Someone requested a second part to this story, so here it is! :) NSFW warning. Not much, but still. Also, mention of abuse and hating yourself and Shadow Weaver and death. Basically Catra talking about her life.

Catra sighed internally.

This was her life now.

She glanced around, unamused, at the mess that she called her friends. Once again, they were making jokes about her new-found royal status. Catra had half a mind to throttle them all, but decided against it.

She has admit, she'd found it hilarious at first. Her, a princess. Who would have thought in a million years this could be a possibility? Not Catra, that's for sure. For so long, she'd despised princesses and now she's one of them. Oh the irony. Unfortunately for Catra, her friends never failed to bring it up at least once a day ever since that fateful day in Halfmoon. She knew they were just teasing her, but after a few days, it had gotten old for Catra.

Once in a while, Adora would step in and get them to leave her alone, but not even Adora could resist the occasional joke once the couple were alone.

However, Catra couldn't help the warm feeling in her chest when she thought about what it all meant. She finally had a family. A people, just like her. She had parents. Parents that want her, and loved her. That was more than she could ever dream of. Sometimes, it felt like a dream, and any moment she'd wake up.

Along with the warm feeling, came a feeling of anxiety. What if it wasn't real? Good things rarely happen to her. Yeah, she's been on a good streak ever since the end of the war, but the doubt of its validity weighed on her mind.

Catra was bound to fuck it all up. She always does.

Her moms didn't know half of what she did in the war. They didn't know the details of her crimes, or the things she'd been through as a child. Catra was afraid to talk to them about it.

Her new therapist had recommended she did. It would help her moms bond with her, getting to see her raw side.

Catra thought it would only give them an excuse to hate her, send her away. Ever since Catra reunited with her people, they only looked at her as a revered part of the royal family, beloved by all. They didn't know the real her. The evil side of her that hurt people to get revenge.

Once they knew... there's no way they'd want her. She'd be alone again.

Catra would honestly rather have never been wanted in the first place than to have been wanted, tell them the truth about herself and then be rejected in disgust. It would hurt less. She'd hate herself less.

Catra pursed her lips together.

"It's not that big of a deal." She muttered, slouching in her seat.

"Of course it is." Glimmer argued, beaming. "Once your coronation has been done, we can become trading partners, and you can become an official member of the Princess Alliance."

Catra didn't say anything. She blocked out the excited chatter around her.

The coronation. She'd forgotten about that.

This would be the ceremony that officially proclaimed her as the heiress to the throne. The next queen of Halfmoon.

Oh gods above, was that a terrifying thought. Responsibility of an entire queendom. It wasn't like The Horde. No one would be scared into submission. She hadn't known these people her whole life. They weren't her friends.

It was a whole civilization of people with their own families, livelihood. They would depend on her leadership to keep them safe. They'd have to trust her and they'd willingly do it.

Ok, so maybe not that different, but still. It was a ton of pressure. Would she be expected to be proper and polite and graceful like other princesses? Would she have to give up parts of her life in order to make her parents happy?

All these questions scared her more and more.

Catra bit her lip. She stood up and walked out of the room, not even giving an excuse. She walked through the halls. She went to one of the towers. The wind blew harder up there. The sun seemed warmer. Settling down in a sun spot, Catra lied down.

She let the warm of the sun melt away all of her thoughts.

She wasn't surprised when she suddenly heard the familiar sound of heavy footsteps climbing up the stairs to the tower. Catra stayed resting in her side, facing the outside world.

"Hey." She heard from behind her.

Catra looked over her shoulder. She saw Adora standing at the top of the steps, clearly waiting for permission to join her. Catra smiled, sitting up.

"Hey, Adora." She greeted back, though less flirtatious than normal.

Adora walked over to the magicat, sitting down beside her. The two sat there in silence. Catra could tell Adora was worried about her. The way she sat awkwardly, trying not to stare at Catra for long. It was endearing.

Catra sighed. Might as well talk about it.

"Would I make a good princess?"

Adora finally turned to her, eyes slightly widened at the question.

"I think you'd make a great princess, but you already know how I feel." Adora answered, her eyes roaming Catra's face, as if trying to figure out how her mind was working.

Catra brought her knees up to her chest, hugging them. Her tail wrapped around her own ankle tightly.

"Even after all I did in the Horde?"

Adora's brows furrowed, confused.

"Why do you ask?" She questioned.

Catra sighed.

"I just... I'm scared I'm not good enough. I'm not princess material. What if after I tell them everything, they don't want me anymore? I wouldn't blame them, but... it scares me. I just got them back. What if they hate me when they find out who I truly am?"

Catra felt her eyes sting. She blinked hard, not wanting to cry. A hand touching her arm, getting her attention. Catra looked at Adora, who looked determined and sure.

"Cat, I'll say it again. If they don't want you, they're missing out. You're amazing and any ruler would be damn lucky to have you as a daughter and a princess. You've changed and the things you did were your way of dealing with your emotions. They can't completely blame you for not having other ways to let out all the pain and anger you felt back then. If your mothers really want you and really love you, they'll listen and try to see it from your perspective. You're very hard to hate."

Catra rolled her eyes, scoffing.

"Really? Because I find it very easy. Shadow Weaver had no problem."

Adora sighed. She moved over, readjusting her position so they Adora's legs were on either side of Catra, Catra pressed sideways against Adora's chest. Adora pulled Catra so her head rested on her shoulder. Catra liked it like this. Wrapped in Adora's arms. It made her feel small, but protected.

Adora's fingers massaged her head, occasionally scratching behind an ear. It relaxed her, a gentle purr rumbling through Catra's chest.

"You always know how to make me feel better." She muttered.

Adora hummed, happy.

"Good. If I didn't, I'd be a terrible girlfriend." She joked.

Catra didn't even bother to reply. She just let the magical hands of the warrior goddess lull her to a peaceful state. That's how they stayed until it was time for dinner. Adora's stomach was loud enough to startle them both.

The two headed back into the castle. After dinner, they decided to go to their room. Catra wasn't in the mood to do much person interaction. Adora gladly followed.

Back in the room, Catra climbed into bed, lying on her side. A moment later, she felt Adora join her, her strong arms, arm Catra's slim form. Adora pressed a light kiss to Catra's shoulder.

"Love you."

Catra smiled. Moving so she was on her back, looking up at Adora, she stared into those blueish-grey eyes.

"I love you too, dork. Thanks for not giving up on me. Even when everyone else did, even when I gave up on me, you didn't. I don't deserve you."

That was something Catra would believe probably for the rest of her life. Adora would spend just as much time proving her wrong.

"Yes, you do." Adora disagreed. "You deserve all good things in life. Especially to be loved and to be a princess."

Catra pouted, doubt clear on her face. Adora hummed. Bringing a hand up, she cupped Catra's cheek, scratching under the ear. Catra closed her eyes, leaning into the touch. She let herself relax for that moment. A kiss was pressed to her other cheek. Catra trilled, almost always happy to get scritches from her girlfriend.

Adora laughed quietly.

"You're so beautiful." She said, like a whisper.

Catra exhaled, trying to control her blush. She only hummed in response. The two lied there, enjoying their company of one another. Catra nearly dozed off right there.

Adora's scritches were the best.

"Catra?" Adora spoke up, bringing Catra back to the land of the living.

Catra sleepily nuzzled Adora's cheek, keeping her eyes closed. She heard Adora give a short, breathy laugh.

"What if you talked to your moms about how you feel? Instead of just thinking about all these what-ifs, just sit them down and talk it out. I'm sure they'd listen."

Catra opened her eyes, blinking the heaviness away.

"You think so?" She asked.

She'd thought of doing that, telling her moms everything. However, the fear held her back, making the task sound impossible. Catra bit her lip, looking up at Adora. Adora had a neutral expression, maybe slightly curious.

"It can't hurt to try." Adora added. "If they really love you and are worth your time, they won't change how they act around you or treat you."

Adora had a point. Catra hadn't done anything to Halfmoon, so they'd have no reason to personally hate her. The Horde in general, well that was a whole different conversation.

Catra felt a little more encouraged, but the anxiety of what could happen bothered her. Catra placed a hand over Adora's on her cheek. She made hesitant eye contact.

"Will you come with me? To talk with my moms? I-I'd feel safer if I had someone already on my side there. Just in case things don't go how you think they will."

Adora's face softened. She smiled.

"Of course I'll go with you, Cat. When do you want to go?"

Thinking of her schedule, Catra shrugged slightly.

"Maybe in two days?"

Adora seemed to be thinking through her own calendar. The blonde smiled brightly and gave a firm nod in agreement.

"Ok."

That was settled. Catra sighed softly, doubts flowing through her mind. Nothing new. It made her increasingly upset. It must've shown in her eyes, because Adora's hand left Catra's head and instead brushed against her waist, her fingers teasing the fur under Catra's shirt.

Catra looked at Adora's face. Adora was smirking, a knowing look on her face.

"You're worrying too much, kitten. You really should believe in yourself more often. Not everything in your life is going to end in a disaster."

Catra huffed, rolling her eyes.

"Oh my bad. It's just that things not going my way is sort of how things happen for as long as I can remember. I'm just trying not to get all optimistic. That never ended well for me in the past."

Adora had to agree with that last part. It was true.

"Yeah, but we're together and life is pretty good. It can't be all bad, hm?"

Catra scowled.

"I hate when you're right. Fucking optimist. Can't let me stew in self-hate anymore, huh?"

Adora rolled her eyes. She leaned in slowly, clearly intending to kiss her. Catra met her, their lips pressing together. Catra gripped Adora's shirt, pulling her closer. Adora moved on top of Catra, lying between Catra's thighs.

The feeling of hands on Catra's body, Adora's lips on hers, erased all other thoughts from Catra's mind. The warmth that surrounded her made her feel safer than she'd ever felt.

Adora hummed, her hands wandering under the shirt. Catra wrapped her arms around Adora's neck, playing with the ponytail. Adora's tongue ran over her bottom lip. Catra allowed her tongue to explore, while she pulled the blonde closer to her.

A soft moan left Catra, an aroused purr vibrating through her chest. Adora pulled away, panting, eyes filled with want and love.

"Have I ever told you I love you?" She asked, grinning.

Catra giggled, rubbing her thumbs over Adora's flushed cheeks. She stared up at those blue eyes that looked at her like Catra hung the stars. She really was so lucky to have Adora in her life.

"Yeah, but how much?" She asked, a small teasing tone in her voice.

Something flashed in Adora's eyes. Catra loved that look she got. Adora's grip on her tightened.

"Why don't I show you?" She said, before their lips were back together.
————————————

Catra rubbed her hands together, trying to get rid of the sweat building up on the palms. She tried to not appear as anxious as she felt. It still felt weird walking into Halfmoon, seeing so many people that look like her. She couldn't describe the feeling she got when members of the village would happily wave to her and Adora, or verbally greet the couple. The days following the royal family reunion, she'd explored Halfmoon and met a lot of the people there.

Ever since then, the people of Halfmoon welcomed her warmly and eagerly. It still felt awkward, having people actually excited to see her even if they have never seen or met her until a few days prior.

Catra smiled and nodded politely in return. The people were very welcoming and were quick to want to show her and the rest of the gang around at any opportunity. It helped Catra to get used to the place, figure out how things were done, how the people lived.

None of them knew she was the princess. At least, she herself hadn't told anyone other than the staff in the palace. She didn't want anyone to know until she couldn't not tell. Everyone would officially know at the coronation. Til then, she'd just go by Catra, royal advisor of Brightmoon.

Her and Adora passed by the bakery, the blacksmith, the library, clothing shop, the pawnshop, homes, a group of hunters coming back from a trip out of Halfmoon. Catra thought the hunters were pretty cool. Muscular, agile, and quick.

They even passed by school-aged children playing together. The kids loved Melog and would come pet them whenever they came with Catra. At the moment, due to Catra's anxiety, Melog stayed invisible. Adora had commented that the kids reminded her of Catra when they were that young and played like that. Rough and careless.

Catra held on to that thought the rest of the way to the palace. It barely helped.

"Someone's popular already." Adora suddenly teased.

Catra turned her head to look at Adora with a raised brow. Adora smirked playfully at her. Catra rolled her eyes.

"I'm the newbie around here. Plus, they all seem like one big family. All friendly or whatever. Like you guys, but smarter and way cooler."

Adora snorted in amusement.

"Mhm. Nice to know."

They approached the palace entrance. Catra smiled at the guards standing near by, waiting for them.

"Hey, guys. How's it hanging? Having fun?"

Catra had made it a mission to get the Halfmoon guards to like her. Brightmoon guards weren't very fond of her and it sometimes made Catra feel unsafe in the palace. So, she wanted to know that her own guards had her back. They were pretty chill once you got them talking. Some were more hard to crack than other. There were a few of which, that Catra had grown to like more than the rest.

K'ore, one of her personal guards that stayed by her side while in the palace. K'ore was a tall, gray and black coated, male magicat. He was less menacing in size and personality, but could look absolutely terrifying if need be. He was very protective of Catra and took his job seriously, having been serving the royal family since Catra was born.

The other personal guard was a female magicat named Kay'tee. She was quite muscular, but shorter than K'ore. Her coat was a reddish-brown color with dark stripes on her stomach, arms and legs. Kay'tee was usually the one to tell Catra about Halfmoon history. She was quite a book nerd as a child and knew nearly as much as the Halfmoon royal historians.

The two immediately clicked with Catra. They were always there to escort her into and out of the palace. Her mothers picked the perfect pair for Catra.

K'ore and Kay'tee bowed to her.

"Your highnesses." K'ore greeted. "Welcome back. It's been pretty boring around since you left. Follow us. We'll take you to the queens."

The guards led the two women to the Queens' royal lounge room. Walking in, Catra saw her mothers doing mundane tasks. Cy'ra was reading on a cushy bench, invested in whatever it said. Katherine was talking to some of the royal advisors, not seeming to be anything serious.

The small group walked into the room, making their presence known. Everyone turned to Adora and Catra. The queens brightened when they saw their daughter, and abandoned whatever they'd just been doing.

"Oh my darling. You're back!" Cy'ra squealed, clearly excited.

Catra smiled at the reaction. She wondered if they are like this because it's her or because they think that's how they should react. The anxiousness came back full force. She gave a closed-lipped smile.

"Hey."

Katherine gave Adora a greeting hug.

"It's great to see you again, Adora." The older woman said.

Adora blushed at the attention, bashful as always.

"Likewise, your majesties."

Cy'ra scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"Call us Cy'ra and Katherine. You're basically family right now."

Adora shyly agreed, though still clearly happy with the interaction.

"Where are the rest of your friends?" Cy'ra asked Catra. "They didn't feel up to the journey?"

Catra took a deeo breath.

"Um, no, we actually wanted to come alone. Other than Melog, of course." She explained, suddenly jittery.

Melog came into visibility, pacing the room anxiously, their coat flashing red occasionally. Catra's eyes widen for a second.

Her moms looked back at her, curious.

"Are they alright? They seem nervous." Katherine asks.

Catra glanced back at Melog.

"Yeah. They just, um... reflect my emotions. We're sorta bonded in a weird mind-melding sort of way."

It took a moment for the information to sink in.

"Oh." Cy'ra said. "Ok, so, let me rephrase that question. Are you alright?"

Catra had to force herself not to shrink under the analytical eyes of her parents. She tore her gaze away, crossing her arms. Her heart raced in her chest.

"Think you can squeeze in some time for us to sit down and talk? Please?" She requested.

Cy'ra and Katherine looked at one another for only a second before they nodded in unison.

"Alright." Katherine said.

She turned to the advisors in the room.

"If you'll please excuse us." She dismissed politely. "We'd like some privacy. Don't bother us unless it's an emergency."

That wasn't what Catra expected to happen. She watched with wide eyes as everyone but the guards and them left the room. She turned to her moms.

"Wait, what? I thought you were doing something."

Had she just interrupted something important over some stupid insecurities?

Cy'ra shrugged.

"You said you wanted to talk. So, we're making all the time we need."

Catra's ears fell down.

"You weren't busy or something?" She asked, still unsure.

Cy'ra shook her head.

"No, and if we were, we'd still make time for you. Come sit."

The queens walked over to where two sofas were sitting on either side of a coffee table. Catra stood there, stunned for a moment.

They had made time for her, just like that? Without a second thought?

A hand on her back brought Catra back to herself. She looked at Adora, who was looking at her, a silent question on her face.

Are you ok?

Catra took a breath and nodded discretely. The couple joined the queens. Cy'ra and Katherine sat on one couch. Catra, Adora and Melog on the other.

Settling down, a servant came in and gave them water. Catra smiled politely at the servant, glancing at the cup of water. She had a feeling she'd need that.

"So, what's going on, Cat?" Cy'ra asked, regarding Catra.

Catra licked her lips. She couldn't look anyone in the eyes. So, she stared down at the table, fiddling with her clothing.

"I've been thinking, and um... I wanted to tell you guys everything. I know I haven't given you two all the details of my past and I think you should know. So there's no surprises later on."

Glancing up at her moms, Catra saw them looking at her with blank expressions, their hands joined.

"Alright." Katherine said. "I'm assuming you want us to just listen."

Catra swallowed.

"Um... you can ask questions. I'm sure you'll have some. Though I might not have all the answers. Some things just don't make sense. Maybe Adora might be able to help a bit, but..."

Adora squeezed her hand, ever the calming presence in Catra's mind. It helped to ground Catra when her mind wandered to dark places.
Melog stayed on her lap, the light pressure on her legs a big help.

It gave her the courage to talk.

She talked about her childhood, meeting Adora, their life growing up as child soldiers. Adora reminded her of fun adventures they'd went on as toddlers and single digit aged children. It eased the anxiety Catra felt. Her moms smiled at the stories.

"Sounds like you two were quite the pair back then." Katherine commented.

Adora smiled, looking at Catra in that dumb, love-struck way.

"Catra has always been a constant for most of my life. My best memories are with her."

Catra slowly frowned. Her ears dropped.

"And so are your bad memories." She added, forlornly.

Adora's demeanor darkened a little at the implication. Catra hated taking away her smile, but she was telling the truth.

"What do you mean?" Katherine asked.

Catra couldn't look up at her moms. This was what she was afraid to tell them. She couldn't bear to see their reactions once they knew about what she'd done. How would she explain it all? It made no sense to herself.

Luckily, it seemed Adora picked up on her internal struggle. She looked at the magicat Queens.

"When we were about seventeen years old, I left the Horde after seeing what they were really doing to Etheria when I was promoted to Force Captain and allowed onto the battlefield for the first time ever. All of our lives, they'd told us we were the good guys. They lied. So, I defected."

"I stayed." Catra spoke up, her voice soft.

The other three looked to her, but Catra didn't see it. She kept her eyes on her lap.

"I stayed. Why? A lot of reasons. That brings us back to our childhood, if you can even call it that. Remember Shadow Weaver? The mage that raised us?"

Catra heard a verbal hum in the positive.

"Well, she didn't like me from the start. In fact, she hated me. I was never good enough. She..."

Catra's tail flicked in agitation.

"She was pure evil. She hit me, burned me, used magic on me. She made me feel so stupid and worthless all the time."

Catra felt the familiar anger bubbling up. She stood up. She had to move, do something. So, she paced and talked.

"She always told me that she regretted taking me in. Adora found me and begged her not to kill me on sight. So, I became a pet."

She spat the word like venom. She paused and smiled softly at Adora. Adora returned it, knowing the anger wasn't towards her. Catra resumed pacing.

"Adora was the only one who like me. Shadow Weaver made it acceptable for everyone else to treat me like a freak. Like I was scum. Adora was the only person who wanted me, and even then, Shadow Weaver made sure to remind me that one day, even she'd get bored of me. She was manipulative as hell, playing mind games to get you to do what she wanted. She played favorites. Adora was her golden child, and I was the runt of the litter, so to speak. Looking back now, Shadow Weaver was turning us against each other from the start and it worked.

Catra felt the shame sneaking. Her shoulders hunched up to her ears, making herself smaller.

"I grew to hate and love Adora. I hated her because she was always better than me. No matter what I did, I couldn't get an ounce of praise or respect from anyone there. I wasn't good enough. I was always second best. Shadow Weaver made sure I knew it. She'd tell me all the time how worthless and horrible I am. She told me if I did anything to ruin Adora's future, she'd kill me. Said I was a bad influence on her. Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't. I was always getting into trouble, Adora saving me when she could. Most of the time, I got punished, electrocuted or thrown around and beaten. Sometimes, she'd give me nightmares. Horrible ones."

That got Adora's attention. Catra hadn't told her that.

"You haven't told me that?" She noted.

Catra stopped pacing, rubbing her neck nervously.

"I didn't want you to know. Like, how I didn't tell you about..."

Catra shook her head, continuing walking around.

"That'll come up later." She mumbled. "The point is, I wasn't happy as a kid. I feel selfish for saying it because no one was happy there. But then, I was the only one Shadow Weaver constantly tortured. The only one."

Catra had to take a breath.

"So when Adora left, I saw an opportunity to prove myself. I was promoted in her place, of coarse because we thought she'd come back. I was a temporary replacement. Plus, I was mad at Adora for leaving without me to go with princesses of all people!"

"The Horde hated princesses and taught us they were evil." Adora explained. "When I became She-ra, I was captured by Queen Glimmer and Bow. That's how I met them. Then I saw what the Horde was really like and refused to go back. I asked Catra to come with me, but..."

The queens looked to their daughter for the rest. Catra was hugging herself.

"I couldn't. I wanted to prove myself to the Horde. I thought that since Adora left without me and didn't even try to talk to me or our squad again after that, I thought she turned on me. My worst fears had come true. She left me and made me feel like I was the bad guy."

Catra raised her eyes up to look at Adora. Adora had guilt all over her face. Catra walked over to the sofa and sat beside Adora, grabbing her attention.

"Don't you dare blame yourself, idiot." She commanded. "We already talked about this. It was shitty situation that we were not prepared to handle maturely."

"But I left you there! With Shadow Weaver! Alone! I promised you we'd always stay together and look what happened!" Adora nearly cried.

Catra nodded in agreement.

"Yeah. But it wouldn't have changed. We both know I wouldn't have left either way. I was too scared to leave. I wasn't ready. I thought I had to stay there and prove myself to them. I was angry and bitter and so..."

Catra's attention went to her moms.

"I became the second in command of the Horde."

If her moms were surprised or horrified, they masked it well.

"That must've been tough." Katherine said.

Catra dryly laughed.

"Very. I don't even remember most of that time. I nearly overthrew Hordak and Shadow Weaver. Shadow Weaver tricked me into letting escape after we imprisoned her. She left to go follow Adora."

Catra scoffed.

"Of course she did. She always chose Adora and the people born with power, over a powerless, average nobody."

"You're not a nobody." Cy'ra chided gently.

Catra made eye contact for a moment, but didn't comment on that. She instead sighed and continued talking.

"I was so angry, and desperate to prove myself, I did.... very horrible stuff."

Catra rung her hands, her anger seeping away. She couldn't look anyone in the eyes, opting to keep them on the floor, the shame overwhelming.

"I led raids and pillages. I conquered kingdoms and burned places to the ground. Adora and her friends managed to stop me every time. Except when I kidnapped Sparkles and Bow. I ruined lives. I killed someone!"

Catra knew she technically didn't. She didn't know about the former queen of Brightmoon. No one had told her about her sacrifice. Though, in Catra's mind, it didn't matter.

Catra crouched down the floor, blinking back tears.

"I didn't know, but I did. Angella is dead because I opened a stupid portal that would destroy everything. I wanted it all to be over. I didn't care how. I just wanted Adora to lose, just once and for all. Of course, the good guys saved the day. So, here we are."

Catra sniffled.

"I just wanted to tell you everything. So, you can know who I really am. Who you want to proclaim as a princess. Now you know how fucked up I am."

Catra got to her feet. She turned to her moms, a resigned look in her eyes.

"I'm not princess material. I'm not a good person. I'm not worthy of being your daughter or anyone's. I should've died a long time ago. I just wanted to tell you everything, before you went around, proudly showing me off as your pride and joy, when in reality, I'm not worth your time. I understand if you don't want me anymore."

Catra hung her head, squeezing her eyes shut. That last part hurt to say, but it was true.

"I know I'm not easy to love."

Catra trembled harshly. She hugged herself, trying not to lose it. She could feel Melog hiding. Lucky them.

Catra sniffled, not sure what else to say.

"Catra?" Adora spoke up.

Catra glanced at her. Adora had a forlorn look on her face. The blonde princess held out her hands, silently requesting Catra to approach her. Catra slowly walked over to Adora. Adora hated it when Catra talked about herself like this.

When Catra was in arms reach, Adora pulled the magicat onto her lap. Catra was in shock for a second, before she relaxed in her lover's arms. Adora hugged her, her strong arms around Catra's waist. Her hands rubbed Catra's back, soothing her just a bit. Catra let herself be held, mostly for Adora's sake.

When Adora pulled away, she pressed a firm kiss on Catra's forehead. Adora softly shook her head.

"You and I both know that's not how it ended." She said, her voice soft.

Catra's averted her gaze, but Adora forced her to look at her.

"You know that that's not how it ended." Adora pressed. "It wasn't just you doing horrible stuff and me saving the day. Don't you dare make yourself out to be the villain. I'm sick of it. No more. I refuse to have you try and sabotage yourself like this again. You are more than what you did. So much more. I know you don't believe that, because Shadow Weaver told you that you'd never be more than the villain, but she was wrong. If you can't bare to speak good of yourself to your mothers, I will. Because I refuse to let you slander yourself to them when it's not true. You wanted to tell them everything. So, I'll tell them the parts you left out."

Catra clenched her jaw. She gave a nod. Adora's intense gaze stared at her for a moment more. It was a little scary. Adora was fiercely protective of Catra, even against herself. It amazed Catra just how loved she was by this goddess of a woman.

Catra rested her head in the place between Adora's neck and shoulder. Adora adjusted them, so she was facing the queens and holding
Catra at the same time.

"Catra has a lot of demons. Life wasn't kind to her. In the Horde, everyone but me picked on her, because Shadow Weaver encouraged them to. She made sure that we all knew how hated Catra was. She grew up hated. So, when I left, she was rightfully angry at me. I left her for strangers. The enemy. Do I regret switching sides? No. Do I regret leaving Catra there, alone?"

Adora sighed, nuzzling Catra.

"Not a day goes by that I wish I could've done more. We promised each other as kids that we'd always stick together and I guess that meant way more to Catra than me at the time. We've talked about it a ton. Being abused and mistreated your whole life causes you to cling to any form of safe space. I was her safe space and I didn't even think of how my choices would affect her. After I left, Hordak killed her as punishment."

Cy'ra's brows furrowed.

"She lost a life?" She asked.

Catra peeked out at her moms.

"I lost all of my lives over the span of the war." She clarified meekly. "That was the second or third time I died. First was me being dramatic as fuck when I kidnapped Queen Sparkles and Bow. But, still. Hordak punished me for not getting Adora to come back. Shadow Weaver became insane. Couldn't survive without her precious favorite."

Catra rolled her eyes. She sniffed and hid her face again. Adora's hand went up to Catra's head, stroking her hair.

"Yeah. Catra was punished for my choices. I didn't think it would happen and I will forever feel guilty about it. She was terrified to leave the Horde. I know that now. She felt like she had to stay. Like she deserved nothing better. I don't blame her for not coming with me."

She shrugged lazily.

"So, we became enemies. It hurt to fight my best friend. I didn't want to hurt her, but she was so angry at me the whole time. We hurt each other a lot. We have the scars to prove it."

Catra snorted.

"You have it worse." She mumbled.

Adora tsked, glancing at the smaller girl in her arms.

"We are not having that discussion again. We hurt each other. That's it."

Catra didn't argue back, just grunted. Adora looked back up at the queens. She smiled softly.

"Another thing she didn't mention was how she saved us all. Starting with Glimmer."

Catra tightened her hold on Adora. She hated anything to do with Horde Prime. It was a hard topic for everyone involved. Halfmoon, hadn't been touched in the raids, so they had no knowledge of Prime.

"Queen Glimmer, or just Glimmer, Shadow Weaver was in Brightmoon for a while as a prisoner. She got into Glimmer's head and convinced her to use what's called the Heart of Etheria."

Adora saw the subtle curious expressions on the queens.

"It was a super weapon The First Ones created. All the runestones would be used as to power it and She-ra would be used to set it off and destroy the planet."

Adora still felt betrayed that her own people would use her like that. As a weapon.

"I didn't know it would happen. Apparently it was She-ra's destiny to destroy Etheria, or so I was told by an A.I. guide of the previous She-ra. Her name was Mara. Of course, I couldn't do that, and so I destroyed She-ra's sword. That shut off the weapon, but a signal was sent to Horde Prime, Hordak's brother. Prime was the one at the very top of the Horde."

Catra lifted her head, a sneer on her face.

"Had a god-complex too. Full of himself."

Adora chuckled, nodding in agreement.

"Yeah. He was."

The smile slipped off and a frown replaced it.

"He kidnapped Glimmer and Catra, though it had been three years since we'd seen Catra, so we had no idea she was with Glimmer. Prime..."

Catra sighed and shifted her body. She sat up.

"I've got this."

Adora looked at her, clearly worried. Catra turned to her moms, eyes down.

"He wanted information on Etheria, I think. Maybe to use us as ransom. Not sure. Don't really care. While we were there, I had a change of heart, I guess."

Catra licked her dry lips, bracing herself for the story of the century. Adora's arms held her securely, a grounding sensation. It helped a ton.

"I had a lot of time to think. I realized that all I had in my life was bad. I didn't want to hurt anyone anymore. Glimmer begged me to do one good thing in my life. So, I got her out of there. I knew Adora would come for Glimmer. That wasn't an opinion. It was fact and I could let Prime hurt Adora. I had to protect her, so I got Glimmer out of there."

She took a shaky breath.

"Prime wasn't so happy about that. I... He... I was brainwashed."

"What?" Katherine gasped.

Catra nodded slowly. "I remember getting tackled once Glimmer was gone and safe. The clones held me down. They took me to Prime. I laughed in his face when he threatened me."

Cy'ra snorted.

Catra chewed on her bottom lip. She could feel herself slipping into that place. Remembering it all.

"He said I was still useful to him. They cut my mane. Hacked it off. Then I was tortured. He would talk to me, telling me that he could get rid of the pain I felt inside. He starved me and played mind games. Made holograms of Adora coming to rescue me. It was torture, because I was so sure she wouldn't actually come for me. I was hoping, just a little, that she would, but I accepted that I would die there on that spaceship. I couldn't let them get to her."

Adora nuzzled her cheek, comfortingly. Catra blankly stared at the floor, her mind half not present.

"He taunted me. Of all my mistakes. He promised all the pain would stop if I came into the light. He... He promised to bring me peace... and he did. After he chipped me surgically, he brought me to this pool. It had this green stuff in it. I was forced into it and he electrocuted my memories out. It hurt like nothing I've ever felt. But then... nothing. I forgot everything. I was clean, perfect, new. I felt whole again. I still hear the chanting of the clones. All beings must suffer to become pure. Cast out the shadows."

Catra's chest felt tight. She rasped in breaths. Her mind was so cloudy.

"Cat? C'mon back to me."

Catra felt a hand rubbing her back. She sucked in a gasp. She blinked a few times, looking around. She looked at Adora, who was clearly concerned.

"You're safe here." Adora assured her. "It's over. He's dead now. I made sure of it."

Catra's eyes watered. Her emotions ran high. Fighting back a sob, she buried her head against Adora's neck.

"I'm scared." She whispered out.

Adora held her, whispering reassurances in her ear.

"It's ok. I'm here. I'll finish it for you, m'kay, kitten?"

Catra only nodded. Adora kissed her head before exhaling. She regarded the queens. Adora tensed up, as it always did when this particular part came up.

"I couldn't just leave her there." She shrugged helplessly. "So, we went to save Catra. Bow, Princess Entrapta, Glimmer and I travelled through space to get to Prime's ship. Seeing her like that, not herself, was wrong. Her eyes were glowing all green. She wasn't my Catra. I was so angry at Prime. He took her identity away, her hair, her choice. Prime made her fight me. She fought the chip. I could see it. She was going in and out of the mind control. She told me that I should've stayed away, but how could I? But then... Prime, killed her."

That took Cy'ra and Katherine for a loop. Adora's grip tightened on Catra.

"He forced her to jump off this ledge and it was who knows how high up. I jumped after her because I just can't lose her again. Never again. I remember my legs feeling broken, but I crawled over to her. I held her in my arms as she died. Her body was so broken and small. I..."

Adora felt the tears streaming down her cheeks. Catra wiped them away. Adora was comforted by having Catra in her arms and alive. She sniffled, not taking her eyes off of her girlfriend.

"I heard your heart stop. He killed you and I wanted blood. I was so angry at the world and myself. I failed you. I promised to take care of you and you were dead. I was so ready to go on a rampage. That anger and grief and just wanting to protect you one last time, it woke She-ra back up. After all that time of not being able to summon her, she came back. All I know was that my heart hurt and all I could think was of how much I needed you and how desperate I was to save you."

Catra smiled.

"And you did. Like you always do." She finished.

Adora gave a shaky breath. She looked back at the queens, smiling.

"I got her out of there, and She-ra brought her back to life. The relief and just, joy I felt having her in my arms after so long, was a feeling I never thought I could have."

Adora hummed in thought.

"Then there was The heart."

Catra's smiled faded.

"And Shadow Weaver came back."

Adora continued on the story.

"When we got back to Etheria, a lot of people had already gotten chipped as well. Our friends, too. So, in order to stop Prime, only what was called the Failsafe, could be used at the Heart of Etheria. It had great power, but mortals couldn't handle its magic without dying. Shadow Weaver said that only She-ra could stand a chance of surviving using the failsafe."

Adora swallowed.

"My whole life, I was told I was important if I was useful. As She-ra, it was expected of me to sacrifice myself for others. I thought I had to be the one to take the failsafe. Catra begged me not to, but I thought I had no choice. Shadow Weaver did a good job raising me, huh?"

The empty laugh was the only sound in the silence. Adora ran her hands absent-mindedly over Catr'a thighs, her gaze unfocused.

"So I did and Catra wasn't happy about it. I don't blame her for that. Looking back, it was crazy and stupid. I did only what others wanted me to. I didn't want to die, but I thought it was my duty."

Catra purred, trying to comfort her. Adora noticed and smiled.

"So, we went to Mystacore. That's where The Heart was. We all went, even Micah's sister, Castaspella, who surprisingly had shown up with Shadow Weaver."

That had been a shocker. Adora remembered the pang of fear she had for Catra, seeing Shadow Weaver after all that time apart.

"Of course, on the journey there, Shadow Weaver tried to mess with us again. Tried to separate us, drive us apart, and it almost worked."

Adora found Catra's hands. She squeezed them.

"Catra left. She'd had enough. She couldn't stay and watch me die. It was hurting her. Shadow Weaver made her feel like a distraction to me, making her snide remarks and insulting Catra again."

Adora shook her head.

"I'll never forgive her for hurting Catra. I told her just as much after Catra left with Melog. I decided to go to the Heart alone."

Adora huffed, a small smile on her lips.

"Not my smartest idea. I was so scared."

Adora's brows furrowed.

"I was confused and scared and I thought it was because I wasn't focused on the mission. I was almost killed by a monster that was a security trap in the Heart."

Then Adora looked at Catra.

"Then Catra came back." She breathed. "She saved me and Shadow Weaver got me out."

Adora's smile dropped, an uneasy look on her face.

"I was worried about Catra. She stayed behind to take care of the monster while Shadow Weaver and I went on. I couldn't just leave her behind, no matter how much Shadow Weaver insisted I did."

Adora shrugged.

"I guess, she saw how much I needed Catra there and so we went back."

Adora pursed her lips together. She looked at Catra, who also looked uncomfortable.

"She saved Catra. That one time, she helped us both, and sacrificed herself."

Catra scoffed.

"She told me she was proud of me. It was all I'd ever wanted to hear from her, but then she died."

Catra sneered.

"What the fuck did she mean by that? There's no way she meant it. I mean, c'mon! She abuses me my whole life and then before she dies, doing the first good thing for me, tells me that she's proud of me. Way to be manipulative one last time, bitch! Guess she wanted to go down in history as a hero. To fuck with me one last time."

Adora didn't know what else to say on the subject. So, she moved on.

"Catra got me to the Heart. I tried to transform into She-ra but I was infected by Prime's poison. Without She-ra, the magic would kill me."

Adora smiled sweetly at the magicat on her lap.

"Catra refused to leave my side. I released the failsafe. Gods, did it hurt. I could feel myself dying. My body couldn't take it."

Adora laughed bitterly.

"Prime was messing with my head even then. I had this dream, of what I wished for the future." She recounted. "I was wearing a white dress, with gold accents. I was in Brightmoon. Then Catra and Glimmer came running into the room. Glimmer was trying to brush Catra's hair. We looked older."

Adora's heart fluttered.

"Catra looked so beautiful. We were married, I think and so were Bow and Glimmer. It was perfect."

Adora pursed her lips.

"But then Prime showed up and I realized it wasn't real. He told me i wasn't going to have a future. I was dying."

Adora scoffed.

"Then I heard Catra calling out to me. When I was sure I had failed, she was there, begging me to wake up. She told me not to give up. So, I fought. For her. Then... she told me she loved me. It was then I realized how much she meant to me and that I loved her too. I loved her so much that I was willing to live."

Adora's gave Catra's hands a squeeze.

"She gave me a reason to live. To fight for my life. All of my life, I'd been told what I wanted, but was never asked. Catra asked me what I want in life. It all makes sense now. All I'd ever wanted in life, was Catra. To hold her, to hear her laugh, have her in my life. To love and protect her. After that, there was no stopping me. I fought to wake up and I told her I loved her too. We kissed."

The two young women giggled, as giddy as the moment it happened. Adora looked at Catra's blushing face.

"The love I felt for Catra and still feel is what triggered She-ra to come back. The failsafe worked and She-ra released magic back into Etheria. Horde Prime was destroyed and the planet was saved."

Adora smiled at Cy'ra and Katherine.

"That's what she left out."

Catra glanced over at her moms. The two queens were very calm and collected, except for the soft smiles on their faces. A hand on her cheek made Catra turn back to Adora.

"You might have done awful things, it's not all clear cut as you make it seem. You aren't and never were, evil. You were just dealt a shitty hand and no way of dealing with it in a healthy way. No one can blame you for that. You got a second chance and you've been pretty good ever since. You've apologized and worked to rebuild what the Horde destroyed. You're not the same person anymore, and everyone knows it. So, don't try to sell yourself short to your moms. It isn't fair to you. Just know that I'm on your side now and forever."

Catra was reminded of why they were there, retelling their life story. She bit her lip, but nodded.

Adora gave her a peck on the lips. Catra blushed and stood up. She faced her moms, her eyes on the ground.

"Well, now you know everything." She breathed.

Catra's heart sped up when her moms stood up.

She shrunk back when the two older women approached her. Cy'ra was crouched in front of her.

"Please look at me, Catrina." She asked quietly.

Catra met her eyes. Cy'ra face was serious, but gentle. Her eyes fiercely looked into Catra's.

"I want you to understand something. Ok?"

Catra nodded. She prepared herself for the worst, crossing her arms tightly.

Cy'ra searched her face for something.

"I don't care what you've done or what you'll do in the future. You will always be my daughter."

Something like relief or shock rippled through Catra. Her eyes teared up, but she held them back as best she could. She held eye contact with Cy'ra. The woman shook her head, sure.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you. You've gone through so much in life, and I wish I could've been there to shield you from it, but I made the choice to send you away. However, my life for you, from the moment you were born, never faltered. It never stopped."

Cy'ra held Catra at arms length.

"Knowing your past doesn't make me love you any less. It makes me love you more, because now I know how strong you've become. It proves how capable and smart and strong and kind you are. You did what you had to in order to survive, mija. Katherine and I can't hate you for surviving. You've grown from that time in your life and evolved into a caring, strong, amazing young woman. So, don't for a second, think we don't love you. I will always love you, because you are my daughter and you always will be. Nothing in the universe can take that away. Nothing. Alright?"

Catra was silently crying. She nodded her head.  Cy'ra pulled her in for an embrace. Catra pounced on her, sobbing. Cy'ra held Catra, planting kisses on her head.

"I love you so much, Catrina." Cy'ra whispered. "I promise to do everything in my power to show you what a mother is supposed to be like. I'll spend the rest of my life proving that you are worthy of love, mi vida. You mean everything to me and we wouldn't want anyone else for a daughter and a princessa."

Catra laughed brokenly. She nodded, pulling away from her mother. She looked at Cy'ra, smiling softly.

"Thank you."

Katherine stepped up to the two.

"No. Thank you. For trusting us. If there is ever anything bothering you or something you want to talk to us about, you can always come to us. Anytime."

Catra felt a swell of something in her chest. She nodded.

"Sure. I will." She agreed.

Catra cleared her throat, sore from the hours they'd spent talking and crying. She sat down on the couch, physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted.

Adora giggled, hugging her from behind.

"See? You had nothing to worry about. Here."

Adora handed Catra her cup of water. Catra gratefully accepted it, taking a much needed drink. The silence was comfortable. Catra gulped the water and then placed the empty cup on the table.

She glanced up at her parents.

"So, um... I'm guessing that means you have no problems with me being an official princess." She summed up.

Katherine and Cy'ra linked arms, standing beside one another. The two smiled lovingly at Catra. Cy'ra placed a gentle hand on Catra's shoulder.

"We'd be honored. Halfmoon would be honored to have you as its crown princess. If that's something you want."

Catra hadn't thought of that. She had a choice. Looking at her parents, she shrugged, throwing her hands up.

"Guess I'm next going to be queen one day. I'll give it a shot. I want to Halfmoon to thrive and I want to protect our people and learn and do all I can to help Halfmoon prosper."

Her moms beamed proudly. They pulled her into a hug. Catra froze for a moment, before she slowly hugged back, a smile on her face.

Looking over her shoulder, she saw Adora and Melog watching, clearly just as happy as she was. A weight was lifted off of her shoulders.

A grumble broke the silence. Catra looked at Cy'ra, the grumbling having been coming from her. Cy'ra laughed. Katherine rolled her eyes, a loving look on her face to contrast. She pulled away from the huddled hug.

"C'mon. It's dinner time."

She looked expectantly at Adora and Catra.

"Care to join us?" She invited.

Catra and Adora looked at one another. Adora regarded her, a look on her face that gave Catra the choice. Catra looked back at her moms and smiled.

"Sure."

That's how the four of the, minus Melog, found themselves at the dining table in the dining hall of the palace. They ate, swapped stories, and enjoyed the company.

Catra couldn't help but feel joy seeing her girlfriend and her moms talking to casually, sharing a meal. Like a family.

She could get used to this. She really could.

So yeah. There will be a part 3, because I'm writing the coronation scene but it was getting super long so I'm making it a separate part cuz I wanted to post something now. Anyway, comment what you think :)