I Know You

12

Maleficent watched the raven land before she transformed him.

"Well?" she asked – her voice low, so as not to wake the girl sleeping in the tree above.

Diaval nodded. "Well, I found him, Mistress."

"And?"

"And.... Not much to report. He lives in the village of Wolfslock, his name does appear to be Darius..." he began.

"I'm... underwhelmed," Maleficent told him, curtly.

She had slept very little in the last 24 hours, her head filled questions about this man and concerns for her young charge. Consequently, Diaval's lack of information was not well received.

"I watched him most of the evening and into the night, Mistress. It was relatively uneventful," Diaval reasoned. "He seems to be the right hand man of the village elder. Looks to live alone. That's really all."

Maleficent rose an eyebrow, exhaling. "Do you remember the way to the village of Wolfslock, Diaval?"

"I expect so. Why? Do you wish to go?" he frowned.

"No. But you will be making several more trips there, if that is the best you can do," the fairy told him, turning to walk away.

Diaval pulled a face behind her back.

"I saw that!" she called, as she made her way through the trees toward the Pool of Jewels.

"How the...?" Diaval grumbled, following after her.

They didn't speak again until they reached the water's edge.

"How was she last night?" he asked, coming to a stop beside her.

"Full of needless worry," Maleficent told him, simply. "She perhaps requires a... distraction."

"What sort of distraction?" Diaval asked.

The fairy shrugged her shoulders. "I thought I might take her to the western edge of the moors. To the caves where the Blue Caps reside. She has yet to see them."

Diaval couldn't stop himself from smiling, and Maleficent shot him a look.

"What?"

"Nothing, Mistress. It's a nice thought, that's all," he told her, trying to keep a straight face.

"Perhaps it is a bad idea. I do not have 'nice thoughts'," she said, reflectively.

"No! No, I think Aurora will love it," he insisted.

Maleficent watched him for a moment before conceding. "Fine. You will join us?"

"Thank you, but I think I'll stay here and rest a while," Diaval told her. "Besides, I think Aurora would like to spend the time with you."

"Very well then," Maleficent inclined her head. "In that case, I'd like for you to return to Wolfslock once you are well rested. And listen well to the man's conversations, I'd like to know exactly what he is planning."

Diaval nodded. "As you wish, Mistress."

Ω Ω Ω Ω

"Where are we going?" Aurora asked for easily the tenth time, following Maleficent through the thick undergrowth as they seemed to go deeper into the moors.

"Do you expect me to dignify that with a response?" her Godmother asked – she had not answered Aurora the previous nine times, and clearly had no intention of doing so now.