The Oracle Of Gotham / Barbara Gordon

[05]

❛ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 ❜

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Stephanie sighed, brushing her blonde hair off her shoulder. "Well, it started roughly about three years ago." She began narrating. "The Joker was still alive then and it was that year that he had launched a siege on the Gotham castle."

To this Barbara nodded. "I doubt any of us will forget that. Especially since it was then that..." Barbara bit her lip, trailing off and shaking her head with a smile. "Never mind, please continue."

Cassandra quietly sat on the edge of the cot and listened.

* * *

"Your Highness!" A guard burst in the royal throne room, announcing himself to the frowning King Bruce and the young green-eyed prince beside him, who were overlooking a map of the castle and surrounding grounds.

"What is it?" King Bruce asked, his eyes darkening knowing that it most certainly was not good news that the soldier was bringing.

"The King Joker has stormed the village inside the walls!" The huffed, the out-of-breath guard reported hurriedly.

"What?!" The young Prince gasped. "Those gates were bolted shut! There's no way he could have gotten in!" The elder royal's eyes narrowed. "Not unless someone opened it for them." He said menacingly.

"How are the frontline troops doing?" He demanded. The soldier shook his head. "Falling by the second, Your Majesty. We can't hold off any longer."

King Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose. "Damn. And Dick's still off with his Titan's Division." The young Prince beside him was silent for a moment and then looked at the King with a fire in his eyes. A fire that had always worried the King.

"B. Let me command a garrison! I can try to take back the village or at least close the gate so no more can get in."

King Bruce sat down on the throne and gave his son a sharp look. "No, Jason. You'll be staying inside the castle. I will not be placing you in any direct combat for some long time."

"Bruce! People, our people, are dying by the second! If I can help them then I must! Even if it wasn't a duty of being a prince it's still my duty as a citizen of Gotham!"

Bruce sighed heavily as if something was weighing down on him. "Jason, one of these days your big heart and brashness is going to be the downfall of you."

"I think your overprotectiveness may get to me first." He muttered under his breath as he left the throne room and back out into the hallway where Alfred was waiting to take him to the upper wing.

King Bruce turned back to the guard. "I'll head out myself to re-claim the lower villages and deal with that madman. Come with me." He said, getting up, with his black cape flowing behind him. "Yes, Your Majesty!" The soldier responded, following his King.

* * *

Elsewhere in the castle, Jason stopped following Alfred and stood still. "Alfred," He started, making the elderly man turn and look back at him. "Master Jason?"

"Those gates had to be opened by someone. So said opener had to make an escape afterwards, correct? He is a traitor now after all."

Alfred gave the young boy a look that said, 'I know what you're going to say and I won't like it.'

"If he or she had opened the gates for Joker, probably joining or already joined him, the only escape, considering now that the main gates are flooded with enemy soldiers, is the castle's aqueducts. Bruce is busy fighting off the Joker and no one is going after our traitor." Jason's green eye's narrowed determinedly. "So I'll have to be that no one."