Aurora glanced around, the eerie feeling of something heavy walking in the thick underbrush startling her slightly until a pair of glowing red eyes caught her by surprise, causing her to let out a small yelp of surprise.
"forgive me queen...I did not mean to startle anyone." a female voice stated as a young girl clad in a brown cloak appeared from the area the eyes had been seconds before. The girl had dark brown hair and tanned skin however her eyes were a strange maroon color and her face was decorated with three long scars across her right cheek.
"I am called Faolan...My brother Bledig and I come from a farther region. We only request a home here...in these moors and in return we shall make sure no one will ever harm this place." The girl-no more than thirteen—stated, bowing so low that her hair brushed the ground.
However before the sixteen year old queen could speak the sound of wings filled the area.
"Don't worry...I have already spoken with these two. They come here only because of a war in the far south. They vow to not bother anyone...nor hunt." Maleficent stated just as a young boy with dark black hair stepped out, kneeling on the ground.
"just what are you?" Aurora couldn't help but ask after a few minutes of careful silence.
"We are shifters your Majesty." Bledig replied in a low tone before adding "I am sorry that my sister and I frightened you...We were only eating the raspberries found in the thickets."
"You don't have to bow..." Aurora began however Faolan cut her off.
"With all due respect your highness...We do. For those as lowly as ourselves to speak to someone such as either of you two...Is very rare."
"You may stay here...Just...Please don't be so formal?" Aurora replied, her voice almost pleading toward the end.
"Yes...Your highness." Both of the new comers stated in unison before raising and disappearing back into the underbrush.
"Who are they Mother?" Aurora asked Maleficent once the two where gone.
"Orphans... the tree warriors found them unconscious on our southern boarders and brought them here. Those scars they tried to keep hidden are from a war their own lands are engaged in." The fae answered, her tone emotionless though one could see concern there.
"The southern boarder? What lays beyond the moors?" Aurora couldn't help but ask, earning a sigh from her godmother.
"Beastie, the moors are very large but the kingdom beyond is in much worse shape than your kingdom was under the king before Stephen." Maleficent answered, though her tone took a harsher note as it said the late king's name.
The young blonde nodded and gently put a hand on the woman's shoulder, causing her to stop in her tracks.
"I'm sorry I asked...If I had know that it would bring up...unpleasant memories..." Aurora began however the fairy held up a hand to stop her.
"it is perfectly alright to ask questions acquiring about your kingdom." she answered before beginning to walk again.
Aurora spent that night in the moors, sleeping next to her mother figure who was anything but sleeping at that point.
"What are you doing awake?" he questioned groggily, propping himself up with one arm to turn to look at his partner.
"Thinking." Maleficent answered simply, her eyes trained on the storm-clouds that threatened overhead.
"About?" The raven man pressed, earning a small glare from the woman he loved.
"Everything."
Hearing her simple, cold reply signaled that he would not be getting any answer from the woman at that point.
"Try not to stay awake for too long." Diaval said after a while, reaching over to place his hand atop hers.
He felt her flinch slightly at the touch—as usual—before her fingers lightly entwined with his own as she nodded lightly.