Thorn and Ember

·. 𝒰𝓃𝓇𝒶𝓋𝑒𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑔 ·.

THE INFIRMARY AT Merlin Academy was a quiet sanctuary tucked away in a corner of the sprawling castle. The stone walls were lined with shelves of potions and herbs, the scent of lavender and sage filling the air. A soft, golden light filtered through the stained glass windows, casting calming patterns on the floor.

Maleficent lay on one of the cots, her head resting on a pillow as she slowly regained consciousness. The events of the dance class were a blur—her body giving out, Hades watching her, and the hurried journey through the halls. Now, as she began to stir, she became acutely aware of the silence around her, broken only by the soft rustle of clothing and the muted whispers of her friends.

Eve and Cruella were standing nearby, their expressions tense with worry. Hades, to her surprise, was seated by her bedside, his usual smirk replaced by a frown of concern. His presence, so close and yet so foreign in this context, sent a shiver down her spine.

As her fluttered open, she was met with the anxious gazes of the friends. Eve was the first to speak, her voice soft but urgent. "Mal, you're awake. How are you feeling?"

Maleficent blinked, trying to gather her thoughts. Her throat was dry, and her mind felt foggy, but she forced herself to focus. "I'm. . . fine," she whispered, though the words felt hollow.

"Fine?" Hades echoed, his voice laced with skepticism. "You fainted twice in the span of twenty-four hours. That's not 'fine', Mal."

She turned her head to avoid his gaze, her heart beginning to race. The last thing she wanted was to be interrogated, to have to explain herself. The walls of the infirmary suddenly felt too close, the air too thick. She could feel the pressure building in her chest, her breaths becoming shorter and more shallow.

Eve noticed the change in her demeanor and quickly knelt beside her, placing a gentle hand on her arm. "Mal, it's okay. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

But the question was already there, hanging in the air, unspoken but palpable. Why had she fainted? What was wrong?

The pressure in Maleficent's chest tightened, her vision narrowing as her thoughts spiraled. The room seemed to close in on her, the concern in her friends' eyes only making it worse. She couldn't breathe—why couldn't she breathe?

"Mal?" Cruella's voice was distant, her expression blurring as Maleficent's panic mounted. "Mal, what's wrong?"

Her hands began to tremble, and she clutched the blanket beneath her, trying to ground herself, but it was no use. The panic was overwhelming, like a storm raging inside her, drowning out everything else. Her heart pounded in her ears, her breaths coming in short, ragged gasps.

"Maleficent, breathe," Hades said, his voice firm yet surprisingly calm. He moved closer, his hand hovering near her shoulder, unsure if he should touch her. "You're having a panic attack. You need to breathe."

But his words barely registered. The walls were closing in, the world around her slipping away. All she could feel was the panic, the overwhelming fear of losing control, of being seen as weak.

"Focus on my voice," Hades continued, his tone steady. "Just breathe with me, okay? In and out, slowly."

Eve's hand tightened on Maleficent's arm, her voice breaking through the haze. "We're here, Mal. You're safe. Just breathe."

Maleficent squeezed her eyes shut, trying to focus on their words, on the rhythm of Hades' voice. It was like trying to hold onto a lifeline in the middle of a raging sea, but slowly, painfully, she began to follow his instructions. In and out. In and out.

Gradually, the tightness in her chest eased, the panic receding enough for her to draw a deeper breath. Her hands still shook, but the storm inside her was beginning to calm, the world around her coming back into focus.

"There you go," Hades said softly, relief evident in his voice. "That's it. Just keep breathing."

She nodded faintly, her eyes still closed as she concentrated on regaining control. The fear was still there, lurking at the edges of her mind, but it was no longer overwhelming. She could breathe again.

After a few moments, she opened her eyes, blinking against the light. Eve's face came into focus first, her expression a mix of concern and relief. "Are you okay?" she asked gently.

Maleficent nodded, though she didn't trust her voice just yet. Her throat felt tight, her body weak, but the panic had subsided enough for her to respond. "I'm... sorry," she whispered, the words barely audible.

"There's nothing to be sorry about," Eve reassured her, her tone warm and comforting. "You don't have to explain anything right now. Just rest."

But Maleficent shook her head, her mind still racing despite the exhaustion that weighed her down. "I... I didn't eat," she admitted, the confession slipping out before she could stop it. "I didn't want... anyone to know."

The room fell silent, her words hanging in the air like a dark cloud. Eve and Cruella exchanged a look, their expressions softening with understanding. Hades, however, simply stared at her, his frown deepening.

"You didn't eat?" Cruella repeated, her voice filled with concern. "Mal, why didn't you say anything?"

Maleficent looked away, shame creeping up her spine. "I didn't want... anyone to think I was weak."

"Mal, not eating isn't a sign of strength," Evelyn said gently. "You need to take care of yourself. We're your friends; we're here to help you."

But Maleficent couldn't shake the feeling of vulnerability that came with admitting the truth. She had always prided herself on being strong, on not needing anyone's help. Yet here she was, laid out in the infirmary because she hadn't taken care of herself, exposed and fragile in a way she had never wanted to be.

"Why?" Hades asked suddenly, his voice cutting through the tension. "Why didn't you eat?"

Maleficent hesitated, unsure how to explain without revealing too much. She didn't want to talk about the pressure she felt, the expectations she placed on herself, or the fear of losing control. But the way Hades was looking at her, with a mix of confusion and something else she couldn't quite place, made it hard to stay silent.

"I just... didn't feel like eating," she said lamely, knowing it wasn't the whole truth but hoping it would be enough to satisfy him.

Hades' eyes narrowed slightly, clearly not convinced. But before he could press further, Eve stepped in. "Mal, you don't have to explain yourself if you don't want to. Just focus on getting better."

Maleficent nodded, grateful for the reprieve. She didn't have the energy to argue, to defend her actions, or to explain the complicated mess of emotions that had led her to this point. All she wanted was to rest, to push everything else aside for a little while.

"I'll be fine," she murmured, more to herself than to them. "I just need some time."

"Take all the time you need," Eve said softly, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.

Cruella smiled at her, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "We're here for you, Mal. Always."

Hades, however, remained silent, his expression unreadable as he watched her. There was something in his eyes—an intensity that made her feel exposed, as if he could see right through her. It was unsettling, but she was too exhausted to dwell on it.

As the minutes ticked by, the infirmary slowly returned to its usual calm. The panic that had gripped Maleficent faded into a dull ache, the exhaustion pulling her back toward unconsciousness. Her friends stayed by her side, their presence a comforting anchor in the storm of her emotions.

Just before sleep claimed her, she heard Hades speak again, his voice low and serious. "We're not done talking about this, Mal."

She didn't have the strength to respond, her mind too foggy to fully process his words. All she could do was let the darkness take her, the weight of the day's events finally pulling her under.

·.༄࿔

-Hi, as I said on last chapter I'm doing two chapters today since I'm not posting tomorrow, I'm debating on posting on Saturday, I will if I'm not busy and don't forget to follow my TikTok! @malsdaughter