From that point on, after he had seen the rebels under Raven's shop,
Robin proceeded to help the rebels in small ways. Sneaking out whenever he
could, Robin would give information to the rebels including guard shifts,
archer locations, hidden passages and more. When one rebel told Robin, "So
you must believe our cause is worthy." "No I don't," Robin replied, "Like
Barlan, I only help either side out but I remove my self from your
skirmishes and look out for myself only." While Raven and Barlan grew to
accept Robin's decisions, many of the rebels felt nervous about placing
their trust in a guy who didn't even accept their cause. Soon Robin began
to worry if the choice would ever come. Starfire's memory was beginning to
fade more rapidly and even his memories of home were starting to become a
blur. From the night that he and Starfire made love for the first time, he
constantly reminded himself that he should fight at least for Starfire.
One night after dinner, Robin was just preparing to sneak out again when he ran into Slade in the hallway. "Robin it's nearly past the turning hour (midnight), why are you still awake?" "Oh, no reason, just walking myself to sleep I could say. Thinking." "Of what?" "Well, see the thing is, well...how can I put this? I used to know someone. Not to long ago. He was evil, one of the most evil persons I've ever known. He had shown an extreme liking to me. He looked on me as a protégé of a sort. He wanted me to join him, to well be like him. To be well, his son more or less. We fought constantly and always I would lose or it would end in a draw. Yet, the mystery of him, drew me closer, made me want to find him and fight him. I've never really found out who he was or why he saw me as a son but the thing is Alhrik, well don't take this the wrong way but...he reminds me of you." "Oh he does?" "Yes but the thing is...well...there is much that I like about you Alhrik. I mean you have provided me with a home, your daughter's hand in marriage, and more. Yet much of you remains a mystery to me...much like that evil one. The thing is well; you're the exact opposite of him. What he has in such malcontent ways, you have in caring ways. Sometimes I just wish, he was more like you. Then I could really look on him as a father figure. Just like I do you." "Robin," Alhrik said, putting his hand on Robin's shoulder, "this man, you say that he is evil. Yet he looks at you as a son or protégé. Believe me when I tell you this. He doesn't seem all that evil to me. It seems to me that he is reaching out to you, maybe because he could never have a son or protégé as talented and loving as you. His means to reach out just well, give the impression of evil. Now I admit, much of me is a secret, and I like to keep it that way, but my friend...brother...son...I only do it for the better of my people and I." Robin slouched his head out the window and let out a long sigh. "You still seem troubled my boy, what else plagues your mind?" "Well, Alhrik..." Robin hesitated about continuing, "Imagine that you have to make a choice. You don't know where, when, or how it will come, but you know you'll eventually have to make it. But say that you have to make a choice between choosing two beautiful things. That you can only choose one and can never return to the other. What would you do?" "Hmm...that I cannot say. My wisdom cannot see that far. Hah, listen to me. I speak as though I am some soothsayer or something. I am getting too old." Robin managed to crack a smile. He then reached over and hugged Slade. He couldn't imagine why he'd be doing it, but he could see Slade, well this version of him as a father figure...something he never really had. "Thank you Alhrik." "Do not mention it, I just like to see you happy son. Now you go off to bed now." Robin then proceeded to head down the hallway. The problem was, he had completely forgotten that he was still heading out the castle. And Slade knew that Robin's bedroom was in the other direction.
After meeting with the rebels that night, Robin returned to the castle, but went to Starfire's room instead. He lied on her bed as she rested her head on his chest. "Robin, my memories are growing dimmer and dimmer. I can barely remember who Barlan and Capt. Hallen used to be." "You mean Beast Boy and Cyborg." "Yes...I can barely remember how they used to look...you know in our outfits. I can barley remember how to use my own powers. Sometimes it even hurts when I think of them." "I know it feels weird Star..." Robin said as he ran his hands through Starfire's crimson hair, "but I just need you to hold out a bit longer. I have this strange feeling inside me. It's like I can almost feel this choice coming closer and closer. I still can't tell where or when it will come, but I can sense it." Starfire leaned down and kissed Robin and said, "I shall try my best. If I have to read my diary of memories ten times or more a day, I will. I won't forget home Robin, our friends, I wont forget us." Robin then looked up and kissed Starfire as the two savored it as long as they could. Little did they know that they were being watched.
As Slade stood outside Starfire's room, watching his daughter, Tamarina fall deeper and deeper in love with Robin, as the two lay in bed. He turned his head away feeling pleased that his daughter had finally found her love, but terrible that her love might be a forbidden one. As he left for his chamber, a guard came running to him. The same guard who was given the orders to follow Robin, to see everything that he did outside the castle that night. "Sir, it was hard to tell but I do believe that Robin is a traitor. I saw him follow the future reader down into a cave. I couldn't follow but I heard many voices in the cave. I think that he might know what you're up to sir. Shouldn't you just undergo the ritual now, before the rebels build up enough strength to storm the castle?" "I shall choose when to receive the aura soldier, until then return to your post and mention nothing of this to anyone. If you do, I shall see to it that you will never even face the afterlife." "Yes sir." With that the guard ran back off to his post. Slade turned the corner into his room and found himself crying. "Soon my son...soon...it will end. And my daughter...I hope you can...forgive me. For what I will have to do...will stain my soul and tarnish my mind that can never be washed away or...repaid for..."
To Be Continued...
One night after dinner, Robin was just preparing to sneak out again when he ran into Slade in the hallway. "Robin it's nearly past the turning hour (midnight), why are you still awake?" "Oh, no reason, just walking myself to sleep I could say. Thinking." "Of what?" "Well, see the thing is, well...how can I put this? I used to know someone. Not to long ago. He was evil, one of the most evil persons I've ever known. He had shown an extreme liking to me. He looked on me as a protégé of a sort. He wanted me to join him, to well be like him. To be well, his son more or less. We fought constantly and always I would lose or it would end in a draw. Yet, the mystery of him, drew me closer, made me want to find him and fight him. I've never really found out who he was or why he saw me as a son but the thing is Alhrik, well don't take this the wrong way but...he reminds me of you." "Oh he does?" "Yes but the thing is...well...there is much that I like about you Alhrik. I mean you have provided me with a home, your daughter's hand in marriage, and more. Yet much of you remains a mystery to me...much like that evil one. The thing is well; you're the exact opposite of him. What he has in such malcontent ways, you have in caring ways. Sometimes I just wish, he was more like you. Then I could really look on him as a father figure. Just like I do you." "Robin," Alhrik said, putting his hand on Robin's shoulder, "this man, you say that he is evil. Yet he looks at you as a son or protégé. Believe me when I tell you this. He doesn't seem all that evil to me. It seems to me that he is reaching out to you, maybe because he could never have a son or protégé as talented and loving as you. His means to reach out just well, give the impression of evil. Now I admit, much of me is a secret, and I like to keep it that way, but my friend...brother...son...I only do it for the better of my people and I." Robin slouched his head out the window and let out a long sigh. "You still seem troubled my boy, what else plagues your mind?" "Well, Alhrik..." Robin hesitated about continuing, "Imagine that you have to make a choice. You don't know where, when, or how it will come, but you know you'll eventually have to make it. But say that you have to make a choice between choosing two beautiful things. That you can only choose one and can never return to the other. What would you do?" "Hmm...that I cannot say. My wisdom cannot see that far. Hah, listen to me. I speak as though I am some soothsayer or something. I am getting too old." Robin managed to crack a smile. He then reached over and hugged Slade. He couldn't imagine why he'd be doing it, but he could see Slade, well this version of him as a father figure...something he never really had. "Thank you Alhrik." "Do not mention it, I just like to see you happy son. Now you go off to bed now." Robin then proceeded to head down the hallway. The problem was, he had completely forgotten that he was still heading out the castle. And Slade knew that Robin's bedroom was in the other direction.
After meeting with the rebels that night, Robin returned to the castle, but went to Starfire's room instead. He lied on her bed as she rested her head on his chest. "Robin, my memories are growing dimmer and dimmer. I can barely remember who Barlan and Capt. Hallen used to be." "You mean Beast Boy and Cyborg." "Yes...I can barely remember how they used to look...you know in our outfits. I can barley remember how to use my own powers. Sometimes it even hurts when I think of them." "I know it feels weird Star..." Robin said as he ran his hands through Starfire's crimson hair, "but I just need you to hold out a bit longer. I have this strange feeling inside me. It's like I can almost feel this choice coming closer and closer. I still can't tell where or when it will come, but I can sense it." Starfire leaned down and kissed Robin and said, "I shall try my best. If I have to read my diary of memories ten times or more a day, I will. I won't forget home Robin, our friends, I wont forget us." Robin then looked up and kissed Starfire as the two savored it as long as they could. Little did they know that they were being watched.
As Slade stood outside Starfire's room, watching his daughter, Tamarina fall deeper and deeper in love with Robin, as the two lay in bed. He turned his head away feeling pleased that his daughter had finally found her love, but terrible that her love might be a forbidden one. As he left for his chamber, a guard came running to him. The same guard who was given the orders to follow Robin, to see everything that he did outside the castle that night. "Sir, it was hard to tell but I do believe that Robin is a traitor. I saw him follow the future reader down into a cave. I couldn't follow but I heard many voices in the cave. I think that he might know what you're up to sir. Shouldn't you just undergo the ritual now, before the rebels build up enough strength to storm the castle?" "I shall choose when to receive the aura soldier, until then return to your post and mention nothing of this to anyone. If you do, I shall see to it that you will never even face the afterlife." "Yes sir." With that the guard ran back off to his post. Slade turned the corner into his room and found himself crying. "Soon my son...soon...it will end. And my daughter...I hope you can...forgive me. For what I will have to do...will stain my soul and tarnish my mind that can never be washed away or...repaid for..."
To Be Continued...