I remain ever by her side. I see things in her nobody else is allowed to see. I know things about her nobody else will know. She trusts me for a very simple reason; I cannot speak. Her secrets stay safe with me.

But my heart aches for her. She is so convinced, so utterly convinced that nobody could show her any affection or kindness, and she shuts away her every chance of receiving it for fear of being fooled or ridiculed.

Humans call her frightening and ugly because she doesn't look like them. I wonder if they would reconsider if they ever were to see the gentle look in her golden eyes when she looks at me, for example. If they only knew how soft her touch is they would not recoil from her. They look for the sneer, but they never see the smile.

They don't know how she cried the day she found out about the christening of the princess, or rather found that everybody in the kingdom were invited - except her.

They call themselves "good", but I have found that more often than not, the "good ones" treat those who look or think differently, in a horrible manner. In the name of the good, of course. They save every last bit of love for themselves and spare not a scrap of it to those who need it the most.

Those who are left outside. Those who aren't wanted.

Maleficent doesn't know she is loved. And I cannot tell her, for I am but a bird. All I can do is keep on loving her, remain by her side for the rest of my life, and hope that one day someone is going to see what I see, and be willing to fight to get through to her heart. Perhaps there is someone out there who can make Maleficent feel wanted. I hope so, but I doubt it.

Love is only for the brave heroes and beautiful princesses. The rest of us aren't wanted.