Grow Your Own Wings
Chapter 1
As the sun set beyond the Moors, Maleficent sat under her great tree on the great cliff. A gentle breeze ruffled her wings and she closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation of the wind in her feathers. She felt at peace; content with her life for the first time in years.
A little way down the hill, a twig snapped. Maleficent knew without turning around that Aurora was climbing up to join her. While she waited for Aurora to reach the top, she thought about how much her life had changed since she brought Aurora to the Moors that first night. Against Maleficent's best efforts, Aurora managed to breach both the wall of thorns around the Moors and the wall around her heart.
"Rawk!" Diaval crowed a greeting to Aurora from his perch in the tree. This brought Maleficent out of her reverie and back to the present. She turned and smiled at Aurora.
"Hello Beastie." she said softly.
"Hello God-M-Maleficent." came the reply. "May I join you?"
"Of course." Maleficent raised her eyebrows slightly at Aurora calling her by her name, but said nothing.
Aurora sat in the grass next to her and let out a dejected huff.
"Something wrong?" Maleficent gave Aurora a questioning look as her prismatic eyes sought the answer in her companion's face.
"Yes, there is something wrong. Today I was crowned the queen of the Moors. Soon I am to be crowned queen of the human lands as well."
"And you will be a wonderful queen."
"That's the problem, Maleficent! I don't know how to be a queen. I don't know anything about anything!" Aurora put her face in her hands and shook her head. "Why do you think I will be a such good queen?"
Maleficent turned slightly to face Aurora. She reached out and gently pried her hands away from her face.
"Aurora, listen to me." When Aurora did not look up from the ground, Maleficent cupped her hand around Aurora's chin and turned her face until blue eyes stared directly into her own. "You will be a wonderful queen," she repeated "And here is why. You are kind; you are brave; you are loved by all who meet you; and you are not afraid."
Aurora smiled, remembering their first meeting when she said very similar words to the woman who sat beside her. "I suppose you're right Maleficent, but…" she hesitated.
"But what?"
"Becoming queen of the human lands means that I have to leave the Moors and you." she finished quietly, looking back at the ground.
"Oh, Aurora, the Moors will always be your home and I will always be here waiting when you come back. Your time in the human kingdom will not last forever, even if it will feel like it."
Aurora glanced up at the fairy, hearing the note of sadness in her voice when she mentioned their impending time apart. They both knew it would be a long time indeed before Maleficent stepped foot inside that castle again. Even if she did show up, its inhabitants weren't likely to be very welcoming after the death of the king. No, there was only one reason Maleficent would go anywhere near the castle and that reason was Aurora.
Maleficent noticed Aurora looking at her sadly so she reached out her arm and wing, a wordless invitation for the girl to lean in closer. Aurora scooted over into the fairy's arms and rested her head on Maleficent's shoulder. She closed her eyes and sighed contentedly. She felt the warmth radiating from Maleficent's wing. She reached out and started stroking the feathers absent-mindedly.
"I love your wings. They're so beautiful." Aurora murmured.
"Mmm." Maleficent hummed in agreement. "I have you to thank for them. If you had not freed them from that case, we would never have made it out of the castle alive. You saved us."
They both fell silent, thinking about that day. Aurora thought about how close Maleficent had come to dying and shuddered. She snaked her hand around the fairy's back and squeezed tightly. Maleficent rested her head on top of Aurora's and they sat there for a long time, enjoying the fact that they were both alive and together. After a while, Aurora broke the silence. "I know what you said."
"I have said many things Beastie. You will have to be more specific." Maleficent replied with a hint of laughter. Aurora smiled and looked up at her.
"I know what you said to me while I slept. And I know that it was you who awakened me with true love's kiss." she said quietly
Maleficent froze, the laughter in her eyes faded, replaced with wariness.
"Oh? Who told you?"
Aurora frowned slightly, confused by the change in the woman next to her.
"Diaval told me as soon as we got back to the Moors. He said that I deserved to know and he wasn't sure when you would be able to talk about it."
"Is that so?" Maleficent shot a withering glare up at Diaval, who had the good sense to fly higher into the tree and hide behind a clump of leaves.
"Don't be upset Maleficent, I'm glad he told me." Aurora responded defiantly.
"You are?" Maleficent looked down at Aurora, unable to quite believe what she just heard.
"Yes, I am. And...well…" Aurora trailed off, nervousness creeping into her voice for the first time.
"And?"
"AndIloveyoutoo" Aurora let out with a nervous whoosh of air. Maleficent simply stared at her, eyes wide.
"You what?"
Aurora took a deep calming breath, looked Maleficent dead in the eyes, and repeated.
"I love you too."
Before Maleficent had a chance to react, Aurora stretched up and kissed her softly on the cheek. She shot to her feet and turned to face away from the blue-eyed gaze she loved so. Aurora scrambled to her feet, suddenly terrified that she had alienated the one person she loved most in the world.
"M-Maleficent? I'm sorry if I upset you. Please don't turn away from me. Please forgive me."
"There is nothing to forgive. You have not upset me." Maleficent's voice came out shaky and strained. She turned to face Aurora once more and Aurora saw that while there were tears quietly streaming down her angular face, she was smiling. "On the contrary, Beastie. You have made me very happy."
Maleficent swooped down and gathered Aurora in her arms. They stood there together, savoring the moment, until Maleficent whispered, "Hold on tight Aurora."
She unfurled her powerful wings, gave one massive pump and they were airborne. They soared above the clouds and hovered in the headwinds before plummeting back down toward the cliff. Aurora laughed joyfully as her heart and her stomach did somersaults that were not entirely due to the flight. Maleficent slowed their descent until they gently landed in the tree hammock. She laid back, stretched out her wings, and stared up at the stars that peeked through the leaves. Aurora curled up next to her, using and arm and a wing as a pillow. "Thank you for taking me flying. It was incredible."
"You're welcome." Maleficent reached up and ran her long fingers through golden curls. Aurora sighed happily and slowly drifted to sleep. Maleficent continued to lay there, wide awake, trying to figure out how she had gotten so lucky. When she thought for sure that Aurora was asleep, she placed a kiss on the top of her head and whispered "Good night Beastie."
"Good night Maleficent." Aurora mumbled sleepily. Maleficent smiled, closed her eyes, and soon they were both fast asleep.