Sour Candy | T. Drake ✔

[34] Cousin

Bruce had agreed to let Damian visit his mother but on one condition that he would take Cassandra along with him. So both Dami and Cass left for Nanda Parbat as soon as it was possible for them.

Damian had been very uneasy ever since he had received Talia's message of allowing him to withdraw as her successor. But it seemed as if she hadn't yet told the League of her decision because when he arrived at the base, the people bowed to him and parted way for him respectfully just like it was done for a future leader.

He stopped outside the throne room, sending a message in to inform his mother that he had come to visit. Though it seemed Talia had seen him enter the base as the gates to the throne room parted and they were both allowed stepped in.

Talia Al Ghul was sitting on her high chair gracefully, lips turning up in a welcoming smile to see her son. She rose from the chair elegantly, identical emerald eyes shining with delight.

"Damian, my son... How much you have grown since I last saw you," her hands rested upon his shoulders as he came to stand in front of her.

"Salaam, Ummi," he replied, bowing his head respectfully.

She nodded, smile widening as she gestured him to sit on the chair beside her while gestured a man to bring another chair for Cass after which she dismissed very other person in the room.

"I don't believe that is my place anymore," Damian remarked, eyeing the chair she had gestured him to sit on.

"I haven't yet made it official, son, sit down."

Damian nodded and sat down on the chair though his unease was evident from his tightly knitted features.

"So, what brings you here? If I had known all I had to do to see you was send a message, I would have done that way earlier."

He turned to face her, getting to the topic without further ado, "I want to know why all of a sudden you agreed to let me withdraw even though earlier you had been so against it."

"Ah, that... I just changed my mind," she replied vaguely though she was aware that her son wouldn't believe that.

He looked at her pointedly, "you've found another successor, haven't you?"

She raised an eyebrow as if amused, watching his features knit together, "ah... Is that jealousy I detect, Damian?"

"No, I just want to be sure there are no other strings attached and this is not a trick."

Her eyes flashed at that remark, "you still doubt me."

"Unfortunately, Mother, I have seen you both at your best and your worst." On the contrary, Damian was calm, "I don't doubt you but I do know you very well."

Her jaw had clenched slightly but she kept herself composed as well, not wanting to get into an argument with her son upon meeting him after so many years.

"There are no strings attached," she replied after the short pause, "the second you withdraw your rank, you're free never to return here."

The words hurt because she knew it meant she would never see Damian again but if that was what he wanted, then so be it.

"And who will be the successor instead of me?" He asked, "as far as I recall, there was no other member in your family to take up the rank."

Her eyes sparked with an unfathomable glint as she chuckled softly, "oh yes, as far as you remember. It's been long since you left, Damian. A lot has changed. There has been an... Addition... To the family."

He looked at her as if slightly irritated as she was not giving him a straight answer. "Why do you twist the topic each time I ask you to let me meet that person? Do I have a sibling now that I don't know about? Or a cousin perhaps?"