Starfire was quick to head to the Ireland castle when she woke up. She wanted to talk to Elvey. I didn't mean to wake up! She also wanted to claim a room for herself, too. She wanted to make sure that the room she wanted was okay to have and fully unclaimed. It also gave her a reason to go to the castle. She knew that she couldn't let her new fondness for Elvey take over her thoughts, but it was hard for her to block them out. The thoughts only got stronger every time she was with him.

When she got into the castle, Robin was already waiting for her. He didn't want Starfire to stress out Ambrosia. If not Ambrosia, Elvey knew how jealous Esmiralda could get, too. He had Robin be the one to greet her. "Hey, Star! Good to see you again!"

"Robin!" she beamed. "You are not with Ambrosia?"

"She's sleeping, so it's okay. I have a some borrowed time until Aelfric demands for me," he sighed. "So, what's up? Something wrong?"

"I did not mean to wake up. Um...I was hoping to speak with Elvey. I wanted him to help me find a good room to be in," she smiled.

"I could help you with that," he frowned.

"I know. I just think that...well...Elvey would know best..." she said.

"Starfire," Elvey said, as he came through. "I'll help you find a room. It's fine. However, I want to know why you demand to see me now. If I didn't know any better, I would think you are enthralled."

"What?" she blinked. "Me? Enthralled?"

"Yes. You can't get me out of your mind. You always want to see me. Nothing else matters to you until you see me. I think you are enthralled. I just need to see how bad. Come. Let's find you a room and see if it will work for you."

"Elvey..." she frowned. "what do you mean by I may be enthralled?"

"Do you remember when I first touched you? How you always wanted more? And when I kissed you? You can't get the feelings out of your mind, can you?" he frowned, as they walked.

"Oh..." she said with a soft blush.

"So...yes...enthrallment. It happened at the gala with that first touch I did. Granted, you want to marry Robin, but it will only be because you want to be with me. I think you have lost your love for Robin," he said carefully. "He has never lost his love for you. It isn't fair to him."

"That is not true!" Starfire gasped.

"Then tell me that you still love me, Star," Robin said when he looked at her. "Because I still love you. Yeah, I also love Ambrosia, but I will always love you, Star."

"I do love..." she started and faltered. Why couldn't I finish it?! She shivered and trembled.

"Badly enthralled," Elvey grimaced. "We need to fix this now, or it will hamper your test with Blackfire. Come! Quickly!"

"I..." she whimpered and found her hand getting tugged along. An elaborately done up room with silk curtains, silk rugs, and rich wall hangings with large windows was readily found. He would have Jericho fix it up later. Right now, he had to fix Starfire.

"Starfire, listen to me carefully," Elvey said gently. "Robin cannot marry you if you do not love him. If he cannot marry you, then I cannot be with you, either."

"But...I do love..." she gasped and clenched her fists. "Why can I not say it?!"

"It's the enthrallment. There is a way to fix most of it. Enough to help. There will be some pain involved, but it will clear your mind and help you focus. I'm not going to hit you. I'm not going to do any form of damage to you. It will be the same thing that Mr. Wayne did to feel what Robin went through. I want you to grab my pendant."

"But...will that not that cause me pain?" she cringed.

"Sometimes it will. Sometimes it won't. You won't know until you try," Elvey smiled. "But, it will help you think clearly again. Aqualad needed Ambrosia to give him pain to clear his mind. I would do the same to you, but I will not physically harm you. I cannot bring myself to do that. I also do not want you to lose what care you have for me. So, an indirect way. It will work. You can't lose your focus on Blackfire. Or your love for Robin. I cannot dominate your thoughts."

"I see," she nodded. "Um...how am I to grab it?"

"Think that it's causing me pain," he suggested. She nodded and grabbed the pendant forcefully. Then she screamed and released it from the shock it gave to her core. She crumpled to the ground in sobbing tears, but it was Robin that moved to hug her tight. "I went through three hours of that pain. What you felt was a mere fraction. It was this same pain that saved my life. I want it to save your love for me. Please, Star, tell me you love me again!"

"I do...love you...Robin...!" she gasped and clung to him. He rocked her with a form of intense relief. He kissed her gently now and continued to hug her close.

"The pain may stay with you for a while, but it will get easier to bear. Don't worry. You're not physically hurt. The pain will leave you."

"What...pain was that?"

"You got touched with Fae energy. Think of it as though you stuck a piece of metal into an electrical outlet. You got zapped. It's not intense, but just a warning shot. If you ever feel that you can't say that you love me, grab the pendant again. The raw force of Fae energy will counter the enthrallment. I know how to fully make it leave your mind, but that can't happen until we get married. Okay?"

"This is not intense?!" she asked with disbelief. Then she paused at his small smile. He went through the pain for three solid hours. She shivered and nodded. She was still shaky when he helped her up, but she sighed and hugged him tight. My mind is definitely cleared! That much she did know.

"Do you like this room?" he asked.

"I do! Um, it lacks a bed," she said with a smile.

"I saw that. I can have Jericho fix it up for you later. Ah! Aelfric!" Robin winced. Starfire was quick to help him get to the master bedroom. Jericho was resting a hand on her belly, and he nodded to Starfire when she walked in with Robin.

"I was about to get you," Jericho frowned. "Starfire? Is everything well now?"

"I think so. I still hurt a little," she admitted.

"The feeling will fade. Just give it time," Ambrosia smiled warmly. "Did you pick a room?"

"Yes! But, I need more furnishings. Oh! Is it possible to conjure things from my planet?" Starfire asked curiously. "I know not now. But, later on?"

"Of course! I would be delighted to do that for you! Tell us what you need in the room," Ambrosia beamed. As they gossiped, Jericho gave a rather intense look of worry to Robin. The same frown was echoed in full, but at least a fix was found. Even though it was temporary. With everything finally settling down at the castle, another pawn was being found for the Unseelie Court a few continents away in Vietnam.

The forests of Nam Cat Tien were quiet. The rangers detected nothing out of the ordinary, as they stopped their patrols for the night. They even missed the set of glowing green eyes that stalked them from the treetops. They weren't victims, though. They were just being watched out of mere curiosity. When they were gone, the eyes that the mask belonged to seemed to fade out the glow. The grinning, fanged face came into light, as the girl with long, black hair pondered what to do.

Her weapon claws were sunk into the bark to keep her there. Her clothing attire only seemed to be comprised of a long-sleeved, short-skirted dark green kimono with light green wrapping, and lining. She didn't bother with a form of pants, as they would have slowed her down. She looked slender, fast, and very lethal. She had barely escaped the Brotherhood of Evil when it collapsed. She made her way back home to recover and plot what she needed to do next. So far, nothing came to mind. Sighing to herself, she climbed down and approached a pool of water to look into it.

Her white cat mask with black and pink striped markings looked back at her. The lines made up the eyebrows and dual pink markings touched the cat-like green eyes near the sides. The massive, toothily fanged grin was the only other highlight to the mask. She fixed up her bound back black hair with the matching green trim ribbon. Her green-lined black boots were also dusted off and inspected. Maybe I should head home. It was getting late, and she was getting a touch sleepy. As she studied herself a moment longer, the unmistakable outline of Sinlus appeared behind her.

Quicker than lightning, she was up with a claw aiming towards the old Fae's form, but she found herself blocked. He had a shield spell set up just for this.

"Hello, Cheshire. I came to talk. And no. You can't back out of it," Sinlus grinned wickedly. There was something about the older Fae that she didn't like, and she kept trying to slice at him. Why did it feel like my claws were bouncing off of steel?! There was nothing in front of him!

"I will not hear it!" she hissed and decided to bolt.

"Oh, goodie! You decided to run..." Sinlus smirked and vanished to mist. When she stopped near the edge of a clearing, he simply reformed next to her. "Care to talk now? No matter where you run, I will find you. Humans are always so easy to find! It's amusing."

"You aren't human?" she asked.

"I just reformed next to you, and you can't hit me. I'm not human," he grinned. "I'm over a thousand years old. I am of a race called the Fae. Mythical crap. But, we exist. What? I thought the ears would have given it away. You don't pay much attention to detail, do you?"

"Fae?" she asked with confusion. Now he let the enthrallment kick in.

"How would you like the chance to be even faster than you are now?" he said silkily. "You can be. It's very possible. All you have to do is shake my hand and agree to do one little thing."

"And what is it?" her interest was caught. It was easy to do with humans. So incredibly easy.

"Beat up a Titan when the time calls for it," he snickered.

"That's it?" she mused. I can easily do that!

"Yes. That's all you have to do. Of course, you won't be alone. But, you can only attack one. That one will be determined for you at the destined time. You will know when to fight."

"Can I kill?"

"Maybe if your 'team' wins! It's a bunch of tests, you see. If your 'team' is able to win, you'll get what you want and more. Just shake my hand. It's all you have to do," he said. "No claws, of course. I have to shake your actual hand. And a claw would simply get messy."

"The only way I will agree is if I get to go up against Speedy. I know I will win against him," she said. "I've beaten him before."

"Have you?! Hmm. I'll ensure it's arranged," he nodded. If this one knew which Titan to take on, I'm not going to argue! She removed her left claw and shook his hand. Then she shouted at the shock of pain she got. On looking at her palm, she gasped at the backwards moon crest. I was marked?! Once she was marked, the enthrallment broke. Now the realization set in.

"Treachery?!" she scowled.

"You shook my hand of your own impulse. Right?" he grinned. She went to attack him like all the others and squealed at the pain that slammed through her. At the sight of the two vile spirits that appeared, she stared through her mask with horror.

"Tis a cat!"

"No! Tis a rat!"

"And when she is cornered?"

"If she dies, will none mourn her?"

"Will she stay and fight?"

"Despite her new plight?"

"Will the claws be clipped?"

"Or in water she drips?"

"It matters not now."

"She will fight, anyhow!"

"So fast and so fierce..."

"Will her claws truly pierce?"

"Only one way to tell..."

"She will answer to our bell."

Sinlus nodded and glanced down at Cheshire's stunned form. Then he smiled softly and said, "Be a good little cat and strengthen yourself up. You have less than two weeks. Better make the most of it, right? Until then, I'll see you around."

"Why...did I agree...?!" she fretted.

"Because you liked the sound of my voice," he grinned wickedly. She glared at him under her mask. The audible gasp was heard from her when he vanished away with the vile spirits. She wanted to throw up. To beat herself up to pieces. I let myself get trapped! She could only hope that the way out was by winning against Speedy if she fought him. Maybe I would be let go. It was all she could hope for. Getting up now, she knew that fretting about it would do nothing. She sped back to her small house to start training and planning a trip. She just didn't know where to go yet.