Nightwing's teammates were stunned in disbelief.

"He didn't really mean it." Jinx protested. "He must have Space Sickness or …"

"BE SILENT!" Galfore thundered. "Nightwing has challenged Frassa'd and the challenge has been accepted. If he backs out the punishment is death."

"But that's barbar …" Jinx was unable to complete her protest as a gag made of Raven's obsidian light covered her mouth. Raven then used her powers to make Jinx sit down. The hextress ripped the gag off her face and glared at the Azarathian.

"Raven, are you nuts? Dick doesn't stand a chance. The guy can fly and will fry him with his powers."

The sorceress placed a calming hand on her shoulder. "Frassa'd doesn't have Starbolts or eyebeams. Only Starfire and her sister have those powers. He also isn't as strong as Starfire. It's actually a fairly even match."

Wally joined into the discussion. "How can you and Beast Boy be so calm? This is a fight to the death!"

"Enough! This is not a time for discussion!" Galfore thundered. "You have made a challenge, human; step forward!"

Nightwing was wearing a Tuxedo, which he removed. He was wearing his superhero costume under the suit and he stepped forward. He had a cold look on his face, and the flint like hardness in his eyes was hidden behind his mask.

Frassa'd looked equally fierce. He removed his ceremonial armor and the muscles on his limbs quivered in anticipation, as if they were looking forward to the battle with the alien. As Grayson approached it was evident that Frassa'd was a least a foot (30 cm) taller that the Earthling.

The entire assembly had fallen silent. Galfore cleared his throat.

"The only rules for the fight is that no one may interfere and energy weapons are not allowed. Other than that there are no rules. The winner is the one who kills his opponent."

Starfire was standing next to Galfore and lunged forward. He grabbed her wrist but with the extra strength her royal blood gave her she easily broke free. Frassa'd tried to stop her, but she flung him aside. She marched up to her former lover; her eyes were brimming with what she would call "righteous fury".

"Are you the crazy?" She screamed at him. "What are you doing?"

"I'm doing what I have to do."

"But why? You told me that you did not love me anymore."

"I lied."

"Whaaaaat!?" She shrieked. "Why would you do that?"

"I have my reasons."

"And I would like to hear them!"

"Why?"

"Why? Because you might be dead before Vega rises tomorrow. I need to know why you spurned me and why you made this foolish challenge."

All eyes and ears were upon Grayson. Frassa'd growled and lurched towards the Earthling; but was stopped by Galfore's beefy arm.

"Let him speak. You will get your time with him."

Grayson looked away from the Princess.

"I dumped you because … you're too good for me. You're a princess and I'm just a circus brat."

"Is that not for me to decide? Richard … I never thought you were beneath me. Never."

"I know … and as to why I'm here, making this challenge … when you left, I finally understood that I can't live without you. So, if I lose … I won't have to live without you, because I'll be … dead."

Starfire face palmed. "Why did you not tell me this before I left Earth?"

His face fell. "You mean you would have stayed?"

"OF COURSE I WOULD HAVE STAYED, YOU IDIOT!"

"You still love me?"

Her expression softened. "Of course I do, I have always loved you, more than anyone." Frassa'd bristled upon hearing her confession. "But now you have foolishly entered into this death challenge, and no matter who wins I will be heartbroken, for I also love Frassa'd. I have known him since we were children and he has always been very close to me. Before I met you I thought that perhaps I would marry him someday. And even I cannot call off the duel you have requested."

She turned to her betrothed. "Frassa'd, only you can stop this."

The young warrior frowned. "It hurts me to hear you say that you love him more than you love me. And I understand that you do not wish to see a beloved die today, whether it be the wretched Earthling or me. I can prevent that from happening by yielding to the challenge."

Her eyes lit up. "So you will yield?"

He did not respond immediately. He closed his eyes and lowered his head. When he reopened his eyes they were glowing brightly and a scowl appeared on his face.

"I will not yield. If he wants you then he will have to kill me."

"Koriand'r! Leave them! It is time for them to battle." Galfore shouted.

Cyborg clenched his teeth. "That stupid, gel haired idiot, why didn't he listen to me?"

Starfire sadly and slowly walked back up the dais and stood beside Galfore.

"Make room for the duel!" Galfore shouted. He signaled the other Earthlings to come onto the dais, which they did. "Interference with the duel will not be tolerated. If you step off the dais during the battle, your life is forfeited." He warned them in a dangerous voice.

The assembly parted, leaving a space the size of a football field clear in the middle of the grand hall. Hundreds of guards lined the perimeter of the duel zone, each one armed with a spear with a huge, razor sharp blade at its end. Nightwing and Frassa'd were about fifty feet from each other and they paced clockwise around the center of the room, sizing each other up.

"Do not resist and I will make your death quick and painless, human."

"What makes you think you're gonna win?"

Frassa'd grinned. "I am taller, faster and stronger than you. I can fly and you cannot. I am a warrior of Tamaran; you are a clown from a circus. What would make you think you could win?"

Grayson did not betray any expression. He was content to let Frassa'd do all the boasting. Frassa'd didn't need to know that he was trained by the Batman. Bruce often told him that lulling an opponent into complacency was the first step towards defeating him.

"If you are so superior, I dare you to not fly."

Frassa'd grinned.

"Accepted. I do not need the power of flight to squash you, puny human."

Frassa'd raised an arm and a guard tossed a spear at him, which he deftly caught.

"The time for talking is over, I suggest you arm and defend yourself, human!"

Frassa'd bellowed a battle cry as he lunged towards Grayson, thrusting his spear at him. Nightwing produced one of his retractable bo staffs, which he extend just in time to parry the attack. With a swift kick he hit the spear in the middle, snapping it in half. He counter attacked with his bo staff and hit Frassa'd on one of his temples. The Tamaranian staggered for a second but quickly recovered and stepped away, raising his arm again and catching a replacement spear thrown at him.

"Very good, little man, very good … what you lack in physique you make up for in spirit. But this battle is not being fought on the spiritual plane."

"All battles are fought on the spiritual plane." Grayson retorted.

Frassa'd scowled at his smaller opponent. "I'm done playing with you, fool."

The Tamaranian attacked a second time. This time his attack was fast and furious. Starfire winced as she watched the two men fight. Frassa'd, with his blade making ominous swishing sounds, would miss Grayson by millimeters, as he would dodge any strikes he couldn't block with his bo staff. Frassa'd changed his strategy and spun around. He hit the bo staff in the middle, and the unnaturally sharp blade sliced it in half. Still spinning, Frassa'd hit Nightwing with a back kick and sent him flying. His acrobatic training came to the rescue and Grayson somersaulted away from the blade, which would have sliced him in half. As he continued to flip he produced his escrima sticks and threw them at the alien, who tried to dodge them, but one hit him the knee.

"Come on, Dick! You can beat him!" Wally shouted.

"Silence!" Galfore boomed. "No interference is allowed!"

"What, you mean can't even cheer?"

"What part of silence do you not understand, speedster?" Galfore growled.

Frassa'd grimaced in pain as he clutched his knee. Only a split second had passed but when he looked up he saw Nightwing swinging another bo staff, which connected on his injured knee, this time incapacitating the alien, who screamed in pain. He struck him twice in the head, rendering him helpless. Grayson pressed the tip of his bo staff to the alien's neck.

"Do you submit?" Grayson asked in a grave voice.

"Never!" Frassa'd gasped. "I prefer death."

A guard ran up to Nightwing and handed him a spear. Its evil blade glimmered in the light and looked hungry to spill the Tamaranian's orange blood.

"Last chance." Nightwing asked as he pressed the blade to Frassa'd's neck.

"Do what you must." He responded.

Grayson drew his arm back, ready to deliver the coup d' grace. Tears welled in Starfire's eyes. Jinx grabbed her husband's hand so tightly that he would have yelped, had he not already been screaming.

"Don't do it, man, don't do it!" Cyborg shouted.

The Logans, like Galfore, seemed unfazed.

Nightwing thrust the spear down with all his might … the crowd gasped.

The spear impaled Into the ground next to Frassa'd's head. Nightwing turned and faced Galfore.

"I won't kill him."

Galfore crossed his arms. "Then you lose the challenge."

"What?" Jinx shrieked. "What the hell is wrong with you people?"

"Nightwing loses the challenge." Galfore explained. "But keeps his life."

"So Frassa'd wins?"

Galfore shook his head. "He too has lost. Princess Koriand'r is free to end her betrothal with him."

The crowd was roaring its disapproval, they were thirsty for blood, and they didn't get to see any blood spill. Amid the ruckus Grayson, who still had his back to Frassa'd, did not notice him get up, pull the spear out of the ground and throw it at his back.

As soon as the spear left his hand it was destroyed by a star bolt. Frassa'd yelped when the marble floor around him became liquid and trapped him in what looked like a giant hand, which had energy tendrils dancing on it.

The changeling was kneeling on the dais, his hand pressed against its marble surface.

"Dude! That's cheating!" He shouted.

Starfire was standing next to the changeling, her hand still smoldering from the star bolt she had just thrown.

Grayson had turned around and was examining the smoking remains of the spear, he then walked up to the still trapped Frassa'd.

"You aren't good enough for her." Nightwing growled.

"And you are?" Frassa'd hissed.

A phalanx of guards surrounded the two men. Garfield freed Frassa'd and several guards grabbed him and Grayson.

"Take Frassa'd to the dungeon." Galfore shouted. "And take the human to my chambers!"

The guards dragged the two men away, in different directions.

"Koriand'r, you and your guests will come with me."

Galfore stomped away and was followed by the Titans. Eventually they reached Galfore's chambers, where Grayson was waiting, surrounded by guards, who were aiming their spears at him.

"Leave us." Galfore commanded and the guards left.

The grand ruler of Tamaran crossed his arms and frowned at the Earthlings before turning to Grayson.

"This could have been avoided." He growled. "Frassa'd is a good man and now he is humiliated and disgraced. No woman now will take him as a mate. I hope now that you understand what you did to him."

"I won't kill."

"Then why did you challenge him?"

Grayson did not answer. Galfore snorted. "It no longer matters, as nothing can be done to undo the damage." He turned to the Starfire. "Princess, do you love this human more than anyone else?"

"Yes, I do."

He turned to Grayson. "And do you love her more than any other woman."

"Yes. I was willing to die for her."

Several smiles broke out in the human contingent. Raven and Gar, who were standing in the back of the room, subtly fist bumped.

"Everyone, come. We must leave Koriand'r and Grayson alone, for they have much to discuss."

As they walked out of the room the Logans stopped next to Grayson.

"It's about time." Garfield grinned.

"You owe us, big time." Raven added.

"Wait a minute? What do you mean I owe you?"

The Logans did not answer, but instead they each took Coraline by the hand and walked away. Once they were out two guards closed the room's massive doors, leaving Nightwing and Starfire alone.

"They set me up!" Nightwing fumed. "They talked you into leaving so I would get jealous and come running after you."

"If that was their intent, I was uninformed … Richard … why wouldn't you tell me?"

"I don't know." His voice warbled. "Because I'm stupid?"

She wrapped her arms around him. "No, you are not stupid. You were the afraid. You have always been the afraid … why? Do you not trust me with your heart?"

He peeled his mask off. "I'm afraid of losing you."

"And if you do not have me, you cannot lose me?"

"Yeah, something like that." He sighed.

"My beloved, we have both lost loved ones. You lost your parents and I lost mine. There are no guarantees in life, that is the way it is. But would you not prefer that we spend whatever time we have together?"

"I did come after you, didn't I?"

"You did that out of fear, you were afraid of losing me to another man … Richard … I do not want our being together happening because of fear."

"I know."

She smiled at him. It was such a sweet and soft smile that for a moment he saw the young, sweet teenage girl he fell in love with over ten years before.

"Richard, do you love me?"

"I do."

She kissed him very tenderly.

"Do you trust me?"

"I trust you with my life."

She kissed him again.

"Will you be my husband?"

"I don't deserve that honor." He whispered.

"That is not what I asked you."

"You mean, you forgive for all the crap that I did to you all these years?"

She smiled. "Yes, I forgive you. Now, answer me … will you be my husband?"

"I … I can't believe you forgive me … I was the ultimate douche bag."

"You are forgiven … will you ever cheat on me again?

"What? No … never. That won't happen again, I swear by my parents."

She smiled again. "Richard, I am still waiting for your answer."

He took her hands and kissed her palms.

"I will."

-( - )-

A few weeks later … back in Jump City …

The wedding reception was winding down. The Newlyweds, who had a second ceremony on Earth, had already left of their honeymoon. In a gesture of friendship, Starfire invited the Logans, who were married on Azarath, to renew their vows at their ceremony. Raven at first resisted, saying that it was wrong to steal their thunder on their wedding. Starfire countered that since they had already wed on Tamaran, that she and Grayson were also renewing their vows. So Raven agreed to her request, much to both Coraline's and Gar's delight.

The Logans were sitting alone at a table. Coraline had run off to play with some of the other children who came to the wedding, which was held in the Tower and officiated by the Mayor. Cyborg saw them and joined them at the table.

"That was some wedding. Don't tell Star, but I liked this one better than the one on Tamaran. I have to say, Galfore seemed pretty cool about Nightwing. Maybe he's just glad it's over."

"I was glad it was over, especially their reception on Tamaran." Gar replied.

"I agree. Tamaranian food is disgusting." Raven added.

"It's more than disgusting, it's inedible." Cyborg agreed. "Say, I've been wanting to ask you guys something. I saw you guys fist bump on Tamaran and I heard you tell Dick that he owed you, big time. What was that about? Were you guys behind all this?"

The changeling grinned. "Guilty as charged."

"You mean you guys orchestrated all this?"

"Not quite. We weren't expecting Galfore to arrange a marriage for her." Raven responded.

"But we ran with it. In a way it was even better that way." Gar added.

"Better? Are you guys nuts? It was a duel to the death! Dick could have been killed."

"We had it all under control, Chrome Dome. Plus we knew he would win."

"What if he didn't? What then?"

"It was a calculated risk. If Dick lost, I would have whisked him away before Frassa'd killed him and taken him to Azarath."

"That would have set back Earth/Tamaran diplomacy by a thousand years." Cyborg grumbled.

"Like I said, it was a calculated risk. If we failed, they would stayed apart, but that's what they were already, so nothing was lost if we failed … which I might add we didn't." Raven concluded.

Cyborg rubbed the back of his head. "I hope you guys are pleased with yourselves."

Raven and her husband shared a kiss.

"Yeah, we're awesome." They said together in a single voice.

They raised their Champaign flutes and toasted each other.

THE END