The day the decree that the children from the Isle of the Lost would have an opportunity to redeem themselves, no one believed it would actually happen.

There were jokes. There were critiques. There certainly was no hope that the plan would actually work. But when the plan was put into action, there was worry. There was fear. There was nerves about who would be chosen to "redeem" themselves-because obviously none in Auridon thought it possible.

When Cruella Deville's son was listed, there was a sigh of relief.

"There's no way any offspring from her could do anything! We just need to keep him away from our dogs," they laughed.

When the name of the son of Jafar came next, the nerves came back. Jokes to alleviate the worry were passed along.

"Jay? Really? Jafar lost his touch, didn't he? Can't come up with a better name than "Jay" for a child? Can't imagine he's any better with his magic and cunning too if that's any evidence of his stagnant wit after all these years. So yeah, I'm sure his son won't have any of that either."

Then Evie, the daughter of the Evil Queen. She was a girl. She was bound to be beautiful as her mother was the vainest woman anyone in the kingdom had ever seen. (Though, some thought Snow White had since surpassed that vanity after a decade of the Evil Queen's banishment. But propriety would dictate that putting words to those thoughts would be most improper. Plus, none of Auridon's citizens are gossips!)

The woman began looking to their children, wondering if the girls would be beautiful enough to compare. Wondering if the boys would be weak enough to fall, for she had to be a temptress! If anyone would be the kingdom's undoing, it was bound to be this girl. The wickedness of a woman is the most dreadful poison after all. And Evil Queen would pass on that poison to any child she bore, there was no doubt about that.

As the citizens began to prepare, as they worried and considered who else could possibly come, and thinking there could be none worse than this dreadful little harpy who would come to charm and seduce their eligible bachelors and remove their pure sweet daughters from her path, few took notice of the final child. They were all too worried. They were all too frazzled. But King Stephen... With his long gray whiskers, and weary old fingers, he knew this was his end.

"So Maleficent had a daughter," he whispered to himself. He could almost see her. That heart shaped face, those emerald green eyes. And those plush soft lips that drove him past temptation. It was all those years ago, but he remembered like it was yesterday. The day he first laid eyes on that sweet young fairy, he fell head over heels. He thought it was something akin to love, but he knew he would never marry her. For that matter, he didn't want to. What would marrying some fairy do? What would marrying some fairy gain him? But as he worked to woo and deflower this little sapling, he quickly learned she was fiercer than she seemed.

She fought with the ability of 50 grown men, and with the precision of a battle savvy king. She stared monsters and even death straight in the face, and never backed down. And when she looked at him, none of her contempt for his constant pursuit of her was hidden. But she never told him to go away. Maybe the first couple of times, yes. But this human was interesting. He seemed not to care that she could and would kill him in a heartbeat if he pushed her. However, more often than not, he just followed her around like a stray puppy feeding off the scraps of her "exciting" adventures.

They met when they were 12. He started to bug her when he was 13. And he finally won her over when she was 15.

But at 16, this human boy, this Stephan had no time for her. Like he so often thought, love was a secondary idea. Living life based off of love was futile at best, moronic and pointless at worst. So when the opportunity to move up the social ladder, to marry into a position fit for a king presented itself, he took it. And in so doing so, completely changed his tune to how he interacted to his once dear friend turned lover.

This boy, this Stephen was not royalty, but he was of high standing. He grew in the courts, and only pretended his was a life of misery to find an excuse to run along the glen. But as he saw his mark Maleficent wavering, as he saw her slowly succumbing to him despite how much she denied ever considering him for anything apart as a minion to follow around her, he found new interests in his sights. Namely, the king's daughter.

She was a pretty thing. Her tawny brown skin was sweet like brown sugar, and tender like veal. She was so young, only a mere 12 almost 13 to his almost 16; there was no other way to see her. And with her long and wavy hickory locks, strands that had never been cut, that had never been pulled, that had only been caressed, he knew how to reach the power he wanted.

During the days, he went out in the glen, going on adventures, and bringing back treasures for his "dear" king-all while working to seduce and use the brave protector and fairy, Maleficent.

During the night... After the royal dinners, those he was privy to for his good works for the kingdom's riches, he would find himself always just a few paces from the princess. His smoldering eyes always fixed her in place. His tall frame an anchor for her eyes to chase. And every night he'd come closer. And every night, he would leave her wondering. Until the night that he brought back a precious jewel the size of a fist just for her, and pulled her aside to steal her first kiss. To the princess, she was delighted. He had come and turned upside down what she thought was a heaven. Her young naive heart had no fear that his words were untrue; this was love. The kind she read about in story books. The kind musicians sang about during revelries, and the kind depicted on the stained glass of the castle. This was her true love. He had to be. So the day he sneaked up into her bedroom, and begged nothing but her pure promise, to love him and only him, and to give herself to him and only him, and to allow her to take what she had long promised when she had handed her heart over as well, she was all too willing. The pain that came that night was unexpected, and his quick retreat as the light from the sun started to appear on the horizon even more. But she explained away the inconsistency. She explained away the cold distance.

"He is off to fetch my father more treasure. He is off wooing his position to my father, so that he and I may be joined as one as we already have."

And that was the case every evening after the royal dinners, and that was the case every morning before the sun had fully risen. Always so sweet, and always so warm. He melted her with his words, and with his soft touches for no one but her, then left her icily as he worked to fight for his piece.

The day she started becoming sick, heaving while nothing would come. Craving things that she should not. Feeling tired and sluggish, and considered all too hysterical by all in the castle, that was the day she realized something was wrong. That was the day he did not leave at the break of dawn as he always did. He stayed by her side, overjoyed, and hugging her to his chest in triumph. For though she did not know it, the developing child in her womb was more than a marker of their physical union; it was his ticket to kingship.

Thus he went out for one more adventure, found the most glorious treasure the king had ever seen, and spit his venom to the only one he ever might think he actually loved.

One day, the king offered him anything from the kingdom he might want. In response Stephen replied, "If you would not mind your grace, but the only thing I want most in the kingdom, the only one who could keep me happy, is your beloved daughter who stole my heart since, my lord, I cannot know. If you would bless my proposition for her hand in marriage, my lord, I will be of the utmost happiness. And I will forever do as you will with even more enthusiasm and perseverance than before."

The marriage was sanctioned. As her womb began to show, and before news could spread that his daughter was with child out of wedlock-considering also that she refused to name who had fathered this monstrous thing, this bastard-the king married her off to this willing noble Stephen who would raise this child as his, and bring happiness to the kingdom, and even more to this dear princess and her sweet child.

With news of the marriage, Maleficent scoffed. She knew he would never truly mean it. She knew he was only trying to advance. But his scorn was a blow she was not prepared for. His vile poison of hate burned deep within her, and with spite she began to terrorize the kingdom. He had done so to her for so many years. It was only right she now take it out on him. He who could not and would not leave her alone, and he who would not and could not control the sudden pain his scorn after all the years of his pesky loyalty would now suffer.

Maleficent had warmed up to him. She had seen him as more than just the bug he continually acted as. She had become accustomed to his companionship, and his loyalty. After so many years by her side, she never believed she would suddenly ache at being alone. She never fathomed she would hurt now as she did so.

All these feelings, she crumpled up and let fester at the depths of her heart. She would forsake any feelings of sympathy and happiness. The only joy she would get now would be from the sounds of terror emanating from the villagers and nobility alike. No one would be safe from her.

It was not simply a matter of scorn. It was a matter of pride.

Who was this human to think he could be worthy to be at her side? Who was this human to think he could be her equal? Who was this human to think he would be her better?

This human, this boy would pay for his insolence. And what best way to do it than to undo all that he worked for, and that he only got because of her. This boy would be nothing without her. Time she show how pathetic and useless he was to all the kingdom than now bowed under his rule.

"So he's married a princess? Hm... So I see where his appetites lie, marrying a breastless child as such. I would call the wretched thing a poor child, but she's brought this on herself really. Did none realize how he possessed such treasures? Did none see he would be nothing without a guide, a friend, without a protector? I despise such time where I ever acted on such. But he's nothing without me. He'll see. Neither that wedding, nor their union will protect him now. All he ever had was me. Now I'll make him see..."

The wedding itself came not too far before the birth. Within half a year's time, and then there was no denying the child.

Maleficent let her terror and onslaught travel to all the surrounding areas while this time of joy was to happen. She caused chaos and strife for all the poor citizens who should one day realize their "king" was doing nothing to protect them. And yet they remained complacent; he remained unchallenged.

"He was not meant to be king," some would offer.

"He is still learning what best to do," others would add.

"He's trying. And really it is unfair for us to expect more from him when he's barely getting married and learning what it means to rule."

Every word to defend him, to protect him, and it would set her blood to boil even further. He did not deserve their sympathy, their pity. He was the worst human out there, and they deserved to see it. Thus, when invitations to the child's christening were sent out, of course she expected him to snuff her. And she expected there to be some sort of commotion for such a ghastly royal misconduct. Even if only a noble, he would well be wise to knowing that no preferences should ever be shown to possible enemies. Christening were times of peace. They were times of neutralization. What would this idiotic king be if, in this grand opportunity to help his people, he did not try to neutralize the terror that was known as Maleficent? The people most certainly would want that, she was sure.

But as she crashed the christening, and made well known how he did not do his royal duty, and did not follow his noble obligation, she was further antagonized by her spry nuisance of a fellow fairy.

"You weren't wanted!" Merriweather bellowed from her defensive stand in front of the baby. It seemed that this was the sentiment of all within the hall. Maleficent would have backed off if only he treated her with at least this respect. She had had enough she realized when she saw the child. Her emotions as of late had been all over the board. At times she was a fiery ball of anger, unable to forgive this betrayal Stephen had forsaken her too. Then other days she would be a sobbing mess, guilt eating at her as she considered the suffering she caused so many innocent people. But more often than not, she would feel an emptiness. One that stemmed from knowing that she would always be hated because she had never bowed to humans before. Things would never change, so why expect them too? When she had seen the child, an instinctive maternal instinct told her that though others wouldn't change, she still could. But Merriweather had to go and open her mouth...

She had to go and voice the thoughts of all the kingdom. And in doing so the anger resurfaced, and squashed the feelings of sympathy. Gone were the feelings of compassion for this innocent, and any person related to him somehow for that matter. Her compassion died with the lack of respect, this public humiliation at the hands of an entire kingdom during the one time of utmost peace possible. And thus her curse was just as severe and just as cutting to retaliate.

They brought this on themselves.

And so, she found joy in the terror. She found joy in the suffering. She found mercy in the hate.

With Maleficent started a wave of terror and suffering, villains all deciding the disrespect they had received must be paid in kind just as the fierce Maleficent had done.

At 16, Maleficent started a movement. At 20, she had made her mark. At 28, she became a leader and developed a chain of command that most suited her. Jafar's magic helped her search far and wide for this child of meager descent. Cruella's dog-napping connections afforded Maleficent a non-magical mode to search for the pest. And Evil Queen's magic mirror gave her the satisfaction of seeing that naive princess grow to become a bitter queen. A queen who refused to touch her husband, and who cried her miseries to the skies for the child she would never get to meet thanks to the curse they would never overcome.

"I thought I had met my true love!" she would yell. "I thought he would give me the life I always dreamed of! But all he did was ship out the one bond that united us. All he did was destroy the one proof he loved me because he couldn't just swallow his pride and invite the venomous witch! Now my daughter is dead and gone... True love will never wake her. It doesn't exist."

Maleficent would always cackle in joy when hearing these rants. Even if the child survived until 16, this queen's pain would always make the wait worth it.

At 32, they found her, this naive little princess and Maleficent did what she could to make the queen's fears over her daughter become a reality. Never knowing about Merriweather's addition of true love's kiss breaking her curse, she worried not once the girl was found. And with a boy for that matter! She pitied the girl for having given up the one treasure you can never replace. She knew she would always regret having given that piece of herself to Stephen. But the boy would be no match for her. Her curse was set, and once the sun set on her 16th birthday, she fell into that beautiful mask of sleep. That living death she should never be released from. But apparently the boy did love her as he escaped and he went to rescue the girl.

Maleficent fell from power and rank, but the new order was already in motion. Hook and Ursula ruled the seas. Gaston and Facilier the common folk. Villains reigned everywhere, and it was all thanks to her. Sure, she may have failed to keep her power, but it was never about that. It was about revenge, and the joy of terrorizing a people that would always be too stupid to see how their so called leaders failed them. Some people wizened up and came to the villain side. That's how Gaston was able to run up in rank. But it was with the rise of Gaston that the villain order fell. He couldn't leave well enough alone, and settle for terrorizing those of his tier. He had to go and take on a Prince. He had to go and challenge a smart girl. Maleficent tried to warn the haughty fool, but he just had to have her.

At times Maleficent hated him. So much like Stephen. So eager to rise in power, to prove his worth. So eager to have what he should not, and to ruin because of his desire. But this rule of "evil" as the peasantry were prone to call it was fun while it lasted.

Being that Belle was an impressive woman, negotiating policy and settling treaties in the place of her unruly husband, the decision to banish the villains did not surprise Maleficent or many of the big players in that regime. But the level of cruelty to the banishment did.

"I see we left a mark," Maleficent had commented wickedly after hearing the order. She had been proud. But at 36, she started having the Sickness. The rushing of time, and changes of body. Her body which had always been tall and lithe shrank down and hardened. She lost days, and her complexion darkened. The fairies she'd encountered in her youth warned her about this. The Sickness that took so many young fairies when alone. And Maleficent was very much alone. An outcast to her people, and an outcast among those of her kind. Even an outcast from the land she was born on as now she along with all the unrepentant villains of the now United States of Auridon were banished to the newly designated Isle of the Lost. The Lost souls who would never find their way back to the beautiful aura and light of Auridon. They made their choice and would have to live with it, but now Maleficent realized so would their offspring.

The Sickness was a battle, an almost deadly one that she only survived because of the anti-magic (and escape) barrier cast by Fairy Godmother. It made Maleficent human—at least in the magical transference that always made child bearing so deadly. It made Mal human, in at least her physical growth for the next 16 years. But that could have also been because of her father, the unnamed man that Maleficent would barely mention but when she did, it was to spit at his memory and to emphasize that he was a moment of weakness.

"Never be weak, do you understand child? Men will say anything. People will take anything. Don't let them. Be ruthless and cruel. Never let anyone think they have the upper hand! ...Unless your using that miscalculation to your advantage that is."

Yes, King Stephen knew this child would be his undoing. With her pinning stare, and powerful eyes. Yes, her mother had them too. But it was his eyes that worked that human magic on that once sweet fairy. It was his eyes that ruined that once innocent princess. It was his eyes that brought destruction to the land he desperately wanted. And it was her eyes that would bring destruction to him.

All that was left was to face them.