Riddle me this...

Chapter seven

“Riddle me this Catwoman. You can choose this family.”

“Friendship?” Selina knew this answer, it was a simple riddle, so why was the Riddler being so co-operative this evening?

“Congratulations, but I think we both know that wasn’t a challenge. Although I have a conundrum, a challenge, per say, and her name is Nina. I hear that you know her.”

“Oh my god.” Catwoman mumbled to herself before looking up at the Riddler.

“Tell me that the drunken ramblings of my oldest friend didn’t actually mean anything.”

Edward raised his eyebrows.

“And what would these drunken ramblings be?”

“Please tell me that Nina didn’t kiss you.” Selina said this in such a bland, ‘tell me or I’ll strangle you’ kind of way that it was hard for Edward not to take a step back.

“I want to tell you the truth but your face is borderline psychotic at the moment.”

“So you did! You do know how much she is wrapped up in, with Penguin and the mafia?”

“Of course, I pride myself on my knowledge, Penguin is just a different challenge I have yet to face.”

“Riddler! Nina is not someone you want to claim, or whatever it is you think you’re trying to do. Nina is in love with Penguin, or at least she thinks she is, she’ll do anything to keep him safe, she doesn’t want to go back to living on the streets, I can tell you that much, I’ve already tried.”

“You’ve only tantalised me further.” He smirked at Catwoman. “Now, what can you tell me about Nina that I don’t already know?”

-

Nina sat at the piano on the stage, lightly touching the keys. She wasn’t playing the instrument yet, only idly moving her hands while her mind wandered. The piano always made her think of Oswald and when he had taught her, it was one of her good memories, one of her memories that placed him in a positive light, this Oswald in her memory was kind, sweet and ultimately lived in her mind.

Finally she placed her pinky, middle and thumb onto three white keys and struck a chord, letting the large empty hall echo the sound.

After a few seconds, the hall became silent once more and Nina was filled with a sudden urge to fill the room with sound, beautiful, bittersweet melodies that made her heart swell and deflate at the same time.

Edward had found the temptation to listen too much and had wandered into the Iceberg Lounge, the harsh morning light casting dark shadows in the corners of the room. The natural light of the day emitted a new atmosphere, one that was brutal, honest.

Nina began playing the tune to ‘I know I’m not the only one’ by Sam Smith, the tune had surprisingly became lodged in her mind. Edward silently crept closer and perched onto a chair that hadn’t quite been tucked in under the table.

“Your heart is unobtainable.” She sang and suddenly Edward felt as if he had walked in on a private moment, he knew well how important it was to be alone with thoughts, especially when you needed to be vulnerable. Still, he didn’t get up.

“I know I’m not the only one.” She finished. Edward couldn’t help but let out a slow clap which in turn made Nina jump. She hadn’t heard him come in but then she had been so lost in her thoughts that she wouldn’t have noticed even if they had stormed in.

“That was brilliant. You do have an excellent voice Miss Everwood.”

Nina blushed, she hadn’t seen Edward since they had kissed but he had been on her mind. Admittedly he hadn’t been on her mind as much as Edward would have liked since Oswald had thrown her a curveball, in all honesty she hadn’t realised that he had been serious about her, she had assumed, like other men, that Edward had given her empty promises, soon to be swayed by Oswald’s domination and power.

Edward jumped up onto the stage with a surprising amount of agility and stood by the piano.

“I didn’t know you were there. You scared me a little.”

“My apologies, I could hear the piano from outside and came to have a look.”

She smiled weakly. Her thoughts went to Oswald but realised she needn’t worry, he had disappeared last night again on business and she knew that he wouldn’t be making an appearance any time this morning.

“So Catwoman tells me that you were incoherently bumbling on about me the other evening after I left.”

Nina’s eyes grew wide.

“D-Did I?”

Edward smirked,

“Oh well who can blame you, my charm would have left you weak at the knees.”

She let out a laugh.

“I can rely on you to come out with the most narcissistic, egotistical chat up line.”

He shrugged,

“All part of my demeanour.”

“So how come you’re here? Finding any old excuse to come and visit little ole’ me?” Nina feigned her best 20’s Chicago flapper impression, holding a hand to her chest and opening her eyes wide.

“You wouldn’t be far from the truth.” He smiled this time but quickly covered his vulnerability by falling stony faced once again.

Nina stood.

“Have you thought of a way to separate myself from Oswald with the least casualties?”

“I might have.” He smirked at her once more.

“Well then, what are you waiting for?” She laughed, her defence mechanism kicking in, in the back of her mind she was assuming that this was somehow all a ruse, a way that he could then trap her and somehow it would be worse torture than working with Oswald.

“How about we celebrate? I could take you out tonight, get a few drinks, maybe some champagne.”

She paused, would it be a good idea to go out drinking with one of Oswald’s fellow criminals. She realised she didn’t care, Oswald had told her that she wouldn’t be singing tonight, the venue had been booked for a private event. Nina knew that meant trouble and she was going to stay as far away as possible.

“Alright. Take me out Edward. But no tricks.”

Edward held a hand to his chest as he pretended to be hurt.

“I’m serious Edward.”

He raised his hands in surrender.

“No tricks.”