Disclaimer: Don't own the Teen Titans … nope … don't own'em.

A/N: Next chappie! 43 yep, movin' along … uh … wasting space I know … Enjoy! … I'll shut up now.

--

Just No Tellin'em

Reign narrowed his eyes on Robin, "You do realize that if this is a trick, you and your little friends will be thrown in with Malchior, Kenneth, and Rorek … you realize this do you not?"

Robin scowled, Reign was one of those stuck up government officials … not that Robin didn't know how to deal with his kind … it was the fact that he even had to deal with him was annoying. It had been well early into the night until Robin, his Team, and Rorek finally convinced Gwen, Reign, even the skeptical Miles about Ellris and the failed attempt at recovering the book to be the fault of some minor demon. (At that Raven had to raise and brow.)

Though now it was a matter of if they would believe them and take action. Right now Reign was playing that higher-than-thou card, Robin gritted his teeth and tried to keep his temper, "Yes … actually I do. That is why I'm even telling you about it, because if you don't heed my warning there won't BE anywhere to put Malchior, Kenneth, Rorek, my team, and myself IF there is anything found guilty about us to begin with."

Reign sneered and looked down at Robin as if he was a disgusting bug he had stepped on and had stained his precious priceless boots, "I can't decide if you're very brave, or very stupid to be coming here and shouting out these claims of an attack on the Palace Azar let alone the entire Floating Island."

"Are you going to be doing anything about it or not!" Robin exclaimed in frustration, Reign glared down at the masked hero.

"Listen here, and listen well human, the Palace Azar is in no condition to even be giving out war warnings let alone giving out evacuation attempts just because you have some feeling that Ellris'malchron a Hellborn Dragon is on the march with an undead army unrivaled! Our King and Queen is trapped on a different plain, and our top leading general is missing, then to top it off our 13 following generals are all dead! As much as I hate to say this, Robin, but the Central Skyline is as vulnerable as an infant! There is just no way we can operate with our defenses and offenses at a loss!"

For once Miles had to side with his brother and stood up from his seat with a tired sigh, "Yes … Reign, is right … we're only the Princes of Azarath, we don't have the training or skill in battle tactics to go into a full fledge fight … but we cannot just sit back and do nothing as the Skyline is invaded by Ellris … however … there is nothing I can see we can do … unless you yourself have a plan. Other then to call an evacuation … we can't panic the Island, it will only cause more problems. Do you understand, Robin?"

X just noticed something, "Hold on … you saying that the 13 Monks aren't only just advisers to the royals? They're generals? All of them?"

Gwen rolled his eyes and gave the thief a look of annoyance, "Yes, I believe we just said that. Why do you think we were willing to take such extremes in killing you the moment we found you undeniably guilty of your crimes?"

"Damn …" X blinked and sat back in thought, "Ellris is good … the little bugger does know where to hit where it hurts … and all it took was one night, they didn't see a thing coming."

Malachite frowned, "Not only that, but before I came to the Skyline I went to see if there were any surviving Masters in the other Dragon Clans … the Southeastern, Northwestern, Southwestern Masters are all alive along with their families … Zhian, my Master, was the only one unlucky enough to lose his life. I think Ellris was planning to turn the Dragon Clans against one another by bring them to the brink of insanity and panic … and it would have worked to since Zhain was killed. The Northeastern Lands have no Master to preserve order leaving Dragons and possibly neighboring demon lords to fight to claim territory."

Gwen sneered, "Barbaric."

Miles glared with a scolding look in his blood-red eyes, "Not now Gwen."

"So what's stopping them from killing each other now?" Raven asked.

Malachite turned to Malchior, "Sally may have killed Zhain, but she brought him back to life, leaving Lord Malchior to deliver the final blow … in other words … it's Malchior that has a say in what happens to the Northeastern Lands. Whether he keeps it, gives it up, or restores it to a new clan is up to him … in the mean time nothing will happen without the meeting of all the Grandmasters of the Dragon Clans come together and discuss the issues at hand. Strict contracting law that not even Malchior can break. So if you killed Malchior this would have thrown everything out of balance and thus Azarath would be plunged in a Second Disorder Era."

X whistled, "And I'll say it again, Ellris is good."

Malchior snorted, "Why does everyone think I'm the one up to no good in particular? You make me sound like my sire."

Malachite chuckled, "Sorry, bad-habit, you are a Black Diamond after all."

"That shouldn't even matter to begin with, Malachite," in his native tongue Malchior pointed out with a playful glare, "I thought you once said no matter the color of scales there would be equality among friends."

"Well, it's kind of hard to up hold such a promise when one friend is clearly your superior."

Malchior switched back to English when he saw the uneasiness in the ones that didn't understand them, "Ah, yes the power of authority. Doesn't it make you quiver?"

Malachite rolled his eyes, "I tremble in fear oh great Grandmaster Malchior, spare thy humble servant of any punishment for what offence thy may bring."

"Thou pitiful urchin is spared, off with the rag-doll's head!" clearly they were fooling around when they broke into a fit of chuckles and laughs, the rest weren't amused.

In particular, Rorek, because he was the one to break up the fun between the two dragons inside joke, "Hee, hee, har, har, can we stay on track here? Unless your joke obtains the punch line that'll solve our latest problem then I suggest you say nothing at all."

"Nothing to fret about Rorek," Malchior grinned, "we are skillfully trained in the art of war, there's nothing to fear when you have two dragons near."

Beast Boy glared, "So you mean to tell me while we were panicking our butts off about this whole war thing you two held the answers all along! Why the hell didn't you say anything!"

Raven topped Beast Boy's glare with her own as she bore down on Malchior, "Really Malchior, why – in all the times of your life – did you keep your mouth shut?"

The dragon grinned and shrugged, "You never asked, love."

"Do not give me that!" Raven argued her cheeks burning red in embarrassment when Cyborg bore down on her already knowing about her and Malchior, Malachite snickered but kept to himself as Malchior jumped to his feet.

"Alright then, just entrust your entire army to Malachite and everything will be fine."

Suddenly the snickering Emerald dragon stopped and shot Malchior a worried look, "Wha … me? Why place all the faith in me? You were always the better warlord!"

Malchior shrugged, "For one thing you were the one to become a Defender, not I –"

Malachite gave a dry look, "You were a Champion, and it's against the law for a Champion to become a Defender you know this Malchior better than any other drake or dragoness."

The Black Diamond continued as if he didn't hear a thing, "– second I am needed elsewhere –"

"Where else are you needed other than here? Plus you're still a prisoner! Am I right?" Malachite asked Miles and Miles shook his head.

"Not now, not when there's something as serious as this in the mix. Malchior could very well be more helpful to us on the field rather than in a prison cell."

Malchior grinned in triumph, he just knew he was free and he didn't even have to bluff it, another reason for Malachite to remember why he hated the dragon so much. He was always smug and confident about every little thing! "– and lastly … because what I say goes where our kind is concerned and I say you hold all power to the Azarian army, and you'll go and be a good little drake and do as I say. Am I understood?"

X felt for Malachite and shook his head, "Malchior, you're a real asshole you know that?"

"But I'm that asshole that's about to re-enforce and thus save Azarath," Malchior grinned and walked around the table to Raven, never minding Cyborg's evil protective death glares as he kissed her and smirked when she growled at him, "I'll be back from the surface world. Trust you'll be good and convince the royals here to trust me?"

Raven was still growling as she pointedly warned, "If you even so much as stop to eat a jelly-donut on the way to where ever the hell it is you're going, I'll kill you myself and say it was an accident."

"Understood," slinking away from her and right passed a fuming Cyborg, the hybrid turned to Raven and glared at her with a scolding eye. Raven kept her gaze from Cyborg and turned to look everyone else over as Malchior made himself scarce.

Reign was not happy, "And were in the blazes does that dragon think he's going?"

"He's not running away if that's what you're worried about," Rorek cringed and laid his head on the table, closing his eyes and still trying to heal himself from Saligia's claws. The pain had subsided quite a bit because Rorek allowed it to … after all, it had taken a great deal of time to convince Reign and Gwen that Malchior and he were connected. So now that they were officially convinced … and the warning of the army was afoot their sentencing would have to wait. Even if he was in discomfort, Rorek still couldn't help to smirk he'd bought them a great deal of time and possible even more to keep them out of jail. "My guess is … since Malchior just loves riddles and puzzles – typical dragon –" Malachite snorted at the comment, "– he practically told us he was leaving to gather the remaining Grandmasters and have a little discussion with them."

"I was just thinking that," both Raven and Robin looked at each other after chiming in at the same time with a few blinks and raised brows Starfire came in to speak after a period of letting everyone else do the talking.

"I may not be very sure of your customs here, but I shall go on and assume you are most similar to the ways of war as the Fogthren'Gophgar, yes?" Gwen and Reign looked at each other for confirmation of what she was talking about. Neither knew. Yet Starfire continued carefully choosing her words, "I believe that it is wise to do as the Malchior as ordered … leave all trust within the Malachite's hands and give us, the Teen Titans small reign over quadrants that will see to the safety of the people of Azarath … or … the Central Skyline as it is justly called."

Miles smiled and chuckled at his older brother's cringe from the sweet alien's tone. She sounded so convincing, what wasn't to trust about her? Raven was such a genius and she knew it with a small unnoticeable – to the untrained eye that is – smirk. Miles as indeed loving throwing his siblings in a spin, "Reign … I think we should listen to the girl … it's our only hope of survival. Bad enough most percentage of Azarians live on the Skyline because it's safe from the demons and dragons on the surface world … yet our numbers still dwindles, I'm afraid … even here we're at a disadvantage because of the lack of space to maneuver."

Reign growled obviously not liking the idea at all and glared at Miles, switched over to Malachite, then rested on Starfire, who visibly gulped and shivered under his blood-red eyes. Where she came from … those with blood-red eyes as his were considered a very threatening if not deadly foe to Tamerans. They were the Fogthen'Gophgar as she had stated before, but knew they hadn't a single clue to her meaning. However … if they did … then they'd understand her uneasiness around the blood-red eyed people in within in the room.

Ravens sensed her nervousness and gently – discreetly – pushed Starfire back behind her back to her Teammates to rest her own defensive glare upon Reign. The Prince sneered down at her and scoffed, bowing his head to stare at the glass table. He growled and slammed a fist on it, startling Gwen, Beast Boy, Starfire, and Rorek – but mostly because he had been resting his head on the table. The vibration wasn't very pleasant to say the least.

Obviously frustrated and a bit at a loss, Reign sighed and looked up to narrow his eyes on Raven, "Don't think I don't know what you're playing at with me here half-breed. As cunning as you demons think you are, how am I to know you're not the one pulling the strings here and maybe this Ellris'malchron you speak of is just a made up character in a fairytale book."

Raven growled low and threatening, Reign didn't know the warning, but Francesca and Malachite sure as hell did, they both shivered at the intensity of the growl. It was one of authority and power – in other words: a very pissed off important figure that didn't very much enjoy Reign's little speech. "If this is a fairytale Reign, it's not going to be given a very happy ending. You're being stubborn over all the wrong reasons! Look at the big picture here damn it! You're at the end of your rope and don't even think of denying the fact that you just don't know what to do."

The elder Prince was just about to fight back when the doors to the Conference Room suddenly slammed open and a frantic Priest stumbled in nearly falling to his knees at his exhaustion. Raven helped him stand the moment she saw he was about to tip over and recognized him to be one of the Priests that guarded the edge of the Skyline by his uniform. His wide fear filled eyes frightened Miles; he knew this couldn't be good …

… and it wasn't.

"State your business, why have you barged in on a very important meeting?" Reign more than demanded of the Priest, Raven looked over her shoulder to glare at the Prince, but said not a word when the Priest gulped and panted for breath.

He felt ready to faint, but for the sake of the Skyline he replied weakly, "My Lord –" Raven, Gwen, Miles, Reign, Malachite, and Rorek all stilled at the title … "Al'Azeath" or "Lord/King/Emperor" in English, was only used for those at the very top ranked … or … in other words: Reign was being addressed as a ruler "– there was a crash at the out skits of the city my Lord … the Royal Starship … the one our former –" former … that was pretty straight forward word … Miles gulped, this was bad, very bad, "– Lord and Lady has taken to Manona … it was … it was completely destroyed … no survivors were found. My sincere apologize my Lord …"

"Oh-no …" Rorek gulped and felt his blood run cold.

X by his side raised a brow and elbowed his side to gain his attention, "What's going on?"

Rorek glanced down at curious amber hues and frowned with a crescent fallen look on his face, "It's not good … the Royal Starship that was sent to Manona … the one that held the Lord and Lady of Azarath … I think it came through the GDP … but it was brought down. There were no survivors."

X sat back, Robin that had over heard the translation closed his eyes and shook his head, both the thief and the hero thinking aloud the same thing, "Shit …"

Gwen shot a hand to her mouth, her eyes watering over ever so slightly. Tightly shutting them to keep the tears she knew she felt coming, she hunched over the glass table back towards the Priest and shakily held her body up with her free hand. "Mama … Papa …"

Miles ran a hand through his dark red hair and holding back the urge to scream, he gritted his teeth and bowed his head in sorrow, where as Reign just blinked. His once frustrated face suddenly falling to a passive unreadable expression. His parents … the Lord and Lady … were killed … and he was being given the title as the new Lord. It was only natural that the first born get the title … and Miles had a distinct feeling Reign liked his place already.

Yet … even siblings that grew up together could misinterpret certain things.

Reign was far from enjoying the fact that he was given the title Lord now …

In fact … unlike Miles had assumed, he didn't want it at all.

It called for too much and asked for too much … and to be completely honest … Reign just didn't feel like he was fit for the job. Raven could easily read his fear, and frowned … this was completely new to the headstrong, over confident, and over bearing Prince she once knew. Could she have been wrong about him? Maybe … she was wrong on a few other things in her life … yet the case about whether she was a good judge of character or not wasn't the issue. It was the immediate death of the royal couple … and … when she looked down at the Priest that was propped up against a wall still tired and torn up, yet being polite enough to give the three siblings a moment of their loss.

He cleared his throat and more collectively he spoke to gain attention – Reign's attention more likely, "My Lord … there is more disturbing news I bring …"

Raven breathed a sigh of frustration, "What could be more disturbing than the death of the Lord and Lady?"

--

After the information …

After the message given …

The priest brought the group out to one of the watch towers of the Palace Azar and Beast Boy cringed, Cyborg huffed, Robin scowled, Starfire gasped, Reign, Gwen, and Miles looked about ready to give up. Raven tried to remain stoic, but couldn't hide the gulp that went down her throat, and the shiver that shot up her spin. Malachite growled close to a roar, Rorek leaned on the rail and put his forehead to his arms cursing to himself, "Too fast … this is going way too fast!"

X sneered and crossed his arms over his chest as he glared at the dome that suddenly covered the entire Floating Island. It wasn't just a dome … it was a barrier, a force shield to keep the threat that tried to get in out. Right now … that threat was currently a swarm of dragons in full form crashing into the barrier to get through. With every scrap of their claws the barrier rippled and looked ready to drop. The thief gulped then shift his glare to the shaken Princes and Priestess, "Well … I think this answers your suspicions."

Raven's brows furrowed together in worry … was it too late to call Malchior back? Yeah … knowing him he was probably already headed down to the surface world … how he'd get passed the swarm was beyond her, she just prayed he didn't do anything stupid. Glazing over the barrier she was brought out of her worry when she heard Cyborg ask, "What's holding this shield up? And more importantly … is it stabled?"

Gwen was the first to come out of her fear filled shiver to answer distantly … almost robotically, as if it was expected of her to answer his questions, "Countless Power Jewels hidden around the edges of the island … and ... if it's stabled? Of course … it's protected the Skyline for hundreds of generation before … and it's expected to do the same whenever it's activated."

"So …" Beast Boy gulped, "we can be a 100 percent sure that this thing won't break?"

Miles chuckled darkly, "I wouldn't place my faith in the barrier completely … there are weak spots … it's all in the matter of finding them."

Robin growled, "Well then I guess we're just going to have to act before that ever happens."

Malachite glanced to Reign, "It's all up to you … you're the new Al'Azeath … call it."

--

Me: … I … am just … too good. I bet you all hate me for doing this don't you? Call it the madness of the M&Ms … but I just popped a yellow M and I was like: "You know what … I feel evil tonight, so I'm just gonna leave them hangin'."

Rorek: O.O … um … cimple … not that I pity you or anything, but for the sake of my and X's as well as Raven's and Malchior's amusement … I suggest you run.

Me: Why?

X: You fucking blind? The readers are about to kill you!

Me: My readers? Why would my lovely reviewers try to kill me?

Raven: … she's slow today isn't she?

Malchior: Looks like it …

Rorek: -.-u … cimple … trust us … just run down the fire-escape and down the alleyway and don't look back.

Me: … I still don't get it …

X: Hey cimple … see the bag of M&Ms … yeah see it girl? (waves a bag of M&Ms in cimple's face, she jumps for it, X throws it out the window) Go fetch it and good ridence!

Malchior: Due to the fact that cimple is just to dumb for her own good and thus thrust her poor demented self out the window I will dismiss you all with her signature l8er daez.