Bruce couldn't wrap his head around why this Prince Ma'at was being so nice to the embittered man. This Isfet fellow who looked exactly like The Joker minus a few distinguishing details that had marred The Joker's flesh and altered the natural color of his hair.

Yet this Prince was being nice to him. And Isefet Khaba Joktar wasn't trying to kill or maim anyone. Then again Joker had always been unpredictable in how he was going to act around other people. Or at least most individuals.

He still wanted to wake up. Yet despite these thoughts and demanding himself to rise from his slumber he did not open his eyes to Gotham. No, once more he saw through the eyes of the consciousness he inhabited the great hills, vast landscapes, and dawning sun as it lit up the sky in hues of orange and red and pink.


Ma'at's eyes slowly opened. Feeling a hand just below his chest he held his breath for a few brief seconds. Felt the warmth of Isfet Khaba Joktar's chest up against his back.

From across the way, the sudden loud snore of Bane and then the quiet of gentle breath against his ear.

Expelling a breath he went to sit up.

A woosh of air brushed a fraction of a inch above his scalp.

Isfet growled and tugged him back down. "They've found us," he whispered in his ear then turning his head he shouted. "Bane, get up!"

Bane startled awake, sat up. "What the hell?"

Isfet pointed to a spot just beyond Bane's foot. An arrow, the very one that had nearly hit Ma'at in the head.

Bane's brows furrowed. "Assassin?"

Isfet rolled his eyes. "Obviously."

Ma'at turned his head, eyes widening, he tossed the blanket aside and rolled behind a rock and bush. There really wasn't all that much to hide behind. "There's only one right now." He pointed due west. It seemed that at least one of his uncles cronies had decided that what they'd been told wasn't the true direction that they'd taken.

Isfet glanced at Bane. "You go that way, I'll go this way. We'll circle the assassin and take him out."

Ma'at asked, "What should I do?"

"Stay here," Isfet glowered at him.

Bane was already on the move. Running on the right side before Isefet began to the left.

The assassin tried shooting Bane with one of their arrows, but the man rolled and it just missed him. By a tiny fraction.

The assassin turned his attention to Isfet and began charging in his direction, letting three arrows fly.

Ma'at seeing where this was going hurried and mounted his steed and galloped. Isfet could only dodge so many and Bane wasn't the swiftest of individuals.

As Bane came up behind the assassin, an arrow headed for Isfet's heart.

Ma'at jumped down from his mount and fell upon the Alpha.

Isfet growled, "Ma'at!" As he was sent to the ground, hands slamming into the dirt to keep from eating a face full of earth.

Ma'at gasped in pain as he felt something sharp pierce his shoulder. Something wet trickled down his arm to his elbow.

Bane's fist slammed into the assassin's nose as they turned around ready to fire another arrow. Bane hit the assassin so hard that they fell to the ground, nose bleeding. "I ought to kill you," he growled, took hold of the black hood and gasped. "A woman. How stupid can those Beta's be?"

Isfet pushed Ma'at off of him. Hearing the prince's intake of breath he turned around and frowned. "Didn't I tell you to stay put?"

Ma'at held the elbow of his injured arm in that of his other. "Well, I wasn't about to let you die."

Isfet blinked and shook his head. "I hope those bags your aunt prepared have some medical herbs and tools in them."

Ma'at glanced in Bane's direction. "Just because they're female doesn't make them any less dangerous." He knew that they, or at least some of them, could be just as strong, if not stronger than the strongest of men. That or their speed or intelligence could stand up against brute strength. After all no one was exactly the same when it came to strengths and weaknesses.

Isfet got up and went to the packs on Ma'at's mount. The steed might no longer be tied up, but it had not left the side of the prince. "Such a loyal mount you've got here Prince Ma'at."

"Just show them a bit of respect, care, and love and they never truly stray far. Unless its breeding season."

Bane and even Isfet chuckled at that.

Bane smirked, "Ah, breeding season. A female Beta will do just fine for that."

Ma'at's eyes widened. "What?"

Isfet, "I do hope you're not thinking of taking up with a woman who was trying to kill us."

Bane shrugged. "It would be a fitting punishment, don't you think?"

Ma'at frowned. "I do not approve. It's one thing if they're willing, but if they say no, you'd better listen. But why would you even be interested in an assassin?" He kept still while he spoke. Blinking, he shook his head as the edge of darkness shadowed the corners of his eyes.

Isfet brought some water, a bottle of mead, some tattered long bits of cloth, and a knife. "Bane, get the fire ready. I'll need it to sterilize Prince Ma'at's wound."

Ma'at grimaced. "No, thank you."

"I may also need you to hold the prince down. It appears he does not understand what is good for him to keep from losing his limb if infection sets in."

"Stay over there Bane," Ma'at instructed, though he didn't have an Alpha's commanding voice. "That assassin could wake up at any moment."

Isfet smirked, "Do you honestly think you can get out of this?"

"I can take care of myself." He reached for the arrow and tried to pull it out only to stop with a sharp inhale.

Isfet stood up and grabbed some rope. Before Ma'at realized what was going on, his hands were tied behind his back.


Bruce, still privy to all that was going on, though he could not feel these things could see them and know. "Of course. This is some variant of The Joker. Looks like he's enjoying torturing the prince. How is this a love story?"


Ma'at glared, "Untie me Isfet Khaba Joktar! This instant!"

"What was that, little prince?" Isfet asked as he tugged the arrow free with one pull.

Ma'at let out a shriek of pain, unable to hold it back, unable even to cover his mouth.

Not far away a fire crackled.

Isfet picked up the knife and let the fire heat it. "I know it hurts Prince Ma'at, but please trust me, this will keep the wound from festering and stop any more bleeding. I hope you don't mind the scar, but you'd have one anyway for taking an arrow meant for someone else, you foolish boy."

"I'm not a boy!"

Isfet approached him, with open bottle of mead, "Then take your medicine like a man," and poured it onto his wound causing Ma'at to hiss.

Setting the bottle down, Isfet picked up a stick and held it to Ma'at's mouth. "Bite on this. We don't need you losing your tongue. Not that I'd mind the silence."

Ma'at glowered at the older man, but opened his mouth and bit into the stick. Biting on it even harder as Isfet placed the flat side of the knife along the deep wound left by the arrow.

His eyes shut tight and a tear escaped the corner of his left eye.

It lasted only a few seconds, but to Ma'at it felt as if the pain lasted for days on end. The scent of burning flesh had him near to gagging when he dropped the stick from his mouth as Isfet removed the knife and the burning heat with it.

"You can open your eyes Prince Ma'at, it's over."

Blinking his eyes open he frowned up at Isfet.

Isfet knelt down and placed an arm on either of Ma'at's shoulders. "Thank you for saving my life, Prince Ma'at Yarğanat Batlar." He lowered his head to where the arrow had struck.

Just above that spot, he felt the brush of Isfet's lips. The beat of his heart picked up pace. "Isfet?"

The man reached around him, undid the ropes and stood. "We need to get going."

Bane glanced at the pair of them. "You two go on ahead. I'll keep this assassin from following you. By any means necessary."

Ma'at frowned. "Why don't we just leave her here and continue?"

Bane shook his head. "We do that and we leave her to die. And you've never taken a life Prince Ma'at. Do you wish that on your conscience when she is currently helpless?"

Isfet shook his head. "I'd leave her. She tried to kill us first."

Ma'at worried his lower lip as he stood and went to ready his mount. "If she wakes up and tries to kill you or follow us, I don't care what you do, but right now... she is helpless. The death would not be honorable."

Bane bowed, "As you wish Prince Ma'at."

Isfet got upon his mount, "Beta's will always be problematic, even among themselves."

Ma'at lifted the reigns of his steed and they set off again toward the East. "No matter the species, or race, there are problems among everyone and every living thing. That is life."


A/N: I do hope this story is enjoyable to readers. Is it something readers want me to continue, as I have been tempted to begin other ideas, but I've learned that I can only concentrate on a couple stories at a time without it all falling apart...