Title: Spring
Pairings: Maleficent/Diaval. Aurora/Diaval
Note: So, this idea kinda popped into my head, and I just decided to write it out :) It's the first of what should be four short stories, each of them dealing with different relationship aspects between the characters.

—

"You know what's missing from that tree?"

"No… but I'm certain you will tell me… whether I want to know or not."

"A nest!"

Diaval made a gesture with his hands, cupping them to form the shape of a nest. "It needs a little nest, and eggs and-"

"It's springtime isn't it." Maleficent let out a small sigh and shook her head. "By all means, Diaval, change back into a raven and go find-"

"Parish the thought!" Diaval laughed as he dragged his fingers through his hair. "Mistress, what would you do without me?"

Maleficent blinked a few times before she tilted her head to the side. "So why then did you bring up nests?" She questioned.

Diaval tilted his head to the side before grinning. "Just because I don't desire a nest this season doesn't mean that another might not, and this is a truly fine tree. Any bird would be honored to-"

"I don't like other birds." Maleficent snapped.

Diaval tensed. "Oh?" He settled himself on the large root of the tree, kicking his feet as they dangled above the ground. "Am I special?"

Maleficent remained silent.

Diaval's grin widened, "Your silence is answer enough." He cocked his head to the side. "So tell me, Mistress, would you let me build a next in this tree?"

"If it would shut you up for the rest of the season… yes." Maleficent reached up and pinched the bridge of her nose. "You are truly impossible."

"Impossible! for a plain-" He started to sing.

"No!" Maleficent shouted as she raised her hand and pointed one long finger at him. "I don't know what has gotten into you but-"

"Springtime." Diaval shrugged his shoulders. "I'm a bird… who is sometimes shaped like a man. You can't fault what's in my blood." He said as he tucked a hand beneath his chin.

"And does spring somehow make you so annoying?" Maleficent wondered.

"Well, I'm not exactly aiming for annoying…" Diaval frowned. "Charming, adorable… handsome… any of the above?"

Maleficent's eyes narrowed. "Diaval… are you… flirting with me?"

Diaval let out a small whistle. "Now would I be dumb enough to do that?"

"Yes."

"Well, I guess I must be." Diaval shrugged and stretched his arms above his head. "After all, I am just a dumb bird."

"You are hardly just a dumb bird…" Maleficent closed her eyes and shook her head. "You know where I stand on this."

"Of course I know. But the heart does what the heart wants." He told her. "In the same manner that one cannot choose the color of ones eyes, the heart cannot be changed after it has already decided."

"You believe that?"

"Of course I believe that." Diaval said, nodding his head. "I may be young by the aging of ravens, but I have enough in my head to know that my heart will never steer me wrong. If I know that I love you, than there is little else I can do but remain by your side in whatever way you would have me."

"You would give up the chance for a happy family because your… heart says you love me?" Maleficent stared at him, a strange expression on her face.

"There would be no happy family for me, not now. You've taken me to where no other raven has ever gone before. Do you believe that I could just… decide to become a bird, accept a mate, and raise a family? No… I've watched Aurora grow. I've loved you for time out of mine…" Diaval smiled and shook his head. "You've ruined me."

Maleficent turned her head away from him. "I only meant to save you." She said quietly.

"You did." Diaval acknowledged. "But sometimes things happen, things we couldn't ever imagine having happened. My mind is not like a bird anymore… I don't think of myself with feathers or with wings, though that shape is one I will always love. I think of myself as man, with fingers, and hands…" He raised his hands and held them out in front of him, flexing his fingers.

Maleficent turned towards him. "It would be cruel of me to turn you back into a raven forever…" she whispered. "Because you are not a raven any longer."

"No, mistress." Diaval bowed his head. "I have worn too many shapes to think myself a bird."

"I am sorry." Maleficent closed her eyes. "For what I have done, I am sorry."

"Why?" Diaval demanded, hopping down from the root. "Maleficent, I thank you for all that you have done for me. You saved me, and gave me a purpose. I would have lived and died a mindless animal if you had not come to my rescue when you did. My years have been rewarding… and so what if I never raise my own! Aurora was enough."

"You think of her as your child?"

"What should I think of her as?"

"Perhaps a women?" Maleficent sighed. "She is just as I am. A female… you could have just as easily fallen in love with her."

"I do love her." Diaval admitted with a shrug. "She is beautiful, and the faerie magic in her blood makes any who see her love her dearly. I admit easily that if you had not already captured my heart, I could have loved her – I would have been jealous of Phillip if my heart were not yours."

"I didn't ask for your heart!" Maleficent shouted. "I didn't ask for any of this!"

"You didn't have to." Diaval sighed. He took a few steps back, wrapping his arms around himself. "It was yours from the beginning."

"Go." Maleficent dismissed him with a wave of her hand. "Go now… I want to be… alone."

"Where should I go?" Diaval whispered. "When my home is here."

"Go anywhere – but leave me."

–

Diaval cursed under his breath as he walked through the swampy bogs that surrounded the outer-edge of the kingdom. The castle loomed, gleaming in the early morning light. He was human enough to feel the ache in his bones, and the thirst in the back of his throat.

The bogs ended at a small hill, which Diaval struggled up. At the top of it, the village surrounding the castle came into view. As much as he trusted Aurora and Phillip, Diaval hesitated for a long moment. The stretch of land in front of him was dotted with farms just outside the town proper.

He had been here both as a man and as a raven, and the thought didn't appeal to him at all. The farmers thought him a demon now, after having seen him with Maleficent one too many times. A familiar is what they called him, and perhaps they were right – though Maleficent was no witch as far as he was concerned.

Gathering what little courage he could muster after such a long journey, Diaval set off down the hill, towards the farms and the village.

The walk was pleasant enough, given that it was on land that was both dry and not trying to suck the boots off his feet. The farmers were quiet as he passed, only the sound of their young children breaking the morning silence. He kept his head bowed, refusing to meet their gazes as he walked.

A few birds called to him, kindred wondering where his wings had gone, and how long he planned to be away. The thought made him uneasy, especially when one landed on his shoulder, cawing in his ear a few times. He knew this one, though the name escaped him.

"Be gone, little Devil." He whispered. "I am not as I once was."

The raven stared at him for another moment before giving a hard push with his wings, sending him high into the air and back towards the rest of his family gathered on a nearby fence. Diaval watched, a longing in his chest as he watched the young male settle in against what was obviously his mate.

"I'm envying a bird." Diaval stopped walking and sighed. "I'm also talking to myself now… this is a problem." He let out a snort of laughter before giving a firm shake of his head. "Walk."

He pressed onwards towards the castle.

–

"Run that by me again." Aurora commanded as she offered him a cup of warm tea. "It sounds like you just said you confessed your feelings to Maleficent."

"That is what I said." Diaval took the cup and bowed his head, chuckling quietly. "In hindsight, it wasn't exactly my smartest idea." He glanced up at the beautiful woman, enjoying the warm smile on her face.

"Maleficent is unlike any woman, you and I both know this." Aurora sighed, sitting down in the chair beside his. "She is cold."

"I know… but it is hard." Diaval let out a frustrated hiss. "I love her."

"Think carefully before you answer this, Diaval." Aurora warned. "Do you love her as a person, or the idea of her?"

"How do you mean?"

"What I mean is… You know her almost better than anyone else. You have been with her the longest, and have seen her struggle and grow into the person she is today. What I'm asking is… can you love her in the way she wants?" Aurora explained. "Can you accept the limits that are a part of her."

"Of course-"

"But you didn't." Aurora lifted a finger to his lips to silence his protest. "You didn't respect her at all. Instead, you insisted you knew best about love. You didn't care what she had gone through… what my father put her through."

Diaval paled and bowed his head, easing away from her touch. "I never meant it to be that way." He whispered. "I only want to love her…"

"Then lover her in a way that works for her." Aurora smiled. "You may never have the things a normal man has in a relationship with her. Your lips might never tough hers, and you might never hear the words 'I love you' from her – but be content in her loving you in whatever way she can."

"When did you get so wise?" Diaval whispered.

"I had good teachers." Aurora smiled. "You and Maleficent have taught me more about life than any book or scholar here in the palace ever could."

"I am glad for that one." Diaval shook his head. "Phillip is a lucky man." He mused.

Aurora's expression changed. "Maybe." she said quietly.

"Is there…"

"I don't know." Aurora closed her eyes for a moment. "There's nothing… wrong. I care dearly for him, and there's really nothing the matter with him as a person… it's just… everyone is saying we must marry, I must give him a child… and no one here stops to ask what I want."

"Ah," Diaval nodded his head. "You are a female heir to the throne. Most don't care what happens to you so long as you produce a child before you die."

"That is not happening!" Aurora poked her finger against his shoulder. "Sometimes I amuse myself by thinking what they would do if I ran away to live in the grove with you and Maleficent."

"They would destroy everything to have you back." Diaval shrugged. "They would think you were enchanted by us."

"You are enchanting." Aurora snorted. "I would happier living away from this place… these walls are a cage, Diaval. And I cannot escape them… there is nowhere here I can go to be by myself. Everywhere I turn there is someone asking something of me." She bowed her head, voice cracking.

Diaval reached out and touched the side of her face, cupping her chin in his hand. "Aurora…"

She glanced up at him before she stood suddenly, shoving her chair backwards. Without warning, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pressed their mouths together.

Diaval was frozen, his arms held away from her body. Her lips were warm against his, and the curves of her body fit against him in a way that he had never imagined before. There had only been a handful of times where he had imagined the touch of her lips on his, or how they might fit together as a man and women.

"Please…" Aurora whispered as she pulled back from him. "Take me away from here, Diaval… I don't want to be here anymore."

—-

"Stay here while I find Maleficent." Diaval ordered, checking the area around the tree for any sign of his mistress.

Aurora settled herself at the base, knees tucked against her chest. "Alright." she breathed.

Diaval sucked in a deep breath before setting off into the deeper parts of the grove. He seldom ventured further than the tree, knowing that there were creatures in the depths that were not as friendly to those shaped like man.

Beautiful orbs danced at the edge of his vision as he left the path and wandered deeper and deeper still. "Maleficent!" He called out. "We need to talk. I've brought Aurora here…"

Silence met his calls. He walked further and further, calling until his voice was hoarse.

"Maleficent-"

Something slammed into him, sending him sprawling backwards onto the damp earth.

"I told you to leave me!" Maleficent hissed, looming above him, her foot pressed to the center of his chest. "I should turn you into a dog and leave you that way. It would suit you-"

"I've brought… Aurora!" Diaval grabbed her boot and shoved with all his strength, sending her toppling backwards. "Will you please listen now?" He spat.

Maleficent stared at him for a long moment. "Why have you brought her?" She whispered.

"She does not wish to marry Phillip it seems." Diaval sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

"Diaval…"

He glanced at her again.

"Why do you smell so much like her right now?" Maleficent's eyes flashed.

"It is not what you are thinking, mistress." Diaval dismissed. "Though I'm afraid your thoughts match hers."

"She desires you."

"I think she desires freedom and knows I can give to her." Diaval shrugged. "I do not believe it is me that she loves."

"You are a fool." Maleficent sighed. "I've seen the way she looks at you. The way her eyes search your face for even a sign that you might return her feelings… you cannot have been so blind to her emotions."

"Apparently I can and was." Diaval frowned. "I told you where my heart belongs."

"Why stay with me when she is everything you could want?" Maleficent whispered. "She can love you ways I cannot."

"She is a young woman, unsure of herself and her part in this story." Diaval reminded her. "I am an escape, a thing she can use for a moment to become what she is not. She does not want to be Queen. She does not want to rule beside a husband… you have shown her what freedom is – and she wants that."

"Then give her freedom. You will not lord over her, she will be equal to you!" Maleficent shouted.

"I do not want her that way!" Diaval snapped back. "I helped raise her – and while she is beautiful, and I do love her… I can't change what I feel!"

"You cannot love me!"

"I already do." Diaval got to his feet, turning away from her. "Why must you push on another because you don't want me?"

"That is not…"

"Do not dare tell me that that is not what you are trying to do to me, Maleficent. You are shoving me at her like spoiled goods. I know I am not what you want. I am not nearly enough for one such as yourself… and I will never be Stefan."

"Do not speak his name!" Maleficent raised her hand, an orb of green light forming. "Don't ever speak his name again!"

Diaval was still as he was forced back into his raven form. He sat there on the ground, staring at her with an accusatory look before he took flight, leaving her there.

–

A week passed before Diaval came near enough that Maleficent could coax him down to the ground and change his shape. His expression was icy as he turned away from her and inspected Aurora, who was sound asleep at the base of the tree.

"You've enchanted her." He stated.

"I wasn't sure what to do." Maleficent answered. "She was furious with me."

"Return her to the castle." Diaval stepped away from both women.

"You do not want her?"

"No." Diaval glanced over his shoulder. "You wanted me to learn my lesson? I learned it. I want nothing to do with love. It's a terrible feeling, to love and know it will never enough. Never be returned… to always want for what you can never have… I want nothing from you, or her."

"Diaval…"

"I will serve you, Maleficent, because I owe a debt. I will never speak of my feelings again, if that is what you desire… but do not toy with me. Do not throw her at me as if I should be grateful… grateful that someone loves me." Diaval shook his head. "Do that to me… and I will never forgive you for it."

"Diaval, that is not…"

"Maleficent."

"Very well." She nodded her head. "I will return Aurora to the palace. I suggest you keep a distant from her. I cannot control what she feels towards you."

"She and I have something in common after all." Diaval snorted. "I'm going to take a walk… I need to clear my head. You left me a bird far too long."

"I had hoped to chase such human thoughts from your mind." Maleficent shrugged.

"Human thoughts… you left me a bird in the middle of nesting season." Diaval shook his head again before walking away from her, leaving her to stare and wonder at his back.