A/N

This is my first Maleficent story on , so please be kind, mmmkay? ^^

A mighty thunderstorm ripped the skies apart over the Moors. It was just past midnight and the storm had raged on and off for hours, with no end in sight. Diaval sat huddled up beneath a particularly thick bundle of leaves to stay dry. Maleficent leaned back against the tree trunk and looked up at the dark clouds, where lightning clawed bloodless wounds across the heavens. She enjoyed thunderstorms. They brought out the dragon in her; the wild, strong and completely fearless side. Not even the rain bothered her.

A particularly loud clap of thunder echoed across the Moors and in its wake came another sound. A sob. Maleficent looked in the direction of the sound, and saw Aurora, soaking wet from the rain, and shivering from either cold, fear, or both.

"Godmother," she sobbed before her knees buckled and she fell to the ground. Not bothering to reach for her staff, Maleficent got up and swiftly made her way towards the girl.

"Aurora? Aurora, my sweet, what's the matter?"

She helped the girl stand and Aurora flung her arms around Maleficent's waist and sobbed against her chest. The fairy hesitated for a moment, unused to physical contact, but then put her arms around Aurora and held her close.

"It's the thunder, I'm so scared, and my aunts left for the evening to go visit someone, and…"

Maleficent's eyes flashed yellow with rage - this poor girl was terrified of thunder and her guardians went out and left her alone?! - but she fought her anger back so not to scare Aurora further.

"Schh, it's alright, I'm here, I've got you," she murmured.

"I know it's silly, but I'm so afraid… can I stay here with you tonight?"

She clung to the fairy so fiercely Maleficent had to struggle to keep from staggering to the side. Aurora was much stronger than she looked.

"Of course you can. Um, but Aurora? You have to let go of me if we're going to get back to the tree."

Aurora reluctantly let go of the fairy and wrung her shaking hands. Maleficent put an arm around the princess's shoulders and steered her towards the tree.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

She spoke the magnificent lie without a doubt. Aurora did not know about the curse, and she did not need to know how desperately Maleficent had tried to revoke it and failed. Perhaps keeping her in the dark was a mean thing to do, but clouding her days with the knowledge of her impending doom, suffocating her lively spirit, would be far worse.

Aurora looked at the tree, and then up at the sky.

"Isn't it dangerous to be in a tree during a thunderstorm?"

She wasn't shaking as much anymore, though. Maleficent wondered if it was her presence that calmed the princess. If so, how ironic life could be.

"Not my tree, Beastie. It's enchanted. I do hold power over thunder and lightning."

"Oh."

"Look at you, you are drenched. Here," Maleficent said and with a flick of her fingers, Aurora's clothes and hair were dry. With another flick of her fingers she tied the branches of the tree together above them, creating a roof. Maleficent wasn't bothered by the rain, but if Aurora was, she was going to shut the rain out.

Maleficent sat down and gestured for Aurora to come and sit next to her. Aurora obeyed eagerly and leaned her head against Maleficent's shoulder, snuggling up close to her. Maleficent's eyes widened in surprise and her initial reaction was to move a little bit to the side, but then she reconsidered. It felt good to have someone touching her. It had been so long.

Aurora sounded sleepy when she said;

"May I ask you a question?"

"You may."

"What is your name? It just struck me that I don't know it. I have always called you Godmother. And Diaval calls you Mistress. Does he know your real name?"

"He does."

Maleficent's mouth suddenly felt dry, and she found herself hoping that the princess would doze off before she had to answer. She didn't believe Aurora's "aunts" had told her about the evil fairy Maleficent, but it still made her uneasy.

"So, what is your name?" Aurora insisted.

"It's Maleficent."

"Maleficent…" She seemed to taste it. "It's beautiful."

Maleficent snorted.

"In human tongue, it means 'evil or harmful by intent or effect'."

"Really?" Aurora actually laughed out loud at this. "That's silly. You are the farthest thing in the world from evil."

If you only knew, Maleficent thought but said nothing. She stroke Aurora's hair, absently but gently, and began to feel a bit sleepy herself. They sat in companionable silence for a while, listening to the rattling of the rain on the leaves and branches, and the claps of thunder, that came with less intensity and from a greater distance. After a while, Maleficent broke the silence between them and said in a low voice;

"In the old Fae languages though, it means 'with magic' or 'magical'."

"I like that meaning better."

"So do I."

Aurora slept. Maleficent draped her robe over the girl as a blanket and sighed. How she wanted to protect Aurora from every danger in the world, and how it hurt to know that she herself was the greatest threat to the young princess.

As the morning came, Aurora woke up first. She looked at the sleeping fairy next to her, and marvelled over how beautiful she was. How at peace she looked when she was asleep. Maleficent had always seemed slightly troubled to her, like she was constantly battling difficult thoughts inside, but in sleep, she looked so very peaceful. So innocent. Aurora smiled. She reached out a hand and gently traced her fingertips along Maleficent's sharp cheekbone. As she did, she finally allowed herself to fully feel the emotion that had been haunting her for quite some time now.

Maleficent opened her eyes and looked up at her, with an apprehensive look upon her face. Then it faded and she returned the smile.

"Hello, Beastie."

"Hello Maleficent."

Maleficent raised an eyebrow.

"So that's how you want it? Very well, hello Aurora, then."

She noticed almost right away that something was wrong. The princess looked away and began to fidget with her sleeve. Maleficent sat up and touched Aurora's shoulder, very gently.

"What's the matter?"

"I need to tell you something. I have been pondering this for weeks but I realised just now that I cannot keep it to myself any longer. Please don't be angry with me."

"I could never be angry with you."

Aurora smiled nervously.

"Don't be so sure about that," she mumbled and took a deep breath. "You know how there are different kinds of love? I mean apart from the romantic."

Maleficent nodded, utterly confused.

"You could love someone like a mother, or a friend… and that's what I thought it was. I mean, I feel so safe and protected with you, and you're older than me, and I figured I loved you like I would love a mother. Or a big sister perhaps."

She added the last part as if she thought Maleficent would be offended by being called 'older'. Maleficent kept silent, thoughts whirling inside her head. Aurora struggled with words.

"But I see it clear now. I don't just love you. I'm in love with you."

She blushed. She still wasn't looking at Maleficent and was therefore unaware of the expression upon the fairy's face. An expression that was a fusion of shock, admiration and bliss. Aurora went on;

"There, I said it. Please don't be angry with me. I can't help it. I don't want this to change anything, but I guess it does."

Maleficent shook her head to clear it.

"Aurora. Do you have any idea how brave you are? You are so much braver than I am."

"No, I'm not. You're not afraid of anything."

"Look at me, Aurora."

The princess did as she was told, but shyly, and Maleficent's heart seemed to grow in her chest. It was a frightening feeling, but it was also a very welcome one.

"I am afraid of a lot of things. I am terrified of what I have to tell you, but you deserve to know the truth. I wanted to keep it from you, but I cannot let you believe I am worthy of your love."

"What are you talking about?" Panic laced Aurora's words, and it roused Diaval from his sleep. He cawed once. Maleficent raised a hand and said, without taking her eyes from Aurora;

"Diaval, please give us some privacy."

"Awk!"

He left, but not before giving them both a sympathetic glance.

"I will not ask you not to be angry with me, because you have every right to be. In fact, you should be. And I will not ask your forgiveness. What I have done is unforgivable."

"No, Maleficent, no, don't tell me. Whatever it is, I don't want to know."

But she pressed on.

"Many years ago, I loved a man who betrayed me. He stole my wings so he would be King. My revenge was…" her voice cracked. She cleared her throat and tried again. "My revenge was to put a deadly curse upon his firstborn. You."

Aurora stared at her, unable to say anything.

"On your sixteenth birthday, you will prick your finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel, and fall into a sleep like death. Unless you receive true love's kiss, you will never wake from it. King Stefan put you in the care of three fairies - the women who call themselves your aunts - and they will bring you back to the castle after sixteen years and one day. They believe they have found a way around the curse, but they are wrong. No power on Earth can change it. But… as you grew up, I found myself caring about you more than I have ever cared about anyone or anything." She sighed. "I tried to revoke the curse. I couldn't. The only thing that can break the spell is true love's kiss. I am sorry Aurora. I was blinded by my own hatred."

Aurora's eyes filled with tears, but the first words she spoke stunned Maleficent.

"My father… did this to you?" she ran her hands gently over Maleficent's scarred back. "Oh… I am so sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry about. You are the only one in this who is completely innocent. And I'm afraid you're the one who suffered the most."

"No. You are. I haven't suffered. Did you say you tried to revoke the curse?"

"Yes. It was too strong. Hatred brings out very strong magic."

"Why did you try and revoke it?" Aurora sounded eager now, urging Maleficent on. The fairy almost believed Aurora had an idea, but how could she, a human, find a way to break a spell a powerful fairy couldn't break?

"Because I love you," Maleficent replied, her voice nearly inaudible.

"Do you?"

"Yes."

Aurora smiled.

"Prove it. Kiss me."

Without thinking - it was after all her overly agile mind that had gotten her into the whole mess from the start - Maleficent leaned forward and brushed her lips against Aurora's. The princess responded to the kiss and transformed it into the most intense experience Maleficent ever had. She closed her eyes and felt as though a heavy weight was lifted from her shoulders, like bonds were breaking and clouds were parting.

The curse was broken.

They pulled back a little, looking into each other's eyes.

"Did you feel that too?" Aurora asked. Maleficent could only nod. She was breathless. Her heart was pounding so hard she thought it would break through her ribcage any second.

"True love's kiss… I could never imagine…" Maleficent said. Aurora silenced her with another kiss, deeper and more passionate.

"Lucky for both of us, I could," she grinned and ran her fingers through Maleficent's hair. "I love you."

"And I love you."