Feels Like Friendship

A/N Thank you so much Hanny Spoon and Darkmist for reviewing. To answer your question, Uniqus or Uni for short is younger than her brother. I'm glad people are loving this fic!

Miraz cackled as he put his visor down. He and Shrek were about to joust to regain honour from long ago.

"You can still run like you did from here long ago. You were such a freak." Miraz said but was confused.

His challenger wasn't rising to his taunts.

"Yeah right Miraz. You're still hurting because that girl you liked chose me to go to Homecoming." Shrek replied sourly.

Miraz then charged at him but with a lance but he blocked it.

"Surprised?" Shrek asked him smiling.

"Yes I am. Why didn't you try out?" Miraz asked clutching his armoured chest in pain.

Miraz then recovered and they carried on......

Artie noticed that Merlin was hiding something. It was to do with Marissa. He didn't understand but heard the sound of foot steps as the door opened and somebody walked in.

It was Shrek but there was sweat over his face and a few scratches but his right arm hurt badly because it was broken.

"You okay? What happened to you?" Uni asked her brother nervous.

"I'll... be fine Uni." he said gritting his teeth in pain.

Artie then saw Merlin feel his friend's arm.

"It's broken. What happened?

Were you jousting perhaps?

Against a rival from the past of Worchester?" he asked him.

"That's none of your business Merlin. It....... doesn't..... matter..... oww..." Shrek answered him.

Artie gasped seeing the bruises from the jousting match.

"Where were you?

Why did you run away from Worchester?" Artie asked Shrek with worry in his eyes.

"Artie please...." Shrek whispered.

"If you're my friend, you would tell me." the young King told him.

Shrek sighed.

"I knew this would happen, it's now or never. I hope he understands." he thought sighing.

"I was fourteen when I came here, younger than you. Like you, the other kids didn't really like me.

But my rival Miraz was the worst one. He was like Lance, mean, spiteful and very arrogant.

He was always jealous of me especially when a girl he liked had a crush on me and asked me to go to Homecoming. He humilated me the next day in front of the whole school on the jousting field.

That night...... I decided to run away.

When Miraz found out, he made it like I was a coward and a loser. You weren't the only one afraid of coming back here.

I was sort of redeeming my lost honour on the jousting field. That's why my arm hurts badly." he explained.

Artie understood why his friend had kept this information from him and the others. He didn't want them to think any less of him as a friend.

"It's okay. We won't think any less of you because of what happened in the past. You're still a cool guy. You're like a big brother to me." Artie told him.

"Thanks Artie." Shrek said wincing in pain.

Marissa then put a hand on his arm.

Strange feelings welled within her.

"Healus." she said softly as her eyes glowed.

Suddenly some of the pain receded as a cast appeared on the arm but Marissa fainted but Artie caught her.

"Will she be okay?" he asked nervous.

"She's exhausted. She'll be fine in the morning." Merlin said shakily.

Uni had a feeling something was wrong with the elderly wizard but he wasn't telling.......