Chapter Eleven
When morning rolled around, the sun striking her face caused the fairy to yawn and open her eyes. A small smile curled her lips at seeing Diaval fast asleep as well, with his head resting on the side of the mattress next to her. A gentle shake was delivered to his shoulder to wake him.
"Hm? Well, good morning."
"Time to get up, birdie. I want you to see Aurora back to the castle as soon as she wakes."
"Of course."
The raven sat up, stretching with a grunt as his back popped, before leaning over to kiss Maleficent's forehead. She smiled again as she heard the chair next to them shift, signaling the blond Queen's awakening. The moment she opened her eyes and saw the fairy looking at her, she stood and moved forward, Diaval moving to the window so they could talk.
"Morning, beastie."
"How are you feeling this morning, godmother?"
"Better...still in a bit of pain, but nothing I can't handle."
"Diaval never left your side, you know...the two weeks you were sleeping? I don't think he even slept more than a few hours."
Maleficent turned her gaze towards the raven, who was giving them a respectful distance, and a gentle smile curled her lips.
"Silly bird..."
"He loves you, as if you didn't already know that."
"Mm, he certainly tells me often enough. You, my dear, should get home. I'm sure Stefan is worried."
Aurora nodded, and after sharing a hug with the fairy, left with Diaval to return to the castle. After they left, she sat up, moving to slowly rise from the bed, just in case she wasn't able to stand. Finding that the searing pain had lessened to a dull ache over night, she moved outside to await her raven's return. During that time, Flittle, Knotgrass and Thistlebit came to pay her a visit and see how she was doing after the ordeal the night before.
"I'm surprised to see you up already, my lady. That iron did a fair bit of damage to you..."
"I didn't get the chance last night to thank you three. If not for you, and Diaval of course, I would more than likely be dead. Anything you want, name it, and it will be yours."
The pixies insisted that they wanted nothing, but after the horned fairy's insistence, simply requested that she do her best to maintain peace with her goddaughter's kingdom. Maleficent agreed with a chuckle, telling them that she had intended to do whatever it took. Diaval returned shortly after, flying down to land on her shoulder, cawing softly when she stroked his feathers. Taking off again, he shifted into a man and sat next to her on the small bench outside the cottage, holding one hand behind his back.
"I must say, Aurora certainly is intent on us getting married, isn't she?"
"Oh no, did she bring it up /again/?"
"She did, so I brought something back that I thought might satisfy her, for a bit, at least."
A lifted eyebrow is what he got in turn, and he chuckled, revealing what he'd been hiding. Resting in his hand were two simple, steel rings that he'd procured on his way back.
"Well now...do I even want to know how you got these?"
"I bought them, of course."
"Bought...where on earth did you find the money for them?"
"That...you may not want to ask. I don't really see the significance of these things, but your goddaughter insisted they were important."
Maleficent chuckled, and explained to him what the exchanging of rings meant in human culture. After she finished, he chuckled as well, and after getting her permission, slipped the smaller one onto her hand.
"There...maybe that will keep her satisfied?"
"I think they will cause her to be even more insistent, but...it's a start."
"I don't see how I'll keep from losing this, won't fit my talons very well when I transform, after all."
She smiled and leaned against his side once he put his own ring onto his hand, chuckling at the odd look on his face. The pixies peered out of their hiding place in a tree, having flown off when the raven had returned, and all three shared a knowing smile. Diaval stood, offering a hand to help the fairy up, and once she stood, he started walking.
"And where, may I ask, are we going?"
"Uhm...good question. It was just a bit odd, having the pixie sisters staring at us."
"Actually...there is something I've been meaning to talk to you about."
"Ah, there is?"
"Nothing bad, you silly bird. It's actually something that could be very good, if you agree. And, of course, if I can get the help I would need."
His curiosity won out, and when she explained her idea to him, his eyes seemed to light up. She told him that it was possible, though /very/ unlikely, that he could become like her, a fairy.
"How...would that even..."
"I would have to ask for help from the spirits that live deep in the Moors. It's not a task I could ever complete on my own, even my magic isn't that strong. If they agree to help, and if it's what you want, you would be a fairy."
"I...wouldn't be a raven, anymore?"
"No...you wouldn't. Think on it for a while, Diaval. It's not something you should decide quickly, the change is permanent, after all."
He stopped walking, causing her to turn, a curious look in her bright green eyes. After a moment, he changed into a raven and flew off into the trees, leaving her to wonder what had caused him to leave her side so suddenly. Deciding to give him space, Maleficent continued the walk through the Moors. It was hours before she went looking for him, finding him sitting on one of the highest cliffs in the area. Instead of flying up like she normally would have, she took the time to walk up, giving him more privacy before she sat next to him.
"Are you alright? You flew off in a hurry."
"Forgive me. I just wanted some time to think, that's all. I just, can't see myself being anything other than what I am. I'm sorry..."
"No need to apologize, birdie. I would never expect you to do something you don't want."
He reached over and took her hand, leaning in to kiss her cheek before looking back up at the sky.
"It would be interesting, though, to fly in a human body."
"Well, if you want to experience it, let me be /your/ wings, for once."
"Are you strong enough to do that?"
She gave him a look, and he laughed before the two of them stood, and he drew her into his arms. The fairy wrapped her arms around his waist and smiled.
"Just hold on tight, birdie. I won't drop you."
"I trust you. And besides, even if you do, I can change and fly on my own."
Rolling her eyes, she spread her wings, and with a few powerful flaps, propelled both of them up into the clouds. Diaval closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of the wind against his skin, and only opened them when they stopped moving. The fairy was hovering in one place, simply watching the clouds move past them, looking into his eyes when he spoke.
"This is amazing.../you/ are amazing."
"I agree that the view up here is quite beautiful."
Shifting a hand, he lifted it to her cheek, smiling at the pure joy shining in her eyes. His smile was returned, and he leaned his head forward the small distance it took to press his lips to hers in a gentle kiss. A soft sigh escaped her, and after a few moments, she pulled back.
"Careful...best not to distract me while we're so high up."
"Well...maybe we should land, then, so I can.../distract/ you safely."
With a soft laugh, she slowly lowered them back to the ground, landing gracefully in the middle of a small clearing full of flowers. The moment their feet were on the ground, he pulled her forward into another kiss, her arms moving to rest around his neck. A smile curled her lips as he pulled back a few moments later, resting his forehead on hers, her smile only growing as he spoke.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
A wide grin curled his lips as well at hearing her quick response, nuzzling her nose a bit. She let out a breath and opened her eyes, moving back a bit and resting her hands on his shoulders. Diaval moved forward and picked her up, moving towards their tree, chuckling when her lips brushed his neck.
"Are you still in pain?"
"A little, nothing horrible."
"You sure?"
"Positive, birdie."
He smiled at her, and before long they were resting in the nest, his fingers idly running through her hair and over the base of her horns. She rested her hand on his chest, his chin resting on top of her head. The fairy ran her fingers over the scars that littered his skin, letting her eyes close. The raven cleared his throat and shifted a bit, catching her attention and causing her to support her weight on an elbow and look down at him.
"Something wrong?"
"Ah...no?"
Her eyebrow lifted and she let her gaze wander over him, chuckling when she saw him shift again, eyes immediately locking on the slight bulge in his pants.
"Mm, nothing's wrong, huh?"
"I...ah...well..."
"You're adorable when you're flustered, my little raven."
He snorted and rolled to pin her under him, a light laugh escaping the horned fairy. Once she was comfortable, her wings curled around them, shielding them from view. Diaval gazed down into her eyes, resting his hands on her waist as he leaned down to press his lips to her neck. Maleficent smiled and ran her fingers through his hair, her other hand moving to the back of his neck. His hands moved up to the ties on the back of her dress, and then froze.
"Are you...okay with this? I mean...I don't want to rush you, if you're still afraid..."
"I'm not afraid of you, Diaval. I know you would never hurt me...so yes, help me forget."
He smiled, leaning down to press his lips to hers, gently untying her dress and pulling it down slowly, giving her every chance he could to back out if she wanted. She reached down and pulled his shirt over his head, laying it aside with a smile of her own. The raven sat up and pushed his pants down, laying them aside as well, before settling himself on top of her again. She moved her hands to his shoulders, pulling him down into another kiss, letting out a soft sigh as his hands started to wander. Diaval took his time, being as gentle as possible, letting his lips explore every inch of her skin. The fairy closed her eyes and let her head fall back against the soft moss that made up the bulk of the nest. The raven moved up and kissed her neck before speaking in her ear.
"You're so beautiful..."
"You're too nice for your own good, birdie."
A chuckle escaped him, and he rested his forehead against hers, playfully kissing the tip of her nose. She rolled her eyes a bit, and reached up to lay her hand on the back of his neck, trying to stay relaxed as he shifted his weight a bit. Diaval looked down into her eyes, and when she nodded, he moved forward, slowly slipping into her. The moment she felt him, her muscles tensed, wings spreading and moving to wrap around her. The raven stopped moving completely, simply lowering his head to kiss her. After a few moments, and after wrangling her brain back under her control, she nuzzled his neck.
"I'm alright..."
"Are you sure?"
Maleficent nodded, constantly reminding herself that it was Diaval above her. He caught her in another kiss and started a slow, gentle, loving pace, not wanting to scare her. After a few minutes, her body relaxed, wings falling to lay stretched out behind her, and she wrapped her arms around his neck with a smile. The raven returned the smile, resting a hand on her waist, the other moving to gently stroke her feathers. Diaval suddenly found himself on his back, the fairy having used said wings as leverage to flip them, and he blinked up at her. Her only response was a cheeky grin as she placed her hands on his chest and took over their pace, wings spreading to their full span behind her.
A soft groan escaped both of them at the change in position, and Maleficent let her head fall back. The raven found himself breathless as he let his eyes wander over her, the sun blocked by her wings, giving her a striking silhouette against the light. Both of his hands immediately moved to her hips, and he pushed up into her as she came down. The fairy leaned down, barely brushing her lips against his, only to pull away playfully when he tried to deepen their kiss.
"You're not...playing fair."
"Oh?"
With a grunt, Diaval suddenly sat upright, arms winding around her waist to pull her flush against his chest, lips claiming hers in a passionate kiss. A soft gasp escaped her at the sudden contact, and she chuckled lightly against his lips. It wasn't long before Maleficent found herself on her back again, the raven speeding up his thrusts a bit, looking down into her eyes to make sure she was alright. In turn, she leaned up and nipped his ear before whispering into it.
"Come now, is that the best you can do?"
A sound remarkably like a growl slipped past his lips, and he immediately unleashed everything he had, arms again pulling her as close as possible. The fairy's head snapped back against the nest and a loud moan escaped her lips, eyes flashing before slipping shut. Diaval's lips found her neck, and his teeth latched on to the skin, feeling his release slowly approaching. One of her hands tangled in his hair, and her legs wound around his waist, her other hand digging into the moss of the nest. It wasn't long at all until she felt her muscles start to tense, and she bit down on his shoulder to stifle the near scream that threatened to escape as her release hit with a vengeance. Feeling her legs tighten around his waist, he let out a loud groan as his own hit, causing the raven to stiffen against her. The pair clung to each other as the waves of pleasure died down, and he moved to lay next to her. When Maleficent went to lift her head, she blinked when she found she couldn't.
"Ah...I do believe I'm stuck..."
"Huh? Stuck?"
"My horns are...ahem...stuck in the tree..."
Looking up, he gave a light chuckle and reached up to help gently free her horns from the bark. Once she was free, she rolled to rest her head on his chest, a light blush on her cheeks.
"That was, I must say, the first time I've ever gotten caught by a tree."
Diaval laughed and hugged her close, her wing stretching over them to hide them from view.
"Are you alright? I mean...I didn't hurt you, right?"
"I'm not /that/ fragile, birdie. I'm fine."
"Of course not." he said with another chuckle.
"That was...absolutely perfect."
With a smile, he kissed her forehead and closed his eyes, and the two of them drifted off to sleep in the warmth of the afternoon sun.
AN: FLUFF! Everyone loves some good fluff! Please review, they make me a happy wolf!