Hey all, warnings for this chapter: there is a lemon, so the rating is M.

Takes place sometime briefly after the movie, genre romance and a bit of comedy. None of the characters are mine because jeez it's a disney movie and they wouldn't be getting into this kind of trouble unless they were mine ;)

Thanks for reading!

Things That Turn a Raven On Part 2

"I don't know...it seems a bit flashy."
Aurora laughed at me as we played like children, donning the most ostentatious, frilly, bejeweled gowns in the queen's royal wardrobe. I thought we were a bit old to be playing dress-up, but the gowns were marvelous and my free-spirited darling rarely wore such garish things, and in a flight of fancy we had put on an impromptu display for one another.
Aurora was dressed in a shimmering pink gown that was such a bright shade it almost hurt Maleficent's eyes, with white shoulders and a lacy petticoat. She was perfect, of course.

"Well it certainly isn't black leather with six collars and a train," she teased, and I sniffed haughtily at her jest. I looked at myself in the huge piece of reflective silver mounted on Aurora's wall, smoothing the silky violet folds of the gown's full skirts. The bodice was inlaid with gems of all kinds, and luxurious embroidered designs in silver thread hemmed the draping sleeves and floor-length skirts. Despite my griping, the dresses were glorious, and of all of them, this one had caught my eye. But I couldn't let her know that; she would insist I keep it.

"These are far too bright. If I went out in public I'd surely blind anyone who laid eyes on me."

Aurora laughed as the door opened, and we turned to find our dark-haired raven standing within the doors, where we had specifically forbidden him. From the expression on his face, I wondered if my statement about blinding were more accurate than I had thought.

"Diaval, we told you expressly to stay away!" Aurora cried, and he started and turned around, but his ears were red as if he were embarrassed. "Godmother and I are having a party."

"A party," he gave a low whistle, and a laugh. "Why wasn't I invited? I feel hurt."

"Well you can stay, I suppose," Aurora said, "but you'll have to play our servant. Bring us tea! And cakes!"

He chuckled, turning and glancing almost shyly at me. "And anything for you, your highness?" he asked, bowing low, and I waved him away, oddly flustered at being seen in such an expensive, garish thing.

"No, no. Go along."

"Oh, can we have our tea party in the garden?" Aurora asked suddenly. "We're so gorgeous, the whole palace simply must see us."

"Absolutely not!" I snapped. "You may wear whatever you wish, but I shan't gallivant about in gems and silk."

"Godmother!" The princess almost-whined, falling dramatically across the bed. "For me? No one will say anything. They know you only do it for me." She batted her pretty dark eyes. My heart melted, and I sighed.

"A brief tea party. And send someone to tell Diaval or he'll bring the tea things all the way up here."

My princess all but squealed in delight and pulled me down the stairs and past startled servants out into the gardens. The sun was bright and took my breath away for a moment as we stepped into the fragrant afternoon, and she sat me down at a quaint little tea table painted white.

"Not so bad now, is it?" she said smugly, and I leaned my head back, taking in the warm sun and breathing deeply. A honeysuckle bloomed somewhere nearby, spilling its scent into the air.

"Milady, your tea," Diaval's voice announced, and I opened my eyes to find him standing in the doorway holding a teatray. He was gazing at me, almost looking starstruck. He seemed to have forgotten the tea in his hands, because Aurora had to get up and take it from him.

"Thank you, Diaval," she said with a giggle, and he blinked and turned slightly red.

"S-Sorry, you just-you're really very sparkly, Mistress," he pointed out, and I realized the gems on my bodice were throwing light all across the gardens. I closed my eyes, counted to ten. It wasn't worth getting upset.

"Oh, I realized what's been bothering me!" Aurora said through a mouthful of tea, "your hair! It's completely wrong. I'll pick some flowers! We'll braid them in."

She got up and hurried to the walls, plucking blooms of lavender, honeysuckle, daisy, and rose from the plants there. I looked at Diaval, who was fidgeting.

"What?" I asked irritably. He glanced at me, his eyes darting across me as if he wasn't sure where to focus.

"You're too bright to look at," he said with a shaky laugh, running a hand through his hair, and I stood.

"That's it, I'm taking it off."

He caught my arm as I stormed past. "No, no! You're beautiful, Maleficent, absolutely. I didn't mean it in that way. You look lovely."

I looked into his eyes, and he seemed to realize our proximity and made to step away. I caught his shirt collar, halting his retreat.

"You think I'm lovely?"

He met my eyes, rising to my challenge. "Breathtaking. Very shiny."

I moved closer coyly. "Shiny? Is this a raven thing?"

"A raven thing?" he asked sharply, but I saw from the color in his cheeks I was right, "what's that supposed to mean? I don't have raven things," he insisted, head bobbing in a rather ravenish way. I laughed, for I had caught him in the act.

"You absolutely do have raven things, you silly bird. You bob about and your hair gets mussed when you're cross. And you like shiny things," I said the last part slowly, moving close enough to smell his unique scent of cedar wood and dusky lavender and damp stone covered in moss.

I must have laid it on too thickly, because his breath hitched, and I could hear the thundering of his heart. His pupils were dilated, and his skin warm with the unmistakable flush of desire.

"I like them very much," he breathed, brushing my hair over my shoulder, and a thrill of warmth shivered down my spine.

"Aurora," I called, and the princess popped up behind the wall, covered in flower petals.

"Yes Godmother?"

"I heard your dear Philip calling. Why don't you go inside?"

She kissed my cheek and flounced inside, and the tension in the air skyrocketed. I turned to Diaval, and the evening sun caught the gems on my dress, throwing light in his eyes. He caught me around the waist and drew me close, and I draped my arms around his neck.

"Maleficent, I want you to know that you're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

I smiled, sliding my hands into his hair.

"And you're certain you're not saying that just because I'm currently more reflective than solid silver?"

My back met the wall, and I tipped my face to be level with his. His lips brushed mine lightly, his breath shallow.

"That may be playing a part at the moment."

"Then do something about it."

He stilled at my challenging tone, and then startled me by sweeping my legs out from under me, lifting me into his arms.

We whisked into the hedge maze, turning corners and venturing deep into the sweet smelling dusk.

I pulled him down into the pampered grass, and he pressed a kiss to my lips. His whole body was trembling, and I stroked his hair as his lips trailed across my jaw and down my neck.

"Calm down," I soothed, and he pulled away, gazing at me with his dark eyes, his hair falling into them.

"I'm sorry. I'm just a bit over excited," he said softly, and I hooked a leg around his waist, pulling our bodies flush.

"Yes I can see that," I teased, and he flushed but rose to my challenge, grinding down against me. Tingling arousal spread up my spine, and I canted my head back as his lips found the sensitive juncture between neck and shoulder.

I pulled the dark coat from his shoulders, stripping his low-cut shirt away. His pale, toned chest was streaked with scars, tokens of his loyalty and devotion.

I pulled him down and reversed our position, and he swore softly as our bodies found new ways to fit together. But we weren't close enough, not nearly, and I unhooked his belt. His eyes widened, and he grabbed my hands.

"Afraid?" I asked, and he sat up, sending me sliding down into his lap. He kissed me tenderly.

"Never."

I freed him from his trousers and lifted up onto my knees, kissing him thoroughly. He tasted like blackberries and roots and growing things, and his breath was hot and heavy against my lips. I hiked my dress over my legs.

He gripped my hips and our bodies slid together like key and lock, as if they had been made for each other. I clutched handfuls of his hair, and he gasped softly against my neck. I took one of his hands and placed it on my chest, and he let his hands wander over my bejeweled bosom as we clashed together.

Suddenly he rolled us, pressing me down into the soft grass as our bodies bucked together in pleasure, and he rested his face against my neck as I clutched the corded muscles of his neck and shoulders.

"I love you," he breathed, and I caught his face in my hands and kissed him, pulling him as close to me as I could, so close that our conjoined bodies should have melded into one being. He inhaled sharply, and the expression of pure ecstasy on his face sent me plunging after him over the edge.

We lay panting in a heap for a moment before he pulled away, eyes sparkling and deep. I smoothed his hair out of his face and smiled.

"I love you too."

I made a mental note to wear shiny dresses much, much more often.