Hey everyone! I´ve been a huge fan of the Teen Titans for the longest! I´ve never written a fanfic for it, but I was and still am pretty upset that there wasn't a sixth season and I´ve always had tons of ideas on how it could go! Well, specifically Starfire´s history. She´s my fave character and her background is pretty intense, if you´ve read the comics. So I was bored and thought I write something up, you know. R&R please.

Starfire= Koriand´r (Kory)

Blackfire= Komand´r

I do not own TT!

An Unforgotten Promise

She gazed through the window of her bedroom. The ocean was livelier than usual this afternoon. Her penetratingly, beautiful green eyes reflected a feeling that she didn't often like to remember. Four years ago, before leaving Tamaran, she had made a promise that until this day she hadn't been able to keep. Unbeknownst to her friends or to anyone for that matter, her little brother had always hoped to live with her, considering the madness they lived in after her parents´ death.

She still remembered that day so clearly. As if anyone could possibly forget such an occurrence. To her friends, she was probably the strongest of them all, physically of course. Probably the most naïve, as well. But there were very few things they truly knew about her. She hadn't wanted to go into details on the day she met the team. She hadn't seen the need to upset her new friends with such a terrible story. The years went by, and she didn't see the need to bring such things up from the past. The titans were now her best friends, Robin was her boyfriend, and somehow she still found plenty of reasons (or excuses) not to tell them how and why she arrived here in the first place.

She had been thirteen when it happened.

The gordadians threatened to attack and destroy Tamaran. In spite of being such strong warriors, they couldn't help feeling scared. The gordadians were a mighty nation that hugely outnumbered them. Her parents, the King and Queen of Tamaran, were desperate for a solution. And her older sister had given it to them, in the worst way that she could.

Starfire hadn't judged her sister at the time. She hadn't even been angry with her. She knew Blackfire had only tried to do what was best to save their people. But she had never been able to comprehend how her sister had come up with such an idea, or why it hadn't seemed to pain Blackfire to watch her little sister being taken away. But of course, she was only a thirteen year old girl, she couldn't possibly have understood such things.

Her parents had been anxious enough and very weak from all the fighting, but when they discovered that one of their daughters had been offered to the gordadians in exchange for peace, and moreover, that the gordadians had accepted, they simply couldn't take it. They were so hurt by what their eldest daughter had done, and Starfire still couldn't understand. Why couldn't her parents see her sister's good intentions? She now knew that they hadn't been good.

The King and Queen only lasted two more days. And then they passed away.

She was broken hearted to say the least. She and her little brother Ryand´r (or Ryan, as they called him) had mourned their loss together. Blackfire remained with them for a while before wandering off. She was absent for the most part of the next few days. Galfor, their ever loving care taker watched over them and gave them consolation and words of comfort, something she wished her older sister had done.

Flashback

"It's what's best for our people, my dear little sister", Blackfire tried to soothe her, to convince her…

Starfire only nodded, unable to speak through her tears. She hugged her knees against her chest.

"I tried to find another way out but it was impossible. The gordadians demand someone from Tamaran´s royal bloodline. Ryan is young, and still weak. He wouldn't be fit…And I must remain here and rule our planet they way our parents would´ve wanted to. You´re strong, Koriand´r, you´re a warrior. And you're the only option we have! You´re the only one able to save our planet", she continued. Starfire turned to look at her, distraught,

"But how…?"

"You must leave with the gordadians, Kory. They´ll be your new owners", she said simply. She didn't seem nearly as upset as everyone else had. But then again, that was Blackfire. She had never been the kind of person to show emotion, except for when she was angry of course.

But she on the other hand, was terrified. She fought as hard as she could to maintain a strong front. But she was only a thirteen year old girl, about to be sold as a slave to a cruel civilization. She had to be brave. Because it was the only choice she had.

"I´ll do it. For our people, and for our family"

End of Flashback

And sadly, the day to leave her home planet had arrived.

"Kory, what is all that for?" he asked her, (in their native language). Ryan was only eleven at the time. She hadn't had the courage to tell him the truth about her fate. A little boy his age shouldn't have to withstand such news. It just wasn't fair. He had already lost his parents, but now…his family was falling apart.

She remained silent, holding back her tears.

"Now that momma and papa aren't here anymore, you´ll stay with me, won't you? Big sister Blackfire doesn't seem to like me much", he mused while walking through Starfire´s room, observant.

She wiped her tears fiercely. She loved this little boy more than anything. She and her sister were close, but something about Ryan made him special. Blackfire was outgoing, extroverted. Always desperate to learn the latest and strongest fighting techniques. Always wanting more. She had been born with a special condition that prevented her from flying, so as a child she was submitted to rough training in order to acquire that ability. Other Tamarainians were born with the ability to fly, and Blackfire was envious. Because for both Starfire and Ryan, that was the way it happened. Neither one of them craved to be the strongest, nor did they crave for power or even the throne of Tamaran. They were naturally strong, warriors since birth.

"Kory, please take me with you!" she remembered her little brother begging with tears in his eyes. Galfor only watched them from afar, holding back his own tears. Of course, he himself had scolded Blackfire for her actions.

Flashback

"You may be the princess, but I´ve cared for you, for years! How could you do this to Koriand´r? To your sister!? Do you have any idea what monsters you´ve sold her to?!" he demanded angrily. She scoffed.

"What makes you think I care? Tamaran is what's important!"

"Your family, Komand´r! Is what should matter to you the most!"

"Starfire matters to everyone! She´s strong, she can fly! All these years, I´ve watched little Starfire be treated like a princess when I´m the heir to the throne! Whether I was born with flying abilities or not! Starfire´s fate has been decided, and it will not be here, on Tamaran" she said, firmly.

"What about Ryand´r?! What has that small child ever done to harm you? He´s lost his parents, don't take his sister away from his as well! Don't you abandon him too!" Galfor pleaded in benefit of the young prince.

"Ryan? He can take care of himself. I´m sure. What matters now is that Tamaran has a new ruler and you owe fidelity to me, is that understood? What happens to my brother and sister from now on is out of my hands. Ryand´r can stay, but Starfire is no longer a part of our world. She´s property of another nation now",

Property? He thought, shivering. The ever so jubilant princess, so generous and kind, was now seen as nothing more than…property. An object, something to exchange.

End of flashback

Just then, Blackfire entered the room, the stomping of her heels loud against the floor. Two guards stood behind her, refusing to gaze at the younger princess.

"Sister dear…its time", she said quietly. Ryan only stared in dismay.

"Kory, please" he begged, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Please, give us a few minutes", she asked, in middle of all the sadness.

"Koriand´r you can't put this off any longer, your new owners await" Blackfire said firmly.

"Komand´r please! Just a minute, that's all I ask" she pleaded. Blackfire sighed and nodded, motioning for the guards to follow her outside.

"Kory, what is she talking about? Your new owners? Where are you going?" he asked question after question and she couldn't answer any of them. Or rather, she didn't know how.

"Ryan…" she began, a few tears spilling down her cheeks.

"Some things in life are just too difficult to understand. Especially at your age", she said with a small smile, as she knelt down to look him in the eyes.

"Sometimes people make decisions that don't seem fair to us, but it's all for a greater good. I have to go now" she said, gazing at the guards, who stood outside.

"But Kory, I don't want you to go! Why must you leave so that we can be in peace? Why can't we be happy together? Isn't that what momma and papa would've wanted?" he asked, clearly even more perplexed.

"Why is Blackfire sending you away?" he asked quietly. Starfire sighed.

"It's not her fault little brother. She´s the ruler now and she´s doing a magnificent job keeping Tamaran safe!" she said, trying to encourage him.

"Koriand´r!" her sister called from the door.

"We can't wait for you any longer",

"Kory, I wish to live with you! Tamaran isn't the same without our parents or you. Even if Galfor is still around. Take me with you!" he pleaded again. Starfire gazed at Blackfire´s impatient expression and gave her little brother one last, long hug.

"You can't come with me now Ryan, the place I´ll be taken to isn't safe for me or for you. But I promise you that I will come back and take you with me. Once I´ve found a place secure enough for both of us",

"I´ll miss you", he cried into her shoulder. She hugged him even tighter.

"Please behave, for me, alright?" she asked, and kissed his forehead as he nodded.

"I don't know how long it´ll take but I will be back for you. I love you, Ryan" she cried, finally letting go, and trudging away, not daring for even a second to look back. She couldn't.

That happened four years ago. And she never told a soul. Here with the titans, she had recovered from everything she´d had to endure during her stay with the gordadians. Had they not decided to sell her to the Citadel, she probably still would've been their slave.

But not only had Starfire recovered. She had also become stronger. She had learned and grown so much with the help of her friends. She was even able to open her eyes to the truth and realize the kind of "sister" she really had. And when the time came, she was able to confront her. Starfire never brought up the subject, for she wasn't a vengeful person. But she now understood that her sister sold her to the enemy mercilessly. Without pain or even a hint of regret. She had only wished to get rid of her. And Ryan was now the only family she had left.

When Blackfire ordered her betrothal a while back, Starfire had asked for information on her little brother´s whereabouts, being that he wasn't present at all during their visit on Tamaran. Sadly, she discovered that he had been sent away, to a far, unknown part of the galaxy where he would be kept safe and become an even greater warrior.

She knew it would be a difficult journey, but she just felt the time was right. She was ready to find her brother and keep her promise to care for him. The only problem was that she didn't want to drag her friends into it. They would be willing to fight alongside her, of that she was sure. But Earth was one thing, and the galaxy was another. Even she, being an outworlder, wasn't sure of what they would find so far out into the galaxy. There were hundreds of dangers, threats, and civilizations. Some were crueler than others. Galfor had spoken to them about it when they were children. The deepest parts of the galaxy were the most enigmatic. Which was probably why it was the perfect place to send her brother. Galfor knew it would be nearly impossible for the enemy to find him there. And they wanted to preserve the royal bloodline of Tamaran, in case anything were to occur to any of the two sisters. Blackfire was now in prison and Starfire´s life was set on Earth. Ryan was all they had now. And she had to find him. On her own.

Aside from that, her friends had already been through so much strain. With Slade constantly harassing them, Terra´s loss, Raven´s battle against Trigon, Madam Rogue nearly tearing them apart, and so much more.

Suddenly the siren went off, indicating criminal activity, as usual.

There was a knock on her door.

"There´s trouble we have to go", Robin called. She opened her door, and gave him a small smile.

"Right"

"Star? Is…everything alright?" he asked, gently.

"Everything´s fine. I was just-reorganizing my room" she said quickly. She realized that her expression probably wasn't the happiest at the moment. Although it never was when she remembered such things.

"You haven't exactly been yourself lately. You´re in your room almost all the time now", he noted.

"I´m fine Robin, now we must go", she said, almost too dryly. She stepped around him and caught up with the rest of the team. Robin stared at her, astonished. This definitely wasn't the Star he was used to seeing.

She couldn't tell anyone, not yet. Not until Ryan was with them. She would explain everything then.

"Titans! Go!" he called.