Author's note: There will be mention in this chapter of Ares and Hephaestus; both of them Justice League Unlimited characters, but don't worry, you need not be a follower of the JLU series for this chapter to make sense. Just that I think it's important for you to realize how I did not make them up for this story; that they actually do exist in the JLU-verse.
Thank you for your time and I hope you enjoy this next chapter!
Standard disclaimers apply.
PATH TO TAMARAN
Chapter Four – Foreboding
Starfire eyed Robin across the Wayne Manor training room floor and tried her best to stifle a grin. She failed as a tiny smile insisted on emerging from her lips. She gripped the bo-staff in her hand a bit tighter, as if it would help her stay serious, but of course, it did not help her focus in the least.
Robin's eyebrow arched in disapproval as he went into stance, bo-staff still retracted in his grip. "What are you smiling at?"
She tried her best to take his displeased tone seriously. She knew Robin demanded her focus during these training sessions; and yes, he had gotten pissed, for real, when she gave him less than a hundred percent. She understood how important it all was, especially when she had to cope with her impairment in the past, but this was the first time she would spar with him again with the benefit of her eyesight. While she had sparred with him several times before she lost her vision, their sparring sessions had been different then; she had fought with a technique brought from her Okaaran training.
This sparring session was different. Robin had taught her how to fight sightless, and now she had to adjust to the fact that she had to use those same moves with the benefit of vision. Apart from the reality that it was not as easy as people would think, she realized that she had other difficulties to contend with on that morning.
Looking at him from across the hall, she couldn't seem to get the previous night's encounter out of her mind.
Last night was glorious, she thought wistfully. Watching the way he moved, seeing the way he touched her, beholding the look on his face… the mere memory of it was enough to make her smile foolishly and suppress a pleasant shudder.
Starfire took deep, calming breaths, hoping to find her center amidst her less-than-wholesome thoughts. If she didn't begin focusing soon, Robin would be sorely put off.
"Ready?" asked Robin.
She nodded, even if she wasn't as focused as she'd hoped.
Robin initiated the attack, the retracted bo-staff a sure sign that he wanted to get her annoyed enough to concentrate on the fight. A retracted bo-staff was Robin's wordless way of saying, "You're not good enough to fight full-staff with, today. I think I'll go easy on you."
Sightless as she was before, she wouldn't know the staff was retracted until several minutes into the fight, but this time, it was plain to see from the onset, and while ordinarily, it would hit home in her psyche, giving her the resolution to focus, today was indeed different. Today, she was still a bit too drunk with Robin's caresses from the previous night.
Starfire shifted to block and was only glad she managed it with exceptional grace. She would have to take it one step at a time, this focus. Her mind was impossibly preoccupied.
Robin, however, wasn't going to get fooled. He frowned. "Come on… you could do better than that. What's wrong with you?"
He launched another attack and he moved with such rapid succession that she knew if she didn't pull away soon, he would get a hit in, and she believed that Robin was even more displeased about getting hits in with her than she was.
Starfire jumped and flipped backwards, just so she could get away, but as usual, Robin was two steps ahead of her. Before she could make a graceful landing, he extended his bo-staff and swept it behind her knees, landing her flat on her back on the mattress.
She blinked in surprise and he looked down at her, shaking his head.
"That was shameful," he said, crouching down beside her. "You're not concentrating."
Starfire felt a flush rise in her cheeks. "I know. I am sorry."
To her relief, he was still too much in his instructor mode to notice her embarrassed blush. "I gave you at least three openings for attack, but you didn't take advantage of them. What's the matter?"
She reddened even more, pushing herself up and averting her eyes from him shyly. She hadn't even noticed the openings, but she wasn't going to tell him that. "I just—I could not seem to find my center. I am—" remembering you from last night "—still quite overwhelmed."
He helped her get to her feet and for a moment, he said nothing. She looked up and she caught him staring at her with his signature lopsided look. She couldn't help but feel he could see right through her.
She pushed some of the hair that had come loose from her braid self-consciously and waited for him to say something. She wished he would scold her; at least that would help her get into a fighting frame of mind.
"Maybe this wasn't a good idea. I shouldn't be pushing you like this, you only just recovered and—"
Starfire was surprised by what he said, mainly because he had never hesitated about being tough on her before. It was very unsettling, and she reacted accordingly. "Oh, but I am fine! I just need to find my focus, that is all! Physically, I am more than ready—"
He smirked, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "Oh, really?"
It made her blush, uncertain as she was about what he meant. It was not helping matters. "Don't tease, Richard."
A look of mild surprise crossed his face and it was gradually being replaced by amusement. "Well, I'm sorry. I meant no offense."
Starfire pouted. He was definitely teasing. "You did not offend."
She felt silly discussing personal matters when they were "working". Robin separated work and play so perfectly that he never had problems about mixing the two, whereas she found it extremely difficult to separate things the way he did. Even when he teased, he seemed so collected that she could never beat him at his own game.
Starfire was beyond astonished when he took her hand and pulled her closer.
"Maybe we'll put off your training until you're less overwhelmed." He chuckled. "And you know… the Titans have been meaning to talk to you."
Her eyes widened, first in shock, then in shame. She had completely forgotten about them. She felt terrible.
He laughed softly. "I sent them a message last night before we left for dinner, so they already know, but Cy said that if I didn't get you on the comm as soon as possible, he would come on over here and make me sorry for being remiss of my duties."
Starfire frowned up at him. "Why did you not remind me?"
Robin pretended to think about it. "Well, there's that very important talk we had after dinner…" He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand, as if he were offering her comfort for it. "And then after that—well, I sure as hell was preoccupied."
She bit her lip as she stifled a smile, liking how his voice had dropped to a drawl at his last statement. She supposed it was safe to slip her arms around him. Robin didn't mind so much when she mixed work and play when he let his guard down on occasion. Besides, the way things were going, he had left "work" behind.
"I suppose I could forgive you, then," she said, tiptoeing to giggle in his ear.
He let her be affectionate, smiling as he held her, but when she administered some teeth grazing, he chuckled and peeled her away from him. "You do not want to be doing that if you honestly want to talk to the Titans within the next two hours."
The implied promise of two hours was altogether too tempting and Starfire actually paused to think about it.
Robin shook his head in feigned disapproval. "Greedy, greedy…. we're talking to the Titans now. Come on." He took her gently by the wrist and dragged her to the secret elevator heading to the Bat Cave.
Starfire tried to keep a straight face as she said. "Well, it is some time around two in the morning at Jump City. I am sure the Titans would appreciate another two hours of sleep…"
He cornered her in the box car, hinting on a lazy smile as he caged her with his arms. "Don't tease, Kori." His tone made her shudder, and she recognized his words as the ones she had used earlier. He was so much better at catching her off-guard than she was, and while it was mostly a pleasant thing, she could pretend to be a bit miffed at the fact that he had her right in the palm of his hand.
She feigned a scowl, but it only made him chuckle.
The elevator doors opened to a facility deep into the hollows of the Wayne Manor. Batman's secret control center was enormous. There were wide spaces, a high ceiling and an endless dance of lights. Computer panels lined the huge wall and work tables were set all over, holding apparatus of various functions. At one side of the cave was the equipment storage facility; everything Batman needed to arm himself against the worse of Gotham's super villains.
The monitor for the mainframe spanned several feet high and stretched several feet in width. She took a moment to stare at the entire thing in numb awe. She had envisioned something of the sort; the space and the visual efficiency, but it was so much more magnificent than it was in her imagination.
Recomposing herself, she followed Robin into the facility. He offered her the seat in front of the Bat Computer and punched the communication codes in for her.
She did seriously wonder if the Titans wouldn't mind the hour, but she suspected Robin took some kind of sick pleasure interrupting their sleep. Cyborg, Beast Boy and Raven had, after all, each interrupted them while they were in the middle of things one time or another.
He contacted them all at the same time and they responded accordingly, their faces appearing and splitting the screen in three.
Cyborg, looking terribly grumpy, showed up on screen. "Who dis?"
Raven looked scary enough as she was; terrifying when rudely awakened. "What?"
Beast Boy gave a soft whine. "And I was just getting to the good part of the dream…"
Starfire hesitated, but Robin cocked a grin, crossing his arms over his chest. "Cyborg said to get Starfire on the comm as soon as possible. Well, here she is!"
Raven and Beast Boy's eyes shifted to Cyborg irritably.
Cyborg frowned. "Thank you, Robin."
Starfire found herself smiling, whether or not they were glad to see her. "Er—hehe—well, Robin told you the good news. The operation was a great success!"
Their gazes shifted to her, and while they still looked terribly drowsy, small smiles began to form on their lips. She didn't know why, but it warmed her immeasurably to see them that way; grumpy from interrupted slumber, only to look genuinely happy for her in spite of it.
"Fabulous," said Raven. She tried to sound sarcastic, but it probably sounded better than she would have wanted because she followed it with a roll of her eyes.
Starfire felt herself getting emotional for a moment, seeing the subtle nuances on their faces; their personalities shining through their sleepy stares. It made her happy.
They told her congratulations in their various ways and Beast Boy told her to hurry on back the moment testing was done.
"I've a whole bunch of movies waiting to be viewed." He yawned as he said it, but Starfire was grateful for the thought.
She smiled. "I do not wish to keep you awake much longer. We will talk again, yes? When you are all better disposed."
Cyborg cracked a drowsy grin. "Yup. Robin, I won't forget this."
"I bet you won't."
Starfire giggled. "Sweet dreams, everyone." They said their respective goodbyes before she finally cut off the signal. She turned to Robin. "That was mean."
He cocked a smile. "No, that was payback. But aren't you glad I did it?"
"I am, not because of 'payback', but because it gave me warm and fuzzy feelings seeing them happy for me."
"You're the only person I know who could get warm and fuzzy feelings from Raven, but I suppose that's what I love about you."
She grinned.
Robin took their time in the Bat Cave to explain to her how she could still take her shifts on the Blackfire Watch from Gotham without getting in Batman's way. She was glad he was sensitive to her need to be useful on the matter.
He explained to her that he had worked an alternative schedule for the Titans while she was in Gotham. It meant that every other day, she wouldn't be expected to take her shift, but the hours were mainly workable. He assured her there was nothing to worry about.
After they left the Bat Cave, Robin did not suggest that they go back to training. Instead, they had breakfast, after which Robin suggested that he show her around Gotham which was a lot more picturesque during the day. She was thrilled, of course.
They spent the rest of the day being together, knowing that the following morning, Robin would be heading back to Jump City. She knew they were only going to be apart for five days, but it was the longest time they had been separated.
As reserved as Robin relatively was when it came to his feelings, he couldn't help admitting just how much he missed her when she wasn't at the tower. Most of the time, he said such things off-handedly, mainly to avoid being unnecessarily sappy, but she supposed he wasn't used to being separated from her either, so maybe he felt compelled to talk about it somewhat seriously.
He was driving when he brought it up and he flashed her a half-embarrassed look. "I know you don't call me up at the tower because you don't want to disturb me when I'm working, but—" he shrugged "—I don't mind, really. I know you won't be doing it every hour, or something like that. I—" he paused, reddening "I just miss you, that's all."
Starfire was unbelievably endeared, smiling from the passenger's seat as Robin awkwardly tried to keep his composure. "Then maybe I will surprise you with a call, yes?"
"Or two," he added, after which he was embarrassed again.
Starfire succeeded in suppressing her smile of delight. It was always refreshing to see Robin come undone. "Or two," she agreed.
He brought her to as many places as he could, and while he was a lot less demonstrative in public during broad daylight, he did hold her hand. Several times, they were stopped by strangers because he was Dick Grayson; less times because she was Starfire. She wasn't as popular in Gotham as she was in Jump City, and in casual clothing, she didn't stand out in a crowd as much.
When Robin wasn't being approached, he was being stared at, and she knew, instinctively, that many admired his looks, most of all.
She would always be the first to admit that Robin was supremely easy on the eyes, made only easier from her perspective because she admired him for being her leader and her pillar of strength. She appreciated all his good qualities, even if perhaps she had seen the worse of him, whether it was deceiving her and the rest of the team to catch the bad guy or seeing him stumble off the bed after annihilating his alarm clock in the morning. He was real to her; not a myth, yet she adored him, possibly beyond reason. She could only imagine how everyone else must look at him, awed by his demeanor, his handsome face, his unassuming glamour… and they didn't even know he was Robin! All they supposedly saw was Richard Grayson, celebrity; possible heir to the Bruce Wayne billions.
Robin had always joked that Dick Grayson was famous for being famous, because "he" had done absolutely nothing to merit his fame, in that respect. "All I've done as Dick Grayson was walk down red carpets. How stupid is that?"
She had noticed that Robin was always the last person to take Richard Grayson's public image seriously, but she had her own thoughts on the matter. Perhaps the people thought they were merely seeing Bruce Wayne's ward, but what they didn't know was that they were being drawn by Robin's inherent allure as the Boy Wonder and leader of the Titans. Everyone needed a hero, and perhaps, no matter how much Richard Grayson covered it up with designer clothing and red-carpet glitz, the gleam of his heroic spirit couldn't entirely be eclipsed.
They passed an extremely good looking woman as they walked on the Gotham Central Park sidewalk. She was tall, svelte, voluptuous and stylish. She looked like she belonged on the cover of a fashion magazine. Starfire caught her looking at Robin and she felt a pang of the old insecurity rise in her.
"She is beautiful," she said, mostly to herself. She had always thought well about her looks, but these women's sophistication was always something she couldn't help admire and feel slightly envious of. She could never be such a woman: perfect and poised. She would always be slightly naïve; somewhat silly; never quite grown up.
She had caught the boys, yes, even Robin, admire such women. He never talked about it out loud like Cyborg and Beast Boy did, but Robin wasn't above giving pretty girls a glance.
Robin heard her and followed her gaze. He arched an eyebrow and draped an arm over Starfire's shoulders to pull her close. "Takes one to know one, gorgeous."
She laughed, in spite of herself. Robin may not be a poet, but his casually put, unpretentious compliments meant more to her than any flowery words spoken by the bards of lore.
She placed a grateful kiss on his cheek and it made him chuckle. She did, however, feel that there was an underlying current to her insecurities. There was something still bothering her, but she could not exactly pinpoint what it was.
She shrugged it off for the meantime, telling herself that it was just some of her residual envy of these living dolls.
They returned to the manor for dinner, and Bruce was there to join them.
Starfire tried not to giggle when Bruce made reminders to Robin about her having an early start the next day.
Robin had raised an eyebrow, annoyed. "What are you telling me for?"
"I'm just saying," said Bruce, calmly slicing his Chicken Marsala.
Robin rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "It's not like I don't have an early day tomorrow too, you know."
Bruce shrugged. "Just don't keep her up too late; that's all I'm saying."
It gave enough cause for Starfire to blush, even if Robin didn't seem the least bit embarrassed.
But rebellious as Robin tended to be when it came to the things Bruce told him to do and not to do, he never got Starfire involved in their petty disagreements. He said goodnight to her at her bedroom door. Perhaps their kiss had been steamier than they'd both be comfortable with retiring to their respective rooms alone, but they knew their responsibilities and they valiantly fought back the haze that so easily fell on them whenever they were caught in each other's embrace.
Starfire's last thought when she went to sleep was that sometimes, she wished they weren't as responsible as they were. There was no doubt in her mind that somehow, Robin felt the same way.
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The next morning, after seeing Robin off to catch his flight, Starfire found herself practically choking on her waffles. The food hadn't lodged in her throat, but it made her cough horrendously, eyes watering from the effort.
Alfred came over and thumped on her back gently, offering her a glass of water.
Diana, seated across from her in a business suit, shot her a worried glance. "Are you alright?"
Bruce's brow creased ever so slightly.
When Starfire recovered her bearings, she was red in the face, but as to how much of it was attributed to her exertions or the reasons she started coughing in the first place, she wasn't sure.
She reread the article in the Daily Gotham just to make sure she wasn't imagining things. When she was certain that it wasn't a nightmare she couldn't wake up from, she stopped reading mid-article; it was too horrible; too embarrassing.
Alfred leaned over her. "Madame?"
"They are calling me a cheat!" she cried before she could stop herself.
It surprised almost everyone into a stupor.
Bruce, of course, was the first to react. "Who's calling you a cheat?"
Starfire blinked back her tears, handing the paper to Bruce miserably. "The Gotham Daily!They say I am canoodling with Richard Grayson while 'poor Robin' is waiting faithfully for me in Jump City! I do not know what canoodling means, but that picture they have there implies that 'canoodling' means more than 'being friends'. It is mortifying!" She buried her face in her hands, remembering the picture of her and Richard Grayson talking intimately while the light and water show went on in the background. Whoever had taken the picture went unnoticed, probably because there were countless spectators taking photographs.
Bruce's eyebrow arched and Starfire was given to remember how Bruce and Robin were so similar in so many ways. "Well, they're not really calling you a cheat; they're asking if you are. See? 'Is Jump City's Sweetheart Cheating On Her Jump City Sweetheart?'"
Starfire wasn't the least bit comforted. Alfred patted her shoulder gently, placing a beautifully frosted éclair beside her. Instinctively, she began to eat it, hoping to drown her humiliation in chocolate.
Diana shot Bruce a disapproving look but Bruce ignored it, handing the paper over to Diana for her to read.
"Well, for the most part, they're sort of blaming Dick's charms for it," continued Bruce. "Cad that he is… leading Jump City's sweetheart to stray…"
Starfire clamped her hands over her ears and tried not to be annoyed by the look of amusement on his face. "Oh, I do not wish to hear it! How could they say such things of Richard? They do not even know him!"
Diana sniffed to convey her disgust as she stared at the article. "They don't have to know him. He's a celebrity therefore they consider him fair game. I think you could blame Bruce for cultivating Dick's reputation as Gotham's playboy princeling."
Bruce cocked a smile. "If they think he's a spoiled, irresponsible brat who breaks women's hearts, then they wouldn't think him wholesome enough to dig up dirt on. It's safer for Robin the Boy Wonder that way."
Starfire began to protest, but Bruce merely shrugged.
"Don't worry about it. It will blow over in a couple of weeks. If not, it's easy to put something out there that will make them think this one's old news."
Alfred readied another comfort éclair for her as she headed towards polishing off the first one.
"B-But they called me a tease! I am not a tease! Why do they say these things about me?" She stuffed the remainder of the first éclair in her mouth, chewing it down petulantly. She grabbed the second éclair. She was horribly distressed.
She had never, in her relatively public life, been called such things.
Certainly, she had dealt with the occasional bad write-up, and mostly, she had simply shrugged it off. The worse she had been called before this was "the alien with a fiery, uncontrollable and dangerous temper". It took her a total of five minutes to get over the upset and then she never gave it another thought. She was upbeat enough to be comforted by the fact that she was doing some real good and that she had not chosen her career to gain popularity.
Starfire thought she was above how the public viewed her, but she was wrong. Apparently, being called a "tease", a "cheat" and "Richard Grayson's latest crumpet"in one article was terribly upsetting. To top it all off, it totally disparaged Robin's capacity for devotion. According to the article, shewas only as good as the next "crumpet" which was probably one celebrity event away. If she weren't so embarrassed about the entire thing, she would have called Robin that minute and poured her misery out to him.
Diana's lips narrowed to a line as she picked up her table knife to smear butter on her bread. "Men are sometimes more trouble than they're worth. Kori could take on twenty crooks all by herself yet this newspaper reduces her to a 'crumpet' dangling off Dick's arm like a common starlet. It's infuriating."
Starfire felt even worse, hearing it from Diana. Bruce saw the look on her face and gave a soft sigh.
"Diana, you and I both know that the Gotham Daily's gossip section couldn't be taken seriously. About half a year ago, they said Starfire was pregnant with Robin's lovechild."
Starfire's eyes widened. It was the first time she heard about it. "W-Whaaat?"
Bruce seemed mildly surprised. "You mean Dick didn't tell you?"
"No!"
"He probably just didn't want to upset you. So you see that's the kind of tripe the Gotham Daily's gossip sectionthrives on."
Diana gave a huff. "Indeed, but I absolutely understand why Starfire is upset. It's disgraceful how society turns even the most distinguished of women into a red-carpet accessory."
Bruce smirked. "As opposed to turning a young man perfectly devoted to his girlfriend into a heart-breaking, roguish heel?"
Diana made a sound of disgust, raising the knife in her hand as if to pierce Bruce with it. "That's your doing, so don't liken it to Kori's situation."
Bruce did not lose his smirk. "Well, that's true. The point being, Kori, that you'll just have to forget about this article and carry on with your life. There's no use dwelling on it. That's my advice to you."
Starfire wanted to pout, her mood made worse by the lovechild tidbit, but she supposed throwing a tantrum in front of Bruce and Diana would only make her feel more embarrassed.
She resolved to bring the newspaper article to the paper shredder. She supposed she could take comfort in seeing it obliterated by the tiny, electronically powered blades. Now, if only she could get her hands on all forty thousand copies…
She sighed, nodding in response to Bruce's words.
"Good lass," said Bruce, going back to his sausage and eggs breakfast.
Starfire wasn't feeling particularly good about herself at that moment.
Bruce finished his breakfast quickly, or perhaps, Starfire thought, she was just eating hers very slowly, preoccupied as her thoughts were. Whatever it was, he was done before she or Diana were halfway through and he excused himself, explaining that he had things to do in the office.
Starfire was mildly surprised that Bruce left Diana behind. She had been under the impression that the woman had arrived for breakfast to speak with Bruce. Now that Starfire was being left with Diana, it was obvious that Diana hadn't come to see Bruce after all.
Across the table, Diana stirred her black coffee. Starfire wondered why she did that, considering she hadn't put any cream or sugar in it.
"What time is your earliest engagement in the labs?" Diana asked.
Starfire felt just a tiny bit nervous. The last time Diana had spoken to her, the Princess of Themyscira showed that she knew more about Starfire than even Robin could profess. It had been greatly unsettling to Starfire, and now, even after having told Robin everything she could about herself, she was afraid of what Diana would say next.
Careful not to let her nervousness show, she replied to Diana's question. "Not until ten."
Diana nodded, taking a sip of her coffee. After setting the cup down, she spoke. "I didn't know you and Robin were dating."
Starfire flushed. Coming from Diana, it sounded nothing like girl-talk. Magnetic as Diana was, with her luscious black hair and penetrating blue eyes, Starfire was always awed by her presence. It always felt like she was reporting to a superior. "We are. Almost five months now…" She supposed gushing about how glorious those five months were would be terribly inappropriate so she kept her enthusiasm to herself.
Diana shrugged, setting her teaspoon gently aside. "Bruce expected it to happen."
Starfire did not miss the un-voiced implication of, "I did not." Diana almost sounded as if her dating Robin was a bit of a disappointment.
Diana continued. "Have you told anyone about who you are? That you are the Crown Princess of Tamaran?"
"That I was the Crown Princess of Tamaran?" said Starfire carefully. "Yes, I have. I told Robin first, and then the other Titans, even if it hardly matters…"
Diana arched an eyebrow, a hint of a smile on her lips. "Hardly matters? Personally, I think it matters a lot. It's not information you tack on in casual conversation."
Starfire had to admit that Diana's words had merit. She hadn't simply said to Robin, "You must pick up the coats at the cleaners, and oh—by the way—I am the Crown Princess of Tamaran. Here's the Laundromat receipt!"
When she told Robin, she had sat him down and went over it carefully. When she told the others, she gathered them over pizza and explained to them what she had explained to Robin. Suffice it to say, the pizza hadn't gotten touched. She supposed they didn't think the information too casual, either.
Starfire couldn't deny the fact, even after all those years of separation from her family, that her having been crown princess was significant. Why it still seemed important, Starfire didn't dare voice it.
Sitting with Diana now, she was afraid that those concerns were clamoring to be heard.
Starfire shrugged carefully, not the least bit eager to hurry things along. "It does not matter that I was crown princess. That fact changes nothing with regard to my life here on Earth. I have not acted like a princess since I was nine. I suspect that I have lost what upbringing I might have had to the rough life I had to lead when I left Tamaran. All in all, now that Robin and the others know, it makes no difference, really."
Diana chuckled softly. "That you don't put on any airs, that's for sure. Putting on airs and imposing one's rank in situations where it is unnecessary is ill-bred and unreasonable. I'd be disappointed in you if you did such a thing. I did not mean that your rank should matter, Kori. But you broached the matter of upbringing. Very well then, we shall talk about that. You were nine years old by the time you left Tamaran, yes? At that age, one couldn't possibly lose one's upbringing anymore. Primary example: Richard Grayson. He was nine as well when Bruce took him in, yet he remains free-spirited, greatly undefined by the lifestyle he led as a billionaire's ward, despite what the papers say. The truth being, he is indifferent to fortune and fame, swings around this house as if he were still in a circus and in essence, he remains nomadic. Do you think he will stay in Jump City for long?"
Starfire wasn't sure she liked the direction the conversation had taken.
"My point being," continued Diana "that you couldn't possibly cast off your nine years of upbringing anymore than Dick could, no matter what situation you found yourselves in after. Do you agree?"
Starfire brow furrowed. "I suppose so. Richard is nomadic?" She knew it was beside the point, but it bothered her, nonetheless. Where was he going, and more to the point, would he take her with him?
Diana smiled. "Yes, he is. He grew up that way; circuses never stay in one place and a circus child like Dick carries that trait over to the way they run their personal lives. The only reason he lasted as long as he did in Gotham was because Bruce gave him something to occupy himself with, but we both know what happened. Now Dick is in Jump City. He will stay there, perhaps, as long as you and he are together, but you know the saying: Nothing is certain except Death and Taxes."
That was greatly unsettling to Starfire.
Diana shrugged. "But we digress. Now that we've established how deeply ingrained one's upbringing could be, we could then delve on the matter of legacy…"
Starfire swallowed, shaken by the turn of the discussion. "I have no legacy. I removed myself from it when I—when I refused to return to Tamaran."
Diana arched an eyebrow. "I find it hard to believe that you shirked your responsibilities to your planet, Kori."
Starfire frowned, fidgeting on her seat. "I did not—I had my reasons."
Diana nodded, her expression impassive. "I am certain you did. I am not here to judge you and whatever reasons you may have had are—quite frankly—none of my business. I am simply… exploring this aspect of your life that you supposedly left behind. It isn't exactly something you could sweep under the carpet and forget…"
There was something in Diana's expression that Starfire caught. It alarmed Starfire. She had seen that look before, like Diana knew something. She wanted to point it out, to demand from Diana what she knew, yet Starfire was afraid of the answers.
"I will ask you this, Starfire: If your planet needs you, would you help them?"
Starfire stared, trying to determine where Diana's words were coming from. It suddenly felt as if she had dislodged herself from her body and that she was watching it happen from the side. She wanted to tell Diana no. She wanted to tell Diana that she didn't care what happened to Tamaran, but the words wouldn't form and she knew, right then, that if she said those words, they would be lies, and she already knew lying to Diana wasn't a good idea.
Be that as it may, she realized then what significance upbringing and legacy had with the entire discussion. She would always be a princess. Years of slavery had done little to that part of her. She was raised as the Grand Ruler's daughter; reminded every so often that she had to learn her lessons because Second to the Throne meant just that: Second, if something happened to the First. That she had become first was beside the point.
However, upbringing paled in comparison to the depth of legacy. Legacy was the spirit behind the upbringing. Her legacy was her sincere love for her people. It was legacy that gave her the wisdom and strength to undertake the sacrifice the Citadellians demanded of her. It was legacy that had compelled her to inform Tamaran of the danger Blackfire posed, and it would be legacy, ultimately, that would drive her to help her planet, should it need her, regardless of the ties she severed so long ago.
Diana leaned over the table slightly. "Kori? Would you?"
Starfire took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes. Yes, I would."
There was a strange quality to Diana's smile, as if sympathy accompanied it. "I thought so. Does Dick know your thoughts on the matter?"
Starfire thought that a strange follow-up question, but she gave it some consideration. "We have not discussed it quite like that. But… but he asked me something. I remember him asking a few months ago—and it remains distinct in my memories. He asked me if my being crown princess of a planet would not catch up on me, since I had left it behind and all…"
A look of mild surprise crossed Diana's face, as if she was ever so slightly impressed. "Perceptive of him. What did you say?"
Starfire didn't reply.
Diana shrugged after the silence stretched. "I could not blame you. I suppose I've underestimated enough men's capacity to carry emotional burdens with the same grace women do. Even if we know, deep down inside, that protecting our men from the reality of things couldn't change the truth; it merely puts it off. But honestly? I think highly enough of Dick to believe in his resilience. He was ready enough to ask the question; I think he deserved a truthful answer, but that is just me."
Starfire scowled. "And what answer is that? That at any given time, my people just might show up on my doorstep and demand that I rule them?"
Diana chuckled. "Well… yes."
"I do not agree. As of this moment, it is merely a remote possibility. I do not wish to worry Richard about such things; he worries enough about far too many matters, as it is."
"I see where you're coming from, Kori. By nature, women are nurturing. We do not wish to inflict unnecessary strain on those we love, and perhaps put in the same situation, I would do no different. But there are circumstances to consider. Tell me, what was the situation in Vega when you left it?"
The question gave Starfire pause again. She was beginning to wonder how the woman knew so much in the first place, because inquisitive as she was, she certainly seemed to be asking all the right questions.
When Starfire first heard about Blackfire's escape from slavery, she was approximately twelve-years-old. At the time, most of the Vegan planets had organized a rebellion against the Citadellians and Gordanians, and its success in overthrowing the ruling empire was imminent. Because the threat of an overwhelming attack had, by then, been removed from many planets, slaves found themselves free from the bonds that held them. They were allowed to attempt escape at last without endangering their planets, either through the help of the rebellion or through their own efforts. It was around Starfire's thirteenth year that she discovered that the rumors of Blackfire's escape were true. A short time after that, Starfire was given the opportunity to escape as well, and it was an opportunity she took.
Tamaran had fallen under protection of the rebellion by the time Blackfire escaped and Starfire had believed it meant she need not see to the needs of her planet. When she left Vega, the star system was well on its way to recovering from years of Citadellian-Gordanian rule.
Starfire left Tamaran behind because she knew it would do well on its own without her.
She answered Diana's question: "The Citadellian-Gordanian empire had been overthrown. Rightful kingdoms were restored. I could only assume it has been peaceful since then."
"Is there a possibility of a resurgence of that empire? Do you think it could ever return to power, stronger and more ambitious than ever?"
Starfire felt dread rising from the pit of her stomach. She took a moment to attempt orienting herself with the line of questioning; figure out what Diana was getting at. She failed. "Why are you asking me all these questions?" It came out softly, like speaking the words would upset a fragile balance of sorts if she spoke them too loudly.
Diana leaned back on her seat, her face gone blank for a moment. For a while, Diana said nothing. Finally, she spoke. "I have very strange acquaintances, Kori. I… know people who know things. To say they aren't of this world would seem inaccurate, since their existence depends on the reality we live in. Do you know who Ares is?"
"He is the Greek God of War."
"Correct. And as such, he thrives on conflict and chaos. When he is happy, I find that disturbing and I make it my business to find out what makes him giddy."
Starfire blinked. "B-But… Ares… the other Gods—they are mythical!"
Diana arched an eyebrow. Though she said nothing, her look conveyed just how nonsensical Starfire's response was. Diana went on. "And do you know who Hephaestus is?"
Starfire was compelled to answer, boggled as she was. "He is blacksmith to the Greek Gods…"
"Yes, and because of that, he is privy to many things. It is reasonable to assume that he converses with other craftsmen, among them Moerae; the three Greek fates. They tell each other things; gossip, if you will. Because of this, they learn things from one another; piece things together. Hephaestus, when asked the right questions, provides the answers. Put in the right frame of mind, I could get him to tell me things. What he has told me of late regarding Ares has been disturbing. There are signs that a war is brewing in the far system of Vega, and while Ares wouldn't normally concern himself with chaos twenty six light years away, it seems he is anticipating that chaos to spill over to this planet. I have consulted many… beings on this matter, and I was greatly surprised to discover that the fate of this planet has numerous ties to you. In a way, it makes sense. You are, after all, the only person I know from the Vegan Star System, and since you are princess of Tamaran, it seems logical to assume that your importance brings with it the consequences of your rank. However, it doesn't mean I understand why Earth gets involved in this conflict in the first place. I don't. I haven't a clue, but you understand my concern, Kori. Earth business is my business. I would like to know if there's any merit to Earth being in danger because of the possibility of another Vegan War."
Starfire's jaw dropped. She had no knowledge whatsoever of the state of things in Vega, and in a way, it felt surreal to have someone from Earth telling her about it. "Honestly… I do not know. I feel that my sister is planning something; you know of the Blackfire Watch, yes?"
Diana nodded. "We're tied to your network."
"I am yet unaware of her plans, but she is my only tie to Tamaran as of this moment. I am sorry, but it seems you know more than I do."
Diana kept her gaze fixed on Starfire and Starfire could almost feel her soul being searched. However, she had noting to hide, so she held her gaze, letting Diana search as much as she wanted. After a while, Diana sighed. "I believe you, and I suppose I would have to settle for the faith I have on your sense of duty. I know that Earth business is also your business, am I correct?"
"Yes."
"I am also concerned about your sense of responsibility to Tamaran because it might tie in with your sense of responsibility to Earth. Make no mistake of it, Kori. Queen Making isn't my career. I haven't the patience for it, but if it is necessary to make a Crown Princess of you just so you could prevent war from spilling over to the Earth, I'd be willing to do as much of the work as the next person. So yes, I would like to be… informed of pertinent matters, should any arise in the future."
Numbly, Starfire nodded. She stared at Diana and it finally dawned on her just how serious all of this was. It was unsettling enough to make her sick, and her uneasiness from the previous day—that odd sensation of insecurity she felt when that model had passed Robin by felt eerily tied to it. What was happening? Suddenly, it felt like the return of her vision was beginning to make her see things she didn't want to see.
Diana lazily picked up the Gotham Daily and gave the article another glance. "Now… perhaps you would like me to do something about this atrocious article in the paper?"
It was the strangest thing, but suddenly, Starfire didn't care what they printed about her in the Gotham Daily.
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Sleep evaded Starfire that night. Exhausted as she was from the laboratory testing, her discussion with Diana that morning kept her awake. She had tried to soothe herself with images of Robin when she told him about the article in the Gotham Daily.
He had frowned, said a few choice words about the writer, and then he began to make jokes about it, asking her if the camera had gotten his best side. His cavalier attitude towards the article helped her overcome the sting of "cheat", "tease" and "crumpet".
She felt better enough about it not to be embarrassed about the "lovechild" article when she brought it up.
"Lovechild?" asked Robin, eyebrow arched. "Oh, yeah! I think I remember that."
Starfire scowled. "Why did you not tell me about it?"
"Well, I figured since you were having my lovechild and all, you'd be the first person to know about it."
"Richard!"
He chuckled. "I don't know why I didn't tell you. I guess it was kind of embarrassing then. We weren't together yet, you know."
"I suppose."
"Maybe Dick Grayson should tell the press that he's dumping Starfire because she has a lovechild with Robin, the Boy Wonder."
"Richard John Grayson, don't you dare!"
His teasing eventually helped her get over the entire thing, and lying in bed, she found that she was more bothered by the fact that she hadn't told him about her conversation with Diana.
Just when she thought she had no more secrets to keep from Robin, there she was again, another secret in tow. When was it going to end?
Wearily, she got out of bed and decided to go to the kitchen. Perhaps she could drink something warm to settle her.
Finding a plaid woolen house robe to go over her sleepwear, she drifted out of her room and headed down the stairs to the kitchen. As she passed Bruce's study, she noticed a light shining from beneath the door.
Funny that Bruce is in, she thought. Usually, at that hour, Bruce was out being Batman. Perhaps the streets of Gotham were quiet that night.
Before she had given it any thought, she had her fist raised to the door, rapping it gently against the polished wood. She didn't know why she ventured to disturb him. She certainly hadn't planned on speaking to him.
For a while, no one responded and Starfire was just about to turn and leave when the door opened. Bruce stood at the threshold, still dressed in his business suit.
He arched an eyebrow upon seeing her. "Problem, Kori?"
Starfire's brows furrowed. There was no problem; just that she couldn't sleep and that by some impulse she had knocked on Bruce's door. Perhaps she had hoped he would have something to say that would put her troubled mind at ease.
"I could not sleep," she said, unable to come up with a better answer.
His eyebrow arched higher and she felt a bit embarrassed for it. She scolded herself mentally. Silly! Did you think Bruce would be as kind about talking to you as Robin is when you have trouble sleeping?
She hastily began to apologize. "I am sorry. I did not mean to disturb you. It is just that—"
Bruce stepped back and held the door open. "Why don't you come in? I have some herbal infusion hidden in my mini-bar. I'll make some for you. I promise it will help you relax."
Starfire hesitated a second before she nodded and drifted into Bruce's study. "Thank you."
"Have a seat." He gestured to the couch; probably the same couch she had sat in the first time she came to the Wayne Manor.
Giving the room a brief survey, she realized that the dimness of it was reminiscent of how Robin preferred his lighting. Though the orange-light lamps and the fire beyond the hearth lent a kind of comforting warmth to the dark and massive Victorian-style furnishings, they cast shadows on everything. The great office table set to one side of the room was large and intimidating enough to serve as a kind of armor; as if Bruce put it on to make him seem impenetrable. A person standing in front of the desk while Bruce sat behind it stood no chance of controlling the discussion.
At the center of the room, in front of the fireplace, was the lounging area. Soft couches and cushioned chairs were set over an expensive, antique rug and around a pristinely polished coffee table. The standing lamps were beautifully crafted, serving as accents to the somber-toned set-up. Paintings were hung up on the walls, the Romanticism from its muted colors made tragic by the pensive quality to the entire room.
Cautiously, as if afraid to offend the room itself, she settled on the sofa. To make herself more comfortable, she took a throw-pillow and put it on her lap. She randomly traced outlines on the pillow's soft surface, thinking about what she should discuss with Bruce while he made her tea.
After a while, he settled on the cushioned chair across from her, placing her mug of tea on the coffee table. She thanked him, taking up the mug and sniffing the tendrils of smoke that rose out of the liquid. It was deliciously fragrant and she sipped it, tasting a slight sweetness, like honey. She drank more of the brew, finding it soothing.
Bruce had some brandy in a glass.
Starfire looked up at Bruce and suddenly, she knew why she had knocked on his door. "Did you—did you know what Diana spoke to me about this morning?"
A ghost of a smile played on his lips. "Of course."
She nodded, pondering the knowledge. She was silent for moments, taking more of her tea.
Bruce rattled his brandy glass, the ice clinking softly. "I assume what you discussed is what's keeping you up."
Again, Starfire nodded.
Bruce drank some of his brandy. "I don't blame you. It's a lot to take in. I would be very upset if I was in your shoes."
She pressed her hands around the mug, liking its warmth. "You planned that Diana would be the one to tell me?"
"It was planned, yes. Initially, Diana wanted me to be the one to discuss it with you, but I didn't think it wise. In the first place, she was the one who gathered all the information. It would be best if you learned of it straight from her. In the second place, she said you and her are kindred. Whatever that means is of little consequence to me, but I could understand how it could help in broaching such a delicate subject. But most importantly…" Bruce shrugged. "Well, Dick wouldn't take kindly to me giving you that kind of burden. As it is, he's very protective of you, and his relationship with me is dysfunctional enough. He'd think I told you those things just to piss him off. He doesn't need that kind of aggravation and neither do I. Coming from Diana, Dick has no reason to pop a vein."
Starfire smiled wanly. "Richard is not that unreasonable when it comes to you."
"Probably, but why risk it? Like I said, the less aggravation the better. Speaking of which… are you going to tell him?"
Starfire slumped on her seat, sighing softly. "I do not wish to worry him over something so largely uncertain."
"He'll be pissed if he finds out I know something about you that he doesn't. Even more pissed because you could have told him."
She winced. "Yes, well, I shall deal with that when I have to. In the meantime, would it be impertinent for me to request that you say nothing of it to him?"
Bruce gave it a moment's thought. "Well, I won't say anything to him if that's what you want. That is—so long as he doesn't have to know…"
She nodded. "I understand. If it becomes necessary to inform him, I will. As it is, I knew nothing of this possible resurgence until Diana told me. Even now… well, her sources are—" she searched for a polite word "—strange. I do not doubt Diana's instincts, but it never occurred to me that Ares and Hephaestus and Moerae were real. The mere thought that our fate could be controlled by a trio of women—"
"I know. Scary, isn't it?" He was smirking, and Starfire suspected he was referring to women in general, rather than the three women who happened to be Atropos, Lachesis and Clotho; weavers of the past, present and future on the tapestry known as fate.
Starfire smirked right back, letting him know she hadn't missed the implied jibe. "It is unsettling enough to know that these Greek myths are not—well, myths, but it is even more disturbing to think that there is indeed such a thing as a tapestry of fate…"
Bruce rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Oh, I wouldn't worry about that. At the risk of sounding… philosophical—something I assure you I am not—I suppose it's an undying truth: that we couldn't choose our fate, but it's been proven, time and again, that we could choose our destiny. Ordinarily, I wouldn't buy into this tripe, but an interesting actual case has presented itself, compelling me to believe its scientific feasibility. Case in point—you should know this."
"I should?"
He nodded. "Certainly. Robin allows me access to his digital case-file via the Bat Network. A lot of his files have helped me crack cases here in Gotham. I was doing research from his database when I stumbled upon an interesting subject-matter: Warp, and how you traveled through time with him. The file said you went twenty years into the future."
She was surprised by the extent of his knowledge concerning their on-goings in Jump City. "Yes, I did."
"I read what you saw in that future. It was fascinating, and I do believe it has given you a rare insight into the paradox of fate and destiny. I expect you to have realized that while there are inevitabilities, they are, ultimately, brought about by the choices we make. We can't change who we are, but we certainly have a hand on what we become. There was the future you found yourself in and then there's the future that could be. According to Robin's case file, it seems that by returning to the present time, you set into motion events that would make the future different from what you saw."
Starfire pondered his words before she nodded. "That is what I believe."
"So you know it isn't set in stone, much less a tapestry. You shouldn't let a trio of old crones bother you. Not worth it; scientifically speaking, of course."
She smiled and the memory of Raven's Tarot reading wafted through her mind. Indeed, even Raven told her that the Tarot doesn't tell the future; it offers possibilities, and from everything Starfire has learned so far, she could see how myth, the cosmos, and science concur at some level.
Comforting as Bruce's words were on matters of fate, she couldn't let go of the anxieties brought on by her conversation with Diana.
She drank more of her tea.
Bruce's eyebrow arched again. "I thought maybe my little lecture would bore you enough to help you find sleep. Did it work?"
Starfire shook her head. "No. I found it quite interesting, actually, but I think this tea may help." Just as she said it, she felt a yawn come to her. She set the cup down on the table and smiled.
He nodded. "That's good tea, better for the soporific I put in it."
She flashed him a worried expression. "You drugged me?"
"Very mildly. You'd be able to make it back to your room safely enough, or you could just stretch out on this couch and drop off on the spot. Whatever works for you."
She yawned again. "I think I will go back to my room."
He shrugged. It hardly mattered to him.
She rose, smiling at him sleepily. "I thank you, Bruce. The talk and the tea did help. I think I will find sleep now."
"Glad I could be of service."
Starfire told him goodnight and headed out of the study. It made her wonder whether Bruce slept at all. Maybe he did sleep on the couch a lot, but she would have to see it to believe it. It was difficult to imagine Gotham's dashing, debonair and poised billionaire bachelor sleeping on anything other than a proper bed.
Halfway up to her room, Starfire felt the soporific kicking in and she was glad she didn't have to be bothered with lifting one foot over the other to get where she wanted to go. She simply glided up the stairs, through the hallways and into her room. Nudging off her bunny slippers and letting her robe fall to the floor, she slid into the sheets of her bed, switched off her nightlight and snuggled against her pillows. In less than two minutes, she was asleep, her anxieties temporarily forgotten.
To be continued…
Author's closing notes: I'm sorry this took so long, and the truth is, I had planned to release chapter five with this, but I hadn't realized how busy this year's Thanksgiving was. I had planned to write during the entire four-day weekend, but it was simply impossible! I am praying I could release Chapter Five of this story and Chapter Two of "The Mighty Titan" this week. Dang it all…
My thanks in the bios!