Ch 11
Fiona watched as she prepared a cake. It was the triplet's tenth birthday and she was excited for them. They were playing outside in the mud with their father having fun. She hoped that when they were older, they'd have Love like her and Shrek. But Xan was wondering about that as they ate breakfast. "Mom how did you and Dad meet?" she asked. This question startled Fiona greatly.
"I'll tell you later honey, okay?" she told her as Mik and Likaz came in drenched in mud from head to toe. "I see you guys had fun." Xan said. Mik laughed at that heartily. "Yeah we did. Dad and us had a mud fight. It was awesome!" Likaz told them. Xan laughed as Shrek came in because there was a frog sitting on top of his head. "Oh great! Get off me!" he said as he shook it off and it landed in the frying pan. They laughed at that. Xan then went upstairs with them while their parents made breakfast. Fiona looked worried.
"What's wrong? You look worried about something." Shrek told her. "It's your daughter. She asked how we met." She said as she cooked the eggs. He knew that Xan was always curious about things but he wondered if knowing this was probably to help her with her own crush on a guy. "Maybe I should tell them about it in a story form so that they don't know it's us. How about that?" he explained. "I don't know. Maybe we should just come out and tell them instead of sugar coating it." Fiona replied as he cooked the weed rat stew. "Maybe it's better if they did hear it your way. But not now. Later before dinner." He suggested but a look from her shot that idea in the foot.
The triplets then came down from breakfast but as they ate, Shrek and Fiona sat down as well. "Your father and I met many years ago but not like in the stories he told you when you were younger. You see I was a princess under a spell that made me mortal by day but ogre by night. But my father put me in a dragon guarded tower to await the day my prince would come. Your father was very lonely in this place until Uncle Donkey came along. He was your father's first friend and confidant. I was meant to marry Lord Farquaad but on the way to Duloc, your Dad and I… we fell in love but that first day I was afraid but that night he was saying about how other people were judging him and that he was better off alone.
When I heard that, I felt sorry for him so I decided to try to get along with him but by the time we got to Duloc, we didn't want to leave each other but Fate had cruel plans but your father foiled them through True Love and kissed me. That broke the spell and I became Love's True Form." Fiona told them. Xan smiled at them as the school bus pulled up. "See ya after school!" Mik said as they raced each other to the bus. Shrek smiled at that as he and Fiona set up a little something for later. "Is it okay to come in?" Puss asked. "Yes it's okay. They're at school. Where's Donkey?" Fiona said to him as she mixed the batter for the cake. "He's coming. He's taking his kids to school." He told them. A hour later Donkey burst through the door. "Sorry guys about that. They slept in and I had to get them there before they got into trouble." he said to them. "Don't worry Donkey. We know your kids are a little wild." Shrek told him. Puss was hanging up balloons and Shrek was wrapping some presents. Lillian then arrived with presents in her arms. She almost tripped over Puss but Fiona helped her before that happened.
"Hey Mom! What're you doing here?" she asked her curiously. "I wouldn't miss my grand children's birthday for the world. I only wish Harold was here to see them too." she told her. "Yeah Mom but he's watching over us right? So he's probably got front row seats for later." Shrek said as he heard Puss and Donkey fighting over music selections. He watched as Fiona went over to sort things out. He then watched as Lillian made tea. Later the triplets came home to find their father waiting for them. He had to divert them until the party was ready because it was meant to be a surprise and until the guests started to arrive. They played soccer for a while but then had a massive mud war that almost messed up the garden. They then saw Artie arrive and ran up to him. "Hey guys. You've grown a lot since I last saw you. You were in your Mom's arms." he said. Shrek then stopped playing for a minute. "I have to talk to Artie for a minute but I'll be back." he told them as he and Artie walked a little out of their earshot. "Go right inside but don't let the kids see, okay?" he said to him. "Got ya!" Artie told hum as he walked into the house quietly. "What do you think Mom and Dad are doing inside?" Xan asked her brothers.
"I don't know. Something cool probably." Likaz told her as he bounced the soccer ball on the ground. "Yeah. That's why Dad's been playing with us. They've got a surprise." Mik said as he caught the ball in one hand. They then saw Lillian come over to them. "Hey Grandmere! What's up?" Xan asked. Lillian laughed at that. "Your mother wants you to get dressed in nicer clothes." she told them. Mik just followed Xan, Likaz and their grandmother into the house through the garage. Lillian saw Shrek smile as the kids went upstairs to get changed. "Thanks for doing that. Fi and I didn't want to ruin the surprise." he said as he heard them come down the stairs. "Everybody hide!" Fiona said as she turned off the lights. The kids were worried when they didn't hear anybody but when they came into the room, the lights flicked on and everybody jumped out of their hiding places...