"I think a cat isn't the worst option."
Harold, who had only been half-listening, suddenly went pale as his mind processed what he had just heard.
'Does he know I'm a frog?!' Harold panicked, staring fearfully at the cat who wanted to steal his daughter.
Puss felt a burning stare, and when he turned, he saw Fiona glaring at him with her beautiful, irritated blue eyes.
'You're so petty!' she transmitted with her eyes at him.
'What?! He's been provoking me for so long, I've been very patient already!' Puss rolled his eyes and transmitted back through his eyes and through their couple telepathy.
'My father is a bit hard-headed, but it's only because he cares about me. Don't be mad at him. But you hit below the belt, and used his insecurity to hurt him!' Fiona communicated, eyes narrowing in a blazing glare.
Puss wiggled his eyebrows back at her and winked.
'Believe me, dear, if your father knew anything that could hurt me, he would be the first to use it without hesitation,' he countered, amused.
Fiona fell speechless at such a valid argument.
On the other side of the table, Lillian was sending looks toward her nervous husband.
'Harold, what happened, why did you suddenly react like that?' she asked suspiciously, raising an eyebrow at him.
The poor king trembled and gave a tense smile, his eyes darting around the room while he tapped nervously on his leg.
'No, no, no, dear. It's my old knee aching again. I felt a twinge and my mind went blank for a second haha… haa…' he replied nervously.
Lillian eyed him with suspicion, wondering what her husband was hiding.
Thus, dinner became silent, everyone focusing on eating, minds full of thoughts.
Only poor Aurora had a confused look while watching the scene.
…
Puss escorted Aurora and Fiona to their rooms.
Aurora's was the castle basement, while Fiona's was her normal childhood bedroom.
After dropping the first one off in what was basically a large dungeon — a place where she could transform without fear of being buried under rubble, unlike in a bedroom — he took Fiona to her room and stopped at the door, looking into her eyes.
Fiona crouched down, hugging her knees, letting him see her up close.
Puss stretched out his paw and gently caressed her beautiful face.
"Fiona…" he whispered her name. "This journey might not be simple, and you won't always be able to hide in your room when night falls…"
She looked away at those words, but he held her chin and made her face him.
With serious eyes, he didn't waver.
"I want you to let me see. I want you to trust me. I won't stop loving you over such a thing. If you can't trust me just because you believe you get ugly at night, and that I'll leave you if I see you like that, when we grow old and you lose your beauty, won't you fear I'll abandon you then too?" he spoke firmly.
"It's different, you know that… it's not human." She looked away, guilt and insecurity in her voice.
"Fiona, I'm not human either, remember? You're my woman. I swear I'll love you no matter what you look like. As long as you're still you, I'll love you — and I'll find you beautiful. Do you understand that?!" he spoke firmly, not letting her avert her gaze anymore, giving his ultimatum. "If you aren't willing to show me your full self, our relationship won't work, and I won't feel safe taking you on a dangerous journey with that emotional baggage."
Though harsh, he spoke the truth, and his green eyes did not blink as he stared at her with determination.
Fiona bit her lips, her eyes red and wounded.
She stood up and tried to run into her room.
But Puss appeared in front of the door, much faster than her, blocking her while rolling his eyes.
"Move, Puss, I want to lie down," she demanded, tears forming in her eyes.
"If you asked me to leave and I just left, wouldn't I be proving to you that my determination is insufficient?" he complained, crossing his arms confidently as he lifted his head to face her. "Fiona, I swear I'll love you whether you're human or ogre. Simply because it's you."
His voice softened, and he looked at her with affection, but she looked away, stubborn as always. He didn't stop speaking because of that.
"Fiona, I admit I was enchanted by your appearance at first, but as the months we spent together went by and we got to know each other better, I no longer loved you for your looks or who I thought you were… I fell in love with who you are."
His voice, full of sincerity, froze her in place. And he continued.
"When I see how gentle you are with children, how patient you are with the needy, charitable, intelligent. How stubborn and hard-headed you are. How kind and strong you are. I love everything about you."
As his voice softened, tears fell from her eyes, and she suddenly scooped him into her arms and hugged him tightly.
He once again placed his paw gently on her face, smiling.
"Fiona, don't doubt my love for you, alright?"
His gentle tone and the soft caress on her face made her abandon all hesitation and fear in her heart.
Yes, fear. Fiona did not fear being mocked by others for her cursed appearance—well, not anymore.
What she truly feared was losing the man, or cat, she had fallen in love with.
Deep down she knew he wouldn't leave her because of it, but sometimes love was simply irrational like that.
The slightest possibility was enough to make one side—or both—suffer.
But in that moment, holding her beloved, she gathered courage and walked inside with him before closing the door—something that required great bravery from her.
She gently placed him on her bed.
"Alright. I'll show you…"
Murmuring with a complicated expression, she took a deep breath and then walked toward the bedroom balcony, opening the wooden doors.
Beyond them, the beautiful city of Far Far Away was clearly visible, slowly being embraced by the last golden glow of the day.
Due to Aurora and Fiona's special conditions, the royal family had to move dinner to before sunset, so they had already eaten by then.
Fiona looked at the setting sun.
"By night one way, by day another. This shall be the norm until you find true love's first kiss. Then, take love's true form."
She recited with a distant gaze, then turned toward him—and with the last flash of daylight fading behind her, a golden light enveloped her. Soft magical chants echoed as she floated within the glow.
Slowly her slender figure grew larger, her thin arms becoming thicker.
The beautiful princess who returned to the ground disappeared along with the golden magical light, leaving behind a female ogre whose features no longer held delicacy.
Fiona looked away, shame filling her heart as she stood before her beloved in such a form.
But while she averted her gaze, Puss did not.
"Fiona…" he called to her gently.
Overcoming the fear and shame in her heart, she forced herself to look back at him, and Puss could see tears clouding her blue eyes once more.
"Come here." He beckoned her closer while standing atop the tall bed.
Fiona hesitated, but eventually approached with her head lowered.
Puss stretched and managed to reach her chin with his paw, lifting her face so their eyes met—her blue eyes unchanged by the transformation.
"Do you know what I see when I look at you?" he asked, not breaking eye contact for a single moment.
"Ugliness?" she asked weakly.
"No!" he answered loudly and firmly, snapping her attention toward him, stunned.
"When I look at you, I still see the woman I fell in love with. No matter the form you take, simply by looking into your eyes, I will always know it's you, and my feelings will always remain the same."
His words made tears of happiness fall from her eyes.
Their relationship may not have progressed as quickly as her movie version with Shrek—especially due to Puss's intentional pacing—but without a doubt, the feelings they shared after months together were much stronger than one might imagine.
"Fiona, never doubt my love, because the moment I gave you my heart, I never expected to take it back," he said firmly.
"Pfff! Remember you gave your heart to more people than just me." She laughed, sniffling lightly as she wiped the tears from her chubby green cheeks with her sleeve.
Puss smiled seeing her like that—unable not to find her adorable.
"Well, that's true, but it doesn't change the fact I still gave it to you." He laughed loudly, putting his hands on his hips and throwing his head back, completely ruining the emotional atmosphere, making the girl smile fondly at him.
"Now come, let's lie down. I want to hold you to sleep tonight."
Puss suddenly kicked off his boots to the side of the bed, took off his belt and hat, tossing them aside too.
Finally, he grabbed Fiona's hand and pulled her onto the bed.
"Uah!" She squeaked, and before she realized it, she was lying on the bed.
Confused, she was about to ask if he truly didn't mind sleeping with her in that form—but before she could, she felt something fall between her breasts and settle there, moving.
Helpless, she looked down to see Puss shamelessly lying there, nuzzling his head between her chest like it was the most natural thing in the world.
'Well… he does this as naturally as he does when I'm in human form. Looks like he really loves me for who I am…' she thought, a smile growing uncontrollably on her lips as she gently stroked his head and back, feeling lighter than ever knowing her man truly loved her.
Meanwhile, Puss was thinking of something entirely different, extremely satisfied and smiling.
'Ohohoho! They're huge, and still comfortable and fragrant as always. Even turning into an ogress, my Fiona is still perfect.'