Maleficent & Diaval: A happily ever after?

Chapter 5

Three months later...

"Diaval, my pretty raven, it's morning." Maleficent stroked his mob of black hair that was messier than ever, and Diaval opened one single onyx eye, before he closed it and cheekily tilted his cheek towards her for a kiss. Pecking his cheek, Maleficent laughed as he finally got up, and she did another finger twist as his hair magically settled down neatly as a small wind blew.

"Is Beastie coming today?" Diaval asked, eyeing the formal long black dress that Maleficent had chosen, and Maleficent laughed even harder at his confusion, "No, you silly, she invited us over to breakfast, remember?" "Oh right! Dear me!" Diaval jolted up, scrambling to reach for the shirt he had set out to where on the formal breakfast.

"How do you even wear this thing?!" Diaval panicked, the high cut collar that was supposed to be straightened crooked and bent instead, and Maleficent laughed, waving her finger to do away with the stiff collar, lowering the collar to his usual black suit without the unusually high collar cut.

"Come on, we're going to be late." Maleficent teased, waiting for him, and the two of them quickly descended towards the vine bridge that linked the Moors and Ulstead together over the rushing river. 

"It's Maleficent!" The villagers began whispering again, and Maleficent's smile began to fade when she realised that many of them were now smiling and bowing in greeting instead of the fire torches and pitchforks they had held out to keep their distance from her. Smiling in relief, she waved to quite a few of the little children running around, who smiled and stared at her huge black wings.

"Maleficent and Diaval, protectors of the Moors. This way please." A guard directed, and instead of the gloomy shields along the walkway this time, portraits of beautiful Moors flowers replaced each one of them, and tiny candles were lit to brighten up the place.

The dining hall was brighter now, with the chandelier lit up fully and the windows open, the sunlight filtering in. Gone was the throne for Queen Ingrith. In its replacement was just another golden chair, and Maleficent smiled at Aurora, who came hurtling towards her mother as though they hadn't met for years.

"Godmother!" Aurora exclaimed happily, running into Maleficent's arms, and Maleficent hugged the over excited teenager, smiling gladly too. "Phillip." Maleficent acknowledged, nodding her head, and Phillip bowed, acknowledging his mother-in-law.

"Please sit! Feel free to try anything!" Phillip escorted them down to their seats, and the simple lid was covered over their metal plates. "Nice cutlery, Beastie." Maleficent smiled, picking up the beautifully sculpted steel instead of the menacing iron, and Aurora winked in return.

"Don't tell me this is bird again." Diaval's hands shook, unable to lift the lid, and Aurora put on an innocent look, "Oh dear! I don't remember telling the chef to stop serving bird meat! In fact, it seems that it's herb-stuffed bird with-" Before she could finish, Diaval's face was already pale white and ghostly, and Maleficent laughed harder than before.

"Beastie, stop fooling with him! You obviously stopped the kitchen from serving meals with bird in them!" Maleficent wiped away the excess tears from laughing, and Aurora's smile was so wide that Diaval feared that her lips were pulled too wide to be able to resume normal shape. "It's honey cake, with a light drizzle of the amazing maple syrup." Aurora finally lifted the lid, and colour flooded back into Diaval's face.

As they slowly dug in, eating the delicacy that the kitchen had prepared, the atmosphere was light as they chatted, but Maleficent could tell from the way Aurora was shifting, unable to sit still with her eyes darting around, that something was amidst, and she had something important to tell Maleficent.

"Come to think of it, Beastie, why did you invite us for breakfast today?" Maleficent picked up the hand towel, dabbling at her mouth to remove the sticky maple syrup, and Aurora could no longer keep still. "Godmother." Aurora shyly lowered one hand from the table, before resting it on where her stomach was, "I'd like to invite you and Diaval to the christening in six months' time."

Blinking, Maleficent shook her head, as though she heard Aurora wrongly, but Aurora only smiled and added on another phrase, "You're going to be a faerie god-grandmother soon."

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