Chapter Text
Catra did everything she could to delay her sentence. The guards dragged her through dark yet luxurious corridors; her knees burned from being pulled along the floor, and her arms ached from the struggle. She would reach the throne room soon—no doubt to receive the Empress’s disgust and her death sentence.
They forced her to her knees, and one of the guards yanked harder on the chains, forcing her to bow even lower. The other held her head down. She understood the gesture: she was unworthy of even looking at such a divine figure.
Even though she had grown up in the Fright Zone, she had heard of the legendary She-Ra. The warrior goddess who had risen to the throne after finding the Sword of Power. The woman destined to rule all of Etheria, with the strongest magic ever seen running through her veins. Even Hordak feared her.
And Catra knew Hordak’s fears very well because… well, because she had been his general until a few nights ago—when he threatened to kill her child to control her.
Finn was far too perfect for all of this. Too pure. Their little claws were still harmless, their fangs barely beginning to grow in. They couldn’t run yet, even though their small ears caught every sound around them.
So Catra ran.
She had hoped for a quiet life in the forest with Finn, until she realized she hadn’t brought enough supplies. She would have to find a way to get what they needed to survive on the other side of the Whispering Woods. An old woman had offered her help, and Catra had no choice but to accept—asking the stranger to watch her baby while she went out to gather enough food and supplies for a peaceful life, far from misery.
But Bright Moon’s guards had found her.
Finn had been left behind in the small cabin they had built since arriving here. They had been alone for a day and a half.
The memory made nausea rise in Catra’s throat for the tenth time. She tried again to stand and break free, but it was useless. The chains had probably already turned her wrists purple.
“Lady Weaver found this peasant stealing part of her harvest and some jewelry. Her men captured her until Your Majesty could judge her with wisdom. The brat doesn’t appear to belong within our borders and severely injured several of our soldiers.”
Catra knew she was lucky she hadn’t had to wait long for her judgment. Maybe—just maybe—they would take pity on Finn and raise them kindly.
Even so, she wanted to rip the guard’s eyes out and would take any chance she got to kill the Empress.
Catra lifted her gaze, breathing with difficulty.
The Empress was not looking at her with disgust or anger. In fact, she seemed… more impressed than anything else. Uneasy.
Her blonde hair was pulled back. Her tiara was simpler than Catra expected, framing her features with a delicate band of gold. Her clothes were white and gold, making her seem to shine like an angel. And her blue eyes were both storm and calm at once.
For a moment, Catra felt as if she knew them.
“Loosen the restraints,” the woman ordered, her voice slightly shaken as she finally tore her gaze away from Catra.
“My lady, she knocked down seven of Weaver’s men and five of—”
“She has nowhere to run here. Loosen the restraints!” the woman commanded again, this time more firmly.
For a brief moment, Catra imagined she could kill the Empress. Just like that. It was the first thought that came to her as the former general of the Horde.
But as a mother, all she could think about was a chance to return to Finn.
Hordak and his war could go to hell.
Hope filled her—an almost forbidden feeling where she came from.
The Empress stepped closer. She looked… concerned.
“Are you alright?”
Catra didn’t answer, pressing her lips together.
“Why were you stealing?” She-Ra asked more quietly, almost as if she felt guilty for the accusation.
“Well, I—I’m just… a poor peasant. I couldn’t find work or enough food last winter, so—”
“We have policies to prevent that. Do you know how long it’s been since the last theft in this kingdom? I know you’re lying.” Her voice softened, but her eyes remained sharp. “What really happened to you?”
“I–we didn’t have enough—”
Suddenly, She-Ra grabbed the fabric of Catra’s dress at the collar, making her flinch. The Horde brand burned against her skin just above her chest, as if it had come alive again.
Everyone born in the Fright Zone had one. There was no escaping the cruel destiny of becoming a child soldier.
“How did you escape from there?” the Empress asked, her eyes heavy on Catra.
“I… had help.”
“From whom? And how?” Why did she sound more urgently concerned than anything else?
Of course it was nearly impossible for someone to accomplish what Catra had done. It required money, diverted routes, and people willing to hide her. But if she revealed who she really was—and how she got the money—she would be doomed.
“Hordak wanted my child. People helped me escape.” Half-truths should be enough.
She-Ra took a step back.
For someone who had faced battlefields without flinching, the revelation seemed to shake her.
“You… have a child?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly, hands tightening into fists. “W-why… why did Hordak want them?”
Catra swallowed. Something about the Empress made her want to trust her. Maybe it was one of the strange gifts of her magic.
“Child soldiers,” Catra lied.
Hordak’s true interest in Finn was in their DNA. They had been created from She-Ra’s own blood. Catra had agreed to carry the child, but Finn had been born far more like her than like the goddess—at least outwardly.
At first Hordak had wanted to discard the baby. But then he realized he could control Catra through them.
The Empress dropped back into her throne with a furious scowl, looking away as if gears were turning rapidly in her mind.
“Please—just… let me go! My baby is alone in the forest! Please!” Catra pleaded, struggling again to rise even though the chains held her down.
“Do you have somewhere to go?”
Catra sighed. Not really. But the small cabin they had built would do.
“Where is your child?” She-Ra asked.
“Why?” Catra shot back immediately, alarmed, her pupils shrinking.
Finn had never done anything wrong. They wouldn’t punish a baby just for coming from her… would they?
“So we can bring them to you,” She-Ra said simply. “So you can both be safe.”
“Forgive me, Your Highness…” one of Weaver’s grim men interrupted.
“In my view,” the Empress cut him off, her voice rising again, “this woman is a survivor, a mother, and a refugee. She is welcome to rebuild her life in Bright Moon. My only concern is that she cannot yet leave freely, since we are at war with her people.”
She looked at Catra with a mixture of sadness and pride in her own decision—and something else. Something almost like excitement at having Catra there.
“Well?” She-Ra continued lightly. “Will I have to go to the Fright Zone myself to find your child?”
Catra stared at her in disbelief. She only snapped out of her shock when she realized the Empress was genuinely offering to search the ends of the world to bring Finn back to her.
“T-they’re in the forest,” Catra breathed. “In a cabin. Please… don’t hurt them!”
“I promise your child will be back, safe and sound, by tomorrow,” She-Ra said as she stood, adjusting her armor before turning toward her guard. “Take her to a guest room. And assemble a search team—we leave in ten minutes.”
There were maids waiting for her.
They offered her a hot bath and helped her dress. Catra was almost certain this was Bright Moon’s way of preparing someone for execution and that they were simply trying to deceive her.
She hadn’t faced them directly very often on the battlefield—but what if they knew who she was? What if they were planning a fate worse than death?
Gods. She had handed Finn over to them.
“You have very beautiful eyes,” one of the maids murmured while brushing her hair.
Catra didn’t fight her. Her appearance was the last thing on her mind.
She looked at the smiling woman braiding her hair in the mirror.
“Is the Empress always this merciful?”
“Oh yes…” the woman laughed softly as she finished the braid. “Sometimes the nobility gets annoyed with her for helping the people so much. She’s very good and very fair. Truly sent by the gods.”
“Do you know what they’re going to do with me? Or if they found—” Catra hesitated. “Can I see the Empress again?”
“The Empress has left on a mission. You should eat and rest. Tomorrow you’ll be introduced to the customs of Bright Moon. That’s all I know.”
“Please… There must be someone I can talk to about going after my baby. Please.”
“They’re already searching for your child. You should recover for now.”
Catra sighed, her ears lowering anxiously.
“I… I don’t think I need dinner. Thank you.”
The woman nodded and left the room.
Catra stared at her reflection. She usually didn’t wear her hair tied up, but it didn’t look too bad. She was wearing a red dress made of light fabric with several layered skirts. The dim lights gave her an air of serenity she absolutely did not feel.
A knock on the door made her jump, claws instantly sliding out.
A man with short blond hair stepped inside.
“So… you’re Catra?”
He looked instantly familiar.
The crooked smile. The blond hair. The strong yet relaxed posture.
He reminded her of… Adora.
She had to be hallucinating. Adora—her best friend and the only person she had ever loved before Finn—had died in battle during She-Ra’s first appearance.
“Sorry!” the man said quickly. “I’m Adam. I’m visiting my sister here in Bright Moon—She-Ra. I was wondering why she skipped dinner tonight.”
“She-Ra has a brother?”
“Uh… well, yes. Not always, but these days she handles all this better.” He gestured vaguely around the palace walls.
Catra raised an eyebrow.
“Do you have magic too?”
“Curious, aren’t you?” the man laughed. “She-Ra has a human form. In that form, I happen to be her brother. That’s all I can say.”
Adam sat down on the edge of her bed awkwardly.
Catra wondered why everything in this place seemed designed to remind her of what this Empress had taken from her—by killing the only person who had ever made her life worth living.
“What do you mean ‘human form’?”
“So many questions,” Adam chuckled. “I think it’s my turn now. What are your intentions here?”
Catra swallowed.
“Just… to have a life away from the war. Do you know anything about Finn? My child? Please— they’re just a baby.”
Adam nodded reassuringly.
“She-Ra is probably already on her way back with them. Don’t worry.”
Catra accidentally scratched the vanity table beside her. She would have run already if it weren’t for the guards everywhere.
“You’re not some high-ranking Horde spy, are you?”
“Uh… I…”
“Did you ask her intentions yet?!”
A pink-haired girl burst into the room suddenly, appearing from a cloud of glitter with a dark-skinned boy right behind her.
How many people lived in this palace?
The boy stepped forward quickly after noticing the shock in Catra’s heterochromatic eyes.
“Sorry, Catra! Glimmer is just asking if you plan to make this place your home… or if you recognize the Empress from somewhere… or if you have a husband planning to—”
“I’m not interested in staying!” Catra snapped suddenly, standing up. The idea of sharing a home with the warrior who killed Adora was unbearable—even after all the kindness she had shown. “As soon as the Empress allows it, I plan to leave for the countryside with Finn. I’m not here for a coup if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“Should we be concerned about another parent of Finn?” Glimmer asked, raising an eyebrow suspiciously.
“No.”
“And do you recognize the Empress?”
A strange silence filled the room.
What kind of question was that?
“What?”
Adam cleared his throat and stood.
“Thank you, Catra. We’ll let you rest.”
“Wait! She—” Glimmer protested, but the dark-skinned boy gently pushed her toward the door, smiling apologetically.
“Come on, she’s had a long day! Oh—and I’m Bow, by the way! If you need anything, just call!”
Catra sighed and sat back down once the door closed.
Why did the Empress’s friends seem far more worried than the Empress herself about the presence of a Horde soldier inside the palace?
She woke at sunrise and tried to leave the room, asking again about Finn. The guards stopped her from going out, bringing her breakfast instead.
It was only in the middle of the morning that the door opened after a few hesitant knocks.
Catra turned from the balcony—and froze.
Finn was in the Empress’s arms, sleeping peacefully against her golden armored shoulder.
Catra ran toward them. She barely took care when pulling the ten-month-old baby from She-Ra’s arms. The child murmured in their sleep and slowly opened bright blue, feline eyes, letting out a small, annoyed meow.
“Finn! Oh my gods!” Catra cried.
She hurried to the other side of the room, checking their face, paws, and tiny fangs like a desperate mother.
The baby hissed softly at the sudden change of arms. They had been warm and comfortable against the goddess, but the familiar scent and gentle purring of their mother wasn’t such a bad change.
Catra covered their face with kisses. Finn clung to her with tiny claws and meowed again in protest, upset about the frightening distance of the last few days.
“I know!” Catra sobbed, pressing her forehead to theirs and holding them like her own heart in her hands. “I know. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, little kitten.”
Finn meowed again, softer this time, already purring.
Catra hugged them close to her neck, purring in response, her entire body finally calming as she felt her baby rumbling gently against her.
She lifted her tearful eyes to the tall woman with the blond ponytail and shining armor. She gave her a small nod of gratitude before kissing the top of Finn’s head protectively.
“I’ll never take my eyes off you again. I promise. Everything’s okay now.”
“I… uh…” She-Ra cleared her throat, watching them with something close to wonder. “An elderly woman was taking care of them until I arrived. We traveled through the night.”
She hesitated, then added softly:
“Finn is… incredible. They look so much like you.”
Catra nodded but stepped slightly away from her, suspicion returning as her claws slipped out defensively.
She-Ra lowered her gaze to the floor, almost as if she had been caught doing something wrong.
“I hope… um… to get to know both of you better,” she said quietly. “And that you can settle in well here. If you need anything, you can send for me.”
“You’ve done enough,” Catra cut in.
She knew she shouldn’t be rude to the woman who had sheltered her and taken such good care of her child.
“Thank you,” she added with a sigh, rubbing her face against Finn’s fur and covering the lingering scent of She-Ra with her own.
⸻
Finn seemed far happier than they had ever been in the dark corridors of the Horde.
They had their mother nearby more often, a warm and comfortable crib, several new toys, and patient caretakers helping them learn to walk.
Catra avoided the Empress whenever possible. Slowly, she began settling in as well—learning the customs of Bright Moon, being allowed to walk through the castle, studying Etherian culture.
She was fitting in.
More slowly than Finn, apparently.
“So we’ll have cakes made! Lots of kinds! Bow likes strawberry, I like whipped cream, Ado—uh… we love chocolate!” Glimmer rambled excitedly. “When do you think we should introduce fruit into Finn’s diet?”
Catra raised an eyebrow. She was already exhausted from the princess’s endless chatter.
Apparently Bright Moon was preparing a farewell ball for Prince Adam, and the entire castle was buzzing with excitement. Servants rushed everywhere with preparations.
“Okay, Finn can’t go to an adult ball,” Glimmer continued, “but do you think they’ll like cake when they grow up?”
Catra shrugged. Cat-hybrids usually didn’t handle dairy very well.
Glimmer rolled her eyes at the lack of response.
“Have you thought about your dress yet?”
“Why would I think about a dress?”
“You’re coming, right? The Empress wants you there!”
Catra snorted. Finn babbled in her lap, trying to knock over the porcelain tea set with outstretched paws.
“Why? Why does she even care?”
Glimmer sighed.
“Well… I wouldn’t disappoint her if I were you.” She took a sip of tea. “Besides, balls are fun. Don’t you trust the guards and caretakers to watch Finn?”
“They’re… okay, I guess.”
“Then it’s settled! Let’s find you a dress.”
Catra nodded slowly, her ears drooping.
She was starting to wonder when exactly she would become useful to the Empress.
Because the woman clearly had some kind of interest in her from the very beginning.
She chose a simple red and wine-colored dress. It had several flowing strips of fabric of different lengths, with ribbons crossing over her chest. Occasionally, her legs were visible through the layers when she moved.
She noticed a few glances and murmurs when she entered the ballroom, but ignored them. She scanned the room until she found the Empress, determined to get this over with as quickly as possible.
She-Ra wore her long blond hair loose, falling over her shoulders. Her dress had a white and gold corset, with soft white fabric flowing down from it. Golden details framed her figure, reinforcing the almost divine image everyone seemed to associate with her.
When she saw Catra approaching, She-Ra’s face lit up with a radiant smile.
For some unknown reason, Catra felt her heart skip a beat.
“You wished to see me, Your Highness?” Catra asked, bowing slightly, ears flattened.
“I’m glad you came tonight,” She-Ra said warmly. “Glimmer told me she managed to convince you.”
She studied Catra for a moment.
“Have you been adapting well?”
“Of course. Finn and I are grateful for your hospitality,” Catra replied, avoiding the woman’s bright blue eyes. They felt like they could consume her whole. “Although… I’ve been missing the feeling of being useful.”
“Useful?” She-Ra echoed.
“I’m a soldier, Your Highness. I can offer my services in exchange for—”
“No.”
She-Ra interrupted quickly.
“Catra, if you’re worried about what I expect in return for allowing you to stay in the castle… I’m afraid I have no hidden intentions.”
She hesitated for a moment.
“Well. None besides… getting to know you better.”
One of Catra’s ears twitched.
Was She-Ra trying to take her as some kind of sexual servant? It wouldn’t be unheard of for rulers.
But the thought disgusted her.
She would never betray Adora like that.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness, but I’m not familiar with prostitu—”
“No! Gods, no!” She-Ra blurted immediately, her face turning red. “I meant… I meant getting to know you as a—uh—friend!”
She rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly.
“My goodness… I’m sorry. You don’t have to repay me in any way. I promise.”
Catra frowned.
“Why are you being so kind to me?”
She-Ra looked at her quietly, a small sad smile appearing.
“You remind me of someone… someone I hope to have in my life again someday.”
Catra waited, but the Empress didn’t elaborate.
Instead, She-Ra looked toward the ballroom where people were laughing and dancing, appearing strangely calm despite the presence of a former enemy so close to her.
“But if being a soldier would make you feel more comfortable,” She-Ra added, “we can arrange that. Do you believe your loyalty lies with Bright Moon?”
“I know it doesn’t lie with the Horde, Your Highness,” Catra answered.
She hoped the Empress would never discover her former position in the Horde. That would put both her and Finn in danger.
For a moment she worried She-Ra might misunderstand the answer.
But the woman simply smiled.
Catra hated how much she was starting to enjoy talking to her. She didn’t want to leave yet.
But it would be better for both of them.
“Well,” Catra said quietly, stepping back, “you must have many other duties tonight. I won’t keep bothering you.”
She-Ra stepped slightly closer, almost as if she were afraid Catra might disappear.
“Actually, Adam is the host tonight, and Angela can handle royal matters. I suppose that’s one advantage of respecting the government that existed before me,” she said with a small smile.
“Are you saying you didn’t seize everyone’s lands just so you wouldn’t have to work during parties?”
“Exactly,” She-Ra said with a playful grin. “Don’t tell anyone my secret.”
Catra almost called her an idiot out of habit.
But besides the fact that it might get her thrown in prison, that nickname belonged to someone else.
Someone She-Ra had taken from her.
A brief silence settled between them.
Catra looked away. She-Ra cleared her throat again.
Why in the world would an Empress be nervous around someone like her?
“Well…” She-Ra bit her lip, gathering courage. “Would you… like to dance?”
“Oh. I… um… dancing isn’t common in the Horde.”
“That’s okay! I—I can teach you. If you want,” She-Ra said quickly.
For a woman who seemed nearly three meters tall in armor, she suddenly looked strangely small.
Catra forced a small smile and nodded. Slowly, hesitantly, she raised her hand and took the taller woman’s hand, allowing herself to be led toward the dance floor.
She cursed herself for it.
She couldn’t betray Adora like this.
She-Ra spun her with a contagious smile before the music had even properly begun. One hand settled confidently at Catra’s waist as she guided her slowly across the dance floor, never once taking her bright blue eyes off her.
Every time Catra missed a step, She-Ra’s smile only grew wider—almost too delighted.
The rest of Bright Moon’s nobility seemed distant while the powerful Empress patiently taught her to follow the rhythm of the music. Her grip was firm enough to make Catra feel steady… safe.
For the first time in years.
Catra didn’t understand it.
The blonde could have danced with anyone in the room, spent her time with anyone. Yet she insisted on looking absolutely captivated by Catra’s presence.
“You know that… I’m not the person you’re remembering, Your Majesty,” Catra said quietly, her brows drawing together.
She-Ra blinked and nodded awkwardly before lifting Catra easily into the next turn of the dance.
“I—I know you’re not her, Catra,” She-Ra murmured, leaning closer so her voice brushed against Catra’s ear.
A shiver ran down Catra’s spine.
“But I’m also excited to discover what’s new about you.”
Catra swallowed, tightening her grip on the woman’s shoulder. Their bodies were close now, moving together with the slow rhythm of the music.
She ignored the warmth spreading through her chest.
What was that supposed to mean?
It felt wrong to feel this good under the touch of the same hands that had taken everything from her.
And the whispers around the room were growing louder.
She could feel judgmental eyes everywhere.
“You shouldn’t be spending time away from your brother?” Catra muttered.
“Oh, Adam is busy devouring the buffet,” She-Ra laughed softly. “Is the dancing not to your liking?”
Catra didn’t want to admit the truth.
That this felt… perfect.
The way She-Ra’s hand rested at the center of her back, supporting her and brushing lightly over the exposed skin of her dress. The way she guided her movements—slow, gentle, careful.
She didn’t want to admit she liked talking to the Empress. That something long dormant inside her stirred every time She-Ra leaned closer.
“N-no,” Catra said quickly. “I just… wondered if you’d miss him.”
She-Ra found the blond man across the room and smiled faintly.
“Since we’re twins, you might think I’d feel it more. But Adam and I separate easily.”
“Twins?” Catra raised an eyebrow. “You don’t look alike.”
“Hmm… perhaps more when I’m in my human form.”
“Oh.” Catra tilted her head. “And why haven’t I seen your human form?”
She-Ra cleared her throat and almost stepped on Catra’s foot.
“Maybe someday. When you’re… more settled here.”
Catra nodded slowly.
Then, almost without thinking, she sighed and let herself relax—resting her head lightly against the shoulder of the woman who had killed the love of her life.
She-Ra stiffened at first, then slowly relaxed, wrapping her strong arms around Catra while continuing to guide the dance.
For a moment the music felt almost magical.
But it didn’t last.
Disgust with herself suddenly flooded Catra’s chest.
How desperate had she become to fall into the arms of a monster?
Yes, a monster who had shown her kindness. Who had sheltered her and protected her child.
But also the one who had taken everything from her.
The one she had once sworn to kill.
She thought of Adora—of her kindness, her laughter—and anger burned through her veins.
Abruptly Catra pulled away, releasing She-Ra’s hand and stepping back.
The spell shattered.
“I—I’m sorry, Your Highness,” she muttered, giving a quick, clumsy bow before turning away, her eyes stinging with tears.
The worst part was that she had expected She-Ra to go on a massacre after killing Adora.
She had waited to be the next victim for so long.
But it never happened.
Instead, fate had chosen something crueler.
To make her dream again.
Of family.
Of love.
“Catra? Are you alright?” Adam asked, stopping her as she tried to leave.
She swallowed and nodded, wiping her eyes.
“I just… remembered someone I lost a few years ago.”
“Oh… I’m sorry.” Adam took a sip of wine and offered her a glass, which she accepted. “Though I have to say—on the other hand—I’ve never seen my sister so happy as she was tonight. What did you do?”
Catra glanced across the ballroom.
The Empress was speaking with Bow, but she kept stealing worried glances toward Catra.
“Either way,” Adam continued with a smile, “thank you for that. It’s good to see her smile for once. She-Ra tends to carry the whole universe on her shoulders.”
Catra forced a small smile and looked back at the prince.
He looked so much like Adora.
The crooked smile. The bright blond hair—though less luminous than She-Ra’s.
Gods… she missed Adora so much.
She had done unimaginable things trying to avenge her.
“And it’s very nice to finally see her flirting,” Adam added with a laugh.
Catra nearly choked.
“What? No! She definitely wasn’t flirting. Why would the Empress be interested in a single mother?”
“Oh please!” Glimmer interrupted, appearing beside them. “Sorry for eavesdropping, but even if you’re a single mother you’re still one of the most beautiful and strongest women who has ever walked into this castle.”
Adam laughed in agreement.
Catra was about to sneak away when she bumped into a horribly familiar face.
“I see you managed to deceive the Empress with your animal tricks,” Lady Shadow Weaver said through the mask she constantly wore.
The brunette’s ears flattened, and she bit her lip to stop herself from cursing the woman.
“If you’ll excuse me—” she tried to pass by, but the woman stepped in front of her, staring down at her with clear superiority.
“Don’t you realize this is no place for a filthy animal like you?” the woman whispered. “If you lacked the decency to notice, I’ll be the first to say it. She-Ra is far too kind to reject you, you disgusting creature. You’re of no use to us.”
Catra clenched her fists and growled. She had hated this woman from the moment they met, which was exactly why she had been happy to choose her of all people to rob.
“Is there a problem?”
She-Ra placed a hand on Catra’s shoulder—perhaps to restrain her, perhaps to support her. Either way, it made Catra jump, and the blonde quickly pulled her hand back, looking guilty.
“Your Highness, I was simply on my way when this… woman bumped into me and treated me like an animal!” Weaver shouted, drawing attention.
Catra’s ears fell back as she let out a low growl, while the rest of the hall began turning their attention toward the argument.
“If I heard correctly, you were questioning Catra’s contributions to my empire,” She-Ra said calmly. “So let me ask you: what are yours, Weaver? Other than using your position to oppress everyone around you?”
The silence that followed was embarrassing for the Lady until she scoffed and snapped back:
“With all due respect, Your Majesty, how can you forgive a crime like hers? How can you welcome a thief into the most sacred place we have? I am simply saying that her kind should not be welcomed here.”
Murmurs filled the hall.
“Weaver is right! Did you see the Horde symbol on her chest?”
“She’s from the Horde? Why isn’t she restrained? They’re monsters!”
“She should at least be imprisoned…”
“I’m not exactly an expert on Bright Moon yet,” Catra said sharply, glaring at the woman, “but do you really think it’s appropriate to question the decisions of your highest authority?”
“Don’t interfere!”
“You have absolutely no authority over me, Miss Weaver,” Catra said, deliberately leaving out her title. “So I can freely point out that despite your Empress offering you safety and protection—and despite you attending her ball—you’re still insulting her. I believe the real criminal here might be you.”
Weaver clenched her fists.
“This is outrageous! I will not tolerate being spoken to like that by an… animal!”
“Miss Weaver, if you cannot treat my guest with respect, then have the decency to leave the celebration to which you were not invited!”
The Empress’s hard voice made the entire room freeze. The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife.
“My decision to keep Catra close was made to preserve innocent lives!” Oh, if only she knew how far from innocent Catra truly was. “Theft has never been considered a serious crime in my empire. Abuse of power, however, is. And you know very well that there are appropriate moments to question my decisions. Which only makes the scene you are causing at my event even more embarrassing for your already pathetic position.”
Catra could see Weaver’s eyes narrow behind the mask as she swallowed hard, trying to control her anger. This would ruin her reputation in court.
“Of course, Your Majesty. Excuse me.”
The woman left with stiff steps. Gradually, the conversations around the hall resumed as though nothing had happened.
She-Ra sighed.
“Are you alright?”
“I’ve faced worse than a grumpy old woman,” Catra said, rolling her eyes.
Instead of smiling as she usually did, the Empress’s eyes were filled with guilt and regret.
“I’m sorry. Some people won’t be very welcoming toward the Horde. But I will make sure you and Finn are safe.”
Catra forced a smile.
“I appreciate it, Your Highness. Uh… I think I should return to my chambers and check on Finn.”
“Of course. I—” She-Ra sighed. “I’ll be here if you need me. I mean, not here… I… I’m going to my chambers as well, but… uh… I mean—gods…”
Catra actually laughed, genuinely amused that such an important figure—who had just humiliated a noblewoman two minutes earlier—was now stumbling over her words just to wish a common guest good night. It almost felt like some kind of joke.
“Good night, princess.”
The blonde sighed in relief, even though the title was technically wrong.
“Good night, Catra.”