Chapter Text
She was alone in one of the many tents that had been set up to house the army a few miles outside the Newtopian gates. She was alone and she couldn’t breathe.
Sasha had held the feeling of increasing anxiety the entire journey to Newtopia and now that she was within sight of the flying castle, her mind was overrun with every that had happened and all that she should have to make things different.
If she had held Andrias off a little longer than Marcy wouldn’t have been hurt.
It was all her fault.
Absolutely and completely her fault.
Her heart pounded against the walls of her ribcage, her lungs unable to expand to their full potential. She was alone and she couldn’t breathe and she didn’t know what to do.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she tore at her hair. She let out a frustrated scream, clawing at the clasp of her cloak, the item of clothing feeling as if it were choking her.
“Hello?” One of the rebellion’s soldiers, a frog, stuck their head into the tent, evidently having heard Sasha in her panic.
She ignored the frog, still trying to get her cloak off with shaking, fumbling fingers.
“Are you okay?” They asked hesitantly, clearly wary of the human warrior.
She glared at them, their presence not helping her situation in the slightest.
“Do you… Do you want me to get someone for you?” The frog, already halfway out the tent.
Sasha didn’t know what to do to make things better. She didn’t even know if they could be. Her mind plagued her with thoughts that no one cared about her enough to come and help her. When shit hit the fan, everyone left her. The only people who hadn’t left her had been Anne and Marcy, but even they were nowhere around now. She was completely and utterly alone.
She was alone and forgotten.
Alone and unable to breathe.
“Uh, sir, I think something’s wrong with your lieutenant.” The frog said, voice distant and barely audible to the panicking Sasha.
“Leave us.” Grime said to the frog, entering the tent. He comes straight over to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. “Can you tell me what’s wrong, Sasha?” He asks gently.
She shakes her head, still struggling with her cloak.
He takes hold of her hands, moving them aside before undoing the clasp to her cloak, letting the heavy fabric fall to the ground. “Is that better?” He asks, though doesn’t expect an answer. “Here, come and sit.” He grabs a chair, pushing her into it. He kneels before her. “I need you to breathe, Tadpole.”
“I-I can’t.” She gasps, tears streaming ever faster down her cheeks.
“Yes, you can.” He says. “Try and match my breathing.” He starts guiding her into copying his slow, steady breaths.
“I can’t.” She says again. “I can’t.”
“Yes, you can. You’re already doing so well.” He wipes a tear from her cheek. “Come on, Tadpole, a few more deep breaths for me.”
She takes several shuddering breaths, copying his as well as she could.
“There you go.” He said encouragingly as her breathing began to even out. “I’ve got something for you.” He fishes about in his pocket before pulling out a small stuffed frog toy. “I picked it up when we were in Wartwood. I saw you eyeing that toy shop, so I thought you’d like this.” He holds it out to her.
She stares at him in complete awe that someone would ever buy her something just because they thought she’d like it. Sure, Grime had given her presents before, mainly weapons based, but those always had a reason. Winning battles, doing a good job. But this was different. This was without anything prompting it.
Wide-eyed, she hesitantly takes the toy from him, feeling the soft fabric it was made from.
“If this whole rebellion situation is too much for you, you don’t have to go through with it. There’s no shame in knowing your limits.” He says quietly, watching her stroke the toy as she continued to calm herself. “And too be honest, I’d much prefer you to stay out of danger. You’re still a child and no one is forcing you to go into battle.”
She shakes her head. “I’m coming with you.” She says determinedly, looking up at him from her frog, tears still clinging to her eyelashes. “I’m your lieutenant.”
“And as your captain, I say that you don’t have to go into battle.” He says, getting up to his feet, giving her a brief hug. “Get some rest, Tadpole. I’ll bring you some food.”
She nods.
He makes his way towards the tent’s exit when he was stopped.
“Dad?”
“Yes.” He turns back to face her.
“Thank you.” Sasha holds up the frog toy, smiling slightly.