[ a l i n a ]

"Where have you been?" Taliana asks me, as she stands by my doorstep. She's starting to act like my mother now.

"Outside." I reply bitterly, taking a look around my room.

It has been renovated, to my liking. This used to be my parent's suite. Nathan thought it was too much, so he gave this one up for a regular suite. He didn't want to be surrounded with my parent's belongings.

Everything here was simple yet classy. "You just can't go outside! It's too dangerous! Talia might be hiding in a corner, waiting to catch you! And I hate the fact that we almost have the same damn name!" She sighs, crossing her arms.

"Then let her." I sigh, looking out the window. The snow was starting to melt.

"You have to be careful with them. If someone sees you, you're dead." She retorts, her black hair styled in a french braid. She wore a knitted sweater, along with a simple brown skirt. No matter how much Ariana tried to deny it, Taliana dod have a sense in fashion.

"I need you to arrange a meeting with the ministers."

"Again?"

"Yes, I'll tell them about my final decision."

"So, will you take the crown or not?"

"You'll have to see." I sigh, closing the curtains, completely blocking the sun.

Liana steps in, taking a seat on my sofa. She seems puzzled, her deep maroon eyes seemed..lost.

"After everything that's happened. Your parents, Aunt Genera's suicide.. Michael's disappearance.."

I close my eyes, chasing away those horrid, putrid memories.

Aunt Genera, Ariana's mum. She hung herself a few months ago, on the day of her late husband's birthday.

Ariana doesn't talk about it, ever. She tries to keep it away from her life, but I know she's having difficulties.

I can only hope she's doing okay, over there, in Gotham. Hopefully she'll find a man, someone to take care of her.

This is my wish for her.

_________

[ D A M I A N ]

"I'll stop him." I state, watching Tim, as he went back and forth. He stops, massaging his forehead, as he seethes.

"This is a diversion."

"I know." I answered, as he took a seat in front of me. Rain was pouring hard outside, and Alfred was currently letting the pets in.

"I knew she'd do something like this. I am not going back in this whole vigilante business. I'm done with it." He mutters, looking out the window. "Don't worry, I'll catch her." I reassure him.

"Catch who?" Jason barges in, standing behind the sofa. I bore at him, as he chewed on a large sandwich. He seriously has the time for food when things are this grave?

"Talia. She let the Joker out of the asylum, as a diversion."

"So whatever she does, people won't notice, because they're too focused on the Joker." Alfred suddenly chimes in, a tray full of coffee in between his hands.

"I think he already knows that, but thank you, Alfred." Tim nods, reaching for a cup of coffee.

Alfred gives one to me, then to Jason, his favorite boy. Everyone knows that.

"Me and Tim will go find that green haired arse, you'll go after your mother." Jason states, sipping his coffee.

I nod, taking a sip of the black sugarless liquid.

It's time to face my mother.

_________

[ A L I N A ]

"Your Grace, there's someone who wishes to see you." Celeste, one of the maids, entered. "Yes, who?"

"She introduced herself as Talia Al-Ghul, Your Grace. She mentioned she was an old friend?"

She bows, and my pen instantly snaps into two, shock and rage filling my veins.

And the memories took place.

| three years ago |

"Father, no!"

"Please, please don't leave me!"

•

"Find her! Find that woman,whoever she is! She killed King Thomas and Queen Layla!"
•
"Alina, I'm so sorry, we couldn't find the murderer. She left without a trace!"
•
"Taliana, I know who murdered my parents..."
•
"Alina, Michael's gone missing.."

| present |

I stare at her, closing my eyes, as I try to control my breathing.

Let them go. Let the memories go..

"Is everything alright?" She asks, and I nod, standing up. It's time to face her. "Yes, tell her to wait for me in the gardens. And do not inform anyone about this meeting." Celeste nods, walking away. As the door closes behind her, my fists clench, and fingers shook wildly.

"Argh!" I boasted, my fingers grasping the edge of the desk, flipping it, crashing it against the walls. I stop, realizing what I just did. I've made a hole in the wall.

I brush my hair with my fingers, as I walk towards the mirror. My lips curves into a smile, trying my best to hide my pain. Nobody has to know. I breathe in, and out, as my fingers gripped the edge of my buttoned shirt. I'm ready now.

~

As I walk against the gravel, the sound resonating throughout the palace garden, my eyes found my way on the beautiful flowers, although they were dead, due to the winter. Roses, dahlias, blossom trees.. My mother loved the garden, maybe more than she loved me. Ariana made sure to keep the garden as my mother left it. As for me, I focused more on what my father left behind, not my mother's..

My feet abruptly stopped, as my eyes found a figure. A woman, tall, her dark eyes staring at me, a soft, delicate smile; her black hair blown by the wind.

Talia Al-Ghul.

She walks towards me, inspecting me, an unreadable look on her face. She wore a dark blouse, along with black pants. Although I trace no weapons on her, I know she's carrying some. Talia Al-Ghul does not go anywhere without a weapon.

Talia grasped both the sides of my face, staring at me with caring eyes. Lies.

Everything this woman stands for are lies.

"Don't touch me." I spat, slapping her hands away. I can kill her right now.. but that's not me. I won't be killing anyone.
Not now, not ever.

She stares at me silently. Those deadly eyes that used to occupy my nightmares, has no effect on me now whatsoever.

"Don't worry, I came alone." She sighs, walking towards me.

"I've watched you grow." She mutters, examining my eyes, her fingers softly brushing against my cheeks, in which I quickly backed away.

"I've watched you turn into a beautiful girl. Graceful, caring, honest and above all strong and brave." She sighs, a little smile forming on the edge of her lips.

"But behind all that beauty, something else was growing. Anger, great anger. All the pain, all the.. betrayal. People leaving you, one by one. And it transformed you into something else. Something like me."

"I'm not like you." I spit out, removing her dirty hands away from my face.

"I'm nothing like you!"

"I'm the reason you turned like this, girl! I gave you the serum, I've given you abilities! And now tell me, what are you trying to do!? You are trying to eliminate me, is that it?! You should be thanking me, you ungrateful child!" She seethes, raising her hand, aiming it towards my face.

Before she could get any closer towards me, I grabbed it, sending a fist towards her.
She stumbled backwards, as she looked up at me, blood oozing from her nose.

"See? You are exactly like me."

"I never asked for this. I never did. And I'm not like you." I mutter. The wind blew away the dried leaves,

A long time ago, I looked up to this woman.

I called her my hero. A mother I never had.

But as I grew up, she slowly showed her true face..

A cold-hearted monster, ready to destroy and tarnish everything that stands in her way.

"I know. That's why you have to go."

I stare at her, confused, as she takes a few steps back. Something's not right..

And before I could realize what was going on,

She threw a knife towards me.

And the next thing I felt, was an excruciating pain on my leg.

I looked down, blood everywhere. But something's not right. I'm feeling another kind of pain. I frown, my fingers brushing against my left leg.

I gasp, the pain filling in.

"You poisoned the blade, didn't you?"

__________

OH GOSH, guys.

Next chapter is just,

NO WORDS.

Just brace yourselves.

____________________________

I. Seriously. Can't. Wait. For. Justice. League.

I hope at least a Robin shows up in the movie, I don't care which!

I know it's basically impossible, but a girl can hope, right? 😭

So, next chapter.. *insert billion smiling emojis*

I guess you'll have to wait! Don't worry, I've already pre-written it, it's almost done!

Thank you for reading, love you guys so much!

(P.S. : don't forget to vote ❤)

-Sophia ⚜️