This series is basically made of memories that reveal the little details of Dove's life before she became a Titan.

Read and review,

Raven's secret-keeper

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A Life of More than Hiding

(Dove was 3...)

Alerina (1) suddenly stopped her affectionate play with Dove and picked her up before rushing Dove into her sleeping room and into the hidden compartment in the floor. Dove could tell her mother was upset.

"Mommy, what-?" But Alerina shut the trapdoor. Dove heard two steps of footsteps above her... the door opening... an unfamiliar voice.

"Alerina, I know."

Dove's mother gasped. "No... No, you can't- Azar, she mustn't have the same fate as Raven! (2)No, I won't let you-"

"Alerina, calm yourself. I have not come to take her, but merely inform you that her emotions must be tempered."

"Azar-"

"Alerina, the child is three and her powers are growing. Surely you have noticed."

"Yes, but how am I to- I have never seen even a glimpse of how you are training Raven and holding down her emotions..." Her voice grew softer.

"Have no fear, for I will show you how to train her."

"Train-? But I thought... Raven was only-"

"And Dove and Raven are sisters. By only half blood, but sisters nonetheless. And you know this. Trigon has sired both of them, and both children have his influence in their blood, and it must be controlled. Do not fret, for Dove needs not nearly as strict training as Raven is receiving."

"What...? How is it that Raven-? Why-? Azar, this is all so confusing..."

"It will be made clear soon. Now, please bring Dove here so that both of you may understand."

"How did you-?"

"Alerina, I have known for some time now."

Dove sensed extreme anxiety.

"Be not afraid. I will not reveal her existence to the rest of Azarath. Now..."

Dove heard shaky footsteps on the floor, and she cowered into one of the corners in the small area.

"Dove..." Alerina picked her up. Dove whimpered. She had never been brought out before the visitor left.

"Shhhh, Dove, it's okay..."

"Mommy, why is Azar here?"

"I'm not sure yet, but we have to talk to her."

Dove began shaking.

"Come on, Dove... Calm down..."

"Mommy, I'm scared!" Dove grabbed her mother's shoulders and buried her head in her chest.

"Ok, ok... I'm scared too..."

"Be not afraid, Dove."

Dove, on the verge of tears, sniffed and turned around and looked at the one she guessed was Azar.

The stranger smiled at her.

Dove gasped quietly at the power she sensed when she looked into her gray-blue eyes.

"Neither of you are in any danger," she said. "And your secret will remain mine."

"And what of the council?" Alerina asked anxiously as she sat down and put Dove in her lap.

"They will not know. They do not need to. No word will reach even Arella's ears."

"Does not she live in the temple?"

Azar nodded. "And she shall not know."

"Why are you here?" Dove asked, not as a threat, but out of confusion and frustration.

"Because you need control."

Dove turned and cowered into Alerina's body, still shaking.

"What must we do?" Alerina asked softly as she began to gently stroke the child's hair.

"She must be taught to control her emotions. As I have said, the restraint needs not be as intense as Raven's, but it must be firm." Azar leveled with Alerina on the floor. "If she is not taught emotional restraint, her powers could become destructive."

Dove gasped, but it was muffled by Alerina's white-clad body.

"Any one might be hurt."

Alerina felt a tear through her clothing. Dove began to sob quietly, then she suddenly began to crackle with bolts of white energy. Alerina gasped softly. It had happened before, and only when Dove became extremely emotional.

"It is a result of her unharnessed emotions and her lack of experience of her powers. It will cease once she is calm."

Alerina got up and began pacing with Dove in her arms. "Dove, you have to calm down," she said softly and gently. "Your emotions are dangerous. Try to calm down. Azar's not going to hurt us or tell anyone about you... We'll both be fine." She used the hand supporting Dove's side to gently push Dove's chin up and make eye-contact. "We'll be fine. You don't want to lose control of your powers... Do you?" Dove sniffed. "If you do, you could hurt me, or yourself. Do you want to?" Dove shook her head. 'Don't worry, you'll be fine."

"What about you?" the child asked nervously.

"Me too."

Dove blinked. Alerina tenderly wiped a tear from Dove's cheek and put her hand back around Dove's side.

"There's nothing to be afraid of."

The white bolts of energy faded from Dove as she put her head on Alerina's shoulder. "I'm cold."

Azar smiled tenderly and stood up. "It happened because of your powers." She crossed the room and looked at Dove. "Once you have more control and experience, you won't feel it."

"Why does it make the room cold?" Alerina asked.

Azar looked thoughtful, then her eyes refocused. "In time, Alerina. In time, all of your questions will be answered, and you will know how to temper her emotions without unnecessary control. And... you will know how to protect her."

"Protect her?!"

"I suppose it is time for the first lesson."

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(1) pronounced uh-lair-in-uh. Dove's Azarathean mother.

(2) referring to the fact that Raven was taken away from her mother to be trained by Azar

For this particular "memory," I decided that it shouldn't be true... Still, it's fun to read, and I hope you enjoyed it. Basically, it's not really part of Dove's pre-Titan life. It's just something I came up with a considered, but rejected. Secret-keeping isn't in the peaceful Azarathean nature. The others are definate, though.

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