Hi guys! Thank you so much for your patience! In this chapter I felt like introducing some Moors' mythology. Tell me what you think ;)
It took less than a week for Diaval to fully recover from his wound. Obviously, he had spent most of his convalescence with his Mistress, either limping with a walking staff as a man, or – when she was in a good mood - comfortably tucked between her palm and her side as a bird. But as much as he liked spending time with her, being unable to do anything for so long when they knew a danger was coming has been difficult for him, and he had actually been glad when she had told him he was finally fit to go back to spying.
The first evening, he went to the castle as usual, and the following one, Maleficent finally agreed to send him spying on the men that called themselves "The Rightful King". It hadn't been easy changing her mind, but once the raven-man had mentioned they wouldn't hesitate damaging the Moors in order to get to her, she hadn't needed much more convincing.
The raven glided down and spotted his Mistress near the lake as expected. He cawed to announce its presence, before landing gracefully on her staff. A second later, he found himself crooning under her touch, light fingers gently stroking his feathers.
Diaval was pleased to find her in such a good mood, today. Usually, she would go straight to business, changing him in mid-air and sending him tumbling to the ground if necessary.
She eventually changed him to his human form, and asked what he saw.
"They realised their trap didn't work and are meeting in two days to find another plan. All the members are supposed to attend, so we'll know exactly how many they are," he replied, brushing off his coat.
"Good work, Diaval."
She watched him puff his chest at the praise and her expression softened. It had always amused her how his birdlike habits were taking over when he was in human form.
The fairy raised her gaze to the sinking sun on the horizon. They must hurry, or they'll be late. She rarely took the time to attend gatherings since she proclaimed herself Queen of the Moors, but this one required her presence. Of course, it had nothing to do with the urge to show Diaval a little bit more about her world…
She shoved a bag in her servant's hands and walked toward the forest. "Let's go get some food. We're eating outside tonight."
Diaval trailed after her as usual, raising an eyebrow at her words. They were technically eating outside most of the time, but he figured she meant not at the base of their tree.
"Are we having a picnic, Mistress?" he inquired with an enthusiastic voice.
"I guess you could call it like that, yes," she answered absent-mindedly.
The raven turned man smiled happily and crouched in front of a couple of mushrooms sticking out of the snow. He removed them carefully from the soil like she'd showed him earlier this week, before putting them into the bag and trotting after her.
Ever since he got wounded, gathering food and eating together had become a daily routine. Before that, they would only occasionally share their meals, each finding their own food separately. Diaval was quite pleased with that new development, as he got to spend much more time with her. However, he was trying very hard not to think of the underlying meaning of providing food for each other as a raven, knowing that his Mistress wasn't aware of the implications of such a gesture for birds, and wouldn't be happy with it anyway. It wasn't the first time he felt that, to be honest, and he found it all rather disconcerting. Maleficent was no raven, and yet he recently realised that he wouldn't want any other female as a mate. He believed it was because he spent so much time as a human now, and the fact that they were sometimes behaving like actual mates from a raven's perspective didn't help either. In any case, he was hoping their new habit wouldn't change anytime soon.
They spent almost an hour gathering acorns, mushrooms, nuts and seeds near the border. It was dusk when they finally headed back toward the heart of the Moors.
"Gather firewood now," she commanded, taking the bag of food from him.
"Of course, Mistress."
The further they walked into the Moors, the more Diaval's concern grew. They hadn't encountered any sign of life since they went to fetch the food. Normally, at this hour, the place was bursting with activity. Even in winter. Even with Maleficent nearby.
"Where is everyone?" he asked as they passed by her throne.
"You'll see," she replied mysteriously.
Suddenly, the fairy halted and turned toward him. She had wanted to try something for a little while, and now seemed to be the perfect time. It just didn't feel right anymore to keep treating him like a mere servant when he had become so much more to her. So yes, the whole thing was mainly because of what was happening between them in the nest, and it would go against the rules she had so carefully set up with him, but he deserved the attention.
She observed him as he stopped a few feet behind, tilting his head in silent interrogation.
"Come. Walk with me," she demanded, gesturing for him to join her side.
He frowned. She never asked anything like that before, quite the contrary. Wouldn't that be awkward for her if any of the fair folk were to see them walk side by side? On the other hand, no one was around, so…
"Well? What are you waiting for?" she asked imperiously at his hesitating.
The hint of a smile appeared on Maleficent's face when her raven hurriedly rearranged the pile of firewood in his arms and caught up with her. She could tell he was delighted.
Nonetheless, when they reached the clearing where all the fair folk seemed to have gathered, Diaval automatically fell back behind his mistress. She had been kind enough to invite him to walk with her as an equal, but surely she didn't want everyone to see how fair she was to her lowly servant. However, he was proven wrong when a wisp of golden magic made him jump upward. He looked up and noticed Maleficent seemed annoyed with him. The raven turned man smiled sheepishly at her in apology and reclaimed his spot by her side. Well, if she didn't mind others seeing them, he was certainly not going to complain…
Looking around, Diaval noticed they'd rarely been in this part of the Moors. Into the clearing, several groups of fairies were chatting together, while others were trying to dry the snow and set up what looked like leaf-made teepees. In the far right side, Wallerbogs were – as usual – caught up in a ruthless snowball fight. Balthazar and some of the border guards were also present and seemed to keep watch around the place.
Silence gradually fell as the pair progressed toward the other fairies. Maleficent stopped at the center of the field and dropped the bag of food she was holding at Diaval's feet. Normally, at this stage, she would make a speech to warmly welcome everyone and thank the stars for looking after them, but tonight she couldn't bring herself to do it. Instead, magic erupted from her free hand, and she directed it to the ground, melting the snow instantly. Her magic roamed across the clearing in gentle waves, drying snow and soil in its path.
Diaval was truly amazed by the power of her magic, sometimes. It was like anything was possible with her. He watched, agape, as the snow was replaced by grass in the broad clearing. Next to them, a large circle of stones has been revealed, and the fairy gestured for him to place the firewood he was holding inside of it. The raven-man blushed slightly as he felt the eyes of every single creature of the Moors on him as he did so. Fortunately, it didn't last long, and the border guards soon joined in to add entire bundles of sticks and twigs to the pile.
Once it was big enough, Maleficent released a wisp of magic to start the fire, and the fair folk hesitantly came closer, whispering among themselves. Diaval noticed with a pang at his heart that despite everything Maleficent was doing for them tonight, they were staying at a good distance from her. If only they realised how kind and caring she still was, she wouldn't be so lonely, so feared. But for some obscure reasons, that was how she wanted things to be, and he respected that. With his scintillating self around, she couldn't be that lonely, anyway, he tried to reassure himself.
She caught his eye and from only a subtle tilt of her head he understood that it was time for them to leave. He was getting good at reading her, he thought proudly, and it made the silence between them even more comfortable, like it was their own little universe. After months of observing her constantly, he could sometimes recognize the faintest hints of emotions when anybody else would see her usual mask of indifference. Spending all his time with the fairy for the last week, he had even been able to master the art of understanding her without words. He had never realised before how much more there was to human communication than just talking, and he quite liked it. Grabbing the bag of food, he hurried after her and found his place by her side.
Maleficent turned to leave and heard Diaval catching up with her. This time, she was glad to note that he wasn't trailing after her like he always used to. Maybe breaking this old habit wasn't going to take so long after all.
The crowd of fairies parted to let them pass, bearing the same wary expressions that had welcomed them a few minutes before. She was relieved he was by her side. His presence was just as comforting and soothing as she had expected it to be, and she needed it right now. The last time she attended this celebration, she had her wings, she had friends and a family. The time where she had been loved and respected seemed so agonizingly close, but here she stood tonight, crippled, grounded, feared and pitied by all. She had lost everything that ever mattered to her in such a short time...
A heavy sigh left her without warning and she felt Diaval's shoulder brushing against hers. She didn't know how, but he always knew when she was brooding, and seemed determined to tug her out of it as often as possible. She looked up at him and he sent her a warm smile. They were now at a good distance from the other fairies, and she allowed her lips to curve up slightly in response, knowing that no one but him could see it.
The fairy came to a halt a few steps later and turned around. Near the fire, the fair folk had started piling up food.
"We'll settle here for the evening," she announced, taking the bag from his hands.
She reached inside and took out a few mushrooms and a handful of nuts.
"Here, bring these to the pile of food they're making," she said, giving him the food.
"Yes, Mistress," he said, before obediently heading back to the fire.
She kept a keen eye on him while preparing their settlement. She had been secretly wondering to what extent her raven had been able to socialize with the fair folk. Maybe he knew each and every one of them even better than she did, or maybe he never managed to bond with any of them because of her. She wasn't sure which possibility was worst, to be honest. She watched as her servant made his way to the pile of food, the fairies parting cautiously to let him pass. Apparently, they were avoiding him just as well. It was her fault, she thought. She had dragged him away from his kind and into the Moors to be as feared and rejected as she was.
However, right after he added their food to the pile, a pixie came out of the group and called out to him. Diaval grinned and greeted her. Maleficent narrowed her eyes, wondering what on earth was going on, when they both turned their attention toward her. She recognized the pixie as Lily, she was the healer fairy that had helped saving her, she had learnt. Diaval occasionally talked about her. He seemed to be spending some time with her on his days off. The pixie noticed her insisting gaze and bowed shyly in acknowledgement. Maleficent barely had the time to raise a suspicious eyebrow, before they resumed their conversation. She shook her head and turned her eyes back to the task at hand. She'll question her servant in due time about that peculiar attitude.
A few minutes later, Maleficent was discreetly watching her servant from the corner of her eye while he was bidding farewell to his pixie friend. The dark fairy had noticed the accusing looks Knotgrass, Flittle and Thistlewit were giving him. She hoped – for their sake - that those three were not up to something. They had that irritating habit of seeking quarrel at every occasion.
When Diaval came back, she was seated on a large leaf-like blanket on the floor and was adding twigs to a small fire. He held his gift behind his back and was pretty sure he was grinning like an idiot, but he didn't care. He knew his Mistress would be most pleased.
"Sit down," she commanded immediately. She waited until he obeyed, before adding, "You certainly took your time," she scolded as she turned her head toward him, chin high and shoulders stiff.
She frowned at his joyful smile and strange demeanour. She just expressed her deep annoyance at him and here he was, sitting next to her as if he was the happiest man alive. It wasn't like him. Then she noticed that his hands were unusually behind his back, and she realised he was actually holding something.
"What are you hiding?" She inquired suspiciously.
His smile went wider and he hurriedly explained, "Lily told me that if I bring food to the pile, I have to take some from it as well. Like a trade. So… I got you grapes," he said excitedly, revealing the fruits.
The fairy pressed her lips together in a thin line to hide her smile. How kind of him. She hadn't eaten anything sweet for months, and she had to admit that she longed for it. Too bad he would have to return it. Come to think of it, that must have been why those three blasted pixies looked so annoyed at him. Their favourite fruit was grapes as well if she remembered correctly.
"This comes from the Evertrees, Diaval. As you know, they're supposed to provide food for the smaller fairies only. Take it back at once."
The Evertrees were a magical garden in the heart of the Moors that provided food all year long. However, the limited amount of food it gave was reserved to those who couldn't provide for themselves during the harsher times. Diaval always thought this to be particularly unfair to his Mistress. Pretty much everyone else got to eat delicious juicy fruits in winter and she was stuck with survival food, which was most of the time close to disgusting.
"I know, but it was Lily's. She told me I could take it, and that tonight was all about sharing, anyway. Isn't it?"
That was true, but it didn't change anything. No matter how evil she grew, she would never pick up on the other's limited supplies, thought the dark fairy as her gaze wandered toward the huge pile of food next to the crowd of fairies. Or maybe not so limited… Maleficent couldn't help but eye the fruit with envy and made her best to hide her inner struggle. A second later, she decided that if the original owner of the fruit didn't mind, she wasn't going to object.
"Fine," she conceded after an exaggerated sigh. "If that can make you quit whining, I suppose I can oblige. Put it with the rest of the food."
She had been a bit harsh, but the last thing she wanted was for him to think he was becoming good at changing her mind.
The raven-man happily put the treat in the bag and lay down on his back, hands under his head. Today had been exhausting, and he was glad he could finally relax. He had forgotten how demanding surveying was. By now when he went to the castle, he knew exactly where and when to go in order to get information, but it wasn't the case with the village on which he had to spy today. He guessed it would take some getting used to. Before he could let his mind wander too much, he heard Maleficent address him in a whisper, "Thank you, Diaval."
A lopsided smile appeared on his face as he closed his eyes. He felt the grass under him getting thicker and much more comfortable than normal, but pretended not to notice her magic at work. She never liked drawing attention whenever she did something nice for someone. Instead, he only purred softly, "Anything for you, Mistress."
They stayed in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, enjoying the cool air of the evening as well as their close companionship. Maleficent was busy putting a spell on a couple of sticks to make them immune to fire, before putting mushrooms on them.
"Aside from lazying endlessly," the fairy started on a mocking tone. "I'm sure you're wondering what we're doing here," she said matter-of-factly.
He smiled and opened his eyes to look at her. He rarely questioned her out loud, but it felt kind of good to be granted an explanation nonetheless. It made him feel like he mattered.
"I assume it's a Moors' gathering party?"
The fairy nodded, before adding, "It is called the celebration of the Flying Stars. It is tradition to gather around a fire and share food while observing them."
"Sounds like fun. When does it start?"
"Soon. In the meantime, let us eat. That is, if you think you can muster enough strength to sit up," she sneered haughtily.
A chuckled escaped his throat. She was being awfully playful tonight, much to his delight. Maybe he should bring her grapes more often, he thought.
"Oh, I don't know. I'm pretty comfortable down here," he taunted, raising a suggestive eyebrow.
She rolled her eyes at him, hiding the slight blush that threatened to come to her face. Now she was sure he had noticed the grass growing under him. How embarrassing. She knew she shouldn't have left her soft side take over, but what else was she supposed to do when he was being so thoughtful to her? Well at least, he'd had the sense to not make a big deal out of it.
The raven turned man eventually sat up and they ate together. They were sitting at arm length, close enough to share their food while keeping a respectable distance between them.
They had barely started their dessert when they heard agitation among the fairies nearby. Their eyes shot up at the same time. It had started. Shooting stars were filling the sky, leaving shiny trays of light in their paths. A twinkle of amusement danced in Maleficent's green orbs at the amazed expression on her servant's face. His eyes were wide and his mouth slightly open. He reminded her of earlier this week, when she'd showed him the trick to make the glowing plants glow brighter in winter.
"It's so beautiful," he murmured to himself.
Diaval couldn't take his eyes off of the stars. He stared at them, fascinated, for several minutes, before noticing Maleficent had laid down on her side of the blanket to watch the sky.
Under his puzzled gaze, she answered his silent question, "You should lie down too, or you will hurt your neck."
He nodded and obeyed, trying to dismiss the fact that she just allowed him to lie down next to her in public. He took the grapes she distractedly handed him and they ate in silence for a while. It was only when they finished their dessert that she talked again.
"For fairies, it is common belief that stars are gigantic balls of raw magic, so high in the sky no one ever ventured. Legend says that a very long time ago, one of them had fallen from the sky and crashed on earth. It is said that upon impact, the touch of its powerful magic created the Moors and the fair folk. Since then, once every five years, the other stars are flying closer to earth, in order to watch over the lineage of their lost companion."
Diaval couldn't help but think of Maleficent as the fallen star. So beautiful and powerful, yet separated from her kind and destined to fall down from the sky to her doom. He wouldn't let her crash down. He would slow her fall and finally catch her safely before she could hurt herself, even if it was the last thing he did.
"It's kinda sad," he finally mumbled.
She sighed, shifting to put as little weight as possible on her angry scars, "It is, but so is life. As a token of our respect for them, no flying is allowed tonight so they can have the sky to themselves."
She pressed her lips together, thinking sadly of what her life had once been like.
"I've always found this rule quite distressing," she admitted softly. "I remember my wings itching to take me as high as I could and see them from closer. I guess tonight it won't be an issue," she confided wistfully.
Maleficent hadn't even tried to stop the words when they 'd started to flow out. Deep inside, she knew that sharing her pain with him somehow made it bearable. It felt a little bit easier every time she did so, as Diaval never judged or pitied her. The only fact that any compassion he might have for her would be genuine eased her mind about it.
The raven-man didn't know what to say in return, so they kept watching the stars in silence. However, he couldn't refrain from moving his hand closer to hers until their skins brushed in an attempt for comfort. Such a gesture usually wouldn't be welcomed out of the nest, so he was gladly surprised when he felt her fingers stroking the back of his hand, before settling closer against his.
"It is custom to make a wish during the Flying Stars," she informed him after a moment. "It is said that if enough fair folk make the same wish, the stars so close to us can hear them and their magic can make it come true."
Tonight, she contemplated how silly this custom was, as most of her past wishes included Stephan and true love…
"What are you going to wish for?" he inquired, interrupting her heart-breaking musing. "I could wish the same and we'll have more chance to be heard."
Her fingers moved against his as she replied, "It is sweet of you, but a wish has to be kept secret to have any chance to come true at all."
"I see…"
Well, he had a good idea of what she was going to wish for, anyway. He kept staring at the Flying Stars and wished for her wings to be back. That would at least double her chances.
What he hadn't planned however, was that Maleficent's heart was still too cold to wish for anything except making Stephan pay for his treachery…
They stared at the sky in a comfortable silence for almost an hour. Maybe it was the sight of the shiny balls of light crossing the sky that was making Diaval light-headed, but at some point, he heard himself saying gently, "You know Mistress, from the first time I saw you, I knew you came from the stars."
A sweet smile graced her lips, and at this instant, she wished they were in the nest so she could allow herself to take his hand into hers.
I hope you liked! I wasn't supposed to publish it for another week or two, but I've been rereading all your wonderful reviews and it pushed me to finish it asap. ^^
Again, many thanks to my dear DancingKitKat for her help and reviews, and to HornedGoddess (I love your pseudo ^^), Rabbit887 (nah, don't worry I won't hurt Diaval too much xD), Chan123 (Be sure your lovely reviews brightens my life just as well 3), Danyene, Princess Luna Alicorn, Cruelest Sea and Guest (yes I'll try to write faster xD) for your sweet reviews, it really does motivates me.