Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT
Author's Notes: I'm not sure what this is. Basically it's internal thoughts of late coming to the surface and torturing my favorite character with angst.
Catharsis
Letting go was not a particularly easy task for Maleficent. It never had been what with her
holding a grudge against Stefan and Briar Rose for twenty some odd years, taking revenge on their daughter to punish them. It was obviously not a skill she possessed in her vast stores of talent. It was the reason, the only reason, she had worked with Rumplestiltskin after her resurrection because she would find out what happened to her child, could move on and past that subject, enact her revenge on the Charmings. It was what drove her to her only friend and sometimes lover, Regina, for help in finding her daughter and bringing her home. A home that felt less like a home and more like a prison. Even the caves below the library felt more homey at this point in her 'second existence'. Maleficent fought for Lily's protection, fought for her to stay because she couldn't let go.
She wanted a relationship with Lily, she wanted them to at the very least be friends, a mentor to her child after missing so much time with her. Lily was guarded and hurt, unwilling to cooperate or back down from a fight and see reason. At every turn she shot Maleficent down, took cheap shots at her character and previous mistakes. She wasn't quite human, but everyone made mistakes, even creatures and it pained the dragon infinitely that she wasn't being heard.
She couldn't even tell her little queen the truth. Couldn't tell her that Lily was her child as well, that they had created a daughter with their magic. It was tough to accept that Regina was entangled in a relationship and appeared happy. There were moments, the dragon noticed, that she was sad and worried beyond belief. Probably for the conundrum that was her sister and that newborn. Such a strange turn of events. Maleficent wished to wipe away Regina's fear, her concerns, give her a clean slate but it wasn't meant to be between them and she had to understand that. She had to find a way to let it go and let her little queen be happy with her thief. No matter how much it felt like the Savior's sword slicing through her heart once more.
Her daughter stayed an extra week and Maleficent was ecstatic far too soon, thought it was a good sign, thought Lily had warmed up to her or to Storybrooke, but that hope as it always was, was squashed underneath the the boot of a woman who had too much power over Maleficent. Would nothing ever change in her life? Would she ever get a break, a second chance, a chance at some semblance of happiness.
She had half a mind to chase Lily across the border, coming so close she felt her magic dwindling before nearing the sign, but she could not cross. She would die. Maleficent made a promise to a brave little queen many years ago that she would never succumb to such weakness again, but it was tempting. Her daughter gone and no one to equally mourn her with, her lover and child's other parent blissfully unaware and attached.
Maleficent had to let go. She was alone.