Arrows flew, a women shrieked in pain and anger. Suddenly another cry rent the night air, the women frowned, had she not expressly forbidden him from joining her in this fight?!

Gritting her teeth against the pain in her arm Maleficent summoned her magic and transformed her faithful servant into a roc.

She watched with satisfaction as the giant bird easily destroyed his opponents.

But now she was angry, she didn't wait for him to catch up to her despite her injured arm. It would heal in a moment anyway.

When at last they returned home she didn't even wait for Diaval to land before transforming him into his man-form.

He looked at her with exasperation and defiance."Was that entirely necessary Mistress?"

"HOW DARE YOU!" She shrieked.

He tilted his chin upwards in a show of defiance. "How dare I?! I DARE because I don't wish to see you killed!" He was really angry now, he rounded on her and poked a finger at her shoulder to further make his point."

She had calmed herself enough by this point that she didn't lash out with magic. "Diaval, you will remove your finger or you will lose it."

He was honestly taken aback by what he'd just done, he had never raised his voice to his Mistress before.

He stepped back slowly, "Forgive me Mistress, I should not have raised my voice to you."

Maleficent raised an elegant eyebrow at this "And what about following me when I had forbidden it?"

The defiant gleam returned to his eyes. "That I do not and cannot regret."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "And why not?"

"It's quite simple Mistress, I will obey any order you give me, but when you are careless, when you put yourself in unnecessary danger, I will defy you at every turn, for I cannot lose you."

Maleficent was surprised and to be quite honest, a little frightened to think Diaval could have such strong feelings for her. "What are you saying Diaval?" She said in a quiet almost frightened voice.

He took a deep breath and said what he'd been wanting to say for months now. "I-I'm saying that I love you, that I would rather die, then see you come to harm."

Her eyes widened "But... But why would you want me?"

The outright fear in her voice made him want to kill Stephen, to utterly destroy the foul creature who had made her think so little of herself.

"I think a better question is, why wouldn't I want you?" He said softly leaning closer to His lovely Mistress.

"Tha-that's impossible, I-I'm ruined." She whispered.

The pain and sadness in her voice made him feel as if his heart were breaking. "If I ever get ahold of Stephen, I'll kill him. You are not ruined, you are beautiful, intelligent, powerful... And very very foolish to believe that you are in any way unworthy of being loved."

Maleficent took a step back, almost stepping right out of her tree. "You would be a fool to love me Diaval." She said brokenly.

Diaval stepped closer and, pressing her against a large branch kissed her. He kissed her with everything he had. At first Maleficent stood ridged with shock, but then ever so slowly she relaxed and started to respond.

He pulled back and whispered "Then indeed, I am a fool. For I love you as I will love no one else in this life."