Maleficent(24)

            Following Diaval, who flew above and slightly ahead of Maleficent, she made her way deeper and deeper into the human forest. Tall trees rose into the air and thick green vegetation covered the ground. Unlike the Faerie Moors, which were inhabited by more types of creatures than ever, the human land seemed oddly empty. After a while, the pair arrived at a clearing. In the middle stood a small cottage with a thatched roof and white sides crisscrossed with brown beams. It was clear that the cottage had been abandoned for quite some time. Upon closer inspection Maleficent could make out holes in the thatch, and weeds grew tall among what once had been an herb garden. Hidden in the shadows of the trees that surrounded the clearing, Maleficent watched as the pixies, now big and awkward in their new bodies, stumbled about, trying to spruce up the place and quickly make it homey and inviting. When they stepped inside to take a break, Maleficent carefully made her way to the side of the cottage. Looking to Diaval, she saw him nod his feathered head at one of the small windows.

            Maleficent peered through it and saw baby Aurora tucked in her bassinet, sleeping peacefully. Her lip curled back as she gazed at the baby’s soft, rosy cheeks. She looked a bit bigger than when she’d last seen her, a bit plumper, maybe, but just as beautiful. “I could almost feel sorry for it.” Beside her, Diaval nodded his raven head.

            Suddenly, Aurora opened her eyes and looked directly at Maleficent. In response, Maleficent made a mean face at the baby. Aurora smiled. Maleficent made an even meaner face. Aurora laughed and began to clap her hands.

            “I hate you,” Maleficent said.

            She was about to try to make the scariest face she could when she heard the loud bustle of the three pixies approaching. Quickly, she backed away from the window.

            The three pixies entered Aurora’s room and made their way to the bassinet. Immediately, the baby began to cry. Maleficent listened as the pixies argued among themselves about what they should do before finally deciding Aurora was hungry. They then proceeded to plop a whole banana, apple, and orange in with the baby before walking out of the room. Aurora’s screams grew louder.

            “It’s going to starve with those three looking after it,” Maleficent muttered. But that’s not my problem, she added silently. She turned and walked away, her shoulders tense until the sound of Aurora’s cries finally faded.

                         For the next few weeks, Aurora was the least of Maleficent’s concerns, though she knew Diaval visited the baby every day. What he did while he was there, she didn’t know. But it felt a bit like a betrayal, in any event.

            Nevertheless, Maleficent’s focus was on King Stefan and his castle. On a daily basis she heard reports from Diaval that Stefan was said to be going mad in the wake of her curse. He was paranoid. Convinced that Maleficent would come back any day to wreak further damage and destruction, he had all his soldiers at the ready. He sent them to the Thorn Wall over and over again, hoping they could chop it down. Once, the soldiers had even catapulted large fireballs, trying to burn it down. But the Wall remained impenetrable, just as Maleficent had planned, and the thorny vines stopped the greedy humans in their tracks. Her parents had thought talk and reasoning could keep the humans from invading. But now it was more than evident that this—this barrier, this violence—was the only way.

            One morning, as Maleficent sat on her throne, contemplating how much things had changed since that long-ago day when she had met Stefan at the jewel pool, Diaval landed on the Mound. Transforming him back into a man, Maleficent waited for his daily report.

            “You saw nothing?” she asked when he finished his report.

            Diaval shook his head. “No, mistress,” he said softly, aware that this would not make Maleficent happy. “The castle is locked up tight. I couldn’t see inside.” He went on to explain that in fear of another visit from Maleficent, Stefan had ordered windows to be boarded up, the drawbridge to be raised, and all entrances to be guarded by double the men. He was not taking any chances.