Richard: Chapter 9

Nightwing cawed as he walked into the room. Dick shut the door behind him. He could care less that Lord Tywin was here for who knew how long. He was just another old lord sitting on a pile of gold. Dick's thoughts were still on Bruce, and how bruised and bandaged he was lying in his bed when Dick walked in on Alfred and him.

Dick had felt alone since his parents' death, but he had managed to find some solace in Alfred and Bruce. But now that they were lying to him, keeping him at a distance from whatever secrets they were hiding, Dick felt even more alone. His warm delusion shattered before his eyes, and now he just laid coldly and alone in the pieces. He had not felt like climbing in days, deciding to just wander around the castle with Nightwing on his shoulders. He climbed to the roof a few times, to gaze out at the bay. The waves crashing into the base of the cliffs that surrounded the water like a crescent moon. The ports bustled with ships and merchants outside the tall city wall that separated the ships and beach from the city. Nightwing would try flapping his wings to chase the horizon, but could still not take flight. Dick knew the feeling all too well.

Last night though, he had heard something when he was heading to his chambers to sleep. It was late, and Dick thought not even Alfred would be awake at that hour. He heard a sound from Bruce's father's study, but not something like whispered talking or footsteps. It was the sound of wood, sliding against something. It wasn't wood or metal, but perhaps stone Dick figured. The sound of something dragging across smooth…marble, like the one the fireplace in the study was built from.

Dick had wanted to sneak into the room to better inspect it, but the room was locked day and night now that there were a century of servants hustling and strolling through the halls. Cleaning, dusting, preparing or serving food, fetching something for Alfred, it went all day and well into the night. The sound of metal on metal and the smells of cooking beef, or pork, or of the stews and soups, or even the smell of bread being baked ceaselessly assaulted Dick's senses.

Dick would have to wait until after Lord Tywin departed from Wayne Castle to investigate what was lying in that room, and what secrets Bruce was hiding. He didn't know why they were lying to him, but it hurt all the same. If they cared not to tell him, then Dick would find them out himself.

A few times, Dick thought to himself that Bruce could be Batman. The last time he had seen his host whole was the afternoon before Batman fought Deathstroke, as the city folk were calling him. But Bruce was seen so erratically that Dick had no way of knowing for sure exactly when Bruce sustained those wounds that kept him confined to his bed. One week Dick would see him every day, others he would see him twice or thrice in passing.

Alfred was always the one to keep Dick company, but now he was busy watching over the servants they took on to help for Lord Tywin's stay. Dick knew there was Lucius if he was truly lonely and bored, but he could never find the man. He seemed to be in an isolated corner of the castle all his own. Although Dick did not know what he could do all day to make him more absent than even Bruce was.

Dick left his room with Nightwing perched on his shoulder, and walked to the terrace at the back of the castle on the second floor overlooking the bay. He jumped onto the stone bannister that surrounded the terrace, and leapt to the tree next to it. Then he climbed up through the branches until he was level with the third floor of the castle. He jumped across the open air to the nearest gargoyle, one of his hands caught in its mouth while the other gripped the creature's outstretched claw. Nightwing screeched as it struggled to hold on, and ruffled its feathers in irritation as Dick climbed from the gargoyle to stand on the roof.

Alfred had a special boiled leather vest tailored with a thick leather padding on the shoulders so Nightwing's talons wouldn't dig into Dick's shoulders painfully. He took a slice of chicken from his pocket and held it up to Nightwing's beak. The bird looked at the meat quizzically before striking its beak out in an instant, snatching up the meat and swallowing it down whole.

"Whatever it is Nightwing, I'll figure it out. Whatever they're hiding from me, it won't be a secret for long." Dick stood and watched the sun set for near half an hour, turning the sky a pale orange as the sun finally dipped below the horizon. It was time for Lord Tywin's speech to the city, so Dick climbed back down and returned to his room to dress.

Bruce: Chapter 12

The city folk had gathered on the field where Haley's Circus had once entertained them with elephants and dancing bears, only to mortify them later with two murders under the same tent. Bruce knew it would be difficult for Dick to face this field again, but he had to be at Bruce's side as his ward. The city folk flowed up the hill as they had for the circus, and pooled before where the circus' main ring once stood.

Bruce, Dick, Lord Tywin, Ser Borsan, and a few of Lord Tywin's other officers sat atop a quickly constructed wooden platform at the head of the crowd. The platform was surrounded by thirty Lannister soldiers fully clad in armor. The smallfolk looked on in both anticipation, and fear.

Tywin Lannister rose from his seat and raised a hand to quiet the buzzing of the crowd. The crowd of more than eight thousand quieted at once, and Lord Tywin began speaking in a booming and commanding voice. "People of Gotham! You know who I am, where I hail from, what I have the power to do! And I promise you, I will help your city climb from this dark pit it is in and join the rest of Westoros in the light! The almighty Lord Tyrell doesn't seem interested to remove himself from his flowered throne in Highgarden to aid you! But not I, no I have come to give you all hope! You need a man who can lead you, who can help you! Not one that hides his face in the shadows!"

And there it is. The whole point of this speech is to make the people look up to Tywin as a savior and abandon their hope of Batman saving the city. Clever, if not predictable.

Lord Tywin continued, "This Batman that I've heard so much about is no hero to you. Where is he now? He has been absent for how long? Three weeks? And none of you know whether he is to return or not! What kind of savior is that, I pray you? Not only does he hide in the shadows like a common criminal, but he disappears without giving any of you notice of whether he will return to protect you or not. What kind of savior would do such a foolish thing? You should not have to worry whether your protector will be there to save you or not!"

The crowd looked on in awe, all of their eyes locked on the old lion pacing back and forth on the platform. He continued again, "You need someone who is there for you! Who can help you, protect you, and not leave you when it becomes too tiresome, as this pathetic excuse for a hero has! And as a measure of my good graces, anyone that has sighted the Batman or knows information of him or where he hides will be rewarded handsomely. Ser Borsan!"

Lord Tywin's lietenant rose and held up a small sack in his hand. He drew his dagger and slit it along the bottom, letting gold coins pour from it and to the platform's wooden floor. Then Borsan threw the bag out into the crowd as people rushed to grab any piece they could get their hands on.

"Any useful information on the Batman will be rewarded with a dozen gold dragons! I doubt your fabled savior could match such a price with you! So tell me people of Gotham! Do you want this selfish, untrustworthy, craven Batman to save you? Or I, who gifts you promises of gold, protection, and a vivid idea of what my face truly looks like!"

The crowd roared. He had won them over with ease. Bruce could see Alfred looking aghast up at the stage, his eyes going from Lord Tywin to Bruce. Bruce gave him a small discreet nod, trying to alleviate any worry the Dornishman had. Bruce knew what Tywin had planned, it wasn't particularly hard to guess.

The city had no idea whether Batman was alive or dead since his duel with Deathstroke. They were still scared, nor knew who Batman was, some believing he was still only a myth. But most importantly, Tywin was a man with gold and manpower. Of course the hopeless smallfolk gripped by fear would choose Lord Tywin over a mysterious figure that had only appeared but recently.

You have played your hand Lord Tywin, and now it is time to play mine. Bruce sat with no emotion showing on his face, save for a smile as he applauded along with the rest of Gotham at Lord Tywin's speech. Tywin turned to Bruce to look for a reaction, but turned back quickly to the crowd when he saw Bruce cheering him on with the rest of the onlookers. Lord Tywin was not finished yet. "I will have my men help protect you! I will have my esteemed knight Ser Borsan help your beloved Ser James Gordon keep watch over this city and keep the criminals in their place! From this night forward, any man caught raping will have his manhood removed! Anyone found thieving or stealing, will lose their hands! Killers will be hung naked in the streets! And you will all be able to sleep in the safety of your chambers peacefully and without worry for your lives!"

The crowd roared more, somewhere in the mass of people James Gordon was fuming like boiling water to be sure. James had but five or six centuries of men, nothing compared to the massive armies the lord of Casterly Rock could summon. So for now Bruce knew Gordon would have to play along with Tywin's game. Lord Tywin turned back to Bruce with what could almost be called a small smile or at the very least a sneer of pride, and a look in his eye of domination. So he not only intends to usurp Batman, but Bruce Wayne as well. He is a bold man, and smart, but his pride will cost him dearly.

Lord Tywin departed from the stage without Bruce's consent, but instead accompanied with cheers of "Lannister!" and "Casterly Rock!" echoing from the crowd. Ser Borsan quickly fell in step behind him, leaving Bruce and Dick to stand and see themselves off the stage. Lord Tywin mounted his white steed and returned to his men's encampment as a beloved hero, while Bruce limped to his carriage and was carted off as a man who had just been shamed publicly in front of thousands. As they rode in silence, Alfred would occasionally look up from the street to gaze worriedly at Bruce.

He worries himself a great deal more than he needs to, but Bruce still wanted to put his old friend at ease. "Don't worry Alfred, it will all be fine."

"Fine? The man has the audacity to storm into your city, shame you with such blatant disrespect, take control of the city watch with an iron fist, make the city live under his own rules of who lives and who dies! And you tell me it will be fine?!" Alfred was upset greatly Bruce could see, but he only replied with a smirk.

"They say Lord Tywin Lannister shits gold Alfred, I'm sure you've heard that, Dick you might not have. But yes, they say the lord of Casterly Rock shits his own wealth."

Alfred now looked confused. "Ser…what is your point? Obviously he doesn't, so how does a fool's jape help you now?"

"What do they say of Bruce Wayne, Alfred?"

"That…you are a shut in? Afraid to face the world? Still haunted by the ghosts of your parents, the same scared boy you were when you left…?"

Bruce smiled, "And who would have more to lose, and who more to gain, Alfred? The man who is said to shit gold, or the man who has been in darkness since he arrived at the city?"

Alfred sat back in his seat, thinking over what he had just heard. Dick looked even more confused. Bruce for once was the one at peace, as he stared out into the night with a smile on his face. I know not how this will end Tywin, but it will not end with you ruling this city.

James: Chapter 10

James knew not whether to call Lord Tywin Lannister's assistance a nightmare or a gift from the gods. For the past five nights he had been able to go home and sup with his daughter instead of hunting criminals from dusk until dawn. It felt good to see his daughter for longer than a rushed and fleeting supper once a week.

Ser Borsan had taken on a good share of James' daily duties and chores, giving James more time to himself. Borsan seemed like a straight enough fellow, he always was respectful and never tried to cross any of James' orders. The man had proved quite invaluable to James. He was dependable, skilled with a blade, and entertaining. Unlike most of James' men, Borstan had a rather good sense of humor. He told jokes he had heard from the taverns and whorehouses of Casterly Rock that made James laugh for the first time in what must have been years.

He still was not certain as to how effective Lord Tywin's new rules would be, but James was not opposed to them. Even if the rules were only enforced for Tywin's stay, they might be enough to strike fear into the criminals of Gotham again. Since Batman had been missing for some time, the criminals began growing bolder once more.

So far Borsan and his Lannister soldiers had lopped off the hands of four thieves, hung six killers, and gelded ten rapers. While James wasn't overly fond of the brutal tactics, they seemed to be slowly working. The city loved Tywin Lannister and his gifts of gold, and James could understand why. But am I jumping from a bed with a masked threat I do not know to a bed with a threat with a face and an army at his back?

Lord Tywin had given him fifty gold pieces for his troubles since starting his duty twenty years ago and another twenty for allowing his men to share the city guard's various keeps scattered throughout the city. Ser Borsan had the chambers to the right of James so they could coordinate with a greater ease.

James looked out at the bay from his hillside home as the moon shown down on the water making it brighten to a light blue as it shimmered in the light. The city walls only reached across the sand, separating the beach and port from the city. They ended as the cliffs rose up on either side. Since James' cottage was so high up on the cliff's face, the wall ended two hundred paces to his right, leaving James' view of the bay undisturbed. He often came out here to clear his mind when he found the time. So much had happened so quickly that he had so little peace and quiet to fully take it all in. Bruce Wayne returning, the Grayson murders, his wife leaving him, Deathstroke, the Joker… It was a lot for any one man to deal with, let alone someone as tired as James. I never did get to tell Batman about Joker…oh well, I suppose it doesn't matter now. What with Lord Tywin coming to decimate crime himself. As James turned to go inside, he was met with an unexpected sight. Standing but ten paces from him, was Batman.

James couldn't help but smirk, "So you disappear for weeks without a word, and then suddenly reappear as if some damn warlock summoned you. Heh, I don't know how much longer I can handle all of this."

Batman stepped closer to James until he was at his side, looking out at the bay as he had. "I'm…sorry, for disappearing."

James shrugged, "I heard your brawl with this Deathstroke or Half-Mask or whatever you bloody call him ended roughly for both sides, but I wouldn't worry about it now anyways. Not with Tywin Lannister, the lord of gold, coming to save us. You have the pleasure of talking to him?"

Batman didn't move. "Not yet."

James raised an eyebrow. "But you plan on it? You know, I could get in a lot of trouble with our new guests if people caught word that I had spoken with you."

Batman replied in his dark voice, "You won't tell them. Tywin is only trying to turn the people against me, and Wayne for whatever reason."

James shrugged again, "Eh, lords get in pissing contests all the time. You know why he suddenly decided to see fit to visit our fair city?"

Batman turned to him, matching gazes. "Deathstroke was Tywin's best and most hidden weapon. He was an assassin, and a highly skilled one at that. Since your men escorting him were killed, no one knows what has happened to him."

James let out a great sigh, swallowed, and mustered all the strength he could. "He's dead, killed, right in front of me." Batman looked as close to shocked as James was likely ever to see him. His eyes widened for a split second, but his mouth never left its tight, thin-lipped position. James continued, "I haven't told everyone the full story, I struggled to think anyone would believe me if I did. The night I was taken, the night you fought Deathstroke, some thug of Falcone's took me into some underground hideout they had in the Narrows. When I woke up, they dragged in your friend, looked like he'd been beaten within an inch of his life. Our captor told him how he failed Falcone, and how they don't take kindly to failure. They tied him up like I was. All the while he was spouting how Batman wasn't human, how it did not count as a failure. Then, the two guards outside of the door cried out in pain. Our captor strolled over to the door to see what happened, but when he peered out, he was given a knife right between the eyes."

Gordon took another deep breath, "The man that walked in, was even more unnerving than seeing you for the first time. His face was a pale white, I couldn't tell if it was paint or not. His lips were red, like blood. He had green hair, finely cut too but unruly. He was wearing some light violet garments, but what I remember most was his laugh. It sounded…I can't even begin to describe it. The type of laugh a man makes when he's close to death and knows it, but laughs to mock the gods regardless. It made my spine turn to ice, his laugh was enough to make me afraid. He walked over to the Half-Mask, asking him what you were like, how you danced as he put it. When he didn't like the answer, he slit Deathstroke's throat, laughing and saying how he wasn't worthy to face you. Then he came over to me, said he'd let me go as long as I got you a message. He says the 'Clown king of crime is here' and he's going to bring Gotham to ruin. He said his name was The Joker."

Batman turned out to the sea waving and crashing beneath them. He stayed like that for a few minutes, his eyes fluttering slightly as they tried keeping up with the pace of his mind. "Tywin and this Joker are going to collide in a battle of madness and power, chaos against order, and Gotham will be the one to pay. We have to stop this."

Gordon sighed and shook his head slowly. "I…I can't get involved in this one. Lord Tywin and his men are succeeding. Criminals are afraid again, they fear order and law, not just one man who would strike at them out of the shadows. Lord Tywin is giving them something…real to fear. I'm sorry, your heart is in the right place, but you are only one man. Tywin has gold, men, swords, the people, all of that on his side. What do you have?"

When James turned back to Batman, he was gone. Bats versus clowns versus lions, and I'm caught in the middle of it.