Once Upon a Lie: Maleficent

The Beggining

I am Maleficent. I know you've heard the stories. I'm supposedly "evil". Erase that idea from your mind. Everything you have ever been told about me, they are all lies. I am not evil.

I was born into an extremely rich family. We lived on a castle on a hill in the southern kingdom.

Our story begins when my twin and I were ten. My twin, Leah, had a fair complexion and flowing, blonde hair. Her face was cheerful and pleasant. She was always bubbly and kind.

I, on the other hand, could not be more different. I had pale skin and hair as black as midnight. I was intelligent and I was rather reserved. I wasn't ugly, I just wasn't approachable.

My parents new at an early age my sister could be betrothed to a wonderful man, but they had their doubts about me. Not only did I have a haughty look about me, but I was born with magic.

My parents tried to hide me. They tried to force the magic out of me. Nothing worked.

The winter before we turned eleven my family and I had visitors. The King and Queen, who were personal friends of my parents, had a son who was eleven. His name was Richard.

They ate dinner with us and before they left, Leah and Richard were betrothed. I can't say I wasn't jealous, because I was. Leah and Richard would write to each other frequently and they quickly fell in love.

I despised their romance, for I knew I would never find one of my own. Or so I thought at the time.

A few years later, when me and Leah were sixteen, Leah and Richard's romance was becoming serious. He would come to our home nearly every week and Leah would frequently go to the castle.

When Richard was on one of his visits at our home i decided to get away for a bit. So i walked through the gates of our home to the stables. I saddled up my favorite horse, a beautiful black mare. I climbed onto her. It was rather hard while wearing the long dark down my mother had made me wear. I hated dresses.

Once I had situated myself on the horse she started walking peacefully down the road to the meadows near our home.

I turned at just the right moment to see my mother striding out of the home. She was probably looking for me. When she saw me she started marching towards me. I urged the mare to go faster. She started galloping. My mother started to run but was weighed down by the large red ballgown she was wearing.

My mother gave up her chase once i had reached the meadow. The meadow was bathed in an golden light from the setting sun. i breathed in the smell of blossoming flowers. It was lovely outside.

I had forgotten to slow my horse down and i had soon entered the forest. The forest was vast and easy to get lost in so I slowed my horse. She cantered on the soft earth.

Soon we had reached a creek. I stopped the mare and hopped off her back. I took a good look at my surroundings. The trees were tall and their leaves were full of life and had a healthy green color.

I dipped my feet in the trickling water. The water was cold and refreshing. I had soon waded in up to my knees but that was as far as i dared, I did not want to ruin another dress. It angered my mother. Suddenly an idea came to me. I was alone in the forest so it wouldn't matter if i took my dress off. I reached around to my back and undid the tight corset and threw it onto a pile of leaves. I untied my boots and threw them onto the pile as well. Soon to follow was a black dress. I was now in my undergarments which was basically a long white dress.

I decided my mother wouldn't notice if i ruined it and submerged myself in the fridged water.

After a half hour or so I climbed out of the water while wringing out my exceptionally long hair. My whole body was cold and wet so I payed down on the soft grass to dry off.

The sky had turned a wonderful shade of pink. Once I had dried fully I stood up and stretched my arms high above my head. I started getting dressed again. When I had finished I clambered back into my horse and she started walking back towards the house.

We were just about to leave the forest when I boy around my age burst into the trees. He was breathing heavily and his dark brown hair was matted with sweat.

He leaned against a tree and looked behind himself nervously.

"What are you doing?" I asked a bit taken aback by his sudden appearance.

He looked up at me still panting slightly he said, "Can i ride your horse?"

I looked at him. Why could he possibly need my horse? Suddenly I saw five or so palace guards on horses galloping over the meadow.

I glanced at the boy who was making a desperate face. What could he have done that was so bad?

"Hop on," I said to him. He grimaced which I suppose was a sort of smile. The guards were drawing nearer as he swung his body onto the horse.

"Where to?" I asked nervously.

"Anywhere but here," he said while grabbing onto my shoulders.

I urged the mare back into the forest. I knew I would regret this later as the horse started galloping into the darkening woods.