Maleficent(25)
Maleficent’s fist clenched tightly around the top of her staff. She despised Stefan. Pure and simple. “He’s hiding from me,” she said, sneering. “He always was a coward. Fine. Let him rot in there. His child is doomed and there’s nothing he can do about it.”
Standing beside her, Diaval kept quiet, waiting for Maleficent to do what she always inevitably did—turn him into a raven so he wouldn’t ask questions or bother her. Maleficent felt his gaze on her but ignored it. Lately, she hadn’t wanted to transform him. She knew that he would go and visit Aurora as soon as he had wings. And for some reason, that irked Maleficent.
Growing impatient, Diaval tapped Maleficent on the shoulder to get her attention. Turning, she looked down at the spot where his fingers had brushed her shoulder, an unreadable expression on her face. “What is it?” she asked.
“Aren’t you going to change me?” he retorted.
“Why?” Maleficent queried, curious if he would tell her the real reason.
But instead of saying he wanted to see Aurora, he replied, “I prefer my own form.”
Shrugging, Maleficent waved her hand and transformed Diaval back into a raven. With a caw, he rose into the air and began to fly away. But Maleficent’s voice stopped him. “Diaval,” she called. Veering, he flew back. When he was once more in front of her, she added, “Are you going to stay close or do I have to put you in a cage?”
His feathers ruffled, Diaval flew over and landed on top of Maleficent’s staff. It seemed his trip to the cottage would have to wait.
WHILE MALEFICENT HATED TO ADMIT IT, DIAVAL WASN’T THE ONLY ONE WHO WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THE BABY. As the days turned into weeks and then into months, the curiosity ate at Maleficent. It ate at her while she wandered the Moors, checking on the Thorn Wall. It ate at her while she sat on her throne, listening to the buzzing of faeries complaining or gossiping. The curiosity nearly overwhelmed her when she stumbled upon a bird and her newly hatched babies, their little beaks jabbing at the air helplessly. And when she saw three pixies that bore an uncanny resemblance to Knotgrass, Thistlewit, and Flittle in the middle of a fight that caused them to ignore their little faerie children, the curiosity got the best of her.
Before she could think twice, she found herself parting the Wall and making her way into the forest. With purposeful strides, she moved toward the cottage in the clearing. Arriving, Maleficent saw that the back door was wide open and the pixies were nowhere in sight. But Aurora was. The infant had grown into a beautiful toddler with soft blond curls and rosy cheeks. As Maleficent watched, Aurora backed herself down the two steps and then began to toddle about. She burbled and giggled to herself, clearly used to being alone. Something we have in common, Maleficent thought, despite herself.
Determined to get over her curiosity, Maleficent approached the baby. Leaning down, she made the scariest face she could and screamed, “Ahhhhh!”
It worked! The baby began to wail and throw her arms about. Smiling, Maleficent waited for Aurora to run away. And sure enough, the baby did run. But to her surprise, Aurora ran straight at her. Then she threw her little arms around Maleficent’s legs and buried her head in the faerie’s long dark robes.
“Off! Off!” Maleficent cried, pushing Aurora away as though she were a bug. But the baby just threw herself right back on Maleficent and continued to cry piteously. Then Aurora raised her arms, silently begging to be picked up.
Maleficent glanced around. Despite the loud wails, no one seemed to be coming. And if no one was coming, that meant the baby was going to keep crying. And all that crying was giving her a terrible headache.…
But no, Maleficent resolved. She would not fall for the big blue watery eyes that looked up at her hopefully. She folded her arms across her chest and shook her head. Aurora kept crying. Before she could stop herself, Maleficent leaned down and picked up the wailing child. “Shut your mouth,” she said, though her tone was softer than the words she uttered.