Few weeks later…
She was a vision in a black silk, a dark angel with a hair as brown and lustrous as melted chocolate, eyes the two chips of icy blue sapphire. She had high patrician cheekbones, and full lips moist and red as they were the strawberries bathed in the morning dew.
This was how the men saw her on this private party as she stood there in a corner surrounded by them in her long black silk evening gown and diamond jewelry that adored her long throat and slender bare arms.
Nyssa rolled her eyes getting even more bored with each passing hour. This party was going nowhere and now she had no choice than to be presented here for she had no other choice. Her mind went back when she had actually learned that the fortune she had inherited was of
her late mother the one that she never knew and that her father had finally had agreed to reveal her the truth.
Blaze Bolton was her mother's name and inheritance was hers now for she was only living heir and her daughter to take the possession of a mansion outside of Gotham City. Incredible amount of money was in her hand and she soon found herself surrounded in a high class and her good looks helped her to get noticed by young unmarried men that were
not just after her but after riches as well.
Speaking of her looks she had to smile to herself and a revealing evening gown she was actually wearing this evening at the party. During her life and training at the temple men hardly noticed her beauty, here the situation was different and they were praising her
like she was a beautiful statue, though it might be boring Nyssa thought it was quite amusing to see.
Now as her eyes wondered around she was waiting for a right victim to take him down and clean her pathway to the higher grounds she was getting bored and killing was what she was actually doing and tonight it would be no waiting at all.
She wanted to have her father by her side to tell her what to do next but now she was on her own and it would be a while before he would come back. Nyssa had to plan her next move and thankful to her beauty it would work more like a charm around men and soon one by one will fall down after they taste her secret weapon the taste of poison.
Still, she had to wait for a right time and carry on her father's wishes to see this city fall and disappear like a dust in a wind. Now, she was standing surrounded by a circle of young rich people that bored her to death. This party was getting bored by each passing moment and it was a time for her to go and she needed to disappear and fast.
Bruce was not looking forward to this ball he was supposed to attend. It was full of rich, up tight, too much money type snobs. As rich as he was, he had never been like them. He had never been around long enough to turn into one of them. He knew that he would attract all
sorts of attention since it was his first public appearance since his
return. Bruce wasn't going to attend, but Alfred had reminded him of his duties to his family and Wayne enterprises.
Dressed to kill, and not looking forward to the night ahead, Bruce walked into the ballroom. He just walked to his table as people stared at him, and a gentle buzz of gossip started to fill the room. A crowed was quick to approach him. Bruce just tried to be charming and fills make short work of all conversations.
As she headed toward the coat check, she was walking fast trying to avoid people that were coming in. She managed to pass few of them but she was not in luck with approaching man that was going her way. Nyssa tried her best to avoid him as she passed him by and so far it worked but it was not meant to be for her arm caused to slam into his shoulder with a such a force that almost knocked her down on a floor. Shocked what she had done she back off instantly and looked up to see who she did hit her eyes going wide to see who was actually a man she hit. Nyssa could not believe whom she was actually seeing and instead words sorry from her mouth came only this:
"Oh My God..." For she least expected to see Bruce again.
As Bruce pushed his way through the people, suddenly a woman in a rush had caught him off guard when her arm clipped his shoulder. Saying "sorry" as he turned his head to see if the stranger was ok, Bruce's words were stopped cold as he realized who had just bumped
into him. He looked at Nyssa at a loss; he just stood in silence, suprised to see the young woman in Gotham.
"...Nyssa..." he finally pushed out in a low tone.
"Are...are you ok?" He asked, not wanting people to become suspicious of the two.
Bruce immediately wanted to explain everything that had happened back in the mountains, but this was not the time or the place. Instead he just tried to force a curious and charming smile, maintaining the illusion that the two did not have an uneasy past together.
Blinking slowly tired not recall the times back at the Temple or the devastation of the explosion that followed. Seeing him the memories threatened to come to hunt her back and she tried her best not think about them.
This as not a time and she did not want to talk about that either. Instead she approached her subject with a caution not wanting to cause the attention around her at any cost. He brought the memories back of her father training him and she did not want to remember that but it was still there hunting her by his presence.
"I see you still remember my name," She replied softly her eyes had warmed little at the sight of him but still they were cold as ice not allowing her motion to come to surface." And I see you are well after what happened back in the mountains. It is good to see you Bruce. It has been a while and good to see that you are all well. I and I apologize for not saying good bye that day for I had a strange feeling that I would see you again."
She pushed her loose strand away from her face revealing several blue poppies that were arranged in a flower arrangement right behind her right ear held down by the black pins contrasting with the darkness of her hair.
"How could I forget..." Was the reply that she had received from him in return. Bruce took notice of the blue flowers and gave a genuine smile this time.
"You don't have to apologize. I understand. Things were very ...hectic... on the day that I left." His smile faded as he recalled the events. Bruce was a little uneasy. Was Nyssa in Gotham to carry out the demands that her father had once requested of him? Did she know that he survived the explosion? "You look great." He told her trying to get a smile out of her, and trying to lighten the mood a bit.
Bruce offered Nyssa his arm and wanted to take her some place private where they could talk without anyone overhearing. "Would you care to join me outside on the balcony, away from prying eyes?" He asked, hoping she would say yes. He really needed to find things out.
" I would love to," Nyssa knew that she had to remain on her guard and not reveal that much of why she was here at the first place.
She placed her hand upon his arm and let him to lead her away and once outside at the balcony she allowed her guard to slip even more than before but she still did not reveal as much as she did in the crowd." I do see the questions in your eyes and I am not suprised that you want to know why I am here at the first place?"
She crossed her arms her face returned to a mask of a warrior she was back in the temple and not allowing the emotion to slip out at any cost. Year of training gave her chance to master that that and she rarely smiled even when he had seen her do so but only in her father's presence. Aware of his judging gaze she revealed nothing at all but she was ready at the questions he was about to ask her for she knew that they would not be that nice either.
Bruce escorted her out to the balcony. There was not his kind of people, and he knew that they were not Nyssa's either. She knew what kind of man he truly was, and even though he had trained under her father, she had still managed to keep herself shrouded in mystery
back at the temple.
Bruce was not sure of what to say. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the green dragon pin she had given him. He looked down at it as the moonlight reflected off of the shiny surface.
"I didn't forget you." he told her as he looked down at the gift she had given
him.
Bruce looked up and locked eyes with Nyssa before wandering over to the rail of the balcony and looked down noticing a young girl watching people enter the ballroom. He looked up to the moon and spoke once again to Nyssa.
"What did you do...after the temple?" he asked, looking over his shoulder at her once he had finished speaking. "How have you been?"
Nyssa smiled slightly remembering giving him that pin and she had done that so secretly that even her father did not know what she was up to and if he had he would punish her for that but she did not care much either.
She tired at least to be friendly with him but she knew the rules that attachments were forbidden and she new that very well that she should not break the rules that were set for all Order to follow.
"This is my home Bruce, I had returned here for temple never was actually my home really. I had found about my mother and the inheritance that she left behind for me here so I just settled here for a time being to escape the grief and move on with the life." She met his gaze again trying to read what was behind his eyes.
"I can see that you are asking wrong questions again. What exactly are you want to know? I can see other questions in your eyes but not the ones that you are actually asking. Speak your mind Bruce," Her voice gained slight sharpness as she spoke her eyes were cold now as ice that once he had seen surrounding the temple grounds.
If she wanted to get to the point, than Bruce would do exactly that. He just wasn't sure of how to talk about her father without upsetting her. He did not want her to be angry. Bruce turned to face Nyssa and leaned against the rail. He was blunt and to the point.
"What is left of the league?" was his first question. "What are their plans for Gotham?"
At first, Nyssa was taken back but she was not scared of him at any cost. Her face was emotionless as she spoke back to him keeping her steady gaze at him trying to read the emotions behind his dark eyes.
" I am not sure about the League or if they are alive or not for I was sent away soon after the explosion and I had lost all contact with them. I do not know if they are any that managed to survive the explosion and if they are it would be a while before I learn anything."
Again she was hiding something for she had to do that and won't betray her father to bring this city down to the crumble for good. He might be gone now but it was now up to her to keep the work done and she will for the survivors were counting on her to rise her hand and unleash the blood shed around the city.
She glanced at her watch the five minutes that passed their mark and it was only a matter of a time before the commotion started and the hell breaks loose when a body is discovered dead at the table. Her bodyguard was restless for she was not coming but did not matter much for her ride was there waiting for her when she desired to come back home.
Bruce knew that she was hiding something from him...but Nyssa was always hiding something from him. He sighed looking the girl up and down when she was done speaking. He did not want to tell her what he was about to. His usually strong and confident voice, suddenly became soft.
"Your father...Ducard... he survived the explosion. I took him to safety and left him in the care of the nearest village people." He knew that telling her this was not the best idea, but she had the right to know that her father could still be alive. He knew how bad it hurt to
loose a father. "I haven't seen him since."
The expression on her face suddenly began to change like the ice started to melt from her eyes and let the emotions to surface once more. She was loosing the fight again and she knew she could not let the emotions to control her being again for her father told her
that they only might cause the weakness to her.
She could not cry, this was against her order and the way she has been raised. Instead she swallowed her tears back and her voice gained that gentle sound that was quite rare to be heard that was actually coming from her at the first place.
"I am gonna thank you for that what you had done for my father and I am glad that he is alive, or I hope that he is still is to some point. I awaiting for his return for I know he would come looking for me."
Nyssa produced a small envelope that had seal shaped as a green dragon and placed into Bruce's hand. She could see the question in his eyes but instead she replied:
"The address of my estate is on the back of the envelope, when you are feeling ready to visit me I will be waiting, and also this is I the invitation for annual ball so and you can come and bring the four friends with you to attend the ball. It is a masquerade ball so make sure to wear costume. Once more thank you for the news and it means a lot to me." She lean over and placed a kiss on his cheek." Good bye Bruce."
He looked at her curiously when she handed him a small envelope. Before he could ask she explained it. When she kissed him, he knew she was going to leave. He didn't want to see her go there was still much to discuss. All he could do wish her well. "Take care of your self Nyssa..." He watched reluctantly as the woman left his sight.