“Oh, my precious…why do you weep?” Talia’s hand ever so gently touched the other one's cheek, her thumb wiping the stray tear that fell from the face of the one she grew to care for. She could’ve just ignored how mistreated this one was, but something deep down told her not to.

The al Ghuls were something between myth and nightmare. To humans, the family was whispered about in hushed tones, their existence shrouded in mystery, fear, and ancient stories passed down through generations. Humans used them as bedtime stories to scare their children, a warning to never stay out past dark.

Talia knew how the humans were frightened by the mere mention of her family, all but one who stuck out to her. Soon, she began to enjoy the company of a human. One that she grew to cherish.

She doesn’t regret what she’s done. Why would she? She couldn’t handle the human who wormed into her unbeaten heart being treated in a way that wasn’t tolerable.

She came in the night when her beloved human’s spouse was unaware. She did what should’ve been done in the first place. She rid the world of the pest and whisked her treasure away, never to be harmed again.

The room was quiet, a stark difference from an hour prior, only for Talia’s voice cutting the silence. The air felt heavy with the weight of her words, each one a promise sealed. She watched her human carefully, noting every reaction and every flicker of emotion that passed through those tired eyes. She hated how this one suffered from the hands of another.

The shadows of the room seemed to draw closer, wrapping around them both, though Talia herself was a creature of the night. She was drawn to the one who shined bright.

“None of that, my sweet,” she lifted the others' chin up to look at her, placing a kiss on the human’s forehead. “Here, you are precious—treasured beyond any mortal thing. Any who think to harm what is mine will find themselves meeting a fate worse than you can imagine.”

In her mind, the future was clear. The world had failed this human, but she would not.