Escaping Corruption (Seasons 1-3)

32 - Realise

‘Aeris?! Rissy, what happened? Whats wrong?’

Catra immediately dropped to one knee.

Aeris hugged her tight, still sobbing hysterically, only concerning Catra further.

When she finally pulled away, what she said shook Catra to the bone.

‘Catra….Its Dad….he's….he's home…but…somethings wrong! He-hes not okay!’

Catra had never run so fast in her life.

She could distantly hear Adora, Glimmer and Bow calling after her while they ran with a sniffling, red-faced Aeris.

She raced through the palace until she arrived at the infirmary, driven by panic, fear and concern.

She swung open the doors, but nothing could have prepared her for the sight of Amato, with an oxygen mask, a sickly complexion, and a bloodied, bandaged abdomen.

C'yra sat at the bedside, holding his hand in hers, worry eloquent on her face.

‘C'yra?’ Catra chokes out.

The empress meets her eyes.

‘Cub….the healers don't think they can heal him….hes…theres a 97% chance he won't make it to the next full moon…..Oh Catra, sweetheart, come here..’

Catra allows C'yra to embrace her tightly, ignoring that Glimmer, Bow and Adora are watching now. Their stares digging into the back of her head.

‘C'y- Mom…..what will happen without dad?’ She whisper tearfully.

‘I don't know, cub, I don't know ‘ C'yra too, has the glittering shine of tears in the corners of her eyes.

This is the first time Catra, or even Aeris for that matter, have ever seen the Empress express her grief over something, always having to be strong, the sword of the kingdom, an emotionless leader.

But now, with the love of her life on his death bed, she broke.

The Empress’ lips were pressed to Amatos knuckles, with Catras head in her lap as she sobbed.

Glimmer faltered in the doorway.

Something about C'yras reaction made her think of her mother. They were similar, she realised. Both were strong leaders of nations, with a fair mind and a heart of gold, but they had both gone through immense grief, mainly connected to loosing their spouses.

Glimmer tried to recall the last time she had ever seen her father. He had placed a hand on her head and said something she could not remember, then he had left the room.

She remembered Angella falling to her knees before a guard, who had carried the word of her fathers’ sentence to beast island, a death sentence.

Glimmer never realised that the reason she resented her mother until this moment, was that she had been so annoyed that her mother never let her fight, but at this moment, she realised it was because Angella was afraid. Scared. Terrified. Of loosing the only thing she has left from Micah. Glimmer herself.

She remembered her fathers warm smile, and kind eyes. Her mothers bell-like laugh at something he had said. The three of them sitting in Brightmoons gardens, having a family picnic.

Glimmer had not yet noticed that she was crying. Until Bow nudged her and whispered to her;

‘Psst! Glimmer? Are you okay?’

‘I'm fine, Bow, are you okay?’

‘I…..Yes…?’

She hugs his arm closer to her. Watching Catra sob.

Watching this made her relive through the pain of her own father.

Having been too young to have many memories of him.