He watched her dance, smiling brighter then the moon as she twirled in her muddied skirt, the crown of the moors glinting on her head, still young and carefree despite the things she'd seen. Sprites and pixies flitted about her shoulders, playing silver music, all eager to stay close to the blessed child. He wished he could join them. Wished he was small enough, or brave enough to step from the trees as he had once, long ago, and dance with his princess as the stars watched…

Diaval stood shivering on the moor, watching the waning moon as it rose higher, half hidden amidst fading storm clouds. The first breath of winter had painted the land in frost and the unfortunate raven found himself draped in a stolen sheet trying to draw warmth from a featherless body. Not for the first time he regretted his wit as his mistress left him stranded in the cold, foreign body of a man as recompense for a comment he could no longer remember. Deprived of his nest Diaval had sought comfort from the only other sanctuary he knew. The cottage of the three nincompoops. It was there that he had acquired his meager slip, draping the dark cloth over shaking shoulders before taking up a place beneath the boughs of a skeletal tree.

It was then that he had heard the sobbing. Small piteous noises that stirred the raven's heart and drew his eyes beyond his discomfort and the outline of the trees to the fair skinned figure beyond.

His heart still twisted at the remembered sight of the tears on her face that night, when he had held her as a man and soothed away childish sorrows. It seemed like another life had passed since that day, though it couldn't have been longer then three or four of mans years. She had certainly grown since then. Matured. No longer a knobby kneed fledgling, now she stood with the grace and confidence of an adult female, the childish wonder that had once filled her eyes replaced with the gentle yearnings of an unbred mother.

It had been so easy to please her once. She had smiled at him and he had never felt inadequate. Now… now he did not understand the thoughts that plagued him. Could not comprehend why he yearned to hold her in his arms as something more then the child he had raised. Did not know why the sight of her dancing quickened his blood in a way no she-raven ever had. Why he longed to taste her mouth in that vulgar fashion that humans do, as if somehow by the pressing of their lips together they can take that other person inside their bodies and never have to let go.

Did not know why he hesitated now where he never had before…

"Why are you crying?" the sound of his voice made her gasp and she looked up quickly, her tears glowing faintly in the white light as she scrambled to her feet. He kept close to the shadows as she peered at him, knowing his mistress would disapprove but unable to resist.

"Whose there?" Her voice trembled, but it was with sorrow instead of fear and for some reason this comforted him.

"I asked first." His tease made her blush and he forgot some of the cold as he saw her cheeks go pink. She ducked her head, that honey colored hair falling across her face.

"It's silly."

"It doesn't seem silly to me."

"You don't know what it is."

"Your crying. That's enough for me."

Her blush darkened and she kept her head bowed as she spoke.

"There's a festival between the plains and the moor. People from all the villages went to dance and sing…I wanted to go too." And here her voice was almost nothing and only his sharp ears kept her words from being lost to the winter and stars. "I've never danced before."

"Well…" He quickly fashioned the sheet on his shoulders into a hood, drawing it up over his scarred face. "We'll have to do something about that." Drawing his impromptu cape about himself as he had seen his mistress do on so many occasions Diaval stepped from the tree line and into the moon's pale light. Aurora stumbled back; startled by his sudden appearance, but he paid no heed, sweeping into a low bow, like a royal from court. "M'lady." Straightening he flashed the small princess a smile she could barely see. "Will you dance with me?" He offered a pale hand. Far off across the moors music played, slow and haunting, echoed by the wind.

Unable to stand idle and watch any longer, Diaval stepped from the trees, this time uncovered by any cape. The faeries stepped aside as he approached the young queen of the moors, side stepping the statuesque prince, who stood panting to the side smiling and laughing as he spoke with the golden haired princess, it made the raven's blood boil to see the young man staring so covetously and had the two been alone on the moor Diaval thinks he might have gouged the lord's eyes out. As it was he focused only on Aurora, admiring the flush of joy on her face as he strode up to her; falling into a low bow he once again offered his hand.

"Will you dance with me?"

She hesitated only a moment before filling his hand with hers and allowing him to draw her close and guide her across the ground. Holding her close, as he had never been able to as a bird, he hummed the song that the wind brought him, watching the tears dry on Aurora's face.

"Who are you?"

Diaval smiled, spinning gently.

"Who do you want me to be?"

The young princess frowned in confusion as she looked into the face of the man that towered above her, trying to make out more of his features then just his flashing white teeth and the sharp point of his chin.

"What do you mean?"

He shook his head.

"I'm a silly old crow, hardly worth the time of a princess like you, so for now, for tonight, I can be who you want me to. I can be your prince charming."

Her small laughed made his heart jump.

"That's silly. Why would I want you to be anyone but you?"

"I didn't say I wasn't me. I said I could be anyone. You don't know me princess; you can turn me into anyone you like. Close your eyes. Go on." He watched as her gentle blue eyes disappeared behind her lids. "Now stop thinking. And dance with me."

He swayed with her well into the night until he felt her body growing heavy with sleep and her steps became muddled, her breath evening out as she surrendered to dreams.

The faeries started up a familiar song as Diaval drew Aurora away from the shadow of the trees and back into the starlight to dance. The young queen frowned as the familiar melody filled the air and her godmother's raven held her against the warmth of his body, leading her through steps that felt strange and familiar.

"I didn't know you danced."

He flashed her his ever-present smile.

"Once." He allowed, spinning her slowly.

"When?" She demanded instantly, her face lighting up with a happy sort of confusion.

"It doesn't seem so long ago now." He ducked his head close to her, breathing in the scent of her hair and the warmth rising from her neck, feeling his heart race as her body brushed so close against his. He yearned to hold her tighter, to bury his nose in the tresses around her neck and taste the skin behind her ear. To memorize how it felt to touch her, to hold her waist, and brush her back and know that he would always be allowed. To know that there would never be a day when she was forbidden to him. His fingers tightened around her hand and he closed his eyes, humming softly in her ear, trying to pretend that this moment would never end. Knowing all to well that it had to.

He sank slowly to his knees, cradling her sleeping form as the last vestiges of music faded. Hardly daring to move he laid her among the heather, watching the slumber smooth the last remnants of sadness from her face.

"Sleep Aurora." He entreated, bending to place the ghost of a kiss on her brow and brushing his fingers through her hair as he could never brush his claws. "I'll watch over you princess, I promise." The young girl fidgeted under his fingers, letting out a small sigh of discontent.

"…my prince…"

"Shh." He soothed. "It was only a dream."

Only a dream. Just his dream. He sighed softly, running his thumb across the back of her hand. He was no one's prince charming. Aurora stopped suddenly, pushing a step away and tilting his head up so she could peer into his eyes. He watched her his brow furrowed in confusion, waiting for her to speak as the music around them faded suddenly. All eyes in the moor focused on the princess and her dance partner.

"It was you."

His heart stuttered in his chest..

"What was princess?"

Her eyes sparkled as her face filled with awe..

"It was you…you're him…you're…"

"Who?"

"My prince charming…"

They stared at each other. Diaval unable to speak, though he desperately searched for something to say, Aurora content to stay quiet and look at the man she had dreamt of for so long, finally able to put a face on the shadow that had plagued her. Finally her face broke into a grin and she raised a hand to cradle his jaw. Diaval's heart thumped wildly to see such a beatific expression on her face.

"I told you."

He raised a questioning brow, unable to do anything else while she was smiling at him so happily.

"I said I wouldn't want anyone else." Raising herself onto her toes she pressed her lips to his in a sweet kiss. He stood dumbstruck for half a second before his hands fisted into her hair and he kissed her back as sweetly and desperately as he knew how and when they drew back to breath she smiled at him. "I was right."

Grinning wildly he dove down to kiss her again, while all around them the faeries cheered.