Nanda Parbat


"Nyssa is on her way. Raz wants to meet you in Nanda Parbat." Sara announced to Veronica that night before they went out in their vigilante outfits while Mac was happily typing away on the lair's computers.

"I guess I should have known. Why isn't he coming here?" Veronica asked her back.

"He would have come if he had had any doubts but since he's inviting you to Nanda Parbat, it means that he believes that you're his daughter and that he wants to welcome you in his life, probably in the League as well." Sara replied.

"Does that mean that we stop doing this while she's gone? I just got started, I don't want a break yet!" Mac exclaimed, assuming rightfully that Oliver would go with Veronica.

"I'll stay here, don't worry, we'll keep the fort going together." John Diggle told her with a smile.

"I guess I need to take a few days off work. If she arrives tomorrow and we leave immediately, I should be fine by taking just a week or so off work." Oliver nodded.

"The board won't like the two of us not being around at the same time." Veronica replied but nodded.

"It's still a family company. They'll be able to contact mom if anything big happens and we'll be reachable through our phones, it'll be fine. Everything's gone well since I took over, they shouldn't have anything to say about it. Is there Wifi there?" Oliver reassured them and asked Sara.

"No, no internet there. Nanda Parbat isn't exactly a top vacationing location." She shook her head.

"I should be able to fix that. I've been working on something. Long story short, you take it with you and you'll be able to have wifi wherever you go, even if there's no initial internet or even cellphone reception anywhere around you, even in Nanda Parbat. I should be able to finish it by tomorrow." Mac replied quickly in a very excited voice.

"Great, thanks Mac. This will allow us to stay in touch with the company while we're away." Veronica nodded with a smile.

"You're ready to go then? To meet him?" Sara asked Veronica.

"I am, yes. Don't get me wrong, Keith will always be my father, but considering the mother I have, having two fathers shouldn't be such a bad thing. Plus, twice the gifts on my birthday!" Veronica told Sara with a small smile.

"Always see things on the bright side." Oliver nodded.

.

When Nyssa arrived, Veronica, Sara and Oliver were already packed and ready to go. They took the League's plane a couple of hours after it landed and were on their ways.

"Are you okay, sister? Not too nervous?" Nyssa asked Veronica while Oliver and Sara played chess.

"A bit nervous, yes. I'm not sure what to expect and I don't like the unknown. I'm usually well prepared for everything, rarely enter an unknown room without doing my research on everyone inside it first. I feel like this could go one of two ways: well or badly. I don't want it to go badly." Veronica explained.

"I'm sure it'll go well, don't worry. Our father might be a hard man, but he loves me, he loved my sister and I know that it won't take him long to love you as well. He assured me that if in the end, you wanted nothing to do with the League, he'd let you go."

"I... I don't know how I'll get along with our father but, Nyssa, I want you to know that I'm glad you're my big sister. I always wanted one and the closest I got to it was with my friend Lilly who was murdered all these years ago." Veronica told her.

"But you have Thea, Oliver's sister." Nyssa reminded her.

"Yes, Thea is more like a little sister, by age and through our relationship. It's not the same kind of relationship." Veronica shook her head.

"I get it. I'm sure we'll get along well." Nyssa smiled back at her little sister.

"About Nanda Parbat, is it like a large house with lots of open ground around it for the League to train or more like a small village?" Veronica asked her curiously.

"It's more like an antic castle built in a mountain. Well protected, very hard to find if you don't already know where it is and almost impossible to break into if you haven't been in before." Nyssa replied.

"A castle? So you're kind of like a princess?" Veronica asked her.

"If you want to see our father like a king, then I guess you could say that we're princesses, yes. But definitely not the Disney version, even Mulan is too soft to be like us." Nyssa replied with an amused smile.

"I always wanted to be a princess." Veronica smiled.

"Dating a Queen is the first step." Nyssa whispered so that Oliver couldn't hear her.

"Yes, he does have a way to make me feel like a princess sometimes." Veronica nodded, liking that her sister had humor.

"Does he make you happy?"

"Very. I've never been this happy with someone before, never had this feeling that I can trust every word he says and put my life in his hands. Even if he ended up lying to me, I just knew that it would be for a good reason. I just trust him enough to know that he'll always have my best interests at heart."

"You love him." Nyssa stated.

"I do, more than I can say with words, and I know that he feels the same way." Veronica smiled.

"Good. But as your big sister, know that I'll always keep an eye out and that if he does anything to hurt you, I won't be the only one coming after him." Nyssa assured her sister.

"It's strange because I've always been the kind of girl to think about the breakup as soon as the relationship started, I could see all the ways it could end before the first date even ended but ever since Oliver and I started being together, I can't do it. I don't see it end. I can't even think about our relationship ending. It's like the very idea is impossible to form." Veronica whispered back.

"Maybe it means that he's the one then. True Love and all that. I've heard stories, soul mates, true love. My father even met with a couple, they're reborn and destined to meet and fall in love in every single one of their lives. True Love and soul mates, people destined to be together, is real. Maybe that's what you and Oliver are." Nyssa explained with a smile.

"I hope so." Veronica nodded with a smile.

Turning to the side, Veronica saw that Sara was winning at their game of chess and she was happy to realize that she didn't feel as nervous as before. Nyssa had done her big sister's job to the perfection. She had managed to calm Veronica's nerves.

.

When they finally landed, Veronica's nerves had build up once more. Oliver immediately took her hand in his and held it tightly. He knew that she needed comfort and so did his best to give it to her.

"Tell me it's all going to be fine." Veronica asked in a voice loud enough to be heard by everyone.

"Everything is going to be fine." Oliver whispered to her.

"Don't worry V, it'll be okay." Sara told her while clapping her on the back.

"You worry too much sister. It's your home, everything will be fine." Nyssa assured her.

"Okay, I think I'm ready, let's go." Veronica nodded, looking determined.

"You're a strong woman Honey, he'll see that and he'll have no choice but to be proud of the woman you've become." Oliver added.

"What if I'm not strong enough to please him?" Veronica asked him back.

"He's your father, a father is always proud of his child, no matter what. And you've given him every reason to be proud." Oliver reassured her.

Together, they walked through the plain, entered a barely noticeable passage between two large rocks and walked for about an hour before they finally arrived in front of a large double door that opened before they could even knock.

"Good thing we packed light." Veronica commented as then entered.

Nyssa asked them to give their bags to one of the men waiting by the door. They did and he took them to the bedroom they'd be using during their stay in Nanda Parbat. Once they were free of their bags, Nyssa guided the group through the corridors, letting Veronica stop and observe whenever she felt like stopping to watch something she found interesting or intriguing.

"This place is amazing." Veronica commented.

"Glad you think so since this is now your home too." A deep voice said from behind them as Veronica and Oliver looked at an antic vase.

They immediately turned around and realized that the voice had belonged to Raz Al Ghul himself.

"Father, this is Veronica and Oliver." Nyssa replied.

"Raz Al Ghul." Sara greeted him.

"You're... I... Hi." Veronica greeted the powerful man, not really knowing how to behave or what to call him.

"Wow, who knew that only Raz Al Ghul would have the power to render you speechless Honey." Oliver chuckled, making Sara and Nyssa chuckle as well, before he greeted Raz.

"What? I'm nervous, that's all." Veronica protested.

"There's no need to be, I assure you. Now come, follow me. I'll give you a tour of the place, then we'll have dinner and once that's done, You and I will talk, if you want." Raz announced, ending the sentence by looking at Veronica only.

"I'd like that." She nodded.

She appreciated what he was doing, giving her time to get used to him and the place before they spent time alone and got to know each other. Sara and Nyssa left the group and so Raz took Oliver and Veronica on the tour alone, showing them everything, even the secret emergency exits and the hidden weapons. He wanted her to know absolutely everything about the place.

"Wow, you guys even have a hot tub, that's so cool!" Veronica exclaimed once they arrived in the last room, the one with the pit in it.

"It's not a mere hot tub Veronica. This is the Lazarus pit." Raz replied with a chuckle.

"Lazarus? Like the guy in the bible?" She asked him.

"You can say that. It has the property to heal wounds and even bring back people from the dead, though it has a price." he replied.

"I take it this is how you can look so young after living for so long?" She asked him.

"It is. If you ever need it, all you have to do is ask." He nodded.

"Thanks." She smiled.

After that, they went to the dinning room where Nyssa and Sara were waiting for them.

"So, how was the tour, sister? What do you think of Nanda Parbat?" Nyssa asked Veronica.

"It's large, and very interesting. It makes me feel like I'm walking in some sort of ancient museum or something. Full of beautiful art and weapons that could be mistaken for art and are probably antics. I have a friend in Neptune who used to collect ancient looking weapons, well, copies anyway. I'm sure he'd be in heaven here." Veronica replied.

"Which one?" Oliver asked her.

"Norris, remember, the one who became a deputy?" She replied.

"The one who used to have a crush on you." Oliver nodded with a frown, remembering that he had been mentioned by Mac and Wallace a few times.

"So you were popular with the boys then?" Raz asked Veronica while a member of his league brought them food.

"Not that much. At first I was with Duncan, Lilly's brother and after she died and we broke up, I was some sort of pariah at school. But it was probably still too much for my fath... I mean, for Keith." she replied, stopping before she called Keith her father, afraid he'd have been offended.

"It's okay to call him your father Veronica. That man raised you and helped you become the woman you are today. I won't be offended if you call him your father in front of me. I owe him a lot for having loved you and raised you to become such an incredible young woman. For being your father alone that makes him family to us." Raz told Veronica, understanding her problem and showing everyone a softer side of him.

"Thank you. I was afraid you'd be offended... I think, once things have settled down, that he'd like to meet you." Veronica replied with a smile.

"And share some stories about Veronica growing up and the adventure that raising her was." Oliver added, amused.

"It was not! I'll have you know that I was a well behaved little girl." Veronica protested.

"Really? Because I remember Keith telling me a story about a little girl who once tried to flush herself down the toilet so she could join the mermaids in the ocean, even though you lived right next to it." He smiled.

"I was 5 and I only did it because Lilly thought it would be a great idea for us to become mermaids. And we couldn't go to the beach because it was raining." Veronica explained.

"I'm sure I'll love to hear these stories and to meet Keith Mars. I owe him and he will always be welcome here." Raz stated.

At this point, another man entered the room with a jar of wine and when Oliver looked up and saw the man, he stood up.

"Maseo? Is that you?" Oliver asked him.

"Maseo is dead. I am Sarab now." The man replied but Veronica could see an hidden emotion behind his eyes.

"You two know each other?" Nyssa asked Oliver.

"They met during Oliver's time away. He wasn't always on the Island. At some point, Argus tried to force him to work for them, to stop the Omega virus before it was released. They failed and Maseo's son died in the process." Veronica explained quickly and in a low voice.

She knew everything there was to know about Oliver and she knew that he wouldn't feel like explaining right now.

"Which is the reason why I came here to start over, erase Maseo and become a new man." Sarab added.

"Is Tatsu here as well?" Oliver asked his old friend.

"No, we've parted ways after everything happened and never reconciled. Now excuse me, I have to go." Sarab replied before he turned around and left the room.

"I'm sure the two of you will be able to catch up later during your stay here." Raz assured Oliver once he sat down, letting him know that he was allowing this re-connection.

They spent the rest of dinner talking about various subject and, once it was over, Nyssa and Sara offered to show Oliver to their training room so Veronica could have some private time with her father.

"You don't need to be nervous, child. I won't bite." He said with a smile when he noticed how nervous she looked.

"I can't help it. You're a bit intimidating." She confessed.

"I know, I can't help it anymore, it helped me win many battles and calm many conflicts over the years." He replied kindly.

"I can see how. This place is very impressive."

"You said you liked it..." he told her in an interrogative manner.

"Oh, I do. It was a compliment." She smiled.

"I know that you didn't grow up here but I want you to know that this place is your home too now. Whenever you want to come, no matter the reason, you'll always be welcome. You're my daughter and tomorrow, we'll have a ceremony with League members to welcome you as my second heir. The bedroom you and Oliver will sleep in tonight will be yours alone, nobody else will use it for as long as you live."

"So I'm heir to the demon too, now?" She asked him with a smile.

"Yes." He nodded.

"Sounds bad-ass, I like it. Why the Demon though? I'm sure there's a long and interesting history behind the League, your name and everything... I'd love to hear it." She told him, opening the conversation.

"Nyssa told me that you had a curious nature. I'll tell you the most important tonight and I've prepared a few journals for you. A few of my men worked on it, they translated our recorded history for you. This way you'll be able to take them with you in Starling city and read them at your own pace." he replied.

"Thank you. I was wondering... Do you think you could train me a little I mean, don't get me wrong, I can hold my own when I'm Karma with my whip and I'm almost as good as Oliver in hand to hand combat now but I want to be better. Learn to fight with a sword or something..." She asked him.

"The whip is your preferred weapon, isn't it?" He asked her, surprised with her demand.

"It is and John, a friend of ours, is having a friend of his trying to make me some sort of electrified whip. Whip meet Taser. Even more bad-ass. But I can't always have it on me. Sometimes it falls down. You never know who you're up against and I like being prepared. I want to be the strongest possible." Veronica explained.

"I completely understand and approve. How long are you staying?" he asked her.

"No more than a week, we'll have to get back to work after that. But I can always come back later, like for a weekend or something when the town is calm." She offered.

"That would be perfect. I know that Nyssa will want to visit you as well. She wants a chance to get to know you better so I think I'll appoint her a team that will be stationed close to your city so that they can reach you if you need help. Maybe I'll let Sarab go as well, I know that he feels like he owes Oliver. I'll come as well, when I can get away from the League." Raz replied.

After that, they spent hours talking about anything and everything. Raz told Veronica the basics of the League, she told him about her growing up, especially her high school years. She told him how her best friend's murder changed her life and helped her find out who she is and she even told him what she told few people: that she could see Lilly's ghost from time to time.

"And you only see her when you're in danger?" He asked her, curious.

"Not always, sometimes she leads me to an important clue. She's guided me to solve cases, saved my life, guided me to Thea Queen... Do you know what it means? Oliver told me that mystical was real, so I know that I'm not crazy but I'd like to know what it means, or if there's a way for me to have a real, complete conversation with her." Veronica told him.

"I'm not sure, but I'll look into it, ask my contacts." He promised her, already knowing who he'd ask.

"Thank you. But the fact that I can see her ghost speaks to you, doesn't it? You reacted when I spoke of it." She noticed.

"It reminded me of an old prophecy... I'll tell you all about it tomorrow, with your sister and Oliver present. I need the night to think about what it means." He told her.

"Alright. Be careful not to fall into the old 'self fulfilling prophecy' thing. Sometimes things come true just because we heard the prophecy and made them true by trying to avoid it." She smiled.

"Which is why I need the night to think. You're wise. I had a plan to make this prophecy true but now... I see how it needs to come true." He smiled kindly.

"I'm glad I could help." She replied, trying to hide a yawn.

"You're tired, I'll show you to your room." he stated.

"It's been a long and tiring day. I didn't sleep much the night before because of the nerves and I think it's finally settling now." She explained with an apologetic smile.

"Because you're at ease now, you know that you're safe." he nodded.

"I do. I... How should I call you?" She finally asked him.

"Well, you can always call me Raz, or father like Nyssa does. Head of the demon might be a bit too formal for my daughter." he smiled and Veronica was thankful that he understood that she didn't feel right calling him 'dad' since this was how she called Keith.

"I'll call you 'Head of the Demon' when I'm mad at you." She chuckled.

"Good to know." He chuckled along with her.

When they arrived in her bedroom, Veronica was in awe of the beauty of it. It made her feel like some sort of royalty and she realized that here, that's what she was.

"I'll warn Oliver that you're here. He's probably still training with Nyssa and Sara." Her father told her.

"Thank you father. Good night." She smiled.

"Good night daughter, I'll see you in the morning." he replied with a smile, happy to have heard her call him father.

.

Raz quickly went to find Oliver and his daughter. He could have sent someone but he felt like he needed to have a little conversation with the man his daughter loved.

"Father! Is everything alright? Where's my sister?" Nyssa asked him as soon as he entered the room.

"I just walked her to her room, she was tired." he replied.

"I guess it's getting late, I should join her." Oliver nodded.

"I'll walk you there, it'll give us the opportunity to talk a little." Raz offered and Oliver nodded.

"I suppose that you already had the overprotective dad speech with Keith Mars." Raz stated.

"I did but I'm sure it wasn't anything as scary as one you'd give me." Oliver replied.

"Don't worry, I approve. I've been watching you from afar for a while now, I had plans to try and bring you in the League. Now I don't have to. Veronica made us family." Raz replied.

"About that... I didn't have time to talk to Keith about it yet but... I love Veronica more than I've ever loved anyone, we complete each other perfectly and I... I plan on asking her to marry me."

"Are you trying to ask for my permission?" Raz asked him, amused.

"Well, she'd be offended if she knew that I was because she's very independent and doesn't approve of the whole 'asking for the father's approval thing' but I feel like you're the kind of man who'd need me to ask his permission before I made any sort of plans." Oliver replied.

"You have it. Do you already have the ring? Do you know when you'll propose?" Raz asked him.

"Not yet, I want it to be special. As for the ring... It's complicated. I'm having it custom made. I want it to be in several separate pieces. One engagement ring for Oliver and Veronica, one for Karma and Arrow. Both these rings will make one and the two wedding bands will blend as well around the engagement rings and create one big ring. Though I had to select the jewels carefully so she can still wear the ring under her gloves. I know she doesn't like things too flashy... I tried to make it perfect for us." Oliver replied honestly.

"I'm impressed. So you're planning on two proposals then?"

"Yes, I am. I'd also like two weddings. One for Oliver Queen and Veronica Mars, one for Karma and Arrow. Both of which you'd be invited to of course."

"I'd also like for the two of you to have a ceremony here. I understand that Oliver and Veronica's wedding needs to be in Starling but maybe..." Raz stopped, looking at Oliver.

"Of course. Karma and Arrow can have their weddings here. One less venue to look for. Or we could have a third wedding here if you want. The more the merrier, right?" Oliver asked.

"Go to her now, I'll see you two in the morning. I'll have something important to discuss with the two of you and Nyssa. Good night Oliver." Raz told his daughter's love before he turned around and left the corridor, leaving Oliver glad to know that the Head of the Demon approved of him with Veronica.

.

The next morning, it took Veronica a while before she remembered where she was and why she was there. She had been very comfortable in the bed. She didn't know what it was made of but she would bet that it was handmade and extremely expensive. She made a mental note to ask her father about it later.

"How did you sleep Love?" Oliver asked her from his spot next to her.

"Better than I have in a while. I love this mattress. How long have you been up?" She asked him.

"Just about half an hour. My assistant called with a few questions about today's meeting, she forgot to write everything down before I left and wanted to check to make sure she had everything." Oliver replied.

"I told you that she was a good choice." Veronica smiled.

"Yes, you did." he replied before someone brought them breakfast and told them that Raz would be expecting them in about an hour.

When they finally joined The leader of the League of assassins, Nyssa was already present and told them that Sara was busy elsewhere for the moment. They all greeted each other before they sat down, ready to listen to what Raz wanted to talk to them about.

"It's become obvious to me now that Nyssa won't give me an heir, her love for Sara doesn't seem to waver. At first I was going to go to extreme length to find a way to make sure she'd provide our family with an heir but Veronica provided me with another solution. Nyssa will remain next in line to become head to the demon, but, if she doesn't have any children of her own, Veronica's children will be the ones to inherit after her." Raz declared.

"I... Are you sure?" Veronica asked, shocked.

"It sounds like the best solution to me." Nyssa nodded, agreeing and glad to know that her father wouldn't force her to have a man's child.

"I'm sure, Veronica. You already make me proud and I have faith in your relationship with Oliver. I know that you will provide our family with many heirs." Raz smiled.

"When you say 'many', I hope you're not expecting me to fill this place up with babies because, okay, I do want, eventually, a couple of kids, but Many sounds like a lot to me." Veronica started to panic, making her father and sister chuckle.

"Don't worry, child. I meant down the line. Your children and their children. You're going to make our family even stronger." He smiled.

"Alright then. Oliver?" Veronica asked him.

"Of course. If we have enough children, we'll be able to give them a choice and at least one of them will want to take over after Nyssa." he smiled.

"Now, on to another subject. Veronica is going to spend the day with Nyssa, getting ready for tonight's ceremony that will introduce her to the League as my daughter. Sara is waiting with Veronica's new ceremony clothes." Raz announced and his daughters nodded.

Veronica kissed Oliver and her father before she followed her big sister out of the room, ready to listen to League's stories and legends and to learn the proper way to act during the ceremony.

.

While Veronica was getting prepared, Raz told Oliver about his own history, how he joined the League and how he became Raz. He told him about his ex best friend Damian Darhk and of the fact that he had found another way to live longer, using mystical energies and totems. Raz told Oliver a lot before he allowed his future son in law and his old friend Maseo, or Sarab, to spend some time together and talk a bit.

A few hours later, when the sun started to set on the mountains surrounding them, the ceremony started. It looked like the entire league was present and Veronica was surprised to find that she didn't feel nervous at all. She felt perfectly fine, like she belonged. She was confident that this was were she was supposed to be and, following the script her sister had given her, Veronica did everything she was supposed to do.

In front of Everyone, Veronica kneeled in front of her father while a priestess tattooed her shoulder with the same tattoo that her sister had. This tattoo was specific to the women in their family because Nyssa's older sister, the one that was now gone, had gotten it first. Nyssa had taken it later on to honor her sister and Veronica decided to do the same.

When, finally, at the end of the ceremony, her father passed around her neck a necklace that would have her recognized as his daughter and heir to anyone who knew anything about the League, she felt pride and couldn't help the bright smile that graced her face.

"You are now heir to the demon." Raz announced while Veronica turned to face the League, who kneeled in front of her and officially recognized her as Heir to the Demon.

.

While Veronica and Oliver spent the rest of their stay in Nanda Parbat learning new ways of fighting and getting to know their new family, Duncan Kane and Amanda Waller were facing a problem of their own. Lyla had failed in her self appointed mission and, more than that, she had been compromised.

"Do we know where she is now?" Amanda asked Duncan.

"Yes, I located her at the Cauchemard, a goulag. We think that this is where Deadshot is as well." Duncan replied.

"We can't afford to lose men on this right now, we have too much to do. Ask her ex husband and your friend Veronica for help. You let her go without my permission, you're handling the rescue mission. You better not fail Kane, she's one of my best agents. She might even replace me some day." Amanda Waller replied before she left the room.


I hope you liked this one as well. I don't know if I did it justice and really wrote everything the way it was in my head... Anyway, biggest chapter yet!

Don't forget to let me know what you think.

Lorelei Candice Black