I saw a pic of Theo on my Instagram and here I am 🥰😋

1-2 months later(still in the flashback)

"Donatello?" My mother's voice sounded. I heard her struggling to step over a pile of my empty paint buckets and canvases.

"I'm here mother" I yelled, guiding her to my little nook in the painting room.

"This place is a mess!" My mother exclaims, lifting discarded paint brushes and canvases. "Why don't you take a beak and come and eat? I prepared you some food"

My mother finally came behind me and rested an arm against my shoulder. I knew she wanted my sanity back but I had been restless since my return from Genovia. It had been 1 month? Maybe 2? I had lost track of time, consumed with thoughts of Calla.

I hummed at her suggestion even though she knew I would reject it. I continued painting yet another portrait of Calla. This is how a typical day looked for me. I would wake up and coop away in my workshop, painting a series of portraits of Calla.
My health had declined, my beard had grown shaggy...
Even my sanity had been nonexistent.
I had no clue or information about Calla's wellness or state of being. If she was okay or even alive. I had written letters to Oslo. 7 even 8 but I had heard no response. Leo had probably been intercepting them.

"This painting is even more beautiful than the others" my mother sang her praises, snapping me from my troubled thoughts.

I nodded.

"But painting her will not bring her back Natello" She reminded me.

I ignored her of course. I knew she meant well but I was not ready to dismiss Calla just yet.

"Donatello I am a fan of the empress as much as you are. You gave me no choice seeing and falling in love with her paintings.
All 59 of them" she teased.

"But?" I sniffed, standing and wiping my hands before letting the canvas dry. I knew she was about to start another one of daily speeches.

"Donatello you haven't eaten!
You haven't slept and your friends are worried about you.
I am worried about you"

"I wish you wouldn't worry mother" I chuckled. She lifted my chin, rubbing the stubble with disdain.

"I'll shave it first thing tomorrow"

"That is what you said yesterday" she tisked. She had a light cream shawl that she pushed over her shoulders. The sun was setting and the night was getting chilly.

"I am sane.
I feel fine. You do not have to worry about me"

"Fine... I will not worry today. Clean yourself up would you?"

"I can't promise you that mother" I cursed focusing again on the portrait of Calla. She looked radiant.

"Then at least eat?  I made your favorite dinner"

"Mother I —"

"No! I haven't seen you in a month! You are coming to dinner and that's final!" She fumed, refusing to leave until I said yes. 

"Fine... I will come. For you"

"Good and don't forget to freshen up."

—-

"This must be the famed empress!" I hear the voice of Picazzo. He picked up two of the paintings and smirked. "I understand the obsession" he smirked.

"Who let you past my gates"

"I hoped over them" he confessed as it was an everyday occasion. I chuckled but continued yet another painting. I hadn't captured Calla's aura in the other 20.

"Donatello come on let's go party or something"

"No thanks"

"Come on you've been here for 6 weeks.
You smell.
You have the beard the size of a wasp nest and you look sickly."

"Anything else?"

" I'm bored!" He complained. "I came back from a month long commission and you look like a Hispanic santa clause?" He chuckled.

"Maybe you should start up painting again?  I heard your commission didn't go to well."

"That's a low blow" he chuckled, lifting up another canvas to observe.

"Word on the streets is that you didn't even go to your gallery opening! You sold the most expensive portait given to Spain in the history of its founding and you haven't even celebrated?
You are history yet you're here. Sulking"

"Is there a reason why you decided to come Picazzo?" I asked impatiently. He chuckled but nodded, understanding I wanted my peace.

"Come on!" He announces, pulling me away from my canvas. "Your mother said I was in charge of helping you get ready for dinner"

"Let go " I chuckled trying to wrestle away but he was adamant. I was hungry anyway so I didn't protest as much.

———

"So that is when I told Lady Duvont thst I would raise my fee to 600 dublins. She was insufferable but her pockets were lengthy" Picazzo chuckled, retelling his tale of his adventures in France on commission.

I sat next to him at the dinning table. Picazzo continued piling his plate high with food. I for one was not as hungry but only filled my plate so mother would not make a fuss.

Suddenly, a knock at the door. 🙄

"Donatello? Could you get that?" My mother fusses, bringing in two more bowls of food.

"We're we expecting someone else?" I asked her.

"Not that I know of." She looked as confused as me.
Picazzo smiled boyishly but shrugged, pretending as if he did not know. What had he done?

I rolled my eyes but stood from my chair to open the door. I was a bit surprised to see a woman whose features I had been so distant from yet were so familiar.

"Laura?" I said, looking into her eyes as she stood at the door.
She smiled so charmingly...it was almost perfect....  as if it were rehearsed.

"Sir Donatello." She said barely above a whisper. She lifted a finger to her hair, pushing a curl behind her ear.

I couldn't help but linger upon her features. Isabel Laura was an old flame. Technically, we were both betrothed to each other but an abrupt trip to Genovia ceased those plans.

It had been almost a year since I'd seen her last. She had no clue who Calla was or the love we shared. To Laura? I was still betrothed to her.

"Are you just going to stand there or, are you going to let me in?" She giggled. I nodded, stepping from beyond the door and allowing her in.

———

Yea.... I'm not doing a Donatello and Laura arc.

Current day

Calla

I knew it had been a long day. After our visit to the fair, Donatello had left me alone and stormed back to his house.

I decided that tonight was the night! I could wait no longer to tell him of my short lived amnesia.

I knew I would find Donatello in his studio, painting away his sorrows. I had made sure to prep and lotion my body.
He would know me tonight.
He must.

Of course I find him painting in his studio. He catches of glimpse of my figure before shooting up to from his chair.

"Empress" he bows.

"Sorry to disturb you Donatello. I could not sleep" I lied. It was past 2 am and I had been wide awake, plotting for my attack on his peace.

"No disturbance at all empress" he nodded, sitting back at his chair and resuming.
I take a look around his station and pick up some paintings and canvases.

"Beautiful" I whispered, observing the canvas with a painted tree.
"I want one Sir Donatello" I demanded, walking to the front of his canvas to face him.

I didn't even wait for his response and instead started undressing. He watched me intently, making no effort to stop my disrobement.

I sit on a soft lounge chair, wrapping my dress around my waist and watch him, lifting a delicate foot but doing it discreetly so my stomach would not show.

"Empress I can't..."

"Are you not an artist? You do stuff like this all the time? " I taunted him.

"Yes...but..."

"What is the reason for the hesitancy then? Unless we shared a past? This is nothing more than a commission?"

He looked into my eyes and nodded, taking a clean canvas and paints and beginning his task.

I purposely slouched, making my breasts more full.
His eyes dropped down to my chest with intrigue.

He looked taken aback because they were so much perkier than before but marked his canvas and continued painting.

It was eerily quiet. I knew he was uncomfortable only because he knew I was married and he was engaged.

"I can hear the field mice squeaking" I piped, trying to break the air of silence.

He smirked and stared at me. "Sorry I just... I am trying to perfect it empress. I want you to be content with my work"

"I am content with all your work Donatello. I am not a tough critic."

He smiled and continued. He was shirtless of course, tracing his pencil against the canvas before standing and walking over to where I sat. He lifted my jaw and turned it, forcing me to face his eyes. "Hold your jaw like this" he commanded. His touch sent thrills into my core.

"Like this?" I drop it purposely so he could touch me again.

"No." He chuckled, holding it again and lifting it. His fingers lingered against my skin and I put both my hands above his.

"What were we Donatello... before this" I whisper against his thumb, pushing my lips against it.

"Empress? I don't understand your question" he lied so foolishly. Why did he deny it?

"Before I got amnesia... what were we?" I made sure to be clearer this time.

"Nothing...something. We were wholly good friends Empress"

"Don't lie to me Donatello. Your reaction at the fair was far too abrupt"

He remained quiet, looking to the distance. He still allowed me to kiss his thumb.

"I felt the warmth in your hands as it brushed against mine.
I see the look you have for me Donatello.
You do not look at her the way you look at me. I may have lost my mind but I am still a woman; am I not?"

"You were always so observant.
That is one of the things I most liked about you empress." He says, looking into my eyes.

"Is it not true?"
He smirked showing off the handsome smile I once so eagerly fell in love with.

He pulled me from the sofa, staring down at my lips before massaging my lips with his fingers.

"And how do I look at you Calla?" He said my name the way I loved it. We were so close, it was invasive.

"Like a man, excited to see a candle in the distance, eager to return home from his journey.
You look at me like the world is ending and my words are the last thing you dare yourself to hear"

He rubbed my jaw, bringing my lips closer and closer to his.

"I asked you about the girl in the painting. Was it was me?"

"Yes" he cursed, pressing his forehead against mine.

"I asked you did you love her Donatello."

"Calla please don't do this" he begged,snatching my jaw and lifting it so I could stare into his eyes. He looked impatient to kiss me. As if he were waiting an eternity to taste my lips.

He had tried so hard to forget me.
He was sane! Whole. But Donatello knew once he answered the fateful question, Laura would be all but a distant memory. He had tried so hard not to abandon the thought of a new life with hi wife but little did he know.

"Do you love me Donatello?" I whispered, gently running a palm against his chest. And in an instant he grabbed my jaw pulling my lips into his.

"My sanity. My health. They were fine but now they are gone in an instant seeing you right now."

"When did your sanity disappear?
We're you sane the night you kissed me before you perfected my lips.
When you came to the palace and bathed in the sea. When you left a note in a shoe that I had forgotten in the seaside.
We're you sane the night you swore your allegiance to me and pledge to aide me kill Leo.
We're you sane...the night we first laid together
Or when gave me this?" I press the golden necklace into his palm and open it.

He stood still, shocked at my revelation. I stood taller looking into his eyes. His eyes started to moisten, thick tears dripped down his cheeks.

He grabbed my jaw, forcing me to stare into his soft brown orbs.

"Calla..." his whisper was so timid. He couldn't believe it. "Is it really you?"

I nodded, chuckling through a thick stream of tears. "CALLA!" he cried, chuckling and pulling me into his arms and we smacked with passion and warmth.

How careless we were to stain each other with our essence, familiarizing ourselves with the ridges long forgotten.

We attacked each other still, our tongues lapping to greet each other. We had been separated for so long, it was only necessary.

He broke his control, looking into my eyes before wiping my tears. "They said you were...dead? Lizabeth said you had forgotten everything? I tried writing? I tried sending letters?" He explained, desperate to give his explanation. I for one did not care. I had no ill will against him.

"But Leo said you were gone! That you went insane?"

"Did you really believe that loon?"
He chuckled, gently running a palm against my cheek.

"Took you long enough! I mean for god's sake Donatello! I clued you in so many times! The hand holding, the lingering gazes!"

"Forgive me empress" He chuckled, falling to his knees and smiling. He hugged me, pressing his head against my stomach in warmth but as soon as he did, he froze and looked up. His orbs iced as he came to the realization.

Slowly, his hands faltered as he felt the dress and the small bump beneath it. My smile disappeared as I realized why he was stone faced.

"Donatello wait..let me explain." He stood from the ground, looking into my eyes before turning away.

"Wait!" I grabbed his arm but he pulled away, storming out the room to walk away.

"Donatello! Donatello!" I gathered my dress, slipping it back on before running after him.
He ignored me, pulling away as I tried to stop him.

"Donatello! would you just let me explain!"

He stopped and glared looking into my eyes. And although he was upset with me.. his eyes were so sad...full of betrayal...

"Calla...let go of me." He seethed looking down to my grip against his arm.

"Donatello please..."

"Let go before I do something we will both regret." He said through clenched teeth. I hesitated but finally let him go...falling back into the chair that was behind me.

He stormed out the room, leaving me alone in the darkness of the morning.

——

Author Note

Yea... imma be real...
It only gets worse from here!

But remember the time where Donatello and Calla were in Genovia? Really happy and lovey dovey? Think about that