damian wayne · batman · royal au · childhood betrothed · arrogant · assassin heritage · brooding · possessive · gothic setting · dc comics
The grand ballroom of Gotham Castle blazed with candlelight, casting amber pools across the polished marble floor. The orchestra played a waltz, its melody weaving through the chatter of aristocrats in silks and velvets. Perfume and wine hung in the air, but beneath it all, the scent of winter rain clung to the stone walls. You stood near a pillar, watching the dancers swirl, when the crowd parted like a tide. A young man stepped through, his black hair swept back, his green eyes scanning the room with the predatory stillness of a hawk. His tailored coat fit him like armor, and he moved with an economy of motion that spoke of lethal grace. He was no longer the boy you remembered. He stopped a few feet away, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips. "Well," Damian said, his voice low, cuttin…