AN: Hello everyone! As promised, here my Maleficent two-shot and my first Maleficent fanfic in general. To keep you occupied until I start posting my new Wicked and Frozen stories ;).

I guess Maleficent is maybe a little bit OOC... the thing is, I wanted to capture her during her relationship with Stefan and then after; and the next chapter will be post-movie. I figured she, too, changes throughout the movie and throughout her life, depending on what happens to her, so... well, you'll see.

Maleficent

On my sixteenth birthday, I took Stefan flying for the first time.

He had always been intrigued by my wings. He said he loved them, he said he thought they were beautiful. Whenever he touched them, I experienced this strange tingling sensation that ran all through my wings, making them quiver, only to take over my body shortly thereafter. I wasn't sure what it meant, but it wasn't an unpleasant feeling.

He asked me once how strong they were, my wings; and when I told him they always carried me everywhere I wanted, that I could always rely on them, he replied wistfully that he wished he had wings, too, so that he could feel what I felt when I was flying through the sky.

And so that day, when he visited, I wrapped my arms around him from behind.

"Do you trust me?" I asked him.

He nodded.

I pressed my chest to his back and allowed my magic to flow from my fingertips, causing some tree roots and branches to curl around the both of us. They strapped Stefan in some sort of harness that secured his body against mine so that he would not fall down once I would take flight. When it was done, I said, "Ready?"

He just nodded again and said, "Yes."

I nodded, too, and smiled. "Here we go."

Then I leapt high up into the air, trusting my wings, as always, to carry my weight – and this time Stefan's, as well.

I heard him gasp and my smile widened. For his sake, I kept myself from performing any of the impressive manoeuvres I usually executed whenever I was flying alone; instead, I just flew horizontally, easily dodging rocks and trees and waterfalls. The wind was blowing my long, dark hair back as I flew over the forest and across the Moors, showing it all to Stefan, who was silent with awe beneath me.

"This is amazing," he said at some point, sounding a little breathless.

"I know," I said. I dove down, flying so low that our bare feet skimmed the water in the river beneath us. Stefan laughed and I spun up again, twirling around. I didn't go as high as I usually did, but that was okay. This flight was for Stefan; and judging by the expression I saw on his face when we landed and I unstrapped him, he had loved it.

"That," he said, clearly stunned, "was the most amazing thing I've ever experienced."

I smiled. "I'm glad you liked it."

"To be doing that, every single day…" He shook his head. "I envy you, Maleficent. I wish I had a pair of wings of my own." He caressed my wings, his eyes shining when he felt the strong muscles underneath the feathers. "Thank you for taking me."

I curtsied, my wings brushing the forest floor as they moved with me. "It was my pleasure."

He ran his fingers through my long hair, looking like he wanted to say something, but not a word left his mouth. Instead, he traced my features with his fingers, studying me intently.

Then he shook his head, as if trying to rouse himself from his thoughts, and he smiled and held out a hand to me. "Come with me?"

I took his hand and allowed him to lead me back to our usual spot at the edge of the forest, where the sun was just setting. I looked out over the land, watching for a few moments as the sun illuminated the grass around us, before looking back at Stefan again. At the same moment, he turned to face me and took a deep breath.

"I want to give you something," he said. "For your birthday."

I tilted my head a little to the side. "Really?" I hadn't expected that and honestly, I was intrigued. I had never received a gift before, though I had given him one on his sixteenth birthday – a ring I had created using the gems in the pond of jewels he had tried to steal from, so long ago, on the day we first met. It was meant to both symbolise our first meeting and replace the ring he had once had; the iron one he had thrown away for my sake. I loved the look he had in his eyes when I gave it to him, the light that had filled them. He had lifted me off my feet and spun me around before hugging me tightly, whispering, "Thank you," in my ear.

Now, he smiled at me. "Yes, really," he said in reply to my question. "You're turning sixteen today, Maleficent. It's a special day and so you deserve a gift. Two gifts, actually," he corrected himself.

My eyebrows rose. "Two?" I shook my head. "Stefan, I don't need two gifts," I said, knowing full well that he needed the little money he made to keep himself alive. "Really, it's too much –"

"No, it's not," he cut me off, reaching in his pocket and pulling something out. He kept it locked in the palm of his hand with his fingers folded over it, preventing me from seeing what it was.

"Stefan," I tried again, "your money –"

Again, he cut me off. "I didn't pay for either of these gifts."

My eyebrows rose further until they almost disappeared into my hairline. Stefan chuckled upon seeing the look on my face.

"I didn't steal them, either," he said, amused. "I made them."

I could feel a slight, embarrassed blush creeping up my face – I realised I shouldn't immediately have assumed that he stole these gifts he was talking about, and I was a little ashamed that I had. I tried to ignore the blush, though, hoping that it would go away. "That's very kind of you," I said, my voice steady, "but you really didn't have to, Stefan. You probably had better things to do with your time."

"Not really," he said. "And I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to."

He took my hand in his, my palm facing up; and then he carefully placed the object he had been holding in his closed fist in the palm of my hand.

"Happy birthday, Maleficent," he said.

My mouth quite literally fell open as I looked down at the ring he had placed in my hand. It was made of wood, with a golden leaf on it, matching the ring I had given him. It was beautifully made and absolutely perfect.

"I love it," I said honestly. "Thank you so much, Stefan."

"I am glad you like it." He was smiling again. He looked at the sun as it slowly set behind me, causing my wings to stand out against the golden sky like silhouettes; and he reached out to touch them again.

"They're so beautiful," he whispered, slowly trailing his hand down my wings, stroking them. I shivered slightly at the feeling and he looked at me.

"Just like you."

I could only stare back at him as he moved his hand to my waist, drawing me closer slightly. My wings fluttered almost as if they had a will of their own as he slowly pulled me closer, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Are you ready for your second gift?" he whispered.

I nodded, holding my breath.

He tightened his grip on my waist, burying his other hand in my hair as he brought his face closer to mine and tenderly pressed his lips against my own.

My eyes closed and for a moment, it was like the world suddenly stood still. If it weren't for my wings holding me up, I was sure I would have stumbled, my knees buckling. I could feel his arms around me and his lips on mine, seemingly lasting forever until he finally pulled away. When I opened my eyes again, he was looking down at me, still smiling.

"That," he said softly, "was a true love's kiss."

Before I could say anything or respond in any way, he cupped my face and kissed me again, leaving me breathless this time.

"I love you, Maleficent."

I wound my arms around his neck and laid my head against his shoulder, listening to his heartbeat and closing my eyes.

"I love you, too."

Years later, after a night just like that one, I woke up screaming to an awful, burning pain. I sobbed as I tried to get myself together, pushing myself into a half-sitting position and reaching over my shoulder. There was a weight missing, a shadow that had followed me my entire life long. Something was wrong, I realised, my fear growing. Something was horribly, horribly wrong.

And then I looked over my shoulder and saw… nothing.

My wings.

Stefan took my wings.

I screamed again, my voice not sounding at all like my own as I howled in agony. My wails were echoing all throughout the forest, against the trees and the rocks, filling my ears, my heart and the world around me. I cried as the throbbing, stabbing pain ripped through me. My tears were dripping down my face and onto the forest floor.

I realised, however, that I did not know which pain was worse: the pulsing ache in my back where my wings had once been, or the searing pain I could feel in my heart.

More than sixteen years after that, as Diaval and I watched from behind a decorated screen how Phillip leant over to kiss Aurora's lips, those were the memories that flooded my mind. The joy and wonder, followed by the pain of betrayal and heartache. I was absolutely certain that I was right in what I had told Diaval before: there was no such thing as a true love's kiss. True love did not exist.

I could almost feel Diaval holding his breath as Phillip's lips touched Aurora's; and for the briefest moment, I found myself hopeful as well. Not everyone was like Stefan and not every love was the way Stefan's and mine had been. Maybe for Aurora, true love did exist. Maybe, just maybe, it was what would save her now.

Phillip moved back. The three fairies – those annoying, incompetent creatures! – fluttered around little Beastie's face, watching her for any sign of life. Phillip just stood there, staring down at her. The waiting seemed to last forever.

I gave up on it even before the others did – I averted my eyes and let out my breath in a sound that was something in between a huff and a mirthless laugh. Of course it didn't work. I felt stupid for even considering that it might work for the shortest moment. True love. Ha. Don't make me laugh.

The fairies started chattering in disappointment and Diaval looked at me, though I did not look back at him. I kept my gaze fixed on Aurora's face.

"I told you," was all I said, making sure my exterior was cold and emotionless, even though my heart was screaming.