Chapter Five
When the Titan's roused from their sleep at the first mornings light, they were confronted with the scene of Robin, drooped on the end of his bed, with a communicator in his hand. Beast Boy stretched upward, raking his hands through his unruly pointy hair. "Robin, how long have you been up?" He croaked, stretching his legs out. Beast Boy peered forward. "Did you even sleep at all?" Robin remained quiet, looking at the communicator. Cyborg brushed past him, looking out to the early morning. Still, not a soul wandered the weaving streets below.
"Did something happen at home?" Raven asked, pinning her cloak around her shoulders.
Robin tilted his head down. "This is Starfire's communicator..."
"I thought we'd have to beat the truth out of you," Raven said plainly, freeing her hair from her rumpled hood. "I told you not to leave. You did the opposite. You could have been thrown in jail, Robin."
"Yeah, man, Rae's right," Cyborg looked over his shoulder. "You can't just go walking around like you own the place. We're the aliens here."
Robin tightened his grip around the communicator. He couldn't put into words what he was trying to convey. He was convinced he could never make them understand. Robin's entire body emanated with it, however. Never had something felt so wrong in his entire life. There was danger afoot, there were secrets lurking in the dark corners of that castle. Robin was absolutely certain. Starfire had been the scape goat of their history. And history always repeated itself, time and time again, to the young man. "I'm going for a walk," He said, tucking the communicator into his belt and heading for the door.
"Is that even allowed?" Cyborg furrowed his brow.
"There's no reason for them to arrest me for going for a walk," Robin didn't look to his companions as he continued for the exit.
"Robin, you're not thinking straight," Raven warned him. "Nothing good happens when you act out of anger."
"Yeah, dude, are you trying to start riots in the streets?" Beast Boy threw his arms out at his side. "We've barely been here a day and you're trying to spark a revolution. Anything to get Starfire out of her destiny."
"This isn't what she wants," Robin told them, now turning to look at his nearly pleading team. "She's unhappy. We can't just leave her behind here."
"Robin, we can't disrupt ancient alien tradition," Cyborg shook his head, at a loss at how to get through to the stubborn young man. The three Titans could see their leader was exhausted, physically and emotionally. He was looking just as rough as when Slade had poisoned him into lunacy. But it was just beginning to truly dawn on them how much emotion Robin felt for Starfire. Of course, they'd always had their assumptions from their friendship dynamic, but they had no idea Robin could become this fueled for her. Robin rarely let his emotions cloud his judgment and decisions, but in the course of twenty-four hours, they saw just how blinded he could be. Perhaps he felt threatened, they considered. Robin himself was a force to be trifled with, but the planet of Tamaran seemed to stir something within him. He seemed so utterly convinced Starfire's only place was with the Teen Titans. Beast Boy, Raven, and Cyborg, in that moment, saw, for the first time, an emotional burst of a love-sick feeling coming from Robin. They truly saw how much he cared for her, pined for her, and hurt for her. And they realized they had overlooked that this whole time.
"Robin, dude..." Beast Boy said softly, coming to stand beside Raven and Cyborg. "You know you can talk to us, right?"
"There's nothing to talk about unless we're uncovering the sinister plot in that castle," Robin told them. "Something bad is going to happen. I know it."
"It's not that we don't believe you," Cyborg shrugged, almost uselessly. "Just... what can we do right now that won't make us intergalactic fugitives?"
"We have to gather intel," Robin said. "We can talk to people who have been living here. Tamaran used to be a much happier, free kingdom. Now it's barren and militant. We have to start connecting the dots. There's gotta be a library around here with the history of Tamaran inside of it."
"I don't think they'll take too kindly to our snooping," Beast Boy told him.
"We just have to be smarter than them," Robin insisted. "We should never be seen together. It will thin their guards out looking for four of us. Raven, you're the most fit for a job of deception like this. You should try to find a library or an archives. Beast Boy, you should try to listen to the people of the streets. Turn into a fly or something, see what the Tamaraneans feel. And Cyborg, you and I will take to the streets separately and test our waters with the guards."
"We are prohibited from using our powers," Raven reminded him. "Even if we do find something out, we'll become wanted by the law. Think of how that will reflect on Starfire."
"Starfire told the guards we were honored guests," Robin countered, straightening his shoulders. "That should mean we're at liberty to walk around, at least."
"It seems risky," Beast Boy shook his head. "We showed up yesterday and today we're trying to crack a national secret?"
"Maybe they don't think we work that fast," Cyborg suggested, arching his eyebrows. "Me and Robin walking around seems a lot more expected than seeing you or Raven. They already have their suspicions of Robin."
"Even if they do throw me in jail, Starfire will never allow it to draw out," Robin told them.
"Robin, Starfire's not Queen yet," Raven shook her head. Her dark purple locks beat against the frame of her pale face. "Not until the new moon. If you are arrested before that, Yalfore determines your fate. As the royal adviser, he is technically ad-interim until Starfire's crowning."
"That's only two days away," Robin looked to her. "They won't get me before that."
"Man, this is the craziest thing we've ever done," Beast Boy reached for his head. "Are we... anarchists now?"
"No way," Cyborg waved his hands. "Think of it like... freedom fighters!"
"If we end up in guillotines, I will still say I told you so," Raven crossed her arms over her chest.
"Alright, we're agreed. We should get a move on before the sun gets too high. If anything goes bad, meet at the castle stairs," Robin looked between each Titan, who gave him a nod.
...
When the team emerged from their arrangements, they noticed above the curtains were being drawn in other living quarters. As the sun finally raised above the rigid landscape around them, they knew that soon the streets would be busy with the business of the Tamaraneans. Raven glanced wearily up and down the empty streets before she drew her hood up and brushed past Cyborg. She headed towards the alleyway, looking all around her again. Once she was close enough to a building, she ran her palm along the rigid stone and looked back at Robin. The two held a tense eye contact before she backed up a few paces, pressing her shoulder blades to a different building, and slowly sinking into a sanguine portal. She was gone in the next moment. Beast Boy cast a glance towards Robin, feeling rather uneasy, before he morphed from his human form, disappearing almost immediately as a tiny insect. Cyborg and Robin were left standing shoulder to shoulder. Cyborg's bionic eye scanned the living spaces above the domestic businesses. He eyed the empty stairs leading towards plazas.
"You really feel it in your gut?" Cyborg asked, not looking to Robin.
"I've never been so sure," Robin's head was turned away.
"If you're certain then... I got you, man," Cyborg said.
Promptly, the two parted from each other. Robin walked towards the main plaza, spying the top of the castle shearing through the lightening sky. A few Tamaraneans, dressed in dark purples or blacks, and of all varying shapes and sizes, were busy setting booths up and zipping around their house to give it a fresh polish. Most of them were red headed like Starfire, Robin noted, casually swinging his arms back and forth. A small handful, however, had onyx hair that glimmered in the morning light. He couldn't read a single sign. He wished when Starfire had kissed him to learn English, he in turn learned Tamaranean. For a moment, his skin vibrated at the thought. He shook it away, however, and ground his teeth together, taking one last glance at the castle before heading down a flight of stairs encased in a circular tube.
When he emerged from the bottom, he was surprised to find a slender river running through the buildings. A few plants had been landscaped along with signs portraying aggressive alien symbols. Robin paused to look at the thick leaves that had streaks of purples and crimsons. Starfire had only briefly mentioned snippets of life on Tamaran itself. Of course, the occasional verbiage slipped her lips when she was in a frenzy, talking in ways they couldn't quite understand. But Robin never truly knew what Tamaran once used to be. Starfire was so bubbly and eccentric. It was hard to imagine she grew up on a planet so devoid of life outside the city walls. But from his visit before, Robin knew something had changed in just those two years. The people who occupied the street kept their eyes down and rarely greeted anybody. They worked quietly and tediously. Robin knew their powers were derived from joy and happiness. But in that moment they resembled Starfire's own mannerisms upon realizing her return to Tamaran. It was entirely unlike them.
"Excuse me," Robin said to a woman arranging a platter of tentacles that were odd colors. "Do you speak English?"
Her large green eyes looked to him like a deer caught in the headlights.
"Can you tell me what that sign says next to the plants?" Robin asked, pointing towards it. Cautiously, she tilted her head to look at the sign.
She looked up and down the street before she whispered at him. "We aren't supposed to speak with visitors, let alone speak English."
Robin furrowed his brow. So far, everyone from the Royal Castle had spoken to him in English. "Why's that?"
"It's what we were told..." She ducked her head. Her crimson hair was short, falling around her strong jaw. She continued with her task. "We are told our planet is in danger."
"What's the threat?" Robin prodded. She pursed her lips, her fingers grazing the sticky Tamaranean treats. "My friend is taking the crown, please, is she in danger?"
"You know Princess Koriand'r?" The woman lifted her head in surprise. Robin nodded. "You... are from Earth, then, yes?" Again, Robin nodded. "You are of the people we are told are threats. Along with the Gordanians and... several others..."
"Earth?" Robin arched his eyebrows. "But our planet doesn't even know yours exists. I only do because I know Starfire."
"Sh," She reached forward and gripped Robin's arm. She looked around again. "You mustn't ever speak her English name. It is disrespectful."
Their faces were only inches apart. Robin's eyes looked at her intensely. Starfire had spoken her sister's English name the night before. And never had he been chastised for speaking her name during the event. "When did all of this start happening?" He asked. "Why are you all so afraid? Who made you this fearful?"
She released him and turned back towards her cart. "I have spoken too much, I am sorry," Slowly, she raised her eyes to him. "They are always listening," She whispered. "They are always watching. Please be mindful of that."
Robin pursed his lips. "Did Galfore do this? Or did Yalfore?"
"I cannot help you," The woman told him. "I have a daughter of my own to think about."
After a moment, Robin walked away.
...
Raven emerged from a wall, sighing as she entered a drafty room. It was dark and unoccupied like majority of the buildings she found herself seeping through. Her attempts had been fruitless, so far. The town seemed devoid of any local public spot for people to study or gather information. Raven glanced up at the tall dark walls. She was in the basement of the castle, hopeful the archives had been stashed somewhere in the towering building. Raven moved soundlessly, encasing her body in her cloak. The dark basement had many tables and chairs and large shelves. Many shelves were empty, some collapsed towards the one below. Raven cautiously glanced down an aisle before she dove into it, tilting her head to see the spines of books. Many seemed to be old royal ledgers that spanned decades. Most of them were not useful to Raven. A lot of the books seemed to be ancient and only kept out of obligation in the cold drafty basement. There were books on the flora and fauna of Tamaran. The creatures of Tamaran. But finally, Raven stopped. The History of Tamaran. No dates. Carefully, Raven pulled it from the shelf, brushing an inch of dust off the black leather cover. The book felt very fragile in her hands as she turned the cover over. She sighed in the next moment. Why was the spine in English, but the contents in Tamaranean?
This is a fools errand! Raven wanted to sneer at Robin. She found information and it was completely foreign to her. How does Robin expect her to read Tamaranean? She thumbed through the pages and paused when she found a picture drawn in bold lines of ink that was once black, but now fading to a decrepit gray. At the bottom, Raven spied a name. Myand'r. Who was King Myand'r? Raven pursed her lips, glancing up and down the dank aisle. She opened her cloak, revealing a hip bag she had taken from the basement of a tailor's. Quickly, she pushed the book in and moved further down the row. Books of lore, even books of old authors, lined the shelves. What a shame they would rot in the damp basement, Raven thought. She had thoroughly checked the city, slipping between each building like a slinking cat. There wasn't a single library or even a bookstore. Did the Tamaraneans not read? Raven found that hard to believe. Just before she turned the corner of the shelf, a gold embossed symbol caught her eyes. The young girl back pedaled, spying a balance beam gleaming on the end of a spine. The Justice System of Tamaran. Without hesitation, Raven pulled it from the shelf, tucking it into her cloak.
There had to be a book on the government institution, Raven told herself. Something, anything, to tell them that Tamaran was founded on different ideologies. Not the one of fear and non-inclusion they seemed to practice today. Perhaps even the book of history would provide insights on those who have threatened the sanctity of Tamaran in the past. Raven ran her finger along the spines of the books, weaving quietly between the aisles. She took a moment to contemplate as she mindlessly ran her fingers up and down the slanted and worn shelves. She was really doing this, she thought to herself. She was breaking Royal Rule to snoop. Raven couldn't help but wonder what to think of Robin's leadership. Was his hunch actually viable? Or was this all some elaborate way to get Starfire to notice him? Raven shook her head, stepping over rubble from a collapsed shelf. Robin couldn't be that reckless, she thought. He wouldn't sacrifice all of them just for his feelings for Starfire. Surely, there was something she was overlooking. Raven couldn't help but feel exasperated, on pins and needles, by the whole ordeal.
She stopped when a word she recognized popped out at her. The Biography of King Myand'r. Raven took it into her hands, turning it all over. A date was inscribed on the back, however, they didn't match any type of years Raven associated with history. She let out another huff. Who would decipher these books for them? Starfire would have no time to sit down and translate everything of importance. But still, she tucked the book away into her bag that became more of a burden with each one. She scanned the final bookcase and found nothing more of use. Raven emerged from the darkness of the meager collection. She crossed her arms over her chest, scanning the room again and looking towards the spiraling stairs. This couldn't be all of it, she told herself. A planet as old as Tamaran had much more history than the few dozens of books stored here. The more important ones must have been somewhere else. But Raven didn't have an inkling of an idea about the layout of the castle. She would risk exposing herself and with the stolen books, she'd be toast. Raven sighed, turning on the balls of her feet. Her leg skimmed against a box she had overlooked in the shadows.
On the side was a word Raven very much understood. Koriand'r.
Raven came to her knees, unfolding the box. She glanced around the basement once more as the box flaps came back, revealing a box full of old belongings. Carefully, Raven reached for the gleaming porcelain figure on top, lifting it into the musty lighting. It was carved to look like a delicate slender woman. She was drenched in flowing purples with voluminous red hair that streamed out from her orange head. Raven inspected it before reaching for a stuffed toy that resembled a creature Raven had never seen before. Next, she saw a velvet purple hardbound journal. When she opened it, she found it to be mixed writings in Tamaranean and broken English. It was Starfire's old diary. Raven tucked it away safely inside her bag, shuffling through more cluttered toys. She found a letter tucked against the edge of the box. It was signed with the name Luand'r. Raven took that, too. The young sorceress sighed as she carefully placed everything back in the box and closed it. Pensively, she looked around. There wasn't a box for Blackfire or Wildfire. Why were Starfire's things abandoned in this dark, forgotten basement? Quietly, Raven pressed her back to wall, sinking out of sight with a bag full of valuables.
...
As it waned into early afternoon, Beast Boy found the nearest alleyway, morphing back into himself. He sighed, seating himself on a crate and digging his elbows into his knees. He was certain he was the only Titan who hadn't made any progress. All morning, he had been just a small bug on the wall, watching life passively in a foreign land. It was quite entertaining at first, watching the Tamaraneans rise, wash the windows, float ever so gently to reach the high panes, and set out for another day. But as hour after hour waned on, Beast Boy hadn't learned a thing. The people of Tamaran didn't speak English to each other. Why hadn't he considered that? With Starfire, Beast Boy usually had context clues about what she was referring to. He couldn't begin to guess, even with gestures, as to what they were talking about. Beast Boy watched as at the end of the alleyway, people in purples and blacks brushed by without even giving him a glance. Beast Boy leaned his head back against the cool brick wall. He was wasting his time, he told himself. All for what? So they could get in trouble with the royal army? Beast Boy didn't know what to think. He had loved and loss, too, but he had come to accept that some things were not meant to be. Why couldn't Robin do the same? Of course it wouldn't be the same without her, but there was no avoiding destiny, right?
"Can I join your hiding in the alleyway?"
Beast Boy lifted his head to see a rather exasperated Cyborg. He seated himself on a crate across the alley from Beast Boy, resting his arm on his leg. "No luck, either?"
Cyborg shrugged. "I guess I'd be a little weary about a robot-man speaking a foreign language, too."
"Yeah, pointy ears and green skin's not very trendy here," Beast Boy laughed lightly. "I hope Raven and Robin are having more luck." They were quiet a moment, listening to the sounds of boots scuff the cobblestone and the distant chatter of absolute gibberish in their ears. "Do you think Robin's right? That there really is something bag going on here?"
Cyborg pursed his lips. "I wanna believe him. Robin's gut feelings have saved us a few times in the past. I think it's worth lookin' into if it means Star will be okay."
"Yeah..." Beast Boy cast his eyes down. "Crazy to think she's going to be Queen in just two days... No more Earth-Pancakes ever again."
"It's hard to wrap your mind around it," Cyborg nodded. "I hope Robin isn't in over his head."
"Well, you know, Robin," Beast Boy drew a leg up to his chest. "With him, it's all or nothing."
In the next moment, two guards approached from opposite ends of the alleyway with their pikes drawn upward. Immediately, Beast Boy and Cyborg scrambled to their feet, looking between the identical, tall stony men. "What are you doing outside of your domicile?" One of them demanded. "Where are the other two from your group?"
Beast Boy held his hands up. "We... we just wanted to go for a walk, enjoy the sunshine."
"You have been requested to dine with Princess Koriand'r during lunch," The guard informed him. "That will be all the sunshine you need today."
"We didn't know that," Cyborg said, looking between them. "We aren't allowed to go anywhere without an escort?"
"Yeah, the first guard told us it was just the castle," Beast Boy offered.
"We have been ordered to monitor your movement within the city walls," The guard replied with his even, unhesitating voice.
"Did Yalfore order that?" Beast Boy asked.
"Return to your domicile or I will be forced to arrest you," The guard warned.
"Alright," Cyborg nodded, giving Beast Boy a nudge. "We're going. And we're sorry."
The guards followed closely on their heels. Beast Boy and Cyborg wearily gave each other a side eye. Maybe Robin was right. Something had changed. Deftly, Beast Boy tugged his communicator free from his belt. He ducked his head, clicking the button in. "Guys, get back to the room. We have lunch with the princess."
...
The guards said they'd return promptly at two o'clock. Luckily, when Beast Boy and Cyborg were delivered, Raven was sitting quietly on her bed and Robin was pacing by the windows. The door thudded shut and the team listened to the footsteps fade away. They all looked to each other pensively. Robin stopped moving, crossing his arms over his chest. He saw it on each of their faces. A look of worry and frustration. It was exactly what was stewing in the pit of his belly. Raven reached under her bed and came to her feet with a lumpy bag, which she promptly threw on the table.
"I found some things in the basement of the castle," She explained, withdrawing a few black leather books. "The only problem is they're all in Tamaranean. There weren't a lot of books down there, just a few dozen. I'm sure they have more in the castle, depending on their importance and relevance." She held a book about the justice system out to Robin. He skimmed through it for a few moments, turning it over in his hands to inspect it.
"Why is the title in English, though?" He asked, looking to Raven.
"I don't know," She shook her head. "They were all like that."
"King Myand'r..." Beast Boy mumbled, looking at portrait drawn of him in his biography. "I wonder who this guy is."
"Well, Starfire might know," Cyborg said, peering over Beast Boy's shoulder.
"We probably won't be alone," Robin's face was hard at the thought. He looked up from the foreign alien language. "A woman on the streets told me to be careful because they're always listening."
"Yeah, the guards who brought us home said they've been ordered to watch us," Beast Boy closed his book.
Raven fished back into the bag, withdrawing a purple book and a crumpled loose leaf of paper. "I found these, too. A letter to Starfire from a woman named Luand'r and... her diary from when she was a child." Robin was quick to take the journal, opening it up to pore in its pages.
"Starfire's things were in the basement?" Cyborg looked to Raven, who only nodded.
"There's some English in here, too," Robin furrowed his brow. "But Starfire didn't know English when we first met her..." He lowered his eyes back towards the journal. Cautiously, he read out loud. "'Galfore has been mandated into essential service in the War Against the Gordanians. I worry for him because he is old. He has not fought in a war in years. Blackfire has become increasingly worried about the state of the throne'." He flipped a few more pages. "She didn't get very far through the journal..." Finally, he paused on the final entry. All it said was earth.
"What is going on here?" Beast Boy shook his head. The entire teams eyes stared at the seemingly haunting word jotted across the straight line of the page. Robin closed the journal before it could suck him in. He approached the table, looking over the variety of books Raven had retrieved.
"We have to find someone who can translate these pages," Robin said, running his hand over the English embossing. "Why are books like these banished to the basement?" He paused for a moment, however, gazing across the room at nothing in particular.
"Robin?" Raven furrowed her brow, leaning towards him.
The leader took a book into his hands, turning towards the awaiting team. "A woman today told me that the Tamaraneans were not allowed to speak to visitors or speak in English."
"But... everyone at the castle speaks English," Cyborg said.
"Yeah, Starfire addressed the nobles in English, too," Beast Boy pointed out.
"That's right. The nobles," Robin nodded. "The people in the castle, the rich people in the upper crust of society, they aren't scared or threatened. Yalfore and maybe even Galfore have controlled the population of Tamaran with fear. The fear of Gordanians and even people from Earth. That's why English is banished from the streets. And that's probably why all of these books are in the basement. Because they have English on them. Yalfore is poisoning the society, turning people against each other. Blinding them from the true threat."
"But why would Yalfore want to rule on the basis of fear?" Raven lifted her arms. "He wasn't in succession of the throne. Why drastically change things ahead of the crowning of the real ruler?"
"That's the next question we have to answer," Robin told her. "When did this start to happen? Why did this happen? And what is Yalfore's ulterior motive?"
Beast Boy turned Starfire's journal over in his hands. "Starfire wouldn't want her people this unhappy. As soon as she takes the throne, don't you think she'll remove the shackles Yalfore put on everyone?"
"Of course she will," Cyborg nodded. "Starfire's not a tyrant."
Raven held the justice book up. "We don't know how their government is structured. We don't know if Starfire is an absolute ruler or a ceremonial ruler."
"Blackfire was absolute," Cyborg insisted.
"Was she, though?" Robin tilted his head. "Or did her and Yalfore's visions line up?"
...
Starfire was dressed in a decadent A-line dress with gold embroideries and several varying shades of purple. She was excited for her lunch with her friends, however, she was feeling quite sluggish that day. She had awoken feeling unwell. A throbbing headache seemed to follow her around like gloomy dark clouds. The loud designs accenting the rugs and carpets leapt out at her. Her stomach rumbled ferociously. Starfire chalked it all up, however, to the anxiety that had been riveting in her body since the day the letter arrived in her mailbox. She also hadn't slept well the night before. Though the beds were just as comfortable as she remembered, she couldn't help but miss Jump City. Her stomach clenched at the thought, however, and she lowered herself into the stool at her vanity. Starfire was overcome with a feeling of shame. How could she so easily allow her time on Earth to completely outweigh her identity with Tamaran? How could she feel like an alien on her home planet? Despite the shame and guilt that gripped her, Starfire longed for the salty breeze washing through the windows of Titans Tower. She wanted to sit in the plush green grass, in the shade, at the park. Starfire could hear the excited screams and happy laughter on the boardwalk. And most of all, she could see Robin's face, illuminated with fireworks and framed by pink cotton candy. She'd never get to do any of that ever again. A moment passed, the memories drenching her, before her headache intensified. She sat forward, holding her head. The pain subsided after a few beats, her train of thought completely dissipated. Starfire blinked rapidly, looking around her room.
Just a moment passed and the door opened. Yalfore entered quickly, shutting the door behind him, while balancing a silver tray in hand. "Good afternoon, Your Majesty," He said, pleasantly. "I see you're all dressed for your afternoon lunch. I've brought you the customary Garble Water." He held the tray out towards the Princess and she spied in the flute glass the familiar champagne colored fizzle drink. She furrowed her brow, directing her eyes up to him.
"Is it not the custom to have the drink of digestion together at the table?" Starfire asked.
"The crowned ruler always drinks it alone, for modesty," Yalfore put on a small smile. After a moment of hesitation, Starfire drank it, twiddling the narrow neck in her hand. "Your Majesty, I have other commitments I must see to this afternoon. Unfortunately, I will not be able to join you and your friends for lunch." Yalfore set the tray on the vanity table and paced a few steps towards the open balcony doors. "Now, you are still learning the basics of being a ruler. I speak to you as a royal adviser with experience and I speak for your well being." He paused and slowly licked his lips, casting a glance to Starfire. She sat tensely and quietly in her stool. "Your friend's are the very curious type. But they seek answers they could never understand. As Tamaraneans, we have a very special population that we must protect. This is what is left of Tamaran and we must hold onto it." Yalfore turned towards her, coming a few steps closer. "As the Queen, you have a selected inner circle within the walls of this castle. Not just I, but dozens others you will meet. These are your must trusted allies. And as Queen, you must learn to distinguish those worth telling a secret and those who cannot be trusted."
"You are asking me to deceive my friends," Starfire came to her feet now. "Yalfore, I appreciate your caring of my well being, but it does not have to be this way. Galfore trusted my friends."
"They are outsiders, Princess Koriand'r," Yalfore said, patiently. "They don't want what's best for this city, Your Majesty. And that is only because they cannot understand."
"I have lived the past three and a half years with them. They have become my family. I can be nothing but honest, Yalfore," Starfire shook her head.
"If they ask you questions, you are to deflect them," Yalfore told her. "They cannot understand us. Humans are baseless creatures, always twisting the truth."
"That is not true."
"I am still the ad interim ruler of Tamaran," Yalfore raised his voice. "If they leave with anymore information than they know now, Your Majesty, I will have them arrested for conspiracy." Starfire's head began to throb horrendously and suddenly, it was as if her mind was blank. She looked to Yalfore who had recomposed himself. "We are in agreement, Your Majesty? No politics at the table, hm? It's impolite."
Starfire's eyelashes fluttered for a moment. "Yes, Yalfore."