Disclaimer: This fanfiction is based in the era of the Roman Empire to give you all some context. Some practices from this empire may be present in this story. I created a new Empire for this story. The Gotham Empire, totally original right? Wrong! I can't claim DC Universe, or the Known World like many have done before *cough* Alexander the Great *cough* Napoleon *cough* Your face :B

Rated T: Blood. Abuse.

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The Changing of a Heart

By: Fanficer21

Chapter 7

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Robin was led into the city to go who knows where, but he enjoyed the scenery as he walked. The many shops and venders caught his attention as they entered the market, reminding him of home. But, made it hard to keep up with the master. Finally reaching their destination, he was led into a small alleyway behind a shop. The sudden memory of him and his parents hiding behind the shop in Ainamor hit him. They should not have trusted that man!

"This him?" A deep voice asked from the shadows stopping Robin in his tracks. "Best I could do in short notice." Antonius replied. Out of the
shadows appeared two scary looking men. One had a scar over one eye. The other had a missing ear and hand. They scowled at Robin as their eyes trailed up and down his body, which made him feel super uncomfortable.

"Time to get started nobody. Hide behind that shop there" he said pointing to a jewelry stand "when they start a commotion, you are going to grab as many of those jewels as you can. Got it?" Robin stared at him, dumbfounded. He wanted him to steal? He was taught to never steal, and he wasn't about to start now. So he stood their defiantly and glared at Antonius. To his unsurprise, he recieved a sharp slap to the face almost knocking him over. "You will listen you little nobody, or its the lash to your back!" Still being defiant, Robin glared through the tears in his eyes. He would stand his ground for as long as he could. He would not allow himself to sink to their level. However, his prize was another slap to the face followed by a kick to his stomach, knocking the air out of him.

"This was the best you could do? What a joke!" The men sneered and started to walk away, despite Antonius's protests. Getting to his feet, Robin saw the look that could kill on the master's face. He knew he was in big trouble. So doing the only thing he could, he ran. He ran out of
alley and into the hussle and bussle of the street, Antonius close behind. Weaving his way through the crowd using the dancing skills his mother taught him gained him a good lead while the master was bumping and ramming into everybody, slowing him down. Robin continued to run, until he suddenly bumped into somebody making him fall on his butt with a grunt. Looking up he saw a well dressed man in a toga looking down at him, a look of confusion on the man's face. He reached down to help Robin up, but only caused the boy to flinch with his eyes shut tightly. When no strike came, he opened his blue eyes to see the man looking sadly at him. He just stared at the man, until he heard the master's growls getting closer. Jumping to his feet with a look of panic, he bolted back down street leaving a suspicious man behind.

Antonius growled as he neared the spot Robin occupied moments before. The man was still there, but this time his eyes were on Antonius as he looked around feriously. "What are you looking for?" The man asked, before glancing in the direction the boy ran off in.

"None of your business!" Antonius replied. "What are you looking for?" Bruce asked again with narrowed eyes this time, making Antonius back up with a gulp. "M-My slave ran off on me. That little *censorship alert* is going to get a lashing when I find him." He mumbled the last part, but Bruce still heard it with his trained ears. "Little boy, black hair? I thought I saw him go that way." Bruce pointed in a different direction from where Robin actually was. Nodding to the man, Antonius ran off in the specified direction. Bruce only smirked before going about his business again.

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Robin made it to the house in record time, and found Livia in the kitchen preparing vegetable salad, and some sort of porridge. She saw him run past the doorway and quickly went to follow him. "Robin! What's wrong?" She yelled after him, following him into the garden. She found him huddled in a corner beneath a tree. A look of terror on his face. "I-I made him a-angry!" Was all he said. Understanding, Livia grew panicked and tried to find a better place for him to hide before the master got home.

Too late! For at that time, they both heard breaking pottery and shouts of rage as the master stormed into the house. He realized too late that the man at the market sent him to a dead end. Livia quickly shoved Robin behind a bush to block him for sight.

"Where is he? Where is that little..." Antonius bellowed. Livia could only stare with wide eyes as her mouth opened and shut, resulting in him slapping her face. This time she was knocked to the ground with a yelp. He then proceeded to kick her in the stomach and chest eliciting cries of pain from the woman. Robin's blood boiled as he watched. Not being able to take it, any longer, he stood up and yelled at the man.

"Stop it! Stop it! I'm right here!" The man turned around and Robin flinched at the sadistic look in his eyes as he made his way over to Robin.
Grabbing Robin's hair he pulled the boy backwards until his back was pressed the wall. A sharp kick to his stomach made him fall to the ground with a gasp. Then Antonius dragged him over to another tree and tightly bound Robin's wrists over a branch above his head, making it so only Robin's toes barely touched the ground. The back of his tunic was torn in half exposing his delicate skin. Tears formed in the corners of the boy's eyes when he heard Livia begging the master to stop.

The sound of a whip cracking followed by Robin's and Livia's screams filled the air while the master laughed. The pain was intense when the lash of whip cut into his skin causing blood to stain his tunic and the ground beneath him. His fingers dug into the branch so hard the tips started to bleed. Tears made their way down his cheeks as he bit his lip causing it to leave a trail of blood running down his chin. With each crack of the whip, he cried even more than the last. "No one makes a fool of me!" Antonius shouted with another swing of his arm.

"Please! S-Stop!" Livia cried again as she tried to get up "STOP IT!" Robin's feet stopped supporting him after the 18th lash causing him to
hang while the whipping continued despite Livia's efforts. Antonius continued to laugh maniacally and wasn't satisfied until he struck the 30th lash. Walking over to Robin he whispered into the boy's ear evilly. "Cross me again and I'll kill you!" He then cut the bonds on Robin's wrists,
making him fall the ground with a thump, before leaving the garden. Robin shook where he lay, the pain was so terrible it hurt to move.

"Robin! Robin!" Livia cried as she dragged herself over to the boy. She didn't care that her clothes had blood stains as she continued her way up to Robin. Once there she wrapped her arm around his head and planted tearful kisses on his forehead. "I'm sorry Robin. I'm so sorry!" she weeped as he moaned from the tenderness of his back. Slowly sitting up, she tore the top of Robin's tunic off and used it to try and stop the bleeding, but only caused him to scream in agony. "Forgive me Robin" She whispered as she pressed harder.

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What do you think of Livia? Don't worry Bruce will show up lots more in a few chapters, then we will all see Big Daddy arise (Not Nicholas Cage).