Aleama had finally managed to come to Gotham and contacted Damian. She was sitting in the living room of Wayne Manor as she told everything she thought they should know about Mona to Damian, Bruce, Cass and Barbara.

Richard wasn't there at the moment nor was Jason and conveniently Tim wasn't at home either or else it would have been difficult to discuss with him present there. He was stuck in a state of denial and though none of them had brought the topic up in front him after that, still they could see he had reserved himself more. He intentionally avoided having any discussion with them, almost as if he feared they would bring up Mona and Nyssa again.

On the other hand, Bruce had ensured that Aleama got a proper place to stay in Gotham though he had decided to ponder carefully on the situation before taking the next step regarding Mona.

He had told Damian before as well that he couldn't risk the very sensitive agreement they had with the League of not bothering in each other's affairs. But if Aleama was right in suspecting Talia's motives and Mona's life really was in danger, then they would have to do something to save the girl because they couldn't let an innocent life be lost among the deadly games Talia played often.

And especially not when that innocent child was so closely linked to them, regardless of the fact that Tim was unwilling to accept the truth and was running away from it.

Aleama took her leave after she had answered all their questions but as she approached the main door to leave, it opened revealing Tim who had just come back home.

She froze upon seeing how exactly alike he was to Mona; the same bright blue eyes, the same innocent yet rather pale features and the same soft brown hair.

The only name she could associate with him upon seeing his and Mona's resemblance escaped her, "Red Robin?"

It was Tim's turn to freeze at her remark but then he realized she must be the person Damian had told them about earlier who had escaped the League after almost being killed.

"I'm sorry, you're mistaken," he replied coldly as he stepped in and went straight towards the staircase to go up to his room.

However, Aleama's eyes followed him because she knew that it could be no coincidence for him to be such a striking reflection of Mona. He was definitely her father, the Bat vigilante who Nyssa had kept captive.

Damian spoke up in his native tongue, "he is her father. But he hasn't yet accepted it."

She nodded in reply, turning back to Damian, "thank you for all you have done, Master Damian. I will forever be in debt to you."

He shook his head, "I did what I had to. And don't worry, Mona won't come to any harm. We will make sure of that."

Bruce's gaze had flickered towards him in a warning as if asking him not to promise anything just yet.

But Damian seemed to have made up his mind as he remarked after Aleama had left, "Father, I understand. But you haven't yet met Mona. If you had, you would know why I am troubled for her."

Bruce had not been expecting that reply as he asked, "and why exactly are you troubled?"

"She's a lot like Drake," he uttered, keeping his voice low, "self sacrificial to a fault. I can't let her walk to her death for Mother if she really is planning to use her as a pawn."

"But there's still a possibility that Aleama has had a misunderstanding," Cassandra interjected his remark, standing by her judgment that Talia felt differently towards the girl.

"Cassie is right," Barbara agreed with her, "we have to be very careful. We can't simply go there and bring Mona with us."

Damian knew they all had a valid point. If they hastily went to rescue Mona, chances were that the girl would turn on them instead. The devotion he had seen in her eyes towards Talia unnerved him a lot.

And he had a feeling that if given the choice, she would choose to stay with Talia instead of coming to a normal life with them in Gotham.

***

Emerald eyes were lost in thought as Udit entered the throne room upon Talia's order. Seeing him, her eyes focused and she gestured him to step closer.

There was no one else in the Throne Room and Udit flinched internally, knowing that the last time she had called him as such, she had given him the order to kill Aleama.

He did not want to receive another order to kill someone but he had no choice to freely leave the room unless ordered to do so.

So he braced himself for another tough order, hoping that it would not be to get rid of Mona.

Over time, he had grown fond of her as well because the girl had a natural trait of forming strong connections with people she was close to. Even though Udit was just her trainer and kept himself focused on just training her and making sure that she was capable enough to defend herself and fight her own battles, still he had begun to care for her and wanted her safe.

"Udit," Talia's voice shook him out of his thoughts and he bowed his head respectfully.

Though he had noticed her voice wasn't sharp as usual, instead she sounded like a woman who was going to lose something very precious to her.

"You know how difficult it is to find trustworthy people nowadays, don't you? And after what happened at the base, I am certain there are traitors among us even now. You're the only person I could think of to be completely loyal to me and the League as you've proved it yourself several times," she resumed in that unnervingly soft tone, taking a short pause before adding, "I want to ask you of one last favor."

He felt his blood turn cold. One last favor meant either she was going to task him with something of fatal risk to his own self or she was herself going to terminate him from the League after whatever task she was assigning him with.

"I aim to serve you till my last breath, Mistress," he stated, the message behind his words clear that he did not want that task to be the last one.

She nodded, brow furrowing in deep thought once again, "I've been thinking about Mona... And I fear she is in terrible danger if she stays here any longer."

Ever since the attack at their base in which Mona too had gotten injured, Talia seldom let her out of her sight. She knew that Mona was an easy target for anyone aiming to attack her indirectly and she also knew that the way the girl had fought alongside her and saved her life by bringing her to the Lazarus Pit in time would definitely be considered as a sign of loyalty towards her.

And the factions that were rebelling against her could use that to their advantage by taking hold of Mona first. She did not want that to happen and ever since the attack, she had made sure to keep the girl close, asking her to stay in her chambers instead of being alone in her room at night as well.

But that extra precaution was going to seem suspicious to others and she knew she was risking Mona's life even then.

At the moment, after all her careful thinking regarding their situation, there seemed only one way out and that was why she had called Udit because he was the only one she could trust in the League with such a precarious task.

"Udit, I want you to take Mona to Gotham," she resumed when he did not interrupt her, waiting for the task she had to assign him, "you know where Damian is, I want you to take Mona to him. He will make sure she's safe, I know that."

To him, that was a very strange request from her because earlier she had had no plans of letting the child go. He recalled that Talia intended. to make Mona her successor but that wouldn't be possible if she herself sent the girl away. Though he couldn't interrupt so he nodded his head in agreement. However, she wasn't done yet.

"And I want you to stay there as well. Do not come back here until or unless I personally send for you."

His hazel eyes flickered slightly, "but Mistress, you yourself said you can not trust anyone else and there are traitor in the League. I can not leave my duty to you."

A very faint smile crept on her face and she lowered her head, "yes but I am ordering you to stay there. Look after Mona and wait for when I'll call you back. You're an asset for me, Udit, I've always seen you as my most capable and trustworthy soldier. But for now, you are supposed to look after Mona's safety because there's no one else I would trust with her responsibility."

He knew it was futile to present any other option to her so he nodded, "I will try my best to fulfill this task, Mistress."

Silence engulfed them but he was not yet dismissed which meant Talia had something else to say as well.

"I know I've been unnecessarily cruel to you. By ordering you to get rid of Aleama even though I knew how you felt towards her," the voice was even lower and Udit stiffened at those words, "I shouldn't have done that. But I hadn't asked you to kill her, Udit. And I know you haven't killed her either, you couldn't."

He did not know how to respond to that confession so he kept silent. At times Talia was very unpredictable and he didn't know whether he should expect to be punished as she knew that he hadn't killed or Aleama or if she was going to let it slide.

"But that doesn't matter right now. We should look at the current situation," she took in a deep breath, composing herself, "anyhow, you must leave as soon as possible. I will talk to Mona myself and let her know. In the meanwhile, you are to make the arrangements that you both get to Gotham safely."

Udit realized right then why it had felt as if Talia was about to lose something very precious to her. Because the lack of sharpness in her tone, the strained voice and the thoughtful eyes were all reminiscent of a mother having to part with her child for the second time.

He knew she expressed little to no emotion but right then even he could see that she was making a sacrifice for Mona's safety.

"I will look after everything the best I can," he bowed his head when she didn't speak further.

"I know you will," she nodded, "you're dismissed. Inform me when everything is taken care of."

"Yes Mistress," he bowed his head again and left the room upon her approval.

His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts because it all seemed too sudden for him to take in.

All he could register at last was that he would be going to Gotham with Mona for an indeterminate time period, however, Gotham was also the place he had sent Aleama to.

Chances were that he might see the woman he loved dearly once again.

***