Everything is blurry, but Suren is sure, that the one wearing a red robe standing by the foot of his bed is Mara. He would have drunk all the poison for Mara if he knew that he'd wake up with her waiting for him to wake up, okay maybe not all the poison. His throat hurts so does his stomach, its as if he drank toxic waste or lava.
It's all worth it, for her.
"Mara," Suren said and realized his throat his hoarse. "You are probably mad at me for the reckless act that I did," Suren continued even though Mara did not answer. "I apologize, and I... I am happy that you are here," Suren said and tries to sit up and look at Mara better. "I did what I had to because I... I love you, I am... since we were children, I have always been in love with you," Suren said while he is running out of breath.
Mara did not answer, she stood at the foot of the bed and did not move. Suren is getting nervous. "Mara? Please... if you can, please just say something," Suren pleaded.
"This is really weird," She replied and Suren realized that Mara sounds different. "And very embarrassing for you," the woman moved closer to Suren, Suren then recognized that the woman is not Mara, but Lady Nyssa. "It was sweet, Prince Suren, but I'm not Mara," Nyssa continued and Suren grimaced in disgust.
"WHERE'S MARA?" Suren asks.
"Not here," Nyssa said and Suren threw the covers to the side to get up. "Stop!" Nyssa yelled and held Suren back. "You're very weak right now," Nyssa said and Suren felt that he can't move his legs. "Where's Mara?!" Suren yelled and Nyssa frowns at him, Suren was about to shout again when Nyssa instantly slaps his face.
Suren fell back on the bed. "Stay," Nyssa said to him and Suren held his cheek. "You can't slap a patient and prince, patient, prince, both! You can't slap me because I'm both!" Suren argues. Nyssa raised her hand again to slap Suren and Suren raised both his hands to show surrender. "I surrender!" Suren said to Nyssa.
"Don't you dare shout at me," Nyssa reprimanded Suren. "Where's Lady Mara?" Suren asks in a calm manner, Nyssa went to the side table to pass a cup to Suren. "You took your time waking up, if you had woken up the first day, you could have seen her," Nyssa answered and helps Suren hold the drink.
Suren let the cup touch his lips to test the temperature, the smell alone took him back to the past when he and Hafid Al Ghul used to battle in front of Ra's. They would both end up bloody and wounded entering Ravi-sensei's class, their teacher's smiles would waver while he prepares tea for them. Odd as it sounds, he misses those days. He sipped the tea, he definitely did not miss the taste of the tea.
It's as bitter as he recalls, he and Hafid Al Ghul would act tough and hold out from eating the sugar leaf to erase the bitter taste of the tea but would both lose. "Where's the sugar leaf?" Suren asks and Nyssa passes him a bottle of wine instead. "You're too old for sugar leaf," Nyssa answered.
Suren shrugged and took the bottle, the bottle almost slipped out of his fingers then he paused. "Wait, what do you mean by first day?" Suren asks while Nyssa helps him hold the bottle of wine. "How long have I been asleep?!" Suren asks again. "Long enough for our lady to annihilate everyone in the town where you guys were," Nyssa answered.
"Five days?!" Suren asks and Nyssa took the cup from him. "Don't be ridiculous, she did it in three," Nyssa replied. "Nobody stopped her?" Suren asks and Nyssa stares at Suren. "Would you?" Nyssa challenges him.
"Not exactly," Suren replied. "You can't, she was truly angry when you did not wake up the first two days. Who can blame her? You are the prince of Tibet who came here to help us and yet you were hurt," Nyssa explained and started peeling an apple. "I spent my whole childhood preparing myself for consuming poison, and now that I did, I see that my training was useless," Suren answered.
"It wasn't useless, a regular person would have died, thanks to your prior lessons, you didn't. You held out long enough for us to cure your damaged artery and stomach," Nyssa said and sliced the apple. "My artery and stomach?" Suren asks.
"Yes, you vomited blood from your stomach," Nyssa answered. "I don't know if I should be worried about you or my niece, every time you coughed blood out, I can see another person's head rolling down from Mara's eyes," Nyssa added and Suren became quiet, oddly it made him happy that Mara is worried about him.
Mara cares enough about him to go on a murder spree.
"I know that smile," Nyssa commented. "I know you think that my niece committing murder is romantic but it's still murder, I don't recommend it as a gesture of love," Nyssa added but Suren is still smiling. "I'll give you something to frown about," Nyssa said and sat on a chair. "Your people are declaring you to come home, and they don't want you to come back here ever," Nyssa announced which made Suren truly scowl.
"That's not something my people get to decide, I am the prince," Suren said with dignity. "Sorry to burst your bubble, your highness, but you were poisoned. You can't honestly think that drinking poison will not come with a consequence," Nyssa answered him and Suren looks around.
"I was expecting a stomach ache not a protest from my people," Suren replied, Nyssa took the bottle of wine from him. "Just a reminder because you might have forgotten this, but you're the last Darga, you are the only one who carries the Darga blood and we're kinda the reason why," Nyssa reminds him why his people are worried.
"How did they even know that I was poisoned?" Suren asks. "Probably because half of your people are here aiding our people, and what kind of people are we if we hid the fact that you, their prince, was poisoned?" Nyssa asks him and Suren groaned in frustration.
"Yes, exactly, that is what my niece looks and sounds like for the past 3 days," Nyssa points out and Suren made a face of frustration. "What about you? Were you helping her?" Suren asks with concern which made Nyssa's face contort with anger. "Was I helping her?! Motherfucker! I can't remember the last time I drank!" Nyssa shouted at Suren with anger then took a swig of the wine.
"You're drinking right now," Suren points out. "THIS IS NOT COUNTED! I won't get drunk from this!" Nyssa said and pointed at the bottle. "I can't remember the last time I got laid too," Nyssa added which Suren back away from, it's not the kind of conversation he wants to have with Mara's aunt.
"Anyway, I'm glad you're awake now because Mara has no idea how to keep your people from protesting further. She's gonna run out of people to kill and solution soon just to appease your people," Nyssa said to him.
"I need to see Mara," Suren decided and finished the apples that Nyssa sliced for him. He put down his feet on the ground, some of his strength has come back. "You might want to get dressed," Nyssa said and Suren touched the thick fur robe he is wearing.
"I mean, wear underwear," Nyssa pointed at Suren's nether region that he did not notice was peeking out of his robe. "What the~!" Suren said in embarrassment and quickly covered up. "Don't worry I have no interest in your male parts," Nyssa said to him casually. "I like women way more," Nyssa added.
Mara stopped Samita from following her, he gestures for him to wait outside while the two assassins guarding the door moved to open it for Mara. Mara glances at Samita, he is a loyal dog, and a bloody one too. "Clean yourself up," Mara said to the assassin whose clothes is dripping with blood.
Samita faces her, he bows and waited for the doors to close behind her. She's in no better condition, she has bloodstains on her face and more on her clothes and shoes, some are dry and some are fresh. She wiped a few of the blood from her skin but she requires a bath and not a mere wet towel. Mara lifts up the ends of her bloody skirt as she climbs up the tower.
The red tower is a secluded tower that serves as a prison for the royal family, this is also Mara's childhood home. She did not know before why she and her father used to live in the red tower, she did not see the red tower as a prison before, it was the only home she knew. Every night, Dusan al Ghul would walk them back to the red tower, they'd sleep, get meals, and they were not allowed to leave without following their schedule.
After her father was sent to exile, Ra's Al Ghul imprisoned Mara inside the red tower for a week. She did not know what was happening, all she knows was that she was alone in the red tower, nobody came to see her, and she wasn't allowed to go outside.
They fed her hard or burnt bread, spoiled milk, and uncooked potatoes. They did not give her water to drink, a blanket to warm her in the cold snowy night, or firewood. Ra's Al Ghul ordered for the wide window to be open for two purposes; to let the cold air in and see if she will die from freezing, or she will jump out of the window to her death.
Mara closes her eyes and tries to forget the ugly memories. When she passed a week without dying, Ra's Al Ghul opened the other facilities in the red tower such as the bathroom and boiler room. Mara reached the top floor, iron cell separated her from Talia al Ghul.
Talia is sitting on a red velvet armchair with a book on her lap. She was stripped of her pieces of jewelry, nice dress, and make-up. She looks older than she used to without all the layers of cosmetics she usually has on, and her hair is still the same silky black.
There is more furniture now in the red tower compared to when she used to be imprisoned with her father. "Mara," Talia said without looking at her, Talia uncrosses her legs and closed the book on her lap. "Or should I say, Lady Mara?" Talia said and stood elegantly. "This place looks better than when you used to live here doesn't it?" Talia asks and Mara stayed quiet.
It is definitely different, when she and her father was imprisoned, they weren't allowed to hang paintings on the wall, drape velvet curtains on the barred windows, animal fur rugs, or have a bed with more than pillows that she can use-- simply, they are not allowed to have any property or possessions. "But this place is very much like you still," Talia continued and walks around the room, she stops in front of a pitcher of water. Talia poured herself some water on a wooden serving cart.
"Fake!" Talia said with so much repugnance. She threw the glass of water towards Mara, the water splashed on her but the plastic drinking glass bounced on the iron cell wall. "Everything here is fake, just like you," Talia started with anger while Mara silently wipes her face.
"That painting is fake, those flowers are plastic, that chair is fake, it is not real velvet which irritates my skin," Talia complains. "This dress is horrid!" Talia said and pointed at her gray nightgown. "That rug is synthetic fur! It is giving my feet rashes!" Talia continues. "And the food tastes disgusting! What am I supposed to do with ground beef soup?! Feed it to the rats?" Talia yelled.
"That's not possible, the red tower is cleaned thoroughly every week, there are no rats here," Mara finally answered. Mara can't even see a speck of dust what more of a rat? "And you know well why we can't serve you any other kind of food but in a form of minced meat," Mara added which made Talia smirk.
"Are you scared that I'd try to hurt your servants with animals bones again?" Talia asks and Mara sighed.
"You stabbed a maid in the thigh with a chicken bone, blinded a guard with t-bone, and punctured a servant with fish bones," Mara stated and Talia laughed wickedly. "Ah yes, fun times," Talia commented. It's not very fun for your victims, Mara thought.
"You'll be next... usurper," Talia said to her which made Mara raise her brow at her. "You don't belong on the throne," Talia hissed at her as she walks closer to the bars. "I'm not sitting on it," Mara answered. "Like you," Mara added which made Talia twitch in anger.
"You should have died in this tower," Talia spat at her. "I should have gutted you like a fish the moment you were born from your whore of a mother," Talia said to Mara which made Mara flinch, she never knew her mother, and the topic about her mother was never discussed.
"You know my mother?" Mara asks and Talia smiled wickedly for getting under Mara's skin. "Who is she?" Mara asks while Talia smiles in triumph. "...you're just playing with my head," Mara answered and sighed. "It doesn't matter, I did not come here for that," Mara said and Talia is watching her.
"It comes back to you doesn't it?" Mara asks Talia. Mara pulled out the purple flowers from her loose sleeve and showed them to Talia, Talia simply smiled and raised her brows, challenging Mara. Mara dropped the flowers on the ground and she stares at Talia. "Did you like my gift?" Talia asks wickedly.
"The only reason why you're head has not been removed from your neck is because I respect my-- I respect Damian," Mara said to Talia angrily. "My, my, my... brother? Is that what you are going to say?" Talia asks her with an ominous voice. "So you think you can stand in the same ground as my son?" Talia mocks her.
"He was the one who put me on the ground you speak of," Mara replied with the same assertiveness. "He has grown weak, he has leveled himself to the likes of you," Talia said with disgust. "The likes of me? Who does he need to level with? You? You're in a prison cell," Mara replied and Talia grew angry.
"You should have drank that poison," Talia said and looks at the Nightshade flowers that Mara dropped on the floor. "I will find whoever is still working for you and display their heads right outside your window," Mara said to Talia. "Or, I will have their heads sent right inside your cell, so you can watch them rot like you will, in this prison," Mara grits her teeth and Talia glares at her.
"This is your final warning, don't you dare poison me again," Mara said to Talia and turned her back on her.
"That's fine, I can always poison everyone around you," Talia answered smoothly. "I'll start with the boy who was already poisoned," Talia added which made Mara furious, she swiftly turns around and punched Talia in the nose through the bars.
Talia stumbled backward while holding her bleeding nose. "Don't you fucking dare," Mara snarled at Talia. "Are you trying to tell me that you actually care about the Darga Prince?" Talia asks her while she clutches her nose. Mara stares at Talia, she cares about Suren, she was angry when he got hurt in her stead, and she was worried when he is not waking up.
If Damian was in the same situation... she's sure she'd be furious too. "I think... I love him," Mara answered confidently. Talia stares at her then started laughing hysterically. "You? You are incapable of love, you did not receive such a thing from anyone! How would you know how to love?" Talia insults her.
"I learned how, from Ravi-sensei, Damian, and Suren. No thanks to any of you," Mara answered but Talia continues to laugh. "You don't know anything about love," Talia continued. "I love him like I love Damian, Suren is my brother," Mara stated and finally walks away.
Talia kept laughing until Mara left the tower. "She is so much like her mother," Talia said as she looks at the Nightshade flowers that Mara left. "So confused about love," Talia added and picks up a flower through the bars.
She recalls the nameless female assassin who was pregnant with Mara, she had a small lovely face, her body was jarred with scars from training. She was confident to give Mara up after giving birth to her; she was going to give birth, give them the baby, and continue being an assassin of the demon head as if the child was never hers.
She never loved or cared for the baby growing inside her, she hated Dusan for impregnating her, she doesn't care about Mara, and she was prepared to live as an assassin after giving birth. She wanted to be over the pregnancy as soon as she can, she did not want to look at her baby at all. The midwife had to force the female assassin to hold Mara so she can be fed, the assassin was disgusted with the wee creature soiled in blood, and had to suck on her nipple to survive.
Talia had to watch over the childbirth, it was normal childbirth unlike what she had, but despite that, she understood the next event that occurred. While Mara was sucking from her mother's breast, the female assassin gazed upon her baby and something about her changed.
She fixed the way she held her baby, she never took her eyes off of her again, and she studied every detail of her child. Talia understood, she held her children before. Such small fascinating things, so weak and helpless, you want to give them the world and also protect them from it.
The female assassin learned and saw true love for the first time, it is the kind of love that confused her, Talia saw it in her face. Confusion, she thought she did not care for the child, she thought it did not matter, but now everything seemed to change. Love, she fell in love with her innocent child.
Love, it was the kind of love that confused her. Love, it was the kind of love that made her question what she is doing. Love, it was the kind of love that was stronger than her loyalty to the Demon head. The female assassin looks at Talia, Talia can almost read her thoughts on her face.
Talia watched and waited, a hand on her thigh holsters. I need to escape, those words are almost flashing in the face of the female assassin while she held her baby tightly. Talia touched her gun and the female assassin saw it.
Fear, there is finally fear in her face, not for her face but for her baby. "Law samaht," (Trans: Please) She whispered, it was the first time she spoke. She has been diligently following everything they told her, and she agreed to everything but now she is pleading. The female assassin got down from the bed and held Mara, she kisses Mara's head with a whimper.
The female assassin looks at Talia. "Min fadlik daena nadhhab," (Trans: Please, let us go) the female assassin cries and limps toward Talia, the female assassin is still in pain from the childbirth. "Min fadlik sayidati , daeuna nadhhab," (Trans: Please, my lady, let us go) she cried and walks closer to Talia.
Talia looks at her but did not speak. The woman trembles and limps as she walks, she walks past Talia with Mara in her arms. She is crying and relief floods her as Talia lets her walk away with a baby with royal blood, despite the pain from normal pregnancy, she kept walking towards the door-- towards her freedom. "hayatuk laysat lak , 'iinaha hayatina." (Trans: Your life is not yours, it is ours.) Talia said.
"lidhalik , fa'iina al'amr yaeud lana 'iidha 'aradna dhalik," (Trans: Therefore it is ours to take if we want to) Talai continued and pulls out her gun, with a loud blast, she shoots the female assassin's back. Blood pooled on her back, and she fell on her knees, the baby cried loudly, and the woman fell on the ground as she embraces her child.
The noise alerted everyone, they came rushing back inside the room with alarm. They see the female assassin on the floor, dead. Talia walks towards the dead woman, she pointed her gun at the crying baby. "Talia!" Dusan shouted at her.
One day, Talia thought to herself, Mara Al Ghul will also discover that love is not a simple thing that you can decide on. Like her mother, she will discover love and when she does, Talia prays that it will also be the death of her. Talia crushed the flower in her hand.
"I see," Damian said to Athanasia via phone call. "For what its worth, I'm glad Darga is not dead. His death would cause a ton of problems for us," Damian added, Raven is watching curiously, and Mar'i is sleeping in Raven's arms.
"Thank you for informing me sister," Damian said and the phone call ended. "Did something happen?" Raven asks and Damian slips his phone into his pocket. "Suren Darga was poisoned," Damian answered with a bothered expression. "How is he?" Raven asks.
"He's alright, he finally woke up and Mara found the culprit," Damian replied and took Raven's hand to place it on his cheek. When Raven used to have powers, she would place her hand on his cheek and release a calming spell even though it doesn't fully work on him, Damian said that it helps him relax a bit.
"You're still worried," Raven said and Damian's expression hardened. "The culprit was my mother, she was trying to poison Mara," Damian explained. "There are still those who are loyal to my mother and believe that I should be the one ruling in Nanda Parbat, not Mara," Damian continued. "Damian it's not your fault," Raven said and leaned her forehead on Damian's.
"It's my mother's, but I can't kill my mother nor order, someone, to do it. Mara is keeping my mother alive because she's my mother," Damian explained. "The sole solution that we can consider is tightening the security around my mother, and punishing those caught working for her," Damian said with a rigid expression.
"But it's risky, we don't know how many people are working for her and I am putting Mara and the others at risk by keeping my mother alive. Punishing the people who work for my mother will not help Mara's reputation either," Damian sighed in frustration and neither Raven can think of a solution. "I'll be fine beloved, I'll think of a way to fix this," Damian said and smiled at Raven.
Damian touched the back of Raven's head and kisses her forehead. "You know exactly how to ease my worries," Damian said to her with a half-smile. "I did not even do anything," Raven answered. "I don't have magic remember?" Raven reminds him.
"You don't need magic to calm me down, I only need you," Damian replied and held Raven's chin. "Little D!" Dick calls to Damian as soon as he enters the Batcave. "Tt, dammit," Damian cursed because of the interruption. "Baby bird!" Dick called out excitedly. "What?!" Damian snapped at his brother. "Stop yelling Grayson, I'm not deaf, also your baby is sleeping," Damian said and pointed at Mar'i who is sleeping peacefully in Raven's arms.
"Hi, Raven!" Dick greets Raven with a friendly smile, he is holding a package box. "Something came in the mail for you," Dick said to Damian excitedly and shakes the box to listen to what is inside. "It's heavy," Dick commented.
"Who is it from?" Damian asks and Dick takes a look at the box. "Didn't say," Dick replied as he searches the box for a sender's name. "Give it to me," Damian said and snatched the box from Dick. Damian got a knife out of his shoe and sliced the top of the box.
"Do you have knives hidden in your clothes all the time?" Dick asks Damian. "You don't?" Damian asks with scrutiny while he opens the package. "Is that cheese?" Dick asks and Raven takes a peek. There are different slices of cheese inside the package with sealed wax papers. Damian took one and held the cheese, he opens the cheese. "Roquefort," Damian stated.
"Do you eat cheese?" Dick asks Damian.
"Of course I do, I'm a vegetarian, not a vegan," Damian said and passed the box to Dick, he uses his small knife to cut a piece of the cheese. "These look expensive," Dick commented as he looks at the other tiny cheese wheels inside the box. Damian tasted the tiny piece and looks at Raven. "Smoked gouda with herbs," Dick said and picks up the oval-shaped cheese, he opens it and was about to take a bite. "Grayson," Damian said and Dick stopped.
"It's poisoned," Damian said casually and swallowed the piece he is eating. Dick dropped the cheese back inside the box and hurriedly squished Damian's face. "Spit it out! Why did you swallow it?! Vomit it out now!" Dick yelled with fear. "Emergency! This is an emergency!" Dick yelled as he embraces Damian's head.
"Grayson, unhand me," Damian complains.
"Raven! Call Alfie!" Dick panics while Damian rolls his eyes.
"Grayson, stop yelling. I'm fine," Damian replied.
"But you said it's poisoned!" Dick continued to yell.
"I was trained to ingest poison since I was a baby, way before Suren Darga started his poison intolerance training," Damian explained. "That much poison cannot kill me," Damian added while Raven simply watched with utter shock. "But still--" Dick said with a sad face. "I develop tolerance to all types of poison known and unknown to man, I'm fine," Damian said with assurance.
"Right now, we need to find the culprit. Have Gordon scan the box for fingerprints, whoever sent this is still in Gotham seeing that the package was not from any mail company. The culprit brought this him or herself," Damian said and walked towards the table to get his sword.
"Do you know who probably did this?" Dick asks and follows Damian to get Batarangs. "My mother is the mastermind," Damian answered. "Talia?" Dick asks. "It's a warning," Damian answered then glanced at Raven. "Stay here with Mar'i, we'll be back soon," Damian said to Raven, he and Dick left the Batcave.
Damian did not even ask Raven if she wants to come, unlike before when she had powers, Damian would allow and even invite Raven to come with him on missions or tasks, but it's different now. She has noticed the changes but she can't say anything about it.
She knows she caused Damian to be protective of her.
Raven sighed in frustration, it did not occur to her that this is how it's going to be for her now. Damian will be going through missions without her, she will be left while her friends and boyfriend save the world.
She hears something and sees Goliath from her peripheral vision sniffing inside the package that Damian left. "Goliath!" Raven calls to the bat-dragon that seems to be planning on eating the poisoned cheese. Raven puts Mar'i down on the chair and ran towards the large animal.
"No! Goliath, no," Raven said and tries to pull the bat-dragon's face from the box but the animal wouldn't budge. "No!" Raven said and tries to kick the box away instead, the stubborn bat-dragon followed the box and buried its face in it. "Goliath! Stop it," Raven said in desperation when suddenly a green sphere was launched at them. Goliath and Raven jump back, the green sphere hits the box and instantly burnt it.
Raven and Goliath look in the direction where the green sphere was fired and they see Mar'i sitting on the chair, her hand is extended, her eyes and hand are glowing green. "Azar," Raven muttered.
Mar'i has shown her powers again, after Dick and Kory's wedding, never saw Mar'i use her powers again until today. Goliath sees that the whole package was burnt, it roared angrily and Mar'i cried in response. "Ssh!" Raven said and scooped the baby into her arms.
Goliath opened its large wings and flew up, Mar'i followed Goliath with her glowing green eyes, and suddenly Raven is pulled up. Mar'i started floating and she's bringing Raven with her. "Mar'i!" Raven exclaimed.
Oh, dear Azar, they are instantly up in the air and far from the ground. Raven held on to Mar'i tightly, while the baby tries to follow the flying bat-dragon. "Gar! Garr!" Mar'i babbles with her arms open, trying to catch Goliath.
Azar, Azar, the height truly bothers Raven now that she can no longer fly. "Mar'i, you need to stop," Raven said when they are almost reaching the cave's roof. "Mar'i," Raven said and the baby finally stopped babbling, there is fear in Raven's eyes that Mar'i took notice of. "You need to bring us back to the ground," Raven said to the baby, she's not sure if the baby understands her but Mar'i looks down and sees that the ground they are stepping on is ver far.
"Waaah!" Mar'i cried loudly and they both started falling, the worse part is they are falling into the Batcave's abyss, they went past the ground they were at earlier, and the cave's chasm is dark and empty. "Aah!" Raven screamed.
She did not know what was in or under the cave's abyss, all she knows is that they avoided falling in, and that is exactly what is happening to her and Mar'i. "Help!" Raven's voice echoed in the cave's dark fall.
---
Damian and Jon