Chapter 9: Decision

"Tonight, in honor of my daughter's recovery and engagement, we shall have a grand ball!"

The night stars were glimmering outside the balcony, glowing dimly over the balcony in waves of light. Birds chirped and other creatures were honking a nightingale that soothed this evening of celebration.

Starfire twirled around, holding up a silky beautiful gown just for the occassion. She pressed it lightly against her body, her eyes looking over her reflection. The dress was faintly white, but if you were to place it in a room with different lighting, it can be confused for being red, blue, even golden. The sleeves were cut off in strands of silky material, streaming down her arms in curls. The dress was cut into two: a top and a skirt.

Starfire remembered the words her father had said to her after he was relieved that she was healed and no longer in the coma. He was rather surprised that she had awakened so soon. She had wanted to be with her friends at that evening, but when Myand'r saw her and Robin passing by, he ran to her and cuddled her in his arms, tears sliding down his cheeks.

Making quick glances from both sides, Starfire sighed in relief of privacy at last. She took off her armor wear, her eyes avoiding to look at the scars. Thankfully, they were hardly noticable from far away. She kicked off her boots and took off her mini skirt and top, totally exposed.

She grabbed the dress from the bed and dug her legs into the skirt. She raised it up her body, letting it rest loosely on her small waist. She slid the top carefully through her head and flipped her crismon hair back. The stringy sleeves tickled her as it caressed her arms. A belt was wrapped around her waist, also white and the string laid flat against the dress.

Starfire placed on clear crystals on her ears, not remembering even one moment when she actually wore jewelry for any occassion. The smell of sweet flowers hung strongly in the air as she poured some lotion on her arms and lightly on her cheeks. When she was done and satisfied, she looked at her reflection in the mirror.

She clasped her hands together and plainly looked at the same eyes that were her own. Although she looked beautiful and calm in the outside, insidethis exterior, she was shaking and heating up; nervous on what the night will bring for her when she opened those doors. She rubbed her tensed neck, praying to the Tamaranean gods that nothing bad will happen on this evening.

She wondered for the moment of what Robin was doing. Was he getting ready? What was he thinking about at this very moment?

The sound of a door creaking to open startled her and made her turn. Lyand'r closed the door quietly behind her, her violet eyes looking over her daughter and a sweet smile formed on her lips. Blue crystals dangled on her ears and around her thick black hair as a tiara. She wore a long, dazzling gown made of the same material as her own dress.

It was as blue as the crystals, pale and beautiful on her loving mother. Her eyes looked almost aged, wise, experienced. Starfire remembered her mother as being a very active supporter for peasant needs and was always in the gardens, planting new flowers and tasting some of the freshly grown fruit that came to bloom that spring.

She had wished what would it be like to have been with her family those nine years she had been away. But she tossed it aside as her mother's footsteps tapped against the solid floor.

Starfire looked up as Lyand'r came before her with that same smile on her face. It felt like Starfire was staring at another mirror.

Starfire bowed her head in respect for her mother as well as ruler. "Mother."

Lyand'r smiled and tapped Starfire's chin lightly, raising her head up to her level and letting her emerald eyes meet with her dark indigo eyes. Starfire smiled at her mother as she outstretched her arms and hugged her daughter tightly.

Starfire hummed softly as her mother stroked her hand through her hair. She held her, squeezing her tightly with all of her might. For a few minutes, they stood in the center of the room in each other's arms. But slowly, they embraced and looked at each other with smiles exactly idenitical.

Lyand'r chuckled lightly as she played with a strand of Starfire's hair. She brushed it over her ear and sighed happily. "You look like X'hal herself, Kori. You look so beautiful." "Thank you, Mother."

Lyand'r looked at Starfire and smiled. "You are truly worthy of a bride."

When she said that, Starfire's face fell and the thought of her marriage ran through her mind, as well as many thoughts on what'll happen in her future. Lyand'r noticed her depressed look and touched her cheek gently.

"What is the matter, Koriand'r?"

Starfire shook her head to reassure her, but inside her stomach tightened with the small lie. "Nothing, Mother. I'm fine. I'm just...thinking." Lyand'r looked at her daughter softly, observing her body language as Starfire turned her head to the side and caught her reflection. She really did look like a bride, but unhappy bride, proposed to marry a groom she didn't want to marry. Her friends came into mind and it made her even more miserable about the wedding date.

Lyand'r turned Starfire's face toward her, her dark eyes filled with concern. She smiled sympathetically and rubbed her soft fingers against her cheek. "This marriage..." She started off slowly, her eyes clearly revealing that she was thinking this through and trying to find the right words to use.

"Is not what you want, isn't it? And don't lie to me, Koriand'r. Be truthful."

Starfire looked into her mother's eyes, stern and sure of her question. Softly her eyes changed, almost ready to draw out tears. But she restrained herself from doing so by closing her eyes and quietly answering her question by shaking her head left to right.

Lyand'r sighed heavily and was about to speak out in defense, but then surprisingly, Starfire spoke first, "I'm not happy, Mother."

"W-With what?" Lyand'r said, suddenly her voice was shaking and her legs trembled.
"I'm...:sigh: I'm not happy with this arrangement."

Lyand'r moved back, surprised by her daughter's answer. But Starfire didn't stop. She clasped her hands together, her head bent down looking down at the ground. Her mush of red hair fell in front of her face like a frightened child. But slowly, she raised her head with her eyes opened wide, glittering in green like the stars in the sky.

Starfire straightened her back and stood tall, her face looked at her with defiance, with a determination she hasn't seen in her...ever.

Starfire sighed heavily. "I don't want to marry, Mother."
"Why, Koriand'r?" Lyand'r was confused by her statement. "Karras isrough about the edges, but if you get to know him a little better, he can be"
"But I don't love him."

Lyand'r sighed and looked at her daughter as she continued speaking, "But he isn't for me, Mother. None of the things you and Father had decided were ever for me."
"But we didn't have a choice" "But when I was taken, you could have at least rescued me! You could have at least cared!"
"But I do!" Lyand'r argued.
"Then why didn't you! Do you have any idea how much I've endured all of this time!"

Starfire's eyes glowed lime green which surprised Lyand'r. At first she thought that Starfire was going to hurt her, but instead Starfire brushed some of her hair aside and revealed her mother the scar the Gordainian had given her when she was seven years old.

"I've been tortured, used, and neglected, Mother. Why? Because the choice was given out for me, not by me. I have never made my own decisions."
"But Kori, they were"
"For my own good? They weren't, Mother. They were for your own good."

Lyand'r widened her eyes in shock, surprised by the tone in Starfire's voice. Starfire noticed her frightened look and calmed herself down. She made the hair come back, blocking sight of the scar. She took a deep breath, calming her pumping heart.

Lyand'r looked at Starfire and slowly approached her daughter. Her dark eyes looked at her, mixed with too many emotions to describe. She blinked her eyes a couple of times, unsure what to say to her. Lyand'r looked away from Starfire and caught something.

On top of her nightstand was a small device. It was round and bright yellow. The borders were black and in the center, surrounded by buttons most likely for communications, was a large "T." And beside it was a picture of her daughter as well as the Earthlings, standing together in front of a large tree.

Looking closely at the picture, they had smiles on their faces. Even the one called "Raven" was smiling, all of them crushed together in a circle, trying to get a good position in the picture. Starfire was smiling happily, her green eyes glittering in her youth. Beside her was Robin, whom she held tightly by the arm. He smiled sheepishly, his eyes hidden by that black mask.

Lyand'r tilted her head to the side, curiosity caught the best of her as she turned her head to meet Starfire's gaze. Her eyes kept crawling back to the picture. "Is this...because of that boy..." Her voice dragged on, her tongue tied as she tried to remember his name.

"Robin. His name is Robin."
"Yes, Robin. Your father has been worrying about you, being around him. He says that perhaps he's making you wonder off and pulling you away from"
"I love him." Starfire said sharply.

Lyand'r looked up in disbelief, half hoping that Starfire was joking. But as she looked into her eyes, she saw how strongly they were meeting back at her own eyes. She stood firmly, tall, and strong. She didn't flinch at all. Her eyesbrows arched down, upset or rather determined with her statement.

"What did you say?"
"I love him, Mother. I love Robin. More than you know."

Starfire glanced over her nightstand. She approached it and took the picture in her hand. She stared at her friends, each and every one of them. And her mind scanned all of them good, and even bad qualities that they have in which she admired deeply.

Starfire looked back at her mother. "I love them all, Mother. You may not know, but I am no longer the daughter you once knew. I have gained something more than I had ever dreamt of. When I landed on Earth, I made friends, real friends. And they gave me a home, a real home. A place where I can belong and be me and make decisions, because they are right for me."

"But Koriand'r, if you do this, your father can"
"I know. I rather be banished from this planet than to be away from my friends." Starfire forced the words out of her lips, seeing the sadness and disappointment in her mother's eyes. Starfire breathed in heavily, relieved.

She chuckled a little in response. "I am no longer Koriand'r, Mother. But Starfire." She glanced down at the picture for the moment and then held it up, showing her mother the picture perfectly. "I am a Teen Titan."

Lyand'r looked at the picture again, seeing the smiles on their face again. Starfire was beaming with happiness. Memories of her young childhood ran through her mind as if they were her own memories experiencing them. Starfire was young and naive, dependable upon her and her father and even Komand'r; or Blackfire as she is called now. But as she looked at her daughter in this picture, she looked happier, stronger.

And if the stories Ryand'r told her were true, then Starfire looked like a real hero. A Teen Titan.

Lyand'r smiled a little and walked to her daughter. Starfire looked at her mother confusingly, wondering what she might do next. But then Lyand'r wrapped her arms around her and pulled her into a hug. She let Starfire's head rest on her shoulder and her hand brushed through her soft and smooth hair.

Starfire widened her eyes a little, surprised by her mother's action. But then she was comforted and she closed her eyes, wrapping her own arms around her mother. She held the picture tightly in her hands, smiling.

Lyand'r looked at her softly and expressed a smile on her face. "If this is what you truly want, then I agree." Starfire's face gleamed with joy as they embraced.

"Really? But" Her face fell with doubt for the moment. "What about father?"
Lyand'r looked at her, smiling at her still. She waved her hand in front of her face as if it wasn't an important matter. "Do not worry about your father. After tonight, I will talk to him. He'll listen to reason, especially from me." She winked at her with her dazzling, deep indigo eyes.

Starfire smiled happily as Lyand'r took something from behind her back. In her hands she held a beautiful crystal tiara. Streams of ribbon hung loosely from the crystals, tied together to form the circular tiara. The crystal, as it was cast under candlelight and the stars, created a spectrum of colors across the room.

It shined Starfire's face as she kneeled on one knee. Her mother smiled as she placed the tiara over her head. "I think you've become a great person, KoriI mean Starfire. I am so proud of you."

Starfire smiled again and before the chance had ended, she hugged her mother again, happy tears streamed down her cheeks as mother and daughter hold each other close.

But by the darkest corners, creeping out from the crack of the door, was a dark figure. His compelling golden eyes looked over Lyand'r and Starfire as they embraced, smiling at each other happily and cheerfully.

His eyes glowed intensively, narrowing in concentratioin of a plan. When Starfire and Lyand'r turned their heads toward the door, the figure immediately vanished from sight.

Lyand'r and Starfire made quick glances to each other as they locked arms. Lyand'r smiled at her daughter again. "Let's go have some fun." Starfire giggled as the two beautiful Tamaranean royals walked out of the room, closing the door behind their backs.

As they walked through the halls, tiresome from the long walk, their feet slowly caught off from the ground and they glided peacefully through the hall toward the two front doors to the ballroom. The borders around the door were craved like the paintings on the walls of ancient civilizations, telling their stories about their hunts and also their victories. Images of Tamaraneans from different centuries were craved all around the doors, shining in wood too thick to break through by a punch or kick.

Lyand'r grabbed the silver doorknob and looked over her shoulder to Starfire. "Are you ready?" Starfire nodded in reply as the doors opened and a bright flash of white light engulfed them both, exposing them to all for the grand ball.