#roomance

Today is the christening. You'd helped your mother prepare little Aurora for the grand occasion, a huge celebration of your sister's birth. The entire kingdom is bustling with energy. And now you stand behind your mother's throne, still in the shadows but able to see everyone gathering in the hall. This is the most people you've ever seen in one place, and even though you can't interact with them, being so close sends a heady rush through your entire body and makes you a bit dizzy. You're wearing your nicest dress, hands wringing in front of you. Any moment, everyone will be gathered and the christening will begin. The nobles are talking excitedly between themselves, eyes locked on the cradle that holds the delicate child who you're all here for. Soon, your father clears his throat, but before he can speak a tinkling sound is heard, and soon three little specks appear from seemingly nowhere. They're flying, and you barely bite back a shocked gasp. Fairies! Surely they can't be...but they have wings, and--"You see, we're magic!" They are...a grin splits across your face but you stay quiet and watch as the three fairies approach your baby sister's cradle. The first one, Knotgrass you think her name was, hovers above Aurora and mutters her blessing, a wish of beauty. The second, Flittle, wishes for her happiness. It makes your smile turn fond, and Thistlewit holds out her hand, beginning her wish.

But she doesn't have the chance to complete her wish as the castle doors slam open, hitting the walls on either side with enough force to crack the stone. The candles blow out in unison and your smile drops, eyes going wide in terror as a darkness seems to envelop the entire hall. A repetitive tap, tap, tap, is heard against cobbles, and the shadows loom larger, making you curl into yourself and whimper quietly. Faintly you can hear your mother whisper "Calm, y/n," and do your best to obey. An intense wind rushes through the crowd, blows your hair out of your face and makes you blink rapidly. Luckily, it calms down to a gentle breeze, and finally peters off as a woman appears, marching with confident strides through a parted crowd. Her back straight, chin high, gaze hard, you could almost mistake her for a queen herself. She's quite pretty too, you realize. Striking eyes, and...horns. Large horns that sprout from her head and curl up towards the sky, wrapped in expensive material that dips down onto her forehead in a gentle peak. Your expression goes slack and you watch her, rapt with attention, approach the dais slowly but surely.

Tap, tap, tap.

She pauses. Blood red lips curve into a small smirk as she mutters "Well, well," before splitting into a full, wicked grin as she climbs the staircase. You only notice the raven perching proudly on her staff when it warbles a high pitched caw, and the woman's hand glides across it's sleek black feathers gracefully. Everything she does is done with grace, elegance. The way she holds herself, her stance, they all scream nobility. But you have a feeling that she is anything but. "I really felt quite distressed at not receiving an invitation," she says, and her voice is smooth as silk, slightly accented and, well, pretty. Just like the rest of her. Black suits her well, you faintly acknowledge, and risk peeking your head more above your mother's throne. It drops back down though when the strange woman's eyes dart to the movement and lock with yours, and for a moment you're captured by their color; acidic yellow, green rings around the pupil. They're threatening, and hold an edge that makes your hair stand on end, but something like amusement also sparks in that gaze, before it drops and you duck your head once again. She's been speaking, as has your father, but you'd tuned it out until now, when you focus on her words again. "Oh dear.....what an awkward situation..." she mumbles, head tilting away a bit, before your mother quickly pipes up with "You're not offended?"

It takes a long moment for the woman's gaze to return and for her to respond with "Why no." She pauses. "And to show I bear no ill will, I too shall bestow a gift on the child," the words seem innocent enough, but something about the offer is disconcerting, and you nearly give yourself away by telling as such. Your father beats you to it though, exclaiming "No! We don't want your gifts!" his accent thick, as it usually gets when he's anxious. But the woman isn't listening, and turns away, walking towards Aurora's cradle much to the dismay of the little fairies, who immediately begin protesting and yelling for her to stop. Your breath catches in your throat when, with no more than a simple flick of her wrist, the woman sends them flying across the room and into a jewelry chest. She must be a witch, if she can do that. But aren't witches supposed to be ugly, with long noses and warts and such? Certainly she couldn't be a witch, she's much too beautiful for that. Still, how else could she have done such a thing? The crow now perches on the cradle as it's mistress bends over it, making a low hum as she stares down at your little sister. "Please don't hurt her," you whisper upon instinct, nerves on high alert and leg bouncing with the urge to intervene.

You don't, but with everyone's attention on the cradle, you do manage to sneak to your right and quickly duck behind your father's throne, crouching low and peeking your head around the edge, now looking directly up at the woman. She surely knows you're there, as her gaze wavers and momentarily seems to drift in your direction before snapping back to Aurora. She takes a deep breath, and begins speaking, an ominous green flame surrounding her hand and floating down into the cradle. You watch with bated breath; "Listen well, all of you. The princess will indeed grow in grace and beauty, beloved by all who meet her," the woman states, voice carrying with no effort throughout the grand hall. It seems well intentioned and you relax a bit, even though the flame has yet to disperse which you assume means the gift has yet to be completed, even after your mother says "Tha-That's a lovely gift!" The woman's head raises, her gaze meets your father's, and he whispers "Don't do this." She shushes him, a slender finger pale against ruby lips. She stands slowly, hand dropping to her side as she moves casually to stand in front of him again. She states a simple "But," and it puts you on edge again. 'But' is never a good sign. And certainly it was not, as the woman's arms raise to the side, and the flame nearly engulfs her entirely, backlighting her and illuminating her features, cheekbones appearing sharper, eyes becoming volatile.

"Before the sun sets on her sixteenth birthday," she calls out, "she will prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel, and fall into a sleep-like death." Your breath hitches and speeds up, eyes go wide and heart races. No, no this can't be happening. "A sleep from which she will never awaken!" You begin to cry without realizing it, and crawl to Aurora's cradle, not caring if you're seen or not, to stare down at your poor sister. She looks unbothered, unharmed. "Maleficent please. Don't do this, I'm begging you." Your father never begs, so this statement catches your attention. Is her name Maleficent? What a strange title, you think. The woman, Maleficent, stares at the king for a long moment before purring "I like you begging." Her lips curve into a barely there smirk. "Do it again." Fists clenched around the edge of the cradle, you pray that your father will obey. And he does; getting down on one knee, he stares up at Maleficent and mutters "I beg you." And after a moment, Maleficent smiles sinisterly and states "Alright. The princess can be woken from her death sleep." You let out a breath of relief, placing your hand on your sister's forehead and smiling at the coo she lets out, tiny hands coming up to poke at your wrist.

"But only by true love's kiss." She turns to face the people, flames still going strong. "This curse will last 'til the end of time. No power on earth can change it." The final toll is spoken and Maleficent cackles wickedly, flames mostly dissolving as the wind returns and she stalks from the hall. You sag, body going lax, but suddenly you sit up, a violent shiver wracking your body and a gasp ripping from your throat. Your hand jerks away from your sister, feeling as if it's been severely burnt, and you collapse backwards. Your mother calls out your name and runs to you, panting on the ground. Once the burn has receded, there's not a single mark on your skin, no evidence. You assume it was something to do with the curse, as you were touching Aurora when it was cast. Your mother is worrying over you but you assure her you're fine, get her to focus on your sister, and sneak out of the hall and back to your room.

When you heard that your sister was to be taken away by the fairies, you had panicked, begged your parents to let you go with her. Yet they wouldn't, and absolutely forbade you from following. But you couldn't part with Aurora like that, not now, and with tears in your eyes and heart heavy in your chest, you snuck from your room, and followed the fairies' carriage out of your kingdom on horseback, staying meters behind to avoid being seen; you knew they'd send you back if they knew you'd followed. The forest is no place for a fourteen year old, but you couldn't just let them take your little sister away from you. So you watch from a distance, holding tightly onto your horse's reigns as the fairies become human sized and immediately begin bickering. They leave the cradle outside and you thank the stars that you'd followed. Those three imbeciles are going to get your sister killed before the curse can even begin to take place.

After a moment the yellow one comes back and brings Aurora inside, finally, and you let out a heavy breath. For a while, you stare at that old cottage, listen to them all arguing, and finally lead your snow white horse away and deeper into the forest. There's no place for you to stay, so you resign to staying in the crook of a rock, keeping your horse tied to a thick tree and rubbing her snout appreciatively. "Good job Nova, good girl." The creature neighs and nudges your hand, affectionate as always, and it makes you laugh quietly, finally walking a few feet away and settling down for a long day of planning. You don't even notice the large raven watching you from a tree, high above you, tilting it's head inquisitively and staring with beady black eyes. Oh yes, you're an interesting one for sure. Maleficent will love to hear about this.

In the end, you do find a place of residence. It's a nice little cave, one that both you and Nova can fit in comfortably and still have room to move around. You had been led there by a large bird, nearly hypnotized by it's wing beats. That same bird had come back a few times and had taken to you quite well, and you'd come to consider it a friend, even if it wasn't a human. It had been the only creature who's remained with you besides Nova, for nearly three years. Today it's decided to visit again, and you're alerted of it's presence by a familiar caw, bringing a smile to your face as you stand from collecting berries. "Hello, Raven!" you call out, skipping over to the bird and running your fingers over it's smooth back, telling it all about what you've gotten up to since it came around last. You've just gotten to the story about when Nova had bucked you into the river and proceeded to laugh at you over it when the thing takes off in a flurry of feathers, disappearing into the trees with a shrill shriek. You pout, confused as to why it left so suddenly, but just huff quietly and return to your berry bush.

"Excuse me, miss?" You spin to face the unknown voice, stick held out in front of you threateningly; a pathetic weapon, really. In front of you stands a rather handsome man. Messy jet black hair, kind face, dark clothes. He's tall, taller than you, and kind of intimidating. "Who are you?" you ask, trying to stay confident as he walks forward. "My name is Diaval. I mean no harm," he replies, and his voice is so nice that you believe him, dropping the stick and relaxing. You ask him why he's here and he says "You know me. I'm Raven." Your expression contracts in confusion and you splutter for a response, but Diaval just laughs and does his best to explain. You don't understand in the slightest, but you don't particularly care because it's a person and you've gone so long without human contact that you've begun to feel a bit disconnected from reality. "Well, come meet my horse!" you exclaim, grabbing Diaval's hand and dragging him off with a quiet "oh!" to your cave, showing him around and introducing him to Nova. The man is clearly hesitant, as is Nova, but with your gentle prompting he slowly reaches a hand out for the horse to smell, and when he deems it safe, cautiously runs his fingers against her coat.

You allow the two to bond a bit, smiling in silence, and eventually a smile of his own blooms on Diaval's face as he declares "I like her!" You laugh loudly, clapping in excitement, and he grins too, stating "I should introduce you to someone too. She's wanted to meet you for a while." The last sentence he wavers on, scratching his neck and mumbling "Well, not exactly 'wanted' to, but...fair's fair. Come on!" And with that you're off, running after Diaval and laughing as your dress blows behind you, bare feet tickling the soft grass and flowers. You're out of breath by the time Diaval begins to slow, panting with a hand on your chest and bent at the waist. Diaval seems to be winded as well, but pushes on and breathlessly calls out "Mis--Mistress! I brought her!" You're completely unsure of who the ravenette is speaking to, as you straighten up and look around curiously. "Diaval, who are you--" "Well look who we have here." A familiar voice cuts you off and you gasp sharply, head snapping towards the owner and meeting those terribly enchanting eyes once again. Automatically you breathe "Maleficent," into the still air, and her lips twitch into a curious smirk.

The woman creeps forward, staff thumping quietly on the soft ground and cloak dragging at her feet. She circles you like a predator, watching your tight stance and tense shoulders with an amused simper, humming to herself as your breathing goes shallow. Is she going to curse you, like she did your sister? Or worse, will she kill you? You say as much and to your surprise Maleficent laughs--though it is cruel, not humorous--and exclaims "Why, of course not! You've done nothing wrong, why would I harm you?" That sparks something in you and the fear is replaced by anger so you snap "Neither did Aurora! And you cursed her anyway!" turning to face her and giving her a strong glare. Diaval's gaze flicks between you and his mistress, just waiting for the latter to strike you down or for you to attack her, but neither happens, you and Maleficent simply having a stare down. You almost break, that strange acid gaze piercing your very soul, ripping you to shreds from the inside out. And then she's in front of you, fingers on your temple, and you're gasping for breath as a surge of something uncomfortable washes through your body. You throw your head back and your eyes flutter, but you're too choked up to scream. Everything goes dark and you can't move your body; you're sure you've passed out. But then the pain is gone and you're on the ground with Diaval at your side.

He checks to make sure you didn't hit your head before quickly asking if you're alright. You groan quietly, pressing on your head against where Maleficent had previously been touching as you mutter "I'm fine, Diaval. Just a headache," doing your best to stand with his assistance. And then you register that you're no longer in the thick forest where you'd been before. Instead you're faced with a huge wall of thorn and branches, that seems to lift miles into the sky. "Where am I?" you breathe, and hear Maleficent's voice behind you saying "You're at the border. Go home." A small path is revealed, just large enough for you to fit through. Yet you spin, pulling free of Diaval's gentle grip, and declare "No. I won't go back. I'm watching over my sister!" Maleficent turns back to face you, eyebrow cocked and an inquisitive look in her eye. "So I was correct. You are the little beastie's sister," she purrs, smiling darkly. The derogatory endearment makes you hiss "Don't call her that. You cursed her, you made her to be killed. You're a witch!" The other woman rolls her eyes and mocks your words, only serving to anger you further, but then she flicks her wrist towards you and you pass out again.

When you wake up you're back in your cave with Nova by your side, and both Diaval and his mistress nowhere to be found. You blink hard for a minute, looking around in bewilderment, but after a bit you shake your head and sigh heavily, absently running your hand across Nova's neck as you mumble "Just a dream, y/n. Just a dream," and lay back down, the sun setting outside the mouth of your home.

When you wake, it's to a voice in your ear, calling your name. You groan quietly and try to bat away the disturbance, but it doesn't leave and finally with a sigh you open your eyes, looking for who's woken you. When you're met with Diaval you shriek, scrambling back and waking up immediately. He laughs at your fear and it makes you growl in annoyance, spitting out his name irritably. The man's laughter peters out and finally he states "Come on, time to wake up, I wanna take you somewhere new." Without thinking you reply "I don't want to see Maleficent again." Diaval sighs and shrugs, muttering "I mean I can't guarantee it, but she shouldn't be there yet." With the confirmation, you nod and allow yourself to be led out with a quick goodbye to Nova. You and Diaval make quiet conversation as he walks you through the forest, pointing things out to you along the way that he thinks are interesting, and eventually you arrive at a cabin. More specifically, the cabin, the place where Aurora resides.

You take a shaky breath in and mumble "I haven't talked to her in years." Diaval nods, frowning in sympathy. You have, of course, been watching over your sister, but you know that if she sees you she'll ask questions and you wouldn't be able to lie. Not to mention you feel terribly woozy in her presence. "I know. But...I think it's time you meet her again." You startle out of your thoughts and stare at Diaval incredulously. "What?!" you exclaim, and he repeats his statement. But you shake your head violently, turning away and beginning to walk back home, stating "No, absolutely not. I can't meet her until she's sixteen, when the curse is over." Your steps are determined and no matter how much Diaval tries to convince you to come back, you keep walking and ignoring him. But eventually you get sick of it and, without pausing, turn your head back to spit “Shut up Diaval! I’m not going back!”

You instantly regret looking away, because as soon as the words leave your mouth you collide with a warm, solid form as Diaval exclaims “Careful-!” It’s a bit too late though, and you tumble backwards and onto the ground with a gasp. Your eyes move up to whoever it was that you ran into and are met with none other than Maleficent. She stared down at you, unimpressed, and mutters “Oh, Diaval. How clumsy this one is.” You grumble, looking away in a sulking manner. What you don’t expect is for a hand to enter your vision, and though her face is still blank of any emotion, Maleficent keeps it there until you finally take it, hesitatingly letting her help you to your feet. Your hand remains in the woman’s for a moment as her fingers tighten around yours, eyes narrowing into a calculating look.

It makes you shiver until she finally drops your hand and looks away, turning and simply stating “Come.” before marching forward. You give a look to Diaval, but he just shrugs and follows Maleficent. Before, you wouldn’t have followed. But now you can’t get her kindness out of your head. You realize that she must have been the one to return you to the cave, and now she was nice enough to help you up after you ran into her. Your steps are robotic and automatic as you think all this over. She cursed Aurora, you should hate her. And you do. Don’t you? But why is she being so nice to you? Maybe she isn’t as bad as you thought. Still you just clear your throat and pay attention to what's happening, making sure you don't trip over roots and branches. No one speaks, and eventually it begins to get darker around you, trees blocking out the sun--although it was already late when Diaval woke you, so perhaps it's simply becoming night. It seems that's the case when you emerge from the trees and yet it's still dark, somehow enough time has passed that evening has fallen.

Maleficent stops abruptly, nearly making you run into her once again, but luckily you catch yourself and come to a halt just inches away. It makes it a bit awkward when the woman turns to face you and you're now very close, causing your breath to stutter before you finally come back to reality and step back, trying to ignore the amused smirk on Maleficent's lips. "Now then," she mutters, before raising her hand towards you and in an instant you're off the ground, which would make you gasp but you can't because a split second later you've passed out.

When you wake, this time you're not in your cave thankfully, as you'd be very disappointed to have your expectations raised only to be let down. No, you've not been returned home. Instead, you're laying on something soft, a material that you dig your fingers into at your sides, feeling out your surroundings before sitting up, since your head is spinning a bit from the whole...experience. Whatever it was that Maleficent had done to you left you dizzy, so you're slow to sit up, blinking a few times before rubbing your eyes roughly to make sure you're not dreaming, since the place you're in must be a dream. Surely this couldn't be real. And yet, even pinching yourself does nothing more than make you hiss in pain. The noise draws someone's attention as a silky voice purrs "Sleeping beauty has awoken." You look towards it, seeing Maleficent first, and soon after Diaval as he leans against a tree beside her. The ravenette grins at you, waving a bit and chuckling when you hesitantly wave back before shakily asking "Where the hell are we?" Maleficent rolls her eyes, as usual, but still replies "The Moors. Surely your father has spoken of it?" You laugh sardonically, rubbing your hands together and shaking your head. "No. Well--" you reconsider, "He had mentioned it once or twice, but it was always...well, he didn't seem to like it. It was like a curse around the castle."

You only realize the irony of using the metaphor of 'curse' once you speak it, and cringe at yourself. But Maleficent chuckles and leans back a bit further, laying against a thick, ancient tree. But when you look higher, the leaves seem to be glowing, as do the blossoms that line the branches. It takes your breath away, lips parting as you stare at the hypnotizing light. Slowly you rise to your feet, walking with deliberate steps towards the tree until you can reach your hand out and graze gentle fingers across the delicate petals. They're warm under your fingertips and after a moment of hesitation you gingerly pluck it off it's stem. The light doesn't fade, even as you hold it in your palm, staring down at it in awe. Blush pink petals surround a luminescent center, each stamen a bright orange. You're so taken by the strange bloom that you barely hear your name being called until finally the person tosses something at you that hits your shoulder and snaps you out of your reverie. A tiny gasp passes your lips and you spin on your heel to face the attacker, still holding the flower and an accusatory stare. "Diaval. That wasn't very nice," you state, one brow raised and gaze scolding. But the bird simply gives you an offended glance, exclaiming "I didn't do it!"

Disbelief drips from your words when you deadpan and respond "Oh, of course you didn't." But the other person that remains in the clearing speaks up to say "He didn't. I did," and you glance over at her. "Pardon?" Maleficent repeats her statement, exasperated, and the confirmation makes you laugh loudly. So she's playful too? The more time you spend with this woman, the less evil she seems. Still, a little voice in the back of your head reminds you that this is the same witch that cursed your little sister, and the smile drops while you near Diaval, making sure to not drop the flower glowing in your palm. Not making eye contact with his mistress, you ask the ravenette if he'd help you put it in your hair, and he hesitates, awkwardly replying "Eh, I don't really...do that. Sorry." It makes you pout, knowing that you won't be able to do it yourself and surrender to the fact that you'll just have to go without. That is until Maleficent unexpectedly says "Come here, then," and almost against your own will you do so, slowly walking towards the woman who's sat up slightly and gives you an expectant look.

You clear your throat and pause when you're a few feet away, the desire to fidget anxiously becoming nearly unbearable. But you're unable to with the flower, and Maleficent silently gestures for you to hand it over. It makes you pout, but you do it anyway, knowing that you probably shouldn't argue with the woman. Once it's in her hand she states "Sit," and waves to the spot next to her. You don't move for too long, and the woman scoffs, muttering "Humans are so stubborn." The statement finally makes you sit down, probably just to spite her, and definitely not to see her smirk in satisfaction. From there, much to your surprise, Maleficent has you turn away from her before carefully beginning to do something to your hair. It makes you tense automatically, lips parting as all the air leaves your lungs. Minutes pass before her precise movements cease and she mutters "There. Now you can't complain about not getting your way." You figure she's just done this so you wouldn't pout about the flower situation, but the deed still leaves butterflies in your chest as you carefully reach your hand behind you head, feeling the flower braided into your hair delicately. A smile blooms on your face and you quietly mutter "Thank you, Maleficent," earning no more than a neutral hum.

The three of you stay there for a while longer, and at some point a small creature approaches your party, visibly hesitant but also extremely curious, and your eyes light up, a little noise leaving your mouth as you squeal "Oh, you're so cute!" The little thing makes a tinkling noise that you hope is a good sign, and proceeds to fly around you wildly, making little gestures and poking at your hair. You laugh loudly, playing with it carefully, and soon more of them appear, until there are dozens of the tiny creatures surrounding you and playing around. Each one is a little different, various colors, shapes and sizes, but they're all very hyper and excited. It excites you too, and you can't help but ask what they are. Maleficent answers with a simply "Fairies" and you gape at her, almost unbelieving but also unable to come up with any sort of argument against the statement. So you accept it and move on as best as you can; you realized a while ago that this place, this 'Moors' that Maleficent speaks of, it must be magical. And it must be her home. But that means that she can't be a witch, yet you can't figure out what she is. She can't be a fairy, she has no wings. But what else was there?

You shake it off and continue playing with the fairies, now joined by a few other species of what you assume to also be kinds of fae. They're lovely, but soon you become tired, and dizzy, so though you're still laughing breathlessly, you can't stop yourself from collapsing onto your back beside Maleficent, ignoring the strange look she's giving you while you try to catch your breath. Your laughs taper off into the occasional titter, until you're just smiling broadly. "This place...oh, it's more than I've ever dreamed of. It's magical," you breathe, grinning towards Maleficent, who doesn't return it. But you don't care, really, as laying here in such soft moss has you growing more and more sleepy, until you let out a yawn and your eyes begin to drift closed. "I'm just gonna...take a little nap," you murmur, rolling onto your side and closing your eyes completely. You're asleep within the minute. Meanwhile, both Diaval and Maleficent watch you for a while longer, the latter looking away, disinterested in you. Inwardly, she questions what exactly possessed her to bring you here. But she knows why, really; you're different. Something about you is...strange. Yet the fairy simply can't figure out what. You're not a fairy, she knows that much, but somehow she also is aware that you aren't completely human either. How two humans could have created a non-human baffles her, though. And Maleficent does not like not understanding things.

She allows you to rest for a while, Diaval keeping a close eye on your vulnerable form. But she has to get some rest eventually as well, so soon the woman sighs and stands, levitating you into the air and knowing Diaval will follow as she takes you back home. The trek is a bit long, and makes her grimace uncomfortably, but they get there eventually and Maleficent sends you inside, dropping you gently on the hard stone. The visibly uncomfortable living situation gives the fairy pause, but any sort of emotion that it may have drawn out of her is gone in an instant, already bored of the place. "How she lives here, I will never understand," Diaval mutters, and Maleficent hums in what might be agreement as she turns away and begins the journey to her own residence, returning Diaval to his bird form and allowing him to fly ahead of her.

The next time you see Maleficent is weeks later. Diaval has come to visit a few times, both in bird and human form, and accompany you on walks and such. As a raven he likes to show off and do fancy tricks in the air, making you clap and laugh proudly. As a human he can make intelligent conversation, and tells you all about what Aurora's gotten up to. You visited her about a week ago, and she's growing up wonderfully, even though her "aunts" are terrible caretakers. But Diaval has been keeping her company as well, playing with her and watching over her when you cannot, and you're forever grateful for that. "I know I've already said it, but I really appreciate how much you watch over Aurora," you say one day as the two of you recline against a rock casually conversing and eating raspberries. Diaval glances towards you and replies "It's no problem. She's a precious little thing, and sometimes..." He hesitates, looks from side to side warily before continuing. "Sometimes I regret not speaking up against Maleficent when I knew she was going to curse her." You tense on instinct, but know deep down that in the end, it wasn't up to him to decide what Maleficent did and it wasn't his fault she cursed your sister.

Instead you nod stiffly and mutter "Yeah, I know. But what's done is done, and as long as those three keep her safe until her birthday, it'll all be fine." Diaval nods, popping another berry into his mouth an chewing thoughtfully. After a moment he asks "Why don't you ever want to see her? She's wonderful, and she'd love you." You don't reply for a long moment, but just before Diaval assumes you won't, you state "I wouldn't be able to lie to her. She would no doubt ask who I am, and I would have to tell her that I'm her sister. I simply can't risk that." Your voice is thick with unshed tears, wishing with your entire being you could see her, could speak with your darling Aurora. But you know that you can't, and you've done your best to make peace with that. After all, once she turns sixteen, the curse will be over, and both of you can return to the palace and live happily. That's all that matters. So you just heave a great sigh, eating a few more berries and moving onto a new topic of conversation.

"Is this what we do now? Lay around and be useless?" Diaval jumps to his feet, but you just sigh heavily and lay your head back onto the rock as you call out "Yes Maleficent. When one lives in the woods, this is what we do." A deep chuckle is heard from behind you and you roll your eyes, throwing a berry into the air and attempting to catch it in your mouth. Before you can, it freezes in midair and you watch it zip backwards. You sit up and turn just in time to see the thing disappear past Maleficent's lips, pulled into a challenging smirk that you stare at for a moment too long. Watch her chew the berry for a moment before swallowing, watch the way her neck muscles tense as it goes down her throat, porcelain skin that's visibly flawless. You shake your head and look away once you realize you're staring, feeling a bright flush burn your cheeks that you attempt to hide by turning your body away and standing up, collecting your basket and walking away with the excuse of wanting to collect more of the sweet raspberries. Though you're not lucky enough to lose them, as both Diaval and his mistress follow, the latter more reluctantly as she lets out a huff when her raven walks happily beside you, forced to stray behind.

As you collect the small fruit, Diaval stays quiet, as does Maleficent who's now leaning against the cliff and inspecting her nails, staff clutched tightly in one hand. Becoming curious, you call "So why do you always have that staff?" over your shoulder, tossing another handful of raspberries into your wicker basket. Maleficent groans quietly at your incessant talking, but responds anyway; "It helps me to walk. Why else would I use it?" You roll your eyes and stand up, basket mostly full and berry bush stripped barren. "Well I don't know. You don't seem that old to me, so I don't exactly know why you'd have trouble walking," you explain, crossing your arms and giving the woman a blank look. She returns it with one of her own, nails tapping on wood quietly. After another moment of staring, Maleficent states "I haven't always had to walk." It's a simple statement, but something about the way her gaze flickers away for a split second, almost as though she's nervous to say such a thing, how her fist squeezes the staff a bit tighter, sets you on edge. Your mind races for an answer as to what she might mean, but before you can think too hard she pushes herself off the rocks and jerks her head to the side, Diaval following obediently. You hesitate, not sure if you're meant to follow or not, before Maleficent huffs and yells "I don't have all day, y/n," and you skitter after her, enjoying the way your name sounded coming from her lips.

Just like last time you walked with these two, none of you utter a word, though Diaval sneaks his hand into your basket a few times, which makes you giggle as he smiles playfully, Maleficent huffing indignantly at your antics. Still no one talks directly, enjoying the walk that Maleficent is taking you on. Eventually the trees become more...abnormal, your surroundings changing into something more elegant, but also dark. Something about this place is magical but in an oddly malevolent way. Still, you know that Diaval will keep you safe, and you'd like to think that Maleficent would do the same even though she most likely wouldn't. But it's enough to make you feel more comfortable, even with the strange atmosphere. On and on you go, the sounds of nature and Maleficent's staff hitting the ground blending together until she finally halts, causing you to do the same. You're in the same clearing as last time, you think, but this time there's more than just fairies. It's dark, and there are fireflies of some sort plus other creatures that seem like fawns, if you could ignore the fact that their spots are glowing. Bouncing on your heels, you grin but make sure you don't rush forward without permission, something which is granted after a moment with a sigh and wave of a hand.

Careful not to startle the little deer, you approach slowly with your hand out, appearing less threatening as you sink carefully to your knees in front of them. The creatures are wary, and glance at each other before finally coming forward to nudge at your hand. When they realize that you mean no harm, they bounce a bit, playing with each other as if to say "new friend!" and then begin bopping at your arms and jumping around your form. You laugh jovially as you mess with them, playing in the same manner one would with a puppy, unaware of the eyes that watch you steadily, one pair cold and calculating, the other twinkling with mirth. The little noises the deer make are interspersed with the sound of fairies, their bell-like tinkling joining in as they flutter rapidly around you, haloing your head and tugging at your hair. You're having so much fun you don't even realize that your berries are being picked at until finally Maleficent shoos the creature away, aware that allowing them to all be eaten wouldn't be fair to you, after your hard work of collecting them. At last you take a breath, flopping onto the ground to look up at the stars--when had it become night? A few of the fawns still prance about, while others rest beside you, glowing brightly with a flickering sort of effect. "Best. Birthday gift. Ever," you breathe, grinning up at the sky.

This catches attention. "Birthday?" Diaval prompts, coming to sit next to you against a boulder. Your head turns towards him and you hum in agreement, responding "Yeah. It's my sixteenth birthday. Well--not quite. It's tomorrow. So it's been almost...four years since I ran away." Diaval nods, making a noise of appreciation and muttering "Impressive," to which you chuckle. Maleficent approaches, standing in front of you and forcing you to crane your neck up to look at her. You can only do it for so long and when she stays silent you huff and drop your head back onto the moss. It's then that she decides to speak; "Why did you run? You could have had it all, with your sister off in the forest," she inquires, brows pulled together quizzically. "What's so special about her that you felt the need to throw away your life for her?" You laugh breathlessly, shrugging and trying to come up with a response. "She's my sister, I love her. I couldn't just let her be taken away, with no idea of how she was doing, you know?" you eventually reply, sitting up just far enough to rest your head on your palm, leaned on your elbow in the soft ground. Maleficent watches you carefully, keeping your gaze effortlessly as you lose yourself in her eyes. No matter how many times you see them, you don't think you'll ever really get over their color, they way they sparkle when she thinks too hard.

The fairy notices each time--of course she does--and thinks that it's terribly strange, the fascination you seem to have with her. Though you don't trust her completely, it's obvious that you find her fascinating, in some way. And it's an observation that leaves Maleficent bewildered yet again. You should be afraid of her, should hate her for what she did to your sister. But you don't. You haven't ran away, so you're clearly not afraid of her, nor Diaval. But what was it that you held your gaze when you looked at her? You're interesting, and the fairy isn't quite sure if she means that in a positive or negative way.

You on the other hand, you think she's amazing. Wicked, sure, but still amazing. Something about her draws you in, keeps your attention, and as much as you wish to despise her for everything she's done to your family, you can't quite get there. When you're alone, away from her, your heart hardens and you come to hate her, remember what she did and loathe her for it. But then she stands in front of you, she speaks to you, and all of that distaste fades into the background til it's no more than a dull ache in your chest. And then she looks at you, really focuses on you, and your heart races, skips a beat almost. Your skin heats up under her gaze and you know it. She has such a strange effect on you, Maleficent. And her name...foreign and peculiar, but oddly fitting. After a moment you don't really think about propriety as you ask "What are you?" in a hushed tone. Maleficent blinks a few times, gaze turning disoriented, as though broken out of a daydream. "I beg your pardon?" she responds, and you repeat your question. The woman isn't quite sure whether she should respond or not, but then realizes that it's not like you're going to tell anyone, not when you've condemned yourself to living in a cave like some sort of wild animal. So she strides towards you and settles down against a tree opposite you, making you turn to face her again properly as she states "A fairy."

Your breath hitches and your lips part in surprise. "You're not a witch then?" you ask, and Maleficent actually laughs, shaking her head and carefully setting her staff to the side. "No, I'm not." "Where are your wings?" There it is. She knew that by revealing her nature you'd ask it eventually, but she had hoped you'd wait a while. But no, it seems you're just going right for it. Still all the fairy does is sniff quietly and state "They were taken from me, quite some time ago," unwilling to say any more. And, surprisingly, you don't push. You can sense that she's uncomfortable speaking about the topic, and you don't particularly wish to tick her off so you simply nod and murmur "That's terrible. I'm sorry that happened to you, Maleficent, truly." The brunettes eyes stray back to yours, slow and purposeful, and when they land on you again they don't leave for quite some time, even after you nervously look away, unable to hold eye contact for too long. The raven shrugs and mutters "It's more than she's told me," and you smile, figuring as much but also quite honored that Maleficent would trust you enough to tell you such information. "Yes, it was," the fairy finally mutters once her gaze has left you and begun following an errant fawn who still plays in the foliage.

Again it falls quiet, the silence only being broken by your quiet whispers to the fairies who sit in your hair, braiding tiny strands and giggling. Some perch on your shoulders like little birds, others flitter around your legs and four are sat firmly on your head, teeny hands buried in your hair. The tickling that their wings and hands create makes you giggle breathlessly, swirling your fingers around in the air for the still flying creatures to chase excitedly. They're like puppies, all of these creatures, and you realize that this place isn't as bad as your father had made it seem. Absently you mumble Maleficent's name, gaining an acknowledging hum from the fairy that prompts you to ask "Why did you curse Aurora?" You don't expect an answer, so you aren't disappointed when all the woman says is "I have my reasons." Silence returns, and this time you don't return to your cave, allowed to lay here through the night, having occasional conversation with Diaval, as Maleficent's already fallen asleep--much to your surprise--but it always peters out easily. And though your eyelids grow heavy, and sleep desperately tugs you towards it's realm, you resist, not wanting to miss a moment. Eventually Diaval also falls asleep, and you're left between your two accomplices. Diaval snores quietly, which makes you chuckle, and Maleficent stays mostly silent, besides the occasional little coo in her sleep.

Eventually you roll over to face her, observing the fae silently as thoughts swirl lazily through your headspace. Conflicting ideas of whether or not she's really evil, if she was somehow justified in what she did to Aurora. Surely there must be something deeper to the reasoning behind her curse. This woman, this Maleficent, she wouldn't curse an innocent baby for fun. No, your family must have done something to her. They must have, and she simply chose to take it out on your little sister. As these thoughts come and go, fingers running slowly across the glowing back of a sleeping fawn, a pain begins to grow in your chest. You brush it off as a bad angle and adjust your position, scooching a little closer to Maleficent to try and get away from the root pressing against your spine. Only feet away, you can nearly feel her warm breath on your face, her lips parted just slightly and face totally relaxed. The pain gets worse, and you let out an uncomfortable moan into your arm, grimacing as it only increases. It seems to be focused in your upper body so you sit up and begin pressing gently on certain spots, but nothing makes it especially worse, it just seems to get gradually more intense. Your breathing becomes labored and you can't even appreciate the sunrise as it becomes almost unbearable.

Scared that this is due to something magic, you gasp out a breathy call of Maleficent's name, trying to wake her as you clutch at your chest. She doesn't respond so you try again, and again, until finally you can raise your voice enough to rouse her from sleep. She comes to slowly but surely, but when your pained noises finally register in her ears she sits up rather fast, suddenly fully awake. Her eyes land on Diaval first, still asleep, and then your crumpled up form. On instinct she moves to you and grasps your shoulder, nails digging into your flesh and grounding you in a way. You breathe her name again and Maleficent hurriedly asks you what's wrong. You can't speak all that well but manage to choke out "Hurt, chest hurts. Can't bre-breathe." Some strange part of Maleficent panics a little bit, and her hand tightens on your shoulder even further. She goes to say something, though she's not quite sure what, when suddenly you pull in a loud, sharp gasp that even sounds painful, and collapse into her lap, completely unconscious. The fae freezes up, hands still in midair and eyes locked on your frail, limp form. You're warm against her chilled skin, even through the material of her cloak, but your breathing is too shallow to be quite safe, so with slow movements Maleficent carefully places her hand above your heart, luckily finding a steady rhythm.

She then rests her fingers on your forehead and nearly hisses and jerks back; you're burning up. Still, the fairy isn't sure how to take care of human diseases and so she just does her best to relax her muscles and let you be until you can finally wake up. Her own breathing is a bit heavier than normal, not used to prolonged contact with a human, not since him. The thought of Stefan makes her blood boil again, and she almost pushes you off her on instinct; you're his spawn, his heir. You're the princess, just as much as your sister is, and it sets Maleficent on edge. Yet she knows deep down that you've really been nothing but kind to her, and it wouldn't be fair for her to hate you. It wasn't really fair for her to dislike Aurora either, but she wouldn't go so far as to forgive her as well. No, never her. So the woman is forced to stay still until finally Diaval wakes up; he pokes fun at her predicament, but then she threatens to turn him into a wolf again and he's quick to shut up. "Would you like some help, mistress?" he asks instead, and Maleficent nods, grateful again for his assistance as the raven carefully picks you up and off her lap, allowing her to fully loosen up, though her senses still remain on alert as you've yet to wake up.

Diaval checks your temperature as well, grimacing at the heat that radiates off your skin. "She's got a fever, that's for sure," he mutters, and Maleficent hums in agreement, watching the two of you carefully. A few more minutes pass, and finally you begin to rouse, letting out a little, pained moan from slightly parted lips, eyes fluttering open and fingers pressing roughly into your temple. You murmur something incomprehensible under your breath as you sit up, taking in your surroundings and all at once remembering what had happened. "Has your impromptu nap worked to heal you? Or did you decide to invade my personal space for nothing?" You look towards Maleficent, looking as unimpressed as ever, but you can't even be upset. So you just smile softly and mumble "Yes, it doesn't hurt anymore. I'm terribly hot, though," and Diaval quickly pipes in with "You've caught a fever, y/n. Quite a bad one, I reckon." You nod, figuring as much, before looking up to the bright morning sun and stating "Well, I'm officially sixteen. How interesting." A quiet chuckle that Diaval copies, rubbing your shoulder and wishing you a happy birthday. You nod and smile back, whispering a soft thank you to the raven.

Maleficent has stayed quiet through the ordeal, but finally forces herself to reluctantly mutter "Yes yes. Congratulations, you're one year closer to dying," and the absolute morbidity of the statement makes you laugh loudly, flushing a bit under the heavy stare that it earns you from the woman. "Sorry, sorry. I just--hah--that's the strangest 'happy birthday' anyone's ever given me," you say, "It caught me off guard, but it's very...you." Maleficent cocks a brow up, prompting, but you just shrug and smile mischievously. She watches you curiously, even after you turn away, and you do your best to ignore the feeling of her eyes on you as you speak to Diaval, thanking him as well for his help, until eventually you sigh and state "Well I should get back to Nova. She's probably worried herself sick, you know." The raven nods, knowing you're probably right, and then looks over your shoulder at his mistress, who's already stood, staff in hand. "Very well," she states, and you can barely get out a thank you for letting you stay before you're knocked unconscious my Maleficent's magic.

From that day forward, unbeknownst to the fae, Maleficent began to see you differently. Her heart began to soften, slowly but surely. Without her conscious knowledge, Maleficent grew to enjoy your presence, even crave it on occasion. And the same was happening with you, each moment you spent with the woman only making you fall deeper and deeper into your fascination. And soon the fascination was something else, something more intimate and personal. As walls cracked and glances became fond, Maleficent began to care for you. It wasn't right away, of course. After what had happened in her childhood, what he had done to her, she couldn't risk letting someone else in. Yet you'd managed to push and push until finally it started to work. Until finally she'd let you walk with her, have quiet conversations and, if you were lucky, make her laugh. That's your favorite thing of her, you think, her laugh. The way her lips would twitch up a bit before finally they'd part, revealing pearly white fangs and a wonderful laugh. And then she'd give you that look, that oddly fond one that sent butterflies through your chest and made your cheeks heat up.

All of these memories, little moments shared with the fairy, form daydreams and lovely nightmares, the ones that leave you terrified but somehow, some way, also are a comfort. Absently, your fingers move through a bush, collecting blueberries for your meal later today, moving on autopilot as you let yourself drift away into your own head. It's silent around you, nothing besides a few birds and your horse chewing contentedly on the supple grass that lines the clearing around your cave. It's almost a shock to realize that you've been living here for nearly fifteen years. Has it really been that long? Certainly not....no, it definitely has. Only a year before you can go home. The thought makes you laugh in disbelief. A decade of living in the forest. How've you managed to get this far? You're not exactly sure, standing up with your basket hanging in you crook of your elbow, full to the brim with dark navy berries, a few of which you nibble on as you return to your cave. Throwing a greeting towards Nova, along with a berry that she catches easily, you carefully crawl inside and place your basket in the corner, covering it up to keep any bugs (or stray fairies) away from the fruit, before rearranging your small amount of belongings, keeping yourself busy to keep your wild thoughts at bay. But eventually you can no longer find anything to do inside, so you sigh and return to the sunshine, tipping your head back and letting the sun soak your face and heat up your skin pleasantly.

Throughout the years, you'd learned how to make clothing, stealing cloth from the cabin, knowing the three fairies wouldn't even notice the missing material, and fashioning a needle from a bit of sharp rock that you'd spent weeks sharpening down to a point and boring a hole through. It was a tedious process and you'd rather die than have to do it again, but luckily you've managed to make yourself a couple new dresses. It's easier than having to wear the same one over and over, and wash it in the river every week in no more than your undergarments. You're wearing one today, a dark thing with mismatched fabric, though luckily the pieces are all of a very similar color, so it doesn't look too terrible. Your bare arms extend to the side, a sigh falling from your lips as your fingers stretch out, as though trying to grasp a beam of light in your hand and steal it from the sky. You hear soft, repetitive strikes on stone coming from somewhere in the vicinity, but dismiss them as some animal passing through, until a well known voice rings out through your clearing, bidding you a good morning. A smile stretches onto your face, and your head falls back down to look at the owner of the voice.

"Good morning, Maleficent. How did you sleep?" you ask, dropping your arms before crossing them loosely over your chest as the fairy approaches slowly. Distantly you notice that she's got her horns wrapped in a different crown. The woman shrugs elegantly and replies "Well enough. You haven't been getting up to too much trouble, I hope." You chuckle and mirror her shrug, muttering "Oh, always," which makes Maleficent sigh in exasperation, muttering something about humans and their ridiculousness. She doesn't make the statement to your face though, instead stating "I just came from your sister's. She's growing into quite the fetching creature, that beastie." You'd never earned an explanation of how Aurora had gained such a nickname, and while it had offended you at first, now you've come to see it as a sort of endearment towards your sister. So you lean against a boulder and nod, humming quietly and asking her how she's doing. "Fine. Those three excuses for caretakers are stupid as ever." A cruel smirk pulls at the woman's lips; "Though it is one of life's simple pleasures to see them attack each other on the daily." Her honesty makes you snort quietly and shake your head, knowing she's right even though a part of you wants to scold the fairy for messing with them. Still, you suppose she doesn't have much other entertainment around here.

Maleficent, who'd paused her advancing a few minutes back, resumes her movement, her slow approach lazy and casual, and you watch her in amusement, enjoying how even her steps are and satisfying each quiet strike of her staff against the earth below her feet. Your own feet are bare, allowing you to feel the grass and rock that they would tread upon with ease. At first it had been painful, but after fifteen years, the soles had become rough and it was no longer difficult for you to traverse various surfaces without the need of shoes. Which was nice, honestly; quite freeing. Your fingers vacantly tap against your arm, eyes not leaving Maleficent's nearing form, until she's finally stopped a few feet away. A small smile plays on her lips and you return it with a proper one of your own, murmuring "And what are you up to, hmm?" The fairy doesn't respond, her eyes tracking across your face for a while before she finally responds with "Nothing in particular." Nodding, you don't push it, and take to looking up at the sky again, perfectly blue and cloudless. You don't even notice Maleficent sneaking a bit closer, now within arms reach, which proves important as her free hand raises to your face, fingers gently catching your chin and tilting your head back down towards her. They're cold, somehow, and the feeling makes your breath catch in your throat.

You whisper her name quietly, not getting a response, and try not to fidget under her intense and watchful gaze. Those eyes...an impossible color for anyone of your kind, yet they work so well on her. You're so hopelessly lost in her gaze that you don't even fully register her leaning a bit further forward, until her nose nearly brushes yours. So you remain quiet, unable to look away both physically and mentally, until at last Maleficent drops her hand and jerks away, blinking a few times as she steps back, expression one of confused surprise. "I don't...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," she mutters, not quite looking directly at you, staring somewhere just above your eyes, but you shake your head and quickly say "No no, it's fine. You don't make me uncomfortable, not at all." Maleficent glances down and meets your eyes for a split second, hums neutrally, and turns away completely. Once she's a good distance away from you, and you've made no move to get closer, she asks "You realize that in less than a year's time you'll be going home?" You answer her positively, quite aware of that fact. "Fifteen years in the forest. No other humans to interact with, nothing to do except forage and sleep." She chuckles, "Have you not yet become bored?"

You do think about the woman's words for a long moment; you've most definitely gotten bored, many times, but have always managed to find something to do. Even the most mundane tasks are better than nothing, and Nova's kept you constant company. You tell Maleficent as much, adding in "Plus, I've had you. And Diaval. Surely I can't be bored when you're here bothering me constantly, eh?" The casual tease earns you a glare, the implication that Maleficent is a bother setting her on edge. But then you smile playfully and she realizes you were joking. "Indeed." From there neither of you speak, a pregnant pause lagging the conversation, and eventually Maleficent states "I have places to be. Keep yourself out of trouble, if you will," before disappearing as soon as you've acknowledged her words. She sneaks past trees with practiced ease, slipping further and further into the woods and closer to the Moors. The woman begins to pass the cabin on the way there, but hesitates when the sound of joyous laughter hits her ears, clearly belonging to the princess herself. Reluctantly, she slips a bit closer until she can catch sight of Aurora, playing around in a pile of leaves and laughing loudly. Something in Maleficent's hear softens again, watching the blonde so free and wild, and just for a moment, she regrets cursing her. Immediately this fades and is replaced with anger. How she can be so happy and wile while Maleficent is forced to suffer, wingless and practically alone--it's not fair. The fairy scowls and marches away.

Your fire burns warm and bright, a plume of smoke rising high into the sky that's visible even from where Diaval perches on Maleficent's staff, before his eyes drop down to the laughing blonde in front of them. She's playing with no care for grace nor cleanliness, dress beyond rescue but still grinning. He chirps in what could be seen as a laugh and gives Maleficent a prompting look, hopping off her staff and tilting his head to the side. The fairy huffs, rolls her eye, yet still turns him back to a human. He thanks her quietly and continues watching Aurora play with the creatures around her, covered in mud but happier than ever. It brings a smile to his face, and though he knows his mistress wouldn't admit it, Maleficent also has a miniscule smile playing on her features as she watches. Something about Aurora, just like her sister years prior, has taken Maleficent and refused to let her go, until a certain fondness has grown in her darkened soul. It's not the same kind of affection she holds for you, though. Yours is different, something about it is more personal, whereas what she feels for Aurora could be taken as...maternal? It's a thought that makes Maleficent cringe, hating the idea of being a mother figure to a human. Still, the godmother title does please her. Whether that's because she finds it amusing for the fact that Aurora sees her in such a way, or if it's really affection, she's not sure. Probably both.

So Maleficent continues to bring Aurora to the Moors, give her a sense of security. And slowly, she understands that it's definitely affection. And that scares her. It terrifies her, somehow more than her feelings for you terrify her. The notion that she's letting not only one person from the man that accosted her, but two people? Horrifying. How could she let herself do something like this, let herself go soft for humans? Not to mention humans who were the heirs to Stephen's throne. Pitiful. And yet when she was confronted by Aurora about the curse, had the young princess yell and condemn her, she swore her heart broke in two, all over again. "Find the boy!" She had insisted that Phillip would do no good for Aurora, but she knows that Aurora is going to go back, and she can't let her curse take hold of the blonde. So when she tracks Phillip down, she doesn't hesitate to take off towards the castle where she knows Aurora is headed as well.

As for you, well you've just about done the same. You were on your visit to the cabin to watch over Aurora for a while, but when you're met with still air, empty cabin, and no Aurora, and remember what day it is, you panic. Your gaze darts to the sky, seeing the sun beginning to set already, and your breathing kicks up, panic consuming your heart. You sprint back to your cave, completely abandoning your belongings as you untie Nova from the tree, jump onto her back, and swing her reigns down, calling out "Nova, go!" before the horse takes off in a gallop. You lead her expertly through the trees, heels digging into her flanks and body bowed down, air rushing through your hair. Tears unwillingly prick in your eyes, knowing that if you don't get to the castle and stop her, your sister will activate the curse and fall into her death sleep. And in this moment you can't help but despise Maleficent all over again. If she had just taken her business elsewhere, taken out her anger on your father directly, none of this would have happened. She cursed your baby sister and now the princess could very well be condemning herself at this very moment. Again you strike the reigns down, needing Nova to go faster, but you know that she really can't go any quicker and tearfully apologize.

The creature neighs in protest but doesn't slow, finally exiting the clearing, and finally the Moors entirely. You can see the wall of thorns up ahead, so you abruptly steer Nova to the side, trying to find the end. It takes you too long, but you do eventually and quickly direct her around it. You're forced to cross a small river, which is less than ideal as now your legs are soaked to the knees, but you ignore it as you get closer to the castle. "Come on girl, keep going," you mutter, and you can almost feel Nova put on a bit more speed, even though she's nearly panting and clearly exhausted. You feel terrible about overworking her like this, but you'll be sure to give her extra attention just as soon as you restrain Aurora long enough for night to fall and the curse to end. You crest the hill and finally see the huge castle, though it's still at least half a mile away. So you hold your breath and clutch the reigns tighter, knuckles going white and tears flying behind you as they streak over your cheeks. Closer and closer the palace gets, becoming bigger by the second, until finally you cross the bridge, shouting for the guards to open the gates. They must know that you're not a threat, or maybe it's just the pure panic in your voice, but they obey just in time for you to burst through.

You pull Nova to a sudden stop, the horse rearing up in the process and nearly bucking you off. But you exclaim "Nova, calm!" and she drops back onto the cobble. Not hesitating, you fling yourself off of her and spring towards the doors, bursting through them and looking around rapidly. Your head begins to spin and your chest becomes tight. Once again you take off in a run, needing to find your sister before it's too late. Past hundreds of doors, down a dozen winding hallways you go, waiting to catch sight of someone, anyone, who can direct you to either Aurora or your father. Eventually though, you skid to a stop, digging your heels into the floor and doing your best not to fall backwards. Something is pulling you away, towards an open door that leads down to an impossibly long staircase. You blink a few times, glancing around warily, but eventually give in and let yourself be guided down by some invisible force. Further and further down you get, and the louder it gets, sounds like a busy town market filling the area as the tug gets stronger, your head gets woozier and throat goes dry. Your vision clouds a bit and you bite back a frustrated groan, unsure why everything's going quiet again when you're in the middle of the washwoman's quarters with them bustling around you hurriedly, paying no attention to your wandering form.

Still walking, you traverse the halls until it begins getting dark, your finger begins pulsing painfully and with no explanation. It gets worse the farther you go but for some reason you can't break away from the spell that you've become stuck in, wandering endlessly. And then you arrive at a door, cracked open just enough to show more darkness. So you push it open numbly, no longer fully aware of your actions, and don't even question the piles and piles of wood that surround the cleared path you walk down. And in the center of the room sits one perfect, undamaged spinning wheel. It's spindle glints brightly, dangerously. Almost like tunnel vision, your focus zeroes in on the metal needle, steps stopping once you've arrived within a foot of the wheel. And slowly, cautiously, your arm raises. In the back of your head there's a voice screaming at you to stop, to find Aurora, do anything, but it's overpowered by the whispers that have begun to enter your mind, millions of hushed voices but all with one message: do it. They want you to touch the needle, you're sure of it, and not strong enough to stop yourself from ghosting your pointer finger over the tip of the spindle. And before you can break free or pull away, you bring it down and the metal pierces your skin. It hurts, but only for a moment, because you're only able to think "oh no" before you become horribly dizzy and promptly collapse. Your head collides with the stone floor, and it's all you feel before everything goes dark.

Somewhere a few miles away, just outside the castle, a certain fairy's entire body goes lax, and she pulls in a sharp gasp that rips through her throat painfully. Maleficent's hands tighten until her nails cut into her palms and her head drops to Diaval's mane. "It's done," she breathes, and an overwhelming sense of failure washes over the woman's entire body and soul. If she didn't know better she'd say her heart stops beating for a moment, before it shatters into a million pieces. Is this what heartbreak feels like? True, pure heartbreak, hundreds of times worse than what she had felt at Stephen's betrayal. Diaval hasn't stopped running, still carrying her limp form as Phillip's horse does the same behind them, but eventually Maleficent pulls herself together, sits up straight, and hardens her will. She's going to get into that castle, she's going to get Phillip to Aurora, and he will wake her up, she's sure of it. So she snaps the reigns and mutters "Faster, Diaval," glad he's listening for once and obeying as he speeds up just a tad. Soon his hooves hit hard stone and she pulls him to a stop, sliding off his back before returning him to a human. Her magic still remains on Phillip, and she leads his horse inside, skillfully avoiding the guards even as Diaval complains behind her.

They make it inside, somehow, but are soon faced with a corridor of spikes, which Maleficent can assume without touching them are made of iron in an attempt to keep her out. Surely there could have been a better way in, she realizes, one that would not risk her safety, but they're already here and she isn't going to waste time finding somewhere else. So with a determined expression, and ignoring Diaval's quiet "Mistress..." she walks forward, maneuvering herself around the spikes and hissing when one catches her arm, burning against her skin painfully. With a huff, she lets the burn fade before bending herself around an especially long spike that heats up red as her forehead hovers just centimeters below it. But she does make it out, as does Diaval and his floating prince, and is conveniently let out into a hallway. Maleficent hums under her breath, amused at how surprisingly easy it was to get past the king's "defenses". A pair of servant girls walk past before she and the two boys creep around the corner and hide behind a thick curtain. Though the fairy's eyes do catch on a guard stationed in front of what Maleficent prays to be Aurora's room. After a moment of thinking, she finally guides Phillip, still in the air, out and into the guard's line of sight. The woman can just barely see him react, confused and automatically creeping forward to inspect the anomaly. And with a sturdy baseball grip on her staff, she steps in front of him, and wacks him across the head with a grunt of effort. He falls to the floor in a heap, and she smirks down at his body, letting out a little "hmph" of satisfaction. Diaval rolls his eyes at his mistress' dramatics, but follows obediently, pressing himself against the wall beside Maleficent next to the door.

The doors are closed, but Maleficent nearly groans at the muffled sound of the fairies that were supposed to keep Aurora safe talking from behind the wood. Goddamn imbeciles, those three. Still, the fae keeps quiet, unable to risk being found, and levitates Phillip in front of the door before ungracefully dropping him to the floor, not caring for his comfort. The sudden thump must draw the fairy's attention as soon the doors are heaven open with tiny grunts, revealing Knotgrass and soon her other two companions hovering and staring at the prince in shock. He wakes rather fast, looking around and, when the fairies begin interrogating him, states "I'm quite embarrassed to say that I'm not entirely sure where I am." When Flittle states "In King Stefan's castle," Phillip finally gets to his feet, still looking around cluelessly as he mutters "This is where I'm meant to be," smiling sheepishly. Maleficent can't see anything besides Phillip, but can clearly hear the wary pause the three fairies give before finally Knotgrass requests to know why he's there. The prince explains that he was sent by his father--King John of Ulstead, apparently--and in unison the fairies gasp and exclaim "A prince!"

And before Maleficent can even blink she's watching Phillip get pushed and pulled into the room with a confused noise of protest. The fae watches in dull amusement as he stumbles on his way in, a tiny smirk teasing her lips, but that drops immediately when, after Phillip breathlessly states Aurora's name, the sound of her voice responds with "Oh, Phillip! Thank the heavens you're here!" Maleficent's blood runs cold, and any hint of color that may have been in her skin fades to a ghostly white. The woman's breath hitches uncharacteristically as all she can think of is that this can't be happening, it's impossible, she must be wrong. And yet, when she slips unseen into the room, she watches as Phillip embraces Aurora tightly, the blonde undoubtedly awake. Which means that someone else must have been cursed. Someone else of the royal lineage...once again Maleficent's heart skips a beat in the worst way as the two pull apart and the bed is revealed, along with the woman laying on it.

It's you.

Maleficent isn't sure how to react, exactly. Her lips part as though she wants to speak, but she's unable to get a word out and they close just as fast. She can hear Diaval's breath go shallow and his whisper of your name, and has to blink a few times as her vision unexplainably gets a bit blurry. The fae watches Aurora walk around the bed again to kneel next to the mattress, clasping your hand in hers as Phillip stands beside her, also staring down at your vulnerable form. "What's happened to her, Aurora?" he asks, and the blonde sniffs before tearfully replying "She--She's been cursed. She took the curse th-that was meant for me." Though Maleficent knew it to be true, knew there was no other explanation, the audible confirmation still sends a shockwave of nausea, or something similar, through her. She's unable to look away, acid gaze locked on you and your sister as the latter presses her face against your arm, presumably beginning to cry again. "I never even got to meet her. Never got to speak to her, my own sister. I didn't even--" Aurora has to stop to take a deep, shaky breath before continuing. "Didn't even know she existed," she finishes, and Phillip purses his lips, clearly distressed as well, and Maleficent can't stand by and watch any longer, so before she can change her mind and cower away, she steps into sight, the sound of her heels against the tile alerting the young royals of her presence.

Aurora looks up first, and as soon as she catches sight of Maleficent she exclaims "You did this! You did this to her!" It makes Maleficent recoil automatically, the blonde's loud volume hurting her hearing a bit. Still she doesn't pause her approach until she's standing on the opposite side of the bed, staring down at you. "I know. I know I did. But I...I didn't mean to. I don't know how she took your curse," the fae mutters, this time unable to blink away the tear that soon falls past her waterline and onto a sharp cheek. Aurora glares at the fae for a while longer, but gradually the hate begins to seep away, watching her godmother genuinely upset at your state, and finally fades completely until the sorrow returns and she doesn't hesitate to circle around and pull Maleficent into a tight hug. The woman's form stiffens and she isn't quite sure how to respond, but hesitantly wraps her free arm around Aurora's shoulders and finally relaxes, sighing and setting her chin gently on Aurora's shoulder, ignoring the feeling of the blonde's tears falling onto her neck. When they finally separate Aurora grabs Maleficent's hand and carefully pulls her around to your side of the bed until she's standing beside you, close enough to touch.

And the fae watches, peaceful and silent, so normal one could really mistake it for a normal sleep. As she stares down on you, finger absently running across your cheek and hating the lack of reaction it causes, she finally gains her voice enough to speak. "I know I don't deserve your forgiveness. What I've done is beyond unforgiveable. But you..." she pauses, getting a bit choked up as she speaks, but as Aurora squeezes her hand tightly, she keeps going as best as she can. "You've somehow managed to steal my heart with little more than kindness and a smile. You've given me something that I haven't felt in years, and not a day will pass where I do not miss you." The woman can't really think of much more to say other than "I won't let anything hurt you, I swear it," before finally stopping, thumb rubbing across your jaw gingerly. More tears have escaped but Maleficent can't bring herself to care. Meanwhile, Phillip had left to give the three of you some privacy, knowing he isn't close enough to you to warrant being in the room. But Aurora isn't leaving, even once she drops her godmother's hand and carefully perches on the edge of your bed, exquisite sheets soft and plus against her fingers.

She watches the way Maleficent looks at you, sees the spark of emotion that has never been directed at her, and realizes at once just what that emotion is. So without any thought to her own shame nor Maleficent's possible embarrassment, the princess quietly says "Kiss her. True love’s kiss, remember?" Maleficent glances towards the blonde and chuckles humorlessly, mumbling "There's no such thing," but Diaval, who's remained in the shadows and out of sight, finally reveals himself and calls out "Just try it, Mistress. Please, for y/n's sake." The fae glares at Diaval, though it holds no true bite, before looking back down at you. Her gaze moves from your closed eyes to a bit lower, doubts racing around her head but something else telling her that they have a point. And at this point, she's nearly desperate enough to try, so with Aurora's gentle encouragement, the fae slowly bends down, and presses a soft kiss to your cheek. But neither Aurora nor Diaval are impressed and the former sighs, exasperatedly mumbling "That doesn't count, godmother." Maleficent's breath stutters, very much aware of what they want. And before she can regret it, she slides a bit further down until her lips hover just a hair's breadth away from yours. Her hands shake and her eyes close tightly, but with a deep breath to steel herself, she finally dips down and properly connects your lips.

Yours are soft, shockingly so, and Maleficent feels a shiver travel down her spine as she presses just a bit harder, before pulling away and standing up. All three of them watch you expectantly, silently praying that it'll work. But it doesn't; you don't react in the slightest, and after another moment, Maleficent finally turns away, no longer able to look at your unresponsive form as she breathes "I told you it wouldn't work," and begins walking away. But she gets no more than two steps away when Aurora gasps loudly and breathlessly exclaims her name, bringing Maleficent's attention back to her, and subsequently you. You, who's now staring up at her with a fond smile on your face and a playful sparkle in your gaze. "Hiya, Mal." The woman lets out a shaky breath, unable to speak for a moment as more tears burn in her eyes, but then you smile again and she lets out a breathless laugh and replies "Hello, darling." Your grin widens further and you finally look away from Maleficent, turning to see your darling sister. "Oh, Aurora...you've grown into such a wonderful girl." The blonde sniffs before throwing herself into your arms, exclaiming your name as she buries her face in your shoulder, making you laugh and hold her tightly, nearly squeezing the life out of her. "Oh, it's so wonderful to finally be with you..." you murmur against her.

After a minute Aurora pulls away and proceeds to pull you to your feet, panicking when you stumble and cry out in pain, but you assure her--and Maleficent, who also freaks out a bit--that you'd simply twisted your ankle on your journey to the castle and were still a bit dizzy from the whole curse experience. Maleficent chuckles nervously at that one and you glare at her teasingly. She waves you off but doesn't meet your eyes, even as the kiss has yet to leave her mind. So she stays quiet and doesn't bring it up, and neither do you, even though you're acutely aware that she was, in fact, the one to wake you. Instead you just mutter "Now c'mon. Let's go home."

Your scream echoes through the room as you watch the chain net come down upon Maleficent, her own scream just as ear piercing. It's clearly made of iron, and you can see it burning her skin as her face twists in agony. Not caring of your own safety, you lunge towards her, sliding on the slippery tile and trying to tug the net off of her, but it's too heavy and you can't move it. Tears stream down your face as you sob, repeating "no, no no, come on!" as you desperately keep pulling. But Maleficent tries to get you to stop, calling your name repeatedly before finally grasping your hands, even as the iron burns her wrists, stopping you from moving as she hisses "It's no use, y/n. Go, get out of here with Aurora, please." You shake your head, tears clouding your vision as you refuse to leave her, but the fae isn't having it as she again yells "Go! You need to get to safety! Please!" The idea of leaving her here, totally at your father's mercy, breaks your heart, but you know that you need to get your sister out, so you brokenly whisper "I'll come back for you," before clasping her face in your hands and pressing your lips against hers as hard as you can, tears wet on her lips. A band of iron drapes across her nose and scalds her sensitive skin but Maleficent doesn’t care in the moment. One of her hands grips your wrist tightly and she presses back, but she's forced off of you as guards converge around the net and one of them grabs you by the shoulder, tossing you back violently even as you scream for them to stop. Maleficent calls your name in a panic and you call hers back but she's cut off by another painful cry.

You try to fight your way back to her, but when you see Aurora doing the same you back off, screaming for your sister to stop. She looks up at you, and obeys, but then you hear the roar of something large above you and spin to face a huge dragon now flying ominously above the crowd. You assume it Diaval and look back to your sister, but she's already gone. Now you're seriously terrified, so with one last look back at Maleficent, who's still trapped and under the abuse of a dozen guards, each blow that hits her body making you cry a little harder, you run off in the direction of the stairs. Sprinting up the staircase and through the halls, you yell out for your sister but she doesn't respond, for far too long. Until finally, after what feels like forever, you hear her call back, and you take a sharp left, crashing through a door, panting. You see your sister there, attempting to push a glass case onto the floor. You're not sure what it holds, but you trust her and run to the other side, giving it one great shove with her, and sending it to the ground, shattering upon impact. And you finally see the contents; a magnificent pair of wings, clearly sentient as they now flap wildly in an attempt to wrestle out of the ruins of the case. When they finally get free, they flap in the air for a moment before finally speeding out of the room with both you and Aurora hot on their tail.

You stumble but catch yourself on the railing, looking down at the scene below you. Fires everywhere, soldiers with iron shields and armor. Your heart breaks when you se Diaval, still in dragon form, chained and struggling on the ground, crying out in rage. But it completely shatters when you see what the soldiers are circled around. It's Maleficent, her cape ripped from her body, with none other than your father standing above her, a ball and chain clutched tightly in his right hand. He's yelling at her, and you can barely catch "-in a world where you don't belong!" just as he loops the chain around Maleficent's torso and pulls it tight. The fae's mouth falls open in pain and you scream her name, taking off down the walk and practically falling down the stairs in an effort to get to her. You're shouting for your father, begging him to stop, but he completely ignores you. As you run blindly towards the circle, you don't notice the wings entering the room until a blinding light illuminates the room and you hear Maleficent gasp loudly. You freeze in your tracks and watch in awe as, a moment later, the woman's body lifts into the air, carried high above the rest of you with wings the size of...well, you don't even know how to describe them, they're bigger than you've ever seen.

Maleficent sees you first, staring at her in astonishment, and then Aurora, still standing at the railing upstairs, staying safe as you had instructed. The fae's eyes return to you and she smiles gratefully, but the moment is broken as your father stands and declares "Kill her!" You kick yourself into action, as does Maleficent, and run towards Stephen. He's distracted with Maleficent, as are the rest of the soldiers, giving you the ability to forcibly remove one of their swords from it's sheath, clutching it tightly in your hand. You've never used a sword in your life, it's heavier than you expected, but you feel it around, getting comfortable with it for a moment but keeping a close eye on your surroundings. Thankfully, since one guy catches sight of you, now armed, and runs at you, forcing you to put the thing into action. With some effort, you dodge out of the way and swing the blade up, catching him under the arm. He cries out in pain and you quickly focus on your main target; your father. He's swinging that chain around again, as Maleficent flies through the air, sending chandeliers to the ground with ease, their chains snapping as if it were nothing. Stephen yells out a battle cry as the woman easily knocks the soldiers that are holding Diaval out of the way, allowing the dragon to escape and assist her with the rest of the men.

You steel yourself to try and figure out what to do with the sword, but don't really get the chance as you hear Maleficent shriek above you, and when you look she's got a heavy chain wrapped tightly around her ankle. With one hard pull, she's caught off balance, wings curling the wrong way, and it gives your father the chance to bring her down. She falls with a shrill scream, attempting to catch herself in the air but failing as Stephen once again heaves her downwards. She connects with the floor in a heap, letting out another painful cry. Seeing her like this, in pain and vulnerable as Stephen advances on her, sword poised to attack, makes your blood boil, and without thinking you charge him. "Get away from her!" Your body collides with his a moment later, and he's so caught off guard that he falls sideways onto the ground with you practically on top of him. With him in his heavy armor and you in no more than a lightweight dress, he's much slower than you, so even with your nonexistent training you manage to knock his sword from his hand, sending it skidding across the floor. And as your father looks up at you in shock, choking out your name along with a "Don't do this, I'm your father-!" you laugh darkly and shake your head, raising your own sword and hissing "You were never my father," before swinging it down as hard as you can, shoving the blade through the space between his neck and the edge of his breastplate.

The sharpened metal connects with Stephen's flesh and digs into his neck, easily severing multiple vital arteries. It's a fatal blow and you don't bother to pull the blade free as you push yourself off him with some trouble. You turn to face Maleficent, who stands at the foot of the steps with a shocked expression, eyes wide and lips parted, but then you grin and she comes to, returning it as she ascends into the sky again. You watch her speed through the air, heading towards the stairs, and with barely even a stumble, she manages to pull Aurora over the railing and into her arms before veering to the side and, with your awestruck gaze following her every move, corkscrewing towards the huge mural window above your parent's throne. She crashes through it with ease and her wings extend to the sides, and time seems to slow as she glides into the air, head up proudly and your sister held protectively in her embrace. But you've been paying too much attention to her. So much so that you've dropped your guard completely, and without a weapon you're completely at the mercy of anyone in that room. And boy does this prove to be a problem, for a moment later time resumes when someone grabs your bicep and flings you backwards, ignoring your cry of pain when you crash into the wall. The tears return at the immense pain that rockets through your entire body, unable to protect yourself as the man advances on you, accusing you of killing the king.

Which, to be fair, is not an incorrect claim. So in all honesty he kind of has a right to be mad. But still, you're now the oldest royal, with your father dead. You're the rightful queen, the heir to his thrown, and if this man kills you now he'd be committing treason and would be sentenced to death. You say as much, declaring "I am my father's eldest daughter. If you kill me, you'd be killing the new queen!" But the soldier just cackles wickedly and exclaims "You're no queen! You're barely even a princess!" This pisses you off, rightfully so, and gives you enough strength to push yourself up to your feet. Breathing heavily, you grit your teeth at the ache in your side, but spit "Get away from me, or I'll have you executed!" It really does nothing except anger him further, and he raises his sword, preparing to impale you as he states "That's enough talk from you," but before he can you're suddenly in the air, and his sword pierces through no more than air, hitting the wall with a metallic screech. Warm arms around your waist hold you up, and you know immediately who's got you and don't fight. Instead you relax as best as you can while still hanging fifteen feet above the ground with the only thing keeping you from tumbling down being Maleficent's arms.

You can feel her warm breath against your face as she murmurs "Assertiveness suits you well, dearest. You should use it more," and before you can even think to respond she's taken you from the castle, exiting through the now empty window frame. She soars through the air, your long hair blowing into from your face and making you laugh breathlessly. "I should probably cut my hair someday!" you exclaim, and Maleficent chuckles but doesn't respond, just flipping in the air and diving back down towards the ground. The earth grows nearer by the second, coming up to swallow you, and you'd be scared if you didn't trust Maleficent so much. And she pulls through, of course, extending her wings just in time for her body to come to a harsh stop only feet away from the cobblestones. It's a rush, and you're left panting when she finally lets you go. After steadying yourself, stumbling a bit from the sudden stop, you spin to face Maleficent and exclaim "That's so cool!" looking at the huge wingspan that now adorns her back, moving slightly in the wind. The fairy laughs quietly, and before she can comment your sister rushes past her and tackles you, muttering "Oh thank god you're alright-!" You hold her tightly, just like the first time only hours prior. "I'm alright. We're all okay."

Your eyes stay on Maleficent over Aurora's shoulder, and she doesn't look away either until finally a large form bursts forth from the castle, dropping a few unlucky soldiers to the ground, killing them instantly of course, before coming towards you three. Just before it can collide with Maleficent, the woman flicks her fingers out and mutters something that turns it back into a human, Diaval tripping and falling on his face at the sudden transformation. The sound breaks Aurora away from you and she rushes to help Diaval to his feet, making sure he's alright. After all, he's done just as much work as the rest of you, if not more. Meanwhile, as your sister worries over Diaval, you creep back to stand in front of Maleficent, who watches you carefully and quietly. You don't hesitate to take her hands in yours, staring up at her for a moment before mumbling "Thanks for the whole, yknow...saving my life and all that." The fairy shrugs, nonchalantly replying "Simply repaying a favor," to which you roll your eyes, biting back a grin in order to playfully ask "You sure it wasn't more than a favor?" standing up on your tiptoes to get closer to the woman's face. It annoys you that she's taller than you, but it amuses Maleficent to no end as a smirk pulls at her lips, still ruby red and so very tempting.

"Why of course. What else might it have been, princess?" the way she purrs the last word has you biting your lower lip and gaze dropping down to her mouth. So in a breathy voice, you whisper "That's queen to you," before pushing forward and connecting your lips again. You can feel Maleficent's breath stutter just slightly before she's pressing back, just as eager. You drop her hands in order to bring yours to her face, pulling her a bit further down so you don't have to stand on your toes, while hers settle around your waist. It's a hesitant movement, fingers ghosting over your hips before she finally gets the courage to rest them against your body gently. As soon as her palms are pressed flat against you, she settles into the hold and pulls you just a tad closer, tipping her head slightly to the side to deepen the kiss. It's been a long time coming and Maleficent plans to take advantage of every second that she can get. In fact she's perfectly content to keep you there for the rest of the night, but an exasperated Aurora finally exclaims "Oh my goodness, get a room you two!" and you pull away from the fairy to laugh, removing your hands from her face and stepping away so you can playfully glare at your sister. Diaval grins mischievously beside her, hands crossed behind his back and shoulders high in pride. It earns him look of his own that the ravenette waves away with no trouble.

"Well. I think I've had about enough of humans for approximately the rest of my life, so if you wouldn't mind I'd like to return home." Maleficent's voice drips with exhaustion, but her tone still holds that playfully clipped edge that it so often would take with you, and you giggle, nodding in agreement. "Yeah. I'd like that," you state, and before you head off you once again take Maleficent's hand. This time she doesn't even startle, and holds back just as tightly.

You stand tall and proud beside your partner and her loyal bird, currently residing as a human at her right hand, as you watch your little sister approach the three of you slowly. She's wearing a lovely dress, something fit for a royal, as are you. With your crown perched delicately upon your head, you'd taken the day off, entrusting your own right hand to watch over the castle for a bit, in order to come see Aurora's own coronation. Yours had taken place weeks ago, nearly a month, and while it was lovely, this...this is something else entirely. As your sister stands in front of Maleficent, eyes darting to you and shining with excitement, you give her a smile before she looks back to her godmother. You all wait for a moment longer before finally tiny voices can be heard approaching the dais, and three familiar fairies fly haphazardly towards you. They appear, two holding an intricate crown made of what look to be golden olive branches. They hand it off to Maleficent, saying "To our sweet Aurora, for whom we have sacrificed the best yea--" Knotgrass is cut off with no more than a look from Maleficent and she quickly shrinks back, mumbling "never mind," as the three fall back.

With a satisfied hum, Maleficent looks back to Aurora, and placing the crown on her head states "Our kingdoms have been unified." Once it's securely around her temples, your little sister turns to face the gathered crowd of Moorfolk before Maleficent declares "You have your queen!" and they erupt into cheers and applause. A grin breaks out on your face, one which you share over your fae's shoulder with Diaval, and you clap with them, nearly bouncing in place from all the excitement. Before you can step away, allow Aurora to soak in the cheers, she grabs your hand and pulls you to her side, exclaiming "My sister, Queen of Cenia!" You grin and awkwardly wave as the cheers become loud once again, creatures jumping about, including the group of fawns who'd accompanied you all those years ago in the clearing. You glance towards Maleficent and Diaval, who smile proudly, until Aurora finally lets you go with one last hug and kiss on her cheek. So you follow after your partner, walking down the path and away from the dais and Aurora's new throne, adorned with cherry blossoms and poppies. Maleficent guides you in front of her before once again returning Diaval to his bird form and picking you up, and with one strong stroke of her wings she rockets into the sky. You squeal before laughing joyfully, beaming as you feel the wind against your skin, reach out to touch the clouds that are cold against your fingers, like cotton candy that's been dissolved into ice water.

The fae doesn't stay in the air for long as she soon drifts down onto a cliff face, Diaval arriving soon after. You remain in her lap as she sits down, legs hanging off the edge with you kept securely in her arms. You watch over your sister, talking with her new subjects, and it brings another smile to your face. "She'll make a wonderful queen, don't you think?" you ask absently, and Maleficent hums in agreement. You finally look away from your sister and raises to the fairy that you sit upon. Her high cheekbones and bright lips, unnaturally pale complexion contrasting against her dark hair and horns. And idea enters your head, and you reach up to remove your own crown before stretching your arm out and slipping it over the woman's horn so it can lay at an angle upon Maleficent's head. She looks down at you finally, eyes sparking with curiosity, but you just smile playfully and matter-of-factly state "You look good in a crown, figured I'd give you the honor of wearing mine." The brunette rolls her eyes and murmurs "Oh yes, such an honor," though it's clearly sarcastic and makes you giggle. "I'm sure," you respond before pulling her down by her neck and into a kiss. Diaval caws in protest beside you, but you just pull back long enough to reply "Go away, Diaval, or stop complaining," before reconnecting your mouth to Maleficent's. Diaval chooses the former and is gone with a flurry of black feathers.

When you finally need to breathe you drop back down into the fairy's lap, grumbling in annoyance when she seems to not be out of breath at all, but speak up to breathlessly state "You know, you never told me why I got cursed instead of Aurora." Maleficent hums, nodding absently. After a long moment she finally mutters "You were touching her when I cast it, yes?" You nod, watching her intently even though she refuses to meet your eyes. "I cannot say for sure, but...I reckon the curse transferred onto you since you're older, and the skin-to-skin contact acted as the medium for the magic to travel through." It makes sense when you think about it, and you're not schooled in magical doings to argue against the claim, so you agree silently, relaxing against your partner's chest and allowing yourself to breathe in her scent, something musky, but fruity at the same time; it's nearly hypnotizing, but you know you can't stay here forever, even as Maleficent's fingers run through your hair, so eventually you mumble "I should get back to the castle. Would you mind sparing some time to take me?" The brunette glances down at you again, leaning back on her hands, and though she's attempting to look stern the little smile that twitches on her lips gives her amusement away.

"Very well," she finally says, and with a bit of a readjustment in her arms, she stands, looking over the edge, bored. You look down as well and the height makes you a bit woozy, but then Maleficent leans forward and free falls towards the ground and you nearly shriek. The fairy laughs maniacally, and you know she did it just to fuck with you so you smack her lightly, looking away and fake-pout. "That was mean, Mal," you mumble, and the woman chuckles and replies "That's just revenge for all of the times you mess with me, darling." Fair enough, you figure, and shrug lazily, moving your head side to side an a so-so motion. "Yeah. I guess that's fair." Silence falls again and you let yourself be drifted into a relaxed state with the wind cold on your skin and Maleficent's arms warm around your body. So relaxed in fact that you don't really realize you've arrived back at the castle until finally you feel a light nip at your throat that wakes you right back up with a soft breath. Maleficent titters under her breath as she puts you down, supporting your body while your legs become accustomed to supporting your weight. When you can stand properly you turn back to face the brunette, your crown still resting around her right horn, glinting and glittering in the sun temptingly and giving her an otherworldly look.

You stare at the woman for a moment, just admiring her very existence, and she watches back, amused but also strangely captivated with the emotions that shine in your own gaze. Amazement, awe, wonder. All things that keep confusing Maleficent every time you look at her. Because every time you look at her, it's loving. It's...fond, even. Affectionate. The fairy blinks a few times and looks away, only looking back when you giggle and grab her hands again, lacing your fingers together and pulling her attention to you again. "You're so pretty, and it's not even fair," you state, smiling sheepishly when Maleficent deadpans, brow cocked up and lips pursed. For what seems like the hundredth time, you have many things to say and yet no idea how to say them nor the time to figure it out, so you settle for a quiet "Would you like to come in with me? Say hello to Elias maybe?" You watch your partner's frown in annoyance as she growls "I have no interest in playing nice with that man, y/n." A grin stretches onto your face as her expression sours, and mumble "Don't be jealous, my love. You know I've no intention of humoring his advances, yes?" Maleficent hums neutrally, not making direct eye contact with you once again. "Well he clearly knows no such thing. Perhaps he needs some...reminders."

You know very well what that tone is hinting at so you drop the fairy's hands and instead gently cup her face, tilting her head to look at you directly as you mumble "Maleficent, no cursing. No magic. I can handle myself. I'm the queen remember?" You chuckle quietly, "Not even Elias is stupid enough to disobey my orders, and if I tell him to get lost he will." "And why haven't you yet?" You sigh heavily at her accusatory tone, knowing she means no harm but gets easily jealous. So, you're quick to reply "I've simply enjoyed stringing him along. But if you wish, I can order him to stop." Your partner nods once, stepping a bit closer and forcing you to look up even further--you should really start wearing those heels again--and casually knocks your hands off her face, wrapping her large wings around the two of you and pulling you roughly against her by your hips. "Good. Because you're mine. Not his, not anyone else's. You understand?" The possessive edge in her voice sends a shock down your spine and you breathe "Of course, Maleficent." The answer is enough for her and the fairy smirks wickedly before stating "Good," and lunging forward, roughly pressing her lips onto yours. The action pulls a surprised moan from your throat but you respond just as fast, used to your partner's various mood swings. Jealousy and possessiveness are her forte, you've known that since the beginning, and the fact that her protectiveness only increased when the two of you made it "official" was no surprise, nor did her demanding kiss and strong grip.

When you finally have to part, breathing heavily, you whisper "Okay, that was...a very good...goodbye present." Maleficent smiles, edged with a proud sort of malice that you don't fear in the slightest. Instead you smile back and, as soon as the huge wings that had caged you against her have receded, step away from Maleficent and prepare to enter the castle. But, before you can, the brunette coyly asks "Are you forgetting something?" You stare at her quizzically for a moment, confused by her sly expression and expectant gaze. And then you realize what she means when her right hand lifts to her head and she taps a long nail on the golden diadem adorning her horn. So you let out a soft "Ohhh," and she grins, rolling her eyes at your temporal idiocy before carefully removing the crown and stepping close enough to carefully place it upon your head, pressing it down gently until it's securely wrapped around your temples. It fits comfortably and is a familiar weight that makes you smile softly in satisfaction. It's been difficult learning so quickly how to rule a kingdom, without any parental guidance of course, but with Maleficent's advice as well as your most trusted advisors, you've managed to get it...mostly in control. As soon as the crown is secure, Maleficent steals another quick kiss that makes you giggle and mumble "Are you sure that wasn't just an excuse to kiss me again?" The fae hums and catches your lips again, not giving you a verbal response.

She thought about Isaiah — about the curve of his smile when it was meant for her, about how easily things had slipped away last summer. She thought about the promise she’d made to herself not to get caught in old patterns. And yet, one accidental glance in a classroom had already unraveled her resolve.

By mid-afternoon, she was running on caffeine and adrenaline. Labs, syllabi, introductions, a quick stop at the campus bookstore to pick up overpriced supplies. The day was a marathon of small obligations, each one dragging her further from the promise she’d made to focus only on herself.

She kept busy, but inside, her mind looped back to that lecture hall. To the way his eyes had found hers. To the way her chest had ached in response.

By the time she climbed the stairs back to her apartment, the sky was streaked with pink and orange, the day finally starting to cool. Her body ached from carrying books and her brain felt stuffed full of schedules and assignments. She wanted nothing more than to collapse.

The apartment, of course, was far from quiet.

Music drifted from the living room, Bailey humming as she unpacked the last of her decorations. Marina sprawled on the rug with a bag of chips, flipping through a fashion magazine. Lia was at the counter with her laptop open, typing furiously, probably on some early assignment.

“Look who survived syllabus day,” Marina said, glancing up with a grin.

“Barely,” Brielle muttered, dropping her bag by the door. She kicked off her sneakers and flopped onto the couch beside Bailey.

Bailey set down her half-empty mug of tea. “Tell us everything. What were your classes like? Any hot professors? Any psychos already trying to be teacher’s pet?”

Brielle laughed, covering her face with her hands. “It was… a lot. My brain is fried.”

Lia glanced up from her screen, her eyes sharp. “Translation: something happened.”

Brielle froze. “What?”

“You’ve got that look,” Lia said, tilting her head. “Like you’re hiding something juicy.”

Bailey gasped dramatically, leaning closer. “Oh my God, did you run into someone?”

Marina tossed a chip into her mouth and smirked. “She definitely did. Spill.”

Brielle sighed, staring up at the ceiling as if it might give her a way out. Her friends weren’t going to let it go. “Fine. I… saw Isaiah today. He’s in one of my classes.”

The room went still for a beat. Then Lia groaned loudly. “Of course he is.”

Bailey’s eyes went wide. “Wait, like Isaiah Isaiah?”

“No,” Marina deadpanned. “A completely different six-two public health major named Isaiah with curly hair and that exact same smirk. Yes, that Isaiah.”

Bailey smacked her with a pillow. “I’m just checking!” She turned back to Brielle, her voice softer now. “How do you feel?”

Brielle pressed her lips together. “I don’t know. Shocked. Annoyed. Tired.” She paused. “He looked right at me. Like… like nothing ever happened.”

Lia rolled her eyes. “Classic. Boys are masters of pretending. He probably thinks acting casual makes him look cool.”

Bailey nudged Brielle gently. “Do you… still like him?”

Brielle groaned, covering her face again. “I don’t know, okay? I promised myself I wasn’t going to do this again. Not with him. Not this year.”

Marina leaned back on her elbows, her voice thoughtful. “Sometimes promises are just ways of convincing yourself you’re in control. Doesn’t mean they stick.”

Brielle dropped her hands to glare at her. “That’s not comforting.”

“Wasn’t supposed to be.” Marina grinned.

Lia shot her a look. “This isn’t a rom-com, Marina.”

“Everything’s a rom-com if you squint hard enough.” Marina winked, then leaned toward Brielle. “But seriously, how did you feel? Like, in your stomach. Be honest.”

Brielle exhaled slowly. “Like someone punched me. But softer. More like… every memory we had together just… hit me at once. And I hated that it still mattered.”

Bailey’s expression softened. “B, that doesn’t make you weak. It just means you cared. He meant something.”

“Exactly,” Lia cut in, her tone sharp. “Which is why you don’t go back down that road. He had his chance, and he let it fall apart. End of story.”

Marina tilted her head, smirking. “Or, plot twist — maybe this is his redemption arc. Maybe senior year is when Isaiah wakes up and realizes Brielle was the main character all along.”

Brielle buried her face in her hands. “Why am I friends with you people?”

“Because we’re fabulous,” Bailey said, grinning.

“Because you’d be boring without us,” Marina added, tossing a pillow at her.

“Because someone has to keep you from making terrible decisions,” Lia finished dryly.

Brielle peeked out from between her fingers, her laugh caught somewhere between fond and exasperated. “You all suck.”

“No, we don’t,” Bailey said, leaning closer until their foreheads almost touched. “We love you. Which is why we’re going to make sure this year is amazing — with or without him.”

“Preferably without,” Lia muttered.

“Possibly with,” Marina countered.

Bailey shot them both a look. “Definitely on Brielle’s terms.”

The girls fell quiet for a beat, the only sound the hum of the fridge and the distant music from another apartment down the hall. Brielle let her shoulders relax, the warmth of their presence easing some of the tension in her chest. They didn’t all agree, but that was the point. They were her anchors — blunt, sunny, ridiculous, each in their own way.

Still, when she finally crawled into bed later that night, their words replayed in her mind. Lia’s warning, Bailey’s comfort, Marina’s teasing. And beneath it all, the sharp image of Isaiah’s eyes finding hers in that crowded lecture hall.

Her friends could joke and analyze all they wanted, but only she knew the truth sitting heavy in her chest.