Chapter Text
Jason stood at Talias side, standing straight and keeping his eyes forward. The correct posture for one in the presence of Ra’s al Ghul. He had learned that the hard way, whipping only taught so much.
“Father, I beg you to rethink, Shiva has been training him. She has said many good things.”
Jason’s body gave a slight shudder, not that Shiva was a bad teacher, her lessons were brutal but he learned. No he knew what would happen if Ra’s won. The deal would be off.
A simple yet life saving deal. Damian would stay with Bruce and Jason would stay and train as pawn piece for Ra’s. He was just a piece to a puzzle for Ra’s, he could not make his own decisions. even choosing his own clothes was looked down upon. He was to train until he could take down any competitor without breaking a sweat.
Batman was not to know that he is alive, which also meant he and Damian could not see each other, he missed his brother dearly.
“He has yet to win every battle.” Ra’s countered whatever Talia had said. Jason had started to zone, thinking about the worst case scenarios.
“He is winning more than half and still in training.”
Talia looked sharp and precise, but Jason could see the tense lines that flowed through her body. It was a losing battle. He was the leader of the league and only so much could be said.
“Are deal is over, bring back the heir, he is to finish his training with us.”
Talia's mouth stayed closed, there was nothing more to be said. Ra’s words where law.
“You are dismissed.” Ra’s waved them away with a flick of his hands.
Jason trailed after Talia, a few steps behind like a good pawn. The doors opened as they reached them, Ra’s servants held them open. One of his more trusted servants followed them until they reached the end hall.
As soon as Jason and Talia crossed paths to her territory Jason switched to walking at her side.
“Did you really think that would work?” He hadn’t meant to sound as rude as he did, yet Talia chose to ignore his tone.
“I put more time into his thoughts than he did.”
She walked fast, her stride poured off power and grace. Something Jason had yet to figure out, Jason felt more like a school yard bully stalking the halls rather than a world top assassin.
“What exactly does that mean?” Jason didn’t want to deal with Talias manipulative way of speaking, he needed the truth. If not for him then for Damian.
“It means that Father is going to send someone to retrieve Damian. And you are most likely going to be his choice, a punishment of some sort.”
Talia turned a sharp corner. She was headed for the training quarters.
Jason made a signal to say he was going back to his sleeping chambers. Talia waved any thought of rest away with a ‘tt’ of her tongue and a motion with her hand.
Jason followed soundlessly, he knew better than to disagree.
________
Jason's body ached, Talia had him work until sunrise. Only a messenger from Ra’s quarters had given him a reason to stop. She had seemed determined to work him to death.
What the messenger said was why he now stalked the halls and passages towards the dining area, Ra’s private dining area.
“It is good to see you have come Jason. I thought my daughter would be keeping you busy until much later.”
He twirled his glass of whine, long fingernails held it delicately. But Jason was sure if he tried to kick it away he would be the one on the floor. Ra’s took a sip. His sadist smile never left his lips.
“Yes well we wouldn’t dream of disobeying when you called for me.”
Jason tried to force a smile, he used his fork to guid something with fish into his mouth. He wasn’t worried about poison, that wasn’t Ra’s way. He much preferred public humiliation.
“At least you have learned something here.”
Sucking up would be Jason’s only way of keeping the conversation slightly normal.
“I have learned a lot and I am grateful for what you have given me.”
Ra’s smile grew, not bigger but seemingly longer, Jason had a split second where he had to rethink Joker over in his head.
“That is good.” Ra’s took a sip of his whine. “So with what I have given you, you must return.”
Jason didn’t think you could just give skills back, the money it cost maybe, but Ra’s had plenty of that.
“And how could I do that?”
“I have a mission for you.”
Jason knew where this was going.
“You do owe quite a lot to this family, something you will have hard time repaying.”
Flattery wouldn’t get him anywhere, but snark would catch him time, and a punishment. But time still.
“As far as I was aware I was helping you, and I thought Talia had opened the family door for me. Seeing as I am Batman’s firstly adopted son, And now Talias.”
Jason hated to bring Talia in, he almost wanted to reach out and shove his words back into his mouth.
“I see. and you know disrespect will get you nowhere but the East Wing.”
“I mean it is technically getting me somewhere.”
Jason almost smirked at the anger that flashed through Ra’s eyes. Making emotionless people mad was his skill set.
“Well this was a fine dinner.” He placed his napkin from his lap back onto the table. “You should hurry up and eat, I’ll see you in the East wing.”
And with that he strolled out of the room.
Jason hated the East Wing, it served as many things but the most well known one had to be its punishing parts. Many integrations happened there. And Jason wasn’t a stranger to the punishments. He had spent quite some time in the East wing.
“Send my compliments to the chef.” He nodded to a servant as he passed through the doors.
No doubt he would see them again in the East wing. Many of Ra’s private men got to watch. He had met most of the servants here by them whistling, kicking and cheering on his punishments.
On his way to the East wing Talia caught up to him.
“What did Father say?”
He didn’t try to hide his position next to Talia from the other people wandering the halls, he was already in deep shit anyway.
“Shouldn’t you be asking me what I said, I mean I am on my way to the East wing.”
Talia huffed. She was not in the mood for games, Jason could tell by her face.
“You have a mouth and no way to control it. I already expected this. Why do you think I am on my way to the East wing.”
“Taking a leisurely stroll?” Jason's voice was light and teasing. He knew what lay ahead and really wasn’t in the mood to think about it.
Talia shot him a glare.
“Ra’s said the same thing you thought he would. Get Damian from the Bats.”
“Anything else?”
“Not really, just telling me about how I owe him everything and my chips.”
“Chips aren’t allowed here.” She stated it like it was a well known fact.
Jason and Talia were nearing the East wing. He fell back into pawn walk, a few steps back yet he did keep his head up. Ra’s wouldn't fully kill his street rat self.
“Really I never knew, maybe you should hire one of the security guards that pat you down. Like an airplane thing.”
“We already do have one.” Her tone was sharp. Yet she didn’t shut him down and her face had a little more glow than before.
Jason looked over at her, eyes wide. “Wait really, I never know!’
He really couldn’t tell if Talia was tricking him or not.
“I would assume so.” Her tone almost sounded teasing. A measurable feat only so many could accomplish.
“What does that mean?” He made an almost pouty face.
Damian had loved his faces. Being a kid where joy and fun were punished, he only got to laugh a few times. And Jason had vowed to be there when he laughed so hard something came out of his nose.
“Watch where you’re going.” Was Talia's simple reply. She turned yet another sharp corner, cutting off Jason so he almost smacked into it.
The East wing didn’t look like some sort of torture room. As you entered it looked just like any other over dressed parlor area. But Jason knew far better than that. He didn’t make eye contact or say anything to the waiting men as they grabbed his arms. They hauled him to a wall, pressed up a giant picture of something, Jason was too bored and worried about Damian to care what it looked like. He would look next time. The men dragged him down the steps.
The farther down Jason went the colder and murky the air got. The stone staircase wasn’t polished and cleaned like the rest of Ra’s private wings. Jason knew it was all for Intimidation. The glorious halls turning into a stairwell right out of any scooby doo movie or show. Cobwebs lined the corners and cracks, dust stirred as the men holding him dragged him farther down.
The guy holding his left arm twitched his nose. He had to sneeze, and Jason wanted to watch him. Any unplanned movement could send someone tumbling down the thin stairs. Jason hoped he inhaled more dust as he tumbled.
If not for the lit torches nothing could be seen. Jason was positive they were more than 200 feet Into the mountain now. If he were to blow out all the torches they would be completely lost.
“What a safety hazard to torture.” He thought.
Talia had left as he reached the polished room. There was a different way down for Al Ghuls. Damian had told him there were a thousands passageways that only a few knew. Some not even Ra’s himself know of. That thought had delighted Jason, when he thought there was a way to escape. He knew better now.
The men didn’t say anything as they shoved him to a thick metal door without windows. The sneezy dude opened his mouth.
“Ra’s does like to be kept waiting.” His partner turned but he kept his eyes on Jason.
“Ok, see you there.” Jaosn gave him finger guns and pushed the door open. It gave away with a squeak, that only rooms of pure horror could give. The door wasn’t loud enough to block out sneezies quiet. “I hope not.”
Jaosn didn’t acknowledge his words. They weren’t meant for Jason’s ears.
Sneezy turned away and followed his partner back up the stairs, becoming a fading shadow as darkness wrapped around him. The torches blew out, it was time he entered, or face a worse punishment.
Ra’s stood in the center of the room. Jason was surprised to see only Talia in the shadows. Usually Ra’s liked a crowd.
“Now do you know why you are here.”
Jason knew that snark was really the worst way to go besides running away. Yet it really was his true calling.
Jaosn put on his most ‘I haven’t done a thing voice’ and said. “Tattle Taling.”
Talia looked like she wanted to smack him and Ra’s looked murderous.
“Now boy, I wasn’t going to make this too bad, seeing as you have a mission but that disrespect is not going to work.”
Jaosn was hung from his hands by chains. Talia had been made to chain him, he could see the hurt in her eyes as she wrapped and locked each chain in place. 50 lashes and a few knife cuts graced his body. It was only supposed to be thirty, yet his big mouth got him in more trouble. If he was going in with snark he was going all out.
Only Ra’s desire to have Damian back stopped him from truly hurting Jason. He was a needed essential for Ra’s. One of his only men that could single handedly take down Batman, and Damian trusted him. Damian would never go with any strange league assassin, especially if he had back up from the other bats.
“Clean him up.” Ra’s hand waved servants over to Jason. Jason had been watching them since they had entered the room.
He felt like a feral dog with his fur spiked up. He could have made some good fighting dog. But then again that’s what he is. Ra’s points and he bites. Isn’t that sad, feared by so many yet just a toy for Ra’s.
It’s for a good cause his brain supplied. Maybe he had lost more blood than he thought.
The servants bumbling and moving him all around weren’t helping. Had these people even heard of a stretcher. Humans stopped doing everything by hand centuries ago. Someone needed to get Ra’s backup with time. He needs one new lango. Jason fell unconscious to that thought.
Jason’s eyelids flick opened. He was in his chambers. They semi hard bed and way too many pillows and blankets swaddled him. The glass Statue of a phoenix that Talia had gifted him, rest on the same place, giving off its strange glow.
His ears seemed to work next, they caught onto Talia's soft humming. She was holding a tray of breakfast food, clearly enough for both of them. Her other hand clenched a folder. Her eyes drifted over to him, she knew he was awake.
She walked over and placed the tray of food by his bedside. “Eat, and then we will discuss your mission.”
Jaosn was never one to turn down food. Especially good breakfast food. He chowed down, the meats, plants and egg burst into his mouth with vivid flavors. He wasn’t too food in grossed to remember his manners though.
He offered her half of the tray.
“I have already eaten, you will need your fill.” Talia said
Jaosn didn’t really think he could eat this much, but again the street rat in him could never turn down food.
He pointed towards the folder. “Mission?”
Talia gave a slight nod of her head, then passed the folder onto the night stand. A little ways away from the food, so not to dirty it.
“Go wash up and then we shall talk.”
Jason hummed his answer. He stretched his arms above his head. Cracking both his back and arms.
“My arms hurt.” He grumbled.
His body cracked and popped as he stepped out of the bed. The lash marks stung, but the pit was doing its job. The lashes had faded faster than it would for any normal person.
“I would hope so, you did hang for quite some time by your arms.” She said it more in a motherly way than matter of factly.
Her eyes raked over him. His chest was shirtless and covered in bandages.
Her hand gestured towards them. “I shall have to change those when you are done.” She handed him a pile of clothes. He had no idea where she had grabbed them from.
The soft black fabric was more of a casual training day then an intense day. Her way of telling him he would get the slightest of breaks, mostly for his body. She was just as passionate about growing his skill in the way of fighting as she was to growing his brain.
He hadn’t had a day focused mainly on cases in a while. And with his new mission he would have to be on his top game.
The water coming from his shower head was cold and didn’t change. A way of Talia punishing him. She never had appreciated his snark to those above him in power.
Jason stepped out of the cold shower. The water had woken him and his wounds stung slightly. Jason wrapped a warm fluffy towel around himself to dry off.
He picked up the clothes that sat neatly on the sinks counter. The soft black fabric fit him nicely.
As Jason returned to his chambers Talia gave him a nod of acknowledgment.
Talia passed him the folder as he sat in his bed.“When does Ra’s want me to leave?”
“As soon as possible, I believe tomorrow might be when.” Talia's tone was sharp and unforgiving. This wasn’t a good subject for her, he was being physically forced to steal her son back.
Jason scanned over the folder. The first piece of paper contained the new updates to the bat cave and bat family. The rest was about Damian and how he should be stealing him.
“Isn’t this like not legal, cause you know kidnapping and all?” Jason waved the folder as evidence to his claims.
“Everything we do is Illegal.”
“I suppose.”
That conversation ended after that. They spread the folder out and made plans. Plans to stop Ra’s.
The dark shone, their only light being the moon and a small nightstand lamp. Talia and Jason hunched over their plans and notes. Ra’s folder layed uselessly on the floor. They had stayed up all night devising a way to trick Ra’s.
Tali would settle for nothing unless she had both of her sons freedoms without the Demons hold.
“Do you think this will actually work?” Jason looked at Talia, scanning her face to find a lie.
“I doubt it will be 100% successful, I do believe the beloved could help.”
Jason scoffed and sorted around a few notes.
“In such a short amount of time, blood tests wouldn’t go through.”
Talia gave him a stern glare. “I know of your dislike for the Bat, but he is an essential to ensure you and your brother's safety.”
Jason didn’t say anything. He stared down at the writing and planning. They could find nothing to escape all the way from Ra’s.
“I don’t like this way.” Jason finally said.
Talia didn’t look up, she didn’t need to. She knew this wasn’t about the bat anymore. “My fate to the demon was sealed at birth.”
“You know some people say the only thing that seals your fate is death.”
“It appears they were wrong.” Talia brought one of Jason notes closer to her and scribbled an idea down. He would look at it in a second.
“So your fate doesn’t need to be sealed by an old vampire.”
Talia let out a dignified snort. Jason cracked a small smile at the snort.
“Yet it already is.” Her tone was hollow and sharp, the snort a thing of the past. This was not something that Jaso could talk her out of.
“Bu-.”
Talia cut Jason off. “Drop it, I shall see that you too are safe. When you are my life will be fulfilled.” Talia snapped, as she kept talking her words turned from commander into mother.
Jason dropped his head and kept sorting through notes. He reached to read the note that Talia had scribbled something down on. Her handwriting was excellent and well done even if it was a scribble.
“The moon sets at noon and rises at dawn.” That’s what she scribbled down.
A piece of common knowledge. Yet it held importance behind knowledge. If you held the time of day, the moon would be at your side.
Jason had learned that at the All-Caste. They had never told him what it meant. But it was important to them, so it became important to him.
Talia stood up. Her long black hair flowed down behind her back, clothes unrumpled and perfect as always.
“You should pack and prepare, Father wants you to be ready.”
“When did he say that?”
Jason was pretty sure Talia hadn’t talked to Ra’s anytime this day. Well yesterday, he checked his watch, 2:37. Definitely yesterday.
“He sent someone while you were showering.”
Jason nodded. “Did he say anything else? Or ask why you were here?”
“Ra’s does not give information freely” Talia said.
Her back turned to his closet. A giant closet,and bare to the brim. She sorted the rack of clothes, and picked out a few shirts and pants.
“We shall see about getting you more of a wardrobe.”
She bent down and picked up a tatted shirt that had been tossed some were in the back of the closet. Jason felt shame prick the back of his neck; she hadn’t even turned around yet. But he knew she was disappointed, Jason prided himself on his neat and well kept together quarters.
She didn’t say anything as she tossed the ruined shirt to him. He caught it perfectly, and mumbled something about being tired and forgetting it. She didn’t acknowledge it and went back to sorting and rummaging through his clothes.
“We shall have to get you stuff for the cold.”
Jason tossed the shirt into the trash.
“We could stop somewhere before Gotham.”
Talia made ‘Tt’ with her tongue, Jason could almost picture Damians perfect imitation of it.
“I'm not going to be with you.”
Jason sat there dumbfounded for a second. “What do you mean you're not, I thought..”Jason trailed off, his thoughts scattered. “But the plan.” His hand gestured towards their pile of papers and careful planning. “It wouldn’t work, you’d be trapped.”
“My fate is sealed.” Talia stood up and turned her back to the closet. “I shall see when Father has you leaving exactly.”
She passed a bag onto his lap, his traveling bag. Flowers dotted across it, a forest filled with bushes and wildlife were drawn across the front. It was a Damian drawing, it wasn’t his best, Damian had asked countless times to do it over but Jason liked it.
“Pack.” And with that Talia left the room.
Jason scanned over his clothes. A pitiful pile, he would have to get more winter clothes. He threw the bag down with the pile of clothes on his closet floor. He didn’t feel like packing clothes.
Jason left his bedroom and headed to his private training area. If anyone asked, he could say that he was packing weapons.
Jason wasn’t in the mood for swords or any weapons at that. He took the training dummies on without weapons. It was mostly a morning workout then fighting. Just blowing off steam.
The sun was rising, illuminating the room with a. Faint pink glow. Windows covered half of Jason’s training room. He could see the assassins down below training to become just another toy for Ra’s. They moved in sync, he could see trainers circling around them. Any out of place move granted a lashing.
Jason could remember those days. His back was proof that teamwork and listening were never his skill sets.
The hair on Jason's neck rose, someone was watching him.
“Ra’s was going to send a servant to get you. The women moved closer to Jason, the light bloomed across her face. “But I wanted to wish you off myself.”
“Thank you Shiva.”
Jason wiped away the sweat that creeped down his forehead. “Did Ra’s say what he wanted me for?”
Shiva looked him up and down. Her and Talia may not be related but Jason swore they were born with the same face expressions that were only used for Jason.
“I think you already know.” Her eyes rested on his face, she glanced at his disheveled hair. “And do clean up, I am sure Ra’s can live with the wait.”
Her way of saying it was an idiot mission. He was sure she had not been informed of the mission's details, but she had sources. And taking Damian from the bat, especially using Jason could only end in disaster.
“I will.” He wiped unlessy at the desert sweat gathering at his brow.
She tossed him a towel to wipe his sweat away “Do be quick. Talia said she will have more clothes sent to your room.”
He nodded his head in thanks as she left the room. Her exit was just as silent as her entrance. Jason followed after her, leaving the training room to bask in the sunlight alone.
This time his shower was cold on choice. It felt soothing to his burning body. The sweat and dirt was run off his body by the cold water streaming out of the shower head. His hair was flattened around his eyes and face, barely curling around the ends.
Jason stepped out of the shower and looked at himself in the mirror. He hated mirrors, they showed him what he was, not a little boy anymore, but a killer, a raged filed terror being used like a dog.
He hated the way his roots would show no matter what color he died them black, the white streak just like the red roots would never leave. The pit has seared them permanently to his head.
His chest, arms, back and legs were covered in ugly scars. They y shaped scar from when his autopsy was done stretched across his whole chest. Many other scars wound around it.
Damian had once said he was like a flowing river, and every scar and misfortune is a pebble being thrown in. Jason had said boulder more likely, Damian had given him a Talia famous glare for that. “A pebble will cause ripples just like a boulder.” That’s what Damian had said.
It was one of Jason's best memories of him.
Jason pulled on his dark blue shirt. He and Damian had been sitting at a river throwing in pebbles, and feeding the animals.
Jason’s boxers went on next. He had said Damian had too much wisdom for an eight year old. He had said Damian shouldn't be using it for ruling some league.
Black pants were yanked over black boxers, he was going to be late for Ra’s, later. Damian had said it was his legacy and he was the heir. Jason had pointed out that he was also a heir now, even if he was not blood related.
Jason pulled his bathroom door open and rounded the hall to Ra’s private wing. He and Damian were supposed to be training, but it had more been a bonding session. They played some screwed up version of tag. They had rolled around in the water and caught fish. Damian had forced him to let them back into the water. To not damage the environment.
“Good morning Jason, I do hope you are feeling better.” This wasn’t him asking about Jason's heath or if the almost halfway finished healing wounds were better, no it was him asking Jason if his attitude was ‘fixed’. It was not.
Ra’s looked like some cosplayer with a Dracula obsession. His green cloak seeped off the chair/throne he was sitting in. The white sides of hair were perfectly gelled back into a weird Wolverine like hair do, letting the top black half flow semi free.
“Well changing bandages when they're on ones back is always hard.”
Ra’s chose to ignore his comment and continue talking. “I’m sure you know why I called you here.”
“Yea.”
Jason just wanted to leave. Ra’s had always made Jason feel on edge, especially when Talia wasn’t around. And a glance around the room showed him that no one was here. It was just him and Ra’s, he would need to get this over with fast.
“You have read the folder. Correct?”
Jason nodded, his hair fell into his face again. He really needed to cut.
“I see, you have a flight scheduled to take you to Gotham, with few stops of course.” Ra’s looked at his watch. “In two hours.”
“Five of my top most trusted assassins shall be seeing to you most of the way there. I do hope that you arrive safely.”
Ra’s flicked his hand towards the door. A clear signal to leave. Jaosn kept his posture tight as he walked to the door, not lifting a finger as he approached. Ra’s had men waiting to open the door.
“Oh, and Jason, do not think about going against me. You will not win, you sealed your fate when you agreed to be an Al Ghul, and so has Damian.”
It was the first time Ra’s had actually admitted he was an Al Ghul, it sent chills down Jason’s spine. He was not a family member, he was a pawn. and so is Talia and Damian. Until Ra’s was gone they were goners.
Jason wasn’t surprised to find his bags packed, each pair of pants placed with perfect precision in a way only Talia could. Her way of apologizing.
Jason also found a knife engraved in the Al Ghul name. A gift given to young hairs of the Al Ghul family when a mission of importance was completed. In his case no mission had been completed, it wasn’t a token, it was a warning.