to make up for not updating yesterday, here is a very long final part to this series and also three songs from the shrek soundtracks that are so good and if you don't listen to them, you're missing out

https://youtu.be/oyJ2e9-mqFA

https://youtu.be/XBXghH0b8xY

https://youtu.be/TNwmLi_4W6A

yes so enjoy these guys. 

shrek is one of my favorite animated films of all time and fiona has always been one of my favorite princesses so i hope you found this shrek inspired series enjoyable!! thank you all for reading it so far 

/ / /

You approached the orange van and gasped loudly. "Wow, that is so cool! Is that you guys?" You pointed to the painting on the side of two elves.

"Yeah," Ian said with a chuckle.

Barley rolled down the driver's side window.  "Ah, it be your first encounter with Guinevere the Second!"

You touched your hand to the side and glanced back at Ian. "This is your noble steed?"

"Uh... sure?"

You beamed at Barley. "She's magnificent."

"Aha! Guinevere the Second has won the heart of even her royal highness," Barley said. "Oh Iandore, perhaps help the princess onto our trusty steed?"

"O-Okay," he said, smiling nervously. He walked to the back and pulled open the door. "Here you g-go, your majesty."

"You really don't have to keep up with the theatrics. Although I appreciate the effort your brother is giving, I understand that these are not the days of Yore, and the world outside of my kingdom has moved on without our knowledge."

"Oh, I like the theatrics too," he said. "I may not be as great at it as my brother but I'm a brave knight and great wizard, aren't I?" He bent forward with a bow. "Your chariot awaits, milady."

You laughed softly and touched your hand to your heart. "Oh, sir Iandore of Lightfoot, I thank you." You bowed your head. "Thy deed is great, thy heart is pure. I am eternally in your debt."

Ian looked at you and blinked slowly. "Uh... sure."

You giggled. His cheeks tinged pink and you took his hand so that you could climb into the van easily. As your hand left his, he stared at you with a warm expression.

He glanced at you and a smile slowly stretched across his face. He paused for a moment as he shut the door.

"Oh Iandore, come on!" Barley called. "We are ready to head out."

"Coming!" Ian said, blinking himself out of his thoughts.

/ / /

You laughed from your seat, your long braid slipping off of your shoulder. You shook your head and wiped tears from underneath your eyes.

"That's the funniest thing I have ever heard," you said.

"Yup." Barley stretched back in his seat, removing one hand from the wheel to pat his stomach. "Moral of the tale is that my gut is all-knowing."

"Sort of," Ian said, shaking his head. He was sitting across from you now. "If it were really all-knowing, it probably would have known to go directly to the fountain, not have us go around in a full circle."

"Well that wouldn't be much of a quest, now would it?" Barley asked.

"I don't think---"

You held up a finger. "No, he has got a point. A quest has to be daring and life-threatening, or else it isn't a true quest."

Barley grinned. "Aha! A woman of true days of Yore culture."

"Well," you sighed, "my whole life was being a princess in my small kingdom."

Ian's eyes met yours and he gave you a sympathetic gaze. "I-I have to say, you're... you're really handling this whole thing well."

"What thing?" you asked. Your eyes widened with realization. You had just lost everything --- your entire kingdom. "Oh, right."

"Sorry," Ian said. "I only --- I only meant it as---"

"No, it's okay." You smiled. "I am okay with it because a princess has to be okay with whatever her destiny may be. Sometime's it is this. This is destiny. A princess is locked away in a tower and awaits the moment her brave knight comes to rescue her, and they share true loves first kiss."

Ian's eyes widened and you fell silent as you realized what you said. You turned your head and cleared your throat.

"T-That's how all of the stories go, right?" You smiled slightly. "I guess mine isn't too different. Just a little different."

"A little." He nodded, embarrassed.

"It's a good different," you assured him. You smiled. "I wouldn't trade my knights in shining armor and their noble steed for anything. Not everyone can say that they were rescued by a wizard."

He laughed. "You know, you're not exactly what I expected."

"Well, maybe you shouldn't judge people before you get to know them," you said, lifting your shoulders in a shrug. "What did you think I would be like? A little spoiled or something?"

"Oh, I don't know. Just not as... as funny and brave as you are."

You laughed. "So you think I'm funny and brave?"

"You're hilarious and uh, yeah. Way braver than me." 

You shook your head. "No, not way braver. I didn't just slay a dragon to protect a princess, now did I?"

Ian's eyebrows pulled together and he just smiled. It was sweet and gentle, and a look that made your heart skip a beat.

Barley pushed on the brakes and you caught yourself on the seat. "Whoa... uh, guys? This is a little weird."

You and Ian looked over. Your eyebrows furrowed and you stood up slowly as you saw in the path between the trees a group of men.

"That is a little weird," Ian agreed. You hunched over as you made your way to the front of the van. 

At the front stood a single man with a knife in hand. He held it up into the air. "We have come for the princess!"

Barley glanced back. "Do you know these guys?"

"Do I know strange men that wave small knives in the forest?" Barley nodded and you shook your head. "No, I don't."

"What do you think they want?" Ian asked you.

"Release the princess at once!"

"My guess is the princess," Barley said. "This typically happens in stories, you know. There's always a few people that want the princess. Usually a prince, a group of some thieves up to no good, and then there's the knight that surprises everyone by ending up with her despite his own insecurities and doubts."

You and Ian looked at Barley. He glanced back at you and shrugged. 

"What?" 

You shook your head. Ian sighed nervously, his foot tapping. "Try to talk to them. Maybe they're understanding thieves?"

"I don't think thieves are typically understanding."

You swallowed hard and Barley rolled down his window. He stuck his head out and nervously called out, "Greetings, gentlemen of the forest. What is it that you are requesting?"

"The princess!" the man said. He showed a shining grin full of confidence and waved the knife in the air dramatically as he spoke. "I must ask that you hand her over to us at once."

You grimaced. "Hand me over?"

Barley shrugged. "What should I tell them?"

"Tell them no, obviously!" you said. "Tell them --- tell them I'm not interested."

"Right, right. Uh... I am afraid I have to ask you gentlemen to step aside because the princess isn't interested in---"

"Unhand her at once!" he shouted. His face reddened. The men surrounded the van on all the sides at once, all pulling out spears and arrows and bows and knives.

"What the!" Barley shouted. Their fists and weapons pounded against the sides of the van. "Hey! Don't hit Guinivere!"

"We should leave the van," Ian suggested.

"No! Horrible idea." You jumped as the van rocked and grabbed Ian by the shoulder. "I suggest we just drive and if they get in front of the van, fine. Just keep driving."

"What! That's murder," Ian said.

"So?! This is attempted kidnapping!" you exclaimed. 

"We could go to jail! Our stepdad is a cop."

"Then that should give me a good chance to walk free again," you said. You patted Barley's arm. "Here, let me do it. I'm okay with the blood on my hands, honest."

"Ian, your princess is awesome," he said. 

Ian's face flushed at the words your princess. Before he could respond, he heard the sound of the back of the van being pounded on. His eyes widened and he tried to stretch across his brother's lap. "Lock the doors! Lock the doors!"

"Too late," you said. 

The back flew open and the confident man stepped into the van with a grin. He pulled an arrow out of his quiver and placed it on the bow. Barley turned around in his seat and Ian eyed his staff that was on the back bench. He swallowed hard.

"I must say that I am not asking for the princess, I am demanding," he said. "She will come with me and accept my hand in marriage after I slay both of you pathetic men!"

You raised your eyebrows and nodded. "That is so romantic."

The man climbed inside of the van, his eyes on you. Ian stepped to the side, his arms stretched to block you. You put your hand on his shoulder as he said, "No!"

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice, small boy. You're surrounded!" he laughed. 

You glanced at the wizard staff and back at Ian. Giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze, you feigned a sigh of defeat and hung your head. "Fine," you said. "I have no choice but to accept this."

"Aha!" the man cheered, raising his hand. "What an easy battle. Come, my bride. I will take you far away and let my men deal with these horrible beasts."

You stepped away from Ian. His eyes were on you as you walked towards the man and allowed him to take your arm. As you walked by the bench in the back of the van, you yanked your arm free and grabbed the staff. The man was already responding, grabbing his knife from his belt. You swung the staff and hit him in the face with it. He fell out of the van in a heap, landing directly on his face. 

His head lifted from the dirt path, spewing pebbles and dust from his mouth. He turned and glared. "Why you little---"

"Ian!" you exclaimed. 

You threw him the staff and he caught it. He rushed forward and Barley took out his sword. You watched them both jump out of the back of the van and land directly in front of the men. 

"Get back!" Ian threatened. 

Barley pointed his sword at them. "Do you men dare challenge the ever feared duo of Barley and Ian Lightfoot? We are the legendary warrior and wizard of New Mushroomton!"

"The princess comes with us!" the men declared. They nodded in agreement, lifting their weapons high. "We do not fear a wizard!"

"Well, you should," Ian said. "Barley, get back in the van and get ready to drive."

"Aye, brother." He struggled to climb into the back of the van and then he put his arm around you and pulled you to the passenger seat. "We mustn't see what my younger brother has planned for the group of thieves."

You scoffed, knowing that Ian probably had nothing planned at all of them. Sure enough, as soon as you put on your seat belt, the doors of the van shut and Ian exclaimed, "Accelior!"

The van shot forward with a loud grunt and continued to lurch forward. Barley cheered as he slammed on the brakes with everything in him. Your hands shot out and braced yourself against the dashboard. You looked behind you at Ian, who was hugging the back of your seat with a nervous smile on his face. 

"That was truly brave, young knight," you said. 

"Oh, it was just a simple spell," he said. Barley slowed down as the men and the forest disappeared completely behind you. "I-I still wasn't up for the whole homicide thing, you know."

"I don't mean the spell," you said. You undid your seat belt and stood up. Ian walked with you to the bench seat in the back. You tucked your hair behind your ears and looked at him as he scooted in next to you, setting his staff on the floor. 

"What did you mean?" he asked shyly. He had his head turned slightly to the floor as he spoke to you. 

"I mean how you stood in front of me," you said. "That was brave."

"Oh." He smiled and nervously chuckled. "That was, uh, that was nothing."

"It wasn't nothing," you argued. 

"No, it was. I mean compared to that hit you gave that guy, I mean wow. And you totally made him believe that you were going to go with him, which is just amazing how easily he fell for that one."

You snickered. "That was pretty funny, wasn't it?" 

"Yeah." He laughed and shook his head in disbelief. "I just can't believe that you're a princess. I-I mean, you are so different from anyone else I have ever met."

"And that's a... good thing?"

"Oh! Yeah. It's definitely a good thing. I mean --- you're awesome." He turned so that his knee was barely touching yours. As he exhaled, his shoulders dropped. "You're awesome."

"So are you." You nudged him with your elbow. "You know Ian, my parents always told me that at some point in life, a prince of some kind would run up to my window and try to whisk me away to some kind of happily ever after. I always said that it was a bunch of bull because things like that don't happen outside of storybooks. But I don't know... living through it happening is so different. I know we aren't, like, together or anything. I know that we just met. And truthfully, I --- I don't know where I am going with this."

"That's okay," he said, smiling nervously. "I, uh, I like you. I mean, that's what you're trying to tell me, right? That you like me?"

"Yeah," you breathed, grinning. 

"Because when I look at you, I-I don't know, I see... I feel things I've never felt before. And since I met you, everything has been funnier and happier and it's because you are so funny and so happy. I mean, you're the prettiest girl I've ever seen and the fact that I rescued you... I don't know. There's no way I was lucky enough to be the one to do that. I don't understand how it was me that got to rescue you. I don't understand."

"Fairytales," you said with a shrug. "Or something like that."

"Something like that," he agreed. "Cool. This is... this is great."

"It's great?" you asked. 

"Totally great." He nodded enthusiastically for a second and then groaned. "I'm... not good at talking to people. Not without sounding like an idiot."

As you looked at him, you noticed that the back of your hand was pressing against his. While you were talking, you had moved your hand there, just to be closer to touching him. He must've done the same. You slipped your hand in the space between his palm and leg and then slid your fingers in between his.

"You're not an idiot, Ian Lightfoot," you said. You were leaning closer to him as he leaned closer towards you. You let your close slowly as his other hand touched the side of your face as soft as---

"If you two are going to kiss, just know that I am pretending to not notice," Barley said. He glanced at you in the mirror. "Oh, my bad. Were you already about to kiss? I ruined the moment. Yeah. I did. Oops. My bad guys. Look, I'll even turn my music up. Here it goes... all the way up."

You winced against the loud music and giggled. Ian shook his head at his brother and pulled away. He was clearly embarrassed. 

"I can't hear a single thing!" he shouted. "Go ahead and kiss her! I won't know!"

"Hey," you said. You squeezed his hand. "He turned the music up, you know. So are you gonna kiss me or what?"

"Yeah, if you want me to," he blurted. 

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want you to," you said. His hands found yours and he held on tightly. He swallowed hard. He was so nervous and it showed in every single movement and look that he made. 

It just made you smile as you closed your eyes and leaned in for him. You pressed your lips against his for a long second. You broke away, tilting your head forward until your forehead touched his, his curly hair tickling your skin. You opened your eyes and he was right there, his cheeks warm and his smile wide. 

You wrapped your arms around the neck of your knight in shining armor and just kissed him again.

So your story wasn't different at all from the other princesses that you grew up reading about. Everyone's story was different. Everyone had different battles: witches, dragons, stepmothers, but they all that the same outcome. Every story somehow ended and began with the kiss of a brave knight, or a brave prince, or an outlaw-turned-hero. 

And you just decided that it honestly wasn't that bad of an outcome. 

/ / /

i hope u all liked this series <3 thank u all for reading!!