Title: Endurance and Royal Blood
Chapter Title: Everything in Transit
Rating: T
Word Count: 1,125
Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans.
Summary: Galfore's sudden death has left Tamaran without a ruler. Starfire returns to oversee a tournament to determine the interim grand ruler, but things are not as they seem. Who is trying to assassinate her? And who is the masked contestant? RobxStar. AU.
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The news of Galfore's death matched the weather – a gloomy, seemingly endless gray at a moment when all she needed was a singular ray of sun. She had been afraid this day would come, and now, as the only living heir welcome to rule the throne, she had a civic duty to her people to make sure they were kept in favorable hands until either Starfire or Blackfire could produce a worthy heir.
An interim grand ruler must be chosen and approved of by royal blood and so she would return to her people. An equally arduous task was telling the team. Her relationship with Robin so new after the events of Tokyo a mere month ago, and with the rest of the team feeling especially reliant on one another following the travel involved in the take down of the doom patrol, she felt guilty for having to leave them.
Robin insisted on going with her; reassuring her that Jump was safe, all major villains had been captured, and the remaining team members could handle the minor threats that popped up in the interim.
She declined his offer vehemently, insisting he stay on Earth. This was her duty as a princess and it would only be for a short time. One month, maybe two, she insisted. There was something in Galfore's last transmission that made her hesitant to bring others into the uncertainty. His final transmission to her still rung in her ears.
"My bumgorf, I have missed you. All of Tamaran is quiet as we head into the harvest season, but I cannot shake the feeling that something is off. My dreams have been filled with bad omens, but nothing has come of it, so it must just be the fears of an old man. Still a visit from you would cheer me up immensely."
She didn't have a chance to visit. The news of Galfore's death came just two days after that transmission, and while he was older, he was a fearsome warrior. Warrior's do not just suddenly drop dead whilst off the battlefield.
It surprised her to see her own appearance, back in the silver and black uniform she arrived to Earth in. It was a uniform she had long despised that showed her royal status throughout the galaxy, but offered little protection as armor as the fabric and metal components were more ornamental than functional.
Robin's face at seeing her back in that uniform was a confusing one with mixed emotions. She had met him in that uniform. She had kissed in that uniform, long before she understood what the Earthen concept of a kiss was. She had been one of his toughest battles in that uniform. And now she would leave him in that uniform. Not for good, but it was always a possibility she wouldn't make it home. Times like these were restless on Tamaran and it was never good to be in a leadership position during unrest.
They said their goodbyes devoid of tears and pleas. Simple hugs and wish you wells were exchanged along with small moments of condolences for the loss of Galfore. A gentle kiss from Robin with a small hand squeeze, and she was out of Earth's atmosphere before the tears hit.
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"I worry they'll convince her to stay." Robin sighed sadly watching the green trail of light grow more faint as it cut through the sky.
"She values her life on Earth. She'll be coming home to us." Raven reassured quietly.
"But she has a duty to her people...I've almost lost her once." Robin mumbled sadly knowing that the strong, strange alien girl would always put her people above herself.
"And she's completing that duty by helping them find a new ruler." Cyborg cut in, placing a metal hand on Robin's shoulder.
"'sides, Tamaran doesn't have mustard." Beast Boy attempted a bit of humor which was met with a melancholic quiet.
"I'm going after her." Robin decidedly said after several minutes of quiet.
"She didn't want you to go, man. You gotta let her be." Cyborg insisted.
"Something's not right. She was willing to bring us with when she was getting married, but not now when it's just a tournament?" Robin postulated inquisitively.
"Maybe it's because she's not gone for good this time?" Raven offered a simple solution.
"I don't buy it. If I see that everything is okay, then I'll come back, but I need to see for myself." Robin insists.
"Fine, man. But you're not taking the T-ship." Cyborg grumbles.
"Then help me build a single pilot ship."
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Starfire's arrival on Tamaran was met with a small welcome party of guards and servants. She shooed them away as best she could, but a kitchen server, Navi'a, a petite auburn haired girl with green eyes similar to Starfire's was allowed to stay with the princess. It was she, and only she, that Starfire felt could be trusted at the moment.
Starfire first returned to her quarters and then used the balcony to fly to her secret childhood hideout, a small cove in the stonework above. With no wedding on the line, and no known threat of danger, the guards allowed her to take whatever exploring liberties she may choose.
Nimble hands moved aside set stones until a secret compartment was revealed. Blackfire had been cruel even in childhood so Starfire hid her most treasured items here unbeknownst to her older sister.
Among the objects collected during stays on various planets and trinkets from her parents, was an item she didn't place there...a journal. Galfore's daily log.
Her heart felt pangs of grief as she ran her fingers over the leather bound book, carefully removing it from its place of hiding. Why it was there, she had no idea, but imagined Galfore needed to tell her something he couldn't over transmissions.
A small scrap of paper fluttered to the ground, a note clearly written in hurried writing.
'Be warned my bumgorf, things are not as they seem.'
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Yeah, I do really dumb things like start more stories, but I kid you not, the entire arc for this one came to me in the middle of the night last night. I'm still continuing Covert Courting, and I've got to finish Rio this week or next, but I get excited about a fully developed arc and this one will be more adventure themed than romance which is a break from the norm for me.
Review if you'd like.
-FWFT