A/N Thank you Setsuna Noyamano, Pca student, kitty-kat-girlyyyxxx, CrazyPops D, Chipette Star, and redrosegirl3 for reviewing! I love you guys! Well, this chapter is the castle scene with Charming; my least favorate scene in the entir movie. *sighs* Oh, well, it needs to be done. next chapter is the jail break-out and the play. BTW, the next chapter is NOT the last chapter, i have more in store for Eva! *laughs evily* Oh, and this is a songfic chapter, BTW. Anyway, please read and review, and have some pie! *offers a slice of pie and a fork*
The streets were filthy, and the buildings all looked run-down. There was a teetering carriage coming our way, and tipped over before it got to us. A drunken man shouted at it while he was pick-pocketed by a girl in a red cloak.
'Pinocchio?', Shrek stated, running up to a dancing wooden puppet inside a glass box.
'Shrek! Help me!', the puppet pleaded, stopping his dance immediately and pressing his hands against the glass.
I looked around at the city as Shrek questioned the puppet, eventually asking Puss for five bucks. Apparently, Puss keeps his money in one of his boots.
'Wait, wait, Pinocchio, what show?', Shrek asked the puppet, who pointed to a poster on a building.
'It's a Happily Ever After After All', Puss read.
'Shrek's final performance?', Shrek continued, reading the banner under the poster.
'Oh, Shrek, you didn't tell us you were in a play!', Donkey stated, moving up closer to the poster.
'Ya, it was so secret, even he didn't know about it', I commented scarcasticaly, rolling my eyes at Donkey.
'The ogre! Get him!', a guard called, then a bunch of them surrounded us.
I reached up again out of habit and only felt empty air.
'Dammit!', I hissed, backing up as the guards surrounded us.
'Don't worry, I'll handle this', Puss whispered then proceeded to to some weird thing with his eyes.
It might have looked cute, if he was in his own body, but in Donkey's body, it was plain creepy. Apparently, the guards thought so, too.
'Ugh, kill it!', one of them said advancing on us again.
Thank you, spirits, for Artie's quick thinking!
'Look. Don't you know who he thinks he is? How dare you! He's a star, people! Hello? I'm so sorry about this, Mr. Shrek', Artie stated, like he was Shrek's manager.
We all quickly caught on to the act.
'I'm gonna lose it!', Shrek said, acting like a prima donna actor.
'I assume the dressing room is ready for tonight. I cannot work on my client if the dressing room isn't ready for our arrival!', I half-yelled, stepping forward, and then gesturing to Shrek.
'Ya, breakfast croissant stuffed with seared sashimi tuna, oh and please tell me you have the saffron corn with jalapeno honey butter. Our client cannot get into his proper emotional state without his jalapeno honey butter!', Donkey yelled, followed by Shrek stating, 'I just lost it!'
The guards looked confused.
'Maybe they should talk to Nancy in Human Resources?'
'Oh, we will have much to say to Nancy, I promise!', Puss exclaimed.
We all followed the guards up to the castle, keeping the act up all the while. The guards led us to a wooden door inside of the castle. One of them stopped to read it.
'Well, it looks like we have to go to King Charming himself to get this problem fixed. His dressing room is upstairs, down the hall, and the last one on your right', the guard stated, pointing to a staircase at the end of the hall.
He left, and we all smirked at each-other.
'Well, shall we go and kick some ass?', I asked, leading the way to the staircase.
Surprisingly, the door to the dressing room was unlocked. I pushed the doors open and let everyone inside, then closed them afterwords. We hid in a shadowy corner of the room, and waited for this Charming guy to come in. After about 10 minutes, a guy came into the room and sat down at the dresser.
Ok, why the hell does this guy look so damn familiar?
Charming started talking to this porcelain figurine of a fairy on the desk, referring to it as "Mummy". The man turned the mirror slightly and saw Shrek's reflection in it.
'Break a leg. Or on second thought, let me break it for you', Shrek stated, stalking towards the man and picking him up.
'Where's Fiona?', Shrek asked, shaking Charming a bit.
'Don't worry, she and the others are safe...for now', Charming stated just as a group of guards burst into the room, grabbing Artie and I and pointing their weapons at the ogre.
Shrek set him down, glaring at him all the while. My heart lept up to my throat when Charming turned and headed towards Artie.
'Hmm, let me guess. Arthur', Charming stated, stopping right in front of Artie.
'It's Artie, actually', he corrected, glaring at Charming.
'This boy is supposed to be the new king of Far Far Away. How pathetic', Charming commented, drawing a knife and holding it to Artie's throat.
'You fucking hurt him, and I'll tear you apart, limb by limb!', I snarled, my voice sounding low and dangerous.
Charming glanced my way and his eyes widened a fraction of an inch. The man lowered the knife and walked towards me.
'Ah, Eva, is that you? My, my have you grown', Charming commented, taking in my figure with hungry eyes.
'Who the hell are you and how the hell do you know me?', I asked, confusion flooding my entire body.
'You don't remember me? I certainly remember you. It's hard to forget eyes like yours, even if it has been 11 years since one has seen them', Charming asked mockingly, roughly grabbing my face with one hand and forcing me to look at his face.
11 years since he has seen me? It's been 11 years since I was...no. Is this him? My eyes landed on the picture attached to the mirror; the one of the fairy. Oh, my fucking spirits, it ishim! I felt a few of the effects of Dreyrgjarn flow into my veins. I yanked one of my arms free and punched him in the face, sending him flying against the mirror. I felt more guards take a hold on me, but I didn't care.
'YOU FUCKING MONSTER!', I screamed at Charming, struggling against the guards who held me back.
Charming got up and drew his dagger, stalking to Artie and holding it against his throat again.
'Continue struggling, and I'll kill him', Charming stated.
That stopped me in my tracks. I looked up, my eyes wide in fear and anger.
'Charming, stop! I'm here now. You got what you wanted. This isn't about them', Shrek stated, making me stare at him in disbelief.
'Then who's it about? I'm supposed to be king, right?', Artie asked, confusion written all over his face.
'You weren't really next in line for the throne, I was', Shrek stated, looking a bit guilty.
'But you said the King asked for me personally', Artie stated a look of betrayal on his face.
'Not exactly. I wasn't fit for the job, and I needed some fool to replace me. And you fit the bill', Shrek retorted angrily.
My heart broke at the sight of Artie's hurt face. He broke out of the guard's grip and started heading for the door.
'Artie! Please don't leave!', I called, starting to struggle again.
He paused at the door, then looked back at me with a hard, cold look in his eye that I have never seen before.
'I don't want a psychotic killer as a friend', he stated coldly, then stalked out the door.
What was left of my heart shattered as I watched Artie leave. I felt hot tears streak down my face as I slumped in the guards' grasp. I have nothing to live for, now. Artie was all that I had. He was the only one that helped me get over everything I had ever been through. He was the only one who lifted me out of that cold darkness, only to drop me back in. He's the only person that knows me, inside and out. That one saying, "the ones you love are the ones that hurt you the most", the person who thought of that was right. I have never felt a pain like this. I barely heard Charming ordering his men to imprison Donkey, Puss and I. Only when the guards started to force me to walk, did I realize where I was going. I don't care. My will to fight walked out the doors with Artie.
I vaguely remember one of the guards confiscating my quiver as we walked. I kept my head lowered, letting my tears drip to the ground. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Puss and Donkey giving me sympathetic looks. I ignored them and concentrated on walking. An old song started playing in my head, one that described my state of mind really well. I sighed and started singing the song softly and only where I could understand it.
Sound the bugle now
play it just for me
As the seasons change...
remember how I used to be
Now I can't go on...
I can't even start
I've got nothing left...
just an empty heart.
I'm a soldier...
wounded so I must give up the fight
There's nothing more for me...
lead me away
Or leave me lying here
Sound the bugle now...
tell them I don't care
There's not a road I know that leads to anywhere
Without a light, I fear that I will stumble in the dark
Lay right down and decide not to go on
Then from on high, somewhere in the distance
There's a voice that calls,
"Remember who you are...
if you lose yourself,
Your courage soon will follow,
So be strong tonight...
remember who you are"
Just as I got to that phrase, I heard faint whispers on the wind. I lifted my head slightly to listen.
'Eva, never forget who you are. I know you are lost, my daughter, but find strength in what you have and in what you are. Do what you think is right, my daughter, and you will find happiness in the end...', a voice whispered on the wind, filling me with courage and hope.
I lifted my head and enjoyed the feeling of the cool wind on my face, drying my tears. A faint smile crossed my lips as I finished the song.
Yeah, your a soldier now,
Fighting in a battle,
To be free once more.
Yeah, that's worth fighting for
As I uttered those words, I felt my old fire come surging back into me. I stood up straight and walked the rest of the way to the prison with my head up. As we walked, a medium sized building with dull gray stones came into view. We were escorted inside, and one of the guards produced keys and unlocked a cell full of women.
A/N I'm sorry if the songfic part sounded a bit...cheesy. Yes, Eva did hear the voice of her mother, and you guys WILL find out who her parents are in a later chapter. I don't own the song or Shrek 3 and its characters! I only own Eva and any other OC that's in here!
Song: Sound the Bugle- Bryan Adams (from the Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron soundtrack)
~Meerkatgirl13