It started out as a beautiful autumn day in Jump City. Beast Boy and Cyborg were playing Mega Monkeys Four, Raven was meditating on the roof, and Robin was in the training room beating up a punching bag. Everyone was doing their normal activates except for Starfire.
"Hey, does anyone know where Starfire is?" Robin asked the team as he walked into the kitchen to get a bottle of water from the refrigerator.
"Nope, haven't seen her all day" Cyborg answered.
"Now that I'm thinking about it, I haven't seen her this whole week" Beast Boy stated.
"That's strange, she's usually the one who wants us to hang out with her" Raven said as she entered the room.
"We should look for her" Robin started to say until he saw Starfire sneaking into the tower. She was wearing a long button up coat, sun glasses, and a giant hat.
"Starfire where were you? we were worried" Robin said.
Starfire jumped at the sound of her name. She accidentally knocked off her sunglasses and hat. The titans realized why she was wearing them. The hat was hiding the butterfly shaped clips in her hair, and the sunglasses hid the purple eye shadow, eye liner and mascara she was wearing.
"Wow Star you look gorgeous" Beast Boy said breaking the silence. "Were you out on a date?" At that moment Robin was giving Beast Boy a death stare while praying that the answer will be no.
Starfire sighed then said "I am tired, I will be taking a nap before I answer the questions that you have for me, I wish you all the good night" and before anyone said anything to her, she ran to her room.
"I knew this was a bad idea" Starfire told herself as she took off her coat revealing a simple white tank top and a jean skirt. Starfire quickly changed out of her street clothes and put on her teen titans uniform. She then washed the make up off her face and took the clips out of her hair.
"Starfire" Robin said in a gentle sounding voice. "Are you alright"
"Yes I am fine Robin" Starfire said in a voice that didn't convince him.
"Starfire, if you need to talk, about anything at all, I'll always be willing to listen. I promise I won't judge you or get mad at you. You know that you are my best friend and I care about you" Robin said very sincerely.
Starfire then opened the door and gave Robin a breath taking hug while sobbing.
"I can't do this Robin, I tried but I fear that I failed and my failure will ruin everything" Starfire chocked out between sobs.
"Starfire, lets go inside your room. It'll be easier to talk in there." Robin said as he helped her on her bed. Robin then sat down next to her and started stroking her hand. "So where were you this whole week?"
"Before I answer that question Robin, you must know the events leading up to this week. It all started with a phone call…"
Flashback
"Hello my little bumgorf how are you doing on this fine day?" Galfore asked Starfire.
"Hello Galfore, I'm doing well" Starfire replied.
"Princess Starfire, I wish to be the first to wish you a happy seventeenth birthday. I wish you all the happiness in the world and a long life"
"Thank you my k'norfka, you have always been the first to wish me a happy birthday, but did you forget that my birthday is not today, but in two weeks from now?"
"I did not forget Starfire, but I am merely calling to remind you that you must be on Tameran for your seventeenth birthday."
"Why is that Galfore?" Starfire asked, worrying about what the answer could be.
"Have you forgotten Princess? Law 196 section 2 states that if the heir to the throne is a female, then she has to be married by or on her seventeenth birthday, or she looses her right to the kingdom and is sentenced to death. Because of Blackfire's treason she is no longer the heir to the throne, which means the law now applies to you."
"Galfore, I gave up birthright and gave it to you, how does that law still apply to me?" Starfire asked hoping that she was able to get out the marriage.
"Princess Starfire, I was not next in line for the throne, so I can only be the emperor as long as you give me the right to be emperor, if you lose your birthright then the family that is next in line for the throne will take over and I will no longer be emperor. I fear that this new family will destroy Tameran. Also if this were not the case, you are my Bumgorf, which means that you will inherit everything after I am gone, which also include the kingdom. Hopefully X'hal will keep me alive until you are ready to rule Tameran once more"
"Galfore, I hope X'hal will keep you alive for centuries. I am now worried about this law, I do not think that I will find a husband in time. My birthday is in two weeks and the Tameranian courtship period is a minimum of one week. I do not believe that I will find a groom in time.
"Bumgorf, you need not to worry, you will find someone. I will send down Tameran's fastest ship one week from today to pick up your friends, your future husband, and yourself. According to tradition I will also find a suitable husband for you. Make sure to warn the suitor that you pick that he will have to win a fight against the suitor I find. I wish you all the luck, and I will see you in one week. I am sorry for the rush but there is an important matter I must deal with. Bye my little Bumgorf, I love you."
"Bye Galfore, I love you too"
End of flashback
"After that I went to the mall of shopping and I saw girls with their boyfriends, so I went into the most popular clothing store for teenage girls and bought clothes just like the girls with the boyfriends wore. Every day I would sneak out of the tower wearing the street clothes and tried to find any man that I would be willing to marry." Starfire then sighed and said "I have not yet found a man that fit the criteria that I am looking for and the ship is coming tomorrow!"
"What kind of man are you looking for?" Robin asked. Robin had an uneasy feeling in his stomach. He was afraid of the answer he would get. He has had a crush on Starfire ever sense the first day he met her. At first he thought she was a monster trying to destroy the new city he vowed that he would protect. After fighting her, he realized that she wasn't a monster, but instead a girl who needed help. He would never forget the first kiss they shared, even though it was only done for communication purposes, it was still amazing.
Robin always thought of Starfire as the perfect girl. Yes she was pretty, but that wasn't what made her perfect. She has an amazing smile, a personality that would cause anyone to be in a good mood, she was strong, and loyal. She was his best friend and helped him through all the good and bad times. At this moment he realized that he loved her and everything about her. He doesn't mind that she's always asking questions about Earth, it was part of what made her Starfire.
Starfire was shocked with Robin's question. She never actually thought of what she wanted in a husband. "I guess I am doing the looking for a man who is strong. He needs to be a good leader because one day he will have to help me rule Tameran. I want him to love me for me and not because he thinks I am pretty."
'I also want him to be Robin' Starfire thought to herself. 'Too bad he cares more about being a superhero than he cares about me. Oh X'hal, why did I have to fall in love with Robin? He is the reason that I can not find any man that I want to marry.'
"Starfire, how did you try to look for men to marry?" Robin asked.
"Well, I did the watching of romantic movies and saw that if a pretty girl sits down in an outdoor café alone, men will sit down in a seat next to her and start talking to her." Starfire answered.
"Don't you know that's dangerous?" Robin said in a concerned voice.
"I believed that there was no danger because I could defeat any human in a battle easily. Robin you train with me on the regular basis, do you honestly believe I was in danger?"
"No, I'm sorry. I just don't want you to get hurt." Robin said, ashamed for doubting her strength.
'Robin if you do not want me to get hurt, then why do you but me through all this emotional pain?' Starfire thought to herself. 'I told you I am going to get killed if I do not find a groom, and you do not offer to marry me. Maybe I was wrong to believe that you cared for me as more than just a friend'
"Oh wow it is 8:00 pm, its getting pretty late. I guess we should go to bed now. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. Tomorrow is the day we're going to Tameran right?" Robin asked.
"Yes" Starfire replied.
"I'll tell the others to pack tonight so we can spend as much of tomorrow as possible looking for a groom for you. Good night." Just like that Robin left the room.
Starfire had never felt this mad at Robin in her life. 'I believe that now I am madder at him then I was when he was obsessing over Slade. Truly I was wrong when I thought he could love me.' Starfire then cried herself to sleep, not looking forward to the day that awaits her.