Chapter 17
True to what Raven told her, Kim'r found Robin in the training room working out at the heavy bag. The dark haired warrior watched, her brown eyes appraising the smoothness and power in Robin's punches and kicks, as they slapped into the leather covered bag, 'I can see where Koriand'r has been learning her hand to hand skills,' she thought to herself, then thought back to the conversation she had with the princess last night, "So is he an able fighter?" she had asked.
"He is the leader of the Titans," Starfire had replied, and Kim'r saw the glow of pride in her eyes, "I brought these along in keeping with Galfore's request," she added, holding up some CD's "These are videos of our training sessions over the last few weeks," she told the older woman as she slid one into a device built into the wall.
Kim'r smiled softly as she remembered the rapt attention Starfire had given the images on the screen, and how the princess had hurriedly turned off the video when the last training session started to come on. It was that last training session that she wanted to talk to Robin about. As she watched she became aware that Robin didn't know she was there as he was speaking under his breath in time with his punches and kicks.
"I. . . .won't. . . .fail. . . .her . . . .again," he kept saying over and over as he mercilessly beat the weighted bag, alternating between punching and kicking it. After a few moments he stopped, resting his forehead against the worn leather, and draping his arms across the top of the bag, panting from the workout, "I'm. . .not even. . .sure if. . .she wants me. . . .as her. . .shalocfa anymore," he gasped, trying to get his breathing under control, "If I could only talk to her."
Kim'r shook her head sadly. Her loyalty to the Grand Ruler was absolute, but she disagreed with what he was doing concerning the princess and her shalocfa, 'My duty, and honor may require that I support and obey the Grand Ruler, but my conscience demands I try to ease his mind,' she thought to herself, then straightened from leaning against the doorframe.
Reflexes honed by years of training came into play as Kim'r's arms quickly came up and crossed in front of her as she heard the sound of a bladed weapon flying through the air. She grunted as she felt the impact on her left forearm guard and was shocked as she felt the bite of the blade on her arm. What completely stunned her though was finding herself looking down the length of the oddly shaped sword that Robin was holding, not four inches from her face, "Shalocfa pe rochena! I surrender!" she gasped, not moving a muscle. She watched closely as Robin's expression changed from one of cold fury, to one of astonishment, then to embarrassed fear at what he had almost done.
Robin quickly stepped back, hastily sheathing his katana, "Commander, I. . ." he gasped, ". . . .you're bleeding," he said as he watched a thin ribbon of blood trail from under the edge of her forearm guard to her elbow then drip to the floor.
"Robin it is nothing," she assured him as she tried to pull the birdarang from the armor covering her left forearm. On the second try it came free, "X'Hal you are fast!" she said in awe, as she handed it back to him, "I was looking right at you and did not see your turn or throw that thing at me," she told him.
"I call them birdarangs," Robin said, taking it and putting back in his belt as he blushed at her praise.
"I almost feel sorry for whoever challenges your confirmation. They will not know what hit them," she remarked, then chuckled as Robin's face grew even redder, "Koriand'r is most fortunate to have found someone who is so skilled, and still has the ability to care for her as you do," she added softly, then smiled at his look of shock, "Be calm shovaka, we are not in the presence of the Grand Ruler," she assured him, then winced slightly as she removed her forearm guard from her left arm.
"You just called me. . ." Robin began as he opened a cabinet built into the wall and took out some bandages.
". . .warrior, yes." Kim'r said, as she watched Robin apply one of the bandages to the slice his birdarang had caused, then used the other to clean the blood from her arm, "Shalocfa you have not yet earned, but a warrior is what you are. To say otherwise is folly," she told him, "As is what Galfore is doing to you and Koriand'r," she added.
"Either everything Starfire told me about being her shalocfa was wrong, or something else has drastically changed," Robin said, as he sat on a weightlifting bench, "Sha vat ne mathad, e genthalas du penefa, she is my beloved and the keeper of my heart," he said softly, "Both parts of that mean that I love her, and I know she feels the same for me."
"Which is as it should be Robin," Kim'r said, sitting beside him, "That bond between you is what separates your being her shalocfa, from your being simply her bodyguard," she told him. She was thoughtful for a moment, then took a small device from a pouch on her belt, "Take this," she said, handing it to him, "Push this button to communicate directly with me," she instructed, "The other one ties in to the ships comms network."
Robin took the palm sized device, then stowed it in his utility belt, "I know you have called me warrior, but I also know that I am not from Tamaran," he said, "but I want you to have this," he went on, handing her a Titan communicator, and showed her how to use it, "I think we have the same idea in mind, and want to stack the deck in our favor."
Kim'r nodded her head, "Things are not as they should be Robin," she said, "There is a division among my people that has not been there for over a thousand years," she told him, "I have made some inquiries as to why the video of the attack on the princess was not reported immediately, and I have been lied to, and advised to discontinue my investigations for my own safety."
"You've been threatened?" Robin gasped in shock. With Kim'r looking for the person that attacked Starfire, their princess, she should have had warriors beating down her door to help her, not meeting resistance and threats.
Kim'r nodded, "I assure you that is not the way to get this warrior to set aside her honor," she said, "On a different subject, what happened during your last training session with Koriand'r yesterday morning?"
'That's not as different a subject as you may think,' Robin thought to himself, "What has she told you about it?" he countered.
"Nothing," Kim'r replied, "She would not even let me watch it last night," she added, then chuckled at Robin's look of astonishment, "Koriand'r was told to bring some proof of your fighting skills, so she brought some videos of your training sessions with her, over the last few weeks," she explained, then was thoughtful for a moment, "She also brought another disk, one she did not wish to, but showed your fighting skills, and the loyalty you and she share."
Kim'r could see Robin thinking over what she had just told him, and she winced inwardly as she saw his realization write itself across his face as waves of pain, embarrassment and shame, "No," he gasped softly, "Where did she. . . ?" he began to ask, but trailed off.
"She told me they were in an archive on your computer system, the spoils of your victory over someone named Slade," Kim'r said softly, "Robin no one in the fleet will view that video," she went on, "I am the only one who saw any of it, and then only a short section."
"When she and I faced each other on the roof of the Wayne Enterprises building," Robin said softly, the scene playing itself out in his mind.
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Starfire hung in mid air, her right hand extended toward him, glowing brightly with her star bolt energy, "Robin, you are my best friend, she said, her voice wavering and near tears, "I do not wish to live in a world where we must fight. If you are truly evil," she went on, powering down the bolt, and hanging her head sadly, resignedly, "then go ahead, do what you must," she concluded, droppng her arm to her side, leaving herself wide open for his attack, one she believed to the depth of her soul will not come, but would not defend herself against if it did.
"Starfire, no!" Robin gasped, as he lowered his arm with the thermal blaster attached to it, powering it down
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"I couldn't shoot," Robin whispered.
"In that situation and neither of you could shoot the other," Kim'r said proudly, "because of your love for each other which at the time you denied to each other, but has only grown stronger since, both because you have finally declared it to each other and from being together." She was silent for a moment then took a purple envelope from her pouch, and handed it to him, "As I said, no one else will view the copy that she brought with her," she said, "She could not summon star bolts last night, so I took care of it for her," she related.
Robin looked down at the envelope in his hands. Written on it in Star's elegant script was a single word, 'gentha'fa'. Glancing over at Kim'r, he saw that she had suddenly taken a great interest in the bandage he had put on her arm. Ripping across the top of the flap he looked inside. The blackened crumbled remains of a CD was inside along with a folded piece of paper. Taking the paper out he saw more of Star's handwriting, in English;
Robin,
My dearest love, please forgive me for what I thought to do with the video that was recorded on this disk. I am very confused by things my old k'norfka has told me, and by his actions concerning us. I will explain when I see you.
Above all else, my love, I am concerned for your safety. Go nowhere unarmed or without your armor, and if possible do not be alone. I am sad to say that I do not trust my people as I should. The only ones I truly trust is Kim'r and Brend'r, as old friends. Above all gentha'fa be safe.
Kori
PS I was correct in my thinking that our time apart would not go swiftly. Each minute goes slower than a chibnik on a cold day.
PS again, Do not worry about my safety here. On board the Grand Ruler's flagship I could not be safer.
Robin sighed as he read the last line, placing the note back into the envelope, "Oh Kori," he said under his breath with out thinking.
"So you have a nickname for her as well," Kim'r said, then laughed as Robin blushed, "You muttered it under your breath just now," she told him, "Until you are confirmed as her shalocfa, I would not call her that publicly," she warned, "Now are you going to tell me about yesterdays training session?"
"If the princess wants you to know what went on, she will be the one to tell you," Robin replied without hesitation.
"Also as it should be," Kim'r sighed, "As shalocfa you guard her secrets as well as her life," she looked off into the distance for a moment then chuckled softly, "I got more information from Raven than I am from you."
"From Raven?" Robin gasped in surprise. Kim'r nodded, then related her conversation with Raven at Starfire's bedside. "Wait a minute," Robin said as if something just dawned on him, "Kim'r, you were a lieutenant then weren't you, and Brend'r was a rank lower, when Starfire was taken by the Gordanians, right?"
"Good to see you recognize our names," Kim'r replied, with a nod.
"That explains why you refer to her a Koriand'r, not highness or princess all the time," Robin finally realized what it was about the way Kim'r kept referring to Starfire by her Tamaranean name all the time, "It also explains why she told me to trust only the two of you, and why Raven would talk to you, seeing as she kept the conversation to things that concerned Starfire," he added, then was thoughtful for a moment, "No, seeing as she herself did not wish to discuss yesterday with you I will not go against that," he said, "I do want to thank you for having this talk with me, and especially for delivering the letter."
"Speaking of Raven, are she Koriand'r shalay'fa?" Kim'r asked.
Robin smiled softly at the question, "I can not say for certain," he replied, "I know that Starfire has thought of asking Raven, but she's not sure how Raven will take to that kind of friendship."
"True, Raven does seem to be a little bit reclusive," Kim'r said, "But it would be a good thing for her to have a female friend of that type to confide in."
"And I do realize that if they do form that close a friendship that Star may confide some things to her that she won't with me," Robin said, "Kim'r I want to apologize for that," he added, nodding toward the bandage on her arm, "It's just. . . " he began but trailed off.
"That you are not used to being told to avoid contact with her." Kim'r finished for him, "Again do not worry. Koriand'r has told me much about the two of you, and I was able to read in more by what she did not say." she added, then laughed softly, "X'Hal I would have given much to see the Grand Ruler's face if you had announced that you had taken the Oath of Bonding," she said as she laughed, "Do not concern yourself about this Robin, I consider it a wound earned in training, as it taught me not to underestimate you," she said with a rueful smile.
Just then her communicator beeped and she answered it. As she spoke to the caller, Robin took the note from Starfire out and read it again, surprised at how those few words could calm his mind. He put the letter away when Kim'r put her communicator away, and stood up. "I will have just enough time to get to the armory to get this repaired," she told him, and headed for the door. Just before she left the room she turned around and got Robin's attention again, "Oh, and by the way, Koriand'r is awake," she added, and was pleased to see Robin's broad grin.
While Robin and Kim'r were talking, Raven sat at Starfire's bedside, doing the one thing she wasn't very good at. . .waiting. 'I don't know how Robin was able to do this for two days,' she thought to herself as she looked down at her friends face. Suddenly she felt Starfire's awareness increase as she was nearing consciousness. She watched as Star's eyes slowly opened then blinked a few times.
"Raven?" she asked groggily, as she focused her eyes on who was sitting beside her. Raven watched as she glanced quickly around the room, and she didn't need her empathic powers to know what she was going to ask next, "Raven where is Robin?"
"He couldn't be here Star," Raven replied, she was about to say more, but Galfore and the healer entered the room, "He's helping Cyborg and beast Boy with the investigation into your attack."
"Raven, you are my friend and a terrible liar," Starfire said, "The first part, that Robin could not be here, was the truth, but what you told me about his helping the others, was a lie."
Raven glanced quickly at Galfore before she spoke again, "The truth is that he's in a nearby training room blowing off some steam," she said, "And you are not the only thing he is worrying about," she added.
"You may leave now," Galfore said, "There are things I must discuss with the Princess that do not concern you."
Raven looked over at the door where two palace guards were now standing, telling her that Galfore's order to leave was just that, an order and one that would be obeyed one way or another.
"I hope those guards are for her protection since my attack." Starfire said as the door closed behind Raven and her two escorts.
"Not entirely," Galfore replied, "Let us just say that I remember how. . .tenacious your friends can be when they feel you are not being treated fairly."
Starfire first sat up, then stood up and faced her old k'norfka, now the Grand Ruler of her home planet. "They are my honored guests aboard this vessel, and will be accorded the proper courtesy and respect," she said, her tone of voice allowing no argument.
" As tradition requires Princess," Galfore said, "They will be watched however."
Starfire bit back her reply to that veiled insult, that her friends could not be trusted. She realized that their guards could be explained as being for their own protection.
"Your shalocfa cathan has acted in an admirable fashion since his arrival," Galfore informed her, "What your team mate Raven told you is actually at least partly true," he went on, "He has instructed them to investigate your attack, and Commander Kim'r has even Oathed herself to aid them. I will keep you advised as to their progress."
"When will the Declaration be held?" Starfire asked, "I can be changed in only a few moments."
Galfore was silent for a moment before he spoke. "I would ask you to reconsider your taking him as your shalocfa at this time."
"Galfore my right to freely choose my shalocfa is the one true right that I have as a Royal." Star said tightly, "I will not have it dismissed."
"Would you put him through the challenge that is sure to come, only to have him lose you, possibly within a month?"
Star gasped at the implication of Galfore's words, and she thought for a moment, "Yes I would," she replied, "and I know he would as well. Recently I have had time to explore how love is looked at on Earth, and I thought one saying pertained to what might befall Robin and I if I did take him as my shalocfa, and that is, that it is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all. We both know that you may have to marry me off to seal a peace treaty, and we are aware that Tamaran is at war with those who we are dependant upon for keeping our outlying colonies supplied with zorka berries," she went on, "Even in the face of that we did not back down from having what time we could together."
"Even to the point of you wanting to take the Oath of Bonding with him," Galfore said, "He was right I could not, and can not allow that now," he told her, "I will inform the fleet that the Declaration will take place in two hours. I can see that my fears about you not realizing what the two of you were doing would mean were unfounded."
"Does this mean that I can see him?" Star asked, smiling brightly. Her smile faded as she saw Galfore shaking his head.
"Not until the ceremony." he said softly, "It is for reasons I can not explain to you my little bumgorf."
"I am no longer your bumgorf or little Galfore." Star said, her anger rising, and she saw the reproving glance he gave her at dropping his title from his name, "Do not give me that look," she continued, "On my last birthday I came of age and can rightfully claim the throne."
"But you have not," Galfore stated softly, knowing that he had almost pushed her to far.
Starfire moved to stand in front of him and took his hands in hers, "Because I still believe you are best for Tamaran," she told him, then looked away sadly, "Please do not prove me wrong," she added, then left the room.
"Do you think she suspects?" the healer asked, moving from the corner that she had been standing in.
"I hope so Vern'a," Galfore replied, "If not then X'Hal help us all."