Life was sweet and peaceful following Queen Aurora's coronation. The Moors blossomed as Maleficent's reign ended, not in tragedy. But in love.
Most of the denizens of the Moors accepted the change most readily, for they were quite long-lived and this return to their former glory was lauded and appreciated.
The few fey and fairies and other magical creatures that had fled during the Dark Days as they came to be known, were accepted back without question. Some beings simply couldn't thrive in the dark. Their return pleased Maleficent, and saddened her to realize that their leaving had been due to her tremendous pain.
So it was that Maleficent took great pleasure in the simple act of relaxation and nest building.
Her 'throne' was gone, drawn back into the Moors with magic and hardly a fit place for her now that her soul had been healed and her light returned. She needed a new place. A new nest.
Aurora dragged a bemused Prince Phillip, who had come to lay court to her, throughout the Moors every chance she got. Finding the softest of bits of fur and wood and leaves, bringing in yarns from far off places that merchants brought to her new kingdom.
The most help though, had come from Diaval. No one seemed surprised when the male raven stayed at Maleficent's side, doing what needed doing even without being her servant.
Well, except for Phillip.
"He's a bird?"
"A raven." Aurora giggled happily, her fingers flying through the magnificent cloth scraps left over from her royal dress maker.
Phillip smiled at her, her happiness was always contagious to him and her laughter a treasure. "No wonder his head tilts like so, when he watches me." The prince nodded.
Aurora grinned and mimicked the raven-man's move perfectly with her head and Phillip's smile turned into a delighted grin. "Yes! Only without the smile. He is always most serious."
"Not with me." The blond blushed and peeked up at her suitor through her lowered eyelashes. "He is warning you."
Phillip startled a bit at that, his eyes widening slightly. "Warning?"
"Diaval isn't my father, not by blood. But he basically raised me." She shrugged helplessly. "He wants to make sure you treat me well." Unlike her father, the thought leeched her smile's brightness a bit.
"Ah!" Phillip sighed and gave a rueful chuckle. "He is our chaperone."
Aurora's eyes lit up once again. Humor filled her expression and it was obvious she was struggling not to laugh. "Hardly. He wants to know when you'll be getting on with it. Anxious that you're not doing the mating dance right."
Phillips eyes widened further as he nearly choked on the piece of cheese he'd just bitten off. A few coughs and then he swallowed twice before trying to speak again. "What?"
"Like I said. He's a raven. They do things differently. He understands the wedding isn't until this summer, but I think he already considers us bonded."
"Bonded?"
Aurora shrugged. "Its' a bird thing, apparently. Maybe only a raven thing. I …haven't had the heart to really ask him." She ducked her head with a soft blush.
"So. The big black raven that follows me a lot, is actually Diaval in disguise?" Phillip changed the course of their talk to something a bit less embarrassing for the both of them.
Aurora was not adverse to the topic change, she sat up quickly. "Oh no! That's Diaval in his natural form. The human male he becomes is the disguise!"
Phillip nodded as the two fell into a sweetly companionable silence. He was cutting up small pieces of cheese to tempt her into eating a snack when the blond let out a soft squeal of delight. He looked up to see her holding a long scrap of silver and purple cloth. "Very royal." He nodded, knowing that the tailor was using it to make Aurora a grand gown. Then he frowned. "Are you sure you want to send Maleficent mere scraps? Why not send her a whole bolt of cloth?"
"You're terribly sweet!" Aurora gave him a soft, doe-eyed look. "But nests are made of found materials. I will leave this lying around when Diaval comes visiting tomorrow. He'll be delighted and carry it back." She waved her hand at a small pile of pretty scraps. All soft, all expensive and all beautiful. "Godmother will love it!"
"You love her very much." Phillip nodded, already knowing the story of his beloved's Godmother. Then he blinked, a look of confusion on his face. "But if the raven is Diaval's natural form, why is he so often looking human?"
Aurora's finely arched eyebrows rose as she made a sweet moue of a face. "Ravens don't have arms." She teased.
Phillip nodded, but didn't look like he really understood. Suddenly a blush crossed his face and his blond sweetheart laughed gently at him. He gave her a shocked look. "They are …what did you call it? Bonded?"
The girl shrugged and giggled. "They sleep in the same nest." She ducked her head becomingly. "And he isn't in his raven form."
Phillips mouth fell open and then he let out a nearly unmanly giggle as well. "Shouldn't they be married then?"
Aurora shrugged. "Neither is human." She petted the pretty materials she'd found. "Ravens in the wild don't hold weddings."
Phillip spread his hands in surrender, then offered her a plateful of goodies he'd cut up for her. "True."
o.o.o.o.o
o.o.o.o.o
Aurora was a very common sight within the Moors, visiting often. She played with the water sprites that afternoon. Their games delighting her, and distracting her.
She didn't worry though, she knew her Godmother would know of her presence and come and join her. It was only as it neared noon that the queen seemed to realize that not only wasn't Maleficent there, neither was Diaval.
Aurora bid a sweet farewell to her companions and made her way to the large, hollowed tree. The trunk was humongous and gave plenty of space for a most comfortable nest. Will-o-wisps lit the interior, but the queen could tell almost immediately that no one was home.
She asked a few of the dringle fairies who were flitting about, and they pointed in two opposite directions when she asked about her Godparents.
The young blond looked both ways, wondering who to see to first. She turned toward the direction indicated to find Maleficent. Diaval was always the more practical of the two. And while she didn't KNOW anything was wrong, Aurora couldn't shake a tingling of worry.
Finding her Godmother proved easy. Aurora moved up next to her taller form on the outcropping of rocks. She too looked out over the Moors, loving every mote of it. She wasn't much for waiting though. "Godmother? Is something the matter?"
Maleficent's full lips thinned as she pressed them together, then a small sigh escaped the beautiful faerie. "Diaval."
"Hurt your feelings?" Aurora guessed. Even as in love as she was with Phillip, she'd found that men could sometimes say the wrong thing at the wrong time.
"Has a …problem." Maleficent looked worried. "Something to do with his human form. Perhaps he spends too much time like that and I need to return him fully to a raven."
Stunned, the blond stared at her Godmother. "A problem? He …"
"May be ill." The former evil queen looked at the blond with acute misery. "He is at times in great discomfort, sometimes in true pain."
Aurora sucked in a worried breath, her eyes wide with distress. "Your magics can't help?"
Maleficent shrugged, though her distress was easy to read in her expressive eyes. "It only happens when he is in the human form, and mostly in my presence. Parts of his body swell and become painful. I've tried massaging in an herbal remedy to draw out the redness and swelling, but it only seems to worsen the effect."
Aurora nearly fainted. Her mind raced. Her mouth opened, then shut. Blood rushed to her face and she was afraid she'd gone beet red. Putting her hands to her cheeks she found her face hot.
Maleficent saw her child's distress and nodded. "I hate to lose him, but it is only as a raven he finds relief these days."
"Oh dear." Aurora muttered, almost wringing her hands. Didn't either of them KNOW? She blinked. No. None of the faeries in her life had explained anything of a mature nature to her. Ever. "Godmother, I …is it only a certain part of him that …er, is affected?"
Maleficent's gaze narrowed speculatively upon the young blond. "You know what this is?"
"I might." Came the whispered admission and Aurora shrugged. "If it is as I suspect, it is not life threatening."
The tall faerie took a deep breath and some tension fled her body. "Truly?"
"It is a man thing. Human, really." Aurora worried at her bottom lip.
"You will help him?"
Aurora's blush deepened and she almost swayed. "Er, no. That will need to be you I believe. But I can …advise, perhaps."
"Oh?"
The blond winced and gave her Godmother an embarrassed glance. "I may have to ask some highly personal questions."
"He will answer."
Aurora looked up at that quick, and quite determined response. She smiled slightly. It seemed her Godmother wasn't anxious to lose Diaval's human form anytime soon. "I meant of you."
Surprise lit the faerie's face, but the former-queen nodded her assent.
She had permission, and a good reason. Still, it was difficult. Aurora looked down at her slippered feet and sighed. "Godmother? Human forms are quite different than bird forms."
Maleficent merely nodded. That much was obvious.
"Ravens often mate for life, do they not?"
The former queen of the Moors nodded again, a speculative thought racing through her mind. "But …he was not bonded when I found him. I did ask." She made a face as if admitting something terrible. "Eventually. Eventually I did ask him."
Aurora opened her mouth, but found she had no idea how to proceed. Finally she coughed. "Godmother? How do ravens make babies?"
A laugh, then Maleficent shook her head. "They don't. They lay eggs that hatch. Fledglings. Not babies."
"But …how?" Persisted the young blond, wondering if her blush would ever fade.
The former queen cocked her head slightly as she thought it over. "The usual way I suppose. The female indicates she is ready for mating, they touch reproductive organs together and then the female lays her eggs."
"What about faeries?" Aurora asked in a sweet rush, unable to meet her Godmother's eyes.
Maleficent wasn't an idiot. Her mind raced as she considered the implications. "We share a light. Both choose to create new life and share our energies. But darling, Diaval is not a faerie."
"No. No, he's not." Aurora sputtered a bit, then straightened her shoulders. "But he's been a lot of time in a human body. Do neither of you know how humans carry on such …things?"
Maleficent's eyebrows rose nearly to her hairline. Clearly she'd not considered this possibility. "No ….I know humans ….kiss." That was a sore memory and the tall female winced.
Aurora immediately regretted her words. "Oh Godmother."
"No. No, child." The former queen waved off the concern with a gentle wave of her hand and a tender smile. "It is alright. I am healed, truly."
The young blond nodded, obviously not wanting to cause remembered pain. "The act of mating for humans …well, if the part of Diaval's body that …er, swells …is what I think it is …."
Maleficent pointed to the right general area and Aurora's fading blush returned with devastating intensity. The blond managed a weak smile and a nod. "Indeed."
The former queen shook her head sadly. "I …am sorry. I did not mean to do this to him. Should I return him to his raven form permanently?"
"No. He just needs to mate." Aurora rushed to speak.
Maleficent's face settled into a scowl. "I …do not think I have it in me, my love."
Disappointment rained down on the young blond. "I thought you loved him." She said in a small voice.
"I think I do." Maleficent said with deep sorrow. "I still …I don't think I can watch as he chooses a mate among the humans."
Shock. Stunned disbelief. "I meant you!" Blurted out the young blond.
"I?" Maleficent drew up to her full height, arrogance filling her face for a moment. "I should find for him a mate?"
"You should BE his mate!" Aurora stamped her foot, starting to get frustrated.
Now it was the other female who was left in dumbfounded disbelief, her mouth agape for a moment or two. "I? But …"
o.o.o.o.o
o.o.o.o.o
"You did what?" Phillip sputtered, looking appalled.
"I don't know who was more embarrassed, she or I." Aurora admitted as the two travelled toward the Moors a week later. "You should have seen her face when I explained that massaging WOULD help, but she didn't need the herbal recipe."
Phillip was hoping she wasn't looking at HIS face right now. He shifted uncomfortably in his saddle.
"Apparently neither of them had ever spied upon humans during mating rituals." She laughed.
Phillip shuddered and gave a weak smile. "Mating rituals?"
"Her words." Aurora crossed her heart with one finger all while giggling. "She knew what …er, sex …was. But not the particulars. For animals, but not for people."
"And you explained it to her?" Phillip wasn't sure if he was delighted or frightened at the idea.
"Oh no!" Aurora shook her head. "I just pointed her in the right general direction." She blushed prettily. "I tried to explain more, but the words just didn't seem to …I just couldn't."
Phillip's nerves relaxed and he smiled at her. She was so sweet. He hoped that this visit to the Moors would find everything well.
When they arrived, it did seem all was back in order. Phillip nodded at his betrothed as she smiled and winked during all the greetings.
Diaval was still there. And still looking like a human male. Smiling. Maleficent looked a touch pale, but nothing extraordinary. Still, something didn't seem ….quite ….right.
Finally Phillip sent Aurora off with Maleficent for a 'walk'. Hoping that there weren't more problems. Of course, this left him with Diaval. The human prince smiled awkwardly at the man, er raven, who would soon be his father-in-law.
"All is well?" Phillip asked most hesitantly.
Diaval's held tilted in the raven-like manner, his eyes dark and serious but still hinting at humor. "Yes." He answered simply. Then he frowned.
Phillip eyed the frown with misgivings. "Have I done something wrong?"
"I hope not." Diaval answered silkily. "Apparently sweet baby Aurora had a talk with Maleficent not long ago."
Phillip blushed heartily.
Diaval grunted. "So. You've heard."
Phillip nodded, unsure what to say.
"How did she know what to say?"
It took the young prince a moment of confusion and then his whole face went red and he shook his head madly from side to side. "Not from me!" He rejected the almost accusation.
"Then how?" Came the rather pointed question.
"Parents usually." Phillip winced, realizing too late the trap he'd walked into.
"This information came to her parents FROM the child." Diaval leaned in almost menacingly, completely discounting Aurora's actual blood relations. As far as the raven-man was concerned, the blond was his child. His and Maleficent's.
"I did not teach her!" Phillip avowed! "She told me she asked the faerie's that raised her, but they were quite hopeless. So she asked some of the castle women-folk soon after returning there."
Diaval's tension diminished slightly and he nodded. "Good." Then the raven-man chuckled darkly. "Though how humans make babies through that act is beyond me. And I hate to think of my precious Aurora like …that."
Phillip's discomfort didn't ease, but he nodded in agreement. "But …you are better?"
Diaval raised one eyebrow and stared at the young prince, finally he nodded in some amusement. "Better is a mild term. But yes, thank you." That was rather an understatement it seemed from his demeanor.
Phillip relaxed a bit more, hoping the conversation was now over.
"I find it all rather intriguing, and the pain is …well, let us leave it at 'better' shall we?"
The young prince nodded hopefully.
"Only." Diaval sat back, looking a bit upset. "I would wish that Maleficent found the same comfort that I do in this act. Humans are so strange." He glared at Phillip as if were all the young man's fault. "It seems unfair."
Phillip nodded, then frowned as he thought upon the words. What had Aurora said? She'd pointed them in the right direction? But had they …he gulped. Why? Why him? No, no, no! He winced.
"What?" Diaval asked, seeing the pained expression on the youth's face.
"Does she simply take care of you, or have you …er, completing the whole …bit?"
Diaval's head tilted to the side. "There is more?"
Phillip looked pained. "Have you never seen animals mate?"
"Well of course I …." Diaval's face went blank, then he looked down at his lap, moving his hands out of the way as a wild thought occurred to him. "Really? It will do that?"
Phillip nodded mutely, sinking down into his chair in abject misery and embarrassment.
"Ravens don't do it like that." Diaval murmured.
"Humans do." Phillip's voice sounded strangled.
"She will enjoy this?" Diaval waved his hand at his lap.
Phillip merely whimpered.
o.o.o.o.o
o.o.o.o.o
The wedding was beautiful. Aurora had never looked more radiant. Diaval looked magnificent, and seemed to be preening even in human form. He stood next to Phillip proudly.
It was, of course, Maleficent who broke tradition and walked the bride down the aisle. Their pace was slow, but that was the mother of the bride's fault mostly.
Being so heavily pregnant at the time.