Father has a love for Go. Many decades ago, when Talia was a child, she'd sit by the board, studying his moves, trying to decipher whether they held deeper meanings beyond the game—a peek behind the indulgent smiles and sharp, calculated eyes.

To this day, Talia has not won a game of Go against Ra's.

His cherished daughter is still a piece on his board, and a foot soldier is no suitable partner. She's to marry a "worthy" man for "worthy" offspring. She suspects Father forgot his own true love long ago. No matter how capable and worthy Talia proves herself, she's but a woman.

It's difficult to imagine herself as the next player when she could be one of the last stones plucked.

But Talia never fancied herself a particularly compliant playing piece. She's not one of his soldiers. Whether in Go, chess, or in life, Talia knows when to defy him. And now, in her quarters with her love at her side, Father's influence wanes. When he is unaware, the intricacies of Talia's careful planning are invisible to a man who is used to being obeyed.

She wonders, had she been a man, would he have permitted her this?

"Are you content?" Talia murmurs, hand tracing over her companion's side. "With this, with me. Would you like a token of my affection?"

Hopefully, making you her bodyguard won't raise suspicion. In the past, she employed women who resembled her. She's breaking more than a couple of rules and habits.

Talia muses, "You're a far superior bodyguard to the likes of Ubu," Not in strength, but that's neither here nor there. "Nicer to look at, as well."