The Long Haul for Love

by FatefulWhispers

Aurora and Maleficent secretly love one another madly, but neither will confess. And then the day Maleficent is planning to tell Aurora how she feels human desire for power rears its ugly head. Can their love surmount the continuous trials life will throw at them? Set in the movie world sorta AU, FLUFF, smut, violence, drama, some angst, family. what does their future hold for em?

1. Love Conquers All

I love Malora as a pairing, and after reading so many fics by other writers (and I love a lot of them) I decided there wasn't enough, and I have to fulfill this need to write my own about them because I love the pairing SO much I can't stand it!

I hope I do the characters justice and stay relatively true to their arcs, though I may make some subtle changes to them, I dunno just let me know what you all think, because pleasing you as readers is important to me. This is kinda AU in some regards but is still set in the same world as the movie.

Also! I own none of the characters from the movie! I wish, but sadly no. I do own the other ones you'll be introduced to in this chapter and some that may be introduced later. Also this is rated M for a reason! There will be lots of fluff because I can't help myself haha ;D but there will also be smut in later chapters and sometimes intense violence like in this chapter for instance! You HAVE BEEN WARNED

Also I will try to update this weekly, but in all honesty it may be every two weeks, however I try to make up for that with suuuper long chapters, also I may update sooner than afore said time frame, it depends on inspiration not to mention free time in all honesty. So let me know what you think! Read and Review! I need to know if people like this and want to read more. And I thoroughly hope you all enjoy!

-Fateful

She couldn't stop thinking about her, the protector of the Moors. The one who held her young mortal heart, even though she never told the beautifully powerful and elegant faerie she did. "Maleficent…" She breathed her name, barely a whisper as she stared longingly at the Moors in the distance along the horizon. Leaning against her balcony railing the pleasant breeze caught her golden tresses pulling them towards the Moors at which she stared, reflecting her hearts wish to go there. Gold, auburn and crimson painted the evening sky as the sun descended, and her mind drifted like the wind.

Aurora idly twirled a red rose between her thumb and forefinger. She often spent her evening on her balcony like this; thinking about her, daydreaming about touching her flawless skin, kissing those full, perfectly pouted crimson lips, and staring into those piercing and entrancing golden emerald eyes that she adored more than she could put into words. How she longed for the faerie. The mere thought brought a heat coiling to her stomach and warmth pounding to her heart.

These feelings didn't develop overnight towards Maleficent. After she had woken her from the curse, something changed for Aurora. She saw the faerie in a different light. True loves kiss woke her. And that true love started changing from one form of love to another entirely for Aurora. No longer parental, but more equal, and the more she saw her as an equal the more she noticed how astoundingly beautiful Maleficent was. She loved the grace with which she carried herself, the strength that came naturally to her character and body. The kindness that resided in the faerie's heart had been shown and given only to Aurora. The way she used minimal words, but spoke volumes in their tone and simplicity. The way her piercing emerald gold eyes softened when they looked at her…how she would gently caress her cheek, shoulder or arm…the warmth and comfort, the feeling of complete and utter safety and protection when she was embraced by her… as if no harm could ever come to her as long as she resided in those arms. The way her heart skipped and fluttered when she would plant a kiss with those perfect crimson lips upon her brow or cheek and her multifaceted auburn brown hair tickled her face when she did.

She fancied that the faerie also felt the same about her, but she could never muster the courage to confess how she felt. She feared what would become of their relationship with one another if her feelings were rejected… simply the thought of losing the faerie in her life completely, even as nothing more than a friend, pained the young maidens heart like cold iron piercing a Fae.

They had become closer over the five years since the curse had been lifted. Aurora would spend as much time as she could in the Moors when her Queenly duties didn't detain or call her back. She didn't hate the castle so much as she hated not being with Maleficent. Although in all honesty she by far preferred the Moors to this place. She was raised there, had her fondest memories there…

Maleficent would come to visit and stay a few days at a time, but never longer than a week at most. She claimed to be unable to leave the Moors unprotected for so long, but Aurora knew that wasn't the real reason. She assumed that the Faerie still feared the castle on some level, she couldn't blame her.

Aurora had long since stripped the castle and her kingdom of all iron, replacing everything with copper, silver or bronze. The export of iron was of great affluence for her kingdom, and peace and harmony reigned for the time being. The humans and Fae even had a modicum of respect built over the years. They didn't intermingle unless necessary and peace existed because of Aurora nonetheless. But Aurora was no fool; she had grown in maturity and grew a keen eye and sharp tongue when it came to politics over the years. And she knew that there were Lords that hungered for power and the throne and still clung to the archaic desire to destroy the Fae and the Moors, as was the way of man.

Her council had been pressing the need for her to marry ever since she passed her 21st name day. But Aurora would hear or tolerate none of it, claiming that her kingdom knew peace and harmony as it never had before as a direct result of her rule, and she needed no husband to maintain it. She was fierce and staunch in her statement, and while everyone conceded, they found other ways to allude to it. The necessity of an heir was casually brought up in conversation between council members, just loud enough that she would over hear, but never directly stated to her face. Phillip was often brought up as the strongest candidate, or the sons of the two Lords next in line for the throne; the thought made her stomach turn with sickness. She held no interest in any of the young men, though at one point when she was younger and had first met Phillip, she fancied him as handsome. But that was before the curse took effect and then subsequently lifted by the one who placed it upon her.

Aurora groaned and pushed the thought away. She wanted no husband or any children by one! She wanted Maleficent…her true love. The only one who holds her heart… She placed a delicate hand to her breast, feeling the heavy thumping in her chest rise at the thought of Maleficent once more.

Love. How it plagued her mind and her senses so very constantly recently! She didn't know how much longer she could hold in how she felt about the faerie. It was becoming so consuming that she was starting to drift off in her mind during council meetings or while addressing her peoples' concerns, and had her council muttering amongst itself about the state of her mental health some. Some speculated that perhaps she would fall to sickness as her mother had.

Aurora turned from the balcony as the last rays of sun faded away and returned to her chambers. How she wished for wings of her own…to fly to the moors right now, and see the faerie she so deeply wished to be held by right at this moment. She clutched at the necklace Maleficent had gifted to her on her 18th name day. It was a rough emerald, uncut but still beautiful in its natural form. It reminded her of Maleficent in a way. Unrefined by human standards but a natural regal beauty to its uncut edges, a pure green in the center that could only be seen when held to the light at just the right angle. She fancied that's the way she saw Maleficent, in a light that no one else could. The thought brought a smile to her soft pink lips and joy to her cerulean eyes. She fingered the emerald that was bound in soft leather wishing with all that she was that Maleficent were there.

Aurora untied her gown and let it fall from her shoulder to pool around her ankles on the floor. She had finally grown two more inches, and her body fully developed, and with that physical development intense physical desires came in toe to accompany her ever present mental and emotional ones. Walking naked to her wardrobe, the soft candle and firelight bouncing off her soft ivory skin and shapely curves and breasts; she removed her white nightgown and slipped it on before stoking the fire in her chambers adding a few more logs for the night. Blowing out the candles in her chamber she crawled into her large bed under the plush down filled covers and snuggled against a pillow that still smelled of Maleficent.

When Maleficent visited she would sleep in the same bed, at Aurora's insistence, just as Aurora would sleep in the great Rowan tree when she visited Maleficent in the Moors which was also at Aurora's behest. Maleficent had never seemed to mind too much, if at all. Perhaps the faerie did harbor some type of feelings for her after all. The thought made a blush heat her cheeks and her heart pound and she clutched tighter to the pillow, breathing in the scent of her faerie deeply.

She hummed happily to herself as the familiar scent invaded her senses. She smelled of nature, of cloves and berries and honey all mingled pleasantly in a subtle musk, but Aurora's nose could decipher it on anything Maleficent had worn or laid upon. The smell comforted her as she drifted slowly to sleep, dreams of being carried by her faerie love while she flew through the sunset painted sky, holding her ever so closely and kissing her ever so tenderly.

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Maleficent flew through the mild tempered mid-summer night sky towards the castle. The wind billowed through her unbound hair. She knew that Aurora wished her near. She never told Aurora but the necklace she gave her for her 18th name day was not simply a gift but a tether from Aurora to Maleficent. It let her feel if Aurora was in danger, wished for or needed her, or if something harmful or grave had befallen her. It was Maleficent's way of keeping watch and protecting her little Beastie, even from afar. Even still, she would send Diaval to and fro, giving Maleficent reports of Aurora's well-being and of anyone in the kingdom who wished her ill. So far there were two Lords serving on her small council that Maleficent would sooner do away with than let continue as a possible future threat to Aurora. She kept them under as close a watch as she was capable with Diaval, but she didn't doubt there were happenings that she knew nothing about. It bothered the faerie to the core of her being, stirring the anger that had lain dormant for years now.

All this past week she could feel how madly Aurora had been wishing her near and this evening it had been more prominent than ever before. She could ignore it no longer. She knew the young woman loved her, truly loved her. And in truth, Maleficent loved her just as intensely, if not more. But she was afraid of what hardship their love would bring to Aurora's life with her being Queen and herself a faerie. And hardship was the last thing she wanted to bring to Aurora's life. But feeling how intensely Aurora felt for her, Maleficent wasn't sure she could hold her tongue any longer, especially since she loved her little beastie just as much.

She never thought that after the day she broke the curse she herself had laid upon her, that so much would change in regards to her love for her. Aurora had started growing into a young woman in physical and mental ways, and while she was just a jovial and pure as she ever was, her affections toward the faerie changed. A stare held deeper, or longer than it once did. A hug was tenderer, pressed more closely. A kiss to the cheek lingered longer than appropriate and was far less than chaste as they had been. Subtly over the years Aurora made it clear that she harbored feelings for the faerie, and Maleficent had done her best to stay steadfast in ignoring her advances and not show her own true feelings, but she knew that she herself was giving the same subtle hints. But has Aurora noticed?

Fae subtlety was by far more subtle than humans', but Aurora knew Maleficent, better than she felt she knew herself some days. And she loved the girl for it. She was always jovial, and her smile seemed to slow time around them, at least it did to Maleficent. She would catch herself staring at those perfect cerulean eyes and her dainty pink lips, especially when the light caught her long golden tresses and haloed her features. The mere thought of it made her heart race and a heat coil inside of her. Indeed, the way she viewed Aurora now compared to before, was a stark contrast. Lost in her thoughts as she was she was she came upon the castle as what seemed quicker than normal to her.

With a couple beats of her great auburn and copper wings she silently landed on Aurora's balcony and tucked her wings, easily seeing inside, even in the darkness with her faerie eyes, which were far keener than a mere mortals. Aurora was fast sleeping; clutching the pillow Maleficent knew was the one she always used when she stayed in her bed. The sight brought a small contented smile to the corners of her lips and a peaceful droop to her eyes. Silently she opened the balcony door and slipped inside, latching it quietly behind her advancing to the bed.

She didn't know what she was thinking! She froze, standing at the edge of Aurora's bed watching her sleep, an intense war raged in her head. She was about to slip into the bed with Aurora without her consent, and without a second thought. That was entirely out of her character! Her flying all the way out here in the middle of the night was also completely out of her character…But until this moment she hadn't thought about that. All she knew was that she could feel Aurora's intense need for her by her side. And she wanted nothing more than to oblige her.

'To the seven hells with it!' She cursed to herself in her mind, 'She wanted you here. You know that. And you want to be here just as badly, why else would you have flown all this way? Get into bed with her, I doubt she will mind at all. And on the morrow you will tell her how you feel…somehow. You must. Bearing this love in secret is no good for either of you any longer.'

And with that Maleficent made up her mind. Already having been in her own sleeping robes when she abruptly left her Rowan tree in the Moors after feeling Aurora's overwhelming desire for her presence; Maleficent ever so gently lifted the covers and crawled into the great bed, tucking her great wings back carefully as she climbed in next to Aurora. Not wanting to startle the girl to wakefulness, she got as close as she could and caressed her cheek with her hand. Captivated by the young Queen, she leaned in slowly and kissed her cheek.

To Maleficent's surprise Aurora, still sleeping, immediately pushed the pillow away and scooted forward closing the gap between them clasping her hands tightly about her waist, gently entwined their legs together, and nuzzled her face against her collar bone and neck, her petite form pressed completely flush against her own taller slender form. They had embraced while sleeping in the Rowan tree together before for the bed was so small, but never this intimately. The sudden closeness felt as if it sent her heart pounding from her chest.

A slight blush colored Maleficent's cheeks, and shaking the momentarily being stunned by her sleeping beauties reaction, she hesitantly wrapped her arms around her holding her close, her wings timidly curling around Aurora protectively as she kissed the crown of her golden curls breathing in her scent. She smelled of roses, honeysuckle and summer time. It intoxicated the faerie beyond reason.

'Tomorrow' Maleficent reasoned once again in her mind, trying to bolster her own courage; a wholly unfamiliar feeling to the faerie. She could hold her love for the girl secret no longer. She only prayed what comes after that, they can surmount, together. And why couldn't they? Maleficent didn't believe in true love after what Stephan did to her, but this girl, she had taken what was left of her heart and over time repaired it and made her believe in true love again. And if what they say is true, then true love conquers all. She hoped so.

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Aurora breathed in the smell of her beloved faerie and squeezed her pillow tighter. She froze. She wasn't holding a pillow at all, this was a body, her body. Her cerulean eyes fluttered open. A mere few inches from her own face was the sleeping face of her hearts' desire, peaceful and fast asleep holding her closer than ever before, her wings curled protectively around Aurora. A blush colored her cheeks before a full smile met her lips. Maleficent must have come in the dead of night while she slept and crept into her bed. She didn't know why she had come, and to her it didn't matter because at this moment her heart soared.

She stared intently at those crimson lips that she longed to kiss. Biting her own bottom lip she decided against it. If she ever kissed the faerie she wanted her to know it, for it to be reciprocated; that is what she truly wanted. That, however, didn't deter her delicate hand from reaching up and gently running her fingertips over her sharp cheekbone and down her cheek to her neck. She found Maleficents' features striking, regal and utterly beautiful, incomparable to anyone she had ever seen. And even though people feared her especially because of her horns, Aurora loved them as well. They set her apart from mortal and faerie alike, and did nothing to retract from her beauty. Her thumb softly caressed across her bottom lip, having lost her reasoning over her actions at the moment. This was like one of her daydreams brought to life, she couldn't help herself!

One of Maleficent's wings slowly curled closer around Aurora's shoulder and a smile gently tugged at the corner of her full crimson lips.

"Hello Beastie." Her voice was sultry and soft, and if Aurora wasn't laying down she knew her legs would have shaken under her own weight from the tone of the words. It was…very intimate.

"Good morning Maleficent.." She breathed barely above a whisper, a contented smile played across her lips, as her heart pounded in her ears.

Maleficents eyes opened and fluttered twice, their emerald color being outshone by gold this morning, and Aurora was entranced and didn't realize how long she was staring for. She slowly tightened her arms around the Faerie's waist, coming just closer to her face sensing no resistance from her. Aurora was feeling rather bold this morning.

A soft blush colored Maleficent's face and tips of her ears. She tucked a golden lock behind Aurora's ear gently running her fingertips over her cheek, entranced by her Queens sparkling cerulean eyes. Her heart was pounding; Aurora must have been able to feel it being as closely pressed to one another as they were. "Aurora…I, there is something I must tell you. I can't-"

An urgent rapping at the door interrupted them, eliciting a soft snarl from Maleficent and an annoyed scowl and swift turn of Aurora's head to the chamber door. 'What does she mean she cant't? She can't what?' the thought raced through Aurora's mind.

"My Queen!" urgent knocking again beat against the chamber door once again negating Aurora from bringing her thought to voice.

"Yes? What is it?" Aurora raised her voice loud enough for the person to hear, annoyance dripping from every word. She didn't wish to leave! Maleficent was about to say something, good or bad she didn't know, but she desperately wanted to.

"My Queen, the council has sent me to tell you they have called an urgent meeting that requires your presence immediately and to escort you to the council chambers with most haste." The messenger called through the doors, his voice respectful but timid.

An annoyed sigh and groan huffed from Aurora as she let her head flop back to the pillow. This was the third time this week that an urgent meeting had been summoned. Lord Barstone and Lord Valen, middle aged and power hungry, made it their top priority to keep her running to and fro from council meetings that they deemed urgent. Knowing that if Aurora started ignoring them that they would sow seeds of dissent in her council, she had no choice but to attend, however if this meeting was a ridiculous as the last two, she would be putting a most immediate end to the power pulls of the two Lords.

The first had been about her wedding one of their eldest sons, so as to secure the future of the kingdom, since they both sat next in line for the throne; Valen first, then Barstone. Having addressed the council regarding this matter once before, she became irate. Aurora swiftly denied them, stating that she would marry in her own time and of her own hearts' desire, seeing as no imminent threat to the kingdom presented itself. The rest of her council understood and seemed to have no qualms with her decree, but Lord Valen and Barstone's faces turned sour and angry.

The second meeting had been in regards to the Fae allowing humans into their lands to gain access to the pool of gems, as to increase the kingdoms wealth. They claimed since she ruled over the Moors, that her people should have access to its riches to better its own economy, especially since the Fae had none and seemed not to need them. This infuriated Aurora beyond belief, but she maintained her composure somehow.

Because of her selling all of the iron and getting her kingdom into trading silver, copper, bronze, crops, livestock as well as assortments of silks, art and other finery, the kingdom was more prosperous than it ever had been, and she told them as such. Trespassing into the moors without direct approval from the Queen herself and disturbing the tenuous peace she was creating between them and the humans, she declared was high treason against the kingdom. Perhaps one day they would be able to intermingle peacefully without borders, but she did not see that day coming any time soon. She even explained it to her council, which as Queen she need not do, but honesty always seemed to serve her well with maintaining the majority of her council to remain on her side. She also firmly believed that the pool was theirs, and the humans had no right to it, even if they could pass back and forth between their borders peacefully, but she kept that part to herself.

Again the two Lords, who seemed more and more like thorns in her side seeking to become daggers, turned their faces away in fury. The rest of the council agreed with her, wishing no war or disturbance of peace between the two realms again. Her kingdom quite enjoyed peace, why couldn't these two Lords as well? It unsettled her deeply.

"Do they do this often?" Maleficent's words pulled her from her thoughts, and she jerked a bit coming back to reality.

Shaking her head of the thoughts she smiled wanly, "Twice so far this week, with absurd power hungry moves from two very tiresome Lords of my council." She reluctantly sat up and swung her legs out over the bed to stand and dress herself. Maleficent knew the Lords of whom she spoke, having garnered information about them from Diaval, but Maleficent didn't tell her that just yet. She would at another time, but she didn't wish to discuss her utter distrust of them just now.

"Why do you not remove them from your council? And strip them of their power?" Perhaps she could persuade Aurora to remove the problem. Maleficent got up out of the bed, and with a flick of her hand golden magic swirled around her changing her into more appropriate robes for day wear, consisting of earthy browns and greens.

Aurora laughed softly to herself, "If only it were that easy." She slipped her sleeping gown off her shoulder and stood naked with her back to Maleficent as she riffled through her wardrobe for a cream dress with accents of deep blue and gold trim with a swooping neckline and long fitted sleeves.

Maleficent let her eyes glide over the form of Aurora for a moment, and a longing look filled her eyes, before approaching to help her tie up her corset. She learned how to do it so that she could help attend her while she dressed instead of her ever bustling hand maidens. She was getting used to human things, but some of them still seemed utterly ridiculous to the Fae. She and the humans of the castle and town over the past five years had become used to one another, and they no longer scurried in fear of her unless she scared them intentionally or a particularly bad mood was on her that day.

"And why can't it be. You are their Queen." She stated matter of factly, as if that brokered no argument from her subjects. Her taloned fingers worked deftly at the strings where once they fumbled and pulled incorrectly. Aurora held her hair over her shoulder and she had to fight her desire to kiss along her bare shoulder.

Aurora giggled a bit, she often had to explain human politics to Maleficent. In the fae world, the Queen of the Fae makes a decree and they all simply obey it, no questions asked, because they trust in their ruler and know she has their best interest at heart. "I am. But human politics don't work that way. I mean, it could. But I do not wish to be that kind of ruler. My people obey me because they trust, love and respect me. I've worked hard for that. Unless they step over a serious boundary or betray me, there is nothing I can do without causing possible dissent. Humans don't obey without question, it isn't in our nature. And I do not trust another to rule. If someone else did then the Moors would be unsafe again. You would be-"Aurora worried her bottom lip stopping her sentence and suddenly found her feet very appealing to stare at.

Maleficent smiled and gently grasped Aurora's shoulder turning her to face her. And with the other she gently lifted her chin with her finger and planted a slow, tender kiss on her forehead. "Go to your council meeting. I shall be waiting in the gardens with food to break our fast. I still have something that I must tell you beastie."

Aurora's smile beamed and she threw her arms around Maleficent's neck in a tight embrace. Maleficent smiled and returned it before gently pulling away. "Now, go on. You've business to attend." She gently jerked her chin towards the door. Aurora smiled and slipped on her shoes to exit the chamber. Before she left she looked back at Maleficent and smiled so brightly the faerie was sure her heart had stopped. She returned with a rare smile of her own, fully baring her teeth in joy.

Maleficent made her way to the kitchen to fetch them some breakfast, an unusual lightness in her step, before heading to the gardens to wait for Aurora and confess her love to the young maiden.

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Aurora followed the messenger boy through the halls. She didn't recognize this one, "Where is Theodore?" She raised an eyebrow in question. Theodore was the usual messenger used to call upon her for meetings and such.

"Oh! He is in a sick bed my Queen. It was his sixteenth name day yesterday, and I believe he partook of rather too much mead." He stated timidly with a sheepish smile. She vaguely remembered Theodore mentioning the approach of his name day a week or so ago.

Aurora smiled shaking her head, "Seeing as it was his name day I shall excuse it." She chastised jokingly. Theodore was a good boy, but very rigid, it was good to hear that he could allow himself some fun even if it was just for his name day. This boy seemed around the same age as Theodore, maybe a year or two older with sandy brown hair and hazel eyes. "What is your name? I make it a point to know the names of people who directly attend to me."

"Lucas, my Queen." He bowed his head respectfully as they walked along the hallways, a smile pulling up at one corner of his mouth.

"It is a pleasure, Lucas." She stated politely. They came upon the council chamber and she straightened her back a little more and raised her chin a degree. Presence today was everything, especially since she intended to put an end to their flippant call of meetings to grab for power.

Lucas opened the door for her and let her inside. Aurora entered followed by Lucas who closed the door behind them. A puzzled expression contorted her face. "Lord Valen, Lord Barstone, Where are the rest of the council mem-" WHAM! The last thing she remembered is falling forward, slight panic filling her, before everything went dark.

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Lucas placed the small bronze statue he struck her on the head with back on the table watching her crumple to the floor unconscious. Blood started to stain her hair from where he had struck her. "There. Your deed is done." Lucas stood up, the timid air about him gone, replaced by a silent hard countenance. "Now my payment, as agreed." He held out his hand towards Lord's Valen and Barstone.

Lord Valen tossed him a coin purse filled with gold coins. "As agreed. But, I have another job for you. I need you to spirit her from this castle to meet with the transport party outside of town. There is a secret passage through here." He lifted a heavy tapestry alone the far wall, and sure enough there was a door. Its hinges were rusty from years of disuse. "Follow the passage down, and take the small boat along the underground canal once you come to it. There are no turns and it will take you to the basement of an Inn just outside of town where they will meet you. As for payment… Take that emerald from her neck. It's from the Moors, and as such is worth more than that coin purse I just gave you." He stroked his short trimmed peppered beard, and fierce black eyes bore into the boy from beneath thick black brows, His shoulder length jet black hair combed back, giving him a fierce, unyielding countenance.

The boy Lucas looked down at the Queen and hoisted the her over his shoulder. Some of her blood remained on the floor, and stained most of her hair. 'A shame.' He thought to himself, 'She has such beautiful hair.' Without another word, they pulled open the door for him, the hinges grating unpleasantly, and he disappeared into the dark hallway.

Lord Valen and Barstone shut it tight behind him, concealing the door once again, and exited the council chambers. For the first time in years, they wore smiles upon their faces.

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Maleficent dashed as quickly as she could through the castle hallways. Worry, panic and anger filled her as she pushed people out of the way or barreled over them, the clinking of armor a ways behind her as the castle guard struggled to keep up. "Move!" She would shout occasionally, most people ducking behind corners or against walls, anywhere, as long as it was out of the great faerie's way. Lord Valen and Lord Barstone, she knew they were behind whatever happened to Aurora! The terrible things she wished to do to them ran through her head in a desperate mental attempt to keep the possibilities of what befell Aurora from dominating her mind.

She had just arrived at the garden with a tray of food to break Aurora and her self's fasts, when she felt a small burst of intense panic from the necklace Aurora wore. This gave her immediate pause, but she could sense no other warning coming from her. Perhaps the council had delivered truly worrisome news? She pondered it, not quite settled inside as she set the tray down. Sitting in the grass under an oak tree, the sun warmed her, its rays gently breaching the oak leaves above rustling under a gentle wind. No other emotions of panic or signs of warning that she was being hurt came from the necklace though.

She sat for fifteen minutes nibbling a berry or two when she noticed three council members strolling along the path of the garden conversing as they made their way in her direction. Curious. Aurora should be there already, she would walk faster than the older men, especially after this morning, and Maleficent's promise of their continued conversation she knew. This sent her on edge but she composed herself, Aurora was Queen after all, and people always came to her with offhand matters here or there that could have slowed her arrival.

She offered a courteous smile to them as they approached, "Good morning." She inclined her head a bit in a show of respect, as Aurora had accustomed her to over the years. "Is the Queen on her way this morning since your meeting is over? Or was she held about on some other business?"

"Good morning my Lady Maleficent." One of the Lord's offered, but his look was puzzled, "There was no council meeting this morning. Not that we are aware of." The other two Lords murmured their agreement with small nods all three lowering confused stares at her.

"That is impossible! She was summoned this morning from her chamber by Lord's Valen and Barstone for a meeting." Her voice held panic as she stood up, and worry creased her normal smooth features. Without a word she set off for the council meeting chambers. She could hear the Lords mumbling to themselves in pursuit of her, and as she rounded the corner she heard one call out for the guards issuing orders to assist her most urgently. Apparently she was not the only one with distrust of the two Lords.

As she made her way through the castle she stopped clutching at her heart, horror and panic filling her being as the blood rushed from her face. The guards walking behind her asked if she was alright, muttering in mild confusion and apprehension to one another.

The magical tie of the necklace had been severed! She could no longer feel its pull at all. She broke off into a mad run for the council chambers.

Maleficent barreled through the door to the chamber and frantically glanced about, seeing nothing, and then the metallic scent of blood filled her nose, her keen sense of smell picking it up. She looked down her eyes wide, and there on the floor was a small pool of blood; the Queens blood, she knew. A cry of rage spilled from her lips that echoed loudly and reverberated down the halls. The guards came into the chamber clutching their silver mailed hands to their ears. She vaguely heard them asking what was wrong through the pounding of her blood in her ears but gave no response as she stalked the room casting small green magic from her fingers. She heard their panic at seeing the blood on the floor as she moved and they were all a flurry bustling orders, but Maleficent didn't care what they did. She would find Aurora herself, and they would be useless, she knew.

The green magic swirling from her hands down to the blood, spiraling over it before shooting quickly at a heavy tapestry and disappearing in a burst as it struck the heavy fabric. Maleficent gripped the tapestry with her talons and ripped it off the wall, the holding rod and all, tossing them both across the far wall in her panic and haste. A single rust hinged door stood there and without a second thought she grasped the handle and immediately let go with a hiss cradling her hand, it was locked and still made from iron. This door had long been a secret, one that Aurora, and she doubted anyone but Valen and Barstone knew about given their superior age.

Growling she planted her feet her massive wings unfurling behind her to balance her she grunted and grabbed the door handle, her hand immediately burning she ignored the pain and gave a great heave, ripping the door from its hinges and letting it fly into the table behind her. The guards gave a surprised cry ducking out of the way and a few followed her as she ran down the dark corridor.

'You must be alright Aurora! You must!' She repeated the thought frantically down the hidden corridor, she would never be the same if something terrible had befell her young love. It was pitch black, only her faerie vision allowing her to see, she could hear the guards slow behind her in caution, but the narrow corridor did not turn, and the ground was smooth. She could make out footprints in the dirt as she ran, quietly disserting that the right foot sunk slightly deeper into the dirt, indicating that the captor carried something heavy, Aurora. She was still alive, if they meant to assassinate her they would have done so and left the body for someone to find, no, they wanted her gone in another fashion.

This small hope did nothing for Maleficent however, she still had to find her, and save her before she was gone from her forever and enduring gods knew what for the remainder of her days! She came to a small canal that ran perpendicular to the corridor she just walked. Contemplating what she would do as the guards clamored up behind her. "Do you know where this leads?" Her tone was clipped and urgent as she stared down it, seeing no immediate light to indicate an exit.

"N-no my Lady." The first answered. The second guard, older than the first by a decade or so spoke up. "I believe this is the underground canal of the kingdom my lady. It was used by-"

"I don't care who used it!" She shouted angrily in her worry, "I asked where it leads!" She looked over her shoulder, her faerie eyes gleaming nothing but poisonous green fury.

"T-t-the inns my lady! It l-leads to all the inns lining the edge of town, it is barred at the last to prevent i-invasion through it!" He answered keeping his composure as best a season guard could against a great faerie such as herself.

Maleficent turned and ran back up the corridor pushing past the panicked guards. She wouldn't be able to get down the canal quick enough with it being so narrow, it would eliminate her wings as a swimming tool to speed her, nor was it large enough for her to fly above the water. Reaching the chamber quickly she didn't stop as she ran out on the balcony jumping from its edge, casting green magic changing her clothes midair into her black leathers as her great wings pounded to carry her swiftly into the skies.

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Lucas covered Aurora in a heavy black traveling cloak drawing up the hood before he carried her, bridal style this time, up the stairs from the inn's basement. The barkeep looked at him from cleaning his glass as he emerged and grunted in a nod. The barkeep turned his head away; he was paid off to help, Lucas knew, and his greed had won his compliance but the boy could see the man's self-loathing battling in his eyes. Lucas would take care of the barkeep before he left, neither he nor the Lords who employed him could chance lips loosened from guilt.

He handed over the Queen to the rag tag group of five warriors, disguised as traveling merchants. They took the queen from him as they strode from the inn and Lucas walked over to the bar. "A drink, please." He ran a hand through his sandy brown locks, placing a feigned look of guilt on his face, "Nasty business this."

The Inn keep bobbed his head in agreement as he poured the boy and himself a flagon of mead. "Aye, that it is boy. I'm regrettin' me choice of greed. The Queen was a lovely young woman, and a fair handed ruler." He cheered his flagon to Lucas', "To the Queen, perhaps we can come clean, save her and mayhap's keep the gold we gained." He downed his mead, Lucas downing his own but watching the man with one eye. Lucas finished first and wiped his mouth smiling.

"I was afraid you would say that." Still smiling Lucas grabbed the man by the collar jerking him forward as her plunged a long dagger up into the man's chin clear to his brain, blood pouring down over his hand as he jerked it free. The dead inn keep fell to the floor behind the bar with a thud, and then all was silent. Lucas used the rag the inn keep used on the flagons to clean his hand and dagger before sheathing it.

"Oh my, I almost forgot to claim my payment from the Queen because of you." Lucas walked from the bar just as they were starting to hide the queen in a mule drawn wagon, filled with mock trading goods. "Hold." He called to them, "I need to collect my payment from her as promised from our employer." He walked up to the wagon, none of them protesting but watching him as he approached.

He reached down grasping the emerald about her neck as he studied her face and head. The bleeding had stopped and her hair was matted with still wet and some dried blood at this point. She was so very beautiful, it was a shame. He ran a hand over her hair as he jerked the necklace from her neck, snapping the leather tie along the back. The emerald's golden glow radiating from the center faded away, and he looked at it momentarily curious before shrugging and stepping away, "She's all yours lads." He muttered as he started walking away along the road back to town. He could hear the men covering her with a blanket and arranging the goods to better hide her from prying eyes. A crow cawed from above, circling the group. The birds were known for following in the wake of ill deeds and death, how fitting.

'Another job well done Lucas. This is why you're the best.' And the young man was. He was silent, efficient and always completed his task. He had personally been responsible for assassinations and spiriting people away for Lords Valen and Barstone since he was fifteen. He was their secret weapon, only used in most dire necessity, and always effective.

The plan had worked perfectly, the Queen's faerie pet had visited the week prior, so she was nowhere about when the abduction happened, and by the time she came to visit and discovered her Queen missing it would be too late. The Queen would be far, far away suffering whatever the Lords had planned in their nefarious minds for her. And he cared not. He looked out for himself his whole life, no one else ever had.

He had been walking a good while and was about halfway back to town, the canal making the trip out much quicker than walking, and he pulled the emerald from his pocket holding it up a bit for the sun to catch it as her inspected it while he walked. It was beautiful even uncut. He would have it cut and shaped, and set into a fine dagger, he decided with a smile as he strolled casually. A shadow seemed to fall over him and a crow cawed menacingly as it flew in front of his path.

Lucas startled and when he looked up all he saw was great flurry of wings and furious green eyes. Feet met his chest lifting him from the ground and launching him backwards striking the air from his lungs abruptly as he landed hard on the ground. He writhed on the ground trying desperately to get his lungs to comply for air when a woman who's head was crowned with great menacing horns stalked over to him grabbing him by the throat with a single hand and lifting him up off the ground with ease, talons pressing into the vein of his life blood.

'No!' he thought to himself, panic, a wholly unfamiliar feeling to the young man, gripped him as he grabbed at her wrist still trying to breathe, and he dropped the emerald in his haste. His eyes burned from the lack of air and watered a bit, but he knew who he stared at. It was the Queens faerie bitch, Maleficent. 'It wasn't supposed to happen this way! She wasn't supposed to be here!' He gritted his teeth and started fumbling for his dagger on the back of his pants.

Deadly anger danced freely in her green eyes as she saw the emerald fall to the ground. She sniffed a bit and looked to his hand, and regret at touching the Queen's blood crusted curls filled his being. Unable to focus on grabbing his dagger he decided to chance a plea for his life in exchange for her whereabouts.

"W-wait! Pl-" He rasped, but the hand squeezed, talons puncturing skin, his blood flowed freely for just a moment before her hand crushed his throat. He would get no more chances.

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Maleficent dropped the lifeless form of the boy, her fangs barred in fury as she breathed angrily. Diaval landed next to her cawing for her attention. "Into a man." She flicked her wrist still staring at the lifeless body. Aurora's smell was all over him, as well as her scent of blood, and when she saw the emerald she would hear nothing from the boy save the sound of his life leaving his body. She clutched the emerald in her iron burned hand.

Diaval stood up hurriedly, "They have 'Rora Maleficent!" She had sent Diaval along to scout the other half of the possible inns Aurora could have surfaced at, and when he chanced upon the exchange he flew straight to her cawing for her to follow him.

As she followed she could start to feel the residual magic the emerald still held somewhere near, and she thought it to be Aurora. But when Diaval swooped down in front of the young man walking along the road, she dove like a hawk for her prey. She intended to question the boy, but when she saw the emerald fall from his grasp she knew all that she needed to. He was involved, his face of surprise and panic at seeing her confirmed it, and the only thing the boy had coming was death. It might as well have been at her hands. She would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy it, and fearie's don't lie. Especially about things they enjoyed.

"Where?" She turned her head sharply to look at him, her wings opening a bit preparing to fly immediately.

"They put 'er in a wagon, hidden among tha' goods. Five men, armed. They're plannin' to smuggle her outa' country Malle!" Worry filled his voice.

"Into a bird!" She turned him back as she lifted from the ground with a great beat of her wings, Diaval lifting off flapping furiously and flying with her.

She had never flown so hard and fast in all of her life, not even for enjoyment had she ever flown this fast. Her wings actually ached for the first time since she was a child still strengthening them. Diaval struggled to keep up to her great pace, but wasn't far behind. But she easily ignored the pain; anger, fury and vengeance fueling her every action.

Quickly enough she saw the wagon, drawn by a mule; one man driving, the other in the back with the goods and where she knew Aurora to be hidden and the three remaining walking on either side. She angled her wings and tucked them in closer to dive, becoming a blur through the air in her descent.

A rush of air so great that it knocked down the three walking men and lifted the wagon a bit blew by the men. And when they looked up the two men in the wagon were gone. One calmed the mule to keep it from running whilst the other two cursed and looked all around them. But none looked up, and suddenly they heard faint screaming coming closer. They looked up just in time to see their two companions fall to the ground, the sound of the bones and bodies breaking when they met the earth silencing their screams in a squishing, cracking thud.

One of the men, suddenly realizing who and what was going on made his way for the back of the wagon when a crow suddenly swooped down, attacking his face, clawing and pecking at his eyes. The man screamed, swinging his arms trying to beat back the bird.

Maleficent swooped down, lifting the two remaining men about to help their companion being assaulted by Diaval with magic, and slammed them into the ground heads first, quickly breaking their necks, leaving them bend at an impossible angle, eyes bulged and blood seeping from all the orifices on their heads.

Maleficent turned and stalked up to the last man, grabbed him by the collar and threw him to the ground pinning him with magic staring down at him, he voice deadly serious and even. "You have one chance only to answer me. Any hesitation or sense of a lie and you will suffer a death so slow and gruesome it will make what was done to your companions seem as acts of mercy." She paused to let her words sink in as the man glanced about to the bodies of his companions, and the distinct scent of urine plagued her nose before she noticed the wet stain forming on his breeches.

"Who hired you to do this?" Her voice was concise and straight to the point, a deadly edge to it, daring him to lie and give her the satisfaction of ending his life.

"T-The Lords! The L-Lords V-Valen a-a-a-and B-B-Barstone!" he stammered, complete and utter fear in his eyes and shaking form, holding his hands up begging for mercy, "Please! We were only the t-transport!"

"You shall have your life on one condition, and it will be spent in the castle dungeons. But only if you contest to this fact in the royal court." She slammed her bared foot down on his chest, the talons of her feet digging into his chest, a wicked smile playing across her deadly crimson lips, "Do we have an agreement?" The man only nodded furiously, spittle flying from his lips and tears threatening to escape his eyes. "Good." She waved her hand and the man fell to sleep, floating in the air.

The last guard being taken care of, Maleficent turned and ran to the wagon, her anger evaporating to be replaced by complete and utter apprehension. In the speed of her flying by picking off the two men in the wagon, it had jostled the cargo a bit. With a wave of her hand green tendrils of magic lifted the cargo and flew it out of the wagon.

Aurora lay still, half covered by a wool brown blanket and black traveling cloak. She had found her! Maleficent jumped into the wagon her wings twitching in anxiety as she noticed the blood caking her Aurora's lovely golden curls and she placed a finger under her delicate nose. She was still breathing! Silently thanking that she was still alive Maleficent gently slid her arms under her knees and waist lifting her up resting Aurora's head to her shoulder and cradling her securely. She laid a kiss upon her forehead cursing herself for not protecting her better in the first place.

She had every intention of making sure those Lords answered for what they did to Aurora, one way or another. And if she had it her way, she would get the pleasure of carrying out the sentence herself. But at the moment she simply prayed that the injury to Aurora wasn't grave. She swore to not leave her side again. She didn't know who could or couldn't be trusted in regards to Aurora's safety in the castle, and she wouldn't let something like this happen again. She herself, and Diaval, were the only ones she was certain had Aurora's safety and best interest at heart. Maleficent unfurled her great auburn and copper wings and flew back to the castle as quickly as she could to tend to Aurora, Diaval in tow.