One Strange Family

The Attack

Maleficent woke up to the sound of Arietta's voice. "What's wrong honey?" she asked sleepely. "I can't sleep." Arietta said sniffling. Maleficent opened her eyes to see Arietta crying. Maleficent the tears away with her thumbs. "What's wrong Little Wing?" "I had a bad dream." Arietta said. Maleficent pulled Arietta into a hug. "It's okay sweetheart, I'm here." Maleficent laid her down beside her. Arietta cuddled closer to her mom. "Mommy why are we staying in the castle? I don't like it, it gives me bad dreams." Arietta said. Maleficent looked around, they were in one of the master bedrooms. It was decorated like the forest just for them. "For Aurora's anniversary, Little Wing." "Oh." Arietta said. Maleficent knew that even though that wasn't a lie, they were actually staying here because of something else. The Moors was not safe anymore, not while there was someone trying to kill her daughter. "Goodnight mommy." Arietta yawned. "Goodnight, Little Wing." Arietta fell asleep cuddling into her mother's hug. Her wings tucked around her like a blanket. Maleficent fell asleep not long after her. Maleficent didn't know what time it was when she awoke to her daughter squirming and sobbing in her sleep. "Shhh, it's okay Arietta, I'm here, your safe." Maleficent whispered. Diaval woke up from the sound of Arietta sobbing. "What's wrong?" he asked Maleficent. "Bad dream I guess." she said. Diaval caressed Arietta's head, she stopped sobbing and squirming and kept sleeping. "You think maybe it's a bad vision? I mean she does have visions." Diaval suggested. "I don't know Diaval." Maleficent said. "Let's just go back to sleep, we'll figure it out in the morning." She said laying her head down on her pillow. Diaval did the same and they fell asleep together. In the morning they went down to the dining room to eat breakfast with Aurora and Philip. Dakota was telling everyone a story of her adventures, making them laugh. After they ate they decided to go for a walk in the castle's garden. Dakota ran up to the small field in the garden trying to catch a butterfly. Aurora, Maleficent, Diaval, and Philip were talking about the preparations dor the ball. Arietta decided since they were close to the village to go and play with the friends that she made. "Arietta wait!" Maleficent yelled, but she already disappeared into the crowd. Soon they all decided to head for the village as well. Before they could even make it to the village the crowd started to yell and scream and run away from something. Then they heard a crash deep in the village. One of the guards ran up to them trying to catch his breath. "What's going on?" Aurora asked. "You're highness, there's a-" before he could finish there was a loud scream that came from deep in the village. "Arietta!" Diaval and Maleficent yelled. "MOMMY!" yelled Arietta. Maleficent shot for the skies and Diaval morphed into a raven. Arietta was cornered by a monster that looked like a snake. It was about to strike her when magic hit it from behind. "Don't touch her!" yelled Maleficent. She flinged him away from Arietta with her magic making it go through a wall. 'Mommy!" Arietta said flying up to her mom giving her a hug. Maleficent had to flap her wings a couple of times to not fall from the air. "It's okay, I'm here." she said. Diaval flew by them and flew over to where the snake crashed. He flew back and landed on the ground to morph to a man. Maleficent glided down to the ground carrying Arietta as she landed. Diaval caressed Arietta's head, "Are you okay sweetheart?" he asked. Arietta was shaking in her mother's arms, nothing but fear in her eyes. Maleficent hugged her, relieved that she got there in time. "Godmother!" Aurora yelled, running to them, Philip right behind her. "Is she ok?" she asked worriedly. "Yes, she's okay." Maleficent said. "Mal," Diaval said, "I don't think we're done." The snake started to get back up, shaking off some rocks it had on it's head. It turned to looked at Maleficent then at Arietta. It was grayish-green, and had 6 eyes, three on it's head and three on it's face, it almost looked like a king cobra. Maleficent started to back up, holding Arietta tighter. Diaval stepped infront of them. "You're not touching anyone." he said angrily. The snake hissed at him and dashed straight for him. Diaval morphed into a lion and jumped on top of the snake's head, claws digging into it's skin and scratching it's eyes. It shook him off making him crash into a house. "Diaval!" yelled Maleficent. The snake looked back at Maleficent and started to slither at her when it heard crackling coming from the house Diaval was thrown into. Smoke started to come out threw the broken windows and cracks. Big wings came out threw the roof and a head popped out. The snake stood up tall waiting for Diaval to attack. Diaval on the other hand had another idea. Smoke started to come out of his mouth, before the snake could react he ignited snake on fire. The snake hissed out of pain, Maleficent could see that it was dieng so she stepped further away from the fight before the snake fell to the ground dead. Dust rose up from the ground and disappeared after a few seconds. Diaval morphed back into a human walking up to Maleficent. He was breathing heavily from the fight. Maleficent caressed his cheek with her hand healing a cut. "Don't ever scare me like thay again." she said. "Sorry love." Diaval said. "Daddy." Arietta smiled and reached for him. Diaval carried her, "Hey squirt." he said chuckling. Maleficent smiled and gave him a quick kiss. "Eww!" Arietta said. Diaval and Maleficent laughed walking up to Aurora and Philip. "I think we have to explain what happened here to my people." Aurora said. "I'll do it." Philip said. Aurora smiled and pecked him on the cheek. "I'll find someone to get rid of that." Aurora said pointing at the snake. They walked back to the castle when Arietta asked a very interesting question. "Mommy, where's Dakota?" she asked. Maleficent realized that she wasn't here. "Dakota!" she yelled but there as no answer. She called her again but there was no answer. She spread her wings and shot for the sky. She looked around, 'Where is she?' she thought. She flew around searching for her. "She was right behind us, how cdisappeardisappear." Aurora said. Maleficent came back down looking worried. "Did you find her?" Diaval asked. "No, I couldn't find her." Maleficent said. "I'm gonna go look for her again." "I'll go with you." Diaval said. "No you have to look after Arietta." "I'll be fine mommy." Arietta said climbing out of Diaval's arms. "Are you sure sweetheart?" Maleficent asked. "Yes, I'll be with Aurora." Arietta said. Maleficent looked at Diaval and nodded. He morphed into a raven and off they went in search of Dakota. Aurora took Arietta's hand and walked inside. Maleficent and Diaval looked everywhere for Dakota. They decided to land near a barn behind the castle. Maleficent had a worried expression. "We'll find her." Diaval said caressing both her arms softly. Maleficent sighed looking up at him. He smiled at her nd she smiled back. Then she noticed something move in the barn. Maleficent's smile disappeared. "What is it?" Diaval asked. Maleficent started walking to the barn. She looked through the door and found Dakota unconscious and bleeding from her leg. Her leg was caught in a trap. "Dakota!" yelled Maleficent. "Dakota, wake up." she said cradling her. Dakota's eyes fluttered open and was aware of a painful sting on her leg. She screamed in pain but also trying to calm herself. "UGH! That hurts!" she yelled. "Ok, calm down, breathe, breathe." said Maleficent. "Let's try to take the trap out, shall we." Diaval said. Diaval bent down observing the trap." He looked up at Dakota. "This is really gonna hurt." he said. Dakota tensed up a little. "Ok but be care-OW!" yelled Dakota. "Sorry, it's not going to be painless you know." Diaval said. "Can't you take it out ith magic mom?" asked Dakota. "I could but it's worse than this, but it's fast." "Oh ok, the faster the better right?" said Dakota. Maleficent chuckled, "Maybe, but I don't want to hurt you more than you already are." she said. "You're so soft mother, just do it and get it over with, you'll do me a favor." Dakota said. Diaval looked up at Maleficent, "Why don't you put her to sleep with your magic?" he asked. "It would be a lot easier." he added. "It would be easier, and less painful." Dakota said. Maleficent sighed and looking down at Dakota. "Are you sure, I promised you I wouldn't." she said. "Yeah, I'm sure." Dakota said smiling. Gold magic started flowing through Maleficent's finger forming a ball, she blew the magic ball towards Dakota's face. Dakota fell asleep in Maleficent's arms. Diaval started working on getting the trap off Dakota's leg. "How are we going to open it?" he asked. "Well, we can count to three and pull it apart, but you need to put some more strength into it." said Maleficent. "Ok, ready, 1...2...3!"