Diaval watched Maleficent as she sat under her tree. Her back hunched slightly, her shoulders slumped. For such a regal woman, she now seemed so small, and, dare he say it, vulnerable. He flew to her side and perched himself on the small rock resting in the earth beside her right hip. He watched as her fingers danced and light yellow magic twirled its way between them. Sudden warmth overtook him as he once again took on the form of a man.
"I'm in no mood for your banter Diaval." She said flatly.
"Come now mistress, why else would you turn me?" He chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. When her expression lowered even further he sighed and pulled a few blades of grass up from the dirt, twirling them in his fingers. "You know, I quite like this form." He stated after a while. "I think I like it more than my normal self."
She eyed him curiously. "Why is that?"
"I have no wings." He said contentedly.
She stared at him as if he'd just struck her. "What?" she asked bitterly.
He continued to fiddle with the grass. "I'm more like you." He smiled. "I see the world from your perspective." His gaze lifted to watch her carefully. "I like what I see."
She laughed quietly. "Do tell me pretty bird, what is it that you see?" she returned her eyes to the landscape before her, which was now bathed in soft pink and orange. "I see a world full of evil, hatred and revenge." She stated. "A world where those closest to you are ripped away, where you are stripped of what you love most," She instinctively reached back to where her wings should have been. "and where you are constantly reminded that no matter how hard you fight for a worthy cause, it will simply never be enough." She paused for a moment. "That, my dear Diaval is what I see."
He watched as her face hardened. He shifted closer to her. "Well, I see a woman." He stated plainly. "A woman who rises above the adversity she faces each day, all the while protecting the ones she loves. Without fail nor question."
She kept her eyes on the horizon. "Well, I do hate to disappoint you, my dear servant, but it seems that I have failed." She rested her chin in her hand, her eyes never wavering from the setting sun. After a brief moment of silence, she spoke again. "I can't do it."
Diaval closed his eyes and sighed. "She deserves to know mistress."
"She'll never forgive me-." Her voice began to tremble.
He opened his eyes and watched as a single tear slowly made its way down her lovely face. Instinctively, he brushed it away with his thumb.
"She will." He whispered softly. "But, she must know."
She turned her gaze to his, his hand coming to rest on her cheek. "What am I to do?"
He looked at her intently. "Tell her the truth." He leaned in closer and smiled slightly. "It will all work out in the end, that I promise. But you must take the leap of faith. You must continue to be brave." He slid a stray piece of her hair back behind her ear and kissed her forehead. "You must keep fighting."
Just as she was to respond, she heard Aurora coming up the hill behind him and quickly turned him back into his usual form.
"It's getting late Fairy Godmother. I suppose I should be headed back." The girl stated sadly.
Diaval watched as Maleficent stood and nodded her head "Yes I suppose so." She replied coolly.
The young princess hugged her tightly. "I'll be back tomorrow."
He watched with a heavy heart as the girl ran off. Maleficent stood there for a moment before she started her own decent down the hill. She turned to him. "Enjoy your wings." She stated. "Enjoy them for those of us who no longer can." A sad smile graced her lips as she retreated back down the hill.
"For the both of us mistress, for the both of us." He thought as he flew beside her. "For the both of us."