The
Magical Dreamer
Chapter Two: Of Other
Worlds and Older Loves
By Azareth Sakura
Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans and stuff. Just the plot and any characters I end up creating later on in this story.
Her eyes squeezed tightly together, as to keep all traces of the rising sunlight out. Her task failed, however, as ever so subtly a few tendrils of the clear golden light swept in between her dark lashes and lit up her unfocused gaze. Her eyes slowly opened, and she stretched silently, alleviating her sore muscles, even if only for the briefest of moments.
Drawing her legs together, close to her body, Starfire yawned, and then looked up in the general direction of the sun as to take in the necessary energy. As she drank her fill, she pondered the situation- she was back in the dream world, but could no longer see the woods. It seemed as though some mystical force had transported her from their dark depravity whilst she slept, and placed her gently down into a tranquil meadow.
With a touch of regret, she noticed her male companion-if she could call the mysterious man from the woods that- was gone, he had disappeared, it seemed into the nothingness from whence her dreams were made of. Having drunk her fill of the pure, cosmic goodness, she stood and surveyed the empty pasture surrounding her.
Behind her, to the west, was more pasture. Starfire was not positive, but she was almost certain that the woods had been in that direction. She would not return there. To the east, in the distance, lay dark mountains. They did not have a dark, foreboding aura about them, but the alien girl could sense mischief and pranks of the habitants falling unto any unsuspecting visitor. This, she decided, would be the place she'd go to if the others felt as unwelcoming as the forest had been. A cold wind suddenly swept past her, and she turned in the direction it had come: the north. Up there it was winter, she could tell, as she rose into the air to get a clearer view. Though she did not feel cold as easily as humans did, Starfire still had the preference of warmer weather. The people seemed kind, so she decided that she would visit and explore the region come spring.
This process of elimination left her with but one remaining choice: the south. A foggy mist covered the distance for as far as she could see, even with her superior sight, but one large building was visible, partially at least. It was a formidable looking castle, able to strike fear into the hearts of an enemy, but brought comfort and a sense of security to Starfire. Thus settled, she selected this as the next place of visit, and set off in the direction of the castle. She hesitated only once, and that was to turn and look in each direction again as to reaffirm her decision.
She did not stop again.
The princess flew above the ground, and she noticed that the peasants farming in the fields before the castle stopped in their work as she passed to point and stare at her. She abruptly descended and continued the remainder of long trek to the fortress by foot. As she walked further, the people's stares lessened, and the fog began to dissipate with the coming out of the sun.
The castle was now more visible, and once again, a feeling of immense security blanketed her. Each step brought her closer, but each step also caused her to become more and more weary. The castle seemed to be close to her, yet every time she thought she was almost there, she turned the corner or climbed the hill to find the path continuing on past her line of sight.
A few hours later, the Titan collapsed to the ground, face red, hair flung out in messily, and breathing harsh. Fatigue had gotten to her, and as she felt herself beginning to lose consciousness, the sound of one familiar man in the midst of the sounds of the clamoring villagers was the last thing she heard before her vision went black, and she fell into a faint.
A tall man, dressed in a lively red colored shirt and ebony trousers stepped down from the snowy white mare, handed the reins to a nearby peasant, and swiftly made his way over to the sleeping Starfire. The villagers stepped back, forming a direct path to her, and bowed their heads in respect as he passed them.
He brushed a few stray locks from Starfire's forehead before scooping her gently into his strong arms, and turning to walk back to his horse. With the princess safely nestled in his grip, he whistled softly and the horse took off at a gallop.
The bed had been strategically placed near enough to one of the large glass windows so that as she slept, she would be able to absorb some of the needed energy to awaken her tired self. He lay her down into the bed, and pulled the cream covers around her, making sure she was warm enough. A plush chair made out of a beautifully varnished cherry wood sat in the corner of the room. Catching sight of it, the man dragged it over to the bed and sat down, watching the sleeping Tamaranian.
Three hours later, the rays of the sun began to dim as it passed beneath the rolling green hills that were visible behind the windows. Dusk came slowly, and with it, the sky turned into a vibrant, crimson orange color, the color of blood. The man was still there, and at first glance, he appeared to be merely sitting in the chair, face leaning against his right arm seemingly watching Starfire. A closer look showed him to be in fact asleep, leaned over on his right. His left hand was clutching the now warm hand belonging to Princess Koriand'r of Tamaran.
It was now dark, and the first rays of starlight glittered prettily on Starfire's tanned face. They came to a stop on the man's face as well, illuminating his handsome features. Starfire slowly opened her eyes, taking in the change of scenery while wondering where she was and how she got there. Idly, she wondered whether or not she was in the real world, but her thoughts soon changed as her awakening roused the sleeping man to consciousness.
Starfire gasped as his brilliant blue eyes stared into her now awake jade ones. His dark hair was mussed, and there was a red mark on his cheek, an imprint from the silver ring on his right hand. A black stone was set inside, and though she was not sure, Starfire believed it to be an onyx.
Sure that this man was who she thought he was, she parted her lips to speak. "Robin?" She asked. "What are you doing here? And… where exactly is here?" She did not bother asking about her friends, for in this world they did not exist.
Her eyes followed him as he rose from his chair, and sat down on her bed so that he could see her better. Picking up her hand, he gently brought it to his lips and kissed her softly, swiftly, and chastely on her knuckles. A shiver ran up Starfire's back, and he spoke. "I am not named Robin… I was once called that; it was my mother's nickname for me as a child. I am Richard Grayson, and this is my castle, Koriand'rarai."
"When you entered this world, Nahar'nka, I could sense your presence, as I did that time in the Mizerazi Forest. By the time I came and found you, however, you were just outside of Korienthenal, the small town surrounding this castle. I brought you here, and you have been sleeping now for almost…" here he paused to look at the crystal clock that hung on the wall. "…five and a half hours."
He gave Starfire a few moments to digest all this information. The words he spoke, the names of this place, were all foreign to her; yet there was something familiar about them- why was it that her name, her true name was a part of them? What did it mean, she wondered. And what of this Richard Grayson? His appearance was uncannily similar to that of her dear Robin back at home. Deciding that since she didn't know how to return to her fellow Titans, she would just have to make the most of her time in this world, Nahar'nka, as Richard had called it. She sat up straighter, and inched closer to Richard. "Thank you for bringing me here, Richard, I am most grateful. I do not wish to bother you, however, so I will be leaving as soon as I can… perhaps I can find work in the town, yes?" She cocked her head to the side and gazed at him with a questioning look on her face.
"Koriand'r," he began, "For as long as you stay in this world, Koriand'rarai will be a home to you- in fact, it is named for you; Koriand'r is your name and arai means place, so this is "Koriand'r's place."
As if she was in shock, Starfire found herself staring intensely at Richard. "How is it that you know my name- my true name? I do not recall meeting you."
Richard smiled gently at her, revealing two rows of perfectly straight white teeth. "I love you, Koriand'r. You may not remember our meeting or our past, but I most certainly do. It was fate that took you from me, but something seems to have brought you back. Your memory seems to be missing, but fear not- I will help you get it back." He smiled again, and Koriand'r blushed. "And if I cannot…then by X'hal I will die trying."
Starfire smiled cutely; the sound of one of her native Tamaranian words in Robin's voice was something she treasured. It was rare when she heard him speak her home tongue, and the only word he'd ever say was Koriand'r. In front of the team, she was never Koriand'r or even Kori. It was always Starfire, or Star, if he was feeling particularly affectionate at that moment. It was remarkably strange how Richard's voice was the exact same tone as Robin's. She thought of asking him, but was at loath to irritate or anger her kind benefactor with any more of her questions.
Richard stood now, and extended a hand to help Starfire stand. They smiled at each other before she did so and walked out of the door. "Come, Koriand'r. Have a bath and then we will eat. If there is anything that you need, just ask for it- the people in this palace live for you. Their purpose is to make sure you are happy. As is mine." He led Starfire through the corridor outside her room and to the door at the end of the hall. He knocked once, and a maidservant opened the door.
"Good evening, Milord Richard," she curtsied, "What can I do for you this evening?"
"The lady wishes for a bath. See that she is ready for dinner, Kala."
"Yes, Milord." She took Starfire's arm and led her into the large bathroom as Richard left in the opposite direction. Starfire took no notice of his farewell as she entered the giant room and stared at her surroundings, transfixed by the utter lavishness of the place.
The floor she walked on was a beautiful white marble, with a floral design in black marble cut into a pattern around the edges. In the middle of the room, there was a round pool, with a marble bench to sit on. There were steps too, so that any attendants could assist with washing the hair or back or something. The pool was surrounded on two sides by fountains filled with the most clear blue water Starfire had ever seen. Small fish-like creatures swam across the waterfalls into the next fountain in search of food between the roots of the floating flowers.
Tall candle-like structures flanked each side of the wide, opened windows. More candles floated above the bath, illuminating whichever area needed light. Kala caught Starfire staring at these lights and informed her they were only used at night, for during the day the sun was more than enough light for the Reigning Lady's Bath (her name for the place).
Slightly embarrassed at having been caught, a slight blush rose into her cheeks and Starfire giggled nervously as she looked down at the floor. "None of that, Milady Koriand'r." Said Kala, "You are royalty, and Milord Richard's personal guest. You look down to no one."
Starfire raised her eyes with a bright smile on her lips. "I thank you for your kind words. I am Koriand'r, and I am most pleased to meet you."
"I am Kala, head of the royal bath. I will help you choose your attire everyday." She attempted a curtsey but Starfire caught her arm partway.
"Please, do not act as though I was some sort of royalty, even though I am. Treat me as you would a normal person."
Kala nodded unsurely, but she was not about to question the wishes of one so high ranking in the castle she had lived in since birth. As Starfire's current clothes were whisked away and the other attendants placed her in the bath, Kala took the opportunity to analyze her new mistress, unaware that Starfire was doing the exact thing.
The lady had hair of a brilliant red hue, long and silky, it was never out of placed. It was a deep, dark almost maroon red color now because it was wet. Her jade green eyes sparkled with delight as she watched the bubbles rise and land on her, and then she would blow them away, like a child. Her manner was pleasant, Kala decided, and her chatter was cute. Koriand'r was adorable in the same way a child was- young, innocent, naïve- the list would never end. Conversely, she also had the air of one much more wise and regal as though she had undergone more hardships than anyone could imagine so sweet a girl having to suffer.
She had an aura that brought people to her; Kala did not doubt that there was a single person capable of complete hatred towards the young princess. The other attendants were beginning to warm up to her as well, she noted, by the way they smiled when she spoke to them, and the way they answered her questions.
Starfire could see Kala watching her, and she wondered what Kala was thinking. While she befriended the attendants, she studied the head of the royal bath, knowing not that she had done the same exact thing.
Kala was a young woman of approximately twenty years old. Her hair was kept short, cut at such an angle that one side appeared longer than the other. It was also a deep black color, so dark that it took on a purple tint in most lighting. She was of average height, and average build. Her face gave the impression of a wise lady, one with grand virtues and great morals. She was a proud person, as Starfire could see, but also immensely loyal to those she liked. She resolved to become friends with her, but this was more because it was in her nature to like everyone she met.
The clear bluish-white colored water was heavenly. It was warm, but not too hot, and Starfire had relaxed in it immediately, her goosebumps disappearing as soon as the water completely covered her body. Attendant women had come with jars balanced upon their heads and dumped the contents into the bath. Soon, sweet intoxicating smells wafted throughout the room and Starfire smiled blissfully. Tamaran had been a planet home to a warrior race- there was never the opportunity to have such baths, and Earth was a place of self sufficient, hardworking peoples. As a heroine, certain things were expected of her, and a day at a spa wasn't one of them.
Two tall, olive-skinned women clad in short red tunics made her sit on a bench in the center of the bath, and stood behind her with another jar. Dipping their hands in it, they dripped a product into her hair, lathering it and massaging her head in a special, seemingly magical method. She closed her eyes as others scrubbed the remainder of her body clean. Though most inhabitants of Earth were extremely modest people, Starfire was not. She understood their reasons and insecurities that came with wearing clothing, and so she followed the customs placed by the social norms.
Kair and Araya, the two women washing her hair, stepped back and allowed a third girl, Melissé, wearing a similar pale blue outfit came with a long-toothed, ivory colored comb. Deftly, she ran it through Starfire's now clean but wet hair, and soon got rid of any tangles. Five more girls came and enveloped Starfire in a large, fluffy white towel, before leading her into an adjacent room.
This room had but one purpose: in it was the entire wardrobe of the lady of the house. Star's eyes widened as she stared at all the clothing and accessories that she understood were hers according to the motions of the maidens. Shelf after shelf held an assortment of shoes and jewels, in every color imaginable. Hanging from large horizontal beams were many dresses also of varying colors, shapes, and designs.
As it was late, and Starfire had not eaten anything all day, the attendants quickly selected for her a tasteful white gown, slightly longer than knee length with a cute baby pink design of cherry blossoms outlined in gold thread patterned on a border at the bottom. It was strapless, and backless, held together only by string that crisscrossed several times across her tanned back.
Her hair was expertly dried, combed, and curled ever so slightly to perfection. A pink rose was placed in it, just above her right ear, and Starfire was presumed ready. She wore white shoes, uncannily similar to ballet shoes, tied up her slender legs with a satin pink ribbon. Gracefully she rose from her plush chair in front of a large mirror and was whisked off towards the grand staircase.
Discretely, Starfire glanced over the railing to view what lay beneath her in the large palace. Her look was brief and blurry, but she saw bright lights and beautiful floors. Exquisite exotic plants lined every ten or so paces, equally distributed and eloquently placed as to capture the attention of whoever would walk through the hall. The entourage of maidens came to a halt at the top of the stairs.
Down by the foot of the stairs, Richard stood, waiting. His lips curved upward into a slight smile as he saw her. Starfire grinned back, and walked down towards him, her face dazzlingly illuminated by the large and ornate crystal chandelier. The stairs were numerous, and so Starfire jumped.
The attendants who stood waiting at the top gasped and a few even cried out, though what they said was foreign to Starfire, as she hadn't absorbed the language yet. Giggling, she raised herself into the air and landed three steps away from Richard. Her cheeks were a cute rosy pink from her laughter and when she raised her eyes to meet his, she noticed his cerulean orbs were shining with contained amusement, and one of his ebony eyebrows was raised ever so slightly.
They stood like that for a moment, gazes locked, concentrated on each other's face, while their lips formed smiles that seemed as though they were laughing at a joke that none would ever know. A clock chime sounded from somewhere deep in the castle, and suddenly the moment was gone, lifted away as if it had been just a dream.
Richard cleared his throat and bowed to her while extending his hand. "Come," he said, "dinner awaits us, Koriand'r." Shyly she nodded and placed her hand in his. Without another word, the pair entered the dining room and ate an extravagant meal while listening to traditional songs accompanied by the dancing of four girls who had managed to weave magic and illusion into their performance.
The meal was a quiet one. It was a change for Starfire, for most of her meals both on Tamaran and Earth had been loud and rowdy, with fights over who would eat what, or what to eat, and other things of that sort. Richard had been polite of course, asking as to whether or not the repast was to her liking. Enthusiastically, she had answered in the positive, reaffirming her replies with fervent nods and gestures.
The conversation had been lovely, and Starfire was quasi-reluctant to admit it. She felt slightly treacherous; having such fun with a man-who looked and sounded exactly like her beloved Boy Wonder had to be wrong. Still, it was nice to be able to bask in the feeling of knowing you were loved. As in loved. The kind of love young girls dream about, the kind of love that transcends all other emotions and worlds, the kind of love that lasts a lifetime- the kind of love Starfire wanted from Robin.
Anyway, the meal had ended and Starfire found herself sitting on a chair next to Richard, listening as he read a story to her. It was one of a fearsome warrior queen, a canonical piece of the Nahar'nka literature. She smiled softly as she curled up her squashy chair, drifting in and out of consciousness. Richard's voice was calm and soothing as he read to her…
For thirteen days and nights, there had been naught but heavy rains plaguing the beautiful city of Thriadelll. Rizathak, the residing ruler of the warrior nation paced around the milky white floors of her castle, brow set in deep determination. She was worried, this much was obvious to any who entered her private chambers. Of the four runners she had sent out to search for either the armies of Yterial or find any news on their attempt of conquering her city, only one had returned.
Her name was Rana, and she was the youngest member of Rizathak's royal guard. She had joined the army at the age of twelve to avenge the deaths of her parents and older brother. Disguised as a boy, she had been welcomed into the army as one of them until they found out her secret- she was a girl.
The army leaders had been distraught and disgusted. A girl serving in the army? It was ludicrous! Girls were frail and delicate- they had no place in battle, it was a man's world. So the furious chauvinistic men had brought her in front of a Grand Trial, of which she would have been convicted and sent to death.
Miraculously, the queen had heard of her story and pardoned her. She made Rana one of her top protectors, a favor which Rana had never forgotten and would give her life to repay. Rana also happened to be very good at her job.
So when she returned to the Citadel, eyes glassy, visage pale, and hands empty, Rizathak found worry necessary. The young warrior was in the nursing ward at the moment; her condition had been unstable. How was she, Rizathak wondered to herself. Her thoughts and pacing were both disrupted as loud pounding suddenly brought her to reality. Someone was at her door, and it was urgent.
"My Lady," the man panted, "It is important! Yels, Oldento, Martok- they're all dead."
Those were the other three runners.
"The Yterial have sent their hearts and heads to us. Their armies are approaching! I fear their forces are much larger than our own, My Lady, there is nothing we can do to stop them!" He continued, panting.
"STOP." Rizathak commanded. "There is always something we can do- RALLY THE TROOPS- we must fight."
Another person ran into the room at that moment. She was short but sweet looking and her hair was askew and messy as she raced in. The woman wore the costume of the Healers…
"My Lady, Rana.."
"Yes?"
"This is not Rana- this is a clone, a spell cast vision, it is a trap!" This news did not trouble Rizathak as much as it should have, for she was already under so much pressure.
"We fight." She said before leaving her chambers to the armory. The man and woman stared at each other for a moment before following their queen out of the room and went in their own directions. The messenger went to inform the generals, and the Healer went to dispose of the spell cast illusion.
She placed the last item of armor- her star-stone encrusted helmet- upon her ebony hair and sheathed her sword at her side. Sighing softly, her eyes hardened and she exited the armory. Upon her entrance to the hall, she was flanked on either side by four high-ranking generals. They walked silently out to the main gate, where the troops of men waited for word from their leader.
Reaching her destination, she turned there to face her people, dark violet cape swirling behind her in the howling wind. Lightning flashed, illuminating her pale face while the rain continued pouring. She stood there, getting soaked, and parted her lips to speak:
"Men, warriors, comrades, brothers," she began, "Thriadelll is our beloved city. It is where we were born, grew up, and watched our families and children grow up- we cannot let the Yterial take that from us. They want our city? They want our people? They can try to take them. Tonight we will fight for what is ours; we will fight to protect those that we love. Blood will be spilt this not, but it is not in vain. Now I ask you- are you with me?"
The speech was short, but effective. The men roared and clanged their swords on their shields. They cheered and shouted and a ghost of a smile flitted upon the queen's face. "They are coming." She said, and the armies quieted.
In the midst of a heavy storm, the two armies clashed, one mightier than the other. In the dawn of the next day, bodies lay in the fields, torn to pieces, though not a large amount of people remained living, it was apparent who had won: the fearsome warriors under Rizathak's clan were victorious. It was their bravery, skill, and complete desire to protect that which was theirs by right. They did not and could not imagine their homes and children being used by the Yterial peoples as slaves and chattel. They would not let such a fate fall upon their clan, and for this they had won.
The Yterialians were a greedy people who wanted land, riches, and slaves, to add to their vastly growing empire. It was this and the misconception that they were superior to the Thriadellans that cost them their lives. It was a mistake that many made before, and would surely make again…
Finished with the chapter, Richard looked up from his reading to find Starfire asleep, curled up like a kitten on the sofa with a slight smile on her face. Briefly, he wondered what she was dreaming about, and if he was in her dream. He rose from his own spot by the fire and walked over to her before bending down and picking her up to carry her to her room.
Confusing dreams haunted Starfire that night as she slept for a longer period of time than ever before. There was something about this strange place that made her feel lethargic and energy lacking. She remembered watching a movie based on a book where the crew of a mighty king had stopped at an island, only to find that the Lotus flowers they encountered on the sand made them sleep whenever they passed them.
She was walking in a dark place, not unlike the docks where she had met Red X that last day in Jump City. Candles lightened the long passageway at every five or so paces, and in the darkness their light was creepier than anything else. But Starfire was not afraid. She had trained with the Warlords of Okaara, sparred with the greatest heroes on Earth, spent time as a slave and test subject- there was nothing she could fear anymore.
With that confidence booster in mind, the young Titan continued down the winding path hands and eyes glowing green. The sounds made by the creaking old wooden floor did not bother her as she gently hovered above them, continuing farther into the secluded building.
"Koriand'r…"
She gasped. "Who's there?" She cried as she whirled around in the air, eyes moving from side to side searching for whoever had said her name.
No one was there. "It is I, Koriand'r…"
From a distant black haze at the far side of her viewpoint, a figure appeared.
"Richard!"
He said nothing, but slowly moved closer to her. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her exposed neck. She giggled slightly as he murmured against her flesh, "Be mine, Koriand'r, mine for all the eternities…"
Something came and shoved him away.
"Robin?" She asked uncertainly at the new figure who had appeared there.
"Kori, please," he began, "Choose me- you have to choose me, Kori, no one else cares for you like I do…"
"I do not understand…" she said. Why was he here? Why now?
"No Koriand'r, Starfire, princess," began the third newcomer, "I'm the one you should pick…I'll make you happy. Any way that I can."
"The Red X!" She exclaimed. This dream was becoming stranger as each second passed. Why were three random men appearing suddenly in her dreams? Well, she reasoned, Robin wasn't really that random. She had read in an Earth book that sometimes-repressed emotions could be reflected in the subconscious states of people. Richard's appearance too, wasn't surprising to her. The fact that this wasn't surprising is what surprised Starfire. He was new and interesting, so she surmised his appearance was not too out of place. Still, her slight feeling for him made it weird.
Red X was completely, one hundred percent unexpected.
Perhaps that one incident at the docks caused his sudden appearance in her dream? Starfire did not know; all she knew was that her life was starting to become too strange for her normal perkiness.
Wait a second. Starfire sat up in her borrowed bed. Whatever happened that day at the docks? She remembered the team splitting up, then her and Robin going their separate ways. Then she walked to the dead end and saw Red X…but after that?
Robin had never been more scared in his life. Not that he'd admit it, of course. Well, maybe there were moments where he had been more frightened such as the time where Starfire almost got married to that nasty blob...thing, or the time where she was about to leave the Titans because she thought Blackfire would do a better job on the team than she did… It was funny how all these instances were related to Starfire, or Kori, as he liked to call her in his mind.
He made sure to always call her that when they were alone. It made it seem as though it was some sort of secret that only they shared. He liked sharing things with Starfire. It was one of his greatest secrets, but he liked Starfire. A lot. Actually, now that he thought about it, he didn't just like Koriand'r; he loved her.
Back to the life scarring issue. When he ran through the dock area, and skidded to an abrupt stop, seeing Starfire lying unconscious in the arms of his foe was not helping. In fact, a surge of anger flared up inside him, and it took everything in his power not to give in to his animalistic instincts.
Time seemed to stand still for them during the moment their gazes locked. Robin's was furious, filled with anger at Red X's attempt to take his girl. Red X merely looked at him with a trained, impassive look. A smirk graced his lips as he opened his lips to speak.
"Give.Her.Back." Said Robin through clenched teeth before Red X could speak whatever taunting mock he was going to say.
"Make me, kid." Replied Red X as he gently set Starfire down on the ground.
"Gladly." Robin shifted into a battle stance, and leapt into the air as if to pounce on Red X, who had only risen seconds before. He dodged, barely rolling to the right in time. He back flipped expertly, landing approximately two feet in front of Robin with his bo-staff extended. Taking the hint, Robin extended his as well, and the two more or less evenly matched foes battled.
Ten minutes into the fight, Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy had drifted towards them after clearing their areas and receiving no word from either Robin or Starfire. They stood at the entrance, observing the chaotic scene before them. Robin and Red X were swiftly moving blurs, their parries and blows were so fast- nigh impossible to see. On the side, they could barely make out the outline of Starfire's body lying on the ground.
It was remarkable how the ground in a two-foot radius of her body was untouched by the fight.
The three Titans looked at each other, and nodded in conformation before joining Robin to put an end to Red X. He saw that he was outnumbered, cursed his luck, and threw an explosive to the ground to produce a smoke screen for his getaway.
"She will be mine eventually, kid." Those were his last haunting words before he jumped through the hole in the roof above them.
Robin glowered at the spot where he had been last while the others walked over to Starfire. Raven closed her eyes and chanted her mantra slowly to analyze the Tamaranian.
"It's nothing serious. We just have to let her sleep it off, but…" here she hesitated.
"But what?" Demanded Robin with a harsh tone barely detectable in his question.
"I don't know how to explain it… her mind, her soul, they're here, but they're not…here." Replied Raven, completely unfazed by Robin's overprotective worrying.
"Dude. How does that work?" Asked Beast Boy.
For once no one chided him on his choice of words, or stupid question, for Robin and Cyborg were wondering the same.
Raven merely shrugged. "That's the best explanation I can give you." She said before turning away and floating towards the exit. "There's nothing more I can do."
"Come on, man," said Cyborg to Robin, "we might as well get her home; I can run some tests on her and figure this thing out." He knelt down to pick Starfire up, but Robin stopped him.
"I'll get her." Was all he said. Cyborg nodded, and left, Beast Boy right behind him.
"Don't worry, Kori," he said gently as followed his teammates with the seemingly asleep Starfire cradled in his arms, "we'll save you."
Almost two days had passed, and Robin was worried. Well, he was maybe a little bit more than worried. Every spare moment Robin had was spent at her bedside, watching over her, checking if she needed anything, looking over her latest test results to see if anything had changed in the slightest as an indication that she was going to return to him any coming second.
Nothing changed.
The first day passed, with nothing. Cyborg's tests showed that nothing was wrong with her, but Raven's empathy gave a different result. Robin was unsure of what to believe, and decided that Red X did something to her. The only thing stopping him from tracking the thief down was his overwhelming desire to be there when Star woke up.
And now, nearly half a day later, Robin's eyes were red and bloodshot under the itchy, suffocating mask, due to a large lack of sleep. His stomach was empty, because he hadn't eaten much all day. Only about ten minutes had been spent showering, and he had slept in a chair by Starfire's bed in the hospital-like area of Titan's Tower.
The time was approaching noon, and the others were off saving Jump City from the thieving of a petty criminal. Robin had elected to sit with the alien princess, and was doing his duty devotionally. The sun's rays brightened Starfire's face, giving her an ethereal, otherworldly look. Since they were alone, and Robin's eyes were itching uncontrollably due to the mask and his lack of sleep, he slowly peeled it off, exposing his cerulean eyes to the world for the first time in a long while.
As he poured in some eye drops to relieve the irritation, he noticed a slight breeze filter through the opened window and blow some bangs into Starfire's face. He lightly brushed the stray hairs away, and smiled gently.
Slight, soft sounds startled him, and he stepped back a bit to see whether or not Starfire was finally going to awaken. He forgot about the mask he held in his hands, and was thus unprepared for the sudden opening of her big, wide eyes.
Jade orbs melded in with sapphire pools for what seemed to last an eternity. Secrets were exchanged during that glance, and Robin could have sworn Starfire knew his feelings for her at that moment, if she hadn't known before.
The moment was broken, shattered to pieces, in barely three seconds.
Starfire stared at him, with confusion apparent in her face.
"What's wrong, Kori?" He asked her, concern lacing his words.
"Richard?" She asked. "Richard Grayson? Am I in Nahar'nka still?"
"Koriand'r…" he said, blue eyes trying to penetrate into her soul as his brows creased in confusion and concentration. His eyes were questioning, but she did not notice it, "Kori," he began again, "how did you…how did you know my name?"
Yuka: :) Cliffhangers make the world go round. And you're very welcome for the CyXCar and Gollum moments. :) And I'll leave the summary as is, thank you very much, because this is mainly RobXStar and there probably won't be much of anything else. :P Thanks for beta reading :D
clueless90: Thanks:)
xox. Annie Potter.xox: I'm glad you liked it. You asked about the part that went as follows: "They went down in an amicable silence, the kind only the best of friends or closest of lovers could share, thought Robin. It's a good thing we're both, he continued to himself, or will be at least…one day… I hope…"
Robin is thinking to himself about the silence that they're sharing together. That silence is the kind that only best friends or lovers can share together, and Robin is noting how he's glad that he and Starfire are both (best friends and lovers) or at least how they will be one day.
Does that make sense now? Or did I confuse you further --; And you're not an idiot :) Updated!
Steph (made in heaven): More has been written :)
DeLiRiOuS aka CAPTAIN obvious: I'm glad you liked the confusion- brace yourself, because it's going to get even weirder :)
ShadowCatOfTheNight: The creatures are gone now, yes? They aren't too upset that it's been forever since I updated, right? I updated!
THANKS FOR REVIEWING!
Author's Note: Sorry that this update was so long in coming. I was going to update over Spring Break, but I was gone for most of it, so I couldn't. Anyway, I also got some writer's block but I'm pretty happy with how this chapter came out. Well, most of it anyway. I have a clear idea of where this story is going now, and how it's going to end and stuff so yay go me. Thanks for reading, and be sure to leave me with your comments!
