~1 week later~
"Catra, I understand you're worried for her well-being, and the babies at that, but is it the best idea to not tell her?" Catra paced anxiously in the stables. "No, I know…" She sighed heavily, her mind flashing to the very pregnant ailing form of her, slightly volatile, wife up in the castle. "How the hell am I supposed to tell her, huh Sparkles?" Catra hissed. "Oh, by the way, babe, we lied. Your parents are currently on the floor above us, along with your brother and niece?" Glimmer huffed. "We're not saying that," Bow's voice cut through the tension a little better than Glimmer's high-pitched whine. "But the longer you leave it, the worse it'll be," He put his hand on Catra's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Catra sighed heavily, rubbing her eyes furiously. "I just-" Her voice cracked. "She's gonna hate me," Her tail flicked agitatedly behind. "I-I've kept this from her for a week, Arrows," She hissed. Bow shrugged. "We can help take some of the blame if you want?"
Glimmer sputtered in outrage, but Bow mowed her down. "We're easier to ignore than Catra is, sweetie. They've got kids together and live in a confined space," Glimmer humphed. "But she's the only one who can speak and read their language. How are we supposed to get around?" Once again, even after a near-decade of knowing each other, Catra was astounded by the selfishness of the Queen. Catra shook her head, scoffing. "Wow, Sparkles," She hissed. "You two can kill each other later," Bow stepped in between the two women. "Besides, we've only got another five weeks here, remember? It takes two weeks to get back home, and Catra wants Adora home before the baby's born,"
Glimmer raised her eyebrow. "Hate to break it to ya, kitty, but babies are born at nine months, not seven," Catra felt her hackles raise in irritation. "Violet was born at eight," She countered. "Merlea was forced out at seven and a half,"
Glimmer's mouth opened but clacked shut upon a look from her husband. Her eyes darkened. "Fine," Glimmer took a step forward. "You may have been happy with tormenting her for years, Catra, but I'm not. You've got till the end of the day," Before Catra could swipe at her form, Glimmer disappeared in a cloud of sparkles.
...
She was nervous as she approached the royal suite. Realistically, if the King and Queen were anything like pre-pregnancy Adora, they'd be accommodating and approachable. She hesitated in knocking on the door. "Come in," A sweet voice called through the wooden frame. Catra toed the door open, standing awkwardly by the entrance. "Ah, Catra, is it?" The King greeted. "If you'll bear with me for one moment, I need to sign some papers, then I can speak with you," He smiled briefly, and it was all Adora.
"Is the room to your liking?" Marlena asked quietly, stepping up from her chair and walking to a crackling fire in the corner. Catra stood, frozen still. "You can sit, Catra," Marlena smiled. "I shan't harm you," She chuckled. "How can I, in a dress of this structure?" Catra forced her feet to move as she sat down on the comfortable blue chair. "Here," She thrust the dress forwards. Marlena looked down with a smirk playing on her lips. "What would you like me to do with this, Catra?" The magicat pulled the dress back and slipped into one of the armchairs, perching at the end. "I uh… I'm more of a suit girl," She admitted. Marlena smiled. "As is my understanding, your comrades researched our culture and made your own gowns, yes?" Catra swallowed. "Yeah, Glimmer and Entrapta did… but… there-there was nothing about women in suits, so I wore the dress so I didn't upset anyone," She found herself admitting.
Whoa. Why? Why would she tell Marlena this?
The Queen simply smiled softly. "I can donate the gown to a friend or servant if you do not want it," Catra held the dress out again, feeling a relief she didn't know was resting, lift. "I'll have my tailor make a suit for you, based on these measurements, as a thank you," Marlena put the folded dress to her side with a soft sigh. Catra didn't know either of them well enough to try and broach a topic, so she opted to stay quiet.
"What is she like?"
Catra blinked at the Queen's turned-away form. "Sorry?" She asked. Marlena turned briefly. "Adora. What is she like?" Catra relaxed into the chair, crossing her legs. Randor's pen scribbling stopped. "Uh… that's a big question to answer in short," Catra began. "She's kind, loving, patient, way too quick to put her needs on the back burner, the love of my life, an amazing mother, smart, beautiful and funny," Catra found herself playing with the diamond bands on her ring finger, stroking it softly. Since Adora's pregnancy progressed, she found her fingers and toes swelling with each day. To take her mind off of the guilt, Catra said she'd wear Adora's wedding ring until the baby was born and the swelling went down.
"Catra," Marlena's voice was soft. "You understand my husband and I have waited longer than our agreed deal," It wasn't a question. Catra nodded. "I do... thank you," She began. "I-I think she's settled in enough and gotten her morning sickness a bit more under control. Um... so, you can tell her..." She stuttered, feeling inadequate to give Adora's parents advice on how to talk to their daughter. "Just... let me be there, too? Because She-Ra's connected to her emotions, and she's pregnant, well..." She rubbed the back of her neck. Marlena chuckled softly. "Our son is He-Man, Catra. Believe me, we understand the emotional pull they have on their souls," Randor was suddenly behind Catra, moving to clasp his wife on the shoulder. Catra rolled her shoulders back, forcing forward her tougher demeanour. "Adam still has the sword?" She asked. Randor's brow creased. "Well... yes, otherwise he wouldn't be He-Man. What an odd question?" Catra snorted. "Well, that's where you stop understanding,"
...
Catra helped clean Adora up a little, instructing Violet to go off with Glimmer. The former was too little to understand what was going to erupt, and the latter would only add fuel to the fire that was her sleep-deprived wife. "Catra, what're you doing?" Adora asked as Catra brushed her hair into a braid. "I just... there's some news coming... and I don't know how you're going to react, so I want you to be comfortable," Catra admitted. Adora turned, brow furrowed. "What news?" She paused. "And what do you mean, you don't know how I'll react? Is it bad?" Catra wrinkled her nose. "I honestly don't know. I don't think it's the news that's the problem..."
Before Adora could interrogate her further, the door was knocked upon. Catra exhaled softly and moved to open it. "Your Majesties," She greeted. Adora fumbled into an upright position, standing stiff as if she were back in the Horde. "Babe, you can relax a bit," Catra moved behind, pulling her down onto the bed and absently rubbing her shoulders. "Adora," Randor greeted first. Marlena stayed quiet, standing just behind. "King Randor," Adora greeted back, frowning softly. "As much as we would like a different way of telling you this, here is how we are going to do it," He paused. "We are going to tell you some rather big news, potentially life-changing. We understand you are expecting as well, so we will tell you the news, then leave you to process it, and return tomorrow, does that sound ok?"
Adora straightened beneath Catra's best efforts at keeping her relaxed. "What is this news?" Randor took a step back, allowing Marlena to take the lead. She moved to the bed and sat, gently taking Adora's hands within her own. "Oh, Adora," She whispered. Catra felt Adora tense beneath her fingers, but she didn't pull out of the Queen's grasp. "Do you remember how you came to be on Etheria?" Marlena asked. Adora frowned. "Um... I'm pretty sure Light Hope, and Shadow Weaver for that matter, said I came through a portal," Marlena nodded. "Yes. When you were a babe," She said. Adora's frown deepened. "How do you know that?"
Marlena ignored her question. "You were three months old, yes? Not even off the breast," Adora's confusion rose, bubbling into her throat. "Um... from what I've been told, yeah. Gonna be honest, I can't remember that far back," She admitted. Marlena sniffed softly, rubbing her thumb across Adora's hand. "You were born here, on Eternia, yes?" She continued. Adora hummed in confirmation. "I'm struggling to see how this is news. I know all of this,"
Marlena switched tactics. "What do you know about your parents?" Adora shrugged. "Not much. Just that they're Eternian," Randor sighed softly. "Marlie, just tell her," He moved closer. Adora gazed between the married couple. "Tell me what?!" Her hands began to glow a faint golden colour. Catra put her chin onto her shoulder, whispering into her ear. "Baby, calm down. You're glowing," Her tail tapped Adora's arm. She took a long, deep breath.
"Adora, honey, we're your parents,"
The truth was out... and oddly silent.
Adora's shoulders began shaking in laughter. Catra glanced at Marlena, who simply watched with watery eyes. "Ha ha, funny joke," Adora chortled. Catra ground her teeth. "Adora, we would never joke about something like this, something so sensitive," Randor stepped closer. "We tell only the truth," Adora's shoulders kept shaking in laughter. "No, I know this is a joke, 'cus we've been staying here for a week, and you'd've said something by now!" She turned back over her shoulder to try and see if Catra was in on the joke. The magicat hid her head. "But-but you must've heard about me! About She-Ra!" Adora stuttered. "We did, but only after you came back into our dimension. We thought you'd died, honey,"
"DON'T call me that," Adora hissed. "Ok, ok, I won't," Marlena placated. "Why didn't you try sooner, if you're my m-my mom? We were pulled out of Despondos over six years ago. Shit, I beat Prime over six years ago! Why didn't you try sooner?!" Adora stood up in a fury. "WHY didn't you try sooner!?" She exploded. Catra sat on the bed, frozen. She'd never heard Adora that angry before... "We weren't sure, Adora. We didn't even know if you were given the same name on Etheria. For all we know, your name was changed. And we certainly didn't know you were She-Ra until her presence burned brightly eight years ago," Marlena argued. "We had to be sure, ho- Adora,"
Before Catra could even think, Adora had whirled on her. "Did you know?" She hissed. Catra's ears flew back against her skull. "Did- have you known this whole week we've been here?" She snapped. Catra tried to speak in her defence, but her mouth was glued shut. "ANSWER ME!" Adora screamed. Catra's temper flared. "Yes, ok?! Yes, I knew," She spat. Adora's fury visibly took the back burner, hurt taking centre stage. "Why didn't you tell me, Catra!?" She implored. Catra looked away with a low hiss. She had no answer, not that wouldn't somehow further fuel Adora's rage.
Adora scoffed loudly. "Wow," She was already backing out of the room when Randor reached out. "Adora-"
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" A bright light flashed in the room. Catra's ears rang as she blinked away the spots that usually came from a large power pulse from Adora. "Randor," Marlena gasped. Catra glanced up to the doorway, locking eyes with her wife. "Adora, baby, come on, deep breaths," She stood slowly, palms down, spread out as if she were approaching a rabid animal. Randor groaned in the background, muttering that he was fine. Adora was grabbing the doorframe, eyes wild, hair swaying in the non-existent wind of She-Ra. Adora's furious eyes flicked up from Randor's fallen form to Marlena's approaching, to Catra's careful eyes.
"Don't-" She whispered, her voice cracking. "Adora, please-" She bolted before anybody could run after her.
