Author's Note:

Just to kill time until my writer's block clears, I've decided to write another Shrek fanfic.

It was a day like any other for King Arthur Pendragon. He addressed the court of Far Far Away with their issues, spoke to the people, knighted a few noble-hearted men, and christened two boats on voyages across the sea from Far Far Away.

He had been doing pretty much the same routine through the five years of being King.

Arthur had grown out of his teenage awkwardness, now a man… he had embodied the royal position of king. Though he still was a little stubborn-minded and tended to be a smart aleck around a few of his close friends, he was devoted and righteous.

This fine morning in the month of June, with all of Far Far Away's farmers tending to their crops, King Arthur was out on his daily stroll around his palace's grounds. Far away enough from the bustle of the downtown area and the castle, but close enough that he wasn't concerned about the need for bodyguards.

He would've looked like any other ordinary male citizen, stripped of his regal robes down to a plan tunic and leggings, had he not the emerald adorned crown of Far Far Away set atop his sandy-blonde head. He walked the grounds with a steadfast gait.

A few passing gardeners, their robes and faces smeared with streaks of mud, waved to Arthur as he walked by. Over the years Arthur and the workers on his palace's grounds had become mutual friends through his daily strolls.

The king inhaled the soft morning air; it was crisp with the spicy bite of the coming summer. Many flowers were already in bloom around the grounds; perfuming the air with their heady fragrance.

Arthur turned the last bend in the palace grounds, meeting up with his loyal servants at the cobblestone path into the castle. Even after five years of morning strolls, Arthur still chuckled at the sight of his pale servants squinting in the morning light for him.

He walked up to Fiddlesworth, the head of his personal servants, who nodded respectfully and then shuffled into the palace with his quartet of workers.

Arthur sighed, taking one last glance at the beautiful summer morning, and followed Fiddlesworth through the palace to his room, where he begun getting dressed into his thick robes for the day.

Queen Lillian, most affectionately known by Arthur as Aunt Lillian, sat at her right-handed seat from the head of the dining table. She wore a rose-pink silk dress. Her emerald tiara-like crown was braided securely into her greying blonde hair.

She paced herself these days, whether it was from the heat of the summer or from her age slowly catching up to her, she hardly knew. She sat at the table, mechanically dipping her slender fingertips into the warm rose-scented water.

Awkwardly, her nephew, Arthur, slipped silently into the dining room and took his seat beside her at the head of the table.

"Another robe hassle, Arthur?" Lillian asked kindly. She daintily dried off her fingers and looked over her nephew with her silver green eyes.

"Well," Arthur absent-mindedly dipped his fingers into his cooling water. "Fiddlesworth and I had another argument about how many robes I should wear." He looked down at his ivory tunic and dark green trousers. "I managed to escape before Raul could come in an attack my hair…" The young man looked up at his shaggy sandy-blonde hair.

Lillian chuckled softly. "Oh Arthur." She smiled warmly. "You most certainly haven't changed since you got here." She gently placed an affectionate hand on top of her nephew's.

Arthur smiled back at his aunt, still having the same caring smile as he had in his youth.

The head chef walked into the dining room. "Breakfast, is served." He bowed formally to the two royals.

A nimble-legged runner bowed to the two feasting monarchs. "I carry a message for you, your grace." The pageboy rolled his rs with his tongue as he spoke.

"Can this wait?" Arthur asked, a little irritated to have his breakfast interrupted by royal business.

"I'm afraid not, your majesty." The young pageboy stated humbly. "For it is a matter of great importance."

"Speak then." King Arthur sighed, waving his hand to the pageboy.

"Ehem…" The pageboy cleared his throat and pulled out a short scroll. "King Lewis of Scotland and Queen Josephine of Scotland have to cancel their mutual agreement with you, King Arthur, of their daughter's marriage to you once you turn the age of twenty-one."

"And why is that?" Arthur raised an eyebrow.

"She has fallen dead from the plague." The pageboy stated dryly.

"Oh, the poor girl." Lillian frowned.

The young king looked guiltily down at his plate of food, loosing his appetite from the news. "Send King Lewis and Queen Josephine my regards." King Arthur sighed miserably.

"I shall, King Arthur." The pageboy bowed and exited the dining room.

There was a pause of silence between Lillian and Arthur as the table was unset.

"Well." Lillian looked up at her only nephew, trying to break the tense silence. "It seems that we will need to find you a new bride-to-be."

"Yes." Arthur sighed. He rubbed his chin in thought. "And soon…" He murmured. "My twenty-first birthday is only a few weeks away." He pondered silently.

Lillian nodded in agreement.

There was a knock at the dining room door.

"Come in." Arthur called out.

Fiddlesworth and his band of workers entered. "Your highness…" Fiddlesworth grit his teeth together out of irritation.

Arthur sighed tiredly. "Is there at least a messenger among you?"

A small curly-haired boy stepped from the crowd. "Your grace?" He pulled out a scroll and a fountain pen.

Arthur cleared his throat. "Send to all of the surrounding kingdoms for an available princess that is of the marrying age. Invite them, and their parents, to a royal ball…" Arthur paused for a moment. "Which will also need to be planned."

"Another princess, sire?" Fiddlesworth interrupted coldly.

"Yes." Arthur glared at his head servant. "My recent bride-to-be has fallen dead from the plague in Scotland." He stated.

"Such a tragic loss." Fiddlesworth answered dryly.

The messenger fumbled with the drying scroll. "To Worcestershire, Duloc, and other surrounding kingdoms, your grace?" He enquired.

"Yes." Arthur nodded curtly.

"As you command, King Arthur." The messenger bowed to his superior, quickly rolled up his scroll, and then left the dining room.

"Anyways." Fiddlesworth cleared his throat. "My liege…" He narrowed his dark eyes. "I believe you are wanted in the throne room to address to the kingdom's issues."

"Of course." King Arthur stood from the dining table. "Aunt Lillian." He gestured politely to his aunt.

"Of course, Arthur." Aunt Lillian lifted her fragile self from her chair and walked out of the dining room by Arthur's side.

Author's Note:

Well that's the first chapter!

Manga Girl #6