Chapter Five (The Two Days Journey)

After waiting patiently for Donkey to be done using the outhouse, all three started their two days journey to the Dragons Keep which no man has ever returned and lives to tell the tall. However, Shrek, Jason, and Donkey had no choice but to make the wild attempt to rescue the so-called Princess Fiona and then deliver her to an official delusional man by the name of Farquaad. In exchange, Farquaad agreed to give them an official deed to their swamp along with sending all the fairytale creatures back to where they formerly lived. In Jason's honesty, he is enthusiastic about going on this quest and finally going to meet the princess in the story, and asking her a thousand questions before asking her to sign his favorite reading material. As for his father, Shrek, he truly did not want to go fight an actual fire-breathing dragon and then go save a snobby and ungrateful princess in the process, but he had to do this or get himself, his son, and the annoying donkey to be killed by an arrow firing squad.

Now as for Donkey, however, he had a lot on his mind. For one thing, he wondered about how Shrek gained Jason for starters, but he knew this is not the time and place to ask the ogre. However, Donkey can ask Shrek why he hasn't put his talented fear on Farquaad and his men. After all, Donkey did witness what Shrek can do when he both met him and Jason as he was formerly chased by Farquaad's men. In Donkey's mindset, if Shrek can easily scare the daylights out of those knights and showed his authority, then why he did not do the same when dealing with Farquaad himself?.

"Uh, Shrek?." Donkey caught the ogre's attention.

Shrek sighed on hearing his name being called by the animal. "Yes, Donkey what is it?."

Donkey walked beside Shrek. "Um, I was curious as to why you haven't shown Farquaad who is the boss and received what you demanded?. I mean you are an ogre an all."

"Oh, so this is what all of this is about?." Shrek spoke before taking a bite of his corn. "Well, Donkey since you don't have your little mind wrapped around the limitations of an Ogre."

Meanwhile, Jason took the time to reread what the map says before making another step. He wanted to be absolutely sure that they were on the correct path to the Dragon's Keep and not find themselves going the wrong way. The reason why Jason wanted to relook at the map again is due to being too excited about the whole thing and did not have the willpower to calm himself down. He sometimes loses focus or does not pay attention to what he is doing when comes down to being too excited for his own good. However, Jason is working on fixing that little problem by reading a certain book that can help him with that issue.

"Alright, we're on the right path," Jason spoke to himself when looking at the map. "Now we just need to..."

"Oh, I know what. Maybe I could have decapitated an entire village and put their heads on a pike, gotten a knife, cut open their spleen, and drink their fluids. Does that sound good to you?."

Jason immediately stopped reading the map when turning to see his Dad and Donkey. With an eyebrow raised, Jason approached the two since he was a short foot away from them. Their conversation had caught the moor teen's attention.

"What are you guys talking about?. In fact, why do I get the feeling this conversation you two are having is an ogre subject," said Jason.

"Believe it or not, Jason, it is." Shrek looked at his son. "Donkey here is questioning my nature as an ogre on why I wasn't a complete savage and barbaric towards Farquaad."

"Oh, well that is very easy." Jason looked at Donkey and smiled. "Simple, Donkey, ogres aren't anything that people claim they are to be. It's like people believed that ogres and moors are nothing more than an eyesore and a mistake to ever exist. But everyone should know that every living thing that God has made has a purpose. No matter what race or species background you have."

"Okay, I see what you mean, Jason. We may be different but we are all made by God himself. Let alone everyone has a purpose." said Donkey, summarizing what Jason just said.

Shrek nodded and padded his son on the back on a job well done in explaining to Donkey with a big smile. "Well spoken, son. And just to end our conversation, Donkey, there's a lot more to ogres than people think."

"Like what for example?." Donkey asked with wonder.

Jason had to admit that Donkey does show some intelligence when it is needed. Assuming it has to be at the right moment and time. As for Shrek, he had to think up a quick idea example to use to help explain what he meant by ogres are a lot more than people think.

"Let's see...uhhhh...ogres." Shrek took a quick look at what he had in his hand which gave him the perfect example. "Ogres are like onions!."

As soon as Shrek showed Donkey the onion he took a sniff of it. Gathering the understanding of what Shrek meant about the similarities between onions and ogres, Donkey has managed to come up with the answer.

"Oh, I get it now." Donkey smiled cheerfully. "Onions and Ogres are similar to each other, because...they stink!."

"Yes, absolutely...wait no!." Shrek tilted his head at hearing what Donkey had figured out.

Jason was trying his best to hold on to his laughter by holding his mouth shut with his lips.

"Oh, if that is not the case, then...it makes you cry right?!." Donkey answered his second question.

"What no!. Ogres don't cry." defended Shrek.

"You're not fooling me, Dad," Jason spoke before Shrek quickly sheesh him.

"Oh, wait now I finally got it, you guys. You leave the onions in the sun, and they get all brown, and they are going to start sproutin' little white hairs. Man, I must be on a roll today, huh?." said Donkey.

Jason instantly busted out laughing and had to flop on the ground and just let his laughter out of his body. As for his father, he was not liking the multiple answers that the annoying talking animal is giving.

"For crying out loud, Donkey, it is layers!." Shrek started pilling a few skin layers off the onion to show proof and said, "Onions have layers. Ogres have layers! Onions have layers. Do you get it now? We both have layers."

Once done explaining it to Donkey, Shrek through the onion on the ground and had lost interest in eating it before gently kicking Jason to stop laughing.

"Come on Jason, let's resume our travel before I start choking the life out of Donkey," said Shrek.

"Hehehe, okay, okay, Dad. But you have to admit that is funny," said Jason, when getting off the ground and resuming back to the map.

"Huh, so ogres have layers you say?." Donkey leans down to take a whiff of the thrown onion and slightly frowned. "In truth, no one really likes onions."

Then the idea of food popped into Donkey's mind which was similar to an onion. "Cake!."

"Cake?." both Shrek and Jason looked at Donkey who ran up to them.

"Yeah, cake. Cake has layers, Shrek. Everybody loves cake," said Donkey, with a big smile.

Shrek sighed. "I do not care what everybody likes. Ogres are not like cakes."

"That and it would be nice we did have cake on us. I do have a sweet tooth you know," said Jason, when leading the way on their walk.

Later on in the day, Donkey started talking about people liking parfaits which made Jason wish they had some to eat other than what they gathered from the nearby farm. Of course, Shrek had to tolerate that conversation with Donkey to pass the time while walking until the sun comes down and have to make camp. They found a good camp spot which was located by a tree that is by itself and made a fire camp to keep warm. Jason made themselves a nice yummy roasted wild turkey which he happened to find and kill by burping out a toxic smell. Along with roasting the vegetables, all three ate well that night before sleep had taken over.

Shrek and Donkey sleep peacefully while Jason was still up and currently leaning up against the tree. Jason was both writing and drawing things on what had happened today in full detail in his blank book. So far he only wrote and draw things that were deemed important to him, such as when his Dad told him how he was found on his porch and the letter that his blood mom have left in his baby basket. Carefully drawing the picture in different colors of ink to show how the person looked, Jason stopped his drawing as it is complete and just have to take the moment to look at the artwork. The drawn art had taken up the whole space of the right page as it is the image of the beautiful bushy fluffy red curly hair head Irish girl he met in Duloc.

Unlike the other girls, this particular teen girl is extremely different from all the other girls that Jason had encountered in the village near his swampy home. The Irish girl is very special and not often do you see something like her every day. No, Jason can feel as if...if that girl is his true love that he longed for. He wanted to tell his father about this but he rather tells it to somebody who is an expert in that field.

"Hmmm, maybe perhaps Princess Fiona can help explain whether my emotions towards this girl are my true love or I'm just overthinking," Jason spoke amongst himself before closing the book and then putting it back into his bag, and carefully putting his inks back inside before falling sleep on the tree.

As soon as Jason had closed his eyes and started to dream about the beautiful Irish girl by the name of Rachel Lucky, meanwhile, Shrek took the opportunity to get up and quietly go over to his sleeping son and have a look at his book. Shrek was asleep until he overheard his son talking to himself about the same girl he met in Duloc. You can it a father's instincts as Shrek was indeed a concerned father to his son and did not want any girl to date, Jason. Unless she truly loves him for him and him alone. If that ever happens it would be hard for Shrek to let his boy have a romantic relationship with a girl he longed for. Much less have a say in the matter if Jason ever decides to marry that girl, Shrek has to test if the girl is wife material and win him over to call her his daughter-in-law.

Making sure that everyone is still asleep, Shrek opened the bookbag and pulled out his son's green leather book, and begin to skim through the pages. So far, what Jason had written down is quite good say the least. The dialogue of what had happened from the day he is adopted to what happened back in Duloc. From there he saw the drawn picture of the Irish girl that Jason is liking the most compared to the village girls. He looked down at the written name that was at the bottom of the picture. He has to admit, that his son, Jason is an excellent artist compared to him and other great art drawers.

"Now, what is so special about you that my son is falling over for?. Is it because you are not from this country or is that more to it?. Who are you really, Rachel Lucky?." Shrek asked the questions to himself in a whisper before putting the book back.

Once going back to his spot by the fire, Shrek lay back down and closed his eyes. Trying to get some sleep before morning arrives much less spending a twenty-four-hour day of walking to reach the legendary Dragon's Keep. At the break of dawn, the three got up and ate a few apples for breakfast before getting themselves ready to move forward.

"Come on you guys let's get to moving," Jason spoke with fresh enthusiasm after throwing his apple core to the side. "Princess Fiona is not going to rescue herself you know."

"Hmph, that will be the day. Alright but first let me kill the fire," said Shrek, after throwing his apple core away.

"Here Shrek let me do that for you." offered Donkey.

"No this takes someone who knows what they are doing," said Shrek, when carefully stomping the ashed campfire.

Upon doing so some of the remaining heat in the dead campfire had burnt Shrek by his foot and caused the ogre to take it out and try to cool his foot. Jason watched this for a short second before eyeing Donkey who came over to the campfire and lifted his leg and peed the remained heat out.

"Huh, he sure showed you, Dad." Jason chuckled.

"Oh, hush up," said Shrek, after feeling relief from his foot.

"You're welcome anyway, Shrek. Now, let us go to the Dragon's Keep!." Donkey spoke with hype in his voice.

"Alright, Alright, let's get this show on the road then. Lead the way, Jason," said Shrek.

Jason pulled the map back out and take a good look at it. "Alright, you guys will continue to wall this way. From there we should be walking to the point we no longer see any trees or the forest itself. Now once we walk at a certain point we should be starting to smell strong brimstone."

Jason lead the walk as Shrek and Donkey followed him right into the deep forest. The massive forest was impressive, to say the least since this particular forest that they are walking through is well known for people getting lost very easy if you do not have a map that documents the land or be able to read the stars at night. Heck, if you were smart enough to have a compass in your procession then there should be no issue none whatsoever. The forest is getting thicker and deep when the three walked through while making sure they stayed together. The last thing they need right now is for any one of them to get separated from their group which is going to be hard to find. Mostly Donkey.

"Well, these woods are a lot thicker and way deeper than our woods huh, Jason?." said Shrek when walking beside his son.

"You can say that again, Dad," said Jason, when looking back at his father with a smile.

"So what should we do when we come across the dragon?." asked Donkey, walking beside Jason.

"Hmmm, who knows, Donkey. It's going to be the first time for us to even see a real dragon. Shoot, I'm still in wonder about how none of the knights were able to slay the beast. There has to be something special about the dragon that guards the castle." said Jason.

Every since Farquaad had offered them this current quest, Jason has been downright curious about everything that has everything to do with the Dragon's Keep, the dragon, and the princess itself. So many questions that the moor teen needed answers to. The only way he can receive those answers is to get there and find them. Meanwhile, Shrek is eager to interrogate his son that strongly involved with that teen girl that he had all his eyes on. Knowing his teenage son all too very well, Shrek knows that his son was undressing that girl with his eyes let alone can also see that the girl did the same to Jason. Unfortunately, he can not do so with Donkey in the way since he would interrupt him by any means.

"And we're out of the forest and it's a clear view walk from here," said Jason once putting the map back up.

"Good," said Shrek.

"Finally!." said Donkey.

The three walked through the completely clear path with ease as exiting out of the forest took literally five whole hours. Which in those five hours of hearing Donkey sing some random songs that they never heard but was quite good, to say the least. During the next couple of hours of traveling, they were starting to see the ground covered in deep grey ash before looking up at the sky to see a grey mix with a dark cloudy vortex hovering over something that they have not seen yet. They were starting to smell that deep strong brimstone and tell they were getting close, despite Donkey accusing Shrek of breaking wind which Jason told him that if that was his father that broke wind he could be knocked out for two hours. Or be what his father said if Donkey did take a whiff of his gas then he will be dead.

"The smell of brimstone is getting stronger. I think we're finally here." Jason spoke when beginning to climb up the medium-sized ashed wall cliff.

"Now, I'm interested in what the Dragon's Keep is truly like," spoke Shrek, when climbing up the wall along with Donkey.

Upon reaching the top of the ashed cliff the three looked in deep absolute awe. From there they saw it. The three were currently seeing the actual Dragon's Keep in its glory. The castle itself is reduced to ruins but stands tall and proud while it is been surrounded by the steamy hot boiling lava. Something that the book that Jason and Shrek read in the book that never mentions anything about the castle being surrounded by lava. Let alone the illustration in the book did not show that the Dragon's Keep is all dark, depressing, glooming, and downright scary. Overall they were bold enough to go inside and do the impossible.

Shrek took his eyes away from the sight of the keep to look at both Donkey and Jason. Feeling the need to lighten the mood up, Shrek smiled and said, "Sure, it's big enough, but look at the location."

With that said, Shrek started chuckling while jumping over the short cliff with Donkey and Jason close behind.

"Yeah, whatever you say, Dad," said Jason, having his sights on the castle. "This is it. Time to do it. Time to do what no knight has ever done before. I wonder what Princess Fiona is like?. Must less her curse."

"I hope it's not too horrible," said Donkey, already having fear of crossing the fragile bridge to the castle.

(A/N): And there. The moment of truth. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter. And if you guys have the time, why don't check out my new story that I recently published. It is called, Mulan: Love and War. So far it's pretty good based on what people say to me in the PMs. Until next time. Excelsior!. Stay Safe and God bless you and your family!.