Ch 10
Fiona was nervous. She'd found out that both Likaz and Xan were friends with Charming's son Estura. But after a lot of explaining from her two kids, she warmed up to it. But she was still upset about Mik. Likaz had been telling Estura this as he, Estura and Xan were playing with a ball. Estura had a far away look on his face and kept missing the ball. "Earth to Estura! What're you thinking about?" Likaz said as he helped him get the ball back.
"I was thinking about Mik. I might know of one place where someone like him could be. But I'm worried about telling in case he's not there. I don't want to upset my only friends." He told him. "It's okay if that happens. At least you're trying to help. All Mommy and Daddy do is worry about Mik and get sad about it. Please tell us." Likaz said to him as they joined Xan. She approved as Likaz explained what Estura had told him. "Well… okay. I'll tell you guys because we're friends. There's this cave deep in the forest that's cold and dark but also slimy. It's the perfect place for someone like Mik to run away to." Estura said to them. Both Xan and Likaz smiled as they got an idea in their minds. "What're you guys thinking?" Estura asked them curiously.
"We got a great idea. Later tonight when Mommy and Daddy are asleep, we'll sneak out and go into the forest. That way we can go into the cave and see if Mik's hiding there. That way if he isn't, the grown ups won't be let down when they search there." Xan told him. "That's cool! I hope you find him. I need to make amends with him the way I did with you guys." He said as they ate some fruit. But some hunter kids started throwing stones at them with home made sling shots. Estura was watching this as a rock hit his head. "Doesn't stuff like that bother you guys? When kids like that bug you because of the way you look?" he said to them. "Yeah it does but Dad said if you listen to what they're calling you and you believe them, it'll hurt when you're bigger. It isn't so bad here. At least we have you for a friend." Likaz explained to him. Estura smiled at that.
"Yeah I guess you're right. Your Dad sounds cool and smart. I wish… my Dad was like yours, always teaching you neat stuff like ignoring people who are mean to you and other things. My Dad isn't much fun. He's sort of a wimp. My Mom's way cooler. She works at a bar called the Poison Apple and I help out. I like doing stuff like that." He said to them. Only they didn't know that their Daddy had been listening to what they'd just said. He'd been freaked when Fiona had told him that Likaz and Xan were friends with Estura, Charming's son but now it was nothing to worry about as he went back home to the swamp. He smiled as they came home later. He and Fiona were unaware of their kids's plan to go into a cave in the forest to find their brother. Xan smiled at that as she lay in bed beside Likaz that night. "Are you sure Mommy and Daddy are sound asleep yet?" she asked him. He was already up and dressed in combat clothes like in the army. "Yep. Come on, let's go!" he said as he climbed out the window and landed on the ground quietly. They then went into the forest.
Xan then felt nervous as they came near the cave. "I hope this was a good idea." She said as they entered it. They then heard loud snoring and followed it into the middle of the cave. Mik was asleep there. "I knew Estura wasn't wrong. Come on, let's go home before Mommy and Daddy wake up and look for us." Likaz said quietly as he carried his brother over his shoulder.
Later when Fiona came into the kids room, she found all three of them asleep in bed. Tears of joy fell down her face as she saw Mik wake up. "Hey honey. Where were you? You scared us so badly but Daddy and I aren't angry at you." She said gently to him. "I was hiding in a cave in the forest. I was scared okay? Scared of having to go back to school." He said to her quietly. Shrek smiled at Mik as he came into the room. He was just relieved to have his son back again.
But Charming was furious. He'd found out that his son was friends with his enemy's kids and couldn't allow it. His wife Doris however was trying to calm him down but it wasn't working. She knew Estura liked playing with Shrek and Fiona's kids and didn't want to stop him… Mik seemed fairly calm about school now that he was friends with Estura instead of him being beaten on. But Estura seemed sad for some reason. "What's wrong? Did something bad happen?" Xan asked him as they got ready for nap time in class. "It's my Dad. He's mad at me because we're friends. He thinks it's bad but I like being friends with you guys." he said to them. "What did your Mom say about it?" Mik said to him. "She said that Dad was wrong so I'm ignoring him." Estura told him. "Don't worry. I'm sure your Daddy will come around." Xan told him reassuringly as they fell asleep, lost in peaceful dreaming...