Teen Titans Fan Fiction ❯ A Previous Engagement ❯ Postcards From Tamaran ( Chapter 3 )

K, so I had a bit of dilemma with this story. I could've done the one with Karras or Ph'yzzon. I chose Ph'yzzon because Karras was a political marriage for the civil war in Tamaran. This was too much like Betrothed for me. So I went with Ph'yzzon.

“English.” “Tamaranian because I don't know any Tamaranian words beside X'Hal”

A Previous Engagement

Chapter 3: Postcards from Tamaran

“Married?”

Raven's eyes went wide for a moment. She hung her head, pressing a finger to her temple.

“Didn't we go through this once before?” she muttered.

“Yes,” Starfire said indignantly, “But this time it was different.”

“How exactly is it different?”

“I am in love with Ph'yzzon.”

This was news to Raven. She gave Starfire a long look before picking up her mug of tea.

“Are you really going back to Tamaran?” she asked.

Starfire nodded and floated next to her. “I'm afraid so. It's just that… since I've returned, I've been having… strange thoughts.”

Strange or second, Raven had to wonder, but she let the alien continue.

“They seem to be about friend Robin,” Star finished uncertainly.

Raven gave her a knowing smile. “Somehow I knew you'd say that.”

The alien blushed. “I-I just think I might stay a while longer, perhaps until I am forced back…”

“Sounds like you don't want to go back,” the empath smiled, “Just as well. You know how heartbroken we'd be if we lost you. I'm gonna go back to bed. Maybe you should do the same.”

Starfire nodded wearily. “Good night, friend Raven.”

“Night, Star.”

><><><><><><><

Things were much happier in the morning. The excitement of Starfire's return had yet to diminish, and they were ready to avoid as many crimes as possible to have as much time with Starfire as they could, though she seemed anxious for some activity. She'd been fighting nonstop for the past six months, and a day too relax, though appreciated, felt odd.

There was much relief when the alarm signaling trouble went off, causing the five teens in the midst of their activities to drop them and run to the main room to see what the trouble was.

And thus the day began with a small bit of normalcy.

><><><><><><

It was several weeks after her return that Starfire got the message.

Starfire was lying on the couch in the main room, watching the sun rise above the water, a smile on her face. She often got up early in the morning to watch this spectacle; she enjoyed the peace it brought to her.

This peace was interrupted as the Titan's main screen began to flash: INCOMING MESSAGE.

Starfire looked around uncertainly. Before she could do anything, a face appeared on the screen, and she gasped in a mix of surprise, horror, and joy.

Ph'yzzon had appeared on the screen.

“Koriand'r!” he cried, “I am so happy to see you!”

“Ph'yzzon!” she answered nervously, glancing around, “I… Why is it that you have called?”

The alien gave her a confused look. “I have not heard from you in so long! I had expected it would only take so long to see your friends. What is taking you so long?”

Starfire opened her mouth to answer when the doors slid open. A tired looking group of Titans entered, wondering why they had been woken so early. She quickly turned back to Ph'yzzon.

“I apologize. My friends are here now, though… We-”

Beast Boy was the first to speak up. “Dude, who's that?”

Raven noticed the man was clearly Tamaranian and passed Starfire a knowing look.

“This is…” Starfire did not know what to do. Ph'yzzon did not understand English, nor did her friends understand her native tongue, but she couldn't lie to her friends. But… She imagined the look on Robin's face if he found out she was engaged to Ph'yzzon. Then she wondered if he would care or not.

“These are your great warrior friends?” Ph'yzzon laughed on the screen. He had never seen such a scrawny pair of teens.

The Titans were not thinking about that, mostly because they didn't understand a word he was saying. They recognized the language he was speaking (it sounded familiar to the one Starfire had first spoken when she came on Earth.) They also recognized that he was laughing. They weren't quite sure why.

“Er, Star?” Robin asked, “What's he saying?”

Starfire shot a glare at Ph'yzzon, obviously not happy with his interpretation of her friends. “They are great warriors, certainly. You should know better than to judge one by their appearance.”

It was true. Ph'yzzon had seen Starfire in battle many a time. With her petite body she could rip apart steel, and with her starbolts she could take out entire armies. He quieted, frowning.

“I came to bring you good news,” he said, “The fighting has ceased in Tamaran, at least for the time being. It is the perfect time to return to Tamaran, so we may complete our engagement.”

“Oh…” Starfire glanced at her friends apprehensively. They were still looking at her, expecting an explanation. She was giving none. “My friends though…”

“Invite them with you,” Ph'yzzon was smiling again, happy at the thought of having what Starfire considered her family at their wedding, “We would not mind. There is still much to do, and your friends could help. Besides, if they are truly great warriors, they may help us in our battle.”

“But…” She was now worried, tugging on her hair nervously, “My friends cannot abandon their home. They keep this city safe. Without them, there would be chaos!”

So maybe she was overreacting. They'd gone on long trips, and it wasn't like they'd never been to Tamaran. With Titans East, they could most certainly escape for a week or two, maybe months.

“Starfire,” Cyborg interject, “Mind telling us what's going on?”

She stared at her friends as if she'd just noticed they were there. “I-I must return to Tamaran for something. It is very important that I go.”

“But…” Robin was clearly not happy with this news. “But you just got back.”

“What are they saying?” Ph'yzzon was curious now, leaning into the screen to see her friends clearly.

“And who's that?” Beast Boy asked.

“…This is Ph'yzzon, a general in our army.” She turned back to Ph'yzzon. “They are asking about you. They are unsure.”

“All the more reason to invite them,” Ph'yzzon said, “I am most anxious to meet them.”

“Why do you have to go back?” Cyborg asked.

She stood between her lover and her friends, biting her lip as she wondered exactly what to say. Ph'yzzon, unfortunately, noticed this action. He frowned.

“Do they know?” he asked. She was obviously anxious about something, and her friends seemed more confused than he'd expected.

She whipped around to him. “I might've… I might not have mentioned it.”

“Koriand'r,” he said in an almost scolding tone, “What do you fear”

“I was most excited when I came here, but…” She glanced at Robin, “But now I do not wish to leave my friends. And I certainly cannot ask you to come here.”

Raven was getting extremely annoyed. Between her friends' questions and the gibberish being spoken between the two Tamaranians, she was getting a headache. She knew a few things about Tamaran (and a few words in their language; came with learning from Azar; you learned things that you wouldn't normally need to know in any Earthen conversation), and she knew that Tamarans could not hide their emotions, and Starfire was looking very scared at the moment. Silently, she stepped forward, sitting a hand on her shoulder.

“Perhaps,” she said quietly, so the boys could not hear. She did not worry about Ph'yzzon, since he didn't understand a word of English. “It would be best if you just told them, Starfire. It would save you a lot of trouble.”

Starfire stared at her friend. She knew Raven had this strange ability to know exactly what was going on during every situation and a way to make it better, but that was the reasonable thing to do. Star was not ready to do the reasonable thing. She was ready to keep Ph'yzzon from every speaking with her friends in a coherent conversation.

“Koriand'r,” Ph'yzzon said, sighing quietly, “You should be truthful with your friends. I wish you would return. We do not have to wed yet; I just wish to see you… in person.”

She nodded. Her friends wouldn't let her leave again without them anyway. “I shall see you soon, then. Goodbye, love.”

The screen went blank.

“Okay,” Beast Boy spoke up, “What exactly is going on?”

Starfire sighed. Time to face her friends.

Author(ess) Notes:

So, yeah. Kind of a filler chapter. I'm trying to get them to Tamaran quickly. Her Royal Hipness (go to her profile. It's very cool) has pointed out to me that teenagers don't feel love. Well, Starfire's not necessarily a teenager, nor is she human. She's allowed to feel love because that's what Tamaranians do; they feel.

As for BeastBoy/Raven relationship, there will be parts where it's implied, but if you ignore those, you'll be happy. Starfire/Robin is going to be the big part of this.

I said Ph'yzzon a lot. I'm definitely going to shorten his name.

(Oh, and Raven gets her part in this story. But don't worry. I won't make her the stereotypical goth chick.)

P.S. I love Jericho. Awesomeness!