Goodness gracious it's been a while! Life, school and writer's block been getting to me an awful lot, so I didn't work on this fic for quite the time. Very sorry! I promise I'm going to finish this story, but I'm not sure at what speed. As always, your reviews and support are absolutely loved, so keep on doing that! Now, have fun reading :). Love.

Aurora walked through the magical forest, the birds humming tunes she recognised in a slumbering part of her brain. She waited for the boy, the prince, to show up and talk to her, but he never came. Sitting down besides a stream she looked up to the sky, darkness enveloping her heart as she lay eyes on the mixture of darkened clouds against a white sky. Trying to rid herself of the fear that came to her at the sight of the omen she formed a bowl with her hands, holding them in the water of the stream. She took them to her face, hoping to wake herself at the pending splash of cool water on her features, but she could only produce a high pitched scream as she realised she had splashed her face with blood.

''Aurora!'' The voice sounded worried. That voice. With a gasp she woke, sweat trickling down her face and a horned head hovering over her own.

''I.. We.. Speak.'' Breathe in. Breathe out. ''We need to speak. Now.''

The news had come that afternoon. King Hubert had declared war upon the two combined kingdoms, claiming the throne of the Southern Kingdom and the riches the Moors held.

Maleficent and Aurora decided it would be best if Maleficent prepared the Moors, leaving Aurora to prepare for the upcoming battle on her own. She had never been trained in fighting, and she wondered whether or not her own army would fight for a queen that didn't fight with them. So, in between council meetings and doing the most necessary things for staying alive like eating and sleeping, she took up military training.

At the third day she didn't even bother changing out of her training trousers and into a fitting dress for her council anymore, being completely sore and tired from the restlessness she felt when she lay in bed the past days. She pushed through the heavy doors, capturing every man's gaze at the loud creaking of the hinges. Silence had never sounded so deafening, and she held her breath, knowing what was to come.

''My queen,'' one of the young commanders began. ''the Moors have been attacked. The faery's raven has just brought the news, we must act immediately.'' Aurora nodded, fighting back tears she knew could never be shown towards the men of her war council. Oh Mal, don't you dare die behaving like the heroic fool you are. She looked over at the raven, cawing for her attention. He held another note tightly in his claw.

''He wouldn't give up that one, your majesty. We believe it's a personal note from the winged woman.'' At that Aurora opened her hand, inviting Diaval to hand it over to her. The bird complied, hopping towards her and placing the letter in her hand. He gave her one last nudge, gaining himself a light kiss on the top of his feathered head and flew back to the Moors, where the war had started just an hour ago.

She had heard them coming, smelling of fear, iron and mead. Having prepared the magical place she called home and was bound to protect she didn't dread them, she was rather glad they decided to take the Moors on first, giving the young queen more time to prepare, both physically and mentally. Don't do anything rash, please. Maleficent pleaded in her mind, wishing the girl would never have to experience anything close to war. She's not going to experience it, not if I can help it.

Before her stood an army as far as her eyes could bring her. To them it must have been a curious sight. An army against one faery. Shivering at the resemblance to the similar events twenty-two years ago she yelled at the top of her lungs.

''Go no further!''

Her wings stretching to their full width, her shadow following her actions, some of the men in the front line started muttering. Much to her pleasure, she realised this time she did invoke horror in the voices of her enemy.

''I speak in the name of queen Aurora of the Southern Kingdom. Her Majesty wishes not to fight with you, King Hubert. Go home and save the lives of these innocent men you brought with you to fight for a crime you tried to commit!''

More men started talking, not yet daring to question their king aloud, but assuredly doubting the cause of the war they were about to fight.

''Silence!''

The thundering voice came from the king Maleficent had spoken to. At once, every men suppressed their voice and lined up tightly. They knew their king would rather have them all vanished than give up now.

''You are the wicked witch that your queen bitch has bedded, and I will not have you ruling over a land that was supposed to be my son's. I will have your head! Attack!''

The spears flew at her, taking only one strong flap of her wings to send them flying to the ground. She took to the air, flying over the army and smacking men down with the power coming from her wings and her magic. She revelled knowing her powers had grown so strong, training them for over two decades since the last war. King Hubert seemed to realise as well, ordering his men to retreat to camp.

''This isn't over, wicked animal!''

Seeing the men fleeing the field, Maleficent flew back to the forest, knowing very well King Hubert would be back with another tactic. For now, she was content with the first strike she had dealt. Greeting the sentinel trees that had watched from the shadows she landed, scanning the woods for Diaval. Figuring he would soon be with her, she started searching her robe for writing supplies. She had only learned to write because Aurora had pleaded with her for months before she gave in, and though she would never admit it to anyone else, she did find it to be rather useful. She rolled out on of the small pieces of parchment and dipped the feather in the small inkpot.

Queen Aurora, men of the council,

King Hubert has set up camp near the Moors. His men have attacked but did not succeed. We are not yet in need of reinforcements, though I would recommend to stand at the ready may the battle seem to turn in his favour.

Signed,

The Protector of the Moors

She sighed, writing had been hard for her, and she didn't know how to address humans, but the next letter wouldn't be so hard to write.

Dear Aurora,

Your supposed father-in-law means business, but I have yet to see the boy. I urge you to take care of yourself, and to keep inside the safety of the castle. Do not venture outside of it's walls alone, I don't trust the weakness of Hubert's army, so be prepared to fight a war at two sides. I will see you after this has passed, I promise you that.

Love,

Maleficent

She found Diaval in a hollow tree, turning him into a man.

''I need you to deliver this to the castle. This one is supposed to only be read by Aurora, don't give it up to anyone but her, understood?''

The raven-turned-man nodded his head in agreement, and she turned him into a raven again, strapping the letters to his paws. Watching him fly away towards the castle she sighed, closing her eyes for a few moments to listen to the soothing sounds the forest produced.

She distinguished the wind softly brushing through the leaves, the light footsteps of a magical creature, the rushing of water in a stream nearby and something she couldn't quite recall. It sounded like breathing, but she knew of no creature that inhabited the forest that breathed so shallow. When it dawned on her it was too late. She could feel herself sink to the ground as the hard object smacked her in the back of her head, and when she openend her eyes again she found she was not even near the place she had last stood.

The only thing she could see was hard concrete and through the only window she could find she saw only iron bars and mountains covered in thick layers of snow.