It All Started With a Fight
"I need you to trust me" Aurora pleaded insistently with Maleficent and was rewarded only with a cold stare, "No Aurora, I think it is time that you went home, I have things I need doing." And with that the imposing woman turned on heel and flew into the night, her great wings taking her far above the broken Queens cries.
Alone with only stars for company, Maleficent gazed down at the cliff that the Great Rowan tree resided, her keen eyes trained on the Queen that has collapsed where she had once stood. Guilt tore through the faery's heart, she knew all she was doing was hurting her precious Aurora but she couldn't allow herself to let go of the past, to allow the girl become the very thing Maleficent craved her to be.
Shaking her horned head Maleficent felt it was bad enough that the girl already had her heart, but the fact that Maleficent desperately wanted to give the girl the last of what made her Her, terrified the Dark Faery beyond belief. No she had to stay away, she would not be hurt again, she would not allow for the possibility of being betrayed again.
Dark thoughts led to Stephan as they were prone to as of late and a snarl twisted majestic features into a feral assemblage. A brief flash of green magic rocketed from her body as she berated the late king in her mind, till her screams echoed off the very clouds and slammed back against their owner.
Wrapping her arms close to herself she choked out a sob and bowed her head, regal features wilting at knowing she needed to change, she needed to trust Aurora. She had to accept the fact that she loved the girl so greatly it hurt when they were apart, that it felt like she couldn't breath properly till the little Beastie was within her sight. She had to let go of the past and face the future or she knew she would lose the very reason she existed.
Closing powerful wings around her body she dived back to the Earth, rocketing at speeds that would crush if she wasn't careful. At the last moment she snapped them open to stop her just above the ground, her back muscles screaming in agony at the force of the stop, causing her to land ungracefully in front of the weeping Queen who refused to even look at the Dark faery.
"Aurora…" The blond Queen shook her head, briefly covering her ears with tense hands as she shoved herself to her feet, features tarnished with rage and hurt "Go away."
The Dark faery took a step back, the ire radiating from the girl surprising her more then Maleficent thought possible and in that moment she knew she had made the gravest of mistakes. The kind that she knew she would have to spend the rest of her life trying to fix.
"Aurora please." Maleficent spoke softly, calmly, as though she were talking to a wild beast and not her True love. Shaking her head Aurora pointed to the skies and screeched "Go! Go back to the stars and bask in their cold company!"
Anger so hot it burned the young Queen's cheeks coursed through her pure body, burning through her patience, common sense and every other feeling that plagued the young Queen. Aurora wanted to be angry. Being angry meant she wasn't sad or hurt, being angry was easier then everything else, it certainly was safer.
Maleficent stared at her young love and squared her shoulders, knowing that if she went away now she would never be allowed back. She knew she would never see her Beastie's bright smile again or hear her sweet laugh, feel her warm love and that was something Maleficent would not give up. Not now, not ever.
"No." Spreading her wings slightly to appear bigger and immovable Maleficent's tone neutral though she defiantly raised her chin. The Dark Faery knew only a fight would put them on the path to recovery, and it would be a long path for both women to walk down. Mentally she kicked herself, knowing this whole mess was her fault and that it was four years in the making.
Aurora clenched her hands into white knuckled fists and gritted her teeth, barring them when she tried articulating words that wouldn't harm Maleficent, holding her tongue in check from spewing the cutting words she had spent years assembling. "You didn't want to stay five minutes ago. Get back to the skies where you belong."
Maleficent pursed her lips and raised and eyebrow. As comebacks went, that was not what she had been expecting and staring at Aurora she realized that even now her precious Beastie was trying to protect her. By not saying what she truly felt, Aurora was trying to spare her any pain by sacrificing herself to her own blistering rage.
"I do not belong up there." Again Maleficent opted for a neutral tone, knowing now wasn't the right moment. She had to somehow get the Queen to fully express her anger or it would rot inside her and taint her pure soul, and that would be something Maleficent would never forgive herself for.
A harsh laugh grated on the Dark faery's ears. It was a sound they had never heard before and Maleficent was quick to decide she did not care for the sound. Her brief displeasure was forced aside as Aurora bristled again, but before the girl could temper her anger down to respond civilly, Maleficent threw gasoline onto the fire.
She deftly stepped forward and stood just before the girl, to the point where Aurora had to look up to look into the Dark faery's eyes and spoke softly but clearly "I belong beside you, I always have and I always will."
Mentally Maleficent braced herself for the blows to come, knowing she had finally said the right thing and all the Dark Faery could do was hope she hadn't said it too late.
Rapidly Aurora tensed her shaking frame, her sapphire eyes narrowing to slits. "I hate you." Aurora hissed out, raising her clenched hands up, her arms curling up toward her head as though to fend off oncoming blows.
Her eyes squeezed shut as she tasted the words she had just spat out, finding them to be far too bitter and untrue, but lashing out seemed the only thing left for her to do.
Aurora had been putting herself out there for Maleficent for years, constantly trying to show the older woman that she loved her to, that she was ready for a deeper relationship and all she had gotten in return were cold stares and colder shoulders.
Soldiering on Aurora threw her shoulders back and all but bellowed at the stunned fairy, "I hate you and I never want to see you or your shadow again! How dare you make me feel so many things, how dare you leave me to feel like I can't breath unless you are near me, you dare to be so cruel as to make me think you loved me back. Get out of my sight Maleficent, I desire no more of your poison!"
Breathing raggedly Aurora was numb from pain. It tore her to pieces to tell Maleficent she hated her, but right now she just wanted the torture to stop. Maybe if she could make the pain stop she could be someone Maleficent would be proud to love again. If she could just get away, if she could just get over this devastatingly captivating woman in front of her she could one day convince herself that this was for the best.
"You have made it quite clear since my sixteenth birthday how you have felt about me or rather how you don't feel about me so here is the release you have been wanting for so long. Get out and leave me alone, do not ever come back for I will have iron waiting for you."
Turning from the Dark Faery, Aurora felt her heart shatter into pieces so small she knew she'd never be whole again.
Bowing her head, she felt all her safe anger abandon her, leaving her to embrace her permanent state of isolation and depression. She knew there would be no relief from this, no light at the end of the tunnel. There would be no bright and beautiful future, just a bleak one. But she was a strong woman. She had always been resilient, she would find a way to live and maybe one day she would trick herself into thinking she had found a way to be happy without her True love.
As she made to step away she felt long fingers grip her shoulders and a cry escaped her lips as she was roughly pulled against a lithe body, long arms wrapping around her waist to secure her in place.
"Listen well Aurora because I do not repeat myself. I have loved you since long before you fell asleep and were woken by my kiss. Not once have you left my thoughts, not once have I been able to shake you from my heart. You are my world Aurora and that terrifies me. Knowing that my entire being is dependent on you. I will always do as you ask, so if you truly want me to go that is what I shall do. I will leave and never come back." Tears she hadn't known were building fell from emerald eyes as she waited for the quiet blond in her arms to say something, anything.
Breathing heavily Aurora twisted in Maleficent's arms and gazed up into her watery eyes, seeing for the first time the true depth of Maleficent's love for her. "Why have you been hiding it from me for so long? I'm twenty year's old Maleficent. For four years you have been treating me with mockery and contempt. Pushing me away even when I hadn't even tried to get close. Give me a reason I should I believe you? Why should I risk my heart again?" Sapphire eyes pleaded with emerald to give one reason, any reason, because Aurora would always be willing to put her heart out there for Maleficent. The Queen would do anything to make it so they could find a way to move on and maybe move together.
Maleficent was briefly comforted by the fact that Aurora had not tried to move out of her embrace and it was that comfort gave her the strength to finally tell the truth. She knew it was time to explain why she had been such a beast to the very creature she treasured more then life itself.
"I was afraid. I had been hurting for so long, I didn't know love for so long that I didn't know if I even could love any more. When you came into my life I didn't know what to do with all the love you were so willingly to give me. I felt that the best thing for both of us was to stay away. I felt only way to keep you safe from my darkness, from my anger and mistrust of the world was to stay distant and cold." Shaking her head at her folly, Maleficent refused to meet Aurora's eyes. Hearing her reasoning come alive outside the confines of her mind caused her to realize they were the stupidest reasons in all the world. She had condemned the possibility of a bright and beautiful future before ever giving it a chance.
"How foolish I have been, I have done nothing but hurt you for four years and now I find I am more terrified of never seeing you again, of reaping the sour fruit I have sowed." Voice rough with emotion, Maleficent cleared her throat and tried to clear her head with a calming breath, forcing herself to finish.
"I will not ask for your forgiveness because what I have done is unforgivable." Maleficent closed her eyes and again bowed her head, her arms unconsciously holding Aurora closer.
The feeling of soft lips against her cheek broke the Dark Faery from her revere, causing the woman's eyes to snap open and stare at their sapphire counterpart. "Why didn't you say something?" Aurora asked softly, her arms finally wrapping around Maleficent's slight waist.
Gazing into her Love's eyes, shame bubbled up inside Maleficent and frothed over as she quietly spoke her truest fear "I was afraid you would be like your father and betray me."
Again she felt Aurora stiffen in her arms and again she mentally braced herself for the barrage she knew she deserved and for the countless time that night Aurora surprised her by curling up on her chest and holding her close, hiding her face as her shoulders began to shake.
"Aurora…?" Maleficent whispered, confused by the silence from the blond, till she heard a building laugh escape from the shaking girl who pulled back to laugh fully and happily till again tears fell from her eyes.
Emerald eyes widened in fear, thinking she had finally broken the young Queen. "Aurora-" The blonde's laughter continued till even a fearful Maleficent couldn't resist its magical pull and began laughing with her. Tension that had hung heavy around the pair since Maleficent had first flown away began to melt away.
After a few minutes passed Aurora was finally able to catch her breath and wipe stray tears from her eyes. Bravely she smiled almost brightly up at her Love "We both have been utter fools Maleficent. All this time I have been trying to be the exact opposite of my father, thinking I could help you forgot him and move on by being around you constantly and just openly. I should have given you the space you needed, I'm so sorry." Mirthlessly she chuckled, darkly muttering "We've been allowing a dead man to keep a iron hold of us haven't we?" Blood red lips pursed as their owner nodded grimly.
Aurora nervously looked into her True Loves eyes and worried her bottom lip, recalling the cruel things she had said not ten minutes prior and inwardly cringed. "I don't hate you…" She whispered after a moment, breaking the eye contact to look forlornly at the ground.
Softly Maleficent sighed and gently grasped Aurora's quivering chin, gently forcing the girl to tilt her head back up to meet her gaze and see for herself how Maleficent felt.
Words however died on the Dark Faery's tongue as she gazed at Aurora, who in such a raw state of being drove all logic from the older woman's mind. Left speechless Maleficent finally gave into the desire she had been fighting for four years. Leaning forward she captured the rosy lips in a chaste kiss, counting on it to express all that she couldn't say out loud.
Slowly pulling away Maleficent smiled at finding Aurora still had her eyes closed, a faint blush still present on her cheeks. Shifting her hand, the older woman gently cup the younger girls cheek and soothingly brushed the girls tears away "My we've been doing a fair amount of crying tonight haven't we?" Weakly Maleficent grasped for humour, trying to lighten the mood again. She feared that this ever-present tension would become a permanent part of their currently rocky relationship.
Opening her eyes finally Aurora could manage a small smile, a soft giggle and a nod as she wove her arms around Maleficent's waist again, her smile growing in strength as she felt Maleficent immediately respond in pulling her closer.
Comfortable silence filled the air between them for the first time in years as the two held each other close and thought about their tumultuous night of arguing. Looking up at her love Aurora licked her dry lips and softly spoke, terrified of breaking the moment but knowing there was still much the two needed to work on, "Maleficent?" A soft hum sounding from the older woman as her distant eyes came back to focus on younger woman.
"What now?" Maleficent tilted her head slightly and smiled slightly as she pulled Aurora closer "We have much to work on, but I am willing to work on this, on us, if you are too." A smile so bright it shadowed the stars beamed from Aurora's face, eagerly nodding her head.
A soft chuckle spilled from Maleficent's red lips as she took in her love and mentally vowed then and there that this would be how Aurora would look from this moment till the day she died. Happiness suited face.
Feeling brave Aurora stood on her tiptoes and shyly pressed her rosy lips against Maleficent's blood red ones, her arms snaking around Maleficent's neck as the kiss deepened in passion and love.
Breathlessly they pulled away, both staring at each other in wonder at the strength of love they felt stir powerfully between them, causing both woman to grin at each other.
Swaying slightly with the breeze, they stayed locked in that position, both holding the other close as they basked in their shared, open, love. "Maleficent?" Aurora again broke the silence causing the taller woman to grin slightly "Yes Aurora?" her tone warm and indulgent
"I love you." Maleficent's smile softened and gently she kissed Aurora's forehead "And I you." Smiling softly Aurora kissed Maleficent's cheek and happily stayed in the woman's arms till long after the sun rose, knowing that for once the future was indeed a bright and beautiful possibility.