Chapter Four: Pyurit'i
(AUTHORS: NOTE: Yes, I hate A/Ns in the middle of a story too. Just bear with me a moment. Ahem: Once more I am deluged with emails asking me if this story is part of a series, and the answer is YES, the first and second stories being 'Something In Common' and Shadow Of The Serpent', respectively. Thank you for your indulgence.)
Blackfire's jaw dropped agape. For one brief moment, she thought she was dreaming, that at any moment now, she would wake up and gaze into the face of a Centauri justice sentencing her to death.
Or to her father's face, as he told her that she will be Queen of Tamaran, whether she liked it or not.
But she was her. This was not a dream. Blackfire knew the universe to be cruel, knew that she had done things that could never, should never be forgiven, but sometimes, you got an amnesty, sometimes the Divine took mercy on you. That was how Blackfire was sure it was her standing there, the first person Blackfire had fallen in love with.
-but was she the only one-
The inner voice was silenced as Blackfire seized her old chambermaid in an iron embrace, feeling her familiar warmth combine with her own, and no words could have described her joy when she felt Pyurit'i return hold her in return.
On an impulse, Blackfire placed her lips on Pyurit'i's and kissed her deeply. She was mildly surprised and very …pleased… when, like the embrace, Pyurit'i gave as good as she got, if not better.
"Dude, I know that's Blackfire out there, but… that's so totally hot," Beast Boy said, breaking the shocked silence among the Titans, most of whom were too shocked for words.
Except for Raven.
Others would have wept.
But not her.
She was Raven.
And Raven never cried, or smiled.
And she never would.
Raven only mourned.
And she would do that.
Nothing more.
In Raven's room, beneath the Book of Azar and some comics by Neil Gaiman, beneath three worn scrolls that four vampire clans in San Francisco have almost eliminated each other for, beneath a voodoo doll that would have been used by Papa Doc to take over the world, there lay a small mirror hidden carefully within a drawer of her desk.
It began to crack.
(scene change)
"..and so you see, that was how me and Blackfire became separated." Pyurit'i said, by way of explanation, as the other Titans sat in the rec room with her. All the Titans, except Raven, who sat off at another corner of the room, reading a book.
"But how did you get out?" Beast Boy asked. "I mean, you said it yourself that the King wasn't going to let you go."
"No I didn't," Pyurit'i replied. "He said that I was to be detained 'at his pleasure'."
Blackfire snorted. "Like Meand'r was ever going to be that pleased," she said, as she rested her head in Pyurit'i's lap, feeling her lover's hand through her hair.
"Blackfire! You shouldn't talk about our father like that!"
"Oh, and why not?" her sister shot back, rising, her eyes flashing purple.
"Please, Blackfire, she did not mean anything by it," Pyurit'i said, placing her hand on Blackfire's shoulder. "You must try to understand-"
"Understand? Understand! Pyurit'i, my father cut me off from my family, and tried to have you jailed for life, just because we did not see the world the way he did, and now you're asking me to believe he was right?"
Blackfire found herself being looked at straight in the eye before Pyurit'i answered, "Yes, and no. Yes, because like it or not, he was King of Tamaran, and because of that, he had other things to worry about than the common person; he had to worry about ruling Tamaran's holdings, Tamaran's politics, and most importantly of all, Tamaran's future sovereign, his succession."
"So you're saying he was right?" Blackfire said, not believing what her lover was telling her.
"I also said no, Blackfire. He did not have to break us apart, he did not have to hurt you and chase you away. Even if he did not approve of our relationship, he could have just revoked your title and given us a chance to make it on our own, together. One way or another, your sister would have become the next Queen anyway."
She took a deep breath before continuing, "I'm just saying that you should understand that your father had his reasons, and that you should not blame your sister for them. Whether you want to forgive, or forget, that's entirely your choice."
"Do you?" Blackfire asked.
"Do I what?"
"Do you want to forgive or forget?"
Pyurit'i paused for a moment before answering, "No, Blackfire, I will not forgive, or forget what your father did to us. As I said, there was no need for his actions. I can understand them, but there's no chance this side of all nine freezing hells I'm going to let him off. No offence, Your Highness," she said to Starfire.
"It is…okay, I think." Starfire replied.
"So, how'dya escape?" Beast Boy asked.
Pyurit'i laughed. "Is he always this persistent?"
"No. Sometimes, it's worse." Robin answered.
"Come on, guys, quit the insults, I wanna know how you escaped!"
Pyurit'i laughed again before continuing, "Alright, alright- Beast Boy, wasn't it?"
"Yeah."
"Well, as it turned out, I didn't have to do anything at all. The ship I was on was one of Tamaran's high security ships, where they kept their most wanted, or unwanted, I suppose." Blackfire's face darkened at this, but Pyurit'i either didn't notice or pretended not to as she continued, "There was a very important leader of a local pirate gang onboard, and while in transport to the prison moon on the outskirts of the Tamaran system, they attacked. Killed all the guards who did not manage to escape, and enslaved or recruited any surviving prisoners."
"This is so cool," Beast Boy whispered.
"Anyway, after a while, I managed to get a signal about the location of their home base off to the Traders' Guild. Turns out this pirate gang was really causing them problems in the sector, and after they hired a mercenary army to take care of the pirates, they offered me a choice of rewards: a large cash payment, or working with them. Naturally, I chose to work for them."
"Didn't you want to look for Blackfire?" Robin asked, taking the words right out of a hurt Blackfire's mouth.
"Why do you think I wanted to work for them in the first place? As a Guild representative, I had a perfectly legal reason to travel all over the Galaxy, to access Guild records, to ask all sorts of questions and ask help from any police force; I had more power than most law enforcement agencies to look for Blackfire."
She looked at Blackfire and sighed. "And then, I found you." She stroked Blackfire's hair, smiling. "You know, it's one thing to steal from minor planetary banks and rich businessmen, Blackfire. It's quite another to steal the sacred artefacts of a major empire."
"I keep on telling people," Blackfire said in mock protest. "Artefact, artefact, I only stole one!" Blackfire corrected. "And besides, it's not much fun to play it safe, is it?"
"No it isn't," Pyurit'i replied. "Maybe that danger was what made our relationship so exciting," she added, placing her arms around Blackfire. "Not like it's going to change now though, is it?"
Blackfire laughed. "No, it isn't."
After giving Blackfire a quick kiss, Pyurit'i resumed. "Anyway, to cut a longer story short, I made a few friends within the Centauri, and when I learned that you were going to be here for a while, I bought some leave from the Guild, and came here immediately."
"Bought some leave?" Robin asked.
"Yeah, the Guild gives 'paid leave' a whole new meaning. So, what is it that you normally do, when you're not fighting crime?"
"That depends." Robin answered. "Sometimes we go out, have something to eat together, watch a movie-"
"Bo-ring!" Blackfire said, waving a hand dismissively. "I say we go out and party!"
"Party?"
"You know: dance, sing –these humans have a this great invention, they call it 'karaoke', you know, have fun! Don't tell me you don't!"
"No, it's just that, I thought, with you fighting crime…"
"It just means that I know a few places where we can get in for free. Come on," Blackfire pouted, "it'll be great."
"No arguments from me; after being cooped up in that ship for who know how long, I need some release-that is, if your friends don't mind me coming along."
"Coming along?" Starfire asked, remembering her last experience at a nightclub and not liking it.
"Of course! I mean, aren't you guys coming along?" Pyurit'i asked.
"Sorry, but the thing is: we've got a lot of work to do." Robin sighed. "Don't get me wrong, I for one'd really like to go, but…"
"Look, Blackfire, don't worry about it. You two go and catch up, do your thing," Cyborg said, raising a sly eyebrow, "and we'll do our thing."
"Yeah, it'll be just like a stay-at-home date, right Raven?" Beast Boy said, turning around. "Raven?"
But she wasn't there.
"She must be on the roof," Cyborg said.
"On the roof?" Pyurit'i asked.
"Yeah, she spends a lot of time up there, you know, doing her Zen thing." Beast Boy confirmed.
"Zen thing?" Pyurit'i and Blackfire asked in unison.
"Yeah, you know, meditating, thinking about the meaning of life, I dunno," Beast Boy said. "Sorry, Pyurit'i, but Raven, well, she doesn't mix well with people, you know?"
"I'll go talk to her," Pyurit'i replied.
(scene change)
Raven's shadow stretched over the roof as the moon's light illuminated her silent form, as she tried to clear her mind, as she tried to mend herself.
As she tried to understand.
Azerath…
-it's not working-
Metrion…
-it's not working-
Xinthos…
Raven gave up trying to meditate; there were too many thoughts literally screaming through her mind in their desire for her attention, but despite their discord, they could have all been divided into two simple groups.
One group of voices said:
Look at how quickly she discarded me
See the way she immediately ran to –her- arms
She was too governed by emotions anyway.
My friends, how would they have accepted it?
And even if they did, how would I be sure that it would have worked anyway?
Blackfire wasn't right for me.
Sometimes you have to play it safe, and Blackfire was anything but safe.
Another group said:
She did not discard you; she was pleased to see her old…friend.
They were lovers once, I could not expect anything else, but that does not mean all hope is lost.
And so what if she was governed by emotions; I know first-hand that sometimes, you need them, if only to know that you live, and not simply exist.
My friends would have accepted it; they would not be my friends otherwise.
I could not be sure if it would have worked, but sometimes chances need to be taken; Blackfire taught me that.
That is how I know she was right for me.
Sometimes, danger was the only way you know you're alive-
"Raven?"
Raven turned behind her to see "Pyurit'i?"
"Please, call me Dawn," her rival (as one of Raven's stray thoughts called her) said. "That's what my name means, in Tameranian. Well, it actually means 'Light Of Early Morning', but you get my drift. May I sit down?"
Raven saw no reason why she shouldn't have, so she gestured to… Dawn to sit next to her.
"You weren't downstairs." Dawn said.
"I don't mix well with people."
"So I was told. You shouldn't be like that, you know. Mixing with people, it's good for the soul, trust me on this."
Raven did not reply, so Dawn looked out across the night sky, looking up at the stars.
"You know, I realized why Blackfire chose to stay here."
"Chose?"
"Oh please," Dawn said jokingly, "I know you've only known Blackfire for a short time, but surely you must have realized by now that she could have left at any time she wanted? She's too smart to be kept anywhere she doesn't want to be."
Dawn raised her hand in an expansive gesture. "This is one of the loveliest night skies I've ever seen, and since I've been under quite a few, I should know what I'm talking about. Blackfire always had an eye for beauty."
"Why are you up here?" Raven asked abruptly, before she managed to bring that flash of emotion under control. But she wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, least of all Dawn. "I'm sorry," she said, seeing the surprise on Dawn's face. "It's just that-" she began lamely, before Dawn placed her hand on Raven's arm- very much like Blackfire did sometimes.
"Let me guess, you're not much of a people person," she said wryly, then continued. "Well Raven, you're enough of a people person to be friends with Blackfire, and that's more than enough for me," she said, getting up. "You two are friends, right?"
Friends, Raven thought bitterly. "Yes, we're friends" Raven said.
She watched Dawn nod and walk away, before she turned once more to gaze upon the night sky. "That's all we are," she whispered, looking into the distance.
