Disclaimer: this will go for the whole story: I do not own the Teen Titans or other DC characters. The only thing in this I kinda own is the plot and that's my problem…
Introduction
Dear readers. (Hey, I can be formal if I want too!) I would like to welcome you to my new chaptered story. It is completely unconnected to anything else I have written, so if you never read anything by me before, you can start here… but not without a few warnings. This will be a bit dark and rather twisted. As you read the first chapters you will go 'Dark? What do you mean dark? It's slightly murky, but not DARK-dark…" But I THINK it will be, eventually. Since it's me, I still can't keep away from gags, though, so in the beginning it only borders on 'murky'. It will, as I said, also be twisted. HOW twisted I will leave up to you when the time comes. I ask for support by the way of sending every evil little plot-bunny you might have hanging around my way. Original torture-methods, tools, executions, mind games… anything really… ;o) This will also eventually be slash. (ops! there I lost half the readers…) Wait! I said eventually! You can hang in there for a while and pull out as the time comes… you will notice… I won't tell you how or when or who… let's just say that in this story no one can even spell 'consent', so… warnings for that too… Might be some het-slash too, but nothing graphic I think. Don't hold this intro against me at the end of the story-line, though… I don't know about everything that might happen yet!
Please disregard any historical facts in this… I did some research, but it's mostly me babbling on… So don't use the "facts" in a paper or something because you will be SO busted… -grin-
I am pretty exited about this, trying to write about an aspect of Slade I have never touched before… I hope you will like it, but you may have to give it a bit of time… I urge you to be honest in reviews, and constructive! Tell me if it's too much or too little!
About the characters. This is a story in which it will be hard to keep the main characters (with the possible exception of Slade) IC for long. You will soon know why. I am striving to keep the core of them all, though. They won't suddenly change their names or become… dentists… or something…There will probably be a lot of OC's later but only as "supporting cast" coming and going… They will barely have lines! Focus is on the Titans. Other DC characters might pop up or be mentioned, but don't expect too much. I can't write what I don't know…
Robin is straight in this one. Very straight. And also very naïve about those things… (you are going to want to slap him… believe me…) As in the series he might fancy Starfire but they are not in a relationship...
So again… welcome to the first chapter of:
The Peace Contract
Chapter one: The History of Men
The rising sun bathed the city in gold. Robin stood on the roof of Titans Tower, joined by Raven and Starfire, and smiled at the magnificent sight. My city… he thought. My beautiful city… Jump always looked so bright and fresh to him, even after two years. It must be because I'm used to Gotham… nothing was ever this bright and shiny there…
"It is most beautiful" He heard Starfire say softly, and a humming sound from Raven meant that she agreed. Robin only smiled wider and nodded, taking deep breaths of fresh sea air. He didn't always come up here at dawn, but he never regretted it when he did. Having company wasn't bad either, even if the reason was… He had been making his way to the kitchen when he had heard a scream and the lights outside Raven's room had exploded. That had woken up Starfire and they had all made their way to the roof for some unspoken need for fresh air and quiet reflection. BB wouldn't have woken up if something exploded in his room, and Cyborg's sleep-cycle wasn't completed, which meant that he would only wake if the alarm went off, or if someone came to wake him up.
"Care to talk about it?" Robin said carefully. First he was only met by silence.
"Not particularly." Raven sighed. "But we have learned the hard way that I should, haven't we?"
Robin gave her an encouraging smile and the hooded girl shrugged.
"I don't remember much. It was bad, though."
"Do... do you think it was a dream of truths?" Starfire asked, sounding a bit spooked.
Raven shook her head slightly and gave the girl a rare smile.
"No."
Star seemed relived and floated off a bit, as she started commenting on the beautiful morning. That was why it was only Robin who heard Raven add:
"The future could never become that terrible."
'Nothing gold can stay', though, as the poet once wrote, and as the sun rose, the gold seemed to become diluted until it turned into merely sunlight. Another day had begun.
Hours later, in the early afternoon, Robin's outlook on life had also become slightly diluted. The sun was still shining and his city was still extraordinary, but now it contained the H.I.V.E. Or had. Until recently. Robin couldn't help but smirk as the teens were hauled away in especially made handcuffs. Jinx were unconscious, though, and that made Robin turn his attention to the injuries of his own team. Cy was ok, but he had pulled up the T-car and carefully put Beast Boy down on the back seat. The boy was also unconscious, with a nasty bump on the side of his head.
Robin ran up to the car.
"How is he?"
"No idea. Probably fine… thick skull like his…" Cy grinned but failed to mask his worry completely. He got a sharp elbow in the stomach from Raven, who, Robin noted, really looked worried.
"Ouch! Hey, instead of hitting innocent people, why not make yourself useful, eh?" Cy huffed and motioned for Raven to get into the backseat a well. They carefully stretched BB out, not wanting to move him too much, and placed his head in Ravens lap.
Oh, BB would have loved to be awake for this… Robin grinned. I must tell him about it later. He frowned slightly. But I'm not going to tell him about the drooling part…
Robin's eyes searched for Star and found her leaning on the car. The girl was unhurt but completely spent. Robin looked back on the street and buildings that had seen the worst of the battle. Anger surged in him. He could understand why people robbed banks, they simply wanted money. He could understand why they stole weapons, they wanted to be feared and gain power. He could well understand why Overload, for example, went after electricity, the urge to feed, to stay alive, where very basic after all. But this? Simple destruction. No meaning behind it, as far as Robin could see. The little punk Gizmo had gleefully claimed that they were doing some "field testing" and the field had certainly been tested. So had Beast Boys head. They had new weapons, new moves. Robin had a feeling that he would miss their stupid 'Attack pattern Alpha'.
Rounding the car he put a hand on Star's shoulder.
"Hey. Get in the front seat. You are not flying anywhere for a few hours."
"But… are you quite certain? How about you?"
What about him? Oh, no more room in the car, and he hadn't brought his bike as they were just going into town for some takeout.
"That's all right, Star, I can manage." he smiled at her and the girl sank thankfully down on the seat.
"Why can't Star sit in your lap… or the other way around?" Cy suggested with a slightly evil smirk. Robin's face gained an interesting color.
"That's illegal and unsafe." he clipped off, ignoring the fellow team-mate's wide grin.
"We should leave now. Beast Boy needs to get to the infirmary." Raven threatened from the back seat.
"You are right, Rae." Robin agreed, pulling out his grappling hook and aiming at the nearest roof. "Beat you there…?" he grinned at Cy and set off.
"No way, man!" Cy grinned back and jumped in the car. The last thing Robin heard before the car started up and he had swung himself too far away, was Raven informing Cy that if he didn't drive like he had TNT in the car she would personally release some of her nastier nightmares on him. Robin grinned. He loved his team even more than he loved his city. With all their little quirks, strengths and weaknesses, they were the best team he could have hoped to lead. The best friends he could have hoped to have.
Swinging and jumping from rooftop to rooftop he reflected over how strange this situation really was to him. Growing up in the circus he had been used to millions of noises, smells, colors and people. As his parents were murdered he had been given a new home. A home that was quiet. And dark. And gray. But it was safe, and there was love there. He had brought his own light into that world and as he entered the even darker realm that was Gotham city at night, he had brought that light with him. Robin always shined in the dark. Then… Robin frowned and his stomach knotted itself a little, thinking about it. He had broken up from that dark world to find his own way. And, for the first time in his life he had found friends and a place as leader. He didn't crave the place, especially in the beginning, but the group has somehow naturally formed around him. Around the light. And even in the sunny Jump City, he still shined.
Robin stopped for a moment, catching his breath, while looking out on the bay before him. The tower stood there, proudly announcing it's presence to the world, keeping watch over the city.
Gotham could use something like this… Robin found himself thinking. There was a soft scrape of boots behind him, and the boy spun around.
"Missed me, Robin?"
Dark creatures were attracted to the light too…
"You have been out of town, Slade? You should have told me. We could have had a celebration…" Robin snarled. The truth was that he had noticed. He wasn't sure how, but it wasn't only the obvious thing like the lack of slade-bots, threats and blackmail attempts lately. The city had somehow seemed… even brighter for a while.
"I would rather have this little homecoming party… just the two of us…" the man purred.
Robin extended his staff with a flourish, tensing for the upcoming attack.
"I would love to fight you, Robin." the man before him said in a lazy voice. "But you have to forgive me. Today… I simply don't have the time."
Slade drew a gun and fired.
Robin stumbled back, more out of chock than the impact. Looking down he expected a gaping hole where his chest should be, especially at this range, but instead he found a small dart lodged between his ribs.
The man didn't bother catching him as he fell to the ground. The world became darker and with this much darkness, one little light fought in vain.
Waking up was very unpleasant. Robin's mouth tasted like something Starfire might have cooked, which had since gone bad. Probably weeks ago. He lifted his head slowly, not wanting to throw up, although that might make his mouth taste better.
He was tied to a chair, his wrists secured to the armrests and his ankles to the front legs. He tried to move slightly but neither the chair nor the ropes would budge. He didn't expect as much. After all, he knew who had tied him there.
"Feeling optimistic, Robin?"
Speak of the Devil… Robin lifted his head and glared at the villain. Not that he could manage much of a glare at the moment… this one wouldn't have made even Beast Boy flinch.
"Get bent, Slade."
"Cute."
Robin muttered a few curses at the man under his breath.
"Now, now, Robin. No need for profanity. I have a proposition for you."
Robin snorted.
"You can take that proposition and-" he was cut off by a vicious backhanded blow.
"This is exactly why you are here, my boy. Your disrespect. Your pride. Well. I will not tolerate that any more."
"Tough."
"Yes. For you. But you will get used to it."
Slade studied the defiant boy before him and smiled coldly behind his mask. Of all the people he had met and fought… or rather, met and killed, only one had the backbone to stand up to him. This little boy. First he had assumed that the boy simply, as most young people, refused to believe that he was mortal. That he could get hurt and die. But Slade had been wrong. Death was almost as a constant companion in the boy's life as his own. They only approached the Grim Reaper from different paths. Slade inflicted it, Robin cleaned up after it. Robin would disagree, saying that he stopped it, but Slade knew better. Not all the light in the world could stop death. Postpone, perhaps, but sooner or later the scythe would reach them all. Except Slade. Oh, he might not be immortal, but with his healing abilities he might very well be.
Ironically enough, though the man had the future at his feet, it was history that had brought him here today. Slade had always been interested in history, especially military history, and what was the record of man if not war? War shaped men, shaped countries, opinions. And as much death as it brought, it also shaped lives. And dig deep enough into history and you would always find… magic.
Slade was a practical man, a scientific man, who sneered at things like New Age and Wicca. But he knew one thing better than most others. He knew power. He knew of, and had used, the powers of demons and half gods, the magic Raven wielded, although he detested the girl's seemingly endless need to hold back. He had preformed ceremonial magic in the past, with the help of Thunder and Lightening. Yes, he knew about magic, even if he preferred technology. Magic seeped down through history in the form of myths and legends. It surrounded the most powerful rulers and heroes in the history of man. So if one was to aim to rival those men, one might find some very interesting artifacts.
The Spear of Longinus, that pierced the side of Christ during his crucifixion, for example, was said to give the holder endless victory. There were rumors about Hitler owning it before it was allegedly stolen and resulting in his suicide. King Midas was said to be able to turn everything he touched to gold. But Slade had not been searching for any of these things. He had instead spent weeks, deep in the catacombs of the Vatican library, searching for something better. Something simpler. And now he had found it. His smile hadn't left his lips. Now it all started. With this boy. The world would follow.
Robin shivered under the cold steel gaze, but refused to look away. The man circled him slowly, looking at him like he was some sort of guinea pig. A steel glove reached out and a cold finger slowly slid across the back of his neck, the touch nearly absentminded. Robin could almost have thought it was unintentional. But this was Slade. Nothing he did was unintended. Even the step Robin had heard back on the roof, making him turn around, was something Slade had let him hear. The boy knew that, for now, Slade had all the control. There was nothing he could do… make threats, scream or even beg. Nothing would help him now. So he kept quiet. The man would tell him soon enough. And Robin feared he would tell him how he was going to die.
Yes, he was afraid, and he was not ashamed of admitting that to himself. Fear was natural. Being a hero was not about being unafraid, it was about being able to hide it and to do what you had to do nonetheless. Admitting it was not the same as showing it, though.
They had been playing this game now for almost a year. Slade had grown into an enigma and then someone to be in a way, respected. The boy rather preferred that word instead of the truer one: feared. Robin had rejected him as a master, refused to listen, always fought back. And now, clearly, the man had tired of the game. Robin could not feel sorry, though. If he got to do it over again he would have fought him just as hard. This man was the only real taint on his city. Robin had never understood why Slade had to come here. He had now learned who he was. Deathstroke. Mercenary and assassin. What did he want with this city? With… him? Robin found himself gripping the armrests of the chair tightly. Slade noticed his white knuckles and chuckled.
"Nervous, Robin? Afraid to die?"
"I'm sure you will make it interesting…" Robin growled, ever so bold.
"I sure will… but not for a long, long, time. No, Robin. You will lead a very interesting life from now on. Isn't that exciting…?"
"Not really, no."
Slade hummed, but didn't answer.
Instead he grabbed the chair Robin was tied to and turned it, so it was now facing a table. Robin saw the pitcher of water and the glasses, and couldn't help but lick his dry lips.
"Thirsty, Robin?" Slade asked, chuckling again at the glare Robin gave him. "Don't worry… I won't make you beg for a glass of water, not just yet." Slade filled one of the glasses and put it to Robin's lips. The boy didn't mind much if it was pure poison, he drank deeply anyway.
"Finished?" Slade asked, taking the glass away.
Robin nodded.
"You should thank me, but never mind. No time for niceties. Down to business." The man seated himself across from Robin and leaned back, crossing his arms.
"How much, Robin, do you know about the Roman Empire?"
This was not a question Robin was expecting. He wasn't sure what he had expected, but it sure as hell wasn't something that could be found in the historical category of Jeopardy.
"You… you mean, like Julius Caesar?" Robin asked, still thinking he must have heard wrong.
Slade sighed and looked briefly up on the ceiling.
"Yes. 'like Julius Caesar'. Do you happen to know anything besides something a child would know?"
Robin frowned and gave the man another stare.
"The Roman Empire…" the boy began "reached its greatest territorial peak as around the first century. It included Portugal, Spain, England and France, Italy, Albania and Greece, the Balkans, and Turkey; parts of the Middle East like Syria, and Lebanon, the whole of ancient Egypt, and the coastal regions of what are today Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco. It-"
Slade waved a hand.
"Better. Much Better. Now tell me. Why did the Romans succeed in gaining this much territory?"
Robin looked at the man like he was crazy before answering.
"Well… they used new superior war strategies, had an army of professional soldiers instead of only enlisted men, they built roads and aqueducts barely rivaled today…" he trailed off. He wasn't sure what the man was after, but Slade nodded slowly.
"That was rather simply put, but it will do. Now. How did they keep their conquered territories?"
"They didn't… it all fell apart…" Robin said. He had a feeling Slade rather liked the old Romans and wanted to remind him of their downfall.
"Eventually, yes. But they were successful for hundreds of years. How?"
"Why don't you tell me?" the bird had grown tired of singing on request.
"Why don't I give you a clue with an easier question? How did they treat the occupied countries?"
Robin sighed. He hated that Slade could coax him like this, making him want to answer.
"Very differently. Some were given free rule as long as they paid their taxes and some were put under Roman supervision…"
"Good boy, Robin. Yes. That is a part of the truth. But Romans were intelligent. They knew that the people might very well rebel against a ruler from the outside, so they often chose local people. If the current ruler wouldn't bend to them, they deposed of him and put a rival in his place. You can surely understand the gratitude this rival felt, being offered wealth and power, and the masses didn't object… he was one of their own, after all…"
Robin nodded. He couldn't help himself, but it made sense.
"You are in the wrong line of work, Slade. You should have been a schoolteacher…" the boy smirked.
"I am a teacher." Slade droned "But only yours…"
"Maybe you should try to find a more interested student…"
"But you are interested, Robin… and soon I won't have to tie you down to make you to listen to me…"
Robin only snorted and Slade continued the lecture as if he hadn't been interrupted.
"The Roman empire was, as you have described, huge though, and Rome wanted control. But how could they ensure that the new appointed leaders would really send taxes, goods or young men to serve their years in the army? How could they be sure that they wouldn't rebel? Very few people know this, but they did it… with this…"
Slade had placed a parchment between them. Robin stared at it like it was a tap-dancing chicken.
"They wrote them angry letters?" he asked, looking up at Slade.
The man chuckled again, obviously in a good mood now.
"You have heard, I am sure, of 'Pax Romana'?"
"'The Roman peace'? Yes, wasn't that a period of time when everything was… kinda quiet…?"
"From 27 BC to 180 AD, over two hundred years when almost no military force was needed, and Rome prospered. Yes, that is what the schoolbooks will tell you. What they won't say is that this-" he tapped the parchment with his finger "-is the true source. The true Pax Romana. This… is a peace contract."
"A peace contract?"
"A magically binding contract."
"Magically binding?"
"You keep repeating what I say."
"I keep-" Robin shook his head. "A magic contract? Have you been reading too much fantasy?"
"I believe your friend Raven would understand. She has had her own experience with magical books, I have heard."
"Yes... maybe… from other dimensions… This-"
"Who said its origin is Earth? I have not been able to confirm anything, but I believed the Romans had help with this. It's the parchment itself that is magic, and it is bound to this planet… almost like the helpers where afraid that the Romans would try to expand their rule even… further…"
Robin was burning with questions, but kept quiet for a while, trying to find one Slade would actually answer.
"Then what is it suppose to do?" he finally settled for.
"The contract holder gains full control over the person who signs it. Guess what, Robin?"
"Forget it Slade!" Robin snarled.
"Really?"
Robin thought he could glimpse white teeth flashing in a grin through the slits in the man's mask.
"It doesn't make any sense, anyway!" Robin snarled. "The Romans might be literate but most of the concurred people where tribes, right? What did they know about writing? So how could they sign?"
"A very intelligent question Robin, but the answer is simple. The contract reads however signs it, and bond's that person. It doesn't matter what you write, or even if you only leave a tribe mark… the contract knows."
"So I can write 'Slade is a sodding bastard'?"
"Yes… but you would pay for it…"
"There is no way I'm-"
"Hush, Robin… don't embarrass yourself. You know that you have no choice. You didn't expect me to do this without some leverage, did you?"
Robin swallowed.
"What… what have you done?"
"Kept busy. Good thing that pesky fight this afternoon took so long, don't you think?"
It had been a diversion. Robin had thought it was a rather pointless attack at the time, but what had it been a diversion from?
"Tell me." Robin growled.
"I'll do better than that. I'll show you."
Slade opened a control panel hidden in his wristguard and pressed a button. a panel on the wall parted, revealing a big screen. Robin had a sickening feeling of Déjà vu. This time, the screen didn't show the bloodstreams of his friends, though. Instead… Robin gasped as he recognized the empty main room in Titans Tower.
"How..? When?" he started.
"Just watch…" Slade purred and pushed another button on the panel.
Suddenly the room seemed to erupt, and Robin screamed out in distress.
"No! What did you-?"
"Calm down, Robin… calm down and watch…" Slade drawled and leaned back in his chair again, facing the screen and looking like he wanted popcorn.
As the dust settled, Robin was relived to see that the damage wasn't very big. Plaster and dust covered the floor, some of the windows had cracked, but other than that the room didn't look any worse than after Cy and BB had tried out some new weird game. Seconds after the blast the team started arriving at the scene and Robin tensed. There wasn't any sound, but Robin was proud to see that they didn't succumb to panic. They started searching the room. While Raven put up shields around them, Cy used his scanners and then pointed to the floor. Beast Boy was there too, with a bandage around his head, but Robin was grateful to see that he seemed fine. The green changeling turned into a tiger, ripped open the carpet and Starfire gripped the metal sheet below to lift it open. Robin saw them all step back in shock and Slade started humming.
"It's another bomb, Robin, and this one will turn the whole island to dust. No shields of the little witch can save them. Only you can."
"You despicable piece of…"
"Language, Robin. You will only regret those words later." The man got up from the chair and walked around the table. Suddenly a knife flashed in his hand and he swiped it down over Robin's wrist. First the boy thought Slade would cut his hand off, but it was only the ropes that fell away.
"Would you like to sign now, Robin?"
"They will disarm it, before-"
"It's not on a timer, my boy. I can trigger it from here. Any time."
"No… I … just… why me? Why not someone like… the President?" Robin was rather afraid he had just given Slade a good idea, but the man only snorted.
"I have no interest in idiots, Robin. You, on the other hand, interest me a great deal. I want to own you. And as soon as you have signed, I will."
"I... I want to talk to my friends…" he would not just disappear again, they deserved to know…
"You may. Afterwards."
A pen was pushed into his hand and it was roughly placed under the few lines of text on top of the parchment. Robin's eyes scanned the content, but it was ancient Latin, barely readable. Even if he would be able to decipher a few words here and there, it wouldn't make a difference. Slade had, as usual, left him with no choice.
Robin's eyes traveled to the pen he was holding. It was an ordinary-looking ballpoint pen. Robin felt that that, in it self, was wrong. It should have been a quill… and he should have signed this in blood. Preferably Slade's.
"Tick-tock, Robin."
The boy looked up at his friends on the screen, took a deep breath, and signed the parchment.
He had expected something to happen… a feeling perhaps… an ominous strange sound… but there was nothing. Robin felt relived by this, it obviously hadn't worked! Magical contract! Someone must have scammed Slade good… That feeling lasted a tenth of a second and then the screen went black.
"What happened?! What did you do!?" Robin screamed, horrified.
"Easy. I just turned it off." Slade calmed him. Once again he was holding the knife and now he slashed through the rest of the ropes that was holding Robin to the chair. As soon as Slade moved away, the boy flew up from the chair and got in a fighting position. Slade, who had picked up the contract and let it disappear somewhere, tilted his head slightly to one side, radiating amusement.
"My, my, Robin. Have you already forgotten who you belong too?"
"Well, your stupid little fantasy doesn't seem to work, does it!? Give me the control!"
Slade merely chuckled and pointed to the chair.
"Sit down, Robin."
To his own horror, Robin instantly obeyed. He stared wildly up at the chuckling man.
"No! No! You don't control me! I still hate you!"
"I do control you, Robin. I control only your body, however… not your mind. How much fun would that be?"
Robin didn't answer. He was trembling with rage and fear and slowly shook his head. No.
"You better accept it, Robin, the sooner the better. But I will explain more about this soon. Now come. Follow me."
Robin's body rose and walked after the man, while his mind screamed at it to stop. There wasn't any pain, there wasn't any resistance. He just obeyed automatically. He wasn't able to fight it, not for a second, and this made Robin's mind panic.
"Where are you taking me?!" the boy spat, still trying to sound defiant.
"You wanted to see your friends?"
Terror filled the boy. Slade would have him…
"No! Just to talk! Don't make me hurt them!"
The man put an arm around his shoulder and Robin didn't dare to try to shake it off.
"I won't. We are just going to the tower for a… chat… there is so many things I need to explain to you… so many… details…"
As they entered the Towers main room four pairs of very familiar and much loved eyes swiveled towards Robin.
"Robin!"
"Slade!"
"Slade has the controller to the bomb on his left wrist!" Robin shouted out. "You must…" his voice trailed off as the team closed in. Something was wrong. Suddenly the feeling materialized itself through Beast Boy, who rushed up and hugged Slade tight around the waist.
"Stop that." Slade said, and the boy immediately did.
"… BB?" Robin whispered and green eyes turned to him.
"Yes, Robin?"
Robin looked around at his other friends, gathered around Slade. Star and Rae had their hands on his arms, gently touching, and Cy stood almost to attention in front of him. Robin backed away.
"What… what have I done?" He looked up at the mercenary. "Slade… please… what…?"
"It's very simple, Robin. You have given them to me."
"No! No, I didn't mean too! … how!?"
Slade shrugged the other Titans off and advanced on the boy.
"You signed the contract. Did you think the Romans were stupid enough to bind it to just one man? No. They made sure it was binding to every member of the community who recognized that man as their leader… everything that man considered his."
"But… they are not mine! I don't own them!"
"This is not your team?" Slade gestured at the group.
Robin looked at them. His friends. They were his team. They… they used to be.
Robin closed his eyes.
"Slade… I… there must be a way to…?"
"No, Robin. They are mine now, just as much as you."
Robin squeezed his eyes shut tighter. He would not cry. He would not beg anymore. He would find a way. He concentrated on his breathing and looked back up at Slade.
"Good boy, Robin. I am impressed." the man sounded truthful. "You will need self control in the future, so you better practice."
Robin's mind was a haze as he stood beside Slade and watched his former team rush about and clean up the mess of the first bomb. The second one had been disarmed and disposed off, to the boy's relief. Robin had wondered why Slade had bothered to do all this, but he now suspected the man planned to stay.
"I have questions." Robin's voice sounded strained.
"Naturally… Raven!" Slade called out and the girl floated up to them.
"Yes Sire?"
Robin's heart contorted. It was Raven's voice, her slightly gruff and level voice, but in her eyes Robin only saw something close to… devotion?
"Make sure everything is cleaned up here. I will take Robin to the roof to talk in private."
Raven nodded eagerly and continued her tasks.
"Come with me, Robin." Slade said and lead the boy into the elevator and out onto the roof.
Night had fallen. Robin saw thousands of stars and a big full moon shine down on the city. It was bathed in silver now, not gold.
Slade sat down on the ledge and motioned for Robin to do the same. It wasn't a command though, so the boy ignored it.
"You had some questions?" a small hint off irritation crept into the man's voice from the boy's show of attitude.
"Why are they acting strange?"
"The Romans-"
"Why don't you just tell me without any damn lectures?!" Robin yelled.
"I was about to, boy." Slade's eye pierced his and Robin knew he had gone too far. Not that he cared. "Come sit at my feet, Robin. Good. You belong there."
Robin looked up at Slade from his position on the cold concrete. He tried to snarl, but he found it hard to muster the defiance this time.
"There. As I was saying… the Romans, like most ruling people, considered the masses mere… cattle. Independent thought has always been more dangerous to a ruler than a weapon. The ruler signing, that would be you, was usually only controlled in action as his hunger for power would bring loyalty, his subordinates needed to be controlled by loyalty, though. The Romans didn't want any internal struggles for power once they had chosen their leader."
"But if I am their leader… why don't they obey me?" Robin wanted to know. The team had barely acknowledged him, more than with a friendly nod or a word or two.
"Because the contract you signed was special. You noticed of course that it has never been signed? It was intended, though, for Scotland."
Robin raised his eyebrows in surprise. The empire had only reached the borders of Scotland, but never conquered it.
"Scotland was, as England at the time, made up of clans, but the Romans found these people much harder to control. The contract was designed to transfer the loyalty of one of the biggest tribes to the contract holder, in the hope that the rest would, eventually, follow."
"And what are your plans now? Take over Scotland? Good luck." Robin smirked, earning himself a kick in the chest. To his dismay his body, being ordered to sit at Slade's feet, crawled back towards the man again.
"No more of that. Apologize."
Robin rubbed his chest. A little bit harder and Slade might have broken his sternum. So what? It's not like I have a life anyway… Robin spat at the man's boot.
"Looks like I have to teach you a lesson. But first… lick that up…"
Robin closed his eyes in disgust at his tongue licked Slade's boot clean.
"There. Now. I control you body, Robin. Every aspect of it. I will soon also control your mind … your mind will succumb since it can't handle opposite signals for long and my influence of your body is absolute. Let me demonstrate. Stop breathing."
Robin opened his mouth, trying desperately to draw in air, but he couldn't. He clawed at his throat and chest frantically but to no avail. Prepared, he could hold his breath for quite some time, but this had been too sudden, and he had just exhaled when the order came. After a while, white and black spots began dancing in front of his eyes and he started to go limp.
"You may breathe again." Slade said.
Robin gulped down so much air his lungs felt like they were about to explode.
"I realize that you are a hero, Robin. You may try to convince yourself that you don't care about what happens to you or the pain I can cause you, but I hope you understand that I can do the same to your friends? I may not have the same control over their bodies, but they would gladly hurt themselves or each other to please me. Do you wish for a demonstration?"
"No! I'm sorry Slade! I'm sorry!" Robin sat up straighter on his knees, grabbing hold of Slade's leg to make him look at him. Robin hated to plead with the man, but he knew that he was lucky if he got away with as little as that.
Slade nodded.
"I hope you are. About your last question. No, I don't plan to take over Scotland. I aim for the world."
A part of Robin wanted desperately to laugh at the man. A bigger part wanted to survive the night.
"With… with the five of us?"
"The five of you?" Slade sounded amused again. "Oh, Robin, didn't you pay attention earlier…?"
"I… I don't understand…"
Slade half turned, scanning the horizon.
"Say, Robin… isn't that your city?"
To be continued…
A/N: This was a long first chapter… the rest will not be this long, but I had a lot of ideas to introduce so you would get a feeling for the story and decide if it's worth your time or not… wasn't that nice of me? Plot bunnies are plentiful for this, but more is always appreciated… I am sure there will be questions about how the magic works and so on, and maybe ideas for how Robin might fight it…? Just review or PM me and I will answer if I can… or just be evil and tell you it will be answered in upcoming chapters… -smirk-.
Soooo… are you coming along for this one or do you go 'naaaahhhh'? EITHER way I kinda want to know why, so please review? There might be a cookie in it for you…
