Maleficent POV

As I finally got a hold of these unforeseen emotions of mine I went out looking for Diaval.

Finding his sloppy and muddy footprints were as easy at spotting a firefly at its brightest glow.

"Mistress?" Diaval spoke as I offered my hand to him, pulling him up above the water and onto land.

I honestly wasn't going to ask why he just decided to act like a mad man and take a swim in the rain.

So instead I spoke with few words. No questions.

"You fool." I spoke trying to hide my slight amusement with sternness.

"Are you desiring to get as sick as a dog? You should take shelter before you get yourself sick Diaval." I scolded him as he gave me a playful half smile.

In turn I gave him a small scowl of annoyance.

It was as if for just a moment, that between both of us...we were having some sort of playful banter.

But being the wiser, I knew it was best for the both of us to keep cordial despite some type of affection for him arising from me.

I had to let it go because I couldn't love another.

Not when my wounds were so fresh, not when I've been so foolish to have given my heart and soul to a man who could have cared less.

A man who only wanted what he sought to be of value...and that wasn't me.

It would never be me.

It never could be me.

And I didn't want to be second or even the last choice to someone I was to give my heart to again.

I couldn't do it.

I wouldn't.

I deserved more than just the bare minimum of an 'I love you'.

I loved Stefan too much that it tore at my very heart and soul...even now.

I still wasn't over him that I knew.

Even after this time...how could I truly look at another the same as I did Stefan.

The pain of loving another...was truly a scar I'd have with me for maybe the rest of my life.

Just as I was about to get buried in my ever darkening thoughts Diaval called to me.

"Mistress? Aren't you going to get out of the rain as well?"

I hadn't noticed that we had already walked quite a distance.

I was so buried in thought that I didn't even notice that we were home already.

The entrance was made up of a small cave glittered with bioluminescent stone the color of minted flower, which eventfully led to an area of trees that over laid the land I called home.

As soon as Diaval and I entered my home we went our separate ways to dry and retire for the night.

———

Later on during the night I dreamt a dream I wish I hadn't because when I awoke I wanted to find Diaval.

But I was absolutely not doing such a thing.

So I decided to wash my face by a near by stream as if to wash away my thoughts.

As if on cue Diaval appeared to do the same.

My face blushed as the memory of my dream started.

His warm hand had crossed over from his side to my face.

His dark brown eyes as soft as the earth itself.

His black raven hair was soft to the touch as my fingers combed through his hair.

My heart sped up and maybe even skipped a beat as he drew closer to me.

His very breath heating the skin of my ear.

And he whispered words I couldn't understand in my dream.

But I most likely figured it could have been an 'I adore you'.

Or something to that extent.

And as my dream started to take effect to my face, causing it to be as red as the sunset I stuck my face in the water.

When I came back up for air Diaval could only stare at me in bafflement.

"Uhmm. You alright?"

"Mind your business."

"Yes, of course. My apologies."

And at that I felt embarrassment rise in the pit of my stomach.

A fool I was being.

I fool I said I wouldn't be.

I hate dreams.

As real as they feel...they are never truly real.

So I must release such vulgar thoughts and focus on what's real.

And my reality was being a queen now.

Being what Stefan will come to fear soon enough.

He caused me pain and as what he has sown in me he will reap just the same.

Stealing my wings will not take my freedom from me, but make me that much more powerful in comparison to before.

And just then a scream was heard throughout the Moors.

Without a second thought I turned Diaval into a horse with black feathered wings as he took me to where the commotion had started.

Where the crime of a human had been committed.

A solider of the royal coward no less.

———

Once Diaval and I landed I turned him back into a man as I confronted the iron-covered human.

"You have taken from us and-" I spoke to the human sternly as I saw the gems in his hands.

And when I saw blood flow down stream from where he stood...I knew he had committed a greater crime.

And at that...my eyes became wide with rage.

With the force of my whirling magic I took no hesitation into knocking him down off his feet.

"How dare you! How dare you kill a fairy! You-"

"Wait!" Diaval intervened just before I could strike the human again.

"Now's not the time!"

"Wait." He spoke softer as I faltered a bit.

But my mind wouldn't be easily swayed by a mere bird who took the form of a man....that so happened to take part in a dream I have yet to erase from the back of my mind.

"Get out of my way."

I glared at him as if to challenge him.

"He didn't kill a fairy, it's still alive. See?"

He walked over the human and bent over in a simple motion.

After picking something up from behind a rock he then showed me his temporary possession.

A small blue fairy of the lake.

He handed her to me as I healed her with glowing gold magic escaping from my hands.

She was as small as a coat button.

Small.

How nice it might've been to be so small that you could live like without much attention...

Unlike me with my horns of unusual shape and a back with torn wings I dare not show a soul to.

"Small fairy, you are free to go somewhere safe from here now."

For the first time since I had become 'queen' I only ever got cowering and frowning from the fairies.

That was until now.

The small blue fairy with small black ink eyes looked at me kindly.

"Thank you Maleficent."

I guess not every fairy saw me as a queen.

I didn't know whether to take that as a good sign of a sour one.

———

Once the human awoke I sent him on his way never to return to the Moors again or he'd face my wrath without mercy.