Ah…this chapter is a bit shorter than the rest, but still one of the most important. Why? 'Cause this is where all is finally revealed! I apologize for the delay, but my workload is getting heavier and heavier as time passes and I decided to wait until Spring Break to type up the next chapter, when I can finally take a moment to breathe. Silly teachers assigning four-thousand word research papers and not letting us use the internet for research…
At this rate, chapter six probably won't be done until May
NOTES FOR THE CHAPTER:
1) I'm very amused by the mixed responses to the prince's character. Some of you hate him, some of you like him; some of you hate me for making him a decent guy. Oh, come on…you were expecting a remodeled Glurtlesketchhh? Of course I'm evil for doing something like this. Haven't you figured that out already?
2) Though I hinted at the possibility, Cyborg wasn't technically "drunk"…he is, after all, under 21 (I'm almost positive). It was more like being on a MAJOR sugar high. Remember…the drink was described as being made from Tameranian sugar canes and vanilla extract. Think of it as a REALLY sweet chocolate milkshake.
3) I apologize for confusing a few of you in regards to the issue of eye color. First, I will say that I intentionally wrote that Ta'ragn's eyes appear green behind the shades, knowing that they'd turn blue without them. The details of this are explained in the first scene. As to how Starfire knows what color Robin's eyes are…this is one time I will leave that plot hole as is, simply because it's not important how she knows so much as the fact that she does know. I feel safe in "revealing" Robin's eye color because all three of the Robins to date (Dick, Jason, & Tim) had/have blue eyes.
Chapter V
For the first time in a long while, he had forgone the usual royal escort in favor of a casual stroll back to his quarters, hoping the peace would allow him to meditate over everything that had happened. Yet the Galangal prince could not help but marvel at the star-filled sea of indigo above him, and his mind lost all trace of thought. His own planet's atmosphere was too thick to see the stars from ground level.
Absently, he fingered the circular rims of his shades, twirling them around in one hand, as if debating over whether or not to put them back on. It had never bothered him before, the thought of not being able to see the stars. They were only stars, after all. The suns of other solar systems. But now, staring at the thousands of tiny lights above him—simple yet beautiful—he was beginning to wonder what other miracles of nature he had missed out on in life, or taken for granted.
Ta'ragn chuckled softly to himself at the thought. In such a brief period of time, look at what the Tameranian princess had done to him. She had him contemplating the luminosity of the stars while taking a leisure walk. And without his glasses on! He hadn't gone out in public without them since his father's top scientists had first handed him the prototype.
They were a custom model, built especially for his "condition." From the moment he first opened his eyes as a baby, the sound of his mother's frightened cry had been more than enough to motivate his father, who had pleaded with the top scientists to do something. Years were spent on research before they finally created a temporary solution. The lenses were dark to hide his eyes from the casual on-looker, though he could see with them easily enough, and an enhancement of yellow light filtered through so that his eyes would take on a greenish appearance to anyone who got too close. Not exactly what his race considered normal, but better than the horrid shade of ice-cold blue he had been cursed with at birth.
She doesn't think them a curse, a voice in the back of his mind whispered. She thinks they're beautiful.
His thoughts almost instantly turned to those of the Tameranian. A frown appeared on his face at the idea of someone like her having to go through so much, in her past as well as the continual burdens weighed upon her as Vegan royalty. She was younger than he by at least two years, and yet he couldn't imagine living her life and still coming out with a smile on her face. A smile as bright as the very stars he was staring at.
For that alone, he held an unrivaled level of respect and admiration for her. But, he thought to himself (the shades were raised to eye level, and he stared at them as if for the first time), she was also as kind and wise as she was beautiful.
It was with a sad smile, however, that Ta'ragn reminded himself that not everyone was as forgiving as she; the shades went back on his nose just as his quarters came within his line of sight.
By the time he reached the entrance, the unreadable, emotionless mask had returned. It was one many of his enemies had come to know and fear him by. Even several of his own soldiers had been known to back down, quivering, when met with his fierce gaze. Years of perfecting the look had it so natural to him that he was easily able to suppress the urge to laugh at several of his subordinates' expressions upon seeing him. He simply marched through the front door without so much as a word of greeting.
"M-my prince," his second-in-command was the first to speak. "We were led to believe you were not due back for at least another two sunsets."
"A new and highly unexpected element has come into play," was the only answer given, before continuing towards the main hall. It was a large room, empty save for a table in the center of the room and a few scattered chairs. The lights were dim. Ta'ragn only ever used it when he had something important to address to his men.
Ka'garos, his second-in-command, knew this well. He was young for an officer of his degree, hardly older than the prince, though his wit and intelligence more than made up for what he lacked in years. The three scars trailing across his right cheek were proof enough of his skill. But, more importantly, he was fiercely loyal to Galanga and all its people.
And a good friend, the prince thought to himself.
Last to enter, Ta'ragn was immediately met with several questioning looks from his soldiers, their voices echoing off the cathedral-like ceiling. Several held traces of concern, while others sounded more than slightly annoyed at the unexpected meeting. Once more, he had to resist the urge to laugh as he noticed one of the lesser-ranked had skin that glistened more than usual, along with a few traces of soap bubbles hidden amidst his silver locks.
"As all of you are aware of, I have just returned from my most recent rendezvous with the Tameranian princess, whom is to become my betrothed," he began, squinting behind his shades as he tried to make out the dozen or so figures facing him expectantly. "She and I spoke for a long while. About many things…"
Here, his voice trailed for a moment. Those close enough to see noticed his eyes (seemingly green in appearance) gloss over for a moment in remembrance. Soft murmurs between the soldiers broke out, bringing the prince out of his stupor. He placed both hands on the table and leaned forward.
"I am troubled, my friends. Something is amiss with this supposed alliance with the Tameranians."
"Was she hostile?" someone called out from his left.
"No, no. She is a very sweet child," Ta'ragn insisted, lightly shaking his head, "which is why this troubles me so. You see, she had absolutely no prior knowledge of any of this up until the previous evening. In fact, until then, she had been residing on a planet in the Sol system, over twenty six light-years away."
He straightened his posture. "While she has confirmed her eventual inheritance of the throne, and I have personally witnessed this amazing power of hers, I fear these are the only parts of our intelligence that check out. She knows nothing of her world endangering ours, and had assumed that the marriage was merely political."
"She could have easily misled you, my prince," Ka'ragos commented from his position on the opposite end of the table. "Or perhaps it is her family who has misled her, and not informed her of their true intentions."
"You know we can sense when others lie to us, Commander," he shook his head, "And how would her own intentions of a hostile take over be kept secret from her? No, I believe there is something else we must take into consideration."
"Like what?"
There was a pause. "Princess Koriand'r is a kind, remarkable girl—no—woman…which begs the question as to why our intelligence has labeled her a threat to begin with." It was clear his words were chosen with extreme caution. "And why they've insisted this marriage between us has been deemed necessary to the future of the Galangal race."
His words hung in the air, now thick with tension. Most of the officers dared not speak. Ka'ragos gave the only visual sign of acknowledgement, closing his eyes and bowing his head for a moment.
"I see…"
Ta'ragn barely had time to register the unusually omniscient tone behind those words before he felt the presence of two soldiers, one on either side of him. Without warning, they each grabbed an arm and successfully managed to restrain him in a matter of seconds.
"What the—!" he exclaimed, head darting between the two Galangals. "What is the meaning of this? Unhand me this instant!"
"I fear we can not do that, Prince Ta'ragn of Galanga," the commander stated, his voice cold and unfeeling. He lifted his head and stood up. "You see…I tried to be fair and give you an honorable way out. But it seems you leave me with no other choice. As second-in-command of the Galangal army, I am hereby placing you under arrest."
"On what charge?" he demanded.
"Treason." He stated, walking right up to the prince so that he was less than half a foot away. "Refusal to comply with an official order of political marriage. Though your words alone were surprisingly incriminating."
Ta'ragn let out a sudden gasp as realization dawned on him. "It was you! You're the one behind all this!" The commander's silence was taken as a sign of confirmation. "But…why?"
"Why? You wanna know why? I'll tell you…" his eyes narrowed in distaste as he harshly removed the shades from the prince's eyes, leaving their true color exposed. "Look at you. You're an abomination, a disgrace to the royal Galangal line, and I will not idly sit by as the fate of my beloved planet is left in the hands of…of…EVIL!" His lavender skin had grown dark with anger.
"And who would you have ascend to the throne?" Ta'ragn snapped back. "Yourself?"
If possible, the commander's fury grew even further. The hair on the back of his neck bristled and his muscles tensed, until he viciously backhanded the Galangal, sending him sprawling across the floor. He was rendered unconscious before hitting the ground, remaining absolutely still as Ka'ragos stared down at him.
"How dare you try to villan-ize my intents," he spat out. "I care not for ultimate power, but for the future of my people. Take him to the holding cell!" The last statement was directed towards the guards, who proceeded to drag the motionless figure out of the room.
A heavy silence washed over the room in the moments that followed. The other officials began filtering out of the room, a few muttering incoherently. Ka'ragos, for his part, took a seat in one of the nearby chair, and his body slumped over almost immediately from the emotionally draining task he had just undergone. He shifted his weight so that his elbows rested on his knees, and held his head in his hands.
One of the last officers to linger, a physically fit young man two rankings below him, approached his commander with extreme caution. "What will you do now, sir?"
Ka'ragos remained silent for a good while in deep contemplation before finally lifting his head to acknowledge the officer's question. Dark was the expression on his face, emphasized by the dim lighting and shadows of the room. When he finally spoke, his voice came out in a monotonous, unfeeling tone, as he simply answered:
"Plan 'B'."
o*0*o
It started the moment he'd kissed her hand. No, that couldn't be it. Perhaps it was when she'd gazed into his eyes…though it hadn't been his eyes she'd seen in that moment, it had been Robin's. For that one fleeting moment, she'd seen every bit of her beloved friend and team leader in the Galangal prince.
Or had that even been it? No, not even Robin's gaze had ever sent a shiver down her spine quite like the one she'd felt that night in the garden. It had been almost…almost like a warning. Like something horrible was about to occur.
She stared at the floor of her bedroom for what seemed like an eternity, as if hoping the glossy finish would offer up the answers she desperately sought. Starfire was never very into mystics and the supernatural before her arrival on Earth, but one could not spend any given length of time with Raven and not believe, if only a little. And this tingle in the back of her mind could possibly be something similar to that "sixth sense" her female teammate had told her so much about.
But what was causing it?
The sound of a knock at the door brought her back to reality, and it was then she realized that she had been pacing across the floor. She spun around quickly, accidentally knocking a picture frame off her dresser in the process, and was about to call out when a familiar voice beat her to it.
"Koriand'r? It is I," came from the other side of the door in clear Tameranian. Starfire visibly relaxed at the sound of her mother, calling for the woman to enter. She did so gracefully, slipping through an open crack of the door before shutting it quietly behind her. A warm, motherly smile tugged at her lips, though the concern in her eyes was even more evident.
"Your brother informed me of your return. How are you faring, dear daughter?" However, before Starfire could even open her mouth, she added, "And do not attempt to convince me that you are fine. You have always worn your heart on your sleeve, ever since you were a child."
In spite of herself, Starfire could not help mirroring her mother's smile, repositioning herself on the edge of the bed. There was no need for formalities when it was just the two of them. "Then I suppose it would be futile to say that I am indeed fine, and that nothing is wrong."
Luand'r held back a chuckle at her daughter's attempt at humor, instead raising an amused eyebrow. "What I find most intriguing my dear," she began in English, also sitting on the bed, "is that you willingly continue to converse in a language you once deemed…oh, what was the word you used? 'Unnecessary'?"
With a light blush, Starfire smiled sheepishly at the memory. Since before she was born, members of the Green Lantern Corp had been making regular business trips on behalf of Oa. Tameran continued to insist that a guardian was not needed, as the people of their sector were warriors by nature, but still wished to maintain peaceful relations with the Guardians. Allies were always in great demand, especially in warring systems.
Whether by coincidence or fate, several of the representative Lanterns that visited her planet had been from Earth, though one would hardly believe so. While they all spoke English (one of the many dialects of the planet), their appearance varied so greatly that she could remember a fair skinned man with brown hair and a mask one year, and a man with dark hair and skin possessing glowing green eyes the next. Starfire had never cared much for learning English back then, preferring the bliss of childhood playtime with her baby brother over the politics of her royal heritage. Her sister, on the other hand, thrilled at the chance to learn new languages and cultures, and would always absorb as many as she could…
"I even remember the time she came back speaking the language of the Sklurches of Drethnax 4," Luand'r grinned, rolling her eyes at the memory, "…and nothing else, for an entire week!"
The smile quickly faded when she realized Starfire was no longer laughing with her. In fact, she had since resumed the distance expression that gave away her uncertainty. The woman sighed, placing a loving hand on her daughter's shoulder. "You are deeply troubled, dearest Koriand'r. Do not attempt to hide it. It is perhaps the result of this evening's encounter with Prince Ta'ragn?"
"Yes…and no," she answered back cryptically. "We did speak, and he was most pleasant in conversation. However…I just…" her voice trailed off there.
Misunderstanding what her daughter was trying to say, Luand'r offered a gentle kiss atop her head. "I realize it might seem unfair now, forced into marriage with a stranger at such a young age. But I would not have agreed to such an arrangement if I were not certain that everything would be fine." She brushed a few strands of hair our of the girl's face in a motherly manner before lifting her chin. "Love is not something you can force, but there is little doubt in my heart that you will come to love one another in due time."
"No, you do not understand, mother," Starfire began, pulling away from her mother's grasp. Her eyes turned away. "The problem is not that I am not in love…it is that I already am."
This time, the words were understood completely. Luand'r grew silent, though there was little surprise behind her expression, despite what her earlier teasing had implied. She may have been young for a queen, but she was no fool. Her keen sense of observation and intellect were unrivaled, and hearing the words from her daughter's lips only confirmed what she had suspected since her arrival.
Before she could open her mouth to comment, however, the mother and daughter were interrupted by a rapid knock at the door. Ryand'r burst into the room without waiting for an answer. "Mother! Sister! We need you to come to the communication room at once!"
"What is it, Ryand'r?" The Queen questioned, standing.
Robin appeared in the doorway seconds later, he and the Tameranian boy both breathing heavily from exertion. "It's a transmission…from the Galangal royal court." He managed between breaths. "And they sound anything but happy."
The Queens eyes widened, but she nodded wordlessly and hurriedly followed the boys towards the communication chambers, Starfire on her heels. On the way out, she unknowingly stepped over the picture frame from before, the one knocked down in her state of confusion. Most of it remained intact, though a large crack now split down the center, directly in between the images of Robin and Starfire.
o*0*o
Her father, sister, and the rest of the Titans had already gathered by the time they arrived, though it was the latter that initially caught Starfire's attention. Cyborg looked half asleep, though his human parts would sporadically twitch. Beast Boy was remaining a noticeable distance from Raven, who had pulled her hood farther over her eyes than usual, though not far enough to hide the faint tear stains.
She made a mental note to inquire further when this was all over.
The man onscreen everyone focused on was definitely Galangal, a high-ranking one if his scars and uniform were any sign, and wore a serious expression as he addressed the room.
"What is going on?" Luand'r demanded to know.
Her husband slammed a fist on the monitor console in frustration. "They are declaring war on Tameran!"
"War!" Starfire gasped, turning to the monitor. "But that can not be!"
"It can, I'm afraid," came a voice from the speakers. Given that Ta'ragn had explained the nature behind his people's gift of language, she was more surprised at the lack of sarcasm or mockery behind his words than the language he spoke them in. "As is the Galangal custom, we offer you one planetary cycle to surrender peacefully. Should you choose to succumb to our demands, we guarantee the lives and safety of your people. If not…thousands of our ships hover just outside the Tameranian atmosphere as we speak, prepared to attack at a moment's notice."
"That's impossible," Blackfire interjected.
"No, it's true," Robin regretfully stated. "We saw the ships during our initial arrival. This is no bluff."
"What!" The dark-haired Tameranian's eyes widened in shock, then narrowed with a hatred focused solely on the figure onscreen. She rattled off a series of phrases in a tongue, it seemed, no else in the room besides her could understand.
"My, my…" the recipient of her wrath chuckled, the first sign of emotion he'd shown since the beginning of his transmission, "such language for a young lady such as yourself."
"You've been planning this from the start, haven't you?" Myand'r growled menacingly, sending a warning glance to his daughter for her language. "Your prince never planned to go along with the alliance, did he? It was all a ruse for us to let our guard down. Well, you can tell your soldiers that they are not in for an easy battle, for we will fight you to the last man!"
Blatantly ignoring the shocking looks from the rest of the room, he abruptly spun around and stormed out of the room. Starfire couldn't remember ever seeing her father look so furious in her life. She tried calling out to him, and when that didn't work, turned to her mother.
"Mother, you must stop him! This is not right!"
For the first time, Luand'r had a look of almost complete helplessness. "I…wish I could, dearest Koriand'r," she stated, in all sincerity, "But you know as well as I that it is not my place. I handle the political and social events, and your father heads the military. It is out of my hands now."
Starfire watched as she slowly walked out of the room after her husband, then returned her focus to the monitor and took a step forward. "There must be some misunderstanding. I wish to speak to Ta, please."
"Ta?" An eyebrow rose. "Interesting that you are already on a nickname-basis with his royal highness. But, alas, I fear he is a bit…tied up at the moment, and cannot speak with you. I would be honored to relay any messages you may have for him, however."
"No, that will not be necessary," she stated softly before turning off the monitor.
The room was plunged into darkness, save for the dim lighting overhead. No one said a word as they stared at her dejected form, hunched over the monitor desperately with her bangs hiding her eyes.
"Star—" Robin began, but was cut off.
"This is not right," she murmured softly. "This cannot be right." Her voice remained eerily calm as she turned around, eyes pleading. "I realize I only spoke with him for a brief length of time, but I know that Prince Ta'ragn would never do something like this. He told me…he told me…"
Her voice trailed off before she gave it time to crack, and the others shared nervous glances with one another. Several pairs of eyes wandered over to the Boy Wonder, eager to see his reaction to the fact that Starfire was apparentlydefending this guy. The same guy who had glared at her so hatefully earlier. The same guy whose army was parked right outside the Tameranian atmosphere.
The same guy she was to be betrothed to.
"Robin," she turned to her team leader, even more soft-spoken than before. "Please."
There was a lengthy pause as Robin seemed to be struggling with some internal conflict, though his eyes continued to remain hidden beneath the opaque mask. "Of course we'll help." He finally stated after a moment. "But what could we do?"
"Well, for starters…how about finding out who the hell is really behind all this," Blackfire sauntered up to the two, maintaining her usual aura of confidence. "Personally, my money's on the moron we just spoke with." This was followed by an incoherent mutter that sounded something like, 'call me a lady, will he?' but otherwise she said no more.
"Then that would be a good place to start," Robin nodded in agreement. "For all we know, he could be planning on a large-scale mutiny as we speak, planning to overtake the throne by force."
"And using Tameran as a scapegoat," Ryand'r added, also stepping forward.
Still, there are many who detest my presence in the royal family, let alone the fact that I was to one day become King.
Needless to say, 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.
Let us just say that I, too, have suffered great discrimination growing up...
Starfire let out a gasp as she recalled her earlier conversation with the prince, realization dawning on her: "They are going to attempt to rid themselves of Ta'ragn's presence so that he will not become King one day!" Everyone immediately turned to face her. "Oh, I fear he is in grave danger. We just find him at once!"
"If whatever he told you is true, he just may be a crucial ally in battle," Robin nodded, his way of agreeing with her. The situation still miffed him slightly, but he trusted her to provide a better explanation when they had time. He turned to the other two siblings. "I take it you both are coming along?"
Ryand'r nodded wordlessly, his face extremely solemn, while his sister took another approach. Shifting her weight to one side, Blackfire placed a hand on her hip and winked.
"Leave you guys to have all the fun? I don't think so, hun," she smirked.
Normally, Starfire would have been fuming at her sister's shameless attempt at flirting with Robin again, but she was far too relieved for the moment to care. As the seven teens came together, all that was left to do was wait for Robin to let out the familiar battle signal:
"Titans, GO!"
TO BE CONTINUED…
