This is my main story about Maleficent and Diaval. I hope you'll enjoy.

Diaval, in his human form, was following Maleficent through the thick forest of the Moors. He raised an eyebrow as his mistress stumbled without any reason. He only knew her since three months, but he had noticed how strange she's been acting, lately.

First, she changed him back into his beautiful raven self less and less often after his reports. Then, she was always wincing, which wasn't really extraordinary of her, but she at least used to smile when he was making a fool of himself or roll her eyes when he was trying to joke around. Now the only feature that crossed her face was this pain-contorted expression. He wondered if she was all right, but he quickly remembered she was the most powerful magical being of the Moors. What on earth would be able to break her, seriously?

He raised his head as she tripped over something again. Usually, he was the one with the most trouble to walk. He still didn't like that much those long and heavy legs. Why didn't she want to change him back into a raven, anyway? He sighed.

But before he could think of any reasons at all, he saw the fairy fall down before his very eyes. He rushed toward her and knelt by her side.

"Mistress? What's going on? Are you all right?" he asked urgently.

He started to panic when she didn't answer him. After looking her over he figured out she was only unconscious. He took her, rather clumsily in his arms, and hurried to the heart of the forest, hoping to find help from the creatures of the Moors. He was glad she didn't change him back, or he would have never been able to help.

The fairy remained unconscious most of the day. When she woke up, she had to grit her teeth as stabbing pain came across her back. She was lying on her stomach, wrapped up in a wool blanket. It was dark around her, and as her eyes were getting used to the dim light, she recognized her lodge in the ancient ruins. She tried to move to the side, but the pain forced her to stay still.

"You shouldn't try to move," said a voice from the corner of the room.

It was Diaval. She recognized him at once. But his voice was unusually gloomy. He got closer and sat down on the chair by her side.

"What happened?" she asked in a whisper.

"You passed out. Which wasn't very surprising, considering the state of your scars," the raven-man said bluntly.

Her scars? Her wings scars?! Maleficent verged on panic. Did that means he saw the stumps on her back? Her shame, her weakness. That thought sent chills down to her spine, and her inability to move made it even more difficult to bear.

"Were you going to tell me? Or did you simply plan to have me watch you die and I would be happy with my freedom? Was that your plan?" he said coldly.

It was the first time he dared speaking to her with that disrespectful voice.

Though she didn't say anything, he was right, she knew what was going to happen. She blinded herself with denial, as it was out of the question to ask someone's help for that matter. She kind of hoped that her magic would fight the infection from the inside, and it worked at first, but it wasn't enough.

The raven-man looked at her with fierce eyes. He had time to calm down since it happened, but was still very shaken.

Distraught, Diaval got up and spoke, his voice slightly raised but quavering, "I have trusted you. You let me down, Mistress."

With that, he stormed out the front door slamming it behind him.

The door closed with a loud bang, and the silence filled the air. She knew the raven-man has been a very loyal servant, always by her side, never questioning her orders, but she understood why he just abandoned her. First because she had to face it, she grew quite evil, and second because she did betray him, Maleficent soon realised. He entrusted her with his life, counting on her to give him protection. What was left for him to stay if she was that weak and pathetic? Even if she happened to enjoy his company after those three months together, he too only had stayed with her by interest. Just like Stefan did. A single tear rolled over her cheek.

The pain in her back had lessened, but she figured it was only because she was going to die, that her senses were decreasing or something. She didn't resist at all when sleep came to take her. The end was near and she couldn't fight it, anyway.

To Be Continued...

Many thanks to RavenDiablo for beta-reading me and giving me inspiration. Go check-out his fanfiction, it's really great!