ribs pop, close to the point of breaking.

He chuckled dryly. "What? Does my little cherry blossom have nothing to say? No need to worry though. I've had years to come up with a few punishments I happen to enjoy watching. Most deal with thieves. They have the most uncontrollable fingers you know, but that's why I know plenty of way to keep those fingers in cheek. There's having a nail hammered through the tips of your fingers to a wooden board, or having your hands crushed on a blacksmith's anvil with a sledgehammer."

"But my favorite," He continued, "is having their hands trampled on by my most heaviest field horses before having them cut off completely with a big old dull battle axe. You get to hear more screaming that way." He sneered as Sakura gasped in pain, she could hardly breath. Unable to take any air in her nearly crushed lungs. "So answer me, slave, what punishment do you want?"

Sakura didn't answer. There wasn't enough oxygen in her body to allow a reply. She was starting to feel lightheaded.

'Is he trying to kill me?!'

No longer satisfied with crushing his slave under his heal like a cockroach, the Master took his boot off her stomach. Grasping both of her biceps in an unrelenting grip he easily lifted her small form off the floor, feet hanging in the air inches from the floor.

Sakura felt sick. His odor was beyond repulsive, no more than repulsive. Obviously her owner never really grasped the concept of bathing. To Sakura there was not doubt in her mind that if she had the choice of between having to breath in the fowl stench of her owner over the decomposing carcase of a bull in the scorching desert, she would chose the dead bull.

Bringing her face within inches of his own, he said in a rank breath, "Tell me how I'll punish you. It's not that hard, you just have to chose one. You should be thankful you have such a rare chance like this. I believed that even a simpleton like you would be able to understand that much. Perhaps I put to much faith in your looks. Anyone women with a body like yours can't be that smart."

Even thought she was immensely looking forward to seeing the sight of Sakura being punished for being the little bitch that she was, Ami couldn't help but notice sometime. The Master may have telling Sakura all of the things he could do to her in reconcile for stealing from him, but he wasn't doing anything else.

Normally, if it had been any other slave he would be knocking them all over the place. Breaking their bones as he punched them, throwing them around, leaving their body black and blue, not even caring if their brains were being turned into mush inside their skulls. Even if she had tried to steal from the master she would have gotten a beating for it.

But no.

He wasn't doing any of this to Sakura. So why? Why? Where was the pain and suffering? Ami bit her thumb as anger swirled inside her.

'Why isn't that ugly, pink haired bitch getting what she deserves? He can't possibly favor her, can he?' She shook her head wildly at these thoughts. 'NO! It's impossible. I'm the favorite. Master could never like her more than me.'

Gathering as much courage as she could manage, Ami did something she, or any other slave, had ever dared to do. Walking up behind the master her fingers shook as she gently grasped her master's shoulder.

"Um...Master?"

Momentarily distracted by the light sensation of an arm on his shoulder, the master released his grip on Sakura. Landing uncomfortably on her rear end.

"Are you so stupid that you can't see I'm in the middle of something. How dare you interrupt me, Ami!" He swung his body around, his arm lifted high as he backhanded Ami across the face. She was hit with so much force by the blow that she stumbled fell backward onto the floor.

Fearful that the old bastard would turn his anger on her Sakura scurried away from him. She could only watch as Ami force herself up on one shaky arm, her other hand cupped her inflamed cheek, tears glistening in the corners of her eyes. Sakura almost felt sorry for the older girl.

With a cracking voice Ami pleaded. "Master, please, please forgive me. I ... meant no disrespect. It's just there's ... there's," Her mind raced, trying to find a way to reinforce the master's anger on Sakura once more.

"There's what, Ami?" The master was not pleased with her pitiful attempt to make up an excuse to her interrupting. The slave girl remained silent.

The master snorted at both of his slaves stupidity. "I don't have the time of day for the likes of you two. There are many preparations left to be taken care of before the auction tomorrow night."

Glaring at the two of them, he said, "I expect to make a large sum of money off this auction, and I won't be to forgiving if the either of you cost me any gold. Now on you feet, both of you, and stand in front of me, your eye's on the floor. Like the worthless slaves you really are."

Not wanting to provoke their master's anger even further, Sakura and Ami obeyed without question. Silently they stood side by side, neither daring to look up unless instructed.

While her gaze remained locked on the floor, Sakura couldn't help but wonder, 'What auction?'

She didn't know there was going to be any auction. Of course auctions were nothing new in the old bastard's house. He often held one at least once a year. Sometimes at other slave owners and trainers homes where they would sell, buy, or trade old slaves for new ones.

Sakura had only been to one auction before, a year ago. A "sneak peak of future sales." he had said as he presented her to a large crowd of horny men. All old and fat with jewel-encrusted goblets filled almost to the brim with wine, cigars sprouting smoke like a bon fire, and their pockets filled with gold coins they were just waiting to trade for some slave.

Disgusting.

Scowling at the two slaves, the master circled them like a hawk. His eyes criticizing the both of them. "Normally, I would give both of you the beating you deserve. But luckily for you two whores I don't have the time. Ami!" Said girl flinched at the harsh sound of her name. "Since Sakura here seems to not understand her place as a slave in this house, you will make the breakfast this morning."

"But ... but Master."

Turning swiftly, he grabbed a handful of his purple slaves hair."Do you dare disobey me again, Ami?" Satisfies with a stern shack of her head, he released her hair. "That's better. Now as for you Sakura,"

He grasped her chin in his sausage like fingers and thumb, forcing her to look him in the eye. "You will be going to the market today. There is a full cart of goods that you are to sell. If you don't manage to sell all of the goods before you return here tonight, then I will personally see to it that you will never be able to stand up straight for the rest of your life after me and the bull whip are done with you."

A icy cold jolt of fear shot down Sakura's spine. Forget wondering about the auction, that was the least of her problems right now. The old bastard released her chin. Smoothing his remaining gray greasy hair back with his hand, the old bastard started to walk out of the kitchen. "Sakura come."

She did. Catching up behind him she followed him throughout the mansion toward the back of the back of the building, where the horses were kept in an inside stable out of the sun when the weather got to hot for them to remain outside for a while.

Passing the horses in their stables, the old bastard lead her to a wooden cart in the back of the stables. Inside there was decorative clay pots painted with colorful images, baskets filled with grains and seeds, crates almost overflowing with various crops grown in the bastard's fields. There was even some of the bastard's wife's old garments and jewelry. No doubt she had grown tired of them and no longer wanted to remain in her sight.

Strapping a old mule to the front of the cart, the bastard forced the reins into her hands. "Make sure you have sold every single thing in this cart, even the crates and baskets, before you dare come back here. But a wise word of warning, don't even think about trying to make a run for it. I'll have my son, Kenji, check up on you sometime today. You may not know when, you may not know where, but he will check up on you. If he can't find you, or find you bedding someone you will be punished as severely as possible."

With those final words, the old bastard walked away, scratching his over hanging gut mumbling as he wondered if Ami had finished making his breakfast yet.

Sighing in relief, Sakura sat in the cart. 'Might as well get a move on.'

She glanced into the back of the cart eyeing all of the goods that she was suppose to sell. 'Who knows how long it's going to take me to sell of this stuff.'

With a sharp snap of her wrist on the reins, the mule trotted out of the stable. Sakura right behind riding on the cart off to the market.

In the hottest of days, the market was one of the best places to be. One could never have to walk far to find something that would take their mind off the heat. Weather it be cool water from the city well, gambling tables where the lucky fanned themselves with their bills of currency, eating ones favorite drink at one of the many local taverns, or simply walking down the many cover alley ways with expensive rugs, animals fur, or other things blocking the suns rays.

It was for these reasons, and many more, that Sakura loved going to the market. The sights, the smells, and all of the people. She didn't get to go to the market as much as she would have liked, the bastard old man didn't want to risk the chance someone would rape her before he could sell her. But every time she was able to escape the madness of her owners house and travel down the crowded streets of the market, she make sure to enjoy ever minute of it.

It was already late in the after noon, as the sun was beginning to set in the horizon, turning the sky a fire orange color. Looking inside the cart, Sakura was glad to see it almost empty, and the coin sack that hung securely on her waist was heavy with gold coins. Lucky for her there had been a lot of refugees moving through the city on their way to find a more permanent home, and had been in great need of supplies.

Picking up the last item in the cart, a decorative water pot, Sakura did a quick scan of the crowd for a potential buyer.

As she looked she tried to not notice all of the older men looking at her. Their eyes glazed over with lust. Of course. While she may have been wearing a slave colored tunic, the traditional master mark was absent on her left shoulder.

The master mark was usually a owner's family crest that would be scourged onto his livestock or slaves left arm with a hot iron as a symbol of ownership over them. Anyone who bought a slave or a new slave would have their master mark placed on their slave to keep anyone else from stealing them. If a slave was resold by a pervious owner, the pervious owner's master mark would be ironed off with a flat iron, leaving a small square off burn skin on the slave's arm, before the new owners master mark would be placed right below the previous mark, or on the slave's right shoulder.

However, since she was wearing a slave's tunic without a master mark on her arm, that only meant one thing. Sakura was easily able to figure out what the old bastard's where thinking. She was a slave in training, just waiting for a master to obey, probability a virgin, but sadly not for sale. At least no yet.

'Filthy pigs.' She kept searching, trying not to feel revulsion as men would gazed up and down her body. She could almost feel their stares at certain places that was making her fell uncomfortable.

'There.'

A women, dressed in silk blue robes, with a golden belt around her waist. She was looking a few crystal gems at a near by stand, admiring their beauty. Her looks and expensive clothing as a dead giveaway that the women was a free women and loaded. Probably the wealthy wife of some lord or slave owner. If she played her cards right, Sakura was sure she would be able to get a decent amount of money out of the women.

Walking silently up behind the wealthy women, Sakura was unprepared when a strong muscular arm grabbed her around the waist, the other hand over her mouth silencing the startled scream that tried to escape her throat. The water pot tumbled out of her hands, shattering into pieces on the ground.

Wildly she began to twist and turn, trying to free herself, but it was no use. The arm around her waist just tightened its hold, the hand clamping down harder over her mouth. She tried to turn her head, trying to look at whoever was holding her, but it was no use. Whoever held her merely strengthened their hold on her. Forcing Sakura into a dark hidden ally, whoever released their arm around her waist momentarily before pushing her back up against a stone wall.

Looking up at her unknown captor, Sakura was unable to hold back a shocked gasp. 'Kenji?!'

Standing in front of her, holding her captive was none other than the old bastard's oldest son, Kenji. He was tall and muscular with a lean body, long (greasy) golden hair, and ice cold blue eyes. Ask anyone of the village girls who was the best looking man, single or not, in town and without hesitation they would have said Kenji. At school, he may not have been the sharpest tool in the shed, but when it came to telling lies and doing almost anything to get whatever he wanted, Kenji was hardly ever denied with his trickery and cruelty.

As he smiled down at her, Sakura couldn't help but realize that Kenji's smile reminded her of the image of a grinning shark. "Hello there, my dear Sakura! Out making money for my father again are you?" He patted the filled coin sack on her waist.

Sakura slapped his wrist, she was one of the few slaves who could and live to tell about it. As most of the slave who tried usually ended up skewed with a metal tip spear.

"Sorry Master Kenji, but I don't have time for this. Thanks to you that water pot I was going to sell is busted, and since I don't have anything left to sell now, I should be getting back."

She pushed him away slightly, enough for her to slip past him. It was useless, though, even when she had started walking away she didn't get very far when Kenji grabbed her wrist and swung her around, making her body slam back into the stone wall.

"Ow!" With her free hand Sakura gently touched the back of her head. "OW! Fuck!" Pulling her hand back as if it had been burned Sakura felt a warm liquid dripping from a wound on the back of her head. Glaring up at Kenji's amused face, she thought, 'You bastard!'

'Damn that asshole! Let me at him! I guarantee he'll never be able to have little brats!'

Kenji giggled. He forcibly grabbed her shoulders, making it even harder for Sakura to get away. "Aw, my poor little blossom. Did you hurt yourself? You know better than to walk away from me without permission first."

He leaned closer to her, his lips millimeters away from her ear. "Why would you do such a foolish thing?" His sweet tone was a sickening reminder of his fathers. The puffs of his icy breath on her ear caused Sakura to shutter. Kenji may have thought that she shuttered in pleaser, but in reality, Sakura shuttered in disgust.

'This guy makes me even more sick that his old bastard father.'

'You're telling me. Anybody got a barf-bag?'

Managing to not start upchucking allover the asshole in front of her, Sakura said, "Forgive me Master Kenji. It's just your father gave me strict instructions to return to the mansion once I had finished selling everythingin the cart."

Kenji's grip on her shoulders loosened slightly, but before Sakura was able to enjoy the thought of getting away from the pervert to easy, he slid his hands down her arms, leaving a rail of goose-bumps in their wake. Before stopping at the precise spot on her arms where the old bastard had lifted her clear off the floor. The bruises had yet to start forming, but the pain was still there.

Kenji smile turned just as malicious as his fathers as he watched her wince in pain. "I see that my father was a bit rough with you, was he?" He leaned his head lower, his breath fanned her neck.

She tried squirming, but it was useless. Every time she managed to shift even a little bit, Kenji pushed her harder against the wall. "Master Kenji, you have to let me go now. I have to get back, or your father-"

He kissed her neck. "M-master Kenji!"

'What in the hell?!' The bastard just kissed her neck!

She squirmed harder. 'SEXUAL ABUSE! SEXUALLY ABUSE!'

Sliding his tongue up the skin on her neck as he went, he lifted his head until he could look Sakura in the eyes. "Don't keep denying it Sakura. You know you want me, so don't hold it back anymore. Stop playing the coy maiden. It's starting to get annoying."

Childhood memories flashed through her mind. When she had been younger Kenji had been nothing but a bully to her. Making fun of her natural pink hair or unusually bright emerald green eyes. He use to just keep walking past her after every time he "accidently" pushed her into the mud. The jerk would even laugh at her when he would call her names like "Billboard-brow" or "Ugly pink hair witch" and made her cry!

It had only been in their only teen years together, had Kenji started to act differently. Well, not really all that much differently. He was still an ass, to her anyway. But every once in a while she caught him staring at her, a slightly look in his eyes that made her a little uncomfortable. Sometimes, when he had caught her alone, he start harassing her while standing a little to close for her to be comfortable.

Keeping one of his hands on her shoulder the other slid down to rest at her hip, he placed his other on the back of her head, pulling it forward. Only as his lips drew closer did Sakura realize what he was intending to do.

He was going to steal a kiss.

Her first kiss.

'No!' Against all impossible odds, using all of the strength she could get she managed to somehow push Kenji off before running out of the alley and disappearing into the crowd of the market.

"Sakura!"

Ignoring Kenji's call, she didn't even look back as she maneuvered through the crowded market streets. Zipping past strangers she didn't slow down until she reached the cart that she had ridden into the city with.

Leaping into the drivers seat, she hardly spared a second for breath as she grabbed the reins. With a sharp snap of her wrist she almost fell backward into the cart as the mule towed cart lurched forward.

Only was she rode through the market arch, marking the entrance, and in her case exit, to the city's market did she allow herself to breath a little. Glancing back, she was relieved to see Kenji was no where in sight.

'For the moment, anyway.'

'Yeah. For the moment.'

Deciding to just focus on returning to the mansion without anyone realizing she was back yet, she didn't spare a second thought to Kenji.

The ride back to mansion was short and silent. Walking the mule back to the stables, Sakura disconnected the cart and left it with the others outside the stables. Entering the mansion through the servant's entrance located at the rear of the mansion she headed toward the old bastard's study. He usually was there attending to his business, or he'd be stuffing his face in the dining hall.

Knocking on the large over looming oak doors of the study, Sakura was answered with a low curse and a gruff "enter."

Inside, just as she had expected, her owner was seated behind his desk, which surface was covered in numerous accounting and sales scrolls. A pair of high back chairs sitting "Ah, so she's finally back en? It's about time you got your but back here. I've been waiting to het all of my counting done before I retire early t'night." He walked over to his personal bar, loaded with various drinks of scotch, wine, ales, and other alcohols.

After poring himself a drink, he looked at her questionably, "Well, what are you waiting for? Get over here."

Talking a few steps into the study, Sakura untied the heavy coin sack at her waist. As she handed it to her master, she was unaware of the stranger observing her so intently from behind.

The slave trader had told him he did own a few exotic beauties that he would be willing to sel for a hefty sum as their natural beauty was worth a few extra gold coins. And judging by the young girl in front of him, it was apparent that the slave trader hadn't been lying. Her slim curvy figure and eye catching pink hair would make her an instant seller. Even her emerald green eyes, though, appearing dull and heavy, was another of her alluring features.

"She is as rare as you say. Truly a beautiful cheery blossom."

Startled by the unknown voice, Sakura turned around, suddenly becoming aware of the other man. She hadn't noticed him when she had entered the study as he was seated in one of the high back chairs in front of the old bastard's desk.

Dressed in the elegant robes of one of the upper royal class, his gray hair seemed to defy gravity as it stood up on one side of his head. His face was young without a single wrinkle, not making him appear as old as his gray hair had originally make him look. Strangely though, the lower half of his face and neck were covered by a mask. And a blue headband with a metal plate bearing the image of a leaf, the land of Konoha symbol, over his left eye.

'Did he lose it in a battle?'

'Eww.'

Feeling a gloating pride swell inside him at the complements of his young slave girl merchandise, Sakura's owner draped his arm around her shoulders, a gesture he rarely did, and only to his most favorite of slaves.

"She's a beauty, ain't she. Never seen one with pink hair like her before I got-a say. Kinda surprised when I first saw er' myself. It's a good thing she's a virgin though, would hav' been a little hard to sell her with er' pink hair n' all. But I suppose that will make er' more appealing to da buyers. A tad dull-witted though, I'm sorry ta say. But that's fine since she's a women n' all-"

'SEXIST ASSHOLE!'

"An' she won't going to be using her brain for much of anything anyway. Like my father use ta say: it don't matter how much a woman knows, just as long as she never forgets her place is in the kitchen and in the bed!" He erupted into laughter in his drunken state, amused by his sexist comment.

His guest was apparently did not share his amusement, but not wanting to seem rude to his host he said, " If you say so."

Pushing himself out of his seat the guest dusted off his robes before heading toward the door. "Thank you for allowing me to speak with you today. I shall pass on what you said to my lord, and if he decides to accept you invitation he will see you at your auction tomorrow night. Farewell."

After his guest footsteps disappeared down the hall, the old bastard turned toward his slave. "You should be very damn well grateful for the compliment he gave you. Though beautiful ain't one of the words I'd use to describe you. None the less, you'd better hope he's just as willin' to' give ya a compliment like that when he talks to his lord bout you. You'll be need'n that positive talk at da auction tamorra. Now get going. I don't need ya distracting me when I'm counting my gold." He dismissed her with a gruff and a wave with his hand.

'Thank god.' She was more that eager to escape the old bastard's presence.

Almost halfway out eh door, he called her back.

'Now what in the hell does he want?'

She turned around, grinding her teeth behind her lips forcibly stretched into a fake smile. "Yes, Master, what is it?"

Taking his seat behind the desk he said, "Not that it's too important since it won't do ya much good, but tamorra there'll be a couple of beauty specialist comin' before the auction. They'll be in charge of makin' ya presentable for ya debut. They'll be arrivin' early n' working on ya until the auction. So even though you would normally be makin' my breakfast tamorra you won't be. Now get out of here, I can't stand the sight of ya any longer."

After a stiff bow to her old bastard owner, Sakura quickaly left the study.

'The feeling's multual, buddy.'

Because of the unfortunate run-in with Kenji at the market and the hold-up with the old bastard and his unknown guest in the study, Sakura had arrived to the kitchens late. Hoping there would be at least a little meat or stew left from that nights dinner she was sadly disappointed at the sight of the empty kitchen. The dinner left overs had apparently already been taken care of, most-likely feed to the hunting dogs. The large black stew pots empty, washed and left to dry until the next morning.

For a second she considered trying to break into the pantry again, but decided against it. The same action got her into a lot of trouble that morning and she wasn't to eager to piss off the old bastard too soon. After searching around the kitchen for anything to eat, she was about to give up all together, that is until she spotted half a loaf of bread left on one of the kitchen counters, forgotten by some forgetfull person who left it out.

'Oh well.' She thought, 'Beggers can't be choosers.'

Grabbing the forgotten half loaf on her way out she headed back to her room. Along the way thoughts of the auction filled her mind. For a brief moment she wondered what it was going to be like. Sure she had hear rumers from a few of the older women slaves. But what one of them said had always contridicted with what another had said.

While one had said that it was terrifying, to have them look at you and see you with eyes that looked like they were merely looking a piece of meat at the market. Another had said that it was wonderful when they got to wear the expensive dress they would be given and someone bidded on you while they looked at you as if you where the only one who could satisfy there wants, eyes glazed over with lust.

Of course, if given the chose, Sakura would have taken fear over pleasure. But since she didn't have the chose, she would have to deal with it. She have to accet whatever happened to her. As she had been forced to learn since day one of her enslavement: she was a slave and slave don't get choses.

While the thought was discouraging she had managed to hold on to her self, not becoming one of the brainwashed slaves she would see walking around. Their bodies like empty shells and expressions dead as if they were dead on the inside, without souls. Their only reason left on this earth was to obey their master without question or complaint.

She'd rather die than be like them.

Sure she may have done what her bastard master may have said at times, but that didn't mean she had to like it. Nor did it mean that she didn't get to have her own fun at other times. Like the time when she was younger, she swore she didn't know how about twenty green garden snakes had managed to find their way into the wheat grain baskets in the kitchen scaring the cook and kitchen maid half to death. Or the time when the farm animals had somehow managed to find their way into he mansion. Leaving feathers and trails of muddy tracts in their wake. Not to mention the piles of dung all over the mansion.

The pleasant thoughts of her mischievous childhood brought a smile to her face as she entered her room.

'Those were the good old days.'

But those days were long over. Come tomorrow she would be a slave until the day she died, forced into a life she didn't want, made to obey some asshole who could, no would do with her has he pleased. The punishment, or more likely beating, she would get for her being disobedient, which she swore she would do.

'We'll make sure to make whoever buys us life hell!'

Agreeing with her inner self, Sakura opened the door to her room. Hardly noticing as she crossed the room she let herself fall onto her stomach on her bed, to tired from the days events to bother changing out of her dirty work tunic.

Rolling over onto her back, she focused on her injuries. While she may not have any actual wounds there were faint bruises starting to form where her old bastard owner and Kenji had grabbed her.

Concentrating on her chakra she summoned it into her hands. A faint green glow surrounded her hands as she ran them over the forming bruises on her arms. The skin discoloration and soreness lessened into nothingness.

It was this mysterious ability that her mother had taught her to control when she was younger that would heal herself was one of the reasons she had managed to survive in this place as long as she had. She had often seen the old bastard beat a slave until the point where they lost consciousness or even died from blood loss.

It was also, however, this ability that had damned her mother back in their home village. At first it had seemed a gift from the gods that her mother had been able to heal almost every kind of injury or sickness that plagued the village. But after the refusal to obey the Uchiha's and hand over all of their land, the people of their village had turned their backs on her mother. They had damned her mother, their healer, the person who had saved many of their family members lives from sickness in the past, as a Uchiha spy. They said she was a Uchiha whore and the bitch of the devil. Using her and her child, with their now abnormal abilities and appearance, as scapegoats for their selfish pain and hate.

The bastards.

It was for this reason that she hid her ability now. She was certain that if anyone has discovered her ability they would have her burned at the stake as some kind of demon from hell. And while the thought of having people fear you for being a sorceress rather may have them look down on you for being a slave, there was also the thought of what people would do to her if they ever really found out. No doubt they would call her a witch and kill her, which she wasn't to eager to die just yet.

When she saw the bruises disappear from her skin, she reached behind her head, onto the wound she had gotten when slammed into the wall by Kenji. When she felt her headache disappearing, she released her chakra, the faint green glow surrounding her hands disappeared.

Suddenly feeling exhausted by the days events, she reached down near the end of her cot and pulled the holey rag called a blanket over herself. Resting her head on the hard lump of cloth that was suppose to be a pillow, she mind thought one last thing before falling into the unconsciousness of sleep.

'I wonder what tomorrow will be like.'

Well there you go. I hope you all enjoyed it. Again sorry it took so long to get this up. Typing can be a pain in the ass when it take forever. Anyways, make sure you leave a review for me. You know I love them. Just no flames.

Also if you have the time, take a look at my other story: Son of the Uchiha and leave a review for me. And don't forget to read my A/N at the end of the chap.

See ya later.

Sirona of Arabia

P.S. I've been thinking about changing my pen-name. Anyone have a few suggestions?