Chapter Text
Blood didn’t bother her. The dripping wet scarlet liquid that ran though the human body. The loss of such a liquid that could cause death. The thing that some people might faint at the sight of, especially in large quantities of it at once.
No, Aibant Allayl, was not bothered by blood.
She had always been surrounded by it.
By the dark red blood, by the dark shadows that protected her. That allowed her to protect herself and others. Yes, Aibant Allayl lived in the shadows. They were her only friends, the only thing close to companionship.
She knew them well, the shadows. Some would even say, she was a shadow. She could understand that. Everyone who saw her ended up dead.
Well, besides her mistress. The one she served.
Aibant Allayl had no idea why she served Talia al Ghul. She always had one thing that remained a constant. Her service.
After all it was the only thing that mattered. The only thing that matters.
~
The sounds of honking cars and the showering of heavy rain echoed throughout the bustling street. Damian Wayne, sighed to himself leaning his head against the car door window. In the years he had been away from her, he still remembered the faithful, cursed day. Unfortunately for him, today was that day.
July 25th.
The day she left. She promised she’d come back. He waited. Oh, how he waited for her. When he was a child, every day he would get up from his bed and check to see if she had come.
5 years later, he still waited. Though this time he couldn’t wait, not like before anyway. He wasn’t in the League of Assassins anymore. He was in Gotham.
He was Robin. He was a Titan. He was a brother (that was not so thrilling, but a responsibility no less). He was a blood son. He was a hero. Well, he wanted to be one. Should he really keep up the waiting game? For all he knew the person. His person could be dead or worse.
“Damian.”
Damian blinked, snapping out of his thoughts, turning to look at his father.
“Yes, Father?” he answered in a wispy sort of voice, extremely different from his usual don’t-care tones.
“Are you alright?” his father repeated, noticing the strange tone and behaviour from Damian.
Damian nodded, deciding not to trust his voice. Damian turned away from his father continuing to stare out of the window. Watching the rain fall.
Like tears.
~
The door to Aibant Allyal’s living space slammed open.
To the average person, the room would look empty and useless. Dingy and dark, with no sunlight or windows. A ratty, poor excuse for a bed with a tiny broken cupboard that was peeling and jagged at the ends.
But Talia al Ghul was not average, neither was she a fool.
“Aibant! Tueal huna alan!” she yelled out in Arabic.
Silence.
Talia’s eyes scanned over the darkness, looking for a hint of movement. “Nem, eashiqat Taliaan.” came Aibant’s lifeless monotone voice from the left of her.
Talia turned to face the wretched child. “Ladayk muhima.” Talia snapped.
The child nodded, her face emotionless as she walked out of the lifeless room.
Talia paused, watching the child walk ahead. Her posture perfect, her face emotionless, her skills in combat impeccable.
They had made it. The perfect weapon, was finally completed.
Talia smirked to herself. She fully intended to use it.
~
The flickering of Richard John Grayson’s TV was incredibly irritating.
Dick knew that he could just buy a new TV if his broke, but he never seemed to have the time. With him being Nightwing and after the events of Spyral (not to mention his brothers and Bruce’s usual drama).
Down time had become foreign to him.
Sitting down, with a huge packet of popcorn, a giant cup of hot chocolate and a busted television set would have to do for the time being.
He didn’t notice the silent shadow that loomed above him, on the rooftop across. Watching him, as he shovelled popcorn into his mouth. Waiting to strike at any given moment.
Like a fully loaded gun, ready to be fired.
Translations:
Tueal huna alan-Come here now
Nem, eashiqat Taliaan- Yes, Mistress Talia
Ladayk muhima- You have a mission/task