~ by Yakira Goldsberry
Maleficent whimpered and cowered down, as another bright light flashed above the hollow.
“Shh. Hush now, my little one.” The soft voice in her ear soothed her as she was rocked in her mother’s arms.
Maleficent snuggled closer, folding her dark brown wings close, as she stared at the fairies lighting up the summer night – floating like fireflies, their tiny voices lifted in song.
Trying to down out the sounds of war.
Groups of Dark Fey, mothers and their children, were huddled in the hollow, waiting for the war to end. Maleficent and her mother stood among them. Maleficent could see in the dim light many of the other Dark Fey children curled up in their mothers’ laps. Wings rustled, and Maleficent turned her gaze to one of the mothers. Her wings were bright red, green, and yellow, like jewels. She leaned over her baby, trying to stop him from crying.
She turned her gaze back to her own mother. “I’m scared, Mama,” She whispered, looking up into her mother’s kind, yellow eyes. The soft smile that turned her lips up always made her look brave, but now Maleficent could see the fear warring to surface.
“I don’t want the humans to get us.”
“And they won’t.” Her mother stroked her soft hair, right between her horns. “Papa and the others are strong. They’ll keep us safe.”
As much as she wanted to believe that, Maleficent wasn’t sure if she could. She could hear the distant sounds of fighting over the chorus of fairy songs; the wild screams of the Dark Fey, the earthy moans of the Tree People, and, above it all, the horrible noise of the humans’ machines – whistles and thumps that were so unnatural, they sent a shudder across her skin.
“Don’t listen to them, Maleficent,” her mother said, covering her ear with her free hand. “Listen to me.”
The noise of the battle was muffled, but only a little. Maleficent placed her hand over the top of her mother’s, then pressed her other ear over her mother’s heart. The steady beat thrummed against her ear, soothing her own racing heart.
Slowly, her muscles unknotted until she was fully relaxed. Air whooshed in and out of Mama’s lungs. Blood rushed to and from her heart with each split-second thump. Maleficent listened to the song of her mother’s heart and found herself drifting off to sleep. Everything would be okay, as long as the song continued.
Her mother stiffened, and Maleficent’s eyes snapped open, and her fingers curled, tightening around her arm.
“Mama?” Maleficent lifted her head. Her mother’s eyes were wide.
“Hush,” she hissed, her wings snapping open.
Maleficent held her breath as silence descended on the hollow. The fairies were no longer singing. Lights no longer flashed in the sky and shouts no longer came from the battlefield. Maleficent’s heart pounded loudly in her ears.
Shadows flew overhead toward the battlefield, streaking across the star-scattered sky. Her mother’s gaze hardened, and she gently pushed Maleficent away.
“Stay here,” she whispered.
Fear clamped around her heart, and she clung to her mother’s arm.
“Don’t leave me!” she whimpered, but her mother pried her fingers away.
“I won’t be long, dear one. Now stay here.”
Golden light glowed around her fingers and floated toward Maleficent. It touched her chest, and, immediately, her eyelids drooped. Her mother spread her dark wings and leaped into the sky.
Maleficent fought against the magic. She wanted – no, needed – to follow Mama, to hide within her arms. Mama could keep her safe. Without her, Maleficent would be all alone, and the humans might try to take her away. Or worse.
Shivering, she crawled up the steep sides of the hollow and peered out. Through the glowing flowers, she could just about see her mama, flying out from the woods into the open field. Fire lit the sky. A wild screech filled the air, and Maleficent fell back as fire roared toward her. Screams filled the air.
“Mama!” Maleficent twisted, opening her wings, hoping to stop her fall. She slammed into the earth.
Fire roared toward her, and the world went black.
***
Something wet splashed onto her cheek. She opened her eyes and blinked against the rain falling from the bleak sky overhead. A wind blew, ruffling her wet feathers and tugging at her damp dress. She pushed herself up onto all fours and looked around the hollow. None of the Dark Fey were there – not even the glowing fairies. All that was left was some loose feathers and singed grass. Maleficent reached out and picked up one of the feathers. It was bright red.
“Mama?” Fear set her shivering. When no one answered, her breathing quickened. “Mama!” she called out desperately, scrambling to her feet and stumbling from the hollow.
The glowing flowers were now ash. Many of the trees were singed, their blackened branches twisted. Stumbling forward, she slogged through the wet ash to the tree line and then froze, afraid of what she might see. Already, she could make out the dim outline of bodies, some with horns and wings.
Maleficent fell to her knees. Was her mother among the dead? Her father? Tears pricked her eyes and splashed down her cheeks, mingling with the rain.
“Mama, Papa!” she cried over and over, but all that answered her was the sound of her own echo. She pulled her legs up and huddled against the blackened remains of a burned tree. Silence blanketed the forest, save for the sound of dripping water and Maleficent’s bitter sobs. She was alone, now – all alone.
She cried well into the morning, her cheeks growing hot, and her vision blurred. When her tears finally slowed, and the wind cooled her cheeks, she looked back at the forest. One shining light emerged. Then another. They drifted toward her, whispering words of comfort. No, she wasn’t alone – not exactly, anyway. A small seed of hope bloomed in her chest.
Maleficent looked back at the battlefield. She would wait for her mother to come back. No matter how long it took, she would wait.
For more fantastic articles from our latest magazine issue ‘Disney’, please click on the below link:
F&F Winter 2019: Disney