Day 7 - Wedding

The Titans sat around the table, pensive and depressed. After hearing that a cult of Trigon worshippers had arrived in the city, the team had quickly set out to thwart whatever plans they might have. Raven knew, of course, that Trigon was forever denied this realm but didn't want to give the cultists any time to perform any of their depraved but ultimately pointless rites. However, things had not gone as planned, chiefly because the cultists were not there for Trigon. They were there for Raven. Their leader, the self-appointed vassal of Trigon, had revealed his plan, confident he could not be stopped: he would marry Raven and claim her power for himself. The Titans had almost laughed: Raven would never consent to such a thing. Then the leader had spoken harsh, alien words, almost painful to hear. Raven had gasped and teleported herself and the team back home. Robin had demanded an explanation but Raven hesitated, saying she needed a moment to gather herself. Her rare anxiety convinced Robin to wait and there they sat, waiting for Raven to open her closed eyes and speak. After several minutes, she stopped muttering her mantra and opened her eyes, nodding to Robin that he could ask his questions.

"Raven. Why did you take us out of there? What was he doing?" he asked, more perplexed than angry. Raven swallowed, thickly.

"He was... marrying us," she replied, shuddering as she did. "He spoke the language of Trigon's minions, a demonic language and, in that culture, marriage doesn't have to be... consensual." The silence somehow grew even quieter. Robin finally spoke again.

"He can marry you against your will?!" he said, angrily. Raven nodded.

"Yes. If he can see me and I hear the words, we will be wed. Or as close to it as demons can understand." Her words sparked curiosity.

"What do you mean, Rae?" Beast Boy asked.

"Demonic marriages are extremely rare and are more like... contracts. Or slavery. Once a pair are connected, one is dominant and can employ the power of the other. The connection is permanent - there is no equivalent of divorce... only death," Raven ended on a whisper.

"If it's that easy to lay claim, why were marriages so rare?" Robin asked.

"First, it's never clear who will dominate. That means it's possible I will command the Leader... but I'm not anxious to test that theory. Second, the words are a closely guarded secret. Even I don't know the full ceremony and I can't fathom how this man does..." Silence enveloped them again.

"But... you are safe here, yes?" Starfire asked, pleadingly. Raven tried to summon a smile to soothe her. She failed.

"I am. But I can't stay here forever. And he will come for me if he has no choice. I don't relish the idea of running from this man for the rest of my life," Raven lamented.

"Isn't there a way to stop it? Or block it or something?" asked Cyborg. Raven thought for a short time before answering.

"We may have options. We can't kill him, even if we wanted to: as the leader of the cult of Trigon, I expect him to be versed in necromancy. With his knowledge of demonic rites, I am certain of it. It is likely he cannot be permanently killed. So with that ruled out... I see only two options. One: I choose death first," she said. Wincing at the emotional storm that swelled around her. She glanced at each of them but lingered on the green changeling. His emotions were almost identical to the others: rage, sadness and fear of loss... but there was something else in there. Something very specific to her that was hot... and possessive. In her silence, said shapeshifter spoke.

"No, Raven. No." His quiet command was more powerful than Raven could explain, causing her to blink at him. She continued.

"The only other option is for me to marry someone else first," she said. Robin wasted no time.

"I'll do it." Starfire's jaw tightened in dismay for a moment. "If it protects you until we've dealt with this cult, I'll marry you. We can get it annulled once you're safe." Raven was touched by his willingness but shook her head.

"No. Any marriage we perform would have to be mystical to counter the demonic spell. In other words, permanent. Also, it wouldn't be a true marriage: you have a friend's love for me but not that of a husband, which we would need to strengthen it to the point where it can't be usurped by the demon marriage. That also rules out Cyborg, Beast Boy and Starfire," she finished, morosely. Robin looked frustrated as he thought. He spoke again, carefully.

"I wouldn't normally pry, Raven but... is there anyone you have feelings for? Anyone you might want to marry?" There was one. An impossible dream.

"There is someone I... care about. Very much," she said. "But I can't ask him to give up his entire life for me. The marriage would be binding, not just legal. He wouldn't be able to find anyone else or it would dissolve and I would be vulnerable again." Starfire struggled with herself. She knew who Raven spoke of. He sat with them. The green changeling.

"Beast Boy?" Starfire jumped as Robin named the man in her thoughts. The man in Raven's heart. Somehow afraid (and relieved) she had given away Raven's secret, Starfire now saw that Robin only questioned him as he stood with his fists clenched.

"I'll...I'll do it. If you'll have me, Rae..." Beast Boy said, tightly. Raven stared, a barely noticable flush in her cheeks even as her situation seemed dire.

"No... it won't work. Your love for me is a friend's love, brotherly at the most. It wouldn't be enough and I won't let you throw you future away for a fruitless exercise," Raven answered, struggling to hide the pain in her voice. To her surprise, Beast Boy clenched his eyes shut and slowly started shaking his head. This wasn't how he had wanted to say it.

"What if... what if it wasn't? Brotherly, I mean." The heavy silence returned as four pairs of wide eyes regarded the anxious changeling. Raven eventually found her voice, but only for a moment.

"You mean... you..."

"I love you, Raven. And just so we're completely clear, I am totally, incurably in love with you. If I'm totally honest, the idea of marrying you is growing on me, even if it's sooner than I might have planned it." He smirked as he finished, a chink of his humour shining through their bleak situation. Raven didn't move. Couldn't move. As the others turned to face her, a single tear rolled down her cheek, her eyes unblinking and still focused on Beast Boy, the love of her life who, it turned out, rather enthusiastically loved her back. As reality sunk in, she clapped her hands over her mouth as a bizarre sobbing laugher fell from it, more tears spilling now. Suddenly, she stood, knocking her chair back and ran around the table, throwing herself into the astonished Beast Boy's arms. Slowly, his open mouth curved into a knowing smile. He gently eased her away from him to be certain - she was smiling. Grinning! Laughing! Without another word, he kissed her while the others watched in their own amazement. When they parted, Raven leaned her forehead against his and asked:

"Beast Boy... Garfield. WIll you marry me?" He chuckled a moment.

"Sure, okay," he responded, earning a light jab to his arm, though Raven laughed again at his assent. She slowed her breathing and tried to come back down to earth: time was not on their side.

"Right we uh... we need to do this. There's an ancient Azarathi ceremony that should serve us quite well. Come with me, all of you: we'll need witnesses." The team followed Raven toward her room, utterly astounded at the direction the day had taken.

The next day...

Predictably, the Titans had returned to stop the Leader. He walked at a leisurely pace as he exited his personal chamber and headed to the courtyard where his proverbial cannon fodder fought the Titans. He stepped into the light... he saw her. He raised his voice to be heard and the daughter of Trigon merely looked back as he barked out the ugly words. He exulted as he finished. He had done it! He had stolen the greatest demonic power on this plain... so why didn't he feel any different. Apparently, Raven suffered no ill effects as she hovered nearby, regarding him with a bored expression. The Leader squeaked as a hand clamped down on his shoulder, spinning him around to face Beast Boy, his fist ready to strike.

"Hey! Quit hittin' on my wife!"

THWACK!

An unusually light-hearted end to a bloody depressing little story lol. This marks the end of the BBRae week challenge and I hope you enjoy it. I've certainly had fun writing them. Read. Review. Let me know how well I did. Toodle-pip!

-Jack