*Admitting my feelings*

*Chapter One: Endless Questions and countless distractions*

My happiness must be sacrificed for the sake of my kingdom. I must do my duty as princess and nothing further. My kingdom comes first. Always.

That is what I've thought since I was a little girl. My mother was very strict on the matter and was planning our arranged marriages since birth. My sister didn't like her views and eventually ran away because of it. She was to be married to someone then become the queen of the Mushroom kingdom.

She was ready to be queen, it was all she ever talked about. She couldn't wait to have the ability to change the kingdom for the better, or as she called it, make it more *alive*. She would've been an amazing queen.

She didn't want to marry someone she didn't love. She begged mother to not force her to marry, but mother refused to call off the wedding so my dear sister refused her title and ran away. In mother's anger, she declared that her own daughter was never allowed back into the kingdom, and wiped all record of her from the history books. And just like that, I was an only child.

Mother doesn't know, but my sister sent me letters. She knews I couldn't reply for the fear of mother finding out but every month or so, she sends an update on her living arrangements. She's now happily married with three children and is pregnant with twins. She says that she lives in a beautiful cottage by the sea. She also begs me to join her.

Oh, how I wish I could! Free from formalities and responsibilities. The ability to marry whom I chose and live in a cottage right next to my sister. But I knew I couldn't.

I couldn't leave mother. I couldn't leave the kingdom. The kingdom that would eventually be mine. I could never leave it behind. Even if my own happiness was at stake. Mother always knew I'd never leave like sister did. I realise now that she took me for granted because of it.

Now i hope I haven't made it look like I'm hiding in a castle, all alone with only a mother telling me of the outside world. I was happy, to some extent. I had friends and I was even engaged. I couldn't wait to get married but i started to wonder if I was marrying the right person.

Mario Mario was his name. He was my very good Friend and I'd argue that he knew me best of all. I just didn't love him, did I? Did I even know what love was? Was I thinking there was more to love than what I was experiencing? Was my mother right? Was love a waste of time? Was my sister right? That i haven't found the right person? Maybe Mario was only my friend..

He would've been a great king, I was positive of that.

The weeks leading up to the wedding were stressful. But my mind wouldn't stop asking questions. Questions I didn't know the answer to so I tried to ignore them. I made my hands busy. Made my mind think about other things. It worked! Almost too well. I used the distractions so often that in a few weeks, all of the preperating for the wedding were completed. And now i was alone with my head. Again.

*Ugh!*

"Peach? Darling? Are you okay? You look a little faint." Mario asked me as we sat down for a break and a cup of tea.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm fine. I'm just a little tired after all the preperating." I lied.

"Are you sure? Do you need a lay down?" I looked up to meet his gaze and as I did, I met a look he had never given me before. A look of concern.

"N-no. I'm okay thank you. I just need to re-enter the real world again. I might invite Daisy over for a catch up." I felt my spirit and my face light up at the idea of seeing my best friend. He saw this and lit up as well.

"That's a great idea! I could take Luigi to that new pizza place in the town! He loves pizza." Mario jumped up off the sofa and had skipped to the phone. I was beaming at the idea of seeing Daisy. My best friend.

Daisy was the soon to be Queen of the nearby kingdom of Sarasaland. We'd been friends for years as our kingdoms have been allied since before our parents were born. I remember fond memories of my sister and I playing with 'the petal twins' as we called them.

Lily was Daisy's sister who didn't spend much time in the limelight. She was more into reading everything she could get her hands on. she'd read everything in the Sarasaland castle, their public library, my castle and possibly everything else inbetween.

"I think I'm going to go and get changed." I said as I looked down at my ripped jeans and dirty white tee shirt. It was more a light grey now than white.

Mario nodded at me as he dialled the number that would connect him to his younger brother.

Despite Luigi being around 6 ft tall, he was the youngest of him and his brother. Not many people belive it when you first meet the pair, but it is true. Luigi's height is very misleading as the green plumber is usually scared of everything. He is also very bad at knowing when to say things and when not to say things.

I jogged to my room and flung open my wardrobe doors and immediately had no idea what to wear. It was too hot so I couldn't wear my usual pink ballgown so I eventually choose my favourite strapless maxi dress. I think it's pink but Daisy always argues that it's purple. We eventually agreed that it was more of a magenta.

I then heard two pairs of feet making their way up the gravel path leading to my front doors. One was skipping while the other was trying their best to keep up. I jogged lightly onto my balcony and peeredd over to see a cheerful Daisy, skipping merrily and a tired Luigi, who looked like he'd just run a marathon.

"Daisy!" I shouted as I waved frantically down at my brunette bestie. Daisy looked up and the biggest smile broke onto her face. She waved so hard it looked like her arm might come off. Her skipping broke into a light run with the smile still on her face. Luigi sighed and jogged lightly in an effort to keep up with her.

I whipped around, put my flat shoes back on and bolted down the elaborate hallways to meet my friend. When I got down to them, Mario was already greeting them. I jogged over to her and nearly knocked her over. She caught her balance as I wrapped my arms around her as tightly as I could.

Her arms were so comforting as they wrapped tighter around my waist, pulling me towards her. She smelled like she usually does. *Summer breeze.* She really did smell like a warm summer breeze on a lovely spring afternoon.

Daisy didn't let go. I didn't let go. We stood hugging in the middle of my front room for atleast five minutes. Eventually though, I knew I had to pull away. We pulled away from each other and held each other at elbow length while gazing happily in each others eyes.

"Daisy. It's so good to see you."

"I've missed you Peach. It's great to be back." Daisy smile widened. She looked at me with a particular gaze. Like she was home.

"Uh, didn't you two see each other a few days ago? Youre acting like you haven't seen each other in years." Luigi said with a confused look on his face.

"Y-yea. We did." I said as I inspected my shoes, clearly embarrassed.

"Hey! I can't wait for some of your delicious lavender tea! Nobody in Sarasaland makes quite as well as you do. This time I'm going to have to make sure I bring some of it home." Daisy said, then swiftly turned to the ex-plumbers behind her, "I'm *sure* you two don't want to stay for girly chit-chat, right?"

I couldn't see her face but the boys nodded solemnly.

"I'll be back before seven, is that alright?" When I nodded, he moved to kiss me on my light pink lips. I quickly turned my head to make him kiss my cheek. After he pulled away, I put my head down slowly to avoid seeing his disappointed face.

I saw Luigi peck Daisy lightly on the lips then day after Mario who was already making his way up the path. Daisy and I stood at the door for a few minutes and watched them walk further and further away.