𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐚 || maleficent

| 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐨 |

Elenya tried for a whole week. She attempted to subtly change the King's plan, to stop him from going near the Moors. She wasn't successful.

Her armor-clad body jostles atop her horse as King Henry's army trudges towards the Moors. She's on the front lines, situated directly beside the bearded man. 

Her nerves grow more each second. She has a rough outline of what this battle is going to cause. Maleficent will do everything in her power to defend her home, so men will be killed. Elenya knows that she won't be able to hurt her, so the chances of this being her last battle are vast. 

Sooner than Elenya would've liked, the army arrives at the border of the Moors. Everyone halts, awaiting the King's command. Eagerly, the King turns his horse to face his knights.

"There they are! The mysterious Moors where no one dares to venture for fear of the magical creatures that lurk within. Well, I say crush them!"

Everyone -- excluding a certain knight -- shouts in agreement, raising their weapons. Elenya focuses on her horse, knowing that the Queen will be arriving any minute now. 

As if on cue, the familiar fluttering of wings drags everyone's attention to her mystical form. She gracefully lands on a protruding rock, reminding Elenya of the day she first met her. 

"Maleficent." She loses her breath, having spoken her name for the first time in years. She attempts to hide her face, not wanting her to think she agrees with this. 

Unfortunately, she scans the dangerous crowd of knights, her viridescent eyes landing firmly on Elenya. The blonde watches, entranced, as the faery's lips form her name. She looks very different from the last time he saw her. She looks... absolutely stunning. 

She's grown taller, her wings have grown larger, and her body is much more mature than it was when she was sixteen. But, her eyes are still the same. Her eyes still hold the same curiosity, innocence, and care. Except, betrayal seems to be a newly found emotion that tramples everything else. 

Maleficent stands powerfully, glaring at each knight, and keeping her eyes on the King. "Go no further!"

"A King does not take orders from a winged elf!"

"You are no King to me!"

A few moments pass, before the King orders, "Bring me her head." 

Elenya hears the unsheathing of swords and clangs of shields. She doesn't make a move for her weapons. 

"Knight Elenya, shoot her." 

She stays still. 

"She is not a moving target. Shoot her." 

She doesn't take her eyes off the winged fae as Maleficent stares right back, intrigued by her disobedience. "Shoot her, woman! That's an order!" Elenya grabs her crossbow and loads an arrow into it.

"Now, Elenya! Or I'll have your head as well!"

Elenya furrows her brow when she notices Maleficent bristle at King Henry's statement. She turns to look at the King, her eyes pleading. "Your Royal Highness, sir, I guarantee you that she means no-" 

Abruptly, the King unsheathes his sword and points it at the hesitant woman's throat. 

"Dismount your horse."

Elenya obeys his command. "Shoot her, or your head will be mounted on my wall." Elenya contemplates her situation. She's definitely not shooting Maleficent. She can either allow herself to be beheaded, or she can run away. She's not a coward. She's not her brother.

She tosses her crossbow to the ground. She focuses her silvery eyes on Maleficent for a moment, taking in her beauty. When she feels the blade leave her throat, she smiles, albeit mournfully. She expects to feel immense pain in her neck. 

Instead, she feels a sharp slice on her cheek, accompanied by the rushing of wind. Suddenly, she's falling through the air. Luckily, a commandeered branch catches her, carefully rolling her onto the mossy ground. 

She surveys around her, catching sight of Maleficent's skin as it heals from her clutching her iron armor. 

"Arise and stand with me!" Maleficent turns around, sending the downed woman a grateful and cautious look.  

Elenya feels the ground shake. She watches as dozens of large brute defenders emerge from the ground, along with many other mystical soldiers. She stands, finalizing her decision of whose side she's chosen. She unsheathes her sword as she joins Maleficent on the front lines. 

The shorter fae turns to Elenya, a look in her eye that the blonde cannot decipher. Hoping to convey her devotion to Maleficent, she removes her iron gauntlets and places her hand on her shoulder, squeezing once before moving into her defensive position.

Elenya doesn't notice as Maleficent's eyes widen and breath hitches, finally realizing the reason behind Elenya's absence.

As soon as the King's army charges, Maleficent's does as well. 

Rather quickly, Maleficent's army of dark defenders easily kill the knights. Elenya runs forward, making many of her ex-comrades unconscious. She sees Maleficent flying through the air, sweeping through crowds of men and disarming them. 

Elenya gets whacked in the back by a shield, causing her to turn around and dodge an incoming sword attack. She blocks the sword with her own, trying but failing to disarm the knight.

"You are an enemy of the kingdom!", she hears the knight grunt, his sword slicing dangerously close to her face as he manages to unravel her chest piece, exposing her already-weakened chain mail. "I'm trying to protect the innocent creatures within the Moors!"

"You're a traitor! A viper!"

The man swipes her leg, successfully tripping her. Before he can bring his sword down, Elenya swiftly dodges and impales her sword through his neck. She gasps as the man chokes on his blood.

The woman removes her sword, dropping the motionless corpse onto the bloody grass. She glances around, surveying the area. Most of the army is retreating, but Elenya notices one man holding her personalized crossbow, which is loaded with an iron arrow, and aiming it at the distracted fae. 

"Maleficent!", she shouts as she sprints full-speed to the woman. 

Maleficent brings her gaze to Elenya just in time to see her jump in front of her, taking an arrow to her lower torso. She reaches down to help the injured woman, but the burning of iron on her back thwarts her attempt.

She turns to see a small group of knights with iron weapons and chains. They continue lashing them at her, causing her to back away as she hisses in pain. 

"Maleficent, go!" Elenya yells. The fae looks at her and shakes her head, trying to block the men's attacks with her wings, but they continue lashing at her torso, leaving angry red burns. 

"You'll die if they capture you! I won't let that happen!", Maleficent shouts to the downed woman. 

"Please, Maleficent. I need you to live!"

The brunette looks at the pleading blonde with tears in her green eyes, believing it was going to be her last time seeing her. She sniffles, defeated, as she flutters her wings and shoots into the sky. 

Elenya watches as she leaves, a bittersweet smile on her face blood-stained face. The knights from before begin to surround her, their hatred pouring off them in waves.