The Ancient Curse

by silverlineage

A new threat is revealed after an ancient race of Fae is discovered. Jericho and Beast Boy discover a Fae princess that soon becomes a target for the Unseelie Court. The Titans now have a new threat, and old enemies will soon appear to help this ancient evil come to pass. - This story contains some information from the comic series for back history - takes place when cartoon ends

21. Chapter 21

He woke up feeling like he ran several marathons. He pulled himself up with a small groan and rubbed his forehead. From now on, I'm stretching before sleeping! He was able to stretch himself out now, and that relieved most of the pain. Elvey's pendant winked at him as though laughing at him, and he scowled. It was a long time since he did something new and exciting. The exercise was fresh and clearly invigorating to him. Then he thought about Ambrosia and took a deep breath to focus. He pulled out the moon crystal bag and used one to teleport to Ireland.

When he got there, he moved straight to the bedroom. Jericho was on his way out, and they gave each other brotherly smiles of knowing.

"I'll check on the ballroom. She's waiting for you," Jericho said. They clasped hands, nodded, and Robin made his way into the bedroom with the door shutting behind him. The moment he walked in, Ambrosia had leapt into his arms to hug him tight, and he hugged her back just as tight.

"You saved me, Robin," she said and pressed her face into his chest.

"Just doing my duty, my Queen," he whispered and breathed in her scent. One arm moved to secure her to his chest, and the other moved to run a hand through her long hair gently. She gazed up at him with her fantastic, deep blue eyes, and he moaned as his mouth crashed down on hers. He drank down her nectar first before lifting her up to take her over to the bed. Most of the first hour passed in solid bliss. His mask was removed, and his face was pressed against her neck.

"To think that you were supposed to fight against me enough for my husband to reach me in my second month," she sighed. "I would never have expected it to go this far."

"Mmm," he agreed lazily, as he pressed against her a bit more.

"Do you regret anything, Robin?"

"No."

"Not at all?"

"What is there for me to regret?"

"You weren't supposed to be with me."

"I belonged to you the moment I saw you."

"Is that so?"

"Mmm hmm. When I saw you sitting there on the couch all dirty and with Jericho clinging to you, at first I wondered what was going on. When I focused on your face, I knew how beautiful you were. I'm sure Beast Boy did, too. We all did. Jericho seemed to be the only one immune to it, but he always went by inner beauty than outer. You were...are...beautiful. Both inside and out. I honestly felt a touch jealous that Jericho was the one that Beast Boy went to, but Beast Boy was also right. None of us would have believed his story. It would have been too...too..."

"Weird?"

"Yes! Very weird. And, coming from Beast Boy, it would have gone in one ear and out the other. Likely told him he was over-exaggerating and to go to bed. But, when he brought you back, and I saw you...well...I was surprised. Then I saw you when you were cleaned up. I couldn't tear my eyes away from you until Jericho blocked you from my sight. Embarrassed? Definitely! But, I secretly wanted to see more of you. I always wanted to check on you after that. To defend you in my own way. Yeah, I got flustered when Jericho and you were always 'busy' when I contacted you guys. That's the way I always get around stuff like that.

"And...when I saw you in your wedding gown...I couldn't believe how beautiful you were. My heart ached...but I had to hide it. When you pressed against me when I was told to help support you...I didn't want to let you go. Eventually, I did start to feet outclassed by Jericho. I felt he was better than me at being a leader. The way he acted. The way he moved. It impressed me, and it made me want to do even better! That's why I accepted the memories, really. I wanted to get to the level that he was at. To know that I could lead even better, and to know what I was fighting against! I also...wanted to get closer to you, too. So...some of it was also for selfish reasons. Despite what Sinlus did, though it did push everything along. If he knew where it would lead, I don't think he would have done what he did."

"You are only human, Robin."

"I know, my Queen. And that's what makes me different."

"So, you are not worried about Starfire? About her feelings?"

"My Queen..." he sighed and ran a finger over her cheek. "you made me promise to love her as much as I love you. To always keep her happy. I was planning on doing that, anyways. Don't worry about that. You have nothing to fear."

"All right, Robin," she smiled and kissed his roaming finger before lightly nibbling. That made him growl and another ten minutes was lost in a wave of passion. As they rested, he chuckled.

"I actually got past Jericho. I amaze myself," he chuckled.

"I'm glad you stopped the dream when you reached me," she admitted. He trembled and pulled her closer to him. He buried his face in her honey-scented hair, and he let out a deep, contented sigh.

"I'm sure that Elvey won't let you stand in one spot anymore. I may suggest you being on a lighted platform that you can walk around on. Maybe have Tintagel or your mother for company," he thought aloud. "I won't let you stand alone anymore in darkness."

"I don't want to do that. Even though there was some light and music, it just..." she faltered, and he ran a finger over her lips to gently quiet her.

"I'll protect you with everything I have, my Queen. Never fear about that," he whispered.

"I love you, Robin."

"I love you, Ambrosia. My Queen. My dearest Queen," he muttered and kissed her gently.

"I do have some training advice for you," she giggled.

"Tell me?" he smiled, as he nuzzled into her neck.

"Did you know that each being has their own sound to their footsteps?"

"Really?"

"Yes. And they all have their own scents, too."

"Now...that's interesting! I never thought of that before!"

"Of course, King Elvey is different. His shoes have a permanent illusion on them to make it look like he's walking on the ground. He's actually walking on an inch of air!"

"You have got to be kidding me!" he said with a bit of surprise.

"No! I'm not! Why else do you think he is so soundless when he moves?"

"I really hate him now!" Robin grumbled, and Ambrosia giggled.

"He can push down on the air to imitate steps, but he rarely does that. Father says he cheats this way, and King Elvey simply grins at him."

"That's him, all right," Robin sighed. "But, you did give me some insight. I'll definitely put this to use. Hmm. Who's coming down the hall?"

"Jericho is. Do you hear him?"

"I do. It's like a slightly heavy hit on the heel to a softer tap of the front foot, as it comes down on the marble. Very interesting!" he grinned and moved to place his mask back on. He started to sit up, and he found himself leaning into her palm as she caressed his cheek. He reached up to put his hand over hers, kiss her palm, and then kiss her.

"Robin," she breathed, and he hugged her close. "I have been holding back on something. Its...not very pleasant. I didn't want to say anything...but..."

"What is it, my Queen?" he asked and let her move away to sit up with him.

"When you took my blood...well...I know you can sense where I am and my thoughts. But...you can also feel any pain I go through," she grimaced. "This includes labor pains."

"Uh..." he blinked.

"Being my human...it means you would know and feel everything about me. You really are an extension of me, Robin. On top of that, if I come under attack and become harmed, you will feel it. I wanted to say something! Anything! But...my crown approved of you. My parents approved of you. I had no say so. I could not deny you what you wanted," she swallowed and took a deep breath. "Furthermore, your life is...linked to mine now. If I perish, you could easily die with me. My blood is your life link. Your strength. Your magic. I do have the ability to 'feed' you magic if you really need it. I prefer not to, only because it could drain me, and you need to grow on your own. There is also another thing that we can do, but it could drain us if we are not careful. So, it should be for emergencies only."

"I...um..." he was speechless. I had no idea how much I sacrificed! However, I was warned, and I took the plunge, anyways. There is no turning back. I have to keep pushing down the path I'm on. He simply resolved to make sure that she would come to no harm. "Okay. What is this thing we can do?"

"Focus fully on me, Robin," she smiled and closed her eyes.

"Okay," he said and closed his eyes to do the same.

:Can you hear me?: she whispered in his mind.

"What?!" he gaped at her now. She giggled at him and blushed softly. "How did you...?!"

"Telepathic communication, Robin. When your magic is great enough, we can talk for as long as we want. Right now, it's risky. When a Fae joins blood with a human, like I said, they become an extension of that Fae. Eventually, you can learn to see through my eyes, and I can do the same with yours. We can use each other to see from afar and hear things. Touch, too. Everything."

"Wow..." he said and shivered from the shocking surprise. "I had no idea..."

"I couldn't say anything, Robin. I had no say so. I was going to tell you more, but..."

"No. Don't say anything," he said and pulled her close. "There's no need to. I was told of various risks, and I accepted everything. Thank you for telling me this. I needed to know this."

"I know you did," she smiled.

"I'm going to need to train on using this new ability with you. And I have to train with Elvey. Things just keep getting better and better," he muttered.

"Do I apologize now? Or later?" she sighed.

"None of this was your fault, my Queen. Don't blame yourself anymore. Never blame yourself. I wanted this to happen," he whispered and ran a hand over her back. "I'll protect you even more this way. I wanted to belong to you. Everything about me, I gave to you. You gave some of yourself to me in return. I have no regrets. I have no desire to stop. This is what I want."

"Are you just saying this now?"

"No. You asked if I had any regrets. What did I say as my answer?"

"What is there...for you to...regret...?" she whispered, and he groaned as he kissed her hard. He needed her again, and he ended up shouting with her at the pinnacle of their passion. They lay gasping on the bed, and he had her nestled protectively against his chest. His pendant seemed to wink with joy at everything, and Ambrosia was able to place a small kiss on it. Robin looked at her with a form of intense love, and he kissed her deeply as his way of showing how much he loved her. I have no regrets. This is my choice, and I love the path I'm walking on now.

"Everything all right in here?" Jericho asked, as he finally opened the door. He had waited outside and listened to everything that was discussed. He was looking at Robin with a form of complete approval. This was my brother. My wife's human protector. In time, we will become equal in skills.

"It's fine," Robin chuckled.

"I wanted to tell you something interesting," Jericho mused.

"When it's interesting, it normally means something bad," he sighed.

"For us in training, yes," Jericho grinned. "Tintagel and Elvey will both be training us. Together. To work as a team. Against them!"

"What?!" Robin said and sat up with shock. "When?!"

"After the gala. And, my dear wife, your mother will be teaching you things, too, while we train. This way, we have to work towards you, but have to get past Tintagel and Elvey to reach you," he chuckled. "It will be the easiest thing to do. We will all be together, and you won't be alone."

"I think I like that a lot more than what happened before," she nodded.

"And, Robin, she could be distracting us," Jericho grinned.

"Aww..." he pouted. "Don't tell me this!"

"Too late!" Jericho snickered. "I'll be going through the torment, too!"

"I don't want to block out my Queen!" he sighed sadly.

"Sometimes you must, Robin, dear," she smiled softly. "If I'm screaming or scared, you need to focus on why I am showing such emotion. You will need to find out what is making me like this and focus on making that stop. You only focused on my feelings while I felt scared in the dream. You did not sense why I was showing so much fear. You were simply focused on me and trying to be with me. If you focused on why I was so scared, you would have been able to bring it to King Elvey's attention."

"I..." Robin grimaced and hung his head. "I'm sorry, my Queen."

"You didn't know. Now you do," she smiled and tapped his nose lightly to make him smile. "Jericho, love? Are the others moving in the Tower yet?"

"Cyborg is starting to wake up. You need to go back, Robin. Dawn is fast approaching here, and sunset is occurring at the Tower. Find a decent night club to go to, and we'll join you in the Tower," Jericho nodded. Robin nodded, kissed Ambrosia protectively, and moved off the bed to dress. He had a lot to think about, and he was sure the others were going to ask questions about his dream training. He hugged Ambrosia close and sighed.

"I don't want to leave," he admitted.

"I won't be long to arrive. I need to get my night club outfit finished up," she winked. That made him grin wickedly, and he kissed her again before teleporting back to the Tower. He was in his room, and he lay back on the bed. It was only moments later that he heard Cyborg's heavy footfalls approach and a knock on his door.

"Yo! Robin! You up?" Cyborg asked.

"Yeah..." Robin groaned, as though just waking. He stretched, something he needed to do anyways, and opened the door to chuckle.

"Did ya do any training?" Cyborg grinned.

"You have no idea," Robin sighed. "Let me shower and I'll tell everyone about it. I think Jericho should be here soon with Ambrosia."

"Right. Okay, I'll gather the crew!" Cyborg nodded. When he left, Robin closed the door and undressed to step into the shower. He started to scrub himself clean and felt another set of hands washing his back. He turned and found Ambrosia beaming at him.

"I need to get clean, too," she shrugged. He grinned, pulled her close, and kissed her hard to swallow down the nectar he needed. They scrubbed each other down leisurely and gave themselves to each other just as leisurely. It was slow, passionate, and pleasuring to the very end.

"I think I cleaned you inside and out," he grinned wickedly, as he ran his hand over her wet skin.

"Oh?" she giggled and whispered to him. Now he was gaping and sputtering with laughter.

"Um...I'll have to try that way to, eh, clean you..." he grinned.

"I hope so," she grinned back, and he growled. "I need to get back to Jericho. I'll be here within the hour. The sun is setting, right?"

"It is," he smiled.

"You should have Starfire watch the sunset with you. I know I will want to see it, too," she smiled softly. He remembered what happened before with the sunrise, and he kissed her with a small nod. He liked watching the sunset, anyways.

"I'll do that," he smiled. She kissed him with a gentleness that melted his insides, and he hugged her to him. "My Queen..."

"My dearest Robin..." she said and hugged him back. "I need to go."

"Is it always going to get harder for you to leave me?"

"Yes," she frowned. "It is something you must overcome."

"As your human?"

"Yes. Think of yourself as a child being left with...um...a nanny. The child does not want the parents to leave. It is much like that."

"Hmm. All right. I'll be an adult about this. Go back to Jericho. I'll see you soon."

"Of course, you will," she smiled, and he kissed her again. She teleported away, and he now realized that the water had gone cold. He scowled at himself and shut off the water to dry off and dress. When he walked out, Starfire was there to hug him, and he grinned as he hugged her back.

"We are going to a party!" she beamed.

"Yes. Oh, Star? Wanna watch the sunset with me?" he smiled. She gasped and now pulled him with her to the roof. When they got up there, Starfire saw Jericho watching it with Ambrosia.

"Oh!" Ambrosia blinked and looked over. "Sorry. I haven't seen the sunset in so long..."

"No! It is good!" Starfire nodded, as she remembered everything. "Robin and I are here to watch it, too! We will all watch together!"

"I would like that," Ambrosia smiled. She was wearing a silvery white cloak over her body, and Jericho was holding her securely in his lap. The colors of the sunset played over her skin to give a fiery touch of color to her. Robin was watching her from the corner of his eye with his arm around Starfire.

:I love you, my Queen.: Robin thought to her.

:I love you, too, Robin. Remember, this can drain us if we aren't careful.: she warned. Then she gave him a mental kiss. The sensation he got was intense, caring, and full of love. His face went blank, as he struggled to remain calm. It was something he would definitely want to feel again when they were alone. He managed to smile softly, and Ambrosia pressed herself into Jericho's chest.

"Are you all right, love?" Jericho asked gently.

"Yes. It's been so long since I saw a sunset. I had truly forgotten how beautiful they were. I was hardly able to leave the castle in the past month, and it's just...a relief to see it, really," she said.

"Are you looking forward to the night party?" Starfire beamed.

"Oh, yes! I am greatly looking forward to it," she smiled. She blinked when Beast Boy settled on her shoulder in the form of a small bird, and he chirped at her. He got a fond scratch under his beak, and he warbled. Robin chuckled, and they finished watching the sunset. As the stars came out, Ambrosia sighed. How long has it been since I simply gazed up at them?

"Darling," Jericho sighed and Robin gave a small wince. Beast Boy snuggled against her cheek.

"I have missed so much time. Afraid for so long," she muttered.

"I found the perfect spot, guys! Ah...guys...?" Cyborg asked, as he came out with Raven.

"What's wrong?" Raven asked.

"Ambrosia watched the sunset. Now she is upset with stars?" Starfire frowned.

"No. She was trapped for so long that many of the constellations she knew of have changed over time. You forget that time was always frozen on her. She was always living in constant fear. She didn't think about gazing at the stars or wanting to watch sunrises. She was praying that Sinlus wouldn't come for her on that third night. That someone would find her," Jericho said.

"I'm going to confess something," Ambrosia sighed. Beast Boy shifted human and made her look at him quickly.

"Don't say it!" Beast Boy said. "Don't!"

"I..." she grimaced and shivered. Robin focused inwards to remain in control of his facial expressions. She was going to give in to Sinlus's demands if he approached her this last time?!

"Darling!" Jericho grimaced and hugged her. "Beast Boy is right! Say nothing!"

"You're free! That's all that matters, right?!" Beast Boy said carefully.

"Yes. I am free," she nodded.

"Huh?" Cyborg frowned. Jericho had Beast Boy support Ambrosia, as he turned and signed out with his hands what was on her mind. Cyborg translated the hand gestures mentally and gaped. Raven looked clearly distressed now, but she kept quiet. Starfire had no idea how sign language was seen. Jericho smiled and took out a pen and paper that he always carried on him to write it out. He gestured for Starfire to see it, and she gasped. He tore up the paper, and Beast Boy became his dragon form to char it to ashes before shifting back to human. They wanted no one to find out this piece of information.

"Quiet, Star," Robin said carefully. "We can't say anything. It can be used against us."

"Okay, Robin," Starfire nodded. "But...Ambrosia...why?"

"One gets tired of living in darkness and unable to move. Especially after a thousand years. Right?" she responded grimly. "With no hope of escape..."

"Ambrosia," Beast Boy said again. "Shush!"

"He's right, darling," Jericho smiled and kissed her gently. "We have a night club to go to. Right? Cyborg? You said you found a good one?"

"Oh, yeah! I can drive us!" he grinned. Ambrosia smiled and now she stood up.

"I don't know if my outfit will work," she frowned and removed the white cloak. Everyone dropped their jaws, and this included Jericho. It was a two-piece, skin-tight, dark red velvet top and mini-skirt. The top looked like it just barely covered what was needed, and the skirt was the same way. Lace-up, deep red heels were on her feet, and the laces went over her ankles. Her pregnancy was there, but she was still slender enough that it didn't quite show at night. Her long hair was braided and coiffed up in loose strands to keep off the floor. Her crown was actually hidden from human sight. Only Fae would be able to see it. Her mother taught her how to cast the illusion, but she still wore her wedding ring. She never removed that. Basic diamond, ruby, and gold jewelry decorated her ears, her throat, and her wrists.

"Wow..." Beast Boy blinked.

"And you didn't tell me about this?!" Jericho growled, as he pulled her to his chest possessively.

"I wanted it to be a surprise?" she giggled.

"Robin!" Starfire fumed, and he found himself shaking his head and looking away with a massive blush. That made everyone laugh and giggle.

"I think she's ready," Cyborg grinned.

"You lack makeup," Raven chuckled, and Starfire beamed.

"You mean face paints?! I have some!" Starfire grinned and flew to her room swiftly.

"What happened to your crown?" Cyborg asked.

"It is invisible. Mother taught me how to only let true Fae see my crown. It will help us see exactly who recognizes me," Ambrosia giggled. "Actually, you have a strand of my hair, right? Focus on using it and tell me if you see it."

"Hmm. Oh! There it is! I'll have to get used to using it," he nodded.

"Yeah. We all need to practice using the hairs," Robin nodded.

"And that reminds me. Robin? Tell us about your training!" Cyborg grinned.

"In the car, I'll tell you all," he nodded. Starfire came out with her massive cosmetic display, and Raven shielded her with Ambrosia to keep everything a surprise. Jericho groaned, and Robin moved to put a hand on his shoulder with a grin.

"We can use white face paint with red lip paint!" Starfire grinned.

"No. Ambrosia is a Queen. Not a clown. Let me do this," Raven muttered and selected the proper makeup colors. When she was revealed, Jericho found himself holding his breath. Robin had to look away quickly and ran a hand over his face as an excuse. Beast Boy and Cyborg were simply in shock. She was stunning, and Jericho was going to be shielding her from every man and teenage boy they encountered. Raven was grinning softly at a job well done, and Starfire was beaming.

"Glued. To. My. Hip," Jericho muttered. "No exceptions."

"Of course, dear," Ambrosia smiled softly.

"Raven? Can you do my face paint?" Starfire begged. Raven sighed and helped her.

"Raven knows how to do makeup?!" Beast Boy gaped. She looked at him with a glare and zapped him with a shadow-bolt. He groaned and fell over twitching. That got Jericho laughing, and Ambrosia was in a bit of shock. Robin sighed and helped Beast Boy to his feet.

"You deserved that, BB," Cyborg grinned.

"Ugh..." Beast Boy grimaced and shook himself free of the clingy shadows. He moved to Ambrosia to get comforted like a dog that got kicked, and she ran a loving hand through his hair. He made a face at Raven now, and she fumed since she couldn't do anything.

"Beast Boy, apologize to her, please," Ambrosia muttered. "That was uncalled for."

"Kay," he pouted. "Sorry, Raven."

"Fine," Raven nodded. "Anyways...are we going now?"

"Sure. Why not?" Jericho smirked and laughed at the poke in the side he got from his wife. He hugged her to him and led her to the car with the others. When they got in and started to drive off, Cyborg looked at Robin in his rear view mirror.

"Talk!" Cyborg demanded.

"All right!" Robin sighed. Ambrosia giggled and Jericho kept her firmly against his side. Beast Boy was a small lap dog and quite content in her lap. Robin got into detail about his training, and Jericho filled in here and there when needed. Ambrosia listened silently and smiled softly to herself. When he finished, everyone was awed about it.

"So, Elvey trained you to handle a night club! Sweet!" Beast Boy said, as he became a parrot to talk to them. "Every time you dream, you'll train?"

"Yeah. That's what's gonna happen," Robin nodded.

"That and Elvey and Tintagel both plan to train us together to coordinate better. Esmiralda will work with Ambrosia nearby. It's for the best this way," Jericho said.

"Considering what Ambrosia had to go through to help you two. Yeah. That would be best," Raven nodded. "We'll keep you away from dark corners in the club."

"Thank you," Ambrosia smiled. They came to a stop, and they got out of the car. Cyborg alarmed it. and they moved into the night club. Robin paid the entrance fee for them, and Ambrosia was already becoming the focus of the room. There were no other Titans yet. They weren't contacted, and Robin decided to wait to see how everything went. He didn't want the place flooded. It was pretty compacted, as it was. She looked around at the place with a small frown, and Jericho held her close. Beast Boy became a fly and hid himself on her shoulder.

"Good," Jericho nodded to him. An affirmative buzz was given back. They found a booth under a neon light and sat down. Many girls were already swarming over to see the famous Titans, and Robin was casually ignoring them all. Jericho was very much the same, and he placed his hand next Ambrosia's to reveal their wedding rings.

"So, what do you think?" Robin chuckled.

"It's...interesting..." Ambrosia frowned. The music was good, but she felt incredibly out of place with her mental state of mind. I am too much of the old ways. She had no time to properly adapt to the new world around her, and she shivered. Then she looked over as a small group of teens moved their way. She recognized them as new age Fae, and she cringed at how weak they were.

"Easy, love," Jericho smirked. "Hello. Nice to see you."

"Nice crown. You a Queen?" one of the guys asked.

"She is. And I'm a High Warlock," Raven growled. That made the guy gape in shock.

"She is Queen Ambrosia, daughter of Queen Esmiralda and King Tintagel. She is also the daughter of King Elvey," Jericho growled out. "She is also my wife, and I'm King Jericho. Her husband. King Tintagel lives again in my mind."

"She's the one that disappeared!" a girl whispered.

"Yes. She was," Robin nodded. He smirked at a girl that tried to charm him and sighed. "Idiot. I'm immune to your charming effect. Go play with someone else."

"Immune?!" she gaped.

"You are all...so much like humans. I see how weak the Fae blood has become over the past thousand years," Ambrosia sighed. "Husband, I think I'm done here. I would like to go home."

"Of course, darling," he nodded. As they got up, they were surrounded by other Fae.

"Just give us your crown and you can leave," the first guy said.

"Our crowns are soul-mated, you ingrate!" Jericho hissed. "Rip it off her head, she dies. Then I'll berserk and force you down into a puddle of steaming ooze with your friends!"

"Soul-mated?!" one of them whispered.

"Zax, let's leave them be," the girl whispered.

"I don't believe them!" he growled. Then Robin danced behind him and slammed him into the floor with crushing brute force.

"Guess what? I'm King Elvey. Nice to meet you! Can we play, little Fae? I'll teach you how to dance!" Robin hissed with a savage grin. "There is no one here that can out-fight me! You want proof?"

"I was just kidding, man!" Zax winced.

"Weak. All of you are so weak!" Robin scowled. "Ambrosia is right. Let's beat it."

"We just got here," Cyborg frowned.

"Trust me, Cyborg. Star?" Robin asked. He found her gone. She was lured away by one of the guys, and now he let his training move into effect. The noise around him dimmed to nothing. He moved past the various breaths and heartbeats until he found hers. He moved swiftly and silently in her direction. When he got to her, he was furious.

"Please unhand me!" Starfire grimaced. "I do not want to hurt you!"

"But you can, cutie! It's okay," the Fae man grinned.

"She said no!" Robin snarled and punched him dead in the face with startling accuracy. "Star? Let's go. Now."

"Robin!" she said and hugged him. The Fae man was groaning on the floor and had no clue how Robin found where he was hiding with her. He led her back to the others and was clearly not happy. When he saw Ambrosia's warm, approving smile, he felt elated and much better.

"Everyone all accounted for?" Jericho asked.

"Star? Who was the one that lured you off?!" Cyborg growled.

"I punched him in the face," Robin said. "Don't worry about it."

"Oh. Cool! Let's get some pizza!" he said. Beast Boy made an approving buzz, and they started to walk out. More Fae blocked them and Ambrosia sighed.

"Let us through," Jericho said.

"Why? What're ya gonna do?" one of the girls said with a grin. Now Ambrosia winced, and Beast Boy landed on the floor to become a dragon. He reacted to her fear, and Robin grimaced. Raven was smirking at the gaping jaws.

"Let us through before you all get burned to pieces," Jericho said calmly.

"Sure! Yeah! Whatever you say, man!" one of the guys said and moved aside. When one still showed stubbornness, Beast Boy opened his mouth to let the air start heating up. When he moved, Ambrosia calmly ran her hand over his muzzle to soothe him. He snorted and reverted to human form. People were already pushing them out in a panic from Beast Boy's dragon form, so they got outside and went straight to the car.

"Nice wheels!" a guy grinned.

"Not yours!" Cyborg growled. That made the guy back away. "Ain't nobody gonna touch my baby! Come on, guys. Let's get outta here."

"Word," Raven grinned.

"To ya mother!" Beast Boy snickered and grinned at Cyborg's glare. Jericho looked over as even more Fae started to appear. Many of them remembered now that Ambrosia was in her second month of pregnancy. She was out in the open. Robin and Jericho ushered her into the car for Beast Boy to help keep her calm. Raven watched Cyborg and Starfire get into the car, and she called forth one of her most powerful spells in the High Warlock range. The earth shifted underneath the small crowd and rose up with them. They had never seen such strong magic at work. She could have used her own powers for this, but they had to know that she was a very powerful wielder of Fae energy.

"I am a High Warlock!" Raven shouted. "I dare any of you right now to call me out on it!"

Silence was all she got. Her robe turned black and gave off an aura that it was alive and not happy with the new age Fae generation. Jericho glared into the eyes of each Fae there.

"I am King Jericho! I hold a soul-mated crown to Queen Ambrosia! I also hold the memories of King Tintagel, the Silent Death and Mage Bane!"

"And I am Robin, leader of the Titans! I hold the memories of King Elvey, the Laughing Battle Mage! If any of you follow us, I will not hesitate to crush your puny little minds as I laugh my head off!" Robin grinned maniacally. "Not a single one of you, even combined, has the power to stop us!"

"Do not follow us. This is your only warning," Raven growled, as the land lowered again as though it never shifted. The Fae were stunned. They never will have access to this type of magic from the heavy human strain they carried. Almost all of them resembled humans now. The only difference was the body build being a bit slender in places, and their ears being slightly pointed in various ways. The small crowd knew that, if they tried to follow, they would not live.

"I am disgusted," Robin growled when Elvey came out to talk. "Brother, are we really the last true Fae left? Other than the Elders? Other than King Ealdun?"

"I'm afraid so," Jericho sighed, as Tintagel came out. "None of those...things...out there are worth our time. The last thousand years...they have been a waste. Ever since our deaths, things have gone up in smoke. They demanded us to take off our crowns! They didn't see the life in them! I know they saw that we wore crowns, but that was just to prove that they are Fae. Yet, I think they are blinded to true magic, and that's from the heavy pollution of human blood in their veins."

"So, human blood destroys magic?" Cyborg frowned.

"Humans were used to be bred into the Fae race to keep them alive. With each generation of human blood, there was no fresh Fae blood to assist them," Ambrosia said with a frown, as Esmiralda came out. "Either the ones needing fresh Fae blood deemed the weaker bloodlines unworthy, or they never asked for help. Over three thousand Fae died on my daughter's wedding day! That was a heavy blow to our race! So, they did the only thing they could do to keep from faulty strains of family breeding. They got humans to continue the lines. There was hardly a trickle of Fae blood left in those youths! None of them knew how to treat true royalty. It saddens me so!"

"I'm not sure who our grandchildren can be with when they grow older," Jericho grimaced. "I would prefer a pure Fae bloodline. But, that resorts to looking to the Elders. I don't trust any of them other than King Ealdun. We'll have to see who shows up."

"Alston is pure, but he is untrustworthy," Starfire frowned. "Is this right?"

"It's true. He is pure. But he's stupid," Robin smirked. "There has to be an area of pure Fae blood out there somewhere. We just need to look closer at the past."

"If they have moon crystals, and they're charged, we'll know if they show up," Jericho nodded.

"Jericho, you're not true Fae, though," Raven frowned.

"I actually am now. My crown made it so," Jericho grinned. That made everyone gape at him, but Ambrosia was snuggling into his chest. "True, I didn't change on the outside. But, it's always what's on the inside that counts, right?"

"Very true," Robin chuckled. "Oh. Robe? What did you think of them? The ingrates?"

"It wants to kill them all off," Raven glowered.

"Nice," Robin grinned. "How far off is the pizza place?"

"We're here!" Cyborg grinned. Beast Boy resumed human form from the bird form he took on Ambrosia's shoulder for the car ride. They took one step out of the car, and Robin twitched. The place was crawling with new generation Fae. He never noticed it before. Ambrosia's blood let him see people as they were. The Fae always came out at night.

"Never mind. Let's head to the Tower," Robin muttered.

"No kidding," Cyborg growled. Ambrosia's hairs that they possessed let them all see the Fae. They got in the car quickly and sped off.

"Maybe we can order something," Robin sighed. "Delivery okay?"

"I won't be eating anything," Ambrosia smiled.

"That's right. It's fine, though," Jericho chuckled. "I'll eat for her."

Starfire laughed at that, and Raven kept a close eye out around the car's surroundings. Robin thought and started to contact other Titans through his communicator to tell them what was going on and what happened at the night club.

"You should have told us when you were going!" Hot Spot scowled.

"Sorry," Robin grinned. "If you want to check it out, you can. Oh. You don't have one of Ambrosia's hairs, so you can't tell the difference. That's right."

"I need a hair?" Hot Spot frowned.

"Everyone does. I can't just pluck them, either. They have to come off naturally. Come to the Tower, and I'll see what can be done. We need to count out how many Titans will need them," Robin said. "It's important or no one will be able to tell the difference."

"Gotcha! On my way!" Hot Spot nodded and disconnected.

"It would be important, right?" Ambrosia frowned.

"I couldn't tell the difference without your hair," Cyborg admitted.

"Robin? Do you not have a hair?" Starfire asked.

"Elvey's pendant helps me," he chuckled. "I do keep a hair in my room for emergencies."

"That's right. My robe can help me, but her hair gave me a boost in power," Raven nodded. Beast Boy suddenly looked up in his lap dog form and snarled. Cyborg now ran the scanners and frowned. We were being followed by several vehicles.

"We've got company!" Cyborg scowled.

"Maybe a Treant or two will help," Ambrosia muttered, and Jericho hugged her.

"Let us handle them," he said. "Elvey? If you would?"

"Smokescreen would be easiest. Cyborg! Just keep driving. I'm setting up a strong illusion of fog. Don't look in your rear view!" Robin warned, as Elvey emerged. Cyborg nodded and focused on driving straight on the road. Robin chanted now, and Raven was gaping at the strong spell. A wall of solid fog seemed to pour up from the road to stop at ten feet high. It blocked all visible sight to the other side. Now Robin grinned and said, "Raven? Have Robe show you how to set up illusions of nightmares in the fog I just created, will you?"

"Gladly!" Raven smirked and focused, as she chanted the powerful spell. Now, any that got into the fog would see visions of horror and be forced to stop in their tracks. Whoever was tracking them down was lost. The moment they all gave up, the spell diminished entirely. When they got to the Tower, Jericho carried Ambrosia out of the car and set her on her feet. Beast Boy snuggled into her side after reverting to human, and she ran her hand through his hair with a smile. Jericho focused, and the moon crystal defenses were fully alive and waiting to turn away any that dared to get too close uninvited.

"Good," Robin nodded. "Let's see if I can order a pizza or two."

"I don't know. Even Fae need jobs," Jericho sighed. "They could ambush us that way."

"What do you all wish to eat?" Ambrosia beamed.

"That's right! You can simply make us food!" Beast Boy grinned.

"Awesome!" Cyborg grinned. "A huge platter of steaks!"

"DUDE?!" Beast Boy cringed, and everyone groaned. Silkie crawled up to them, and Cyborg scowled. Starfire picked up the yellow caterpillar and hugged him.

"He is not eating my dinner!" Cyborg pouted. "He already ate one of my lunches!"

"Hey! Ambrosia!" Beast Boy whispered to her.

"Yes, Beast Boy?" she smiled.

"I wanna play a trick on Cyborg for the meat thing! Can you make one of his steaks tofu?" he grinned. Robin sputtered laughter, and Jericho was sniggering. Raven looked over with a wide grin, and Starfire blinked with surprise.

"Which one?" Ambrosia asked softly.

"One near the middle. I wanna see if he notices," Beast Boy grinned wider. Ambrosia looked at Cyborg and gestured for him to hold out his hands. A massive platter of beef steaks appeared in them with one tofu steak in the very center. He started to wolf them down happily. He took a short break to catch his breath and started on the tofu steak.

"So, it's good?" Robin grinned.

"Oh, yeah! Booyah! I'm in heaven!" Cyborg grinned.

"I told you that tofu can taste like anything!" Beast Boy snickered.

"What?" Cyborg blinked.

"The steak you're eating right now is made of tofu!" he squealed with delight.

"WHAT?! Oh, man! NO!" Cyborg gaped. "You made me eat this?!"

They all died laughing. He gave a look of complete shock to Ambrosia, and she sighed.

"You did scare him pretty badly with your last joke, Cyborg," she smiled.

"Aw, man!" he pouted. She focused, and the tofu steak became twice as large as a real steak. He gasped with joy and started to chow down. "I'm still...gonna...get even...BB!"

"If you can top that!" Beast Boy managed to say, as he sat up from laughing on the floor. The laughing quickly stopped when the defense system flared out on the main screen. Robin was now quickly in the commanding chair and pressing buttons on the control panel.

"Who's knocking on our door?" he muttered, as he worked furiously to pin point who it was.

"There. Northern side of the Tower. What is that?!" Cyborg frowned.

"Titans! Go! The roof!" Robin said.

"Stay with me, dearest," Jericho said. She nodded, and he touched his crown to hers to let them shimmer. On the roof, Robin saw a Fae woman hovering over the Tower. Her blood was a bit more pure, but was still holding a lot of human blood.

"And who are you?" Robin asked and crossed his arms over his chest. She was definitely a new age Fae from the jeans and t-shirt she wore. Her hair was lightly tinged with streaks of red, but it looked dyed in. Otherwise, it was a blondish-brown color.

"I'm Roxa! I'm the most powerful Fae here! I challenge you!" she said haughtily.

"And how old are you?" Robin drawled out, as Elvey emerged.

"I am three hundred years old!" she said.

"And I'm over a thousand. Do you really want to do this? I am King Elvey, the Laughing Battle Mage, and I am partnered up with, as well as residing in, Robin, the leader of the Titans. Are you sure you want to die? I'll gladly help you out," he smirked.

"The Laughing Battle Mage is a myth!" she hollered.

"As is a decent new age Fae, apparently," he grinned. That got snickers from the others. She colored up, and the defenses let her in to land on the roof. "Okay. Take the first shot. I insist."

"Here we go!" she said and let loose a powerful wind blast. He didn't even budge, as the others ducked for cover. He grinned wickedly and gave out a cold, cruel chuckle. Now she paled.

"That was the best you got? Pathetic! You're not even a Mage, are you?" he asked, as he raised a brow. He calmly moved, and she gaped that he made no sound in his steps. "Did you know that my brother-in-arms, King Tintagel, also lives? The Silent Death and Mage Bane? He's busy comforting his wife right now. If she was here, I wouldn't even be talking to you. She needs to feed her Treant, you see...oh? I see you don't know what a Treant is? A shame. Or do you?"

Now he demonstrated his power by focusing on his pendant to let the very air around him charge up with electrical waves of power unlike anything she ever felt before. He focused it all into a tight sphere and flung it at her. It smacked into her, lifted her off her feet, and she crashed into one of the banisters. She tried to crawl back over to him, but she gaped at him in shock. He had another ready to launch, as he glared at her with a savage grin. Elvey wouldn't let Robin simply use his techniques on her. This was a Fae, and only a Fae could properly put another Fae in their place. He was actually using a very basic thunder sphere spell, and it cost him nothing. Even the most basic of spells were lost to the Fae! She was grimacing with pain, as she whimpered, "I...made a mistake...a big mistake..."

"Yes. You did. You came here like a haughty cow, claimed you were the most powerful one, and your bloodline is completely polluted with human blood. Stronger than the others, but still polluted. And who are your parents, little Fae? Do they still live? Tell me and maybe I'll spare you," he said with another cold chuckle, and he let the sphere vanish. He stepped over to her now as noiselessly as he did when he first walked up to her. His words were ice cold and held none of the warmth they normally held when talking to his friends. He continued to circle her as though studying her very form.

"My parents..." she grimaced and muttered out their names.

"Good. They still live. They'll appreciate this, I bet," he said abruptly and now he searched for them with a ball of energy to scry with. He was able to manipulate it into a phone call, and that shocked Raven. "Yes. Hello. Your daughter is bothering us, the Titans. Yes. Okay. Thank you. Good-bye. Well, Roxa, they want you home right now. If you come here again, they will be sent pieces of your body in small packages. Do you understand?"

"Yes!" she nodded. He gestured for her to leave, and she left. He clucked his tongue and took her residual energy to have the Tower defenses block her off. He sighed and shook his head.

"That was just funny," Cyborg smirked.

"I know. But, she was able to follow us. Hmm. I need to talk to Tintagel," Robin grimaced and moved back into the Tower. He gave Starfire's arm a squeeze as he moved past her, and she blushed.

"Robin?" Ambrosia frowned, as he walked over to them to sit on the couch. She was in her husband's lap and getting cradled. He told them what happened, and Jericho was amused. Then he was disgusted at the fact that Fae magic was so weak now. Not to mention lost.

"She followed us. Elvey, follow her," he grinned. Now Robin grinned and focused to trace back her energy. "When you get a lock, tell me."

"Already done," Robin said. "She lives in one of the nicer sections of town."

"So, she's a snob?" Beast Boy smirked.

"Very," Robin agreed. "But, this is interesting. She got berated for bothering us, and now she's at her computer. She's...researching us. Apparently, the Fae have a network interface!"

"Really? Can I get in it?" Cyborg grinned.

"Let's try," Robin nodded. Jericho looked at Ambrosia with a shrug, and he lifted her in his arms to carry her. Cyborg led them all into his room and he glared at Beast Boy.

"Don't touch anything!" he warned.

"Oh, come on!" Beast Boy pouted and small snickers were heard.

"Beast Boy?" Ambrosia smiled, and he moved to snuggle into her side when Jericho set her down in a chair. She would keep him preoccupied. She whispered softly to him, and he purred with a grin.

"Okay, I honestly have no clue as to what I'm looking for," Cyborg admitted.

"I do," Jericho nodded and moved to the computer. The few new age Fae he possessed gave him the memories he needed to bring up the proper site. He didn't want to log in as one of them for safety reasons, and he managed a temporary guest position to see if he liked what he saw. When the time came to make an account, they selected the royalty status. Apparently, it was something that needed to be done through more advanced means, and a screen came up with a Fae representative looking at them through a web camera. There were many that stated they were royalty, and this was an extra measure to ensure that the one applying was truthful. Cyborg activated his camera and pulled up the microphone to speak back.

"Fae name?" the representative asked with boredom. He was wearing a bright blue shirt with pants just as bright, and his hair was a natural shade of dark brown. Apparently this happened a lot, and he never got the real proof that he was speaking with royalty. He thought it was just another hoax.

"King Jericho," he said. Then the representative saw the crown, and Jericho grinned.

"A true crown?! But...no! It could be fake," he muttered.

"All right. How about King Tintagel?" Jericho asked.

"He's a Fae King from the past! A myth! Please, I'll just disconnect you if you don't tell me your real name!" the representative sighed.

"My name is King Jericho, I was crowned King just a month ago. My wife is Queen Ambrosia, and her crown is soul-mated to mine," he said sternly. His voice had a distinct noble ring to that demanded authority. The representative looked pensive.

"Um...I still need more proof..." he said.

"Look. I'm Robin, the leader of the Titans. I also have King Elvey in my head. If you don't make us an account right now, I know that King Elvey is going to find out where you live and gut you open as he laughs his head off! Do you really want to risk that?" Robin frowned. Then he took out Elvey's pendant. The representative stammered. Now Ambrosia walked over to reveal her legendary beauty and her mother's fabled crown. The Fae man looked ready to faint from the shock. Then she moved to touch her crown to her husband's crown to let them shimmer. No more proof was needed to be given.

"Account. Now!" Jericho growled, as his gaze focused back on the Fae man.

"Yes, Your Majesty! Um...ah...just one question..." he said.

"Go on," Jericho said. "And, if it's about comforting my wife, I'll kill you in your sleep."

"No! Not that! Can't do that with clientele, anyways, but, I would like the creator of this site to speak with you! Is it possible?" he asked.

"Over this? Or in person?" Jericho asked.

"I think it would be up to him, Your Majesty," he said.

"Then patch me through," Jericho nodded. The screen went blank for a bit, and it reformed with the image of a wealthy Fae of weak bloodline staring back at him. Robin wasn't impressed.

"A true King?" the Fae man blinked. "And a true Queen! Amazing! I'll have to promote him for sending you to me! I am Aelfdane Crumbles. A pleasure to meet you! Ah, wow..."

"Right. Mutual, I'm sure," Jericho said. "I was curious in getting an account on this interface, but if you're the one who created it..."

"Yes! I am! I started it up as a small group of Fae that were looking for the truth of things. Why our bloodline thinned out. How real are myths and such. With the knowledge that you have, I'm sure the site can flourish and the truth can finally be told! I'll grant you a complete account with full site access, and I would appreciate it if you could give us everything you know! Can you? If it's possible, Your Majesty?" Aelfdane asked. "We need to sort the facts from the lies."

"That is something I will definitely do," Jericho nodded. "I will speak with you at length. Cyborg, I'm going to be using this computer. Beast Boy, take my wife to the safe room. Robin, if you want to stay and have Elvey assist, that's fine."

"Good," Robin nodded. Beast Boy looked at Ambrosia to grin, and he led her quickly through the hidden wall exit. When he got her into the safe room, he hugged her.

"Maybe now the truth can be told. I just hope my husband doesn't reveal too much," she sighed.

"He won't. He just wants the Fae to know what happened. We'll be ready for any of them that come here to doubt you. Don't worry!" he smiled. Then he gaped, as her hand touched his cheek, and he kissed her. Only after he comforted her was he able to dress with her and hold her in the bed. He sighed, as he let her snuggle into him, and he frowned.

"Beast Boy? What's wrong?" she asked.

"I dunno," he said. She sat up now, and he looked at her.

"You can tell me anything, you know," she smiled.

"Can I? I can tell you things, and you won't think I'm crazy or anything?"

"I would never do such a thing."

"Well..." he said, as he sat up. "I miss my parents."

"Oh?" she frowned and ran a hand up his back. He leaned into her and sighed.

"Mom and Dad were explorers. I was with them all the time. We traveled all over the world. They liked to find new and exotic wildlife species. I liked it. It was always a new adventure with them! But...they heard about a new breed of green monkey. Something like that. When we found it, it bit me. Made me sick with a rare disease. They had to alter my genetic make-up to fix me. To do that, they had to use various animal genes. A serum of some kind. The result was me. Green skin, hair, and the ability to morph into other animals.

"It was fun at first. Made traveling a bit easier for my parents. Then they went on a boating trip without me. They left me with some natives that we knew well, and they took care of me. Mom and Dad were going to a dangerous place, and they didn't want me hurt. So...I waited for them with the natives. And I waited. After two weeks, they sent out a scout. He came back...with really bad news. They were gone. The boat sank..."

"Oh, Beast Boy," she winced and hugged him.

"Even now, I know that I should have gone with them! I could have saved them! I..." he trembled and clung to her, as he started to cry. She rocked him now, and he sobbed out his grief. Esmiralda came out to give more of a motherly feel for him, and she started to hum softly.

"Hush, loyal Beast Boy. Your parents live through you. In your memories. They are not gone, because they are not forgotten. Your heart is as pure as your soul. There is great aspiration in you. There is a quality in you that is unmatched by many. You are fun, loving, caring, and protective. All the best there is for someone like you! Your parents wanted to keep you safe, because they loved you, Beast Boy. Don't worry. I am sure they are very proud of what you have become. You are a Titan! A protector for all! Do not grieve over what is lost, for it never was," she whispered soothingly. He just cried harder at her words, and she continued to rock him and comfort him. When he was finally calming down, she still rocked him to show that she cared about him.

"I love you," he whispered. "I do. You're the only one that...sees me as I am."

"That was Mother whispering to you," Ambrosia smiled softly. He managed a small smile.

"I love you both, then. I'll protect you with everything I have."

"I know you will."

"There was another that I loved, but...well..."

"I will listen, if you want to tell me about her," she smiled warmly. He nodded and pressed himself into her, as he told her about Terra. She listened to everything he said and hugged him when he faltered to give him the strength to continue. When he finished, he sighed.

"So...that was that. She came back somehow and lost her memory. I...let her go," he frowned.

"And that was very brave of you to do," she smiled. "I think I see why you were attracted to her. Animals are based off of the land, and she had power over the land. The two of you could have been very compatible. It is a shame that her heart was given over to darkness. But, you turned her to the light, too. You showed her an inner strength and focus that she thought she never had. I would not doubt for an instant that she traded her memories, and her powers, to live a normal life."

"Well, I'm anything but normal," he smiled.

"Nothing ever is, is it?" she giggled.

"Thank you. For listening," he said. "I feel a lot better."

"Good. I don't care how crazy you may sound to others or to yourself. If you need someone to listen to you, come to me. You freed me, Beast Boy. I have a large debt to repay to you."

"No. No debt. There will never be a debt between us."

"If you insist."

"I do," he nodded sternly. "I freed you. You healed me. There is no debt. There never was."

They hugged each other tightly, and he closed his eyes with a form of comfort that he hadn't felt in a long time. This was what I needed. Not any form of nectar. I don't need much of anything. All that I need is a friend that I can talk to and protect in full. Someone I can love.

"Just remember, Beast Boy," she whispered. "What is the one thing you always tell me when I become afraid of being trapped again? That no one would be there for me?"

"That you're not alone," he muttered.

"That's right. And neither are you," she smiled. He kissed her hard now, and she gave in to his desires. After several minutes went by, he lay back gasping on the bed with her. When he moved to reach for his clothing, she stopped him with a caress to his cheek. Now she brought him to a whole new world of pleasure. As she lay back on the bed, he was completely dazed out of his mind. She blushed a bit and managed to help dress his stunned body. When he came around, he blinked at how he was dressed, but he was smiling all the same.

"So...you're over a thousand years old, and I'm almost seventeen. I think they call this robbing the cradle," he grinned a fanged grin. She laughed at him with a blush, and he grinned even wider. "It's not that bad! In fact, you're still seventeen, technically. So, it's still okay!"

"I know," she nodded and sighed. He grinned again and snuggled into her. She lay back and rested a hand in his hair. He started to close his eyes, but then they popped open. He sat up with a growl, as he heard whispers behind the door. "Beast Boy? Do you recognize them?"

"I don't know who it is. It sounds familiar, but it's hard to tell," he frowned. She moved to slip into a robe before laying back in the bed as a precaution. He moved to the door and waited in front of it.

"It's us, Beast Boy!" Raven said cautiously.

"Yes! We have come to see friend Ambrosia!" Starfire said. Beast Boy checked the scents in the air and nodded. He let the door open, and they came in.

"Greetings!" Ambrosia beamed and sat up. Beast Boy moved to sit on the bed after he closed the door. "How are you both?"

"Not bad," Raven chuckled. "Robin and Jericho are almost done. The Fae guy is really shocked at what he's hearing. Apparently, Sinlus told a bunch of lies."

"That is expected," Ambrosia frowned. "He was always known to lie."

"He said that everyone did not wish for the marriage to happen! That everyone killed each other! It was simply not right!" Starfire frowned. Ambrosia grimaced and shook her head.

"I'm just shocked that no one realized it was a lie. I'm sure they knew, but, well...if a whole kingdom dies overnight, it's considered taboo to send anyone in for investigation. Normally, it's either a plague, or the magic suddenly died. Not a mass murder," Raven sighed.

"It's a culture shock for me. More than anything," Ambrosia admitted. "I am more ingrained in the old ways. I feel that I will never adapt to the new. What more is there for me to try?"

"You know, sometimes the old stuff is always better than the new stuff. Kinda like vintage video games," Beast Boy shrugged. "You may have beaten a game before, like, lots of times, but it can still be your favorite. Yeah, new ones will come along, but it's the old ones that you know that will be worth more. Also, the old ones tend to be rarer, harder to find and just a lot more reliable than the new ones if they're treated with a lot of care!"

"Um..." Ambrosia blushed softly. Raven looked at him like he was crazy.

"My point is," Beast Boy smiled. "the old will always outlast the new."

She trembled and hugged him now. He blushed hard at first, but then he hugged her back. Starfire found herself giggling, and Raven just sighed.

"Thank you," Ambrosia smiled, and he chuckled as she moved to sit apart from him.

"Ooh! You know what game I haven't played in a while?!" he beamed.

"What?" she frowned.

"Stinkball!" he grinned.

"No," Raven said with a smoldering glare.

"But...why not?" he pouted.

"One. She's a Queen. Two. That ball is made up of your old, stinky underwear and socks. Three. No one will play referee for you!" she scowled. Ambrosia put her a hand to her mouth to giggle.

"Cyborg would play with me!" he mumbled.

"Um...I washed that ball, too," Starfire blinked. He gaped at her with disbelief.

"What?! Now I'll have to make a whole new ball and that will take a good month!" he wailed.

"Beast Boy," Ambrosia smiled softly. "I am sure that your game would have been fun, but Raven is right. I am a Queen. Something like that is something I would not be able to play. Um...do you know how to play chess? Or, ah..."

"Chess?" Beast Boy blinked.

"Yeah. Chess. You move pieces over a checkerboard and use them to take out the other player's pieces," Raven said. "It requires patience, intelligence, and a lot of thought process. You don't have any of that, right? At least, not that I know of."

"Hey!" Beast Boy scowled, and Ambrosia sighed with a smile. "I can play chess!"

"Are you sure?" Raven grinned. He nodded and Ambrosia focused to let an elaborate chess set appear on a small table. Four chairs were set up for them to sit at. Raven calmly explained the rules and what each piece represented. Beast Boy was confused.

"Watch me play with Raven," Ambrosia smiled. "We shall explain what we are doing."

"Okay," he said. Ambrosia was given the lighter side to play and moved a pawn. They both took turns explaining each move as they did it, and showed them other moves they could have done.

"This game is...intense!" Starfire frowned.

"Aw! Why can't Jericho just give me the memories on how to play?" Beast Boy sighed.

"Not only is that cheating, but won't your body hurt after it?" Raven frowned.

"It would not be safe, Beast Boy," Ambrosia frowned. He blinked at her and could only nod.

"Now, I'm going to move my knight here," Raven smiled.

"Um...Raven..." Ambrosia said with a touch of a wicked smile. She moved her queen three spaces over and whispered, "Check mate!"

"What?!" Raven gaped. She checked over the board and scowled. "Okay. You won! I can't move my king anywhere, see? If I do this, her bishop will get me. If I go here, her queen will get me. Even her rook is neatly in place. If the king gets in this spot, the game is over. Most of the time it can end in a draw or a stalemate. I can't believe that I didn't see that move!"

"Aelfric never wanted to play against me. Neither did King Elvey or Father. Mother did beat me at first, but then I started to get the better of her. Now, I always win," she blushed. "I wonder how they would be now if we played."

"Want to find out?" Jericho asked, as he walked in with a grin. Robin came in right after with his own grin. Raven and Starfire moved to let them sit down, and the board was reset.

"Now we'll see a good game," Raven grinned. Ambrosia moved first, and Jericho followed suit. Beast Boy actually found himself getting excited over watching it. Each move they did was carefully calculated, and they moved fast.

"Check, love," Ambrosia giggled.

"No way!" Jericho grimaced and moved his king.

"Now...um...check mate!" she blushed. His jaw dropped. Not even ten minutes went by! Robin was astonished at this, too. She pinned his king neatly in place.

"My turn," Robin said, as Elvey came out. The board was reset, and, just like Jericho, she got his king in a dead end. He found himself laughing and shaking his head.

"You are way too good!" Raven grinned.

"I know!" Ambrosia beamed.

"Hey, Robin. Can you imagine her playing a game against Brain? That leader of the Brotherhood of Evil?" Beast Boy snickered.

"He'd have no chance!" Robin grinned back.

"Oh. I have an idea," Ambrosia giggled. "If this Brain is someone that needs to be tested, why not a game of chess? That would be good, right?"

"True," Robin mused. "But, he's Beast Boy's enemy."

"Even better!" she grinned wickedly. "I can watch what he does and tell him what moves to do."

"Oh..." Jericho found himself dying with laughter.

"Okay! We have to try this! I wanna play this!" Beast Boy grinned.

"All right. Let's test this for ourselves," Jericho nodded. Robin had the board reset, and Ambrosia calmly told Beast Boy what to do with mental pictures. Within moments, he beat Robin, and everyone died with laughter.

"I should try this against Cyborg! We can't say anything!" Beast Boy hissed.

"Oh! You're right!" Robin laughed. "I'll get him!"

"Sweetness!" Beast Boy grinned. Jericho moved to let Ambrosia settle in his lap, and Raven was giggling with Starfire. Robin brought in Cyborg and gestured to the chess set.

"Chess? Are you for real?" Cyborg asked.

"Yeah. We need to see if you know how to play," Robin nodded.

"Oh, I know how to play. Eh...who would I be playing?" he asked.

"Me!" Beast Boy grinned. Cyborg blinked and burst out laughing.

"We're serious," Jericho said with a small grin.

"Please! He can barely work the remote much less chess!" Cyborg said, as he laughed.

"Just humor us. Play him. Then we can move on with our lives," Raven sighed.

"Oh, fine. This will be interesting," Cyborg smirked and sat down across from Beast Boy. Ambrosia beamed at them both, and Robin sat down in the vacant chair left. The moment Cyborg moved, Beast Boy did. Cyborg blinked at the moves Beast Boy was doing, and his mind was calculating every move out. Ambrosia watched everything carefully, and mentally showed Beast Boy what move to do next. By the time an hour was almost up, Beast Boy was grinning.

"Check mate!" he said calmly with a fanged smile, as he set a rook down.

"WHAT?!" Cyborg gaped, and everyone died with laughter all over again.

"Awesome!" Robin said and wiped away tears.

"There's just...no way..." Cyborg was gaping still.

"Sorry, Cyborg. I am a master at chess, and, well, I told Beast Boy what to do with my empathy," Ambrosia said with a soft blush. "Um...it was in case he needed to fight the villain, Brain. We wanted to see if it would fully work on another. Like you."

"Oh, man!" Cyborg grimaced, as Beast Boy laughed.

"Play my wife, and she'll beat you," Jericho grinned. Ambrosia gave Beast Boy a pat on the head and took his seat. The board was reset, and she started to play against him. Another hour slipped by, and she blushed at Cyborg's frustration.

"Check mate," she beamed. Cyborg was floored. She was able to beat a computer!

"That is just insane!" Cyborg sighed. "I knew there was no way that Beast Boy could play chess! But, I gotta admit, it would put Brain in his place if this was a test!"

"You were the only one that didn't know. And, being a partial computer, it was the best way to see if it really did work," Robin grinned. "Thanks for being a good sport!"

"I'm still gonna get even with that tofu steak!" Cyborg growled.

"We'll see," Beast Boy grinned.

"I just gotta ask, Ambrosia. How do you do it?" Cyborg asked. "How can you play like that?"

"I don't think about winning. I just think about playing," she smiled.

"Oh..." Jericho mused.

"That makes a lot of sense. Anyways, I know that Titans are going to be lining up for strands of your hair. I think there's quite a few of them looking for us now," Robin smiled.

"There was something else that we need to do after the gala," Ambrosia said, as she stood up and walked away with a sigh. "Well, maybe not tonight, but tomorrow night."

"What is that, love?" Jericho asked.

"Stonehenge," she whispered. "The moon will be at its peak tomorrow night."

"Why Stonehenge?" he asked.

"It is a crossing of powerful ley lines, dear. I want to see if I can bring out Mother, Father, and King Elvey for a bit. For the Titans to meet them. I know it will be in spiritual form, but...I think it's needed. It may be one of the only times to do it. Yes, I'll be exhausted when everything is over..."

"I understand," Jericho smiled and moved up behind her to caress her shoulders.

"Would this be safe?" Raven frowned.

"With three High Warlocks, it will be," Robin nodded.

"We will get to meet them?" Starfire gasped.

"Yes. Possibly, if it all goes well," Jericho nodded.

"They would be bound within the circle of stones, though. For as long as the moon shows. When the moon is gone with the rising sun, the enchantment will end. I will not physically pull them from Robin or the crowns. I will simply give them spiritual images and sound. Maybe enough to let them seem solid and move things. Like true ghosts...but...I may only be able to do this once in a great while," Ambrosia smiled. "I really want all of you to meet them."

"We'll definitely plan for that," Jericho nodded and kissed her temple. "Come, love. Let's see who's here, and we'll see about what we can do about your hair."

"Very well," she nodded. Raven and her robe were worried. She was making plans to talk to Herald and Jinx to ensure they understood the stress of the situation.

"So, the truth has been told?" Ambrosia asked.

"Oh, yes. In full detail and at length," Jericho nodded. "We gave him an invitation to attend the gala. He will be the only non-pureblood there, and he vowed he would sign our treaty and use any information he gets for good. We all were given accessible accounts in the Fae database to update and study at our leisure. All of the Titans will get this treatment if they access the site. I'll be telling them all after they get strands of hair."

"Good," she nodded. "Um...how do you plan to take my hair? I do not want it cut!"

"No," Robin said. "We won't cut your hair. We know it can cause you pain."

"It will?" Beast Boy frowned.

"Yes. It will feel like stabbing pain all through my head. It could also make me ill," she frowned. "It was done once so that I would know what it was like. It was one strand of hair. Less than a touch was sheared off. I was in agony for the rest of the day!"

"Oh!" Starfire blinked.

"But, if they come off you naturally, no pain, right?" Cyborg asked, as he opened a panel for them. "I just want to make sure."

"Yes. No pain at all," she nodded. She looked upset about something, and Robin couldn't simply ask her what was wrong with Starfire with them. He had to do the next thing he could think of.

:Is something wrong, my Queen?: Robin asked mentally.

:Robin, dear, you know this is for emergencies!: Ambrosia thought back.

:I know, but something is wrong. Please, my Queen. Tell me?: he pleaded.

:Well...how many Titans are there that you know of?: she asked.

: Hmm. Almost fifty in all, so far. We find new Titans every now and then. Why, my Queen?:

:How do you plan to extract fifty of my hairs?! The only other thing that I can think of is for you to brush them free, but it could take a while. Or, you could cut the strands that I already gave you, but, the more you cut them, the less power each strand would hold.:

:I know, my Queen. Don't worry. I like brushing your hair!:

:In a bath? Or out of it?: she gave a mental giggle.

:Well, I haven't tried brushing your hair outside of a bath. Right?: he smirked mentally. She kissed him mentally, and he was mildly stunned by the sensation. He shook it off quickly, as he walked. He refocused his thoughts back on her. :You are going to make me slip one day!:

:And you're the one who started this by wanting to become my human!: she thought back, as she reached the main room. Jericho glanced at her and squeezed her to comfort her.

:I don't recall you complaining...: he growled mentally and managed to give her a mental nibble.

:Robin!: she blinked and swallowed. :We need to stop this! Others are present!:

:Yes, my Queen.: he sighed softly and shivered at the caress she sent him. :You aren't helping!:

:How long has it been since we were last together?: she whispered, and he took a deep breath.

:Too long, my Queen. Far too long!: he muttered with a light frown.

"Robin, we have guests," Jericho said with a touch of amusement. He was able to pick up everything that was going on. "Control the craving for my wife's nectar a bit longer. You can do this."

"I know," Robin said and cleared his throat.

"Robin? Are you in pain?" Starfire frowned.

"I'm okay," he grinned back at her. "I can survive for a bit longer."

"Dude," Beast Boy frowned. "We don't want you going all loopy and stupid!"

"I won't do that!" Robin flustered, and Cyborg cracked a grin.

"Are you sure?" Raven smirked. At Robin's masked glare, she grinned at him.

"There you all are!" Hot Spot said, as he got up from the couch with Bushido and Aqualad.

"Sorry. We found out the Fae had an internet social network, and we were giving them the truth on what happened long ago," Jericho sighed. This had the other Titans surprised.

"We can give you the site, and all of you will be able to register to it. You'll be able to study up on various things, too," Robin said. "Whatever you find out that you know will benefit us, definitely write down. The more we know, the better prepared we will be."

"True," Hot Spot nodded. "So, what are we going to do about the hairs?"

"We need a soft brush," Jericho said. "A very soft brush."

"I might have one!" Jinx beamed. "Let me check!"

"I'll check for you," Kid Flash grinned. As he left, Jericho had a stool brought over for Ambrosia to sit on. He undid her hair so that it all fell to the ground in full.

"Robin, help me untangle her hair a bit," Jericho muttered.

"Don't hurt me!" she winced.

"Sorry, love. You have over six feet of hair! We'll be careful," he promised. Robin walked over and carefully ran his fingers through several long locks. The scent of honey was rich and potent. He had to focus to keep from losing his senses.

"Ah!" Robin blinked and unraveled a strand of hair. "Okay, that's one."

"Set them in these," Cyborg said and produced various plastic bags. "One strand for one bag."

"Okay," Robin nodded. "Beast Boy, do you think you have a form that can help?"

"I could try the octopus, but it's slimy," he frowned.

"No slime, please!" Ambrosia grimaced.

"May I assist?" Starfire beamed. Robin smiled at her and gestured for her to help. As each long lock of hair was carefully straightened and softened, Kid Flash came back with Jinx's brush.

"Here you go!" he said. Jericho took it and carefully started to brush Ambrosia's hair out.

"Oh! I got two strands!" Beast Boy grinned.

:Your hair feels like honey, my Queen!: Robin thought. :It smells like honey. It could be honey.:

:Hopefully not sticky like honey?: she giggled.

:Oh, no, my Queen. It's softer than the most luxurious silk...:

:You make me blush!:

:I love you, my Queen.:

:I love you, Robin. My dearest Robin.: she gave a soft sigh and mentally kissed him. This time, he was able to savor the sensation, as he moved his hands through her hair. Starfire was enthralled in what she was doing and paid no notice to him. He was able to remove three strands of hair carefully from his fingers. Starfire was able to receive one, and Beast Boy got another. Jericho continued to brush out each strand and was able to remove several of them with the long, slow brush strokes.

"How long can this take?" Hot Spot asked when he got a hair.

"Not sure," Jericho admitted. "We can't simply pluck her hair. It would be very painful for her, and the magic the strands hold wouldn't be potent enough."

"Really?" Bushido frowned.

"Painful to pluck hair?" Aqualad blinked.

"Yes. It would be too stressful for her," Raven nodded. Several more strands of hair were given over, and Ambrosia seemed to sigh. She was clearly getting bored.

"Just a bit longer, dearest," Jericho smiled. "We're almost done."

"Ooh! I got three!" Beast Boy grinned.

"I have another one!" Starfire beamed.

"Ambrosia? Can I use my machine to scan you while they do this?" Cyborg asked. "To make sure it knows what pureblood is?"

"Oh! Definitely!" Ambrosia nodded. Aqualad was able to claim a hair now, and he blinked at the strong scent of honey the strand gave off. He realized that it reminded him of when she touched his cheek, and he quickly put the strand in his uniform to hide it away. He refocused with a deep breath and noticed that Jericho was watching him. He gave a small smile and a shrug.

"Such a long hair!" Bushido blinked, as he got his strand. "It must be on us physically? To touch our skin? Or in our clothes of some sort?"

"As long as it's in your possession. Like your sword," Jericho nodded. Bushido now took the strand and wrapped it into the pommel cloth of his sword. It would work better for him this way. The blue straps went over the hair to protect it and to hide it away from sight.

"Very nice!" Robin grinned. Jinx put her strand in her robe, and Herald did the same. Kid Flash wore his like a necklace and had it looped several times under his suit. Each Titan was able to keep their strands of hair on them hidden away and secured.

"Oh, there was something that Mother told me about Fae hair," Ambrosia said. "The strands can also work as protective charms, if you know how to use them."

"Really?" Beast Boy grinned.

"Yes. King Elvey and Father would need to explain how to do it," she nodded.

"All right. When everyone gets a hair, we'll have a group lesson," Robin nodded.

"Okay," Cyborg muttered, as he brought out two machines. They were the same type of device, and he had taken Bushido's advice on setting up one machine by the stairs in the castle and the other set of stairs leading to the garden. He focused them both on Ambrosia, and they scanned her silently. She felt an odd tingle, as they scanned her DNA sequence. Within seconds, the pureblood DNA was encrypted, and they were ready to be installed.

"That felt...odd," she blinked.

"But, now they're charged up and ready to deliver a nasty zap to anyone not an ally or of a pure bloodline," Cyborg grinned. "We'll need to warn that one guy, though. The site maker."

"True," Jericho nodded. "He will be the only non-pure Fae there."

"And if Orin shows up..." Ambrosia frowned.

"He won't," Robin vowed. "We already confirmed that."

"I hope so," she sighed.

:My Queen, don't worry. That ingrate will NEVER step foot on these castle grounds! The crystals are already set with his energy to keep him away.: Robin promised.

:I always feel so hurt when I think of him!: she sighed.

:He won't touch you! I swear this!:

:All right, love. I'll trust in you.:

:Always trust in me, my Queen.: he mentally muttered and gave her a mental kiss. At the way she responded back to him, he almost lost complete focus. The scent of her honey hair wasn't helping, and he cleared his throat to regain himself.

"You're craving?" Jericho mused.

"No!" Robin growled.

"Dude, you look pale," Beast Boy frowned.

"I'm fine!" he snapped. Then he blinked and mumbled an apology.

"Robin? Um...do you need Ambrosia's nectar?" Starfire frowned softly.

"Ah..." he sighed.

"Robin, just stop fighting it," Raven scowled.

"How many vials do you have left?" Cyborg asked, as he fixed up the machines.

"Not that many. I need them refilled," Robin admitted.

"Then refill them and get your fix," Jericho smirked.

"Fix?" Hot Spot asked.

"Yeah," Robin grimaced. "She gave Beast Boy healing nectar, remember? He swallowed something when she kissed him. It's the same stuff that I've become incredibly addicted to."

"You're...addicted to it?" Aqualad asked with a frown.

"Is it a drug?" Bushido asked.

"No. It's liquid life, and Robin needs a lot of it to build up the magic that's growing in him," Jericho said calmly. "Robin. Fill up your vials and get your fix. Now."

"Fine," Robin sighed. He had to keep himself from appearing too eager to get it.

"Ambrosia, did your mom have the same stuff to heal with?" Beast Boy asked.

"No. She simply put a little bit of her essence into the body of the patient. Then, when the body was healed, she would pull out what she set in," she said. "She was a powerful healer."

"She always was," Jericho sighed, as Tintagel mused. "She was the most skilled, too."

She smiled softly and watched Robin take out several empty vials. Then he shocked the other Titans there by kissing her and carefully spitting out the precious glowing yellow nectar into a vial.

"That's her nectar?!" Bushido gaped.

"That it is!" Cyborg grinned.

"She can only give so much of it at a time," Jericho frowned. "It can drain her."

"He's almost done," Beast Boy nodded. Right after the last vial was filled, Robin kissed her hard to drink down the nectar his body needed. Then he backed away a bit and took a deep breath.

"Feel better?" Ambrosia asked with a soft blush.

"Yeah," Robin sighed. "And don't any of you get the wrong idea!"

"Robin gets in pain without it," Starfire frowned. Now he moved to her side and kissed her. She blinked at this and said, "Your mouth tastes like honey!"

"You just taste what's left over from the nectar," he chuckled.

"It is...different!" Starfire admitted. "I feel stronger!"

"Good," he smiled. She hugged him tight and went back to carefully removing strands of hair.

"How much is left?" Ambrosia asked.

"We only need ten more," Jericho said in a soothing tone.

"Make that nine!" Beast Boy chuckled.

"It's so pretty!" Kole said when she got a strand of hair. "And it smells lovely, too!"

"Special hair?" Gnarrk blinked at it.

"Yes, Gnarrk! Look. I'll tie it to your waist, okay? It lets you see special things," she giggled.

The rest of the hairs were harvested and dispersed quickly. They didn't want to extract anymore hairs until they were needed, and this was unanimously agreed on.

"We have about three hours until the sun sets in Ireland," Jericho said. "We need to put the finishing touches in the ballroom. Then we all need to dress in our finest clothes, if we have them. Ambrosia and I will wear our wedding clothes."

"I can probably use Elvey's suit," Robin mused.

"I will wear my bridesmaid dress!" Starfire beamed.

"I'm sure that many of us will simply wear what we always have," Kid Flash chuckled.

"Right. Well, before any of you go off on your own, I need to show you all how to protect yourselves with Ambrosia's strand of hair. Many Fae will try to see what they can do to you all. I must make sure that you're all safeguarded. Let's all meet in the ballroom, and we'll do this there," Jericho said. "It's very important!"

"Okay," Hot Spot nodded and helped rally the Titans to get to Ireland. Ambrosia stood up to stretch, and Jericho hugged her tight.

"Ready, love?" he smiled and kissed her gently.

"Of course," she smiled back. He swept her off her feet to make her squeal softly, and he teleported with her to Ireland.