Post by blackb3tty on Jan 1, 2010 5:51:11 GMT -5
The Traveler and the Prince of Gotham
Written by: Mary Beth Garrett aka Black B3tty
First posted to TTHFanFic.org on June 24, 2009
Summary: Her's was a mission of light. His was a fight in the dark. Both of them fated to walk their seperate paths alone. Yet, when they become entwined in each others worlds, they'll soon discover that the fight for hope and peace cannot be won without the other.
Disclaimer: I do not own Batman or Christian Bale, or anything related to either them or DC comics! I am not making any money off of this! It's merely for my own entertainment, and hopefully to entertain others in the process! Thank you!
(A/N: I Reworked some of the chapters and chapter titles! Added a pretty major part that I can't believe I had left out! Spread the pieces out to make them fit more evenly! If you can't tell I'm kinda winging it here! I have the entire timeline written down but putting it together has proved challenging! So bear with me here as I think I now have a true bearing on where everything is heading! kThx! =^_^= )
Chapter One...[/i]
Saint Barbara's Abbey
...||December 5, 1973. Marseilles, France.||...[/b][/i]
A wailing cry broke through the maelstrom of the night. Lightning and thunderclaps shook the earth as a lithe, hooded figure ran through the streets. She made her way unnoticed with a small blessing, yet her greatest shame, bundled tightly in her arms. Her destination; St. Barbara's Abbey of Light and Life. The woman traveled with a great haste and kept peering behind her as if she thought someone were following her.
As the cloaked woman reached the cover of the cathedral steps she approached the door reverently. She opened her cloak slightly to peer down at the whimpering babe in her arms. Clearly a newborn child, yet its dark raven hair was so thick you'd think her at least a couple weeks old. A drop of water fell into the babe's ebony hair that had not been from the rain. The cloaked woman was crying, tears flowing from her cerulean eyes.
Tentatively, the woman leaned down and laid a soft kiss on the babe's forehead. She then turned her face upwards and closed her eyes, sending a silent prayer to whatever Gods would still listen to her. 'Please... Watch over and protect her... Help her find her way in this world... With the proper guidance she could be better than us all... Grant her the grace and light I have long lost...'
The woman turned her head sharply as if she had heard something. She then draped something around the child's neck before wrapping the weeping babe back up in a purple quilt. The woman stepped up to the door and placed the child gently on the bottom step. She lingered a moment where she placed a kiss upon the child's forehead. It then took her a moment to pry the lock of her red hair from the little girl's small fist.
When the babe began to cry again at the loss of her mother's embrace, the woman stood and pulled the heavy rope that would signal the Cathedral's loud bell. She didn't wait for it to ring, however, before she turned fast on her heels and ran into the night. With the woman's flight, the child's lungs opened again, ushering forth another wail of pain. With the child's cry several more lightning bolts blazed through the sky.
Moments that stretched for ages went by before the large cathedral doors creaked open. A hand carrying a lantern appeared through the crack. As the opening widened it revealed a man in black robes with a white collar, and sandy blonde hair. The gentleman stepped out into the night, peering into the darkness when he almost tripped over something at his feet. He stepped back in even more surprise when the bundle began to sob.
Loking down, he curse, "Sacrebleu!" The man who was clearly a bishop, peered his head back in the doorway, speaking adamantly in French to someone just inside.
Two women adorned in Habit appeared through the open door gasping as they saw the bundle on the ground. The younger of the two, with fair skin and kind eyes lifted the child up, shushing and bouncing it gently in her arms. The other woman, older with a sterner complexion and eyes that had seen much of life, stepped out further from the doorway. She stopped just before the roof cover ended, barely avoiding the rain. With another lantern, the older Sister gazed, squinting out into the night, desperately trying to spot who could have left the child... But there was nothing... No one.
Suddenly the younger woman called out, "Révérende Mère!"
The older woman abandoned her surveillance of the streets. Lifting her robes slightly as to not let them drag on the damp stairs, she returned to the younger Sister's side. The younger woman showed the Reverend Mother a necklace that had been draped around the child's neck. It was an amulet of the Saint Barbara. The older woman turned it over in her hand where she read the inscription written on the back;
"Pensez à votre esprit,
Ecoutez votre instinct,
Loi sur vos sentiments,
et l'amour de toute ton âme!
Confiance en vous et dans votre cœur,
et vous pouvez la lumière du monde!"
With a few more reverently uttered words in French, the bishop ushered both women inside, with the child. The abbey had a center for orphaned children. The baby girl would be a welcomed addition to their growing number.
...Six Years later...
...||December 16, 1979. St. Barbara's Abbey, Marseilles, France.||...[/i]
A large group of spectators and news crews had gathered outside of the inferno which had engulfed St. Barbara's Abbey. A dozen of its Sisters were in a panic as they took number of the children around them. The fire department had responded quickly, thank the lord, but it had not been fast enough to save most of the abbey. Nor to save little Mary-Barbara who had still not been accounted for. According to one of the other children, Barbara had been sleeping off a bit of headache in her room. One of the first rooms that had been overtaken by the fire.
Hours passed before the firefighters had put out enough of the flames, in order to be able to perform a thorough and careful search of the building. As the sisters and Reverend Mother watched the men enter the building a sense of sorrow and dread filled the Reverend Mother's heart. Barbara had been one of their most gifted students. She'd just celebrated her Sixth birthday this month, but was already learning at a 4th grade level. At that rate she'd probably have graduated finishing school by 14. A true testament to how their program was working to educate today's lost and abandoned youths. Barbara was gifted, special. Surely, she was going to be able to accomplish great things. Key term there being, "was".
The few bishops their abbey had were occupying themselves with tasks, helping the officials in any way they could, a couple helped mind the children. After a long while in waiting, a char and smoke covered fireman approached the group, mainly addressing the head Bishop, in black robes. He handed the bishop what appeared to be a cracked and charred glass bottle with an ashy rag sticking from the top. It was then they learned the fire had been no accident. All their heart's broke and sank even further. It appeared there was an arsonist on the loose. But why anyone would strike an abbey, a Christian school for children and orphans, was beyond any of them! What evil person would do such a thing?
Just as this news was being processed another commotion began when several voices called out over the Fire Chief's radio. They all looked towards the building. Slowly walking from the smoke and wreckage, two firemen appeared. One was carrying a prone, seemingly lifeless young girl in his arms, her raven black hair falling like a curtain over his arm. Finding the girl wasn't the most extraordinary thing, however, no.What was really miraculous was, that apart from a few smudges and some smoke stain transferred to her from firefighters who'd rescued her, she was positively unscathed. No burns, or abrasions. No singed or scorched flesh or clothing. Her chest was rising and falling evenly, no coughing, or wheezing. Apart from a bloody nose, she was perfectly fine.
One of the female paramedics raced over with a cart and the man laid the girl on it. Immediately, the woman began checking the girl for life signs, damage, injuries, burns, anything, everything. Judging on where the fireman had said they'd found her, the girl should be burnt to a crisp. But here she was. The paramedic wrapped her stethoscope back around her neck and scratched her head. "Cela n'a aucun sens. Etes-vous sûr que vous avez trouvé l'endroit où elle? Le deuxième étage dortoir?"
The man who'd carried her out responded, "Oui! Elle était enroulée dans le coin de la pièce. Comme si elle avait peur quelque chose après elle."
By all reason and evidence, the girl should be beyond dead.They all looked down at the unconscious girl, over a dozen eyes, stared hard at her, some looked on in awe, whispering words about miracles and divine providence, some of them were just down right confused. But behind every set of eyes staring at her, there was downright fear. Fear of what they didn't understand. Fear of what by all they knew, by everything the world, science, everything had taught them, was impossible. Fear of the enigma they could never comprehend. Forget that she could have died in that inferno. Forget that she was just a little girl making her way in life. Forget the prodigy who would rise to do great things. All this girl would be to them now, is terribly wrong.
A/N:|| So, how you like so far? Confused yet? Yeah me too! Please bear in mind this is just a sort of prologue of sorts! It will have heavy influences from the Batman univers ein upcoming chapters so PLEASE bear with me! Thanks! =^.^=
BTW! I am looking for a beta reader for this Fan Fiction! So if you might be interested please let me know![/b]
||French Translations:||
Sacrebleu - My God! or Holy Crap!
Révérende Mère - Reverend Mother
Pensez à votre esprit, - Think with your mind,
Ecoutez votre instinct, - Listen to your Instincts,
Loi sur vos sentiments, - Act upon your feelings,
et l'amour de toute ton âme! - and Love with all your soul!
Confiance en vous et dans votre cœur, - Trust in yourself and in your heart,
et vous pouvez la lumière du monde! - and you can light up the world!
Cela n'a aucun sens. Etes-vous sûr que vous avez trouvé l'endroit où elle? Le deuxième étage dortoir?
- This makes no sense! Are you sure that's where you found her? The second floor dormitory?
Oui! Elle était enroulée dans le coin de la pièce. Comme si elle avait peur quelque chose après elle.
- Yes! She was curled in the corner of the room, as if she were afraid something was after her!
Again translations may not be exact! I used Google translate for most of it! And then just what I remembered from french class from high school! (which I can assure you isn't much!)
Anyhoo! Hope you like it! More coming soon! Thanks![/i]
Written by: Mary Beth Garrett aka Black B3tty
First posted to TTHFanFic.org on June 24, 2009
Summary: Her's was a mission of light. His was a fight in the dark. Both of them fated to walk their seperate paths alone. Yet, when they become entwined in each others worlds, they'll soon discover that the fight for hope and peace cannot be won without the other.
Disclaimer: I do not own Batman or Christian Bale, or anything related to either them or DC comics! I am not making any money off of this! It's merely for my own entertainment, and hopefully to entertain others in the process! Thank you!
(A/N: I Reworked some of the chapters and chapter titles! Added a pretty major part that I can't believe I had left out! Spread the pieces out to make them fit more evenly! If you can't tell I'm kinda winging it here! I have the entire timeline written down but putting it together has proved challenging! So bear with me here as I think I now have a true bearing on where everything is heading! kThx! =^_^= )
Chapter One...[/i]
Saint Barbara's Abbey
...||December 5, 1973. Marseilles, France.||...[/b][/i]
A wailing cry broke through the maelstrom of the night. Lightning and thunderclaps shook the earth as a lithe, hooded figure ran through the streets. She made her way unnoticed with a small blessing, yet her greatest shame, bundled tightly in her arms. Her destination; St. Barbara's Abbey of Light and Life. The woman traveled with a great haste and kept peering behind her as if she thought someone were following her.
As the cloaked woman reached the cover of the cathedral steps she approached the door reverently. She opened her cloak slightly to peer down at the whimpering babe in her arms. Clearly a newborn child, yet its dark raven hair was so thick you'd think her at least a couple weeks old. A drop of water fell into the babe's ebony hair that had not been from the rain. The cloaked woman was crying, tears flowing from her cerulean eyes.
Tentatively, the woman leaned down and laid a soft kiss on the babe's forehead. She then turned her face upwards and closed her eyes, sending a silent prayer to whatever Gods would still listen to her. 'Please... Watch over and protect her... Help her find her way in this world... With the proper guidance she could be better than us all... Grant her the grace and light I have long lost...'
The woman turned her head sharply as if she had heard something. She then draped something around the child's neck before wrapping the weeping babe back up in a purple quilt. The woman stepped up to the door and placed the child gently on the bottom step. She lingered a moment where she placed a kiss upon the child's forehead. It then took her a moment to pry the lock of her red hair from the little girl's small fist.
When the babe began to cry again at the loss of her mother's embrace, the woman stood and pulled the heavy rope that would signal the Cathedral's loud bell. She didn't wait for it to ring, however, before she turned fast on her heels and ran into the night. With the woman's flight, the child's lungs opened again, ushering forth another wail of pain. With the child's cry several more lightning bolts blazed through the sky.
Moments that stretched for ages went by before the large cathedral doors creaked open. A hand carrying a lantern appeared through the crack. As the opening widened it revealed a man in black robes with a white collar, and sandy blonde hair. The gentleman stepped out into the night, peering into the darkness when he almost tripped over something at his feet. He stepped back in even more surprise when the bundle began to sob.
Loking down, he curse, "Sacrebleu!" The man who was clearly a bishop, peered his head back in the doorway, speaking adamantly in French to someone just inside.
Two women adorned in Habit appeared through the open door gasping as they saw the bundle on the ground. The younger of the two, with fair skin and kind eyes lifted the child up, shushing and bouncing it gently in her arms. The other woman, older with a sterner complexion and eyes that had seen much of life, stepped out further from the doorway. She stopped just before the roof cover ended, barely avoiding the rain. With another lantern, the older Sister gazed, squinting out into the night, desperately trying to spot who could have left the child... But there was nothing... No one.
Suddenly the younger woman called out, "Révérende Mère!"
The older woman abandoned her surveillance of the streets. Lifting her robes slightly as to not let them drag on the damp stairs, she returned to the younger Sister's side. The younger woman showed the Reverend Mother a necklace that had been draped around the child's neck. It was an amulet of the Saint Barbara. The older woman turned it over in her hand where she read the inscription written on the back;
"Pensez à votre esprit,
Ecoutez votre instinct,
Loi sur vos sentiments,
et l'amour de toute ton âme!
Confiance en vous et dans votre cœur,
et vous pouvez la lumière du monde!"
With a few more reverently uttered words in French, the bishop ushered both women inside, with the child. The abbey had a center for orphaned children. The baby girl would be a welcomed addition to their growing number.
...Six Years later...
...||December 16, 1979. St. Barbara's Abbey, Marseilles, France.||...[/i]
A large group of spectators and news crews had gathered outside of the inferno which had engulfed St. Barbara's Abbey. A dozen of its Sisters were in a panic as they took number of the children around them. The fire department had responded quickly, thank the lord, but it had not been fast enough to save most of the abbey. Nor to save little Mary-Barbara who had still not been accounted for. According to one of the other children, Barbara had been sleeping off a bit of headache in her room. One of the first rooms that had been overtaken by the fire.
Hours passed before the firefighters had put out enough of the flames, in order to be able to perform a thorough and careful search of the building. As the sisters and Reverend Mother watched the men enter the building a sense of sorrow and dread filled the Reverend Mother's heart. Barbara had been one of their most gifted students. She'd just celebrated her Sixth birthday this month, but was already learning at a 4th grade level. At that rate she'd probably have graduated finishing school by 14. A true testament to how their program was working to educate today's lost and abandoned youths. Barbara was gifted, special. Surely, she was going to be able to accomplish great things. Key term there being, "was".
The few bishops their abbey had were occupying themselves with tasks, helping the officials in any way they could, a couple helped mind the children. After a long while in waiting, a char and smoke covered fireman approached the group, mainly addressing the head Bishop, in black robes. He handed the bishop what appeared to be a cracked and charred glass bottle with an ashy rag sticking from the top. It was then they learned the fire had been no accident. All their heart's broke and sank even further. It appeared there was an arsonist on the loose. But why anyone would strike an abbey, a Christian school for children and orphans, was beyond any of them! What evil person would do such a thing?
Just as this news was being processed another commotion began when several voices called out over the Fire Chief's radio. They all looked towards the building. Slowly walking from the smoke and wreckage, two firemen appeared. One was carrying a prone, seemingly lifeless young girl in his arms, her raven black hair falling like a curtain over his arm. Finding the girl wasn't the most extraordinary thing, however, no.What was really miraculous was, that apart from a few smudges and some smoke stain transferred to her from firefighters who'd rescued her, she was positively unscathed. No burns, or abrasions. No singed or scorched flesh or clothing. Her chest was rising and falling evenly, no coughing, or wheezing. Apart from a bloody nose, she was perfectly fine.
One of the female paramedics raced over with a cart and the man laid the girl on it. Immediately, the woman began checking the girl for life signs, damage, injuries, burns, anything, everything. Judging on where the fireman had said they'd found her, the girl should be burnt to a crisp. But here she was. The paramedic wrapped her stethoscope back around her neck and scratched her head. "Cela n'a aucun sens. Etes-vous sûr que vous avez trouvé l'endroit où elle? Le deuxième étage dortoir?"
The man who'd carried her out responded, "Oui! Elle était enroulée dans le coin de la pièce. Comme si elle avait peur quelque chose après elle."
By all reason and evidence, the girl should be beyond dead.They all looked down at the unconscious girl, over a dozen eyes, stared hard at her, some looked on in awe, whispering words about miracles and divine providence, some of them were just down right confused. But behind every set of eyes staring at her, there was downright fear. Fear of what they didn't understand. Fear of what by all they knew, by everything the world, science, everything had taught them, was impossible. Fear of the enigma they could never comprehend. Forget that she could have died in that inferno. Forget that she was just a little girl making her way in life. Forget the prodigy who would rise to do great things. All this girl would be to them now, is terribly wrong.
A/N:|| So, how you like so far? Confused yet? Yeah me too! Please bear in mind this is just a sort of prologue of sorts! It will have heavy influences from the Batman univers ein upcoming chapters so PLEASE bear with me! Thanks! =^.^=
BTW! I am looking for a beta reader for this Fan Fiction! So if you might be interested please let me know![/b]
||French Translations:||
Sacrebleu - My God! or Holy Crap!
Révérende Mère - Reverend Mother
Pensez à votre esprit, - Think with your mind,
Ecoutez votre instinct, - Listen to your Instincts,
Loi sur vos sentiments, - Act upon your feelings,
et l'amour de toute ton âme! - and Love with all your soul!
Confiance en vous et dans votre cœur, - Trust in yourself and in your heart,
et vous pouvez la lumière du monde! - and you can light up the world!
Cela n'a aucun sens. Etes-vous sûr que vous avez trouvé l'endroit où elle? Le deuxième étage dortoir?
- This makes no sense! Are you sure that's where you found her? The second floor dormitory?
Oui! Elle était enroulée dans le coin de la pièce. Comme si elle avait peur quelque chose après elle.
- Yes! She was curled in the corner of the room, as if she were afraid something was after her!
Again translations may not be exact! I used Google translate for most of it! And then just what I remembered from french class from high school! (which I can assure you isn't much!)
Anyhoo! Hope you like it! More coming soon! Thanks![/i]