A/N: Hey everyone! Hope you enjoyed 4th of July or a regular Friday night for anyone else. Either way, hopefully you had fun and stayed safe!
I want to thank all of you keeping up with this story and supporting it, I really hope you are enjoying this read as much as do in writing it!
And with that, on with the drama! :D
Disclaimer: I don't own Maleficent or the movie's characters, just my OC and this plot. Thank you.
XXXX
Silver eyes narrowed as they watched the frenzy of creatures before them. Humans, pixies, trolls and more were running around throughout the castle's grounds. The noise and hustle was so deafening and distracting, but there were nothing but good vibes filling each of the grandiose rooms.
Belladonna ducked as a few leaf fairies rushed by overhead, giggling and chattering excitedly. She rolled her eyes, growling as she narrowly avoided a group of Wallerbogs stampeding in between her feet with chortles of their own. She couldn't fathom how a simple ball could put everyone in such a thrilled mood.
The young female pushed through the crowds, sighing in relief as she found a quiet hallway safe from all the hustle and bustle. She looked around in awe, the hallway was just as enormous and royally decorated as the rest of the castle.
She walked over to a marble and gold rimmed vase on a stand, running a clawed, black-gloved hand to trace the colors.
"This castle is so damn big, I will get lost in it before I can get any work done," she grumbled, turning to lean back against a wall, being mindful of her wings.
"I would be glad to show you around, if you like."
Her head shot up, looking up to see the young Queen staring quietly at her. Belladonna's wings twitch in nervousness, pushing herself away from the wall. She crossed her arms and looked away.
"Shouldn't the Queen be busying herself with other affairs?" she asked haughtily, examining her claws in mock interest.
Aurora twiddled her fingers and shifted her feet, feeling the awkwardness crawl up her spine.
"All of the events have already been well-planned to be taken care of, thanks to my God Mother," she finally answered with a half-smile. It quickly fell as she noticed she was being ignored by the young fearing favor of examining her claws.
"Look," Aurora shifted awkwardly in place. "I understand you're not too fond of me-"
She was cut off.
"That's vastly understated…"
The newly appointed Queen gaped at her.
Belladonna watched her with feign indifference. Perhaps she went too far? It wouldn't be in her best interest to make enemies so early in the game. Right when she began feeling a bit of guilt creeping up, her mind shrugged. The child started it, and she wasn't a liar, so she confirmed it.
"I don't understand…"
The murmur yanked the silver-eyed faery from her troubled thoughts.
"What is there to understand?" she shrugged, looking away. "Your kind are unpleasant company."
"My kind?" Aurora echoed, an unaccustomed anger slowly bubbling through her veins. "What do you mean by that?"
Belladonna snorted, sauntering over until she came face to face with the younger female. Blades for eyes narrowed in a disdained look. Aurora felt as if she was chained to place, the anger she once felt drowning in replaced panic and fear. She desperately hoped someone, anyone, would come and break off the mounting tension.
The feary stared into blue pools, seeing the rush of emotions. She could practically taste the fear surrounding the young woman and it left a bad taste in her mouth. With a grimace she forced herself to move away, stepping backwards and leaving a good space in between them.
Aurora felt air rush into her lungs as she took a breath she now became aware she was holding. Tremors were beginning to run through her body from the panic high. She wasn't sure if she wanted to cry, scream, run or do it all. But all she could do was stand there and watch numbly as the feary turned to walk down the hallway.
The Queenling felt her body move and mouth open before her brain could catch up.
"Wait…" she croaked, feeling the tenseness return as the feary complied, back still turned to her.
Belladonna turned her head, russet, highlighted hair covering her eyes. "Humans have a nasty knack of getting rid of things they don't want or need."
She was gone before her last words could even be processed.
But her words continued to bounce back and forth in the blond woman's mind as she stared down at the polished wooden floors.
XXX
Emerald eyes had quietly watched the scene unfold, plump, ruby lips falling to a frown. Maleficent knew this would happen, albeit not so soon.
She continued to watch as her goddaughter took a forced step forward. Then another. And another. Before finally Aurora burst into a full out run toward her quarters, tears streaming down her flushed cheeks. The whole situation finally hit her full force, breaking down the barriers and allowing the flood of emotions loose.
The elegant feary lowered her eyes sadly, torn between her options of remedying the situation. After a few moments of pondering, she straightened herself back up and walked down the hallway.
XXX
Belladonna was perched on a branch of an old, large willow tree. She quietly watched a few water fairies giggling as they skated across the cold, river water, splashing each other in their fun. Pointed ears twitched as they sense someone land behind her. She pulled herself in an even tighter ball.
"I had a confrontation with your goddaughter today."
Maleficent stared at her in shock. Belladonna…opening up to her mistakes without an interrogation? Even with one, she still wouldn't do so.
The young faery gave her a look, wings twitching.
"That's what you came to speak to me about, correct?"
The older female felt her own wings twitch, lips pursing in awkwardness.
"Perhaps…" she admitted, studying the brooding female as the other looked away from her in favor of the sparkling river and its inhabitants.
Minutes seemed nothing short of hours as the silence marched on. Now that she was here, Maleficent wasn't exactly sure how to approach the subject without creating an even bigger scene to deal with. Her friend just had to be the bundle of joy she was, now didn't she?
Right when she had a whole speech planned out, she noticed the other's wings suddenly perk up, head shooting up to stare off to the side. Her gaze followed, landing on a certain raven-man chattering animatedly with Thistletwit below. She looked back at her old companion with interest, noticing the contented flutter of wings as silver eyes roved over the male figure. Maleficent grinned, a positively mischievous one at that.
She leaned down, her lips hovering over the other's ear, her breath causing it to twitch. "He is unmated, you know…"
Her grin only deepened as metallic eyes turned to her, wide in shock.
Belladonna quickly wiped of the shocked look with annoyance, sneering, "I haven't the slightest idea what you are talking about, woman." She growled as her friend retorted with an amused, 'Of course, you don't.'
The young faery shook her head, resting her chin back on her knees as she focused her gaze back on the changer. She startled as she noticed he was staring back, having noticed them and waving 'hello.' Maleficent smiled and nodded her head in acknowledgment, Belladonna, on the other hand, graced him with her tongue as she stuck it out at him in distaste. They heard him chuckle as he brought his hand to his lips and promptly blew her a kiss in response.
She blanched, looking up at Maleficent with flushed cheeks as her friend openly laughed. She grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest as she glared down at the raven. He just grinned at her before turning to walk down the stream, leaving them in privacy.
Maleficent shook her head as she let out the last of her chuckles. "Within the two days you have been here, you have made friends as well as enemies."
She paused as she realized what she said, watching as the younger's wings fell.
"I didn't mean to cause you trouble, Luna…" Belladonna murmured, looking up with sincerity. She was graced with a small smile in return.
"I know you didn't, Sol…"
The guardian then frowned.
"But that does not change what happened between you and Aurora…" she continued.
Belladonna sighed, pushing herself up and looking up at the other with exhausted eyes.
"Look, can we talk about this later?" she asked, stepping backward to the tip of the branch, balancing well as it bent downward under her weight. "The sun is setting," She continued, pointing at the darkening sky. "And I have work to do…"
She took the last step, falling backward into the air, arching her wings, twisting her body and taking off with the wind. As she made on her way, she noticed Diaval crouching over the stream, splashing water on his face. She smirked, tilting as she passed over him, smacking him into the water with her wing; cackling as she shot up into the sky.
The magical raven dove out of the water in a panic, clutching onto the mossy grass on the bank and spluttering as he pulled himself out of the water. He looked up at the sky in shock, looking at his Mistress as she approached him calmly; a look of slight amusement in her eyes.
"Did you see what she did to me?!" he cried, shaking the water from his sleeves and ringing out the water from his shirt. He looked absolutely scandalized as he glanced back up at the sky. "Why does she hate me so much?"
He looked back down at Maleficent as she chuckled.
"That's the problem," Maleficent answered, walking past him. "She doesn't...She happens to like you very much…"
Diaval snorted, letting go of his soaked clothes and following her, grimacing at the loud 'squelches' that erupted from his feet at every step. "Well then, you faeries have a strange way of showing affection."
The dark-haired feary humphed in return, eyes clouded in thought. He frowned.
"What happened between Belladonna and Aurora?" he asked, unsure if he would like the response. He loved Aurora with all of his heart, she was like his own hatchling. But…he wasn't sure he would want to have to hate Belladonna for doing anything to his Queen. She might be a sarcastic, little brat…but he just couldn't help being interested, despite his shivering skin telling him it would be better if he wasn't.
Maleficent sighed, shaking her head. "Belladonna just needs to work of her social skills, that's all."
"That is drowning it in sugar," he gripped, both of them chuckling. He knew there was more to it than that, he wasn't stupid after all, but he decided it was best to leave it at that. If it was deemed serious enough, his Mistress would certainly tell him about it. Or so he hoped…
He then looked down at her with a twinkle in his eyes.
"Sooo," he began, prompting an inquisitive look from her. "Luna and Sol, is it?"
Maleficent scoffed, waving him off with a smile. "Just a little joke between us…"
Diaval arched an eyebrow, curiosity still unsated.
"Back at Spirit Echo, all the others use to claim we were such an unlikely pair of friends," she smiled softly, baring the same distant, happy look that Diaval had seen on Belladonna's face the day before. "They said were as different as night and day," she grinned up at him. "I was as quiet and graceful as the moon at night and Belladonna as out there and fiery as the sun in day…Hence Luna and Sol."
Diaval smirked. "Quite appropriate actually."
Maleficent nodded. "Yes…" she frowned. "I just hope Sol doesn't burn anyone…or herself."
XXX
The moon casted dark shadows over the high, brick walls of the castle. The light licked at the glimmering armory of the soldiers protecting the gates, windows and any other weak points. A black, cloaked figure surveyed the scene through the cover of darkness and bushes.
It crept forward, hiding behind a couple of horses tied to a stand near the bridge leading to the castle gates. They squealed in nervousness at the newcomer, prompting the attention of some guards as they looked over. The figure hushed them quietly, gently petting down their manes and patting their necks. They calmed almost immediately, causing no further alarm for the guards as they continued off to patrol elsewhere.
Finding it safe to continue on, the figure straightened up, moving to the bridge only to duck back under the cover of the horses as new guards were coming back down toward it. The shadow growled, looking down at the reigns clinging to the post. Pulling out a black-polished knife, the figure cut the reigns and smacked the horses on their rears, startling them into a stampede away from the castle. The guards watched in surprise before running after their animal-transportations, calling for further back up as several more guards joined in the chase. The figure moved away from its hiding place, looking around to make sure no one was around before bounding down the bridge.
It slowed to a stop as it approached the large gate, examining the large locks and chains over the lever to lower it. It pulled out its blade once more, looking down at it then back up at the locks. The hooded figure shook its head, hiding the blade back in its cloaked before approaching the wall. It placed both hands on the brick, sharp nails prodding out the finger tips and digging into the wall. With a last look around to make sure the coast was clear, the shadow began scaling the wall, reaching the top in a matter of seconds.
The figure pulled itself up over the edge, quickly ducking into the shadow blocked corners as two guards walked by, blissfully unaware. Noticing a window at the top of the other story, the figure waited for the guards to disappear inside before promptly climbing that wall as well.
As it made it to the window, its blade was in hand as it slid it in between the metal-rimmed window panes, wriggling open the lock with a small 'click.'
XXX
Aurora was yanked out of her troubled dreams by a small sound in the silence of her dark room. She brushed her bed-hair off of her face, looking around the room. Wide, blue eyes stopped at her open window, the wind blow the curtains eerily. She frowned, she didn't remember opening her window.
She timidly slid out of her bed, slowly approaching the window; every now and then gasping and startling as the shadows of the room played with her fear. As she approached her window, she poked her head out, looking around only to see the guards at their posts, as usual. She sighed, feeling herself calm down slightly as she closed her window, making sure she locked it tightly.
As she turned, she froze as she felt something heavy dropped behind her. Shaking, she closed her eyes as she turned back around slowly. She felt the thing in front of her shift, heart beating rapidly as she opened her eyes. She looked in shock…There was nothing.
She stood there breathing rapidly, eyes flickering around the room as she questioned her own sanity. 'I'm just tired, that's all.' She reasoned, turning to go back to bed. She gave one last investigative sweep around the room before crawling back into bed, pulling the covers over her.
She counted sheep in an attempt to ease back into rest. Her nose wrinkled as air blew gently across her forehead. She groaned, throwing the covers over her face to shield her from the wind. Wait…wind? The window was closed there was no way-
The young Queen gasped, throwing the covers off of her and ready to jump out of bed only to be pressed down roughly. She went to scream only to have a sharp object pressed to the center of her throat. She whimpered pitifully as she looked up at her assailant, seeing nothing but black. The figure motioned for her to be silent, pulling the black blade away from her throat. It shifted above her, Aurora expecting it to get off of her only to suddenly raise its bladed hand up in the air, right above her chest. Her scream was unavailable in the horror as she watched it glint in the moonlight.
The shadow's shoulder tensed in preparedness for the kill only to stop as a loud thud resounding in the ceiling above. It looked up, waiting. Loud, heavy scurrying could be heard from above, prompting the sudden release of the Sleeping Beauty as the figure bounded off the bed and threw open the window.
Feeling the physical and psychological weight lift off her, Aurora screamed bloody terror.
The guards looked up in shock, only to see the black figure jumping out of the window and landing in front of them.
"Get him!" one of them yelled, pointing at the figure.
"Protect the Queen!" another yelled as all hell broke loose.
The figure rushed passed them, dodging spears and arrows alike as it jumped down story at a time.
Aurora pushed passed all the guards and servants that had entered her quarters to check and protect her, watching out the window as the figure was hunted down. She watched in awe as the shadow was shot in the back of the shoulder as it made its way over the bridge, arching in pain and stumbling off of it and into the muddy, running river below. Arrows continued to rain over the length of the river, only stopping when the captain order them to do so.
"Search the area!" she heard him call out, watching as the soldiers flooded around the river, shining their lanterns into the water.
"Over there!" one of them called out as the figure stumbled out of the water and staggeredly ran toward the forest. The guards gave chase once more with hardy battle cries, the armor clinking and screeching as they ran after the figure.
Aurora watched them as every last guard disappeared into the brush, their cries dying off into echoes. A maid walked over to here, wrapping her up in a shawl and pulling her toward the bed. She followed numbly.
"Come, my Lady, it is over now." The maid consoled. Aurora mentally shook her head, pulling the shawl closer to her body. No, she knew, deep down, that death was the only ending. Being hers…or that thing.
XXXXX
Belladonna huffed in exhaustion as she climbed over another large slope of grass. Damn her wings. They felt fine when she was flying and now, they were sore like hell. She should have listened to Maleficent to refrain from flying for at least a week.
She sighed in satisfaction as she finally made it to the center of the Moors, frowning and wings hiking up as she noticed everyone crowding the large tree- island in the middle of the water. As she crept closer she noticed Maleficent in the center with a sobbing Aurora clutching to her tightly, Diaval and the pixies cooing and murmuring to her in comfort.
The younger female crouched on the slope, wings tensing before she shot up in the air in a gust of wind, bounding over to land on the island. The crowd parted, allowing her through as she approached them.
"What's going on?" she asked, looking up at Maleficent who was gently patting the young woman's head. She looked up at her friend, emerald eyes the pool of anger.
"Someone attacked Aurora last night…" she finally answered as she swallowed up her swelling anger, instead choosing to rest her head on her goddaughters and murmur soft shushes to her. Belladonna's eyebrows rose in mild surprise, looking to the others for confirmation.
"She was attacked?"
The others nodded and before she could as more, the three little pixies came shooting toward her, hovering in her face.
"Yes and she said that the creature tried to kill her!" Knotgrass cried.
"He was dressed in all black, holding a blade to her neck!" Flittle continued.
"It was horrible…" Thistletwit whimpered, hugging herself tightly.
The young faery turned to the inconsolable Queenling, staring awkwardly at her.
"Are…are you alright?"
The blond woman nodded through whimpers and sniffles. "Y-yes…"
Belladonna nodded back, unsure of what else to say. She turned back as Diaval approached her, clutching something in his palm. He presented it to her, tight lipped and dark eyes.
"This was all that monster left behind." He spat out quietly, dropping the black blade in her hand. Silver eyes took it in, watching it glint in deadliness.
Diaval watched her quietly as she rolled it in her hands, frowning as he noticed something.
"What happened to your shoulder?"
Aurora gasped, looking up to see Diaval tenderly examine the torn, blood stain sleeve of the shirt, only to have his prying hands batted away in annoyance.
"I fell out of a tree while I was napping, crow!" she snapped, moving away from him as he again went to examine the wound. "Get away!" she growled, jumping away only to have him follow insistently.
Light, blue eyes never left the wound, behind them the scene of the night before stuck on a torturous replay.
'No…It couldn't be…could it?'