Intoxicating Desires | T. Al Ghul ✔

[32]

Time took its pace and Talia did not reach out to Bruce again. It was almost as if she had severed all ties with Gotham and decided never to visit the city or at least stay away from it for a long enough time.

Ra's Al Ghul had not expected how the tables had turned but he didn't say anything against it as he knew they still had a chance of winning Batman's trust. Plus they now had another possible heir to the League after Talia.

The months had lapsed by swiftly and at last the day came for Talia to be able to hold the result of that one night she had spent with Bruce.

The boy looked extremely like his father, with those intimidating brows and sharp angular features. Only his eyes were emerald green, just like her own and his hair were also jet black similar to hers.

Aside from that, he seemed a replica of Bruce Wayne.

Ra's Al Ghul could have discerned Batman's identity very easily if he had met the billionaire enough for him to remember what he looked like. Because Talia's son who he called Ibn Al Xuffasch, quite literally translating to the son of the Bat, in fact resembled Bruce a lot.

She held the boy in her arms, looking down at his features that reminded her so much of his father and a pang of guilt stabbed her heart.

She had indeed used Bruce Wayne for her own benefit even though she shouldn't have. He probably did not even know that she was right then holding their child because she had made sure he would have no memory left of that night they had shared.

She had gotten what she wanted from him and left him there as if he was just another plaything discarded after serving its purpose. Just another of those many people she had broken in her conquest to reach the top.

Her slender fingers gently raked through the clump of dark hair on the baby's head as she whispered, "he looks exactly like him..."

Veruna noticed a glimmer of sadness but it was in fact that slight guilt stirring up in Talia's heart. She would eventually forget about it as she had a lot waiting ahead of her to achieve but that did not change the fact that she had influenced Bruce and taken advantage of him.

"If I didn't know you, my Lady, I would almost think you felt something for him."

The words were rather straightforward and she knew if she didn't reply, Veruna would immediately ask forgiveness for saying that out of her own accord.

"Predators hardly ever feel anything for the prey they have to feed on," she mumbled, her words darker than the color of her thick long hair, "even if they do feel remorse, at the end of the day, they have to survive too and choices have to be made to ensure that."

Veruna did not say anything to that remark but she had sensed that Talia was upset about it. She had been ever since she had come back from Gotham.

Those past nine months, she hadn't been in her best state of mind and only a few people such as Veruna and Dusan could look past the act she put on daily.

Veruna was worried that Talia actually did feel a lot more for Bruce Wayne than she showed. Perhaps she even loved him and did not admit it due to what she had done to him,

"I did not love him, Vera," she took her by surprise as she resumed further, her voice faltering slightly, "I can not. And even if I felt something for him, it is nothing close to what one would feel for a lover. Nothing like what you could feel for Saahir... Or what I felt for..."

What I felt for you, but those words remained unspoken.

Her voice trailed off and she did not complete the sentence, a morbid feeling gripping her heart. She had decided to let Veruna be free enough to choose who she loved and wanted to be with yet each time she thought about it, her selfish heart would urge her to change her mind.

And then with all that had passed with Bruce, Talia herself was conflicted. She knew she did not love him but never before had she felt guilty for using someone as she did for Bruce.

Veruna could see that her fingers were slightly trembling and her eyes showed the conflict within. She was concerned for Talia and knew she had to distract her before whatever she was thinking could drive her into an unstable state.

"Have you thought of a name, my Lady?" Veruna's voice shook her out of her thoughts and she looked at her, trying to keep herself composed.

She realized that she was referring to the boy in her arms and asking if she had thought of a name for him or not. She closed her eyes briefly, taking in a deep breath to root herself to the present instead of drowning in the worries of the past and future.

"He will be the heir after me," she mumbled in a low voice, watching the child who was peacefully asleep, "I think I should name him Damian..."

The name Damian meant to conquer and considering the boy's ancestors and the fate lying ahead of him, it would be a fitting name for him. He would become the heir to the Demon Head once Talia succeeded to her rank. He would eventually be a conqueror.

Or in Talia's words, he was born to rule.

"Damian Al Ghul," Talia repeated, tenderly stroking his head, "you are destined for great things and you will conquer them all."

He was the son of Batman and the Demon Head's heir. He was indeed destined for great things but had conflicting legacies tying him up to two opposing sides. If Bruce was to ever find out that Damian was his son, she could hardly imagine what his reaction would be.

He should not find out, she decided, handing over the child to Veruna at last so that he could be put into his crib. She would not tell Bruce about Damian's existence nor would she tell Damian who his father was.

She wanted to keep her son away from the world Bruce Wayne lived in. She would make the boy stay close to the heart of the League and train him in accordance to how a future Demon Head should be trained.

Because it was safer that way. And she did not want to take any risks that could sabotage her intricately woven plan that had been set in action the day she had made a deal with Deathstroke.

Some secrets were better left buried deep. Especially the secret linking Damian to Batman.

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