Author's note

It gets a bit dark here on out. Just an FYI.

Disclaimer: Do I own a copy of the movie? Oh hells yes. Do I own the actual movie and characters? Nope.


It has been a week since the kiss. It has been a week since she talked to Aurora or seen her. Of course it hasn't been a week since she thought of the blonde beauty. That woman had been right at the front of Maleficent's brain for every second of the day. A part of her worried that she might have become obsessed with the queen, but that more instinctual side of her argued that she wanted to simply think of her mate.

Her mate. The thought of the new title for her beastie brought her equal amounts of joy and discomfort. It had only been a day after that day that she stumbled on her new name for Aurora. She spent the rest of the week trying to figure out why exactly would she call her that.

Maleficent continued her inner musings as she walked through the Moors. The magical land brought comfort not only to her beastie, but also peace to the older woman. Now however, the mystical place only reminded the protector of the young queen, and that sent both her heart and mind into a stampede of thoughts and beats.

"Maleficent? What are you doing here?"

"Yeah. You never come to visit us before."

Green eyes snapped towards the sounds of the two voices. As she had dreaded, she saw the three pixies that had taken care of her beastie. Taking care of was a huge overstatement in Maleficent's mind. If she had not been there, little Aurora would have starved, fallen off a cliff, and far much worse within her first few years. Before the blonde entered into her life, the three were simply nuisances that caused migraines with a simple opening of one of their mouths. Now, she despised them for their carelessness of raising child Aurora.

The Green Pixie, Thistlewit, asked once more, "What are you doing here?" She added hastily with a nervous tilt of her head, "Yo-your highness."

Maleficent was unable to hold back an annoyed eye roll, "I am not the queen of the Moors pixies. Aurora is." She despised the shaky way the name tumbled out her lips.

Knotgrass raised an eyebrow at the way the fairy said her niece's name, "Yes well, you still haven't answered our question."

If it weren't for the fact that her idiocy almost cost Aurora's life several times, the fairy would have considered Knotgrass a friend or at the very least an acquaintance. She was one of the few creatures in the Moors who was not afraid of challenging Maleficent or to defend herself against the protector's sharp tongue.

The brunette huffed once, "I do not know why I came to this place, I was simply allowing my feet to take me wherever they wished to go."

The Blue Pixie, Flittle, asked, "But you are still here. Why?"

Maleficent narrowed her eyes, "You won't let me leave without answering your stupid question."

Knotgrass glared at the fairy in turn while the other two flinched at the fairy's intense stare. The pixie shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest, "That is not an answer Maleficent."

It was official. If that pixie did not have any role in raising young Aurora, the two would have had interesting conversations over tea and berries. She sighed, knowing that it was inventible in telling the three nitwits of her predicament, "Something has occurred," she swallowed the lump in her throat, "between Aurora and myself."

The three pixies looked upset immediately, wondering what Maleficent had done to their 'adoptive' daughter. Knotgrass of course was the first to verbalize her outrage, "What have you done to our Aurora!? I swear to whatever god the humans believe in that if ONE HAIR has been hurt on her pretty head, I will personally turn you into a mouse and feed you to a snake!" The other two were close to give their outbursts but neither were nearly as threatening as the red pixie's.

The fairy stared at the red pixie, not helping but be impressed by her bravery of threatening her like that. Still, her emotion of being impressed died as anger and confusion replaced it. She growled, "I would do nothing to hurt her! I am the one that brought her back from the sleeping curse with True Love's Kiss; do well to not forget that."

Knotgrass shot back, "You were the one who placed it on her in the first place; do well to not forget that."

She hated that the pixie was right but she could never deny it. So she spat out, "And I have regretted my lapse in judgment ever since!" She took a deep breath but still her voice shook with ill-caged rage, "But while you three bickered back and forth about gods knows what, I have protected Aurora since she was a babe!"

The three bristled at the accusation but like Maleficent, they heard the ugly truth in every syllable. Both parties glared at one another silently but it was the fairy that won the argument. Meaning to hurt her rather than ask her, Thistlewit whispered, "Then what did you do to her to cause her to run away from her home?"

Maleficent's eyes widened in surprise, out of the three pixies, she expected the blonde to be the most afraid of her and to never challenge her. It was obvious that she was wrong of that however. It seemed that she was wrong of many things lately. The fairy's eyes glanced away as she answered, "I kissed her."

Knotgrass snorted, "Why would that bother her? You were the one to give her True Love's Kiss, remember?"

Maleficent shouted, "Not that kind of kiss you buffoon!" She calmed enough to add, "I lost control and it frightened Aurora."

The three pixies glanced at one another and then stared at the woman they had watched grow from a naïve child to an avenging and strong fairy. Knotgrass tilted her head, "What do you mean, 'you lost control'?"

Maleficent growled, "I lost control, that's what I meant!" The knowing glances between the three made the fairy even more agitated. They knew something that they were reluctant to share with her. "What are you three hiding?" It wasn't so much as a question but a demand.

Again the three glanced at each other. To the brunette's confusion, Thistlewit blushed deep red at the cheeks while Flittle looked anywhere but at the fairy. Knotgrass even looked uncomfortable at the question. Before the fairy had to push the issue once again, the red pixie coughed once, "Well, you do know that we were born before you correct?"

Maleficent nodded, "What does our difference in age matter?" Her agitation was growing as her confusion.

Thistlewit explained, "Well, um we know more about fairies than you do."

The fairy narrowed her eyes, her already thin patience waning more, "And?"

Knotgrass sighed, "It means that we know what is going on with you and Aurora." She looked at the two pixies and when they nodded she continued, "You see Maleficent, fairies age differently and have different uh" she coughed as a slight blush covered her cheeks, "cycles than humans."

The fairy huffed, "Answer clearly Knotgrass. I do not have time nor the patience for riddles."

The red pixie shook her head and resumed her explanation, "Not only do you age slower than humans but you also seek a mate when you become full grown."

Maleficent raised an eyebrow, "I have been full grown for many moons. If I had seeked a mate, it would have been with King" she shivered in disgust as she whispered the man's name "Stephen."

Knotgrass shook her head, "No. Fairies are a very peculiar species." She rolled her eyes as she saw Maleficent eyes twitch in distaste at her wording. "As like wolves, they mate for life."

"Wolves? How very… interesting." In truth she did not have any problem being compared to the four-legged beast. She found them quite strong and mysterious.

Knotgrass nodded, "Yes but unlike wolves, fairies will instinctively know when they meet their mate. For some unfortunate ones, they live their entire life without ever meeting their mate."

Maleficent finished the pixie's train of thought, "And some like me, find their mate." When the three pixies nodded, the woman scoffed, "Aurora is my one true mate? That is ridiculous."

Flittle shook her head, "No. It is True Love. You two are destined to be together."

The fairy laughed sarcastically, "Perhaps but simply familial love. She is a human and I a fairy; we can never be."

Thistlewit asked shyly, not wanting to anger the fairy anymore, "Is that what your heart says?

Maleficent glared at the green pixie, "My heart once told me to be with that bastard Stephen and it cost me dearly." She was quiet for a moment before whispering, "My heart is not to be trusted."

Knotgrass argued, "King Stephen was a cruel and black-soul man. Aurora is nothing like her father."

"I KNOW THAT!"

The pixies flinched at the rage within the words but they still held their ground. The blonde pixie whispered, "Do you?"

It was the fairy's turn to flinch, "Of course."

Knotgrass asked, "Then why can't you let her into your heart?"

"Because she has already stolen what was left of it." With a flick of her wrist, a strong gust was born that caught the three pixies. With a roar of wind and yelps of frightened women they were carried away from the fairy.

Before they were out of her sight, Thistlewit shouted, "You may deny it, but in your heart you know that you have already chosen a mate and the heart is not so easily changed!"

Maleficent looked back at the place the three occupied moments before. After a minute she muttered, "Fools, the lot of them." She turned and began to walk back to her tree as she thought of the conversation.

Aurora her mate? Wasn't that what she herself called her beastie moments before she came upon the three pixies? Shaking her head to try to rid herself of her thoughts, she sighed, "This is fucking ridiculous."

Still, her thoughts stayed with her and her emotions raged within her. Aurora, her sweet Aurora. Grown up and forced to marry a man whom she does not love. Such a fate is unacceptable for someone as kind as her beastie. A fate with her however? Is that as cruel as Aurora being married off as if she were some whore? Isn't that what she was doing though? Forcing the blonde to become hers as if she were nothing but a piece of property to be claimed? Was she truly not any better than the humans who she used to despise so heartedly?

A single tear escaped her eye and made its way down her cheek. She was a fool, such a fool. How could she have done what she did without any regards for Aurora's feelings? Shaking her head, she tried to piece together when exactly she had fallen for the blonde beauty. Surely it wasn't when she gave her True Love's Kiss? No, it was after that. It was when Aurora became the true queen of the humans on her eighteenth birthday; she looked so lovely dabbed in golden robes, she refused to wear the other one lined with wolf fur, stating that it was barbaric and cruel. She looked kind and strong as the leader of the advisors, Sir Marcus, placed a magnificent crown adorned with green and red gems upon her head. When Maleficent looked upon her that day, she knew without any doubt that she would make a fine queen.

The fairy sighed in relief when her tree came in sight. The relief was short lived however. Sitting upon the bed as if he owned it was Diaval in his raven form. He gave the fairy a croak and hopped once, indicating that he wanted to become human to talk with her. After the party incident, Maleficent made a note of not speaking to him or seeing him after turning him back to a bird so she wouldn't have to hear his complaints.

With a sigh, she gave another little flick of her wrist and the raven became a man. He stretched and jumped out of the hammock without any regards to it, knowing that it would annoy Maleficent. He yawned and lazily made his way to the woman, "Hello mistress. Long time, no see."

Maleficent huffed, "I did not ask you to come."

Diaval gave a throaty chuckle as if she had told the funniest joke, "Yes well, I wanted to ask you about that." He cleared his throat, "Are you still upset about me talking to Aurora? You shouldn't be; I still see her as the child we rescued all those times."

Maleficent gave him a rare smile, "As do I." Liar, her mind whispered to her. You can never see her as the child she once was. The woman hushed the voice to a dull murmur before responding, "I am no longer angry at you, yes, but you mustn't get so close to her. You may give her the wrong ideas."

Diaval's head jerked back as if he smelled something unpleasant, "I am like a guardian to her! I would never-"

A lifted hand stilled the servant's speech, "I am simply telling you what I have observed Diaval, nothing else." She sighed once, "Now if you excuse me, I am rather tired and wish to sleep for a bit." Without another word she lifted herself into the air and flew the short distance to the hammock. Once she got comfortable, she looked at the man, "If Aurora comes back and you spot her first," the last words tumbled out of her mouth in their haste to let themselves be known, "tell her I wish to speak to her."

Diavalgave a curt nod and bowed low, all the while a confused expression settled on his face. He turned around and left the Protector of the Moors alone with her thoughts and doubts. Little did he know of the storm raging inside the fairy's mind, but his animal instincts warned him that he should heed the woman's warning and remain a friend to Aurora. For her safety and his own.

Several Months Later

Finally! After five months alone with my thoughts she's back! Maleficent beat her wings once to gain more momentum as she sped through air to get to her beastie. A few minutes before, she was resting near one of the many Moor pools. Diaval was in his raven form as he sped towards her, cawing all the way. To punish him for disrupting her peace, she turned him into a man mid-flight and watched him crash into the water and mud. After he spit out the mud, he told his mistress of Aurora's long-anticipated return. Maleficent immediately took flight, leaving a very dirty and disgruntled Diaval behind, she waited far too long to waste even a moment from her beastie.

Once she caught sight of wild blonde hair, her heart began to beat rapidly in her chest, although she knew it is not from the thrill of the flight. Knowing that the girl did not see her, the fairy sped past her and circled around before flying down to the land without a sound. Her feet touched the grass with barely a whisper and Maleficent folded her wings, making sure the tips did not touch the ground lest Aurora hear the feathers pass over the plants.

Maleficent had to hold in a chuckle as the blonde finally lifted her head to scan the skies for a fairy that was no longer there. "Are you looking for someone?" A low chuckle rumbled in her chest as Aurora jump and sped around to see her. She lifted her chin, "I left Diaval back at one of the pools. He should be here within an hour if he runs without any delay."

Just as she expected, a smile graced the young queen's face. It turned into a pout quickly but humor still danced in her eyes, "Godmother, that is simply too cruel. I haven't seen him in months and now I must wait longer?" A laugh escaped her lips before she could say in mock-seriousness, "A queen should not have to wait that long to see a friend."

One side of her lips pointed upward to show a small smirk, "You must forgive me your majesty."

"Perhaps you can fly me to him?"

When a hopeful light went into the blue eyes, she shook her head, "My wings are strong, but not that strong Beastie." Another lie. She frowned a little at the treacherous thought and retorted to the disembodied voice, I simply do not wish to strain myself due to flying with extra weight for so long.

Aurora nodded in understanding, "Okay." She reached up to move a lock of hair to the back of her ear. The movement made the light catch on something on the queen's finger.

Maleficent had to stare at it for a few moments before she realized what it was: a ring. Feeling dread build up in her heart she asked, "What is that?" It was barely a whisper but it was more than enough for the blonde.

Hearing the confusion and even hurt in her godmother's voice, Aurora lifted her hand to look at the ring, "Oh, it's just a ring Maleficent. Don't worry, there's no iron in it." Playing the fool may help alleviate the situation in Aurora's mind but it did nothing to quell the emotions that raged in the fairy.

"Don't play coy with me Aurora. What exactly is that?" Despite her control, she felt her wings begin to bristle with anger and knew that her eyes began to softy glow, all thanks to that infernal ring.

Seeing the glowing eyes, a rare bit of fear sprung within Aurora. Not for herself of course, but for the ring upon her finger. She closed her eyes; This is what you've been waiting for Aurora. Just tell her. Taking a deep breath, she told the fairy, "It's an engagement ring." She opened her eyes and felt sick to her stomach when she saw pain and even betrayal within Maleficent's eyes, "I'm getting married. To Prince Phillip." She took a step closer in desperation, hoping that being physically closer to the older woman would somehow make everything better, "Aren't you happy for me?"

Maleficent stayed very, very still after her fears had been confirmed, glaring at the ring, wishing that it would disappear with a thought. The last question however, forced the fairy to look at Aurora, "Happy? Did you just ask if I am happy?" She tried to keep anger out of her voice, but it still showed with much clarity as a pool of still water.

Aurora took a step back when she heard the rage within the godmother's voice. Now her fear was for herself. She nodded, "Yes" her voice was so shaky she had to take a breath before continuing, "I did ask if you were happy."

The anger she felt died away when she saw the fear in Aurora's wide eyes. Pain and betrayal replaced the rage and she whispered, "Didn't that kiss mean anything to you Aurora?"

The queen shook her head, "I didn't ask for it. You stole it from me."

Maleficent took a step closer, "I stole that kiss from you because I- I" she shook in frustration, "damn it, I thought you wanted it too!"

The younger woman gasped, Maleficent barely swore in front of her, and never was a curse directed towards her. She shook her head again, "I-I didn't." She averted her gaze, "Not at first." Maleficent's eyes widened as a splotch of red pierced through the glowing green. Aurora closed her eyes, unaware in the sudden change in her protector, "I don't know what I felt I admit, but when I began to kiss you back I felt" she hesitated, searching for the right word, "whole. Like there was a piece of me that was dead since the day I was born awoken inside of me and sprung free with life and happiness." She turned her head and was surprised that Maleficent was closer to her than before. She knew now that the red in her protector's eyes meant that something inside of her, something primal, was awakening "What is happening to me?"

The older woman took a step closer and reached out, resting her hand on the woman's arm, "Love." She leaned closer, her hand following up the arm to cup the blonde's cheek, "Love is what is happening to you." When the last word escaped her lips, she pressed them against Aurora's, once again losing control to the animalistic side of her. She was much gentler than before, now knowing exactly what she wants. She growled softly when Aurora did not respond the way she wanted her to, the younger woman blushing and turning her head away to break the kiss.

Maleficent stared at the blonde, realizing once again how she so easily let herself lose control. She looked away ashamed, "I'm sorry." Taking a step back she whispered, "I shouldn't have done that. You're engaged to be married off to a prince." She said the last statement with venom in her voice, unable to stop the beast inside her from growling at the knowledge that Aurora would be soon somebody's wife and that somebody was not her.

Aurora nodded sadly, agreeing, "You shouldn't have." She looked at her godmother, studying her, "What changed in you? What is causing you to do this?"

Despite herself, the brunette found herself lightly chastising Aurora, "Curious beastie." The playful tone quickly died as she realized she would have to explain everything to the one person she could not afford to lose. Fully green eyes locked onto curious blue ones as she answered truthfully, "I'm fully grown." As the blue eyes filled with confusion she explained, "Fairies fall in love differently than humans Aurora. Instead of marrying someone, we find mates when we become fully matured." She sighed as the confusion did not die in the queen's eyes, only lessening. "I am at the age when I finally wish to" she hesitated, realizing what she must say to clear up the confusion, "mate with another." A deep blush was her reply and Maleficent knew Aurora was catching on. Still, she needed to tell her everything so she continued, "And I found my mate Aurora. I found you."

To say the blonde was shocked was an understatement. In some part of her mind, the young woman could not help but feel less of a queen, degraded, at being called something so… primal. She knew that it was simply Maleficent's nature and she could not change anything about it, but to actually want her as a mate, a being she has protected throughout her whole life, not to mention her being a woman, made everything so much weirder. She nodded once at her conclusion to the whole situation and looked at her godmother, "I'm not sure what to say." She played with the ring on her finger, trying to ignore the distaste in the other's eyes as they glanced to it, "I can't just tell Phillip that I won't marry him anymore." She begged the brunette to understand, "The kingdom needs this."

"The kingdom needs new advisors that do not care more about the profits they reap than the people they are suppose to care for." The words were out of her mouth before she could better think them but Maleficent was not sorry for them. They rang true and she knew Aurora knew that.

The blonde nodded, "Perhaps, but King John has a great army and no one would dare try to hurt us. They have farms that could feed the entire kingdom if a drought ever occurs."

Maleficent shook her head, "Nobody would dare hurt you because they know that I will not sit blindly and let it happen! If a drought does occur, I will have the water sprites sing and dance until the rain once again makes crops grow!" She knew her voice was beginning to sound pleading but she did not care, "Aurora, don't do this. Please."

The blonde looked away, unable to handle the pain in her godmother's eyes, "I have to." It was but a whisper, but it carried her pain just as easily as if she shrieked it. She looked back at the older woman, "Can't you just control it? Just for a little bit until it goes away?"

The fairy sighed. Even though Aurora was twenty-one summers, she can still hoped and dreamed like a child. It was one of the things that made Maleficent love her so. "I've tried Aurora. I've tried to ignore my feelings for you the moment that I realized I wanted you more than a friend." She sighed once more, "I can't however. Almost every night I dream of you and almost every day I despise myself for it."

Aurora asked desperately, "Can't you try just a little bit harder?"

Maleficent felt her patience snap, "I'm trying my hardest to ignore what my heart is screaming at me! I'm trying my hardest to not give into my desire because I know you don't want me like that!" Her eyes filled with tears as she cried, "I just can't!"

The queen looked down at her feet, hating herself for causing the woman who protected and care for her for so long so much pain. She felt her heart shatter into a million pieces at Maleficent's confession. Tears stung her eyes and spilled over as she whispered, "I'm sorry." She took a step away, "I'm so sorry Maleficent." The blonde turned around and ran away from the woman who loved her so much, trying to ignore the cry of anguish the action caused. She had to get away from the godmother, to get away from so many emotions that the brunette caused in her. With every step the ring on her finger grew heavier and with every step the tiny pieces of her heart broke even more.

When Aurora finally reached the edge of the Moors, she was relieved to see Bambi waiting for her. It was because of Maleficent that she finally allowed the horse to stay with her as she visited her home. That thought caused a sob to choke out all the breath within her and she collapse against her steed's side, crying into the warm fur on his neck.

After several minutes of sobbing and Bambi whining in concern, the blonde lifted her face from her living pillow and looked back at her once-peaceful home. She looked down at the ring, it was truly magnificent, it was a gold band adorned with rubies and green gems and in the middle was a beautiful diamond that caught even the dying lights of a sunset, but it felt cold and lifeless against her skin. She slipped it off her finger and placed it in her pouch before stepping up into her saddle. She clucked her tongue and Bambi began to make his way back to the human kingdom. Aurora looked back once more as more tears soaked her cheeks, "I'm sorry."


ADLDFMDAA THE FEELS!