Lillian looked up from her collection of paperwork and frowned at Harold. He seemed far too happy hopping around the floor, playing chess with Shrek with only a moderate amount of physical difficulty. Fiona was trying to help her mother as best she could, but she had only been in the country six months and did not understand the complexities of the Far Far Away political system yet. Lillian frowned and read through the latest pile of papers relating to taxes, planning permission and trading standards. She scowled at a "Farbucks" letterhead and scrawled "Rejected" over the planning application. Satisfied that she had saved the town from complete destruction by Farbucks, she stood and walked over to the chessboard Shrek and Harold were playing on. Irritated by the fact she had received no help from her husband all morning (he had claimed frogs couldn't read) and stressed that she had been disturbed time and time again (by Shrek's continued shouts of frustration as Harold repeatedly put him into checkmate game after game) she took her revenge. Leaning over Shrek's shoulder, she moved his knight forward, putting Harold into check. Crossing to Harold's side, she performed a quick castle move. Three moves later and Shrek's pieces had checkmated Harold's pieces, ending the game. Both players gasped – Harold for having lost, and Shrek for not seeing how he could have won, both for Lillian ruining the game. Lillian smiled happily and went out to the balcony to look down at the kingdom below her. There was a soft breeze this morning and the land was shrouded in a grey mist. Autumn would soon be over, ushering in winter and the all-too perfect snowfall that blessed Far Far Away every year. Lillian sighed contentedly – it looked like another wonderful afternoon was on its way. She decided to take a break from her official work – she was the Queen after all – and turned to the rest of her family.
"Let's go out for lunch! We have not been out in town for so long!"
"We went to the theatre last week!" protested Harold, who still hadn't got used to appearing as a frog in public. The pair glared at each other, Lillian winning the battle of wills. Less than an hour later, Shrek, Fiona, Lillian and Harold were sitting in the fanciest restaurant in town and ordering their starters.
The meal was exquisite – everything cooked to perfection. Shrek remembered to mind his manners and not belch at the table and the headwaiter remembered not to talk about frogs' legs. As they were walking back to the castle, Shrek had time to compare how lucky he was now to his life before Fiona. He had a wife, he was now joint-heir to a kingdom, he lived in a palace and, best of all, no-one threw pitchforks at him anymore. I'm on top of the world, he thought happily. As they passed the apothecary, Fiona whispered to her mother and ran in to the shop. Moments later she returned, clutching a small packet.
"What have you bought?" asked Shrek.
"Oh, just some... women's things, Shrek. Nothing to worry about," replied Fiona.
"Oh, okay," he answered quickly, embarrassed by his own question and Fiona's answer. The rest of the journey passed without incident, Fiona and her mother occasionally exchanging knowing glances while Harold and Shrek chatted about the merits of serving snails in restaurants.
That night, with the fog clearing, Harold asked Shrek if he would take him riding the next morning – one of the few pursuits he missed now he was a frog. Shrek had planned to spend the day with Fiona, but thought a day away from the castle may be good for him so agreed wholeheartedly. After all, it was just a ride in the woods. What could possibly go wrong?