Intoxicating Desires | T. Al Ghul ✔

[36]

Damian stood beside his mother, eyes locked onto the gates through which another Al Ghul family member was about to enter. He was going to meet his uncle for the first time and he wanted to leave a good impression on him.

He knew from the fond way Talia mentioned her brother Dusan that he was someone important to his mother. And everyone important to Talia automatically became important to Damian as well.

Deep down, he was both eager and nervous to meet Dusan Al Ghul.

He had heard Dusan was one of the best Commanders the League had had, responsible for the victory against their toughest opponent; Persia. He also knew that as the eldest Dusan should have been the heir to the Demon Head if Ra's Al Ghul hadn't personally chosen Talia for the title.

So his uncle was definitely a person he needed to impress. He felt it was a given and since Dusan was close to Talia, it would be even better if Damian managed to prove his worth to him too.

The gates parted and a snowy white horse marched in with an equally fair and tall rider mounted upon it. Damian paused as he hadn't expected that his uncle would have such a light complexion, almost rivaling the white snow that settled around the base in winter.

No wonder he stood out among them all, his appearance rather striking as compared to the rest of them.

He had unmounted from his house and the servants took his horse to the stable and his luggage to his room. Damian stood still as an arrow about to be launched while Talia stepped forward to greet her brother.

"Welcome home, brother," she greeted, a smile playing upon her lips as she let him embrace her.

Dusan's eyes flickered toward the young boy standing far off as he remarked, "time passes much more swiftly than I thought."

"Yes, it does. Come, I want you to meet your nephew."

Damian got even more alert as his mother brought Dusan over. He could feel the man's eyes rest on him as if observing him silently but his expressions were free of judgment, a gentle smile playing upon his lips.

He was very unlike his grandfather, Damian thought.

"Damian, this is your uncle Dusan," she introduced the two of them, "and Dusan, this is m son Damian."

"Hello Damian," he gently patted his head, ensuing quite a shocked reaction from him, "it's nice to see such a fine young lad is my nephew."

Talia laughed, seeing immediately that Dusan liked the boy, "come, you must be tired after your journey. I ordered a feast to be prepared for you."

"Ah, no need to treat me as a guest."

Damian hadn't spoken a word as he followed his mother and uncle to the dining hall. He was thinking about why Dusan was so different from them and what did he think about him.

If he had been anything like his grandfather, then Damian would know that he could be impressed by following orders and proving his worth in the combat sessions. But Dusan did not seem to be that sort of person at all.

He would have to figure out how to get in his good graces although it seemed the man was already fond of him due to their relationship of uncle and nephew.

***

Veruna had come to the turrets to be by herself for some time. She was glad that Dusan had come to stay at the base but for the time being, she needed some time to herself.

Those days she had been very busy and seldom got any time to relax. Before Damian had to leave for the fort, Talia appointed her to train her son and she had quite a hard time doing so.

Damian was a little brat, vicious and ruthless and he constantly kept her on her toes. He was good when it came to training and learned all she taught him but then he would keep on testing her to see whether he could outsmart her or not.

As a result, she always had to be on guard as the boy had a habit of testing her with surprise attacks. It wasn't until she once caught him keeping animals in the basement that they came to an agreement; she would help him care for his pets and in return, he would stop being a menace to her.

"Veruna," a familiar voice shook her out of her thoughts and she turned to see Dusan step closer to her.

"Master Dusan," she bowed her head in greeting and he nodded, coming to stand beside her.

"I met Saahir on the way here," he told her and she stiffened, not expecting what he would say next, "and I know he's the prince we were unable to find."

Veruna wanted to say something to oppose his statement in order to protect Saahir and he could sense that.

"Don't worry, this will stay between us," he assured her, his voice soft and low so that no one would overhear them, "I gave him my word that I won't let the League come after him or his family."

She was surprised to hear that, "how did you meet him?"

Dusan told her about his stay at Saahir's house and she listened closely. As he was done recounting his stay, he added, "he loves you a lot."

"I know," she breathed, turning her face away to look at the starry sky instead.

"And do you love him too?"

She hung her head, looking down at her hands that were clenched together, "what difference does it make even if I do?"

Dusan knew that feeling very well. He knew she was staying with the League because she felt indebted to them, especially to Talia. She had always put Talia first and disregarded what she wanted herself.

Similarly, she was walking away from the man she loved because she couldn't be with him. And Dusan saw the situation to be painfully similar to his own.

He had to let go of Aliyaah too and Veruna was doing the same. All because of the League and the people they valued in their lives.

One sacrifice for the rest of them and that sacrifice included their own love and happiness.

"He wants me to leave the League and come to live with him but I can't do that," she mumbled, letting out a melancholic sigh, "I don't want to endanger them."

"What if I talk to Talia?" He offered and she turned to look at him, eyes wide in shock.

"No, please don't. I don't know why but she already doesn't like Saahir. She has no idea who he is and she still considers him an enemy," she remarked, "please don't say anything to her that will make her angry."

He considered and then nodded, "alright, I won't say anything to her. But if someday she allowed you to leave herself, will you take up Saahir's offer?"

"There's no use thinking about it because it won't happen," she retrieved her gaze from him and looked ahead at the vast snowy expanse of the forest underneath them.

Smoke was drifting in the distance from the little chimneys of the village houses far away. In one of those houses were Saahir, Assam, and their family. A family that always welcomed her with open arms and no matter how much she wanted to belong with them, she couldn't change her destiny.

"Don't lose hope, Veruna," Dusan remarked as he was about to leave, "and don't give up on your love. Some day soon, you might have to take a decision. And I hope you put yourself first. Don't make the mistakes I made."

***