I absolutely LOVE this ship. I WILL GO DOWN WITH IT. I especially enjoy this concept of nesting season and Diaval choosing Maleficent as his mate. I've seen it around and decided I must make a fic of my own. Enjoy!

It started with finding stones in her tree.

Maleficent was not alarmed at first. Sure, she was annoyed at the prospect of a secret admirer, but there was no reason to overreact. Besides, they were rather pretty stones. When she held them up to the light, they glittered from within. Whoever had left them must have spent quite some time searching. She decided it wouldn't hurt to keep them, and placed them in a small tangle of branches where they wouldn't fall off her tree. Correction, their tree. Diaval had a nest near the top. Speaking of whom, she hadn't seen him all day, and started to wonder what he could be up to. Since she had regained her wings, she had given him free reign over his shapeshifting, but he had decided to remain near her.

When he returned that night, she questioned him about where he had gone. "Oh, nowhere of interest." he replied, looking at the stones she had received earlier. "Say, these would make fine decoration for a nest. Where did you find them?" Maleficent explained that they had been left for her. Diaval nodded absentmindedly, then changed back into a raven and flew up to his nest. She wondered what had gotten into him. It seemed that he had been more and more lost in his own world since spring began.

The next morning, she woke up to see roses.

She had to admit, they were pleasing to the eye. Each one was of a different color and had individual swirling patterns engraved into their stems. She admired that someone would have the patience and concentration to do such a delicate task. She planted them down at her favorite spot by the water, and kept one in her tree. Later that day, she was walking by the stream when she saw Diaval kneeling under a grove of trees, picking up something from the ground. What in the world is he doing? she wondered.

Let it never be said that Maleficent couldn't do some investigating of her own. After observing other ravens for a while, she had gleaned some very interesting information. It was mating season, and so all of the ravens, her loyal friend included, would be looking for a mate. She knew it was natural, but a part of her really didn't like the idea that Diaval would find another woman to occupy his time. But she wasn't jealous. No, of course not, she just wanted to make sure he wouldn't abandon her. When she returned to her tree, she was greeted by feathers lining the ground. They were laid out in a striking array of colors, from ebony black to brilliant red. There was only one person, or bird, rather, that she knew of that would be able to do this.

And that was when Maleficent realized that she knew a bird that had those exact ebony feathers.

When he returned and shifted into a man, Maleficent was waiting for him. "What did you hope to gain from giving me gifts?" Diaval almost fell of his tree branch. "It is mating season, and ravens mate for life. We usually bring gifts to our desired mate, and I'm asking you to be mine." Maleficent arched an eyebrow, slightly perplexed at his confession. "What can a raven possibly see in a faerie?"

Diaval blushed, and though she hated to admit it, Maleficent thought it very endearing. "Well, when I saw saw you with Aurora, I have never seen such kindness and light in someone before. You are the most beautiful being I have ever seen, and your wings are the strongest and most magnificent that have ever graced this world." Now it was her turn to blush. She had not had a clue that Diaval harbor end such strong feelings toward her. And though she had denied it to herself for a very long time, she did return those feelings.

She caressed his cheek. "You were a loyal servant, and an even better friend. Even in my darkest days, you did not stray from my side. As the season called you to find a she-raven to claim as your mate, you have chosen me. I love you for it." she thought for a moment. "Did it hurt to pull out those feathers? Did it not take hours to carve the flowers and find the perfect stones?"

Diaval nodded and smiled. "Yes, but you are worth it. I would endure anything for you." He pressed his lips against hers, softly at first, then Maleficent deepened the kiss and pulled him in toward her, wrapping her wings around him. He grasped her shoulder, gently tracing circles along the outline of her bone with his thumb. In that moment, both of them forgot about the world and all it's problems, because they had each other, and that was all that mattered.

Indeed, their love was one worth fighting for.