CH:2- Breaking The Ice

Some days later things moved on and there was no sight of Nyssa. She could not bee seen at the temple grounds nor she had been seen at meals at all and Bruce understood what meant to be punished so he did not ask at all about her at all. Ducard refused to comment anything nor he wanted to talk about it either. What ever has been going on it was not up to Bruce to ask. Each morning Ducard would take Bruce to sword lessons not far from a temple grounds, and as Bruce prepared to leave he noticed a female figure standing at a balcony of a private quarters that belonged to Ducard. Nyssa hardly noticed him watching and she was out of a sight before Ducard had appeared and they were gone.

They day had slipped into the early evening and Ducard called a halt for lessons and it was over for today. As they headed back to a small camp site, Nyssa was already there wating for them and attending fire to keep them warm. Without a word she handled small tea cups to them as the scent of green tea filled up the cold air with its warmth and aroma. Her eyes were lowered slightly as she gave a cup to her father, but would not help herself to steal a gaze back at Bruce for a short moment.

Bruce saw a refelection of a sadness and pain in them that were reflected in them only for a short moment then the coldness of a winter was more replaced in her eyes icy blue gaze. Nyssa moved away leaving the men to talk in a privacy and once more Ducard seemed to notice the change in Bruce had when his daughter was around and even before Bruce was able to speak a word he spoke instead breaking silence and tension around them.

"You are still taken back for her to be my daughter?" He asked slightky taking Bruce by suprise.

"In a way yes." Bruce could not help but to admit that.

"She is all what has been left to me from a woman I've once loved. She has been taken away from me, but I realized I could not be angry forever. Nyssa is only person that keeps me not to come insane."

"Has she been always like this? Ducard looked back at him in a slight confusion.

"I mean distant and cold no emotions and such."

"She used to smile before but one day it stopped. She shut herself away into the darkness and now she barely talks or even show an emotion. I do not even remember seeing her shed a tear or even a smile in a past ten years."

"Why is that?"

"I do not know and I would like to see her smile again, but she... well a smile comes to her a quite hard way."

Perhpas I might talk to her and try to make her smile Bruce thougth in the silence.

That evening Bruce saw Nyssa talking quietly to Rals ak Ghul and Ducard was nowhere to be seen at all. Being dismissed after a talk, Bruce headed to catch up with her. At first, Nyssa hardly noticed him to be that close to her and when she noticed that he was refusing to leave her side, she made sudded stop causing him to bump at her in a process. Even by the accident, he could feel how soft and delicate she felt.

"Sorry." Bruce spoke quickly but could not help himself to look back at her.

Icy-blue pools were staring back at him glowing with a certain sharpness and slight curiousity fot it seemed that Nyssa was indeed aware of him looking back at her.

"Cat got your tongue," Was her reply and Bruce back off slightly like she had just slapped him across the face.

"I wanted to talk to you," He replied.

"Why?" Again she asked looking away from him. " Has my father sent you here to me?"

"No, I've come on my own will." This answer stopped her form leaving.

"Is that so?" Again she asked.

"You seemed sad and when I've seen you this afternoon I could help but wonder what was really going on." He replied and was aware that she could snap at him at any moment, but instead her voice softened a bit though it remained flat.

'What do you know about sadness, Mr. Wayne?" He was taken back by her question.

"I know it enough that too much of it would cause a madness and that grief could destroy you." His own grief for loosing his parents that night came back to hunt him instantly.

"When does someone of your age as yours became that wise?"

Bruce was on an edge to giving up talking for she always had a way to shut him down. Ice nothing more than ice surrounded this young woman. He looked up at her face and noticed how it was fair that remained him of first fallen snow.

"I only tried to be more friendly with you that is it all," He replied." And if you do not want to have anything to say then I would leave you to your peace."

"Wait," A hand fell on his shoulder and surge of heat went through his being like someone has set him on a fire." I did not mean to be rude, again I am sorry. It is not your fault."

"It is alright, I understand." He felt that she was about to remove her hand away from his shoulder, but he took it insteand and placed a small kiss on her palm.

"You are stepping on a dangerous ground." She warned him.

"I know but I can't fight it." Bruce replied.

"It is too dangerous for you..." But she was cut by his words.

"No. it is not just dangerous for me, but for us. I know that this temptation is going around to strong and I am not sure if I could fight it any longer."

"Bruce, " She warned him. " you are playing with a fire."

"I would gladly burn in the hell." And with that he watched her leave and he walked after her to find Nyssa standing on a small balcony overlooking the white blankets of snow, and refused to look back at him unable to fight her own desire as well.

"I can not do this," Her words were a faint whisper." It is not right."

"Are you willing to wait?"

"Perhaps, but you have so much to learn."She spoke the words of her father.

"I would wait as long as it takes to do so in order to know that I would be rewarded on end." Nyssa slightly frowned hearinf this and realized that he was not giving up on her.

Outside the snow storm has come to an end and wind was no longer harsh tossing the fallen snow like sugar dust. Beside her a figure has been standing and strangely enough all but quiet breathing might show that he was actually alive. She saw that this might end up in a downfall for them both, but Nyssa was willing to risk that.

"What do you thinking of?" Bruce asked.

About how I would gladly pin you down on a ground and make a love to you She thought.

"Nothing important,"Was her reply as they stood there as sky cleared before them and the for a first time moon had appeared its cold silver reflection danced on white surface of an ice and snow. So this was how the winter's moon must flet like showing a light and yet no warmth was there, just like love she had for Bruce that she knew that would never be returned of had its warmth.