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KNOWN TO MOST AS THE DAUGHTER OF THE GHOUL, or simply referred to by her name: Talia, was a woman known for being much more than just the beauty she possesses. Her skills and cleverness remained outmatched by many, and yet she had a heart of gold despite the assumptions people made of her because of her lineage.
Ra’s Al Ghul was a man that held a high reputation, one that made people both fear and respect him because of it. He was a man known for cheating death countlessly, of being somewhat immortal. Living as long as he did he was bound to have knowledge unlike most, having lived many lives to sharpen his knowledge and become who he was now.
The Head of the Ghoul.
Though she may have stayed with her father despite it all, she had only done it because she loved him, Ra’s was her father and nothing could ever change that. She had kept that mentality, that excuse that he was an important person in her life to try to remain by his side, until The Batman came into the picture.
The Batman was not one to let the crimes of her father slide, and though at first it had not went this way (Ra’s had favored the Dark Knight and had even proposed for him to be with Talia, which brought her joy since she had already loved him to begin with) she knew that her beloved was right.
However . . . it was hard for her to choose. After all, both of them were important men in her life; Ra’s, the father that raised her and helped contribute to the woman she was now and Bruce, the man she found herself falling in love with, knowing he was someone who was true to his word and would save lives like he promised.
How was she to choose from them to both?
It was a cruel position to put her through, watching her father and lover be pinned together countless of times over their different methods of helping this world, however deep down Talia knew Batman was right, her father’s way wasn’t the answer.
Yet, it saddened her, to know that she had no choice but to believe this as well. Talia had spent her life admiring her father, nearly following him blindlessly if she wasn’t shown that what she believed his efforts to be were not sincere.
She oftentimes considered herself a fool, but on others, she would feel betrayed. How was she to know how wrong he was when her love for her father would keep her from seeing it? It was only natural for a child to see their parents in only good light, but Talia was no child, not anymore. She learned to accept the truth, to accept the fact that her father was not doing what he always claimed he was.
Leaning against the elegant railing of her bedroom’s balcony, Talia looked down at the view she had of the mountains surrounding her, the peaceful atmosphere relieving her as she took in calming breaths. The time came when she had to take sides, the very thing she had been dreading since the moment she discovered who her father really was.
The faint sound of footsteps caught Talia’s attention, causing her to turn her head to the side the slightest to catch the sight of the one she knew was in her company. A small smile came to her almost instinctively at the sight of them, her hands moving away from where they rested on the railing.
“Talia . . .” A face marked with stern lines faced her, his harsh features somewhat softening once she met his gaze.
There stood her love, right now as Bruce Wayne, clad in the Batman costume with only his face revealed to her and only her. His stern voice was ever so soft whenever it was directed at her, a detail Talia had begun to detect over the time they spent together. “You know what I must do.”
She simply nodded, “Yes, habibi , I do.” Talia then turned around completely, facing Bruce as the wind blew against her white silk dress accented with gold that matched her chandelier earrings, layered necklaces, and bangles on both her wrists. She was a sight for sore eyes—or any eyes in general, really.
“I’m sorry,” he glanced downward, the expression on his face sincere enough for her to understand that his words were genuine.
Talia had known that before her father went too far, Ra’s used to mean someone to Bruce once before, but now that was all gone the moment he started taking lives thoughtlessly in the belief that their sacrifices would result in the perfect world he dreamed of. If he had not gone down this path, Talia believed that Bruce and Ra’s could’ve been like father and son, but that was something that could not be possible, not anymore.
Taking a shaky breath, Talia closed her eyes and gained courage to ask something she had been wishing was possible. She knew it was naive and perhaps too late but . . . she still had to try. She could not give up, not so soon. Talia knew her father wouldn’t have if it was her instead, she knew he’d fight at all costs to bring back his little girl.
Opening her eyes, she kept a refined look about her as she spoke calmly, “I am not asking this as someone who condones this but instead as a daughter who loves her father very much . . .” She paused to collect herself, glancing down at her hands, bangles jingling as she clasped them together. “Please, if there is a way to bring him back then I beg of you to do so. I do not think I can afford to lose my father, but if it is the only option then so be it. I just want to give him one more chance, that is all I ask, habibi .”
Bruce’s lips downturned the slightest but he simply nodded, walking over to hold Talia’s hands in his. It was something small and yet it meant so much to her, having him so close and feeling his calloused palms underneath hers. She looked up at him, their faces just inches apart, her hooked nose nearly brushing against his own.
“If there’s a chance I can get him back to you, I would.” He promised quietly, his blue eyes scanning her features thoroughly.
“Thank you, omri .” She sighed in relief, hoping that somehow they could bring him back to keep him from going further and further away, but another part of her, the realistic part, doubted it.
She attempted to ignore it, to instead relish in the moment she was sharing with the man she loved dearly. As his arms slowly wrapped around her waist, he tugged her closer to him, to which she wrapped her arms around his neck.
Gazing lovingly at each other, they soon enough slowly closed their eyes, sharing one last passionate kiss before they set off to do what they knew had to be done.