"Uh..." A deep voice made her turn around. "Hi," Brogan said nervously.
"Hello," Lillian answered, smiling at him.
Brogan hesitantly smiled back and tried to somehow get past the awkward silence. "So, uh, what's taking Fiona so long?"
"Oh! That arrogant flying woman just can't be quiet!" Lillian answered huffily. "Not even for five seconds. Yak-yak-yak, that's all she does."
"Uh. Are you going back in there?"
"I suppose I have to."
"Could you tell Fiona that Brogan needs to talk to her, please?"
"Alright," Lillian sighed, and walked back toward the library. Brogan closed the outside doors, turned to face the library and waited for Fiona. When she came walking out of the library she walked boldly up to Brogan with no hesitation.
"Thanks for getting me out of there," she sighed. "What's going on?"
"That little horse is getting on everyone's nerves."
"Yeah. He got on mine, too," Fiona answered, without looking at him. She was looking everywhere but at Brogan, imagining Prince Charming in her bed, baby cribs everywhere, and Fairy Godmother flying through the spacious room on a daily basis.
"Fiona. You okay?" Brogan finally asked.
"Huh?" She looked at him. "Oh. Uh, no. I'm not okay."
"Why? Is it the shrunken horse? What did he do?"
"It's not him. It's...her." Fiona jabbed a thumb over her shoulder at the library doors. "She did something to me. I'm going to fall in love with the first man I kiss, and she's got me set up on a date with her son. That evil, rude, inconsiderate...And if I don't kiss him, she's going to kill my parents."
Brogan stared at her. "Serious?"
"Serious." Fiona crossed her arms and looked dreadfully at the doors. "Brogan, I think I made a mistake," she said softly. "I don't think I should have ever taken this place back."
"That wasn't a mistake. You had no idea what would happen."
Fiona looked up at him, and had to struggle to answer him. "That woman. She seems to know me. She knew things."
"Your Resistance is here for you."
"But I don't know if you can be! They're all against us, Brogan; they want all of you out. For good. I tried standing up for - "
"I know. I was there," he answered quietly. He put a big arm around her and she leaned into him.
"I hope you can forgive me," she whispered. "But I don't think I have a choice."
"What if I just go in there and grab both of them?"
Fiona looked up at him. "She's Rumpelstiltskin's mother."
Brogan didn't have an answer for that. Even had he known what to say, he would have been interrupted, for it was then the library doors opened, and they quickly released each other as her parents, Prince Charming, and then the Fairy Godmother walked out.
"Begone, foul beast," Prince Charming said, as he grabbed Fiona's wrist. He pulled her away from Brogan. "Come, Fiona, I would like to have a word with you in private." He tugged on her, leading her away from the one guy she really trusted.
He led her into the kitchen, where he stopped to sniff the air. "Whoa. What smells so divine?"
"That would be my craftsmanship," Cookie answered sassily. "Now you get on outta my way, sunshine, or I'mma knock that lil doorknob off your shoulders."
Prince Charming turned and found himself looking at a belt. He cranked his head up to see a massive face looking down at him. Prince Charming stepped closer to Fiona, and Cookie passed through.
Prince Charming opened the balcony door and motioned her through. She stepped onto the porch and went to the center, resting her hands on the balustrade. "Well," Prince Charming said as he shut the door. "I'm glad to be away from that thing."
"You were awfully quiet in the courtyard," Fiona observed.
"I was outnumbered."
"You're outnumbered one against one. You saw him." She shrugged.
"I must admit, I pity them," Prince Charming answered. "Tell me, is it hard, to be an ogre?"
Fiona looked out at the sea and pretended she was speaking to herself. "It was hard at first. I hated myself the first time I transformed. But then I realized that no matter what form I took, I was still me. I still had dreams, and feelings. Loved ones. If they hadn't made ogres seem so horrible, I wouldn't have spent so many years...hating myself." She slightly changed her position. "They are here now because I know what being one is like. I'm the only human who understands. No one else even tries."
Prince Charming was so unusually quiet that finally, she looked at him. At the same instant, he looked at her and their eyes locked. They quickly looked away from each other.
"You don't have to hate yourself," Prince Charming purred. "I promise you, I don't."
"You don't hate me now. At night you would have me killed like anyone else."
"Not for long," he answered, stepping closer. "Let me end your curse, my princess. Let me help you." He began gently stroking her neck.
Fiona turned her head to look at him. Her thoughts were dwelling on fantasies she had as a child. Fantasies that she had given up on. The fantasies that had pulled her through each morning she had woken up alone in her tower.
She turned in his arms and placed her hands on his arms. "I waited a long time for you," she told him, hardly able to hear her own voice over the pounding of her heart. He brushed his fingers over her cheek.
Their kiss was gentle, but quick. When it ended Fiona opened her eyes and saw her whole world packed into one man. She would live for him. She would die for him. Her heart was in his body.
Prince Charming smiled, touching her cheek. "Tell me how much you love me."
"With all my heart," Fiona said breathlessly.
Prince Charming smiled and kissed her again, sliding his hands down her arms to grab her hands. He turned and opened the door, and they left the balcony together.
"And?" Lillian asked anxiously, when they approached.
"We are in love," Prince Charming answered. Fiona thought there might have been an arrogant tone in his voice. "Mummy. Mummy-in-law. Dad." He nodded cordially. "When shall we plan the wedding?"
Fiona didn't miss the inexplicably sad look that passed between her parents.
"Perhaps you would like to take a moment to mingle. Come, Fiona, we have ogres to kick out."
"If that's what you want, sweetie." Fiona slid an arm around him and they walked away.
Harold looked at Fairy Godmother. "It's about time," he said, careful to keep his voice quiet. "When I first saw her, I hoped I was dreaming."
Fairy Godmother gave a sympathetic nod.
-x
Fiona's smile of adoration directed at Prince Charming suddenly turned evil and a strange glint appeared in her eyes when he began to address the Resistance. "Alright, you monsters! I want all of you out of here now. This is just as much my palace as it is hers and I expect your full compliance! We are to be wed. Obey me!"
Brogan stared at Fiona, seeing a stranger in her place. She turned her winter eyes to him. "Move it!" she shouted, scaring a generous amount of the ogres. Confused and hurt, they began to fight for the exits, and Prince Charming's laugh danced off the ballroom walls.
Brogan moved against the rest to approach his friend and former leader. "Don't worry. I'll tell them what - "
"Don't talk to me, creature. Just...get out. Relieve us of your disgusting presence."
Brogan scoffed, eyes narrowing. He looked hard at Prince Charming. "What did you do?"
"Nothing."
"What did your mother do?"
"Get out of my sight!" Prince Charming screamed, and when Brogan advanced Prince Charming shoved Fiona in between him and Brogan. Fiona stumbled and Brogan grabbed her, hoisting her over his shoulder.
"Let go of me at once! I order you!"
Brogan began shooing Prince Charming, who stumbled backward. "You keep your hands off me," Prince Charming growled.
Fiona lifted her torso. "What about me?" she asked. "You said you'd help me!"
"He's a liar. You can't trust him," Brogan answered.
"Ogre, this is very unorthodox!" Harold yelled, as he and Lillian came running down the hall. Fairy Godmother flew close behind. "Don't you touch my daughter!"
Brogan quickly set Fiona down, and she stumbled backward checking her clothing. As she surveyed her laundry she began to glow and sparkle. As it swirled up toward her head she looked at Prince Charming, looking horrified. She shielded her eyes with a hand as the light engulfed her head; and when the brilliance faded she opened her eyes and dropped her hand back to her side.
Nobody moved.
Finally Fiona spoke. "Charming, you lied."
Fairy Godmother landed, and when her wings stilled they stopped making noise. The tension mounted. She too had to speak to break the ice. "I'd like to hear your reason."
"I-I-I thought it would work," he sputtered.
"You're lying again; YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT LOVE IS!" Fiona screamed. There was another heavy silence before Fiona eventually turned and bolted through the room. She exploded through the doors and let them bang loudly shut behind her.
Heartbroken, she ran up the stairs, down the hall and crashed into her bedroom, locking herself in and collapsing in a heap on the bed, dissolving into a flood of tears.