I Know You

2

Aurora wasn't sure how long she had been lay in that position, face down on the floor of the dungeon.

She was aroused from her thoughts however, when the heavy iron-clad door opened.

Aurora scrambled to sit up – surely it was not time for dinner already?

Squinting as her eyes adjusted to the light that the open door let in, Aurora watched as Magnus entered the dungeon.

"Princess," he nodded. "How are you feeling today?"

Folding her arms, Aurora fixed him with an indignant glare.

"Are you well?" he pushed, placing a tray down in front of her containing a selection of delicious-looking fruits.

"No, I am not. And unless you're here to tell me that I'm free to return to the moors, I won't talk to you," she said.

Magnus sighed, "When will this blasted curse end?"

"I'm not under any curse!" Aurora cried, infuriated.

Glancing back at the guards outside of the dungeon, Magnus nodded for the two men to leave them alone.

"Princess," he began. "I understand that it has been an extremely trying time for you, what with the loss of your father and the realisation of what that witch did to you-"

"She is not a witch, she is a fairy," Aurora corrected him.

"And you are a human. Our kind do not mix well with theirs. You are the child of King Stefan, and this is your rightful place," Magnus told her.

"Yes, I am a child. And children belong with their mothers, do they not?" she responded.

"Princess, surely you know by now, that your blessed mother passed many years ago?" he frowned, surprised.

"I do," Aurora said, softly. "The mother I had never known. But I have a mother all the same – the one who raised me, and I wish to be returned to her at once."

Magnus cast her a look of disdain. "That creature is not your mother, Princess!"

With a flick of her foot, Aurora sent the tray of fruit flying across the dungeon floor. The tray itself dislodged a mouse from its hiding place, and sent it scurrying out of the open door.

"And I am not your Princess, nor your Queen! I will not speak another word or eat another meal until you bring my Godmother to see me!"

With that, she turned from his gaze, flinging herself back down against the stone floor.

Ω Ω Ω Ω

"They have her where?" Maleficent asked in disgust, as her eyes turned a dangerous shade of green – much the same colour as the mist which had engulfed them both.

"The dankest dungeon in the whole of the castle," the now-human Diaval said, dusting himself off. "Honestly, Mistress, it's quite horrible."

"And Aurora? Is she...?" she began, her voice wavering slightly.

"She appears well – physically, at least. Though she's quite distressed, talking about hunger strikes and vows of silence," Diaval told her.

"To what end?"

"Until they return her to you, Mistress," he told her softly.

"What else?"

"Nothing else. She simply demanded to be returned to her mother," Diaval said.

For a moment, Maleficent was silent, as the green mist surrounding her faded, and her eyes flickered from emerald to gold.

And then the fairy strode out from beneath the trees and into the clearing, flexing her wings behind her.

"Mistress! What are you... where are you going?!" Diaval called, quickening his pace to keep up with her.

"To the castle, you imbecile!" she cried.

"Now, Mistress, let's stop and think about this for just a second," he pleaded, managing to step in front of her before she took to the sky.

"What is there to think about?" Maleficent snapped.

"These humans.... Do you truly believe that, should we arrive in broad daylight and all guns blazing, they will simply hand Aurora over to us?" Diaval pointed out. "You murdered their king, Mistress. They think you evil, and believe that she is under another of your curses."

Maleficent scowled at him – a look that translated as 'you're right.'

"As much as you're not going to like it, we need to bide our time and come up with a plan," he told her.

The fairy seemed less than pleased, but nodded her head slowly.

"Very well. In the meantime, however, I do hope you enjoyed the long tail and those little, pointy teeth," she said.

"Not especially, Mistress."

The corner of Maleficent's mouth turned upwards. "Pity, because you're going to be spending more time amongst the other rodents on the dungeon floor."

"But Mist-"

With a flick of her hand, Diaval was a mouse again.

"Watch her at all times. Other than to report to me, you will not leave her side. Do I make myself clear?"

With a squeak, Diaval was gone again.

Ω Ω Ω Ω