I'm terribly inconsistent with my uploads recently, this past year has been difficult, I hope those of you who enjoy my writing will continue to be patiant with me. The reviews I get on these stories are a big part of keeping me going, they remind me that although I'm finding things difficult there is another world I can be a part of where people accept me. Loneliness is a terrible thing, I do hope if you're reading this you can find a place for yourself aswell. Every life is special and even if things are hard right now, they will get better.

Feathers, so many feathers, as black as a starless, night sky. They surround her.

"Help." She called out, trying to reach for the figure shrouded in darkness in front of her.

The feathers burst in to flame, she recoils sharply, the smoke engulfed her. Pain, an all to familiar sensation, the fire in her veins crawling under her skin. She tried to scream, no sound escaped her. Only pain and the blinding light from the flames. Too much, it hurts.

Melody's eyes opened with a start, she glanced around the room wildly, it took a while to remember where she was. The door creaked open and Melody scrambled to sit up, gripping the covers tightly.

Diaval stepped over the threshold holding several logs, he looked at her and his eyes widened.

"What happened?" He asked, dropping the logs by the door and stepping towards her, his expressions were hard to decipher, worry, confusion, sadness all mixed together. He stopped by the bed, hesitantly reaching toward her before letting his hand drop to his side.

"A bad dream." Melody whispered

Diaval sighed as he turned away, "I um... I..." He stuttered as he scratched at his neck "I wanted to ask you something."

"What is it?" Melody asked.

Diaval turned to look at her, his gaze intense, concerned.

"What are you running from?"

"That's... uh..." Melody faltered, how honest could she be? It didn't seem right to tell him everything, she barely knew him but he made her feel safe and that was something she hadn't felt since her Father was around.

"I just thought, a young girl like you shouldn't be wandering through the forest by yourself so there must be a reason. Forgive me if I'm being to intrusive." He muttered, he looked embarrassed as he stared at the floor.

"My home was... well..." Melody scratched her head as she looked thoughtfully at him "My mother was a... difficult... woman. She and I didn't exactly see eye to eye, ever."

Diaval moved to perch on the edge of the bed, his eyes met hers once again, Melody couldn't help but smile at him, no one had ever shown this much interest in her before.

"She was controlling... and mean... and she frightened me. I wanted to see the world but she wouldn't let me leave, she said the world was too dangerous for someone like me." Melody's hands shook slightly, the memories of how she left her mother replaying in her mind, until a large strong hand covered them. Melody stared at the hand, scarred and so much bigger than her own before she looked up at Diaval.

Diaval was staring at his hand aswell, he looked almost confused as to why it was there too, but as he squeezed her hand gently a small smile tugged at his lips. He met her gaze and his eyes widened.

"Someone... someone like you?" He whispered, leaned in closer to her.

"I..." She whispered, her stomach was turning and her face felt so hot, she had never been this close to a man before, she could feel his cold breath on her face, her chest tightened as he drifted closer.

CRASH

Diaval jumped off the bed with a start, the pile of logs he had placed by the door had collapsed, he marched to stare out of the window muttering something under his breath before he turned to Melody again. She was clutching the hand Diaval had held to her chest, her cheeks were rosy as she tried to control her breathing.

"Forgive me." Diaval said as he looked down at the floor once more "You can stay here as long as you like, I have business I must attend to."

Diaval started walking towards the door when Melody shouted "Wait" making him stop.

"You... are you going to come back?" She asked.

Diaval turned to her slowly, she looked hopeful and it pulled at Diaval's heart painfully.

"Do you want me to come back?"

"Yes." Melody answered without hesitation.

"As you wish." Diaval replied before he walked out of the cottage.

"My dear, when you said you wanted to help her I had no idea that meant making her fall for you." Maleficent cackled

Diaval picked at the branch he was sat on as he stared at the cottage.

"I didn't mean..." He started

Maleficent interrupted "Regardless of what you meant to do this is not right." Her tone grew serious "You wish to help the poor girl, she is no longer with her Mother, I say problem solved. Don't get more involved. It is not your place."

"You'd rather me just leave her alone?" Diaval spat

"Frankly I'd rather you had not shown her your human form at all, it is misleading." Maleficent hissed.

"I'm as much human as I am crow now, thanks to you, and I highly doubt she would have followed a crow. I couldn't very well lead her with a path of feathers as I squawked at her! She would've been scared." Diaval threw a piece of bark as far as he could, he saw the door of the cottage open as Melody stepped out his stomach flipped.

"Ugh, really? You're supposed to be a minion of mine and now you're love sick with some human girl? This is such a dreadful turn of events." Maleficent scoffed

"She was kind to me." Diaval muttered, his eyes followed her as she explored the overgrown garden.

"So what next? One day you won't be able to stand by her side, how long are you going to continue this charade?" Maleficent asked

"I am going to speak with her Mother." Diaval announced.

"What? Oh Diaval, this is utterly ridiculous, what are you trying to do!" Maleficent threw her hands in the air in exasperation.

"I'm trying to give her happiness." Diaval growled.

"But why?" Maleficent pushed

"Because, in the time I was a prisoner for her dreadful Mother she saved me! I wish to do the same for her, is that good enough!" Diaval yelled

Maleficent looked startled before a crooked smile broke through.

"You're in love with her." She stated.

Diaval gawked at her before shaking his head and preparing to turn back in to his crow form.

"Impossible, I'm just a crow, we crows don't have time for petty emotions like love." He hissed before he took off leaving Maleficent to chuckle to herself.

"You said it yourself Diaval, you're as much human as you are crow now." She whispered in to the wind.