A.N: Sorry about the wait for this one, I've been having a few personal and physical troubles. I was recently diagonosed with an anxiety disorder, and it's been hard to deal with. But never fear, writing is a great output.

Disclaimer: I do not own Maleficent and all rights go to their respective owners.

...

Maleficent's breathing was shuddered and shallow. Diaval was severely beaten, his face bloodied and bruised. His body had registered that the only way for him to survive was to be in his human form, and now he couldn't escape the same way.

"Stefan he has nothing to do with this!" She shouted, moving towards him.

Stefan drew his sword, pointing it lazily at her as she approached. His head titled to the side in a satisfied smirk as she stopped abruptly.

"Doesn't he? He's the one who rescued your disgusting self from my dungeons, no doubt your relationship is sexual, so by definition he has everything to do with this. Maybe not us, but he has something to do with you..."

Maleficent's shimmering eyes flickered from her lover to the deranged king. Though she was wary she was by no means being cautious, with herself anyway.

"Stefan I said let him go!" She regained that strength in her voice, however false it was.

"Don't try that with me Maleficent! Do not forget you are not the only one with a sword to your neck." And just like that her strength was sucked away from her again.

Diaval hated the sound of her name coming from his lips, the way he said it with such malice. And God, did he ever hate himself in that moment. He was supposed to protect her, and now he was doing everything but.

"What do you want from me Stefan?" Diaval's eyes focused back on his mistress, who's voice had become desperate again. Her stance was anything but strong, he could tell from the way she held her head.

"Come here." Stefan ordered her, simply. She was obviously conflicted about obeying but knowing her position she had no choice.

The faerie walked towards him slowly, keeping herself steeled. Her mind wandered to a thousand different places, a thousand different outcomes. Few turned out well, and even fewer were sane.

She stopped when she was only a few inches from his outstretched arm. Inadvertently, she noticed his hands were gloved in leather, not iron.

Stefan took the final step, keeping his hand out expectantly. Maleficent knew what he was doing. If she took his hand she was symbolizing her defeat and his dominance, but if she didn't...

Maleficent closed her eyes in pain, a lone tear escaping. Somewhere in her mind she knew she was to die, and the thought of never seeing or holding Diaval again, not being able to say goodbye, was excruciating.

Diaval squirmed and struggled as her hand rose to Stefan's, cried out for her to stop. He was rewarded with a backhand and a tormented look from Maleficent.

The faerie's hand finally stopped and rested within Stefan's who roughly clasped and pulled her towards him with it. Her breath was drawn in quickly, as if in fear.

No longer at arm's reach, Maleficent felt Stefan's other hand clasp around her waist. His hand released her, only to come up and stroke her neck. Maleficent felt herself keep herself from squirming, false courage the only thing she could hold on to.

Even Diaval's struggles ceased as he took in the peculiar scene laid out in front of him. The king was stroking his mistress, almost sensually. He looked... satisfied.

Maleficent's stoic face broke when his lips began to touch her neck. She cringed, mumbling objections. His face rose to her ear, and she tensed even more.

"Does he touch you like this?" He whispered into her ear, and her face whipped to meet his.

"I don't understand." She replied, keeping her voice as equally low.

"You understand, you just doing understand why I'm touching you like this."

"Can you not see why? I assume in a few moments you'll be running that dagger through my stomach."

"Always a keen eye..." Stefan smirked and fully revealed the dagger, pressing it up against her neck. Again, it didn't burn her. "Don't worry, it's not for you."

Diaval had begun struggling again, seeing the blade flash against her neck was bringing up memories of rather unpleasant nightmares.

"Come with me willingly," Stefan continued, brushing a stray piece of hair away from her face. "I've placed a vial in your hand, it's more Moonroot extract. Drink it, and I won't kill him."

"He stays here, and your men don't touch him after we leave." Maleficent replied fiercely, feeling the glass in her hand for the first time.

"Fine." She nodded and slowly she unclasped the vial. "Men! Release him but make sure he stays here!"

Diaval was confused as he felt the pressure leave his neck, he was shoved forward, and ungracefully fell to a heap on the ground. He lifted his head just as his mistress put the vial to her lips.

Maleficent had almost forgotten what it had felt like to have your magic ripped away from you, almost. It was an all too unwanted reminder, though it felt different this time. She didn't feel as tired, as immobile. The faerie felt herself lose balance and collapse, but when she tried to move her arm she was able to.

Diaval cried out as she fell, he felt broken all over again. He would never utter the words aloud, but she looked so weak laying there.

"Are you still awake my dear?" Stefan asked, whilst kneeling beside the fallen fae. He took her arm in his hand and drew the same dagger, with a quick swipe he had sliced her arm and she flinched back. She'd obviously felt it. "Perfect."

And then Diaval didn't feel hopeless or broken anymore, he felt an animalistic rage. He was after all, essentially an animal in soul. That son of a bitch king wanted her awake and feeling, he wanted her aware of what was happening and the pain.

But his efforts to get up were fruitless, for by the time he was steady the king's sword was already pointed at him.

"Do not think me cruel, I am being extremely generous in letting you go. You're obviously an effective bargaining chip, but you're not the one I want. She is, but do not mistake me on this, you meddle again and you'll be just as severely punished."

They both glared at each other, Diaval's eyes leaving only when he heard Maleficent cry out as she bound in chains of iron.

"Oh, and you can keep Aurora. If she doesn't want to be what she really is, a human princess, she can keep pretending to be a faerie princess. After all, you'll probably need one." Stefan was taunting him now and Diaval knew it.

The king even had the gall to sheath his sword as if he was not a threat. All Diaval could do was keep silent, wait until they were gone.

"Before Maleficent was in your arms she was in mine, and she is quite beautiful..." Stefan continued, smirking as he remounted his horse and rode away. His soldiers followed, until all Diaval could see of them was their dust on the roads.

Diaval was seething, and a glare was not a powerful enough word to describe his stare. It seemed that he could burn anything in his sight. And then suddenly, he stopped and took a deep breath. He needed to calm down, but oh God did it hurt.

How will he tell Aurora? She'll be totally devastated, he couldn't face her sobbing like that aga-

"Diaval...?" He was snapped out of his thoughts at her meek voice. She already had tears in her eyes. "They took her again didn't they? My father has her again."

Diaval's eyes were the only reply she needed. The young princess sunk the ground, her chest heaving as she sobbed.

"Well we have to go after her, come back inside to be healed." Diaval followed her back through the small clearing that had been made with Aurora's word. He didn't speak until she had given him the jar of healing paste.

"You're staying here." He announced as he applied the paste onto his worst wounds, feeling an immediate sense of relievment as they sealed and the bruises faded.

"No, I'm going with you."

"If you come with me then I'll always be distracted. I can't breathe knowing she's out there, but if anything happens to you, I'll completely suffocate."

"I won't just sit back here and wait again!"

"No! Aurora stay here!" Diaval grabbed onto her shoulders, gently shaking her. Aurora jumped slightly, for she had been startled by his sudden out burst. "I'm sorry..." Diaval realized how tight his grip was, and released her immediately.

"I'll be in the tree then." Aurora mumbled, her eyes filling with unushed tears. "Good luck Diaval. Please do come back." It was incredibly detached but emotional at the same time.

Diaval watched as she spun on her heel and began walking swiftly away. Her skirts were twisting from in front of her legs he could tell, and her hand briefly came up to swipe away fallen tears. If this was the last time he saw Aurora he wanted to have a better image.

"Aurora, I will come back. And when we do, we'll make you a dress that fits."

Her golden hair spun around, and she smiled briefly at him before nodding.

There, Diaval could live with that. He turned from her and began running back through the wall.

...

Maleficent woke on a soft surface, she kept her eyes closed but softly stroked the fabric below her. It was warm, and smooth to the touch, satin perhaps. Her head turned, and light filtered through her closed lids. It made her scrunch her eyes.

How odd a change like this, memories of her last visit still fresh in her mind. Though some aspects stayed the same, she could feel that she was still drugged and though her body seemed numb to it she was most certainly being burned.

Her arm reached out on pure instinct, and pulled some of her sleeve down to come between the iron and her skin.

"I see you're awake." Stefan's voice broke the silence. She could tell he was close to her.

"Why am I here?" The faerie mumbled, her voice hoarse and caught in her throat. "And I don't mean the palace. Why am I here?"

"Well it was proven foolish and predictable to keep you in the prisons."

"That's not it, and even so, you won't be torturing me here."

"And how can you be so sure Maleficent?"

She had opened her eyes by now, but kept still.

"Blood would not look well against the golden of Aurora's chambers."

"So you've been in here before." It didn't sound like a question, it sounded like a confirmation.

"While rescuing Aurora."

"She didn't need rescuing..." Stefan growled lowly, causing Maleficent to reevaluate her next choice of words.

"Why am in her room?"

"Well, I'm not going to kill you, right away. May as well keep you here."

"Why aren't you killing me right away? You seemed very keen to do it before."

"You're a lot more fun alive."

Maleficent's eyes flashed dangerously, and anger filled her body until she thought she was going to burst.

"So I exist only because of you're interest in toying with me? As a trophy and plaything for you to entertain yourself with?"

"Oh settle down, do not forget that I could send you back to your original room. I am being merciful Maleficent, take advantage of it."

He rose suddenly, roughly grabbing onto her hands which had been bound in front of her. Stefan threw them over her head and pulled his dagger against her neck.

"You look very discomforted my dear, what troubles you?"

"Would you not be uncomfortable, if a dagger was at your neck?"

"Don't lie, what is it?" He added pressure to the blade, almost breaking through her skin. He twirled his dagger in circles threateningly.

Maleficent knew she could not lie, nor could she say nothing.

"I had a shawl... I don't anymore, and I feel incredibly exposed in my current position." She revealed, still glaring at him.

The king smirked and grabbed a chunk of her hair, roughly pulling her up. He leaned back into her ear, to the point where she could feel his breath against the back of her neck.

"Be thankful that's all that was taken."

For a moment Maleficent's face broke into a fearful one, but she quickly regained herself. Stefan through her down again, and stormed away from the room.

With Stefan gone Maleficent allowed herself to fully feel the raging emotions within her. She was scared, and she could not deny that fact. With nothing else to do but sink into her own thoughts, Maleficent cried.

A.N: Again, I'm so sorry! This took more than a month, that's so unacceptable! But, last chapter was the most reviewed chapter of this entire story so thanks guys!

The angst is strong, but the chances of a happy ending are still there, but they're almost equal to the chances of a not so happy ending...

Thanks for all your support, and I hope you liked this chapter.