AN; you know, watching Shrek 2 again, I remembered how fascinated I was about the King and Queen all those years back when I first saw the movie. They seemed to have a long interesting back-story going for themselves. For one thing.. people might disagree, but I thought the movie was more than hinting that Harold had originally been a frog, and that the fairy-god mother was blackmailing him with threats of turning him back. There were several small hints towards Harolds back-story in the movie, though never out-right said. The female frog in the bar recognising him in spite of him being human, the queen talking about their first kiss, by the lily pond of all places, the fairy god mother saying. "I gave you your happily ever after, and I can take it away again." Him talking to Fiona about changing for the one you love. "You wouldn't believe how much I changed for your mother." .. all hints, towards Harolds true origin.. and I really like what the movie is implying, it's interesting to me. Plus, the few times you see Harold and Lillian talking, you get the sense they really do love and respect each other, which is some-thing always to admire when a couple whom is not the focus of the movie, is being presented, and I just liked the characters. So here is my go at King Harolds and Queen Lillians story.
******-set after the ending of Shrek 2-****
In the late night, the party had ended; people were tired after all the dancing and singing, almost falling a sleep as they stood, puss in boots had gone to rest, resting on top of one of the pigs bellies, Donkey was snorring as he nussled closer to his dragon wife, and their adorable mutants babies, every-thing rang piece.
Fiona smiled as she stood by her husbands side as he held her waste and yawned.
"Well." Shrek tried to keep back his yawn. "It's about time to turn in, isn't it?" he asked. "Come-one." He guided Fiona towards the castle as her head leaned towards his shoulder, though then as they walked, she suddenly eyed the lily pond, which she had always liked to sit by as a kid, it had for always been one of her favourite places of the the whole castle with its clean running water and all the pretty lily flowers spread over the lovely pond, and by the lily pond, all alone looking at the night sky, was a frog, but not just any frog.
Shrek noticed Fionas looked and now himself caught sight of the frog, wearing a little golden crown. "He's good enough, your father." Shrek told silently. "Not so bad ones you get to know him."
Fiona smiled at her husband. "Oh he's wonderful, I really hope you two will be able to get along now, you should." She told softly and sincerely. "He always loved me, and he was always there for me without question when I grew up.. I remember how he cried and begged the day fairy-god mother took me away, please don't ever think he took it lightly." She sadly looked down. "I just never knew.." she glanced at the frog sitting by the pond, whom didn't seem to have noticed the two.
"Go talk to him." Shrek then encouraged Fiona. "Just because I never could figure out it with my parents, doesn't mean you shouldn't." he stated.
Fiona turned towards her husband, then smiled at him as she tiptoed and kissed his cheek. "Thank you." She offered. "I'll see you up in bed, promise." She said, and let go of Shreks hand to slowly approach her father.
Shrek only watched for a moment, sighing by the knowledge of how lucky he was, not only had he gotten himself the best wife in the world, but a family to, whom were all good enough ones you got to know them, Shrek was glad to notice how he suddenly actually wanted to learn this new family to know better, and looked forward to the morning where he could begin that task, to his own surprise, before he turned back towards the castle, leaving Fiona to some privacy with her father.
Slowly Fiona neared the frog, that didn't seem to movie, just looked towards the sky, his eyes brown as they were in human form, almost reflecting the moon, as did the little golden crown on his head. "Dad?" Fiona hesitated slightly.
The frogs head turned around, and his gaze meet Fionas. "Darling." He smiled happy to see her. "You're all-right?" he asked.
"Oh I'm great." Fiona told sincerely as she sat down beside her father. "How about you? How are.."
"I'm fine to." Her father told sincerely. "Really." He assured.
"Dad, what you did." Fiona hesitated.
"Fiona, nothing is more important to me than your happiness." Harold told a little sternly holding up a froggy flip. "I thought I had some-how cursed you and you couldn't be happy unless you could be like all the other girls, but I was wrong, you decided this because that is what you wanted and what makes you happy, that's all that matters to me." He told firmly.
"You thought you had cursed me?" Fiona asked slightly raising an eye-brow.
"Well." Harold smiled a little sheepishly. "It's a long story."
Fiona looked slightly curious at him and then tilted her head. "So a frog? How long?" she hesitated.
"Oh I was born as a frog." Harold told. "Had a frog father and frog mother, right at this pond actually, I used to visit at least ones a week, until they passed away a few years ago. I also have a lot of frog siblings, particularly one sister that lilked to be always after me." He looked up at her. "I never did tell you." He admitted. "Only your mother knew really, I guess I didn't tell because.." he sighed deeply. "Well, I was ashamed." He at last then admitted.
"Why?" Fiona asked. "You're still my dad, and I love you dad."
"I love you to Fiona." Harold to. "So very much."
"How did it all happen?" Fiona then asked interested. "How did you and mom end up together? How did you become king?" she asked.
"Prince." Harold corrected. "You have to be a prince and marry a princess before you become king." He told.
"How did that happen?" Fiona asked interested.
"Erh, well." Harold hesitated. "It's a long story really, and it's starting to become a long time ago, as I told you, I was born as a frog, in this very pond right here." He told looking down at the waters.
Fiona listened intensely to the story, she could almost see her father there, she could recognize him, and as she closed her eyes, she could feel that summer day long ago.
The little young frog Harold was indeed, what the other frogs liked to call a whimp, always clean, always orderly, he liked a nice cooling pond and a fresh flie, just as much as the next frog, but he didn't liked swamps or mud or any-thing like that, at least not enough to want to dare danger to go out there.
It was just him and the royal Lily pond. An easy simple life, for a little frog whom didn't need more, who would ever ask for more?
That day was just like any other for little frog Harold, as he very much just paddled around in the pond on his back, very peace-fully, in the clean cold cooling water.
"Harold really."
Lazedly Harold looked to his side and was faced with another frog. "Hilda?" he asked. "What is it?"
The frog to his left, sitting on the pond edge, was his sister, Hilda.
"Again?" Hilda asked. "You are just swimming around in the pond, why don't you get out some more? they are running around corners with you." she stated refering to all of the other frogs.
"What could I possible want out there?" Harold asked. "It's dangerous and.. " he shivered. "Dirty." He told. "If I'm really lucky a stork will swing by and eat me out there." He rolled his eyes "No, then better stay here where it's safe."
Hilda rolled her eyes. "You are never going to become a real frog this way." She stated. "For crying out loud, you dry your mouth every-time you eat a flie."
Just at that moment, Harold had lazedly snatched a fly out of the air with his long tounge, swallowed it and was now in the process of drying his mouth with his flipper, he stopped in mid motion by the comment though and pouted. "What's wrong with that?" he asked. "You can have manners even if you are a frog." He pouted.
Hilda rolled her eyes. "You are a frog, what do you need manners for?" she asked.
"I just like to be clean, what's wrong with that?" Harold asked finally rolling around to lay probably in the water looking annoyed at his sister.
"You really are an odd one." Hilda sighed.
"Well.." Harold hesitated. "So what if I am?" he asked defending.
"What on earth am I to do with you?" Hilda asked.
"Why do you have to do any-thing?" Harold asked in a sigh, before suddenly, he splashed a bit of water on his sister. "Hah." He laughed as Hilda spluttered, surprised by the attack.
"Uhh Harold! I'll get you for that!" Hilda exclaimed ready to jump in, but never got so far before they were interrupted by voices.. loud voices.
"Come on Princess, give us a kiss!" a deep male voice sounded.
"Humans!" Hilda exclaimed. "Harold come on quick! Hide!"
Harold dived towards the pond edge, where he jumped up to where Hilda was, together the two frogs hurried towards the plants where they could hide, just in time for a big man, looking like a brute, came backing towards the pond, his hands on his back as he leaned forward. "Come on my pretty princess, it's just one kiss!" he grinned widely.
"I am not your pretty princess!" a girl stated in a beyond furious voice as she came into view.. such furry was beyond any-thing Harold had ever seen, it was passionate and clearly came from the inside, which had to be the most intimidating thing Harold had ever seen, and made him take a step back-wards further away. Obviously the girl was a princess, she couldn't be any-thing else, her features were delicate and pretty, as only a princess's could be, with pale skin and rosy cheek that now burned with that furry. She wore a long elegant blue dress, her long blond hair freely fell down her shoulders as a waterfal of gold, Harold thought, and resting on that golden hair was a golden crown, every-thing so princess like, how-ever, her blue eyes showed thunder, and her pretty face retrieved in a grimace, resembling anger. "Just give me my ball!" she demanded. "And then leave me alone!" she ordered very harshly.
Then Harold noticed, what the big man was holding behind his back, a golden ball, barely visible between his large fingers. "It'll cost a kiss." The man grinned.
"Argh, no way!" the princess stamped in the ground. "I'll never kiss any person like you!" she stated angrily. "And I warn you, if you don't give me that ball, you'll regret it! It was my mothers, the only thing I have of hers.. so you better not dare." She warned, thunder and lighting in her eyes.
"Or what?" the man asked amused throwing the ball up and down in the air.
"I'll bet a flie he shouldn't have done that." Harold whispered to his sister as they laid in hiding observing the whole thing.
"Shh!" Hilda hissed.
"Put.. it.. down." The princess demanded with squinting eyes, slightly bending her knees.
"Hah." The man laughed, and suddenly, obviously on purpose, threw the ball over his shoulder. "whups." He said rather innocently. "Well, better come and get it ay?" he asked the princess with opened arms towards her, as if he really believed she would throw herself for a hug at that moment, which Harold could tell would just defy all logic at that point.
That moment, the princess seemed to compleately loose it, as her mouth opened wide and she roared! a big roar very un-princess like, as she came running forward, before suddenly punching the man in his stomach with a first, then she kicked his knees away under him, making the man land on his stomach before the man had any chance to know what had happened. Before the princess at last had him in a arm lock, using both arms to hold the mans arms behind his back, placing a food which wore a high-hell on his back, boring that high heel down in the mans spine. "You shouldn't have done that." The princess hissed in a very dangerous tone.
"Told you." Harold whispered to his sister.
"Harold, I'm surprised at you. Being reckless, aren't you scared at all?" Hilda asked in a whisper turning to her brother, only to realize his eyes had never been bigger as he starred wide-eyed at the princess, almost whimpering.
"I've never been more scared in all of my life." He told in a pathetically little quack as he covered his head with his flippers, still looking wide-eyed at the princess, making Hilda roll her eyes, but smirk, now she could recognize her brother again.
"Now apologies!" The princess sneered pressing her food down in the man, whom grunted in pain.
"For what?" the man gasped looking like he just wanted to control that pain some-how.
"For taking my ball without permission, and for throwing it around." The princess sneered.
As suddenly, the golden ball innocently rolled in front of the two frogs, whom starred wide-eyed at it.
"For a ball? Really?" the man asked, only to grunt in pain as the princess pressed even harder. "Okay! Okay!" he gasped. "I apologies!"
At last the princess stepped away and the man raised up, grunting in pain, only to suddenly spit at the princess.
The princess gasped in shock. "How dare you?" she asked.
"Freak!" the man yelled at her. "To think I wanted a kiss from you! I must have gone insane, thank goodness that is over." He disgusted whipped his mouth. "No one would ever want a kiss from you, you are crazy!" he told in a angry voice. "No wonder every-body is saying that, it's all true! crazy princess" he stated stumping away.
"No I'm not!" The Princess furriously yelled after the man whom was on his way out. "I'm not crazy!" she stated angrily, and then sat down on the lily pond edge with crossed arms and anger on her face, before slowly.. that anger seemed to empty out and she was left there, compleately alone. "Am I?" she asked sadly, trying to keep away a tear. "No I'm not." She suddenly covered her face in her hands. "I'm not crazy.. I'm not.." she sniffed, tears starting to roll down her chin.
"Why would he call her crazy?" Harold asked in a blink. "I mean come on, he was the one being a jerk!" he pointed out. "And she defended herself, that was the smart brave thing to do!" he exclaimed. "Boy, I wish I dared standing up to people bigger than me." he confessed in a slight shiver. "She sure must be brave."
Hilda rolled her eyes. "Remember the frog rule, don't get involved in human affairs." She sighed. "It'll only end up in you being squashed." She stated turning around to jump away.
Harold sighed deeply as he looked after Hilda, then he eyed the golden ball that was lying right in front of him, and then he eyed the crying princess.
Harold sighed, some-thing inside of him just couldn't let the princess sit there, he didn't knew what it was, or why he was about to do what he did, he just knew he had to, it was like some-thing inside of him was becoming really sad as well, and well.. he just didn't like seeing that passionate brave princess being like that. So slowly he started to roll the ball, he pushed it as hard as he could, both using flippers and head, to get through the plants he were hiding among, before at last he got it out on the tiles, from where he only need to give it one gentle push for the ball the roll all the way over to the princess' feet's, where it gently rested on her shoes.
Surprised the Princess looked down, and her eyes widened. "My ball!" she exclaimed bowing down to pick it up. "How?" she confused looked around drying her tears of he cheek. "Is.. is any-one there?" she asked confused looking around.
Harold carefully stepped backwards to hide even further away among the leaves, suddenly feeling scared.. more scared than usual.
"I just.. if any-one is there." The princess hesitated holding the ball to her chest. "Thank you." She at last smiled. "Thank you so much!" she told, sounding genuinely happy.
Harold sighed relieved, suddenly also smiling himself not knowing why.. well, he was just happy the princess was cheered up!
One last time the princess sighed holding the ball to her chest before she turned around, and slowly walked back to the castle.
"You're welcome princess." Harold sighed looking after her, until she was finally gone.