Chapter Seventeen: (I Object!)

Fiona sighed at herself in the mirror when looking at her all white gown. She never wanted to marry Farquaad, but after the misunderstanding from Shrek and not being able to explain herself she just submitted. She wishes she would have taken the opportunity to tell Shrek how she truly feels about him and live that life of an Ogre. Fiona knows that Jason needs a mom in his life as everyone knows that a child or teen can't mentally or emotionally function with just one parent of the opposite sex.

"I really lost my chance at a real happily ever after." Fiona told herself this before walking out with a hint of sadness.

She reached the short steps that would lead her to the main chapel and get herself married to a man who she can see isn't really into her. She opens the door and the first thing she sees is the crowd being forced on her based on two people holding direction cards. Then she sees her king to be who is waiting for her. She put on a big happy fake smile and went over to join him at the altar. The priest opened the good book and began speaking.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony..."

"Um, I hate to dishonor the church, but can we please get to the good stuff." Fiona looked at Farquaad. "If that is alright with you of course."

Farquaad chuckled and motioned to the priest. "Go on."

At that exact moment when this is currently happening, Shrek, Jason and Donkey were outside of the church to stop that wedding before it was too late. Donkey, who knows the rules of marriage, jumped in between Shrek, Jason and the double doors to the church.

"Donkey, what are you doing?." Shrek was confused. "Come on move, we need to stop the wedding."

"Yeah, before Fiona has to spend the rest of her life having back problems for bending down too much to kiss the guy." pointed out Jason.

"I know, I know, but we can't just barge in without a purpose. We have to barge in and shout "I Object " as soon as the priest asks the question of "if you have any objections speak now before forever hold your piece." explained Donkey.

Shrek's eyes widened with understanding and he nodded firmly. "Okay, let's do this."

"Might have to throw Donkey up to the window and see if the priest says it." Jason suggested. "I'll try and listen by the door. If that helps."

Shrek nodded and whispered back, "Good idea." He turned to Donkey. "But you've gotta be quick, we don't know how long this shindig is gonna last."

He grabbed Donkey and threw up to the window multiple times while Jason had his ear to the door to hear anything. In just a few seconds, Shrek can see that Jason's double ideas aren't producing any single fruit.

"Uh, oh, wait..." Donkey got thrown right back. "Yeah, he already said that line."

"Oh, for the love of pete!." Shrek spoke in frustration and didn't catch Donkey and let him hit the ground hard. He looked at his son. "Jason, get your side face out the door."

Jason nodded and joined his dad as the two busted right on into the chapel alerting everyone who were shocked and surprised to see them here of all places, since they thought that they would never see them again.

"Wait, stop everything!." Jason yelled.

"I object!." Shrek yelled.

This didn't sit well with Farquaad while Fiona is super happy that they came back to her.

Farquaad's smile froze as his eyes darted between Shrek and Jason, his hands tightening. "What is the meaning of this?" he bellowed, his voice echoing through the chapel. "I gave you two official deeds to your massive hole in the ground of a swamp as parts of our deal. What do you want this time?."

Fiona's eyes widened as she saw Shrek and her hopefully official son standing before her, their sudden appearance a blur of hope and confusion. She looked back at Farquaad, the fake smile slipping from her face. "I-I need to speak with Shrek and Jason. Just a few seconds, please."

The priest, a bit taken aback, nodded hesitantly. Farquaad's expression grew darker, but he stepped aside, allowing Fiona to walk down the aisle to meet them. Shrek's heart hammered in his chest as he saw her approaching, the weight of his mistake heavy on his shoulders. "Fiona, I'm so sorry. I should have let you or Donkey explain the misunderstanding." he began.

Her eyes searched for him, and she could see the sincerity in his apology. "It's okay, Shrek," she said gently. "But I have something important to tell you."

The words hung in the air, the silence in the chapel palpable. Fiona took a deep breath, her hand trembling slightly as it rested on the velvet of her bouquet. "I don't want to marry Farquaad. I never did. It's you, Shrek. I love you. You're the one I want to be with. The one who truly understands me."

Shrek's heart swelled with joy and relief. He stepped closer to her, his green hand reaching out to take hers. "Fiona, I love you too. More than words can say. I'm sorry I didn't trust you, that I didn't realize you'd never leave me for this... this... charade." He gestured towards the seething Farquaad, who was now redder than a tomato.

Fiona turned to Jason with a motherly look and tapped maternal instinct kicking in to the max. "Jason during our time getting to Duloc, you have given me a second option of a real life that is worth living. If you would have me, I would really love to be your mother."

Jason's eyes grew wide with excitement and happiness. "Really?."

"Yes, really," Fiona smiled warmly at him. "You've already proven to be a brave and kind person, and I believe we could be a family."

Before Jason could respond, Farquaad heard everything and just couldn't but laugh at every single thing that was said.

"Unbelievable!. The Ogre is in love with a princess!. On top of that he adopts a human as its offspring. But to make it much worse is that the teen is a moor of all things!. Talk about The Strange Family of all the land!." Farquaad busted out laughing hard while motioning the people with the large cards to flip their cards to Laugh to instruct the crowd to laugh at them.

The laughing and pointing at Shrek and Jason had hurted the two as it hit deep. Fiona sees that Farquaad is just jealous and shows how little he is other than his size. It upset the once isolated princess big time.

"You think that's funny, do you?." Fiona's voice cut through the laughter like a knife, her eyes flashing with anger. "You think true love and true family are a joke?."

Farquaad's laughter died in his throat as he met her gaze. "I think you're making a mistake, Fiona. You belong with your own kind, not with a creature like him."

Fiona tilted her head with a frown. "I'm sorry, excuse me?."

"What I'm saying is, you're a beautiful, refined princess. You're meant to be with someone of your stature, not a... a... a beast!" Farquaad spat out the word with disdain. "And not being a mother to that cotton picker over there."

Shrek's anger grew as he stepped in front of Jason, protectively. "You leave him out of this," he warned, his voice a low growl.

"No, Dad, I can stand up for myself. I'm not a wimp or a punk." Jason stepped up with a frown. "For a little guy you have such a big mouth. Too bad it doesn't match your size."

Farquaad's eyes narrowed at the challenge. "How dare you speak to me like that!."

"How dare you talk about my son like that!." Shrek's voice boomed through the chapel, his fists clenched at his sides.

Fiona took a glance at the back window of the chapel to see the sun going down and knowing what this means. "Looks like I am going to stand out."

She closed her eyes as the magic began to swarm all around her as it caught everyone's attention. Especially when Fiona is turned into her Ogre form. This shocked everyone except for Shrek and Jason.

"Hmmm, forgot how beautiful you look." Jason spoke without thinking.

Fiona blushed a deep shade of green. "Thanks."

Shrek rubbed the back of his head with a blush. "Uh, you look way better than your regular self."

Farquaad's face went from shock to rage as he looked at Fiona's transformation. "You! You're an Ogre! This is disgusting!" He shouted out. "Guards!. Guards!. Seize them!."

The guards rushed towards them, but Shrek wasn't going down without a fight. With a mighty roar, he swiped them away with one arm, sending them crashing into the pews. The crowd gasped as the realization dawned on them that their beloved princess was not what they thought she was. Jason got in his fair share in the fight until being over muscled by the Knights. The Knights began to separate them with aggression.

"No, Shrek!. Jason!." Fiona yelled while each Knight grabbed and held each of her arms.

Shrek's eyes narrowed and his muscles bulged as he tried to break through the guards that surrounded him, but there were too many. He watched in horror as Jason was dragged away from him, struggling in the grip of the knights. "Let him go!." he roared.

Farquaad grabbed the crown and snapped. "I am king with or without a queen!. See?. See!?." He looked at Jason. "I'll make sure you work in my fields until your body finally breaks down."

Fiona's heart broke hearing the cruel words come out from Farquaad. "You monster!." She tried to break free but was held back by the knights.

Shrek saw red. "You'll never lay a hand on him!." He lunged at Farquaad with everything he had but failed.

"That's it, time to be a whisper." Jason was about to whistle but the Knight grabbed his arm before pinning him to the floor.

Shrek saw what his son was trying to do and broke his arm free. Then he used his fingers to make a loud whistle. Then out of nowhere despite hearing heavy flapping noises, Elizabeth busted one of the massive windows and swooped a frightening Farquaad into her mouth. Adjusting her mouth, Elizabeth swallowed him whole as it stopped the Knights after seeing their dictator of a ruler being eaten alive by an actual dragon. Donkey, who is on top of Elizabeth's neck, spoke with such confidence with a hint of mad power.

"Oh, yeah, now the ignoring talking donkey got a dragon up his sleeve!." Donkey spoke before Elizabeth coughed up Farquaad's crown. "Bet you people of Duloc wish that this would have happened to Farquaad a long time ago, huh?."

The crowd looked at Shrek, Fiona, and Jason in awe. Some were relieved, others were happy at the idea of pure actual freedom, and a few looked like they were just living in a dream come true and just clapped in gratitude.

"Great job, Elizabeth. Hope Farquaad doesn't give you an upset stomach." Jason grinned.

Elizabeth just rolled her eyes and shot out a small burst of fire. The crowd's cheers grew louder as the realization set in that Shrek had just saved the day, and Duloc was free from Farquaad's tyrannical rule. With Farquaad gone, the knights released their grip on Fiona, who rushed to Shrek and Jason's side, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Thank goodness you're both okay," she exclaimed, her eyes filling with tears of relief. "This is going to work out big time."

"Yeah, it sure is," Shrek agreed, his arms wrapping around Fiona and Jason. "We're going to be a family, just like we were meant to be."

"Yeah, but first. Dad kisses Fiona and makes it official." Jason spoke after pulling out of the hug.

Shrek looked at Fiona with love in his eyes and she looked back with hope. They leaned in and kissed passionately, the crowd erupted into cheers and claps. Suddenly the curse within Fiona has erupted as Fiona has now become a full fledged Ogre. Her curse has shattered all the glass of the windows except for one, which Elizabeth casually punched one to help out. Fiona pulled Shrek for a deep kiss before one thing led to another; they had a wedding at the swamp. Jason managed to find the Fairytale creatures and invited them to the wedding and it was something else. There was a lot of dancing and Donkey singing.

One of the fairies has turned a white pumpkin into a life size carriage and turned the three blind mice as horses. Fiona took the opportunity to throw her bouquet to the lucky girl to be married next, which happens to be Elizabeth, after she beat Snow White and and another princess. Shrek did a double finger salute to a shocked Donkey before driving off to his and Fiona's honeymoon. The party died down at long last as everyone returned home. Donkey moved in with Elizabeth back at the keep and Jason was finishing up his book of what led up to the present. He looked at the pictures he crafted and loves how he made it look so professional.

Then it hit him. He indeed has his own written book and it is very interesting. This is his big break in starting up his career as a book publishing author. He just needs a good trusted experienced manager. And he just recalled a certain person that is claimed to be a manager.

"You want me to manage you?." Wolf asked after passing by to ask Jason for some sugar to make cake for his daughter.

Jason nodded vigorously. "Yes, please. I think my story can inspire a lot of people. And who better to help me get it out there than you, Wolf?. This book is going to be the next best thing since...well, toilet paper."

Wolf chuckled at the enthusiasm. "I'll do it." He said with a grin. "And we cut the profits equally and fairly. Deal?."

Jason nodded so fast his head looked like it was going to fall off. "Deal."

In the coming days, Wolf has managed to have a meeting appointment with the book publishing corporation that is nearby by the town and Jason knows the business since some of his books were published by them. They walked down past the village and met face to face to the medium sized gray concrete building with its factory connected on the right side.

"Here it is, Jason. Publishing Stars." Wolf looked at the teen and then at his human daughter, Ivy. "Ready?."

Jason nodded as he swallowed down the nervousness. "As ready as I can be."

"Sure, Daddy!." Ivy spoke with glee.

Wolf knocked on the door with confidence, his knuckles echoing through the halls of the building. A few moments later, a well-dressed woman with a clipboard opened the door. "May I help you?" she asked, her voice clipped and professional.

Jason stepped forward, clutching his hand-crafted book tightly. "Yes, ma'am," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. "We're here to see the owner about publishing this book. My book. We set an appointment a few days ago. These are his free available hours."

The woman's eyebrows rose as she took in the trio before taking a good look at the teen moor. "Ah, yes," she said, glancing at her clipboard. "I remember. You're Mr. Wolf's...client."

Wolf stepped forward with his usual charm. "Yes, ma'am, this here is Jason, the next big thing in the literary world."

The woman looked skeptical but stepped aside to let them in. The lobby was filled with the smell of fresh ink and paper, the hum of hand powered machines from the factory and a comforting background noise. They followed her through the corridor, passing by various offices filled with busy employees.

"Mr. Wolf, Jason, I'm surprised to see you here. This is quite... unexpected," the owner of the publishing company, Mr. Toad, greeted them with a forced smile as they entered his office.

Jason took a deep breath and handed over the book. "This is my story," he began, "It is better to write than for me to explain it."

Ivy quickly went to the bowl of candy and started to eat her heart's content. Toad read each page from the beginning of Jason being left on Shrek's doorstep as a baby to him helping his adopted father get his princess. He grinned and flipped each page in such delight.

"This is the best book that I have ever read since the day I started this business." Toad spoke before eating a quick dragonfly. "Kid, your life story is going to forever change what readers read."

The room was filled with excitement and hope as Mr. Toad looked through the pages of Jason's book, his eyes lighting up with each turn. Jason couldn't believe it. His story, his life, was being recognized as something special. "Thank you, Mr. Toad. I just wanted to share what it's like growing up in a swamp with a giant, green ogre as a dad and more."

"Now, let's talk about contracts." Wolf spoke professionally. "And since my client has written a golden nugget of a book, I believe he deserves a much better contract than your current contracted authors."

Mr. Toad's smile didn't falter. "We can certainly discuss terms," he said, already seeing dollar signs in his eyes. "Your story, Jason, has the potential to be a bestseller. It's got humor, action, romance, and a dash of the unexpected. Our readers will love it. I'm thinking of a good deal that is fair and reasonable."

Wolf leaned forward, his sharp eyes scanning the contract. "Fair and reasonable, huh?." he said, his voice low. "I'll be the judge of that."

Toad closed the book and hopped on the cover. "I'll give him a whopper of eighty thousand coins. We take a fair percentage of the prophets of each book being sold. His contract will demand him to give this corporation a total of seven written books. Three of his main works and four of his side stories. Also, he will get a bonus pay for representing this business by going on Book Fair tours both in and out of the country in book signing, Q and A, and reading aloud in person."

Jason's eyes widened. "Eighty thousand coins?!."

Wolf nodded with a smile. "It's a good start. But we're looking for something a bit more substantial." He leaned back in his chair. "We want a hundred fifty thousand for the first book, fifty percent of the profits, and a guarantee for a minimum limited edition book and autograph signings per year for the next five years. And if he wants out of the contact then there must be a reasonable loophole we can all agree on. Oh, and the corporation must pay everything when he goes on tour regardless of what he is buying."

Mr. Toad's eyes widened slightly at the counteroffer, but he quickly regained his composure. "Ah, Mr. Wolf, always the shrewd negotiator," he said with a chuckle. "Let me think on that for a moment."

While Mr. Toad was lost in thought, Jason couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and anxiety. He had never imagined that his life story would be considered for publication, let alone become the topic of such a serious business negotiation. He glanced over at Ivy, who had moved on from the candy to playing with a paperclip she had found, bending it into various shapes.

After what felt like an eternity, Mr. Toad leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. "Alright, Mr. Wolf, I can see your client has quite the tale to tell," he said, his voice filled with a newfound respect for the teenager. "I'll agree to your terms with one condition."

Wolf raised an eyebrow. "What's that?."

"The books must be released within one to two years. We need to capitalize on the buzz from the recent events." Mr. Toad's eyes gleamed with excitement. "But fear not, young Jason," he added, seeing the look of panic on the teen's face, "We will provide all the necessary resources for editing and marketing."

Jason looked to Wolf, who gave a nod of approval. "Okay, deal."

Mr. Toad's smile grew wider as he slammed his hand down on the desk. "Excellent! Welcome to the world of publishing, Jason!" He slid a quill and contract across the desk. "Sign here, here, and here. Oh, and do you have a title for this book?."

This made Jason think really good as he never even thought about the title of his book. He started to think back to what Farquaad said back at the church and liked the idea of the name.

"The Strange Family." Jason nodded. "My book is called The Strange Family."

Mr. Toad scribbled the title on a paper before putting it on top of the thick book with a look of intrigue. "Very catchy," he said, his pen hovering over the paper to sign. "Now, if you'll just sign here, we can get the ball rolling on this literary masterpiece."

Jason took the quill with trembling hands, the ink feeling like liquid magic as it flowed from the tip to the parchment. He signed his name with a flourish, feeling a sense of success and accomplishment wash over him. As he handed the quill back to Mr. Toad, he couldn't help but think about all the adventures and hardships he had faced to get to this moment. In the following days his book was published in his area and is currently in the village bookshop signing his copy of published books for the second week. The former citizens of Duloc have in fact vouch that the book isn't fictional but real on all counts, which made everyone buy and enjoy the book.

The book signing event was a hit, with a line that stretched out the door and down the cobblestone street. Children clutched their copies of "The Strange Family," eager to meet the young author who had captured their hearts and imaginations. Jason felt a mix of nerves and excitement as he sat at the table, signing book after book with a smile.

"Thank you, Jason," a young girl whispered shyly as she handed him her book. "Your story made me feel like I'm not so weird after all."

Jason looked up at her with a warm smile. "You're not weird," he said, scribbling his name in the book. "You're wonderful, just like everyone else here."

The girl blushed and took her book, clutching it to her chest as she walked away, her mother beaming with pride. The event was filled with similar moments, each one more touching than the last. It took the whole day until sunset as the shop was slowly closing. Wolf, who collected the money, was enjoying the success that he failed to get due to people judging him for being a wolf and all. Jason took the time to rest his written hand before drinking his water.

"This book is going to be a bestseller indeed." Wolf spoke with a big smile.

Jason looked over at the pile of signed books. "It's just so...surreal." He said, still in awe.

"You're going to get used to it, kiddo." Wolf chuckled, counting the gold coins. "You've got a way with words and a story that's going to resonate with a lot of people."

Just before Jason was about to go use the bathroom, a group of Knights came in and lined up on each side. Jason was curious as he then sees a middle aged woman dressed very fancy and has a crown on her head. She walked down with a warm smile that made people feel good. She stopped walking and grabbed the last book available and looked at it before rubbing her hand on the smooth leather. Jason can tell that this woman shares the same love of reading like himself.

"You know I have to travel very far to get my hands on a copy of your book." She looked at him with a big smile on her face. "I heard rumors about your book but not the spoilers or what is going on in the story. Your book hasn't gotten to the stores in my neighborhood yet, but that will change after I help boost the popularity based on my royal status."

Jason felt his heart race. "You're a... a queen?." He stuttered, not used to royalty showing up to his book signings. He took the book from her and opened the inside. "And who am I writing this out to?."

The woman chuckled lightly. "To the queen of Far Far Far Away." she said with a wink. "But you can write it to 'Her Royal Highness, Queen Lillian'. That's my formal title."

Jason was in utter shock. The Queen is here wanting to have his book let alone get signed was the greatest moment of his life. "You're the Queen of Far Far Far Away!?. I always wanted to visit that place since I was a kid!. You traveled this far to get my book?. Is it that popular?."

"Oh, it's more than just popular," Lillian assured him, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "It's become the talk of the kingdoms. Not a single person can stop talking about your book. I have an impressive book collection and only get books that are deemed worth reading. I'm currently reading another book but will soon finish it." She pulls out a sack of coins and places it on the table. "That should cover the purchase and generous tip."

Jason stared at the sack of coins in disbelief. "Thank you, Your Royal Highness. I never thought my story would reach royal ears," he said, trying to keep his voice steady.

Lillian chuckled. "Your modesty is charming, but your story is truly captivating. It's not every day we get a real-life hero telling his own tale. Now, make sure to write something special for me to enjoy in your next book." She winked before leaving the shop.

"This is only the beginning." Wolf padded Jason on the shoulder.

Jason nodded in disbelief. "Yeah, no kidding."