James: Chapter 13

"What do you mean someone is waiting for me in my chambers? Who is he?" James growled as he and Sarah walked up the steps of the his head keep. They had spent the day following leads of Joker's whereabouts. He had been at the docks last night, raiding a smuggler's ship of its cargo. Building up his army no doubt.

The guard stuttered, "T-they arrived an hour ago, and sent me to find you."

"He summoned me?! I don't care if it's bloody Tywin Lannister returned to reclaim his pride, no one summons me in my city!" Gordon shouted as he skipped the last few steps and darted inside. He ran up the stairs, anger fuming over his head. It isn't Lannister, otherwise the guard would have been white with fear. His son perhaps, the dwarf, Jaime can't leave King's Landing. Or one of Tywin's liege-lords, either way, they will get the warm welcome they deserve.

James rounded the corner into his chambers, only to find a tall, broad-shouldered man gazing out his window. He wore a plain white wool doublet and crimson cloak that reached halfway down his calves. His hands were clasped behind his back in black gloves. He was tall, and was strongly muscled or so it appeared through the garments. He had a bald head, and did not turn from the window when James entered the room.

"Ah, Ser James Gordon, it is a pleasure to meet you," the stranger said to the window. He turned, and James was rather set back by what he saw. The man had a very stern face, his lips in a tight smile. His eyes were small and sharp, scrutinizing every detail of James as they looked him up and down. A thick, dark gray beard lined his jaw from ear to ear. That and his matching eyebrows were the only hair that clung to his head.

The man walked over to where James stood, towering over him by close to a head's length. "My name is Hugo Strange. Lord Tywin has sent my men and I here to assist you in this unfortunate city."

The spark of anger that James had lost burned once more at the man's statement. "More like try to run the city eh? That is what your gracious lord strived to do in his visit."

Hugo shook his head. "No Ser, my lord can be aggressive and overbearing at times, but his intentions are always good at heart. Alas, I am not my lord and admittedly am not here to run this city. For I am far too fascinated by it to try and upset its natural balance."

James squinted in confusion, "You're fascinated, by Gotham?"

"No, no, not the city itself, but the people. People that should be without hope after all of the travesties they have suffered, but continue to hold on. And how near a third of the city's population resorts to crime and murder to achieve their own ends and survive. Then…there is him." Hugo turned back to the window, looking out at the street below.

"The Batman?"

"Yes, a man who strives to be something more than a man. To don such odd armor, but strike with such cunning, ferocity, anger, it is most curious. A man that is deemed an outcast, a freak to the rest of the world, but no, to me he is a rarity that this world is greatly in want of," the strange man replied as he gazed out.

He seems more obsessed with Batman than even Tywin did…but before James could speak Hugo laid his thoughts to rest. He turned from the window with a small smile, "You think me mad, Ser Gordon. Fear not, I am not touched with voices in my head, I am merely wrought with excitement. I have served as Lord Tywin's chief prison warden for near two decades, as long as you have been serving as this city's head of the City Watch if I am not mistaken. But no criminal I have had the pleasure of meeting has been as interesting or curious as this Batman."

"Why exactly did Lord Tywin send you here, ser? I can't see a man as powerful as Lord Tywin foolishly sending away his prison warden without just cause," Gordon questioned.

Hugo continued his smile. "I have not come with an army Ser, merely fifty men to help me with my goal. I have come here to ask your permission. I am not my lord, I do not wish to rudely intrude into another's city. I am asking your permission to watch over your prisons, and undertake a…venture you might say."

"What sort of, venture?"

"Tell me what you know of that abandoned castle on the bay's edge," he replied calmly.

James shook his head; he had learned some things about the old, abandoned castle on the edge of Gotham Bay some time ago. It had been desolate for near a century, rumored to be haunted by the many souls tortured there. It was a desolate, godforsaken place that had been overtaken by the weeds and cobwebs many years ago. Its former lord was said to be a horrible, cruel man that became so increasingly paranoid as the years went on that he tortured his city's people in fear of them being spies. It rested on a small island to the northern side of the bay, and even the criminals feared entering its grounds.

"Arkham Castle? What of it?"

Hugo chuckled, "Yes and no Ser. It was Arkham Castle under Lord Amadeus' reign. I wish to merely make it a safer, isolated place to keep your city's criminals. I would also be inclined to study them, see if there is something that makes a man choose to take up that life in free will. My tidings do come with a…request from my lord however."

And here's the bite behind the smile. "And what would that be ser?"

"Regretfully, my lord has ordered for the arrest of the criminal known as the Joker, for the mass murder of near six centuries of men. As well as the vigilante known as the Batman, for assisting him."

"Assisting!? You call the Batman saving the city assisting!?" James had had enough of Lord Tywin and his flaunting of power. James knew his men, and whatever number of smallfolk they could encourage to stand with them, were no match for the might of Casterly Rock. But Tywin's disregard for Gotham's authority was an outrage. I pray the Others will take me should I fail at keeping my city safe from the hands of Lord Tywin Lannister and his throne of golden shit!

Hugo raised a hand. "My apologies Ser. I tried with all of my power to dissuade my lord, but he is a determined and stubborn man. He assured that should these two not be brought to justice swiftly and efficiently, that he would march on Gotham…and burn it to the ground. I am sorry Ser Gordon, I had wished to meet you on better terms than being the messenger of my lord's threat. My associate and I-"

"Associate?" Tywin's last associate was truly the Joker in disguise, I would rather not go through another surprise such as that again. Hugo slowly and regretfully nodded, "My lord sent him along with me when I left for this city. Lord Tywin tasked him with overseeing the hunt for Batman, trusting the Joker to you."

James stepped back, he had not been expecting that. He knows I trust Batman, and want the Joker captured as much as he does…why must I deal with one of the few smart lords left In Westoros?

"Is he here?" James asked. Hugo replied with a nod. "He is downstairs, chatting with your men to get a better feel for the city."

"Take me to him," James said sternly.

Hugo nodded once more, and led James down the stairs to the guard's common room. The room was crowded, with men lining the walls and pooling in the middle. They stood aside and made a narrow path for James and Hugo to walk through leading to the center of the room. Sarah was there, looking over a man's shoulder who sat facing away from James at a desk. He was scribbling away intently on a piece of parchment. He wore a dark green traveler's jacket, with hair an even lighter shade of orange than James' had been in his youth.

He suddenly spoke up with a distinct sound of pride in his voice, "and that is how you solve it my lady."

Sarah's face lit up with amazement. "I would never have thought of that!"

The man chuckled, "I know my lady, it is a very difficult puzzle to be sure." Hugo cleared his throat and addressed his companion, "Ser James Gordon wishes to speak with you Edward."

The man still did not turn from his seat, instead choosing to write more down on his parchment. "Ahh the head of the City Watch, how do you do Ser Gordon?"

"Would you mind telling me what exactly you plan to do in my city? And how you plan on catching Batman? As I recall even your lord failed to do so," James said with a small smirk across his lips.

"I assure you Ser, I am more than well-suited to see the task through than even Lord Tywin. I have always had a knack for solving difficult problems that others found troubling. Allow me to show you. Listen closely for I am hard to understand, I am elusive as a handful of sand. Even if you perceive me you know me not, before you can tell me what I have forgot. What am I?"

James' brow scrunched, trying to make sense of the nonsense the stranger had just told him. Elusive as sand, hard to understand, what I have forgot…damn it all, and this man.

After a few moments of silence the man stood from his seat, and turned to face James. He wore a white tunic with purple lining and threading underneath his jacket. He had a slender face, and eyes as bright a shade of green as jade in the sunlight. An arrogant smile graced his lips, and one of his orange eye brows was cocked in prideful waiting. He held out a hand, and James stretched his out in turn to give a shake.

"My name is Edward Nigma. I am the man who will not only catch Batman, but deduce who he is. And the answer to my question my fair Ser, is a riddle."

Selina: Chapter 14

"Selina you can't leave us! What will we do? We were lost while you were missing!" Tanya pleaded. It had been a hard decision to come to, but Selina knew she could not stay at the Lion's Den any longer. When she returned from her imprisonment, the whorehouse was in disarray. Three girls had left one night never to return, while a few thugs stormed in and made off with Ronda on another. A few girls even left for the other popular whorehouse, the Dragon's Scale three nights before Selina returned.

With Holly gone, crime growing more uncontrollable by the day, and her recent stay in a cell, Selina had no desire to look after this place or its residents anymore. She just wanted to be by herself, care for her own needs, and only have to look out for herself. She liked the girls, even cared for some, but after watching Holly have her life ripped from her before Selina's eyes she had very little care to continue watching over the girls. She was tired of playing den mother.

"I know Tanya, but with Holly gone…I'm not in the right mind to keep watching over this cursed place and all of you sweet girls. I can pay the Steaming Lake thirty gold pieces to take you in, but that is all I can do," Selina said looking down to the floor. She couldn't bring herself to meet their eyes, knowing they were full of tears and fright. She heard Tanya wail, a few girls even curse under their breaths. When the room had quieted down she continued, "I know you girls looked up to me for strength and direction, but I have none left. I am directionless myself, and I cannot have you girls clinging to me like a daughter clings to her mother's dress. I am sorry, truly, but I cannot help you anymore. Tomorrow I will make leave from this place. I can lead any girls that wish to the Lake and will pay for your stay there."

Allison, one of the newest girls, spoke up, "but where will you go Selina?"

Selina lied, "I have permission to stay in an inn on the other side of the city. I will remain there until I find another, more permanent residence." In truth Selina had no semblance of a clue as to where she was leaving for, only that she had to leave. She could not bear to look at their faces, and silently turned and stepped up the stairs to her chambers. Once there, she closed the door and collapsed to cry into her hands. Her cats came over to where she sat sobbing and brushed up against her legs and sides. Isis hopped up into her lap while Meelo scaled her shins until he rested on the peaks of her bent knees. She looked up with puffy eyes from her palms to gaze into their bright little eyes.

"Alright sweetlings, I suppose the time for sobbing's done and the time for packing needs to start." She rose from the floor and went about the room beginning to pack all that she cared to bring with her. Some of her nicest dresses and necklaces that she had either bought or stolen, the brush that Holly had given her on her last name day, and her little sack of golden pieces hidden under a floorboard. Now for my children…

Selina turned to face the twenty cats that littered her bed and floor. She did not know how she would bring them all with her, but she was determined not to leave them behind. This is my family, not the girls downstairs. She placed Meelo and Isis on a shelf in her wardrobe as she took out her black leather Catwoman outfit and laid it at the bottom of her largest travel bag. The moment after she placed a few blouses over her thieving attire, a knock came at her door.

Selina heard Allison's muffled voice through the door, "Selina, there's a, uhh, man hear to see you." The last thing Selina had the desire to do right now was be in the presence of a man.

"Tell him I'm not in," she replied. She turned back to her wardrobe to grab more of her garments when she heard her door open. She looked back around angrily and stopped when she saw who her male visitor was. Ser James Gordon was certainly more cleanly and dutiful in his demeanor than most of the men that had called upon her in her years in this place. He wore the white tunic of the City Watch, and the badge of its leader on his breast. His hand reached up behind his head scratching at the base of his skull. Allison stood behind him with her hand over her mouth and worry in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Selina but he just…" Selina held up a hand to stop her apology. "It's alright, leave us, if you would."

Ser Gordon cleared his throat as the door closed behind him. "My apologies Lady Kyle, but I wouldn't blame the girl, she tried to stop me as best she could." He gave a small smile as he began looking around the room. "You've got…quite a few cats here Lady Kyle, must cost a lot to feed them every day."

"I have a special place in my heart for strays it seems, but we get by just fine. You may call me Selina, Lady Kyle makes me sound as if I were an old crone." I'm only twenty, nowhere near old enough to be some Lord's trophy to keep up in his castle.

"My apologies Selina, but I must confess that I am not here to discuss your cats or your age."

"Ser Gordon, I'm afraid my life as a whore on the streets is over. I can direct you downstairs to one of the other fine girls living here if you wish. It will surely be more warming to your bed than you have been accustomed to lately…"

Selina trailed off as she watched Gordon look to the floor with a small smile on his face. There's a great deal of pain there…dammit Selina, you went too far. The whole city knew of Gordon's wife fleeing, it had become rather tasty gossip for the city's wives to chitter on about in the streets. But Selina knew she had hit the man below the belt. "I-I'm sorry Ser I jus…"

Gordon raised a hand to quiet her. "It is alright Selina. No harm done. But I regret to inform you I am not here for someone to share my bed with. I know it was him."

Selina was confused, "Him..? Him who?"

Gordon smiled once more, "The man who saved you from your execution that day. You very well know who I am speaking of."

Damn, I shouldn't have been so careless. Of course he's here to arrest me, probably has a few guards out front should I try to escape. If I can just duck out the window and climb to the roof I can…

Gordon cut her chain of thinking off, "I'm not here to arrest you Selina. I have forgone your, crimes…because of what the Batman did. But now I need you to give him a message."

What game is he playing… "I am sorry Ser, but I have never met this mysterious madman of the night. Nor would I know how to contact him if I did. How are you so sure I could deliver this message of yours?"

Gordon chuckled and turned around to look upon the room once more. His eyes caught on an item Selina had stupidly left lying out in the open on her bedside table. "That is a nice whip there, but what a strange place for it. You wouldn't happen to know why a whip would just be sitting on your table, as if it were a hairbrush, would you Selina?"

His sigil isn't a pointing hunting hound for nothing… "It was my father's Ser. The only thing I have left of him I'm afraid."

"Ah of course, my apologies then. Just, if you should in some unforeseen event, speak with Batman. Tell him I need to talk to him, but privately. Tell him to meet me on my grounds like the last time. I have something of great urgency to tell him."

Selina thought a moment before responding, "If I should somehow come across Batman, I will tell him your little message."

Gordon continued smiling, "thank you my la-Selina. Do have a good rest of your day. Oh by the way, I have heard some rumours that the old bakery near my western keep room just became vacant. Poor fellow left, couldn't stomach all of the death."

Selina's lips grew taught in a thin line. "Not many can Ser, but you have my thanks."

Ser Gordon gave one last smile before quietly leaving her chambers without another word. Selina went to the window to watch him walk down the street. He cannot know who I am. He saw but a whip and my cats, no proof…and he knows that Batman and I have a connection…what kind of connection that is even I do not know. She watched the orange haired man stroll down the street with his ten guards falling in line behind him. He looked like a small fire trying its hardest to illuminate the dark stones of the walls and street with rays of hope.

Richard: Chapter 12

Now I have him. Dick crept quietly through the shadows of the cave, straining to not make a sound. It was near midnight now, so the cave was shrouded in darkness, save for the torches posted along the northern half of the cave. Bruce was bent over a table studying some pieces of parchment intently, oblivious to Dick's movements. Dick had practiced and trained intensely for the last three weeks. Bruce had begun teaching him how to fight, speak other dialects, and creep through the night as if he was not there in the first place.

Dick found the other languages dull to learn, he had little care to learn how Dothraki or the people of Pentos spoke. It was all of the actual, physical learnings that Dick craved. How to fight ten men at once, how to evade and dodge arrows like a ghost, how to throw a knife and hit the target every time, and how to move like a shadow, these were the lessons he wanted to know. Dick had never been one for burying his nose in an old book or tome for hours on end. He was one for flying through the night with a grace and fluidity that even the rain would envy.

Dick was only ten paces from where Bruce stood. Sole of your heel down first, then gently the outer curve of the foot, and then finally lay it down flat, he recounted to himself as his feet slowly and carefully followed suit. When he was only five paces from the hunched over man, Dick drew a bat-shaped throwing knife from his belt and raised it up to eye level. The moment Dick was about to spring forward, Bruce spoke. "If you are going to try and surprise me without being heard, I would suggest not stomping through the cave like a mammoth," he said calmly without looking up from his papers.

Dick vaulted up onto the table and stood over Bruce and his papers. "How did you hear me coming?"

Bruce continued looking at his parchment, "For one, I'm not deaf. Secondly, I'm sure even Alfred heard you up in the castle."

At that moment, the Dornishman's familiar voice chimed in amongst the silent darkness of the cave. "What did I hear Ser?"

Dick looked around the cave quickly in disbelief, "Alfie where did you come from?"

Alfred remained straight faced, "Has Master Bruce been training myself or you these last three weeks Master Richard?" Bruce cracked a small smile at that comment. Alfred laid a silver tray with two glasses of water and two plates of roasted chicken and corn down on the large, dark-stained oak desk. The smell instantly made Dick's mouth water; he had forgotten he had barely attempted eating these last few days unless Bruce had ordered him. He grabbed the earl of corn and hungrily began feeding his starving stomach.

After a few large bites Dick muttered out with food in his mouth, "What are you reading Bruce?"

Bruce looked up from his parchment, "Shipping manifests, for Gotham's port."

"Why?" Dick asked. Bruce looked to Alfred for a moment, the old servant nodded and Bruce hesitantly continued.

"If you're going to be my partner I suppose I should let you in on everything. Last week the Joker attacked a ship in the port, raided its cargo and killed the crew. He made off with at least eight crates of weaponry."

"So? He stole most of Lord Tywin's swords too. Why would he need a few more?" Dick asked. He knew Joker was building a following, and followers clearly needed swords, but Bruce seemed troubled even further.

"The captain was in the city with a few of his men at the time of Joker's attack. He reported another missing crate but could not say what was in it, for even he did not know. Whatever it is, if the Joker has it, it spells dangerous for all of Gotham," Bruce replied looking up from the desk to meet Dick's eyes.

"Alright…but what could be carried in a single crate that would be so dangerous? It's not like they can store a hundred jars of wildfire or a thousand crossbows in a box?"

"This is true, but the point still stands, whatever was in that crate unless it was full of puppies and infants bodes ill for us all. The sooner we find what dark corner he skulked into to hide, the better."

Nightwing glided down from the peak of a nearby spire-shaped rock to Dick's shoulder. His talons no longer dug into Dick's shoulder with the small, green spaulders he wore. Lucius had fastened them along with green leather gloves and boots that reached halfway up his shins. Dick had asked that they be green despite Bruce's argument against it. He said that with a red and green costume Dick would sorely stick out amongst the cover the night provided. He said it would make Dick more of a target for archers and crossbowmen. Dick refused to dress himself in dark tinted dressings with black surrounding him. Bruce was a symbol of fear, and Dick would be a symbol of hope. He wanted the bright colors, so that people would not fear him as they did Batman.

Bruce uses his inner darkness and surrounds himself in it, well I will use my inner light and don that as my armor. Bruce argued against it often the first week Dick wore the red leather attire Lucius had made for him, but the boy never gave in. The flattened metal disc on Dick's breast was still blank, smooth as a river stone. Bruce had his bat symbol across his chest, but Dick did not know what to take as his symbol. He had no mask or façade to give the city like Bruce did with his performance as a cripple, so he could not simply drape a robin from shoulder to shoulder.

But what to use? I cannot just run around with a blank emblem on my chest. Dick had thought the matter over a great deal since his training had begun.

Lucius was hard at work in the northern most corner of the cave, sewing a pale yellow cape together for Dick's suit. Is it even a suit? Bruce truly has a suit of armor, but my attire is but a red leather vest with green spaulders, boots, and gloves with a yellow cape to pin to it.

Dick was pulled from his frustrating thoughts as Bruce spoke up once more. "Dick, it's time to begin training again. One last hour before bed."

Dick jumped down from the desk and rolled as his feet his the stone floor. "What are we doing? Knife throwing? Dodging, countering, disappearing?" Dick questioned excitedly.

Bruce walked over to where Lucius stood at his work quarters, sewing and cutting away quickly but with a great amount of attention in every stroke of his hand. His work table was riddled with pieces of metal and leather and cloth, half forged armorings and bat-shaped throwing knives spotted throughout the clutter. He quietly whispered something to the dark skinned man who smiled and ducked beneath his table. A moment later he reappeared with a crate in hand no longer than Dick's arm. Bruce thanked him and walked back over to where Alfred and Dick stood waiting.

"My weapons are my hands, the blades on my gauntlets, my feet, all of the oddities and tools in my belt, but you need one of your own," he said as he laid the crate out on the desk.

Despite him being able to see the crate plainly as he was, Dick stood on his tiptoes in excitement to get a better view. The mysterious nature of the crate and its contents made Dick anxious with anticipation. "What is it? A sword? A dagger? Oh is it a mace?! I could hurt criminals left and right with a weapon as daunting as a mace!"

Bruce opened the box and held up its contents into the torchlight. They were two plain, steel poles no wider than a candle and only slightly longer than Dick's forearm. "Those? I'm to fight criminals with two sticks?"

Bruce smirked and began whirling them in his hands as he attacked imaginary foes with quick thrusts and swings. They moved so quick that in the torch light they appeared as nothing more than quick flashes of silver light. Dick stood in awe as Bruce swung and turned and spun, the poles dancing in his hands. When Bruce finally stopped, Dick stood with his mouth aghast.

Bruce looked at the boy and smiled, "You are correct, you are going to fight criminals with sticks. It is a form of fighting I learned in my travels from some islanders of the Jade Sea. It is called Escrima, and is quick, efficient, and requires focus. These are your escrima sticks, and from today on they will be extensions of your arms."

He handed them to Dick, who took a few moments to get used to the feeling of round, solid steel in his hands. They felt cool to the touch, but made Dick feel…stronger in some way. He tried swirling one in his hand as Bruce had done, but dropped it almost immediately. A loud clang echoed throughout the cave. Nightwing screeched at the unexpected noise.

"It will take time Dick, but eventually you will be able to do what I showed and more. Shall we begin?"

Dick lowered his stance, held the two metal poles tightly, and spread his feet, "Come at me old man."