Disclaimer: CW/DC own these characters. I'm only borrowing them for a while. I own the original ideas found in this. Some dialogue is from "The Magician" Arrow episod written by Marc Guggenheim and Wendy Mericle.
Summary: This little AU story takes place after episod "The Magician". After thinking things over that night, Nyssa decides to take justice into her own hands and wishes to "convince" Oliver to hand Merlyn over to her. She remains unconvinced as to Merlyn's innocence in Sara's death. Canon up to 3 x 4. The first chapter contains torture scenes of two major characters.
AN: One night, as I was drifting off to sleep, my Muse gave me most of this chapter as an alternate ending/addition to episode 3 x 4. Quite the violent minx my Muse is becoming I guess.
Yeah, my first 'M' story. Perhaps it doesn't need to be, but I'm going to be cautious. That way, the Muse was free to write in more detail the torture scenes. But I apologize if it doesn't seem as 'M' as the rating promises, but oh well. Better to be safe than sorry, I suppose. Hope it entertains.
Previously, in episode 3 x 4:
Nyssa arrives in town looking for Sara, only for Oliver to inform her of Sara's death. Nyssa tells Oliver Malcolm is alive, and Sara was tracking him. They are successful in tracking Merlyn, but he claims he never killed Sara, and swears on Thea's life he's telling the truth. Oliver believes him, and swears to Nyssa that Merlyn is under his protection until they find Sara's killer. Oliver and Nyssa return to the lair after fighting Malcolm, with the end result of Oliver letting him go. After striking Oliver, Nyssa calls him a fool and says he insults the memory of a woman he once loved by his action.
Oliver is slightly uncomfortable with the murderous look the Daughter of the Demon was giving him, but he was determined to stand by his standards, no matter what. A little voice inside him reminded him of the time he told Diggle it would be dangerous to go against the League, when Nyssa first came to town. Funny how times have changed.
"I will honor Sara's memory by finding and punishing the person who did this. The real person." He paused, then continued after allowing the silence to make the point. "Nyssa, as long as Malcolm Merlyn is in my city, the League will make no move on him. He's under my protection."
Nyssa looked at him, disbelief in her eyes. "You would incur the wrath of the League of Assassins over one such as Merlyn?"
"I would do what I have to in order to buy the time necessary to find out what really happened with Sara."
"You insist on believing a man like Merlyn simply because he calls upon the honor of family?"
"Again, Nyssa, I believe Merlyn did not kill Sara."
"You have made an enemy tonight. One with a long memory." Nyssa turned after Oliver stayed silent. She walked up the stairs, allowing the door to slam shut behind her as she left the Lair.
Later, she faced her father in their home at Nanda Parbat. It was late. Not even changing from her travelling clothes first, she immediately went to find her father. Ra's was bathing in his Lazarus Pit, healing the wounds incurred over the past week from training his new recruits. Unable to hide her emotions, Nyssa knelt beside the Pit, her head down in respect but also in sorrow.
Pulling her hood down, she proceeded to give her father her report. "The rumors were true. Malcolm Merlyn is in Starling City."
"There is a sadness in your voice." The calmness in her father's voice gave her some comfort; she forged on with her report.
"Ta-er al Sa-fir. She has fallen."
"Sara Lance is dead?"
Raising her head, Nyssa found herself staring straight ahead in an attempt to keep her emotions at bay. "Yes, struck through the heart with an arrow."
"At Merlyn's hand?"
"It appears." Struggling to control her tears, Nyssa said, "I have vowed a blood oath to avenge her."
"Al Sa-her will face the League's justice. But only for his crimes against our code."
Nyssa startled at her father's words, not believing what he'd just said. "But Sara…?"
"Was never truly one of us." Ra's walked toward his daughter, stopping in front of her kneeling form as she looked down in sorrow, lost in thought. "What of Queen?"
Still avoiding eye contact with her father, Nyssa said in a monotone, "He has sworn to protect Merlyn at any cost."
Her father stated, "If that is true, then Oliver Queen courts war with us."
Nodding his head at his daughter, Ra's gave her permission to leave his sight. Nyssa controlled the instinct to run away from him as fast as she could. First Queen disappointed her in not killing Merlyn when he had the chance, and now her own father refused to declare a blood oath in honor of her fallen Beloved. Just more examples of how men kept failing her. She held onto her dignity tightly, her head high, and walked out of the room in her characteristic regal style.
Reaching her room before the tears began to fall, Nyssa pushed the heavy door shut and blindly sat on the edge of her bed. Thinking over her options, she suddenly realized what it was she should do. Rising, she grabbed a travel bag and began to pack.
Oliver Queen was indeed going to regret acting against the League. She was going to make sure of it, even if her own father would not.
~~OQ~~FS~~OQ~~FS~~
Oliver was in the Lair several nights later. It was late. He had sent everyone else home. Feeling the need for some solitary time, he had just finished making arrowheads when he heard a small sound. Turning around, he wasn't quick enough because of his fatigue to avoid a traq arrow shot into his upper arm. Oliver fell to the ground. Lying there, as he was rapidly losing consciousness, he heard three pairs of boots approaching him. He attempted to roll his head up to see the faces of his attackers, but the traq worked too quickly.
Oliver first became aware of discomfort in his arms, sensing they were extended above his head, as he regained consciousness sometime later. He opened his eyes only to find Nyssa standing in front of him. Two LOA soldiers, both taller and broader than Diggle, dressed in the black fighting costumes of the LOA, were on either side of her. His eyes travelled up his arms, to discover he was handcuffed to the salmon ladder. His shirt off, a chain around his waist, and ankles chained separately, Oliver felt securely bound to the ladder, without any give whatsoever.
"What the hell, Nyssa?" Oliver looked at his captor, more in surprise than in fear.
Nyssa, dressed in the black, skintight outfit she wore the night she kidnapped Thea, a veil around her head covering the lower part of her face, walked towards him. "I warned you, Oliver, you were incurring the wrath of the League. Even if you are hesitant to carry out justice for Sara, I am not."
"I told you, Malcolm did not kill Sara. We are trying as hard as we can to find out who did." Oliver fought against his bonds without success, the chains clanging against the metal posts of the salmon ladder, as his eyes attempted to bore into Nyssa's as if to get in contact with her soul. "You need to give us more time to find her murderer."
"And I told you, Oliver, I did not believe that." Nyssa got right up in Oliver's face and stabbed him in the chest. "My father…my father does not believe Sara is worth a blood oath." She pulled the knife down his chest. "I do. I want to kill Al Sa-her myself. I need you to tell me where to find him." She withdrew the knife and smiled in satisfaction with the trail of blood she left behind flowing now down the left side of Oliver's chest. Even if Oliver had yet made a sound as she cut him.
"Nyssa, no. I refuse to do so. Like I said, he swore on my sister's life he didn't kill Sara. I believe him. I don't want an innocent man to suffer for something he didn't do." Nyssa pulled away as he finished his statement.
Oliver hadn't noticed one of the soldiers getting closer to him, but suddenly two punches to his jaw knocked his head first to the right, then to the left. "Do not talk to the Mistress that way!" He punched Oliver in the stomach several times as well.
Glaring at the man, Oliver taunted through clenched teeth, "Is that all you got, soldier?" His statement was met with several more punches to his stomach, as well as several more to his face, possibly dislocating his nose and darkening the skin around his right eye.
"Enough, Nando!" The soldier, Nando, nodded and dropped back into line with the other soldier.
Walking up to Oliver again, Nyssa shook her head. "I can tell this is going to be a long night. Luckily, we have as much time as it will take to get what we need."
Before he could react, Nyssa plunged a knife into Oliver's left thigh, missing the femoral artery. At Oliver's gasp, she slowly dragged the knife several inches up his leg while maintaining eye contact. "Like I said, Oliver, you will tell me where Al Sa-her is hiding."
Nyssa withdrew the knife and plunged it into Oliver's right side. He again gasped, stifling a scream. She pulled it out, looked Oliver in the eye, and wiped the knife on his naked chest. "I guess we have barely started, given your legendary tolerance to torture." Oliver dispassionately looked down and observed as Nyssa proceeded to cut through the section of abdomen which produced the most bleeding without hitting any major organs.
Oliver attempted to tamp down the panic he was feeling. "Nyssa, you don't have to do this. Work with us to find the real killer, and I promise you…."
"No, I promise you, Oliver, I wouldn't kill you if you tell me where Al Sa-her is." Taking a step back, Nyssa said, "Even though I should, because you dare defy my father. I will stop your punishment when you tell me where I can find him." Putting one arm around Oliver's shoulder, caressing his cheek with the knife, she asked, "What will it be, Oliver? Will you make the smart choice for once in your life and tell me what I need to know?" She sliced his cheek. "Or will you continue with this fool's errand and stand by a worthless man such as Merlyn?"
Oliver swallowed the lump in his throat, keeping his voice even despite the pain. "Nyssa, do what you must, but I am not handing Merlyn over to you."
"You will go so far as to undergo physical torture in order to protect the man who destroyed half your city? Why is this man so important to you?" Nyssa asked, not bothering to hide the wonder at the supposedly strange behavior.
"Like I said, Nyssa, I will not hand over my sister's father to you."
"Oliver, Oliver. Sara and I sometimes discussed the mistakes you made in your life. I never would have thought you would surpass that stupidity. What would she say now, I wonder?"
Without thinking, Oliver said, "All I know is Sara would be so disappointed in you right now."
Nyssa rained punches in Oliver's face, bruising his left eye and increasing the bruises on his face. "Do not dare speak Sara's name to me. You were never worthy of her."
Through spasms of pain and the punches, Oliver suddenly heard the door to the lair open and familiar heels on the stairs. "Oliver, sorry for disturbing you but I forgot…."
Nyssa stopped in mid-punch, looking up the stairs. She nodded at her two soldiers, who took off for the stairs.
"Felicity! Run!" Oliver yelled as loud as he could, and desperately hoped she heard and obeyed without question. Through eyes blurry with tears of pain, he watched the two guards run up the stairs at the quickest speed he'd ever seen anyone else move.
Oliver found himself holding his breath as he strained to listen to what was happening. He was dreading he'd hear what he was afraid of, but he only heard scuffles. Then he heard Felicity scream, "You get your hands off me! Who are you? How dare you do this? Let me go." His eyes then met a sight which chilled him to his toes, Felicity being dragged back downstairs by the two soldiers, one on each side of her. Even with a head start, he'd known Felicity probably couldn't outrun two deadly assassins. He could only watch helplessly as she was brought to one of the office chairs, pushed into it, and her hands and ankles tied to its arms and legs with rope one of the guards produced out of his pocket.
As the soldiers turned and walked back to Nyssa, resuming their positions at attention on either side of her, Felicity looked around her, her eyes falling on the salmon ladder. She gasped at the sight of Oliver restrained, bruised and bleeding, and Nyssa holding a bloody knife. "What's going on? Nyssa, I thought you were our friend."
"I thought I was your ally as well, until Oliver dared to defy my father." Walking over to Felicity, holding the knife up, Nyssa said, "I apologize for this, Felicity Smoak, MIT class of 2009, but it is necessary." As Oliver screamed for her to stop and pulled against his restraints, Nyssa stabbed the knife into Felicity's left upper thigh. Felicity tried to hold back tears of pain and a scream, but she'd never felt such pain before. Nyssa looked up at Oliver with a defiant look, quirking an eyebrow.
"Nyssa, stop! Please don't harm her any more. Hurt me instead, Nyssa," Oliver begged despite himself.
"Oh, but Oliver, you have demonstrated very well hurting you is not effective in getting what I want." Turning towards Felicity, Nyssa suddenly plunged the knife into Felicity's right upper thigh, and slowly dragged the knife, making a cut three inches long as Felicity screamed.
"So what will it be, Oliver? Should I dig out her heart and hand it over to you?" Nyssa asked, the knife poised over Felicity's sternum.
Oliver met Felicity's eyes as they frantically searched him out. "Not for me, Oliver, not for me!" Felicity screamed, as the knife got even closer to her skin.
AN: So whatcha think? Not sure how long this story will be. I suppose at least three chapters, but we shall see. It seems like I never know; it is after all up to the Muse. Hope you enjoyed it. (Kinda weird to say that when most of the chapter had torture in it, but oh well.)
Oh, and if you really want to encourage that Muse, please leave a review. Always brightens my day!
