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The light had died in the Moors, and all the luminescent creatures came out, slashing through the water, drifting through the air. The nocturnal fairies laughed and whispered and played in the peaceful night.
A Rowan tree cast it's silhouette in the sky, and in the tree lay the protector of the Moors. Her wings were protectively wrapped around her and the place her young companion should have been.
Maleficent woke with a start as she realized the lack of warmth at her side. She scanned the branches of her great tree, but she was nowhere to be seen. Diaval woke and stretched his wings, sensing his mistress's unrest.
"Rest, Diaval, all is well," the fairy whispered.
Diaval let out a concerned "caw", but did as his mistress instructed. Maleficent practically floated down to the ground, her flawless grace unmatched by any of the other fair folk.
After a minimal amount of scanning, maleficent's eyes fell upon her companion. Aurora sat against the great Rowan, but something was wrong. There were near silent tears rolling down her cheeks, and she trembled violently. Maleficent tried to appear impassive as she fought back a small wave of panic and approached the weeping girl.
Aurora jerked her head up at the new presence. "Godmother," she stammered, trying to hide her tears, "I'm so sorry, did I wake you?"
"No," she murmured, "but what woke you?"
Aurora's tearstained cheeks darkened a shade as she answered a bit too quickly.
"Nothing."
Maleficent sat next to the shaken girl.
"Are you sure?"
Aurora rest her head on her companion's shoulder, and heard the rustle of feathers as a wing wrapped around her.
"I just-" she paused, embarrassment flooding her face. "Ijusthadanightmare."
"Why did you not wake me?"
"Uhm, well, when I was living with my aunties, and this would happen, they would get angry and tell me to go back to sleep." Aurora drew a shaky breath. "I didn't want to bother you."
Maleficent tightened her hold on the girl and putting her head on top of aurora's replied.
"Beastie, I do not care how small you believe your problem is, I will be here to protect you. No harm will come to you until the day I die."
Aurora curled into the fairy's side, and ran her fingers through Maleficent's soft flight feathers.
"I love you, godmother."
"I love you too, beastie."