The Wickedly Wicked Witch
Felix clutched onto the railing of the ship so hard his fingers were throbbing. He squeezed his eyes shut, he could hear people shouting about losing control of the ship, not being able to move. The thunder clapped again, he could hear the children crying. He could hear everything so loud, but he couldn't speak. He wanted to take charge, he wanted to do something but he couldn't. He couldn't bring himself to move; only tremble in the light rain that began to fall, and try not to cry. He then heard Shrek's voice louder than the rest. "Get away from him," he was shouting at people. He heard people protest, but Shrek only repeated himself. Yes, Shrek knew what he was doing. Everyone needed to get away from him. Anyone who was close was in danger. Felix felt his lungs ease up a little. Though he didn't open his eyes. He could feel her presence, it was only a little, but it was getting bigger by the second.
Large hands suddenly on his shoulders made him jump. He opened his eyes to find Shrek grabbed hold of him. The ogre shook him roughly. "Felix, ya need t' speak t'me." He stood an arm's length away, maintaining his grip, "Don't think about them, talk t' me," he spoke clearly.
Felix nodded, then shook his head, "I'm sorry... I'm so so sorry," he managed to choke out.
Shrek didn't respond to his words, his eyes urgent, "Felix, she's coming, I got that. What do we do?"
Felix took a deep breath and forced the words out, "Don't try to alter the ship's course, or force it to move," he thought back to previous guests and rescuers he'd experienced, "People have destroyed their ships before just from trying." Shrek turned back, dropping his arms, repeating his words to Arthur, who then relayed them to the crew. The ogre then looked back to him, expectantly. "Stay away from the railing as much as you can," he patted the railing he didn't realise he was still holding onto, "Have something to hold onto, if you can." Once again, Shrek passed along the message before turning back. Felix gulped, "And hope for the best."
The ogre turned back and nodded at the king, before looking back. "What happened?" he asked seriously.
"I tried, I tried to say the spell. But she cast something on me which stops it," he tried to speak those words once again, losing his command of language, "See? I can't." The ogre's eyes drifted to the sea past him. He knew what Shrek was thinking. "If I leave the ship, it doesn't matter anymore. She can control the sea," Felix felt the knot tying itself in his throat again, "But if I stay..." he paused, unable to find the words, "...maybe I could do something. I don't know what. But maybe." Shrek looked back, searching for his family. The animals were with his wife and children. He could see the king intermittently looking at them too. The children were everyone's priority, not that it would really matter. He could still feel that pressure in his head building. "I know you don't want my help," Felix spoke wearily. "My help has caused you nothing but trouble-"
"Hey," Shrek interrupted him, "Ye can't help it. What ye can do, I'm sure ye will." The positive words didn't match the grim look on his face. Felix glanced to the sky again, the clouds were growing. He looked down. "Felix?" He looked back up to the ogre. "Ye gotta do this, alright? Ye can't freak out and quit on us."
"I know..."
"We need you," he spoke sincerely, he looked back to his family, "Ye might be the only hope we have," his voice was quiet, low.
Felix nodded, he clenched his fists. He had to pull himself together. He had to fight. Now was his chance to save the day. Nothing else mattered. The ogre that stood before him had out done everyone, he had gone through so much to save his family. Now he stood, shoulders sunken, face defeated. Felix couldn't let him down. "It's not your fault, you know," he offered reassurance in return. "You couldn't control the fact that she took them, neither could I."
Shrek turned to give him a small appreciative smile. There wasn't really any need to blame anyone anymore. No matter whose fault it was, they were all in the same predicament anyway.
Lightening lit up the sky, shortly followed by claps of thunder. Felix stared at the clouds grimly, a knot tied itself in his stomach. He could feel her, she had arrived.
Shrek's expression turned urgent, "How do I protect them?"
Felix could tell he was desperate. He frowned, "However you feel is best," he shrugged. Shrek took off, hurrying over to his family, leaving Felix alone. He watched them, "However you could live with yourself if things went wrong," he mumbled. He looked down at himself. Surprisingly, he didn't feel the typical signs of her taking over his body. She was keeping her distance. It was a big moment for her, he could tell. She was being different, that only made her unpredictable, a bad sign considering he was the one who knew her best.
"Surprised, Felix?"
Her voice made him jump. For a moment he thought she had spoken out loud, but nobody else reacted to the sound. She was only in his mind, once again. He balled his hands into fists, taking a deep breath. He tried to reach that place of tranquillity in his mind, the only way he was able to make a move.
"Leave them alone!" he shouted up into the skies, throwing his arms upwards, palms flattening. It released a bolt of blue energy towards the clouds. Everyone went silent, staring at him. Felix realised the bolt was the same blue as the flame, he recalled from earlier. He suddenly understood. The flame made all of his destructive magic useless. The magic fizzled out in the sky. He felt his cheeks redden. She must have wanted the island to go. She must have wanted everything he did, that's why she didn't stop him.
He heard her laugh echo in his head. The clouds spiralled catching everyone's attention, they morphed into a face-like shape which moved with the laughter he could hear. He realised he could feel her voice in his head and hear it out loud. She hadn't spoken to any of their guests since she had him to talk for her. But then again, these guests were clearly special.
"Felix, Felix, Felix..." she laughed. Everyone's eyes were then on him. "Trying to use magic against the person who gifted you with such incredible power. What came over you?"
"Give up already," he spoke to her. He didn't shout this time. He knew she could hear him just fine.
"Give up?" she repeated. She was speaking for her audience, she was putting on a show. She did love to talk when she had the opportunity. Often his guests would tell him about her speeches when she left his body. He sighed. "Why would I give up, when I've worked so hard?"
The clouds spiralled again, the face vanishing. "Hush, my dear," the outside echo of her voice disappeared, she was back inside his head again, "Let's not spoil things now. It could be worse, couldn't it, Felix?" Felix gulped. She was threatening him. Either she would do it, or he would. His gaze dropped to the floor. Though, he was soon distracted as a swirling cloud formed beside him. He was left gawping as it dissipated, a person stood in its place. He'd never actually seen her before; she had recruited him via someone else, someone else who disappeared very quickly. He was always afraid of seeing the same fate. She smiled at him, spitefully. She looked very much like a witch, the greyish skin, the hooked nose. But she was old, her skin wrinkled and aged. She would have been tall if her back didn't hunch over a little. She placed a boney hand on his cheek, he sucked in a breath.
"Thank you for saving him," she spoke loudly for everyone to hear, "They always save him," she patted his cheek. "He's too much of a gentleman for them to resist. Such a good boy," she spoke with affection. She always had done. He never reciprocated such feelings. She carefully withdrew her hand, winking at him. He shuddered as she turned away. Though as he looked out to everyone else, the guilt washed over him. He was stupid to ever think he could help, to think he could ever be the hero. They were all staring at him and the witch by his side. He was the enemy to them. Nothing more. He hung his head as she trailed away from him.
Fiona found it difficult to swallow the shock she felt upon sight of the witch. The recognition hit her hard and she was still struggling to come to terms with it. It was such a long time ago, and yet she suddenly remembered the event with such clarity. The witch that stood on the same ship as her brought the memories flooding back. It was her. The one who started everything. Not that the realisation brought any relief to the ogress. It only made things worse. It meant there was history, it meant this witch was more determined than anyone else with passing interest in them.
"It's her," Fiona whispered.
She could tell Shrek was preoccupied with watching Felix's involvement, but he looked at her questioningly. He was on his knees beside her, a hand planted firmly on her shoulder. The children were stuck to her, though they were watching. She held onto them protectively. They couldn't see much, a group were stood in front of them, shielding them. Artie had made sure of it. Fiona could tell Shrek was torn between wanting to be in the front, to be in control, and residing to the back with his family. Thankfully, he stayed with her. Artie was at the front, she knew he didn't want to be, but as king he had to be. Shrek was restless for that reason. She too would have preferred to be more use to the group as a whole, but her children were more important than anyone else to her. Being a mother to her children came before being the princess to her kingdom, or even a tougher ogre for the witch to handle. So she was sat on her knees, holding her terrified children, ready to jump up and run with them at a moment's notice. Most of all though, she felt helpless. Shrek did too. It wasn't often he had to beg someone else for help. Not that Felix helped. He was now stood in front of everyone, with the witch beside him, being praised by her.
Though the witch moved, turning her gaze to the crowd, Fiona could just about see between people. The witch looked around slowly, "Where are you?" she asked. Fiona held onto the children tighter. People suddenly started turning their heads, looking at them, before parting the crowd. There she stood, finger outstretched towards them. Shrek protectively put his arms around her and the children, holding them. Fiona stared right at the witch. "There you are, oh it's been so long!"
Shrek once again looked questioningly at her. Fiona didn't speak.
"It looks like things worked out nicely for you. You're welcome," she laughed. "Now don't be shy," she began walking towards them. Fiona could feel Shrek tense up. The crowd edged back with her, slowly moving away. The barrier of protection they had created melting. Fiona heard Donkey whimper from behind her, though Puss drew his sword.
"Put the sword away, I only want to look," she waved Puss's actions off. Shrek rose up, planting himself in front of her and the kids. The witch came close to him, looking him in the face. "You don't give up, do you?" she spoke grimly to him. He shook his head. "Never mind, I've seen them anyway," she stepped back, disapproval in her voice. "They look like you, Princess," she put another smile on her face, leaning around to meet Fiona's gaze. She was old, so the movement was slow and seemed almost painful to her.
"You're not going to touch them," Fiona spoke through gritted teeth.
The witch laughed, despite any discomfort she felt. Shrek sidestepped, blocking her view once more. "Oh I know, a mother's love and all of that nonsense," she turned her back on them and began wandering away, "Besides, why ever not? My meddling with your life worked out very well for you," she looked back over her shoulder at them, grinning. "I've already explained to your husband, I have no interest in your children. Not yet anyway."
"Hey," Artie spoke up, catching her attention, "Who-who are you anyway?"
She watched Shrek tense up as the witch began to walk over to Artie. In the corner of her eye, Fiona saw Felix raise his head and shake it slowly. She narrowed her eyes at him. He was bad news from the beginning. If Shrek had listened to her, they wouldn't have been in this mess.
"Me?" she laughed again, she was enjoying the moment far too much for Fiona's liking. "Oh King Arthur, I am the yin to your yang," she turned to Felix, "Is that what they say nowadays, or am I out-dated?" Of course, he didn't respond, she lost interest in him quickly. "Being the king, surely you must know who I am."
"You're the witch," he spoke shakily, "The one who took the kingdom from my great uncle."
"Clever boy," she purred, "Oh ever since the kingdom was taken from me I've been waiting... Watching and waiting for my moment."
She looked around, pausing to take in everyone's faces. People backed away further. Fiona tried to shuffle backwards too, though it was difficult to move with the children attached to her torso. They were holding onto her so tight. Puss leaned closer to her, "Do not fear, Princessa, we'll keep them safe," he whispered. He pounced up upon Shrek's shoulder.
"Yeah, Princess," Donkey whispered from behind her, his voice betraying his fear, "I'm uh, I'm keeping watch!"
Fiona found herself smiling a little, despite the situation. They were right. The children had so many people who loved them and would protect them at a moment's notice. Though her smile faded, she didn't know if that was enough.
The witch finally spoke again, "You look so confused... Let me enlighten you." She opened her arms to the crowd as if she were addressing an audience. "Once upon a time I won..." She launched into her story. "I fought a king and I beat him. I beat his army, his guard and his family. I had your whole kingdom on their knees," she addressed Artie, "It was glorious. I vanquished the competition, I turned the whole family into frogs," she barked out a laugh, "I scattered them, they'd never have found each other, and I was right."
Fiona knew her father was turned into a frog, but she had no idea about what happened to the rest of his family. Her father had been so secretive about his life before her mother came along. A small part of her was curious.
"I never thought anything could stop me. For years I sat on the throne and I enjoyed every moment of it. So many tried to kill me, I defeated every single one of them. Confidence was my mistake. I got too lax with making sure my defences were up," she scowled, "I won't be making that mistake again. He came back, one of the sons. He found a way to make himself human again, brought a princess with him. It wasn't the princess I was worried about, it was her father's army, and the armies belonging to her father's friends. Oh I'm sure others in the family found out ways to restore their humanity, but they didn't want to come close to me. They gave up. I didn't care about them. It was just this one, who challenged me. I won't bore you with the details, but he bested me, that slime skinned prince. He took the crown and banished me. Oh that did a number on my reputation. Others began to challenge me. I had to prove myself and I failed," she made a mocking sad face, "I had debts, I lost all my gold with the kingdom so they began to take my power instead. I lost a great deal of power to various different people, details, details. I managed to salvage some of it by giving it away," her eyes drifted to Felix. "Can't lose what I don't have. I was stuck with basic witchcraft, but, I got to keep the ocean." She cast her eyes out to the sea. She lifted an outstretched hand, water rising alongside it. People gasped in response. She smirked, cackling as she released the liquid back to its natural state.
"I tried and tried to find ways to get back into the kingdom, but I discovered there was a new enemy. That so called fairy godmother. She was a witch. The kingdom was her territory, she had the king around her little finger. She was the one who defied me and made him human in the first place, after all. She was unstoppable. I hated that fairy, so you can imagine my surprise when she approached me for a... a collaboration of sorts," the witches eyes then landed on Fiona again. "She told me that the king promised her his first born daughter and he was retracting that promise. She wanted to get revenge and wanted me to help her. She had the perfect curse; beautiful princess by day, ogre by night. Disgusting, green and shameful, an outcast, just like her father had been. He'd spend the rest of his days keeping two secrets instead of one."
More people were turning their heads to look at Fiona. She kept her steady gaze on the witch. The words bounced off of her, she didn't care anymore. Once upon a time she would have cried, but that was in the old world this witch was talking about. Not her new world. Part of which she was holding onto. She suddenly became very aware that her children, her daughter, were also watching and listening. Fiona silently thanked the fact that they were only four and what the witch was saying was likely to go over their heads.
"Of course, she couldn't cast the spell, there would be too many things tracing back to her. So she offered to let me have the honours. This delighted me, of course. I revelled in the knowledge that even if I couldn't take their throne I could take some of their dignity. The fairy let down her boarders, let me in, led me to the princess' bed chambers," she began to wander closer but stopped, "Oh I remember that night so well, don't you?" she addressed Fiona, whose stare was turning more into a glare. "You had just been tucked into bed, you were humming a beautiful little tune, when I burst through your balcony doors. It was perfect. Delicious. Oh how you screamed!" she laughed again, "I could only imagine their faces when they saw their perfect daughter in her new hideous form. It was such a shame I couldn't stay. But there we are."
Fiona remembered. Fiona remembered that night and her parents' faces very well. She was so small and yet that memory was etched into her very being. Her mother screamed, it was one of the only times she saw her cry. Her father wouldn't touch her. He never touched her as an ogre, not until he became a frog again himself. No hugs, no bedtime stories, no goodnight kisses. Nothing. Her mother tried to make up for it, but she remembered. Fiona didn't blame him, not anymore. She understood; had things gone a little differently with her own life path, she might have come to the same decision with her own children should history have repeated itself.
"Of course that fairy had to double cross me. She wasn't scared of the traces being brought back to her, the king knew it was her anyway," she rolled her eyes. "She only needed me so she could swoop in and save the day. Offer a fairy tale for the princess," her tone was mocking, "Lock her in a tower so only her true love could rescue her from the dragon guarded prison." She dropped the mocking voice, "That true love being her own son," the witch paused to take a slow breath, calming the anger she had clearly reminded herself of, "She painted me to be the villain again. I took the fall for her. I tried to get to her but I couldn't reach. She flew everywhere, didn't touch the sea at all. I know she feared me, even had her son take the long way around to the tower just so he could avoid large expanses of water. She was so cautious of her son. She equipped him with a sleeping potion so potent that just touching the skin of the dragon would send it to sleep. She gave him a magical sword that was strong enough to slay a dragon, a sleeping dragon of course. So it didn't matter that he was just as vain and sword happy as the rest of the fools that attempted to rescue her. The game was rigged. It always had been."
People once again looked to Fiona. They were watching for a reaction, she wouldn't give them one. Over time, Fiona had figured it out herself. It didn't take much thinking about when all of the connections were revealed.
A smirk spread across the witches face, "But it meant I had plenty of time to plan. I realised the boy had no real connection to anything, he just chased after what seemed the shiniest. I was going to take the body of the prettiest maiden I could find, give her a golden dress and a pretty tiara. He'd have dropped you in a heartbeat," she gestured to Fiona with a smile, "I didn't need to figure out a way to get rid of the King and Queen, that fairy would have done it for me. She wouldn't have waited for them to go on their own. She needed her son to be king as soon as possible. Then, with her son on the throne and only you as the queen I could jump in and conduct my plan." She wandered closer to Fiona, looking directly at her. Shrek moved blocking her view, but Fiona adjusted her position so she could look the witch in the face. The witch was talking to her, she wouldn't be a coward and hide.
"I could only imagine what that would have done for your self-confidence. As fragile as it was back then," she gave a laugh, "You'd be no problem to lead astray."
Fiona swallowed down the hurt that she didn't expect to happen, refusing to break eye contact.
"The kingdom would be mine in a flash, with additional revenge on the fairy," she stopped. Her face dropped. "But it was too easy. Of course it was. Because of you," her gaze landed on Shrek. Fiona watched him ball up his fists. "At first I thought Farquaad was my enemy, but no. The princess fell in love with her rescuer as promised by the fairy herself." A smile crept onto her face, "It did make me chuckle for a moment. But of course, my delight had been dampened too. I had only helped the both of you set up your perfect little happily ever after," she gestured to them, her tone dripping in sarcasm, "I was furious. You had me dumbfounded. You were faithful, in love, you had no ties to kingdoms," she took a step towards Shrek with every statement, "You were perfect for becoming king and not being led astray. I'll admit it, I almost gave up. But you turned down the role. There was a new king, and he was over the sea," she turned her attention away, looking directly at Artie, "It was wonderful, it was easy!"
"We never saw you..." Artie spoke hesitantly.
"You don't have to see me, but I'm there," she moved towards him, but stopped, still speaking to the group, "I just waited, waited until you were distracted, or arguing..." a smile flashed over her lips, "So I could steer the boat a little off course, no body would notice and then..."
"The rocks!" Puss gasped.
She laughed at their realisation. "Yes, you're learning, the rocks! You washed up on some abandoned island, and had no way of getting back home."
"It wasn't abandoned, that Merl-" Donkey was silenced with her out stretched hand pointed in his direction, he suddenly realised he had been swept up in the tale and jumped behind Fiona a little more.
"I thought I could just leave you there, you'd enter the sea eventually. I'd drag one of you out, the rest would surely follow. I'd pull you all into my island and there you would stay," she spoke airily, "I'd keep you for months. Waiting. Biding my time. Far Far Away would be led by an aging old monarch and the newly crowned queen who would be heavily pregnant or a single mother to three newborns. I hadn't quite decided which would be better." More looks landed on Fiona. "You'd be grieving, tired and irrational; in the perfect state to lose a kingdom. But of course. Little did I know that idiot had put himself there to be one with nature. He wasn't using any magic, any big magic anyway. I couldn't detect him. You slipped through my fingers. Again."
The witch paused, face suddenly softening. She looked around at everyone watching her. A sinister smile slipped onto her lips. "But none of that matters. Not at all. Not anymore," she paused again, surveying the crowd, "Because I have everyone I need right here. The king, the almost queen," she finally acknowledged Elena, who had been hiding behind Artie since everything began, "the royal backups," she threw an offhand glance to the family again before settling her gaze on the crowd, "and a sample of the military. And you're all here, in the middle of the ocean, no land to be seen. With no control over your ship!" She laughed loudly. The wind picked up, Fiona had no doubt that it wasn't a coincidence.
"Oh it was too easy," her words were venomous, "I almost didn't bother when I heard of your journey. But then I realised there were children aboard," she looked back to them.
A light rain began to fall from the sky. Fiona held the triplets tighter. The three of them acknowledged the witch's referral to them and they hid their faces against her. Fiona gently hushed them as they began to whimper.
"Now no one leaves children to drown. They're so easy to take too. Take the children, of course daddy will come along to rescue them. And mommy has a little waiting complex, don't you?" Fiona cringed, brow knitting. "You couldn't bear to sit still, especially not after seeing what was going on."
The ogress clenched her jaw, glaring at her. She wanted to cry, but she wouldn't. She had walked straight into the trap. She wanted to kick herself. It was a pattern now. Someone would lay a trap for her and she'd happily run straight into it. With Charming, they used her like a pawn and Shrek had to come to her rescue again, even Rapunzel managed to manipulate her into a prison cell. Now this. She was naïve with Charming but she thought she had learnt since then. Yet it appeared her constant need to not be saved only made things worse.
"And here you all are."
Fiona could hear people grumbling and fidgeting uneasily. If the speech was painful to endure, the end of it was torture. The waves began to pick up, rocking the boat a little. The ogress didn't realise how still the boat had been before. Shrek looked back at them, Fiona met his eyes. They were helpless, they both knew it. She couldn't be too hard on herself. The witch had backup plans from B through to Z, whether she came or not, everything would have fallen to pieces anyway. The thought didn't give any reassurance.
The witch rubbed her hands together, "I've been talking for so long, I do apologise. I had best get started," surveying the crowd made them move backwards further. They were ignoring the warning that was shouted before about staying away from the railing of the ship. "Who shall we start with, hm?" Her gaze landed on Artie.
"Leave him alone," Shrek spoke loudly, threateningly.
Fiona watched the witch turn to look at him, she began to walk slowly towards them. "Shrek, no," the ogress's voice was small. He briefly managed to look back at them. But he didn't move. He stood his ground as the witch approached him. She stopped close to him, slowly moved her gaze to Fiona and children, the kids buried their faces into her once again, whimpering. Fiona didn't move her eyes from the witch, she held onto them.
"We could always start with someone different, of course."
Fiona could tell the witch wasn't looking at her, this time she was looking at the triplets. Fiona shuffled herself backward as far as she could with her limited moving capabilities. Shrek stepped purposely in between the witch and Fiona, blocking her gaze. The ogress took a brief moment to close her eyes, taking slow and steady breaths. She was terrified to open her eyes, terrified that the witch would come and take one of them. But she couldn't be. She knew that in her fear there was strength. She knew she would be willing, no matter what, to give herself or do anything if it meant the children would be saved. In that thought, she wasn't scared. She opened her eyes, Shrek was still stood, dangerously close to the witch. Fiona knew he was prepared to do the same. He already had.
"I'll break their ties with the kingdom," Artie spoke suddenly. It caught the witch's attention. "I'll declare that they have nothing to do with Far Far Away. They'll go and never look back. Just stop."
The witch turned. Fiona felt like she could breathe again. Shrek looked back at her, they shared a glance. It startled Fiona to realise that she would do what Artie said. She would leave the kingdom, let the witch have it for her children's lives. Even if breaking the tie meant breaking her. Shrek had no claim to the kingdom by himself, the children would easily forget over time. But Shrek wouldn't give up that easy. She knew that. He wouldn't let her take the sacrifice.
"I'm the king, I'm the one who's really in your way," Artie was confident. It was the most confident she'd ever seen him.
"You are..." the witch was thoughtful, "But cutting right to the chase is no fun. You think I got my title from just getting the job done?" The witch then disappeared, suddenly. The panic began to rise in volume as people looked around them. Though Fiona followed Shrek and Felix, they both looked to the clouds.
"Is... is the witch gone?" Felicia mumbled quietly, looking up at her mother.
Fiona felt her heart break a little, "No," she whispered, "But everything's okay, baby," she lied. Her sons too looked up to her, questioning. "I'm here, I've got you. It'll be okay. I promise." Fiona knew she fully intended to keep that promise.
AN: Sorry this is a long one. I still remember writing the original chapter for this because I wrote the witch's whole speech by hand. I think that version was longer than this one too. Took me ages. Staying up on a school night to write fanfiction, I was such a little badass. (I say that now at midnight on a tuesday at 22 years old, haha!)
After my proof reader read this one, his feedback was sending me a youtube link to the 'monologing' conversation from The Incredibles.
