Whispers in the Shadows
Being a child in the League of Assassins meant one thing:
I was watched.
Always.
Every step I took, every breath, every cry, every moment of silence — someone observed, assessed, judged.
The assassins hid it well.
But I felt them.
Their eyes.
Their suspicion.
Their curiosity.
Especially after the incident with the trainee.
The League whispered:
"Lady Talia's son moves like he's been trained."
"His balance is unnatural for his age."
"He's calm… too calm."
"Is he gifted? Or cursed?"
Talia heard every word.
And though she said nothing, she was watching too.
But her gaze was different.
Not fear.
Not suspicion.
Calculation.
Talia's POV — "My son… isn't normal."
Talia al Ghul stood over the balcony of the training hall, arms folded, eyes sharp.
Below, I waddled across the mats, practicing walking in straight lines — my determination far beyond that of any normal toddler.
The assassins didn't bother hiding their shock.
Talia's lips curved slightly.
"He walks like a soldier," she said quietly.
An elder assassin bowed beside her.
"Lady Talia… children do not move with that kind of intent."
She didn't respond.
Her eyes followed me as I reached the end of the mat, lost balance, fell — and pushed myself up again without crying.
Again.
And again.
And again.
The elder swallowed.
"He does not cry."
"He does not need to," Talia answered simply.
"He doesn't tire like a baby."
"He has a strong will."
"He observes before he acts."
"He is my son."
The elder hesitated before speaking again:
"…My lady. Forgive me for saying this but—"
He lowered his voice.
"That is not how children behave."
Talia didn't answer.
But her heart tightened.
Her son was different.
Something in him moved with purpose, intention, and instinct.
Something ancient.
Something dangerous.
She didn't know whether to be proud… or afraid.
Alex's POV — Testing Me Without Warning
I knew she was testing me long before she admitted it.
One day, while I was playing quietly with a wooden block, Talia dropped a dagger.
Not near me.
Toward me.
Not enough to wound — but enough to see if I reacted.
I didn't think.
I moved.
My tiny hand swiped sideways, redirecting the dagger so it clattered harmlessly to the floor.
A perfect deflection… from a one-year-old.
Talia stared.
Her expression didn't change, but her aura did.
Shock.
Analysis.
Something close to awe.
She knelt beside me.
"Alex…"
I tilted my head.
"Where did you learn that?"
My mouth couldn't form full words yet, but my thoughts were sharp.
"Instinct," I tried to mumble. It came out as "In-tik."
She touched my cheek gently.
"Babies do not have those instincts."
I looked straight into her eyes.
And for the first time since reincarnating, I felt something very clear:
She was starting to see me.
Not as a baby.
But as someone more.
Her Silent Experiments
After that day, she watched me differently.
Not with softness.
But with calculation.
She began giving me subtle tests: