Disclaimer: I own nothing but the arrangement of the words on the page.

A/N: Because Maleficent is actually a tragic figure if you think about it. An evil rhymes-with-witch, sure, but still tragic

Loneliness

© Scribbler, August 2008.

I love you so much more when you're not here.

-- From Leave Me Alone (I'm Lonely) by Pink

Maleficent sits in her throne, in her castle, in her land of darkness, and contemplates the uselessness of life.

Not her life, mind – her life is a pattern of glorious dedication to power and respect, like a stained-glass window made up entirely of blood red and royal purple. No, what occupies her thoughts are the lives of others, who can only think of ineffectual ideals like 'love', 'hope' and 'valour' – insignificant, futile things with no bearing on anything outside pipe-dreams.

What use are these things? They don't bring power, and without power what is life for? What possible reason could anyone have for living if they don't have power? Life without it is just existing, like vegetables in sickbeds and those made mindless by age and suffering.

She had no power once. She was subservient. She hated it, clawed her way out of it, ruthless and cold-blooded and real – more real than those who fought against her and lost. Princess Aurora – ha! A stupid girl from the first day she was born. Maleficent feels no remorse for that one's fate. She serves a higher purpose now – they both do – and the princess's allies proved the uselessness of their sacred ideals when they failed to save her.

She recalls Prince Phillip's desperate, wrenching cry and the tears coursing down the king and queen's faces when her Heartless army came. Ridiculous sentiment. Absurd emotion. Nonsensical, the lot of it. Maleficent would spit on them if it were worth it.

She doesn't understand until she meets a silver-haired boy and trains him like a subordinate until he becomes more like a son. Then she releases her own desperate, wrenching cry when she loses him – or is it that he leaves her? – and in so doing loses everything she ever worked for.

Fin.