Chapter: Oblivious

A/N: This prompt was a request off of Tumblr as well from onceuponaminute16. Don't want to put much of the prompt in here as it would spell out the entire oneshot. I hope you will enjoy, and as always happy reading.

Peace had finally settled between the kingdom of men and the magical Moors. Queen Aurora and her husband, the now crowned King Phillip, ruled their blended people with compassion and righteousness. The Dark Fey who chose to rejoin the land of their ancestors made strides to understand the humans and their ways. There were always to be disputes and small scuffles between two meeting cultures, but for the most part, respect and a willingness to understand won out in the end.

In the Moors, Maleficent kept the peace with the tree sentries and those of the Dark Fey who wanted to protect their new home. Her days were spent flying over the large expanse of the Moors, talking over matters of discontent with all types of clan leaders at the Moor Palace or discussing the upcoming celebrations of Dark Fey tradition that she was yet again unaware of. She had grown up under the watchful eyes of fairies that were nothing like her. Her parents were the only other Dark Fey left in the Moors and when they perished in the war when she was a babe, she had no one to learn from. Her people were strangers to her.

At the moment, the Dark Fey Phoenix was perched along a sturdy tree branch as she looked over the group of children from Ulstead and Perceforest interwoven with the children of the Moors. They walked and talked with one another and shared stories of their own between them. Their parents and guardians stood a little way off, still in sight, but mingling much like their children.

The children ran after one another, taught each other their games they would usually play and some of the Dark Fey even try to lift the humans with them as they flew overhead. Maleficent was transported to the times of her own childhood where her and Stefan would tell each other stories and run around the Moor's woods and rivers, unaware of the large divide of their species. Such good memories that were tainted of the greed of the past.

Her attention was caught as a dark figure flew in between and around the children. The raven cawed after the small group that had chased after him as if he was laughing. He may just be. He stayed low enough that the human children could play along and the fey did not have enough height to use their wings as an advantage. He always made sure that everyone was on equal footing.

Her faithful servant still stayed with her, still an ever present constant at her side. He would tour the Moors with her as she made her rounds, he would insert well thought arguments in debates and was always there to be an ear when she needed to talk of any worries. She had told him that he was more than free to be who he needed and wanted to be with the peaceful reign of her daughter and his fledgling. He refused, as he stood by his vow to be there for whatever she may need, even if the debt had been more than repaid years prior. His heart had remained pure despite his constant company with someone who's heart was definitely not. Her hand went to her chest to feel her heart beat faster than normal as she kept her mind on him. Her dark heart would leap with the thought of the hope and light in his own. But her mind and mouth stayed silent and showed no affection while he was in the form of a man, when he had a hand to hold... or arms to wrap in... or even lips to-

She hissed at her thoughts and banished them back into her mind. There was no room in her life for that kind of hope and dreams. She tried to love like that once and the heartbreak nearly cost her another. She cannot let that happen again.

Diaval banked in the air as he turned with a flip in the air and let out a victorious caw. He was keeping a good pace with the children.

"That will not do," Maleficent smiled to herself. Her hand flicked out in golden magic and suddenly the raven shifted in midair to the man.

Diaval squawked and hit the ground, flat on his front. Maleficent tried to hide her laughter, but couldn't stop an ungraceful snort that slipped passed. Not even a second after he hit the ground, the children were upon him. They laid their small bodies over his legs, his arms and a couple of them sat on his back. The poor creature was covered shoulder to toe in children of all races and creeds. He struggled to look up and directly at her tree. Her narrowed his eyes as he caught sight of her in the branches.

"You have caught me!" he said dramatically toward the children, "I will have to submit!"

"Then you are our servant!" one of the Dark Fey children of the jungle clans crowed from his back.

"I will give you favors, young lord, but I am servant to no one but the great phoenix herself," he explained and the children climbed off of him so he could stand. Once he dusted himself off he knelt and looked at the children more or less eye to eye, "Though I am sure you would all do well to a handsome servant as myself, my life is linked to only one other. And that's the way it will stay for I would be found no where else."

Maleficent heard his words and her heart beat faster in her chest.

He looked over the heads of the children to look at Maleficent who didn't move, but her eyes wide. He knew then that she could hear him as well as see him.

"You should never leave her?" a young boy asked with his arms crossed, "What would you do if one of us saved your life? What would you do then?"

"I would owe you a great debt, but my vow would still be to my mistress," Diaval explained, "I am loyal to a fault as most ravens are. Honest. I would not and will not stray."

"What if you were to find love?" a female Dark Fey child of the Desert Clan asked as her brown wings shuffled behind her in a bit of shyness, "I've heard that ravens mate for life, what if you should find a she-raven to nest with? What of your mistress then?"

"You mean to talk of love?" Diaval asked and the children all gathered around him as if he was telling a tale. His eyes flicked up to where she was still in the tree. She seemed to have leaned toward them to hear better.

'Maybe it was time to let her know without doubt...' Diaval thought to himself.

"Lord Diaval?" the jungle fey asked him and pulled at his sleeve.

Diaval cleared his throat and smiled back at the group of children, "I know well of love and it would not change anything between my mistress and myself. I love deeply, but I will never have want to leave my mistress."

"So, you are in love with someone?" a human girl asked this time, her hands clasped together in front of her in a show of excitement. He could tell that the young one was a romantic.

He chuckled at her and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, "Have been for a while now, yes."

Maleficent's thundering heartbeat suddenly stopped at his words. A cold washed over her being. He loved someone, has for some time.

How could she have not known? They spent many days and nights together, when had he even met such a radiant creature that they could steal his heart? Was it during the many and continuing Dark Fey celebrations? It must have been. It was true that many of Fey women were drawn to him as they described him as prime mate material, but she didn't think that any of them made more strives to grab the raven-man's attention and affections.

"OH! Who is it?!" the same romantic girl asked as she grabbed at his arm and shook him to garner his complete attention.

He chuckled quite amused at her excitement, "Isn't it apparently obvious?"

Maleficent felt like she would fall off the branch. It should be obvious? To children it should be obvious?

She shook her head and ignored the cold feeling in her chest. She stood on the large branch under her and took off into the sky toward her nest.

Diaval suddenly looked up at her departure and scrambled to his feet. He took a couple steps toward her retreating form with a furrow at his brow. He stood still for a moment or two trying for the life of him to figure out where he had gone wrong.

"Lord Diaval?" the jungle fey pulled at his hand, "What happened?"

"I don't know, little one," Diaval frowned slightly.

"You love the Phoenix."

Diaval turned quickly to see a couple of the mothers of the children approach. They must have been listening in on the conversation as well. He knew that some of the ladies of the courts and of the Dark Fey have expressed interest in him, but he was always careful to respectfully reject such advances. His heart, just like the rest of him, was spoken for.

"How?" Diaval asked.

"As you said, it was obvious," another woman added on and saw the drop in Diaval's head in rejection, "But something tells me that she isn't as good seeing the obvious as others."

He huffed a sad laugh, "That she is not."

"So?" another woman from the hamlet stepped forward.

"So..." Diaval questioned in confusion.

"You're going after her, aren't you?"

"I have no wings," he said as he flexed his hands to show the digits.

"But you have legs," the original woman said, "And if I were to let the person that held my heart know that they do, I would use whatever I had to get to them."

Diaval looked at the ladies and then the children in thought. He took a deep breath and nodded, "You're right. This form never stopped me before."


Maleficent sat in her low nest in the Rowen tree, close to the Heart of the Moors. She saw the preparations of the celebration not too far away. She had unwrapped her horns and head to let her hair hang loose for the festivities. In the moment she was just finishing the wire wrap around her horns. She did not feel at all like celebrating, but she felt like she owed her people to at least try. Besides, she needed a distraction. If Diaval was in love and wished to pursue his lady, she would be seeing less and less of him as he did so. She would have to find other avenues to entertain herself- no, that wasn't right. He was more than entertainment.

He was her confidant, her closest adviser and friend. He helped her raise Aurora, he was as much a parent to the queen as she was. He was the voice that echoed in her mind when she thought of decisions that affected the Moors. He was the company that she sought out the most outside of Aurora. She took a deep breath and laid a hesitant hand on her chest as her heart began to ache just slightly. Then she turned a little angry at him. He didn't even think to tell her of his feelings? Didn't their friendship give him the leeway to talk of such things with her? Did he not think her worthy enough to meet this woman?

That was ridiculous. He trusted her with everything, even if he didn't agree with some of her choices. He always stood by them with her. Maybe it was as obvious as he said and she just chose not to see it. Maybe she needed to try harder with her own kind. Strike more friendships so his inevitable loss wouldn't sting so harshly.

"...mistress."

Maleficent leaned out to look down from the tree to find a huffing Diaval, "There you are."

"You left me with the children in this," he gestured to his human form, "Had to trek half way across the Moors, I did."

"Stop your belly aching," she rolled her eyes and turned on her cold exterior, her heart locked away, "You seem just fine."

"Easy for you to say with your glorious wings," he pointed up at her.

Maleficent glided down from the tree, her horns decorated and her gown clean and in a bright yet deep green. She held her head high and looked him over. His clothing was a bit scuffed up from his trek.

Her hand swirled with gold magic as she cleaned him up and changed his clothing to something similar to her own. She thought that it may be the wrong thing to dress him to match herself, but she had done so before and if this woman was to have a problem with it, she could tell her herself. If she couldn't stand up to Maleficent, then she didn't deserve Diaval.

"Something is wrong," he said suddenly at the lost look in her face.

"Don't be ridiculous," she huffed and walked toward the Fairy Hill.

His hand quickly snapped out and gently took one of her own, his fingers entwining with hers, "There is. Please, talk with me."

His eyes searched hers as she looked back at him. She waved her other hand not connected to his to turn him back into his raven form, "I don't want to talk."

He beat his wings to keep airborne and caws fell silent at his beak. He knew something was troubling her. His own troubles would have to wait. He landed on her shoulder and she let him stay there as they made their way to the beginning of festivities.

As the celebration turned into full swing, Maleficent felt more and more out of place. Dark Fey of all kinds danced and cheered with the other Moorland fairies, but none of them really went out of their way to include the Phoenix. She was in a corner as she watched on. Her original thought of talking with the others only led to her confusion or boredom. She tried to make conversation about the Moors and their merge into with the other fairy kind around them. Even talked of humans and how they were with the new fairy kind from their observations. They participated in the 'small talk' as Diaval had once explained to her, but they didn't know how to really talk with her. They didn't know her passions and her skills. They know what they knew, and that was enough. She eventually turned to the outer ring to watch on as she always had.

Diaval stayed attached to her shoulder the whole time, never asking once to be changed to man to go partake of the Moorland buffet or wander around with the others. He stayed with her. Maybe his lady love hadn't arrived at these festivities.

A hour into her self appointed banishment to the outer ring of the festivities, Boora approached her.

"Good evening, Phoenix," he greeted and bowed his head toward her.

"Boora," she tilted her head back.

"Are you to sit away this blessed event with only a bird for company?"

Diaval's feathers puffed at Boora as a slight caw was huffed out.

"Diaval is splendid company," she offered as explanation even though she had yet to say one word to the raven all night. She absentmindedly scratched under Diaval's chin, "I have not found another that has kept my interest as he has."

"Maybe you were not asking the right fey," Boora smirked, followed by a low rumble in his chest.

Maleficent looked at him a bit shocked, but then laughed at his attempt to tempt her, "No, Boora. I don't think so."

"I am the strongest of my clan and the best fighter of the council," he explained and flexed one arm and wing to show it was so.

Diaval cawed lowly as if he would be rolling his eyes if he were human.

"That may be, Boora, but that is not what I search for in a companion to take my time."

"And what is?"

"Intelligence."

"I have that."

"If you had the right kind, you would take care of my rebuttal," she warned him.

"Phoenix, you need not search, any of us would willingly come to you," Boora took her hand and pulled her toward him.

Maleficent stiffened in discomfort. This is not where she wanted this conversation to go, "Come to me? I-I don't-"

"Yes, whatever you would want or need. We would do that for you. We would not shun you for company or even to mate."

In a split second, Diaval was at Boora's face. He flapped his wings vigorously at the fey to blind him. He didn't use his talons, but he was close to it. Boora dropped Maleficent's hand and she pulled back fully and stood. Diaval cawed and pecked lightly at Boora's face and hands. Before blood would be spilled, Maleficent waved her hand and Diaval landed on the ground as a man.

"And another thing," Diaval yelled at Boora as he poked his finger in the air at him, "She does not need anyone to do anything she needs, she has me for that. Always will. Come to her for friendship and understanding, not to- to mate her!"

Boora huffed at the raven-man and then looked to Maleficent to see if she would correct him. She did not in any way or form. He huffed again, straightened himself and then took off toward the main fairy hill.

As he left, Diaval brushed off his clothes and then his hands before he turned back to Maleficent, "A bit of wild card, that one."

"Is it true?"

"Is what true?" he asked, his hands now on his hips.

"That you will always be with me?"

"We've talked about this," he relaxed his shoulders and sat down on a root that she was lounging on before Boora came over, "Sit down, your wings are drooping. Usually means there is too much on your mind."

She shook her head though she did as he asked. He knew her so well.

"Are you going to talk to me now?" he asked as she settled next to him.

"You knew that I heard you earlier with the children," she said and kept her eyes on the lights around them and not on him.

"I did," Diaval nodded and busied himself with his strange human hands.

Maleficent hesitated and then took a deep breath, "I just want you... you to be happy."

"What makes you think that I'm not?" his brows instantly furrowed as he looked at her, "Do I make you think that I don't enjoy every moment with you?"

"I know there are times that you would rather be elsewhere," she looked at the ground, "Or with someone else."

"Someone else...?"

"Again, I want you to be happy," she finally looked straight into his eyes, "Even if it is not with me. I feel ashamed that I don't even know the one that holds your heart so steadfastly."

His eyes searched hers for a moment before he gave her the smallest of smiles, "You know her well enough. I just know her better."

"I have no clue how you have hidden her from me. You spend much of your time with me," she floundered in her thoughts as she totally missed the look in his eyes. An epiphany popped into her head, "Or with Aurora... is she a resident in Ulstead? A handmaiden, perhaps?"

Diaval shook his head, now a little amused at the guess, "No."

"No, I wouldn't know a handmaiden. Is she part of the council?"

"She is," he smirked at the new game that unfolded.

"Not many there, and it definitely is not Nanny Stout," she shook her head and looked back out to the hills to try and understand, "Is it Shrike?"

"You know well that she is bonding with Percival," he reminded her.

"That's true," she took another breath in thought. He began to laugh lightly at her serious thought process. She suddenly frowned, but didn't look back at him, "This is frustrating, you miserable bird and yet you laugh at me. Do you hate me or something?"

"Not at all," Diaval leaned toward her, his hand caught her chin. He pulled her chin toward him to make sure that he eyes were level with his. His smile caught her off guard, "I'm actually quite in love with you, really."

"...what?"

He leaned forward further and captured her lips with his own as he had seen Aurora and Phillip do many times before. His lips pressed against hers steady for only a moment before her lips acted in kind. Her hand flew up to his hair and ran through the feathers and strands behind his ear. He felt her smile against his lips and he chuckled into their kiss.

Diaval pulled back, "You didn't stay around long enough for me to finish my talk with the little ones earlier. I love you, mistress. Having known that for as long as I have, nothing has changed. I will still never leave your side."

"Silly raven," she brushed her fingers through his hair, "I don't do guessing games. You must tell me such things, for I seem to be oblivious to the obvious."

"No worry. I will remind you frequently," he pecked her lips.

"... I will never want you to leave."

"Good, because I will never want to leave you."

"I will be harsh."

"I will be understanding."

"I will... I love you."

He grinned widely, "I still love you. Always have."