Maleficent watched as Aurora and Phillip sat beneath a tree taking, their hands intertwined. The two had become quite close after the young princess ascended the throne. She'd often times sneak him into the moors late in the evening, thinking Maleficent didn't know. But the fact remained that she did know, and it bothered her- deeply. She closed her eyes and shook her head. "Foolish girl."

"It's not polite to spy you know." A soft voice came from behind her.

Maleficent eyed the owner of the voice knowingly. "Diaval," she began, "Impeccable timing, as always."

"Would you expect anything less?" he asked with a cheeky smile.

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "No I suppose not." She moved to her ledge that overlooked the entire western landscape, highlighted by Stephan's castle, and sat down, gently folding her wings behind her. He followed and sat beside her.

So," he began as he picked a few berries from a nearby bush, "what has you spying on the young queen and her suitor hmm?" He asked as he popped a berry into his mouth.

"I wasn't spying," she stated plainly, "I was simply observing, as I always do. What concern is it of yours anyway?"

He ate another berry. "Well, usually when you 'observe' you're not so- harsh."

"What do you mean harsh?" she asked, quizzical eyebrow raised.

"Well," he finished his last berry, "your lips purse and your brow quirks upward, sort of like what it's doing now." He pointed.

She raised it further. "There! Just like that."

"I thought birds had brains the size of peanuts." She stated mater of factly.

"No Mistress, that's faeries you're thinking of." He snickered.

Maleficent's eyes widened before she quickly turned him into a toad. He croaked loudly. "Serves you right." She chuckled. He jumped on her lap and croaked again. "Who has a smaller brain now?" she asked him. He croaked again. "That's what I thought." After a moment she said, "I'm starting to like you this way Diaval." She smiled wickedly. "I may just leave you like this." He croaked again, louder.

"Oh alright fine." She huffed. Wisps of golden magic wove their way through her slender fingers as she slowly transformed him back into a man.

"That wasn't funny." He said sharply.

"Really? I rather enjoyed it." She smiled.

"Yeah yeah." He mumbled. "So-" he began, wiping dirt from his shirt. "Why are we spying?"

She eyed him sharply. "Oh, my apologies." He amended. "Why are we 'observing'?"

She narrowed her eyes at the two lovebirds who still hadn't moved from their spot. "She's growing up entirely too fast."

"She's nineteen." He stated with a chuckle. "And a queen no less. How did you act when you were that age?" he asked.

Entirely different. She thought to herself. Memories of Stephan's return suddenly flooded her mind. Instinctively she reached up behind her left shoulder and touched the soft feathers of her wings, quietly reassuring herself that they were there.

"Oh." He said quietly.

"Yes." She said with a sad sigh. "I just don't want her to make the same mistakes that I have."

"She has no wings for him to take Mistress." He said gently as he placed a hand on her arm.

"No Diaval." She placed her hand a-top his. "She has something far more precious."

It was then that he understood what she meant. He moved closer and tightened the grip on her arm ever so slightly. "Tell me this," he stated as he moved his hand to cup her chin. "Look at the way she's looking at him." He gently pointed her chin in the direction of the tree. "What do you see in her eyes?"

Maleficent smiled sadly. "Love." She whispered.

"Love." He echoed. "That's right." He moved his hand to her cheek and lifted her eyes to meet his. "Love Mistress. Aurora loves him, fully and completely, with all of her heart and soul." He gently wiped away a tear that had escaped one of her beautiful green eyes. "She's a smart girl. She knows what's best. You raised her well."

Maleficent closed her eyes. "I didn't raise her Diaval."

"You might as well have." He smiled. "She's exactly like you. Strong, intelligent, capable of making informed decisions and finding her own way." He wiped away another tear. "Not to mention, she's stubborn to a fault." At that Maleficent scoffed. "You have absolutely nothing to worry about."

"It's not her for whom I worry." She looked back toward the tree.

"Look at it this way," Dival smiled. "he's good enough that Aurora trusts him."

"She trusts anything and everything." She said with a sigh.

"Have faith." He pulled her eyes back to his. "It'll all work out in the end, you'll see."

"How can you be so certain?" she asked quietly.

"Simple," he began as he leaned in toward her. "I've seen it before."

The End