A/N: This is maybe more of a writing exercise. I've never written Ra's before and wanted to give his voice a shot (FYI-he is super fun to write for). I do not believe this is how the ep is going to go. Just something that was spurned on by the shot of Felicity and Ra's appearing to have some sort of face-off. But the Asia promo came out after I wrote this and...maybe I'm not too far off. :)

Enjoy! And please let me know what you think!

Felicity entered the room, heart pounding, trepidation shaking her every step. She'd been summoned by the Demon himself and she had no idea why.

Ra's was waiting, hands clasped behind his back, long black robe brushing the floor, and as the doors were shut behind her with a loud bang she couldn't help the way she startled.

"Thank you for joining me."

"I didn't exactly have a choice." it slipped out before she could consider whether mouthing off to a deadly assassin was a good idea or not.

His head dipped slightly and she didn't know if he found her amusing or if he'd just signaled someone hiding in the shadows to kill her.

But when a beat passed and then another and her head remained attached to her neck she thought it might have been the former.

"Before Al Saheem can go through his initiation he must be married."

It was like she'd been struck in the chest. The shock must have shown on her face.

"I have called you here to inform you of your place and what will be expected of you."

Her jaw fell open, hands and feet going numb because Ra's al Guhl had just mentioned marriage and her and Oliver together as if there was some sort of connection.

"The marriage contract is merely ceremonial. But it is honored by the League, by myself and by those who will come after me."

He paused and she suddenly found her voice in her too thick throat. "You want...you think I'm going to marry Oliver in order to help complete this game you're playing."

"Oh, it's not a game. No, my dear. The Head will need heirs. The wife of the Head is chosen for her strength, her endurance. You possess those qualities as well as others."

She stared at him, mouth set in a grim line as they considered each other from across the room.

"I'm helping him fulfill his destiny. But the woman who provides this...service is inconsequential, Ms. Smoak." Ra's said in that oily, unaffected voice that stated he had all the time in the world because the world revolved around him.

The realization of what he was implying rolled through her. "If you believe for one second that I will be a...a...broodmare for your league you could not be more wrong!" she spat back, hands clenched at her side in rage.

Ra's gave a simple wave of his hand as he casually crossed to a small table, pouring a reddish liquid into a goblet, the robe falling back to show the gleaming hilt of his sword. "Like I said, the woman Al Saheem marries matters little to me. She will do her duties. I have had many, many wives and they have provided me with heirs."

"Just not the heir you want. Nyssa would have gladly taken her place. Let her!"

The smirk he gave sent a shiver down her spine, "No."

"It's true that the love Al Saheem holds for his sister is what brought him here. But I believe it is a different love that will be the deciding factor in getting him to accept his future."

"So you're going to use me as blackmail then? Force his hand?"

"No, my dear, you misunderstand. I'm going to force yours."

Again, it was the entirely calm, collected way he spoke that was so frightening. He was in complete control, master of all the strings, and he knew it.

"It is your love for him that will cause you to do exactly what I want." Ra's paused, setting the goblet back down and she was frozen to the spot as he approached her. When his fingers just caught her chin, tipping it upwards she fought the bile rising in her throat, "For if you do not he may not accept another and I will be forced to kill him."

She wrenched herself away, fire and hate flashing in her eyes as she willed him dead before her, "You sick bastard! Killing him defeats your entire purpose!"

Ra's opened his hands wide, "This is true. But I cannot allow him to win. There is only one acceptable outcome."

Tears blurred her eyes, the heat from the torches and the sulphur smell from the pool at the end of the room making her stomach roll. Or maybe it was being in the presence of a monster.

"This is why you will agree. Because he will not refuse you. And the final, most damning way to sever Al Saheem from his past will be by giving him the woman he loves along with the knowledge that Oliver Queen can no longer have her."

His words echoed in the stone lined chamber as their weight settled around her.

"The room has been prepared. Consider it my wedding gift. You will have one night before he will be transformed."

Felicity shook her head slowly, mind whirling as she tried to comprehend what was happening. "You will never truly have him!" she hissed, "I know who he is! I believe in him! You will never take that."

Ra's half turned, and gave her a look of pity, "I already have. Oliver Queen is dead. Al Saheem has risen."