"Forever and Always" (Book Two Of Three In The "I Promise" Series)

The Ball

Terra invited the Titan girls to her suite to get ready, and she even had the palace tailors create custom-made dresses for everyone. Raven's dress was red with Japanese influences. It went down to her ankles, and had no sleeves, but a high neck. Starfire's dress was her favorite color: pink. it was long, like Raven's, and had short sleeves and long white gloves tinted pink. Bumblebee's dress had a yellow skirt and a top with black and yellow stripes that curved elegantly around her torso. Jinx finally decided on a purple sleeveless dress with a violet torso made of velvet, a black band around the waist, and a long skirt with layered sparkly tulle.

Terra's dress was a masterpiece itself. It was made of silk sky-blue fabric that appeared to hug her body tightly, but when she spun around, the skirt floated out around her. It had diamonds sparkling on her silver sash and long sleeves that were slightly widened at the end.

The girls (excepting Raven) all gushed about each other's dresses as they got their hair and makeup done. Raven had her hair pulled back in a bun and held in place by chopsticks, with purple eyeshadow and deep red lipstick. She even admitted that it looked rather nice. The palace stylists curled Starfire's long red hair so that it flowed down her back in waves before applying golden eyeshadow and pink blush to her orange-ish cheeks. They took out Bee's two typical buns and curled it in waves like Starfire's, then gave her yellow shadow to match her dress and pink lipstick. Jinx chose pink lipstick, claiming eyeshadow and blush made her itch, and had her pink hair secured in a bun by a black ribbon with a small bow. With Terra, they brushed out her hair and straightened it, simply holding back her bangs with her silver butterfly clip, applying blush and a bit of silver eyeshadow to complete the look.

If any of them had been worried about what the guys would think, they needn't have been. When the doormen opened the door to Terra's waiting room, their boyfriends were there waiting for them, and as Aqualad held out a hand for Raven, Terra saw her pale friend blushing.

"You look amazing," Beast Boy whispered in her ear as he kissed her cheek.

"So do you, Gar," Terra said, straightening his tie, "I spent years making sure Brion always had his tie straight," Terra assured Beast Boy, smirking over at her brother, who waited by the door in all his kingly attire.

"Give me this one night with him. That's all I'll ask you." she'd begged him that morning.

Brion reluctantly agreed, "If you want to tell him, do it soon. I'm announcing your engagement to Joseph at the end of the ball."

Terra was going to make this night with Beast Boy count. She had to.

She dragged him on to the dance floor the moment the music began playing. When he didn't know the steps, she taught him. Once they saw Terra and Beast Boy dancing, the rest of the Titans gradually joined them. Beast Boy even saw Speedy gather the nerve to ask a pretty brunette- that Terra later identified as a wealthy countess/heiress -to dance.

The buffet was not ignored either, not with a handful of teenage boys around. Especially when three of those teenage boys are speedsters. Terra saw Jinx popping "doughnut holes" in Kid's mouth and Mas y Menos lying in a corner with full bellies and the remnants of a sandwich platter.

The later it got in the evening, the more tired everyone got. Starfire rested her head on Robin's shoulder, and Terra followed suite with Beast Boy. It was designated to Speedy to take Mas y Menos to bed, as Bumblebee and Cyborg were busy, and Aqualad was dancing and talking with Raven, and neither wanted to be disrupted. Terra brought Beast Boy out to the balcony off the ballroom, and they sat beneath a gazebo covered with rose vines.

"Here," Beast Boy plucked a blooming yellow rose from its stem and tucked it in her hair with her butterfly clip.

"I can't wait until this is all over. This suit I borrowed is making me itch!" Beast Boy complained, trying to scratch his back.

Terra giggled as he failed to achieve his objective.

"I know what you mean," She looked at the lights and music coming from the ballroom, "When I was younger, these events were all so formal, so boring. But with you guys...having all the Titans here, it was actually kind of fun tonight."

Beast Boy cupped her chin and wrapped an arm around her waist, "I love you," he whispered. Then he kissed her.

Terra remembered that this might be the last kiss she ever shared with him, and started crying. She pulled him closer, wishing that the moment would last forever.

Trumpets sounded, the royal  fanfare, declaring that the king had something to say, and so Terra told Beast Boy what it was, a rock sinking to the bottom of her stomach.

"Well, come on! Let's go see what your brother wants!" Beast Boy said, taking Terra back to the ballroom.

"Beast Boy, please, wait, there's something I need to tell you!" Terra's voice was lost as they entered the room and Broom cleared his voice. It was too late. Terra couldn't bear it. She ran towards the exit, towards the stairs and her room.

Jinx intercepted her, however, just as Broom started thanking the Titans for their valiant efforts and for coming so quickly to Markovia's aid.

"Hey, Terra, I was wondering if I could keep the dress. It's very pretty, and I really like it. I'd pay you back, of course, but- Hey, what's the matter?" Jinx asked, noticing Terra was on the verge of tears.

Raven and Starfire appeared out of the crowd, "Have you told him yet?" Raven asked Terra.

She shook her head, and put her hand over her mouth to cover the sobs.

"And, a there is a most joyous tidings that I wish to announce tonight, that it may be spread throughout the kingdom. In one year's time, my sister, Queen Terra, will wed the son of Lord Zhang, Joseph Franklin Zhang!" At this the hall filled with applause, and Joseph, who stood beside Brion gave a particularly nasty smirk to Beast Boy, who looked after Terra, who had already fled the ballroom.

Mascara running, Terra didn't even bother to take off her clothes or makeup before collapsing on her bed.

"I'm not that girl," she whispered to herself, flinging the butterfly clip and Beast Boy's rose onto the bedside table, and crying herself into a dreamless sleep.

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Raven and Starfire woke her up the next morning.

"Do you want to say good bye to Beast Boy?" they asked. Terra shook her head in a "no." She received a gentle hug from Starfire, and even one from Raven, before they left.

Once the door was closed, Terra took a shower, washed her face, and changed her clothes. She opened her curtains to let the sun in, and was faced with the landing platform that housed the Titan's T-ship. She watched Raven shake her head sadly to Robin, and the rest of the Titans board the T-ship sadly, almost reluctantly. She made no protest, no move to follow them, as the orange ship flew off into the distance.

"Good-bye Titans." She whispered, pressing her face and hands against the glass, "Find a better teammate and friend than me."

A tear fell from her face and onto the window pane.

"I love you, Beast Boy."