Maleficent(26)

            Instantly, Aurora melted into Maleficent. Wrapping her pudgy arms around Maleficent’s neck, she whimpered and gasped for a moment. As Aurora calmed down, Maleficent tried to ignore the warm feeling spreading through her body. She tried to ignore the fresh scent of Aurora’s hair. She tried not to feel the fluttering heartbeat against her own chest and the way it made her instinctively want to tighten her grip and keep the baby safe. This was the enemy. She had to stay strong.

            Then Aurora let out an adorable babble and, with absolutely no fear, reached up and grabbed one of Maleficent’s horns. Shocked, Maleficent pulled her head back. Aurora’s bottom lip quivered a bit. Curious to see what she would do next, Maleficent slowly bent her head ever so slightly. Aurora’s lip stopped quivering instantly and once more she let out a giggle and latched on, completely unafraid.

            It was too much for Maleficent. Quickly she put Aurora down and, without looking back, left the clearing. But as she made her way back to the Faerie Mound, her mind was racing. She couldn’t deny it. Aurora was sort of, kind of, maybe just a little cute. And that she even thought that at all made Maleficent furious at herself. Because she couldn’t afford to think the baby was cute or sweet or cuddly or precious. No. She had cursed her to eternal sleep. So there was no point in even paying attention to Aurora. Was there?

                         Yet as the saying goes, the best-laid plans often go wrong, and Maleficent quickly found that she couldn’t help keeping an eye on Aurora. Diaval didn’t help the situation, either. Growing bolder about his attachment to the infant, he now dragged Maleficent along with him when he went to watch Aurora—which he had to do, often. The three pixies were useless, more concerned with themselves than with the baby they had been charged to protect. Oftentimes, as she and Diaval watched from the shadows, Maleficent would overhear them bemoaning their lot in life, stuck in the awkward human-sized bodies, out in the middle of nowhere, unable to partake in the royal trappings, and forbidden by Stefan to use magic unless absolutely necessary. They occasionally paid attention to Aurora, but for the most part, the baby fended for herself.

            One particularly beautiful afternoon, Maleficent reclined in a tree next to Diaval, who kept a raven eye on Aurora as she played below. Nearby, the pixies had laid out a picnic. Fresh berries, bread, and cheese lay neatly on a brightly colored towel. But Aurora wanted nothing to do with the food. She was having too much fun playing with the butterflies that were flittering around nearby.

            Glancing over and watching the baby play, Maleficent was struck, not for the first time, by Aurora’s complete innocence. The baby had no idea what her future held. She had no clue what her father had done or who her mother had married. Aurora just knew that that day it was sunny and there were butterflies to chase. Maleficent felt anger bubble up in her chest. She had been that innocent once, that trusting and carefree. And look what it had gotten her. Shaking her head to clear her negative thoughts, Maleficent tossed a nut to Diaval. She needed to amuse herself with something other than thoughts about her past. Something to remind her that she was free to do what she wanted, when she wanted.

            Noticing that the pixies had all sat down and were lounging lazily in the warm sun, Maleficent smiled mischievously. She made a tiny gesture, mimicking the movement of pulling someone’s hair. On the ground below, Thistlewit let out a yelp.

            The faerie immediately looked next to her, convinced that Flittle had pulled her hair. In retaliation, she pulled a strand of Flittle’s hair—hard. Soon the three pixies were in the midst of an all-out hair-tugging war. With a satisfied smile, Maleficent leaned back and tossed a nut into her mouth.

            For a moment, Maleficent just sat there, reveling in the shrieks and cries from the three pixies below. Robin would have been proud of her trickery—maybe there was some of the old Maleficent left somehow. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Aurora chasing a butterfly. The baby’s little feet pounded on the warm grass, her hands were out in front of her, and her fingers grabbed frantically. Looking ahead, Maleficent raised an eyebrow. Intent on catching the butterfly, Aurora was oblivious that she was heading straight toward danger.