A.N: Hello my lovelies, thanks for all your beautiful reviews. My only forenote on this chapter is that it's like an emotional roller-coaster.
Disclaimer: I do not own Maleficent and all rights go to their respective owners.
...
"Was that really necessary?" Diaval asked, trying in vain to wipe away the blotches of mud on his face.
"It was the Princess's attack, not mine." Maleficent told him with a sly smile, angling her body away from him.
"And that first explosion of mud was Her Highness's sudden devolopment of magic?"
"I was only obeying Her Highness's orders, no one can disobey the princess."
"In most cases you're correct, except for yourself, Your Majesty." Diaval replied with a smile, silently coming closer to the faerie.
"Hm. Then I'll admit, I found it funny. Come on, it was harmless."
"Harmless Mistress? I was attacked with mud for over half an hour."
"Oh, a little mud has never hurt anyone."
"You'll regret saying that by the end of the day Mistress." Diaval played, wrapping his arms around her waist. She jumped slightly, but relaxed into his touch.
"Are you threatening me Diaval?" She played along, sliding her head towards him.
"One would be foolish to threaten the Queen of the Moors, Mistress."
"Very foolish indeed. Even if you are... trying to distract me." She smiled at him, moving to leave his arms.
Diaval rubbed his fingers up and down her waist, smiling as she faltered.
"Trying Mistress? I seem to be succeeding, I mean, if you're so easily distracted you will have to always be wary of danger."
"Maybe you just have... special powers over me."
"I believe it's the other way around."
"Is it? So you'll stand down if I ask you to?"
"Oh no Mistress, that was a clear act of war."
"Then aren't you committing treason against yourself?"
"I think you're worth the treason."
"You'll have a grand time finding troops. All Moorfolk are loyal to Aurora and I.""True, I guess I'll just have to help myself then."
"Hm? And how are you going to do that?" Maleficent purred, turning in his arms to face his face.
She moved closer to him, and began placing her soft kisses against the corner of his mouth.
Diaval's voice faltered, and after trying and failing to say something he simply gave in and began kissing her back.
"Now who's distracted?" Maleficent teased, wrapping her own arms around his neck. Diaval began to kiss around her ear, making his way down her neck.
They'd never taken that step, this was about as intimate they got, but both were content with that.
Maleficent moaned and let her head fall back, exposing more of her pale neck. Her head was moving in short breaths, in rhythm with Diaval.
Neither of the two heard Aurora coming towards them, but unfortunately she was.
"One day, just one day is all I ask for. One day where I don't see you two kissing. Is that so much to ask for? This should be labelled as emotional scarring or something."
The faerie blushed slightly, taking a miniature step backwards.
"Hello Aurora, what is it you need?" She asked, straightening her wrap.
"I just came to keep you company, though I really should of learned you need at least a foreword, after last time..."
"Oh, well we're glad for your company. Though you should know, Diaval's declared war against us."
Aurora giggled, twisting in her skirts slightly.
"Has he? Whatever for?" She asked sweetly, still giggling.
"Oh don't give me that. Your Queen has already given up the information to save herself."
"Well thanks Godmother."
Maleficent put her hands up in surrender, smirking as she turned her back to the two.
"I was pressured into it."
"No you weren't." Diaval scoffed, wrapping his arms around Maleficent's waist again.
"Are you serious? I am right here!" Aurora exclaimed, stomping her way to face Maleficent again. She took the faerie's hand in hers pulling her out of Diaval's grasp.
"Your Godmother was no hostage of mine, I simply was embracing her." Diaval defended, though still playful.
"Yes, well, since you've declared war on us I have no choice but to separate you two for the time being. Come on Godmother." Aurora declared, dragging away his mistress.
Diaval slumped, watching as Aurora determinedly kept Maleficent walking, while the faerie kept glancing behind her. Eventually she shrugged, and giving a small wink, walked with Aurora.
"Now what Beastie? We must return to the tree for rest soon."
"The time I go to bed at is far too early Godmother."
"It gives you enough energy for the day ahead."
"But how are we to know which day will be our last? Shouldn't we live an exciting and adventurous life?"
"Wise are your words Beastie, but do you not think that this calm is refreshing?"
"No, you're right I am glad nothing has attacked or harmed us in a while. I wonder what the human world is like right now, I feel very protected inside the Moors. Like there is no evil, but that is not the case in their world."
"This war has been going on for sixteen years Aurora, the humans have become accustomed to being controlled by evil."
"What about you? Does a small part of you remember what it was like without the tinting of human evil?"
"A small part, my heart often forgets, but it is the same thing that reminds me of it as well."
Aurora walked silently for a while, contemplating her godmother's words. Finally, the faerie spoke again.
"Stefan left many scars on my heart, but they are only that, scars. He tried to scar my skin, as I'm sure you saw, but he couldn't."
"So... when you think of the scars the memories come back?" Aurora asked, trying to understand.
"Yes, in a way. Take the brutality on my arm for example," the princess flinched at the reminder, "or a branding of livestock, they are there to serve as a reminder or a message."
"And scars to the heart Godmother?"
"The same, reminders and messages. A painful reminder as it may be, that I loved and lost, and a message that they are only scars now. They don't openly bleed as a wound does."
"So it is like a message that you healed yourself and it became a mere reminder."
"Precisely."
"I understand now Godmother."
"Only, I did not heal myself. I had a considerable amount of help from a certain princess, and Diaval."
"No one can carry the weight of their world on their shoulders, not without help anyway."
"Ah, but I don't wish for you to carry that weight Beastie."
Aurora shrugged, slowing her walk to a stillness.
"What if they find a way to hurt you again Godmother? What if you're caught again, and I just have to sit and wait here again?"
"Such morbid thoughts for a child of such innocence."
"Child, Godmother? I know I didn't spend much time in the real human world but I understood that there I am no child. In fact, my father wanted to marry me off almost immiediately."
"What a shame that would of been, but in my eyes you will always be a child."
"You didn't answer my question Godmother."
Maleficent glanced at the girl, and upon analyzing her expression she decided to give her answer.
"Well, if I were captured again I would only hope Diaval would come and save me. Diaval would leave you here as you said, and you would have a duty to the Moors. You are their princess."
"You would expect me to rule? I wield no magic I cannot protect the Moors as you do."
"Your aunties could help slightly in that area, and the Moorland people would aid you with whatever is needed."
"What a terrible fate it would be, to see Diaval leave to find you without knowing what is to come."
"A worse fate Beastie, is being captured and knowing that your loved ones may be in danger for you. That is why we leave you behind the wall, not because you'll be no help, but because it's the one way I can still protect you while I'm gone."
"Yes but if you and Diaval fell, I would never know. I would of lost both my parental figures in a stride."
"You're strong Beastie, don't you worry about it."
"I wish it was that simple. How do you do it? You are always able to move forward, and let nothing beat you. It's an honourable trait, one I fear I don't possess."
"You possess it, I know you do. You've been living full-time in the Moors for around two months, and in that time there were trials that you faced, and you always got back up for more in the end."
Aurora smiled and wrapped her arms around the faerie, holding the embrace for a few beautiful seconds.
"One day my father's attempts will cease, whether from his death or his madness, then there will only be small problems for us to discuss."
"Of course." Maleficent drew herself back, grinning mischievously while doing so. "We have a bit of a problem with returning to our tree, I do believe Diaval will be waiting there, most likely armed."
"A fear no mud, but I don't think my dresses can take much more." Retorted Aurora, matching her godmother's grin.
"Let us be stealthy then, Your Highness, and perhaps we can make it without a fight."
...
Though the Queen and Princess were able to avoid the mud-fight as planned, there were other battles to be fought. Stefan had drawn back his forces slightly, only to launch an attack the week after.
Maleficent was awaken from her sleep with a great thunder. Shaking her head groggily she cleared her vision and sat up. Morning light peeked through the hills, and Diaval was beside her in an instant.
Transforming himself into a man, the loyal companion looked at his mistress for instructions. He would do anything for her, save stay behind.
"Come Diaval, I'd like to make sure nothing too damaging comes from this surprise attack."
Diaval nodded his head, slipping down from the tree to help Maleficent from it. His hands wrapped around her waist, and when her feet met the ground they went to her hands.
It was an act of support, to show that they were both there for each other no matter what. With their fingers entwined they headed to Maleficent's great wall.
Maleficent knew she was being selfish to not give the order for Diaval to transform, but in his presence she was always more calm and she always felt safer.
Diaval knowing her so well, understood but didn't mind. He would gladly stay with her than fly free a raven, and to a bird that was a sign of the uttermost devotion.
The pair stepped out of the Moors, their safe haven, to be greeted by what looked like a very large chunk of the King's armed forces.
"Stefan will be somewhere." Maleficent mumbled, her emerald eyes searching. "He wouldn't launch an attack so big and not be there to lead it."
"Mistress, this attack is on you, should you not conjure your own forces?"
"I will wait until the moment I know I need to fight. These men have done nothing wrong themselves, they serve a wicked king and only follow orders given to them."
Diaval nodded at his mistress's wisdom, but the same good-hearted nature could be her downfall and he wasn't sure if he was ready to make that sacrifice.
With a daring flick of her wrist Maleficent gained control of the first and closest catapult, and with another it burst into splinters of wood.
Murmers erupted in what was an almost still camp, they knew she was here, expected it almost. Diaval understood in a moment, that they knew catapults would not gain entry, that it was merely a ruse to get Maleficent out of the Moors.
Diaval released Maleficent from his gentle grip, and transformed himself into a wolf. A wolf was the most ferocious animal he could think of, despite his distaste for them.
The faerie's head whipped towards her servant, whom had charged unseen forces, and it wasn't long before she too understood.
Soon masses of guards surrounded her, but she was quick to think and even quicker to act. The magic poured from her hands, which were shaking slightly with all the effort she was putting into the task.
As the first time Maleficent took Aurora into the Moors the guards began to levitate in their armor. They gave out cries of surprise and anger, thrashing against the magic which had possessed them.
With a final flick the herd of guards were sent in the opposite direction, no longer a threat though Maleficent knew that that was only a small portion of the guards at hand.
She heard horse hooves approaching behind her, and upon turning she realized that she was alone in the clearing.
Worried thoughts of Diaval were extinguished when Stefan himself rode to where she stood. His eyes narrowed at the faerie, madness and evil darkening the once full of life irises.
The last Maleficent had seen of him he had been carving a message into her arm. She took a few steps backwards, though her eyes showed no fear.
Stefan chuckled, putting an armoured hand up to signal his troops to keep a distance.
"Your man-servant left you alone?" He mocked, noticing how bare she looked.
Maleficent remained silent, instead raising her arms to attack Stefan with her magic.
"Ah, ah, ah." The King wiggled his finger, and his tone was sickly calm, like he was scolding a child. "You don't want to do that."
Finally, the faerie spoke.
"Why not?"
Stefan made his own hand gesture, and Maleficent heard movement amongst the troops behind him.
Then just as she thought that she could may be able to make it out of the situation alive, all hope of it vanished when Stefan revealed to her what he had up his sleeve.
Two guards dragged the nearly limp form, whose eyes were filled with despair and guilt. Maleficent's breath shuddered as they took a clump of hair in their hands and forced his head up, placing a sword at the base of his neck.
Stefan smirked as her eyes widened in horror, how satisfied he felt to reduce her to this.
She couldn't feel anything, she could barely breath, all she could do was stare at their captive with terrified eyes.
Diaval.
A.N: Sorry for the delay in this chapter, major case of writer's block. Also I'm only *slightly* sorry for the cliffhanger there. Please, by all means drop your thoughts, feels, conspiracy theories or rants into the review box, I'm thankful for your opinions!
Thanks for reading, and thanks to any who've followed, favourited or reviewed in the past.