Steph was surprised to find the Manor so silent as she stepped in. It seemed as if no one was at home. 

She dropped her luggage in the living room and went towards the kitchen because light music was wafting from there. The sight that met her though was surprising to say the least.

Tim was wearing an apron, spectacles balanced on his nose as he whirled around the kitchen, dancing lightly to the music. He seemed to be busy making something and looked rather absorbed in it.

He dipped a spoon into the bowl and tasted it, lips puckering into a small frown, "more sugar..."

Steph was watching amusedly as she leaned against the doorframe. It was very rare to see Tim in such a good mood and he seemed completely absorbed in what he was doing, unaware that she was there.

"Shit, not the whole pack," he swore lightly but then dipped the spoon back in to taste it. "Not bad... But too sweet."

She spoke up at last to gain his attention, "what's cookin', Timmy Timmin?"

He spun around startled and saw her by the door, surprise turning into delight immediately, "Steph!"

"Oh, I am sure I'm not being cooked right now," a light chuckle escaped her as he hugged her, twirling her around gently.

He let go of her and asked, "when did you come back?"

"Just about now," she replied, going on to examine the bowl of batter, "what are you doing?"

"I thought of making a marble cake but then changed my mind."

"Why?"

"I like the batter more than the cake so..."

She tasted it and cringed, "geez, Tim, it's too sweet."

He shrugged, "I know. It doesn't matter."

"Wait, if we add more flour and baking soda, it might get normal," she suggested but before she could add the ingredients, Tim held the bowl away from her.

"I said I am not making any cake so I don't see why we should bother making it less sweet."

"You're incorrigible," she shook her head slightly, "though if you start eating this, you will get a sugar rush very soon."

"I won't. Watch me," he challenged, placing another spoonful of the sweet mixture in his mouth.

"Or worse, you'll get diabetes."

"Stop being a party pooper, Steph," he remarked, "and this is not for you so I don't see why you should even be worried about it not turning out right."

"Oh yeah? Then why did you make such a lot of it?" She raised an eyebrow skeptically, "clearly you won't be able to finish it all on your own."

"Do not underestimate me. But yes, I am not eating it all alone. I will be sharing it with Cassie," he replied, "so if you excuse me now please..."

She laughed watching as he bowed lightly, the bowl balanced on his palm. "Be careful or else you'll make a mess."

"I won't!"

"Hey, you're going to Cassie's room?"

He turned back to face her, "yeah, wanna come along?"

"Yup," her green eyes twinkled in delight, "I missed her."

"Aww, and you didn't miss me?"

She shrugged, the mischievous smile playing upon her lips, "if I didn't, I wouldn't have let you hug me that long."

He chuckled and nodded his head a little, "touché."

***

The little girl winced as the blade missed her by mere inches.

Her trainer instructed her to be more careful and alert, going for another blow that Mona spun away to dodge, the blade of her sword clashing against her trainer's.

"That's right, hold it tighter, or else I will be able to flick it away from you very easily," the trainer remarked, demonstrating a hit to the hilt which made her lose balance, the sword dropping from her tiny hands.

Her palms were red from holding the weapon too tight, she was exhausted herself but she dare not speak up a single word, knowing full well that a pair of sharp emerald eyes were observing her closely.

She picked up the sword again, brow knitted in concentration as she braced herself for another hit, holding the hilt of the sword as tight as she could.

Her knuckles had whitened as she dodged and struck, trying to disarm the trainer for that was the main task for that day's training session.

But it was the tenth time she was going through it all over again, unable to disarm the older warrior.

"Enough," Talia stepped into the combative ground at last, "resume the training tomorrow."

The sword was taken from Mona immediately and she looked down at her almost blistering hands. Those hands were shortly after taken into Talia's soft palms.

"Does it hurt, darling?" Her voice was softer than silk but even then it was sharp enough to pierce through akin to glass.

The child shook her head in a no, voice dying inside her throat. Each time Talia approached her, she would feel an intense wave of fear wash over her even though the woman was apparently kind towards her.

"Come with me," she ordered, taking the child away to the base where she led her down the corridor to her own room.

Mona was extremely silent as she obediently followed, keeping her gaze down respectfully. The little girl was barely four years old but she was well aware that if she dared step even a single toe out of line, Talia Al Ghul would see to it that she suffered.

Talia stepped inside and brought her along with her, making her sit on a stool in front of her vanity table. She fetched out a vial of bright green liquid and poured it onto Mona's hands.

She winced in pain clenching her teeth to keep herself from screaming out, because it seemed as if the liquid was burning away her flesh but Talia paid no heed. Tears streaked down the girl's face as the scorching pain was almost intolerable.

It felt as if someone was plucking at her skin with a thread and needle, painfully stitching it back together.

Eventually, the pain subsided and she opened her eyes that she had squeezed shut. She saw that the blisters and the redness were gone and her palms were as soft as if she hadn't even held a sword that day.

She looked up at Talia in confusion and saw the woman standing there with a mysterious smile on her lips.

"Thank you," she bowed her head, realizing that the liquid had healed her skin.

"You are a good girl, Mona," Talia resumed softly, "you are obedient and respectful. I like that."

She dared not speak a word because it was very rare to find Talia in a pleasant mood and she didn't want to take any risk to make it worsen.

"You know why I am training you, don't you?"

"Yes, Mistress."

"I want you to be able to fight alongside me," she replied, taking her hands in her own again, examining the healed palms, "I want you to be the one who will succeed me. But not from unfair means, no. You are to remain loyal to me or else..."

Mona was confused by that contradictory behavior. There were times Talia was extremely gentle towards her, almost like a motherly figure, but at other times she was dangerous and threatened straight up to kill her if she did anything wrong.

"I know, Mistress, I will not disappoint you."

"That's better," the smile flickered back on her face but her voice lowered as she resumed, a reflective look taking over her features, "I wanted the same from your mother too. But she didn't listen and she paid the price for it."

A shudder passed through her tiny form as she nodded, bowing her head lower.

"You must not ever think of following in her footsteps, Mona. Never."

She nodded again, keeping her gaze down. 

Talia's hand lingered on her cheek delicately, "and darling, there's one more thing I want from you. I want you to get better in training. You have shown very little progress and that isn't acceptable from a woman who will be the Demon Head's next in command. I want you to be the best there is, to be worthy of being called an Al Ghul."

"I will not disappoint."

Talia's lethal smile widened, thinking about her plan of killing two birds with one stone, the execution of which was drawing very near. "Good. Now go back to your room and tomorrow at your training, I want you to disarm Udit within fifteen minutes maximum. Understand?"

"Yes Mistress," she bowed her head and took her leave, stepping out of the Demon Head's room as quickly as she possibly could.

A cold gust of air struck her as she went back to her room, her eyes still looking down at her hands which felt a lot different than earlier.

She felt as if she could crush anything with her bare hands, each vein, and cell feeling like steel within her flesh.

She had no idea what the mysterious green liquid was but she could sense that it was surely something dangerously powerful. And despite her young age, she knew very well that the more powerful a thing was, the more dangerous and harmful it was to use it.

***