Richard: Chapter 8
"How long is Bruce going to be locked up in his chambers Alfie?" Dick was tired of wandering around the halls bored with no one but Nightwing to keep him company. He hadn't spoken or heard from Bruce in six days, which was uncommon even for him. Usually Dick could at least hear Bruce, from within his father's study on occasion, or he would see him walking around with Lucius speaking with hushed voices. Now however, Dick hadn't even seen an ounce of proof that he was even alive these past few days, and he was growing suspicious.
"Oh Master Richard you know how busy Master Bruce is. What with this Batman appearing and now this black and orange assailant. The people are become increasingly troubled for their wellbeing and that of the city, with good reason too. This city's changing, and Master Bruce is going to be the one to steer it through the storm as the Lord of Gotham," Alfred replied as they took their usual afternoon walk around the grounds.
Dick still was not biting though; he knew Bruce rarely did anything lordly in this city, because people rarely ventured up to the castle to complain. For years they had just gotten used to dealing with the crimes or wrongdoings committed against them while biting their tongue. There was no one to run to in this city. It seemed most people still weren't ready to come to their crippled, recluse of a lord with their own problems. Dick could hardly blame them. Bruce always seemed so disinterested in the day to day tasks he had to do. The only time Bruce ever seemed interested in anything was when he and Dick were talking about their parents or past explorations, or when he was whispering with Lucius behind the locked doors of Thomas Wayne's study. Dick often wondered what they had to talk about in such great length and secrecy.
"Heh, like Bruce ever does any real work around here anyways. I've been here for near a month now, and the most work I've ever seen him do was try to walk up the stairs every day," Dick replied smirking.
"Now, now Master Richard, I would not be so quick to judge Master Bruce. As I recall, you have yet to so much as make your bed in this last month either. So the boy should not judge the man," Alfred said returning a smirk.
"Well, I'm not a boy so I have no need to make a bed, for I am a squirrel!" Dick shouted as he vaulted up to the nearest branch hanging over their heads. His hands gripped the bark tightly, feeling it crunch under his fingers as he pulled himself up. Nightwing clung to his shoulder as Dick straightened his body to stand on the branch before ascending higher.
"Careful Master Richard! We already have one little bird with a broken wing and I'd hate to have another!" Alfred shouted from below.
Nightwing cawed as Dick neared the peak of the large pine tree and looked out to see the surrounding landscape. He saw the city stretching out below him into the valley, the large rolling hills on the other side of it, the dark blue bay to its left, and the fields of grass creating waves blowing out from Gotham to the its left. The tall, gray city wall rose up, encircling the city. Then he noticed a speck of black flying from over the waves of green towards the city. It ascended from the valley, up the hill to where Wayne Castle stood overlooking the bay, and landed in one of the spires sprouting up from the castle.
When Dick climbed back down he told Alfred of the crow he saw land at the castle, and then returned back to within the dark stoned walls. Once inside, Alfred departed for the ravens' keep while Dick silently waited around the corner from Bruce's chambers. Sure enough, a few minutes later Alfred returned with a small letter in hand. As Alfred unlocked the door to Bruce's room and walked in, Dick quickly and quietly ran to the door and ducked in before Alfred could close it.
He startled Alfred, making his mouth gape in shock but then tighten into what was surely going to be a stern order to leave. Before he could however, Dick saw Bruce. He was covered in white and red stained bandages, with wrappings around half of his head, both arms, and quite heavily around his stomach. Dick could not see how injured his legs were because his lower body was covered by a silk sheet from the waist down. He was awake, but not moving very much. He stiffly turned his head to gaze upon Dick, and Dick's stomach tightened until it felt like stone.
"W-what happened to you?" Dick managed to get out from between his lips.
Bruce: Chapter 11
Bruce could only cough as he tried to speak. The boy waited with open ears and mouth for an answer. Bruce's throat burned, his head ached terribly, and his body felt numb from whatever concoction Alfred was making him drink. He was dizzy too, but Bruce supposed it was better than being dead.
"Dick, leave us." Bruce said unquestioningly.
Dick looked hurt. "No! I want to know what happened and why you're bloodied and bruised!"
Bruce sighed, "I was attacked by some thugs when I was leaving from a meeting in the city." He didn't know if the boy would believe it, but it was the most truth he was going to get.
"A meeting where?" Dick wasn't going to let it go, as Bruce figured.
"It isn't of your concern Dick, now go. I have important matters I need to discuss with Alfred."
Dick looked hurt, and turned around and stomped out into the hall. Alfred closed and locked the door successfully this time, and turned to Bruce. "I'm sorry Master Bruce, I did not know the boy was behind me."
"It's fine old friend, although now I'm fairly convinced he's caught onto our scent. It'll be harder to hide my secret from him from now on." Alfred moved to sit in the chair at his bedside, "Now tell me what that letter says."
"It is from Eddard Stark I believe Ser," Alfred said as his eyes traced over the words.
"Stark…what would he have to say?" Bruce had not spoken with Lord Eddard Stark since he was eight years old, and this random letter was surely something more than a simple welcome home.
"It's in the Old Tongue Ser, so I've been having a little difficulty deciphering it. My knowledge of ancient languages has decayed over the years I'm afraid."
Bruce held out a hand, and Alfred placed the unusually long message in his hands. Usually letters were only a few sentences, this one was in a rather small script and covered the entire piece of crinkled parchment. Bruce brought it a few inches from his face and squinted his eyes to read. His knowledge of the Old Tongue was rather extensive, but he had not used it in a quite a few years.
Dear Bruce,
I have accepted the role of King's Hand. I hope you are well. I was overjoyed when I heard you had returned from the dead to join the realm of the living once more. But that is not important now, it is a dangerous place I am traveling to my boy. There are spiders and shadows there that know more secrets than men could dream up in a lifetime. There is a council member, Lord Varys, he is called the Spider. He has spies everywhere Bruce, across the Narrow, in the North, even in Dorne and Gotham as well I imagine. Be wary of this Spider, Bruce, he is sure to have taken great interest in this Batman that has quickly grown into a legend throughout the kingdom. I do not know if you are this figure, or if you know who it is, but be cautious. His web stretches across the globe. Any servants you have, or men you pass on the streets, they could be his. Do not let his spiders roam free about your walls, your servant Alfred could even be one of his spies. Be careful son, I fear winter is not the only thing coming. I fear a dark storm is on the horizon. I know not when it will come or what damage it will cause, but I feel it in my bones that it is coming. Be careful Bruce, I fear nowhere is safe. I hope you have managed to become the man your father hoped you would, and the symbol you will use to light the way for your city. Though, something tells me you may already have.
Bruce handed the letter back to Alfred, "Burn it, and tell all of the servants we had returned to the castle that we no longer need their services.
"But Ser, we only brought back a dozen."
"Good, it'll be less people to put back out on the streets. I will not have this spider spying around my father's home. If Varys finds out who I am, who knows what could happen. We need to protect ourselves Alfred. I am sorry if this will make your duties harder, without any aid."
Alfred smirked, "Well Ser, the lot of them were never very good at cleaning to begin with. So I suppose there will not be as grand of a difference in the amount of dust and cobwebs in this place."
He's trying to make me feel better, but he knows what I say to be true. We cannot risk any unwanted ears or eyes.
Bruce looked out the window to the sun setting over the bay. First half-masks, now spiders, what will come next?
James: Chapter 9
"And no one's laid eyes on him for a week?" James did not know where Batman had gone, but one thing was certain, Gotham needed him. The Joker as he called himself still haunted James, his nightmares and even when he was awake. The pale white skin, the vivid crimson lips, his yellowed teeth when those lips parted into a devilish smile….James tried not to think of it as best he could.
"Well find him!" James shouted to the three men standing before him. One slowly took a step forward, "W-What if he's…dead Ser? I saw him with my own eyes that night, he was bleeding heavy. He looked like he could barely stand. What if the wounds…got to him?"
James sighed, this was something he had worried about more with each passing minute over the last week, but never wanted to seriously consider. "If Batman's dead son, then may the Seven watch over us all. Now go."
The three guards left the room. James went over to the small cot in the corner and laid down. He would have to go home soon, James had not seen his daughter in three days. I'm sorry Barb, I know I should do better, I just don't know how.
He could hardly believe it had already been a week since he first met the mad man with the painted face. He remembered Joker cutting him free from his bonds, and letting James walk away as he proudly examined the fresh corpses he had just made. He heard some more laughing echoing up the stone stairwell as James pushed the door open and felt the warm night air rush over him. James could have tried grabbing a sword from one of the bodies right then and there, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He was afraid, something he had not truly felt in years. He worried all the time, about criminals, his family, if he would live to see another day, but he was never truly afraid of any of it. Yet, this stranger clothed in purple and green with a white face, made him feel fear again.
He needed Batman, and he needed him now. Batman would know how to deal with this mad man, more than James would for sure. It's only been a month and I'm already relying on him like this, what does that say of me? If he truly is dead, what am I to do now…
James was pulled from his thoughts as he heard a light knock on the door behind him. He turned to see his beautiful daughter standing there in the doorway. She wore an apron with stains and smears spotting it, a pair of dirty old trousers, and her hair was unkempt and fell around her head like an overgrown weed. She was still the prettiest sight James had seen in some time.
He stood and walked over to hug her, "Barb, how are you doing?"
"You do still have matters at home to deal with father, I hope you didn't forget," she said getting straight to the point. She had grown a lot these past few weeks without her mother around. James felt sorry that she needed to grow so quickly, even if she was considered a woman grown by the kingdom's standards.
James sighed, "I know Barb, I was just about to leave for the night to…" Barbara cut him off, "Father, if I can speak plainly."
She continued without him giving leave to speak her mind, "You have barely been home since she left; you've been here almost every night. I'm working days and nights trying to help out and keep myself busy, and our home…it doesn't feel like a home anymore…" Tears dotted the corners of her eyes, as she clenched her jaw not letting herself tear up any more than she already had.
"I need a father again…I know you have a city to protect but…I…" The tears burst and flooded forth as she collapsed into her father's arms. James patted her back as he embraced her, trying to reassure her of something he wasn't even sure of, that everything would be alright.
"Barb…I know it's been difficult, I just haven't had the time…With Batman appearing and then suddenly missing for a week, this Half-Mask assassin making a public display of himself, and now we have bodies showing up all across the Narrows! The night after Half-Mask and Batman fought we found a man with his face melted and seven others dead from knife wounds to the neck. I know you need me, but the city needs me too…I just don't know what to do anymore. I can't be everywhere and helping everyone at once."
His words hung heavy in Barbara's head; her sunken, saddened face showed it. "I know father, I just…the city has half a thousand guards! I only have you…"
James sighed, this wasn't easy. Nothing in his life was lately. "Barb…"
He was interrupted as his second in command, Harvey Bullock, ran into the room. His fat stomach hung out over his trousers and his tunic had a stain from whatever he had been eating. He was inhaling deeply for air, and trying to get his message out. "Ser, there's, b-been, ugh, a message from Casterly Rock! L-lord Tywin Lannister is riding for Gotham, Ser! He's bringing a score of his men. It says he plans to address the city's rodent problem…"
James looked from his head captain to the floor, and let out a great sigh. Damn.