A/N: Prompt from an anon; Aurora gets hurt or is in danger and Maleficent has to save her. Thanks!
It's iron. Maleficent probes, softly, at the hinges of the cage, but the burn makes her snap her hand back before she can infer too much. "Oh Beastie," she murmurs, her wings tensing as a noise from behind draws her head up, and she cuts off Aurora's response with a quick, harsh, "Shh."
Making the cage clank as she turns as well, Aurora can't hold back a nervous exhalation as she quietly apologizes to the flicker of Maleficent's glowing eyes.
Studying her, Maleficent doesn't answer as she looks away again. Standing up, spreading her wings in anticipation of needing them, she holds her hands out in front of her, palms out, fingers curled to prepare her talons. She is already calling up her magick, it only her intention to hold back the actual release as she waits to see if there's going to be any enemy blundering forward out of the shadows.
But when nothing comes, nothing intruding on her rescue, Maleficent allows a shallow sigh of relief. "Do you know who captured you?"
"No." Aurora answers, voice quiet as she makes a move to reach out towards Maleficent, only stopping when she realizes she wouldn't be able to touch her, "I was picnicking with Philip. There was a commotion, and I turned… And suddenly I'm here."
"Is Philip here, then?" Maleficent asks, for once trying to believe that Aurora's friend had nothing to do with this. Her eyes turn to take in the rest of the clearing.
A low groan reaches her ears, and jumping forward, landing close to another cage kitty-corner to Aurora's, Maleficent lets her eyes adjust.
"I'm here too," Philip's voice answers, weak but obviously his, a slightly less pale hand reaching out of another, presumably, iron cage. "I tried, but I was not enough to stop the ambush."
Maleficent calmly visually takes in his hand but doesn't touch it. "I believe you," she answers, turning to take second looks at the other cages she can see. There doesn't seem to be anyone else taken prisoner, but she checks physically just to make sure. A two-man rescue will be easier than what, theoretically, could be.
"Are we still in the Moors?" Aurora asks.
Maleficent turns to her. "No," she shakes her head, trying to pretend that it's not an important thing for her to be trespassing; walking back to Aurora's side, this time she doesn't hesitate to take Aurora's hand, "But then, that will never stop me from finding you."
Aurora's smile flashes in the dark even as she murmurs, "But you have no sovereignty here."
"Do I need it?" Maleficent draws herself up straight. Magick sparks at the tips of her fingers, and though it drains her, she directs it at the weakest part of her beloved's cage. With a low groan, both from the iron and faerie herself, the cage door pops open.
"Oh!" Aurora cries, crawling out, her bright eyes meeting Maleficent's in gratitude before she slips to Philip's cage. Taking to his side and taking up his hand as Maleficent had not, she whispers to him that he shall be alright, her free hand reaching for her godmother's. 'Please?' she seems to beseech.
As if Maleficent would ever deny her Beastie her friend. Sucking in a deep breath, hiding how much it hurts to fight the iron's autonomy, Maleficent succeeds in snapping open his cage as well. Bowing down, pain and tightness surging through her, Maleficent still manages a smile for her Queen. "Come," she urges, whisper loud, her wings spreading again as she gestures for Aurora to come into the safety of her arms, adjusting to allow Philip's presence as well, "Let us depart before alarm is sounded."
Aurora's lips press into her cheek. "Thank you," she whispers, her arms wrapping around Maleficent's neck, Philip's equally clumsy arms doing their best to hold around the faerie's shoulders without touching anything untoward, and, finding amusement even as she's on edge for being pursued, with a strong flap of her wings, Maleficent lifts them all in the air. With her arm around Aurora's waist, her other hand snug in Philip's leather belt, she rises as high as she can bear under the strain of weight and danger.
There are still questions and inquiries to make, and it's not like she's going to pretend her ire has been assuaged, but, Maleficent thinks, allowing herself to breathe in Aurora's scent as she spreads her wings wide to float on the edge of the air stream before spiraling down, surging forward and away, arms wrapped tightly around her passengers, at least her most important charge - her most important love - her Aurora - is away from immediate harm.