Ties that Bind

Sorrowful Day

Chapter 13: Sorrowful Day

Starfire lay in her room curled into a ball clutching her pillow to her face. Sobs of betrayal and frustration were muffled into slight hiccups as she recalls her earlier conversation with her father and the prince.

"You know the law! You are to marry a prince by or on your 18th birthday. Prince Bluefire will make an excellent husband for you and a indifferent king." Her father has said raising his voice as he went.

"But I do not wish to become queen! I never asked for any of this! And I most certainly do not wish to marry Bluefire!" She returned her statement with as much anger as possible.

"You are a princess Starfire! And you will begin to act like one, and take up your responsibilities! You will marry the prince like it or not. And you will learn to love him one way or another!" Her father had risen from his thrown to tower over her. His eyes ablaze with anger as his voice boomed over the thrown room.

"You may force me to marry him but I will NEVER LOVE HIM!" She had screamed bloodily, racing out the thrown room doors ignoring her mother's presence coming down the hall in a frantic search for her friends.

She had run down the corridors in search of her friends to tell them the horrific news. Her tears streamed down her face as she ran blindly through the halls until she came in contact with a hard object, causing her to fall back onto the floor. She had looked up with bleared teary eyes to meet an unwelcome face; Prince Bluefire.

"Where are you off to in such a rush?" He said as he smirked down at the distraught princess.

"Where are my friends!" She had demanded in an edgy voice.

"Oh, the ones you came from earth with, right?" He had asked playing dumb scratching his head.

"Do not play games with me Bluefire." She said threateningly, curling her hands into fists, glaring hard at him.

"Your friends are well for the time being. So I suggest you be a good girl and do as your daddy says. For you will be mine! Tell anyone of this conversation and your friends will be no more." He said darkly starring down at her lustfully.

"And believe me princess, when I play a game I always win!" And with that he disappeared down the hall leaving her trembling on the cold floor.

Starfire began to shake in her bed again clutching her pillow tighter to her face absorbing the relentless pleas of her heart. Today had been almost the worst day of her life. All her hopes and dreams were washed away. At least when Robin disappeared she still had hope but today crushed whatever hope she had left, rendered all she believed false. There was no way she could fight back not against her father nor Bluefire all seemed so lost. Her friends were not around to help her and Robin was not there to save her. She was alone. All alone, and that is what scarred her the most. She reached into her pocket for the only thing she had left of her home. She clutched the locket in her hands dearly wishing it would return her and her loved ones home safe and sound. She curled into a ball clinging to the locket with both hands against her heart as guilt struck her. If it was not for her, her friends would not be in the predicament they are in now. They would be safe at home back in the tower not worrying if they would live to see another day. The pain of guilt and sorrow soon forced her into a light dreamless sleep until it was interrupted by a knocking on the door.

"Starfire? Honey, may I come in?" Her mother the queen asked. She had been worried about her daughter when she saw her flee from the thrown room.

"What do you want?" Starfire responded bitterly. She knew her mother did nothing wrong but she was not in the mood to find out more bad news.