Chapter 14

Robin fiddled with the latches on the back of the black gorget Starfire had given him to wear. He was already wearing the surprisingly comfortable purple pants and knee high black boots traditionally worn and although he was breaking tradition somewhat with his mask, there was no way he was taking it off. His hands felt weird in the gray openhanded glove and he still wasn't sure if he liked the idea of fighting with a bare chest. It just seemed too macho for him and he disliked flaunting his body.

He had been surprised when she presented him with the clothes, explaining that the only difference in his outfit was the gorget. She'd apparently made his gorget herself, painstakingly inscribing his yellow 'R' emblem in to the small space where a gem would normally sit. He didn't know when she'd had the time, or how she'd been able to hide it from him. The effort she'd put into the neck plate, just to make him a little more comfortable about his appearance, just to add a touch of his own personality made him feel all warm inside.

He grunted in frustration as the latches on the gorget once again failed to close. He pulled it off and tossed it across the room in a fit of pique. It hit the wall with a thud and then dropped to the floor. He stared murderously at it. He would have given anything in that moment to reverse time and go back to last night. He'd been preparing for this day for five weeks and he still didn't feel like he was ready.

He kicked the closest armchair in an effort to expel some of the frustration and anxiety he was feeling but it only served to hurt his foot. How the hell was he going to get through this fight if he couldn't calm his nerves enough to concentrate?

Robin sighed before he wandered over and plucked the gorget off the ground to try again.

He heard the door open and close as he struggled with the latches. "Starfire," he said in defeat. "I can't figure this stupid thing out, can you give me a hand, please?"

Soft hands reached around his neck from behind to position the rounded, black gorget on his neck and shoulders correctly, before the latches were deftly snapped shut. "Thanks," he said before turning toward her. His jaw dropped when he saw her.

She wore a tight fitting purple leotard; the diamond cut out of its stomach stopped between her breasts. He could actually see a small curve of her breast slip from under the material. The leotard arched over the curve of her hips. She wore no belt; instead a large green gem was positioned just below her navel. The gorget around her neck was black like his and she wore completely purple boots and gloves.

"You are so not wearing that in public," he blurted, going bright red.

She smiled alluringly. "Do you like it?" She twirled for him and he nearly drooled at the way the cut of the leotard hugged her behind. There was another diamond shape cut from the fabric at the small of her back. "It is much better than what they wished me to wear." She held up a coat hanger. A outfit that was no more than a two stripes of material, barely enough cover each breast, held together by a thin strip that went around the back and joined into a pair of bikini bottoms at the navel.

He looked at the outfit on the coat hanger and then back at the one she was wearing and groaned. How am I supposed to fight with you looking like that?

She threw the outfit on the bed before turning back to Robin. Her hands fussed with the gorget around his neck, helping it to sit correctly and brushing off imaginary lint. Remember to hold your positions correctly and keep your weight balanced. Do not try and take Galfore's strength, you must remember to deflect it instead.

He caught her trembling hands in his to stop her fussing, quietly thrilled to feel his ring on her finger. I'll be fine. I'll even stay away from the pointy end of the soral, he murmured trying to relieve some of her tension with a joke.

It fell flat as her eyes filled with tears and she flung her arms around him.

"Shh, shh, it's okay, Star. Nothing's going to happen," he murmured into her hair while stroking her back.

"You do not have to do this," she said urgently. "We could leave right now-"

"I'm not going to let you sacrifice anything else, Star. I won't let you sacrifice your planet for me, not when I have a chance to prove myself worthy to your people." He lifted her head by her chin and smiled for her. "We've talked about this, d'anthe l'ani. I can do it," he said, with a confidence he didn't feel.

Starfire nodded and closed her eyes briefly, composing herself.

There was a timid knock on the door, before Beast Boy's voice was heard. "Dudes, we gotta get a move on, they're here to escort us."

She left his arms and retrieved the two e'ara's lying on the bed, handing the studded one to him, before snapping her own around her arm. He snapped on his before reaching for her still shaking hand. Together they walked from the room.

TTTTT

There was a loud roaring noise as thousands of Tamaranians voices lifted as one, chanting the same thing over and over again. "Xhandal! Xhandal! Xhandal!"

Galfore strode to the center of the arena, his hands lifted, requesting silence.

Robin lingered in the quiet darkness of the tunnel before the arena, his heart thudding painfully in his chest. He found himself unable to stop moving and continued the stretching exercises to calm his nerves. Starfire would already be seated with their friends in one of the garaks, the other xhandal contenders seated beside. They were allowed pride of place, a podium close to the arena so they could witness the battles. Other dignitaries would be scattered around the arena edge as well, before the rest of the Colosseum would be filled with the general population.

He could feel Starfire's nervousness through their link and it was not helping the jitters he was already feeling.

"Greetings, my fellow Tamaranians," Galfore bellowed, as the crowd dipped into silence. "We are gathered here today in glorious xhandal. Our beloved Princess Koriand'r has chosen the noble Robin of Earth and it is our privilege to contend for his right to her."

Robin squared his shoulders and wiped his sweaty palms on his pant leg. That was his cue. Oh god, he hoped he was up for this. He cast his eyes skyward, silently praying for strength. Galfore turned to the tunnel he was in as Robin took a deep breath and stepped into the arena, blinking in the sudden light.

The crowd roared and Robin could feel the reverberations of their voices deep down in his chest. The chanting began again as Robin made his way to the center of the arena to stand beside Galfore. Galfore held up his hands for silence once more. "As Grand Ruler and Koriand'r's k'norfka, I claim the right of first challenge. Bring out the weapons!"

A pair of guards entered the arena, carrying a large ornamental black box between them. The box thumped to the ground at their feet and Galfore reached down to open it. Inside lay various sorals. Robin studied them, they didn't seem to be any different that the ones he had been training with and Robin guessed that choosing one was simply for show.

Galfore gestured the box, indicating that Robin had first pick. He reached down and selected a soral, hefting it into his hands. He was surprised at how light it felt in his hands now and he bounced it slightly to test its balance.

Moving away from the box so that Galfore could select his weapon, Robin scanned the viewing box looking for the familiar red hair. He found her almost instantly, their friends acting as a shield from the crowd. Raven sat to her right and Beast Boy to her left while Cyborg stood behind her ominously, his arms folded across his chest. Starfire herself sat regally, her hands clasped one of Raven's in her lap, but Robin could feel how anxious she was, the nervous hum of her mind and could almost see the restless twitch of a leg. And he knew by Raven's masked expression that her hand was probably being crushed in Starfire's grip.

He dipped his head at her, pleased when she nodded in return, before turning his attention back to Galfore. Galfore had selected his weapon and the guards were carrying the box away. As the box left the arena, Galfore turned to Robin.

"Are you prepared?"

Robin nodded, shifting his grip on his soral. He swallowed harshly so that when he spoke his voice would not squeak. "I am ready."

Galfore raised his weapon. "Let us begin. Xhandal!"

Robin would always remember this fight with frightening clarity. The chanting and screaming of the crowd dipped away until it no longer existed and it was just him and Galfore and the feel of the soral in his hands.

Galfore planted his heels together and pushed off the ground, leaping high into the air and cleaving his soral down toward Robin's head. Robin had but a second to react. Adrenaline pumped through his body and the world took on a sudden clarity as he lost himself in the instinct of battle.

He dove forward, spinning onto his back as he dove, slipping between Galfore's legs as the huge man landed and kicked him in the back of the knee as hard as he could. Galfore bellowed and picked the leg that Robin had struck off the ground, bringing his body around and tried to stomp on Robin.

Robin forced his back from the ground, before using his legs to propel him into a one armed handstand before flipping away. He spun the soral as he flipped, deflecting a stab that Galfore sent after his twisting body. He planted his feet and lunged forward, spinning his soral for Galfore's legs. Galfore jumped into the air, so Robin used a move he'd seen Starfire do and twisted the soral, bring the butt of it up to smack Galfore in the chin.

The giant man's head snapped back and Robin followed through with a spinning kick to the chest, forcing the man's bulk away from his. Galfore shook his head to recover, before they began circling each other. Robin spun his soral slowly, his eyes narrowed in concentration as he waited for Galfore's next move.

The huge man charged. With a roar, Robin copied the charge, his blade held before him like a lance. As the rushing Galfore neared him, Robin spun the blade, planting the butt on the ground and used it to slingshot himself into the air. Somersaulting over Galfore's head he kicked the man twice in the back of the head. As he dropped back down to the ground he saw Galfore's soral swinging toward him out of the corner of his eye and he brought his own soral up to deflect it, twisting his body out of reach. He bent over backwards as Galfore stabbed at him, placing a hand on the ground and kicking at the blade handle with his feet. He missed as Galfore yanked the blade away and spinning it deftly, cleaving at Robin. Robin dropped to the ground, his arms above his head pointing his blade away and rolled as Galfore's soral thudded into the ground beside him.

He crouched while Galfore yanked his soral from the ground, before he found Galfore's soral being swung in his direction once more. He placed the hand holding his soral on the ground and ducked beneath the blow before kicking at Galfore's arm as it whizzed past him. He used the momentum of the kick to follow through with a roundhouse kick to Galfore's chest before jumping clear once more.

It became repetitive. They would leap in, their weapons clashing together furiously as they blocked, thrust and parried, before they would step back and circle, judging each other strengths and weakness. Galfore had the superior strength, but Robin had the speed and agility that allowed him to dodge and duck out of the way, nullifying any strength Galfore was able to place behind his hits. But Galfore also had the Tamaranian stamina and the longer this battle was drawn out, the slower Robin would get. He had to find a way to finish the fight before he ran out of energy.

It was during the fourth clash that he saw a pattern in Galfore's strikes, the third move he made always being the same, a chest high stab. The stab could be followed by any combination of strikes and blocks, but it was that third move that was the weakness. It was amazing that a Tamaranian of Galfore's caliber even had a weakness. Robin watched closely over the next two clashes, carefully judging what move would be best against such a stab. He began to wonder if the stab was a deliberate attempt to allow Robin a chance to win, or an unconscious flaw in Galfore's attack. He hoped it was the latter, as much as he wanted to win, he didn't want a victory handed to him.

He struck during the next clash. Instead of merely dodging out of the way of the stab as he had on previous occasions, he deliberately positioned himself too close. He brought his soral up and snagged Galfore's weapon, the handle of his blade jamming between the blades of Galfore's. The shock of the hit jarred through his body, it had been the first time he'd taken a hit full on instead of diverting Galfore's strength but Robin had been ready. With a roar, he spun his handle sharply, twisting the weapon from Galfore's huge hands, before spinning and sweeping the man's feet out from under him and forcing him to his knees. Galfore's eyes widened impossibly.

As Galfore's weapon flicked away, Robin used the momentum of the sweep to stand and make a spinning slice toward Galfore's throat. He bunched his muscles, forcing his weapon to stop a mere second before Galfore's throat and a hush fell over the crowd. He moved his weapon forward slightly, the blade forcing Galfore's chin upward and came to rest against the skin.

The silence of the crowd was deafening. He could hear his own heart pounding in his ears. Robin held his stance, waiting for Galfore's next move.

Galfore open and closed his mouth like a dying fish, before composing himself. "I yield," he boomed loudly.

Robin let out a puff of breath in relief and moved his soral away from Galfore's neck and dropped it on the ground, allowing the Tamaranian to return to his feet. The roaring of approval from the sea of Tamaranians buzzed in his ears. The relief was overwhelming; he'd actually done it. He'd actually managed to beat Galfore in battle.

Robin! Starfire shrieked joyously in his mind and he turned to catch her as she hurtled out of the sky toward him, spinning her around in a circle, laughing, before placing her on the ground beside him.

"Well done," Galfore boomed, slapping a hand down on Robin's shoulder, Robin fighting not to wince. "I find Robin eligible to marry Koriand'r when he has defeated all other contenders." He turned to the podium where the dumbfounded contenders were seated. "Who amongst you still wishes to challenge?"

There was a mass of movement and a loud echoing clicking sound as hundreds of gorgets were snapped from necks and thrown to the arena floor. Those Tamaranians that forfeited moved quickly from the podium. Robin waited until the movement and sound had died down before glancing up at the podium, his jaw dropping open.

Only about hundred Tamaranian males remained, scattered amongst them, Robin saw Torkor and his gang. He narrowed his eyes as he saw Torkor smirking down at him.

"I knew it," Starfire cried joyously, clapping her hands together and twirling in the air. "I knew once you proved yourself to be strong they would forfeit their claim. Oh Robin, is it not wonderful?"

Robin smiled at her, giddy with relief and victory.

"Very well," boomed Galfore to the audience. "We will have a moment's pause, before Koriand'r's first battle." He turned to the happy couple. "Follow me, have your friends join us."

Robin nodded, signaling to Cyborg, Raven and Beast Boy before following Galfore from the arena floor.

Galfore led the Titans down the long tunnel, passing by several offshoot tunnels and stopping before a large wooden door halfway down it. The two guards that stood before the door opened it when the group neared. Robin had passed it several times in his frantic pacing before the first battle and had fleetingly wondered what was inside. Galfore gestured the Titans to enter, before following them inside and closing the door behind them.

It was a small room, void of any adornments. Several large wooden benches were scattered around the room and a small table covered with food and drink was tucked against a wall. "This is the waiting room, where you can drink, eat and refresh yourselves," said Galfore, before turning to Robin. "That was an incredible battle. I do not know how you managed to defeat me so quickly, but it was a glorious battle that I will always remember. Well done. If you feel strong enough, perhaps you can complete your second battle today?"

Robin nodded. "I am ready."

Galfore nodded in return. "I have some things to oversee before Koriand'r's battle, I will return shortly." He paused on his way to the door, resting his hand on Starfire's shoulder. "You have a fine man there, my little bungorf."

Starfire glomped Robin as the door swung shut behind Galfore and he put his arms around her to hold her close.

"Dude!" Beast Boy cried, approaching Robin with stars in his eyes, before acting out punching and hitting moves. "You were all like, 'hi-yah' and he was all like 'Woah' and you were all like bendy everywhere and 'can't touch this' and he was all like 'swing and miss'," Beast Boy's voice rose to a shriek. "And that was so totally awesome!"

Robin blinked in surprise as he tried to follow what Beast Boy was saying, before Cyborg slapped him on the back. "That was incredible," Cyborg said. "You anticipated Galfore's moves, you beat him to the punch and he couldn't lay a finger on you!"

"I must admit, you put on quite a show," Raven said softly, wrapped up in her cloak. "Certainly got a lot of contestants to drop out."

Starfire turned toward Raven, an expression of disbelief on her face. "Show? Do you believe Robin and Galfore were merely pretending?"

Raven shrugged indifferently.

"You know, I was wondering that myself, Star," said Robin softly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I mean, Galfore did want me to win. I can't help but feel that he gave it to me somehow."

"You do not understand," Starfire said with a shake of her head. "Galfore is the strongest warrior of his time, that is why he was chosen to become my k'norfka. He would never lose deliberately, I do not believe he knows how." She smiled at Robin. "You have won this battle, d'anthe l'ani. I am very proud of you."

In other words, Robin mused, Galfore would be the only one that would know if he'd thrown that fight or not.

"Are you going to give us the same sort of show Starfire?" Beast Boy asked curiously. "I mean that is one skimpy outfit, are you sure you guys aren't mud wrestling or something?"

Raven reached out and cuffed Beast Boy across the back of the head. He turned and pouted at her. "Hey, I was just asking. It's not like I want to watch her doing that kinda thing. I mean, c'mon, she's like my sister."

"Seriously, little dude's got a point," Cyborg said. "How do you expect to fight in something that revealing?"

Robin reddened, remembering the other outfit she could have worn.

Starfire twisted her body around, floating out of Robin's arms to inspect her leotard. "I do not understand. What am I revealing?"

Robin's eyes became saucers as he got an eyeful and he pulled her back into his arms possessively.

Raven shook her head. "Sometimes I wonder why we let you two out in public."