waking up to ash and dust [maleficent]

[Princess Felicity Mercer]

Groaning quietly, she attempted to sit up. The last thing she remembered was talking to a lady she thought was pretty nice... until she knocked Felicity out. When she tried to figure out why she couldn't move, she discovered the source of her problem. There was a panther sprawled out on top of her legs. Panic crept into the edges of her mind and tears pricked at her eyes. Why had she broken her promise to her father? Her head was swimming and she attempted to pull her legs free but to no avail. 

She looked around the room and tried to remember her father's last words to her: be brave, don't show you're afraid. How could she do that, though? Tears leaked from the normally brave girl's eyes. She'd never see her family again. The only thing her mother would know about her disappearance was the fact she'd skirted the babysitter again. She had wanted to explore and now, she was paying the price. What if she never saw her seventh birthday?

The thought prompted more tears to leak from the corners of her eyes. Tenatively, she reached forward and attempted to shove the panther off of her. Experimentally, she whacked the creature in the head a few times. Was the beast playing with her before it ate her? Her stomach churned with unease. "Get off of me." She demanded, her voice stronger than she imagined it would be.

She wiggled and squirmed, still attempting to free herself. Why couldn't the creature budge? She heard a knob turning and froze, her eyes widening. She quickly lay back down and pretended to be asleep still. Whoever it was probably wasn't here to rescue her. Still, when the door opened, she peeked an eye open and sat up once more, deciding it best to face this demon head on. 

Why was her luck so damned poor? "What do you want with me?" She asked quietly, lifting her head just a bit. "If it's money you want, mommy and grandpa don't negotiate with bad people. My daddy will end you, if he finds out about this." She knew the threat wouldn't be enough but she still hoped it would be. She brought her knee up suddenly, attempting to dislodge the beast from her legs.

Normally, she loved animals but she hated this one. "And get your stupid cat off of me!" She yelled, doing everything she could think of to get the creature off of her. She wanted desperately to hit this woman. She hated her and she wasn't about to take any of this sitting down. "Please get your stupid cat off of me." She amended, rolling her eyes.

[Maleficent]

A languid smile curled up the corners of Maleficent's lips as she slipped out of her disguise and into her usual black robe. She wrinkled her nose in disgust at the frilly yellow monstrosity of a dress that she'd worn while in Armonia, to blend in with the locals and to not stand out when she casually bumped into Felicity and struck up a conversation. Capturing Aurora's daughter had proved to be easier than she'd thought. The sorceress had made all these elaborate plans, but it had turned out her worrying and planning had all been for naught. All she'd had to do was 'accidentally' bump into the child, make some excuse and chat to her, before knocking her out with magic and bringing her back to the Shadow Citadel.

Entering the room, she silently looked at the girl for a long moment, leaning on the door frame. A low laugh left her lips. "I don't want money, little one," she replied, studying the child with interest. She seemed to have inherited both her parents' feistiness. Her mother's beauty and her father's bravery. A good mix. "I simply want your parents to come to rescue you. I've needed to talk to them for a long time now. But, you see, they've been avoiding me. Ignoring my letters," she tsked, shaking her head as she swept into the room. "Very rude of them. But no matter. They'll come." She had no plans on harming Felicity. The child was simply a way to get James to come seek out Maleficent. She wasn't certain that Aurora would come (too dangerous for a princess to make the trip out to the Shadow Citadel, her father would say), but she was sure that she would find James and send him to retrieve their baby girl. And that was all Maleficent needed. Her score to settle wasn't with Aurora - she'd only ever been a pawn in the game. Her score was with the King, and if she couldn't have him, she'd have the next best thing - James Mercer.

She got up, waltzing over to her beloved pet who was sitting atop Felicity, not moving a muscle. She stroked the creature's head and he in turn allowed himself a soft purr at the attention before looking back at the girl, expression serious again. "Orfeo, up," Maleficent spoke, gesturing for the feline to get up. "She did say please after all," she added, a hint of amusement in her tone. She sauntered over to a plush armchair lined in black velvet and lowered herself down into it. Orfeo padded up beside her and gently placed his head onto her lap. Maleficent languidly stroked his silky head, watching the child. "If you are worried about your survival, you shall not be harmed," the woman clarified, breaking the silence that was threatening to descend upon them.