Chapter 230: Views Part 2

Elsewhere, later that evening, Ra's Al Ghul was seated on a lone high chair overlooking his vast compound hidden high in the Himalayan mountains.

As he sat there in contemplative silence, the confident steps of his daughter Talia Al Ghul could be heard as she approached from behind, soon reaching his front and bowing with one knee touching the ground.

"Father." She formally spoke, soon receiving his side glance as he gave her an acknowledging nod and replied, "Speak, how goes the settlement in the Atlantic."

Only after being given permission, did Talia rise, her beautiful features illuminated even in the dim light within that large open hall.

"It is going well, the branch is settling there well so far. Lady Shiva says it is ready to receive and train new pupils." As Talia spoke, Ra's gaze, although directed at her, seemed to be distracted.

Having spent so much time by her father's side, such a small detail couldn't escape her keen eyes and so she asked, "Does something trouble you father?"

Ra's, who had just been nodding at Talia's words was a bit surprised to hear her ask this question.

Although they were father and daughter, their relationship was far from being a normal dynamic. Their talks were almost always formal and Ra's treated Talia as he would any other person under his tutelage, perhaps even more strictly because she carried his blood.

Hearing this question though did bring a small smile to his face, because he knew this child of his cared for him deeply and accepted him for who he was, unlike her sister. It was partly because of such unquestioned loyalty that despite not being the best combatant in the league, a title that belonged to Lady Shiva, Talia was still able to become Ra's right hand and not some object he saw to simply bear him an heir.

She was incredibly intelligent and rightfully earned her place at his side, so even when she asked such questions, he saw no reason to not share his worries and hear her counsel.

"Arias Markovic. Since the last meeting with the light, let me just say he's revealed himself to be quite troublesome. As true as that may be, however, I cannot seem to figure him out, no matter how long I sit here and meditate, every method I can imagine to deal with him simply ends in the destruction of the league as we know it."

Ra's voice was low but it didn't lack the usual stern and imposing confidence he had as he spoke.

His words weren't meant to praise Arias or belittle himself, but rather they were his honest thoughts after calmly considering the situation regarding Arias and how he could deal with him.

Assassination? That was immediately thrown out as he was fairly confident that even Lady Shiva wouldn't be able to handle such a task.

Targeting his allies or rather pawns? This was simply poking the hornet's nest. Ra's considered the time wasted by Arias in reaching where he was with careful and calculated steps. Messing up his foundation was simply a death wish.

Blocking his path forward? Similarly to disrupting his foundation, Arias made it abundantly clear what would happen if they chose to get in his way.

The longer Ra's pondered the more frustrated he felt. This feeling of complete helplessness toward an opponent was one he hadn't felt since his early days as a martial artist, struggling through the ranks as he sought enlightenment.

Yet here lay a new insurmountable obstacle that seemed to possess absolutely no weaknesses. Or to be more precise, one couldn't target his weaknesses without invoking disaster upon himself.

Had Ra's still been a lone warrior like many centuries ago, he wouldn't have hesitated to fight Arias to the death. He would have insisted on doing so, seeing great honor in it.

Yet now, failure meant the distraction of everything he had built thus far, this was something he simply couldn't bring himself to accept.

As Ra's spoke, a small helpless smile appeared at the corner of his cheek while he shook his head and sighed. "Truly, once one settles, their comfort becomes a burden."

Talia couldn't help but frown upon hearing such words come from her father, never in her life had she ever heard him speak so highly of another.

The only time he had ever shown some inkling of great respect was when he spoke of his younger days to her and her siblings. In the current age, she didn't feel anyone was worthy of his acknowledgment, with the only one who had come close being Bruce Wayne, who she felt betrayed his teaching and her feelings.

Now here he was, speaking unfiltered praises for someone in the current generation.

She didn't feel happy about this? How could she? When she had never truly received his acknowledgment. Has she, she would be the next heir.

Being seen as capable and being seen as worthy were vastly different and she understood the meaning far too well.

In the eyes of Ra's Al Ghul, she was a capable daughter but not a worthy child. Such was the inner demon that haunted her and even led her to subconsciously fall for Bruce, as he was the only living man her father acknowledged.

Perhaps if she could indeed bear him a son from Bruce, a child from a worthy man bearing the blood of the great Ra's Al Ghul, then she would have fulfilled her role and made him proud.

It was a pitiful fate to consider, but in her eyes, in the eyes of a child who was raised in the ways of the Great Demon, it was a great honor.

But just because it was this, it didn't mean jealousy eluded her, just like now. 

Even worse than with Bruce, whom Ra's saw as a worthy successor. Arias was something far grander, a rival he couldn't beat.

Because of this, she didn't even know what to say in response to his words. If he the great Ra's Al Ghul saw no way to beat this opponent, who was she to say otherwise?

But since he shared his worries, as her right hand, she needed to answer him honestly.

"As you had said before Father, if one explores all avenues of their potential and still cannot best their opponent, then feel no shame, for your opponent is simply greater. At such a point, you can either choose to learn from such a figure, or die an honorable death by his hand."

The words Talia had just quoted were ones she couldn't forget easily, as they had haunted her for several years of her life.

During her attempts to climb the ranks within the league, she had met an insurmountable wall in the form of Lady Shiva.

No matter how hard she tried, no matter what tactics she used, Lady Shiva, or just Shiva at the time, had beaten her every time.

And in her most humiliating defeat, the one in which Shiva was granted the title of "Lady", her father looked down at her beaten form from his high chair and told her these words.

That day, she had no choice but to bend her knee to live, not only admitting she was weaker but seeking tutelage from the same person who humiliated her.

Ra's couldn't help but laugh grandly at Talia's words as he leaned back into his seat with a wide smile on his face, nodding approvingly at her statement.

"Right, you are." He agreed, his tone sincere and confident as he proceeded to stand.

A look of worry appeared on Talia's face. "Father you…"

Before she could speak, Ra's raised his hand and cut her off.

"The Lazarus Pit can only do so much for me before I lose myself. Besides, I had already bent my knee once before, and I swore I would never do so again. My path is clear."

A/N: So no one could tell me that the chaoters weren't in order? Tsk. Anyway, the reason I've been away is my having issues with my bank, and because of that I haven't received my income since last month, which in turn meant no money to renewal my data plan. As of now my issue still isn't resolved and I'm waiting for feedback, it's irritating but at this point it is what it is, I'm pissed but no point ranting over it. Expect the hiatus to continue, I can only hope to stack chapters like for my other work and just set them to release automatically over time. Sorry for inconvenience. Fucking hell