Thanks everyone for your patience. Sorry it has taken me so long to update this story, I lost my muse for awhile. I hope I haven't lost too many of you guys' interest in the story. The next chapter will be more from the movie, with the fulfillment of the curse and the capture of Prince Philip. Enjoy!

I brought Maleficent her tea as soon as it was done. She was still sitting in her throne when I returned, and it looked as if she hadn't moved at all. I handed her the cup and stood silently against the wall. Three hour passed by with nothing being said which I had become accustomed to being the norm. Maleficent would occasionally take a sip from her glass and turn her head back towards the window that Diablo had left from. The quiet was so comforting that I noticed I was starting to drift off to sleep. I caught myself before I could succumb to sleep's powerful hold over me. I looked up to see that Diablo was coming back.

"Your excellence, he is returning!" Maleficent then turned her head quickly. Diablo was flying relatively fast for him. I was hoping that it was because of good news, who knew what would have happened had it hadn't of been.

When he entered the window, you could tell he was out of breath and that what he had found out was big. He was taking big breaths when Maleficent started her questioning.

"Did you find her?" Diablo started nodding fiercely. I leaned in closer, anxious to hear what he had found. I still didn't understand what he said, but usually Maleficent would tell me if I asked.

He started squawking furiously, jumping up and down on the arm of Maleficent's throne. As he continued hopping up and down, Maleficent's expression slowly changed from curiosity to a sinister smile. I could tell that she was already formulating a plan in her head. Maleficent held out her hand to Diablo, and placed him on her shoulder. She then stood up and looked over towards me.

"Go tell the captain of the guard to prepare his men. We have a peasant boy to catch."

I was about to leave when she said, "You will accompany Diablo in leading them."

I felt extremely shocked. I hadn't been allowed to help with anything outside of the castle in years. I curtsied and followed Diablo down to the part of the castle that the guards would usually stay when there weren't out fulfilling Maleficent's orders.

I had never been down there before, mainly because I had no reason to and wasn't that anxious either. As I descended the stairs, a foul stench started to fill the air. It was almost like the smell of rotten fish. I shouldn't have expected any different from them considering how they always left a mess where ever they went. As we drew closer and closer to the end of the stair case, the stench grew and the lighting became dimmer and dimmer.

As I passed the guards they stared at me with looks of curiosity and distaste. I knew they weren't fond of me, but they also knew that I had very little patience for them. I continued to follow Diablo towards where the captain of the guard was sitting and stuffing his face with food. Diablo landed on the table in front of the guard and squawked at him. He paused for a minute, his hand with a chicken leg just beyond his mouth, and then continued to eat.

In between bites, he seemed to mutter something along the lines of, "stupid bird…worse than the girl."

"I heard that," I said to him with crossed arms. He turned back around towards me, a look of distaste on his face.

"What are you doing down here? You can clean when I am done."

"What makes you think I came down here for you and your mess?"

"Because it's your job," he said with a snicker.

"Not down here it isn't," his smile started to fade, "but I didn't come down here because of the view or to chat with you. Maleficent wants you to ready the troops," I turned towards the way I came, and when I noticed he was still glaring at me I replied, "Immediately."

As I left back towards the throne room, it surprised me how that last word I said had the same cold bite to it that Maleficent had. I guess after all these years she was starting to rub off on me. Diablo was flying slightly to the side of me as we walked back, neither of us looking at the other.

When we returned to the throne room, Maleficent was pacing the floor. As she heard us approach, she turned her head towards us.

"They shall be ready momentarily," I said with a curtsy. Diablo continued to fly towards Maleficent and landed on her shoulder. She softly petted his head as she resumed her pacing. The room remained silent until the clattering of spears, shields, and swords could be heard, growing louder and louder as the guards entered the throne room. As the last ones filed in and all clattering came to a halt, Diablo flew towards one of the columns at the side of the room, and Maleficent spoke.

"Captain, pick your finest…warriors." She said the last word in such a sarcastic way that he didn't notice her distaste. "They will follow Helen and Diablo into the woods. You are to set up for an ambush for this evening."

"Yes, your excellence." He then turned and started grumbling something to the other guards beside him, but I couldn't make it out.

Maleficent then turned towards me. "Diablo will lead you to the cottage. Wait there until I arrive." I nodded in understanding. "But first, I have a princess I have to put to sleep." Flames then surrounded her and within a moment, she had vanished. Once she had vanished, I turned back towards the guards, who were all staring at me.

"Have you picked your men, Captain?" About twenty guards stepped forwards, trying their best to look intimidating. "The rest of you will guard the castle until we return." They all filed out of the room except for the guards who were to go with Diablo and myself to this cottage in the forest.

"We are going to prepare an ambush in the woods. Diablo will lead way." With Diablo flying out first, we all filed out of the room, with me at the front of the line. As we headed further and further down the mountain, the clouds started to lift and the sky started to get lighter and lighter. We continued on at a rather fast pace for what seemed like half an hour, traveling further and further into denser forest. It wasn't until it seemed like we were never going to find this mysterious hiding place of the princess that we came to a clearing that had a small cottage.

I signaled for the guards to wait behind the trees, as Diablo flew up to the house looking to see if anyone was there. When he flew back towards us, I knew that they were still there. We waited until four figures appeared from inside the cottage. Three which I could tell were the fairies, but the fourth one I had never seen before. I knew that it was the princess, but she wore a hooded cloak, so I couldn't get a very good look at her, but from the way she hung her head, she seemed to be depressed. They slowly walked away in the direction of King Stephan's castle, making very little sound.

Once they were out of sight, the guards ran into the house as quickly as their stubby legs could carry them. I slowly walked in after them, admiring the beauty of the forest. If there was any place to hide the princess for sixteen years, it would be here. It was so far away from curious eyes that very few people were likely to come anywhere close to the cottage and its inhabitants.

The inside of the cottage was not extremely large. There was only one room on the lower level, and a single bedroom up the stairs. Trying to imagine how four people lived in such a small space for that long of a time seemed so bizarre. The guards were rummaging around through all the trunks and draws, looking for anything of value that they could keep for themselves. As they continued their antics, I pulled over one of the stools that were at the table to the window. I sat down and tried to drown out the noise that was being made behind me.

"And now, we wait."

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