Chapter 3:
"I've got to get down to the office. How's Damian?" Bruce asked as he took a bite of his toast.
"See for yourself," Alfred said, gesturing towards the windows.
"Good morning, Master Bruce, Alfred. I'll head to school. I can still make it for the second period if I hurry. I'll eat on the way," Daphne said, walking up to the toaster with two pieces of bread.
She didn't bother to see what they were looking at. Once the toasts were done, she was on her way out of the manor. She strolled down to get her bike. She suddenly heard footsteps coming from the garden on her left. She turned to see who it was when slash went the sword. Before she could react properly, the skin of her arm was cut. She dropped her toasts.
Staring at the blood gushing out, "Ahhh!" she screamed.
Bruce and Alfred rushed to see what had happened. Damian sheathed the sword and stared at the girl who was already on her knees. He raised a brow towards her.
"How did you walk without making any sounds at all?" he asked.
"Sword…blood…mother…father…" she muttered over and over again as if it was a chant.
"What's wrong with her?" Damian asked the two men who were standing there.
"Miss Daphne, you need medical help. Let's go back inside…" Alfred said, taking the girl with him.
"What's up with her? It is just a cut…" the young boy huffed.
Bruce stared for mere seconds before proceeding to his car. Damian furrowed his brows. Meanwhile, Alfred was patching up Daphne's arm. Just like Damian had said, it was just a cut. Daphne was still chanting the words over and over again.
"All done, Miss Daphne," the butler said.
"T-Thank you, Alfred…" she sighed, staring at the bandage.
"Are you okay now, Miss?" the butler was concerned.
Daphne forced a smile before replying, "Yes, I'm fine. I just…I think I should really skip school today…"
Alfred nodded to her words. Damian came in and Daphne was a bit nervous. Alfred glanced up at the boy and then, continued staring at the girl. She didn't look at him because she knew he still had that sword with him. Damian didn't care much about the girl, considering she was already treated. He turned to the butler.
"Pennyworth, I would like two pieces of French toasts and a glass of milk for my breakfast. Send it to my room once it's done."
"As you wish, Master Damian," Alfred bowed.
The boy took one more glance of Daphne before making his way back to his bedroom. Daphne stared into spaces as Alfred prepared Damian's breakfast. She was still not in the mood to be moving around. She was surprised that the boy possesses such good skills.
"I will go send his breakfast. What will you be doing, Miss Daphne?" the butler asked her.
Daphne turned to him, somewhat stunned. "O-Oh! I-I'll send it to h-his room. It is my job after all…"
"You don't have to force yourself, Miss," Alfred refused to give her the tray he was holding.
"I'll do it…" she tried to sound firm but failed.
Alfred blinked once and nodded. She took the tray and went right up to Damian's room. She knocked and opened the door after he told so. He was sitting on his bed, wiping the sword that had cut her. She gulped, trying to ignore the sharp object. She placed the tray on the table beside her.
"W-Would you like anything else?" she asked.
"Look at me when you're talking to me, servant," he demanded.
Daphne glanced up at him. The sword was next to him. It still seemed eerie to her. She hugged herself, biting her lower lip. Damian sighed. He got out of bed and went closer to her.
"Now, talk," he ordered.
The girl looked up at him and asked again, "Would you…like anything else?"
"No. I'm going out. Don't bother following me…and DON'T tell Pennyworth," he replied rather coldly.
Daphne nodded. She exited the room. She went to her room and put on her uniform. Damian was to be her responsibility and she had to watch him at all cost. That was what Bruce had asked her to do if she was not sent on missions. She had to what was right, even if it meant sneaking out in broad daylight in a black suit.
"You shouldn't wear that, Miss," Alfred startled her.
"Alfred!" she sighed. "What should I wear then?"
"Just a nice dress. Are you heading out?" the butler asked, going to her cupboard.
She nodded. "I had to do it. He's gone out, right?" she asked the butler.
Alfred laid a piece of plain pink dress. He nodded to her question. She sighed, taking the dress. The butler walked away. She changed into the dress. Tying her hair into pigtails, she went on her way. Damian was taking it easy, walking down the road which would lead to Wayne Tower where Bruce's office was. How did he even know that? Daphne, of course, kept her distance from him. She knew that he couldn't sense her, so she was quite safe. Damian had to sneak his way into the office while Daphne simply walked in from the entrance. People knew her to be one of Bruce's relative of the sort. Bruce brought her to the office once in a while.
"I wonder why he's here?" she muttered.
"Good morning, Daphne. Why are you here today?" a young woman asked her.
"Oh, good morning! I'm here to see Ma- I mean, Uncle Bruce…" she replied, grinning.
She rushed to his office before Bruce could reach it. Damian was already there, skimming through some things on the computer. He sighed again when he saw her. Bruce came in a few seconds after the girl.
"What the hell?" an old man said.
"Your profit margin is down in Argentina. Someone is skimming revenue," the black haired boy said confidently.
"Argentina? That's my division. Bruce," the woman beside Bruce said.
"It's okay, it's alright. I'll deal with this," Bruce said calmly, closing the door on the four people that had come in with him.
Daphne backed away as Bruce approached him. "What are you doing?" the man asked.
"Reviewing my birth rights. This will be mine someday," Damian replied.
Bruce looked up at the orange haired girl. "I'm here because he is my responsibility," she explained.
"She's good at tracking me down. Is she a spy?" Damian asked.
Bruce ignored his question. "How did you get in here?"
"A bird's nest has better security," Damian stood up and stared out through the glass windows. "We need to talk."
Daphne and Bruce looked at each other before turning to him.
Damian started, "Deathstroke has a contact stationed here."
"In Gotham?" Bruce asked, glancing up at the girl who shook her head rapidly.
"We find him, we find Deathstroke. We could take Deathstroke out…permanently."
"We don't kill," Bruce said sternly.
Daphne didn't say anything. She didn't like the idea of killing someone, but she knew something about Deathstroke: he killed her parents.
"I was taught to destroy your enemy," Damian argued.
"That makes you like them," Bruce replied.
"It makes me better than them! Deathstroke killed my grandfather! He has to pay!" Damian said, clenching both of his fists.
"Ra's was a mad man," Bruce stated.
"He was a hero. He died a hero," Damian replied.
Bruce looked into the boy's eyes while he glared back. Daphne was told to call Alfred the very moment. Damian took out a rectangular device. He pressed it, popping out a hologram of a man.
"Ubu's Deathstroke's right-hand man. He used to work for my grandfather. He stays in Gotham City between missions to indulge his…vices, according to mother. I looked up the rest," Damian explained.
"This is classified mate- wait, you downloaded this from the computer in the Batcave, didn't you?"
"I hacked into NORAD when I was six. It was easy…" Damian replied calmly.
Bruce looked sternly at his son. Daphne pulled at his shirt before he could say anything. She told him that Alfred was arriving. He sighed, patting the girl's head to calm himself. They went outside just as Alfred arrived. Bruce opened the car's door for the two kids. Daphne went in first and then, Damian.
"Alfred's to take you directly home, no stops. You will not go off on your own for any reasons, you will stay away from the Batcave computer and you will stay out of sight. Do you understand?" Bruce lectured him.
"I owe my grandfather a death," was Damian's reply and he closed the door.
Damian grunted as Alfred started to drive. Daphne stared at the boy. He somehow reminded her of her older sister. They have the same stubborn, but determined attitude. Damian, knowing she was staring at him, glanced up at her. She stopped what she was doing and looked away immediately.
"If you have something to say, say it, servant," he demanded.
Daphne sighed. "I was just wondering… Have you ever killed someone?"
"I was trained to do so," he crossed his arms.
"Was it fun? Training all the time?" Daphne suddenly said.
She covered her mouth with both of her hands after that, shaking her head. She didn't mean to ask the question.
Damian raised a brow. "Fun? Why would it be fun? I am Ra's al Ghul's grandson. I am expected to succeed in every training I undergo," he said proudly.
"I see. I'm sorry I asked…" she drawled.
"Why are you apologizing…?" he asked.
"It didn't sound fun at all. I mean, I have my own share of suffering, but it's just sad… Don't you have free time? When you can go and play with your friends?" Daphne asked.
Damian, astounded by the question, didn't reply a single word. Alfred, of course, heard every part of the conversation. He couldn't help but smile at the last question Daphne asked.
That night, Daphne was going to sleep when Damian suddenly barged into her room. She was stunned but she wasn't that surprised. He pierced his glares at her.
"Where is Ubu?" he asked.
"Why are you asking me?" she asked back.
"I hacked into every part of his computer but found nothing. I did find out that you were his information gatherer. So you must know. Where is he?"
"Even if I do know, I won't tell you, Master Damian. Master Bruce told you not to go anywhere, right?" Daphne replied, pulling on her quilt.
Damian pulled the quilt off of her and onto the floor. Daphne gasped at what he had just done. She sat up in bed, avoiding his piercing gaze.
"W-What are you going to do when you find out?" she asked.
"Just tell me where he is!" Damian half shouted.