Disclaimer: I own nothing. But I wouldn't mind owning Maleficent anyday.
Stefan's madness has taken its toll on the realm and Aurora must face the repercussion of her father's actions. The human kingdom is need of a new ruler but a Queen might not suffice for them, and Maleficent might not be there to help her. Eventual MalOra.
"Queen of the Moors"
Chapter 1
The fair folk cheered and Aurora beamed; her honest and open smile shinning as brightly as the golden sun. Her heart beat rapidly from the excitement of being accepted as Queen of the Moors, but it was the thought of her human kingdom what erased that smile when the celebration was over, and all the small creatures went home as the sun came down.
Some lived under water, others found shelter in caves, and there were others who like Maleficent preferred to have their nests in the heights so no one would bother them. Where would Aurora live? She asked herself. If she hadn't been to that palace, if she hadn't met her mad father, she wouldn't be suffering this inner struggle. She wouldn't be torn in between two realms.
When she learned about the curse and run away to the castle, she met poverty in the streets of the human kingdom. There were children begging for bread, with their clothing ragged and eyes full with un-shed tears. It was so different from the Moors, and she didn't like being there but she felt responsible for these persons she saw suffering, partly because of her.
Her father had gone mad after Maleficent cursed her as a child, and his fear mixed with hunger for power destroyed whatever innocence had been left in his heart; turning it into cold stone, with no light that cared for anything else than his vengeance on the wicked fairy that humiliated him before the entire realm that wretched day: Aurora's christening.
Aurora was the most innocent in all of this, but she couldn't avoid feeling the weight of her father's actions fall on her. He had, after all, done all of this to protect her. He sent her away, made every spinning wheel be thrown to a big pit to burn into nothingness, but it was his persistent hunt for Maleficent what cost his kingdom the most.
The attacks he commanded, and the backlash whenever the Dark Fairy came out to face his army had cost the realm more than just wealth... lives were lost. From only the attack to the Wall of Thorns, less than a third of his knights came back home. Dozens of men couldn't escape that incandescent night of fire, ashes, and blood.
A crusade that went on for sixteen years, where many wives lost their husbands; others had to mourn their sons, and those countless homes lost their primary source of income, and lost it all. There was too much discontent in the human world and no one to account it for. King Stefan, the Vicious — as the rabble called him — may have gone but their necessities and pain remained.
Who would answer for the bloodshed, hunger, and suffering to them?
"Aurora," Maleficent called, breaking her out of her moment of reverie.
She approached and looked into violet-blue eyes with concern.
"Is something troubling you, Beastie?"
The fairy made a movement, as if to try reaching for her but stopped midway, and her hand went to rest on the sphere atop her staff.
"No…" Aurora shook her head lightly and offered a small smile to her fairy godmother, but Maleficent could see through the forced gesture, and frowned unconvinced. "…Yes." Aurora mumbled.
The young Queen started to fidget with her hands nervously and eventually asked "where is home?"
At her question, Maleficent felt night breeze blow colder.
"All of the Moors is your home, Aurora. Or is it your wish to go back to the old cottage?"
The fairy made a pause but then it occurred to her that maybe Aurora meant somewhere else, and averted her eyes.
"If it is the human realm you miss, I will have Diaval escort you to the castle safely." Maleficent said calmly but Aurora could sense distress in her voice.
"No, no." The maiden replied and took a step closer.
She looked into iridescent eyes deeply, and placed a gentle hand on Maleficent's arm.
"I meant to ask… Where's our home? I mean, your home?" Aurora blushed, and Maleficent felt something move inside her.
Our home. Two simple words but they made her feel something swirl inside her, but decided to ignore this feeling so foreign, and yet not completely strange.
Maleficent smiled, partly confounded, partly pleased. "Come, Beastie."
She began walking through the woods, and glowing creatures of the night flew all around them, illuminating the road for the maidens as they walked. Until they reached to a small hill from where the fairy could have a clear view of her childhood home.
"Up there." Maleficent turned her gaze to the horizon, and with her chin pointed to a solitaire tree that stood on a cliff in the distance.
It was high and far, only a winged creature could make it safely to such a place. Aurora was a good climber, but not fit enough for a task of this magnitude, she figured. She looked up and smiled but then turned to Maleficent.
"How am I going to get there, Godmother? I don't have wings like yours." She asked quietly, gently caressing a hand over tan feathers. A touch that brought Maleficent back from her own trance.
Maleficent turned her gaze back from the tree to Aurora and inhaled deeply, thoughtful for a long moment. That tree was her haven, and she hadn't been there since the night her wings were stolen. Coming back would move things inside her and she didn't know if she wanted for Aurora to see it, but she also didn't have it in her to turn the curious little beastie away.
"Then let me be your wings, Beastie." Maleficent said softly.
Aurora smiled and came closer, she looked up to meet glowing eyes once again and felt her heart race inside her. It was strange how it would always do this whenever she was close to this fairy.
Maleficent looked down at the young Queen, and proud wings opened wide and flapped, showing off their magnificence. Aurora could swear they had a mind of their own and wanted to impress her.
"Hold on tightly." Maleficent said as her arms came to surround the petite body, firmly, and yet so gently.
Aurora's cheeks turned rosy as she wrapped her arms around the slender torso, but when her face pressed against the fae's chest; it was Maleficent's heart the one to go winding. She could listen to Maleficent's heartbeat, and for a moment she was lost in the drumming, until she felt a pull bring her up.
A gust of air and the loss of ground under her feet soon made her aware they were now in the air; she gripped tighter, and Maleficent looked down at her to smile warmly.
"Sweet Aurora, I would never let you fall." She told her, and Aurora blushed a shade brighter.
She had never been this close to her fairy godmother, and wished they could fly until dawn met them.
Note: Picking up from where the movie left. Not sure where I'm going to take this yet, as this just *popped* in my head.
P.S. I feel I must warn you this fic could/might get abandoned, but don't loose hope. I hate to leave "open" circles, and eventually come back to close them.