I Know You

11

 "Ow!" Aurora whined.

"Hold still Beastie, you're only making it worse," Maleficent scolded the girl, who was sat at her feet as she attempted to detangle a large knot from her hair.

Aurora huffed. "If you didn't make so much wind with your wings, it wouldn't be there in the first place."

"Is that so? Well, I'm terribly sorry for any inconvenience caused," the fairy said, feigning concern. "In future I will not come to your rescue, and shall leave you to be man-handled by peasants."

"I didn't need rescuing, Godmother," Aurora told her.

Maleficent hummed, unconvinced.

"But thank you, all the same," the girl said, with a small smile.

"There," her Godmother declared, finally managing to tease out the knot and planting a kiss atop her head.

Rather than standing up, Aurora leaned her head against Maleficent's leg, murmuring her thanks

"Do you think he'll come back?" she asked, after a brief pause.

"I don't know. I think it's entirely possible, given that he left without the thing that he came for," Maleficent said.

"Should I have agreed?" Aurora pondered. "Gone to the castle and done as he asked?"

"No."

"But if he's my Uncle, then he is next in line for the throne..." she began.

"Yes, if."

Aurora frowned, turning to look up at her, perplexed. "Do you think he was lying?"

Maleficent sighed, running a hand through Aurora's hair. Sweet, naïve Aurora who saw no bad in anybody – until it was too late.

"I don't know, Beastie. Perhaps, perhaps not. But it won't do to dwell on it."

"You're right," she said softly, still thoughtful.

The corner of Maleficent's mouth twitched. "It has been known. Now why don't you go and find those dreadful water sprites? They've been demanding an audience with you all day."

Nodding, Aurora stood up.

"Don't go too far," the fairy added.

"I won't," the girl promised. And then she turned, wrapping her arms around her Godmother's neck and kissing her on the cheek.

Maleficent's eyes widened momentarily – try as she might she could not get used to the child's constant provision of physical affection.

Oblivious, Aurora disappeared in the direction of the nearby ponds.

The fairy waited until she was out of sight before she called for Diaval. The bird appeared within moments, landing silently on her shoulder.

Maleficent did not avert her gaze from the direction in which Aurora had disappeared.

"Go after the peasant."

Ω Ω Ω Ω

Settled in the nest, Maleficent was resting her eyes.

It was several hours since Aurora had gone off to find the water sprites, and dusk was setting in. Yet the fairy was not concerned, for she could hear girl's distant laugh, and knew that she was safe.

Eventually, as the sun set, the laughter died down, and Maleficent was drifting in and out of light sleep when Aurora finally climbed into the nest.

"Godmother?" the girl whispered, appearing beside her. "Godmother, are you awake?"

"No," Maleficent told her, simply.

"Fairy Godmother," Aurora whispered, more urgently.

Deciding that something must surely be wrong, Maleficent opened her eyes.

The girl put a gentle hand to the fairy's wing, as if to move it to one side.

Head still foggy with sleep, it took Maleficent a moment to realise what was happening, and she watched in confusion as Aurora curled in beside her and a blonde head of hair settled beneath her chin.

The little beast.

Two big eyes met hers.

"What?" Aurora asked, oblivious.

"Nothing. Go to sleep," she replied, though she did wonder when this level of physicality had become a nightly occurrence.

Letting out a contented sigh, Aurora snuggled in against her, and a few peaceful moments passed.

"Godmother?"

The fairy opened one eye. Not content with the encroachment of her personal space, it seemed the child was choosing now to attempt to initiate some form of conversation.

"What?"

Aurora quieted, sensing the edge to Maleficent's voice. "It doesn't matter. Sorry."

Maleficent sighed, wondering when this girl had developed an ability to melt her into somebody she barely recognised.

"No, Beastie. I'm sorry. What is it?" she asked, cupping her hand to Aurora's cheek.

"I was just wondering... why you named me Queen of the moors?" she asked.

Maleficent thought about it for a moment.

"For the very same reason that I allowed you into the moors in the first place," she said. "Because you are the only human I know that wants to be here purely to be, and not for personal gain. And therefore, I know that you will love and protect these lands as fiercely as I."

A small furrow appeared in the girl's brow, and the fairy – now fully alert – did not miss it.

"What troubles you?" she asked.

"I will love and protect them fiercely. But... I don't think the first part is entirely true," Aurora told her. "You say I am here without personal gain. I disagree."

"Do you?" the fairy asked, curiously.

"The moors are beautiful. And I love every inch of them, and all of the creatures that reside here. But what truly drew me here... what makes them home... is you," Aurora told her, softly. "Perhaps I am as selfish as the king and all of the other humans who have tried to gain from the moors."

"No, Aurora. There is a difference between you wanting to live here with me, and men who take things from the moors to benefit them in the human kingdom," Maleficent told her. "And besides, the moors are as much a part of me as I am of them."

Aurora smiled, her worries suddenly seeming a little foolish. "Then I shall always love and protect them fiercely. As I do you."

Leaning in, the fairy planted a kiss on the girl's forehead.

"And I, you."

Ω Ω Ω Ω