One Strange Family

The Man in the Cloak

Dakota woke up to cawing crows outside in a balcony. She noticed she was in Aurora's castle by the way the room was decorated. It seemed darker though, like if it just went through a battle. She got up from the bed and started to walk out the room. "Mom!" Dakota yelled. "Mom!" she yelled again. She walked through the halls of the castle, it seemed abandoned. Everything was destroyed, the floor was cracked everywhere she stepped. The walls were burned and bricks were out of place, the chairs to the throne were destroyed, and the lantern that was supposed to be hanging on the ceiling of the ball room was now on the floor cut in half. Dakota kept walking, trying to find a scent or sound but nothing came. "Mom!" she yelled again. "Dad...Arietta!" she kept calling for her family but no one answered. Dakota walked to the stables where she saw dead bodies scattered around. Dakota covered her nose so she wouldn't smell the raw flesh and blood. She started walking through the stables, bieng careful not to step on the bodies. She looked around until her nose caught a familiar scent she couldn't avoid, it smelled like forest mixed with something else she couldn't identify. The scent was Maleficent's. She started to walk following the scent. She kept following it until she stopped a few feet away from a body. But this was no ordinary body for it had wings and horns. "MOM!" she yelled and ran to her, falling on her knees beside Maleficent. "Mom." she said shakily. Dakota put her hand on Maleficent's shoulder and turned her body so that her back was touching the ground. She gasped when she saw claw marks all over her body. There was one that deepley cut into her chest. Dakota stood up and backed away from Maleficent, trying to control her breathing. She looked away from Maleficent and saw Diaval, Arietta, Aurora, and Philip scattered around the ground. Tears started to well up in her eyes. She looked down and was horrified when she saw blood all over her clothes and hands. "No." she whispered. She was about to scream when out of nowhere she heard a maniacal laugh, she truned around to see a dark figure standing a few feet away from her. He had a cloak on but she could see his face. He had a scar going from the top left of his head to the bottom right of his chin, and he was blind in his left eye. She couldn't identify his face for she never saw this man before. "Poor Dakota, whatever will she do now." he said. "Why do you put everyone you love in danger?" he finished with a grin. Dakota took a step forward when she started to have flashbacks of her and another girl holding hands and playing in the field. "Ahhh!" she yelled. "What is this?" she asked in pain. "Oh! Someone doesn't remember." he said in a sing song voice. Then he started to laugh maniacally again. Dakota gasped out of her sleep terrified at what she just experienced. She flinched when a hand touched her left shoulder. "Are you alright?" asked a curious Maleficent. "Mom!" Dakota said, relief in her voice. She gave Maleficent a lingering hug, tears starting to form in her eyes. "What's wrong my child?" Maleficent asked. "I-I, I couldn't..." Dakota tried to say what she saw but she didn't want Maleficent to worry. 'She has enough to worry about' Dakota thought. She sighed, "Don't worry about it, I'll be fine." she said with a smile. Maleficent smiled back and gave her a hug. "You must be hungry." she said. "How long was I out? Is Arietta ok?" Dakota asked worriedly at the last question. "A few hours and yes she's ok, she's worried about you though." Maleficent said with a smile. Dakota let out a sigh of relief. "Well I guess I should go see everyone now." Dakota said. "No! You need to rest." Maleficent quickly answered. "I'll tell them to come up, you lay down and rest." she said getting up and walking to the door. "And be careful with your leg." she added. Then she left the room and went down to the castle's dining room. Dakota looked down at her leg. "Oh come on!" she complained. 'How did I not feel that?' she thought. "Godmother! Is she alright?" Aurora asked. "Yes, she's woken up." Maleficent said smiling. "My love, does she need anything?" Diaval asked getting off from the chair he was sitting on, taking Maleficent's hands in his. Aurora smiled at the little gesture. "Yes, maybe some water and meat." Maleficent answered. "I'll get it for her!" Arietta said excitedly, running towards the kitchen. "I'll make sure she doesn't make a mess." Aurora said. Maleficent and Diaval chuckled looking at Aurora go after Arietta. Diaval turned to Maleficent, "What's wrong Mal?" He said caressing her cheek. Maleficent smiled at the use of her nickname. She sighed closing her eyes. "She had a nightmare." she said. "Did she tell you what it was about?" Diaval asked. "No, I don't think she wants us to know." she said turning away from him. Diaval hugged her from behind, mindful of her wings. "Everything's gonna be okay Mal, I promise." "Don't say a promise you can't keep Diaval." Maleficent said leaning her head back to look at him. Diaval chuckled and kissed her head. He let go of her and turned her around. "I love you." he said. "I know." Maleficent said. Diaval caressed her cheek and gave her a quick kiss. Maleficent smiled and hugged him, nuzzling into his neck. "Am I interrupting?" Philip asked. Maleficent raised her head to look at him and sighed. Diaval chuckled, he knew she hated bieng interrupted when they were together. "I'm sorry, Aurora sent me to tell you that they headed to Dakota's room." "Thank you Philip." Diaval answered. Philip bowed and headed upstairs to join the girls. "Remind me again why I support him bieng here." Maleficent said. Diaval chuckled and answered, "Because Aurora loves him." He grabbed her hand and up they went to Dakota's room. Soon they were all in Dakota's room trying to figure out why they were attacked. "Who would do such thing?" Aurora asked. "I don't know, but their not going anywhere near my famil." Maleficent said. "Mom...my leg hurts." Dakota said. Maleficent walked to Dakota's bedside, putting her hand above her ankle. Dakota hissed. "Sorry," Maleficent said. "Ow! Mom!" yelled Dakota. "I'm sorry, but that's not me." said Maleficent. "Maybe the bone is still broken." Aurora said. "No she's already healed." Maleficent said. "I can't breathe." Dakota said. Her chest started to heave up and down fast. "Mommy what's wrong with her?" asked a frightened Arietta. "I don't know sweetheart." Maleficent answered. "Dakota, breathe, tell me how it feels." she said. "It feels l-like something is biting me. It stings!" Dakota said trying to hold the pain. "Poison," Maleficent whispered. "Aurora! Bring your best doctor." she said. "Of course." Aurora said running out the room. "Can't your magic fix it?" Philip asked curiously. "No, I wouldn't be calling a doctor if my magic could cure this type of poison! This isn't no ordinary poison, so don't question me." Maleficent yelled. "Sorry, I was just wondering." Philip said. "Stop fighting," Arietta said. "It's not going to help Dakota feel better." she finished. Maleficent sighed, "She's right, arguing won't help anyone." "I've got the doctor!" Aurora said running through the door. The doctor came in with a big bag full of medicines and other things Maleficent couldn't identify. He had short white hair and blue eyes. Diaval brought a chair next to the bed for the doctor. He put his bag on the chair saying, "Alright, I need you to try and breathe slowly." Dakota tried breathe in and out slowly but ended up yelling from pain. "Calm down, you're alright." The doctor said. Maleficent watched the doctor's every move like a hawk watches it's prey. "What's the problem?" he asked. "She's poisoned, and I don't mean no ordinary poison or you wouldn't be here." Maleficent answered. "Well then I'll have to give her a special flower. This flower looks like a water lily but grows on land and glows. It can be found on a specific mountain on it's highest peak. You'll have to fly out and get it but let me warn you before you-" before he could finish Maleficent flew through the balcony doors. "Mal!" Diaval yelled. "Is there anything else we should know?" he asked. "Yes, beware of the mountain, there are strange creatures and the flower will be guarded by a strong creature." "Trust me, it's nothing like you've ever seen before." he finished. Diaval nodded and walked towards the balcony. "Aurora, watch Arietta for us." Aurora nodded before grabbing Arietta's hand. Diaval shifted into a raven and flew after Maleficent.