All of Me

Ever After

AN: Drabble exploring Diaval and Maleficent's relationship after Aurora has been crowned.

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The crowning ceremony had already passed by a year, and both kingdoms continued to prosper under the rule of Queen Aurora. Her grace, beauty, and intellect were not lost upon her subjects, and she quickly became a trusted and kind ruler to her people. Although she was constantly swamped with her royal duties, she still managed to sneak a day or two into the Moor to spend time with her Godmother and the other faery creatures. Today was one of those days, and after long hours filled with laughter and good news, the flaxen-haired beauty was finally safely escorted home by her Prince—or so Maleficent hoped; that boy was never very good with directions.

She sighed, stretching out her large, strong wings and reveling in her regained balance. A day's work is never over, she thought as she scanned the forest for broken twigs or leaves. A great smile appeared on her ruby lips as she soared up into the sky to look at the lands below her. But work is so much easier when one has wings. She made a few joyful spirals, spreading her feathery appendages wide to stop.

The caw of a raven broke through the wind as a black blur sped past her shoulder. The faery laughed, freely at last, and chased the bird down to the foliage, then back up to the clouds, and down again. Finally, for what seemed like an eternity, yet also an instant, they landed on the edge of a cliff, angled towards their homeland.

A flick of her wrist, and Diaval stood by her side. He was silent, for no words needed to be spoken. The lands were green, bountiful, and hummed with life and beauty. There were shimmers left behind by pixies playing tag, water glistening in the sun as the nymphs leapt out of the river, and the sweet smell of nature, whispering promises of ripe fruit and harvest. Maleficent swallowed thickly, memorizing the sight before her. It had been years since she last saw the land in this frame of mind, and although her wings were heavy, she felt lighter than a bird. She smiled as a flock of geese passed by overhead, making their way to the crystal clear lake below.

A raven cawed in the distance, and she noticed her servant's gaze follow the ebony bird, flying out and away from the Moor.

"Do you miss it?" She asked the Raven-Man. "The life of a raven."

Her companion was silent, eyes still in the direction of the lone raven who had long since disappeared into the horizon.

"Once upon a time, I was a mere bird and my life's only purpose was to eat, find shelter, and have a family." He chuckled, thinking back to his near-death experience with the farmer and his dog. "Though I pretty much failed in all of them. Still, life was simple back then."

He says nothing more, lost in his own thoughts. The warm summer wind blew gently across his face, and fragrant stray petals kissed his human cheek and ruffled through his feathered hair. Just as gently, and just as fragile, a heavy voice whispered to him:

"Would you prefer to be with your own kind, forever?"

Diaval's eyes widened and he snapped his head to his mistress, mouth agape. She smiled gently, golden-green eyes boring into his.

"I see the way you watch the unkindness fly, and how their calls affect you, my dear servant. You have been loyal to me for so many years, been my wings when I needed them the most—you deserve to be free."

The ebony haired man feels his breath quicken, and he forces his gaze away from his Mistress's and back to the land of Moor. His home.

"It's okay," the horned faery gently insisted, "I bear you no ill will if that is what you decide."

"And what exactly, does 'freedom' entail?" Her loyal companion whispered to the air. Maleficent furrowed her brows, confused at his sudden melancholic demeanor. She waves a slender arm towards the scenery before them.

"All of this; the sky, the land, the waters…you are free to go wherever you choose, explore new lands, meet new companions," she ignored the twinge of sadness that began to chew at her insides. "And, perhaps even find a real mate. You will be happy, Diaval."

She made a motion to place her hand on her Raven's shoulders, when she noticed that he was shaking. Unlike his usual snarky, jesting self, his fists were clenched tight, knuckles turning white as his human nails dug into his soft, fleshy palms.

He finally croaked, more frog than bird, "did you think I was never happy?"

He looked down at his hands, away from his Mistress's unwavering gaze. "I chose this path, and it has changed both of us. I am no longer fully raven, and you are no longer the heartbroken Evil you thought yourself."

The Raven saw Maleficent flinch at the mention of her, but he was in too deep. No, this was the unspoken topic that had finally been brought up, and he was here to say his piece.

"We have a family, Mistress. We watched the Princess grow into a beautiful Queen, with a true love of her own. I have been by your side, I have bled for you, and I have served you for over two decades, and now you think I can just go away?"

He trails off then, focusing on releasing his nails from his sore palms and growling as they found a new hold on the hem of his tunic. Maleficent's next question was heavy and serious, and it weighed the pair down like flight in heavy rain.

"But Diaval, don't you want your own true love?"

He cawed at the question, a sharp, bird-like laugh as he buried his hands in his hair.

"Mistress, I have a family now; I have met so many different creatures, each unique in their own right. I go wherever I want—which is wherever you are. Is this not freedom? Is this not truer and purer than any love?"

He took a shuddering breath. "Almost over two decades ago, I swore to my loyalty to you, and I became neither raven nor man, but a creature that was completely yours. My body may change, but my mind; my memories, will always remain yours and yours alone." He looked at her then, with dark, determined eyes. "I told you long ago, and I say it to you now, as far as I am concerned, you are my mate, and ravens only have one mate, and one alone."

Maleficent drew back, a light coloring on her high cheekbones that Diaval had not seen on his Mistress before. "I'm not sure that sounds like happine—"

"Your happiness is MY happiness!" He snaps, the patient servant finally at his wit's end. "Do you want me to leave? Is that why you keep pressing me?" Disbelief and fear grew in his obsidian orbs as he began to think further. "…Will that make you happy?"

The horned brunette was speechless, soft ruby lips parted slightly in shock. Never had she thought that her servant would feel such a way—but then again, it was hard to spend almost twenty years in the same company and not grow some sort of attachment to each other. Warmth spread throughout Maleficent's chest, as if her heart had suddenly sprung back to life since being crushed by Stefan years ago.

"Never," she finally admitted, her breath coming out of her as relief filled her being. "Death would be a better fate than to part with either you or Aurora."

"Never," Her Raven repeated and vowed. "My place is by your side, all of me, forever, and ever more."

His Mistress's eyes flashed brilliantly, more gold than green, and she lifted her chin with joy as she and her Raven both looked out over the land—their home. Her wings came around and settled gently over his shoulders, a silent apology as they stood side by side, arms barely touching, enjoying the silence in each other's company.

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AN: I had a bit of trouble with this chapter—there were so many outcomes, so many things to say! Maleficent and her Raven aren't exactly admitting their love yet, but I feel like this is as close as they can go…for now ;)