Chapter 12 – Bitter Sweet

Both Shrek and Fiona snoozed after a tiring day of being with the family. The couple knew that it was going to be a long night. Shrek woke up twenty minutes before the roast; he was still a bit drowsy.

"Almost time for the roast, better wake up Fiona."

Shrek rolled over to wake up Fiona, but she wasn't there.

"That's odd, where's Fiona?"

Shrek thought Fiona might be cooling off in the shower. He stretched to wake himself up, As he did, Shrek noticed the small table on the other side of the bed was on its side. He set the table upright again and gave no thought as to why it was tipped over in the first place. Shrek walked to the other side of the room and peeked inside of the bathroom, Fiona wasn't in the shower.

"Fiona's probably with my sisters again, nothing to worry about. Perhaps my parents know where she is..."

Shrek pulled out his new set of cloths from a nearby closet. The new cloths were not really new, instead, they where just another newer set of his original threads. The only change was his vest like top; the color was cobalt blue instead of dark brown.

"Strange color for a vest, oh well."

Shrek took a quick glance at the clock as he walked out the guest room door.

Maria, Cearl and a few other members of the family where hanging out in the foyer inviting the few guests that bothered to show up the roast. After the delay a few days ago, many decided that they didn't want to attend. And those who did show up only numbered thirty five. Maria and Cearl where expecting more to come but where not surprised at the low attendance.

"Low crowd this time Maria."

"Oh well Cearl, at least a few decided to come over. We'll still have a good time."

Shrek entered the main house through the balcony door. He met with his parents and asked them about the whereabouts of his wife.

"Hi mom, I'm wondering were Fiona is. Do you know were she might be at?"

"Have no idea Shrek; try asking your sisters, I saw Fiona with them earlier today. You might find her there."

Shrek walked the many rooms and corridors that made up the main house. Many memories came back to Shrek as he walked the dimly lit hallways, he used to play hide and seek with Murdoc when he was younger. Shrek reached the entrance to his sisters room, he was about to knock when the door opened. Erica and Rakel where leaving to meet the family for dinner.

"Oh, hi Shrek. What are doing here? Aren't you going to the roast?"

"Yes Erica, I'm just trying to find Fiona. Have you seen here? My parents suggested that she might be with you."

"Nope, she's not with us. Your wife stopped over earlier, but that was several hours ago. Why do you ask?"

"We both took a snooze just before the roast, when I woke up she wasn't there."

"Sorry Shrek, maybe she with Tayer and Peter. Fiona was interested in a few projects that Peter and his assistant where doing."

"I see, well thanks for the advice, and see you at dinner."

Shrek joined the rest of the family and guests on the outside balcony. Both Maria and Cearl hugged Shrek, his parents where happy to see him attend.

"Where's your wife Shrek? Isn't she with you?"

Shrek glanced at the crowd of guests and family members on the balcony, but he couldn't see Fiona anywhere.

"I don't know, I thought she might be you."

"She not with us, oh well, she probably at the guest house getting ready. Anyways, come and sit with us."

Maria pointed her hand at two empty seats to the Right of Tayer. Shrek sat down on the seat next to Tayer.

"Hello Shrek."

Shrek wasn't really paying attention to Tayer.

"Hi."

"You look a little distracted, what's wrong?"

"My wife Fiona is not here yet."

"Mm, well ogresses usually take their time going places."

Shrek didn't reply to Tayer's comment. Several servants walked out of the balcony door with bottles of wine in their hands. Shrek's glass was filled to the top; he wasn't really keen on wine but decided to have it anyways to settle himself down. Maria got up from her chair and started the opening ceremony.

"Well thanks to everyone who attended our roast. I always love to have a little get together once in a while. Despite the fact that not all the guest attended. I'm sure we can drink wine and have a good time."

Maria lifted her glass of wine in the air to begin the toast.

"I dedicate this night and roast to the return of Shrek and his wife Fiona!"

Maria gulped down her wine, and so did the rest of the family and guests. The servants from the kitchen began to bring out the food. "That was quick" Maria commented. The enormous plates pilled high of all sorts of ogre delights.

"Everyone dig in, we have plenty of grub to eat. Now, I believe Tayer has a few memories he'd like share."

Tayer rose from the table he was at.

"Yes, I have many memories of Shrek." Tayer paused for a moment and smiled. "When Shrek and I where going to ogre school, he used to be hardly there. Yup, Shrek got a reputation for always putting on parties at his little dorm room. Poor Peter, he lived in the next unit. Peter always complained about all the ogres and ogresses coming in and out of the infamous "room 77."'" Tayer, Shrek and the rest of the guests chuckled a little. "I also remember he used to play pranks on our parents. Heh heh, they would sometimes try to play pranks on us sometimes."

"If I recall, you and Shrek would also pull pranks on me as well."

Everyone looked to where the lone voice came from. Leaning against the main house door frame was Murdoc. The black robe he was wearing almost made him look like a ghost. Standing behind Murdoc was several hooded characters brandishing crossbows. When Maria saw her son she got up and said in a slightly joyful voice,

"Murdoc there you are! We've been looking all over-"

"Put a cork in it mom, I don't want to hear anything from you."

Most of the family looked at each other in confusion.

"Sorry to interrupt your cute little party, but I have something to return. Boys!"

Murdoc moved out of the door way, two hooded figures emerged from behind holding Fiona. When Shrek saw the tired out roughed up Fiona, he got up and said,

"What the hell did you do to my wife?!"

Shrek started to advance toward Fiona; Murdoc gave a hand gesture to his followers. One of them took their crossbow and aimed it at Fiona's head.

"Don't even think about coming any closer, if you do, you'll be laying flowers on your wife funeral pier! Now back off!"

Shrek stepped back.

"Now back to what I was saying. I'm very disappointed with this family for accepting this insult to our family."

"What? I don't understand, what did Shrek do?"

"You know as well as I do Maria that he has betrayed us. First of all, he abandons us with no warning what so ever. And then he dares to show up years later and pretend nothing happened."

"I think your blowing this up way out of proportion Murdoc; we have forgiven him for leaving us. And you should too."

"You've always sided with Shrek mom, I don't know why."

Cearl got up from were he was sitting and said.

"Look Murdoc, I'm sure we can work this out, what exactly do you want?"

Murdoc gave a subtle evil chuckle and grin.

"I want Shrek out, or to put it a little harsher, banished forever!"

Maria and Cearl looked at each other in disappointment.

"I'm sorry Murdoc, but we're going to have to refuse. The family is not going through another painful process of booting someone out."

"Well then you're going to have accept another loss to your family mother."

"What?"

"I regret to announce that I'm leaving, and I won't be coming back any time soon."

There was no response from the rest of the family, they where all shocked. Murdoc was almost in tears when he said,

"I'm sorry that it had to come down to this, you leave me with no choice but to go. I've already made arrangements for a place to stay."

Murdoc was about to leave when Shrek asked,

"Why Murdoc? Why?"

Murdoc turned around.

"I can never forgive you for what you did to me years ago. Your going to pay for it Shrek."

Shrek wasn't afraid of Murdoc and his threats.

"Your threats are empty Murdoc. There's nothing you can do that will break this family up."

"I believe your wrong Shrek."

Murdoc took a step to his left; he grabbed Fiona by the chin and forced her to look into his cold eyes.

"It's already began, right Fiona?"

The weary Fiona didn't say anything in reply. Murdoc stepped back and said.

"The clock ticks Shrek, until then, you'd better enjoy your life while you still have one."

Murdoc turned around and started to leave, he stopped for a moment and looked at Fiona, she looked away in sadness. "Let her go." Murdoc said quietly. The two hooded characters released Fiona. She didn't look very good, Fiona looked as if all the joy and happiness had been sucked out of her. One of Murdoc's body guards pointed their crossbow at the family and guests as they left to make sure no one tried to retaliate.

Murdoc was gone.

Shrek quickly tried to comfort Fiona by wrapping his arms around her. Something was not right about Fiona, he looked into her eyes. Shrek knew that something terrible was done to Fiona, but he didn't not it was. "What did Murdoc do to you?" Fiona looked down and didn't say anything in reply. Shrek hugged her again for a while. As he did, he wondered what his brother had done to his wife and whether Murdoc was going to harm his family in the distant future.

The roast was obviously canceled right there and then, the guests where quickly shuffled away and told to keep silent on the matter. As for the family, most where too upset to stick around for the remainder of the dinner. Shrek and Fiona where about to leave for the guesthouse when Maria and Cearl stopped them.

"I'm sorry the dinner had to turn out like this, the roast wasn't meant to end on a bad note. You can always count on Murdoc to make the worst of a situation, that darn Murdoc."

Maria and Cearl where obviously upset over the matter of Murdoc interrupting and spoiling the night.

"It's always comforting to now that you have a brother that doesn't like you. Look Maria, Fiona and I are going to go back to the guesthouse. Tomorrow we'll be leaving to go back to my place."

"Well, see in the morning. I hope you and Fiona have a nice sleep before leaving tomorrow."

Shrek closed the door and stood in silence. He thought about what Murdoc said to him. He then turned his attention to his wife, and asked to himself, what happened? Shrek approached Fiona and put his hands on her shoulder and turned he around so he could see her face.

"Honey, you don't look very good. What did Murdoc do to you?"

Fiona didn't respond.

Shrek stepped back, and wondered "just what happened my wife?"