Maleficent- Farewell My Dreamland: 3

Chapter 3: An Answer Not Given

Ghosting through the dark tangle of the forest, Diaval barely managed to keep from crashing into the numerous tree boughs as he made his way back to Maleficent's abode. Alive with magical beings, the night was filled with twirling illuminations, and dancing lights, a rainbow of floating color. Mystically beautiful, it gave light to the hours of dark, lighting it with an aura borealis quality.

Accustomed to it, he was grateful in that it provided the light he needed to fly, but other than that, it hardly made an impression on Diaval.

Landing on a low root, relief seeping through his body at having reached his destination in one piece, he quickly picked out Maleficent's sleeping form. Large eagle-like wings nestled snuggly against her back, hair cascading down her back, and her head pillowed by an outstretched arm, she looked peaceful, like an angel at rest. Giving an unraven-like gesture of shrugging, he lifted off again and alighted on his perch, not wanting to disturb her. His news of Aurora could wait.

Settling down to rest, he watched the effervescent lights of the Moors through half closed eyes, thoughts of Aurora drifting through his head.

He had wanted to tell her something that evening, but it'd lost its importance when he realized how inconvenient his troubles would be for her. Aurora was a queen; she couldn't afford to add his problems to hers. Even now, she was dealing with an issue that promised further complications.

Recalling her words, he felt his feelings of helplessness rise up in him again. Already, there was so little he could do for her, and in this situation, nothing. Even when she had expressed a wish to not be queen, he hadn't been able to tell her how he'd gone through the exact same thing. She hadn't asked to become queen, just as he hadn't asked to become human.

Unbidden, the image of Aurora dressed only in her shift came to mind.

Opening his eyes and standing upright, his feathers ruffled up (as if in alarm) as heat coursed through his body. Letting out a hoarse croak, and adjusting his wings, he reminded himself what shape he was in, but it did little to counter the very human reaction of lust and desire.

Just the memory of seeing Aurora's form filling out the thin fabric of her shift had aroused him, drawing his human and animal minds together in a dangerous, powerful, way. This was something the animal in him understood; it had felt this feeling before.

Broodingly, Diaval settled back down on his perch, his thoughts spinning restlessly as he kept watch. The only question left for him to wonder was: When had his affectionate love for the child changed? But he already knew the answer.

...


Striding swiftly for the door, passing through a beam of morning light that streamed in through a window, Aurora informed her assembled counselors, "For now, no more discussions. I'm not going to do anything about Alaric, at least, not until I get back from the Moors. I need to talk to Maleficent." Holding her breath, she felt the tension that filled the room, sensing the disapproving words that rose to their minds.

Catching Avery's eye, she discreetly signaled for him to take care of it, and made her escape through the door.

She was done with listening to stuffy old men, men who cared more for the people than they did about what she was trying to achieve as queen.

Taking a side entrance to the outside, skipping most of the steps of the small staircase in her hast, Aurora made her way to the courtyard where her horse was already waiting for her. The morning had been spent in an aggravating mixture of uncertainty, impatience, and confusion; putting her every ability as Queen to the test as she tried to eloquently express the phrase 'I don't know' without actually saying it. No, she wasn't going to pretend that she wasn't on good terms with the Moors while Alaric was there. And no, thank you, she wasn't going to hide the fact that she had frequent comings and goings from the Moors. Then what would she do if Alaric, who was bringing his troops, decided to declare war...?

Surprised to see another horse standing next to her palomino mare, she didn't recognize the pale gray until she saw its rider.

"Phillip!" she greeted, the bounce that had been missing from her step instantly returning. "What're you doing here?"

"I heard you were going for a ride, and decided to keep you company." Giving a courtly bow, he smiled charmingly, if somewhat shyly, and added, "Of course, only if you'd like me to join you?"

"I would be glad of the company," Aurora replied.

...


Cantering across the field, Aurora smiled mischievously at Phillip. "Race you!" she called, kicking her horse into a gallop.

Giving a shout, Phillip spurred his horse after her, but she'd already gained a good lead and the distance only increased.

Loving the feeling of bliss her freedom gave her, Aurora tossed her head back with a laugh, the wind teasing her hair. Fleetingly, she wondered why Diaval hadn't joined them yet, but then she blushed and a small dreamy smile crossed her face as she remembered her dream from the night before.

It had been one of those dreams where you wake up and wish it were real. Though she'd had dreams that had been similar, this one had left her dreamy-eyed and love struck. In the dream, Diaval had loved her, and they'd been married, and had a child. But that wasn't what had left her breathless with longing; it had been the quietly murmured confession from Diaval that he'd been the one to break her curse. That he was her true love.

Sadly though, it'd only been a dream.

Aurora did wonder about the kiss though. Her Fairy Godmother had never said anything specific about the kiss, only that it had come and awakened her. At the time she had accepted the explanation, and assumed that it had been the true love of a mother.

But now, she wondered about it. Flashes of memory reminded her that Diaval had also been there when she'd awakened, and she dimly recalled his reaction. But it was possible that it could've been him. There was nothing to deny that it hadn't been him. Wouldn't he have said something though?

Sighing, she stopped her horse under the eaves of the Moors, waiting for Phillip to come up alongside.

"Are we going in there?" Phillip asked nervously, eying the forbidding trees.

"Of course!" Aurora replied eagerly, looking at him curiously. "Haven't you visited the Moors before?"

"Well, yes," Phillip stammered. "But it's a strange place."

Brimming with anticipation, Aurora answered, "Well, I think it's the most beautiful place in the world." Urging her horse to walk under the trees, she smiled at Phillip as she added invitingly, "Let me show you."

Leading the way to the Faerie Mound, Aurora greeted every creature who met them by name, a large smile stretching across her face. Eyes peered out at them curiously, unabashed. Everything rustled with life, and what Phillip took to be a twig or a rock, just a normal part of nature, often turned out to be another wondrous being. Gazing openly at all that was before him, he began to see why Aurora loved it.

Dismounting, Aurora took the shallow steps that ran along the side of the Mound easily. Looking about in anticipation, she called out, "Fairy Godmother? Are you here?"

With a whisper of wings, Maleficent's elegant figure stepped into view with a smile. "I'm here."

"Godmother," Aurora murmured, her smile from moments before was nothing compared to the volume of happiness that entered it now as she stepped into the faerie's embrace.

Hugging her back, the tips of the feathers on her powerful wings brushing the girl's face, Maleficent smiled. "Beastie," she greeted, harkening back to the nickname from when Aurora had been little.

Relieved to have found Maleficent, Aurora's joy was short lived as worry seeped over her, dimming the present, and deteriorating her feelings of happiness. Nestling closer to the figure that had watched over her for so long, Aurora murmured distressfully, "There are so many things to tell you! I don't know what to do; I don't want to cause any more problems, I just want to be able to come and go as I wish!"

Eyes narrowing with concern, wary at the implications of Aurora's words, Maleficent said comfortingly, with the trace of a smile in her voice, "I can't very well help you unless you tell me what's wrong."

Allowing Maleficent to draw her aside to where they could sit comfortably under the sprawling branches of a tree, Aurora breathed deep to steady herself before speaking. Glancing at Phillip, who had accompanied them from a distance, she realized that Diaval was missing. His familiar black shape wasn't to be seen nearby. Distracted from her troubles, she asked, "Where's Diaval?"

Answering simply, Maleficent replied, "He had a restless night and is now sleeping. He'll join us later."

Satisfied for the moment, although she did miss him and had been looking forward to seeing him, Aurora proceeded with telling her trials to Maleficent, contenting herself with the fact that she had already told Diaval all about them, and then some, the night before.

Listening intently, a fire slowly started to burn in the faerie's bewitching eyes, hinting at the emotion smoldering within. It infuriated her how Stefan's shadow could still darken Aurora's life. Hadn't the world been improved through his death? With an effort though, she kept the force of her thoughts and feelings concealed.

When the child finished pouring out her troubles, Maleficent had to take a deep, calming, breathe before meeting the wordless plea in Aurora's eyes. How easy it would've been to tell her what to do, that as a queen, no one had the right to dictate such demands on her. But in her heart, Maleficent knew that to tell her goddaughter that would come back to haunt them, and bring harm to both their peoples.

So with that knowledge heavy in her throat, she answered softly, "Aurora, you must do what is best for the kingdom. Not just for the humans who call you queen, but for the Moors too, for both realms depend on you."

"But they don't want me to be their queen!" Aurora exclaimed bitterly, Avery's statement on the actions they might take coming sharply to mind. A shadow passed overhead, instinctively making her glance up. Recognizing the familiar raven body, a smile swiftly warmed her face as Diaval alighted next to her.

"Godmother said you were sleepy today, Mr. Pretty Bird," she whispered fondly, eliciting a drowsy croak as she ran her fingers through the dark feathers on his back and wings.

"Aurora," Phillip said reassuringly, entering the conversation for the first time. "There are only a few who disagree with your rule, most of your people are glad to have peace with the Moors. My father and I included," he added with a charming grin.

Grateful for his input, Aurora shook her head with a small laugh. "But you are not part of my kingdom," she reminded.

"That doesn't make his support any less valuable," Maleficent pointed out.

...


Uninvolved with the conversation, Diaval felt the silent question that Maleficent was asking him.

'Do you want to be human?'

'No,' he replied. He didn't want to feel the cares of being human, to have the bitter knowledge that he was below all three of them. While such issues never bothered him when he was in Aurora's company, and even Maleficent's for that matter, it was Phillip who made him uncomfortable. The easygoing prince would never see him for his own person. To Phillip, he would always be the strange enchanted raven who served Maleficent.

'You knew what Aurora was going to say?' she confirmed.

'Yes mistress,' he answered, meeting her eyes. The faerie's green eyes were studying, but he could sense the fire that still burned from Aurora's news. Smoldering at the cruelty and insensitivity of humans, and it was in times like these that he wished that he'd kept his distance so that she wouldn't enter his mind.

'Why didn't you tell me?' she demanded.

'Because Aurora is capable of answering,' he said simply.

Like a cloud passing over the sun, or entering the shade of the trees, Maleficent's attention left him, not pleased by the turn of events, but satisfied for the time being. Though he knew that she would press him about it later.

Wings pressing tighter to his body, the raven's reaction to danger, he shivered as Aurora's fingers tickled the feathers on his breast. On one hand, he dreaded the events to come, their shadow ominous but hazy as he couldn't tell what they would bring. But on the other hand, he couldn't care less about such troubles, as Aurora's petting and stroking drove all sense from his mind and left only one desire.