Mommy Maleficent and Daddy Diaval

"Upsie daisy! Downsie wownsie!" Diaval crooned as he paced back and forth, the human child held tight in his arms. He smiled every time he raised her high in the air, their eyes meeting. Oh, how hers sparkled with so much light and life! She truly was beauty beyond comprehension. She giggled in delight and glee, completely unafraid by the strange man who held her, or his rather sharp, birdlike features.

Pretty birdy! And any time he lowered her, he winked playfully, mischievously, and her giggling would redouble as she eagerly anticipated the moment he made her fly again. Upsie daisy! Downsie wownsie!

Watching from the shadowy tree line only a few feet behind Diaval was a pair of glowing green eyes. Imbecile.

"Come on, Mistress! You're missing out on all the fun!" As if reading her mind, Diaval looked over his shoulder, face and eyes full of mirth.

Imbecile. Maleficent thought again.

"Mistress...!" Pleading and sing-songing, Diaval was almost giggling himself as he held Aurora up again. She could see the glowing green eyes in the heart of the shadowy trees and her laughter ceased, replaced by awe.

I know you... I remember once upon a dream... She remembered being asleep. Or was she awake? For the thing she remembered next was a face, pale, surrounded by glowing green. Two eyes—those same two eyes as now, Aurora was sure—peered down at her through the emerald flame. Curious, inquisitive.

What are you? The eyes asked, and Aurora could only stare back up at her with wide blue orbs of her own, just a babe, equally confused and breath-taken. She wondered the same thing. Who are you?

She remembered nothing else of that day. Just those two, piercing, burning eyes. And they'd been with her ever since, watching over her, ever vigilant, ever just a few feet away. Now there they were again. As she clung to Diaval's shoulders, she locked eyes with the green gaze from the darkened and shadowy tree line.

I know you, that look in your eyes is so familiar a gleam... Without thinking, little Aurora stretched out a chubby little hand. She was soundless, but her mind was full. And I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem. But if I know you, I know what you'll do. You'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream...

"Ahh, ba ba ba... play!" Aurora said, pointing.

"See, Mistress?" Diaval asked smugly. "She's asking you to!"

"All the more reason to decline!" Maleficent hissed back balefully, shrinking back into the darkness. The green eyes' glimmer was fainter.

"Ah—!" Aurora cried out again, still reaching out, but this time, her face and voice were laced with fear. No, don't go, I'm not ready to wake up yet!

She loved her aunties dearly, but this mysterious man that helped her fly—and those beautiful eyes ever watching over her—she was curious about them. She wasn't ready to say goodbye or goodnight just yet. She still wanted one more adventure...!

"Mistress," Diaval sighed. As he was holding Aurora, he could detect her discomfort much better than Maleficent could. No longer waiting for her to approach, he dared bring Aurora closer, walking over to Maleficent, and tree line.

I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream...

"No!" Maleficent hissed and shrank even further away from the tiny human, but Diaval shook his head, convicted and stalwart. He did not stop until they were inches apart, and he held the baby Aurora out to Maleficent.

"Ah...!" Aurora's eyes and mouth were wide. Those eyes... Those eyes! I know you, that look in your eyes is so familiar a gleam. And I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem. But if I know you, I know what you'll do...

Diaval would never quite be sure how he did it, only that he had to thank his lucky stars every single day that Maleficent hadn't roasted him alive right then and there and turned him into her next breakfast (fresh-fried blackbird! Yum!) He stepped back with a sigh as Maleficent held Aurora with a completely impassive expression. The little girl's hands flew to Maleficent's horns. Instinctively, Maleficent tried to shy away, holding Aurora as far away from herself as she could. Aurora only giggled, feeling as though she was flying again.

Diaval had to bite his lip to keep from showing too much overt enjoyment of the situation. The words he longed to say—had he had a death wish—danced on the tip of his tongue, but kept them locked firmly in his brain.

Haha! Well! Would you look at that? Mommy Maleficent and Daddy Diaval. The three fairies—Knotgrass, Thistlewit, and Flittle—assigned to actually be Aurora's caretakers were painfully awful at it. Seriously! I get secondhand embarrassment!

Diaval may have been a bird, but he still had more parenting experience than any of the Moor folk! How many times had he flown through the human kingdom and witnessed mothers and fathers with their children? What experience did any of the fae have on that? Maleficent included. But that was what Daddy Diaval was there for! He could show them all the way! He could teach Maleficent, even if he could not teach Knotgrass, Thistlewit, and Flittle. It was a thankless job either way, but somebody had to do it. An entire, precious life was on the line, after all.

His dark gaze shifted back to the little princess, still in Maleficent's outstretched arms. Maleficent had brought Aurora slightly closer to her face again, their eyes locked.

Peculiar little Beastie... What human—especially a child—did not fear the Mistress of All Evil? Her harrowing visage was mere inches away from Aurora's own, so tender and pure and innocent and fragile and sweet. But Aurora did not scream, did not cry, did not even turn away. Instead, in awestruck silence, she held Maleficent's gaze, just as perplexed as the dark fae. They were so different, yet they were thinking the exact same thing.

I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream... Because I know you, I know what you'll do. You'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream... They both remembered that fateful day, their first encounter, even if they had remembered it differently.

Whether Maleficent realized it or not, she began to sway back and forth, as if rocking the child, or even dancing with her to a hypnotic melody only they could hear. Diaval watched with a smile on his face.

Haha! Well! Would you look at that? Mommy Maleficent and Daddy Diaval. See? I knew it. I knew she had it in her! He was thinking both of Aurora and Maleficent. Because I know you, I know what you'll do. You'll love her at once, the way you did once upon a dream...

AN: Got my parents to watch Maleficent 2 and even though they thought it was really weird, my mom at least kind of enjoyed it LOL.

I freaking love this family so much and I'm lowkey sad Diaval got so shafted in the sequel. He's comedic relief, but he is also just as big of a parent to Aurora as Maleficent. Heck, he loved her first, after all, and helped soften Maleficent to her in the first place.