Frenzy
Title: Simple
Song: Storybook Love by Willy DeVille
Maleficent observes Diaval, Phillip and Aurora engaged in a card game that the raven has been enamored with ever since Aurora introduced it to him. Looking at them, Diaval can't help but wonder how life turned out like this.
Maleficent thinks their unit- Diaval, Aurora, and herself- are quite the most complex unit she's ever come across. Maleficent was the fae that Aurora's father had betrayed, and in turn she cursed the child to bear the brunt of her hatred and thirst for revenge. In the end, however, the child ended up not knowing her father and loving the fae who cursed her.
If Maleficent was like a mother to Aurora, then Diaval is definitely like a father. It's absurd that the one their queen considers her father is, in actuality, a raven. He's not even human! He was a beast of the wild, yet in a bizarre turn of events, he was turned into a man and he wound up being servant, friend and parent.
The oddest connection of all, however, existed between the faery and the bird. Ever since Stefan, Maleficent has never given love and romance a thought. But then Diaval entered her life, and weirdly enough, she grew attached to him. She developed affection for a bloody bird. Stuff like that just doesn't happen!
Her musings are interrupted by a question. "What are you thinking about, mistress?" Diaval grins as he sits beside her.
"Done with your card game?" Maleficent counters.
"Aurora and Phillip are still at it. I'm out of the game, though. Turns out I'm still terrible at cards!" He chortles. "So what are you brooding over this time?" He quips, sending her a cheeky grin.
"I'm not brooding, merely pondering. There is a difference."
"Yeah, yeah. What are you pondering over, then?"
"Why are you so persistent about this?" Maleficent queries.
"I just like knowing more about you, is all." Diaval answers nonchalantly. Maleficent marvels at his ability to say things like that without so much as batting an eyelash.
'If you must know, I'm thinking about you." Maleficent finally tells him.
"Me? What is it about my scintillating person that you deem worthy of thought today?"
She chuckles. "You're probably the only one who would ever describe themselves as scintillating." She bites her lower lip and continues, "Don't you think this situation is a little bit bizarre?"
"What situation?" He cocks his head to the side in confusion.
"This whole… 'being mated' situation." She averts her gaze away from him.
"Have you changed your mind? Because mistress, ravens only mate once and I shall be devastated if you suddenly decide you don't want me anymore." He tries to pass it off as a joke, but the shakiness in his voice indicates nervousness.
She extends an arm to grab his hand in assurance. "Oh hush, I've not changed my mind. But it's weird that I'm mated to a raven, don't you think? A faery and a raven. You have to admit it's odd."
He presses his lips and furrows his brows in consideration. "I guess I've never looked at it that way. I mean, I know you're a faery and I'm a shape-shifting raven, but in the end, that shouldn't matter, should it? My affection for you renders all complexities nonsensical, mistress."
He grins at her and she merely shakes his head at him, at a loss for words. In the end, it was simple, really: He loved her and she loved him. And while there is no guarantee that life will end in a "happily ever after", she is, at least, happy for the moment. After a lifetime of complicated, she reckons she deserves this.
A/N: This goes out to Hobbit Babe who suggested the song. I hope this was alright. I'm a bit iffy with the ending, but I just blanked, I guess.
linoayn: I've actually already written a one-shot to Afire Love. It's chapter 15 of my other maleval collection, Hurricane :)
Still accepting song suggestions :) Cheers!