Maleficent(6)

            “It’s all right.” It was a voice as bright as tinkling bells, his friend Sweetpea’s voice.

            Robin turned to his right and saw baby Maleficent lying in a large nest next to a shallow stream. Four energetic water faeries, Crisith, Lockstone, Walla, and Pipsy, were cleaning her soft black hair, dropping small amounts of the clear sparkling water over her head. Maleficent shifted in the nest, reaching toward them, while Sweetpea and Finch decorated the nest with leaves and flowers.

            “They have been spreading the news all morning,” Sweetpea announced. “The battle is over. The Moors are safe once more.”

            “We want to get Maleficent ready to see Hermia and Lysander when they get back. I’m sure they’ll be here any moment,” Finch added, hovering back to observe their masterpiece. He then made his way back to adjust a leaf that was out of place.

            Robin broke into a smile and then erupted into laughter. “Whooping wallerbogs! They did it!” He buzzed over to Maleficent and tickled her cheeks. She giggled and clapped her hands in delight.

            A few hours later, after the fruit faerie Adella had fed Maleficent some berries and Robin had played a few dozen rounds of peekaboo with her, Maleficent started to cry quietly. Robin didn’t know if she was in tune with their shared feelings of uneasiness, or if she intuitively knew something was wrong. But his suspicions were confirmed when he saw a giant sentry slowly headed their way.

            The towering wooden creatures hardly ever came to that part of the Moors. They were far more comfortable in the marsh and took their duties as guards of the border seriously. Only something truly important would have brought him there, particularly after a battle. As the sentry ambled on, his large footsteps echoing and his grand shadow sweeping past, many other creatures and Fair Folk came out of the surrounding area to gather together.

            “What brings you here, Birchalin?” asked Robin when he approached the group. “When can we expect Lysander and Hermia?”

            The sentry sighed, shifting his weight from root to root. “I’m afraid I come bearing bad news. I wanted to be the one to deliver it, but now it is so hard to say.”

            Some of the faeries flew up to his height and gathered round the wooden creature to hear him. They were at once anxious to listen and afraid of what he might say.

            “I thought we won the battle,” Finch offered.

            “We did keep our home safe from the humans once more, for the time being,” Birchalin began softly. “But I’m afraid our victory came at a price. Lysander and Hermia were killed last night.”

            A chorus of gasps shuddered through the crowd, and Maleficent started to wail louder in her nest on the ground. The other Fair Folk looked at her, a wave of shock and sorrow for the infant faerie passing through them all.

            Robin was the one to move first. Slowly, but with purpose, he flew down to Maleficent’s side, touching her shoulder with a small hand. One by one, others followed suit, Sweetpea and Finch at her feet, the water faeries by her head, wallerbogs rising out of their lake to sit by her side.

            Then they lifted her into the air, flying through the forest with Birchalin and other creatures following, creating a somber procession. Finally, they reached their destination, the place to which they had all known they were going without having to say it aloud. The Rowan Tree. Gently, they lowered Maleficent against the magnificent stump, beams of sunlight peeking through the leaves, creating a halo around her head. As she settled into the tree, she stopped crying.

            The other Fair Folk stood and flew around her, forming a protective circle. Robin was the first to speak, repeating the words he’d spoken only hours earlier.

            “We’ll look after you.”

                         As the years passed, Maleficent grew to be a striking, happy faerie child. The Fair Folk raised her together, taking care of her, teaching her all of their skills, their languages, their work, until it was apparent she no longer needed looking after. She was a quick learner and proved to be lively and independent at a very young age. Soon the other Fair Folk became her dearest companions and friends instead of her caretakers, and she made sure to visit them all throughout the day. Her favorite visits were the ones during which the others would tell her about her parents.