Maria led the party up the cove and into the woods on the headland. A small cottage was hidden amidst the trees, smoke puffing out of the chimney. Bluebirds darted in front of the thatch, rising to dance with the swallows who had their nests in the eaves. Shrek was reminded of the Fairy Godmother's cottage – apart from the factory, of course. Lillian hugged Harold to her chest, nervous of the fairy who was taking her sister's death a little too well. Puss and Donkey followed at what Donkey considered to be a safe distance – about twenty yards from Maria and increasing.
Inside the cottage, Maria prepared some tea while the team checked out the living room. A wholesome fire burned in the hearth, while flowered wallpaper decorated the walls with embroidered cushions scattered liberally throughout the room. Altogether, the room looked as though it had been decorated by someone who had been told what "English Cottage Style" was, then had lost their notes on the subject and replaced them with "101 ways to fool people you have class" by Lauren L. Bevan (the current interior design favourite of the upper classes of Far Far Away). Lillian tried hard to find something positive to say about the room, but gave up and settled down on a chair, moving a cushion decorated with a distressed-looking-cat motif out of the way first.
"Now, tell me everything," said Maria, handing out cups of tea with flicks of her wand.
An hour passed, Shrek and Lillian relaying most of the story with timely interruptions by Puss and Harold. Donkey, attention span waning, fell asleep. The story told, the assembled company sat back to contemplate what to do next. Lillian broke the silence.
"How long has it been since you spoke to your sister?" she asked.
"About twenty years – we didn't really speak. We fought a lot, cursed a lot, and tried to kill each other but I wouldn't say we really spoke very much."
"I'm sorry if her death has caused you any distress..." started Lillian.
"Oh no, not at all my dear. If anything, it is I who should be apologising – for allowing her to control your kingdom for so long." Maria flew over and took Lillian's hands in hers. "Forgive me?"
"Yes, of course," muttered Lillian, a little confused. Maria kneeled to Harold and passed her hands over him a few times, mumbling some strange words the king and queen had not heard before. As Lillian rose defensively to protect Harold, Maria threw her hands in the air and started to weep.
"It's no good – I can't help him! Dama's magic is too strong! I can't change him back," she cried. Harold hopped up to her.
"That's alright. I was getting used to being a frog again," he sighed sadly, jumping onto Lillian's lap and curling up to hide his face. Lillian touched his head lightly, smiling down at him.
"So, you two didna get along then?" said Shrek to Maria, trying to steer the conversation back to the matter they'd travelled days to discuss.
"No. When we were children she always bullied me because I was weaker than her, always beat me down. She chased me out of the family home when I was twelve – I kept trying to make peace with her, but she just turned more and more violent towards me. She hated me so much – I was thinner than her, but she was always the pretty one." Maria smiled at Shrek and the others, Shrek deciding that however pretty Dama had been when they were younger, Maria was prettier than he remembered the Fairy Godmother to have been.
"Why did you work with Simon?" asked Shrek.
"He used his magic on me – I was little more than a soulless wreck – like those poor friends of yours you've told me about."
"How did Fairy Godmother defeat Simon?"
"I... don't remember. I was still in a trance. She was so angry – I remember coming out of that trance and seeing her running towards me, murder in her eyes." Maria's eyes welled up and she hugged Shrek's hands tightly. "I knew then that she was lost to me forever as my sister – the closest we could ever be from that point on was enemies."
"She didn't strike me as particularly stable," murmured Shrek. "Will you help us?" Maria looked around at the emissaries and smiled, nodding emphatically at Shrek's request.
"Of course I will! Stay here tonight, then go home tomorrow. I will need a few days to pack, then will follow you back to your castle. Expect my arrival on the morning of the third day after you arrive home."
The night was spent chatting around the fire about Far Far Away. Maria seemed fascinated by Shrek and Fiona's marriage, laughing out loud when she was told of the day the two had arrived at the castle to a less-than-warm reception. Maria listened to how Fairy Godmother had died, flinching slightly at the description of how she'd transfigured into bubbles before evaporating. As the firelight died, Puss curled onto the hearth rug to go to sleep. Donkey made his way out to the garden to graze before napping, while Lillian and Harold headed to the guestroom and Shrek curled up on the expansive sofa. Feeling safer than they had for some time, all five slept well that night, watched over by Maria.
The next morning the party set off after a wonderful breakfast cooked by Maria, who stood waving brightly to them from the door of her cottage. Lillian waved back, smiling and giggling girlishly until they were out of sight. After walking for another five minutes, Lillian's smile faded and she continued in stony silence.
"She was nice," said Puss. "Nice fireplace."
"Nice smile," volunteered Shrek.
"Nice house," said Harold.
"Nice a..." started Donkey.
"And do you trust her, darling?" interrupted Harold.
"Not for a second," replied Lillian, staring ahead as they headed for home.