Auroro

II

From his position in the highest branch on the tallest tree Maleficent looked down at the three sisters blundering through the woods.

“They have no idea where they’re going, they don’t even have a place to stay.” he looked at his familiar Diana perched on the branch beside him still in the form of a crow. “I suppose I should prepare a place for them, I can’t let him go without a home at such a young age.”

His familiar titled her head and let a small squawk. “Don’t give me that look, I simply wish to ensure he’ll make it to his sixteenth birthday.”

With the wave of his hand a small log cabin appeared just out of the sisters line of vision, lest they know that it was Maleficent that conjured the house.

“He won’t make it without some help.” Maleficent thought to himself. “I suppose I could give them some...help.” He lifted his scepter and jumped down from the tree and landed soundlessly on the forest floor. He took long, silent strides toward the sisters all while keeping himself hidden among the trees and brush.

When he reached a safe distance from them he raised his scepter high above his head and the bright cyan orb atop the stick began to glow. He pointed the glowing end towards the sisters and a small, bright trail of light followed to the sisters, wrapping around them without taking notice. Auroro, however, began to giggle and reached out to touch the light that faded before his small hands could reach.

Satisfied with his spell he walked towards his favorite tree with is familiar flying over him. With a flick of his wrist his familiar fell to the ground and took up her human form.

She swept her long black hair over her shoulder and smirked up at Maleficent, “Why’d you do that?”

“I don’t know what you mean.” he said indignantly.

“You built them a cabin and granted them the powers of a fairy. Why?”

He ignored her as if he didn’t hear her. 

“I do believe you’ve already developed a soft spot for the child.” Diana said, her voice light as if on a laugh.

“That’s ridiculous, that child is but a few days old, no time to form any type of affinity for it. Besides, they obviously aren’t capable of caring for it, what good is it to me if the beast dies before it even reaches adolescence.”

Diana said nothing else but gave a knowing smile that Maleficent simply huffed at and with another flick of his hand turned her back into a crow. She squawked in disapproval at the action but he let out a throaty laugh at her distress.

“If you want to remain a human, you know you can’t irritate me.”

----

Days passed like this, Maleficent keeping watch over Auroro.

He continued to do small things for him, providing food and taking care of him from a distance. He always took particular joy in teasing the sisters, who had taken to their newly found powers without incident, and starting small quarrels between them.

Days turned to months and months turned to years. Auroro grew to be a beautiful young boy. His light blond hair fell below his shoulders because the sisters had neglected it but he soon learned to live with and enjoy the flowing locks. His eyes seemed to grow brighter with each passing year and rivaled the very skies with their true blue color. His smile grew wider and his laughter was a jovial sound that evoked feelings of happiness in anyone fortunate enough to hear it.

“Auroro?” Thistle questioned him, “What did you do today?”

Auroro gave her one of his enchanting smiles that warmed her heart, “I picked you, Flora, and Fauna some wild flowers out by the cliff.”

He lept up from his seat at the old wooden table in the center of the small kitchen. He ran to the corner and scooped up his canvas satchel, one of many gifts from Maleficent, and carried it back with him to the table.

He lifted the flap open, gently took out three bundles of flowers he’d selectively picked and laid them across the table. He lifted the blue bundle, held together with a blue ribbon, and handed it to Thistle.

“For you.” he spoke softly, a light blush covered his face when he handed them to her and Thistle practically swooned, just for his own pleasure.

“Why Auroro, you are the sweetest little boy to ever walk the forest.”

His face burned brighter but now had a large grin, “Really?”

She made a face of mock shock, “Why of course, there has never been one sweeter.”

He giggled and the door to the sisters bedroom opened gaining the attention of Auroro and Thistle. He quickly grabbed the other two bundles and ran toward the other sisters. He came to a halt and front of them and handed the red one to Flora and the white one bound with a green ribbon to Fauna.

Before they could give him proper thanks he darted away from them, grabbed him bag and was out the door shouting a small goodbye over his shoulder.

He ran through the woods until he reached the dark side of the forest, where the trees started to turn bare and black and the air felt heavier. When he reached this point he stopped and looked at the plants lining the border between the light side and the dark side.

The flowers that bloomed there jutted out at odd angles and most of the stems were lined with thorns. With a careful hand he began to pluck the deep purple and black flowers, taking care to avoid pricking his delicate hands. Once he decided he’d gathered enough in his hands he reached in his bag and pulled out a black ribbon he’d gotten just for his friend.

He took the silky ribbon and tied it around the bundle of flowers he’d collected and headed back over to the light side of the forest where he knew his friend would be.

He walked to the tree that he usually sat in when Auroro saw him and he sat down at the base to wait.