Chapter Text
POV: Sergent Heart
I found Catalina under the old oak tree in the pasture on the West side of the compound. It had been a habit of hers lately, to sit in the unevenly hewn grass and watch the livestock as they grazed. It was a stifling hot Texas summer’s day, the air silent as all the birds took their midday siestas hiding from the heat.
“I thought I’d find you here” I said calmly, approaching her from behind. “It has become your spot, hasn’t it?”.
“Yes, somehow no one else in my family has realised the opportunity for philosophical reflection this place brings”.
“I came to talk to you” I began. It wasn’t in my habit to beat around the bush. To lead an army, you needed military precision.
“I figured”, Catalina sighed, and turned around to face me. Her dark, watchful eyes explored mine, without finding what they searched for. Her magic and intelligence made her incredibly perceptive, but me she wasn’t able to read.
“Mum sent you, I assume?”.
There was no need to answer that. A few days ago, Catalina and Nevada had had a long talk discussing the recent events. Catalina still had a lot to digest, and Penelope had practically begged me to speak to her, seeing an opportunity for me to do some future stepfather-stepdaughter bonding, although I wouldn’t reveal that detail yet.
“Nevada called and said that you questioned your leadership”.
Catalina winced slightly. She was an incredibly talented head of the house who had been delt a difficult hand and was now struggling with it. I looked intently at Catalina. She met my gaze. “I have to. I’m the head, I should know the threats against my family and do the risk analyses. Instead, they all kept the truth about Linus from me, including my own fiancé. I do my best, but I can’t lead a house where I don’t invoke trust.”
She fell silent, staring ahead at the yellowed grass, watching the livestock wipe flies of their bodies with annoyed grunts.
“This whole conflict was my baggage, mine and Alessandro’s. The others are completely innocent. I sent them into danger and implicated them. We even used children and grandparents in the final battle. Which house does that?”.
“No one survives without help” I remarked calmly.
She lifted her head. The siren, who burned of love for everyone she holds dear, looked at me from behind her eyes, and I fought the urge to freeze under her gaze.
“Connor and Nevada do”.
“Why do you still compare yourself to your sister?” I asked carefully. I knew we would get to this point eventually, but it was a sensitive subject that required utmost care. Catalina sighed and looked dejected.
“Because this wouldn’t have happened under her rule. Connor is a force by himself, Nevada is smart and calculating, and money is of no issue. Under my leadership, our house was destroyed twice, and we’ve had to make a deep dent into our savings cleaning up the mess. Our security staff is remarkable, but we can barely afford to give them a twenty percent raise. Connor would’ve tripled their salaries in a blink. On top of that, I couldn’t even figure out who my grandfather was, something Nevada did years ago. I’m just not enough.” She had worked herself up and looked almost angry. Catalina was always so composed and reasonable, and it pained me to see her defeated. The best offense I had now was logic.
“Have you ever thought about the fact that Nevada might be jealous of you?”.
She blinked at me, stunned.
“You are incredibly powerful, and can still infiltrate any social event incognito, whereas people fear Nevada. Both grandparents trust you and Linus even made you a deputy warden at an unprecedentedly young age. On top of that, you have Alessandro, who navigates social gatherings like a god, while people shy away from Connor. Nevada has always been your protector and adoptive mother, but now you and Arabella have grown up, and it’s hard for her to find her new role.”
“Yes” Catalina said, looking intently at me. “You’re probably right. And even though her help in the fight would’ve been desired, we survived without her. I understand it wasn’t easy to accept”. I nodded, approving. Catalina had the fastest brain I’ve ever seen, and I was happy that logic was finally triumphing over her self-destructive thoughts.
“You are young, Catalina, and you still have much to learn. Your family knows this and wants to help”.
“It annoys me when people call me young”, Catalina exclaimed heatedly. “Does that mean that if I made the same decisions being twenty years older, it would be worse?”
“You cannot discount experience. Most people your age have barely finished college, and most primes your age have never shouldered a heavy responsibility. When I was your age, I had fought in wars, but I wasn’t a leader. Everyone needs training and experience. You had to sacrifice a lot to get here, and I can assure you, people notice and discuss you. You’re a mystery, and people are intrigued”.
Catalina blinked up at me, surprised. “They speak about me?”
“Yes, and you should be proud of it. Seasoned heads of houses look up at you.” I smiled for the first time. She smiled back.
“You have already gone through more than many primes do in a lifetime, and your journey has only begun. Both your family and Houston need you Catalina, and everyone is proud of you. Alessandro most of all.”
Catalina pondered this while the baking sun continued to shine mercilessly at us.
“Thank you for speaking to me” she finally stated. “I understand your points, and only have one last question for you. If you were to move here”, she smiled sheepishly at that, “would you feel safe?”.
“Yes” I answered resolutely. “One hundred percent. And it’s all because of you”.
Catalina nodded at me, and we walked back towards the compound.