Fiery Love Through Burning Sands Chapter 2: Shadows Of Fate
Fiery Love Through Burning Sands Chapter 2: Shadows of Fate
The air around him was filled with the scent of sulfur.
The scent of home.
Bowser opened his eyes as he took in the sight around him, feeling calm as he glanced around the familiar space. He was back at his castle, back in the garden in the middle of the courtyard. The sight of the marble statues of his graven image filled him with a sense of delight as he wandered closer to the flower beds.
The fire flowers and piranha plants were in full bloom and growing quite nicely, as he expected.
What he did not expect, however, were the other blossoms that decided to bloom undisturbed as well. Yellow daffodils, red gladioluses, golden marigolds, yellow and red roses, purple hyacinths and lobelia, and multicolored hibiscus plants all seemed to clutter the space as he carefully maneuvered his colossal frame to avoid crushing them. A fresh wind blew as the smell of smoke mingled with the scent of the new flowers, making Bowser look up toward the obsidian gazebo at the very center.
If he thought that his garden was a strange sight, nothing prepared him for the sight that he was to behold next.
The gazebo, made from the very obsidian deposits that were hewn for the construction of his castle (and had the added benefit of hiding any discoloration from the constant soot from the lava around them), seemed to have been destroyed on the right side of the garden, and instead been replaced by the pearly white glow of marble.
In fact, the right side of the garden didn't look like HIS garden at all!
The garden that lay beyond the white side of the gazebo was bursting to life with all sorts of flowers and trees. The sweet and spicy aroma of magnolia blossoms filled the air as the breeze pushed past the trees that lined the garden walls. The flowerbeds were filled with rows and rows of white chrysanthemums, yellow sunflowers, purple forget-me-nots, multicolored proteas, white daisies, purple iris, and every color of snapdragon possible. And in the middle was a pond filled with a school of Cheep-Cheeps and pink and white lotus blooms floating on the water's surface.
But the most surprising thing of all was not what he saw.
But who.
Sitting on the edge of that pond was a beautiful woman. And for once, it wasn't his beloved Princess Peach!
Her jet-black hair was filled with soft, tight curls that, like the flowers, bloomed around her head. Her skin was a dark brown, and her arms were covered in golden bangles and arm cuffs that glittered in the sunlight. Her face was adorned with painted markings on her forehead and chin, and little white dots stretched across her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. From her ears hung golden hoops, and a golden circlet was nestled on her forehead. A golden medallion hung from her neck, and in her hand was a single forget-me-not. Though her clothes were simple, she was absolutely stunning, with a cream-colored top and skirt that opened in the front revealing puffy pants and a flowery wrap tied to her waist.
Bowser couldn't help himself as he slowly made his way from his side of the garden to where she sat, more and more entranced by her beauty. But as he approached, he was suddenly hit with a wave of intense sorrow. As if the woman in front of him was made of it from head to toe.
Sorrow that somehow punched him in the gut.
It was at this moment that the mysterious woman looked up, her eyes welling up with tears.
To say that she was startled would be an understatement. Bowser watched as the woman shot up from the bench, her body taking a defensive stance as they stared at each other. Watery brown met crimson red as her eyes darted between his hulking figure and the space behind him before speaking.
"Who are you," She asked, "And why is half of my garden missing?!"
But before Bowser could speak, the sound of dissonant laughter filled the air. The two of them froze in place as the wind picked up, the flowers in both gardens seeming to wilt and turn to ash as the wind scattered their remains. Above them loomed a pair of glowing purple eyes, devoid of a soul and holding nothing but pure, unbridled evil.
The look sent a chill down the Koopa's spine.
"What the hell is that?" Bowser asked the woman but was struck dumb at the look of absolute horror that filled her face.
Before either of them could respond, the purple aura that surrounded the floating eyes turned pitch black and, like arrows from a skilled archer, struck both of them in the heart.
Bowser woke up with a start, rattling the gilded bird cage that was his prison.
Pillars of smoke came out of his nose as he tried to calm down his rapidly beating heart.
What the hell was that all about? He thought, getting up from the floor. The shrunk king paced around his cage, his mind reeling with what he had witnessed in the dream.
The mixed-up garden.
The sickening laugh.
The creepy purple, glowing eyes.
Her eyes.
He shook his head at that, almost regretting taking an early lie-in, regardless of the plan.
It took a bit of time, but Kamek had finally found a way to contact him, and they had planned to escape during the wee hours of the morning when it was guaranteed that all of the Toad guards would be fast asleep. Stretching his limbs, he took one last glance around his cell. Though the room was dark, the full moon's light bathed it in a soft glow. He took one last count of the number of columns that held up the room, the scratches on the tile floor from the Toads dragging their spears instead of actually picking them up. He then cast his eyes on the mini grand piano that Princess Peach was so gracious to allow him to have.
The Koppa King growled slightly as his thoughts turned to the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom.
It was one thing to be rejected by her and then defeated by that red plumber and his cowardly green brother, but to be robbed of his true form and stuck as a shrunk version of himself was just cruel, even for him. Sitting on the tiny piano seat, his claws lightly settled on the keys as he began to play a soft tune. Allowing himself a minute or two to relax his mind.
"Psst! Sire? Sire, are you awake?"
He paused his playing, turning his head towards the window.
Right on time.
With a wave of his wand, Kamek transported himself and the clown car he drove into the room.
"My king! Not to worry, sire, we are here to set you free!" He whispered in his gravelly voice.
"About ti- Wait a minute! We?"
As if summoned, the head of a small Koopa boy with a tuff of fiery red hair popped out of the clown car, smiling.
"Hi, Papa!" The boy chirped a little too loudly, causing Bowser and Kamek to shush him.
"Kamek! What is the meaning of this?!" The king hissed.
"Sorry, your Wrathfulness! He had somehow snuck in before I took off from the hangar."
Bowser groaned, rubbing his temples while his son beamed from ear to ear, pleased that he was able to trick his tutor. As much as he loved his son, he had a special talent for making things more complicated than needed.
"Junior, how many times do I have to tell you to stay at the castle? We're in the middle of enemy territory!"
"But Papa! I wanna see Mama Peach!" He whisper-yelled excitedly.
The king sighed. Of course, he would. Ever since he told him that Peach was his mother, he had wanted to see her. He wasn't stupid, it was his own damn fault for telling him that in the first place. Raking his claws through his mane, he couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle. No doubt he was his boy.
"Later, ya little brat. You can see her later. But right now, we need to get back home and regroup. Speaking of which..."
He gave a pointed look at his advisor as he waved his wand to open the cage door. Then, with a flourish, he hopped into the elder mage's hand, and off they flew, the Mushroom Kingdom growing smaller and smaller as they rose higher and higher into the sky.
As the sun rose behind them, the Toad guards awoke to an empty room devoid of it's scaly, fire-breathing, homicidal prisoner, and the entire kingdom now on high alert.
Taraji gasped as she jolted awake in her bed, nearly toppling over to the floor in fear.
The dream seemed so real.
No, she thought, Not a dream. A vision.
A vision too real to be ignored.
Wrapping herself in a sheer white robe, the queen took off her hair bonnet and stumbled out of bed, the moon bathing her room in its silvery light. With a sigh, she grabbed a few sticks of incense, opened her bedroom door and walked into the hallway, her mind deep in thought.
Months of radio silence from the Great Grambi, and all of a sudden, she was granted a vision. And not a great one, to be sure.
Not only that, but the purple eyes were certainly daunting. And that laugh.
That laugh was so familiar.
Too familiar.
A shudder went up her spine as she rounded the corner.
Then there was the matter of the creature that had somehow infiltrated her vision.
Taraji wasn't stupid; she knew very well that there was only one Koopa that was that large. But it still didn't explain why she was having a vision with him, of all people, in it.
Or why it seemed like his pain mirrored her own.
She paused, having reached her location. Opening the doors, she stepped inside the Chamber of Kings and made her way towards the altar, her path lit up by the hundreds of candles that lined the walls. On those same walls were the portraits of all the former rulers of her empire and the royal family during their reign, from the great King Totomesu to her mother and father, whose portraits lined the back wall where the altar stood in front of a small pool of water filled with lotus petals.
Taking the incense, she lit the ends on one of the candles that was close to the marble pedestal that faced her parents and the family portrait that hung under it, taking a moment to look at their faces. Her father, King Mwindo, stared down at her, a stoic sense of pride etched onto his face, as if demanding that she protect the legacy of the kingdoms that he loved so much. Meanwhile, her mother, Queen Zuri's, gaze was soft, as if reminding her to rule with compassion and empathy. Her eyes glanced over to the family portrait, her heart wrenching as she remembered the day the portrait was made. Gazing back at her own image, holding a little bundle in her arms as next to her stood her late husband.
A few stray tears left her eyes as she quickly wiped them away and placed the incense on a silver holder that was embedded in the pedestal before going back to a cushioned pillow, knelt down, and kowtowed in prayer.
"Oh, Great Grambi and our beloved ancestors, please show me what I cannot see. This vision was troubling, and I am in need of guidance. May you give me clarity to lead in the right direction. Protect my people, my empire, and my allies. As stardust we were formed and as stardust we shall return."
"Your Majesty?" A voice interrupted.
Taraji got up from the floor, turning to see a Bunbun girl with her head down.
"Yes, Nora?"
The Bunbun looked up at the mention of her name before clearing her voice.
"I have your schedule for the day, as requested, my lady. As well as an urgent letter from Princess Peach of the Mushroom Kingdom."
The queen smiled, taking the letter out of her servant's hands and opening it. Taking a second to read, her expressions changed from amusement to confusion, to concern, and then to resolve.
"Thank you, Nora. Tell the other servants that we will be having guests in a couple of hours. And alert the Bela Nandi and tell them to meet me in the throne room in 30 minutes."
With a bow, Nora left the room. Meanwhile, Taraji made one final nod to the portraits before heading back to her room, but not before making one more detour.
Picking up speed, she rushed down the hall until she came to a door decorated with glowy stars and old "Keep Out" posters and, without a second thought, opened the door.
"Daisy!"
Turning on the lights, she watched as the lump on the bed started to shift and groan.
"What?" The girl was startled awake, her own hair bonnet slowly slipping off of her head.
"Wake up and get dressed. We have guests coming from the Mushroom Kingdom, and it's urgent."
Daisy checked the alarm clock next to her bed.
"Raji, it's so early! Can't this wait until a reasonable hour?" She whined, attempting to lay back down to go back to sleep.
Taraji rolled her eyes before going to her bed and yanking the blankets off of her.
"Hey!"
"Get dressed, or else you're going to be running 20 extra laps before training for the next two weeks."
The princess jumped at that, rushing to grab her clothes and running to her bathroom. Her sister now productive, the queen quickly ran to her own room to get dressed, but not before offering one more prayer.
Great Grambi, please, PLEASE let Daisy behave herself today.
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Firey Love Through Burning Sands Chapter 3: The Princess and the Plumbers
Princess Peach awoke to the sounds of panicked shouting.
After throwing on her dress, she ran outside of her room as multiple Toad guards scurried around the halls.
Uh-oh, She thought as she waded through the swarm of Toads, That's not a good sign.
As she made her way through the halls, a Toad guard bumped into her, a look of fear etched onto their face. Taking their shoulders, she stopped them from leaving as chaos surrounded them.
"What is it? What's going on?" She asked.
"Princess! We have a problem!
"What's wrong?"
They said nothing, taking her by the hand and nearly dragging her to an all-too-familiar room.
Bowser's room.
Peach felt her blood run cold as she picked up her skirts, raced towards the door, and yanked it open, quickly stepping inside to investigate. The room didn't seem that much different from the last time she was there. Nothing seemed out of place, the floor and room itself were still intact, the windows were closed, the door of the cage was open-
She froze.
THE DOOR OF THE CAGE WAS OPEN!
Open, and missing one miniaturized, infamous Koopa. A chill spread through her body as the princess realized what happened.
Bowser, the Tyrant of the Darklands, had somehow escaped in the middle of the night, and only the Stars knew what he was up to!
This is bad, this is really, REALLY bad! She thought to herself.
If Bowser had escaped, then that meant that (if he wasn't already) he could figure out how to get big again. If he figured out how to get big again, then that meant that he could go back to trying to conquer the world. Which meant another attempt at trying to get her to marry him. Which meant more chaos and destruction as he tried to raid more kingdoms for yet another Power Star.
And since they discovered the Bros' kingdom of Brooke-Land, then that meant that no one in any universe would be safe from his onslaught.
That. Can. Not. Happen!
A sudden crash was heard as Toad appeared; his frying pan gripped tightly in his hand as he barged into the palace, heaving in big gulps of air from running. He was walking into town when he saw the palace guards running in and out of the building in a panic. Surprised at the guards not even questioning his presence, he rushed over to Peach, a look of concern on his face.
"Princess! Are you okay?! What's with all the running?"
Wasting no time, she raced to her office, grabbed a pen and paper, and quickly scrawled a message before handing it to him.
"I'll explain later! Take this to Mario and Luigi! I need to speak with them immediately!"
With a salute, the little Mushroom boy ran into Toad Town.
The Super Mario Brothers were never in the habit of sleeping in, especially when there was a job to get done.
But after a month and a half of rescuing and moving into the Mushroom Kingdom, as well as going back and forth between here and Brooklyn to work and visit family, the brothers were dead tired. So, it came as no surprise that Mario was still asleep in his bed at 8 in the morning. After all, there wasn't much to worry about. This was their day off, Princess Peach and the kingdom were safe, Bowser was still locked away in that bird cage. Today, he and Luigi could just relax for a moment.
Or at least it was until he was woken up by pounding knocks and shouts at his window.
"MARIO!"
He yelped, nearly hitting himself in the face. It was then that Luigi rushed into the room, still in a green t-shirt and pajama shorts.
"What was that? What's going on?" He cried, rushing towards his brother.
Mario rubbed his eyes for a moment, turning to the window to see an exhausted Toad, his blue vest rustled from sprinting from the castle to their house. He opened the window, feelings of annoyance and concern warring in his mind as he took a once-over at the Mushroom citizen as he struggled to catch his breath.
"Toad, for the last time, knock on the door! And what's gotten you all rowed up today?"
After a minute or two, Toad handed him the letter he held in his hand.
"Peach said that she needs to see you guys right away!"
The brothers looked at each other before Mario opened the letter, reading it aloud for all to hear.
"Dear Mario & Luigi, Bowser has escaped. I need to see you as soon as you get this. Signed Peach."
Luigi grew pale at that, shuddering at the thought.
"W-What does she mean 'Bowser's escaped'? I t-thought he was shrunk down and locked away for good?"
Mario said nothing, instead grabbing at his plumber's uniform with a rush. Luigi followed his lead, scrambling to put on his overalls and find his hat as the two of them rushed out the door, Toad already three steps ahead of them.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"
With a nod, the twins raced for the castle.
Meanwhile, the Council Toads gathered together in Princess Peach's throne room, cries of worry echoing in the pink-colored halls as they approached.
"Princess! What do we do?"
"Who was on watch last night? He couldn't have gone far!"
"That's IF he didn't return to his normal size!"
"What's to stop him from trying to take over again?"
"He's going to wreak havoc upon us if we don't find him!"
The princess sat on her throne as they continued to argue amongst themselves for the best course of action before silencing them with a wave of her hand.
"I understand your concerns. And I promise all of you that I will fix this. With help from the Super Mario Brothers, we will find him and bring him to justice!"
It was at that declaration that the doors were slammed open to reveal Mario, Luigi, and Toad, all a bit winded from their trek to the castle. With Peach getting up from her throne, the Council Toads dispersed, leaving her and the trio alone.
"Peach! Are you okay?" Mario asked, worried.
The princess gave a deep sigh, rubbing her temples before taking his arm and dragging him to Bowser's former prison, Luigi and Toad struggling to keep up with them as they entered the room. The empty cage seemed to gleam at the four of them in contempt, taunting them with the fact that it wasn't enough to hold the King of the Koopas.
And it wasn't even damaged.
"Oh boy, you weren't kidding." Mario whistled in awe, his heart dropping into his stomach.
Peach growled in frustration the longer she looked at the birdcage.
"It was as if he disappeared into thin air. All of the guards swear that the room door was never opened again after dinnertime last night. And the cage is suspended off of the ground, so even if he did manage to unlock the cage himself, he wouldn't have been able to escape without jumping down and losing the Mini Mushroom power up and making himself noticeable."
Toad (who at this point had yet to see the inside of the room) was exasperated, waving his frying pan around as the pitch of his voice grew higher and higher the angrier he became. Meanwhile, Luigi felt like he was going to pass out. It was well known that he had witnessed firsthand what horrors that turtle-dragon creature was capable of. Now, his tormentor was free and probably plotting his revenge against him and Mario.
Mario, sensing his younger brother's distress, went over to where he stood, putting his arm around him to calm him.
"Hey, don't you worry, Weeg. We beat him once, and we can beat him again!"
"But that was with a Super Star! He almost killed you when we went toe-to-toe with him!"
The four of them shuddered at the memory. If Luigi hadn't rushed in with that manhole cover, there was no doubt that Mario would have been ashes, and all of the known kingdoms would be under Bowser's control.
Mario shook his head at that, resolve in his voice.
"Well, we can find another one and kick his ass again! Right, Princess?"
Peach turned to him, her expression grim as she began to pace the room.
"I'm afraid not, Mario. Power Stars are extremely rare, and the Snow Kingdom was one of the only two kingdoms that were confirmed to have access to one. The same one that Bowser stole and the two of you used to defeat him the first time."
Mario's shoulders sagged in defeat. Well there goes that plan.
"Wait a minute, Princess," Luigi exclaimed, "You said that the Snow Kingdom was one of two! Where's the other one?"
Princess Peach stopped her pacing, realizing what he had said.
"Sarasaland. Why haven't I thought of that before?!"
With that, she raced back to her office, the brothers and Toad following behind her, the two humans looking at her in confusion.
"Sarasa-what-now?" Mario asked.
"The Sarasaland Empire is now the only nation that holds a Power Star within their borders, and now they're in danger of invasion! We need to get in contact with them right now!"
When they finally arrived at her office, Peach immediately got to work penning the letter.
Indlovukazi enkulu uTaraji,
My companions and I request an audience with you at your palace in Birabuto for a matter of utmost importance. We fear it may have something to do with your Power Star and our recent discovery of King Bowser's escape from prison.
We shall wait outside of your gates for your response.
Sincerely,
Peach Toadstool, Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom
Njengenkanyezi sakhiwe futhi njengenkanyezi sizobuya.
The letter signed and sealed, the princess went to a letter warp pipe, directed it to Sarasaland, and with a swish off it went.
Wasting no time, she led them outside towards the center of town, Toad squealing with delight at going on another adventure.
"We're going to have to take the warp pipe to Sarasaland since that's the quickest way there."
"Are you sure she'll even see us?" Luigi asked as they neared the pipe.
Peach turned to the three of them, her eyes narrowing with grave seriousness.
"She will. I pray to the stars she will."
With that, she hopped into the warp pipe; Mario, Luigi, and Toad following behind.
Notes:
Indlovukazi enkulu uTaraji: Great Queen Taraji
Njengenkanyezi sakhiwe futhi njengenkanyezi sizobuya: As stardust we are formed and as stardust we shall return.
Character Meet & Greet
Erik: Welcome to the Author's Blog. Keep care to keep your hand at the level of your eye! MUAHAHAHAHA
Evangeline: *Thwacks Erik* Stop scaring these kids and apologize!
Erik: But Angel....
Evangeline: *Gives Death Glare*
Erik: *Huff* Pardon moi, madames et monsuiers.
a writing competition i was going to participate in again this year has announced that they now allow AI generated content to be submitted
their reasoning being that "we couldn't ban it even if we wanted to, every writer already uses it anyway"
"Every writer"?
come on
Fiery Love Through Burning Sands Link
https://archiveofourown.org/works/47366782/chapters/119356768#workskin
Firey Love Through Burning Sands Chapter 6: Meet & Greet
Mario and Luigi didn't know what to expect when they were brought inside the city gates.
The Koopas that were inside the city were a bit of a shock when they first arrived, considering the fact that the only Koopas that they had seen at that point were all from Bowser's kingdom. But out of all they had seen, nothing had prepared them for seeing other human beings. For the past month, Mario thought that he, Luigi, and Princess Peach were the only humans ever to see the land beyond the green pipe. But not only did Sarasaland seem to have human royalty, but they also had regular citizens and military members that were currently walking alongside them.
The city itself reminded the brothers of a documentary about ancient Egypt that they watched in middle school. Although the part of the city that they had passed through had a wall and gates, the entire city seemed to stretch out for miles without end. There was a big river that passed through the city, and the group crossed a gigantic stone bridge to pass it that was decorated with carvings of flowers and strange dinosaur-like creatures. Crossing to the other side, the group made their way closer to the city square as the sound of music and chatter began to grow louder with each step.
"We're almost to the palace," Daisy shouted over the noise, "You might want to stay close. It gets pretty busy on Market Day."
The occupants of the city were hard at work buying and selling wares at the bazaar. Humans were seen fixing musical instruments and cooking delicious-smelling food and snacks, the Bunbuns were weaving fabrics and silks from threads that shimmered like gems, Toads were busy with constructing new stands and repairing roads, and Koopas were seen forging metalworks and jewelry, but as they passed by, the Mario Brothers began to notice that a lot of the citizens were beginning to stare and whisper the closer they got to their destination.
"Princess Peach has returned."
"Who are those little people with her?"
"The red one looks feral."
"Ha, the green one looks sickly. What are they feeding that poor thing?"
Normally, Luigi would shrink at the comments. After all, he was the more timid brother, the one that avoided any sort of confrontation, the one afraid of his own shadow. But right now, he was currently too interested in the princess that was currently dragging him through the square.
She sure is strong, Luigi thought to himself with a blush.
Meanwhile, Mario found himself falling in step with Peach, determined to get a question answered.
"Hey Peach," he asked, "How do you know the queen again?"
Peach tensed at the question, trying to find a way to answer before Daisy interrupted.
"You've seen her fight before, right? Well, where else did you think she learned combat? Her kingdom's Toads?"
Toad gave an offended yelp.
Peach gasped, taken out of her tense state at her friend's jest.
"Daisy! That's not nice."
"What? You know I'm right! At least the Toads that live here are able to use a sword."
Mario took in her words. The Toads of the Mushroom Kingdom, bless them, were more of the "panic and run" type, from the regular citizens up to the guards that surrounded the pink-and-white castle. Not to say that they weren't protective of her. By what Peach had told him, Toad himself was willing to be tortured for her when Bowser invaded her kingdom after he and DK had been stuck in that gigantic eel. But he knew that whatever fighting skills she had to complete that training course that he couldn't even get through on his BEST go-around was not the doing of the Toads.
At least not from there.
"Huh, so is she, like, your teacher? I mean, that's cool, y'know? You're still able to get advice from her when you need to. But why haven't you mentioned her?"
"We're here."
Peach blanched as they suddenly stopped.
The white marble of the palace gleamed in the afternoon sun as the group entered the palace, the white stone now turning into shades of orange and yellow as they headed towards another set of golden doors that were guarded by two Bunbuns, the door itself decorated with a giant lotus blossom design. The Bros and Toad couldn't help themselves as they ooh'd and ahh'd at the sight before them.
Peach, meanwhile, felt her palms grow sweaty from nervousness. Although it was true that she was raised by the Toads when she first arrived in this land, it was the Queen of Sarasaland who taught her how to be a leader. All of the training to become the Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom, all of her combat skills, her knowledge of power-ups, all of what made her a princess came from her.
And what had she done with that wisdom?
Oh, only put two whole kingdoms and her friends in danger!
Daisy, sensing her distress, let go of Luigi's hand and stood next to her.
"You ready?"
Peach stayed silent as she straightened her posture.
"Not really." She finally answered before turning to her companions.
"Okay, I know you probably have a lot of questions about, well, all of this. And I must confess that I haven't been very... transparent. But when we get in here, I'll be doing most of the talking."
The Bros and Toad stared at her in confusion before slowly nodding their heads.
"Alright Daisy, we're ready now."
Princess Daisy nodded her head, signaling the guards to open the doors.
The group followed the princess as she entered the throne room, taking in the sights surrounding them. The entire room was the same orange-yellow color scheme as the rest of the palace, but accented with green and white inlays as you got closer to the actual throne. The throne itself was golden, not unlike King Cranky's own throne in the Jungle Lands, but above the throne were white silk drapes, and at her right hand was an orange and yellow cushion with golden tassels around the edge.
It was then that they noticed the woman sitting on the throne.
The older woman sat with her back straight, her eyes seeming to stare directly into their souls as she scanned the room before turning her gaze toward Princess Peach.
Princess Daisy, leading the charge, walked towards the steps before kneeling on the ground at the very base. The four companions followed suit, with Daisy nearly causing Luigi to topple over himself as she dragged him down to the floor and Mario being pushed down by Peach as she sank down.
"Bayete, Indlovukazi," Daisy spoke up, "Your visitors have arrived."
The queen paused for a moment, her gaze switching between the princesses and the plumbers, a tiny smile gracing her lips before motioning for Daisy to sit on the cushion and for Peach, Mario, Luigi, and Toad to stand up.
"Welcome to Birabuto; I take it your journey here was a smooth one?"
Princess Peach smoothed her skirts as she answered.
"Yes, your Majesty. And I would like for you to meet my friends, Mario, Luigi, and Toad."
The queen's gaze was unwavering as she noticed their body language. Mario and Toad had placed themselves directly in front of her former student, becoming a living shield. Luigi, who for whatever reason was still on the floor, floundered his way next to his brother, almost knocking the three of them over to join the protection squad. Daisy couldn't help but give an amused giggle, making Luigi break out in a deep blush.
"So, you must be the Super Mario Brothers and that brave Toad boy that saved the universe. You have my respect and my thanks. Now, let's cut to the chase, shall we?"
Peach cleared her throat.
"Yes, um, as I had stated in my letter, we have had some problems with the king of the Darklands that resulted in him finally being captured and taken into custody inside the Mushroom Kingdom."
"Hm, I do recall meeting with the council members that were involved in that whole ordeal. But what does this have to do with Sarasaland and our Power Star? "
Council? Mario thought to himself, Did the Toad Council visit Sarasaland?
"Your Majesty," Peach stated, "Bowser has escaped from his confinement, and it's my belief that he will attempt to take Sarasaland's Power Star and use it for his plans for world domination.
Unbeknownst to the others, Taraji's blood ran cold in her veins, the images of last night's vision practically swimming in her mind.
"Go on."
But before Peach could continue, Mario interrupted.
"Wait a minute, the Toad council met with you already?"
Princess Peach's cheeks turned bright red as a wave of second-hand embarrassment crashed into her. In hindsight, she should have seen this coming, especially when they met with King Cranky. Luigi and Toad looked on anxiously as the queen held the red plumber's gaze before answering.
"No. Princess Peach, just how much have you told your companions about our ways?"
"Well, I...haven't mentioned everything to them."
Peach couldn't help but give a nervous chuckle as her teacher gave her a pointed look.
"A half-truth by omission is still a full-on lie. But that is a discussion for another day. In the meantime, you all will stay here for the night and rest. Tomorrow morning, the council will arrive, and we will convene on what our next steps are going forward."
With a clap of her hands, a couple of her servants gathered around the throne room.
With little room for argument, the servants quietly led the four of them out of the throne room, the door shutting behind them.
"Take our guests to our spare bedrooms. Dinner will be prepared in a few hours."
Later
Princess Peach tossed and turned in her bed, her mind racked with dread.
Dinner had been a rather quiet affair, as was any dinner that was made by the queen herself. The table was filled with rice and beans, a savory stew filled with meat and vegetables with nshima to scoop it up and eat with, and even (to her surprise) malva pudding, all of her favorites. But she couldn't even stomach it. Even the few bites she forced down her throat turned sour in her gut as that pit of despair grew larger and larger.
The council members were all arriving tomorrow in order to figure out how to capture Bowser and what to do with him in order to pay for his crimes.
Again.
And it was all her fault.
Giving up on going to sleep, Peach got up from the bed and began to pace the room, feeling guilty as the queen's words replayed in her head.
A half-truth by omission is still a full-on lie.
Does it even count as a lie? She thought to herself before shaking her head.
As a ruler, she was honor-bound to be an honest and wise princess, whether it was between other leaders or with the common folk. She had learned that from the best, after all.
But she didn't mean to keep Sarasaland or its ruler a secret. It just...never came up in conversation between her and the Mario Brothers. And why she didn't go to Sarasaland when this whole problem began?
It was...complicated.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden knock on the door.
"Come in."
The door slowly opened to reveal Taraji, her hair in her bonnet and dressed in her white nightgown and robe as she smiled at her former student. Behind her stood Daisy, dressed in an orange tank top, shorts, and matching bonnet. Peach, ever the formalist, curtsied.
"Bayete, Indlovukazi. Bayete, Inkosazana."
Their smiles fell slightly in concern. Peach was always the prim and proper type. Had been that way since she was a little girl under Taraji's tutoring. But that was the first time in years that she had used their official titles, and in their native tongue nonetheless, while being in just their presence. She only ever did that when something was terribly wrong.
"Peach? What's wrong?" Taraji asked, a frown on her face.
Peach blanched for a moment.
"What, me? No, nothing's wrong. Nothing at all. Why? What would be wrong?"
Daisy snorted, unconvinced.
"Yeah right! You never call us by those titles unless something's up. So, spill!"
Peach shook her head, resuming her pacing as the two other royals watched.
"I'm fine. Just... got a lot on my mind right now."
Taraji said nothing at that. Instead, she sighed as she sat herself down on the vanity seat and grabbed the hairbrush that sat on the table.
"Sit down."
"But-"
"Sit."
With a sigh, Peach sat on the floor as Taraji began to brush her hair. Daisy, meanwhile, took a running start from the door and jumped onto her bed, jostling the bedsheets into more disarray. Rolling her eyes at her sister, Taraji turned her attention back to Peach.
"Now, tell me what's really going on. Why didn't you ask the council to help you in the first place?"
"I...It's just...I just...didn't want to bother them with something that I could handle by myself."
The two of them gave her an incredulous look.
"You're kidding, right?" Daisy deadpanned.
Taraji paused her brushing.
"Peach, I know that the situation was more dire than that. If reports from the last council meeting were correct, Bowser had not only captured the king of the Snow Lands and stolen their Power Star; but he also had threatened the safety of your kingdom and your people if you refused to marry him; he had ambushed and nearly killed the king and prince of Kong Country as well as the majority of the Kong army; and had threatened the lives of your red plumber, his brother, and their homeland. And this was all something you could have handled by yourself?"
Silence.
Daisy's eyes glanced between her friend and her sister, concerned.
"Look," she spoke up, "I don't like half of those stuffy folks either, but they're there for a reason, you know that, right?"
Peach jumped up at that, a huff of frustration escaping her lips.
"I know that! But... I can't help but feel as if I'm taken as a joke. I'm the only council member that is a princess; according to some members, my rule is illegitimate since I wasn't born a Mushroom Kingdom royal; and Bowser has been so much of a constant problem, I wasn't sure that they would listen to me! What else could I do? I-"
"Ipentshisi."
Peach turned around, her eyes cast down to the ground in shame. Taraji stood up and took her hands into her own, causing her to look up.
"A good ruler, regardless of what rank they are, doesn't just take care of their kingdom. A good ruler also knows when to ask for help. Both of which King Cranky and the Penguin King should have done. And even if you didn't want the council involved, you could have at least told us. You know that Sarasaland would have stood with you, don't you?"
Peach sighed, looking back down at the floor.
"I... I guess I wanted to prove to the council that I wasn't just some 'damsel in distress'. I wanted to protect the kingdom on my own, like you do."
And there it is.
Taraji sighed, leading her back to the seat she had abandoned.
"Peach, when I first became queen, the royal council had been disbanded for over a decade. I had to learn how to protect Sarasaland on my own because I was on my own. I had no one to help me or the empire, not to mention what had transpired for me to ascend the throne."
The young princesses paused at that, looking at each other and back at the queen as she seemed to visibly deflate at the mention of that night.
"When I was able to get the council back together, I vowed never to let any new ruler experience what I had to go through. Does that mean that they are infallible? No. We are not perfect in any sense of the word, but at least you would have the security of having that support when you need it. And as for questioning your legitimacy? You may not have been born into the original royal family, and you may not have been born in this very universe, but the Great Grambi brought you here and made you the princess of the Mushroom Kingdom for a reason. Don't ever doubt that."
"I know all that, but it still doesn't answer why."
Taraji laughed at that.
"Heh, still have that patience problem, I suppose."
"Well, old habits die hard, as Mario would say."
Taraji gave another small chuckle as she recalled the little red man that seemed to be glued to her hip. No doubt that he had sworn to be her protector.
Daisy snickered.
"Oh yeah, Mr. Knight-in-Ruby-Red! Sworn to protect pretty Princess Peach! Honestly, you two would be perfect together. "
The queen laughed, a rueful smile etching her face.
"Now, now, now. Don't think I didn't see you with the green one, Daisy. You seem quite smitten with him."
Daisy spluttered.
"S-s-smitten! HA! Who says I was smitten with that guy? Nope! No smitten-ness over here!"
That sent Peach into a laughing fit.
"Oh, please! You literally dragged poor Luigi from the city gates to the palace walls!"
But in their laughter, they had failed to notice a lone figure that was spying on them from above. Though invisible for the majority of the conversation, the shapeless blob that was hovering over them sneered a malignant smirk before blipping out of the room.
The three royals laughed and laughed, their voices echoing into the halls.
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Won't risk it
This is money cat. He only appears every 1,383,986,917,198,001 posts. If you repost this in 30 seconds he will bring u good wealth and fortune.
The Theater Nerd in me is pleased while the Chronicles of Narnia Nerd is very, very concerned
Edmund: Why do I act like such a creep?
Peter: Why did I hit him?
Eustace: Why won't she date me?
Susan: Why do I cry my self to sleep?
Lucy: Why...
Welcome Phantom Phans, Wattpad Writers, and Broadway Babies alike! This is where I keep up-to-date on stuff with our favorite masked maniac and the family he has made! Pronouns:she/her/hers 23yrs
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