Chapter 2 Lifespan

Timeline: Ten years after the movie

"How long does a human have?"

"What are you talking about?" His Mistress asked without shifting her focus from the task at hand; healing the tree's damaged trunk.

Diaval jumped down from the branch he was sitting on. He had been trying to climb trees with his human body. It wasn't so bad, he found out. The flexible fingers and long legs did have its fun use. Should have tried it sooner, he thought.

"You know, age span, life expectancy and what not. How long they have until they…" his hands made some abstract gestures to convey what he wanted to say.

"Die?" His Mistress finished what she was doing and took a step back to make sure no other damage remained. "Why, exactly?"

The Raven scratched his head while pacing back and forth, "I flew past a human's cemetery." He sighed dejectedly, "They have quite the short life, don't they?"

"They do." She answered simply and nodded to herself, satisfied with the result. The fairy turned around and stretched her wings briefly, then closed it again, "Ravens don't have a long one either, do they?"

Diaval snorted and decided to sit down on a rock, "We have enough. Well, had for me. Since after you turned me to…" he pointed at his body while trying to find the proper word for what he was but then just shrugged, "Whatever this is, it got stretched quite a lot now, isn't it?"

His Mistress clicked her tongue, "Stop complaining. I saved your life." She pointed out sharply, yet her eyes shone in amusement and her lips slightly tugged upwards. It was something that only both of them would ever understand.

Diaval snickered at that, "I don't think we're old enough to start getting nostalgic."

She let out a hum and walked passed him without a pause. The dark haired man followed behind her straightaway without any question.

The Moors was quite peaceful that day. The only palpable sound that he could hear with his human's ear was the leaves crackling under their feet. His nose sniffed the air, nothing but the smell of the woods.

Diaval frowned, "It's strange." He looked up to the sky. The sun was beginning to set.

"What is?" His Mistress asked without slowing down.

"Everything. I never worry about death before or even think about it. It was just something that would happen sooner or later. I wouldn't even feel anything if others was to die, it's just how the world works." He let out a long breath. It wasn't cold enough yet to be visible, but it didn't stop him from trying. He had developed this strange fondness of making and seeing breaths in cold air.

"You fear death now, is that it?"

He shook his head, even though he knew she couldn't see him, "Never. And you do know what I truly meant."

His Mistress kept walking, her shoulder straight, and her tone hauntingly monotonous, "Fifty to sixty years, if the person was quite healthy. Some even live to eighty."

Diaval exhaled loudly as his way of giving a response. Too fast. Too short. Something, someone so full of good should be able to live a longer life.

They walked in silent afterwards. Even though flying would take them faster to their destination and was something that they both loved, from time to time, they liked to have their feet on the ground and feel the earth beneath their skin.

The wind was getting colder the last few days; he made a note to wear a thicker cloak next time he went out as a human. No matter how many disapproving looks his Mistress shot at him, he knew he was getting the knack of acting like one. And Aurora made him a scarf recently, he's definitely going to wear that.

And just like that, at one little thought of the girl, the cold on the pit of his stomach, the one that had never truly gone since his first thought of mortality, intensified. It was a chilling sensation which had nothing to do with the weather.

"…What are you going to do?"

His Mistress let out a sigh. He could imagine her doing so with her eyes closed, "Do what?"

"I know you have something in mind. You wouldn't let her just…" It was pathetic how he couldn't even say that word after having a glimpse of rows and rows of headstones. Just to imagine someday seeing one with her name on it… He really didn't want to think about it. Which of course meant the thought never left his mind.

It took a while for her to answer, when she did, it was disconcertingly toneless, "…Death will come to us all, Diaval. To the most ancient dragons and elves. To you, and to me. Nothing could stop it. Immortality does not exist, except as a curse."

Her nonchalant act, brought up a sudden anger in him (one of the downside of being human, he found out lately. They feel too much.) He grabbed her hand and forced her to look at him, "Stop this. Please just… stop. Stop acting like you're okay with her… her…" He forced the word out of his mouth, "…leaving us!"

Maleficent hissed furiously, "Get. Your. Hands. Off. Me."

The Raven eyes widened and obeyed immediately. He staggered backwards awkwardly, "I'm sorry." He whimpered pitifully, "I really am…" He raised his hand to reach out, only to let it fall back down again, "I'm sorry."

She turned her back on him and stayed silent. He looked down and berated himself on being so foolish. He knew she was nothing but apathetic on anything regarding her. And he just had to do something so... cruel. Flashes of Stefan cornering his Mistress when there was nothing he could do to prevent him from hurting her again, passed through his mind. Was this the same feeling? The anger and spitefulness that came from being powerless? He could feel the inhuman veins surrounding his body throbbed.

The sound of wings flapping and the soft gust of wind that followed stopped him from apologizing again (for eternity if he had to.) Diaval raised his head, half expecting the fairy to have left him. To his relief, she was only hovering on the same place.

She uttered her words clearly, "I made a vow that day, when I thought I had lost her forever."

A stinging sensation pierced him. The sadness from the inevitable moment washed over him once more. He held his tongue.

"That no harm will come to her, as long as I live." She recited her oath to the sleeping Princess, her voice breaking slightly, "And not a day shall pass that I don't miss her smile."

The Raven walked towards her, stopping to stand beside her. He clenched and unclenched his fist, glancing through the corner of his eyes at the pale woman beside him.

She closed her eyes, "All I can say for now is this; when her time comes," her right hand moved to cover her heart, fingers gripping the fabric of her clothes, "…So shall mine."

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