Daughter of Flames and Darkness

The Discovery

"...WHAT?" Maleficent asked in disbelief. She was sitting up in bed with a breakfast tray in her lap and a bucket next to the bed. "This cannot be true. It's impossible."

"Well, what other explanation could there be?" Dementia asked, showing the dark fairy the passage in the book Diablo found. "This would definitely explain a lot."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" The Mistress of Evil snapped.

"That! Your recent mood swings, that's one of the symptoms. Along with the nausea, the dizziness, the almost constant tiredness, the vomiting... it all checks out."

Maleficent paused and thought for a moment; she knew books don't lie and her husband's most competent minion wouldn't lie to her either, even if she wanted to save her own skin. She turned back to Dementia.

"Perhaps we just need a second opinion." She said as sat up straight and she held out her left hand. Her scepter, which was leaning on a wall in another corner of the room, levitated a few inches off the floor and zoomed straight into Maleficent's open hand. She turned back to Dementia. "Turn that book to page 104. There's a spell that would help determine exactly what is wrong with me."

"Uh... okay." Dementia nervously did as she was told as Maleficent shakily stood up. She glanced at the title of the spell. "Crescent Moon Sensor?"

"That's the one. Show me the spell." The Mistress of Evil demanded; the imp did just that.

Maleficent skimmed the page, waved her scepter, the orb started to glow, and she used it to draw a crescent moon shape with light. Then she waved her scepter in front of her stomach and after a moment of silence, the orb glowed a pale blue color as another crescent moon shape appeared within it. She looked down and her eyes widened in shock and terror as she slowly moved the scepter away from her.

"...So it's true." She quickly sat back down onto the bed with her scepter falling out of her hand and collapsing next to her. She put a hand to her stomach.

Dementia glanced at the page and skimmed the spell as realization washed over her. "...Told ya." Diablo glared at her to make her shut up. She paused and cleared her throat. "Should I... should I go tell the boss about this?"

"NO!" Maleficent violently grabbed Dementia by her shoulders and glared at her, her eyes like burning embers. "You CANNOT tell Hades!"

"But-but-but... he has to know! He has a right to, doesn't he?"

She paused and let go of the impish minion, sighing in defeat. "You're right. But I must be the one to tell him, no one else. Understand?"

Dementia nodded as she set the book down on the nightstand.

"Good. Now go. Don't disturb me until I call you."

"Yes, mistress."

Dementia flapped her wings and flew out the door, closing it behind her. Maleficent made her way back under the covers of her bed. Diablo jumped down onto the bed next to her and looked up at her with a curious look in his eyes. She smirked and gently stroked his head with her hand.

"Oh, my pet. I hardly believed this was possible for someone like me." She said as her eyes started to fill up with tears. "And yet, here I am." A few tears started to fall.

The raven quickly noticed his mistress's change in mood and hopped onto her shoulder to comfort her. She wiped her eyes and gave a tiny smile as he gently nuzzled her cheek; Diablo always did his best to make her feel better. She then waved her hand and used her magic to levitate her scepter and place it back in its original spot.

"Thank you for your support, Diablo. I truly appreciate it." She said. "I'm just afraid of what Hades would say when he finds out. But Dementia is correct." She placed her hand back to her stomach. "He has a right to know."