Chapter Text
Princess Catra of Half Moon turned twenty on a dreary Thursday afternoon.
It was a grand affair. The whole entirety of Halfmoon seemed to be there in the banquet hall of the castle. They gave her a surplus of gifts ranging from intricate, hand made, new suits to new balls of yarn to play with in her spare time.
She was a truly beloved princess, known for her kindness, which she had gotten from her father, but also her sarcasm and the playful mischievousness that twinkled behind her eyes—something she got from her mother.
Though, today her eyes didn’t seem to twinkle as bright as usual. Her heterochromatic eyes stared ahead, arms crossed as she sat on her throne, which sat between her father’s and her mother’s empty one.
“Hey.” King Milo elbowed Catra softly in the side. “Why are you so quiet?” Catra let out a sigh, leaning back against her throne as her gaze drifted from the crowd of her people dancing gracefully in front of her to her father, who sat tall at her side. His yellow eyes shone with concern, his orange tail flicked back and forth in quiet anticipation.
“It’s nothing, Dad,” Catra murmured, fiddling with a ball of yarn that sat in her lap. One orphan had given it to her earlier. Had spent all her savings on it. Her father adjusted the crown on his head. It was bulkier than the headpiece that Catra wore, but it had the same design. It wrapped around their heads with points coming in on their foreheads and cheeks and a U-shape on the top, which made parallel points that came up, looking like devil horns a little.
“It’s your mother, isn’t it,” King Milo kept his voice low, continuing to fix parts of his robes, anxiously. Catra’s tail wagged back and forth, irritated.
Queen C’yra had traveled to Bright Moon to meet with Queen Angella that morning. The only indicator that she had remembered her daughter’s birthday was the note left next to her bed.
“You know that her duties--”
“I don’t care,” Catra snapped, glaring ahead. King Milo nodded, nervously picking at his claws.
***
“C’yra,” Angella’s kind voice rang out across the castle.
Queen C’yra’s ears perked. She ran her hands through the tangle of black hair on her head and then straightened out her robes, adjusting her headpiece. “Angella, it’s good to see you.”
The old friends hugged each other. C’yra wasn’t as tall as the Queen of Brightmoon, so it was a slightly awkward position for both of them. “How’s Milo? And Catra?” Angella asked as she pulled away, beckoning the Magicat to follow her as she walked through the halls of the castle.
“Milo’s good. He’s been handling much of the paperwork while I’ve been training our soldiers. Catra’s… Catra. Sometimes it’s hard to believe she’s twenty.” Angella’s eyes lit up.
“Twenty! You must be proud.”
C’yra raised her eyebrows, amused. “She’s becoming a very kind young woman. She cares a lot about the people in Halfmoon, especially the orphans. But her training? Not as much.”
Angella nodded, her eyes trained on the walls—on the murals that they were passing. “Does she have a connection to the runestone?”
C’yra’s breathing hitched. She shook her head. “To be connected to the Tiger’s Eye… It’s much different from the others. A much more ancient ritual. Catra must have… a partner, a spouse, to access the power of the Tiger’s Eye.” Angella was quiet for a moment before nodding.
“Come in here with me.” Angella turned into a large open room with great, big murals around the walls—like the ones in the hallway. C’yra recognized it as the war room. Angella sat in a tall chair at the head of the table. The Queen of the Magicats sat across from her.
“I forgot to ask you... how’s Glimmer?” C’yra asked as she sat down.
A flicker of a smile painted Angella’s face. “Glimmer is stubborn, brave, she reminds me of Micah with each passing day.”
C’yra chuckled, “I always knew she would. I could see it in the eyes.” A sad look crossed Angella’s face for a second until it flickered back to her normal, neutral expression.
“She also… she found She-Ra.”
C’yra’s eyebrows rose, her blue eyes widened in surprise. “She-Ra? Really?”
Angella nodded. “She’s forming a… Princess Alliance. To defeat the Horde.”
C’yra’s eyes narrowed, her jet black tail swishing back and forth. “You want Catra to join the rebellion.”
Angella shook her head, “I want all of Half Moon to join the rebellion.” C’yra’s tail moved faster as irritation built in her chest.
“You remember what happened the last time Half Moon joined Bright Moon.”
Angella rubbed her hands together guiltily. “Yes, I remember. But we have She-Ra now--”
“You left us,” C’yra growled, slamming her hands on the table as she stood. “I almost lost Catra!” Tension soared between the two women. Angella was looking to the side, guilt written all over her face. C’yra’s glare bore into the side of her face. “I can’t lose her again.” Her voice was softer, more delicate.
Angella nodded, gulping, “I understand… but C’yra we’re so close. If we band together… We have She-Ra now. If we can get Catra connected to the Tiger’s Eye and get her to join the Princess Alliance… we’d be unstoppable.”
C’yra slowly sat back down in the chair. She crossed her arms across her chest. Her tail was still wagging. “My daughter is single and not exactly looking for a partner. It could be years before she’s connected to the Runestone.” Angella thought for a second, an amused smile spreading across her face.
“An arranged marriage,” C’yra’s eyes flickered up to Angella’s face as she spoke, “we could arrange a marriage. A… A way to get Half Moon into the rebellion. A promise that Bright Moon will stand by Half Moon.” C’yra rose a questioning eyebrow as Angella continued to speak. “Does the marriage have to be between Magicats?”
The Queen of Half Moon sat back in her chair, thinking for a moment, “I suppose not. There just has to be a marriage… the possibility of kittens.” Angella’s smile grew wider. “Perfect! I propose we arrange a marriage for Catra.”
“But who would she marry?” A protective look crossing C’yra’s face.
“She-Ra.”
***
“Any ladies catch your eye?” King Milo asked, wiggling his eyebrows at Catra while she sat bored on her throne, watching the people of Half Moon dance in front of her. The princess rolled her eyes, crossing her arms, and gave her father a look.
“C’mon kid!” Milo stood up. “Dance with me. It’s your birthday!”
A small smile broke out on Catra’s face as she looked up at her father, who stood in front of her with his hand stretched back for her to grab. They considered King Milo a very handsome Magicat. His hair and tail were orange, though grey was shining through. His hair was fluffy, but well contained. He had large, orange ears that were always alert. The short fur that covered his body was tan, like Catra’s, and he had orange stripes spread evenly across his body, another trait he gave to his daughter. His eyes were golden, yellow, and kind. Small freckles sprinkled across his nose, which he also shared with Catra.
Catra grabbed her father’s hand and he led her to the dance floor. A slow song rang out. “Oh! Me and your mother danced to this at our wedding!” King Milo exclaimed, pulling his daughter closer to him. He wrapped one hand around Catra’s waist with the other extended in front of him, wiggling his fingers so she knew to grab his hand. Catra giggled and grabbed her father’s hand, laying her head on his chest, purring, as he sang the words to the song wrong, and swayed them around, slightly offbeat.
Catra loved being wrapped in her father’s firm embrace. It made her think back to her early childhood when King Milo would come to wake her up in the morning, carrying her around the castle as she clung to him, too shy to move her face from his chest.
“I am so very proud of you Catra.” Her father said in a low voice. “You have become an extremely strong, kind young woman. You will become a great Queen someday.” Catra snuggled in closer to her father’s chest. “I learned it all from you, dad.”
“Well, your mother, too, Catra,” her father said pointedly.
Catra shrugged. She knew she had learned a lot from her mother, but she felt like her father had been more of the guiding force in her life. He was the one to teach her basic abilities like hunting, fishing, school, while her mother was off… helping defend Half Moon from the Horde.
“Yeah, her too… I guess.” the King’s golden eyes narrowed slightly. “She’ll be home for dinner, she promised.”
Catra nodded. She had little faith in her mother’s promises.
***
“She-Ra??” C’yra’s eyes grew wide, “I… I don’t know—”
“She-Ra is actually a young girl, about Catra’s age, named Adora,” Angella explained. “She’s… much different from you are probably perceiving her to be.” C’yra looked confused. “How so?”
“Why don’t I introduce you?” Angella offered. C’yra nodded in response. Standing up from the table, the two women made their way back to the halls of Bright Moon. They were about halfway out of the room when Glimmer poofed into the room, panting. C’yra yelped in surprise, her black tail bushing up.
“Hi, mom!” Glimmer greeted her mother cheekily. Her eyes widened when she saw the Magicat standing next to her, “Oh! Queen C’yra,” Glimmer did a small curtsy in greeting.
“Glimmer… can you tell me where Adora is?” Queen Angella asked.
Her daughter straightened her back. “Oh yeah. I was just coming to tell you we need more of that bread because Adora’s in the kitchen eating it all.”
Queen Angella’s hand went up to her head, “Not again…”
“Here! I’ll take you to her,” Glimmer reached out and grabbed onto both of the Queens’ wrists and in a poof, they were in the kitchen. C’yra’s fur was all bushy, her face in a grimace. She wasn’t prepared to be teleported across the castle.
“Glimmer! What did I tell you about teleporting without permission??” Queen Angella reprimanded her daughter, who rolled her eyes and teleported away to the other side of the room where Adora stood, hunched over, munching on a loaf of bread.
C’yra studied the young woman in front of her. She wasn’t what the Queen was expecting when Angella brought up She-Ra. She was wearing a signature Horde red jacket, her dark blonde hair was tied up in a tight ponytail and there was a poof in the front of her hair. Crumbs were spread all over her and on the floor. C’yra could see the sword poking out behind her back.
“Adora. This is Queen C’yra of Half Moon,” Angella spoke loud, trying to get the girl’s attention.
Adora looked up from the bread and her baby blue eyes connected with C’yra’s cat-like blue eyes. “Oh! Uh…” Adora tossed the loaf of bread at Glimmer, bowing and then saluting, “Hello, ma’am… er… sir?”
C’yra lifted an amused eyebrow at Adora. “Hello, Adora.” she reached out her clawed hand for Adora to shake. The young woman stared at her hand for a moment, looking at the Queen’s razor-sharp claws. C’yra realized that this must be Adora’s first time seeing a Magicat. She retracted her claws, making the girl jump. She did eventually reach out to shake C’yra’s hand, but she had to brush the bread crumbs off first.
“Adora, I’d like to invite you to come to Half Moon in the next coming days,” C’yra spoke with a growing amount of confidence.
“I’d like you to meet my daughter, Princess Catra of Half Moon. Glimmer, it would be wonderful if you could join, too.” C’yra grinned. Glimmer nodded, accepting the invitation.
“Can our friend Bow come as well?” Adora asked, excitement lighting her eyes.
“I don’t see why not,” C’yra said, a small smile on her face.
“Cool!” Adora exclaimed, “I mean! Uh… thank you, Ma’am… er, uh…. Queen C’yra!”
“Adora… we have that thing, remember?” Glimmer spoke low, quickly glancing up at her mother, who narrowed her eyes at the two. “What thing?” Queen Angella asked, crossing her arms.
“Uh… Nothing! Bye, Mom! Bye, Queen C’yra!” Glimmer rushed out, grabbing onto Adora and the loaf of bread and teleporting out of the room.
Queen Angella turned to C’yra. “So, is that a yes?”
“I’ll talk to Milo and Catra.” C’yra didn’t give an answer, but she didn’t have to. The Queen of Brightmoon already knew what she was going to say. So she smirked slightly as C’yra turned to leave.
“I’ll be in touch.”