Typically, society functions like galas and balls were booked months in advance, held in large buildings specifically designed to host such events. Convention centers, hotel ballrooms, concert halls, and amphitheaters all served as traditional venues depending on the theme and entertainment chosen. Caterers prepared their wares in advance and bussed the food themselves, only adding their finishing touches when they had arrived and settled in. The waitstaff, either provided by the venue or outsourced by the hosts, were chaperoned by their chosen overseer, who only answered to the host or hosts that had paid for their services. All in all, it was a grand profusion of plotting that seemed simple on paper but was a monster to implement in practice.
So, it was only fair that the Waynes flouted every convention with their second son's return gala.
The most famous fixture of the Wayne Estate was Wayne Manor, the ancestral home of the Wayne Family. In truth, however, it was not the only building on the property. The estate was sprawling, easily stretching out over a dozen acres, which was no small thing in an island city like Gotham. Granted, a lot of it was uninhabitable marshland, not to mention the sizable family cemetery where generations of Waynes had been buried and would continue to be buried centuries from now. But there was more than enough land for one other large building to stand.
It had no official name, but most called it Wayne Hall. It had been built over one hundred years ago by Henry Wayne, the father of Alan Wayne, as another hallmark to the Wayne Family's continued dominion over Gotham. The size of three quarters of a football field, Wayne Hall was the intended venue for Alan Wayne's engagement party to Catherine Van Derm, daughter of rising entrepreneur Hector Van Derm and his wife Maria Elliot. The two were married before construction could be completed, and instead it served as the venue for Kenneth Wayne's first birthday party.
Only the vast fortune and continued prosperity of Wayne Enterprises prevented Wayne Hall from becoming a white elephant. Even so, as a venue it was used sparingly over the course of the next century, only brought to life for the grandest of occasions. Despite being renovated regularly, the last time Wayne Hall hosted an important event had been over thirteen years ago, when Bruce Wayne celebrated his long-awaited return to Gotham. Now, it was being revived again commemorate the unprecedented fortuitousness the Waynes had been graced with the past few months.
The entrance to Wayne Hall was located up the road that connected the main gate of the Manor, and thus the family estate, to Bristol. The building itself was almost as awe-inspiring as Wayne Manor. While it did not tower like the Manor did, its entrance was designed to resemble the Acropolis of Athens, though with a Gothic twist of sharp buttresses and arches. Within Wayne Hall were golden walls accented with fine, black paintwork of classical myths and windows of stained glass bearing the feats of numerous Wayne ancestors. Above all was a grand crystal chandelier that easily dwarfed the one in Wayne Manor, hanging overhead and reflecting light throughout the entire building.
Part of the renovations over the years was a concert stage large enough to hold an entire orchestra if need be. It was fitted with the finest acoustics so everyone in the building could hear what was said on stage (with a microphone for individuals, of course). In front of the stage was an area of top-of-the-line spring floors over excellent hardwood, dedicated entirely to dancing. Surrounding that were circular tables that seated ten each and accented with plush chairs. Along the walls were long tables where the food and drink and other miscellaneous items were to be stationed.
Beneath the main building was a large storage area, a centralized lounge area for the waitstaff, and, of course, the kitchens. An industrial-sized kitchen that, again, put even the one at Wayne Manor to shame, it had been retrofitted constantly to ensure that nothing less than top-of-the-line appliances were in use. The entire underground area was connected to a service entrance at the back Wayne Hall, offset away from the open concrete lot where many of the guests' cars would be parked.
Wayne Hall had been left untouched for thirteen years aside from the annual cleaning every spring. Within a week of Jason Todd's return to Gotham with Cassandra Cain and Damian Wayne, Bruce Wayne had ordered his longtime retainer Alfred Pennyworth to begin preparing it for an eventual gala to be dedicated to this extraordinary miracle. The event had been intended for the middle of December, only a week before Christmas, but recent events made Bruce bump it up to the first week of November. Not an easy feat, had he been anyone but Bruce Wayne.
Under the nose of his second son, Bruce had sent out invitations a month before the actual event, having his secretary record the RSVPs from the various guests throughout the city. By coincidence it had not reached the ears of his other children at Gotham Academy, most likely because the many power players in Gotham were trying to get a feel of the newest Wayne children. Jason Wayne's supposed death had left the Waynes at their most vulnerable since the deaths of Thomas and Martha Wayne. His astounding return, along with two more children that Bruce Wayne would take into his family, had changed that. Especially when one of them was a male, blood heir.
As it had been said many times before, to be a Wayne in Gotham was to be royalty, and this was no different. Time and again, many of the major players had tried to ensnare the Prince of Gotham only to fail. The closest had been the Galavans; one of their daughters, Silver St. Cloud, had managed to catch Bruce's eye. The two began dating, and by all accounts seemed to be smitten. Yet, just when it seemed they were about to get serious, Silver broke up with Bruce and left Gotham, estranging her from her maternal family. Her refusal to explain why left them in a lurch, and Theo Galavan had even considered disinheriting her. Family loyalty had won out in the end, but Silver's actions still very much left a bitter taste in his mouth.
The adoptions of Dick Grayson and later Jason Todd were two more opportunities to access the Waynes' accumulated wealth that soon proved to be fruitless. Dick Grayson was unfairly handsome and charming but also a rebellious playboy that ran off to Bludhaven to live off his trust fund as a police officer. Jason Todd was good-looking like his older brother but had shown even less interest in the upper class and had deliberately kept himself from any major social gatherings. Then he seemingly died, and just like that it seemed everything would be lost. The reports about Bruce Wayne in the wake of his second son's death were chilling. Many believed that Bruce would follow Jason into the grave.
He didn't, of course, and that coincided with his decision to take in Tim Drake after the incident with the Obeah Man that left the boy's father in a coma and his mother dead. Tim hadn't officially been his son, just his ward, but it was clear to anyone that saw them interact that they had some sort of parental bond between them. Bruce began to stabilize. Gotham's elite rejoiced. They didn't want a piece, they wanted everything, and that was only possible if the Waynes survived for at least another generation. Many supposed that Bruce would split his fortune between Dick and Tim if he predeceased them, with the rest going to his beloved Wayne Foundation.
Then Jason Todd came back, and brought a brother and sister with him.
The daughter was one thing. Scant was known about the newly-dubbed Cassandra Wayne. Apparently her previous caretakers were inadequate and the girl could barely speak at first, let alone read and write. They had shuttled her from the Manor to speech therapy in the city everyday, but reports from the city indicated that even with her handicap she was still reasonably intelligent and rather attractive. A fine prospect for their own heirs, provided Bruce decided not to marry her off to Tim Drake and make the boy he thought of as a son as his son-in-law instead.
No, it was the son that had everyone in a tizzy. Damian Wayne might be the youngest of Bruce's brood, and an unambiguous bastard, but that didn't change the fact that he had Bruce's blood in his veins. The first direct descendant of the First Families born in decades, there was no question of his value. With neither of his brothers showing any interest in his family's company, there was a very good chance that he would be chosen as his father's heir — and that was distressing on many levels.
The more ambitious like the Galavans had plotted to have Bruce marry one of their female relatives. Once that relative had Bruce's son, it would have been easy to shunt aside the adopted children, the charity cases. But Damian's appearance had changed everything. What use would Bruce have for a wife when he already had a blood heir? They could, of course, try for Damian instead, but the boy was seven, far too young to be thinking of things like marriage. Not to mention the boy's reported closeness to his adoptive siblings. He had, after all, arrived in Gotham with his brother and soon-to-be-sister. He would never acquiesce to pushing them away when they were the ones who brought him to his father to begin with.
Just like that, the Wayne fortune was once again out of everyone's grasp. They stewed in the loss, and began plotting again. The Waynes might be secure for now, but that might not be true in the future. Relationships changed, wedges were driven in-between siblings all the time. They could not engineer such things to happen, the Waynes were never foolish and would easily see through such ploys, it was why they were the First Family. But if such things were to happen, well it would be good to know, wouldn't it?
They needed to ingratiate themselves with the family. Bruce Wayne was a lost cause, a playboy who no longer needed a reason to settle down, and Dick Grayson was going the same way as his adoptive father if he hadn't already. But there were three other Wayne children that were ripe for grooming. Jason Wayne had been seen in public but rarely interacted with those outside his family. Those who had been classmates with him called the boy sharp and callous and dangerously irreverent. But that had been over one year ago, divorced away from the traumatic experience that would separate him from his father. Who knew what he was like now? They would all have to take their measure of him and decide their next moves regarding the second son accordingly.
Then there the two newest members of the family. Damian Wayne was a demanding child of insufferable genius. Normally that could be handled easily enough with some flattery, but the boy was scarily perceptive. He had easily seen through the sycophancy and had removed himself from his classmates in turn. He was still young, however, and opinions were easily changed at his age. It would just take subtler approach than usual, and the children tasked with befriending him were instructed as such. Play with him, be deferential but not too deferential. Let him call the shots and see his weaknesses and then pounce.
Cassandra Wayne should be the easiest of Bruce's children. The girl was intelligent and attractive but also supposedly skittish. Moreover, however, this would be the first time she would be in a gathering of this size. Her family would no doubt try to monopolize her, to shield her, but it would be fruitless. She could easily be cornered away so their teenage relatives could work their magic. Kindness would be best with her, not flattery. If she had questions, if she was struggling with something, be patient with her, help her, and then she would be putty in their hands.
Of course, there was Tim Drake, but he would be weary of all of them. Jack Drake might be a hot-headed fool but Janet Drake had built an empire using her father's store, and it was obvious to anyone who met their son which parent he had taken after. Those same teenage relatives were instructed to be kind to him but to also be weary of him, to not allow themselves to get too close. It was better to leave that one alone. Tim Drake was well aware of his family's status prior to the incident with the Obeah Man. He would not have wool pulled over his eyes.
Then there was the last piece. The wild card. The spanner in the works, as one would say.
Stephanie Brown.
Of course, if you had asked any of Gotham's upper class about Stephanie Brown three months ago, you would get a confused look and then would be summarily ignored. Little Miss Brown had come out of nowhere, a poor girl from the Narrows who had gotten into Gotham Academy due to a surprise scholarship. A charity case. It happened, and sometimes those charity cases were even worth acknowledging. Gotham Academy's scholarship students tended to be smart and accomplished, fine for eventual recruitment for their own established businesses.
Stephanie Brown would have been no one of note had she not befriended the newly enrolled Tim Drake. Tim had been reticent ever since he entered the academy, unwilling to accept the overtures of friendship due to rightly suspecting that they had an ulterior motives. He had immediately gravitated to Stephanie, the other outsider of his year, and the two commiserated together into an easy companionship.
However, it had been another thing to befriend Bruce Wayne's one-time ward. It had been another to befriend his actual son. Damian Wayne was another outsider when he wasn't ruling over the children in his year with an iron fist, so his perplexing relationship with the two teenagers was a subject for great gossip. The boy disparaged the two constantly and yet they were the only ones allowed in his presence for an extended amount of time without complaint. He was frequently heard bickering with Tim Drake over the most inane of subjects and comically overreacting to Stephanie Brown's playful teasing yet was stone silent whenever someone else tried to breach him for even polite conversation. The former was to be expected, no doubt Bruce had instructed Tim or Damian or both to look out for each other, but the latter? Stephanie Brown was earmarked for that alone.
When she was publicly seen with not just them, but the other Wayne children, that was when she became the newest fascination. When the rumors about her visiting Wayne Manor hit the school's halls, that was when people started including her in their schemes. When she was kidnapped in the presence of Tim Drake and Damian Wayne, with Bruce Wayne himself rumored willing to offer a reward for her safe return? That's when she became a pawn in everyone's schemes. Her return and her subsequent invitation to the gala was simply icing on the cake.
Stephanie Brown was now the talk of the town, a bell of the ball second only to Cassandra Wayne and, perhaps, Bette Kane. Another piece in a game that would never end. They would flatter her, endear themselves to her, bring her to their sides. It would take years, but they would grit their teeth and bear it, because the prize was a place with Waynes and that was something people would kill to get.
These were the thoughts that crossed many minds as they entered the crescent driveway in front of Wayne Hall. As their doors were opened by valets, as their pictures were taken by photojournalists from around the country. As they were guided up the stairs of the American Acropolis and led to the venue of the society event of the year — no, the decade.
Whether people realized it or not, Wayne Hall would be the battleground that would decide the fate of Gotham for years to come.
Jason took a deep breath as he looked at himself in the mirror. His hair had been slicked back, his suit smoothed out. His bowtie had been tied perfectly, years of practice helping him. He was the perfect image of the dutiful son, because that's what he needed to be. The Court of Owls was watching after all.
That had been the primary purpose of this gala after all. To introduce himself back into high society, to get a measure of the organization that had hampered their efforts to save Gotham for so long. Jason knew their names, their faces, had even aided in taking them down, but it had been Dick and Tim that had been the generals of that campaign. Now it was his turn, and he wasn't going to risk let even one detail mess up his opening volley.
He smiled when he saw Dick enter the room, blue suit and all. "Preparing yourself for the ladies?"
"Indeed I am." Dick flashed him a grin, shooting some air pistols at his younger brother. "Looking good, little wing."
"Shut up, Dickie," Jason said affectionately.
Dick chuckled. "No, but seriously, you look good. The girls are going to love you."
"If they're not fawning over you."
"If they're not fawning over me," Dick conceded. His reputation proceeded him, after all. "But I imagined you still had your fair share of admirers. Especially after…" he trailed off. Even after all this time, talking about his death in another timeline felt strange.
Jason shrugged, though Dick was glad to see there wasn't a hint of sorrow in his face like there usually was whenever someone alluded to a future death. "Oh, there were, but after the first few years they gradually backed off once it became clear I wasn't interested. I could be a bit…imposing, so to speak."
"Imposing?"
"I'm not like you, Dickie. Hell, I'm not even Bruce. I'm not an easy person to like — at least not in these circles. Superheroes are one thing, but socialites?" Jason shook his head, "I don't like 'em and I certainly don't trust them."
"Not all of them are bad," his older brother pointed out, though it was weak. Not all of them were bad, yes, but a lot of them were, especially in a city like Gotham.
"Yes, and those were easy to filter out and stick with. But the rest?" Jason scoffed. "I wasn't going to let any of them threaten my children's inheritance. And once they realized that, they headed for greener pastures."
"I can't think of any pastures greener than the Waynes," Dick pointed out, voice a little skeptical. "Especially since the other First Families had to have been indisposed at that point."
Jason shrugged. Technically, Dick wasn't wrong. By the time Jason had cemented himself as the Prince of Gotham, the Waynes were the last of the First Families, and thus, the greenest pasture of them all. With Kate's death and Bette's marriage, the Kane name had officially died out. Tommy Elliot had been interred and then murdered at Arkham Asylum years ago. Even Cobblepot had bit it once Ricky Sionis, the second Black Mask, made his arrival to Gotham. What better way to take over Gotham's underworld than to take out the man who had manage to outlive almost all of the original Batman's rogues gallery? It had certainly made quite a statement.
That had left the Waynes all by their lonesome, but still so very all-powerful. Jason may have taken the position of the sleeping giant prior to Helena's arrival but that hadn't changed the reality of their position. The issue had always been making sure he fit the part so he wouldn't be undercut at the pass. Some had still tried, of course, like dear old Derek Powers, who had even tried to take over Wayne Enterprises. Jason had happily punted him off to Metropolis in turn, leading him to marry Lena Luthor to merge the ailing LexCorp with his company instead. It had been a power move that had perfectly established his reputation as someone that was kind and generous and not be fucked around with.
More than that, it had left the Waynes untouchable once again. Even the major families, one less thanks to the fall of the Court and thus the Vanavers, had cowed before them and started scheming for the next generation instead. With Carrie sequestering herself in Park Row with the diner as a happy bachelorette and Helena only having eyes for the farm boy Dam, they had set their eyes on his boys to pin their hopes on, only to be dashed when Terry fell for Dana Tan. The Tans barely even counted as a minor family, having come into their fortune only within the last ten years, and none of them, Dana included, had known who Terry or his family was until the fates conspired to have them attend a Wayne Foundation gala. There was Matty, of course, but his Matty had never shown any interest in romance. He was young still, of course, but still not very promising.
So yes, there were greener pastures. The remaining major families, some of the older minor families, individual socialites with or without political ambitions, other families from other cities — the Waynes ruled Gotham but they didn't rule the world. Jason had even brokered a few matches for some of those that he had grown fond of. Like Dick had said, not all of them were terrible.
"Talk to me again in ten years or so," Jason suggested. "You'll probably see what I mean by then."
Dick raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
Bruce Wayne wasn't one to make huge events out of personal occasions. Birthdays, holidays, anniversaries — those were usually celebrated with small gatherings of his immediate family and closest friends. The same held true of his children, all of whom preferred not to spend their special days mingling with the Gotham elite.
However, the return of his second son, the reveal of his fourth son and the adoption of his daughter were all too grand events to be limited to such small commemorations. Together, however? He wouldn't settle for anything less than the most spectacular affair Gotham had seen since his own parents' wedding. No expense had been spared in the planning process, with Bruce's own butler, the famed Alfred Pennyworth, personally overseeing everything with his eagle eyes.
Wayne Hall, the chosen venue, was decorated lavishly, with gold and white classical decor covering every inch of space available. The ivory dance floor had been shined thrice within the last week alone. The tables were set up with sumptuous dressings, including goodie bags filled with jewelry, clothing and vouchers to Gotham's most famous and expensive shops and stores. A famous chorale band had been flown in to do a live performance. The seven course meal was from a top-tier catering company that was so expensive that, if you had to ask how much it cost, then you couldn't afford it.
It was such a garish display of wealth so unlike Bruce Wayne that one couldn't help but suspect ulterior motives. Especially since security had been quadrupled from the standard protocols, even though the event itself was taking place at Wayne's own estate. Of course, this being Gotham, you couldn't be too careful, so perhaps that could be given a pass. But everything else…
Bruce threw more charity galas than everyone else in Gotham. For all his faults, no one could deny his devotion to philanthropy, something that he inherited from his late mother. Even so, his galas, while certainly splendid and lush, had never exceeded a certain budget and certainly weren't as opulent as tonight's gala was. Honestly, he had probably spent more money on this one party than many people, including some attending the party right now, made in a lifetime.
Such an exhibit would be widely believed to be an expression of love for children. And while that was no doubt part of the reason, the smarter of tonight's guests could easily see what it really was: a show of power. A reminder that he was still the richest and most powerful man in Gotham. Bruce Wayne had stumbled and faltered after the supposed death of his second son, and with his return, he had righted himself back to his post as the Prince of Gotham.
Better yet, he had cemented his family's continued line by not only adopting a daughter, but also bringing in a biological son. A son that had the blood of all five of the First Families running through his veins. With four viable heirs, each bearing the Wayne name, there would be no hope of any other family usurping their place at the top of Gotham high society for the foreseeable future. It was a master stroke of not only celebrating his great fortune, but also rubbing in that fortune in everyone else's faces.
Bette Kane, daughter of the late Nathaniel Kane and Miranda Kress, had surmised as much within minutes of arriving to the gala. While her uncle Jacob hadn't got along with Bruce all that well, the remaining Kanes couldn't help but sympathize with their cousin when the news of Jason's supposed death had spread. She had met Jason a few times before whenever Kate and her had been invited to the Manor for a rare visit, and while she couldn't exactly say he was as charming as Dick, he was likable enough and it was obvious how much he adored his adoptive father. Most of all, Bruce had loved him. His death must have devastated her cousin.
And now he was back, with two more additions to add to the Wayne family. One was adoptive like him, the other a blood relative to Bette herself. When the invitation came, not even uncle Jacob could find it in himself to say no. The Kanes might not be as respected as they once were and lived a far more modest lifestyle than people of their networth usually lived, but they still had an image to uphold. Everyone who was anyone in Gotham was attending, and people would talk if they didn't appear, especially since they were kin to the Waynes. More than that, they genuinely sympathized with Bruce and didn't want to damper the good mood he had been in since his son had returned home.
So they went out of their comfort zone and went with the dressings that fit their station. Uncle Jake had a hired a driver for to take them to Wayne Hall, using the instructions embossed in the invitation. His wife, daughter and niece had gone to The Menagerie for new dresses and took out the nicest pair of heels they had in their closets, then had booked an appointment at the city's best salon to help them prepare for the gala. And once they were ready, they had piled into the most modern limo any of them owned and made their way to Bristol.
They weren't the first and they weren't the last but they were there and that was enough. The valet opened their door and they were immediately met with flashing lights. A smile there, a pose here, and soon they were up the red carpet and into the Acropolis. Of course, it wasn't exactly like the Acropolis of Athens, which was an open air building and a decayed ruin compared to its heyday. Wayne Hall was still very much a closed building with a solid roof and walls, and the actual entrance beyond the front pillars was a pair of towering oak doors. The doors had been kept open as more and more guests arrived, each accented by a single valet. They passed through the doors, and waiting at them at the very end, in between the two pairs of stairs that led to the main floor, was Bruce himself.
He looked sober and didn't have a woman on both arms yet, thankfully. Bette was sure that would change by the end of the night, and discreetly rolled her eyes. She was fond of Bruce, yes, and would even go as far to say that she loved him, as much as you could with such distant kin, but for all his intelligence and wealth, he could be so embarrassing. Had his last name not been Wayne, there was no way he could get away with such wild behavior. The same could be said of Kate, of course, but Kate was more a sister than a cousin and here Bette could selfishly admit her bias.
"Bruce," Uncle Jake held out his hand.
"Uncle Jake," Bruce said with far more warmth than he had ever directed towards his uncle in decades, grabbing not just the man's hand but also his arm and pulling him into a hug. This was not lost on any of them, but they were smarter than to draw attention to it.
After letting go of Jacob, he had greeted Kate and Bette similarly, exchanging the handshake for kisses on the cheeks. Bruce smiled at them all once the traditional greetings were over, looking fiercely happy. It was like looking at a different man from the one that had graced himself back into Gotham's high society with such irreverence all those years ago. As much as she lamented her cousin's behavior, Bette and the rest of the Kanes knew that part of it was due to the grief he still held over his parents' deaths, much like how Kate's own behavior was a result of her forced discharge from West Point. It seemed that, for now at least, that grief had been muted.
"I'm glad all you came. I know you didn't know Jason well, and you haven't even met Cassandra and Damian, but it still means a lot to me."
"You're family, Bruce," Uncle Jake had told him, and apparently that was all that needed to be said.
Bruce nodded, and gestured over another valet. "Bert here will guide you to your table. Please come visit ours during one of the intermissions — I'm sure Jason will be happy to see you all again, and I'd also like to introduce you to Cass and Damian."
Bette was sure Jason didn't really care about meeting them again, seeing as he had barely known them for the first time around. But she still nodded, agreeing. "Where are they, by the way? Aren't they here yet?"
"They'll be arriving later with Dick and a couple of friends. For many of them it's their first time attending something like this, and they're suffering nerves."
An adequate excuse. The Kanes bade their goodbyes and followed the valet to their table. From the corner of her eye she spotted several notable figures in Gotham already seated, including representatives of the major families. Theo Galavan and his sister Tabitha, observing everyone their noses in the air; Charles van Dahl and his son Elijah von Dahl, a boy around her age, both posturing themselves; Ronnie Vreeland, leering at some of the better looking waiters; and Samantha Vanaver, who was giggling at something her date for the night had said. Bette wasn't fooled by any of their outward behavior. Snakes, all of them.
As immediate family to the Waynes, they had been given a table alongside other close Wayne associates such as Lucius Fox and his wife Tanya, and Commissioner Jim Gordon, his wife Sarah Essen-Gordon and his daughter Barbara Gordon. It was the table closest to the main table where the Waynes themselves would sit. They made the customary greetings, seated themselves, and made smalltalk until the final guest at their table arrived. Bette was careful to limit her shocked reaction to a mere widening of the eyes when she saw the Thomas Elliot address them all with a roguish smile. With him here, nearly all of the direct descendants of the First Families would be present. The only person missing would be Oswald Cobblepot, who certainly wouldn't be missed.
Tommy Elliot, huh. This really is the society event of the decade. The last son of the Elliots had rarely ever visited Gotham, after all. They conversed with Tommy, asking him about his exploits as a surgeon, the many locations he had traveled to for the sake of his profession. More and more people filed into Wayne Hall, until nearly all three hundred guests were seated at their tables. It was almost time for the gala to start.
It was in the middle of a conversation about France when Wayne Hall fell into a hush. Bette immediately knew what that meant. The host's family had arrived.
She turned around, lifting her head just enough to catch sight of her cousin's children. Dick was the first one she spotted, handsome as ever and in a navy blue suit that didn't grate the eyes. It seemed someone had been verifying his fashion choices for once, something that she would forever be grateful for. To the left of him was a girl of Asian descent around her age, of athletically slim proportions. That must be Cassandra, Bette thought. Cassandra, or Cass as she liked to be called according to Bruce and Barbara, her hair up in a twisted rose bun and was wearing a black evening gown with a slit on the side and black heels. Whatever makeover she was wearing seemed to make her pale skin glow, accentuating her natural beauty. She could spot many of the teenage boys present all but drooling, and resolved herself to warn the girl before they made their moves.
On the other side of Cassandra was a short, dark-haired boy that she recognized as Tim Drake. His presence with the Wayne children was a statement in its own right; Bruce was all but acknowledging the boy as another member of his family. And next to him, with her blond hair in a loose curtain of curls that underscored the crown of braids entwined into her hair and dressed in a deep purple evening gown, could only be the famed Stephanie Brown. Bette may have not been able to keep up with the Gotham Academy rumor mill as much as she liked, being so distracted with her many extracurriculars and all, but not even she could have missed the gossip about the scholarship student that had embedded herself with the Waynes so quickly. Bruce might not consider her as treasured as Tim yet, but her presence certainly suggested she was on the way to that status.
The last in the line was a small boy, no older than seven, with a proud look on his face. The spitting image of Bruce, there was no question this was Damian Wayne, the only one of Bruce's children that she was related to by blood. The only difference between him and his father besides his obvious youth was the style of his hair, the dark skin suggesting his middle eastern heritage, and the striking pair of emerald green eyes. This was the boy that had all of Gotham scrambling and readjusting their plans for the foreseeable future, and he very well knew it.
But while Damian Wayne was the one that left Gotham reeling, everyone knew he wasn't the man of the hour. While ostensibly this gala was to celebrate his arrival and Cassandra's adoption, the real highlight was Jason Todd's revival and return. Bruce's second son, the one that had kept away from high society of his own volition, was the guest of honor…and yet he wasn't present.
As if sensing everyone's bewilderment, the Waynes turned their heads back, looking out the oak doors. Slowly, a silhouette came into a view, and who was unmistakably Jason Wayne arrived, taking his place in-between Cassandra and Tim. Bette cataloged the changes between the man she saw now and the boy she had met so long ago and couldn't help but be intrigued. Jason's features had sharpened greatly in the last year he had been gone, and he had shot up in height. He was almost as tall as Dick now, and Bette was certain he would be taller than Dick when he was finished growing. More astounding was the way he carried himself. Gone were the buried insecurities — the man that stood at the head of the Acropolis acted as if he had born for this, much like his youngest brother was. He had a confident look on the face, teeth as white as his brother's but twisted in a cutting smile that very much looked like a sly smirk. She couldn't help but straighten up as she met his eyes; whoever this Jason was, he was not someone to be trifled with, that much she could see. He knew exactly what this really was, and was making it clear to all of them.
To be a Wayne was to be royalty, it was said, and if the Waynes were royalty then Wayne Hall was court. And anyone who attended court had a dagger hidden behind their back, their words honeyed and doubled. Now that the main players were here, everyone readied themselves, calculating their next moves.
The game had begun.
I was surprised by the positive reception I received for the previous chapter. I thought you would all hate the exposition but you seemed really receptive to it. Because of that, I decided to expand the gala to two chapters and add in more exposition from what I had written for Camp NaNoWriMo. This chapter was the prologue, so to speak, and next chapter, which will drop tomorrow, will have all the interactions.
Next chapter: The gala, part two.