Purity in the Stars *Maleficent: Mistress of Evil- Udo Love Story*

Chapter One: Red Skies

Few wake up in the morning and consider that at any given point in the day, a catastrophe could occur.
It's the human condition; build a few walls, cultivate enough plants, rely on those in power to handle all of the gritty details, and you grow accustomed to a certain standard of living. A standard of safety, of routine, of normalcy. You forget that, at the end of the day, no place is ever truly safe from danger.
Such was a day like that in Ulstead.
The day of a royal wedding; the wedding of Prince Phillip and Princess Aurora.
The cobblestone streets were alive with the echoing music of pipers and chimes, colorful streamers and kites soared high in the sky and an air of pure excitement danced through the kingdom. Children giggled as hey chased one another up the streets, girls had preoccupied themselves with weaving flowers into their hair and gushing over what color dress Aurora might have chosen and the boys in awe as they wondered if Phillip might spare them a moment of sword play. Everyone was dressed in the finest clothes a peasant might own, the anticipation of the upcoming ceremony surmounting into a melody of excited chatter and gossip.
Gossip that a certain girl, perhaps our protagonist, found herself rolling her eyes at as she weaved through the sea of, in her own thoughts, "annoying people".
"Did you hear? Prince Phillip and Princess Aurora are to be wed today!"
"If Aurora is getting married... do you think there's a chance Maleficent might show up? Maybe it'd be best not to attend..."
"I heard that King John fell under her curse, how could such a being raise a fine woman like Aurora?"
"Isn't that girl queen of the Moors? Does Queen Ingrith really expect us to welcome those Moor monster folk into Ulstead?!"
This comment made the girl involuntarily roll her eyes. She mumbled something like a harsh critique under her breath, before continuing to slink her away through the compact crowd of Ulstead citizens. While it was indeed a day of celebration and mirth, she found herself excited for other reasons.
"Get back! All of you! Unless you want your hand bitten off by one of the woodland giants, step behind the guards!" One of the head guards bellowed through that blasted speaker of his, and the cloaked figure winced as it sounded quite close to her ear. Cupping the abused side of her head, she moved with quick dexterity to the very front of the massive crowd, her eyes lighting up as the raging river of Ulstead finally came into few.
"Oh!" She exclaimed in pure wonder, quickly drawing the hood of her cloak away from her shadowed face to no longer obscure her view. As the hood of her royal blue cloak fell, waves of fine oxblood hair shone brilliantly in the sunlight; hues of purple and scarlet blazing like a fire under the sunlight. It fluttered down until it rested at her hips, holding itself in soft and loose curls. Her dark eyes that shone like pools of golden honey in the sun were glimmering with mirth, squinting up into crescents as her face crinkled into a smile. Her rosy lips gave the illusion of a heart with their pronounced cupid's bow and plump bottom, and her high cheekbones gave her face the perfect amount of sharpness and roundness. Freckles lightly danced on the bridge of her small nose and peach cheeks, and her hair framed her face in a way that gave her a charming and feminine doll-like essence.
While she was oblivious to it, the moment her hood came down, a few stray eyes had wandered to her. As she retrieved a sketch pad that was tucked away behind her royal blues, a lone shadow slowly creeped up behind her. A hand touched her shoulder, and she couldn't help the small jump that shook her body.
"Well, well, how insolent of me. I've lived in Ulstead all my life, and yet I seem to have failed to notice someone with a beauty as unique as your own." He was a young man, probably just a few years older than herself. She had to admit, he was quite the charming fellow; the kind of man every woman knew to stay away from. Wavy blonde locks framed a chiseled face, emerald green eyes held a smoldering confidence as he smiled down at her. His entire aura practically screamed womanizer, and if the women fawning behind her was anything to go on, she came to the conclusion that she wasn't his first conquest.
"...." She studied the man intently, brown irises flickering. "... I'm rather new to Ulstead. I've only been here for a handful of years." She answered quietly, tearing her gaze away from the man to busy herself with sharpening her tiny bits of charcoal.
"Ah, yes, of course. I do suppose you have a bit of an exotic charm to you."
She felt herself visibly cringe.
To the man's surprise, the girl plopped down on the cobblestone beneath her, legs crossing under the simple cotton dress she wore and her blue cloak fluttering around her, like brilliant sapphire butterfly wings. She lay her sketchbook in her lap, and set her newly sharpened charcoal just to the side of her. Some of the surrounding townsfolk looked down at her in surprise, and slight disgust. However, she had already busied herself with writing away onto her awaiting paper and chose to mute the murmurs that resonated from all sides.
"Oh, you're so silly my dear!" The man's voice chuckled from above her. She sighed quietly as he plopped down onto the ground with her, clearing trying to hide his distress as his tailcoat and trousers touched the dirt beneath him. "The ground is no place for a lady like yourself, why on earth would you dirty yourself like this?" He tried to hide his impending judgement with a fake grin, and she shrugged.
"Doesn't bother me." Came her short reply. "Easier to draw this way."
The man let out an awkward laugh, unsure of how to respond. As her hands moved expertly across the parchment on her lap, he decided to try a different tactic. "My apologies, I seem to have forgotten to introduce myself." Clearing his throat, a lanky hand came into her field of vision, obscuring her process. Her thick lashes blinked, hoping that he would realize he was becoming a great thorn in her side.
"I am James Garnier. My father is a rather prominent merchant from around these parts, owns his own textiles company. We get invited to dine with King John and Queen Ingrith quite regularly."
Well, perhaps she was asking for too much.
Her large, almond shaped eyes finally looked back up at him. He smiled coyly at her, and she quietly lifted up one of her bony hands to loosely shake his.
"Yuna." She introduced herself, already turning back to her sketchbook.
"Ah, what a beautiful name. You simply must tell me-"
The blaring of the guards horns cut him off sharply, and Yuna found herself thanking every higher power she could think of.
"Back! All of you back! The Moorfolk are crossing the river!" One of the head guards yelled out over the sea of blabbering townsfolk, the guards stationed in front of them readying their spears and shields.
Yuna's head perked up, and from where she sat on the ground in front of the massive crowd, she could perfectly see past the guard's legs and towards the roaring river before her. Her eyes lit up, and her heartbeat quickened as she witnessed something of true magic. Gradually, a bridge of twisted roots and dancing flowers reached across the currents of Ulstead's grand river, intricately weaving together like a tapestry. Slowly but surely, Moorfolk of all kinds strode across the bridge proudly; the Elder Trees stalked with each massive step they took, branches stretching out and shelter the smaller faeries that clung to them. Water faeries, wood faeries, earth faeries, fire faeries, and flora faeries danced around the party like they were in their own little game of tag. Wood and water sprites also followed in their suit. The Mug Bogglers and Ground Serpents weaved over the bridge with ease, heads held proudly as they were led by none other than three very distinct faeries, their individual colors of pink, blue and green shining brilliantly in the sunlight.
Yuna's eyes widened as their approaching forms drew closer, and she scribbled frantically into her sketchbook. She knew she only had so much time before they all passed her and she could no longer see them, and she silently said her thanks at the fact she was able to arrive so early. She wanted to get at least one, loose skeletal sketch of each Moorfolk, or at least write down notes on their appearances so she could draw them at a later date. Her hand rapidly altered between charcoals, eyes fluttering back and for from the approaching Moorfolk and back down to her sketches that were slowly coming to life. Around her, she's heard cries of horror, disgust, and anger as the Moorfolk made their touchdown onto the stone rocks of Ulstead. Angry cries of people demanding they return back to their "cursed woods", and children crying out for their mothers to protect them from the "monsters".
"Back! All of you back, and enough with that shouting! It is by Queen Ingrid's orders that the Moorfolk attend Prince Phillip's wedding!" The guards bellowed over the increasing hysteria.
Yuna felt her breath catch in her throat as the Moorfolk drew closer, she couldn't believe she was so close to them... couldn't believe that she was able to see them in real life. The sketches she had seen in storybooks and academic reads did not do the creatures justice.
Yuna was enraptured.
The cries around her seemed to fade into white noise as she caught her first up close glimpses of the faeries and giants, and she gently placed her charcoal down. She wanted to remember this moment for the rest of her life, ingrain it to her memory. The regality surrounding the creatures was breathtaking, and Yuna muttered an involuntary "beautiful" as they strode past her. Colors of every hue were so vibrant, the sounds of beating wings was so crisp, and the baby pink flowers and petals that danced past Yuna gently blew her oxblood locks in a calmly breeze. Yuna felt like she could cry, her eyes glistening over as the sheer magnificence of what she was witnessing overwhelmed her.
The girl heard a slight whistle in her ear, and as she turned her head she was met with a delicate little daffodil fluttering along in the excitement of the Moorfolk's arrival. As she squinted her eyes at the little flower, she gasped as she realized it was no ordinary puff; it was faerie. It wore it's puffy seeds like a skirt, and its leaves stretched out to form hands and feet. A cute little head poked out; clearly feminine. It studied Yuna, and Yuna studied it right back. Time seemed to momentarily freeze, and Yuna felt her cheeks flush as the little faerie giggled, flying right up to her face.
"Hello, little one." She whispered, gently lifting a finger to catch the flower. It rested on her bent knuckle contently, and it's small face smiled up at Yuna. A warm smile spread across Yuna's lips, and she let out a laugh as the faerie stood upon her finger, twirling around as if it were dancing for her.
"Talented little thing, aren't you?" She mused, her smile never faltering. The faerie seemed to become shy under her praise, it's green root body swaying on its heels with a peachy little blush. Yuna giggled, before gently lifting her finger high into the air and helping the little creature catch wind.
"Off you go now. Don't want you to get left behind." Her smile held something like a masked sadness behind her pearly whites. She waved her finger in goodbye as the little dandelion caught onto a flying petal, a tiny squeal resounding from it like it was saying, "thank you!"
Yuna smiled as it fluttered away, along with the rest of the Moorfolk. She felt a wistful contentment flood through her, and the smile stayed on her face as she glanced back down at her sketch book. At least 3 pages full of miniature sketches and notes. She nodded to herself in satisfaction. As the Moorfolk continued their trek through the decorated town and towards Ulstead's castle, Yuna delicately closed the sketchbook and collected her stray pieces of charcoal. She made an attempt to rise to her feet, only to see a hand quickly shoot in front of her face.
"Allow me."
Her eyes wandered up to where the sickeningly sweet smile of (what was his name? Jack? Jordan? Justin? Oh for the life of her Yuna could not recall.) the man awaited her. She sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that day, and reluctantly accepted his hand. As she dust off her soft clothing, she could see James shake his head in disapproval and cross his arms over his tweed coat.
"I can't believe that little insect thought it was alright to touch you like that. Are you hurt? Did it put some kind of a hex on you?" The man sighed out in pity, and he offered that girl a silk handkerchief he'd retrieved from his breast pocket. Yuna eyed the white fabric with a quirked eyebrow, softly but firmly pushing it away from her.
"It's wasn't an insect. It's a faerie. A flower sprite." She regarded the man with noticeable disdain and finally turned on her heel to face away from him, the parade of creatures having finally reached their destination. "I bid you a good day, Mr. Garnier. You might want to tell your father that his textiles seem to need an increase in quality; you have a rather long loose thread hanging from your cuff." She said curtly, dipping her head and allowing her hood to once again cover her face.
James seemed at a visible loss for words after the repeated blows Yuna had thrown at him, mouth agape as his hand was still outstretched with his rejected handkerchief. "W-Wait a moment!" A last ditch effort, his hand shot out to grip Yuna's wrist tightly. Yuna huffed as the force of his pull made her stumble on the heels of her boots, and she eyes him with a warning glare.
"Please let go of me."
James laughed awkwardly. "I do believe we got off on the wrong foot. That's a rather lovely cloak you have on, perhaps you can point me in the direction of a more suitable tailor. Oh, I know! Why don't we go together? Maybe catch a late dinner afterwards?"
Yuna groaned, and if it weren't for the hold on her wrist she would've slapped her face into the palm of her hand.
"There is no tailor. I made this myself, and I have no desire to spend any meal with you." Yuna gently, but firmly, ripped her hand out of his grip. Before he could let another stupidly idiotic thing leave his mouth, Yuna stood up onto her toes and waved at the group of jealous women a few feet to their left.
"I do believe your entourage is waiting for you." She told him flatly, immediately speaking over him before he could protest what she was about to do.
"Oh ladies! Why not show the gentleman here a good time? Who knows, maybe one of you will catch Aurora's bouquet at the wedding!" Her voice pitched into a girly squeal, jumping up and down excitedly in an attempt to rile up the women.
Naturally, it worked, and she found herself dodging bachelorette after bachelorette as she slinked away from the hopeless man.
"Have fun ladies!" She called behind her, a satisfied smirk forming on her face as she winked.
She just barely saw the poor man's horrified face as he was mobbed by the corset wearing, makeup caked women; some seemingly more acquainted with him than others.
"James! I can't believe you stood me up on my birthday! What kind of a man are you?!"
"James! James! You're such a dear for sending those roses to my work!"
"Roses? He sent me daises! James why on earth are you sending flowers to other women?!"
"Oh James, please sit by me at the wedding!"
"James? He told me his name was Peter!"
Yuna couldn't help but giggle at her work, disappearing into the naked eye like a shadow as she exited the crowd, her cloak fluttering behind her.
'Clever as always, Yuna.' She internally praised herself, smirking behind her burgundy bangs. Her heels clicked on the cobblestone as she worked her way deeper and deeper into town, away from the noisy crowds. She looped through an alleyway here, ducked underneath a low hanging sign there. Her brisk walk brought her to a small and intimate two story building, a warm glow illuminating from the windows. Yuna retrieved a small key from her cloak, and just as she was about to unlock the wooden door and hole herself up inside, a particular noise caught her attention.
The innermost parts of Ulstead were unusually quiet, due to the commotion in front of the town. That is why Yuna was confused, and particularly curious as to why when she looked around the corner, she saw a tall man looking quite frustrated as he stared up at Castle Ulstead's massive protective walls.
"Oh, the nerve! I can't believe they wouldn't let me enter. There is no way I am missing Aurora get married... first Maleficent disappears, then I can't transform, and now I'm not even welcomed with the Moorfolk! This is blasphemy!" The man wore all black, which matched his hair. He was tall and lanky, and quite pale. Yuna observed him with a tilt of her head, and she quietly stepped away from the building. She made her way over to the man with small steps, hiding her amusement as the man began to scale the castle walls.
She waited until she was behind him, before speaking up, "Excuse me?" She prompted softly.
"W-Woah!" The man, clearly thinking he was alone in his delinquency, tumbled from the wall with surprise. The ground was only a good five feet below him, but Yuna still winced as he smacked hard into the stone street. She quickly extended a hand from her cloak, and she helped the man to his feet with a firm hold on his shoulder, concern filtering through her system. "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have sneaked up like that." Her eyes scanned him over with a worried glaze, and the man found himself blushing ever so slightly as the cute woman fussed over him.
"I-It's no trouble! Really! I'm alright!" He chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. Yuna's eyes widened, and she quickly grabbed the hand behind his neck. The dark haired man was visibly taken aback, eyes like saucers but not voicing any protest.
Yuna expected his hand, palm up. Her nimble fingers danced across the surface, and her eyebrows furrowed. "You're hurt." She finally noted, fingers gently dancing across the top of a thin but long cut on the man's palm.
"Hm?" He seemed confused, following her gaze down to his pale palm. "Oh! Must of cut it from the fall, it's alright." He attempted to retract his palm to brush off the subject, but Yuna held it firmly in her grip. The man felt his cheeks grow even hotter as she retrieved a stray piece of cloth from within her cloak, it was a handkerchief made from soft cotton and was a faded lavender color. Gently, Yuna tied the cloth securely around the wound, patting the knot.
She smiled up at him. "How does that feel? Better?" She questioned, releasing his hand.
"Y-Yes. Thank you." His eyes never left the lavender cloth, feeling an unexplainable sense of comfort from her actions and touch.
Yuna reached a hand out, beckoning quietly to him. "Yuna." She introduced herself. The mysterious man seemed taken aback by the gesture, but quickly recovered and shook her hand with his unwrapped one.
"Diaval." He smiled back at her.
Yuna hummed to herself. "Interesting name." She said to no one in particular. "So, Diaval," Yuna released his hand. She took a step back, and titled her head up to investigate the looming castle walls before them. She directed her gaze back to Diaval, and quirked an eyebrow. "What was that you were mumbling about the Moorfolk earlier? And why exactly were you attempting to commit high treason by scaling the castle walls?" Her eyes held a glimmer of amusement, and her lips were quirked up.
Diaval groaned, and cradled his forehead into his hand. He kicked at some stray pebbles that littered the ground, and slapped a hand onto the stone walls before him. "It was with the best intentions, do believe me. I just... I simply cannot miss this wedding. I will never forgive myself if I do. However... I fear I may be left out in the cold." Diaval sighed deeply as he stared up at the intimidating castle barriers, and sad expression melting onto his face caused Yuna to frown ever so slightly.
"As for the part about the Moorfolk... I'm not a man, you see. Well, internally. Appearance wise I am." Diaval gestured to his human self, loose black clothing and all.
"You may have heard of her, as she is rather infamous as of late; Maleficent saved my life by letting me become a companion of hers. I was a dying crow whom she turned human. I guess my appearance was off-putting to the castle guards; they shooed me away from entering with the Moorfolk before I even had a chance to set foot within Ulstead." Diaval sighed and rubbed his temples.
Yuna's eyes widened. "Maleficent?! The Maleficent?!" She questioned him, getting closer into his personal space with wide eyes.
Diaval was taken aback by her sudden closeness, however he made no move to back away.
"Yes, that's right." He answered her slightly confused. "You're... not scared? Or disgusted? I thought everyone regarded Maleficent as a monster." He laughed uncomfortably, as if to mask his sadness. "Not to mention, I'm a creature from the Moors. Isn't it in bad taste for you to be making acquaintance with me?" He asked rather hesitantly.
Yuna's eyebrows furrowed at the man and she frowned ever so noticeably.
"Of course I'm not scared. What have you done to me in the whole five minutes I've known you that would make me scared of you?" She questioned.
Diaval felt a prick of happiness at her response. "It's just that... since King Stefan's death, the Moorfolk have been rather ostracized. Hated, even." He told her matter of factly.
Yuna shook her head. "Whatever happened to that King is no business of mine. I don't understand the plights that the people of Ulstead have with your kind; I'm from a very different kingdom. Where I hail, the Moorfolk are... well they're on the same tier as Gods, in some ways." Yuna explained to him.
Diaval's eyes widened substantially. "Truthfully?" He questioned her.
Yuna nodded. "The Moors and the faeries residing their are believed to be sacred, a land locked in time. I believe the people of Ulstead simply fear what they cannot understand." She smiled softly at him.
"I do not fear your kind, Diaval. I also do not fear Maleficent. Seeing the Moorfolk cross over that bridge today... it was like watching a meteor shower occur in the daytime. It was so unexplainably magical, I simply can't wait to write to my village about it." Yuna smile grew as Diaval looked like he could almost cry at her words. "In fact... if time could allow it on a different day, I'd love to sketch you, and take some notes. A crow who can turn into a man; infused with the hell-fires of Maleficent. Now, that's something you certainly don't see everyday." She chuckled.
Diaval's mouth was agape by this point. "You're..." He shook his head and gave himself a moment to regain his composure. "You're simply too kind Yuna. As thanks for helping an oaf like me, I'd certainly love to repay you by doing something as simple as that."
Yuna waved him off. "Oh, nonsense. Don't think of it as payment." She told him. "Think of it as... a favor between friends. Unless of course I'm being too presumptuous?" She quirked an eyebrow at him again, smiling playfully.
Diaval laughed at her antics. "No, not at all. Yes, that sounds much nicer... a favor between friends." He nodded.
Yuna felt her heart leap, and she but back a squeal. "Who knew I'd be talking face to face with a being from the Moors today? You make quite the conversation for a crow, Diaval." She chuckled.
Slowly, her eyes trailed up from Diaval's face, and back to the massive walks protecting Castle Ulstead. Distant chimes rang in the distance, and Yuna was reminded of the crow's main purpose for being there.
"Friend of the bride?" She prompted.
'I heard him mumbling about Aurora earlier...' She rationed in her mind.
Diaval gave her a sad smile, and chuckled. "That's one word you could use for it. I like to think of myself as more of an... un-appointed godfather." He replied. He rested a bandaged hand over his clothed chest. "I cherish her, very much..." He trailed off with a heavy sigh. "And now I'm going to miss the biggest day of her whole life."
A silence fell between the two of them, the distant ringing of bells and roaring cheers echoing in the distance. Yuna tilted her head up to gaze at the baby blue sky before her; the colorful kites waving high in the air and stray confetti and petals landing at her feet. She smiled at the simple beauty of it, the beauty of a ceremony to promise one's life to another. 'No father deserves to miss their daughter's wedding.' Yuna felt a twinge or sadness stab her at her own thought.
She heaved a deep breath out; her mind set. Her hands clenched into tight fists, and she looked up and down both sides of the street before making her move.
"Diaval." She spoke out calming, snapping the man out of his grief.
He turned around to face her. "Hm?" He questioned her, quirking an eyebrow up.
Like a bolt of lightning, Yuna's hand shot out to grasp firmly onto his wrist, the fabric of his long black coat soft under her touch. Diaval made a noise of surprise as Yuna tugged him towards her into a sprint, heading towards the building the young woman had previously almost entered. Once in front of the cherry-oak door, Yuna quickly extracted her key from before and unlocked the door with ease, ushering Diaval inside.
The door shut firmly behind them with a resounding "click!" and Diaval felt half disoriented and half just confused. He called out into the darkness, Yuna's hand disappearing from his wrist.
"U-Um Yuna? Hello?" He called out. "Where are we? I really must be going, the wedding should start any minute now-" Diaval was cut off by the throwing open of heavy velvet curtains, hissing slightly as sunlight filtered into the space before him. Instinct made him cover his face from the intruding glare with his forearms. Slowly, he peeled his face away to gaze around the room, and he felt his heart momentarily still in his chest.
"Oh wow..." He whispered, face lightened with something that could only be described as awe.
Diaval found himself standing before a space alive with a unique and vibrant personality; a shop that he was sure had inspired many authors in their time and a place where many had sought shelter after a taxing day; a place where Diaval felt an inexplicable warmth emanate from.
The walls were a soft cream color, and from the high ceiling lanterns of every shade hung in different lengths. With a squint of his eyes, Diaval noted that the ceiling wasn't just adorned with vibrant lanterns; a rather serenely beautiful, incredibly detailed mural of a cloudy and starry sky was also painted onto the ceiling. Soft hues of pink, white, indigo, and sapphire were all present, and the sheer beauty of it took Diaval's breath away. Directly in front of him was a large writing desk scattered with spilled ink and stacks of paper, a long shelf stocked to the brim with various containers of herbs, flowers, mushrooms, etc. (or so they were labeled), and a large wooden table with stray bandages and documents thrown about it. A room curtained off with a white lace curtain was hidden within the wall, and Diaval was almost positive Yuna had scurried into it once she's thrown open the deep emerald curtains that adorned the three large windows of the room. Upon further inspection, Diaval realized that all three curtains were seemingly connected to the same pulley device; which would explain why Yuna was able to open them all at once and in quick succession.
To his left, a cherry wooden staircase to match the door and floors trailed up into the second floor of the building, and Diaval could only assume that they led to Yuna's private quarters and lounge. The left side wall was also adorned with bookshelf, after bookshelf, after bookshelf; all filled with thick books that ranged from research and studies to run of the mill storybooks. A lone, plush divan that was the color of an aged wine was tucked between the bookcases, pillows and open books that Yuna had been using just the night before were littered across it. Plants of every shade of green, herbs of every size, and flowers of every color where either hanging from the ceiling, soaking up sunlight on the window sills, or scattered about the first floor like a game of "I Spy". The space was oddly intimate in its design and choice of furniture, truth be told Diaval found it quite homey.
As Diaval turned to his right, he was taken aback to see paint splattered thick cloths protecting a small portion of the floor and wall; a large easel and canvas staring back at him. Diaval felt himself drawn to it, the wooden floors beneath him creaking with each step. Diaval was impressed with the sheer display of talent he saw before him, fingers coming out to gently trace over the oil paints before him on the smooth canvas. What the crow man saw was a mural of muted pastels; a depiction of the Moors. A gentle pink sky littered with stars loomed over the twisting branches of the Moors, sage colored leaves blotted onto the large trees. He could see the deep sapphire of Ulstead's grand river, and the faint glow of saturated colors that were shaped into the form of various Moorfolk and faeries.
It was quite the painting, and Diaval could only imagine how long it must have taken Yuna.
Deep in his admiration, Diaval (for the second time that day) didn't hear the soft padding of Yuna striding up behind him.
"Do you like it?" She questioned, snapping Diaval out of his thoughts. He cleared his throat to mask his slight surprise, and nodded his head. "You're quite talented. I must say, you do the Moors more justice than is needed; this is simply stunning." Diaval complimented her with complete sincerity, and Yuna smiled her thanks.
"Painting and drawing is... therapeutic for me. I've loved it ever since I was little. I don't think there's a better way to capture a moment, and you can create whatever reality you desire. However beautiful, however dark, it's all within your control. It's a bit empowering, having the power to decide such a thing." The genuine smile on Yuna's face told Diaval that the passion was not a mere pastime or fleeting hobby.
"That's quite a lovely way of viewing it." He agreed with her.
It was then that Diaval had noticed the many, many paintings that adorned the parlor's walls; paintings of far away lands, paintings of the Moors and faeries, paintings of flora and fauna and paintings of townsfolk going about their daily routines. His eyes widened as he spotted a particularly large, painted sign that hung proudly above the front door, simple in its design and intricately crafted;
"Yuna's Atelier: Nursery and Herbology"
Suddenly, everything seemed to click in Diaval's head. "You're a healer!" He exclaimed, almost excitedly. "That explains all of the plants and books, you're a doctor!"
Yuna chuckled, and waved him off with her hand. She seemed to be embarrassed, judging by the way she let her bangs fall in front of her face. "I don't deserve a title like that. I'm just an herbalist, I help people however I can. This little shop acts as part infirmary, part flower shop, and part... well art studio. It's a rather convoluted concept, but I wouldn't have it any other way." Yuna's eyes swept over her shop with pride, her smile like she was watching her baby take its first steps.
Diaval shook his head. "Certainly you are much more than just that." He held up his hand to her, the one that was wrapped with her lavender handkerchief. "I don't know many people who go out of their way to help a rather scruffy looking figure like myself. Plus, based off of the rather detailed charts I see..." Diaval motioned towards the many hand drawn charts and notes scattered about every nook and cranny in the messy workplace. "I'd say you are quite the knowledgeable young woman."
Yuna blushed at Diaval's kind words, and he smiled cheerfully at her. "You remind me of her; of Aurora. You're both have kind hearts... and kind souls."
Yuna blinked away from his gaze, slightly flustered. 'To be compared to someone as beautiful as her highness...' Yuna thought with hot cheeks. "...You don't even know me." She tried to reason, her painting of the Moors suddenly becoming one hundred times more interesting as she focused her eyes on it.
Diaval laughed at her embarrassment. "I know enough!" He reasoned with her.
Yuna sighed, and rolled her eyes to conceal her red cheeks. "Oh whatever..." She mumbled biting back a smile. She turned on her heel, and started towards the table at the back of the shop. Diaval noticed a rolled up parchment she was now holding in her hand.
"Now, lets get you to that wedding!" She called over her shoulder, beckoning for him to follow her.
Diaval's lips formed an "oh" shape, and he felt giddy as he rushed up next to her.
"Is that some type of divisive plan you concocted? The wedding crasher tactic of the century?" He joked, only half serious. He nudged the rolled up parchment Yuna had set to roll out into the wooden table's surface, and she swatted his hands away. "No! Who do I look like, Robin Hood?" She sighed.
Carefully, Yuna unrolled the parchment and revealed a detailed map and blue print of Castle Ulstead, it's detailed perimeter sketched onto the paper.
"I figured it'd be a handy thing to sketch out, though I can't say I ever thought it'd be used for these purposes." Yuna mused. Gingerly, a pointer finger came out to gesture at the western wall of the castle. "Right here. Merchants always set up their stalls west of the walls; the crates and barrels they stack up against the buildings should be an advantage to you." She taped a manicured finger to the diagram, Diaval making a noise of understanding.
"There's no way you'll be able to get up and over those walls without something to give you a boost. Get a running start on those crates and barrels, and you should get over those walls no problem." Yuna hummed. She re-rolled the paper, and placed into Diaval's arms.
She smiled up at him. "Go ahead and take it with you. In case you somehow manage to get lost, that should help you." She explained to him. Her eyes took on a gentle shimmer. "It was great meeting you, Diaval. No matter what those townsfolk try to say, don't let anything stop you from enjoying such a special day." She patted the hand that gripped the rolled up parchment paper in encouragement.
Diaval smiled back at her, and he bowed his head deeply. "Thank you, Yuna. It was wonderful meeting you, you have shown me an undeserving kindness." He kept his head bowed down, words dripping with sincerity. Yuna patted his head, an action that Diaval found to be quite calming. "There's no need to thank me, Diaval. It's my pledge as an herbalist to help people; I couldn't just leave you fussing outside of the castle walls like that." Yuna joked coyly, sure that if Diaval were upright he would shoot her a glare.
A softer expression cast over her face. "But more importantly... I feel like I've made a friend today. A feeling I haven't felt... well, I guess since I moved here. It gets lonely after a while, coping myself up in here..." Yuna trailed off into a hopeful whisper as Diaval rose to his full height.
His expression matched her own, and his words confirmed Yuna's feelings; "Yes, I agree. I really only hang around the Moors, with Maleficent and Aurora. The Moorfolk are lovely, and I wouldn't change it for anything, but...." Diaval paused, eyes tracking down to the handkerchief around his hand. "...but it was like a breath of fresh air, meeting someone like you. If it's alright, and of course with Maleficent's permission, might I come back and return this to you? Maybe then, I could tell you all about my transformations and the life of the Moors."
Yuna met his question with an excited grin, sharp eyes scrunched up with mirth. "Yes! Of course! That would be magnificent!" She practically jumped out of her boots, and Diaval chuckled.
"Well then, it's settled!" He nodded his head in satisfaction. "Yuna, friend of Diaval and of the Moors, I do bid you farewell. May the heavens guide you in your quest of-" Pounding on the front door interrupted Diaval's grand performance, Yuna cringed from the noise and Diaval huffed.
"Everyone's a critic." The crow mumbled.
Yuna swiftly strode towards the shop's door, the force of the knocks almost knocking the poor thing off of its hinges. One peep into the peephole, and the poor girl gasped in audible horror. This immediately alerted Diaval and he strode forward to the girl's aid. "What is it? Who's out there?" He questioned her, eyes holding a glare. Yuna groaned out in sheer exhaustion, slapping her face into the palms of her hands as Diaval took her place at the peephole and focused outside.
"Oh?" He blinked a few times to make sure he was seeing things correctly. He pried himself away from the door with a quizzical expression. "Who's the poor boy with ripped up clothing trying to get in?" He questioned, like a curious child. "Your boyfriend?"
Yuna moaned out a dry sob, almost positive at this point that someone in her family had to have pissed off a gypsy in some life; this had to be a curse.
"Oh god no!" She bellowed out.
"Yuna! Yuna! Open this door right now! I can't believe you'd leave me for dead like that, all I wanted was to treat you to the world! You almost certainly owe me a night on the town for this!" James's cries echoed throughout the building with each jiggle of the door handle.
'Why would I give him my real name... oh Yuna you're not so cunning after all...' Yuna thought with a suppressed groan, rubbing at her temples with a scowl as the knocking and yelling persistently got louder and louder. 'Of course he'd be able to track me down; your name is literally painted on the sign outside, idiot!' Yuna mentally chided herself.
"He's just some high horse oaf I ran into when I watched the Moorfolk cross into Ulstead. Gods... he's going to break down that door trying to get in here!" She groaned out, debating marching outside and simply laying into the poor lovestruck fool.
Diaval was quiet in thought for a moment, before a devising grin slowly worked its way onto his pale face. "Well! I know what must be done!" He clapped his hands together, mindful of the paper in his hands.
Yuna lifted her face from her hands, the both of them ignoring James's adamant cries for the time being. "Do tell." She sighed out, the annoyance written on her face.
Diaval grinned, reaching forward to seize Yuna by the wrist.
"W-Woah!" Yuna cried out, feeling her feet almost being lifted off the ground as Diaval tugged her into a sprint. "Diaval!" She exclaimed.
Diaval tugged the girl all the way to the back of the shop, and towards a door tucked away in the shadows and throwing it open. Together, the two of them found themselves through the shop's back door and onto the side streets, Diaval kicking the door shut behind him.
"It seems like you'll just have to make your getaway to the castle with me!" He smiled in fake innocence, and Yuna cried out in protest. She dug her heel's into the back alley that resided behind the building, trying to pry herself from the Moor man's grip.
"D-Diaval! Don't be ridiculous! Please, let me go!" She cried out, the thought of spending time with that wretched little rich boy actually starting to sound appealing. "I don't go to such things! There's too many people, the crowds are overwhelming, and I-I mean look at me, I'm not dressed for a wedding!" Yuna protested with all of her might, almost falling back onto her bum from how hard she was trying to take her wrist away from the man.
Diaval chuckled, and easily tugged the girl so she was back on her feet and running after him. "It's either the wedding of Aurora and Phillip, or the wedding of you and mr. money bags!" He called out to remind her, and Yuna's cheeks heated at the thought. "I-I would never! Don't insinuate such things!" She yelled back, her heeled boots clicking loudly as they weaved through the back street.
"Diaval, I could get imprisoned for treason by doing this!" She cried out.
Diaval waved the girl off, taking a sharp right and entering yet another alleyway. "Yuna, stop being afraid of living your life! Sometimes you have to take risks!" He chided her playfully, fully expecting the annoyed groan that resounded from her.
"Taking risks does not equate to committing a crime!" She argued back.
Diaval winked at her over his shoulder. "Well, if you're a boring old hag it doesn't!"
Yuna vocalized her disagreement multiple more times as Diaval dragged her, but she soon realized that her feet were moving of their own accord now.
He didn't have to drag her along.
'Don't tell me I'm actually letting myself get roped into this?!' She thought with mortification. Despite her protests, however, Yuna couldn't deny the shock of pure adrenaline and excitement that coursed through her. The sheer thought of rebellion gave her goosebumps, and for some reason, as long as she was with Diaval, this ever cunning man; she felt like it would all work out just fine.
'Committing a crime against the crown or going out with James... I do suppose this might actually be the better option.' Yuna thought with a cheeky grin.
The grand view of colorful merchant tents came into view, propped up in front of Castle Ulstead's great protective walls. Like Yuna had stated, the crates and barrels stacked against the wall gave the perfect advantage of height. Diaval muttered out small "Excuse me's" and "My apologies" to the disgruntled townsfolk they weaved their way through, Yuna bowing her head at each one of them.
"Diaval! This is insane!" She shouted after the man who'd come to a full stop in front of the littered barrels. He regarded her with a pleasant smile. "Ladies first." He gestured towards the crates.
Yuna became flustered, and she shook her head vehemently. "I'm really not that athletic Diaval, and I'm in a dress..." She looked anxiously from side to side, the shop attendees and merchants looking at her and Diaval with slight discontent.
"Well then, I guess I'll get this show on the road."
Yuna looked back to the man, about to question his words before gasping out as she saw him take his first resounding steps onto the rickety wooden barrels. Like a strike of lightning, Diaval easily jumped from the wood and sprung himself onto the ledge of the tall wall, fingertips gripped firmly into the stone. He hooked one skinny leg over the edge, and pushed the rest of his body up and over, safely secured on top of the wall.
Yuna's eyes widened with a mix of both wonder and shock. "You did it!" She exclaimed. Diaval let out a loud laugh, clearly proud of his maneuvering skills. "All thanks to the help of a certain artist!" He gestured to the paper he'd kept tucked away in his pocket.
He reached a hand out to her, smiling in encouragement. "Now, come on! It's your turn!" He called down to her.
Yuna felt insecurity rush through her, and she shrinked away from the intimidating wall. "Diaval... I can't..." She replied softly, wishing the staring townsfolk would just disappear.
Diaval frowned. "Stop worrying about everything, Yuna." He gave her a gentle smile. "I promise. Just go for it."
Before Yuna could respond, the pounding of footsteps and clanking of armor alerted her of an oncoming. She quickly turned around, and her eyes widened in horror as she a rush of guards charging straight for her.
"That man just jumped over the walls! He's trying to invade the castle!" One of them bellowed loudly.
"Get the girl! She's an accomplice!"
Townsfolk scurried to get out of the way, and Yuna became frozen with fear as the group of large men, all with some type of weapon, sprinted angrily at her.
"Yuna!" Diaval yelled.
Yuna whipped her head to stare up at him with frantic eyes.
Diaval's hand stretched out even more, panicking as the guards rampaged through the market place. They would close in on Yuna within seconds; if She was going to act then she had to do it now. "Yuna! Run and jump, I'll pull you up!" He shouted at her.
Yuna's eyes shot from rapidly from Diaval, to the great wall before her, to the rickety barrels to her left, and finally to the royal guards closing in on her. "I...."
'Oh gods. I-I can't breathe...' Yuna began to suck in quick breaths as her body began to shut down from anxiety, her mind screaming at her to run but her limbs unresponsive. Her thoughts began to muddle together like static, and all of the shouting around her was beginning to fade into white noise.
"Yuna!" Diaval's voice was uncharacteristically angry, and Yuna turned back to him. Diaval shouted as loud as he could. "I promise, I'll catch you! Just go for it Yuna!" His hand reached down to her like a lifeline, and Yuna felt adrenaline crash into her like a train.
'Just go for it...!'
The guards were just seconds away from snatching her, and Yuna's feet moved before she could even register what she was doing. It was like an out of body experience; Yuna felt like she was a spirit watching her body act of its own accord. She broke off into a break neck sprint, jumping onto the wooden barrels that knocked over under her aggressive steps. Her eyes focused only on Diaval's hand, and she took off into a jump with all of her might.
And by god, did she go for it.
"Ah!" Yuna gasped out as her knees and elbows smacked hard into the concrete wall, the stone cold beneath her cheek. She dangled freely, and felt Diaval's iron like grip on her thin wrist. "Gotcha!" Diaval exclaimed out. With a huff and a strong yank, Diaval had the girl up and over the castle walls. The two lay flat on the wall's walkway, gaping for breath as their hearts beat wildly with adrenaline and excitement.
"Dammit! Notify Percival, we have intruders within the castle!" One of the guards cursed from the ground that was far beneath them. From Yuna position on the ground, she stared up at the endless sky above her, almost in a trance.
'I... I did it...' A smile broke onto her face, and she blinked back tears as relief coursed through her. She shot up into a sitting position, Diaval still a huffing heap a few feet from her. She covered her mouth as a quiet cry fell from her, and her smile grew. She whipped her head around to where the crow lay. "Diaval! I did it!" She exclaimed, shaking his groaning form erratically.
Diaval chuckled as he collected himself, finally heaving himself upwards. He patted Yuna's head affectionately. "I told you, I'd catch you!" He joked. Rising up to his feet, he offered Yuna a had which she gladly accepted. Once they were on their feet and situated, Yuna cast her gaze out to the town beneath them.
"Oh wow..." Her eyes widened. The view was indescribable; the town bled into the river, the river bled into the Moors, and the Moors bled into the seemingly endless ocean that surrounded Ulstead. It was breathtaking, and from their current height, a soft breeze blew around Yuna. Her oxblood tresses softly lifted themselves from her waist, and her sharp brown eyes couldn't pick one thing to focus on. Diaval was equally in awe beside her, whistling at the expansive view.
"The view made all of that worth it, hm?" His words held a hint of teasing to them and they snapped Yuna out of her reverie. She huffed out, and laid a firm punch directly into the man's bicep, causing him to hiss out.
"Ow!" He shouted out, glaring at her.
Yuna glared right back. "So what's next, a beautiful wedding ceremony followed by a one way ticket to the castle dungeons? Diaval, there's no way we're going to get away with evading the guards!"
Diaval waved off her concern. "Come on now Yuna, you think I wouldn't consider that?" He reached out his fingers to flick her on her exposed forehead, and she yelped out in pain. "Yuna, all I need to do is tell Aurora to pardon us. You forget that I helped raise the future matriarch of his kingdom; you really think a few imperial laws will get in my way?" He smirked, clearly proud with himself as he set off into a confident stride along the perimeter of the castle walls.
Yuna was left in her spot, contemplating his words. 'That is true; I guess if you're buddy buddy with the future Queen, you have a bit more leniency than the average person.' She sighed out in relief, feeling her heart finally release its anxiety and start beating at a steady rhythm. She took quick steps to catch up with Diaval, "You're right; you planned this out quite well." She praised him, finally understanding why the man was as reckless as he'd been. "Thank you, Diaval. For not leaving me."
Diaval hummed. "Well, it'd be a rather backstabbing action to just leave you for dead. Of course I was going to help you." He responded simply, and Yuna wished she had his easy going attitude.
She continued speaking, eyes wandering out to the open ocean. "That felt so exhilarating. I felt like I was in some sort of play, or adventure novel. It was so exciting!" She laughed out, her steps becoming quicker amidst her excitement.
Diaval chuckled. "See? There's a whole world out there beyond your little atelier! It's important you experience it." He smiled warmly at her. "I tell the same thing to Aurora. Travel now, while you're still young and agile. Free from any responsibilities. You don't want to be old and regretful that you limited your world to one tiny town."
Yuna smiled as she stared out at the sea, contemplating his words. 'The last time I did something so risky was when I left home. How could I forget how exciting it feels to live like this?' She wondered.
The two would be within the immediate castle grounds any moment, and Yuna felt a rush of anticipation hit her. She had never laid her eyes on the heavily guarded Castle Ulstead... was it as beautiful as she read about? Certainly it had to be.
"Diaval... when you're a crow, what does it feel like?" Yuna suddenly questioned him.
Diaval seemed surprised by her question. "How does it feel?" He clarified.
Yuna nodded. "You can fly wherever you want; whenever you want to. I imagine it's the most liberating feeling in the whole world. I'm so jealous of you... if I had wings, I think I would fly and fly until they gave out. I don't think I'd ever be seen again." Her eyes fixed onto the seagulls that flew off into the sea's horizon. 'How would it feel to just fly away like that? To have no one ever catch you?' She thought enviously.
Diaval regarded her wistful expression, akin to something like longing. He carefully mulled over his words before he responded. "It's true. It a feeling you can get drunk on; there was no limit to where my wings could take me." He began. "When Maleficent first rescued me and turned me into a man, I was quite upset. I felt like my freedom had been stripped away; like a part of myself was gone. Given, I could transform whenever Maleficent was with me, but it was different. I was at her command day and night; I could transform, but I wasn't really free." He spoke.
Yuna remained silent, intently listening.
Diaval continued. "However... overtime that all changed. Maleficent and Aurora soon became the only family I ever knew, and I realized I never wanted to be away from them. None of all the oceans and countries in the world were enough to keep me away from them. Now, Maleficent gives me much more leniency. I can be a crow whenever I please, I can soar through the sky whenever I want. But... I never want to be too far away from my home." He explained with a fond smile.
"Yuna, what I'm trying to say is this; use your wings while you have them. Utilize your youth while you can; embrace your young and adventurous spirit while it's still there. Don't ever let it be abandoned." Diaval couldn't help but feel like he was speaking to his daughter as he gave his advice from the heart, and his voice took on a warm and nurturing tone. "But one day, you'll also realize all of the good you have found. A home that has made all of those little moments in your life finally make sense. I don't know your situation, and I do not know why you have flown to Ulstead, but don't worry about things that are yet to come. They are on their way, as fast as they can." Diaval spoke gently.
"Don't feel envious of those in different circumstances than you, but also don't be afraid to go and reach out for something with both hands open. Take the leap, Yuna. Don't be afraid of failure; at the end of your life, you want your number of failures to be greater than your number of cowardice moments."
Diaval finally finished, and Yuna felt herself at a loss for words. Her steps quietly ceased to a halt, and Diaval stopped at her side, eyeing the girl.
"I... Thank you, Diaval." Yuna whispered. "I didn't quite know I needed to hear those words." She admitted quietly. Diaval remained silent, knowing there was more that she was struggling to say.
"I'm scared of so many things Diaval... so many things I fear I'm going to have to live the rest of my life with. I came to Ulstead for a fresh start; I thought a change of pace would dispel all of my anxieties but it was such juvenile thinking." Her gaze was trained to her brown lace up boots. "I just... I feel like I'm checkmated. Like no matter what I choose to do, I've lost." She sighed out, the confession lifting from her chest like a weight.
She felt a comforting hand be placed on her shoulder, and silently thanked Diaval for it. "Those are all natural worries to have, my dear. You're simply growing up. However I can assure you that you are anything but checkmated." Diaval squeezed her shoulder. "Young, talented, self sufficient, hard working, graceful... not to mention you're quite the sight for sore eyes. If you're checkmated, then I'm surely screwed in this life and the next!"
Yuna giggled at that, a relieved smile on her lips as a Diaval spoke.
"Go ahead and just lift your chin up, dear." Yuna took a deep breath, obeying his words. Her eyes went wide at the sight before her, and she couldn't believe how little the paintings had done it justice;
There stood Castle Ulstead, in all of its pristine magnificence and sheer beauty. Yuna was felt like an ant in the Castle's presence, ivory towers and stellar architecture shone brilliantly in the golden sunlight. It was like the castle was expertly carved out of pure marble, the sheer sight of it could be enough to make a grown man cry.
"It's so amazing. Oh, I wish I had my sketchbook with me." She whispered in awe. Diaval made a noise of amusement. "Just enjoy it in the moment."
Yuna nodded, and with eyes never tearing away from the castle, she quietly spoke up, "Thank you for today, Diaval."
The pat on her back was all she needed to know the man reciprocated her words.
The two stood there for a long while, simply enjoying the aura of power and splendidness the castle emitted. Yuna traced every single detail into her mind, the chiming of wedding bells and gentle breeze dancing about her made her feel completely at peace. The sun enveloped her in its warmth, and closed her eyes in serenity. She was certain this day was one of the best of her life.
It was at that very moment that the first explosion sounded.
An unearthly sound like one hundred canons being fired at the same time sounded somewhere in the sky above them, the after shock furiously shook them on the castle walls. Yuna gasped out as the sheer force knocked her to her knees, and as she desperately tried to find the source of the noise, that was when she saw it;
On the coastline, the kites decorating the castle's sea border were combusted into a foggy explosion of pure red. Through the red, Yuna could just barely make out figures coming over the sea in the distance.
As Yuna sought to comprehend what was going on, three more ear cracking explosions sounded; puffs of red exploded high into the sky like fireworks of blood. Yuna heard distant cries of rage and pain, and her expression fell as she slowly realized what was happening.
"Diaval!" She cried out. She yanked the man up to his feet, helping to steady him. "It's an attack! We need to get off of the castle walls right now!" She yelled over the thundering combustions.
Diaval nodded, clearly just as shaken as the girl. "We need to find Aurora and the Moorfolk! Something isn't right here!"
The two ran to the edge of the walls, the drop into the castle courtyard cushioned with the lawn's well trimmed bushes and garden patches.
"This is going to hurt." Diaval noted rather hesitantly, the bush's sharp branches almost taunting him.
Yuna nodded, and released a nervous breath. "Together." She commanded, looking over to her companion for the go-ahead.
Diaval nodded, and with hands tightly intertwined, the two dropped from the wall's edges and into the castle's greenery below; just in time as another explosion rocked the walls around them so fiercely that a large chunk of stone chipped off and fell into the town below them. The two couldn't help it as they released shrill cries of terror as they dropped freely; and Yuna hissed our in pain as the bush's thorny branches connected with and tore through her soft porcelain skin.
"Shit!" She gasped out, her limbs screaming at her as she landed roughly into the the prickly bush, which only alleviated a small amount of the strain her body felt from the rough impact off the wall. "Ow, ow..." Yuna tugged herself from the prickly thorns, their sharp grip leaving lacerations down her arms, across her legs, and slicing into the girl's cotton dress.
"Yuna are you alright?" Diaval asked through his own searing pain, groaning as he struggled to detangle himself from the bush.
"Y-Yes. I'm fine." She lied. Once Yuna was out of the bush she limped over to Diaval and helped him evade the bushes's dagger like texture, kicking at the branches.
Her pastel rose colored skirt was tattered from where it hung at her ankles, hiding all of the sliced skin she'd just acquired. Her white cotton bodice was stained with small droplets of blood, and her peachy corset that hugged her waist was ripped and threatening to fall apart from the now loose laces. Her oxblood hair was littered with leaves, and strands of it clung to her cheek as blood plastered the locks to a lone cut. She winced as she hefted Diaval to his feet, and the man instantly looked fearful as he took in her appearance.
"Yuna..!" He exclaimed. While Diaval was indeed cut up and injured from the jump, it was on a significantly lower caliber than the poor girl. Yuna offered him a pained smile.
"It's alright. I think I just took the brunt of the fall, but as long as we're both alright that's all that matters-"
Several more explosions rocked the space around them, and Yuna was almost certain she'd lost her hearing for a few moments. The pair shielded their ears as explosion after explosion sounded in quick succession; the volume of them was like someone had shot off a gun directly next to their ears. Yuna glanced up at the courtyard, and before she knew it; complete and utter chaos had broken out. Guard after guard stormed the lawn, and the sky was colored with nothing but red; no blue in sight. Yuna's eyes widened as she could finally see the distant figures up close;
They were winged humans, like angels without the halo. Horns grew prominently from their forehead, and their intimidating figures swiped down from the sky as they engaged in a ferocious battle with the imperial guards. It was when the first guard shot one down with his crossbow, a puff of red smoke the only evidence left of the creatures existence, that it became true hell on earth.
Yuna realized they were caught in the middle of an all out war.
The clashing of metal on metal, the deafening flapping of wings, the screams of rage, the thundering claps of cursed red explosion after explosion, Yuna felt her eyes water at it all. All around her, death was present. Soldiers being thrown from the sky by the winged beings, swooping down and trampling them into the earth. The winged figures being shot down from the sky, exploding in a puff of red smoke, dropping like flies with each explosion of the horrible bomb concoctions. Yuna was frozen in her spot as she stared in horror at the sight before her, not even able to respond as Diaval tugged her into a fast run.
"To the chapel, Yuna! We need to find Aurora and take cover!" His words fell on deaf words, and Yuna was unable to tear her eyes away from the ruby sky that stretched before her.
"Diaval!" A new voice cried out that caught Yuna's attention. She turned her head and saw a small chapel that stood feet from the castle, a blonde girl frantically waving to Diaval's approaching form.
As they grew closer, it clicked in Yuna's mind that she had to be Aurora, if those rosy cheeks and hair like gold were anything to go by. Her thoughts were confirmed as Diaval drew the girl into a tight hug upon finally reaching the front doors of the church. "Aurora! Thank god you are alright!" He sighed out in relief, hugging the dainty girl close to him. "Diaval! Oh, I missed you!" The princess cried out. Aurora's gaze traveled to the sky in Diaval's embrace, and she felt overwhelmed at the sight before her. "They look just like her..." She noted aloud, and Diaval held her closer.
Yuna could tell by Aurora's appearance that she'd also seen her fair share of violence that day; the bruises and cuts on her face a screaming pink and purple and her white gown torn and stained nearly to shreds. As Yuna inspected her, she nearly jumped when she made direct eye contact with the princess. Carefully, Aurora extracted herself from Diaval, regarding Yuna with wide eyes. "Diaval, who is this?" She questioned the man.
Diaval spared any long introductions. "Her name is Yuna. If it weren't for her, I never would've gotten to you." He breathed.
Yuna smiled awkwardly. "It's an honor, your highness." Yuna froze as Aurora launched herself at the girl in a tight embrace, unsure of how to respond to the princess's actions. "Please, just call me Aurora. Oh, thank you so much Yuna..." Aurora whispered, hugging Yuna like they were reunited life long friends. Hesitantly, Yuna loosely hugged Aurora back.
"You're welcome, your high- Aurora." She quickly corrected herself.
Aurora tore herself away from Yuna, eyes shooting from the cut up healer to the crow-shifter. "Both of you, I need your help!" She gestured towards the chapel doors that were sealed off by heavy guard artillery. "This whole wedding was a farce! There was never going to be a wedding on this day! Queen Ingrith framed Maleficent, she was the one who cursed King John!" Aurora explained hurriedly, eyes frantic. "Ingrith wanted to start a war against the Moors, she started all of this! She tricked the Moorfolk into attending a fake ceremony and now they're trapped in the church!"
Aurora tugged on the doors in a panicked state. "Diaval, they're gassing them with iron! All of this cursed red is iron that Ingrith and her minions revolutionized!"
Yuna's eyes widened. It all made sense; the winged creatures were their own unique breed of faeries. Iron was fatal to all faeries... that ominous red wasn't just a party trick; It was iron made specifically for war against the Moor kind.
Yuna quickly grabbed the other door handle, and Diaval latched onto the heavy blockade the guards had placed in front of the door.
"We need to get them out! Quickly!" She yelled. The trio tugged fiercely on the doors and barrier, shaking and slamming into them every which way; however the sealed doors refused to budge. Through the small viewing window, Yuna felt her heart break as cloud after red cloud revealed the faeries and Moorfolk struggling to break free from their containment, their pitched cries carrying outside of the chapel. "Dammit!" Yuna threw a hard kick to the door. "It won't budge! We need more manpower!"
Another blistering explosion sounded, and Yuna winced as hot iron fell from the sky and trickled into her skin, hissing at the heat. 'This is not good. Not good at all; this is catastrophic.' Yuna looked up to the highest point of Castle Ulstead, the looming form of the kingdom's Queen looming over the battlefield from atop her tower.
Yuna glared at the figure. 'Queen Ingrid... why?'
"There's Aurora! Get her!"
The yell alerted the three of a cavalry of incoming guards, and Diaval took a protective step in front of the two girls.
"And the two trespassers! Grab all of them and take them to the dungeons!"
"You won't lay a hand on them!" Diaval growled dangerously as he pushed the girl's further behind him.
Aurora shrieked out in terror as the guards grabbed Diaval roughly, slamming him into the grass lawn underneath him. They dog-piled on top of him, and Yuna hit at the guard's backs as she tried to rip them off. "Get off! Stop it! You'll suffocate him!" She screamed.
From her left side, she could see Aurora get submitted by two of the royal guards, and Yuna desperately altered between the two in need. Boldly, she strode up to the guards. "Release her! Now!" She spoke over Aurora's yells of protests. A strong backhand from the guard sent Yuna tumbling down to the ground, and all of the air left her body as an armored foot collided with her stomach.
Aurora cried out. "No! Don't hurt her, please!" She begged, struggling against the guard's vice like hold. Even from his current predicament, rage was visible on Diaval's face as Yuna hit the ground, and he struggled even more against the guards piled on top of him.
Yuna gasped out in pain as another kick collided with her ribs, and she was sure she heard something crack. A heavy foot shot into her back, pinning her to the ground as she weakly gasped out for release. "You're a fool, just like the Moorfolk. Anyone who goes against the crown calls for immediate extermination." The guard's calloused voice sounded from somewhere above her.
Yuna felt the pointed tip of his sword begin to dig into the back of her neck, unable to hold back a cry as the bitter cold of the blade broke skin.
"Stop it! Right now! STOP!" Aurora was violently throwing every kind of kick and elbow she could, fighting against the guards with all of her might. "STOP IT!"
Yuna felt the blade push in deeper, and she gasped out, unable to prevent a lone tear from slipping from her eye and into the grass that prickled her face.
"Remember this feeling. Remember the feeling of complete and utter helplessness; remember what it means to be a complete waste of human life." The guard's words were as sharp as his blade. The roaring sounds of the battlefield blared, and more explosions painted the sky that wretched red. Yuna glanced up at what little blue she could still see, before letting her eyes slowly flutter shut. She gripped tightly into the grass.
'Mom... I'm sorry.' Another cry escaped her lips as the blade pressed even harder into the back of her neck, the pain beginning to spread all the way to her toes. 'Is this really how it's all going to end? Just another statistic in some selfish war?' Yuna released a shaky breath as the pressure was starting to become too much to bear. 'There was so much more that I wanted to do...'
Yuna braced herself for the final blow she felt the guard readying himself for, eyes shut to the world around her.
However... the blow never came.
It sounded like thunder, an angry and raging thunder storm from the heavens. Yuna's eyes shot open as the battlefield seemed to still, all eyes directed at the sky.
Her gaze trailed up, and she saw that the blood red sky had been replaced with dark clouds, a fiery green roaring behind them.
Yuna's eyes widened. "That color!" She exclaimed. To affirm her hopes, from the fiery clouds shot a female figure with wings as black as the night and horns to match. From her body, her emerald hell fires mixed with a black aura as she touch-downed from the sky in front of them.
Suddenly, a roaring ripped from Diaval, and the man finally had his powers regained now that his mistress had returned. Diaval's lithe form bulked into an angry and massive black bear, the man roaring out in fury as he flung the guards from his back. In his bear form, Diaval swung a massive paw at the guard holding down Yuna, sending him flying with a shrill cry. Yuna gasped out as air reentered her lungs, and her neck screamed from the blade's removal. With another fierce swing, Diaval destroyed the blockade in front of the chapel doors, as well as knocking away the guards restraining Aurora. Within moments, a flurry of Moorfolk rushed from their prison and out into the fresh air of the courtyard, scurrying towards Maleficent and Aurora.
Yuna was able to bring herself into a sitting position, cringing in nothing short of pure agony as her bruised midsection protested the movement. Hesitantly, she looked up to find herself eye to eye with the proclaimed Mistress of Evil herself;
Maleficent.
Yuna blinked silently up at the woman, fiery ember eyes burning into pained brunette ones. Yuna couldn't help but notice how beautiful she thought the woman looked, and with as much respect as she could muster from her abused neck, dipped her head in a deep bow.
"You saved me, Maleficent. Thank you." She breathed.
Maleficent remained silent as she studied Yuna, eyes scanning over the girl like she was some ancient tome. In a surprising gesture, she dipped her head back to the girl's fallen form, and the. directed her attention to Aurora.
Aurora looked close to tears as she stared into the woman's eyes, stepping towards her cautiously. "Godmother..." She whispered, voice ever so hopeful.
Maleficent eyes cut sharply from Aurora, and then up to the castle landing where she knew that Queen Ingrith awaited her. With one last glance at the girls, Maleficent said nothing as her powerful wings propelled her high into the sky, shooting towards her only objective: That wretched Queen.
"Godmother!" Aurora cried after the fleeting figure, stomping at the ground in frustration. "She's going to get herself killed!" The princess exclaimed.
Yuna stared up at where Maleficent had disappeared to, her dark figure now face to face with Queen Ingrith's pristine form. Her eyes fluttered back to the battlefield, the arrival of Maleficent seeming to embolden the Moorfolk with a fire as they now pushed the offensive side against the imperial soldiers. She saw Diaval in his muscular bear form plowing through guard after guard, seemingly completely gone to the wild.
She gently tugged on Aurora's dress. "Hurry and go after her. She'll need you, I'm sure of it." She urged her.
Aurora shot Yuna a concerned look, kneeling down beside her and wiping some stray blood off of her forehead. "I can't leave you like this. You're nearly on death's door." She reasoned, her eyes growing increasingly wider as she took in the full scope of Yuna's injuries.
Yuna shook her head, and offered the conflicted princess a forced smile. "Did you see her eyes? That's not the same Maleficent... you need to help her wake up." Yuna calmly responded. "Only you can do it Aurora, as her daughter."
Aurora was taken aback by Yuna's words, still hesitant. "But...I..."
Yuna grasped firmly onto Aurora's hand, staring straight into her eyes. "Aurora. This is your duty, not only as Maleficent's daughter, but as Queen of the Moors and future Queen of Ulstead." Yuna released her hand, and ushered her forward. "Go on. I'll be alright."
Aurora's eyes traveled up to where Maleficent stood against Queen Ingrid, and then back to where Yuna sat on the ground.
Her eyes shone with resolve. "You're not allowed to die. I'm going to find you once this is all over, I promise."
Yuna smiled, and nodded her head. "Go." She whispered.
With one last look at the fallen girl, Aurora took off into a stride-full sprint towards Castle Ulstead, weaving through the battlefield with determination.
Yuna watched her form grow smaller and smaller, finally releasing a pained breath she'd been holding in. She struggled to breath evenly as her entire torso felt like it'd been trampled, and she watched as blood slowly trickled down her arms and spread out onto her tattered dress. She grit her teeth from the searing, white hot pain that pinched at every nerve in her body, releasing a cry as she tried to rise to her feet. 'Not good...' She thought, groaning out as every muscle in her body screamed with each small move she made.
Yuna winced as another loud crack resounded as an iron bomb went off, this one by far the loudest of the others. Her ears rang from the explosion, and as she followed where the red cloud formed, her eyes widened in horror.
"No, no, no, no..."
The explosion had gone off far too close to Castle Ulstead, and it collided with one of the castle's massive looming towers. Yuna watched in fear as the tower slower crumbled, and began to fall.
Right towards her.
She struggled to pull her body back, unsuccessful in her attempts. She writhed and screamed from her spot; no matter how far back she managed to crawl, there was no way she could evade the tumbling stone and infrastructure. Time slowed down, and everything felt like it was moving in slow motion as the falling rocks came closer and closer to crushing Yuna. This was different from when she was pinned on the ground; in this situation, she was staring her fate down dead on. She knew exactly what was going to happen to her.
Yuna tried to find some sense of peace as the stone came tumbling around her like a waterfall of death. She bit her lip as tears freely fell from her face, the crumbled tower only seconds away from having her meet her maker.
Her hands came up to cup over her heart, and she dipped her head. She couldn't help the whimper that passed through her rosy lips, trying to keep her hands from shaking.
'Please, let my journey be safe...' She silently prayed.
The roaring of tumbling stone grew closer, and Yuna knew this was it.
'If I just had one more chance, I would've liked to do so many more wonderful things in this life...'
The stones were now close enough for Yuna to reach out and touch, and she stared up to the sky in a quiet acceptance.
'... At least I can finally be with them again.'
That was when the whirring of flapping wings engulfed her.
"A-Ah!" A surprised cry escaped her lips, going from her crumpled position on the ground to suddenly being high up into the clouds. Yuna sought frantically to understand what had just happened; was this what is was like going into Heaven? Had her soul left her body? This wasn't anything like it was written to be in those old monastery books.
Her eyes darted to the pair of white wings that flapped on either side of her, and she couldn't help the surprised yelp that escaped her as she realized she being cradled closely to a strong chest. Nothing but white filled her vision, and as the wings ceased their rampant batting, Yuna was able to make out a masculine face staring straight forward. Long platinum hair framed his chiseled and rather handsome face. Pure white horns protruded from his head and the white Yuna had seen came from the pureness of his robes.
'He's a part of those faeries!'
Yuna found herself in pure shock, rendered completely speechless as they soared high above the battlefield. The man circled in the air, coming to land at an unoccupied section of the castle's protective walls that had not yet fallen. They were just far enough away from battlefield, and Yuna was shaking as the man set her to her feet.
She must've been shaking more than she'd realized, as she soon found herself in his tight embrace, propped up against his chest as her legs shook like a newborn deer.
She tightly gripped onto the winged man's white robes, the sudden events of the past hour hitting her like a horse. She released a shaky breath, eyes stinging with tears. Another explosion flashed above them, and finally Yuna fell apart into sobs. Burying her face into the man's chest like she was trying to find shelter in him.
She felt thin fingers rest on the small of her back, and another hand carded through her messy burgundy locks to cradle her head. The man held her close to him, and Yuna let out another cry as more and more explosions resounded around them.
Finally, the man spoke up. "It's alright, it's okay. No more harm will come to you anymore. I won't allow it." His voice was like liquid silk, gentle in its deep baritone. His words and voice alone helped calm down Yuna's panicked state, and his fingers gently massaged at her abused scalp in hypnotic motions.
Softly, like he was handling an abused animal, he gently cradled Yuna's face between his hands, lifting it from his chest. As Yuna finally came face to face with her savior, she sucked in a breath as his icy blue eyes met her dark ones. His face was kind, and held a comforting smile for her. His platinum hair glided so elegantly down his figure, and his large white wings and horns complimented his robes so well, it gave him an almost ethereal appearance. Yuna felt her cheeks heat up as his handsome face stared down at her; this man, wings and all, was unlike anything she'd ever seen before.
He was.... absolutely magnificent.
Absolutely wonderful.
His sharp eyes that matched her own held a comforting glimmer in them, and he delicately smoothed a long finger over her cut cheek.
"Can you tell me your name?" He asked her softly.
Yuna never broke his gaze.
"Yuna." She responsed quietly.
The winged man smiled at her, still cupping her face softly. "Yuna, there's no need to fear. I'll protect you, I promise." He assured her with a kind smile.
Yuna felt herself becoming mesmerized by his piercing blue eyes. "T-Thank you." She replied shakily. "Can I know your name?" She asked in return.
He smiled at her and gently released her face. His finger wiped at a tear still stuck to her face. "I am Udo." Was his simple response.
"Udo." Yuna repeated, the name foreign to her lips. She repeated it again, "Udo." She supposed it rolled off the tongue rather easily.
He chuckled. "Yes, that's my name."
The wall shook with each fire of arms released into the sky, and Udo steadied the girl with a firm hold on her shoulders.
Udo studied the girl in his hold, frowning as he noticed the apparent blues and yellows of a bruise beginning to peak out from her bodice. His head shot around to look at where Ingrith and Maleficent stood atop the castle, then again to his winged kin in the sky.
He gently but urgently addressed her. "Yuna, I can protect you, but you must trust me." He spoke quickly.
Yuna didn't know what it was that was drawing her to this man, but she found herself nodding despite any reservations she usually had when it came to strangers. Something about Udo was so familiar, and so comforting. Like a warm bed after a rough night, or a lighthouse in the middle of a stormy sea.
Yuna just knew she could trust him, she wanted to put her faith in Udo.
"Okay." Came her simple response.
Udo smiled at her words, and gently bent down to scoop her into his arms once more. "May I...?" He asked cautiously, fingers inches away from touching her.
Yuna pondered what he was referring to, before realizing with a heated face. "O-Oh, yes. Of course." She gave him permission, and the white haired male carefully scooping her up into his arms.
Yuna hissed as her torso was bent, and she rested her head on Udo's chest. Udo's brows furrowed as he noted the girl was far more injured than what was visible, and with a new sense of urgency, his wings flapped them both high into the air.
"Hang on." He reminded her in a whisper, and Yuna nodded through another wave of pain, her eyes watering. Yuna gazed up from where she rested on Udo's chest, and her eyes widened as she saw that he was already staring down at her. He smiled at her as their eyes met, and Yuna sighed out a quiet "thank you..." as she felt her consciousness begin to fade. The last thing she recalled was the sound of Udo's flapping wings, the feeling of the wind stinging her open wounds; she felt a sense of comfort as she snuggled into Udo's sturdy chest. She thought she'd felt something warm caress her cheek, but she was far too exhausted to open her eyes and investigate. She welcomed the darkness of sleep with open arms, finally feeling a sense of safety and peace in Udo's hold.
Few wake up in the morning and consider that at any given point in the day, they could meet the person who would forever change their life.
Yuna didn't know it at the time, but such was a day for herself.
The day that started it all.
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I hope you LOVED IT because I just typed so much I am in physical pain.... stayed up til 3AM to finish this 👊 anyways, I'm SO excited to write this for you guys! I love Udo so much, if you enjoyed, please let me know in the comments! Your support means the world to me. This was a rough week to crank out a chapter; college classes + ballet classes + teaching dance classes left very little wiggle room for me to have time to write, but I promise the first chapter would be out within the week so I made it happen!! <3 Expect updates about 1-2 times a month, this number will vary depending on how my schedule looks. One month could only have 1 update, or it could have 5! Please be patient with me as I work out a regular updating schedule, I want to update this as much as possible for you guys :) See you in the next chapter, thank you sm for reading!!!!!! <3