Backlash

Chapter 3: Through Time

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans. I only play with them once in a while and return them a little worse for wear, making no profit in the process.

It was dark, and she couldn't see anything. But then she realized that her eyes were closed. And she couldn't open them. It was cold. She tried to move, to curl up into a ball for warmth. But she couldn't move. She couldn't move a hand, a foot, nothing. She was completely paralyzed. That was when Raven felt the fear surge through her, and found she couldn't scream either.

Then there were voices. First one, then many. They were distant voices, faint and impossible to understand. They babbled in the background. She wanted to call out to them to help her, to find her, but she couldn't. The voices faded in, and then out, growing a little louder each time until she could almost understand them. But then they would fade away into nothingness again, and she would be surrounded by silence.

Then once voice came to her ears, stronger than the rest. It was a hauntingly familiar voice, one that she should know. The mere sound of it calmed her panic. She felt someone near her, and the cold began to fade.

Whether she had fainted or slept, Raven wasn't sure. She felt consciousness return slowly. The voices were gone. But she wasn't back in a completely silent world either. She became aware of small, gentle sounds; footsteps, the scrape of a chair, a quiet sigh. She opened her eyes slowly. They met flickering candlelight on stone-hewed walls. She felt relief flood through her, and she struggled to sit upright.

"Now, my Lady," came the voice that she knew. "Take care."

She felt a gentle hand brace her shoulder as she sat, and she turned her head towards the voice. Her eyes met the brilliant blue ones of Rorek, the court magician. But there was not recognition in those eyes for her, only concern and curiosity.

"Thank you," Raven said, somewhat hoarsely.

"My pleasure, Lady," he stood back and reached for the chair behind him, pulling it forward to the side of the cot she had been lying on. He sat down, his expression thoughtful. "How do you feel?"

"I'm…fine, now," Raven tried to clear her fuzzy head. Then she remembered and looked around her on the cot a little wildly. "Oh no…" The book, the most important part of her whole mission here was missing. Did the book not make the transition? She knew that Rorek hadn't been sure it would, but they had had no choice but to take the risk.

"Ah," Rorek reached behind him to the small table that stood there, and brought out the white leather bound book. "You carried this with you." Raven felt relief sweep through her once more. The book was here. She reached for the precious book and took it in her hands. Then she raised her eyes to his.

"Thank you."

"You are very welcome, Lady of mystery," a slight smile touched his lips. "May I know your name?"

"Raven."

"Hmmm, unusual name. But then, you seem to be an unusual woman," there was not the slightest hint of recognition. "Tell me, Raven, how did you come to be here? The villagers called for me saying you had just appeared from nowhere in a field. They were afraid that you might be an evil sorceress. You aren't, are you?"

Raven thought he might be serious, until she saw that he had that twinkle in his blue eyes. "No, I'm not an evil sorceress. How I came here, well, that is a little more complicated."

"Ah," he nodded. "Very well. Before I forget my manners, however, why not have a seat at my simple table. I only have a stew and some wine, but you are welcome to share it with me." He held out his hand and she took it as he assisted her to stand up from the cot. He led her to the chair across the table and held it for her to sit down with all of the grace and courtesy of any noble of the kingdom. Then, he swept across the room to an alcove at the far side, where flames flickered in a fireplace and a pot hung over them.

Had the situation been less serious, Raven would have enjoyed this. She watched him gather together the makings of the meal in typical bachelor fashion. The plates he brought didn't match and one was chipped. He gave that one to himself. The goblets for the wine were slightly tarnished. He spent several minutes searching in drawers for a ladle to serve the stew with. She could hear him muttering to himself. Finally the stew was served, the wine was poured and a thick slice of crusty bread each was set beside the plates.

"To your health, Lady Raven," Rorek lifted his goblet, his eyes meeting hers over the rim.

"And to yours, Rorek," Raven returned the toast, raising her own goblet and meeting his gaze. She saw his brows arch at her use of his name. She took a sip of the wine and waited until he had as well. She lowered her goblet to the table. "I'm here to help you…" she began.

Sometime later, Raven had finished her story. She leaned back in her chair tiredly, and waited for his response. His expression had changed very little as she had spoken. She had to the basics, leaving out the details of Malchior's twisted efforts to gain her trust and affection, preferred to be considered gullible rather than emotionally foolish. But she couldn't leave everything out. She had to tell how she had been conned into releasing him, and then had had to learn the curse to send him back into the book. And she had to relate that the Rorek of her story, had known her well enough, and had held a strong enough link with her to call her for her help when he had found the spell reversed, and him a prisoner.

"My…" He finally commented, taking a slow breath. The plates of stew sat cooled and untouched in front of them. He picked up his goblet and took a deep swallow. Then he fixed her with a steady gaze. "Tell me why I should believe you."

Raven returned the look evenly. "Because it's the truth. Because you are very intelligent. And because I have likely told you things only you would know."

"May I see this book?" He held out his hand. Raven stood up and walked to where she had left it on the cot. She handed it to him, and stood by his chair while he opened it. He turned page after page, then shifted his quizzical eyes up to her. "The pages are blank."

"Yes," Raven swallowed the lump in her throat. "That's because you haven't written the story yet. And that's because Malchior hasn't come to threaten your people yet. Tell me, do you know the curse of the book?"

He set the book down, and turned his head to look across the room. "Yes, I know that curse. I'd hoped never to use it. Yet you say I must, and I must also destroy the book once I have trapped the dragon inside."

"Yes. It's the only way. It's the only way you could think to keep Malchior from reversing the curse and trapping you in the book."

"Well, my lady, I've never fought a dragon before," his tone was light, but the tightness of his features told her he was troubled by her words. "But if what you say is true, I am about to." His eyes went to the congealed stew on his plate. Then they went back to her. "I fear my table is less than appetizing now."

"I'm not really hungry, anyway," Raven said, walking across the room, wrapping her arms around herself. She still felt chilled by the sight of the blank pages in the book. And she knew that her greatest fear was going to happen. Once he cursed the dragon into the book, and destroyed it, there would be nothing left for him, or her, to remember. Angry with herself for having such a weak emotion when so much depended on what they did now, she took a deep breath and turned to face him. The breath didn't help much, not when she stared into his startling blue eyes. "Do you know this Malchior?"

"I have heard of an evil dragon magician," he nodded slowly, "and I assume that he may be the one you speak of. He is powerful."

"Well, you are more powerful," Raven said firmly. A faint smile touched Rorek's lips.

"I appreciate the confidence," he said with a slight bow, "but now, My Lady, I suppose we should find a room for you. We don't know how long it will be until our dragon makes his appearance, or do we?"

"You said," Raven lowered her eyes. She wasn't used to feeling this ache inside. It was worse than what she had felt when Malchior had betrayed her. Yes, there was relief that he seemed to accept her and her story, but it wasn't enough to banish the pain. "You said that the spell I used to come here should put me here near the pivotal time period, within a day or two. You…he…" her dark eyes flickered up to meet his again. "Um, this is a little confusing. You said that I should warn you to watch the western sky at sunset."

"I see," he nodded.

"I take it that you believe me," she voiced her thoughts.

"I am known to be very sensitive to the truth, Lady," Rorek said slowly. "I believe you have told me the truth, or most of it, fantastic though it may be. But ours is the path of magic, so we understand that the impossible can happen, do we not?"

"Yes," Raven nodded. Oh yes, the impossible certainly can happen. Out of all of the possibilities, she would have to fall in love with a magician from another time and place, after first falling in love with the evil dragon that pretended to be him in the first place. It was just as well, Raven thought dryly, that Beast Boy was nowhere near here to follow this story. He would never stop laughing.

To be continued…