James: Chapter 15

"So what have you been busying yourself with since your arrival to my city, Nigma?"

Edward smiled, "Well Ser Gordon, I had not expected you to keep such a readied interest in my comings and goings. I must admit I have no lie prepared so I must forfeit the truth. I have been in the Narrows uncovering what I can of your Batman, as I promised to do."

They were sitting in Edward's makeshift chambers on the first floor of James' main guard keep. Ever since Ser Borsan had been discovered to be the Joker, James did not let any visitors stay on the same floor as him. Even Sarah stayed on the second floor, granted she was directly below James' chambers. She had proven to be a very useful ally despite being an agent for Lord Tyrell. James would sometimes lay awake at night thinking fondly of her. Her wavy blonde hair, her slender cheekbones, how she could march into a room full of men and take charge in an instant, her flashing sapphire eyes, James had grown to appreciate them all. No, I remain a married man, and I must honor my duties as a husband.

James remembered the words of House Gordon, Duty Above Honor. If a man had to uphold his duty even by forgoing his honor, than it was his responsibility to do so. James had learned early on the difference between honoring one's duty and making honor one's only duty was as great as the Wall was long. Even with Barbara abandoning them, he was still married to her and would remain faithful. Men following their honor over their lawful duties makes them prideful and foolish, it is how men like the Kingslayer gain power in this world.

James turned his thoughts from Sarah back to the orange-haired man sitting before him with the smuggest of expressions upon his face. "Something troubling you Ser?," he taunted.

"No Edward, now tell me, did you uncover anything in your time spent among our thieves, rapers, and killers?"

He smirked, "Yes and no. I learned a great deal about the city and some of its nobles and figure heads but little of Batman. Some fools still believe him to be a myth. Did you know Lord Wayne has been paying off whores twice a month to share his bed?"

James raised an eyebrow, "I don't believe he is the first to bed a whore nor will he be the last. If I am not mistaken Tyrion Lannister has a particular attraction for them, but I'm sure a man as intelligent as yourself would have known that."

Edward looked unamused, "Yes I did. But returning to my statement, your respectable lord does not actually bed the whores. That servant of his merely pays them their gold, and they say they slept with him."

"I see, perhaps whatever gave him that limp and cane also injured his manhood? So he pays them off to not feel as inferior of a man," James suggested.

Edward chuckled, "Ohh Ser Gordon, perhaps, perhaps. I however think it is a man hiding something. If he wanted to feel like more of a man he could at least bring the whore to bed and play with a tit. No, I think it is something…else."

James knew what the man was hinting at. "You believe Batman to be Lord Wayne?"

"I said no such thing, just that I believe your lord to be hiding something. Only time will tell I suppose."

You should have kept your mouth closed Edward, a man with more sense and brains would have. Your arrogance and need to prove your mind's strength will be your undoing.

James rose from his seat beside Edward's desk, "I shall leave you to it then."

"Have a pleasant day, Ser Gordon," he chimed as James left his unkempt quarters. Books and dusty old tomes alike littered Edward's desk and floor. Scrolls of parchment blanketed his desk making the wood barely visible. It looked as if he had been here for months when in truth it had been just over a week.

James hurried up the stairs to the second floor. Guards either nodded or saluted with a fist over their chest as he passed. He rounded the corner and proceeded into Sarah's chambers. Her cot was pulled up into the farthest corner near the window, while she sat sharpening her dagger with a whetstone at her desk. She looked up to see him enter and smiled that same heart-warming, sinister smile she had given them the first day they met.

"Ser Gordon, and what gives me the pleasure of your company today?"

James closed the door gently, and turned back to face her, a look of cautious anticipation visible on her face. "I need to know that I can trust you."

She squinted an eye in confusion, "What do you mean, Ser?"

"I need to know that what I am about to tell you will remain between just us. Not my men, not Highgarden and Lord Martell. Only us," he replied sternly.

She was clearly taken aback by his sudden seriousness, "I swear on the Seven."

He brought his fingers to the bridge of his nose to calm his mind and steady his nerves. "Nigma believes Lord Wayne to be Batman. Says he's spoken with some whores that Lord Wayne's paid off to say they've laid to bed with him when they truly haven't."

She looked to the ground to ponder a moment, "What do you believe?"

"I'm not sure. Lord Wayne is crippled and appears to be rather inept, but I've seen men deceive others with their true nature before. He does have the motive to bear the task with his parents' deaths, he is rarely seen, no soul's been within the castle since his return…I don't know," he told her. It was the truth, despite speaking with Batman several times since he first appeared, James still was unsure of who he truly was. He constantly struggled with the idea of Batman being Lord Wayne, but no other ideas had the same level of merit or support.

Sarah smirked. "Well there is only one way to find out, and that also happens to be our way to beating our dear Edward to the race's end."

James looked at her quizzically. She sheathed her knife and laid it on the desk with a girlish giggle. "James are you the leader here or am I? On the morrow we will go speak with Lord Wayne himself. That should give us whatever answers we are wanting of."

Joker: Chapter 6

Joker's footsteps echoed like crashing waves as he walked down the dark, quiet street. He ran his fingers through his hair pushing it back as he went about his late night stroll. He was in the upper end of the wealthier region of Gotham, near some tavern called the Iceberg Lounge. It was a prosperous, extravagant little spot on the top of the hill where the wealthy nobles of Gotham could bring their whores to bed so that their wives remained unaware of their late night outings.

Joker began to whistle as he neared his destination, killing always put him in a good mood. He walked alone, as he usually preferred to do. He was an odd sight for most, a man with a white face, green hair, and purple dressings, but he always was one for attention. He gazed around to take in his surroundings. The streets were much better lit than the Narrows, with torches every twenty feet or so. Many of the steads he passed were constructed of a finer quality of stone than the shit holes called homes in the Narrows too. Those stones were cracked and rough while these were perfectly smooth and finely laid. In the distance the small castles of the Drakes, Hadys and Starrs rose to meet the sky. They were no Red Keep or Wayne Castle even, but they had walls and small turrets so they looked the part at the very least.

How fun it will be to tear those down when the city is mine. Joker giggled and took a drink from the bottle of wine in his hand. A fine Dornish red, Joker usually cared little for what he drank but thirsting on something red became an odd pleasure for him. Joker was close to the Lounge now, he could see the metal sign draped over the entrance to the surprisingly large structure. It towered over the surrounding steads by twice their height, and had a glass, domed roof that rose into a spired point piercing the sky. It was built of pale white marble with dark iron surrounding the glass of the beautiful windows and roof.

If that is a tavern, then I'm perfectly sane. Joker was but fifty paces from the entrance now, and had a good view of the gateway. A dozen armed and armored men stood watch over the large iron doors into the Lounge. Thick marble columns rose up too reinforce the overhanging arched entranceway. As Joker grew closer, he saw the iron doors pull open. A ring of armed sellswords stepped through but it was not them he was concerned with, it was who stood in the middle. He was barely visible, but Joker knew he was there.

Joker heard him squawk out an order in his irritatingly shrill voice, "Get my carriage ere' on the double or I'll ave' every last one of your heads on a plate!"

Perfect. Joker was twenty paces from the group now, and called out, "Cobblepot you old dog, is that truly you?"

The short, fat man leaned out from behind two of his sellsword company. He had a pudgy face, with a pointed, narrow beak of a nose. He was clearly balding as his scalp reflected the pale moonlight and his mouth was drawn out in a flat frown. He wore a black doublet with white inlaid trim and carried a wound up umbrella in his hand which he used as a cane. Umbrellas were expensive and luxurious commodities that only those that had the gold to spare would pay for such things. They were a creation out of the Far East, and used mostly to block the sun for the dwellers along the coast of the Jade Sea.

"Wah? Who the bloody hell are you?," the stout man called out to the stranger he could barely see in the dark of night.

Joker chuckled, "Oh come now Oswald. Surely you've heard of me, for I have certainly heard of you, Hehehe."

Joker was close enough now that the torchlight reflected his pale white complexion and pure green hair. The moment he saw who the stranger in the night was, Oswald Cobblepot's face grew even whiter than Joker's. The sight made Joker laugh hysterically.

"Men, gimme' that clown's head on a pike and you'll be rewarded with a damn castle!" he called out from behind the safety of his armed escort. The sellswords drew their swords in unison, but all were unable to mask their fear.

Joker laughed again, "If any of you sers would like to walk away from this night with your life, I would recommend you drop your swords and run. Now."

Two men dropped their swords and ran off for safety. Smart lads. The rest however, slowly pressed forward. "My turn. Boys!"

Arrows flew down from the roofs of the two steads on either side of Joker. He had ordered twenty of his men to hide their in waiting for Joker's call. The other thirty Joker had brought came out from their hiding spots in the side alley to Joker's right. Mol and Kol stood to each side of Joker, making them look like towering turrets surrounding him. Pilo and Ajax stood to their sides, both wielding crossbows. Two more of the sellswords ran off after laying eyes on Joker's haunting force.

Every one of his men had their faces painted white like his. Either black or red paint added designs of stripes, circles, or just random patterns to the blank white tapestries that were their faces. Ahh such beautiful masterpieces, each and every one of them, but none best the original Hahahaha!

Joker smiled as his victory was assured. "Boys, kill em'."

His men charged forth and quickly and brutally ended the sellswords' stand. Joker strolled through the bloody carnage whistling before taking another swig of wine. Pilo was busy ripping his crossbow bolt from a man's eye socket while Aces stood behind him attempting to remove his sword from a man's chest, both struggling. Mol was grinding the sole of his boot against the stone street to try and remove one of the sellsword's bits of skull and brain from it.

"Now my fine, feathered friend, let us have a civil discussion I pray you hehe," Joker pleaded as he neared the spot where Oswald stood, pissing himself no doubt. The guards of the Lounge had withdrawn behind the doors, wanting to avoid the skirmish in the streets as that was not what they were paid for. Joker was not trying to break in, only have a meeting with the rich little noble.

"W-what do you want from me?," the frightened fat man stuttered. Joker took note of the black and white bird on the fat weakling's chest. A penguin, a creature only those as north as the Wall had ever seen. Fat, waddles, and defenseless, just as I like my lords.

"Tsk Tsk, Oswald I know full well of your dealings in the black market. Your Falcone's chief arms dealer, you get him his swords and he gives you a fat sack of coins. From this night on, you're done selling to that old codger. Now you sell with me," Joker chided.

"H-how mad are you? Falcone's got hav' the city bought and paid for. He's got at leas' nine 'undred thugs in 'is pay. You don't stand a chance clown," he replied as he raised his umbrella. He pulled back the handle to reveal that it was truly a hilt to a thin blade that was hidden inside the umbrella's length. He jabbed it forward aiming of Joker's gut, but his target easily dodged, laughing all the way. Before Oswald could bring the sword back for a horizontal slash Joker had kicked him back onto his fat ass and had a foot rested on the noble's groin. Joker pressed more weight down on his foot making the balding man groan in pain.

"Now, now, that was uncalled for Cobblepot. Now the cordial Joker is gone, and you have to deal with unpleasant Joker, hehehe. Boys, hold him down."

Oswald screamed as Pilo grabbed the remains of the hair on the sides of his scalp and yanked his head back. Ajax and Aces each grabbed a stumpy arm and pinned him to the ground.

Joker sheathed his knife and broke the glass bottle of wine on the stone street. He sifted his fingers through the broken glass shards until they rested on the broken bottom. It was still perfectly rounded and intact on the smooth bottom's surface, but the sides were now splintered fissures of sharp-edged glass. A devilish smile grew on Joker's lips as he approached the pinned down noble.

"What's the matter Cobblepot? Growing tired of waiting for your precious father to die of old age so you decided to start your own inheritance reserve? Now swear to me you are done selling to Falcone," Joker growled while maintaining his smile.

"A-alrigh' , alrigh', I swear no more. I-I'll even give you a reduced fee. How's that sound?," the quivering lord pleaded.

"Hmmm very good it does, but I have to maintain my appearances and authority in front of my boys here and you did refuse me at the start. I can't let that go without repercussions, I'm sure you understand. Lads, I have a joke for you. How do you keep a bird without wings from flying anywhere?"

Oswald cried out in panic and writhed as Ajax looked up and replied. "Uhh, you kill it?"

"Hahehe! No my boy, but worthy guess. No, you cut out an eye, so it flies in circles! HAHAHAHA!" Joker laughed maliciously as he jammed the broken bottle bottom into Oswald's right eye socket. Blood erupted from the glass' entire edge as the noble let a blood curdling scream escape his lips. Mmmmm, music to my ears. Joker twisted the cap a quarter of a turn, sinking it deep into the man's flash, grinding it against his skull. Oswald slipped into unconsciousness as Joker churned the skin around his eye. "Alright boys, I believe our message has been received. Let us depart before the city guards arrive."

Joker walked off down the street with his men trailing behind him, he was whistling a delightful tune and had a giddy bounce in his step.

Selina: Chapter 15

It had been near four months since Lord Wayne had last spoken with Selina. She had wrote it off as a lord being committed to his lordly duties, or that the recent events with Lord Tywin and the Joker had forced him even further into that dusty tomb up on the hill, or perhaps he died and his servant had lips like steel gates. She did not know, but she was determined to find out.

I'm well aware all whores are equal in a nobleman's eyes…I just… Selina couldn't understand. The two most prevalent men in her life had both seemingly dropped her as if she were no more important than, a whore, she finished. The two men I've spent the most time with in near half a year and one's a shut-in with a cane and the other's a recluse with a cape. I need to go out more. If Batman wanted nothing from her but information, perhaps she could charm Lord Wayne for some more gifts, or more.

She walked over to the wardrobe and removed from it the most elegant dress she owned. It was made of a fine crimson silk with golden trim and a matching scarf to drape over her. The silk felt so smooth on her bare skin, it showed her bodice off better than any other garment she had. Meelo brushed against her bare ankles and settled himself down on her right foot. Isis watched from atop her wardrobe staring with his bright little eyes. He had grown, big enough to hunt mice in the basement most nights.

Her cats had adjusted to her new dwellings far quicker than she had. The former bakery had two floors and a basement. It was small and quaint, but perfect for what she needed right now. Yet it still felt as cold and desolate to her as the Wall would be to a new recruit. This was not her home, but then again neither was the Lion's Den. Selina had yet to find a true home, at any point in her life. She rarely touched the first floor or basement, her cats had taken that ground over as their place to play and hunt. Whenever she returned to the small wooden stead she would march up the stairs right to her bedroom on the second floor.

The bakery was in a safer part of the city than the Den had been, for that she was grateful. In the Narrows a place such as this one would be an easy target just begging to be broken into and ransacked. Here she could lay her head down peacefully each night without worry of hearing glass shatter or her door kicked in. It was a welcome change of pace for her, but did not make the stead feel any less cold.

As she finished hanging her most recently acquired necklace about her neck, her newest orphan leapt up onto the table in front of her. She had dirty, unkempt fur that was light gold with streaks of light brown running through it. Selina had named her Holly, for obvious reasons. She even had Holly's eye color, and her unwillingness to back down to larger adversaries. Last night she watched Holly fight three of her older male cats for a scrap of beef. The other three had won out in the end, but Holly had fought them off for a good three minutes. Like Holly with that bearded stranger outside the Lion's Den all those nights ago. Selina of course knew now that stranger was Batman in disguise, it made her smirk at the thought. Holly stabbed the Batman, the brave little fool…She itched a finger behind Holly's ear before turning towards the door and departing.

It was pleasant out. The sun usually took to hiding behind the clouds, but a majority of the sky was painted a bright turquoise. The people were bustling in the streets like locusts in a field, all bumping into each other and babbling on about irrelevant matters that pertained to only themselves. They had seemingly rebounded from Lord Tywin's reign with zest, and the city returned to its splintered form of peace. She walked through the streets as the ghost of the city that she was. I am even more beyond peoples' eyes of awareness than Batman, despite him thinking himself to be but a shadow in this city. Selina was the true shadow of city, a former whore turned thief that no one would cry for should she die this night, or years from now.

She sauntered up the hill as she left the stoned streets of the city for the cobbled path leading towards the castle. She was let through the castle's thick iron gates and continued her way up the smooth stone path to the castle's main doors. Once there, she slipped a hand around the brass door ring and gave it a few loud knocks. The rings on both doors were clutched in the jaws of brass bat heads with snarling snouts and hellish looking sharp teeth. Why would Bruce want to hold up in here? I would be looking for the first carriage out of this dismal keep after spending so much as a night here.

After a few moments of inspecting the old oak doors Lord Wayne's servant answered her call. The older gentleman smiled at the sight of her pretty face, "Oh Lady Kyle I was not expecting you. Is there something I can help you with?"

"Yes, actually there is. I was wondering if Lord Wayne might be in. It has been quite some time since I last saw him and was wondering how he faired with all of these dark events going on around us and if he would like some company? Not that you aren't enough, of course."

The Dornish servant laughed, "Oh no offense taken my lady. Alas, Lord Wayne is in a meeting he cannot be pulled away from, even for a sight as lovely as you. You have my apologies on behalf of my lord."

Selina looked to the ground in rejection before meeting the Dornishman's eyes once more, "He's married, or engaged, or something else, isn't he?"

Alfred returned with a small, regretful smile, "To his work."