Chapter 12: High Noon


Donkey sat on the floor in a corner of the cell.  Looking out 
through the cell bars, he could see four guards standing by, 
keeping their eyes on him and his cellmates.  Shrek laid 
awkwardly on his back on one of the cots, his hands folded 
behind his head and his eyes closed.  Fiona paced back and 
forth across the cell floor, back and forth, every so often 
clenching her hands or casting a perturbed glance at the 
guards.  At length she stopped, looked over at Shrek, and asked 
with a bit of irritation, "How can you just LAY there like 
that?"

"It ain't easy," the ogre replied calmly, "this blasted cot 
really IS too small fer my dimensions --"

"That's NOT what I mean, Shrek, and you KNOW it!" she shot 
back.

"Well," Shrek said, opening his eyes and propping himself up on 
one elbow, "what would ye have me do?  Waste me energy pacin' 
back and forth like you?  Or did ye plan t'keep at it till ye 
wear a path deep enough that we kin use it as an escape 
tunnel?"

Fiona frowned at her fiance, but Donkey's ears perked up and he 
asked enthusiastically, "Can she DO that?  Is she THAT heavy 
now?"

Fiona slowly turned toward Donkey and glared at the animal, one 
of her eyes twitching slightly, her hands now fully clenched.  
Her mouth was closed tightly, but the sound of her teeth 
grinding within was quite audible despite that.  Donkey's smile 
faded, his ears drooped back, and his head lowered as Shrek bit 
his own lower lip to stifle a laugh.

"Uh -- what I MEAN is, uh --" the cowering Donkey stammered.  

Fortunately for the anxious equine, at that moment the low 
muzak that normally played through the speakers outside the 
jail was interrupted by a loud announcer's voice, which caused 
both ogres to swing their full attention out through the small 
barless window.  "Attention!  All personnel!" the announcer 
said.  Then he cleared his voice and continued, obviously 
reading from a script, "Hear ye, hear ye.  By order of the 
military governor of the province of Duloc, there shall be a 
spectacle of swift and sure justice at the coliseum at noon 
today.  All good citizens of Duloc proper are instructed to 
attend so that they might witness the fate of those who 
conspire to commit regicide, as well as anyone else who would 
treacherously seek to destroy the order and discipline that 
make this such a perfect place.  Bring the kiddies!  The first 
fifty children will receive free executioner's mask replicas as 
well as toy axes.  Hope to see you there!  Thank you."

The muzak resumed and the two ogres cast worried glances toward 
each other.  Then their attention was suddenly drawn past the 
front of the cell as the door to the hallway opened and Gledius 
entered, accompanied by several additional guards and, trailing 
behind, Beaglely.  The captain -- or former captain -- was 
dressed not in his familiar armor and arming cap, but rather 
wore a crimson outfit and hat much like that favored by 
Farquaad.  Beaglely, as normal, was dressed in a pressed, 
formal suit, and carried his briefcase.  Shrek rose from the 
cot and moved forward to stand beside Fiona as Gledius halted 
in front of their cell, just out of arm's reach.

"Well now," Gledius smiled, "good morning!  I'm sorry to have 
kept you in such unfortunate accommodations, but as I trust you 
just heard, you won't be detained much longer."

"Yes, Captain, we heard," Fiona replied with disdain.

"Excuse me, your former Highness," Gledius said, "but my 
station has changed somewhat.  You may address me as 'Governor' 
now."

"What *I'D* like to address you as --" Shrek began, then with a 
glance at Fiona, continued, "can't be said in mixed company."

"Yeah," Donkey chimed in, "it wouldn't be -- civilized."

"And speaking of civilization," Fiona added, crossing her arms, 
"most CIVILIZED societies I know have this little thing called 
a 'trial' before they sentence prisoners to death.  Or have you 
dispensed with that little formality?"

"Oh, no, not at ALL, your would-be Majesty!" Gledius replied 
with mock indignation, "We followed the letter of the law 
exactly.  You had your trial this morning!"

"WHAT?!" the two ogres and Donkey said together.

"Indeed!" Gledius said, "Actually, since one of the roles of 
King Farquaad was leader of the army, we were obliged to hold a 
military tribunal.

"Oh, really?" Fiona said, visibly trying to hold her temper, 
"and WE as the ACCUSED, were not even allowed to ATTEND this ... 
tribunal?"

"I'm sorry,"  Gledius said, "but there was the chance that 
military secrets might be revealed, which meant that only those 
with a need-to-know were allowed to attend."

"Military secrets?" Shrek growled.  "WHAT 'military secrets'?"

"I can't tell you that," Gledius said, "that's secret."

Shrek let out a disgusted harumph and shook his head.

"And who passed judgement on us?" Fiona asked, "Can you tell us 
THAT?"

"Indeed!" Gledius replied with exaggerated politeness, "By 
Dulocian law, a majority of the knights that reside within the 
province of Duloc attended the tribunal, and, with the evidence 
laid out, they unanimously found you guilty."

Fiona's brow furrowed.  "And how did you manage to gather a 
majority of the knights in Duloc together in one place so 
quickly?"

"It wasn't difficult," the new governor replied, "I simply went 
to the hospital convalescent ward.  Well over half the knights 
in Duloc were already there, still recovering from injuries 
received in the tournament held to determine your rescuer.  
Injuries inflicted by ... well ..."  Gledius trailed off and he 
nodded slightly toward Shrek.

"So this wasn't exactly an impartial jury," Fiona said.

"Impartial?" Gledius said, "The tribunal method says nothing 
about impartiality on the part of the attendees, only that both 
sides of the case be presented."

"But we had no lawyer!" Fiona protested.

"Oh, indeed you DID!" Gledius countered, "Your case was laid 
out by your appointed lawyer -- Mr. Beaglely here."

At that point all eyes turned toward Beaglely, who looked back 
coolly with no discernable emotions.

"Really?" Shrek said, then asked in a voice tinged with 
sarcasm, "And what did he say?"

Beaglely then spoke in response, his voice matter-of-fact.  "I 
simply laid out the facts leading up to and including the -- 
events of the wedding, as you had explained them to me.  
Unfortunately, the tribunal chose to believe the motives 
attributed by Governor Gledius."

"Up to the events of the wedding and -- nothing more?"  Fiona 
asked.

"No, your Majesty," Beaglely replied, "would there have been a 
point?"

Fiona sighed a deep, depressed sigh.  "No, Mr. Beaglely, I 
suppose not."  She then turned to Shrek and looked up at him 
with her large, slightly glistening blue eyes.  "I'm sorry 
Shrek," she said softly, "you were right.  You were SO right."

"I'm sorry, Fi," he said comfortingly, taking her in his arms, 
"I never wished I was wrong more in m'life."

*     *     *

Later that day, around 11:30, one of the square rocks that made 
up the floor to the cell began to move.  Then it began to rise.  
A few seconds later, the heavy stone slid aside and up through 
the opening peeked the head of Monsieur Hood.

"Mon amis!" he called gently in his French accent, "Come quick!  
We must be --"  But then he stopped, realizing his words were 
futile.  The cell was empty.  He looked out past the bars at 
the front of the cell and saw there was no jailkeep or guards, 
either.

"Sacre bleu!" he gasped, hoisting himself up out of the hole, 
"Zey are gone!"

Hood looked about the cell as a dwarf, his workman's clothes 
torn and dirty, a well-worn pick in his hands and a grumpy 
expression on his white-bearded face, peeked out of the hole.  
"Gone?!" he echoed.

"Oui," Hood confirmed, "gone!"

Just then another dwarf, this one bald and beardless and with 
unusually large ears and nose, popped up in the hole beside the 
first dwarf.  The new one looked about in bewilderment as the 
grumpy one scowled at him and said, "You led us to the wrong 
cell, you dope!"

"No-no," Hood said, noticing the barless window.  "It iz zee 
right cell, but --"  He heard noises from outside and went to 
the window.  He noticed large crowds of people milling toward 
the coliseum.  He also noted the presence of  a many alert-
looking guards AROUND the coliseum.

"Oh-oh," Hood said, "I zink our friends are to be zee main 
attraction at a one-time event about to 'appen inside zat 
coliseum."

The beardless dwarf looked confused, but the other one said, 
"Oh, well.  It looks like we're too late.  I didn't think this 
would do much good anyway, if you recall."

Hood turned toward the dwarves, an irritated expression on his 
face, and pointed in the direction of the coliseum.  "Can you 
tunnel us into zere?" he asked, "It iz about ... two hundred 
yards."

"Two hundred yards?!" the grumpy dwarf echoed, "Criminy, do you 
know how much effort that will --"  The dwarf then noted the 
wilting glares being leveled at him by both the bandit and his 
companion.  "Oh, good grief, all right," he growled, his large-
eared companion's glare changing to a smile, "but it will take 
a while.  There's only seven of us in this tunnel, y'know."

"Zen we had best get started, n'est pas?" Hood asked.

The bearded dwarf scowled and muttered something 
incomprehensible, then he and his companion disappeared down 
the hole.  Hood quickly followed after them.

*     *     *

It was just a few minutes later when the coliseum doors opened 
and the three prisoners were led in.  Fiona was first, her 
hands bound behind her back by heavy rope tied tightly about 
her wrists.  Just behind her came Shrek, likewise bound.  
Behind them a soldier led Donkey by a rope leashed around his 
neck.  Around the three prisoners marched a group of twenty 
soldiers, all with swords drawn and ready, and all paying close 
attention to their charges.  In front of this group of guards 
and guarded  marched Lieutenant Maximus.

Shrek looked around the circle of guards for an opening or weak 
link -- and found none.  Unlike the contingent led by Gledius, 
this crop of Maximus's soldiers seemed to know what they were 
doing.  He then looked around the top of the coliseum and, as 
at the tournament held there so recently, he saw a ring of 
crossbowmen, their weapons already cocked and trained in him 
and his companions.

Also like the tournament, the seats of the stadium were filled 
with Dulocians.  When the ogres entered, a general, indistinct 
murmur rose from hundreds of throats.  At the far end of the 
coliseum, behind the high podium previously manned by Farquaad, 
stood a smug looking Gledius, and behind him, off to one side, 
stood a characteristically placid Beaglely.  In the center of 
the stadium ground there sat an uncovered twenty-foot-long 
flatbed wagon with a six-foot ramp leading from the ground up 
to the flatbed at one end, and on the other end was erected a 
chopping block, with a large wicker basket laying just in front 
of it.  Beside the chopping block, waiting patiently, stood the 
behooded Thelonious.  He carried a large-headed axe in one 
hand, and Shrek could note an occasional glint of sunlight 
reflecting off of its sharpened blade.   Off to the other side 
of the chopping block, trembling slightly, stood the hunched 
figure of the priest that had married Fiona and Farquaad.  He 
gripped what Shrek assumed was a Bible in his hands and looked 
at the oncoming procession with a worried expression.  Shrek 
smirked, wondering what the CLERGYMAN had to be worried about.

One other figure of note was that of a man in plain village 
clothes who stood off to one side of the wagon.  He was 
carrying what looked to be a set of posters and looking back up 
at Gledius.  As Shrek and his companions and escorts marched 
across the coliseum ground, Gledius nodded to the man. He bowed 
back, then looked up at the crowd and held up a poster that 
read, "BOO'S and JEERS."  After a moment's hesitation, the 
crowd responded, raining a chorus of derision down on the 
prisoners.  Shrek sneered back at them.  THESE were the people 
that Beaglely thought could handle the "empowerment" of self-
government?  Shrek shook his head.  In front of him, he saw 
Fiona, who had obviously observed the same things, slump in her 
posture.  Above the din of the crowd, he thought he could also 
make out her soft sniffle.  A brief flood of anger coursed 
through him, and Shrek strained at his bonds.  But it was no 
use -- the knot held.  Mumbling under his breath, Shrek 
continued to march, his eyes alert and mind racing to find a 
workable option among the quickly dwindling possibilities.

As they reached the base of the ramp Maximus stood aside and, 
looking back at his charges, took his sword and used it to 
gesture to his men to lead them up the ramp.  But the gesture 
was greatly lacking in enthusiasm.  And as Shrek followed Fiona 
up the ramp -- which, despite being rather thick, creaked and 
bowed slightly under their weight -- he saw that the 
Lieutenant's face looked glum and reticent, and he avoided eye 
contact with the ogre.

"What's wrong?" Shrek goaded Maximus mockingly, "Aren't ye 
PROUD of this grand show you're puttin' on in 'defense' of your 
wonderful village and precious humanity?"

Maximus did not reply, but rather simply shifted his eyes away.  
The ogre began to say something else, but ahead of him he heard 
Fiona say in a voice resigned and weary, "Shrek, please.  
Don't."

Shrek looked toward her, but could only see her back and 
slumped head.  "Don't give up, Fiona!"  He said in a loud 
whisper, "Don't never give up!"  But he saw no response from 
her.  He then glanced back over his shoulder and saw Donkey 
behind him.  Donkey was looking up at the crowd with wide, 
terrified eyes, and was noticeably trembling.  Under his breath 
the beast kept mumbling, "I don't wanna die!  I don't wanna 
die!"

Fiona reached the top of the ramp and stepped onto the flatbed, 
then continued walking toward the executioner and priest at the 
far end.  Shrek felt one of the guards prod him with the tip 
his sword.  Shrek shot the helmeted figure an evil look and 
sneer, then reluctantly followed Fiona.   Several of the guards 
then followed the trio of prisoners onto the flatbed and stood 
to either side of them as they came to a halt just before the 
chopping block.  Shrek looked at the priest, who in turn 
cowered and looked down with a touch of fear but also what 
appeared to be a touch of embarrassment and -- shame?  It was 
not unlike the look that Shrek saw in Maximus's face.  Speaking 
of the lieutenant, Shrek noted him taking position on the 
ground just in front of the wagon, where he stood so he could 
face all the prisoners.  

Just then the three prisoners jumped slightly in surprise as a 
set of five trumpets sounded a few short notes.  The crowd 
noise died and they all looked over to where Gledius stood.  
The governor smiled to the crowd and then began to speak, his 
words loud and exaggerated.  "Friends, Dulocians, citizens, 
lend me your ears!" the said.  "We are assembled here today to 
see justice done to those who would wound our noble knights, 
kill our newly crowned king, usurp the throne of Duloc, and 
threaten to undermine the very foundations of Dulocian society 
itself!" Gledius then looked down at the prisoners and gestured 
toward them with his upturned arms, and continued, "Look at 
them!  Three MONSTERS, hideous freaks borne in evil, sent here 
as the vanguard to prepare the way for others of their ilk to 
despoil the society that our murdered monarch fought so long 
and so hard to make safe and secure for us and our kind.  
Through sorcery and magic tricks and sweet deceptive words and 
premeditated shows of apparent 'kindness' they thought to 
manipulate the sentiments of our citizenry to accept -- nay, 
EMBRACE them and their rule, and stand aside as more and more 
of them infiltrated our precious Dulocian society that good 
King Farquaad had so diligently and painstakingly labored to 
purify and make safe for you and your children."  

At those words Gledius signaled to the sign bearer, and the man 
held up the "BOO'S and JEERS" sign again.  The crowd responded 
accordingly, and Shrek noticed a few women instinctively draw 
their children protectively to them as they looked down with 
scolding eyes and berated the trio.  Shrek just shook his head.  
In front of him Fiona continued to look down, and behind him 
Donkey continued his terrified trembling.

Gledius made a chopping notion with his arm and the sign bearer 
lowered the sign.  As the jeering died down, the governor 
continued.  "Fortunately, Dulocian law has triumphed.  As per 
said law and per my former responsibility of Captain of the 
Guards, I have reluctantly been forced to assume the temporary 
military governorship of Duloc and arrest the scheming 
culprits.  And as per said law, the creatures were tried and 
found guilty of all charges.  So our law, the thing we hold so 
dear, and which I would rather die than see adulterated, has 
come to our rescue.   I have even asked City Manager Beaglely 
here, the most expert person on our laws --" Gledius gestured 
back to Beaglely -- "to verify the veracity and legitimacy of my 
actions.  Mr.  Beaglely?"

Beaglely stepped forward beside Gledius and addressed the crowd 
in his matter-of-fact voice, "Yes, it is true that the arrest, 
attainment of the military governorship, and conviction of the 
four defendants was consistent with provisions of Dulocian law, 
which Governor Gledius is now obliged to uphold."

Beaglely then simply stopped speaking, stepped back, and looked 
over at Gledius.  The governor looked back at him, pleased at 
the confirmation but slightly perplexed about its wording.  
Gledius quickly shoved that aside and again began addressing to 
the crowd.  "You heard City Manager Beaglely speak of FOUR 
convicts," he said, "the fourth, and most terrifying, is 
currently bound and under heavy guard at the base of the royal 
castle.  I refer, of course, to the terrible dragon, the 
hellspawn that actually devoured our King and was then used as 
an instrument of terror over the citizens and defenders of 
Duloc to suppress them while these others seized the King's 
chambers and began plotting to undue all his attempts at order 
and security.  Fortunately, through Divine inspiration, I was 
able to find a way to trick the tricksters, and so I was able 
to subdue the beast.  Although it proved too dangerous to 
attempt to move the monster from its moorings to be here in 
this coliseum to share the fate of its confederates, 
immediately following our business here I shall personally see 
to it that its days of butchery are ended by slaying it 
myself!"  With that Gledius drew his sword and raised it in the 
air with his right arm in a grand gesture, while making a 
subtle indication to the sign bearer with his left.  The man 
obediently raised a card that said "CHEERING."  The crowd 
cheered obediently.  Shrek rolled his eyes.

"But first things first," Gledius said, re-sheathing his sword.  
"Mr. Beaglely, if you would be so kind as to read the 
sentence."

Beaglely nodded and leaned forward to set down his briefcase.  
After fumbling with it a moment he arose holding a scroll in 
his hands.  He read, "It is the judgement of this tribunal that 
Fiona, Queen of Duloc, and the queen's confidants known as 
'Shrek' the ogre, the donkey, and the dragon, are found guilty 
of the charges levied against them.  The queen and the queen's 
said confidants are hereby ordered to be put to death beginning 
upon the first stroke of noon on the day of this order."

Beaglely stopped reading and looked toward the clock tower.  
All other eyes in the stadium that could see the tower looked 
towards it as well.  Even Fiona looked up.  The clock read 
11:50.

Gledius looked down at the platform.  "Prepare the 'Queen'!" he 
ordered, tingeing his pronouncement of Fiona's title with 
sarcastic contempt.

Two guards simultaneously took hold of Fiona's arms.  "NO!" 
Shrek cried, and started to move forward.  But he suddenly felt 
the weight of several guards on him, and he was forced down to 
his knees.  A sword appeared at the base of his throat, 
silencing him and forcing him to end his struggles -- for now.

Fiona allowed herself to be led the couple of steps toward the 
base of the chopping block.  The priest stepped forward, 
looking even more hunched than normal.  He finally looked up at 
her and asked gently, "Do you have any last confessions ... your 
Highness?"

"Confessions?" she said, almost absently.  Then she smiled 
sadly and said, "Only a sincere if misplaced desire to do right 
and --" here she looked back to Shrek "-- and an undying love 
for that most special of beings.  My rescuer.  My love."  She 
offered Shrek, whose eyes still darting furtively about for 
some sort of option, one last tentative little smile, then she 
sighed and turned back toward the priest.  "That's all, 
Father," she said.

The priest hesitated for a moment, staring into Fiona's sad, 
sincere, deep blue eyes.  "Bless you, child," he said softly.   
She smiled back meekly.

"Very good, Father!" Gledius called down.  "You've performed 
your assigned duties for that monster.  You may step aside so 
that the executioner may prepare to perform his!"

At first the priest did not move.  "Father!" Gledius called 
down, "Did you hear me?  Is your hearing all right?"

At that point the priest slowly turned and looked up at the 
governor.  The priest's face was red with a mixture of fear, 
embarrassment, and -- oddly -- anger.  "There are no 'monsters' 
here," the priest said, his voice nearly cracking as it rose to 
a level it had not assumed in years, "unless I am looking at 
one!"

Gledius, startled, stared down in disbelief as the robed 
figure, trembling nearly as much as Donkey now, raised a long 
finger, bent with arthritis, and pointed directly at the 
governor. "If you do this thing," the priest said, "it is not 
THEY who will need God's mercy, but you, and all that support 
you in this wretched action.  I refuse to be numbered among 
them any longer."  The priest lowered his finger, then his arm, 
and then his head.  His trembling increased and he seemed  to 
be having trouble keeping his feet.  He then spoke again, his 
voice also trembling terribly now as he said, "May God forgive 
me for my silence until now." 

The priest then collapsed. Thelonious dropped his axe and 
quickly moved to catch the clergyman as he fainted.  Like many 
in the audience, Fiona shrieked at the sight -- she tried moving 
forward but her own bonds keep her from being able to help.  
Shrek started to move, hoping that this unexpected event might 
distract the guard at his throat, but the man was well 
disciplined and kept the sword there, ending Shrek's hope.

Maximus quickly ran to the edge of the platform.  "Here!" he 
called to Thelonious, reaching toward him with upstretched 
arms.  The executioner kneeled and gently handed the frail, 
elderly priest down to the Lieutenant.  Maximus then nodded 
toward two nearby guards.  "You two!" he called, "Take him to 
the hospital!  Be quick!"

The two guards hurried over and as Maximus carefully handed him 
over to them the priest opened his eyes, smiled weekly at 
Maximus, and laid a tender hand against his cheek.  "Bless you, 
child," he whispered, "I'll be all right.  It's just that it's 
been so long since I've had such ... exhilaration ..."  Then he 
closed his eyes and his hand dropped. 

Frightened, Maximus laid his ear against the priest's chest.  
He thanked God when he could still hear a heartbeat.  He stood 
back and said to the two guards, "Go!  Be quick!"  The guards 
started toward the exit of the stadium, moving as quickly as 
they could without jostling their frail cargo too much.  A 
moment later they disappeared through the door as the 
indistinct buzz of crowd noise around the stadium grew.

Gledius, who had been watching the scene agape in wide-eyed 
horror, finally came to his senses.  Shaking his head, he 
called out, "Great Heavens!  The Sorceress isn't done yet!  
Look how the she-beast was even able to mesmerize one of God's 
holiest, most loyal servants, and a true icon of Duloc!"  

Gledius then gestured to the card bearer, the gesture more 
overt and desperate than he would have liked.  The  bearer saw 
it, but was a bit confused about which card he was to hold up.  
He tentatively showed Gledius the "CHEERING" sign.  Gledius 
shook the sign off, and held down two fingers.  The bearer then 
indicated the "BOO's and JEERS" sign.  Gledius gave a short, 
curt nod, and the card bearer held up the sign.  At that point 
many in the crowd obediently let loose with the prescribed 
noises, but about half the crowd continued their indistinct, 
confused buzz of conversation about what they had just 
witnessed, and what it meant.  Shrek noticed the difference, 
and looked about him at the many confused faces.  Then he 
looked up to where Fiona stood, her white dress brightly 
reflecting the noontime light, reminding him of some heavenly 
messenger -- albeit one with green skin, disheveled red hair, 
and bound hands.  She was also looking around her at the crowd, 
also noticing the unexpected confusion and the number of people 
who hadn't noticed or were refusing to obey the sign.  And then 
she smiled.  It was not the sad smile of a few moments before, 
but one of renewed hope.  Her blue eyes, morose before, now 
twinkled slightly.

"Quickly!" Gledius called down, "Executioner, perform your duty 
before that vile creature can do any further damage!"

"NO!" Fiona called back up at Gledius, "I believe I have the 
right to say some last words!"

"NO!" Gledius said, "You are not allowed!  Proceed with the 
execution!"

"NO!" Beaglely  yelled.

The entire stadium finally fell silent -- Fiona and Gledius 
included -- and stared in disbelief at the dapper little man who 
had just yelled so loudly.  Beaglely cleared his throat and 
said, "Dulocian law dictates that the prisoner is allowed to 
make a last statement."

"But ..." Gledius began to protest.

"It is the law, Governor," Beaglely said, with perhaps a tad to 
much emphasis on the word 'Governor', "and you have sworn to 
uphold it."

Gledius frowned and glanced over at the clock tower.  11:54.  
"Very well," he said, then turned to the crowd.  "By law the 
convicted is allowed to speak!" he announced.  "But beware!  
This is no normal criminal!  This is a creature who has used 
her powers to strike down kings and priests!   Prepare to 
shield yourselves, and do not fall victim to her demonic 
wiles!"

"Are you QUITE finished?" Fiona, flushed with anger, called up 
to the Governor.

"Speak, she-beast!" Gledius called down, "And be quick, so that 
we may do justice!"

Fiona sneered at Gledius, then looked over the crowd as it grew 
progressively quiet.  Then she began speaking, her voice loud 
and strong.   "Citizens of Duloc, the so-called Governor has 
claimed that my motives in marrying Farquaad and becoming your 
queen were selfish and self-centered.  That I had a hidden 
agenda.  In this, he is correct!"

A surprised murmuring quickly rose throughout the stadium.  
Gledius's face took on a look of shock, then he cocked an 
eyebrow and one corner of his mouth curled in a wicked smile.  
Shrek's face also registered shock, his jaw dropping.  "Woman," 
he moaned, "what're ye do --"  

An intense sidelong glance from Fiona silenced Shrek, then she 
waited a few more seconds for her words to sink into the crowd 
and for their murmuring to die down.  "However," she then 
continued, "that agenda had nothing to do with plots against 
your Lord Farquaad, who I had only met that morning, or to 
seize control of your kingdom.  Indeed, it was much more 
personal and self-centered than that.  I cared not for Duloc at 
all.  My goal in wedding Farquaad was to rid myself of a curse 
-- a curse which at night changed me into ... into what you see 
before you now.  I had no feelings for you, nor even for 
Farquaad himself.  Indeed, the only person who I cared about, 
who meant anything to me and whose happiness I cared about -- 
was myself.  Love's first kiss, I knew, was the cure for my 
plight, and I was determined to achieve that goal -- even though 
I really didn't know at the time what 'love' was -- I only had a 
silly, superficial idea.  I had thought that kiss was to be 
shared with my rescuer.  But when that rescuer turned out to be 
a large and pugnacious ogre --" here she spared a brief glance 
and smile toward Shrek "-- I allowed myself to believe that, as 
he claimed at the time, my true love was destined to be his 
employer, Lord Farquaad; a man who, after all, had the 
appropriate pedigree and rank to make a 'proper' husband for 
me.  And so we began our journey back here.  But for me, it was 
actually two journeys -- one of miles, and one of maturity.  
Within the castle walls I saw my rescuer demonstrate bravery 
and cunning to rival any knight.  Then, along the journey here 
I glimpsed the depths of his soul, a soul more pure and noble 
than any I could have imagined, in man or ogre."  She looked 
down at Shrek again and smiled.  The ogre returned the smile 
awkwardly and blushed.

"SOUL?!" Gledius boomed, his tone derisive.  Fiona swung back 
around and glared up at the governor as he continued, "What do 
you know of souls?  You're a beast, like your 'rescuer'!  You 
abandoned your soul when you abandoned your humanity!"

"The currents of my rescuer's soul run far deeper than the 
pathetic shallows that YOURS treads!" Fiona spat back.

"Really?" Gledius said, "Well, you --"

"SIR!" Beaglely interrupted.

Gledius looked back, irritated.  "What is it?"

"You are not allowed to interrupt the condemned during her last 
statement."

"But I --"

"It's the LAW," the city manager said with an air of finality.

Gledius frowned, then looked back down at Fiona.  "Very well," 
he said, "you'll find out about the fate of your souls soon 
enough.  Finish your statement, ogress, so that we may finish 
this affront to our fair province."

Fiona shot one last venomous look at Gledius, then fought to 
regain her composure as she again addressed the crowd.  "As I 
was saying, the more time I spent with my companion, the more 
he opened my eyes -- and my heart.  For the first time that I 
can recall, I felt something for someone other than myself.  
But the scales of prejudice and conditioned expectations were 
all not so easily washed away, and so I allowed myself to 
continue to believe that when I shared a kiss with Farquaad, 
magic would happen and I would fall in love.  Such delusions 
clouded my realization that the true magic was already 
happening as my rescuer and I spent more time together and 
learned more about each other.  It was a realization that I 
fear I did not fully grasp until just after Farquaad and I were 
pronounced wed, and Shrek came to my rescue once more.  What 
happened then -- I truly, truly regret.  I chose to stay 
afterwards because I felt a sense of responsibility because, 
yes, a great deal of that was my fault, and I wanted to try to 
set things right.  To that end, we attempted to craft a new 
constitution for the people of Duloc, one that did away with 
royalty altogether, and made each of you equal in the eyes of 
the law -- whether you be born of Dulocian nobility, or an ogre 
making due on its outskirts.  Equal protection, tolerance, and 
even a voice in electing your leaders, so that Duloc in law 
would recognize what I learned as a person -- that things like 
royalty and class and differences of outward appearance are 
artificial constructions that only get in the way of fulfilling 
our  innate potential and recognizing our inner beauty."  

The murmuring of the crowd picked up again.  Gledius looked 
around, somewhat nervously, as Fiona concluded.  "Perhaps it 
was an idea too radical, too ahead of its time.  And perhaps I 
am guilty of bad judgement.  But I am not guilty of the charges 
of which I have been convicted.  And my companions --" here she 
nodded back towards Shrek and Donkey "-- their only guilt is in 
love and loyalty towards me, however misplaced that has turned 
out to be.  If a life must be taken, then take mine.  But my 
companions are not conspirators.  They are heroes."  Now she 
looked directly up at Gledius and said, "They deserve the 
gratitude of Duloc, not its condemnation."

"Yes, well, the tribunal has ruled otherwise," Gledius said, 
forcing confidence into his voice, "now, are you finished?"

Fiona glanced up at the crowd to either side of her as their 
murmuring continued to increase in volume, then stared back up 
at Gledius.  "Am I?" she asked wryly.

Gledius licked his lips then addressed the executioner standing 
beside Fiona.  "Thelonious, do you duty!"

Fiona felt a hand come to rest on her shoulder, then it forced 
the ogress down to her knees with surprising strength.  She 
looked up at the head atop the tall muscular figure and saw 
only what looked like greenish skin behind the black hood's 
eyeholes.  "Who ARE you?" Fiona asked.

"Sorry, Miss," Thelonious said in his dull voice, ignoring her 
question, "just doin' my job."  With that, he placed a hand 
atop Fiona's head and forced her to lean down over the chopping 
block, then quickly cinched a rope across her neck to hold her 
in place.

"FIONA, NO!!!" Shrek screamed again, and again tried to move.  
And again, he felt the blade at his throat and the prick of 
several other swordpoints, as well as the hands of a dozen 
humans keeping him in place on his own knees.

Gledius signaled to the sign bearer, who held up a sign that 
read, "ANXIOUS SILENCE."  But the crowd's murmuring continued, 
actually picking up in volume.  From the general drone, a few 
shouted phrases could be made out, among them  "LET HER GO!" 
and  "RELEASE THEM!" 

Then someone shouted "FREE THEM!"  A few other voices also 
shouted, "FREE THEM!"  Then, several people in a small group 
voiced in unison the phrase "FREE THEM!"  And then they kept 
repeating it, in a type of chant, punching each word forward, 
"FREE THEM!  FREE THEM!  FREE THEM!"  Other people around the 
stadium began picking up on the chant, and soon voices from all 
over were joining in the chorus, "FREE THEM!  FREE THEM!  FREE 
THEM!"

Gledius felt sweat popping out on his brow. He signaled to the 
sign bearer again, and the latter held up a sign that said 
simply, "SILENCE!"  But it seemed to have no effect.  The 
governor looked over at the clock tower.  11:58.  He looked 
down at Thelonious and nodded anxiously.   The executioner 
nodded back and began to raise his axe.  Fiona closed her eyes 
and bit her lip in anticipation.  Shrek screamed again, 
"NOOOO!"  Several people in the crowd screamed also, but it 
finally fell silent as Thelonious continued to raise his blade.

But then he stopped with it half-way up.  He looked down at 
Fiona, her eyes still shut, but her lips were moving now as if 
she were uttering a silent prayer. Thelonious sighed and again 
began to raise the axe.

Then he stopped again.

The executioner gave a deeper sign, then lowered the axe all 
the way.  "Nope," he said simply.  "This ain't happenin'."  

A cheer went out from the crowd and Shrek nearly collapsed with 
relief.  Fiona also let out a deep breath and would have 
collapsed herself had she not already been laying on the 
chopping block.  The various soldiers anxiously looked up 
around them at the surprisingly and quite uncharacteristically 
restive crowd.  Maximus felt particular concern as he eyed the 
people, but so far they seemed content to raise voices, not 
resistance.  His attention was quickly diverted from the crowd, 
however, when he heard Gledius's shrill voice, screaming a few 
octaves higher than he had heard it before, "LIEUTENANT!"  
Maximus looked up at the governor and saw him, his face red and 
sweating, his eyes nearly bulging, waving one extended finger 
at Thelonious.  "ARREST THAT MAN!"

Maximus paused, then turned towards a few of his nearby 
soldiers, who stood attentively awaiting his orders.  The 
lieutenant nodded toward Thelonious.  The soldiers saluted, 
turned and moved toward the chopping block.  A few seconds 
later they were leading Thelonious under guard down off of the 
wagon and toward the stadium exit as the crowd boo'ed heavily.  
Maximus then turned and looked back up to where Gledius had 
been, but the governor was gone.  Maximus frowned and shifted 
his gaze to the clock tower.  It was now less than a minute to 
noon.  Suddenly Maximus heard heavy footsteps, and turned to 
see Gledius striding quickly and broadly across the stadium 
floor towards the wagon.  His eyes held a strange, almost 
maniacal look, part panic and part anger.  Maximus wasn't sure 
which emotion held more sway, but he was sure of one thing; 
those eyes remained fixed on Fiona's still bound form on the 
wagon.  As the governor passed Maximus, the lieutenant heard 
him mutter, apparently to himself, "If you want something done 
right, you have to do it yourself!"

Shrek was still feeling the residual wave of relief from when 
Thelonious had refused to perform his bloody chore, and had 
been watching with gratitude and sadness as the executioner was 
being led away past the back of the wagon.  Thus he did not 
notice the slight clattering from the front of the wagon as 
Gledius leapt onto it.  But then the crowd gave a collective 
gasp and Fiona screamed, and Shrek swung his gaze attentively 
forward.  The ogre roared in rage and horror as he saw Gledius, 
eyes crazed and glaring down at the trapped and struggling 
Fiona, raise Thelonious's heavy discarded axe shakily upwards.  
The sunlight again glistened off of its razor-sharp blade.

Then the clock struck noon.