AUTHORS NOTE: Hey guys! Thank you so much for all the reviews I got. So this is the next chapter of Finally Found Freedom. But first, I'll reply to the reviews :)

Sophia: I was thinking of doing that too. I'll add some flashbacks of how it was for her to leave her parents and stuff. Thank you!

I'm Not A Princess: Thanks! I'm glad you liked it!

Guest: Thank you for your review. And I will keep this story goin :D

eternalsmiles: Thank you. And yes, there will be drama to come! :)

TheGurlWithTheCurls10: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it! And I know that the last chapter was very short, but only because it was just sort of like an intro not a real chapter :)

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the teen titans

Chapter 2: Remembering

Past Tamaran: Kori POV

Fire. Screams. Darkness.

That's all you hear. All you listen to. All you can see.

The war has been going on for a while now. I'm scared. Frightened. My family and I are in our home, watching, waiting, listening.

Our soldiers have been fighting for days, weeks, months. They have not stopped. My sister, Koma, wants to join them, to fight for Tamaran's glory. My little brother is the same. And so am I.

My mother walks over to us where we sit in anticipation.

"My darling children. All will be fine. I promise". She gets up to go to y father and they hold each other tightly. Their love so strong, you can see it through their eyes. They were planning to go into battle as well. So this was the only time we were going to be together as a family. The Royal family.

"Please Mother, no. Don't go!" I cry you to her.

"I'm so sorry darling. Take care of each other. For me. And your father". She turns to go.

My father comes and gives us each kisses and hugs. Then goes to follow Mother.

"No! Daddy! "Ryand'r, my little brother, cries out to him. Then we all cry. Holding each other tightly.

My dream is to be free. Free from pain, agony, lies, and loving someone who ends up disappearing.

My family was killed during battle while protecting those they love and their country. My older sister and little brother were also murdered that same night, right in front of me. My country needed help, so we turned to Bludhaven, a kingdom on Earth. With their funds, and army, we were able to stop the war for now. But with a catch. I was to be collateral, a prize for the prince, and live on Earth. I was scared that day my uncle told me I was supposed to go and live there, leaving him. Even though we were taught Earth's customs when we were young, I never imagined actually having to use those customs.

I'm scared.

"Mother, I'm scared" I say

"Darling, whatever happens, I will always be with you". She pointed to my heart, kissed my father, and disappeared. That was the last time I saw my mother.

No. NO! I scream.

I wake up breathing heavily and sweating hard. Just a dream.

I check the clock hung on the wall opposite of my bed, and see that it's 5:30 A.M.

Might as well get up now, I thought.

I go into to bathroom and check my reflection in the mirror and gasp. I have dark circles under my eyes, and tear streak my face. I scrub my face with water and I take a bath. After I finished my cleansing, I wear my dress. It was a full gown is made from a dark, emerald green velvet and is accented with silver-colored trim and back lacing, and silver satin lining on the arm tippets. The back of the gown laces up and features a fold-over flap under the lacing leaving your back unexposed unless you untie the laces.

I left my hair down, leaving it wavy and fall down my waist. I put on a gold hair circlet and walk out my door- only to bump into Lord Grayson himself.

He looks me up and down, eyes lingering on my lips, and then gazing into my eyes.

I bow." Good morning, my lord. I hope you slept well". I say, with a small smile.

"Good morning. And yes, I slept well. But I'm sure I would have slept much better with you in my bed. Perhaps it can be arranged? You are my prize, are you not?" he says, with a smirk. And with that he bows and stalks down the hallway towards the dining room.

I stand there, staring down where he disappeared. Never had I been talked to someone like that. How dare he! Of all the disgusting, arrogant, horrible things I've heard about him, I never thought he would be so bold as to talk to me like that.

I hate him. I know for a fact now, I hate him.

During breakfast, Bruce had to leave for some business so I was alone with Richard. It was actually very quiet, and I was in no mood to talk, for I was still really angry at him. After we finished, I went to explore the castle. If I was going to live here, might as well know about it. I found out that there were 23 rooms, 16 bathrooms, and two libraries, two very small ones, and one very large. I decided to spend the rest of the day in there.

I walked down the aisle admiring the many books to be found, in all different shapes and forms. One caught my eye. It was big and black, with a raven on the cover. I decided to read that one, so I sat in a chair in the corner and began to read:

Long ago, in a magical village in a country called Azarath, a beautiful woman lived. Her name was Arella. She was courageous, and special. All the villagers turned to her for advice, and she always obliged. One day a strange man came to the village asking for Arella. Accepting his offer, she went to him. He had told her to meet him in the forest. When she was there, he told her that he'd been watching her for a long time, and that he was in love with her. Arella was very confused though, she did not know this man, so she couldn't simply agree to be with him.

I paused to shift my position and continued to read:

The next few days, the mysterious man kept coming to Arella. Telling her about himself. He told her that his name was Trigon, he was an only child, and that he loved to read and write and he loved people. Arella became quickly fond of this man. They soon shared meals with each other, and she realized that she had fallen in love with him. So they married. The village was happy for Arella. Soon, Arella became pregnant with Trigon's daughter. That was when Trigon began to change. He became evil and started to hurt the villagers. Arella tried to stop him, but she couldn't. After giving birth to her child, Trigon killed his wife, and took the child for himself. They say that Trigon bestowed his daughter with a curse,, a curse for being forever evil and that she will bring destruction to whoever she meets. The villagers killed Trigon, and left the young witch in the tower, to live the rest of her days in solitude. That is how she became known as Raven. The witch of Bludhaven.

I got up and put the book back into its place. It was an interesting book. I wonder if it's true about the witch. Even though I was trying to think of the book more, my thoughts kept running to Richard.

Normal POV:

Kori was walking along the castle grounds, listening to the birds and then she saw the tower. The same tower from the book she read.

It can't be true. Can it? Is there really a witch up there? Kori thought.

She was going to have to look into this. But who would she ask? Certainly not Richard. That horrible, rude, arrogant prick of a man.

If I see him one more time I swear I'll-

Kori's thoughts were interrupted when she nearly crashed into him while turning the corner of the courtyard. He seemed surprised to see her, but then the surprised facial expression turned into a smirk.

"Well well well, if it isn't young Koriand'r. Are you back to accept my offer to keep my bed warm and comfy.. I'm sure I suit your needs well enough". Richard says.

Kori wasn't going to take this, but she had to calm down.

"My lord, I'm so sorry to have to say this, but frankly, you're not my...type, so I'll have to decline your kind offer. Besides, if I ever step foot into your bedroom, it will only be because I plan to kill you". Kori smiled her sweet smiles and turned away, leaving a very surprised man behind. Or so she thought.

Kori barely took two steps until she was smashed into his well-toned muscular chest and was forced to face him.

"Why you little brat. You think you can just march here with you quick wits and expect me to listen to your sour remarks. All you are is a prize, no more and no less. So if I were you, I would hold that tongue of yours and keep quiet, like a good little girl." Richard expected a retort from the red-haired beauty, but he caught a flicker of fear in her eyes. They became clouded as if she was in a trance.

"Koriand'r? Kori. Kori! Are you alright?" Richard thought it might have been the sun, little did he know that Kori, at that very moment, was reliving a nightmare.

FLASHBACK:

We hear crashes, my brother, sister, and I. Then a scream that sounded much like her servant's. The door to the room they were hiding in swung open, revealing a tall man, with dark hair and cold eyes.

"There you are. There's no use in hiding children." He said, walking toward us.

The big man grabbed Koma by the arm and held a knife to her throat. Koma was just about to hit him when he slashed her throat, killing her. Then everything happened so fast, Kori didn't have time to register any of it.

All of a sudden her room was filled with soldiers, he army and the other country's army.

Another man, who looked very much like the one that killed her sister, through a knife at Ryand'r's chest, killing him. Kori tried to scream, tried to run. But she was stuck. She couldn't move.

"That's what happens when you play with fire, child. Now keep quiet, like a good little girl". The strange man lifted his knife, about to strike when Kori's father smashed into him.

They fought, head to head, but her father ended up dying. Her mother was next. Now Kori was all alone. She crawled to her dying mother and said, "Mother please. I'm scared. Don't' leave me!"

"Darling, whatever happens, I will always be with you". she said.

END FLASHBACK:

KORI POV:

Darkness, that's all I see. There was a flicker of light, and then nothing. I hear a man's voice, telling me to wake up, saying everything is fine, but I can't believe him. I know that nothing will ever be fine. My parents, my family, they're gone.

My body is shaking and I realize that someone is trying to wake me up. I open my eyes to see a worried Richard holding onto me, his face inches from mine.

"Kori. Kori, can you hear me? Are you alright?"He asks.

I shake my head "No, their gone Richard, my parents, my brother and sister, their gone" I end up crying in his shoulder, while he holds me, whispering sweet nothings in my ear.

I look around and see that he must have carried me into his bedroom, and laid me on his bed. He wraps a blanket and tells me to sleep, while getting up to leave.

I grab his hand to stop him."Please, stay with me. Please?" I say, frightened to be left alone.

Richard nods and comes into the covers with me and we snuggle close. As he strokes my hair, I doze off to sleep, in the arms of Richard Grayson, the man I thought I hated.