Duty to protect

Differences

From the moment Marinette and Damien Al Ghul were born into the world, they lived in very different worlds.

Damien was whisked away immediately, cared for in every way, ceremonies were enacted and the boy was immediately royalty.

While Marinette, was carried by a guard beside Thalia. No one paid the girl mind.

Her existence was not wanted. They only needed a son to be the heir. A daughter was unexpected and immediately seen as inferior.

Ra's decided to use her as a tool. She could be the shield for Damien. They could not lose an heir. But they could lose her. She was a breathing sacrifice and she knew as such since she could comprehend as such.

Damien dispised it. As they grew up, he burned with anger every time he witnessed his twin being beaten, screamed at or even killed.

The base of her life relied on that of the Lazarus pits. How she had yet to lose complete sanity, was unknown to all including Ra's.

As soon as she could walk, she spent her first year with Nyssa and occasionally Shiva.

Since then, she was passed around the top generals to do as they felt needed with her as long as they made her stronger.

By the age of 5, Marinette learned that in her life, she had no right to emotion. The only thing that could be brought about by it was pain.

No one would admit it, but she had indeed surpassed the demon heir's capabilities with her varied training from top assassins and the overwhelming fear of failure (and punishment) that ensured her ability to succeed first try.

Damien failed to understand why his sister was looked down on. At 8, she took on Lady Shiva and survived and dragged the fight on for more than 5 minutes.

Marinette never failed to stand up once knocked down.

It was at 6 years old when Damien properly met his twin. There was barley difference their appearance besides her paler porcelain-like skin tone and shining blue eyes tainted by the toxic green of the pits, plus her hair was such a rich black it almost seemed blue in the light. Besides that, their face-shape and features were exactly the same.

"Marinette, this is your twin brother Damien. Your purpose is to protect him with your life. Do you understand?" Thalia explained monotonously. Even she disliked how her daughter had grown up to be. She struggled to believe her to be human at times. Ra's however, was beyond happy at the nuisance turned most powerful shield.

Marinette nodded sharply in response. "It is an honour." She bowed her head in respect.

Damien watched her, confused, he'd heard the stories about the things she accomplished, the missions she had completed seamlessly. Why would she bow to him? Her own brother?

Thalia gently placed a hand on her head. "Relax child. Those in this room do not wish to punish you."

Damien noticed her fingers twitch, her shoulders dropped and she had relaxed, to the untrained eye that's what it seemed. But to Damien, it was clear that she was tense, ready and prepared enough for anything still.

Thalia sighed and knelt down in front of her.

No one would call Thalia a good mother. Not many would even say she had the right to be a mother. But Damien knew that she did care for them both but had no power to change the treatment they were subject to.

Thalia gently took hold of Marinette's hands.

A thing she would only dare to do if she knew they were alone.