Chapter 11

Roslyn couldn't sleep that night. She was still worried over Christopher's retaliation of what happened earlier in her bedchambers. Her only hope was that Emma still had that potion she gave her. Roslyn could ask her when she's back with her trip with her husband, she could really use it now. Making Christopher disappear completely was beginning to sound ideal right now. If he treated her like crap, he will also treat his subjects as such. Her face still hurt from that attack yesterday. She really needed to learn healing spells.

Prince Winifred was a better choice to rule over his parents' kingdom than that monster. Roslyn thought absentmindedly.

Hopefully, Selene will remember their journey to the past. Roslyn didn't know what the price both she and her sister had to pay to execute that spell, but hopefully it would be worth it. It would be easier to discuss the situations that Roslyn found herself in now if Selene remembered.

The night passed into day and Christopher decided not to either send an assassin to finish her off once and for all. This was ridiculous. She was the daughter of Lady Belle and the Dark One, if what Rumplestiltskin last said to her was true! She knew she had the power to stop Christopher's abuse! But her sister's happiness was at stake. She knew that Christopher will destroy both her sister and his brother if she didn't comply, and he didn't even need magic to do it. That thought alone frightened her to no end. Even with all that power she wields, Roslyn wasn't sure if she could protect her sister and her beloved from Christopher's wrath.

She was glad that Selene listened to her advice to not practice her magic while she was in King Phillip and Queen Aurora's castle. She didn't want Christopher going after Selene as well. Roslyn shuddered what would happen if Christopher found out that Selene had magic too. The only bright side is that Winnie always seemed delighted whenever Roslyn used her magic. She knew that if Selene started wielding her magic in front of him, he wouldn't flip out like his bully of a brother would.

The door to her bedchambers opened and Roslyn tensed up and held her breath. Selene, all dressed for the trip home, entered with some fruit and bread. She looked like she hadn't slept last night either. Roslyn really felt bad for her sister. It was supposed to be the best time of her life and she had to go ruin it by letting Christopher beat her up in the library. Selene offered her the food and Roslyn nibbled on the bread that she took.

Selene told Roslyn that everyone that was going back home will be leaving after breakfast and that she will escort her down to the caravan after she finished eating. Roslyn's eyes brightened and finished her meal enthusiastically. Selene laughed and told her to slow down before she started choking. Roslyn smiled at her twin's laughter. This is what I'm protecting. I must stay strong for her.

The meal was done and the twins left for caravan below. The journey home, Roslyn hoped would not be as difficult as the time she spent with Christopher. The trunks were packed and the carriage that was going to take them home were all ready to go. When both Selene and Roslyn sat down and the carriage began to move, with the castle fading from sight, Roslyn laid her still slightly aching head on Selene's shoulder and finally fell asleep.

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Roland Hood was quickly racing from Duloc to Shrek's Swamp with his new friends. That rhabdophobic Lord Fartquaad was more trouble than he was worth, but luckily for everybody involved, that talking donkey's lady dragon ate the annoying lord. It was a celebration! Princess Fiona was reunited with her true love; Shrek.

Now Shrek, (as Roland reminisced as he rode on the talking donkey's dragon girlfriend), was an interesting ogre. He preferred to be left alone and wanted no trouble with anybody. He was also very intelligent. Roland, Neal, and the Merry Men were impressed when they first met him with his talking donkey.

It wasn't every day when an ogre just refused to attack the people that were thrown into his swamp by Farquaad's soldiers. Shrek wasn't happy with the invasion, and neither were the people forced there, but Shrek did supply the crowd with extra tents and provisions that he had. He made it clear that he will deal with Farquaad and have them removed from his swamp and back to their own homes. The crowd cheered in gratitude, and Roland stepped up to the irritated ogre and offered his support in reclaiming his home and love. Shrek looked upon the son of the former outlaw with some suspicion.

"Why do you want to help me?" Shrek asked. The talking donkey echoed the question.

Roland responded that he had his own mission regarding Farquaad and was more than willing to punish Farquaad for his crimes. Shrek and the talking donkey, named Donkey, seemed only slightly convinced of Roland's explanation. But Roland persisted. Shrek grumpily accepted Roland's offer and planned to leave early the next morning. Donkey was silent.

Roland went back to his men and Prince Neal and explained the situation to them. Roland told Neal that he would have to stay behind and help the people stranded here. Neal began to protest but Roland said that Neal had to learn how to be a leader of people, and learn the way the common folk lived. Although not happy, Neal agreed to stay behind and help the people, and told Roland to take care of himself.

Roland said that he would, and he stationed himself on the top of Shrek's roof, and waited for the sunrise.

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Shrek sat in front of the fireplace, pondering the days' events. He wasn't sure of the man who introduced himself as Roland Hood. Donkey told him the rumors surrounding the surname of Hood. That the name was given to an infamous outlaw, but other than that, Donkey knew nothing. Donkey also mentioned that he wasn't so sure that they could even trust the man, Roland.

Shrek agreed. They decided to depart for Duloc as soon as the impromptu refugees went to sleep. At midnight, they were.

With a torch in hand, Shrek and Donkey snuck out being careful not to wake the campers. As the swamp disappeared from view, Shrek sighed in relief. Maybe they escaped the man who wanted to join them in this quest.

The branches of the trees overhead began to rustle. Both the ogre and the talking donkey stopped.

"Did ya hear that Shrek?"

"Yes Donkey." The rustling continued, and a hooded figure jumped into the path. Shrek nearly drooped the torch, and Donkey hid behind him. The figured chuckled and removed his hood.

"Thinking about leaving me behind then?" said Roland as his face came into view. Shrek and Donkey looked at each other, then to Roland. Roland chuckled again.

"That was very mean of you to do that to me. I said I will help, and I don't make promises like that lightly."

"What do you really get out of this outlaw?" Shrek questioned. Roland's eyes widened slightly then sighed.

"Outlaw? So that's why you wanted to leave me behind," Roland sighed. "You thought because of my father's former's status as an outlaw that I couldn't be trusted. Right?"

"You didn't answer my question out…wait your father?"

"Yes, his name is Robin." Roland said. Both Shrek and Donkey nodded their heads. "As to answer your previous question, the thing that I get out of helping you is you being reunited with your true love. I'm a champion for it, sappy as that sounds."

"A champion for True Love? Really?" Donkey asked excitedly, while Shrek rolled his eyes at his friend. Roland grinned.

"I like to believe so, Mr. Donkey."

"Just Donkey. None of this Mister business." Roland laughed and agreed at Donkey's insistence to a lack of title. Shrek still wasn't impressed with Roland's answer, and told the young son of the ex-outlaw so, but he promised that he wouldn't leave him behind like that again. Roland expressed that he was grateful for the promise and extended his hand to the ogre. Shrek looked at the hand, then to Roland and asked what he was doing. Roland explained that the handshake was a symbol of agreement between two parties who had a common goal or the handshake could also be used as a form of greeting and farewell. Shrek then extended his hand and took Roland's hand and shook it, and suggested that they all should be on their way. Roland and Donkey agreed and the three newly allies set off for Duloc.

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All in all, as he sat reunited with Prince Neal and his Merry Men in the swamp celebrating the wedding of Princess Fiona and Shrek, Roland concluded that the completion of this mission was probably the most rewarding of all the missions he ever been on. He told Neal that despite having to cross over volcanoes, running from dragons, getting lost in the woods and being attacked by random bandits, getting to Duloc was relatively easy. It was figuring out a plan of attack, and getting the princess out of there that proved to be more of a challenge. Shrek, and Roland didn't have the resources to scale the enormously tall castle to retrieve her. But Donkey said he had something that could help and called for Dragon and she descended from the skies to the group. It was the most surprising thing; Donkey claimed that he also found his "True Love" in the dragon that chased them all the way to Duloc. He said that the dragon would be willing help crash Fartquaad's farce wedding and take him out. Roland and Shrek wondered what Dragon meant by "taking Fartquaad out", but decided that they rather not find out.

Shrek decided that he would go the most direct approach, and just barge in and stop the wedding. Roland said that was suicidal as all of the armed guards would take him down. Shrek retorted that he was an ogre, he was much tougher than ordinary humans and asked Roland why he came along with him in the first place if not to back him up. Roland still told Shrek that it wasn't a good idea, but that he would back him up anyway. Donkey added that Dragon could get them all in, just hop on her back and get a move on.

The three males did so and Dragon flew over Duloc Castle and crashed into the stain glass window where the wedding was taking place, scaring all the patrons and Lord Farquaad. Donkey screamed that he was a 'donkey on the edge' and that had a dragon and 'wasn't afraid to use her'. Shrek hopped down from Dragon and pulled her away from Lord Farquaad, as the latter called for his guards.

Roland then hopped down and drew his bow and pointed an arrow to Lord Farquaad's face to silence him. Shrek ranted that Farquaad had no right to displace magic users and creatures into his swamp and then take his love away from him. Farquaad argued that the swamp was in his lands and he since he was lord he could do whatever he wanted with his subjects. Roland drew his bow tighter and said their High Majesties will hear of his traitorous words and they will condemn him.

Dragon had other ideas however. She opened her mouth and roared and Farquaad turned to face her. He went ashen and begged that the dragon wouldn't eat him, but Dragon didn't listen and her jaws came upon him and Lord Fartquaad was no more.

After that, the entire court of Duloc went into panic mode and everyone started screaming and pushing into each other in order to get out of the castle, while the guards went to attack Dragon. Shrek threw both Fiona and Roland on Dragon's back and jumped on Dragon's shoulder as Dragon set the guards, and by consequence the castle, ablaze and the five of them flew out of the inferno and headed toward Shrek's Swamp.

Neal and the Merry Men's eyes widened and mouths dropped, when Roland finished his tale. The wedding celebrations were still ensuing, the ale was flowing among the magical patrons who were going to be returning to their homes in the morning, their singing joyous. Shrek and Fiona approached the group with smiles on their faces and thanked Roland and his band for helping everybody out. Roland grinned and thanked Shrek and Fiona for allowing them to witness what an ogre's wedding was like. Shrek laughed and said that if this was a "real" ogre's wedding there would be a lot more fights and destruction among those that attended. Everyone laughed.

Roland remarked to Shrek that he wanted his wedding celebration to be just like Shrek's. Shrek smirked and told Roland that if he was invited to Roland's upcoming nuptials, then he could make it happen. Roland grinned, like a little boy who was allowed to eat dessert before dinner, and agreed that Shrek would be allowed to host his wedding. Shrek then extended his hand toward Roland, to which Roland grasped enthusiastically.

A new friendship between men and ogres was forged as the celebrations went throughout the night into the early hours of the morning.