Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT.
Author's Notes: Prompted by Oparu on tumblr: Maleficent & speech/toast
Life Goes On
For once in her life she was out of words. For once she found herself unable to speak, unable to breath, unable to move. Yet there were expectant people surrounding her, waiting for her to speak. She gulped and pushed down her fear that her resolve would falter and the dams would break. Her self control had vacated the entire world lately due to this development and she felt shattered in all ways imaginable. She wished another savior would come along and slay the beast once and for all, but she couldn't go down that rabbit hole. She had people who looked to her for guidance, for help. She couldn't give up, not now.
It was only when she felt a firm hand wrap around her bicep that she managed to look up from the ground. Not at her son, not at her beautiful and strong daughter helping her gain a grip on reality once, not at the adult face of the boy who once glued the first sliver of a heart back together. She would completely lose it if she looked at any remotely close to her. She stared at the headstone with glassy cool eyes, the engraving on it in her own flowing script.
"We are here...not to mourn, but to celebrate a life. A life lived to the fullest up to the very last minute. As with many, this life had a bumpy start and much turmoil and torment befell her, but she had the most resilient heart I have ever seen in my centuries long life and she recovered her humanity as she once helped me do the very same. Despite all her efforts nothing could fill her heart after the terror she bestowed upon our homeland, a land laden with magical creatures and potions and spells, but one day a small boy came into her life and helped her see joy once more. For that I am...forever grateful and have dedicated myself in earning that same boy's trust and love over the many years I saw him grow from a rebellious teen to the magnificent father that stands before us now. She was a far better mother than her own could ever hope to be, heart be damned, not once...but three times."
The arm on her bicep tightened as she felt the head of her daughter rest against her shoulder and the opposite side pant leg be wrapped in small fists. She gave it a cursory indication, not allowing herself to dwell and succumb to the sadness. Not yet...
"Though shocked and confused of how two women, one a dragon, the other a human, could conceive, she welcomed our daughter with open arms when we were reunited and bonded with her in a way I could hardly understand. They were two peas in a pod and it showed in how often they would steal away for a walk in the woods, or sit quietly in the park, heads bowed together. It wasn't the most ideal of relationships, finding our child at the age of thirty, but time was on our side and things healed. She once told me the happiest day of her life was when our son came into the world, a new vigor came to us and her already bursting with love heart expanded to include our precious little one."
A whimper escaped her son and she bit her lip trying to focus. She focused on her breathing for several silent moments, the congregation respectfully patient. she bent and scooped her son, about the size of a six year old, into her arms and positioned him on her hip.
"Life without a mother, without a leader, a confidant, without a partner...is going to be tough, but we will soldier on as we always have. Our family, our community is strong and we will survive. Time will heal," she looked at her daughter.
"And it will get better."