When Strength Fails

It's been 2 years since Diaval had become a man, and now the baby had been born. However, this black bird, who had only flown missions for his mistress dutifully, is about to take his first step out of his role as an object of use… although it will take falling out of the sky to do it.

Greetings! I have a lovely long novel in the works, mostly in Diaval's perspective in life. I don't really agree with most of the FanFiction I've read (not to say they are not good!). I just believe their bond between Maleficent and Diaval is not so easily forged. It takes someone like that years before she could see her Servant is anything but her "messenger" in my thoughts; let alone a "friend". However, like in all my stories, I have no time to really work on it. Therefore, the following is an excerpt of my story. Diaval is not yet so chatty a person. He isn't like most creatures. When confronted with "flight" or "fight" he tends to fight… but all manner of life has its breaking point.

'So the king thinks he can distract us while the baby is moved into hiding,' thought Diaval as he flew back in the crisp evening air. 'As if Maleficent would be so careless as to leave anything to chance. What a fool,' he silently mocked. Diaval couldn't help but replay the previous' days occurrence in his mind's eye. The baby's grand celebration was a day he would never forget. Having actually heard the human say "You weren't wanted" to his mistress's face was such a foolish sin in itself to the bird, it truly gave Diaval new insight into the heart of such a man. 'You will never be able to escape her wrath,' he solemnly thought.

Suddenly an arrow shot out from seemingly nowhere sticking directly into Diaval's right wing. Surprise and pain instantly flooded his mind as he desperately tried to flap his wings to stay air born.

'Damn!' he thought. 'I was careless,' he hissed as he harshly plummeted lower and lower until he collided into a tree, whipped by the branches, finally crash landing onto a firm limb. Heart thundering and gasping for breath, Diaval forced his mind into some semblance of order in attempts to squash the rising panic he felt within his breast. 'Damn,' he repeated 'damn, damn, damn'! Diaval slowly extended his right wing for inspection and sure enough an arrow was embedded through and through. 'Ugh… Think!' Diaval commanded himself as he worked to squash the ever-present agony and panic that kept rising within him. 'I can't fly back with this imbecilic contraption skewering me.' Anger. He fought against the fear and let anger be his weapon.

Looking around Diaval could easily confirm he was still within man's territory. The sun was just now setting which meant his new mistress would soon grow impatient for his report. At least he could see the Moors in the distance from his perch.

Suddenly Diaval whipped his small black head in the opposite direction at the sound of dogs barking.

'So they are going to search for my body,' Diaval thought darkly. 'Well, sorry to disappoint, but you shall not be finding my beautiful self here upon your arrival!'

Carefully hopping towards the trunk of the tree, Diaval formed an easy enough plan. He had to get the arrow out in order to fly. With the mind he now possessed, the task should be doable enough. Carefully extending his wing once more showed the arrowhead protruding out the back with the feathered end before him. Oh the pain was searing. It throbbed violently and was sure to become greater within the raven's next actions.

Backing up, Diaval wedged the arrowhead into the bark and within a fork of the tree branches locking it in place.

'Oh now comes the hard part,' Diaval mourned as courage was beginning to wane over the onslaught of pain. Nevertheless, Diaval took a deep breath and then reached down to bite the feathered end. Sinking his talons into the soft bark, Diaval began bending the shaft further and further, trying not to black out, until the arrow's shaft finally splintered and snapped. The sudden crack had thrown Diaval from the safety of his perch. His body fell and hit a few of the braches on his way down until his small feathered body landed on the ground. Diaval thrashed back and forth until righted again. Dizzy he tried to get his bearings. 'Great,' he gritted out. 'Grounded. As if I needed this right now,' he grumbled. Shaking his head in hopes to see straight, Diaval felt as if his whole wing had been torn off. Yet, despite the sharp pain radiating from tip to wing joint, it honestly could have been worse. His plan had worked. The part which had the arrowhead had snapped off leaving just the feathered end still embedded.

The barking grew louder telling the raven he didn't have time to be gentle.

Using his bill to grasp the arrow once more, Diaval pulled the arrow out bit by bit until it was lodged free. 'Don't pass out. Stay awake,' Diaval chanted as rolls of throbbing came in waves. 'I have to stop the bleeding,' he told himself. 'Quickly,' he took a wobbly step forward. Looking around it seemed that spring time would be his saving grace this season as the tree he had oh so gracefully crashed in was a cottonwood tree which had the most puffiest white seedpods in the whole forest and would do well enough for him. As fast as he could manage, Diaval hopped around gathering up the white fluff in his bill and jammed it into his wound. The dogs were nearly upon him now as their barks grew nearer. An old familiar surge of instinct for survival slammed into his consciousness, forcing himself to take flight. It was messy. The hole the arrow had caused was not nearly packed with cotton enough to stem the flow of blood, but it would have to do.

'I can do this,' Diaval chanted with rapid breath. 'I can make it.'

His harsh flapping nearly broke his will to live if the pain could just subside, yet he soon was high enough to glide from time to time, sending him on a path back into his mistress' presence.

Diaval took to the skies knowing full well that his life depended on it. With every flap of his wings his breath was nearly stolen from him. His heart hammered within his breast harder the higher he forced himself. A cross wind hit him unexpectedly sending him spiraling; unable to find the strength to counter it gracefully. Diaval squeezed his little eyes shut as he collapsed his wings into a free-fall just to stop the spinning. Opening his eyes and wings, Diaval leveled out with a clear view of the Moors just up ahead.

'Almost there… oh please,' he silently begged the winds and sky.

Vision began to blur, but Diaval would not stop for any force… man, nature or otherwise.

'Finally,' Diaval weakly smiled in his mind's eye. 'Those were water sprites just beneath me.'

The enchanted raven banked left over the stream in search of his mistress.

'She's not at her thrown,' Diaval mourned as his will to fly on was faltering. How much blood had he lost?

Diaval landed on a rock in a forest clearing he had often seen his mistress sit in contemplation. 'Not here either,' he heaved. His body was trembling all over. A quick glance at his wound showed the cottonwood tree had been useful enough, though it clearly wasn't enough. Shaking his head and blinking back the darkness that was creeping in on him, Diaval forced himself back into the now dark purple sky.

Diaval eventually found himself circling the old castle ruins that were along the northern border. Banking around a broken archway, Diaval heaved a sigh of relief at finally finding his dark mistress.

"Caw, ca-caw!" he called overhead as he made his presence known. 'Mistress, I have returned,' was his intended reply.

Maleficent made no more of a move than to blink back the swirling thoughts that kept her from actually seeing what was physically before her. Her gaze was fixed out over the landscape as night now fully blanketed the kingdoms.

Diaval swooped in behind her as she raised up her hand.

"Into a man," she waved without bothering with looking at the poor creature.

Diaval instantly transformed into the human, but was even woozier on human legs. However that did not matter to the raven. He had his job to do and so stood tall the moment he found his balance.

"King Stephan is planning to send out five scout teams to move along the thorn-wall with the mission in mind to seek out a weak spot." Diaval stopped briefly to catch some breath, but made no change in his voice to show the agony he was feeling pulsating through the length of his arm. He had his pride. "As they do so, King Stephan believes a small company of soldiers directly trying to infiltrate your defenses will be enough of a distraction for you to not notice the smaller scout teams. But all of this is ultimately designed to distract your attention as they plan to move the baby into hiding." Diaval worked to speak strongly and clearly. "The babe will be taken from the Queen and into hiding month from today," he finished. It took all of his will, even tapping into his anger towards those that fired upon him, to fight to keep his cool and calm exterior in the presence of his mistress.

Watching her from behind, Diaval could see the dark fairy form tight fists against the stone wall. Her hatred could be felt in the air all around them.

"Stephan is more than a fool to think he can defeat me and my curse with such pathetic attempts at me such as this!"

Diaval stared at the back of his mistress's head as it was becoming nearly impossible to concentrate. His mind was waning. All his hopes rested in her dismissal of him for the night.

Maleficent sneered at the human realm. They repulsed her. Who were they to interfere with the Moors? "I'll give you something more important to worry about," she spoke darkly into the night air.

Raising up a hand she charged the magic within her grasp to electrifying heights and at its peak, Maleficent threw her emerald green magic into the far off clouds above the human lands causing a great and terrifying electrical storm. Cracks of thunder that followed bright blinding bolts of lightning in the distance was more than enough to wake Diaval up from his weary mind. Another bolt shot out of the clouds and then another. Her spell had worked and would surely last the duration of the night.

The sound more than ruffled Diaval's feathers so to speak. It unnerved him the power that his mistress could wield. A sudden jolt of pain in his arm cruelly reminded Diaval that he wouldn't be able to stay standing for much longer. It was maddening to just simply stand behind his master when having to endure so much pain.

Finally Maleficent spun around to face him. Diaval's mask held firmly in place. However, the wicked smile that was displayed over her face caused himself to hold his breath. She was terrifying leaving him awestruck.

"That'll do for now."

She spoke more to that Stephan fellow than to himself within the darkness of newly fallen night. Maleficent then walked gracefully past him, making her way down the crumbling stone steps back to her mossy bed which was but a small comfort she allowed herself.

'Finally,' Diaval visibly sighed as he crumbled down onto the stone floor the moment he could no longer see her horns. He let his breathing fall ragged and let a few tears fall. He had put on a good show. Maleficent hadn't noticed the blood dripping from his hand. Diaval had stood somewhat at an angle in hopes to blade away his injured side into the shadows of the night, and with his mask of servitude, he had succeeded in keeping his injury a secret. It was surely luck he had been down wind of her sense of smell.

'I can't be found failing her,' he thought with a hiss of pain as he cradled his arm for closer inspection. "Damn clothing," he noted irritably. He'd have to stand back up to remove his garments.

"I'll need water as well," he mumbled as he hefted himself off the ground with a sharp whimper from the new onslaught of torture. Carefully holding his arm against him, Diaval slowly made his way down into the valley of the Moors. It was painstaking difficult to stumble over the rubble on shaky foreign legs in the night. It certainly was no small task to finally reach one of the fresh water ponds.

The soft moss squished beneath his feet as Diaval finally collapsed by the water. His knees sank into the mud as his eyes also began to sink closed. 'Oh it would be marvelous to sleep,' his mind coaxed. So easily death could be called forth. Would it truly be so bad? His eyes were so heavy. The pain had been endured long enough hadn't it? Why should he go on serving such a harsh mistress?

Another loud crack of thunder boomed through the trees snapping Diaval's eyes awake. He looked to the brooding night sky knowing full well he couldn't let things end like this. "I don't want to die," he spoke to the sky. "Not yet. Not like this."

With held breath, Diaval began to remove his coat and shirt. 'I can take it,' he told himself. 'This pain is noting to me now.'

Diaval worked carefully to clean the arrows wound in his right bicep from the muck of bloody cottonwood seed pods. Fresh blood oozed out of the hole from both sides and continued to river down his bare arm. "The bleeding isn't stopping," he began to panic. 'What am I supposed to do? I'm not really a man!'

Looking around the trees and babbling brook that fed into the pond he knelt by, not a friendly face could be found. "Please anyone?" Diaval called out. "Please. I need help," he yelled with a desperate wobble in his voice, yet as his ears strained to hear a soul, nothing answered his cries.

Closing his eyes he let out yet another whimper. He had no friends within the Moor. Maleficent was terrifying to its inhabitance (understandably so), yet because of their fear, all of its protected creatures stayed far clear of the raven-turned-man.

Alone. Diaval would have to do it by himself. He had no knowledge of the extent of Maleficent's magic. He had never thought she could heal others. He wasn't about to lick his wound like a dog.

'Think,' he commanded himself. 'What do the humans do when injured?'

"A bandage, of course."

Looking at his discarded shirt beside him, he figured he could tear a strip off the bottom without his mistress noticing the difference. She hardly ever looked at him period. Easier said than done, Diaval had the hardest time with such a simple task. Yet with no one helping him nor talons to rip the cloth, it was especially hard to rip the bottom portion of his shirt with one arm. It was no small miracle, but Diaval eventually had his arm wrapped up and began caking his arm with mud to seal over it. What else could he do? At least the blood had stopped flowing free. By the time he eased himself back into his clothing to protect himself from the chill of the night, Diaval had felt as cold as ice and as tired as if he had traveled through a blizzard storm. The soft faint glow of purple fireflies floated through the air. All was still. Insects chirped faintly in the background with the far off steady rush of the Moorland waterfalls was more than enough to lull Diaval to sleep. Yet another crack of thunder jolted Diaval back into consciousness; an action he now mourned greatly.

Slowly standing, Diaval knew where he must go. Maleficent never did give him his own spot to nest for the night, but that didn't relieve him of being expected to be nearby. With weary legs and head bowed, Diaval made his way back to his mistress.

It was in this same manor Diaval carried out all of his missions. Yet with the new reality Diaval now found himself in, with a sever wing injury, Diaval could no longer expect to maintain his former acrobatics in enemy territory.

Maleficent had waited all but a day before sending Diaval back out to investigate the kingdom of men and find out if they had already recovered from the damage the lighting strikes had rot.

Diaval did not utter a word as he had been transformed at the flick of her wrist. It wasn't as if his mistress would have waited for a reply anyways. Flying to Stephan's castle had seemed to take forever for the injured raven. And worst yet, on his way back, he had been so slow, so low to the land that a young boy playing with a rope had been able to lasso his left foot and tried to pull him to the ground. The sudden harsh tug was alarming, but Diaval was proving himself a fighter and an intelligent one at that. Diaval was smart enough to use his bill and other talon to work the eye of the loop open enough to get free, however by the time he had fought to stay airborne amidst the tugging and pulling of the child and the ability to force his bad wing to respond, the flesh around his foot was well beyond just raw. Angrily, Diaval harshly flapped higher as he flew home. 'If it's not one thing it's another,' he gritted out.

Stephen was actively staging men in preparations to execute his plans, which was enough cause for Maleficent to send Diaval back out daily as of late. Yet the protector of the Moors faithful servant was not to receive a reprise in its smallest of measures that week, for the next day Diaval's wing tip was personally introduced to one of the palaces bird traps. A new addition to be sure, and although Diaval managed to avoid the metal leaver that slammed down with his life, his left wingtip was not as fortunate. That evening when Maleficent had transformed back into a man, Diaval discovered two of his smaller fingers were swollen and pointed in odd angles. He had broken them. He wasn't sure what to do about broken fingers, but the pain was enough to tell him to just leave it alone.

'Why is this happening to me?' he silently allowed himself to cry as he laid curled up against the base of a tree near his mistress's sleeping form. 'I hurt and am stiff all over. I don't feel right inside either.' Never in all his life had Diaval been so harshly assaulted in the world. He wasn't sure how much more he could take. It was at least one small miracle that his mistress had yet to see him failing her. Diaval didn't even want to imagine what she may do to him if he could no longer perform for her. That night Diaval nearly prayed that tomorrow would be a better day, however that wasn't to be the case.

The next morning Diaval was once again sent out to spy on the king's plans despite the fact they clearly needed at least two more weeks before finishing rearmament and the baby to be wane. Diaval took several breaks along the way. He was shaky and had no strength, yet it wasn't until Diaval was flying over the market street of the village when Diaval was forced to admit he couldn't go on. The moment the villagers had seen his slow and direct glide overhead, they began throwing rocks and shouting at him. Diaval ignored the harsh insults and tried to dodge and weave, but before soaring out of range one good sized rock knocked him right in the face sending him somersaulting through the clouds. It was a very rough landing, but Diaval had managed to get himself into the nearest large tree for cover. Head pounding, eye swelling, Diaval now knew for certain the humans were targeting him directly. 'Damn! They know!' he wailed fiercely inside. Clearly having been seen with his mistress at the christening was his undoing. His now greatest nightmares were coming to life. Beaten, broken, bloodied, and bruised Diaval knew he was finished. Everything was disorienting. Everything hurt, but Diaval forced himself to take to the sky to head back… his mission a failure. He was now a failure.

Maleficent was just returning from the Crystal Caves when she saw the image of her servant approaching. Her sharp eyes narrowed. Diaval usually took longer than this to return. Was Stephan's army already marching towards them sooner than expected? Had he seen the baby moved? Yet her brow rose as she observed him further. His flight was sloppy at best. Something was indeed wrong, just perhaps not what she had first imagined. With careful steps, Maleficent made her way back to her mossy clearing that she now called home to meet with him there.

The feeling of dread blanketed Diaval into a suffocating hold the closer he got to Maleficent's clearing. He could see her waiting for him there with his one good eye. Yet the throbbing of his head and the chills he felt all over nearly rivaled his fear of her. The moment Diaval dropped to ground level Maleficent's golden magic was already encompassing him. Instantly Diaval found himself transformed into a man. With a forward stumble Diaval caught himself and tried to stand upright. His breathing was openly ragged, but even then Diaval did not want to relent. He kept his face lowered in the shadow of the overhanging trees. He didn't want further shame in her seeing his face.

From the corner of her eye she watched him stand tall yet with head bowed which was the only change from what he had always done, yet only now with careful observation did she realize he was masking trembling and calculated gasps of breath as his chest heaved. She now turned to him directly and gave him her full attention.

"Diaval," Maleficent's voice pierced the silence. It was clearly a command to speak not a suggestion.

"I saw nothing new in the village to report, Mistress," Diaval spoke refusing to lift his chin. His silky black hair curtained his face as he faintly turned his bad eye away from her. Yet as his head pounded and his body throbbed with numerous injuries, Diaval knew his Mistress could not be fooled any longer.

"Diaval… you have more to say than this," she spoke coldly. Her florescent eyes were now trained on her servant unlike any other occasion before this, and for Maleficent, she did not like what she saw.

Diaval's whole body seemed to sag under her gaze. He let his eye fall shut as his body swayed before crumbling to his knees dejected. He just couldn't go on any more. Broken. A failure. He had been given one mission in his life, to be her wings, and he could no longer do so. His body was shutting down and he knew it was only a matter of time.

"Forgive me, Mistress," he whispered.

Maleficent was concerned to see his collapse before her. She had never heard Diaval speak in such a soft and broken manner before and it silently sent a strange tremor of fear through her. Yet she made no move. She had no emotion to give. She herself was dead after all. It was merely something she could now see reflected in her servant.

"Lift up your face Diaval," she commanded. "What is it you seek forgiveness for?"

Betrayal?

Somehow she doubted it.

Slowly Diaval raised his drooping head and tilted it back until he could look up upon his dark mistress.

Alarm and anger surged through Maleficent the moment light fell over his swollen face. His left eye was completely purple. The eye bloodshot. A small cut had scraped along his cheekbone leaving a bit of dried blood as evidence of it.

"Forgiv-" Diaval's good eye rolled to the back of his head as he pitched forward and collapsed face first into the thick moss beneath him.

Maleficent now found her feet as she moved forward. Her servant was injured! By those damn humans for certain!

Hate and suppressed furry filled her heart of stone.

Diaval choked on the moss as he lulled his head to the side in attempts to breathe. His eye cracked open in defeat. Why did it have to end like this? And why did he feel as if he was being baked into a pie? Sweat beaded off his brow.

Maleficent cautiously keeled beside him and with magic, rolled Diaval onto his back.

"You're injured," she stated darkly.

Diaval was too out of it to look away. He dared stare right back into his mistress's eyes. It was a gaze that could break any man and Diaval found himself wondering, yet again, who this terrifying woman really was.

"Yes, Mistress," he mumbled then looked away.

Flinching as if readying for a blow, to his surprise, she raised her hand to actually touch his face with a soft gentleness. Yet the moment she did so she drew back with a hit of alarm.

"Diaval, you're burning up," she stated.

"Yes, Mistress," was all he could reply. He never had a fever before. He hadn't known what was happening to him.

A brief memory of her parent's cause of death flashed in her mind as fear sought to claw at her. However, she forced down reason into her chest. This wasn't an injury caused by magic and therefore must be treated easy enough. Maleficent swirled her fingers as she lifted him once more so he could be sitting upright, propped up against a tree.

"What has happened to you Diaval?" Maleficent couldn't believe he had gotten so ill, so quickly, as she knelt beside him. She needed answers.

Diaval lulled his head to his right arm. "First it was the arrow," he uncaringly spoke. His clothing hid the wound from sight.

'Arrow!' Maleficent's mind reeled. 'First?'

"Then the rope," he looked to is leg. "Then the trap," he raised his left hand into the light, his two small mutilated fingers displayed clearly for her to see broken and still swollen. "And now the rocks," Diaval lulled his head back straight to return his look back at his mistress directly. "I failed," he weakly answered. "I couldn't avoid them." He surely could no longer be any use to her now. Hadn't he always been marked for death? At least he had gotten to live two more years. He had been able to see things and do things no other raven had ever done before. It was a shame though that he was to meet such a pathetic end such as this.

"No Diaval," Maleficent finally spoke. "It is I who failed you."

Without further explanation, or moment to process her words, Diaval felt his body lift up off the ground as his coat fell away and his shirt pull up over his head. Diaval hissed as his injured bicep was forced up to allow the garments removal. However, it wasn't enough to distract him from seeing the look on his mistress's face the moment he was set back down propped up against the tree once more, shirtless. Other bruises and new scars littered his chest and arms along with the major injuries he had spoken of. His whole right side of his ribs were black and blue from a tree branch he had fallen against.

Surprise turned to anger solely within Maleficent's eyes as she moved forward to heal her abused servant. His bicep was covered with dry caked mud that was breaking apart from all the movement he had been forcing upon it. Slowly she dirtied her hands in work to remove all the foreign matter from his skin. The tattered piece of cloth was easily unraveled to reveal a clearly infected wound. Angry bright red skin and oozing puss surrounded the arrow's inflicted holes. It was the source of his fever for certain. Why hadn't this foolish bird said anything?

"When did you receive this?" she darkly asked going over his arm in particular.

"Five days ago, Mistress," he answered faithfully.

Her countenances darkened further. Had she really been so blind to her pet to not have noticed his pain?

Maleficent clasped her hands around both the entrance and exit wound with close concentration.

"Mistress?" his voice cracked. It hurt. What was she to do with him? Now that she had seen for herself the extent of his broken form, would she finally cast him aside to die? Yet what was she doing?

A brief glance from his arm back up to meet his gaze offered the fairy a glimpse at how truly vulnerable this creature was. Her incandescent eyes focused on his black onyx ones amid a busted face and knew then he was in far greater danger of death than he was letting on. His obstinates for not looking away was more of his last show of bravery rather than disrespect.

"You are not going to die," she bit out.

Diaval's dead look offered her no notion of understanding. He was tired. Emotionally and physically drained. The numerous times he had fallen from the sky had bruised his insides along with the obvious injuries inflicted and the high fever he had been fighting and loss of blood, Diaval felt his life slipping way and just couldn't rally his spirits for her.

Maleficent didn't wait for a reply. Now was not the time for talk anyways. She had her work cut out for her and needed no permission from her property to do so.

"I have magic you know," was all she supplied in way of explanation, as her hands began to glow. It took great levels of concentration to repair the damage, ease the swelling and stop the infection within his right arm.

Diaval hurt too much to reply. He allowed his one good eye to sink closed as he freely allowed his mistress to do as she pleased. He did, after all, belong to the Fairy Queen. Perhaps he would die in peace.

Slowly the ache of his arm began to wane. Her hands upon his skin felt warm and soft. It almost seemed pleasant after a while. Her gentle ministrations allowed him to finally relax. The worry and unrest he had been feeling all week was slowly cast out of him. Diaval could feel his mind beginning to clear. His shivering subsided. The ringing in his ears from the fever was finally gone as well. He hadn't even noticed it before over the pain shooting through him earlier. He had no comprehension just how much stress his body had been undertaking from the assault of so many injuries at once along with being forced to fly day in and day out. It was a wonder he had lasted so long.

Maleficent quietly moved her hands up and down his arm. With the power that she was tapping into allowed her to see what needed mending. She now could sense every bruise, every lump, every abrasion, every torn and swollen ligament; all was in her ability to heal. His hand was limp in her hand but as she felt along each joint she could easily see the strength he could have wielded. It seemed there wasn't much else dire with Diaval's right arm, so Maleficent moved up to Diaval's face.

Diaval's good eye shot open the moment her hand grasped his cheek. His eye locked onto her face, but Maleficent was only seeing the damage in his. His left eye was now swollen shut and looked very painful.

Pain was something Maleficent understood. However, even she was soon to learn a new lessen in it.

Maleficent held her servants face and worked to mend and heal it. It was then Diaval understood he was going to live after all. His mind was truly clearer now as the swelling in his head abated. Who was he to deserve such a miracle as this? He was just a common raven after all. There had been no redeeming qualities in him when he was first discovered by this awe inspiring creature. This woman before him, whose concentration was solely rested upon his care, was truly an enigma.

At first glance upon their first meeting, she had seemed simply beautiful and powerful. However, that assessment changed dramatically when he had relayed the news of Stephan's crowning. It was then his mistress had snapped, allowing her full furry to surface. She was terrifying and in that moment Diaval truly knew he would never be permitted to cross her in any small measure as it would cost him his life for certain. Yet, he had also learned that his mistress once had wings of her own. The puzzle pieces were ever so slowly falling into place. The battles, the fear, the hatred, all of it now had made sense. This Stephan fellow, was the worst sort of man alive.

Diaval let his eye shut once again to allow his mistress the full freedom to move her delicate fingers across his face. She was so focused on her task she never once imagined what he must be feeling. Her magic almost tickled when the throbbing had finally subsided wherever her hands had laid.

Maleficent could finally see his face regain its hansoms features. "How dare they throw rocks," she muttered. Taking a deep breath, she began moving towards his left arm for inspection.

"They know me," Diaval murmured with his head resting back against the trunk. "I imagine after being seen at your side during the coronation… word has finally gotten round to beware of the black birds."

His tone held no malice, but was merely informative. He knew his mistress would be wanting further explanation for his horrid string of bad luck as of late.

Maleficent didn't respond but darkened further inside. Her hatred would have to wait, as she now lifted his hand for inspection.

Instantly Diaval's eyes shot open as he sat forward. His broken fingers hurt so badly he didn't even want her touching them. "Its fine," he spoke quickly. "It's not like I need those two fingers anyways," he reasoned.

Maleficent ignored his concern as she looked at the odd angle they were pointed.

Diaval saw the anger in her face and was sorry for speaking.

"They'll have to be re-broken," Maleficent stated as a fact.

"NO!" Diaval said in sudden alarm.

Maleficent opened her hand towards the tree as its roots now broke free from the earth to wrap around Diaval's arm to firmly anchor it in place.

"Please!" Diaval cried as the roots tightened their hold. "I really don't need them!" he begged. Diaval couldn't mentally handle any more pain. "Please!" he cried again when Maleficent made no move to look up or acknowledge him. "I'll be good! I promise!"

She moved to pick up a stick and lifted it to his mouth.

"Please," he voice cracked, yet her gaze upon his was firm and steady. With a whimper he open his mouth to take the stick and bite down on it. Maleficent moved back to his hand while Diaval allowed his tears to fall freely as he looked away from his mistress; resting his head on his opposite shoulder.

Maleficent took his ring finger in hand and broke it. Diaval's clenched scream filled the air as he kicked and cried and writhed against the tree.

Crack

His deep throaty screams erupted anew. The torture she was inflicting was more than he ever wanted to bear again. Diaval lashed against his bindings again, kicking away the mossy earth with his good leg in any attempts to distract him from the pain. His harsh cries, as he bit harder into the stick, only hardened Maleficent's heart further. Diaval's pain was Stephan's fault in her mind. That traitor would pay dearly for this unforgivable transgression.

Taking both broken fingers into her hands, she encompassed them with her magic. The scaring within, the swelling, the broken bones… all of it, she worked to right again.

Slowly Diaval stopped fighting his binds. His last bit of strength fully spent. He now lay sunk at the tree's base weeping. It was just too much of an ordeal to even be thankful that his fingers would soon be right again. It was just too much to bear.

Diaval hadn't realized she had finished until she magically pulled him back upright against the tree, so she could remove the stick from his mouth. Diaval looked murderously at his mistress as he deposited the stick into her waiting hand. He was hurt. She had caused hurt.

'Let him hate me,' Maleficent thought spitefully. 'But it is Stephan and his people who shall reap sufferings for it.'

"Where on your leg?" she commanded.

Diaval's dark eyes glared. "My left ankle… Mistress," he nearly spat. Why couldn't she just leave well enough alone?

Maleficent raised a single brow as a challenge, but Diaval consented and looked down. His face was puffy and red with tears still seeping from his eyes. His throat was raw and his jaw was tight. Maleficent ignored him now, and released his arm from its confinements. Moving to his foot, she lifted his pant leg to indeed find raw and angry skin underneath. It was a simple enough of a thing to remedy. Her soothing touch allowed peace to settle over Diaval once more. He was just too tired to stay mad. In no small way he was a wreck and was surprised she hadn't struck him for his impertinence.

Now with that finished, Maleficent closed her eyes as she ghosted a hand over Diaval's legs just to see if she noted any other injury of importance but found Diaval rather faithful in that assessment as the remaining injuries were to be found on his chest and back. The process overall was taxing upon the fairy, but she would never let on that her magic did have its limits. Resting her hands upon his bare sides sent a completely different feeling through Diaval that caused him to jump a little. Despite the bruising, he was apparently ticklish as a smile tugged at his lips.

"And now you smile?" she wondered aloud as she found a cracked rib that needed tending.

He found himself ironically smiling further as his tears dried up. "Yes Mistress. It appears I am not myself."

"Well," she spoke as her hands moved up his chest. "I shall forgive you on the condition you forgive me for not seeing your need Diaval," she offered as if speaking about the weather.

Diaval could only stare at his mistress. She was so close to him right now. Her focus solely on mending him. Could she really give forgiveness? He had only ever seen vengeance in her. Perhaps there was still more yet to be seen in this woman who possessed him.

"Without question…" Diaval finally answered when her gaze flickered to his own in silent demand for a reply. "Mistress."

Maleficent paused. Her hands resting on his collar bone. The way he had said "Mistress" struck a rather odd cord within her. It made a slight crack form within her heart of stone she would never acknowledge at present.

"Rest Diaval," she commanded as she pulled away to stand. "I've done all I can. You must rest now… but you shall live."

A genuine smile graced his face for but a moment. "Thank you, Mistress."

Maleficent turned away. With a roll of her fingers, Diaval was lifted into the air and was fast asleep before she even set him down into her own mossy bed. This whole afternoon troubled the fairy. It wasn't just the fact that the humans had targeted her servant. It wasn't even the fact that he had gotten injured. What angered Maleficent most was the fact she had been ignorant of it all. She had taken responsibility for this creature two years ago, yet what did she do to care for him? Nothing she harshly realized. Where did he sleep? She glanced knowingly to a spot along the edge of her clearing at the base of a tree at the entrance of it all. It looked uncomfortable. She hadn't made anything grow there to his liking. Did he even prefer to sleep as a man? She wasn't sure. She always just left him that way. What did he do for food? She hadn't always shared her meals as Diaval was often away scouting for her.

Maleficent stood there with her staff now firmly in hand. Things were about to change. She now understood she had been too self-absorbed to note his distress and she refused to let that happen again.

"I won't let you take this set of wings from me."

Well, thanks for reading! (I wanted to prove I hadn't yet died). I might have some time in February to write more of my Chrono's Crusade story "Live by Faith, Not by Sight", but I make no promises. (I'm sadly not at a USCG unit where I have time to write often.) I also sadly admit, I do not foresee completing the whole story I pulled this chapter from. I just don't have the time working full time, trying to remodel my house, and taking college classes.

Anyways, thanks again! Please review!