Chapter 10
RavensCave

Rae wasn't one for dances and parties, and while everyone knew that, she knew that it was mandatory for her to be here. Even if she wished that the floor would just swallow her up and deposit her in her room, where she would be safe from the entire goings on, she knew she couldn't, she was still needed for her crowing. So instead, she was sitting on her throne watching everyone else.

"Rae? Are you alright?" a voice asked from her left. Looking up and over, Rae noticed that it was Dick.

"Yeah, I guess. I mean, you know how I feel about these kinds of things"

"I understand, just be glad your mother forgot the whole picture taking fiasco"

"Thank goodness for small miracles," Rae smiled before continuing, "The decorations are nice though, I must admit"

"They are, but to be honest they are a lot more…colorful then I would have thought" Rich said as he took in the greens and silvers that was everywhere.

Rae smirked, "Still thinking it would be a dark dreary event huh"

"Well, with the way you tended to act on Earth, you can't really blame me"

Rae was about to respond when Kori came up and started to talk to Dick, completely ignoring Rae. Getting frustrated at the Tameranian Princess, Rae grasped Dicks arm,

"I think I'll take that dance now Rich"

Rich allowed himself to be pulled away from talking to his friend, and while looking at Rae with a slightly confused expression he missed the look of fury on Kori's face.

Meanwhile…

Gar and Vic were enjoying themselves a little ways away from Kori, Dick and Rae, watching the conversation, or rather, the very subtle flirting between Dick and Rae before Kori interrupted and tried to flirt before Rae got upset and dragged Dick off.

"Honestly, I don't see why those two don't just get together already" Gar said, shaking his head, and trying to loosen his tie at the same time.

Vic smirked, "I don't know but I have an idea"

Gar's eyes lit up, "Oh do tell, this should be interesting"

"It will be, believe me, it will be"

"You're still not telling me anything Vic"

Vic grinned, "You'll have to wait and see, now, I need help finding Arella, I need to talk to her"

Gar looked around the huge hall, "There, way to the left of Dick and Rae"

Vic nodded and stood up, "Thanks Gar, I'll talk to you later"

"Yeah, sure, later" Gar replied as he watched Vic walk towards Rae's mother before looking over at Rae and Dick trying to dance.

And So…

"Um, Arella, do you think I could talk to you for a moment?" Vic asked, slightly nervous

Arella smiled, "Well, you already are, Vic, but yes, we can converse"

Vic coughed lightly from embarrassment, "Gar and I have been talking, and we think that it's about time that Dick and Rae get together. I've noticed, and I'm sure that you have as well, that they like each other, but Dick won't make a move until he knows that Rae likes him back."

Arella smiled again, "And knowing my Rae, she doesn't want to get in the way of what she is sure to become a relationship between Richard and that Kori girl"

"Right, so what I was thinking was that after this whole gathering, that Dick and Rae go into the same room. This really shouldn't be that hard since they're staying together anyway, but what I wanted to ask you was that if there is any way to block Rae's phasing."

Arella looked thoughtful, "I'll look into it with my guards, but if it is possible, what about the door? They could easily leave through there, seeing as the lock is on the other side."

"True, but I could move something to block the door, so that even if they opened the door, they wouldn't be able to leave."

Arella grinned, "I do so like that idea, and these gatherings always give me a head ache. Let's get this over with so that the real fun can begin."

Half an hour later the ceremony was done and Rae was crowned the new Queen of Azarath.

"Ah, I am so glad that, that is over" Rae said stretching her arms over her head and only let them down again when her shoulders popped.

Rae Arella Roth, I do not care if you are now Queen, you shall not make that disgusting noise while in my presence" Arella said forcefully, only to whirl around when she heard it from behind her, only this time coming from Dick, "that goes for you as well young man"

Dick smirked, "Even the Queen part? Golly-gee Arella, I'm not sure if I'm ready to run a planet"

Rae snorted lightly before going over and punching Dick in the arm, "Don't be a prick Dick"

Gar and Vic laughed at that, while Kori fumed behind them.

Rae shrugged and winked at them all, "I'm off to change" with that Rae walked through her door and into her room, not bothering to close the door, since she was headed right to the bathroom to take down her hair anyway.

"Say, Dick, why don't you grab some stuff from the room while Rae is in the bathroom to change into when she's done, that way she has free reign of the bed room when you're in the bathroom and we're out here" Vic asked while pushing him towards the door.

"Yeah, that's a good idea, I think I'll do that, be back in a moment" Dick said as he walked into the bed room, not expecting the door to slam shut behind him.

"Guys, what are you doing?" Rae called from inside the bathroom

"I'm just getting a change of clothes Rae," Dick called, "I'm not sure what everyone else is doing though"

In the other room

Vic had slammed the door shut and had Gar hold it shut with his trunk while in elephant form until he returned with a sofa from another room to place on its side against the door.

Looking over at Arella, Vic spoke, "You're sure about Rae not being able to phase?"

Arella nodded, "Yes, Rae and Richard will not leave that room unless we allow them to leave. Food can be phased in, but they cannot phase out."

Vic nodded, while Gar seemed to be on the floor in stitches, and Kori looked confused,

"Please, I do not understand. Why do we wish for Rae and Dick to be trapped within a room?"

Arella sent a quick look at Vic, who just shrugged, before looking back at Kori,

"Well Kori. It is my belief, and the beliefs of Vic and Gar as well, I am sure, that Rae and Richard should get together. It has been very obvious to me and many people around them that they have feelings for each other; we just decided to move them along some."

By the end of Arella's explanation, Kori was fuming, her fists her clenched at her sides and she was levitating off the floor a few inches.

"I do not think that this is a good idea. Dick will not be happy when he finds out what you have done, and I want you all to know right now, that I will tell him I had nothing to do with this!" Kori all be screamed before she left the room, a few moments of silence had passed before they all heard a door slam.

"Well…that was better than I thought it was going to be," Gar said from his spot on the floor, while Vic and Arella just blinked dumbfounded after Kori's departure.

Rae and Richard….

Rae walked out of the bathroom, her hair down from its previous up-do and sitting in waves against her back, and was surprised to see Richard sitting cross-legged on his bed wearing dark jeans and a red t-shirt, "I thought you were just getting a change of clothes and leaving again?"

Richard shrugged, "That was the plan yes, but it turns out, I can't leave"

Rae gave him a puzzled look, "Why not?"

Richard pointed towards the door, which he had opened shortly after grabbing his clothing, only to find that it was blocked off, he had left it open-not finding a reason to close it again.

Rae nodded, in understanding, "I see, well, let me just get changed, and I'll phase us out"

Richard nodded as he watched Rae grab a pair of black Capri's and a purple tank top before heading into the bathroom. Once she was in there, Richard started to think 'Now, why would someone go through all the trouble of blocking the door, when they knew that Rae could most likely phase us or herself out of here? Unless…'

"Rae, I have a question for you" Richard called, towards the bathroom door

"Yeah Rich, what is it?" Rae asked once the door was opened

"I was thinking-"

"Wow, will wonders never stop?"

"Funny. Anyway, does your room by any chance have something equal to an anti-phasing mechanism by any chance?"

"Yeah, most Royal rooms do, it's to stop kidnappers from entering, but we hardly ever have it in place, why?"

"I think it might be on"

"That's stupid, the only person with authorization to do that, besides me, would be my mother. Why would she do that?"

Richard raised an eyebrow, "Same reason why would Vic would place a sofa in front of the door. Keep us inside."

Rae just stood there gaping like a fish out of water before she recovered enough to scream "MOTHER!"

Next room…

Upon hearing the enraged scream of her daughter, Arella chuckled, before saying, "Vic, got any fours?"

Well, that's that chapter. I AM SO SORRY it took so long to get this out-exam came shortly after my ISUs were finished, and than it was time to move along into the next set of classes. Anyway, as always, if you have any questions, ask away and I shall try to answer.

-RavensCave