Chapter 23

Starfire woke to a quiet clacking noise. She tried to ignore it, her eyes tightly closed. She reached out an arm along the bed, searching for Robin but came up empty handed. Her head came up instantly, her eyes snapping open.

Robin was sitting with his back to her at the small table and chairs by the curtained window, his laptop computer attached to one of Cyborg's portable power generators. He wore his green pants and boots but was shirtless. His feet were propped up on one of the chairs and he'd arranged a cushion behind his back.

"Robin?" she called, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and getting to her feet. "What are you doing?"

The clacking stopped as he flicked his head around, startled. "Oh, hey, Star," he said as she approached. She stood behind his back to look over his shoulder and he reached his arms up and back over his head to encircle her waist briefly before turning his attention back to the computer. She frowned as she studied the computer screen.

"What are you doing?" she asked again.

"Trying to figure out what the Citadel is up to," he replied absently.

"You should be resting," she said quietly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Hmm, not now, can't sleep," he replied as he continued to type.

"Robin," she said with a quiet warning tone.

"Starfire," he replied with the same warning tone. He stopped typing for a moment and looked up at her, a small frown on his face. "Look, I know you're worried about me, but seriously, I feel much better now. There's no pain whatsoever. I did some light stretching exercises and nothing, not a twinge. Raven's a terrific healer. Now I need to work out what the Citadel is up to. We're so close to the end of this xhandal and they haven't made their move, if they have a move to make. I just have this feeling that I'm missing something."

"Like what?"

He sighed in frustration, looking back at the computer. "If I could figure that out, then I wouldn't be sitting here," he said sourly.

She frowned at his tone. "I am only trying to assist you," she said meekly.

"I know, Star," he said, patting her hand on his shoulder. "All right, look. You said I only had two contestants left, right? Do you know their names?"

"Yes," she replied, slipping her hand off his shoulder to caress the muscles on his chest. "You have met them. Grafnor and Hunder."

His head swiveled up to hers again. "Torkor's friends?"

Starfire nodded.

Robin suddenly sat up straight, pulled his legs off the chair and placed them back on the ground. "That makes more sense," he muttered, typing quickly.

She bent down close to him, her lips nibbling their way along his neck. "What does?" she breathed into his ear.

He angled himself away from her. "Star, sweetie, I need some time to think. Do you mind?"

Starfire's mouth dropped open, she removed her hands and retreating to the bed. He resumed his furious typing without noticing that she'd moved away from him. She sighed quietly, gathered some clothes and left the room.

TTTTT

Starfire stared over the edge of the balcony connected to their common room, looking out onto the orange desert of Tamaran. It was nearing sunset; Tamaran's sun hung low in the sky, creating a dappled orange pattern over the desert. She tugged on the skirt on her uniform aimlessly, glad to be out of the xhandal uniform for a while.

Cyborg and Beast Boy were having a game marathon on the portable game console he had brought with him and were sprawled out over the bed in Cyborg's room. Raven was quietly reading a book in her own room.

Robin was locked away in their room trying to discern what the Citadel was up to, as he had been all day and nothing seemed to persuade him to rest or relax for a few minutes. Galfore had been to see him today and after Raven pronounced him healed, Galfore had recommended that they begin the xhandal again tomorrow. Starfire protested, loudly, after all it had only been three days since he'd been stabbed. Both Galfore and Robin had overridden her.

Starfire was troubled. She'd been in to see Robin several times, each time he'd been rather short with her. That was to be expected as he'd always done that when he was working on a hard case. What was troubling her was what she's seen written on his computer screen the last time she'd been in there. She knew in her heart of hearts that what he'd written was untrue. Komand'r would not betray her like that, despite what she'd done in the past. But Robin wasn't about to listen to her.

She sighed and glanced directly upward, at the balcony directly above theirs. Galfore's suite. He'd done it deliberately, so she could fly up and see him if whenever she'd felt like it, something she had not done yet. He'd soon be returning there for a hearty dinner with his wife Fyria.

Starfire missed Fyria's cooking, especially her zorkaberry pie. She'd barely had time to see Galfore this visit to Tamaran, they'd been so engrossed in the xhandal and she'd yet to spend any time with Fyria. She glanced over her shoulder at the empty common room. They'd never miss her if she ducked away for a short time.

Robin? she called quietly. Perhaps he would like to join her.

What? he replied shortly.

Please forgive my intrusion but I was wondering if perhaps you would like to-

Can it wait? I'm right in the middle of something.

She sighed, hurt. I apologise. It is nothing.

She felt his mind close off from her once more. She huffed, placed a foot on the balcony stone and pushed off, flying the short distance to the balcony above. She floated to the closed double doors and knocked. "Fyria?"

She peered through the window as a petite Tamaranian woman entered the room beyond, wiping her hands on a towel. The woman headed for the door. Starfire knocked again, before gleefully waving at the woman. The woman turned at the sound and shrieked with excitement when she spotted Starfire, rushing to open the door.

"Kori!" she shrieked as the door opened and the woman launched herself into Starfire's arms. She was taller that Starfire by a head and her brown hair was loosely plaited down her back. She had white smudges on her face. She wore a skintight shirt with long pants and her arm was free of an e'ara. "Oh, my little Kori, it is glorious to see you again."

"Fyria, it has been too long!"

"Come, come," she said, pulling Starfire into the room. "You do not need to linger on the balcony. This is your home as much as it is ours."

Starfire glanced around the room. It was very similar to the room that the Titans were currently staying, expect that it had a more lived in look. The sofa colours were mismatched and there was a large portrait of three children hung prominently on the wall. "Oh, Fyria, this place has not changed a bit. I cannot believe you still have that," she said pointing at the portrait.

Fyria smiled as she looked up at the portrait. "Of course I do Kori. You painted it for me. I have everything the three of you have ever gifted me."

Starfire hid a blush before she sniffed the air, her eyes becoming stars. "Is that zorkaberry pie?"

"Yes," the woman replied happily. "I have baked it every night on the chance that you would come. I cannot have my little Kori starving when she visits. Now, hold still. Let me look at you." Fyria placed both her hands on Starfire's shoulders and looked her up and down carefully. "Oh Kori, you have turned into a beautiful woman, you remind me so much of your mother, that beautiful hair of yours." She smiled. "Or is it Koriand'r now?"

Starfire smiled. "I will always be Kori to you."

"Come," Fyria said, beckoning Starfire to follow. "I must finish preparing Galfore's dinner. He will be returning shortly and will be delighted to see you."

They entered another room, larger than the previous. It was a gigantic kitchen. Benches stretched along three walls and in the middle of the room was a large square bench top, surrounded by stools. Pots and pans of various sizes hung above the bench in the center and a large cooking stove stretched along the far wall, with several pots already bubbling away.

Starfire smiled, remembering fondly the amount of time she sat at the bench in the middle, watching Fyria potter around her kitchen cooking up various meals. "I have missed your kitchen."

Fyria cast her a happy glance. "And my kitchen has missed you. Indeed, my stools have not been broken since you left us."

Starfire reddened. "It was Ryand'r's fault! He said they would stack that way."

Fyria chuckled.

"Why have you not moved into the royal suite, now that Galfore is Grand Ruler?"

"And leave my kitchen? Even Galfore is not strong enough to pull me away from my kitchen. Sit, Kori," she said, indicating one of the stools. "You have an extraordinary fighting ability. I saw you in your first xhandal battle. I was very impressed."

Starfire sat on the stool as Fyria fussed around her kitchen "I did not see you there! Why did you not come and speak with me?"

"I was seated with my family," Fyria said as she placed a zorkaberry pie before Starfire. "It would have been inappropriate at the time. I was very happy with what you did for Beri."

Starfire picked up an eating utensil, her mouth already watering. "I am glad I could have helped her. Do you know Beri?"

"Of course," Fyria said with a smile. "It was I who suggested she enter the xhandal in the hopes of having a battle with you and proving herself to her family. I knew you would be able to assist her. She is my cousin's daughter. I was seated with my cousin for the battle. I am very proud of you, her family is singing her praises."

Starfire beamed. "I am happy for her."

"Your Robin is very handsome, although I wonder about the colour of his eyes," she said with a sly smile. "And such an exceptional warrior. My heart was pounding the entire fight with Galfore. Is he well? I did come to see you when he was injured but your friends would not allow me entrance."

"They are very protective of me," Starfire replied softly. "I am sorry they were rude to you. Robin is mending well, although I am worried for him. I do not believe he should be continuing the xhandal just yet."

"I am sure he and Galfore have their reasons. Why did he not come with you? I have heard so much about him from your communications, I would have enjoyed meeting him."

"Robin is currently working. He is a very good man and I adore him dearly, but sometimes, when he works, he-"

"Forgets you exist?" Fyria said with a knowing smile.

Starfire nodded sadly.

"Find a task in common that you can do every day together," Fyria said sagely, returning to the stove and carefully stirring a pot of bubbling liquid. "It has worked for Galfore and I. He and your Robin are quite similar. Especially now Galfore is Grand Ruler; he often must spend a great deal of time completing royal duties. That is why dinner is so important for the both of us. I know that no matter what Galfore is doing, he will walk through that door soon and have time just for me. The only time he has ever missed a dinner was…" Fyria froze, before turning and looking at Starfire sadly. "On the night you escaped the Citadel."

Starfire stilled, a slice of pie halfway to her mouth. She sighed and placed it back on the plate. "Fyria, have you had any communications from Kom recently? I am worried for her."

Fyria turned back to the simmering pot. "I have not received a communication from Kom for several months now, but that is not uncommon. We do our best to keep track of her as she travels quite frequently and I believe she can still be reached on Drenthax 4. I hope she is well, she was the last time we spoke. She has not been in contact with you?"

Starfire shook her head. "No. I have not spoken to my sister since she was Grand Ruler."

Fyria sighed. "That is a shame. Understandable, but still a shame."

"Fyria, do you know what happened to my father? Galfore refused to speak of it and I did not ask Kom how she became Grand Ruler. She said she overtook Tamaran, but that would mean she had supplanted our father and I do not know how this can be."

Fyria looked over her shoulder. "Why do you wish to know now? You have never asked before."

Starfire sighed and hung her head. "The sharing of my past with Robin was very difficult and it brought emotions that I had long thought to be dormant. I find myself overcome with curiosity."

Fyria crossed the room and sat on the stool beside Starfire, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Myand'r vanished one night. There has not been any trace of him found, although the common belief is that he is dead. He was acting very strange in the few weeks before he disappeared and many believed he might have been insane. There were rumors of him having conversations with your mother. The nobility was thrown into anarchy with his disappearance until Kom arrived a few weeks later and took Tamaran for herself. You arrived shortly after that."

A door slammed in the room beyond and Galfore's voice bellowed, "Fyria, d'anthe l'ani, I am home."

"Galfore," Fyriacalled rising from her seat happily. "Look who has come to visit us!"

Galfore lumbered into the room, his face lighting up into a grin when he saw Starfire sitting at the bench in the middle of the room. "Koriand'r!" he exclaimed in greeting, before turning to his wife. "I said she would find the time to visit, did I not?"

Fyria smiled at him, before floating up and pressing her cheek against his. "That you did," she said.

He grabbed her roughly and spun her around before nipping at her neck playfully. "Greetings, wife."

Fyria laughed in delight, placing her hands on his massive shoulders. "Put me down, Galfore, or you shall not get any dinner."

He grunted at her and placed her back on the ground allowing her to return to her cooking.

"Koriand'r, I am glad you have come," Galfore said, sitting beside her in a stool twice the size of hers. "Ooh, is that zorkaberry pie?"

Fyria leaned over the bench and smacked his seeking hand with a spoon. "That is Kori's pie. You have one for after dinner."

Galfore huffed at her while Starfire hastily ate the rest of her pie. He turned back to Starfire. "There are a few things I wish to discuss with you, my little bungorf."

Starfire looked up from her pie with interested, swallowing a mouthful. "What is it?"

Galfore reached into his belt and pulled out a small round disc and handed it to her. "I received a message from Komand'r for you today. I have placed it on a memory disc so you can review it later. I might suggest that you review her message in private, there are a few issues she mentions that will make your friends uncomfortable."

Starfire frowned at the small disc in her hand before placing it in the pocket of her skirt. "I thank you, Galfore."

"The next issue is a little more delicate," he said as he glanced at Fyria who stilled in response and looked at him from across the room.

Starfire glanced between the two, concerned.

"I have been drafting up papers to name a heir. There has been a lot of pressure on us to produce one and we are having difficulties. Fyria's morn'lo are becoming infrequent."

Starfire looked at Fyria, her eyes filled with compassion.

"There are members of Fyria's family pushing to be named heir, but we feel that they would not be right for Tamaran. I have no other family and with the Citadel so close the people need a definite line of succession. I would not do this without your consent, but we would like to rename you heir."

"What?" Starfire exclaimed, shocked.

"The people still adore you," Fyria said softly. "They still remember what you did for them, even more so since your display of power at the xhandal. They want an And'r heir."

"I cannot, my place is no longer on Tamaran."

"We are not asking for your decision right now," Galfore said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "And it would only be temporary until Fyria conceives, or we can find a suitable replacement. Please discuss it with Robin and think of it for a time. That is all I ask."

Starfire studied him carefully, before she slowly nodded. "I will consider it."

Fyria beamed. "Good," she exclaimed. "Dinner is nearly ready, will you be staying, Kori?"

"I would love to," Starfire replied, smiling happily.

TTTTT

Starfire smiled happily to herself as she sat on the balcony edge after dinner. She was surprised at how much she had missed the carefree atmosphere between the pair and Fyria's lovely dinners. Galfore was standing several paces behind the balcony edge, trying not to look concerned, as the two ladies in his life were perched on the edge of the balcony. He was failing miserably.

"I cannot believe that Galfore still has issues with heights," Starfire said quietly.

"It is rather silly. My poor husband. I remember how Ry used to tease him because of it. The xhandal begins again tomorrow, yes?" Fyria asked, seated beside Starfire.

Starfire nodded.

"I hope to attend tomorrows battle," Fyria said with a smile. "It will be interesting to see your Robin's last battles and I do wish to meet him and your friends."

"You must come and sit with us," Starfire replied happily. "They will be most happy to meet you and I would enjoy-"

Starfire, where are you?

Starfire froze, Robin sounded angry.

"Kori? What is wrong? You have a peculiar expression on your face."

"Has Galfore told you of my a'tiyk valm?" she asked quietly.

"Of course," Galfore replied. "I can keep nothing from my wife, I swear she would starve me if I neglect to tell her anything concerning you."

"I am very happy for you Kori," said Fyria. "It is a very special thing you share, but it can be a burden too. Many of my family in the past have shared such a bond and my families history tells of how hard it was for them, that is why I chose not to have an e'ara."

Starfire!

I am fine.

That's not what I asked. I know you're not in danger, I can feel your mind. Where are you?

She sighed and cringed, pointing to her head. "Robin is very angry with me." I am on the balcony.

Galfore frowned. "Why?"

No you're not. That's the first place I looked. Nobody's seen you in hours. Damn it, Starfire, where are you?

Starfire hung her head. "I did not tell him I was coming here."

"Koriand'r," Galfore snapped. "You are not to go anywhere alone. You know this."

"But it was such a quick journey to your home and I wished to see you both."

"Kori," Fyria said sternly. "I will escort you home. With the Citadel so close, you should not be taking any chances, not even just to see us."

Starfire sighed, floated up to give Galfore a hug before she dived over the edge of the balcony. A quick somersault later and she and Fyria alighted on the balcony edge connected to the Titans rooms.

Robin angrily stalked out of the room, his cape flapping furiously behind him and Starfire could see Cyborg, Raven and Beast Boy cringing in the room beyond.

Fyria placed a hand on Starfire's shoulder and she turned toward the woman, giving her a quick hug. "Please come and visit us again, Kori. I should like to meet your Robin, when he is not so angry," Fyria said quietly, before flying off.

"Where the hell have you been?" Robin snarled angrily. "And who was that?"

Starfire glanced up at the retreating form of Fyria, before jumping lithely off the edge of the balcony. "That was Fyria, Galfore's wife. I have been having dinner with them."

"And you didn't see fit to tell anyone about it?" He stopped in front of her, his arms folded on his chest.

"It was such a quick journey to Galfore's home and I did not think that it would matter and you were very short with me when I tried to ask if you would like to join me."

"Don't you dare try and switch the blame to me, Starfire," he snarled, stabbing a finger at her. "Look at what happened last time one of us ventured out alone. Anything could have happened."

"But nothing did, Robin. I am fine. And you did not yell at Raven when she went out alone."

"I gave the Team orders. No one is to go anywhere without telling someone where they were going. Do you think that just because we're having sex now that those orders suddenly don't apply to you?"

There were several startled gasps behind Robin and Starfire reeled back, her hands to her mouth in shock, deeply hurt, but Robin hadn't finished. "Damn it, Starfire! We have the Citadel breathing down our necks trying to get at you. I've been working all day trying to figure out what the hell they are up to and you're flitting off to have dinner! They could have snatched you and none of us would have known."

Starfire hugged her arms to herself and turned away from him. She heard him sigh and approach her before placing a hand on her shoulder. She pulled away and stalked past him and their friends before locking herself in the bathroom.

She sighed and sat in the corner, drawing her legs up to her chest. She should have known that he would react like that, he must have been worried about her and she had not meant to be away that long. But it hurt that he'd blurted out their nocturnal activities in front of their friends. It was private, something that only they shared and something she'd wanted to keep between them. Besides, if he'd actually bothered to ask her opinion on the Citadel, she could have told him that if they were going to act, they'd do it publicly.

Starfire, I-

Starfire concentrated, closing down the link in her mind between her and Robin, ignoring his words. It was hard, but the meditations she had been doing with Raven had worked wonders.

Something tinged to the ground beside her, rolling away. Starfire scrambled after the small memory disc that Galfore had given her, before scooting back to the corner. With a sigh, Starfire reached for her e'ara, pressing the button to release it from her arm. She waited for it to become the small disc that was used to display memories, before lifting the memory disc that Galfore had given her. As the discs approached each other, the e'ara morphed once more, creating a small slot for the memory disc to slip into. Starfire did so and waited patiently for the message to start.

Blackfire's face flickered into the small beam of light being emitted from the e'ara, and her voice warbled from a tiny speaker in the memory disc. "Koriand'r, thank you for your message concerning the Citadel, I already know that they are seeking you. I have contacts in many places now and I have remained informed of your presence on Tamaran. Congratulations, you and Robin are very lucky. I don't believe the Citadel care to know where I am. I'm of no concern to them anymore. They would be after blood from you for killing that Master and the damage you did to the Citadel when we attacked."

Blackfire sighed. "I found a memory disc of fathers, before I was banished from Tamaran. It took me a long time to find the courage to view it, but when I connected it to my e'ara, it showed me exactly why you allowed yourself to be taken as a prize."

She leaned forward, her expression intense. "I know what he said to manipulate you. You went into that place knowing exactly what would happen if he sent Ryand'r or myself, knowing what could happen to you and you did it anyway. I can only hope that the damage done to you is not as great as I fear." She sighed sadly. "Father manipulated all of us, Kori. He told me you were being treated humanely. When you came back to Tamaran when you were fourteen, father made me believe that you had done us all a great wrong, that by being back you were going to bring the Citadel down on all of us. He made me believe that taking you back was the right thing to do. He never told us that you would be killed if you were returned."

"The memory disc showed that he intended to have Ryand'r remain with the Citadel as a replacement for you. He was going to allow the Citadel to kill you and then have Ryand'r too."

Blackfire's eyes shone with unshed tears. "That's not all. He made me believe you were responsible for Ryand'r's death. When I returned from our fight with the Citadel, he told me you had gone in there aware that there was little chance of survival. You were being hailed as a hero and my part in the battle had been ignored. It made me so angry and resentful... Again this was his doing. I don't know why he played us like this; it is something he would have never done if mother were alive. Why did you never tell us what was happening, Kori? Why did you just smile and let him do those things to you? We could have done something, stopped it somehow."

She sighed. "You have no reason to believe me but I am very sorry for my hatred of you. I couldn't contact you before this to explain my actions. I haven't been able to find the right words. Your message, your concern for me even after everything I have done to you enabled me to find them. But even these words may not be enough to mend the rift between us, I have done you so much damage."

"You must be careful, little sister. They will strike at you soon and they will not hesitate to destroy everything in their path to get to you, even your friends. Kori, I haven't been there for you in the past, but I am here now. You are my little sister and I should have been the one protecting you, not you protecting me. I lost you to those clorbag vorblernelks twice; I won't lose you a third time. Call for me and I will come." The image disappeared.

Starfire dropped her head to her knees and began to cry.

Author's Note: Ok, I realise that Fyria's personality is very similar to Starfire's. But seriously, with a sister and a father like hers, she had to get her happy demeanor from somewhere.