"What is that God awful smell?" Diaval shouted to no one in particular as he walked amongst the trees. The sun had set a while ago, but the heat from the day still hung in the air.
He began sniffing around himself, trying to adjust to his senses in human form. Bad idea, he thought. The offending odor was clearly coming from him. After spending most of the day walking, yes walking around the Moors trying to get used to his human body, he concluded that he needed a good bathing. More than once he had stumbled over a tree root or rock and fell into the dirt.
Unfortunately, his mistress was nowhere to be found to transform him back to his wonderful natural state. Probably for the best though, he concluded, as he didn't love the idea of preening if there was a chance this stench would carry over to his raven form.
His only option at the moment was to venture in to the water if he wanted to be rid of this smell. He hated the idea, but didn't have much of a choice considering the circumstances. Gathering what little resolve he had, he disrobed at the tree line and headed towards the nearby lake's shore.
What he did not know was that his mistress, Maleficent had the very same idea and was already bathing in the water. She was startled by his less than graceful approach onto the banks of the lake. Quickly, she turned her back and covered herself looking over her shoulder at the man-bird who was now standing at the waters edge completely naked. The moonlight gave his pale skin an ethereal glow. He barely made any notice of her nor did he seem to care about their state of undress. Clothes were a foreign concept to him and he didn't quite understand their necessity.
"What on earth are you..." but before she could finish he has already waist deep and was dousing himself with water, making a ridiculous show of it.
"Disgusting creatures, these humans," he yelled, making his disdain for this form known.
Still surprised by his intrusion, Maleficent could do nothing but stare wide eyed at her servant who seemed to take no notice of her despite his boisterous complaining. As he continued splashing and muttering to himself, a small smile formed on her lips. She did find his melodramatic antics to be amusing, of course she would never let him or anyone else know that.
"Are you quite finished?" She asked loudly using her most annoyed tone.
"I could bathe for a week and I don't know that I'd ever be finished," he replied. "And to think people call birds dirty."
Not caring to listen to any more of his ramblings, she instructed him to turn around so she could exit the water.
He looked at her curiously for a moment, until the realization of her present state finally dawned on him.
"Ah, of course Mistress," he said with a smirk as he turned around, "but as a bird I've seen many things and I can assure you, you've got nothing that's a mystery to me."
"That may be," she replied coolly as she put her robe on, "but clearly you need more time in this form to think about how to behave with some propriety and tact. Good night Diaval." And with that she left Diaval there with his back turned cursing his big mouth. I really need to learn to keep my mouth shut, he thought.
She could still hear him splashing around from her bed high in the trees. She glanced over to the lake. He had apparently figured out how to float as he was currently resting in the water looking up at the starry night sky. Such innocence, she thought as she looked at the peaceful smile on his face. No shame, no worry. He seemed free as...well, free as a bird. The weight of the world still rested on her wingless shoulders, but perhaps this servant of hers would prove to be entertaining.