Now THIS is the chapter I've been dying to write since I first came up with the plotline. A lot of interesting things happen, and while I don't believe it gives away too much of the overall plot just yet, I get to dive a bit deeper into my characters. Unfortunately for you, Robin doesn't even appear this time…but to make up for it, I threw in a lot of important information. You can tell by the surprising length, given there's only three scenes.
Notes for this chapter:
1) The Tameranian traditions described in this story are entirely made up. I just took whatever I had deduced of the Tameranian culture based on the episodes, as well as Starfire's mannerisms, and turned them into a series of rituals that would fit better into the story. To my knowledge, none of this comes from the comics, with the exception of the belief inX'hal as their god.
2) I was wondering when somebody would bring up the issue of Silkie/Squishy. You see, I had written out the story long before the events of Can I Keep Him?, and thus before the worm was given an official name. I wanted to throw a Nemoreference in, considering half the girls on my dorm floor are obsessed with the movie, so I figured it would be the wonderful opportunity.
3) While I usually don't like giving things away, I will say at least this much: Ryand'r had nothing to do with the betrothal. I would never subject my favorite character (aka: Raven) to the torture of being betrayed in such a way twice, and besides, the events in this story are taking place before Spellbound, along with most of season three.
4) The poem Starfire recites later in the chapter is titled, "Nothing Gold Can Stay," by Robert Frost, my absolute favorite.
Chapter IV
The barstool creaked under the metallic titan's enormous mass, though Cyborg paid it little heed. Nothing could have distracted him from the beautiful, breath-taking display before him. With a large grin, he wiped the imaginary drool from his lips as he accepted the tiny glass, unable to wrap more than two fingers around it. It was filled with a thick, brown liquid, steam drifting into the warm air due to its frigid temperature.
Cyborg grinned appreciatively at the bartender, who had returned to polishing off a stack of recently-washed glasses, before raising the tiny glass in a motion of cheers and downing it all in one gulp. His eyes went wide from the incredibly strong taste, audibly expressing his satisfaction as he felt it go down. "Oh, yeah…needed that one."
Several Tameranians around the room of various ages were enjoying a similar drink. Clearly, it was one of the more popular beverages of the planet, and from the moment Cyborg's curiosity had gotten the better of him ("I'll have whatever they're having," he had stated upon arrival), he found out why. The taste was so strong it could only be served in glasses that could be held with a simple pinch grip, one glass at a time, and the aftereffects were extremely pleasant. It simultaneously calmed the nerves while offering a momentary boost of energy.
"…and then there was the time 'B and I had tried to teach her how to play poker," Cyborg continued with his ramblings to the bartender, leaning forward so she could hear him better, "and she took the phrase 'hit me' a little too seriously. Nearly gave the both of us matching concussions. Put BB in the med ward for three days straight."
His momentary therapist was a young-looking girl, though nearly twice the Titan's age, and about as talkative as Raven. But she was also a very good listener, and seemed to have a knack for multi-tasking. He had met her on the way to the bar, being one of the few in the room who spoke and understood English.
Chuckling at the memory, he continued. "Rae told him he deserved it for trying to take advantage of her newbie status to win money, while Robin banned card playing for a month after seeing how upset the whole thing had made Star. I'm tellin' ya, there ain't a single wrong she could possible commit to ruffle bird-boy's feathers. Not even if she tried!"
The female Tameranian smiled lightly, serving another customer a tray of drinks while somehow still managing to pay attention to the conversation. A roll of the eyes quickly followed to cover up any signs of her amusement, and she surprised a small bout of laughter. While she did find the stories highly amusing, the last thing she needed to do was encourage the guy further, especially considering how many glasses she'd seen him inhale at that point. Standard part of the job.
"Now BB and Rae, on the other hand…whoa-hoa, man!" the metallic Titan slapped a hand to his forehead at the thought. "It's a miracle they lasted this long without snapping. The way their personalities clash, makes you wonder how they can stand one another at times. She takes things so seriously, while he takes 'em light and easy…she's a neat freak, his room's the epitome of messes…she likes things absolute quiet, and he can't go five minutes without making noise."
"Perhaps they merely…oh, what is that Earth phrase?" she thought briefly, "'Balance one another out'?"
Cyborg rolled his eyes and laughed. "That kind of balance, I could do without." When the girl gave him an odd look, he added, "Well who do you think gets caught in the middle of all this? Good ol' Cyborg, that's who! I doubt people realize just how much I go through every day playing Big Brother to this bunch of soap opera drama rejects. Just 'cause I ain't a part of it first-hand, I don't matter."
At this point, he almost seemed to be talking more to himself than to his associate. With one hand, he motioned towards his empty glass as an unspoken sign that he wanted another shot of the sweet nectar. The bartender, taking into consideration how his human eye was beginning to twitch, hesitated. A Tameranian sugar-high could be equated to the effects of Earth alcohol, though nowhere near as dangerous to one's health, and his particular drinks had been made from pure Tameranian chocolate sugar canes and vanilla extract.
"I…believe you may have had enough for one evening, Cyborg of Earth."
Cyborg's eyes narrowed briefly, and for the first time, he almost seemed annoyed at her. "Haven't you been listening to a word I've said? Two of my teammates are so blindly caught up in one another, it's almost sickening, while the other two wanna plain kill each other on sight right now…and I'm stuck dealing with the lot of 'em; I haven't had nearly enough!"
o*0*o
To the casual eye, there was nothing physically out of the norm. The cloak hanging around her shoulders was still a deep Prussian blue under the dim lighting, though she clung to it tighter than usual, just as the leotard underneath remained black. Her hair and eyes were exactly the same shade and length; her skin, as ivory as usual. But Beast Boy was more than a casual observer, and his acute senses picked up the subtle differences, from the change in posture to the look of helplessness.
What felt like an eternity passed between the two, and the girl continued to grow uneasy, feeling self-conscious under his unblinking stare. Their eyes had locked from the very start, and he had yet to say or do anything other than gape. Yet, a small part of her felt a rush of warmth at seeing him again, as it had been so long since he and Cyborg had fallen into Nevermore. Had it not been for the nature of her existence overwhelming all else, she might have even smiled.
"I-I represent many things," the emotion softly spoke up, eyes turning to the floor, "hesitation…fear…self-consciousness…regret…sorrow…"
The sound of her voice, small as it was, managed to snap Beast Boy out of his stupid. He stood his head a few times to clear it, blinking in disbelief. "But if you're here…where's Raven?"
"I am Raven."
"That's not what I meant!" he moaned, waving his hands in frustration, but stopped when he noticed the teary-eyed emotion recoil from him in fear. "Sorry. I didn't mean to shout. What I meant was, why are you here."
The emotion's eyes widened slightly, and she began pacing back and forth in front of him. One hand came from underneath the cloak to wipe at her eyes. "I…don't know. I remember I was curled up in my maze, where it was safe, when the voices started." At this point, both her hands had fallen to her sides, before she began wringing them nervously.
"Voices?" he repeated.
She nodded, and the pacing came to a halt as she turned to face him. "They were so loud…angry…I couldn't block them out." Her hands went to her ears, as if trying to block out said voices. "They were everywhere. Getting louder and louder. I couldn't make out what was being said, but I knew it wasn't good. And before I could find out what was happening…"
Her voice broke suddenly, and she felt a pair of strong hands gently take hers, holding tightly in comfort. In the proceeding silence, she realized she had begun to hyperventilate, her breath coming in quick, labored gasps. Her hands were shaking almost violently beneath their green-tinted captors.
She looked up to meet with Beast Boy's eyes, brimming with a mixture of sadness and guilt. Despite possessing Raven's face and body, the creature before him was nothing more than a little lost girl, and it pained him to see her this way. Even if it was in her nature to do so.
"I didn't mean to," the emotion whispered, "This has never happened before. Rage had once tried to gain control, but the rest of us would never—"
"Shh, it's okay. This isn't your fault." Beast Boy assured her, giving her hands a comforting squeeze. He still wasn't entirely certain of what was happening, but he knew allowing the poor girl to worry herself into a state unconsciousness wouldn't help things. "Why don't you tell me what happened?" He led her over to the edge of the bed.
She nodded, taking a few deep breaths as she sat down before beginning. "You would have to ask Wisdom for a more precise explanation, but I will try. We are not technically physical beings, but mere representations of various qualities than encompass Big Sister's greater existence."
Beast Boy's head spun from the choice of wording, mentally wondering if Timid was channeling Wisdom after all. Still, he nodded for her to continue.
"Because of our unnatural nature," she spoke in reference to herself and the other emotions, "Big Sister has the ability to feel stronger and more passionately than any other…that is, if she would be willing to let her shield down and allow herself to do so. But instead of subtly allowing our presence to hold influence over her, we remain bottled up, though a mental connection remains. She channels her emotions through us so that she doesn't have to experience them herself, and risk losing control."
"So, basically," Beast Boy quipped, "she's an apathetic empath."
The dry tone of his voice did not go unnoticed by the emotion, and she was quick to correct him. "She understands emotions…just not her own." There was a pause before she continued. Her voice seemed to grow stronger with each passing word, if only a little. "When one feeling grows stronger than the others, the bonds between it and Big Sister grow stronger. Not only that, but she has grown so accustomed to suppressing these feelings on a regular basis that she is unable to know how to handle them, should they grow strong enough within her."
"You overpower her and take control," he stated, allowing everything to slowly sink in.
Timid nodded sadly, and suddenly reverted back to her old self, voice so tiny Beast Boy could barely hear it. "I believe I am the result of what happens when that very bond grows too strong."
He thought back to how Raven's fury had released itself, presumably in this 'Rage' character mentioned earlier, and nearly accomplished the very same thing. At first, he'd figured the demon figure to be some symbolic representation of how she viewed her father, but after its defeat, the emotion had revealed itself as a four-eyed Raven cloaked in red. The same Raven that had momentarily possessed her during their battle with Dr. Light, when she'd demonstrated an intense hatred for everyone and everything around her.
But Rage was an extremely powerful force, one that required the combined efforts of all Raven's other emotions to overcome. On the other hand, Timid (he assumed) was one of—if not the—weakest of the bunch. And she had clearly shown all the signs of not wanting to be released. It must have taken an incredibly strong feeling to create such a bond to have the unwilling emotion gain control of this degree.
Inwardly, his guilt grew, knowing that somehow this was his doing.
"Why?"
Beast Boy blinked at the sudden question. If possible, the emotion's voice had gotten even smaller. "Why what?"
"Why would you say those things you said to her? To us?" She risked a glance at him. "Do you hate me?"
"Of course not!" he exclaimed, before his shoulders slumped and he rubbed the back of his neck in an awkward embarrassment. "I don't hate you, Rae. I guess I just got carried away. I was in a bad mood, let my anger get the better of me, and said things I didn't mean."
"But you did mean them," Timid spoke up, in such a tone as to make Beast Boy question the validity of her namesake. "Every word, even if you don't realize it. Because they were spoke in a fit of rage, and therefore merely unblocked by politeness and selflessness. You would never have said what you did if it hadn't crossed your mind at least once."
The initial impact of her words was lost as he stared at her. "…are you sure you're Timid?"
Her expression quickly changed, to one exhibiting more horror than before, and she hugged her legs tightly to her chest. "I-I'm sorry. It was not my place to say such things." She pulled the hood over her head. "On the outside, I can sense the others so clearly. Their voices ring in my head, each telling me to do something different. So…so loud…"
Afraid she would start crying again, Beast Boy gingerly placed a hand on her shoulder.
"She is crying," the emotion whispered, not once lifting her eyes from the shadow of her cloak.
"Who?" He blinked. It was almost like she'd read his mind. "Who's crying?"
"I can hear her, louder than the din," she continued, as if no longer aware of Beast Boy's presence. "Yet deathly silent."
The girl was speaking in riddles, he concluded, and wondered which side was influencing her then. But his thoughts were brought to an abrupt halt when an eerily silver glow enveloped her suddenly, like a thin layer of light. Timid seemed completely unaware of it, though Beast Boy jumped back in surprise.
Before his emerald eyes, the light dimmed into a soft blue a few shades darker than the cloak. It then faded as quickly as it had appeared. The girl remained completely motionless, and Beast Boy wondered if she was still breathing.
"Raven?" he called nervously, taking a step forward.
"Go away." She murmured weakly from beneath her hood.
"But—"
"Go! Now!" the half-demon screeched at him. The lights of the room flickered violently, and the few breakable items in the room shattered, sprinkling the carper with jagged pieces. Fearing he would soon meet a similar fate if he remained, Beast Boy was quick to slip out of the room before his yelp of fear had barely passed his lips.
It wasn't until the door shut that Raven finally lifted her head, staring forlornly after him. The lights settled back into their faint glow, reflecting off the twin tear trails that streaked across both her cheeks.
o*0*o
By nature, Tameranians were not overly religious. There were no churches, spiritual groups, or even a holy man or woman. To the warrior race, such things were not necessary. Allegiance was pledged to the royal family alone. However, as with all races, it was inevitable for them to create some sort of deity to worship, whether it be comfort for soldiers going into battle or a sense of comfort who finds life otherwise too overwhelming.
For Tameran, that deity was called X'hal.
Even the elders could not recall when the ritual had first come into practice. It was more of a superstition than religious experience, and one only those of the highest class partook in. A successful royal marriage, the legend goes, could never exist—let alone thrive—without the continuous support of family and friends, something only honorable prayer to the deity could achieve.
It had taken place out in the royal garden square for generations, and as Starfire wandered around the center, she could easily see why. Tall hedges sprung from the ground in all directions, like sturdy walls, and the night sky made for a breathtaking ceiling. Since before she could remember, this place had offered a sense of peace and escape from the outside word to any who sought it. The flora that grew in the general vicinity were a variety of soft colors and shapes she had only ever seen elsewhere during her travels of space, shimmering in the ethereal light of the stars.
Delicately, the Tameranian princess ran her fingers over one of her favorite flower's petals, which was tinted a silvery-lavender, and marveled at the feel of it. A sad smile appeared on her face; such flowers did not exist on Earth, and she had missed them dearly.
A faint rustling to her left caught Starfire's attention, and she offered a glance to see Ta'ragn staring intently at her. The glare he had previously sent her was still present, though it was mixed with a touch of confusion at something unknown to her. She could almost feel his eyes boring through her from behind the dark shades. Turning to face him, she attempted a polite smile.
"Does your planet possess lovely flowers such as these?"
The prince merely scoffed at her, blatantly ignoring the innocent question. Instead, he brushed passed her and towards the center of the meditation circle, assuming a kneeling position. His eyes closed (she assumed), and his head tilted downward as he lost himself in either meditation or prayer.
Starfire could feel the tears welling up inside, turning her sight back to her beloved plants. The thought that someone she was expected to devote her life to could treat her with such cruelty devastated her. Had she done something to offend him? It certainly hadn't been she who requested their arranged marriage…but perhaps he blamed her anyway? Twin trails of hot liquid streamed down her cheeks at the injustice of it all. She desperately wished for the comfort of her friends, and found only further sadness at the thought of never being able to see them again.
Her eyes fell upon a gold-rimmed leaf, so finely outlined it was near invisible to the unaided eye. It was only under the glow of starlight she was even made aware of its presence, for otherwise the leaf might have blended in perfectly with the rest of the bushes, which extended well above her head like walls of a room. The sight reminded her of a poem Raven had once recited to her, and she found herself repeating the words softly, half amazed she was able to recall them after all that time:
Nature's finest green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold,
Her early leaf's a flower,
But only so an hour,
Then leaf subsides to leaf;
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day…
Nothing gold can stay.
"I do not believe that is part of the traditional prayer."
She jumped in surprise, from both the fact that Ta'ragn had willingly spoken to her and the language he had done so in. Her back lightly brushed against the hedge wall as she abruptly turned to face him. He remained in the same kneeling position as before, though his head was now raised and his hands rested casually on his lap. Because of their distance, she still could not see his eyes, but knew they were fixated on her. A single eyebrow was raised in curiosity over the rim.
Cautiously, she took a step forward. "You speak the English also?"
"Better than yourself, it would seem," he stated, and though the statement seemed relatively harsh, his tone of voice did not. On the contrary, the rich bass that boomed from his vocal chords was almost…soothing. "My people are blessed with the gift of language, much like yours, though ours stems from a weak telepathic power that allows us to learn any tongue one might possibly hold knowledge of. It is a great asset on the battlefield, allowing us to decipher spoken codes among the enemy with great ease."
"It would seem our people have more in common than I thought, perhaps," she retorted lighter, her smile growing more genuine as she knelt before him.
Ta'ragn appeared irritated by her friendly actions, and shifted back slightly. "Why do you continue to speak in this tongue? Clearly, it is not your first language."
She opened her mouth, but quickly realized she had no answer for him. Why did she insist on conversing in the Earthling language…and such a complex one, at that? Even during her stay with the Titans, Starfire would often slip back into Tameranian out of habit. Often when she was feeling homesick or nostalgic for her culture…
…the same feeling she was holding for her second home of Earth, her mind realized. English was one of the few things she still had left of her life on Earth, and she wanted to hold to it dearly, less she start to forget.
When a brief time passed in silence, Ta'ragn abruptly stood up and began aimlessly pacing around the square. "This is ridiculous!" he shouted to no one in particular, reverting back to his native language. "Time-honored tradition or not, I degrade myself by praising a foreign deity…and a Tameranian one at that!"
A frown appeared on her face. Whether or not he had been aware of the fact, Starfire had absorbed the Galangal language as a small child, and therefore was able to understand every word he uttered. "It would not do you well to insult this particular 'foreign deity'," she stated, clearly more fluent in his language. "And I ask you not to do so on Tameranian royal grounds."
The prince seemed surprised for a passing moment at her ability to speak his tongue so well, but regained his composure. "I hate to break it to you, Princess Koriand'r of Tameran…but no amount of prayer in all of Vega could possibly bless this marriage."
"Why do you insist upon acting in this manner?" she stood up slowly, taking a step forward so that little more than a meter of space separated them. "I have done nothing to offend you, Prince Ta'ragn of Galanga. It would behoove you to reconsider your rash words before speaking them aloud in the future."
His lavender skin turned maroon with fury. "Why, you spoiled, sheltered brat of a child…how dare you speak to me in such a manner!"
Muscles tensed, his hands formed into fists and he threw a punch at her. She caught it inches from her face, hardly blinking as she pushed it aside with great ease in time to block a second blow in the same manner. The prince winced at her tremendous grip, though his anger made him blind to the fact that she could have easily crushed his hands and chose not to do so.
"I am neither spoiled, nor sheltered. Nor am I a child," she spoke calmly, her eyes glowing a soft emerald, and waited until it seemed the prince had calmed down slightly before releasing her grip.
"How did you do that?" he demanded to know, rubbing at his sore wrists. "The greatest Tameranian warriors do not possess such strength, and certainly not in comparison to a Galangal."
The glow faded until her eyes were once more their usual shade. "I am not a normal Tameranian. When we were but children, my sister and I were kidnapped and forced under excruciating experiments by the Psions." She heard him gasp almost inaudibly at that, but continued on. "Before our rescuing, we had been given the ability to absorb power from the starlight. It is by this power I was granted tremendous strength, even by our standards, among other things."
For the first time, Ta'ragn gave her a look filled with neither hatred nor disgust. "If what you say is true, then why do you subject yourself to the trials and hardships of an arranged marriage? Surely, you could use such gifts for a greater cause."
"I did, during my stay on Earth," she answered sadly, momentarily switching to English. "But my loyalties lie first with Tameran and the High Ruler. I am obliged to do what I must for them both, no matter what it is that they require of me."
To her great surprise, the prince began laughing. Not entirely mockingly, but more of a laughter she would hear on Earth after misquoting a colloquial phrase. "Silly girl. Did it never occur to you that political marriages are only conducted when it best suits both parties?" His laughing ceased abruptly, "Wait…you were under the impression our betrothal was political in nature?"
She nodded, continuing in Galangal. "That is what I was told by the royal advisors. It is why I traveled home from the system of Sol."
Ta'ragn frowned again, though this time it was clearly not directed at her. "Even during the brief period of my stay thus far, it is clear that your economy is, if anything, flourishing. And if you had been away for a time…you are not preparing your ascent to the throne?"
"Oh, X'hal, no!" she exclaimed. "I am still years away before even considering that. Mother has only assumed the throne for a brief time longer than my elder sister has been alive."
"Wait…you have an elder sister?"
Understanding his implications, she quickly explained. "Yes, Komiand'r is my senior by a few years. However, she was stripped of her inheritance because...well…" she hesitated, as if it were a tender subject, and moved to sit on a small bench near the far hedge wall. "Her appearance is not that of a normal Tameranian. We are a race of fiery hair and eyes the color of nature's green. The drastic contrast in hers brought about an outrage to the kingdom. Many accused mother of having a secret affair with one of the Green Lanterns that visited the planet around the estimated time of her conception."
"And it is because of this that she was denied her rightful place?" the prince questioned, and though he willing sat beside her, Starfire did not miss the sudden hostility behind his words.
"Even if all this had been looked over, there was one other thing…" she continued, "At birth Komiand'r was deemed handicapped in aerial flight, one of a Tameranian's most prized traits. Some continued to blame the possibility of an illegitimate birth, though all were forced to agree that one who could not fly was deemed by X'hal himself unfit to rule."
"But…I have seen her float with my own eyes," Ta'ragn stated, calmer than before.
"A side-effect of the Psion's experiments," was the answer. "Though her rank had already been stripped, and while she remained Princess of Tameran, the only way to allow her path to rule would be if I denounced the throne by my own words. But she was almost relieved that such a responsibility would never fall on her shoulders, and instead took to traveling the stars in search of adventure and amusement."
Folding his arms, the prince blew a strand of hair from his eyes. "This is indeed puzzling, if not unnerving. I had been informed that I was to wed for the safety of Galanga, for a young princess was preparing to assume the throne of Tameran that could pose a great threat to our people. That such an arrangement would be the only way to ensure my people's safety for the future." Staring straight ahead, he muttered, more to himself than her, "It seemed all too fitting a fate, given they detested my inheritance in the first place."
"What do you mean?" the Tameranian questioned lightly, turning her body to better face him.
The Galangal prince leaned back against the brush, risking a glance at her out of the corner of his eye. There was something about this girl he couldn't explain. Something that made her so easy to talk to, and were it not for the topic of discussion at hand, he may have even found himself smiling. After witnessing her strength first-hand (literally, as his wrists still ached from the grip she had previously held on them), he had very little doubt in his mind that such a creature could physically pose the very threat to his people he had been warned against. Yet her kind nature and gentle personality was making him wonder if his advisors had all along been describing his sister instead by mistake.
Even so, he still hesitated before answering, "Let us just say that I, too, have suffered great discrimination growing up due to a horrid birth defect."
"Surely you do not mean the scars on your cheeks?" she asked.
"I most certainly do not!" he exclaimed, sitting up in his seat and turning to her, the expression of his face horrified at the mere thought, "They are marks of honor, representing battles won and accomplishments achieved as a true Galangal warrior."
She smiled apologetically. "Forgive my assumption. You must have done much for your people to earn so many."
"Almost as many as my father had at my age," the prince murmured, absently running his fingers across the deep markings.
"Then perhaps it is your eyes that you find so shameful," she stated, and received a genuine look of surprise. "You cover them with dark shades, much as a dear friend of mine does with his mask. He does so to conceal his eyes from the rest of the world, if for a different reason, so I can only assume you wish to do the same."
Ta'ragn said nothing for a while, staring at the ground. "Your intuition is impressive, princess. You will make a fine ruler for your people one day."
"I thank you for the compliment, and please call me Koriand'r. Or Starfire, if you like. It is the name my friends of Earth had given me," Starfire told him, blushing lightly at his compliment.
"Then please call me Ta." He insisted.
"Very well, then…Ta," She hesitated before softly asking, "May I see them?" There was little doubt as to what 'they' were.
A hand instinctively rose to his glasses, and though he initially had every intention of telling her no, his mouth couldn't seem to find the words to do so. Before he could stop himself, Ta'ragn was allowing the girl to gently remove them from his eyes, something he hadn't done in front of anyone since he was a child. He kept his eyes closed all the while, but Starfire was patient, knowing such a thing was a great deal for him.
A moment passed, and his eyelids lifted to reveal a pair of beautiful sapphires, bluer than the bluest oceans of Earth. They drew her in, reminding her so much of a certain Boy Wonder. With a start, she realized that both their eyes were the exact same shade. This surprised her immensely, as she could have sworn they'd been green before, but realized that the nature of his shades must have altered the appearance of color somehow. Or perhaps it had been a trick of the light.
"They are beautiful," she insisted, offering an encouraging smile.
Ta'ragn shifted nervously in his seat, and though he found immense pleasure in her reaction, could not shake the exposed feeling that came with it. "They are a mistake. True Galangals are born with eyes the color of blood, for it is a sign of healthy sight. Only those who deal with trickery and deceit, who bed with evil, are suppose to possess such an oddity."
"And this is why you are denied your inheritance?" she asked sadly.
"I have not been denied," Ta'ragn shook his head. "I am an only child, and have proven myself in battle more worthy than most. Still, there are many who detest my presence in the royal family, let alone the fact that I was to one day become King."
"Was?" she questioned.
He nodded. "It is by law that a Galangal prince must not marry outside his race, or he will forfeit the crown. Needless to say," he continued, not bothering to hide his disgust, "The majority of my so-called 'loyal' subjects saw it as a perfect opportunity to save themselves while simultaneously ridding Galangal of a fate of rule under a demon child."
Starfire placed both hands to her mouth in shock, but then lowered them with a look of sympathy. "That is why you were so furious about the betrothal before."
"I should not have taken my hostility out on you, Kori," he stated apologetically. She smiled at the nickname. "But I hope you can see the position I am faced with. Even more so now that it would seem something is not right, that we have not been told the entire truth, if any at all."
"Perhaps I should speak with my mother," Starfire insisted, standing up. "Thought it is difficult to think that she would do anything to cause me pain, perhaps she can at least provide some clue as to what is happening."
"And I will contact my advisors at once," Ta'ragn followed suit. "…though I do admit there is one good thing thus far that has come of all this."
"Oh?" she asked, tilting her head to the side in curiosity. "What?"
Giving her a warm smile, Ta'ragn took her hand in his and placed a gentle kiss on it. "That we were able to meet."
She stared back at him with an unreadable expression, clearly brought on by his actions, though he barely noticed. Bowing out of courtesy, she quietly excused herself and disappeared through the hedge opening. Her heart raced as she calmly weaved her way through the garden paths towards the castle.
The Galangal prince stared after her until long after she'd left his line of vision, feeling a similar pounding in his chest, if for a slightly different reason. Only one thought continuously ran through his mind at that moment, flooding his mind with an overwhelming sense of bewilderment:
How he could possible spend less than hour with the girl, and in that brief period of time, come to respect her even more than he had earlier convinced himself to hate her.
TO BE CONTINUED…
