❛  𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 ❜

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⟪ Stephan[ie] Brown ⟫

⟪ Cassandra Cain ⟫

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Chapter 4 | Sins of our fathers

The Story so Far...

Our story began introducing the Lady Barbara Gordon and Barbara, much to her own worry, has been having dreams about the deceased Mad King, Joker. But no matter how realistic and worrying the dreams are, her father simply brushes them off as 'just dreams.'

Later on that day, Barbara accompanies her father, who is the Minister of Justice, to the castle, where he is to attend a meeting with King Bruce. While the two are engaged in a meeting of their own, Barbara meets up with the first prince, Richard Grayson, who happens to be a close childhood friend of hers.

Dick invites Barbara to join him in helping train some new knights. Barbara agrees and as promised, the next day shows up. Here she meets a cheery young boy, Stephan Brown, who is Prince Dick's new squire, still-in-training. The two get along quite well and become fast friends.

In the next chapter, "Mark of Cain," A banquet is being held in honour of the League of Justice, and amidst the festivities, seemingly out of nowhere, a dagger is thrown at King Bruce, just narrowly missing being fatal. King Bruce sends Prince Dick and the Titan Division to search out and capture the would-be assassin, sending all the other guests back to their rooms. Barbara decides to secretly join in the hunt but while searching has a sudden vision, with two mysterious men discussing something about a girl named Cassandra, that leaves her unsettled and faint.

Abandoning her search, she heads back to her room to recover and puzzle over her latest 'dream' however when she enters her room, she notices that she is not alone. A weapon in hand, she discovers a petite, young girl hidden behind her curtains that is seriously injured and bleeding out. The girl falls into a dead faint and Barbara while assuming that the girl is the 'would-be assassin' makes a quick decision not to turn the girl in right away and decides to instead, nurse her.

Elsewhere in the Castle, King Bruce and Prince Dick go over the events of the day. King Bruce informs Dick that the assassin is no ordinary threat but in actuality, a sorcerer, and considering that magic is illegal in the entire kingdom of Gotham and the King's own particular hatred for magic, King Bruce is putting no holds on finding the threat.

Dick then leaves and goes to check on Barbara, worrying about her. Barbara, who is then faced with a decision of confessing to her closest friend who happens to be the Crown Prince about knowing the whereabouts of the assassin or hiding the young girl from him, thereby committing treason and helping a unknown girl with a unknown story, while lying to her best friend, chooses the latter.

Dick leaves after checking in on her, seemingly knowing more about the situation and what Barbara is hiding than he lets on but not saying anything except that he trusts her decision.

* * *

One week after the events of the banquet and Barbara meeting Cassandra Cain, an odd young girl who happened to be an assassin with mind reading abilities, Barbara was still taking in the entire situation.

The castle had resumed its normalcy after it was decided that the assassin had escaped and was already long gone. King Bruce, of course, wasn't going to forget an attempt on his life so easily, so for a long while, security was doubled and he tried to search through his mind for anyone with a motive to do something like this, especially so boldly.

The two had left the castle quietly and from there Barbara took Cassandra back home and introduced her to her father as a mute, orphan girl whom she met, took pity on and decided to take in as a maidservant.

"Cassandra, could you pass the washed clothes?" Barbara asked, wiping the back of her hand against her forehead and smoothed the wrinkles from her simple wool dress. Cassandra nodded and passed the clothing she had finished washing over to the older girl to hang on the line.

While Barbara was a lady, and it was a rather bizarre sight to see high ladies doing chores, she did all the regular chores of a housemaid. It wasn't that they didn't have others to do the work either, Barbara's father, being the Minister of Justice, was a very high, respected and well-paying job, which meant Barbara could sit and gossip all day if she cared to, but being, well, Barbara, she couldn't just sit around doing nothing. So she devoted her spare time to helping around the small estate.

While Barbara pinned the clothing up she heard a cheerful hello from behind her. Turning around she saw in front of the gate the familiar, friendly grin of a certain blonde knight, this time dressed in regular clothes instead of the usual chainmail.

"Stephan! What brings you around?" Barbara waved back, going over to open the gate and let the boy in. The two had become quick friends since they met and Barbara became somewhat of a mentor as well to the boy.

"Just popped in to say hello. Prince Dick was really tough on us today in training. But you know...one word from you...," Stephan gave a teasing smirk.

Barbara handed the basket back to Cassandra. "What would a word from me do?" She asked, confused.

Stephan blinked twice with owl eyes. "You're really clueless," He said disbelievingly. "I actually feel sorry for His Highness now."

Stephan dropped his half amused, half sorry look when he saw the small, petite girl beside Barbara washing clothes. "Oh," Stephan mused. "Who is this?"

Barbara turned back to him with a smile. "Ah, right. I wanted to introduce you. Stephan, this is Cassandra, I took her in recently and she helps out as a maidservant. She happens to be mute so don't worry about her not talking to you."

"Cassandra, this is Sir Stephan Brown. He's a new knight and a good friend of mine."

Cassandra nodded politely with a wave. Stephan however, being the cheerful, easy-going person he was, dropped and sat down on the grass right next to her and started talking. "It's nice to meet you, Cass! You don't mind if I call you Cass, right? I have a feeling we're going to be great friends, just you watch!"

Cassandra blinked and looked over at Barbara, who simply laughed, amused and continued hanging clothing.

* * *

Two hours later, with the laundry complete and drying in the sun, the three decided to leave and head into town, Barbara having to do some shopping, and Stephan and Cassandra accompanying.

Barbara was a bit nervous about having Cassandra walk about the main town, but it wasn't like anyone knew she was a former assassin who tried to kill the king. All anyone could tell was that she was a foreign-looking, mute, maidservant of Barbara Gordon, but still, a worrying feeling kept nagging in the back of Barbara's mind.

"So, what are we getting?" Stephan asked jovially, brushing away Barbara's worrying thoughts. Barbara hummed in thought. "Well, I have to pick up more ink and paper, and I wanted to get some fabric to make Cass some new dresses. She's in my old clothes at the moment and it won't really do considering how small she is and how long my dresses are."

Cassandra gave an embarrassed smile with a matching faint blush, tugging at the rolled up, too long sleeves. "It really isn't necessary, Oracle. I do not wish to intrude on your kindness." She commented psychically.

Barbara rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Cass, how many times do I have to tell you? Call me Barbara. Also, don't worry about the dresses, mine don't fit you so you'll need some of your own."

Stephan blinked rapidly, looking back and forth between them. "Is it just me, or did you two just have a conversation without saying anything? Because that it amazing and you need to teach me how."

Barbara laughed at the boy. "Some other time," She joked while stopping at a market stall, inspecting some blue and black ink pots. Unbeknownst to her, the merry trio was being watched carefully from a nearby rooftop as they went about their business.

Barbara handed the bought inkpots over to Stephan, who insisted on holding them for her, as they went in search of a textile shop. "There's this great fabric shop just down near the wuthering heights inn," Stephan piped up helpfully. "And they'll even make the dress for you."

Barbara laughed. "Go dress shopping often do you?" She teased slyly. Stephan turned bright red and stuttered, "N-no! I just know...uh, since, um, I go with my sister often!" He said quickly and defensively. Cassandra raised her eyebrows, not believing.

"I didn't know you had a sister," Barbara said. "You should introduce us someday." She smiled. Stephan seemed uncomfortable as he fidgeted. "Umm, yeah. Someda-" He slowly trailed off, looking just behind Barbara.

Barbara turned her head. "What is it, Stephan?" She asked. Stephan shook his head. "Huh. I thought I saw something. Nevermind."

Just as he said that a black figure jumped down and tackled Cassandra to the ground. "Cass!" Barbara shouted as another figure came behind her and pushed her, holding her down.

"It's time for you to come back." Barbara heard the figure whisper to Cassandra as she growled. Stephan came from behind and threw the figure off Cassandra and unsheathed his sword, protectively. "I don't know what you want with them but nobody touches my friends." He glared as his eyes seemed to darken in anger.

"Pathetic child," The figure scoffed. "of a pathetic father."

Stephan seemed to snap at that, ready to throw himself at the figure but Cassandra pulled on the back of his shirt and shook her head, wordlessly pointing at herself. Stephan could have sworn that he heard a young girl's voice in his head telling him to let her handle this one and for him to help the Oracle. Whomever the Oracle would be.

Cassandra then glared at the figure and once again Stephan was baffled as it seemed that they were conversing without words. He whirled around though as he heard a neat crack sound and the other figure that was holding the ginger, on the ground and Barbara huffed annoyedly. "Do I look like a damsel-in-distress to you?"

The blonde boy smiled a bit at that, he didn't know Barbara for much more than a few weeks but he could already tell how easy it was for Prince Dick to fall so hard for her. Just being around her was such a confidence boost. Turning serious again he asked the elder girl. "Any idea who these people are?"

"Not certain but I have a good idea," She answered, her fists clenched while watching the girl whom she had to come to love as a younger sister standing in a defensive position facing the black-clad figure.

"You have failed your mission and now you must return to receive your due punishment." The figure spoke.

"And if I say no?" Cassandra gritted her teeth. The figure seemed to smile. "You would only succeed in making things harder for yourself. You are an important but not a necessary part of our Master's plan. You can always be replaced just like anyone else."

Cassandra's head snapped back, her eyes in horror and she heard a sickeningly familiar sound. The League never taught any lesson without an example. The second figure had come behind Stephan and stabbed a scimitar neatly through him, making him choke up blood and fall him the floor, bleeding out as Barbara dropped down next to him and tried to stop the overwhelming flow.

Running towards Stephan, she didn't notice or care as the figure's slinked away, only focused on her worry for her newly found friend.

"Stephan!" Barbara shook him desperately as the blonde's eyes rolled to the back of his head and his vision blacked. He wondered if it was just the ridiculous amount of blood he was losing but he thought he was hearing yet again that girl's voice in his head.

"Stephan!"

* * *

The two figure's removed their cloaks as the silently ascended atop of the roof. Bowing in respect, they reported the event back to a man who was perched calmly on the ledge, overlooking the city.

"Well that's annoying," He huffed as they finished, running a hand through his black and white tufted hair. "Talia's not going to be too happy. Probably going to put me on babysitting duty for the demon brat again."

* * *

Barbara leant against the wall of the court physician's quarters as she tapped her fingers restlessly aginst the wall. Cassandra stood beside her silently with her head down.

"I'm sorry, Oracle." She closed her eyes tightly fighting the strange wetness behind them. "I knew that they wouldn't just let me run off without any punishment but I-..."

Barbara wrapped her arm around the girl, making her go silent. "It's alright, Cassandra. I was the one who took you in and I'm the one who's suppose to look after you as well. Which includes dealing with your rather sketchy past." She smiled kindly.

There was a shuffle behind the curtain and Leslie Thompkins, the elderly kind physician emerged. She was the former governess of King Bruce as a child and while it wasn't certain a few rumours were whispered that she and Alfred Pennyworth, the King's butler and advisor, were lovers at one point or another.

"How is he, Leslie?" Barbara asked, concerned for the boy.

"I'm not sure about him," Leslie answered. "But I know she'll be just fine so long as she stops trying to get up and rip her stitches." She glared back at the curtain.

"Thank goodne-" Barbara cut herself off. "She'll?"

Leslie smiled and motioned her head to the back of the room where Stephan was. "Go talk to her," she instructed and she left the room to the two...three girls.

Barbara and Cassandra walked over to Stephan, pulling back the curtain to the sheepishly embarrassed smile of the blonde. "You two alright?" she asked.

Cassandra nodded for both of them.

There was an awkward pause until Barbara spoke gently. "Is Stephan... Stephanie?" The blonde looked at up Barbara nodding in affirmation. "Yep. I'm Stephanie." She said quietly, guilt on every word.

Barbara laughed, making the two younger girls look up in surprise. "Well, I always thought you were a bit small for a boy." She smiled making Cassandra and Stephanie smile with her.

"Now then," Barbara spoke, putting on her 'older and wiser' voice.

"Shall we hear your story?"