Title: Seasons of Love
Pairing: Maleficent/Diaval
Note: Ask and you shall receive. The drabble did so well that I couldn't not try my hand at a better story :) stick with me as I get in some more practice writing these characters, they're still new to me, so the first couple stories will likely have a rougher feel to them.
But I enjoyed the movie enough that I'm sticking around and throwing some more stories at you guys!

Also - whenever the ship name is decided… someone tell me so I can tag these better lol

Warning: This directly follows the events in the movie. If you haven't seen it yet, and you don't want slight spoilers, please avoid this one :)

—-

"Are you still going on about true love?"

Diaval had landed and changed to his human form just in time to hear his Mistress voice the question to the young blonde girl. The raven smiled faintly as he edged forward and leaned against the tree.

It was hardly the first time that he had heard the two have the lengthy debate since Aurora had taken the throne of both the faerie kingdom and the human one. If there was one thing his mistress and her young charge disagreed upon – it was this.

"Of course," Aurora answered, not even glancing up from the daisy chain she was making. "You woke me with true love's kiss after all." She glanced sideways at the other woman before grinning.

Maleficent sighed and slouched backwards, her wings rustling in agitation. "A thought that plagues me daily, I assure you." She smiled despite her words.

Diaval chuckled and drew both of their attentions towards him. "Hello," He greeted, bowing first to Maleficent and then to Aurora; who extended her hand towards him. Diaval bent his head lower and touched his lips to her cool skin.

Autumn had come, and the world was in the process of change. The leaves on the trees, even here in the faerie realm were changing, and the cold winds had come from the mountains. Diaval eyed the daisies now discarded on the ground, and smiled. "Did she bloom them?"

Aurora's eyes lit up. "She did when I asked her to." she nodded.

Diaval smiled again and looked towards Maleficent, his eyes crinkling in barely suppressed amusement.

"I could always turn you into a dog." Maleficent suggested dryly.

"Now, now." Diaval raised his hands in mock surrender. "Mistress, you know I only jest."

"Jest enough and you'll see how funny I think you are." Maleficent snorted. "Beastie, I do believe it is time that you return to your kingdom… and your husband."

Aurora gave a small sigh and rolled her eyes. "You always say that with such contempt, Fairy godmother. You would like him more if you gave him the time of day-"

"I'm sure he is… delightful." Maleficent glanced at Diaval. "Go with her and make sure she makes it safely."

"Yes, mistress."

–

"Do you always do everything she tells you?" Aurora wondered as they walked towards the place where she had tied the horse.

"I owe her my life." Diaval stated. "She saved me when a human was going to kill me."

"Ah," Aurora nodded her head. "For as much as she wants to claim to hate everything… she is a good person."

"She is." Diaval nodded his head.

"Do you love her?"

"Of course."

"No… you misunderstand… I mean… Do you love her the way I love my husband?" Aurora stopped walking. It was obvious from her tone that this was a question she had been wanting to ask him for quite some time now.

Diaval felt like he had been punched in the stomach. He stood there, awkwardly playing with the end of his tunic. "I have no place having such emotions towards her, highness."

"Oh, don't start that up!" Aurora snapped, stomping her foot on the ground. "You're not to get all proper on me because I asked a personal question!"

"I…" Diaval sucked in a breath and stepped back from her. "Aurora, with all due respect… it truly is not my place to say if I love her like that or not."

"Why not?"

"She is my mistress. I would be more than a little out of line if I confessed to loving her." Diaval closed his eyes for a moment, sighing again. "Please, I beg of you… do not press this issue. She is the happiest I have ever seen her. I will not be the one to ruin her happiness!"

Aurora stared at him for a long moment before she stepped back. "Perhaps you need to think if it is her happiness you desire… or your own."

–

Aurora's words haunted him, and turned his dreams into and endless series of night terrors. Diaval woke, sweat cooling on his brow. "Damnable girl…" He breathed.

"What is it, Diaval?"

Diaval rolled over, surprised to see that Maleficent was sitting beside him. Her eyes glowed in the early morning light, reflecting the colors of the fast approaching sunrise. "Restless dreams." He stated.

"Has the dear little beast infected your mind?" Maleficent wondered. "Has she turned your head like wine and made you jealous of that prince you were once so happy for?"

Diaval hissed. "No." He sat up, "You misunderstand!"

"Do I?" Maleficent rose to her feet, eyes flashing dangerously as she extended her wings. "I'm going. Do not try to follow me. I do not wish to see or speak with you at this time."

"Mistress!"

But she was gone.

Diaval couldn't say how long he sat there, his muscles growing stiff, before he finally stood and headed towards the plains leading to the castle. He was trapped in this form until Maleficent returned. The thought made him sick – because he didn't know where she had gone, or when she intended to return.

All he knew was that he was at her mercy – again.

A week went by, and Diaval spent the majority of it as a ghost within the palace. He stayed until the stone walls began to feel like a cage, and the desire to return to the grove overtook him. The place was as he had left it – full of the fae, but not the one he wanted.

The autumn had stolen the last of the leaves, and winter was fast approaching now. He wrapped his arms around him, feeling the cold in a way he never had before. His bones ached, and he longed for the freedom of wings.

Sitting there amongst the purest beings in existence, Diaval realized that he was forgetting the sensation of wings. He was forgetting how it felt to be in his original shape. He had been human for a week and already the thoughts of his original form were fading from his mind.

His fingers shook, his fingers biting into his flesh. "Maleficent!" he shouted. "Maleficent, please!"

There was no answer. He stumbled to his feet. "Please! Mistress, I'm sorry!"

He stumbled another few steps. His boot caught the root of a tree, and he fell. His hands sank into the mud, just as the small rise gave way and sent him tumbling into the cold water. It bit him, stealing the breath from his lungs as he sank downwards.

He was a bird – birds didn't swim… and this shape was all wrong, too long of limbs, too heavy… clumsy…

and his chest was burning now, the cold water pouring down his throat instead of the air he needed. He touched the bottom, he tried to kick upwards towards the surface, but his boots slipped on the slick stones. He sank deeper still, his knees cracking against the bottom of the lake.

'I'm going to die'

The thought hit him, and stilled the panic in his chest. There was a cold sense of irony now – that after all this time… he was still going to die.

And he would die without ever having been able to tell Maleficent how he felt. His eyes closed -

A hand sank into the water and grabbed the back of his shirt, dragging him upwards. The fading sunlight hit his eyes as he was thrown backwards onto the island. He lay there for a second, staring at the sky overhead.

"Breathe!"

A hand slammed against his chest, water gushed from his mouth at the command. Diaval rolled onto his side, water spewing from his mouth as he choked and coughed.

"I leave you alone for a moment, and you almost die!"

Diaval lifted his head, eyes streaming with tears. "H-Hello… Mistress." With an exhausted sigh, he collapsed to the ground and let the darkness take hold of him.

Warmth.

Diaval opened his eyes slowly. He was curled with his head resting in someone's lap. For a second, all he saw was black feathers.

"Are you awake?"

He tilted his head back to loo up at Maleficent's amused face. "Mistress?"

"Who else would save a bird foolish enough to go swimming so close to winter?" Maleficent let out a sigh of annoyance before she reached down and placed her hand against his cheek. "Don't… Don't do that again."

Diaval nodded. "I promise." He pushed himself up right, struggling not to look at her. "Mistress… may I ask to return to my normal form?"

"If you wish."

"Yes. I… I do. Being a man is complicated."

Maleficent laughed quietly before she raised her hand. "In what ways?"

"The heart." Diaval answered. "The heart is complicated, and it's painful. A bird does not think or feel the way a human does. I think… even if I were to return to my natural form… there is little to no hope left for me. Because I cannot undo what you have done to me."

"I have done nothing but give you what I thought was a gift."

"It is a gift." Diaval hesitated before he extended his hand and cupped her cheek, tracing the cool flesh with the tip of a clawed finger. "But love hurts."

Maleficent nodded. "It a hurts a great deal… Go."

"I do not wish to go." Diaval closed his eyes and leaned forward. "I do not wish to go anywhere if you are not there with me."

"Diaval…"

His lips brushed against hers. "You may not believe in true love… but I do."