Chapter Text
The Kingdom of Far Far Away was quiet for all but one spot, the Castle. An event featuring all of the lands most prominent figures of the day were there to rub elbows for the usual bout of professional favors and pitches. It was a yearly event not usually attended by the more common creatures and citizens of the Kingdom. The city beyond the Castle peacefully fell into the night as the powerful and magical alike began introductions before the gala meal.
“It’s lovely meeting you as well your Grace. Our staff will be sure to tend to your parties needs.” The Queen spoke gently as Nobleman and his entourage followed. She had spent the first half hour of the event greeting and directing guests towards the main dining hall with her Husband and King of three years at that point, Harold. As soon as the stuffy, self important Lord left her side, Lillian moved closer to Harold’s side and sighed heavily. “Why do we both insist on doing this every year, we’re both miserable.” she muttered to him as he released the hand of the Wizard he had just greeted.
“Indeed, but you know how these people are. Let them write their own introductions for the entrances and suddenly you have full paragraphs of exhausting detail.” He chuckled as did Lillian, though with a bit less joy in her tone. “Besides, the carriages have been less frequent so I’m sure we’ll be eating in no time.” The King took her hand and patted it reassuringly. Lillian bore a tender smile for him. Harold might not have been the fairest in the land, but he was a sturdy and honest man and for this Lillian appreciated his presence in the more taxing roles of Royal life.
A few more Fairytale friends and business owners made their way into the party when appearing from the air rode in a carriage unlike most. Then again the methods of travel in this land were many. It’s front horseless and manned only by one man, the garishly pink carriage swooped down and landed at the bottom of the steps. The doors flashed open rather quickly and the Queen’s brow raised in suspicion with the pause that followed. Harold, busy with another guest seemed to forget the unique carriages arrival. Just then as the figure walked, no, floated out, Lillian felt a tensing against her chest she hadn’t felt in years. Eyes wide and with shaking fingers the inner voice of her more regal side steadied her as she folded her hands together in front of her and watched as the Fairy Godmother floated towards them.
“Your Majesties…” The magical woman greeted rather plainly. Lillian didn’t notice Harold’s confusion at the sudden stiffness of her face. It still looked friendly but less soft than usual.
“Fairy Godmother. Welcome to the Gala.” The Queen spoke the same in turn. The King meanwhile continued the greeting unaware of the deeply involved history the two had shared before he himself met the savvy Fairy and acquired her services. Though he himself hid his own history with her from Lillian, his was almost minor compared to the women’s. Lillian continued as he finished. “I see that you’re well.”
Fairy Godmother nodded with a neutral look “You as well.”
“Yes. Well dinner will be held in a short moment. It’s in the main dining hall. Please enjoy yourself Ms Godmother!” Harold interjected quickly after the deafening silence between the 3. She floated by with a somewhat plastered smile on her face. Always the mogul at events it was exactly the place her booming business would flourish from.
She herself had too felt the instant rekindling of feelings, good and bad, as soon as her gaze met the Queens. She had known her as a Princess back then when she herself had only just begun selling trinkets of harmless magic and potions to common folk. The years of separation between them had numbed the feelings both had for each other even as tumultuous as it had been. Her own heart had grown quite cold to most feeling and still felt numb even as she rubbed elbows with Far Far Away’s best and brightest celebrities. But as the evening began then with the dinner, she couldn’t help the fact that the indifference she had tried to feel was breaking with each glimpse she received of the Queen. The dinner went off without much issue between the guests. There were a few princesses vying for the most attention at their particular section of the table. But other than that and the occasional outburst of magical energy from another Fairy or Wizard, nothing much happened. Afterwards the guests were led towards a grand dancing hall inside the palace as the Royal band began the night's music with a calm tempo. Years of business had taught her well on how to work a crowd to her favor and the Fairy Godmother was building connections and tending to long time partners with ease.
The Queen however had experienced an entirely different version of the night to that point. Twisted napkins and several pitchers of water served to her had been her dinner experience as she too fought the urge to look across the room at the Fairy. Her heart seemed determine to jump out of her chest to drag her across the room itself. Thankfully Harold, as unaware as ever, had left her side by the time the dancing had called to more guests than sharing drinks did. She humored several gentlemen with a casual dance as a good Queen would. Fatigued by all the movement eventually, she filtered out of the crowd and to the outer edges of the hall.
A shadow caught her eye noticing it float out of the Hall door and turning towards the facilities located just outside down the corridor. She couldn’t mistake it for anyone else at the party and followed...her feet guiding her of an inner will that would not be ignored. Guests came and went from the restrooms and powder room beside it as the Queen mulled about trying to look as casual as possible but out of direct sight of the doors. The Fairy Godmother finally emerged from the powder room looking as put together as Lillian knew she maintained. But instead of returning promptly to the party, the Fairy turned towards the darker parts of the corridor and floated along the paintings and columns in quiet solitude. Lillian followed closely behind.
“You’re about quiet as Jack-Be-Nimble...But not quiet enough Dear.” Eglantine turned slowly in the faintest light near a large column. “I was just admiring the portraits I saw here, I’m familiar with your Royal Portraiture Artist’s work myself.” She floated closer to the ground, toes brushing the expensive carpet. Just as she was about to quip again, sure that it would finally turn Lillian off from those piercing looks she was giving, when the Queen moved forward faster than anticipated. She glanced behind her shoulder into the lighter part of the Castle behind them and then back to the Fairy. Swiftly she grabbed the Fairy Godmother gently by the shoulders and pushed them both behind the column. “Lillian…” Eglantine whispered breathlessly as she felt her feet finally flatten upon the floor and looked up at the woman.
Lifting the Fairy’s chin even further up, the Queen leaned in and kissed her with a want that rekindled each and every passionate encounter they once had. At first there was protest in the form of mentions of marriages between the both of them but Eglantine kissed back, her caution and coldness gone as she melted against the warmth of Lillian's chest. Hands grasped and cupped for a firm hold of each other between them. Legs leaned into another as the Fairy felt her back pressed against the wall. Meanwhile each woman battled the inner turmoil they faced with the decisions they had now made that night. Not wanting to feel too dominated by Lillian’s forwardness, Fairy Godmother took it upon herself to spread her lips on her former lover’s cheeks, jaw and neck as well.
Lillian allowed for the roaming caresses and kisses as she let her head drop beside the Fairy’s. Her breath was hard but quiet as she hugged the other woman closer to her. Just when she felt Eglantine try to pull back to initiate another full kiss, she pressed her own lips as close to the woman’s ear as she could.
“I’ve missed you…”
That was all she said. Expectantly, she felt the other woman tense as a barely audible gasp left her lips. News like this to the usually very calculating woman was exactly what Lillian knew she wasn’t used to hearing. Everything in her life even when they were together was managed and known before it happened. She never had any room for fuss and feelings deeper than lust when things got real. But Lillian felt fingernails dig carefully into her shoulders as the other woman’s forehead fell forward into the pocket of her neck and chest. Clearly the years and lingering pains had changed both of them in some ways. In others though...they still couldn’t help the pull each felt towards the other.
The Fairy Godmother began to whisper “I-”
“Lillian? Lillian!?” an echoed call from Harold broke the women apart quickly. Eglantine saw Lillian doing the same of checking herself for any loose hairs and smudged lips. To avoid any incident for either of them, the Fairy whipped her wand out and spread her magic to both of them, fixing their appearances back to normal. Lillian looked at her once more, this time with a lonely softness she hadn’t seen since they first kissed a long time ago. The Fairy Godmother glanced around the column and then back at her Queen. As footsteps approached she raised her wand one more time, but this time only for herself. Without so much as a goodbye she tapped her head and vanished from the spot. She landed somewhere in the corner of the dancing hall to little notice and felt her persona fall right back into place.
Lillian meanwhile stepped back from the spot where they had been and briskly met her husband down the hall. He smiled and held out his hands which she took quickly.
“Where have you been my Queen?” he asked.
“The powder room was simply too full to freshen up in my King.” she teased back and walked alongside him as he led her back towards the Gala “I went to my own to just take a breather from the commotion of it all.” She was thankful for the Fairy Godmother’s magic touch then as Harold studied her with a softness in his eyes.
“Don’t worry Love...By tomorrow you’ll be back to it all and happily serving the Kingdom as always.” She smiled. Inside only she knew how wrong she felt holding to the feelings that she didn’t know then, would never leave her. Even as she loved Harold she still longed for her Fairy.
As the night drew to a close and the last of the guests filtered out, following behind the crowd, the Fairy Godmother gave a curt and pleasant enough goodnight to the Royals and approached her carriage with grace. Once inside and settled her driver cracked the whip as it flew off towards the forest. Alone in her luxurious but empty cabin of a carriage, her head fell onto the tinted glass as she drew a shaking breath and spoke only to herself.
“I’ve missed you too…”
~~~
“Mom, Dad...Thank you for a wonderful night. I’m just glad we could end such a hectic night this well.” Fiona laughed as she and Shrek gave the King and Queen each a big hug and warm goodnight. The Castle staff were hard at work tearing down the party. Harold hopped out of his wife’s hands and looked up at her.
“Shall we my Queen?” he smiled up at her.
“You go on without me dear I have to let Johnathan from the Kitchen know about what to do with all the leftovers. I’ll be inside shortly.” she replied. Harold nodded understandingly and hopped away to the door. Once he was inside the Queen quickly turned around and walked to the center of the outdoor dance floor. Assorted staff ignored her presence as they took away chairs and tables. Bending down she scooped up the forgotten wand of the evaporated Eglantine. The night had already been a roller coaster of emotions, but only the Queen was fighting a battle of even more complicated emotions secretly keeping the wand at her side. The Fairy Godmother had just been the biggest antagonist of their night. If nearly killing Harold wasn’t bad enough she had also set out to break Shrek and Fiona apart for good without anyone knowing. Lillian wasn’t sure if forgiveness was appropriate right then. Hiding the wand in the pocket of ther dress she lifted her head to the sky where the other woman had vanished into a burst of bubbles. She had been too worried about Harold to react to that in the moment, but now felt the loss even still as happily ever after settled over the celebrating kingdom once more.
~~~
That was years ago and several tales between now. Queen Lillian was now a Grandmother, a widower, and only ruled over the kingdom part time with the advent of the young heir Shrek had found on his adventures. The Ogre in-law had finished recounting his adventure that both her and Fiona were entirely sure was a fever dream he had while nodding off during the children’s birthday party. Everyone eventually retired to their rooms for the night. The Castle was calm as it always was with only guards passing through the corridors every hour or so. Lillian however found herself facing yet another sleepless, dreamless night. She had been this way ever since Harold had died. She finished mourning him long ago though as the loneliness was now simply an emptiness a heart without a holder experiences naturally. A Queen without a companion and without someone her age with which to share wisdom with.
The secret she kept best from everyone, even her family, was the recognizable wand tucked under her pillow. Lillian lay awake in bed, allowing herself at the very least to rest her body while her mind pestered her with insomnia and her hand thumbed beneath the pillow to the handle of the magic wand. After a few silent minutes of realizing even her body that night wouldn’t give her rest, she sat up and pulled the wand out and pressed her back against her headboard. Clutching the wand to her chest, she thought of Eglantine and how if she were alive she might be someone the Queen could find comfort in. For all her crimes she couldn’t bring herself to hate the woman one bit.
“Why did you have to fire that blasted spell...You of all people...so careful...so method all the time except when it mattered.” she whispered to herself as she looked at the dulled blue star that sat atop the wand. The Fairy Godmothers business had long been bought up by other creatures and continued in multiple forms. But no other Fairy in the Kingdom had ever come close to Fairy Godmothers success and power. Most painful of all, Queen Lillian’s room overlooked the very spot where the woman had evaporated. Her fingers curled even further around the wand as she pressed the star against her cheek and closed her eyes. What felt like agonizing hours were only minutes when finally a fat and perfectly shaped tear fell from the queen’s eye and slid down her cheek. The salty tear rolled down slowly and fell onto the wand’s tip without her knowing as she felt her chest rack with muffled sobs. Despite her warm and open nature, Lillian wouldn’t allow anyone to see her this broken.
But then, the wand was flung from her hands and whipped around the room like the wind was carrying it in a tornado like fashion. The Queen gasped and pressed against the headboard more as she watched the magical device suddenly develop a mind of it’s own. As quickly as it reached its fastest speed, it stopped mid-air above her bed and froze in place. The Blue star was burning brightly now and blinded her for a moment before a loud ‘POP’ like a bubble bursting sounded through her chambers and caused her to shield her eyes from the following burst of blue light. For a moment she thought maybe clutching the wand too tightly had foolishly reactivated it’s seemingly deadly powers and zapped her into nothingness. A moment of realization when she could still feel her heart beating brought that notion to a stop and she lowered her hand that had shielded her from the light.
There above her floating and still as a rock, also as confused as to what had just transpired...was the Fairy Godmother.
She was back.
But this time her dress was white and though similar to her signature look had a shimmering blue trim around the edges. The Fairy’s eyes gawked at her own hands that shook in front of her, confirming she was now and again a part of the living. Just as she began rolling her fingers in amazement an astonished and beautiful voice called out to her.
“It...It’s you…” Queen Lillian sputtered out as she rose to her knees on the bed and nearly met the woman eye to eye but kept a distance as if unsure what was in front of her was real and not the cruelest dream of all. “I...you were gone...A-And now you’re here again! I...Where…” Her own hands raised as if to reach out to her Eee, but she stopped short. “Please tell me it’s really you. P-Please don’t tease me if this is a dream.”
Their eyes met and Fairy Godmother, as astonished as the Queen was, floated down to her level and slowly reached out and grasped the woman’s hands as she came to her knees.
“It’s me my Dear.” she murmured sweetly as her bright hazel eyes shimmered.
Queen Lillian pulled the Fairy Godmother so fast into her arms the recently revived woman barely had any time to take her in and see the joy on her face. Being presumably dead from the bubbled evaporation clearly had changed some of the character of Eglantine as the following words came from her lips.
“I’m sorry...I’m so sorry Lillian. I was so mad with power. I hurt you. I hurt everyone.” Eglantine pressed her face into the Queen’s lowered locks of hair and hid herself in the woman’s neck crook.
“Enough. No...My Darling I forgave you for that years ago.” Lillian whispered back as her arms remained tightly locked. “You might have done those things but I...I mourned for you that night and many nights since. Oh...Oh Eee I’ve missed you so much.” She pulled back enough to see her Fairy’s face and peppered her forehead with kisses. A laugh bubbled up from the Fairy’s mouth when Lillian gave pause and looked into her eyes. “But wait...How? How are you here!”
“I...I don’t know but…” she stopped and looked down to the center of where they sat. A soft blue glow radiated below them as her wand buzzed with energy. “My wand...You have my wand.” she spoke. Looking back up she noticed the tear trail left behind on Lillian’s cheek. “Lillian...were you crying?” she asked.
Lillian blinked and looked away blushing “It’s possible…” she replied vaguely
“A teardrop...A teardrop of true love.” Eglantine breathed out while smiling. Lillian looked back at her and to the wand again, stunned by her unconscious act of love. Before the Queen could speak again, the Fairy Godmother’s hand lifted to the cheek where the tear had been, wiping away the trail and leaned in to kiss the spot where it had ended on her skin. Lillian leaned deeply into her and nudged their foreheads together as their eyes met again. “Do you…?” Eglantine asked.
“Do I what?” Queen Lillian asked back.
“Love me?” The Fairy Godmother replied.
“I do. I always have. Couldn’t have brought you back if I didn’t...now could I?” the Queen returned. Eglantine was awestruck, but eventually replied
“I...I love you too Lillian.”
Slowly their lips met. It felt like their first but unlike every kiss before it felt fully right. It was whole and encompassing and oh so beautifully right! They found themselves tangled up in each other still minutes later. Maybe they felt a need to make up for time lost or maybe neither was good at learning to stop. Eventually, Lillian pulled the shorter woman into her bed and kept her close still.
The Fairy spoke up as Lillian continued to shower her with small pecks on the forehead. “You know...eons ago you and I would have been much more hot and quick don’t you think?” She chuckled. Lillian smiled as well but pulled back and caressed the Fairy Godmother’s cheeks.
“Darling we may be older but I’m not moving any faster anymore. I want to remember every single touch…every kiss. I’m not wasting a moment of this.”
Eglantine was more than stunned at her words, but she gave a small laugh in jest and replied “You’re starting to sound more like a Princess than a Queen your Majesty.” Lillian gave a chuckle as well and hugged the Fairy Godmother to her chest as she closed her eyes. Just when she thought all was silent for good, Eglantine spoke up once more. “Dear...How will we explain this to your Son-In-law and Daughter?”
“Oh...I’m sure once they hear the whole ‘true love’ thing it’ll all fall in place.” Queen Lillian drew the covers over their intertwined bodies and whispered “Goodnight my Darling…” Eglantine placed her head into her Love’s chest and whispered back.
“Goodnight...my Dear.”