Chapter 2-Tamaran
The next few weeks were quieter than usual. The others were mad that Robin and Starfire were leaving the Tower. The Titans of course understood the couple wanting their own space but were upset anyway. The only person who tried to be happy for the engaged couple was Bumblebee.
"Come on guys; try to be happy for them. They're your friends and if they want to leave the Tower and get married let them. They make each other happy and if you were really friends you wouldn't care that they're leaving. It's not like they'll move to another state. They'll be right here in the same city, just by themselves."
"You say 'they' a lot," Raven remarked calmly, shutting her door.
"Hey! Gar is still in there with you!" Bumblebee shouted.
"What's your point?" Beast Boy called through the door.
"Those two are idiots," Bumblebee remarked to herself, walking away towards the living room/kitchen, where she found Cyborg. "Hey Sparky," she said dully.
"It's not that I'm not happy for them, Bee, it's just that Robin's like a brother to me and Star's my little sister. I like having them close; they're family. And Robin will be getting a job and not be the leader anymore. Then they'll be having kids and won't have time to hang out with their friends anymore and it'll just be…us."
"Thanks," Bee said dryly.
"Well sometimes I wonder why you're happy with me. I mean, I can't have children and you'd be a great mom and I know you want kids one day," Cyborg said sadly. "I just don't want to be alone."
"Vic," Bee said gently. "I love you, all right? That's forever. If we want kids we'll just adopt. And what does our having kids have to do with Robin and Starfire getting married?"
"It's just made me think Karen. I don't want to lose you."
"I'm not going anywhere," Bumblebee assured him.
"Good," Cyborg murmured. The two teens kissed.
"So, I have looked over next year's calendar and I think April sounds nice. It will be warm, so we can have the wedding outdoors and flowers will be blooming. That sounds perfect, don't you agree?" Starfire gushed. She and Robin were making plans for the wedding, as no one else would say more than two words to them.
"It does sound nice," Robin agreed. "April what, though? It has thirty days, and mid-April should be beautiful for a wedding."
"April fifteenth, I think. Yes, I like April fifteenth."
"April fifteenth it is, sweetheart," Robin replied, circling the date with red ink.
"I'm so happy we're getting married, Richard. I have been waiting to plan our wedding since we became a couple. I truly do love you, Richard."
"I love you, too," he said quietly. "I always have."
"Always and forever," she replied, smiling at him.
"Forever and always."
"You promise?" Starfire questioned.
"I promise, Kori. I promise."
"I do not know what I would do without you, Richard."
"Oh, you'd be lonely and a wreck, most likely," Robin chuckled. "I'm your knight in shining armor, sweetheart. I had to rescue you."
"And I you," Star said coyly.
"Agreed. I have an appointment with JCPD next week by the way. I'm really hoping they'll hire me. It's all I know how to do and I won't go to Bruce and ask for a job after what he said about us being idiots," Robin said firmly.
"Nor could anyone expect you to. Not even Bruce would expect you to. I am confident they will be happy to have you on their team, though I will miss spending the day with you," Star said cheerily.
"I know. I hate having to basically quit the team, Kori. You know I love the team like my family, but I want to have a family of our own with you."
"It will be hard but we shall do the best we can. Our friends understand we love each other and eventually they'll come around. Though I do hope it is soon; the quiet in the Tower begins to trouble me," she replied.
"It's bugging me, too."
"Yes…Richard, do you want children?" Star asked softly.
"Kids would be nice, actually. And really, as we're both very attractive people, any kid of ours will be gorgeous," Robin said haughtily.
Starfire giggled. "I suppose. How many?"
"How many what?"
"How many children, silly. An educated guess as to how many."
"One or two…unless you want more than that," he added hastily.
"One or two sounds perfect, Richard. Do you think your father will become used to the idea? I would be very disappointed if he did not come to our wedding." Starfire gave him a pouty look.
"I hope so," the Boy Wonder answered. "I hope so."
"Rae? Could you sit down now? You're making me dizzy," Beast Boy whined.
"It's understandable they want a place of their own, but to be getting married so young? Starfire's only seventeen years old for crying out loud," Raven growled in response. However, she did flop down next to her boyfriend on her bed.
"Hey, they are our friends," he pointed out. "It's hard to be happy because we don't want to see them leave, but we all knew it would happen someday," Beast Boy continued gently. "We all knew that eventually the Titans would split up, but that doesn't mean we have to stop talking. Really we owe them an apology."
Raven looked at him thoughtfully. "You've matured. I'm proud of you, Gar."
"Thanks," he said, flashing his lopsided grin at her. "Now, come on, let's go apologize." The two left Raven's room, hands laced together.
When they arrived at Starfire's room, Raven lifted her hand and knocked quietly.
"Louder," Beast Boy hissed.
Raven knocked again.
"Who is it?" Starfire's cheery voice called.
"Me and Raven."
"You may enter," Starfire replied.
"Look, Star, Robin, we want to say we're sorry," Beast Boy began.
"We know we should have been more supportive of your engagement," Raven added. "I'm happy for both of you and I wish you all the happiness in the world."
"But will you not have any happiness if we have it all?" Starfire wanted to know.
"It's an expression, Star," her fiancé explained. "It's OK guys. Now if we could just get Cyborg to be supportive," he muttered.
"Already here," Cyborg interjected. A smug-looking Bee stood next to him. "I'm sorry. You know I think of you as my family, right? You two, Rae, and the little grasstain over there. Man, I think I'm gonna cry! Group hug!" Cyborg declared, and squeezed them all tightly.
"Cyborg-let-go-"
"Sorry!" the robotic teen announced, letting his friends go. "Now I know y'all haven't told Star's planet the good news. We leave tomorrow mornin'!"
"Ooh, Tamaran! I've never been there before!" Bumblebee exclaimed.
"Well-" Cyborg started, taking her hand and walking down the hall, "Ya gotta…"
"Come on, Beast Boy, we gotta pack," Raven told him. She took his hand again. "Congratulations," she muttered to the engaged couple.
"Oh, Robin, we are going to Tamaran! I do hope I will be able to see Galfore again. He is getting quite old, and I was beginning to fear I would not see the man who raised me before he died."
"How do you think he'll take the news? He won't turn the planet against me, will he? The last thing I need is an entire planet declaring war on me."
"No, I am certain he approves of you. Since our last trip to Tamaran, he has mentioned you in several transmissions. It shall be a joyous occasion, our journey to my home planet!" Starfire declared.
"You're sure no one's going to try to make you marry a mutated dessert this time?" he teased.
"Quite," Starfire answered. She gave him a kiss. "I must pack and then it shall be time for the resting."
Robin gave her a false pouty look. "No more kissing, sweetheart?"
"Perhaps…if you are lucky."
"I'll be back soon," he promised.
"To do what?" she inquired innocently.
"Say goodnight," Robin replied coyly.
"I shall be looking forward to it."
Fifteen minutes later he returned, a suitcase in hand.
"All done," he said to her. (A/N Well I hope he was talking to her; there's no one else in the room)
"Excellent. Now, we cannot stay for more than a couple of days due to your job interview next week, correct?"
"That's right. Then I suppose we should try to contact that pigheaded father of mine," Robin grumbled.
"Oh, Richard. He's not pigheaded, just concerned about your life," Starfire said gently.
"He thinks we're idiots. Pigheaded," he replied simply.
"You are impossible!" she cried exasperatedly.
"Yep." He glanced at the digital clock, which read 11:07. "Bed time," he announced.
"I have not finished packing," Starfire protested.
"Bed," Robin said firmly.
"Make me," she countered.
"OK, sweetheart." Robin swept her up into his arms and brought her to her bed. He laid her down gently and then flopped down beside her, resting his head next to hers. Robin gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek and closed his eyes. "Goodnight," he whispered, wrapping his arms around her slender figure.
"Goodnight."
They left for Tamaran early the next morning. Beast Boy, in a rare act of brilliance, made sure to bring Earth food along.
"Get something other than tofu, Gar," Raven whispered to him after he told her about his idea.
"Will do, Rae," he whispered back, and headed toward the kitchen. He brought back chips, soda, cookies and microwavable pizzas. (Cyborg had installed one in the T-ship so they wouldn't starve on any long journeys.)
Starfire was in an extremely happy mood, even for her. She kept floating several inches above the ground as she helped Robin make sure the T-ship would survive the trip to the alien planet.
"Good to go, Cy!" he called at last.
"Well, all right!"
The Titans boarded their ship and set off for Starfire's home planet.
It was eighteen hours later when they arrived on Tamaran.
"Emperor Galfore! The Princess Starfire and her earthen friends approach Tamaran!" cried a guard.
"We must fetch them, then." Galfore remarked. "Princess Starfire! I am overjoyed to see you." He pulled the young woman into a bone shattering hug. "And her friends! I trust you come to me in good health."
"We're all fine, Mr. Galfore, sir." Beast Boy whined. He was still slightly scared of the large Tamaranian nanny/emperor.
"Princess, what brings you to Tamaran?" he continued.
"Robin and I have most wonderful news, Galfore. We shall tell you over dinner."
"Yes, of course. You and your friends shall dine with me in a private room, Princess Starfire." He clapped his hands and two servants came running. "The Princess's friends shall be treated as she is; make sure of it. Show them to their rooms, please."
"Yes, Emperor Galfore," the servants said in unison. "Right this way, please."
The Titans followed the servants. The girls were given rooms on the opposite side of the boys. The rooms were reserved for the royal family, but the only one who remained was Galfore and of course, Starfire.
"We hope you shall be comfortable," the two said, bowed, and left.
"The beds on Tamaran are wonderfully comfortable," Starfire assured them. She walked towards her own room, which was slightly down the grand hallway from the others'. Robin followed her.
"Robin, what do you think you are doing?" she asked when she noticed he was in her bedroom.
"I'm staying with you," he said calmly.
"You can't think that you and I will-"
"No. I just want you close to me," Robin said quietly.
Starfire blushed. "I suppose that is acceptable," she said at last. She laid down on the large bed, burying her head in a feather pillow. She felt Robin's hands on her shoulders, massaging them gently.
"Love you, Kori," Robin assured her.
"I love you, too."
An hour later, a servant entered Starfire's bedroom to summon them for dinner, only to find Her Royal Highness and Robin curled up together, fast asleep.
"Princess," she whispered. "Princess, please awaken. Galfore has sent for you to dine with him."
Starfire was too asleep to hear, but the whispering woke Robin.
"I'll wake her. We'll be out in a minute."
"Yes, sir." The servant bowed and exited.
Robin wrapped his arms around his sleeping beauty and made her sit up. He gently pressed his lips to hers.
Starfire's eyes fluttered open. "Richard," she murmured. "What is wrong?"
"It's dinner time, sweetheart. We have to go tell Galfore we're engaged."
"Oh, yes," she replied sleepily.
Starfire quickly ran a comb through her hair and then the two exited her bedroom, only to find their friends waiting in the hall.
"Can we eat now? I'm starved," Beast Boy complained.
"Yes, friends. The Emperor's private dining room is quite nearby. Follow me," Starfire said cheerily.
"Princess, Titans," Galfore acknowledged warmly. "Sit, sit. Now, I've arranged for our chefs to prepare earthen food for the Princess and her friends' enjoyment." He clapped his hands and three servants brought in plates of pizza, fruits, and fixings for sandwiches. (W/ tofu for BB of course)
"This looks wonderful. Eat, friends of the Princess! We do not want our chefs to be insulted."
Everyone began eating immediately. After awhile, Bumblebee leaned back in her chair, stuffed.
"Fantastic food, Mr. Galfore," she said. "Give my compliments to the chef."
"I will mention it to them, Miss Bumblebee, Warrior of the Earth. Now, Princess, Sir Robin, Warrior of the Earth, didn't you have something you wished to tell me?"
Starfire took a deep breath and let it out. "Galfore, Robin and I- we are engaged."
"Engaged," Galfore repeated slowly. He considered this for a moment. "Congratulations, Princess Starfire and Sir Robin. There shall be a grand celebration in honor of the Princess's wedding!"
At once servants began to clear the table and quite a few scurried off to make arrangements.
"Let it be known that all Tamaranians are to gather in front of the castle so that I may inform them of the news."
It took fifteen minutes for all Tamaranians to gather.
"Citizens of Tamaran! Let it be known the Princess and Sir Robin of Earth are engaged! Three cheer for the Princess and her new husband!"
The citizens cheered and then began to drift off to the festival. There had been feasts prepared, quite good ones for a quarter of an hour. Small children danced around and threw darts at a picture of the thing Starfire had almost been forced to marry.
"Congratulations, Princess."
"Thank you, Galfore. I am sad to inform you of this, but we must leave in two days time. Robin has an appointment he must keep."
"Understood. But for now, celebrate!"
The Titans left as soon as they could without being rude. Most of the Tamaranians seemed to be drunk and no one noticed their absence.
"Well, y'all should have warned me the Tamaranians liked to celebrate," Bee groaned.
"Oh, but was it not a glorious celebration?" Starfire asked cheerfully.
"Whatever, Star," everyone muttered in unison.
I sincerely hope you enjoyed this. Please leave a review. The next chapter will be about the wedding itself. I'm hoping to finish this up in four chapters total, five at the maximum.
-iluvrobbie