Disclaimer: if you recognize something, it's property of the muse of clichés or those people who own Shrek. Everything you don't recognize is mine.
Author's note for those of you who like the traditional Arthurian cycle, that is, non-Shrek stories about king Arthur and his knights, Merlin, etc.: I like it too, but am not going to follow the cycle to a T. Who knows, maybe crosses fingers and searches for a shooting star that will improve the story. wicked grin
Prologue
- Fiona, darling, could you please come over here…
If the voice of ex-queen of Far Far Away was anything to judge by, the children succeeded in tiring their Granny out for a week to come; think what it'll be like when she, Shrek and the toddlers finally leave for their swamp: now was only their second day here on a visit. And her mother Lillian kept any sanity that far by sheer luck only. Got to go and save the day! Fiona smiled, closed her book and left it on the side table at her favorite window overlooking the kingdom. When she was a little girl, oh, how many hours were spent here; now, prop the dress – and step into the kid world.
- Yes, mom, I'm coming! Hold on for one more minute and I'll take over from there!
It took her a bit more than 60 seconds, perhaps, but who could blame the young mother of three charming little… ogres. The children loved her or Granny to read them a storybook or two, but the royal library was Fiona's safe heaven, off-limits territory for her brood without adult supervision. Funny thing, the princess mused as she neared the door, and I thought I'd never dare to enter this place after… after that day. She momentarily flinched and shook her head, clearing out the memories; still, when princess Fiona pulled the door by its handle to leave her favorite room in the whole castle to go and tend to the family, she couldn't help stealing a quick glance at one particular corner that could be seen through a narrow gap right between the bookshelves if you knew where to look.
It was a common, simple corner where two walls meet, just like the rest of them here in the library. She closed the door and sighed, realizing that the picture was still too fresh in her memory. Yeah, just a quiet edge of the room, keep telling yourself that, Fiona. Nobody had to find out. For her, it was enough that she knew, and couldn't, wouldn't forget. Like a nightmare honeyed by something extremely dangerous yet tempting. An experience of ambiguous nature, and in the end– she won't admit it, however true that was – a bittersweet and cherished moment to keep stored somewhere almost forever, wrapped into layers and layers of other, proper memories in the back her mind. Besides, I found a name for one of my sons just there. Surely the place served at least some good. Right, secrets and faded manuscripts. It was a library for God's sake! Fiona chuckled, walking down Far Far Away palace corridors to the nursery. Just a corner? Ha! Nothing like the other corners here. Or anywhere else for that matter.