Loyalty

Early Years

Loyalty

Maleval

AU: Just a few Maleval moments before Aurora’s curse takes place, and then the aftermath of the battle. A lot of fluff, and Maleval will emerge from these moments. They aren’t one shots, there is an actual plot to all of this.

CHAPTER ONE

DIAVAL’S POV:                                                                         

I emerged from struggling with dressing in the clothes my new Mistress had given me. It was confusing, and I doubted that I had done it right. The way my Mistress sneered at me was enough to tell me that.

“How did you manage to screw up a task as simple as that?” She snapped. I looked down at my untied shoes, ashamed that I had already disappointed her. “I’m sorry Mistress, but I do not know how this- “ I raised my arm, showing off the stupid human clothing “- works. I’ve never had to put on clothes before.” I murmured.

Her face softened, and she strode over to me, gently showing me how to tie each of the knots and how to button my shirt, and which holes were for my arms and head. I could barely grip with my fingers, let alone tie a knot, and she promised to help me work the muscles until I could. She showed me a few exercises that would help with the stiffens and pain in my fingers and toes.

“Thank you.” I muttered as she turned to walk away. She turned back to me and sneered again. “I can’t have a useless servant, now can I?” She asked before walking away.

She lead me to a room in the nest she had built in a huge tree on a cliff, and I stumbled to the bed when she had left. I curled up into the warm blankets, thinking of how lost and confused this form made me feel. I had no idea what my future would hold. But, there was also this strange sense of freedom that not even flying could offer me, and this feeling of power over my own life, and not being afraid of anything.

I drifted off with these new feelings, hoping that I could be of better use to my Mistress tomorrow morning.

* * *

I screamed, a harsh cry tearing its way through my throat. I rolled from the stiff mattress and landed on all fours, reaching up to feel tears streaming down my face.

Maleficent burst into my new room, magic curling about her fingers as her eyes roamed around, searching for the threat. When she caught sight of me, she let her magic fade. I could barely see her through my blurred vision.

“What’s wrong? Why are you screaming?” She asked gently as she knelt beside me. I gulped in large breaths of air, trying to get myself under control once more. I had never had a dream, like that before, and it terrified me. I somehow managed to speak.

“Dogs . . . nets . . . that f-filthy human . . . I- I’m s-s-sorry Mistress.” I said, hating the way I stuttered. She knelt beside me, wrapping her arm around my shoulders. She shushed me and had me lay back on the bed.

“P-please. I need to fly.” I begged. Maleficent waved her hand and I took off, flying through the open window to soar above the clouds. Dawn was fast approaching, and the warm colors that lit up the clouds helped calm me after my nightmare. I cawed in euphoria as I felt the wind lift my wings, stroking each feather in careful waves. I understood why Maleficent was hurt as badly as she was when her wings were taken from her, and I believe she never was to blame, despite the whispered snatches of what I knew of the incident.

When I returned, Maleficent was waiting for me, and with a flick of her wrist I was a man again. “Thank you Mistress.” I said. She nodded her head. Her horns glittered in the sunlight, and I found myself to be mesmerized.

“I can’t have you sniveling all day, now can I?” She teased. I smiled, despite how much the words stun. “No Mistress.” I agreed.

* * *

(One year later)

I followed her as she walked through the Moors, giggling as a troll tossed mud at her. She dodged skillfully and laughed when it hit me square in the face. “That’s what you get for laughing at me, silly birdy.” She said. There was a small glint of amusement in her eyes, and I smiled.

I wiped the mud onto my hand, and reared it back to throw. “No, don’t you dare!” She said, holding out her staff. I laughed as I tossed it and she shrieked playfully as it grazed her cheek. I doubled over in laughter before I was absolutely drenched in mud, spitting it out of my mouth.

“I said, don’t laugh at me silly birdy.” She teased. I smiled as she shoved me into the river, washing me clean in the process. It was a bright summer day in the Moors, so I didn’t mind the warm water. We would often do things like this as we walked, and it had started when she had caught me playing with the trolls in a mud fight only a month or so after I pledged myself to her. She had quickly joined in, and I had learned a new side of her that day, her playful side. I always tried to bring it out of her nowadays.

I came up gasping and she laughed. I reached out and dragged her down with me. She shrieked again as I did so, and I had to lunge to grab her staff before it was washed away when she dropped it out of surprise.

“DIAVAL! How could you?” She laughed as she came up for air. I splashed her with all my might and she was sent tumbling again. Her vengeful glare locked on me and I cringed as a small tsunami came at me. I was tossed across the small pool of water that formed near the tree we slept in. I heard her cackling and glared.

“I blame you for all of this.” I said. She smiled and grabbed her staff, which I was still holding, and pulled herself closer to me. I sucked in a sharp breath as I froze to keep from violating her no touching rule. We were close enough that I could feel her breathing on my neck as she whispered in my ear. “I blame the silly birdy.”

She pushed herself away, taking her staff to shore, before swimming back, her dress morphed into a one piece swim outfit. I gasped as my pants turned into shorts and she laughed again. We spent the afternoon playing in the water, dodging mud and waves from the other.

We were both drenched and laughing as we returned home that night. She quickly dried us and I lay on the floor beneath her armchair in front of the fire, her bare feet resting comfortably on my stomach. Nights like these were one of the seldom few times we would ever touch, and I listened carefully to the math problem she was presenting me with.

“42.” I answered. She nodded and fell silent. Apparently my nightly lesson was over. I was quickly advancing in my studies, and I could read without help now. She always joked about how her spy was a genius raven, but I was only at the level of most teenagers. She assured me that I was learning quicker than most, but at times I still felt stupid when I couldn’t provide her with information on documents the King was working on.

I pulled off my shoe and began trying again to tie it. Knots were the one thing I was still struggling with, and I had yet to tie my shoes without help. Maleficent said it would take time, but I was often frustrated with how my fingers refused to cooperate. I let my mind drift to the fun we had had earlier, and I jumped when I realized what I had done.

“Mistress! I did it! Look, I finally tied it right!” I shouted, sitting up to proudly present Maleficent with my tied shoe. She smiled down at me and took the shoe from me, inspecting the knot. “Good job Diaval! How did you do it?” She asked happily. I frowned at her words. “I don’t know. I was thinking about today, and my hands just took over.” I said. She smiled.

“Now I don’t have to help you tie your shoes in the morning.” She said. I nodded happily and we both headed to bed.

AN: Thank you, if you are reading this. As you can see, it’s just a bunch of moments between Mal and Diaval, but there will be a plot line that will emerge. Please leave a review, it helps me remember to write, which in turn helps me update faster. (Hint hint)